Knowing Jesus

There are times that people have a need and are not really sure what that
need is because they are lost in a dying world. Many people ask for money,
some have an honest need because of physical, emotional, or mental
problems. Some are swindlers or just lazy. Peter saw what a lame man really
needed, to be healed by the power of Jesus. Peter stopped what he was doing
and gave attention to someone that could give him nothing of value. *Acts
3:1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of
prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was
carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called
Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple...6 Then Peter
said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the
name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”* How many times are we
given the opportunity, the honor and privilege of sharing the love of Jesus
and His healing power with others and just walk right on by them because
they are less fortunate, destitute and beggars. Silver and gold may help
someones life temporarily. Knowing Jesus, can help them for eternity.
And who knows, maybe God has prepared you to change someones life today.

Douglas 

Dear Younger Me!

There is a song, "Dear younger me", by Mercy Me, that talks about what you
would tell your younger self if you could. "Then you could be One step
ahead Of all the painful memories still running thru my head I wonder how
much different things would be". For many, what would we truly say or
change if we could. I look back at all the decisions, good and bad, that I
have made, and understand that it is those decisions that have made me who
I am today. My first thoughts were, DON'T take that first drink, stay away
from drugs, especially meth, don't look at porn. More importantly, look to
Jesus for help, not to people or relationships. I think of *Isaiah 61:1
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To
preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those
who are bound 3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for
ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of
heaviness...* God has made "beauty from ashes" in my life. Through all the
pain that I have experienced, I know one thing for sure, Jesus loves me and
I am alive because of Him. And now, I am able to help so many others get
through their own hell, all because of the hell that God has helped me get
through. For those of you that are going through "Something", know that
Jesus loves you and I do too!

Douglas 

1 Peter 2 - Is Jesus your chief Cornerstone?

The Living Stone
(Isaiah 28:14-22; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

4As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men, but chosen and precious in God’s sight, 5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For it stands in Scripture:

“See, I lay in Zion a stone,

a chosen and precious cornerstone;

and the one who believes in Him

will never be put to shame.”a

What a beautiful metaphor, a living stone! 

Jesus is the cornerstone and all the believers are the living stones built into a spiritual house.

Have you ever built a stone wall? 

Years ago I closed in our carport. First, I dug out the footing, laid rebar, poured concrete and then started laying block. I had to set the main outside corner first. Off the chief cornerstone everything else is lined up and laid. Once that was established, laying the rest of the block was easy.

Is Jesus your chief Cornerstone?

Go deeper;

https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-Christ-cornerstone.html

Blessings, David 

Believe It Or Not. Matthew 28:11-15 NLT

What is easier to believe? 

The Roman soldiers slept on duty, all of them, at the same time, a transgression punishable by death. And while they were sleeping, quite soundly, I must add, sleeping through the noise made by the disciples, grunting and groaning as they rolled a very large, very heavy boulder away from the tomb and stole the body of Jesus......Even while they all slept, very soundly, through all of this commotion, they knew who stole His body? 

Or.....

Jesus rose from the dead and walked out of the tomb on His own....

Matthew 28:11-15 NLT

The Report of the Guard 

11 As the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened.  12 A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe. 13 They told the soldiers, “You must say, ‘Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole His body.’  14 If the governor hears about it, we’ll stand up for you so you won’t get in trouble.”  15 So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today. 

Blessings, Cecilia

God has made beauty from the ashes in my life!

There is a song, "Dear younger me", by Mercy Me, that talks about what you
would tell your younger self if you could. "Then you could be One step
ahead Of all the painful memories still running thru my head I wonder how
much different things would be". For many, what would we truly say or
change if we could. I look back at all the decisions, good and bad, that I
have made, and understand that it is those decisions that have made me who
I am today. My first thoughts were, DON'T take that first drink, stay away
from drugs, especially meth, don't look at porn. More importantly, look to
Jesus for help, not to people or relationships. I think of *Isaiah 61:1
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To
preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those
who are bound 3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for
ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of
heaviness...* God has made "beauty from ashes" in my life. Through all the
pain that I have experienced, I know one thing for sure, Jesus loves me and
I am alive because of Him. And now, I am able to help so many others get
through their own hell, all because of the hell that God has helped me get
through. For those of you that are going through "Something", know that
Jesus loves you and I do too!

Douglas 

1 Peter 2 - The Lord is good!

1 Peter 2

Berean Study Bible

The Lord is Good

1Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. 2Like newborn infants, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3since you have tasted that the Lord is good.

The Bible is clear, but is this hard to do?

Brethren, people need to witness a change in you. If they don't, you will give Christians a bad name and YOU will chase someone away from salvation.

Dwell on that for a moment........

If you proclaim to be a Christian, go to church on Sunday, but go to work on Monday and slander a coworker won't others say you are a hypocrite? 

But if you stand up for a coworker that's being slandered won't you be setting an example?

Crave your spiritual milk like a new born infant and declare the Lord is good!

Lead others to Christ by example!

Blessings, David 

Blessings from God

Blessings from God come in all different ways, financial, physical,
emotional, and relational. Many times we only see the faithfulness of God
after God see's our faithfulness unto Him. A simple widow asked for help,
Elisha gave simple instructions and God simply blessed her by giving her
just what she needed, all because she asked. *2Kings4:2 So Elisha said to
her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And
she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” 3
Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your
neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. 4 And when you have come
in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all
those vessels, and set aside the full ones.”5 So she went from him and shut
the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she
poured it out. 6 Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she
said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.”And he said to her, “There is
not another vessel.” So the oil ceased.* I believe that there are many
times that full blessings are not given, all because we do not follow
through with fervency and obedience to what God has called His children to
do. If this woman would of only gotten a few pots, she would of only had a
little oil. Faithfulness to God is seen in following His instructions to
the fullest. Being obedient does not always come easy, but it is always
worth it in the end.

Douglas 

Face to Face. Matthew 28:8-10 NLT

What will you do when you see Jesus? Probably the same thing these women do, drop and worship Him. 

I suspect when we come face to face with the Creator of everything, we will be in such wonder, all we will be able to do is drop and worship. Maybe our knees will buckle on their own, maybe our arms will be drawn up automatically in glory,  maybe our mouths won't be able to say anything but praise. 

Oh what a glorious day it will be when we come face to face with Thee! 

Matthew 28:8-10 NLT

8 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message.  9 And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to Him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him.  10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell My brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see Me there.” 

Blessings, Cecilia 

What do you delight in?

There are many people that say that they "know" God and are His children,
and yet have no understanding of what He wants from them or what He wants
them to do. For many, the glory of accomplishment comes from wisdom, might,
and riches. Understanding God, His lovingkindness, judgement, and
righteousness is far more important than any earthly accomplishment. In
understanding God's attributes, our lives should be changed. It says in
*Jeremiah 9:23 Thus says the Lord:“Let not the wise man glory in his
wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man
glory in his riches; 24 But let him who glories glory in this, That he
understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness,
judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the
Lord.* The end question is, what do you delight in, the things of the world
or the things of God? All of this world is going to pass away, what then?
What will you have left to sustain you? May our main desire, our most
important glory, be to understand and know God Almighty!

Douglas 

1 Peter 1- You have His Word!

The Word of the Lord Stands
(Isaiah 40:6-8)

22Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth, so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart.b 23For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24For,

“All flesh is like grass,

and all its glory like the flowers of the field;

the grass withers and the flowers fall, 

25but the word of the Lord stands forever.”c

And this is the word that was proclaimed to you. 

“God’s Word never dies, God’s Word never changes. There are some who think we ought to get a new gospel every few years or even every few weeks, but that was not Peter’s notion. He wrote, and he was divinely inspired to write, concerning ‘the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.'” (Spurgeon)

Have you ever received this comment? Oh, you're one of those born again Christians!

John 3:3 Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."

All flesh is like grass, you must be born again before you are cut down. 

Time is short, make the most of it.

You have His word, what are you waiting for?

Blessings, David 

Joy of the Lord!

There are many things that I have seen Christians struggle with over the
years, and two of them are the "Fear" and the "Joy" of the Lord. If we
truly feared the Lord, our world would be different. *Prov 9:10 The
[reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as
truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its
starting point and its essence]...* There is a battle that rages inside
many believers because of the desire to be "Christian", to be
"Christ-like". For many, we justify our sin because it does not "cross the
line" as to becoming completely disqualified and is not as bad as others or
as we use to be. Then, because of our sin, we cannot truly embrace the
"Joy" of the Lord because of our shame. Joy comes by abiding in Christ,
following after His example, and living a life that pleases Him. Joy comes
from an attitude of gratitude, to the One who gives us strength to overcome
our weaknesses and protect us in His stronghold. Brethren, we will never
sin-less until we get to heaven, but we are called to sin less. Today, may
we reflect upon, *Neh 8:10...for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not
be worried, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and your stronghold.*

Douglas 

Don't Give Up. Matthew 28:8-10 NLT

The women. The women who didn't deny Jesus. The women who didn't scatter when He was arrested. The women who stayed at the cross for the crucifixion. The  women who sat and watched when Jesus was placed in the tomb. The women who returned the next morning to finish the burial process.

They didn't give up. They didn't walk away. They didn't throw their hands up in exasperation. Isn't it fitting Jesus should first appear to them first?

"Don't give up. Is the trail dark? Don't sit. Is the road long? Don't stop. Is the night black? Don't quit. God is watching. For all you know right at this moment He may be telling the angel to move the stone. The check may be in the mail...The apology may be in the making. The job contract may be on the desk. Don't quit. For if you do, you may miss the answer to your prayers."
From "He Still Moves Stones" by Max Lucado

Matthew 28:8-10 NLT

8 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message.  9 And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to Him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him.  10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell My brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see Me there.”

Blessings, Cecilia

1 Peter 1- Put your faith and hope in God.

20He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.
21Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him; and so your faith and hope are in God.

Jesus' redemption of the cross wasn't an afterthought, God had a plan from the beginning.
Those who believe in God are not disappointed because their faith and hope has been substantiated by Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. (Guzik)

Jesus will sustain you and help you get through today, all you have to do is lift it up to Him with prayer and supplication!

Yesterday, Todd Agnew was our guest preacher and worship leader at out church.
He holds a special place in our heart as he was adopted and we took our adoptive son to meet him on stage at Resurrection Celebration in Tucson 8-10 years ago. He spent 20 minutes with our son, talking, signing, giving him scripture and guitar tips.
He taught on Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition (supplication) , with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Talk to God (prayer), lift up your problems to Him, give Him thanks for everything you have, present your requests to Him.
Cannot the God who rose Jesus from the dead handle your problems?
Stop worrying, put your faith and hope in God.

Blessings, David

Don't Freak Out! Matthew 28:1-7 NLT

I love the way one pastor I heard put it. He said "In the King James Version it says "Freakith thee not out!" Now, I don't know about you but from what I've learned about angels, if one appeared before me, I would probably freak out and pass out like the Roman guards did. 

I've heard it said the Bible tells us 365 times "Do not be afraid" . I've never researched it, but it is a comforting thought, one for each day of the year. 

Throughout the New Testament we see examples of people being raised from the dead and brought back to life. When each of them came back to life, it was in the same body, healed of their defect, but they all died again. 

When Jesus rose from death it was in a new body, a resurrected body, a perfect, sinless body. One day, so will we. 

Matthew 281-7 NLT

The Resurrection

1 Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.

2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.

5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as He said would happen. Come, see where His body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead, and He is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see Him there. Remember what I have told you.”

Blessings, Cecilia

God is my hope, light, strength and comforter!

There are many different sayings and quotes that I have read, that help me
know that I am not the only one going through the trials, struggles and
disappointments of life. "I can't brag about my love for God because I fail
him daily, but I can brag about His love for me because it never fails."
Then there are some days that I forget who I even am to God. *Gal 4:7
Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir
of God through Christ.* I love God, I love Jesus, I love Holy Spirit, I
love people, the only problem I have is that I don't love them enough. I
fail all of them everyday in one way or another. Many times it is because
of pride and selfishness. For those who tell me to not be so hard on
myself, please understand, I know my sin before God and the penalty of it.
I also understand what Jesus did for me, for you, *Heb 12:2 looking unto
Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set
before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the
right hand of the throne of God.* "At my lowest: God is my Hope. At my
darkest: God is my Light. At my weakest: God is Strength. At my saddest:
God is my Comforter." I read this prayer and wanted to share it. "Father in
Heaven, Today I choose to release everything that has tried to hold me
back. I release the past; I release bitterness; I release failures and
missed opportunities. Instead, I embrace your grace and power to boldly
move forward into the blessing you have for me. In Jesus' name! Amen."

Douglas 

1 Peter 1- You are beautiful and God loves you!

18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.

You can't buy your way into heaven.
Christ has set us free.

Cecilia and I attended training for a leadership class at our church for Compassionate Recovery. This video was played. I think you will enjoy it. It displays our empty way of life but through a Polaroid picture shows us how beautiful we are.
Song; Beautiful Things by Gunger
https://youtu.be/Is6weMrenls

You are beautiful and God loves you!

Blessings, David

1 Peter 1- Earth is your lodge!

17Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives in reverent fear during your temporary stay on earth.

God is their portion, Christ their companion, the Spirit their Comforter, earth their lodge, and heaven their home. (Truth For Life)

"during your temporary stay on earth." Remember, earth is your lodge and heaven is our home!

I look forward to going home! I sometimes feel like I'm on a long trip, sleeping 😌 little at the lodge with much pain. I look forward to a pain free home with Jesus.

Don't you?

Blessings, David 

The Ties That Bind. Matthew 27:62-66 NLT

About the tomb, the following is excerpted from David Guzik: 

"The tomb would commonly have a small entrance and perhaps one or more compartments where bodies were laid out after being somewhat mummified with spices, ointments, and linen strips. Customarily, the Jews left these bodies alone for a few years until they decayed down to the bones, then the bones were placed in a small stone box known as an ossuary. The ossuary remained in the tomb with the remains of other family members. 

The door to the tomb was typically made of a heavy, circular shaped stone, running in a groove and settled down into a channel, so it could not be moved except by several strong men. This was done to ensure that no one would disturb the remains.

The tomb was secured by a stone, which was a  material obstacle. These stones were large, and set in an inclined channel. This was a real obstacle. For sure, the stone could not be rolled away from the inside. 

The tomb was secured by a  seal, which was an obstacle of  human authority. The seal was a rope, overlapping the width of the stone covering the entrance to the tomb. On either side of the doorway, there was a glob of wax securing the rope over the stone. You could not move the rock without breaking the seal. It was important that the guards witness the sealing, because they were responsible for whatever was being sealed. These Roman guards would watch carefully as the stone was sealed, because they knew their careers, and perhaps their lives, were on the line. The Roman seal carried legal authority,  to break a Roman seal was to defy Roman authority. That stone was secured by the authority of the Roman Empire. 

The tomb was secured by a  guard, which was an obstacle of  human strength. A typical Roman guard had four soldiers. Two watched while the others rested. The soldiers would be fully equipped – sword, shield, spear, dagger, armor. We should also remember that these were  Roman soldiers. They didn’t care about Jesus or Jewish laws or rituals. They were called to secure the tomb of a criminal. To them the only sacred thing at this tomb was the Roman seal, because if that were broken, their careers were ruined and they might be executed themselves. Soldiers cold-blooded enough to gamble over a dying man’s clothes were not the kind of men to be tricked by trembling disciples, or would not jeopardize their necks by sleeping at their post. "

All these precautions, all these steps done to secure the tomb,  had no power over the resurrected Jesus. Only He can break all the ties that bind us to the sin in our life. 

Matthew 27:62-66 NLT

Guard at the Tomb 

62 The next day, on the Sabbath,  the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate.  63 They told him, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while He was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’  64 So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent His disciples from coming and stealing His body and then telling everyone He was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.” 

65 Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.”  66 So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it. 

Blessings, Cecilia 

I confess and believe!

Is Jesus the Lord of your life or do you just think He is? I have been
reading through the Bible and am currently in 2 Samuel. There are times
that I need to read those letters in RED, the words of the Lord. My Bible
opened to Matthew 7, and the words there made me really think about my
relationship with the Lord Jesus. *Matt 7:22 Many will say to Me in that
day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in
Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’23 And then I will declare
to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
There are list in the Bible that clarify what "practicing lawlessness" is
all about, 1 Cor 6:9-10 and Eph 5:4-5, and there are many so-called
"Christians" who live in that manner. According to Matthew, there are many
that are doing work for someone that they do not know. For me, I need to
evaluate my life as to why I do what I do. I think about the words spoken
by Paul, *Phil 2:12...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good
pleasure.* I believe that God is at work in my life to make me more like my
Lord Jesus everyday. Brethren, we all need to make a conscious decision who
Jesus is to each of us. There are many verses that give me comfort, then
there are some that give me boldness. I pray that this verse encourages you
as much as it does me. *Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the
Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead,
you will be saved.* I confess and believe, who else is with me?

Douglas 

1 Peter 1- Will you try to be holy today?

14As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance. 15But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, 16for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”a

“Be holy, because I am holy.”

Boy, that's hard to do isn't it?

During our lifetime, how unholy have we been? Spurgeon says we are undeserving, ill-deserving, hell-deserving objects! 

So how do we being unholy objects, "be holy"?

By one minute, one hour, one day at a time. We are no different than an alcoholic or addict. We crave sin because our nature is sinful.

Romans 7:15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do. But what I hate, I do.

When you catch yourself being unholy, repent. When you catch yourself judging, repent. When you catch yourself sinning, repent.

Remember, even the holiness man on earth sins, the Bible is full of them.

Try to be holy, try to be like Jesus. 

Ask yourself, WWJD? What would Jesus do? 

The more you ask yourself WWJD and correct your behavior the closer to holiness you will be.

Will you at least try to be holy today?

Blessings, David 

From Womb to Tomb. Matthew 27:57-61 NLT

Here's what struck me studying these verses: 

Jesus had come from a virgin womb. After His death on the cross, He was laid in a virgin tomb. This tomb had never been used before Jesus lay there. It was a sacrifice on Joseph of Arimathea's part. It was probably carved from solid rock. John 19 tells us the tomb was in a garden. 

John 19: 41 "The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before." 

Sin started in a garden, was placed on Jesus in a garden and now He lay in a garden. 

John 19 also tells us the tomb was near "The place of crucifixion", Calvery. This is a perfect reminder that when sin ends forgiveness begins. When we surrender  our lives and sin at the feet of Jesus on the cross we rise to a new life with Christ. What a powerful imagery. 

I found it interesting that again Matthew describes the women as watching. In verse 55 they were "watching from a distance." In verse 61 below they are "sitting across from the tomb and watching." 

Are you watching? Are you waiting? We should follow these women's example, following Jesus, sitting at His feet and watching for His return. 

Matthew 27:57-61 NLT 

The Burial of Jesus 

57 As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea who had become a follower of Jesus,  58 went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him.  59 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth.  60 He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left.  61 Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching. 

Blessings, Cecilia 

We are called to be different!

Not all believers are at the same place in there walk with Christ. Some are
just coming out of the world, others have been out the world for a while,
and then there are some that go back and forth. The words that we say or
type, the pictures that we share and post, have the ability to take someone
back down the road that they have been fighting to get away from. We are
called to be different, *James 3:10 Out of the same mouth come both
blessing and cursing. These things, my brothers, should not be this way
[for we have a moral obligation to speak in a manner that reflects our fear
of God and profound respect for His precepts].* It is easy to go back where
we came from for some, because many of us were in the world longer than we
have been Christians. Brethren, may we pray before we speak, post, or show
pictures, because God knows the motives of our hearts. We must look out the
each other as it says in *Romans 14:13 Then let us not criticize one
another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a
stumbling block or a source of temptation in another believer’s way..* May
we never lead a brother or sister to stumble because of our worldly use of
communication or behavior. May we truly understand the fear of the Lord,
respect His precepts, and love His children enough to watch out for them.
In Jesus precious and powerful name, amen.

Douglas 

1 Peter 1- Grace

A Call to Holiness
(Hebrews 12:14-17)

13Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

Prepare your minds, get serious and roll up your sleeves;

Be sober: “It denotes a condition free from every form of mental and spiritual loss of self-control; it is an attitude of self-discipline that avoids the extremes.” (Hiebert)

Grace, it was given to you and CONTINUES throughout your entire life. 

"I will love them freely." 

Since the word "freely" is the very key-note of the text, we must observe its common meaning among men. We use the word "freely" for that which is given without money and without price. 

"I will not accept their works in barter for my love; I will not receive their love as a recompense for mine; I will love them, all unworthy and sinful though they be."

Remember, with regard to God, that his grace to man was utterly unsought. He does give grace to those who seek it, but none would ever seek that grace unless unsought grace had first been bestowed.

God is good from the simple necessity of his nature; God is love, simply because it is his essence to be so, and he pours forth his love in plenteous streams to undeserving, ill-deserving, hell-deserving objects, simply because he "will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and he will have compassion on whom will have compassion," for it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

He does not love because Christ died, but Christ died because the Father loved. 

(Excerpts from Spurgeon)

Read his full sermon here;

http://archive.spurgeon.org/sermons/0501.php

We are hell-deserving objects!

Blessings, David 

God is always watching!

Doing the right thing is not always easy, but it is, what is always best.
There are some things that may seem innocent enough in the worlds eyes, but
among the believers and before God Almighty, might not be right. The Bible
states in *1 Thes 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.* There are
definitely consequences to doing what is wrong, I will be the first to
admit that there are times that I give in to the flesh and fail in
different areas of my life. Sometimes it is the words I say and many more
times the words that I think, that are bad. But there can also be
consequences to doing what is right. There have been times when I have
spoken words of encouragement in Christ after being told not to. Your job
could be affected, friendships can be divided, relationships may become
challenging all in trying to please God and not men. One of my life verses
is *Col 3:17 Whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do
everything in the name of the Lord Jesus [and in dependence on Him], giving
thanks to God the Father through Him.* Brethren, I want to encourage all,
we must choose our thoughts and actions based on godly principles rather
than personal gain. C.S. Lewis wrote, "Integrity is doing the right thing
even when no one is watching". And we must remember that God is always
watching.

Douglas 

The Swoon Theory Debunked. Matthew 27:50 NLT

Dear Eutychus: Our preacher said, on Easter, that Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think? Sincerely, Bewildered 

Dear Bewildered: Beat your preacher with a cat-of-nine-tails with 39 heavy strokes, nail him to a cross; hang him in the sun for 6 hours; run a spear through his heart; embalm him; put him in an airless tomb for 36 hours and see what happens. Sincerely, Eutychus 

Matthew 27: 50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and He released His spirit. 

Blessings, Cecilia 

1 Peter 1- Are you an afflicted reader?

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care,11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

From Enduring Word;

“Peter did not seek to prove the truth of his teaching about salvation by showing its agreements with the prophets; rather, he sought to encourage his afflicted readers by demonstrating the importance and comprehensive grandeur of the salvation for which they were being afflicted.” (Hiebert)

One may only imagine how excited Isaiah would have been to read the Gospel of John. The Old Testament prophets knew so much; yet much was hidden to them, including the character of the Church (Ephesians 3:4-6) and the very essence of life and immortality (2 Timothy 1:10).

(Guzik)

Therefore, they desire to see and learn. This word “Denotes a strong interest or craving. The present tense portrays a present, continued inner yearning to comprehend. The term does not imply that the desire cannot or should not be fulfilled, but it does mark an enduring angelic effort to comprehend more of the mystery of human salvation.” (Hiebert)

"he (Peter) sought to encourage his afflicted readers by demonstrating the importance and comprehensive grandeur of the salvation for which they were being afflicted.”

Yes things were hidden from the prophets until Jesus fulfilled prophesy. David Guzik touches on an important point. Can you imagine how excited Isiah was to read the Book of John?

What about the angels desire? Hiebert explains the angels effort to understand the mystery of human salvation.

Are you an afflicted reader?

Or, do you just touch the delete button? 

Blessings, David 

Take heart ❤️ and pray!

There are battles that we face everyday that can seem burdensome and
overwhelming. When these battles happen, sometimes it seems as if there is
nothing we can do. There are many promises throughout the scriptures that
were given in a specific situations that I believe can be applied to the
life of the believer as well. *Deut 20:20 “When you go out to battle
against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous
than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God is with you...2
So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall
approach and speak to the people. 3 And he shall say to them, ‘Hear, O
Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let
your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified
because of them; 4 for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight
for you against your enemies, to save you.’* Whatever battle you are
facing, health, financial, emotional, and the list goes on, know that there
are more with us than against us. This is seen in *2 Kings 6:15 And when
the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army,
surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him,
“Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 So he answered, “Do not fear, for
those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 And Elisha
prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the
Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain
was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.* Brethren, we
must remember that we have a High Priest, the Lord Jesus, that is with us.
We also have angels watching over us in the battle. The words spoken in
Joshua, I take to heart and I pray you do as well, *Joshua 1:9 Have I not
commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be
dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”*

Douglas 

Do you feel lost and confused?

There have been many times throughout my life that I have felt alone. That
in my darkest days, no one really cares. My family was destroyed, my
friends seemed to have abandoned me, my father died, I felt lost and
confused. As a Christian, I have found comfort in God's word, His promises.
*Ps 23:4 Even though I walk through the [sunless] valley of the shadow of
death, I fear no evil, for You are with me...* I have looked into His word
with confidence, that no matter what I go through He is with me. The times
that I did not feel God's presence was when I wandered away, because God
never moved. I desire to have the heart of Moses when he spoke to God in
*Exodus 33:15 And Moses said to Him, “If Your presence does not go [with
me], do not lead us up from here.* Brethren, may our desire be, to stay as
close to God as possible, experience Him deeply and abide in Christ. The
words of James bring peace and also conviction, *James 4:8 Come close to
God and He will come close to you. [Recognize that you are] sinners, get
your soiled hands clean; [realize that you have been disloyal] wavering
individuals with divided interests, and purify your hearts [of your
spiritual adultery].* Remember, no matter what you go through, please know
that Jesus loves you and I do too! May God richly bless you my beloved.

Douglas 

God Tore the Curtain. Matthew 27:47-53 NLT

The first part of verse 51 is such an amazing verse. "At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." 

I didn't catch it the first time I read it or even the fifth. I didn't catch it until probably the 20th time I read it, the curtain was TORN FROM TOP TO BOTTOM! To be truly amazed by this we have to look at the curtain itself. 

The curtain referred to is the curtain between the Holy of Holies and the rest of the Temple. Although the Ark of the Covenant was no longer in the Holy of Holies when Jesus was crucified,  it was still believed to be the place where God resided.

The curtain was so thick and so heavy, no light got through it. No one was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies except one time a year and then only the high priest was allowed in for a limited period of time.  God was the only one who could have torn the curtain. It was too thick and heavy for any man to have torn, let alone from top to bottom. 

This curtain kept us separated from God. As long as the curtain was there, we could not approach God. When Jesus died on the cross, His sacrifice was the only, final sacrifice God needed to satisfy His wrath for our sin. He tore the curtain so we can now go directly to Him for forgiveness and mercy. 

Now lets look at another aspect of the curtain being torn. Lets go back to the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve committed that first sin, their eyes were opened and they discovered they were naked. God fashioned clothing for them by sacrificing animals. Humans have been wearing clothing ever since. In Old Testament times, when someone was in mourning, they tore their clothes as an expression of grief. When Jesus died on the cross, God tore His covering as an expression of mourning. 

God sacrificed animals to cover Adam and Eves' nakedness because of their sin. Jesus' sacrifice ended the need to be seperated from God because of our sin. 

Matthew 27:47-53 NLT 

47 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought He was calling for the prophet Elijah.  48 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to Him on a reed stick so He could drink.  49 But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save Him.” 

50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and He released His spirit.  51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart,  52 and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead.  53They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people. 

Blessings, Cecilia 

1 Peter 1- You should be! 😇

8Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9now that you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Remember doubting Thomas? He doubted one time and it lives in infamy!

Bing or Google; doubting Thomas!

John 20:25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

John 20:29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Brethren, YOU are blessed, and don't forget that!

"you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

Do you rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy?

You should be! 😇

Blessings, David 

1 Peter 1- Trials, Why Lord?

6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer various trials, 7so that the authenticity of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Trials! Why Lord?

We have all been there, you maybe going through one right now! 

And we ask why? 

I recall one big trial Cecilia and I went through, I was the adoption of our son. He was ten years old when we got him. It just seems the whole period we had him was one big huge trial! But why?

Why wasn't he appreciative?

Why didn't he accept his new home?

Why didn't he want to learn and use the tools he was taught?

It's because he was caught in his past. He was rejected, he was thrown away like trash and couldn't get over it. 

He would never be put in that position again! No never. He would be in charge of his own destiny even to his ruin.

Please pray for him!

I believe God blessed us because we did everything possible for our son. The "trial" affected our health, job, friends, neighbors, community, church and more.

But God was faithful. We kept the faith.

In your trial(s) keep your faith like Job did. He will refine you with fire, like gold, for His purposes. He has a plan for you.

Blessings, David