Remembering

We are remembering Veterans today; as well we should.
Many lives have been given; much blood has been spilled and, we are deeply saddened.

And while we look to mortal men and women who have given blood for temporary freedom, let us look to the ONE who gave His Blood that we may have Eternal Freedom.

And YESHUA said:

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 

14 I am the good shepherd; I know my own, and my own know me — 15 just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father — and I lay down my life on behalf of the sheep. 

17 “This is why the Father loves me: because I lay down my life — in order to take it up again! 18 No one takes it away from me; on the contrary, I lay it down of my own free will. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it up again. This is what my Father commanded me to do.”  John 10 [source]

Luke 4:17-19

17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
19To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”
[source]


Thank You, ADONAI YESHUA, for eternal freedom, for eternal liberty; ONLY You could set us the captives eternally free and You did. Just words are not enough to say thank You. And thank You for men and women who loved freedom so much that they would lay aside their own lives. Help us celebrate today with gratitude, peace, praise, honor, and dignity for them and most highly for You, LORD JESUS.

Kathie

Pups

This excerpt from my You Version Reading Plan prompts this post.

Two puppies were thrown into a backyard wading pool by their playful master. One yelped hysterically while the other romped and played in the cool water. The master observed that the difference was not in the pool but in the pups.

via Day 348 – Draw Near – 365 Guides to Greater Intimacy with God | YouVersion.com.

Same pool. Same water temperature. Same environment, but what a difference!

Lets say we are pups.  How will we respond when we hit the water today? How have we already responded thus far?

The pups’ master in our little story we assume loved his pups; he is characterized as playful; meaning throwing them into the pool was a benevolent act. An act not to harm them but to give them an opportunity to enjoy being a puppy. Perhaps he had a plan; a plan to take them on a journey that included a much larger body of water – the pool was preparatory.

We have a Benevolent Master and He has a plan: that we enjoy being a human AND He definitely has us on a journey and He definitely prepares us for the next large body of water. Question is . . .

Which pup am I? Which pup are you?

The MASTER speaks:

John 10:10 The thief comes only in order to steal, kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, life in its fullest measure.

via John 10:9-11 KJV;CJB – I am the door: by me if any man enter – Bible Gateway.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

via Jer 29:11 NASB;CJB – For I know the plans that I have for – Bible Gateway.

Be Hidden in CHRIST,

ABBA, thank You for this story, thank You for the prompt, thank You for the lesson; thank You for forgiveness since I already messed up BUT in this moment I can begin again and not only me but all of us; thank You for being more than benevolent toward us! I pray for each person who comes here to read and pray or just to read for whatever reason; I pray, HOLY SPIRIT, all will experience You as a benevolent, playful, serious, all-wise, loving, kind, perfect Master, Savior, Friend and ABBA.  And with our praises and our thankfulness we come with our petitions for Others and as we bring their names and faces before You we trust You to do all things well concerning them. {Jamie, Terri, Jill, Nicole, Dori, Kerri, Lance, Anna, John, Valerie, Perry, ________} And we pray for Others to receive strength to repent and believe on and in JESUS name. 

 

Common Types

Day 31 of 35 – Soul Detox

1 John 3:1-24

Devotional

There are three common types of toxic relationships: negative, controlling, and the tempters. Chances are you have experienced all three of these toxic relationships in your life. Chances are that you have been toxic to someone else in one of these three ways. Do as God’s Word says and don’t let yourself be deceived and led astray by toxic relationships. More importantly, don’t be toxic to others because you will lead them astray.
What types of toxic relationships do you currently have more of in your life?

via Soul Detox | YouVersion.com.

The truth hurts!

For sure on the negative here; confessing there are some negative toxic relationships in my world; have to give the controlling and the tempters some thought. And oh my goodness! I don’t want to be ANY of these to any one else! I am grateful for this Soul Detox session!

And now to the TEXT. 

I have asked myself and now I have to ask you. Seriously! What will you do with these verses?

3 And everyone who has this hope in him continues purifying himself, since God is pure.
4 Everyone who keeps sinning is violating Torah — indeed, sin is violation of Torah.
5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and that there is no sin in him.
6 So no one who remains united with him continues sinning; everyone who does continue sinning has neither seen him nor known him.

via 1 John 3:1-24 CJB;NIV – See what love the Father has lavished – Bible Gateway.

And this one. How do we reconcile what we see in people and what we read here? And the  politically correct phrase thrown around: ‘don’t judge me’ – how can we not see what is clearly before us? And how is that we are accused of judging when ABBA has clearly given the judgment right here in these passages?

10 Here is how one can distinguish clearly between God’s children and those of the Adversary: everyone who does not continue doing what is right is not from God. Likewise, anyone who fails to keep loving his brother is not from God.

via 1 John 3:1-24 CJB;NIV – See what love the Father has lavished – Bible Gateway.

This is strong and sobering! If it does not make a difference in us, we have surely disbelieved it.

How Much?

Day 24 of 35 – Soul Detox

 

1 Corinthians 5:6-8

2 Corinthians 7:1

John 15:1-17

Devotional

When it comes to cultural toxins, a little bit of poison can go a long way. As a result, it’s important that we strive to cleanse those toxins from our system before they do long-lasting damage to our lives.

Name a cultural toxin that started out in your life as something small, but grew into something larger. How has that growing toxin polluted you?

via Soul Detox | YouVersion.com.

Let this land squarely:

10 If you keep my commands, you will stay in my love — just as I have kept my Father’s commands and stay in his love.

via 1 Corinthians 5:6-8; 2 Corinthians 7:1; John 15:1-17 CJB;NASB – Your boasting is not good. Don’t you – Bible Gateway.

Is YESHUA saying that if we do not keep His commands, He will not love us. NO! And I cannot type that loud enough! NO.

But if we do not keep His commands, WE will love Him less! And nothing in this world could be more detrimental to our well-being than us loving JESUS less than we can. Nothing will more pollute our souls than loving JESUS less than we can.

And how much can we love Him?

You might also check in with SHE READS TRUTH

 

For Our Learning

Yeah! Blog snow is back!!

Romans 1:20 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

via Romans 1:20 NASB – For since the creation of the world His – Bible Gateway.

John 1:3 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

via John 1:3 NASB – All things came into being through Him, – Bible Gateway.

I am convinced that ALL creation was made to reveal GOD to us and even we ourselves.

Sara (if you missed her announcement, click HERE) is one of those creations and we are both learning.

I have long found dogs to be forgiving creatures – they give unconditional love.  That most assuredly should remind of us ABBA.  Sara has been with us a little more than a week and in that time she has learned well that the new wood flooring is off-limits to her. She is mindful of this no-no even while she plays.  Earlier this morning, she was in chase of her ball; now she flat-out enjoys chasing that ball across the kitchen and dining room floors. Today the ball was wild and Sara was in hot pursuit, if puppies could giggle I have no doubt she would have been. And then! oh no the ball rolled squarely on the wood floor; and Sara? Well, Sara abruptly abandoned her pursuit.  Not only did she stop short of her predetermined boundary she looked up at me as if to say please fetch it for me, I can’t go in there. And did I? Oh yes!! with much pleasure and words of praise and hugs. 

Can you guess what Sara is teaching me? That we as ABBA’s beloved children must learn to mind and observe His predetermined boundaries with such faithfulness!  Would HE not reward us exceedingly more than I did Sara this morning?

Something more before I close. Sara does not yet know that once she has mastered the art of taking her potty breaks outside, her boundary lines will be extended. I am wondering what boundary lines would be extended for me and what rewards and praises and hugs from ABBA I would receive if I were to more faithfully stop short of holy boundaries?

I’d treasure your thoughts, if you’d care to share.  Happy Thursday!!

Blessings of Joy and Peace,

ABBA, thank You for lessons in such precious packages; packages that don’t always do what is convenient or desired but even so YOU have messages to give. Please help me hear You. And, HOLY SPIRIT, for every dear one who comes here to read and pray, may they hear You too. And, LORD, we have some friends and family that have serious needs; some are physically ill, some are sore and bruised by others who refuse to live within holy boundaries – help, ABBA, in JESUS name, we ask for Your help.