Category Archives: 2019

Feeling, gooey, ooh

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“Christmas is what this town is all about.”  “That’s what Christmas is all about.” And on goes the dialogue. You’ve heard it if you have watched any Christmas movies this year.

I’ve watched more than my share – just ask my hubby.  I have not told him yet but I have tired of them. The plot wears thin. Snow that doesn’t nip at your nose or pink up your toes after a while is just white on the screen. This human needs real. All humans need real, don’t we?

I like the warm fuzzies. I like family coming together. I like conflicts resolved. I like friendships that develop into godly romances. I like the underdog coming into her/his own, even stepping up to hero of the day. I like lights and glitter and tinsel and trees and ornaments galore. I like cards and gifts, giving even more than receiving. I like cookies and hot cocoa and candy canes and romantic walks in the snow or cuddling on the front porch swing.  You get the idea. I like the stuff we call Christmas.

But is all this feeling, gooey, ooh — Christmas?  If this is Christmas – GOD wasted a trip! Cause man, woman, boy, and girl needs more! This is surface stuff. Our needs run deep; deep, dark, stanky, cold, rock hard soul places deep where anything but warm fuzzies lives. Where families are torn apart, where conflict resolutions seem impossible, marriages are incinerated, and we are crippled with intimidation or stuffed fuller of ourselves than a Christmas turkey with cornbread dressing.  Now that’s real. That’s what humans are and worse! You know it’s true. (Jeremiah 17:9)

So, why, why did we bury Christmas in feeling, gooey, ooh?  No. I’m asking you. Why did we? Why do we still?

Here’s the deal.

John 3:16 King James Version (KJV)16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. source

See?
But guess what?
That alone did not sell Christmas lights, trees, cards, ornaments, hot cocoa, cars, bikes, ipads, or toys, etc. etc.
But He alone will bring families together, resolve any conflict given to Him, save a marriage, grow courage in the most timid, humble the arrogant, and He just might gift romantic walks in the snow and snuggles on the porch swing and more, plus eternal life to whosoever will believe HIM.

Now that’s Real, folks. And Real is what Christmas is really about. (Yeah, I know 😊 )

Revelation 22:20 The One giving testimony to these things says, “Yes! I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Yeshua! 21 May the grace of the Lord Yeshua be with all!   source

Bring it Home

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Luke 16

In this season of celebrating, giving and receiving, partying and more, we have the opportunity to choose wisely that which we prize and give honor. This verse brings it home, I think.

15 Then he said to them, “You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.  source

Let us survey the terrain; let us carefully notice and examine that which the public honors that we do not find ourselves opposing the GOD we are proclaiming this very Christmas Season.

Let Us Rejoice!

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Luke 12

1 In the meantime, after so many thousands of the people had gathered that they were stepping on one another, Jesus began speaking first of all to His disciples, “Be continually on your guard against the leaven of the Pharisees [that is, their pervasive, corrupting influence and teaching], which is hypocrisy [producing self-righteousness]. 2 But there is nothing [so carefully] concealed that it will not be revealed, nor so hidden that it will not be made known. 3 For that reason, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.

Hypocrisy still lives today. Let us not be named among it. Verses 2 and 3. I am counting on this!

4 “I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will point out to you whom you should fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority and power to hurl [you] into hell; yes, I say to you, [stand in great awe of God and] fear Him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? Yet not one of them has [ever] been forgotten in the presence of God. 7 Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are far more valuable than many sparrows.

Verse 5. When the Love of GOD does not reach the Stoney, Self-righteous, Hypocritical heart, nothing remains but the Justice of GOD for that soul. Let us beware. Let not the heart of man become so callus that the LOVE of GOD does not get his/her attention. Verse 6. Let not the fools of this world tell you GOD does not care; that He does not pay attention; that He does not LOVE YOU.

8 “I say to you, whoever declares openly and confesses Me before men [speaking freely of Me as his Lord], the Son of Man also will declare openly and confess him [as one of His own] before the angels of God.9 But he who denies Me before men will be denied in the presence of the angels of God.10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit [that is, whoever intentionally discredits the Holy Spirit by attributing the authenticating miracles done by Me to Satan], it will not be forgiven him [for him there is no forgiveness]. 11 When they bring you before the synagogues and the magistrates and the authorities, do not be worried about how you are to defend yourselves or what you are to say; 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” source

This is truly GOOD NEWS spoken before thousands that day and now having been read these thousands of years by millions. The WORD of GOD does not fail, nor pass away! Let us rejoice!!

Shall We Pray?

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Luke 11

It is often called the LORD’s prayer but really it’s not; it’s the Disciples prayer. Here in Luke 11, they asked YESHUA to teach them to pray. Obviously, they were impressed with the LORD’s prayer life and they were aware that John taught his disciples to pray. Perhaps they wanted to compare notes — or not. So in verse two (2), He said this:

2 He said to them,

“When you pray, say:
‘Father, hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
3 ‘Give us each day our daily bread.
4 ‘And forgive us our sins,
For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us [who has offended or wronged us].
And lead us not into temptation [but rescue us from evil].’” source

Will you allow me to share my thoughts?

Father – family. First, to pray the Disciples prayer we must make sure GOD is our Father; that we are His family.
Hallowed be your name. Hallowed means greatly revered. Do we? Do we greatly revere Him? Does our prayer life reflect that we greatly revere Him?
Your Kingdom come. Do I, do you want the Father’s will? Do we want His Kingdom Rule here on earth? Are we eager to see His Kingdom, His Authority, His Ways and Will in force (in operation) here on earth?
And with all that established, we are encouraged to come and talk with the Father about our daily needs; you know, all those things we need to successfully live here on planet earth.
And then verse 4 – sin. As we live on this sin-cursed earth we see that we sin and that we are in constant need of cleansing – so we ask. And, as we recognize this about ourselves, we are ready to forgive others when they sin against us for they surely will because we are all sinners.  Right?
And we know O LORD, You will not lead us into temptation, for You are here to rescue us from evil.

All temptation is evil; if only we would believe that.

 

Right?

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Luke 10

21 In that very hour He was overjoyed and rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and He said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things [relating to salvation] from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to infants [the childlike and untaught]. Yes, Father, for this way was [Your gracious will and choice, and was] well-pleasing in Your sight.  source

You are getting this, right?

YESHUA (JESUS) was overjoyed and rejoicing greatly. This is flat-out happy. We are talking laughing out loud, hand-clapping, pure pleasure and giddy. You do know JESUS is the author of flat-out happy and joy, right? And do you see Who He first shared that happy with? Yes. His Father. Out loud, in front of everybody, sharing.

What if we did the same?

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