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“It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” Isaiah 55:11 NLT
“I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalms 119:11 NLT “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.” John 1:1-4 NLT There is power in the written word of God, and in the spoken word of God. The source of that power exist in the one who is the Word: Jesus...the living Word of God. God sent the Word to you. Let the Word penetrate your spirit, for it is the Word that has given you life...it is the Word that guards your heart. The Word will be light to you life. Bro. Joe
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“Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” Colossians 3:16-17 NLT
As believers in Jesus Christ we are His representatives, which means that our lives...all that we do or say...should be so in tune and aligned with Him that it's as if what others see or hear is Jesus Himself. This is an incredible responsibility, and the only way it's possible is for the message about Christ to so fill our lives that it overflows. “Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:7 NLT We are filled as we grow in knowledge and wisdom...as we worship Him...as we give thanks to Him. Then we become so filled with Jesus that He spills out into the lives others. Bro. Joe “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 NLT
God has always been known as a provider of needs. It goes all the way back to the beginning...creation. God had created man and recognized a need...“Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” Genesis 2:18 NLT One of the names of God identifies him as provider...Yahweh-Yireh. “Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the LORD will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.” Genesis 22:13-14 NLT God provided the lamb needed for Abraham's sacrifice, as well as the lamb needed for our sacrifice...The Lamb of God. “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 NKJV There has been no greater need met by God for all mankind than this...Jesus Thank you Lord for providing for me. Bro. Joe “For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.” Romans 11:36 NLT
You and I have a purpose...a design by God Himself, and that is to give glory to God. Like David, we are to give God glory through our praise. “With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever, for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death.” Psalms 86:12-13 NLT We give glory to God through what we bring to Him in our offerings. “Give to the LORD the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his presence. Worship the LORD in all his holy splendor.” 1 Chronicles 16:29 NLT We give glory to God when we obey Him. “LORD, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify your name.” Isaiah 26:8 NLT We are intended for His glory. Praise Him...bring your offerings to Him...obey His word...just a few ways to glorify the Lord. Give God glory with your life. "...whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT Bro. Joe There are those who...
… see grace as nice, helpful—even necessary—but not really amazing. Their attitude can be something like this: The better you believe yourself to be, the less grace you'll think you need. The more self-confidence you possess, the more convinced you’ll be that you can get along just fine without God's grace. Sure, you might struggle with sin on occasion, but that’s simply a part of the human predicament. All you need is a little help from God and a lot of personal determination. With enough effort you can make yourself good enough for God to accept you. The truth is, Christianity is all about “Amazing Grace." But what is Grace? God’s grace is freely given, unmerited favor, expressed through forgiveness, redemption, and restoration. Grace is “Love stooping down”, and it can never be earned. So, who needs grace? I do and you do. “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.” Acts 20:32 NLT Walk in His grace. It really is pretty amazing. Bro. Joe “But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” says the LORD. “You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God— there never has been, and there never will be.” Isaiah 43:10 NLT
As a child of God you are both a witness and a servant of the Lord. A witness to the fact that He is the one true God - there is no other. You have also been chosen as a servant of the Most High God. You have been chosen to know Him...to believe Him...to understand who He is. You are in pretty good company. God's word says that He also chose someone else as His servant and witness - Jesus. “Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, who pleases me. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.” Matthew 12:18 NLT This is all part of God's plan for you. That's right, God has chosen you and has a plan for you. Part of that plan is to serve Him and show others who He is to you. What an incredible privilege...look for today's opportunities. Bro. Joe “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” Psalms 118:1 NLT
Lord, I have a lot to be thankful for, and to simply say thank you seems so inadequate for the blessings You have poured over my life. You have given me life...a mother and father who love me, but more importantly they love You. You invited me into a personal relationship with You through Your son Jesus when I was 10 years old. You have remained faithful and true even when I haven't. Because of Your gift of grace, You've shown Your favor to me time and time again even though I didn't deserve it. Lord, You have blessed me with a beautiful, loving wife, three children, two more children by marriage and five grandchildren. Blessings beyond measure. You have given us opportunities to serve You in remarkable places, alongside friends who have strengthened and encouraged us. You have been good even when times have been hard...Your faithful love has truly been unfailing...You have always provided just what I needed at just the right time - You. Lord, it would be an impossible task to try and make a detailed list of all that You have done for me over the last 62 years. So, as insufficient as this may sound, I simply want to say...I Love You. Thank You, Lord. Joe “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.” Romans 5:8-11 NLT
A friendship with God...it really is incredible to realize that God has made a way for us to be more than mere acquaintances. We all experience different levels of friendships. There are those in our lives we may think of as friends...some as good friends...others as close friends. Yet, we are truly blessed when we make that special connection with someone that moves to a different level altogether...a connection of the heart. God has made a way to take your relationship with Him to a deeper level...more than an acquaintance...a heart friend. Jesus said, "I am the way..." Bro. Joe Are you in the midst of a struggle? Maybe as the old saying goes, you find yourself stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Well, depending on the rock, that may not really be all that bad. You discover a whole new meaning if along with David you realize that “my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my savior, the one who saves me from violence.” 2 Samuel 22:3 NLT No matter where you are...what you're facing...how difficult that hard place may be, if God is your rock, you are in a place of protection, power and refuge. “I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD.” Psalms 40:1-3 NLT Wait on the Lord...the rock of your salvation. Bro. Joe “Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.” Psalms 55:22 NLT
Is there something that you are carrying today that you need to give to the Lord? Why is it so hard to do? It really comes down to a matter of trust. Do you trust the Lord enough to let it go...to let Him handle things in His way and in His timing? “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5 NLT There is a promise made to those who are willing to give their burdens to the Lord...to those who are godly. The promise is that He will take care of you. Sounds pretty good to me, but what about being godly? How do you live a godly life? The key to godliness is not found in our own strength and power, but “by his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.” 2 Peter 1:3 NLT It once again comes down to a matter of trust. Trust in His power that is already in you through Jesus Christ...power to live a godly life...strength to carry your burdens. He can be trusted. Bro. Joe |
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January 2019
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