Tag: I am the way

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Direction for 2021

At the end of the day we’ll all be heading into a New Year. Many will be glad to leave 2020 behind.

We have a cowboy preacher friend who used to say “If God says go north He will provide, if you go south you’ll think you died”. Now that’s not in the Bible but it’s still good preaching.

Let me tell you about a man named Jonah. The Lord wanted Jonah to go to a town called Ninevah and preach a message of repentance. Jonah decided he didn’t want to go and so he hopped the first ship leaving town and went the other way. A storm came up and the ship he was on almost sunk. Jonah admitted to the sailors on board that he was running from God and told them if they threw him into the sea the storm would cease and they would be saved.

So that’s what they did and they survived the storm. Jonah on the other hand became lunch for a great fish. I refer to this fish as the first manned submarine. Three days later the fish arrived at the shores of Ninevah and spit Jonah out on the shore. Jonah preached to the people there, they repented and were saved.

It was Jonah’s choice not to follow God’s leading and it was his choice that nearly brought destruction to everyone aboard the ship. But when Jonah repented for running from God he had a personalized escort to where he needed to go.

The Lord told Abraham to leave his home country and go to a new land. That new area was the place where Abraham prospered in lands, sheep, cattle and he became a father. His decendants eventually became known as the Israelites, who were God’s chosen people.

I could give you story after story of people who did and didn’t follow God. Suffice it to say, it’s better to let the Lord do the leading. He has infinitely better foresight than we do.

“I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea…
18 But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. 19 For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland…Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my chosen people can be refreshed.” Isaiah 43:16-20 NLT

There’s a new year before us. Let’s forget the disappointments and discouragement of the past and move forward into 2021 looking for the path and the plans the Lord has for us.

“The Lord is my Shepherd. I will have everything I need. 2 He lets me rest in fields of green grass. He leads me beside the quiet waters. 3 He makes me strong again. He leads me in the way of living right with Himself which brings honor to His name.” Psalm 23:1-3 NLV

When we follow His leading we will always be going in the right direction. Now that’s the way to have a prosperous new year!

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The Unknown God

Did you know that there is an altar in the Palatine Museum in Rome that is dedicated to the “unknown god”? It was discovered during excavation of Palatine Hill, which is the center most of the seven hills of Rome, in 1820.

It’s true!

This is not the altar to the unknown god that the Apostle Paul spoke of when he was preaching in Athens but it’s interesting that these early Romans and Greeks recognized that there was a god who they didn’t know anything about.

Paul spoke to the men of Athens when they asked him to expound on a new teaching.  The Athenians loved “new” teachings and they were very religious people.

“Then Paul stood up before the meeting of the Areopagus council and said, “Men of Athens, everything I see here tells me you are very religious. 23 I was going through your city and I saw the things you worship. I found an altar that had these words written on it: ‘ to an unknown god.’ You worship a god that you don’t know. This is the God I want to tell you about.

24 “He is the God who made the whole world and everything in it. He is the Lord of the land and the sky. He does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 He is the one who gives people life, breath, and everything else they need. He does not need any help from them. He has everything he needs. 26 God began by making one man, and from him he made all the different people who live everywhere in the world. He decided exactly when and where they would live.

27 “God wanted people to look for him, and perhaps in searching all around for him, they would find him. But he is not far from any of us. 28 It is through him that we are able to live, to do what we do, and to be who we are. As your own poets have said, ‘We all come from him.’

29 “That’s right. We all come from God. So you must not think that he is like something people imagine or make. He is not made of gold, silver, or stone. 30 In the past people did not understand God, and he overlooked this. But now he is telling everyone in the world to change and turn to him. 31 He has decided on a day when he will judge all the people in the world in a way that is fair. To do this he will use a man he chose long ago. And he has proved to everyone that this is the man to do it. He proved it by raising him from death!”

32 When the people heard about Jesus being raised from death, some of them laughed. But others said, “We will hear more about this from you later.”Acts 17:22-32

Paul stayed in Athens and taught those who wanted to learn more about Jesus. The Bible tells us that some people laughed at the idea of the resurrection but there were some who believed. There is no other God like our God! He has designed from the beginning of time a way for us to be in relationship with Him. He sent His Son to die for our sins. No other religious leader and/or god has ever died and been raised from the dead. Only Jesus.

“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6 NLT

Our study over the past few days has been on our relationship “in Him” or “in Christ”.  Without that relationship we are without Christ and without hope in this world.

“Yes, at one time you were far away from God, but now in Christ Jesus, you are brought near to him. You are brought near to God through the blood sacrifice of Christ.” Ephesians 2:13 ERV

I am very glad to say like Paul that in Christ I have life, breath and everything I need.

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I’ll Take Bible for $1000

When I was a kid we played an early version of Bible Jeopardy. Of course, it wasn’t electronic. The questions were on 5×7 cards and we only had two categories. One box held cards with people from the Bible and it was called “Who Am I” and the other box had questions on “What Am I”. I t was a fun way for us to learn Bible characters and facts. The fact that I still remember it nearly sixty years later is proof of that.

I wanted you to join in the fun so I have a couple of “Who AM I” questions for you. I’ll provide you with some answers from the Bible and you provide me with the question.

Ready?

  • I am your shield
  • I am your strength
  • I am the bread of life
  • I am the way
  • I am the truth
  • I am the first and the last
  • I am your salvation
  • I am the light of the world
  • I am with you always
  • I am the door
  • I am the good shepherd
  • I am the resurrection and the life
  • I am the vine
  • I AM WHO I AM

Who am I? You are correct, the answer is the Lord.

Now, one more question for the day. Ready?

  • I am a new creature
  • I am not alone
  • I am blessed
  • I am the righteousness of God
  • I am redeemed
  • I am loved
  • When I am weak then I am strong
  • I am adopted
  • I am a joint-heir
  • I am the apple of His eye
  • I am fully persuaded
  • I am not ashamed
  • I am an ambassador
  • I am under His wings
  • I am a child of God

Who am I? If you answered with your name, you answered correctly.

Because of who God is and our relationship with Him all of the statements in the second category are true. And because of who God is we have been freed/rescued from the jeopardy of this life – we are redeemed by the blood of Jesus. The reward is much greater than winning Final Jeopardy.

“But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:13-14 NLT

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GPS to the Rescue

On one of our trips to Iowa one summer Dave asked me to direct him through Des Moines. We had been there the summer before and knew if we took one road it would take us right down through town. We had been told that there was a way to circumvent that and it was my job to make sure we were on that road.

I hate pressure like that – we have always teased that Dave should have been a professional navigator. He loves maps, looks at them for fun. Me, on the other hand, not so much. I can read maps if I have too but I need plenty of time, no spur of the moment decisions for me. And then there’s the additional pressure of getting it wrong and having to backtrack while hearing “I thought you said this was the right way”. Yep, I hate that.

Well, we got around Des Moines successfully and didn’t end up downtown. He did question me a couple of times but I was looking at the computer screen and following the direction that I was given. Thank God for GPS.

Have you ever been lost and not sure how to find your way? Did you use GPS?

For those of us who have been lost in life I have good news. There is a GPS system that you can rely on completely. It doesn’t need to be updated for the newly developed roads and it won’t drain the battery on your phone or lose connection. It’s always right on and the voice that dictates the proper directions is soothing and never intrusive.

GPS – GOD’S PLAN of SALVATION

We all start out lost; not having any direction in our lives – badly in need of the only perfect solution. GPS (God’s Plan of Salvation).

“Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me.” John 14:6

Anyone can have this GPS. It won’t cost you a thing because Jesus already paid the price for you.

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” John 1:12

“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” Acts 2:21

The only installation instruction required is that you ask and you will receive.

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37

It is so wonderful to know that many of those reading this have received this GPS. It’s being used around the world by millions. But there are some who still haven’t applied it to daily use. Maybe they think it’s too expensive, it will cost too much. However, it’s been purchased for them, the price has been paid and now everyone can have it free of charge. God the Father is waiting with open arms to give it to all.

“Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sins and the sins of all the world’s people.” I John 2:2

“They said to him, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved—you and all who live in your house.” Acts 16:30-31

With this GPS, God’s Plan of Salvation we’ll always be the right road!

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