Category Archives: Christian Living

Assurance - Promise, Christian Living, Forgiveness

The Golden Rule

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Is still golden.

Matthew 7:(New International Version, ©2011)
12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
via Matthew 7:12 – Passage Lookup – New International Version, ©2011 – BibleGateway.com.

This a mediation verse for me today. Meditation and do!

In EVERYTHING.

In Every Situation.

In Every Circumstance.

With Every Soul.

That is what it says. 

Don’t shoot, I’m just the Messenger and I’m bound to practice it just as you are.

And there’s a companion verse, at least for me today, and perhaps for you.

11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 
13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 
14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
via 1 Corinthians 3 – Passage Lookup – King James Version – BibleGateway.com.

Gold, silver, precious stones — that’s what we want.  That’s what stands the fire of judgment.  That’s what receives a reward from JESUS at His Judgment Seat.  You and I in CHRIST will stand before HIM we will give an account of our works and at that time we want gold, silver and precious stones to be our works.

Obeying the Golden Rule today, in the here and now just may help us receive that gold, silver and precious stones then and there.

Thank You, ABBA.  I love You. We love You or we would not come to this screen day after day, I think. And yet for those who come by ‘happen chance’ I pray for Your love to lite upon them and bring revelation and peace. We commend again Kerri and her family; please bring her calcium levels to normal and heal her, LORD, please. And Jenny, Todd, Pam – thank You for the improvement, DeLois – please increase her improvement, please get to her the physical help she needs I pray. These and other unspoken needs and our IDOK Troops – thank You for Your Holy and Right and Loving attention to it all. Amen and Amen in Your Name, JESUS.

Additional Practice for today and who knows it just might help with the Golden Rule too  :)  : slow down, wait, be calm — choosing to be tense does not make the computer page load any faster; choosing to be tense and agitated doesn’t make traffic move any faster — slow down inside, breathe in HIS PEACE  — Practice, Practice, Practice. And today by HIS Grace I am doing it!! Hallelujah!

Abide in Peace,
Kathie

Christian Living

Bring on the Simeons!

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Luke 2: (New American Standard Bible)
25 And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law,
28 then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,
29 “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word;
30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
31 Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
33 And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him.
34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed–
35 and a sword will pierce even your own soul–to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
via Luke 2:25-35 – Passage Lookup – New American Standard Bible – BibleGateway.com.

I am not a research expert so what I am saying is what I have so far found or shall I say not found regarding Simeon.

The Word says he was a man in Jerusalem. We are not told his occupation. Nor his lineage. Not even his age. Neither if he was married or unmarried, a father or not a father, if he had siblings, if he had houses and lands — only that he was a man in Jerusalem, a righteous and devout man in Jerusalem.

Wow! Do you gather from this as I do that when all is said and done, all that really matters is are we righteous and devout?

Are we righteous and devout wanting only to see JESUS?

That was Simeon. Wanting to see JESUS. And knowing he would see JESUS.  The HOLY SPIRIT had told him so. That was all he needed — just the witness of the HOLY SPIRIT.

Oh we need some Simeons! Christians — that all it takes for us to believe and wait is the witness of the HOLY SPIRIT.

And yet if we read carefully we are told some things about Simeon.

He knew the Scripture. He knew the Messiah was coming. He knew how the Messiah would come. And he knew the reason the Messiah was coming.

Not only that, I know Simeon was a man full of the love of God. So full of the love of God that he embraced the message that the Gentiles would also be saved by this Messiah.That this Messiah was coming for the Gentiles AND for God’s own people, Israel.  And isn’t it interested that the Gentiles are listed first?  (see verse 32.  I will leave that right there for you to ponder.)

That my Friends is HUGE!  It is HUGE that this man of Israel would include Gentiles in this Salvation, he saw wrapped in humanity, an eight day old Jewish Infant named JESUS. Savior of the World.  SON of the Most High God. Yahweh. The Almighty!

Simeon was a man of huge faith. Note Simeon lived prior to the indwelling of the HOLY SPIRIT yet he heard Him and followed His Instructions.  As I said bring on the Simeons!

And look at verse 29, he refers to himself as Your bond servant. And if we can believe my on line Scripture search this is the first time bond servant is used in Scripture, at least in the NASB translation. 

And finally notice also in verse 29 that Simeon knows that he is about to be released from this earth IN PEACE.

Yes, bring on many more Simeons!

Again, ABBA, You have honored us with an understanding of Your Word. Thank You. I ask You to strengthen this ministry, both in the study of Your Word and in prayer.  You know each heart, You know each request that comes to this screen, You know our needs, our wants, and our fears; please deal with us according to Your good pleasure in JESUS Holy name. Amen and amen.

Waiting and Believing,
Kathie

Christian Living

Permission Slip

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Driving from my Optometrist’s office just a while ago I caught myself thinking.

Thinking about how I have recommended him, my Optometrist, to others and as the thought thread continued I thought how easy it is and how often I (we) share information that is of interest to me or events and happenings that have given me pleasure. And then bumping right into that thought was Separation of Church and State and that folks say I (we) should keep our faith, our relationship with JESUS private.  In other words: “shut up about JESUS”.

And then our Precious HOLY SPIRIT gave me a Word! I don’t have to shut up and I don’t have to apologize for not shutting up and neither do you.  We can talk about JESUS as much as we want to and to ANYONE, ANY WHERE the HOLY SPIRIT opens a communication door.

And here’s our Permission Slip — actually it’s a command from our Father,Creator of the Universe,  — there is no higher authority, if you know what I mean.  :)

Matthew 28: (The Message)
18-20Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”
via Matthew 28:19-20 – Passage Lookup – The Message – BibleGateway.com.

And just in case you like a more traditional translation of our Permission Slip, try this one on for size:

Matthew 28:(King James Version)
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. via Matthew 28:19-20 – Passage Lookup – King James Version – BibleGateway.com

ABBA, thank You. I love You for speaking to us again today.  I love You for making Your Word alive. I love You for loving me. And HOLY SPIRIT, even has You have spoken this Word, speak it again now into the heart of someone coming here to this page; encourage them, strengthen them to be bold; including me. Thank You for each one and as we gather here to pray, thank You for hearing and answering. Todd and his surgery that may be through already, I pray again for success and healing for him. And there are others, many others in need and as we come here individually and name them to You we trust You to do what is best for all, including our IDOK Troops, and it is in JESUS Holy Name that we pray. Amen and amen.

Go and Speak in HIS NAME,
Kathie

P.S. Todd’s surgery went well; at 2:00 PM Wednesday he was in recovery.

Assurance - Promise, Christian Living

Both

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Good Morning IDOKs!

Luke 1: (New International Version, ©2011)
6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. via Luke 1:6 – Passage Lookup – New International Version, ©2011 – BibleGateway.com.

You may recognize from the address that ‘Both’ are Zechariah and Elizabeth. Both have a priestly lineage. But the most important BOTH to me this morning is both were righteous in the sight of the LORD.

Oh is there anything more blessed?! Than to be righteous before the LORD! Perhaps to believe it!

And as I have read the verse over again. I believe I hear the HOLY SPIRIT saying in My Son I see you that way. And here is why He does.

Romans 8 (New International Version, ©2011)
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,
4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
via Romans 8 – Passage Lookup – New International Version, ©2011 – BibleGateway.com.

NO CONDEMNATION!

Oh blessed thought!

Oh blessed reality!  For us to live in today!

My love to you all in JESUS name.

ABBA. thank You for speaking to us. Thank You LORD JESUS that You have taken our condemnation and cast it from us as far as the east is from the west. I pray HOLY SPIRIT that You will remind us of this throughout this day and far into the night.  I ask You to comfort and strengthen those among us suffering, be it physically or emotionally. You know the good report I received from DeLois. Thank You and I pray for her continued recovery. And I praise You, praise You for Steve’s all clear report.  And I am asking You for such a report for Keri too, even more I ask that the over abundant calcium would cease to be abundant and Keri will be made whole. Give strength and peace to her Mom and Dad too I pray. And there are been other good reports and I praise You for those too. And there have been painful and soul wrecking reports and for those I am trusting You to intervene and make right, ABBA. And now I come in agreement with every Dear One that will come here to pray asking for Your Will be done in each of us and in those we bring to You here, including our IDOK Troops.  I love you, ABBA. Thank You for Your Righteousness imputed in JESUS Name. Amen and amen.

Live in the Righteousness of JESUS this day,
Kathie