Category: I John

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The Gift of Obedience

Yesterday Dave and I hoped in the car and headed up to Chandler to have a family dinner and Christmas celebration with our daughters and their families. When we started out from home it was 34 and it took about 3 hours to get there. We did make a couple stops and traffic was heavy but not a bad trip at all. There have been other Christmases when we have traveled over snow covered passes on icy roads.

So I got to thinking about Mary and Joseph and the trip they made from Nazareth to Bethlehem, 155 kilometers or approximately 96 miles. This trip would have taken many days, walking or riding a donkey as is so often depicted.

“So Joseph left Nazareth, a town in Galilee, and went to the town of Bethlehem in Judea. It was known as the town of David. Joseph went there because he was from the family of David. 5 Joseph registered with Mary because she was engaged to marry him. (She was now pregnant.) 6 While Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have the baby. 7 She gave birth to her first son. She wrapped him up well and laid him in a box where cattle are fed. She put him there because the guest room was full.” Luke 2:4-7

If they were able to keep a steady pace of say, 20 miles per day, it would have taken at least 5 days, nights sleeping on the ground, cooking food over an open fire. I do love to camp, sleeping in a tent – being around a campfire under the stars but breaking camp each morning and setting up again each evening would be a bit tedious and then add to that the discomfort of being 9 months pregnant. Even the latest camping gear from Cabela’s wouldn’t make this an easy trip.

Amazing! You ladies know what it’s like in that last month – how about that last week. Not a time that you feel like going on a camping trip.

Dave and I used to travel a lot and it’s always nice to get to the hotel after 12 hours on the road, get something warm to eat and crawl into a nice bed. Aahhhhh! But when Mary and Joseph got to their destination their accommodations weren’t quite as welcoming.

Those of us who have had livestock know that even when we clean the stalls each day; removing the manure, putting down clean bedding, it still isn’t a place that we would like to give birth. No, it wouldn’t make it on my top 10 list. And Joseph was Mary’s delivery team – he was the midwife! Just the two of them bringing God’s Son into this earthly home.

Wow! “Think how much the Father loves us. He loves us so much that he lets us be called his children, as we truly are.” I John 3:1

God loved us so much that He sent His Son so that we could become His children. AMAZING!! But what if Mary had ignored the angel when he came to her and said she had been chosen to carry the Messiah. What if Joseph had not chosen to stay with Mary as her husband. What if they had not traveled to Bethlehem but had sent someone else to be their representatives.

What great love Mary and Joseph had for God and for each other to go through this difficult journey and less than “perfect” birthing experience and still they glorified God and gave Him thanks for His wondrous gift. Their obedience changed history.

Is your Christmas this year difficult? Not exactly what you had planned; when our hearts are open God can, and does, fill them with His wonderful love and gives us a reason to give thanks.

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A Wonderful Counselor

What do you do when you run into those situations that you just don’t understand and need some extra insight? Do you have a trusted friend that you can talk to, someone who gives good advice, a counselor who will give you the proper perspective?

It seems we are a society intent on gaining information and affirmation. My goodness, just look at the afternoon “talk shows” and commentaries. If that isn’t enough to set your head swimming you can “research” just about anything on the net and get an “expert’s” advice. There you will find answers to medical issues, marital advice and even financial investment guidance. Oh but wait, there’s still more. Then you can get a You-Tube video to give you instruction for mechanical, construction and destruction projects.

Yes, we are a society in search of answers.

Who’s better than Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, Oprah, Judge Judy, the horoscope, Howard Stern, the entire news service and the net? The Counselor!

“This will happen when the special child is born. God will give us a son who will be responsible for leading the people. His name will be “Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God, Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 ERV

He’s never given bad advice – never. He’s never drawn a wrong conclusion or made a judgment out of malice. He’s never gone back and change his mind because of political correctness or because more information has surfaced. He is the same yesterday, today and forever!

His Word is infallible, His judgments are pure and righteous and He is easy to reach – no appointment necessary. No waiting – come right in and it’s free!

“ Trust the Lord completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge. 6 With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way.” Proverbs 3:5-6 ERV

This Counselor knows all the answers. He knows the beginning from the end. There isn’t a topic of concern that is above his pay grade or surpasses His knowledge. He can accurately advise you on any subject.

“The Lord’s laws are right. They make people happy. The Lord’s commands are good. They show people the right way to live. 9 Learning respect for the Lord is good. It will last forever. The Lord’s judgments are right. They are completely fair. 10 His teachings are worth more than pure gold. They are sweeter than the best honey dripping from the honeycomb.” Psalm 19:8-10 ERV

Jesus is also our advocate, our defense attorney. He is the one who pleads our case but it isn’t based on our merit but on His.

“My dear children, I write this letter to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone sins, we have Jesus Christ to help us. He always did what was right, so he is able to defend us before God the Father. 2 Jesus is the way our sins are taken away. And he is the way all people can have their sins taken away too.” I John 2:1-2 ERV

“With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it.” Hebrews 4:16 ERV

The one requirement on your part is time. Take time to read the information He gives. Go ahead it’s there for you. You may say you don’t understand the Bible, I agree that some translations are difficult to understand but there’s an app for that. I use the Bible Gateway app all the time, www.biblegateway.com. It lists multiple translations and paraphrases to help you understand God’s word. And you’re going to be spending time, one way or another, searching for your answer so why not start here first?

Set up your “counselling” appointment today. Lay down on the couch, rest in Him and find help in your time of need!

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It’s in the Script

Last night I couldn’t sleep so I turned TV to the Hallmark Channel. At first I caught the last 30 minutes of a movie I hadn’t seen before, then I went to another Hallmark Channel and caught the last half of a movie I hadn’t seen. I love Hallmark movies – they are predictable and they make me feel good. The perfect thing to watch as you are trying to fall to sleep.

Let’s evaluate most every Hallmark movie. You have a female lead character who is generally faced with some dilemma. She is most generally a commoner; seamstress, waitress, office worker, teacher, widow, etc. Then you have the male lead; quite often he is wealthy and has social acclaim; king, prince, business mogul, doctor, military hero. And finally there is the villain; parent, business adviser, other woman, jealous boyfriend, who is trying to keep the male and female lead characters apart.

The story proceeds with the plot undermining the relationship between the two characters but in the end true love prevails!

Simplistic, predictable but heartwarming and sweet!

We have a saying around our house when someone asks “why in the world did they do that” and the answer is “it’s in the script”. However, daily life isn’t scripted – the situation we face are learned dialogue. Yet the underlining premise is the same.

We have the commoner and the king. Someone is always trying to undermine the relationship between the two but if you fall the storyline long enough you will find that love never fails and good triumphs over evil.

Yes, that’s the way it is in our relationship with the Lord. We are the commoners and Jesus is the King of Kings. The stresses, evil and dependence on self in this world try to keep us separated from the King. People around us and the voices in our own heads tell us that we aren’t good enough or just the opposite, that we don’t need God, that religion is just a crutch.

God isn’t a crutch, far from it. He is the source of love and the abundance of life. When we enter into relationship with Him he takes us from our common life and elevates us to a place of honor and esteem. He invites us all to come to Him and find rest; to an abundant life.

“If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 CEV

“20 Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together.” Revelation 3:20 CEV

“A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest.” John 10:10 CEV

Time and time again I focus on God’s amazing love but only because it’s the heart of our story. Christ freely laid down His life for us, He loves us that much.

“Now I tell you to love each other, as I have loved you. 13 The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them.” John 15:12-13 CEV

“We know what love is because Jesus gave his life for us. That’s why we must give our lives for each other.” I John 3:16 CEV

You see our relationship with the Lord is a lot like a Hallmark movie only better! And when you read the Bible you find out what this amazing new life is all about.

It truly is “in the script”!

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Remodeling and Refining

I’m a big fan of the DIY Network shows on television. I really like watching as kitchen and bathrooms are transformed from old and dingy to new and usable. It gives me some great ideas and I look forward to implementing them some day. But it always amazes me when the homeowner says they want to stay in the house during the remodel and then they begin to complain about all the mess, the noise and the inconvenience. I want to ask “what is it about the word remodel you didn’t understand?”

But the same is true in our spiritual lives. We say “Lord, take me and mold me into your image and likeness. I want to be like You! I want to be the person you’ve designed me to be.” And our prayer is sincere – we all want to be like Him but without the noise and the mess and the inconvenience…just saying.

We want to go to bed and wake up in the morning with no more bad thoughts or habits. We want to look all bright and shiny, glowing with the Father’s love for everyone to see. However, before the outside changes there’s a lot that needs to be done to build new supports, new wiring, a new central control. See there, we’re back to the Word of God! It’s profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction – for remodel!

The more we complain about the work that has been started and the work that still needs to be done the longer the process takes. I’ve been told that the refining of gold is a multi step process. First the ore needs to be crushed, then heated to burn off the impurities. Then chemicals, acids are added to break down more of the impurities, then heated again. The dross is skimmed off and then the heat goes up again. Each time the heat is higher and more impurities are destroyed. Sometimes the refiner will stop when the gold is 10k, 12k or 14k but for the really good stuff the process continues until it comes out 24k. The refiner is a skilled craftsman and His work isn’t to destroy but to improve and add value.

“ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God has great mercy, and because of his mercy he gave us a new life. This new life brings us a living hope through Jesus Christ’s resurrection from death. 4 Now we wait to receive the blessings God has for his children. These blessings are kept for you in heaven. They cannot be ruined or be destroyed or lose their beauty.

5 God’s power protects you through your faith, and it keeps you safe until your salvation comes. That salvation is ready to be given to you at the end of time. 6 I know the thought of that is exciting, even if you must suffer through different kinds of troubles for a short time now. 7 These troubles test your faith and prove that it is pure. And such faith is worth more than gold. Gold can be proved to be pure by fire, but gold will ruin. When your faith is proven to be pure, the result will be praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ comes.

8 You have not seen Christ, but still you love him. You can’t see him now, but you believe in him. You are filled with a wonderful and heavenly joy that cannot be explained. 9 Your faith has a goal, and you are reaching that goal—your salvation.” I Peter 1:3-8 ERV

The impurities are destroyed and the gold is refined to its purest form. To the natural eye it’s hard to tell the difference between 10k and 24k gold but to the skilled the difference is remarkable. The same with the remodel process, the casual observer only sees the new paint, flooring, and appliances but the homeowner and the contractor know that the foundation is firm, the wiring is good and won’t short out and that the plumbing won’t leak.

So, when God says in His Word “In this world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world” then we should be of good cheer! We will all face tribulation because we all live in the world but that’s not the finished product. We need to lift our heads and cheer up because we walk with the one who has overcome and He has purposed us to be overcomers in this life too.

“Loving God means obeying his commands. And God’s commands are not too hard for us, 4 because everyone who is a child of God has the power to win against the world. 5 It is our faith that has won the victory against the world. So who wins against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.” I John 5:3-5 ERV

So be thankful today; not for the tribulation or the trial but because you know the One who has overcome is refining you by His Word and you too have been remodeled into an overcomer!

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Spending Time with the Kids

As parents, you all know how good it is to see your kids after a long separation – what a joy to hug their necks and be able to give them a kiss and just see them face to face. I can only imagine how our heavenly Father must feel when we chose to be separated from Him.

The joy He must feel when we come back to His presence must be unspeakable. And how it must light His day when we take time to stop throughout the day to check in and say hi. I so appreciate knowing that my Heavenly Father is always wanting me to come to presence and spend time with Him.

Take time today to make your Father smile – give Him a hug and tell Him you love Him.

“We are telling you about what we have seen and heard because we want you to have fellowship with us. The fellowship we share together is with God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. 4 We write these things to you so that you can be full of joy with us.” I John 1:3-4

“With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it.” Hebrews 4:16

“The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them. 15 The Spirit that we received is not a spirit that makes us slaves again and causes us to fear. The Spirit that we have makes us God’s chosen children. And with that Spirit we cry out, “ Abba, (Daddy) Father.” 16 And the Spirit himself speaks to our spirits and makes us sure that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:14-16

Spending time with the Father sounds like a good way to spend the day.

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Never Forget!

This is a day when we ALL remember. Remember where we were 16 years ago – remember how our hearts sank, remember lost lives, remember loved ones, remember the fear and the prayers that followed for days and weeks.

” Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

” And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:14-16

Let peace, the Prince of Peace, rule in your heart today.

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Growing A Successful Garden

“Our vineyards are in blossom; we must catch the little foxes that destroy the vineyards.” Song of Solomon 2:15

In my case it was the gophers that spoiled the vine. Years ago I made a serious attempt to plant a garden. It was a difficult task because we lived in an area where the soil was good but the water wasn’t. We had to keep the water slowly running in the garden because if it stopped the surface of the ground would become dry and a salty crush would form.

But I took good care of my garden and protected it from the varmits with a rabbit fence and it discouraged the coyotes as well. I watched as the watermelons developed and could hardly wait to cut one of those delicious dark green beauties open.

The kids kept asking if they could pick them but I said they weren’t quite ready – I was checking everyday and then the day of harvest came. We went to the garden, with mouth watering we bent down to pluck the melon from it’s vine. And to our shock and great disappointment the melon was ruined.

It looked beautiful – a rich, dark green – big and round. It was going to be the best melon ever and it would have been if the gophers hadn’t have come up from underneath and eaten a hole in the rind and devoured the middle!

A life lesson here – as christians we are to bear fruit – love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, faith. But if weren’t not careful, the little foxes and the gophers (varmits), will come in and destroy the fruit. We know them better as worry, fear, self-reliance, peer pressure, overwork, laziness, etc. These varmits will try to destroy the fruit that God wants us to produce.

“I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I to you, you will produce plenty of fruit. But separated from me you won’t be able to do anything. 6 If you don’t stay joined to me, you will be like a branch that has been thrown out and has dried up. All the dead branches like that are gathered up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 Stay joined together with me, and follow my teachings. If you do this, you can ask for anything you want, and it will be given to you. 8 Show that you are my followers by producing much fruit. This will bring honor to my Father…
“I have loved you as the Father has loved me. Now continue in my love. 10 I have obeyed my Father’s commands, and he continues to love me. In the same way, if you obey my commands, I will continue to love you. 11 I have told you these things so that you can have the true happiness that I have. I want you to be completely happy. 12 This is what I command you: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 The greatest love people can show is to die for their friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I tell you to do. 15 I no longer call you servants, because servants don’t know what their master is doing. But now I call you friends, because I have told you everything that my Father told me.
16 “You did not choose me. I chose you. And I gave you this work: to go and produce fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:5-17

If we stay connected to the vine, Jesus, we will produce the fruit that He has commanded of us and that is to love each other as Christ has loved us.

Don’t let the little foxes spoil your vine and eat your harvest!

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Git on Outta Here!

Sitting here this morning the Lord reminded me of a lesson he started teaching me years ago. We had been invited to a ranch in No. Arizona to hold a 3 day campmeeting. We arrived before the cowboy and his wife so when we pulled up to the house we were greeted by their very small, very bark-y dog.

The dog would come out from hiding, bark incessantly and the minute you took one step toward it, he would run back for cover. This continued for about 20 minutes or more. We tried to make friends with the dog but he would have none of it. So finally in desperation for some quiet, I stomped my foot and clapped my hands and gruffly said “GET”! To which the dog obeyed and we didn’t see it again until owners arrived.

At that time, the Lord showed me how this is an example of a verse in I Peter.

“8 Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack. 9 But you must resist the devil and stay strong in your faith.” I Peter 1:8-9

It’s important to see that this verse says the devil is like a roaring lion and not that he is a roaring lion. That little dog acted like a big dog but he didn’t have the power to back up his claim. The devil acts like a roaring lion but his power has been taken.

That’s why Peter goes on to say – Resist the devil and he will flee from you. He will continue to annoy you with his barking – telling you lies, trying to deceive you but if and when you resist him, he has to flee – God’s word says so.

In I John 4:4 we read “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

Jesus Christ, the greater one, lives in us so when we resist the devil we are backed by all the power in heaven and he doesn’t stand a chance. Will he come back again? Oh yea, just like that little dog did that day but when you put your foot down and stand up to his roarings – he will “GET”!

I don’t know what lies he’s barking at you today but whatever it is, it’s a lie because he is the father of lies and there is no truth in him. Everything the devil does is a deception and if you don’t buy into it, he can’t be successful.

Here’s to a day of resisting – just stand up and say “In the name of Jesus, git on outta here!”

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