Weekly Devotional
This insight into the Gospel of Jesus Christ, “The Good News,”
was gleaned by reading "My Utmost for His Highest” by Oswald Chambers.
- Lou Lamothe
April 30,2023
"Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? (Mark 14:6)
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Strange, but true: immediately we do something out of the ordinary to express our love for Jesus Christ, for no other reason than our personal affection for Him, and we become the focus of faultfinders – folks having no genuine appreciation for the Lord of our salvation:
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“I tell you the truth,” said Jesus, “he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." (John 6:47-51)
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I like to think this woman knew what Jesus Christ was about to do for her through the cross, His sacrifice, to give her the Promise of Eternal Life. I like to think that while the critics and carpers, fusspots and dissidents were whining about what she had done – her Savior, God’s Son – was pleased with her outward expression of her perception of His love for her; and that the oil she poured out upon the head of our Redeemer was a blessing to Him of the purest kind: “One of a kindred heart, and mind.”
I like to think that my Savior will say of me someday, as He said of Mary:
She has done a beautiful thing to me. (Mark 14:6)
I like to think that today, in some insignificant way, I can fill the heart of my Savior with emotion by a simple act of devotion.
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
April 23,2023
“He has no hold on me,” said Jesus. (John 14:30)
What are we daydreaming about?
Truth is, time is precious. And there is no better time to rupture, breach, remove the chains of sin Satan uses in this world to limit our liberties found in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ, than this very moment.
Oh, but we say, “my addictions are too strong for me to overcome; I have always been bound by this temptation; these prison walls of dark despair, anxieties and fear have captivated my will to change my plight, and I am too weak to gain my freedom from the hold the evil one has upon my wretched soul.”
Well, that is just the devil talking. He messes with our heads! He does not want us to believe in the power of the wine and bread – the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Supreme – He who shatters every evil scheme Satan uses to keep us bound to the things in this world that hold us down.
Our Redeemer conquered sin, and death! His promise of Eternal Life is for us to inherit, without merit; all by the gift of His amazing grace bestowed upon us through His promise of the gift of His Holy Spirit.
“The world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me,” said Jesus. (John 16:33)
Look to the cross and discover
the power on earth to recover
freedom from the chains that bind
body, spirit, and the mind.
The love of Christ is our deliverance, through the liberating providence of obedience.
Freedom is as close at hand as following the Son of Man:
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
April 16,2023
“Get up and eat,” said the angel of the Lord to the prophet Elijah, “for the journey is too much for you." (1 Kings 19:7)
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Whenever it seems like life has us on the run; that we can’t find a safe haven; that there is no place to hide from our fears and anxieties; that threats to our safety and wellbeing surround us; that we are in constant danger from the pursuit of real, and imagined, enemies – we should do what the prophet Elijah did when the journey he was on proved to be too much for him to handle – obey the Lord of Life and get up and take nourishment from the table of the Gospel of Jesus Christ:
Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
Yes, our risen Lord and Savior has conquered sin and death. By the power of our Redeemer’s resurrection, we receive His protection through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, until He comes again – to call us home to be with Him.
Oh, how precious is the grace by which we received deliverance from all the pressures of dealing with the things in this world that upset our sleeping patterns, deny us peaceful rest – none other than the body and blood of Jesus Christ, His promise of Eternal Life, His unconditional love that enables us in Him to trust, when the “rat race” gets to be too much for us.
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
April 9,2023
I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. (2 Timothy 4:6)
Ponder now the times we are living in: Sound reasoning is out of season; few are being held accountable for their actions anymore; freedom of the self, to “live and let live,” regardless of the consequences of additive behavior, is accepted today as the measure of loving one another – even as the victims of this Devilish Philosophy are all around us – on every street corner; under every highway bridge; in the lengthening line of poor souls outside the doors of every soup kitchen across this country.
Next time you see an individual in a pitiful, undesirable, deplorable situation – think of this – that person represents the corporate underbelly of the moral fiber of the nation!
Love is not manifested in the dogma of doing our own thing, chaos is! And every new call for diversity is just another way Satan uses to further dissolve the wholesome fabric of common society.
Think about that! Is it not a fact today, that together, we have lost our way? That each demand we make to fulfill our own will, only separates us further still?
True love – the kind that binds, restores, heals, unites, forgives, encourages, defends, protects and never fails to make every person in this world live in harmony and peace with one another – is only found in cultivating the discipline to surrender our hearts to the will of Jesus Christ – the only One capable of keeping any nation from falling apart:
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Time is running out; the gift of Eternal Life is in the balance.
Question is, in the midst of misguided affections – disorder, turmoil, anarchy, pandemonium, disarray and confusion – will we cling to the cross of our Redeemer in unison – trusting in His loving sacrifice unto the promise of Eternal Life?
That we, like apostle Paul on Judgement Day, in the presence of our Savior may say:
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
April 2,2023
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
March 26,2023
We have become the scum of the earth… (1 Corinthians 4:13)
Beware of the symptoms of the disease of pride, for if denied, Satan will use them to make us spiritually blind.
Your eyes are dry, void of tears. This happens gradually over the span of years. The loss of emotion almost always appears with diminishing devotion.
You see glare while walking in the daytime. Flashes of light, intensely bright, are indicators of something not being right. If this happens in the light of day, it is best to turn around, go another way.
You have double vision. Seeing two of anything, when there is only one, is seriously troublesome.
Your vision is unusually blurry. The cause is often too much worry.
You are losing peripheral vision. This is the first indicator of indecision – losing the ability to focus on what is most important for us.
You are having trouble reading. Solving the problem of motivation is as simple as reappraising the Word of Salvation.
You stumble about in the dead of night. Well, this is the effect of the sin of pride, full blown, in all its might – a person too proud to use a guiding light.
We have become
“…the refuse of the world,” (1 Corinthians 4:13)
said the apostle Paul to the Corinthians, reminding them to keep their foolish pride in check; for it is dangerous for any Christian to take their eyes off of the cross of Jesus Christ – our Redeemer; our Savior; the Son of God, Who takes away the sins of the world; for looking away from His sacrifice on Calvary for the atonement of our sins, can lead us to losing sight of our redemption.
"This is what is written,” said Jesus: “The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations.” (Luke 24:46-47}
What the apostle Paul would have us remember, by reminding us that we are all underserving of the gift of our salvation, is that by the blood of Jesus Christ we have been sanitized – His sacrifice has removed all the garbage in our lives – unto the Promise of Eternal Life.
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
March 19,2023
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel — not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. (1 Corinthians 1:17)
Power, fortune and fame, along with every other measure of worldly success, have nothing to do with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Following our Redeemer on the path of our salvation is not the road that leads to easy rewards in this world. The preacher who dances around this passage of scripture –
“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.” (Revelations 3:19)
– will find himself odd man out when the music stops, and there is but one chair remaining, and that is the seat of judgment, upon which sits our Father in heaven, Who will ask of him, as He will ask of each of us, “Were you faithful to lifting up my Son, Jesus?”
For the fear of offending the sensibilities of the good, and upright, and prosperous people in materially wealthy congregations today, many preachers are appealing only to the “Sweet Tooth,” and not the “Whole Truth,” of the Living Word of God. And the consequence of this sugar rich diet – all the pastry, without the meat and vegetables – is nothing less than spiritual diabetes.
The calories needed to maintain the health of the church in the world today, is to be found nowhere else except in the nourishment provided to us in the body and blood of the Lord of our salvation.
It is for the atonement of our sins that our Redeemer went to the cross – to preach anything but Jesus Christ, crucified, is the “Prosperity Gospel” – the “Dessert” of paradise lost.
Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." (John 12:31-32)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
March 5,2023
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
February 19,2023
"No one can serve two masters.” (Matthew 6:24)
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No sooner we open our eyes to the dawn of another day and we immediately find ourselves swimming in the ocean of human necessities. There is much to do between the hours of waking up and going to bed, and not a moment to waste time on trivial things: Who is going to provide us with food to eat; water to drink; clothes to wear? Where will these provisions come from if we don’t continually expend the energy to keep our heads above the rising waters around us? It is no easy thing to stay afloat these days – what with mortgage payments, car installments, doctor bills, children’s dental braces, and on and on…
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Fact is, the weight of worldly concerns can pull us down into deep depressions; fill us with all sorts of exhausting anxieties; make us feel like we are constantly going under; like we have to always hold our breath – for fear of death.
Sadly, many people live their whole lives feeling this way. Choosing to serve the master of “Sink or Swim,” Satan, whose only goal is to drown us in our sins.
But we don’t have to live this way, serving the devil – the hard task master – for we can choose today, and for ever after, to let the Son of God be our “Master.” Who has promised to do us this favor: to be our “Swimming Coach,” our “Life Savior.”
“O you of little faith,” said Jesus. “Do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (John 6:30-33)
It is the cross of Jesus Christ, on the ocean of life, that keeps us afloat. And His love for us is worthy of particular note!
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
February 12,2023
They seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. (Luke 23:26)
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Simon was forced to carry the cross of Jesus, partway, as our Lord ascended to the top of Calvary to offer His life for the atonement of our sins; and the thought that comes to mind for me, in placing myself in Simon’s shoes, is this: “Thank God I’m not that guy; the One wearing the crown of thorns; the One being spit upon; the One being laughed at and cursed; the One nearly out of breath; the One walking to His death!
They seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. (Luke 23:26)
In placing myself in Simon’s situation, I am thinking, throughout the ordeal of my experience, “Glad I am not the one going to feel the pain of those nails piercing my hands and feet. Glad that I am not soon to be dead. Glad it is this guy, instead of me, they are going to pin to that tree.”
They seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. (Luke 23:26)
In placing myself in Simon’s state of mind, my thoughts are not of Jesus Christ, His sacrifice, but of my own selfish interest: “Just my damn luck! No sooner I enter the city and I am forced, against my will, to assist in the purgatory of this poor soul, a man I do not know. Why me?”
They seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. (Luke 23:26)
In placing myself in Simon’s position, behind Jesus, with my Redeemer’s cross to bear, I am thankful for the grace by which I am acutely aware of why my Lord was crucified, which no one knew on the day – Jesus washed my sins away!
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
February 5,2023
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
January 29,2023
If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another… (1 John 1:7)
There is no such thing, in the body of Jesus Christ, as the prince of this world would have us believe – that a man can “Pull himself up by his bootstraps, dust himself off and free himself from the evil whiles of Satan’s influences to captivate his soul.”
Truth is, trusting in self-emancipation, from the sins of our damnation, is a phantom of a warped imagination: a fancy of the darkest kind – the sin of human pride – which Satan uses to keep men blinded to the “Light” of the resurrection glory of Jesus Christ.
The only solution, to keeping any New Year’s Resolution, is to admit we haven’t the constitution, individually, to prevail against the inducements of corruption: that by ourselves, alone, we are bound to fail in our endeavors to be set free – gain victory over all the forces of tyranny in this world.
Oh, how precious is the gift of grace, our faith, the fellowship we do not merit; but, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirt, inherit through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is the love of the Son of God that helps us along, keeps us strong, binds us together, enabling us to confess our dependence on his mercy and forgiveness – that in our weaknesses we are made to walk in the “Light,” helping each other, collectively, to do the will of our Redeemer, which is to support our brothers and sisters in the church – the Body of Christ – by fulfilling this command, as best we can:
“Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)
May this year we, the church, remain united, as we walk in the “Light” our Savior has provided; as
… the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
January 22,2023
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body… (Philippians 1:20)
Picture this: The Second Advent of our Lord and Savior; His triumphant return to Mother Earth; the sound of angels trumpeting the Light of this world coming on the clouds, a billion times brighter than all the stars combined in the heavens above; the flesh and bones of all the saints that have been resting in their graves for centuries past, rising up into the presence of the ever-present Lord of Eternal Life, being transfigured, right before our eyes, into incorruptible beings, clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Picture this: This tired old world made new; the air made clean; the rivers made pure; the oceans cleansed of all the rubbish of mankind; the dawn of an ever-lasting day where the sun never sets on the glories of living in an indescribable paradise, of which our senses fully appreciate the splendor of it all, never taking for granted what we have been given: THE NEW PLANET ON WHICH WE ARE LIVING!
Picture this: Joy, Peace, and Love without measure, ours to treasure in harmony with our family members, and friends, that will never end; no pain or suffering to endure; no anxieties of any kind; nothing but being conscious in our hearts and minds of our Lord and Savior, His Perfection, and the majesty of our Redeemer conferring upon us the promise of our resurrection.
Picture all of this, this year, should the Son of God call me away from here.
… whether by life or by death. (Philippians 1:20) please
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
January 15,2023
“Return to me," declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 4:1)
There is no better time to take this invitation of God to heart, than at the beginning of a new year! All the talk about resolutions affords us the opportunity to focus our minds on possible solutions to alleviating some of our personal anxieties – the things we know we should be doing to improve our physical health: eat less, exercise more and stop stressing out over the small stuff; but what about our spiritual condition? Have we given any thought to improving the current situation relative to the gift of our salvation?
What the prophet Jeremiah is asking of us today is this: Are we becoming more like our Redeemer each and every day, or taking for granted His sacrifice – the Promise of Eternal Life?
When once, by grace, we are “Born Again” we live for Christ and die to sin – becoming, by the gift of the Holy Spirit, like Him in our love and trust in what our heavenly Father has done for us –
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
The only way to foster peace on earth, and rest in the treasure of peace of mind in our daily lives, is by being in a personal relationship with the Risen Lord of our salvation, the Son of God – our Peacemaker – in other words:
"If you put your detestable idols out of my sight and no longer go astray, and if in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, 'As surely as the Lord lives, ‘then the nations will be blessed by him and in him they will glory." (Jeremiah 4:2)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
January 8,2023
Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground…(Ephesians 6:13)
Our closets are full of different wardrobes for various occasions; for instance, we have our “hang around the house” clothes; our “out the door and off to work” clothes; our “Sunday go to meeting” clothes; not to mention all the uniforms worn by public servants, like police officers, firemen, and military personnel. We spend a lot of time during our lifetime determining what clothes we will wear as we prepare to face the world each day. No one wants to be caught with their pants down, especially in public – for fear of ridicule and shame – exposure of our naked frames.
Naturally speaking, it is good to be properly dressed for gathering together, in all kinds of weather; and the same can be said for the garments our Savior has given us to wear, enabling us to be victorious in the battle of “Spiritual Warfare.”
To be honest,
without the armor of our Redeemer upon us,
we are bound to die – expire –
all because we refuse to be properly attired
with the belt of truth holding fast,
the buckle around our waist;
the breastplate of righteousness
upon our chest, firmly held in place;
our feet standing on the Rock,
the Gospel of Jesus Christ;
our faith, by grace, shielding us
from corruption in our life;
the helmet of salvation –
being our Redeemer’s Living Word –
by which we wield the invincible force
of the Holy Spirit’s sword
to slay, on all occasions,
through the almighty power of prayer
all the devil’s evil schemes
in the armor that we wear.
Oh, how we like to put on airs, dress up and always appear to be in fashion for the latest and greatest attraction; but the truth is, only we who are dressed in the full armor of God, are really going anywhere.
… and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
January 1,2023
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
December 25,2022
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
December 18,2022
“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, said Jesus…” (John 7:38)
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Oh, how sad it is today that expressing faith in Jesus Christ, throughout the discourse of everyday conversations, is no longer in fashion. All the rage in our culture is now to promote ourselves: let the world know that we exist; get our pictures out there; speak our minds, least to the extent to which the masters of social media will allow us. Seems like everybody is talking nowadays, all at the same time, fighting to be heard; with the consequence being that our jaws are aching and our mouths are dry, because we have relinquished the practice of responding to the refreshing Word of the Living Son of God:
"On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.” (John 7:37)
Are we listening? Did we hear that? Would we like to thirst no more for recognition; to know our voice is being heard above the crowd; to drink from the fountain of Peace, Joy and Eternal Life; to fill our hearts with the contentment that comes from no longer having to call attention to ourselves?
Well, then, we must focus all of our hearts, souls and minds on the Savior of mankind; and out of us, as Jesus has said:
“Streams of living water will flow from within.” (John 7:38)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
December 11,2022
"Where are you staying?" (John 1:38)
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As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in this world, this simple entreaty is as valid a question to ask of Jesus today as when Andrew asked it of our Lord and Savior at Bethany, on the other side of the river Jordan, after John the Baptist witnessed to him of the Son of God being baptized from heaven above with the Holy Spirit – for if we don’t know where Jesus is, how can we be baptized with the Holy Spirit, which is our Redeemer’s Christmas gift alone to give to us?
It is all well and good to take one hour out of our week and visit the church of our choosing, where we like to believe our Lord and Savior resides; but what about Monday through Saturday, and the remaining twenty-three hours on Sunday?
Is Jesus ever present where we work? Does He ever visit us at home? Is He ever about when we are just hanging out? Do we experience the light of His resurrection power in the midst of our darkest hours? Have we ever, outside of our circle of church friends, told anyone that we have found the Messiah, like Andrew told his brother Simon?
By grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, Jesus is, where He is, wherever we are - and not just in the church sanctuary where we worship Him on Sunday morning:
I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-24)
Where is our risen Lord and Savior – the King of kings, born in Bethlehem, the Redeemer of this world – when we are not in church?
"Come," Jesus replied, "and you will see." (John 1:39)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
December 4,2022
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
November 27,2022
Then God said to Abraham, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah.
(Genesis 22:2)
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This test of Abraham’s obedience to doing the will of our Father in heaven is, at first reading, an affront to our natural affinities: Without the gifts of grace, faith and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we have no reference of understanding God’s purpose for demanding Abraham to commit this aberrant act of filicide - sacrifice his son upon an altar on a mountain in the region of Moriah. Where is God’s love in that?
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Isaac was an innocent child; healthy, full of vitality and youthful exuberance. He had no blemishes, no painful afflictions, noting to upset his happiness. His liveliness, in the midst of all the cruel realities in this world, was boundless. He had everything to live for, and, in carrying the wood to be burnt upon the altar on which he was to be slain, asked his father this question:
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"The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" (Genesis 22:7)
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Where, indeed, is the sacrifice we can make as an offering to our God that will atone for the remission of all our sins against His immutable, Holy and Righteous, laws? Certainly not in any act of obedience to doing the will of God out of fearing His judgement upon our souls in the afterlife. Precisely why Abraham answered Isaac’s query by saying:
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"God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." (Genesis 22:7)
Where is God’s love in this story?
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It is in His altruistic mercy upon Abraham, Isaac and all of mankind in providing for our redemption by Jesus Christ; it is in the life, death and resurrection of our Redeemer, our risen Lord and Savior, the perfect Lamb of God; it is in the unconditional love of our Father in heaven and His revelation to us in the fulfillment of these words from the mouth of the Son of God:
"This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations.” (Luke 24:46-47)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
November 20,2022
"You still lack one thing,” said Jesus. (Luke 18:22)
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Some of us are so busy filling our lives up with doing good works that we are oblivious of what we are missing in completing the task at hand. So long as we are concentrating our efforts on doing something, we don’t have to think about anything else until some other charitable enterprise is brought to our attention – then, straight away, we dive in, head first, without nearly a thought about the heart of our Savior in the matter.
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Truth is, this world is full of good people achieving great things without any awareness of what God’s Son has done for them: His victory over sin and death that redeems all of our endeavors unto receiving full measure of His Peace and Joy and Love, by faith in His blood sacrifice.
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No one needs to follow Jesus Christ in order to accomplish great things in this life; but everyone who does become poor, for the sake of following in the footsteps of our Redeemer. receives what no good works we do in this world can afford:
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“You will have treasure in heaven.” (Luke 18:22)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
November 13,2022
“Those who suffer according to God's will…” (1 Peter 4:19)
I confess to being an outright coward when it comes to experiencing physical, emotional and spiritual pain and suffering. I stub my toe and I cry for a week; someone slights me and my heart aches constantly; the Holy Spirit convicts me of my sins and I pine in guilt and shame for defaming my Savior’s name.
It is all so depressing, this world in which are bodies are so readily hurt; our hearts so easily broken and our spirits repeatedly crushed by the weight of succumbing to temptations, in spite of our good intentions. It leads a person to wonder what reason is there to get up in the morning; step out of our homes and confront another day filled with chaos, sadness and disappointments? What, on earth, is there to bring us cheer in the face of all the misery we encounter here?
Oh, precious is the gift of faith
in Jesus Christ, His sacrifice,
that redeems all our cares and woes
unto the Promise of Eternal Life:
“In this world you will have trouble,” said Jesus. “But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
Oh, what joy there is in the countenance
of hope, and love, and sustenance
found in the cross, God’s offering,
that we, in all our suffering:
“… should commit (ourselves) to (our) faithful Creator and continue to do good.” (1 Peter 4:19)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
November 6,2022
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
October 30,2022
"Father, I thank you that you have heard me.” (John 11:41)
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Do we pray with the confidence Jesus had in our Father in heaven to hear our concerns and act upon them? Is our trust in our risen Lord and Savior to do for us what we can’t do for ourselves, or our loved ones, absolute? Are we sure that our Redeemer hears the issues we lift up to Him from the depths of our aching hearts and, if so, what evidence has He given us to bear witness in this world of His victory over sin and death, and the Promise of Eternal Life?
Is not the proof that the Son of God hears our prayers found in our personal testimony of what Jesus Christ has already done for us? Were we not all like Lazarus – Zombies, wrapped in the cloth of our inequities; our hearts rotting away in a cold, dark tomb; our eyes closed to seeing the “Light of this world;” our ears unable to hear past the stone blocking the sound waves from transmitting the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the “Good News” of our salvation?
Oh, how wonderful it was when we, like Lazarus, heard the voice of Jesus Christ call us to “Come out” of our sleepwalking, open our eyes, gaze on the glory of God and, by grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, gave us voices to lift up prayers and praises to His name:
"When the Counselor comes,” said Jesus, “whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.” (John 15:26-27)
Proof positive that we know, what our Savior knew, about the faithfulness of our Father in heaven to answering the prayers of those who love Him is none other than the fact that we have been “Born Again.”
“I knew that you always hear me,” said Jesus, “but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." (John 11:42)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
October 23,2022
"Why were you searching for me?" Jesus asked. (Luke 2:49)
Sadly, many people spend their whole lives trying to recover their emotional equilibrium after suffering physical abuse throughout their formative years. How is it possible to escape the harmful effects of exploitation, manipulation and neglect of nurturing influences, imprinted upon the memories of impressionable children, when they were back in the time of their youth; back in the years of their innocence; back when they had no control over their circumstances; back when no one would shed a tear if they went missing; back when no one cared if they lived or died; back when no one loved them?
“Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you," said Mary to Jesus. (Luke 2:48)
And to that query of His loving parents, Jesus replied, “Why?”
Why, indeed?
"Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?” said Jesus." (Luke 2:49)
Perhaps you are one of those unfortunate adults still lost in this world of cares and woes; still searching to find that household where you can experience safety, security and peace of mind; still looking for the kind of dwelling wherein the door is always open to restoration in the house of salvation.
Well, then, your search is over, for the Son of God, by grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, is in the business of reconstruction: renovating broken hearts for His own; making us feel right at home.
“I will show you,” said Jesus, “what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.” (Luke 6:47-48)
Looking to rebuild your life? Place your faith in Jesus Christ!
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
October 16,2022
For the sake of His body, which is the church…(Colossians 1:24)
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The apostle Paul, after his encounter with the Lord of Life, suffered much for the body of Jesus Christ. When his sight was restored, and his eyes made capable of seeing his Savior pinned to the cross for the forgiveness of all his sins, the door to his heart was flung wide open – filled with grace, faith and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit – the very same gifts our Redeemer bestows on all the saints He has called unto Himself today to bear witness, in the body of Red Oak Church, to His unconditional love for us through our obedience to the commandment the Son of God said was above all others:
“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:35)
For the love of the church, Paul gave his all – enduring the scorn of many to enlighten a few; going hungry to feed others the Gospel of Salvation; befriending the worst of mankind in the hope they, too, would find the purpose for their lives in service to one another, as sisters and brothers united in the body of Jesus Christ – He who sacrificed everything to give us the Promise of Eternal Life – that we may, like Paul said...
“I have become its servant ( the church at 337 Piper Road) by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness. (Colossians 1:25)
And what exactly is the Word of God in all of its richness, extensiveness, comprehensiveness and inclusiveness? Nothing less than this:
Christ in you, the hope of glory! (Colossians 1:27)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
October 9,2022
"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. (Matthew 5:23)
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But I was wronged; I was abused; I was misunderstood; I was humiliated; I was punished; my feelings were hurt; my trust violated – and now You want me to forgive those relations of mine? Not only family relatives; but mere associates and strangers alike for the pain and suffering they have caused me?
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“How is this act of humility fair of You to ask of me?” we ask of Jesus from the bottom of our broken hearts.
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And the answer to this reasonable question, by grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, is found in the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ – His blood shed for you and me upon the cross on Calvary.
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Accepting what our Redeemer did to free us from the penalty of sin and death, is the means by which we are equipped to bear witness to His love for us in humbleness:
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“I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” (Acts 26:17-18)
The Lord of Life has forgiven me of the evil I have done;
That to His seat of mercy I may beg you now to come:
To make an offering of your heart, for the forgiveness of your sins –
That we may be reconciled forevermore to Him.
“First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5:24)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
October 2,2022
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
September 25,2022
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — “ (Hebrews 10:24)
The day dawns bright and new; but there are dark clouds gathering on the horizon to disturb the peace within our hearts and minds, while living in these chaotic times.
Internationally, rumors of war abound among the nations in this world; and, on the home front, the politicians have divided the citizenry up into groups bent on hating one another, even as they profess they are the champions of inclusion – proving they are masters of illusion.
Yes, there is much in this day to be discouraged about; but let us not doubt the truth given to us to understand in this revelation by the Son of Man:
“You will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:9-14)
By grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, Jesus Christ has elected us to bear witness to the whole world of our belief in His second advent; and, by the power of His resurrection, all the saints gathering at Red Oak Church, to worship our Redeemer in Spirit and Truth, are united in His love for us in encouraging one another to remain faithful to trusting in the provisions of our Lord and Savior to fulfill all of His promises to us, unto the Promise of Eternal Life…
“And all the more as you (we) see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
September 18,2022
“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, said Jesus…” (John 7:38)
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Oh, how sad it is today that expressing faith in Jesus Christ, throughout the discourse of everyday conversations, is no longer in fashion. All the rage in our culture is now to promote ourselves: let the world know that we exist; get our pictures out there; speak our minds, least to the extent to which the masters of social media will allow us. Seems like everybody is talking nowadays, all at the same time, fighting to be heard; with the consequence being that our jaws are aching and our mouths are dry, because we have relinquished the practice of responding to the refreshing Word of the Living Son of God:
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.” (John 7:37)
Are we listening? Did we hear that? Would we like to thirst no more for recognition; to know our voice is being heard above the crowd; to drink from the fountain of Peace, Joy and Eternal Life; to fill our hearts with the contentment that comes from no longer having to call attention to ourselves?
Well, then, we must focus all of our hearts, souls and minds on the Savior of mankind; and out of us, as Jesus has said:
“Streams of living water will flow from within.” (John 7:38)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
September 11,2022
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus… (Luke 14-25)
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Hate is a hard word: it is the very antonym of Love. Like granite stone, it is impenetrable, nothing can soften it. There is no affection to be found in its definition; no tenderness of feeling; no care for the cares of others; nothing about it to hold dear; no friendship, adoration, devotion to anything or anyone passes through to the core of its center – where, at the heart of the matter – nothing matters.
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So, why does Jesus Christ turn to the throng of people following behind Him and say:
"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters — yes, even his own life — he cannot be my disciple?” (Luke 14:25-26)
What is the point our Redeemer is making here? This statement is most definitely not a crowd pleaser, and that is precisely the reason He said it: for it was not meant to be understood by the general public, the people who would fall away from the path He was walking on toward Calvary; but only taken to heart by those He chose to be His disciples.
By grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, Jesus Christ has turned our hearts of stone into tender, passionate and loving hearts of His own: enabling us to love our fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, wives and children in obedience to being His disciples, and not merely people after following Jesus for the “wow factor.”
“Greater love has no one than this,” said Jesus, “that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. (John 15:13-14)
The cross our risen Lord and Savior died upon for the forgiveness of our sins was His to carry alone; but by the power of His resurrection, His victory over sin and death, we are granted, as His disciples, the ability to understand and obediently respond to this command:
And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:27)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
September 4,2022
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
August 28,2022
“If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.” (Matthew 5:30)
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Wow! Did Jesus really say that? Why such a horrific statement? The image this act presents to our imaginations is gruesome, lurid, repugnant! What reason did our Lord and Savior have for uttering such dreadful words? Surely, He was speaking figuratively, and not literally, right?
Truth is, our Redeemer spoke these ghastly, ghoulish, grisly words to gain the attention of all the people presently in danger of making the mistake of thinking they do no harm to themselves by compromising with the ways of this world; people like you and me; people that like to say…
Everybody is doing it; live and let live; to each his own; I’m only human; what’s the harm in it?
The purpose for Jesus speaking to us in such morose language is this: to enlighten us, through “Shock Therapy,” of the true consequences of sin – this reality:
“It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” (Matthew 5:30)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
August 21,2022
“He was despised and rejected by men…” (Isaiah 53:3)
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The images of Jesus Christ so prevalent in the marketplace today, the ones where He is made to appear movie star handsome, attractive to everyone, sells in Christian bookstores; but it is not based in eyewitness accounts of His actual persona. Nowhere in the scriptures do we read of the physical appearance of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, as being eye-catching, good-looking, knock-out gorgeous. Truth is, there was nothing extraordinary about His bodily stature. In the flesh, our Redeemer was just like us, with warts and all; however, in the interior, He was the Son of God, superior to us in His obedience to fulfilling the laws of our Father in heaven, that by His unconditional love for us we may be made like Him.
By grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we are “Born Again!” And with our rebirth begins, in the heart of our makeup, which only our Redeemer sees, the process of our sanctification, unto the Promise of our Salvation; which starts at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ, the unpleasant business of His sacrifice on Calvary to gain us victory over sin and death; and ends with our eternal rest in the power of His resurrection – everlasting images of His Divine Perfection.
"Who do you say I am?" asked Jesus.
Peter answered, "The Christ of God."
To which Jesus said: "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." (Luke 9:20-22)
Not exactly a very pretty picture, is it? But then the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about telling the truth about the Son of Man. Fact is, the Bible describes our Savior as looking like anyone we may bump into along the street; a common man; even looking like the person we see in the mirror – not entirely charming, alluring, delightful; but…
“…a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.” (Isaiah 53:3)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
August 14,2022
“For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged…(Matthew 7:2)
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The closest people we know and love: family members, good friends and neighbors, are mysterious to us in the ways of the heart. We are familiar only with the outer part of their lives. Our relationships with them do not extend into the inner-self where the essence of everything that has happened to them, from the time of their birth, and throughout the years they have lived upon this earth, have made them what they appear to be – minus the reality of all that is actually there – all that is known to God alone.
No matter how good we think we are in assessing, evaluating and apprising the worth of sinners, like ourselves, to receive the gift of our Lord’s salvation, we must never judge them – for, in our best estimation, we are always lacking critical information.
There is only one Person capable of judging the true characters of our beings in absolute righteousness – and that is our Father in heaven.
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“Our Redeemer came into this world…
“Not to judge the world, but to save the world. (John 12:47)
And by His sacrifice upon the cross on Calvary made us worthy to receive the Promise of Eternal Life by grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Oh, how blessed are we to assess ourselves forgiven of all our sins by the unconditional love that our risen Lord and Savior has for us, knowing that:
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… with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:2)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
August 7,2022
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
July 31,2022
If someone forces you to go one mile…(Matthew 5:41)
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The "something” about our human natures that sets our feet to resisting walking in any mandated direction is, of course, sin: Tell a person what they have to do, and they will immediately begin defying you.
This flaw in our bloodline goes all the way back to our first parents, Adam and Eve, who realized they were naked in the Garden of Eden after Satan weakened their resolve to be obedient to obeying this commandment of our Creator:
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." (Genesis 2:15-17)
Notice, in this narrative of the story of us being made in the image of God, that God, knowing all things, says to Adam: “WHEN you eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (AND not “IF” you eat from that tree in the middle of the garden), you will surely die.”
God knew we would not be able to resist the temptation to put ourselves first, to go our separate ways, to disregard His will for us to work in the Garden of Paradise, in peace and harmony in the presence of the “Great I Am,” forevermore – long before our first parents took a bite of that forbidden fruit – and the taste of the scent of death fell upon our breath.
By grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we receive the Promise of Eternal Life, by believing in the blood sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And not by force do we surrender to being obedient to His commands; but solely by the love of Him who died upon the cross to forgive us of all our sins, and rose from the dead to empower us to choose this option:
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, (if) you love one another." (John 13:34-35)
Loving our Redeemer, as we love our neighbors, as we love ourselves is the force that enables us to surrender to going far beyond what evil men intend for us to do: to their wonderment, we out pace them by a mile or two…
“… go with him two miles.” (Matthew 5:41)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
July 24,2022
"Do not judge…” (Matthew 7:1)
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There is enough work to be done on ourselves, in the never-ending process of our own sanctification, that when the wickedness of human pride leads us to criticize the speck of dust in someone else’s eye – that particle of sin, apart from Jesus Christ, that is blurring the vision of our risen Lord and Savior – it should make our tears begin to flow in appreciation for the grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, by which we believe, and realize, the peccadillos we keep secret, dare not to mention, have been forgiven by our Redeemer’s intervention.
Upon the cross on Calvary
Jesus died for you and me;
That by His sacrifice we may appraise
The full measure of His love and grace.
The hypocrisy, inherent in judging other men of their apparent, willful, sin
Is that it makes us think we are better than them, and forget we have been forgiven.
“In the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:2)
To remove the speck of dust from our brother’s eye,
We must first confess our sins and testify
To the victory we have gained
Over sin and death, in Jesus’ name.
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
July 17,2022
“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…” (Joshua 24:15)
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There was a time, not too long ago, when the God of our forefathers was worshiped on Sunday mornings throughout the land. In those bygone days, the pioneers worked tirelessly to cultivate a Christian society, practice Christian values, and develop, in their hearts and minds, and the intellects of their children, a reverence for the wisdom found in the Holy Bible, in particular, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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Stand in the center of any rural or urban town or city today, and look up into the sky of heaven, and there you will see the remnants of what used to power the people who built this nation: Church spires, with crosses affixed to the top of them – silent testimonials to what used to be “One nation, under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all” – least that was the principal ideal every citizen in this country, men, women and children, were taught to serve to the best of their God given abilities.
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Did we ever achieve living up to this standard of perfection? Definitely not; but our One and only Triune God – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit – blessed the collective labor of our hands because in all our interests we were focused on serving Him. True, the steeples attest to the worship of God from people in numerous denominations; but all were united in believing the cross of Jesus Christ is the means of man’s salvation.
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"No servant can serve two masters,” said Jesus. “Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." (Luke 16:13)
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“In God we Trust” is printed on every note of legal tender of the United States; but, in practice, the majority of the people, presently enjoying the blessings our forefathers bequeathed to us by their faithfulness to building this country through service to God Almighty, have turned their backs on working for heaven’s reward: Eternal Life with Jesus Christ, the risen Lord.
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Sadly, we are so busy looking down at our cell phones nowadays, at the gods we presently adore worshiping, “images of ourselves,” that we are developing, as a species, the inability to look up to the heavens above and worship our Creator, the God of love.
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“…as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
July 10,2022
“I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” (John 14:13)
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By grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we are “Born Again.” And accepting the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for us upon the cross, for the attornment of all our sins, is but the first of the miracles the Son of God does for us in the power of His resurrection, for the purpose of bringing glory to our Father in heaven, by what He continues doing in, through and among us, unto the Promise of Eternal Life.
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"The work of God is this,” said Jesus: “to believe in the one he has sent." (John 6:29)
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And from the moment our hearts and minds are opened to trust in the work our Redeemer has done for us, to enable us to receive the cleansing of His blood, and believe we have been forgiven of all our sins: everything we do brings glory to Him.
“You may ask me for anything in my name,” said Jesus, “and I will do it.” (John 14:14)
The mystery of our free will, and of all creation, is swallowed up in the reality of predestination - the moment we accept Jesus Christ as the Lord of our salvation.
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
July 3,2022
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
June 26,2022
"I will follow you, Lord; but first…(Luke 9:61)
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Let me test the waters, I don’t want to get in up over my head; let me see for myself how far I can go on my own, I want to be able to find my way back if this path is too difficult for me; let me use my own good common sense as a defense against the sophistry of the evil one and his designs to disguise the Truth of God’s Son. The last thing I want to do is disappoint You, Lord; but first…
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And so the moment of our salvation passes by us in a thousand …and’s… if’s… and but’s…
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“Next time,” comes the reply from our hearts to the call of Jesus Christ to follow Him. “Next time,” I will meet the challenge to believe in You, that I faced, again, today, to surrender to do doing Your will. “Next time,” I will completely trust in Your love for me to set me free from any doubts about what my faith in You needs to be all about. “Next time,” I will submit my fate into Your hands in the knowledge that You have a plan for whatever the …and’s…if’s…and but’s… may be that I may, foremost, follow Thee.
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"No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62)
Oh, how precious is the grace, faith, and indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, by which we look forward to the “Last Time” we will hear the voice of our risen Lord and Savior say unto us:
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“Follow Me.” (Luke 9:59)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
June 19,2022
We are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:6)
By grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we are “Born Again.” And the joy that fills our hearts, on the day our living Lord and Savior chose us to follow Him, is beyond measure.
However, the delight in our knowledge of His Love, Mercy and Forgiveness, made possible by His sacrifice upon the cross for our redemption, has, for some reason or other, over time, lost some of its luster. And our elation is now of a lesser level than when we first received the blessing of our salvation. Our happiness has become jaded as our thoughts of grandeur in the service of our Redeemer has faded: “Where are the miracles?” we ask, not realizing that extraordinary tasks are not what Jesus wants us to perform. No, His desire for us, in this body we now live in, is to conquer sin and death by the power of His resurrection.
The joy in our hearts of the love of our Lord will forevermore increase when, living out the days of our lives, we practice this norm:
“Remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:10-11)
May we, like the apostle Paul, when it comes to doing the common things in our walk with our hope in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, never be ones to say, with sad faces, “It is what it is;” but, in every mundane routine, find the joy of our salvation in the blessing of the Holy Spirit’s Devine inspiration.
We live by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
June 12,2022
“Now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:3)
Today, throughout the hours of daylight and into the nighttime, through which we will sleep until awakened by the birds singing at the break of dawn tomorrow, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit – our Triune God in One – is showering His affection upon us – through grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives:
“I am with you always, to the very end of the age,” said Jesus." (Matthew 28:18-20)
And our Redeemer is ever faithful to keeping His word to those who love Him.
Whatever seems dull for us to do; boring to the extreme; routine – completely unexciting – there, in the midst of the monotonous, our Redeemer will prove He has not forgotten us; and, in the humdrum of our common experiences, enable us to bring Him glory and honor in the path we are walking upon, unto the Promise of Eternal Life.
It is not uncommon for the saints our Savior has called unto Himself to go completely unnoticed in the eyes of man; to be silent lambs among His flock; to live their entire lives with only this thought of identification: That Jesus Christ will remember them.
And all that we endure in obedience to, and without acknowledgement of, the rulers in this world to…
“Love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind (the first and greatest commandment); and love our neighbors as ourselves (the second most important mandate encapsulating all the laws of our Father in heaven.”) (Matthew 22:37-39)
…is known to our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; Whose heart was opened wide upon the cross for the forgiveness of all our sins, withholding none of His affection for us.
Oh, what love is this, about which Paul spoke to the Corinthians, and through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, speaks to all the saints humbly serving Him without any recognition today:
As a fair exchange — I speak as to my children — open wide your hearts also. (2 Corinthians 6:13)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
June 5,2022
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17)
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The inception of our transformation into beings of a new creation, is the gift of grace we receive when we are “Born Again.”
"When the Counselor comes,” said Jesus, “whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify…(John 15:26-27)
And this is our witness, from the beginning of our walk with our Redeemer on earth below, till we glow in His radiance forevermore in heaven above: Jesus lives!
Once the Spirit of Jesus reveals to us the beauty within His written word, our faces begin shinning with the magnificent grace of our risen Lord and Savior, Whose sacrifice, at Calvary, paid the price to liberate us from the restrictions of the law – which convicts us of our sins – to faith in the unconditional love of Jesus Christ, Whose Holy Spirit, indwelling within us, enables us to freely follow Him.
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
May 29,2022
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
May 22,2022
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." (Luke 10:17)
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It is important that we, disciples of Jesus Christ, do not get caught up in the sin of pride to think more of ourselves than we ought to, while engaged in the work our Lord has given us to do, unto receiving His promise of Eternal Life.
This world is full of opportunities for us to witness to the power of our risen Lord and Savior to heal the sick, give sight to the blind, feed the hungry and clothed the destitute; but all of the miracles our Redeemer performs in, among, and through us - by grace, faith, and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit in our lives – may actually be the trappings of perdition “IF” we are not, foremost, aware of our own pitiful condition:
“The poor you will always have with you,” said Jesus, “but you will not always have me.” (Matthew 26:11)
Whatever our witness be in life
Of our Savior’s sacrifice,
It is by grace, being “Born Again,”
That we are impowered to follow Him.
The ability to walk in the footsteps of our Redeemer upon this earth is the most humbling of all the blessings we receive from our Savior in heaven above because, in our ministering to the needs of the poor among us, in the loving heart, mind, and Spirit of Jesus Christ, our joy is complete in the knowledge our names are written in the Book of Life:
“Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you,” said Jesus, “but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:20)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
May 15,2022
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me…” (Matthew 11:29)
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If we are in a proper relationship with the living Son of God, Jesus Christ, not a day goes by without us learning something new about our Father’s love for us. To be yoked with our Savior in this life, is to have the knowledge of the Promise of Eternal Life; and the privilege, by the gift of grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, of intimate association with the Lord of our Salvation.
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You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other. (John 15:16-17)
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To love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39) is a very difficult thing to do today, because sinful men are, by human nature, at the heart of our beings, selfish creatures. Consequently, no one wants to risk being misunderstood; taken advantage of; endure the indignities of rejection; be persecuted for telling the truth; sacrifice for the common good; forget the heartaches people have caused us; forgive those who have offended us - but our Redeemer suffered all of these mortifications - for the purpose of teaching us how to love one another through good times and bad; happy or sad; when we feel like it, and when we don’t.
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Why?
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To teach us the lesson of how to experience peace and joy in all of our other relationships while being yoked with the unconditional love of our Savior for mankind:
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“… I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
May 8,2022
“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you…” (Psalm 55:22)
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If we are in a proper relationship with Jesus Christ, our faith, in all of His promises to us, rest is this fact:
I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)
Our Redeemer is not merely a crutch we lean upon in hard times - a prop to support us when the burdens on our hearts and minds threaten to overwhelm us with pain and sorrow – but He is the living Son of God, indwelling within us all of our days through the gift of the Holy Spirit, by which we are “Born Again,” unto the Promise of Eternal Life.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest,” said Jesus. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
To prove His unconditional love for us, our Savior did the hardest thing for anyone to do: He took all of our cares to the cross, that in His redeeming sacrifice, we may have in this world, in all of our sufferings, the joy of knowing He conquered sin and death for everyone yoked with Him to the promise of our resurrection:
“My Father's will,” said Jesus, “is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:40)
And, believing in this promise, we…
Make our burdens a prayer request
and Jesus, in His loving tenderness,
never fails to sustain our faith
by the gift of His amazing grace.
“He will never let the righteous fall.” (Psalm 55:22)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
May 1,2022
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
April 24,2022
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. (Mark 9:9)
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By grace, faith, and the Holy Spirit indwelling in us, Jesus gives us a vision of the restoration of our Divine Relationship with our Father in heaven through His sacrifice upon the cross for the forgiveness of all our sins; and by the power of His resurrection, and unconditional love for us, we are Born Again into the bloodline of the Son of God, made heirs unto the Promise of Eternal Life.
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With this inner transfiguration, the knowledge of our salvation is no longer a mystery: by the body and blood our Redeemer, broken and shed at Calvary, we are at liberty to conquer sin and death, because He has chosen us in whom to entrust the wisdom to understand the meaning of these words of the Son on Man:
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“I tell you the truth,” said Jesus, “he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." (John 6:47-51)
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Only after we kneel at the foot of the cross
and accept the sacrifice Jesus made to save the lost,
and in the Eucharist partake, repent –
do we realize what “rising from the dead meant.” (Mark 9:10)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
April 17,2022
"You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep.” (John 4:11)
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All that is preventing us this Easter morning from satisfying our desire to assuage the fears we have in the knowledge of our inability to escape the unfortunate variances of time, chance, and circumstance – the aspirations, longings, wishes we bury deep, down, within our hearts and dare not express to anyone because, after all, there is only so much anyone can do to fulfill our needs upon this earth – is entirely rooted in our lack of trust in what Jesus Christ has already done for us.
Is not the tomb empty? Did not our risen Lord and Savior conquer sin and death? So why are we, today, like the woman at the well, questioning the miraculous capacities of our Redeemer’s abilities?
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"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst,” said Jesus. “Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:13-14)
If our faith in Jesus is limited to
what we believe only man can do,
the wells we dig to relieve our thirst
will be but dry holes in the earth.
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
April 10,2022
"Do you love me?” (John 21:17)
The love our Father in heaven has for us is manifested in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and His obedience to fulfilling God’s plan for our redemption. And it is only by grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, that we are ever made aware of His tender mercies and loving care.
Before his Lord and Savior went to the cross, Peter denied this fact, three times! Only after seeing his Redeemer, risen, in the flesh, and realizing his Messiah had conquered sin and death, was Peter’s heart in the right condition to faithfully respond to this commission:
“Feed my sheep.” (John 21:17)
And what made it possible for Peter to spend the rest of his life ministering to the lost, wayward, obstinate, indigent, ungrateful, unreasonable and disloyal sheep, for which the Lamb of God shed His blood to purchase the Promise of Eternal Life, is nothing less than the unconditional love of the Third Person of the Almighty Trinity of God, indwelling within him: the very same power of love that penetrates the dry and withered hearts of every soul Jesus rejuvenates and calls unto Himself to…
"Follow me!" (John 21:19)
There is only one sin for which the blood of Christ cannot restore the heart of man, and that is the sin of denying His Holy Spirit gives us the ability to witness to others of His love for us:
”You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)
The only power over death and sin - is the Spirit of Jesus, alive, within!
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
April 3,2022
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
March 27,2022
“Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey?” (Romans 6:16)
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By grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we are “Born Again,” not as slaves under the domination of condemnation; but friends of the risen Lord of our salvation, unto the Promise of Eternal Life.
Our Redeemer surrendered His will, in complete obedience to our Father’s plan for our redemption, from birth to death upon the cross. Not a day went by when our Savior did not die unto Himself; thereby fulfilling the Ten Commandments of our Holy and Righteous God; that, by accepting His blood sacrifice at Calvary, for the forgiveness of all our sins, we may wield the power of His resurrection to perfection:
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15:13-16)
Knowing our Father’s unconditional love, in the investment of His Son, to make us friends of the Most High God, is the true test of being a free man in Christ – manifested in us receiving the power to resist temptations to sin, from the most profane immorality to the tiniest depravity, in obedience to our love for Him.
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
March 20,2022
I will very gladly spend for you everything I have. (2 Corinthians 12:15)
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Is the welcome sign out for every person who will pass along the road today, or only for a very select few?
Point is, the threshold of Paul’s heart, to expressing His love for our Lord and Savior, was open to everyone - closed to no one - that he might witness to friends and strangers alike of the resurrection power of our Savior to redeem the souls of mankind; and by expending all his worldly compensations, fulfill the purpose of his own salvation: to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ that others might receive the Promise of Eternal Life.
By grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we, like the apostle Paul, are “born again!” And with our new birth, lose interest in the fortunes to be gained upon this earth, for we value more what our redemption is worth – the price Jesus paid, beyond all measure, to secure our heavenly treasure – and in appreciation to our Lord and King make our lives an offering:
And expend myself (ourselves) as well. (2 Corinthians 12:15)
It is only after we receive the gift of spiritual vision, and our eyes behold our Savior risen in victory over sin and death, that we, like the apostle Paul, are enabled to answer the call of the Son of God to serve one and all:
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. (John 15:13-14)
Paul proved his friendship to Jesus Christ by becoming a doormat to all men, letting the ungodly walk all over him, for the privilege to gain an opportunity to lift up our Savior’s holy name and to His unconditional love attest:
I
f I love you more, will you love me less? (2 Corinthians 12:15)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
March 13,2022
If I love you more, will you love me less? (2 Corinthians 12:15)
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Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, was obedient to our Father’s plan of intervention to guarantee our redemption; and upon the cross paid the price that all who believe in His blood sacrifice may receive the Promise of Eternal Life – a gift more precious, for what it is worth, than all the treasure upon this earth.
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Our Redeemer, God Incarnate, emptied Himself of all His Majesty, Glory and Almighty Power in heaven above, for this purpose: to reveal to sinful men the unconditional love of the Great I Am. And by the gifts of grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we, like the apostle Paul, are blessed with this revelation: Jesus Christ is the Lord of our salvation.
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The full expression of our Father’s love for us is found in our Savior’s tender mercies and forgiveness for all the ways our guilt and shame increased His suffering and pain upon the cross at Calvary. And though are names may not be recorded in the annals of our brief history, we will never be forgotten – for our risen Lord and Savior will remember us who faithfully place our trust in His purchase of our clemency - like the thief who pleaded “Remember me.”
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)
Oh, how extravagant is the love of our Father in heaven has for us, as revealed by our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, in Whom we trust.
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
March 6,2022
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
February 27,2022
"Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. (Isaiah 45:22)
There is only one way for children of God to rid themselves of all the anxieties that flood into our consciousness with the dawn of another day – and that is, with each and every challenge we face, step in the direction of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ:
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross “daily” and follow me. (Luke 9:23)
By grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we receive the blessing of being in a personal relationship with the Living Son of God – and because He has chosen us, in Him to trust, there is no burden that we bear of which He doesn’t share, in part, the pain and suffering upon our hearts.
Truth is, Jesus lives! And, by the power of His resurrection, we are journeying unto Divine Perfection: constantly turning toward the Light of our Risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ – no matter our troubles being out of the ordinary; no matter the weight of our cross to carry being extraordinary.
There is peace today, and release to come from everything now burdensome, if we continue walking in the circle of unconditional love – turning to our Lord above!
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
February 20,2022
When I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. (1 Corinthians 9:16)
It is by grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, that our eyes opened on another opportunity to witness to the resurrection power of Jesus Christ, to give us victory over all the challenges we will face while walking in the hours of daylight – the Light of our Lord and Savior, unto the Promise of Eternal Life.
Oh, but we say, “Our cross is too heavy to bear. Pity us for all our cares and woes, the weight of our troubles doubling down, again, when we thought we had been given relief from the burden of that particular kind of sorrow, yesterday; and look, that despondency is back again, with a vengeance – like corrosive acid, burning our flesh down to the very core of our beings – the pain so severe, that our minds can concentrate on little else. Where is our Lord and Savior in the midst of all our misery, our sufferings, our heartaches?
Why, He is compelling us to testify to His life, death and resurrection that we may, by His unconditional love for us, defeat this “infection of rejection” by drawing closer to Himself…
"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:37-39)
The saving grace, in all of our despair, is found in the “Good News” for us to share; but not without our cross to bear.
Our witness, every day we live,
Is not to boast; but wholly give
All glory to Jesus Christ:
Make Him the homily of our life.
Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! (1 Corinthians 9:16)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
February 13,2022
Therefore, do not worry about your life. (Matthew 6:25)
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Therefore: how full that word is in days gone by, and days to come, and the hours of the one we are living today – years of discipleship, filled with circumstances which seem absurd for anyone to consider, logically, as the means of living in this world for Jesus, effectually.
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Nevertheless, our Lord and Savior expects us to rely on Him to provide for our emotional, physical and spiritual needs, here and now, unto the Promise of Eternal Life.
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Consequently, by grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we, therefore, lift up all the concerns we have upon our hearts to our Father in heaven, Whose name is Holy; Whose Kingdom is to come; Whose will is being done on earth, as it is in heaven; Whose plan for our redemption, by the blood of His Son, shed for the forgiveness of all our sins upon the cross, enables us to forgive the people in our lives that have caused us pain and suffering; Whose unconditional love gives us victory over all temptations and delivers us out of the hands of Satan and into the Almighty Arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; Whose eyes see everything we do in secret and will reward us for being faithful to being obedient to doing His will; Whose treasure He stores up in the hearts of His blessed children; Whose lamp of righteousness fills our bodies and souls with the Divine Light of His wisdom, by which He illuminates the darkness of our intellects, adding this revelation to our common sense:
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Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? (Matthew 6:27)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
February 6,2022
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
January 30,2022
“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.” (Philippians 1:20)
It is good to remember, in the midst of all of our spiritual, emotional and physical infirmities, that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ - by grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives – is ever present with us.
No storm clouds above our heads hides our vision from His eyes; no sinful act we commit breaks the bond of His unconditional love for us; no power on earth can undo what our Redeemer has won for everyone that is “Born Again:”Victory over sin and death, unto the Promise of Eternal Life.
Like the Apostle Paul, we were once ashamed of the cross - the blood Christ shed to pay the price for our salvation; we were all once cowardly lions, lacking the courage to proclaim, in thoughts, words and deeds, the name of Jesus, Whom, through Divine Intervention, placed His seal of redemption upon us, without merit, thereby giving us the power of His resurrection to inherit…
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me,” said Jesus. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20)
Give us the grace today, dear Lord,
to be like the Apostle Paul
and no matter what our fate may be –
to You surrender all.
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
January 23,2022
"Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? (John 14:9)
It is one thing to know of Jesus Christ: His life, death, and resurrection; His ministry, in the name of our Father in heaven, to reveal the Holiness, Righteousness, Mercy and Power of the Son of God over sin and death to the eyes of mortal men; to have knowledge of the miracles He worked in the lives of family members, strangers on the street and the disciples He called to bear witness to the wonders of His limitless abilities to answer all our prayers unto the Promise of Eternal Life; however, it is entirely another thing all together to love our Lord and Savior, simply as a friend.
The union in friendship with our Redeemer is like no other relationship. It is the bond of personal intimacy that comes with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, which, once bestowed upon us, nothing on earth can break apart.
Oh, how precious is the grace by which we receive the gift of faith, in the sacrifice of our Lord upon the cross, that enables us to commune with Him, the Lord of Life, about all our heartaches hidden from the eyes of all our other associations.
Praise You, Lord, on high, above
for Your unconditional love;
remaining loyal, despite our sins,
to being our most Faithful Friend.
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15:13-15)
To know our Savior as our Friend is to be obedient to His command to…
Love each other. (John 15:17)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
The below insights into the Gospel of Jesus Christ, “The Good News,”
were gleaned by reading Spurgeon’s Daily Devotional.
- Lou Lamothe
January 16,2022
I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. (John 13:16-17)
There is no substitute for the real thing!
The thrill of free falling through the sky can’t be had by watching a movie. The only people who know what it feels like to parachute to the ground are the ones that have braced themselves against the wind, stood at the doorway of the plane and jumped, without hesitation, into the space above the ground in which, by the laws of gravity, they are earth bound.
Likewise, we can’t testify to the reality of receiving the Lord’s blessings unless we brace ourselves against all doubts, stand at the doorway of established faith and jump, without reservation, into the lofty heights of our salvation:
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” said Jesus. (John 14:6)
Truth is, free falling into the arms of Jesus Christ is the most exhilarating experience life has to offer.
And following in the footsteps of our Savior is the only sure way of guarantying we will always land safely on our feet in this crazy, upside-down, world.
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
January 9,2022
At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. (Mark 1:9)
Think of the significance of this act - the Son of God being baptized by the son of man. At face value, it is a completely incompressible concept! What did the Creator of the raindrops that supplies the streams which feed the mighty river Jordan have need to submit Himself to John’s call for all men to “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is near?”
None! Except that these words of the scriptures may be fulfilled:
An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21-22)
John the Baptist was dumfounded by this role reversal; however, what was not for him to understand, that, too, was in God’s plan:
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" (Matthew 3:13-14)
And Jesus answered him:
"Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." (Matthew 3:15)
Our Messiah humbled Himself in complete submission to every letter of the Holy and Righteous Laws of our Father in heaven, that by His obedience, unto sacrificing His life for us upon the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, we may, by grace, through faith, be washed clean of all our inequities and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit…
As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. (Mark 1:10)
…the same Holy Spirit, by the power of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, now indwelling within us.
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
January 2,2022
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
December 26,2021
"For your sakes he became poor." (2 Corinthians 8:9)
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No room in the Inn; not a pillow to lay His head upon; the only comfort being the warming breath of beast of burden chewing hay as baby Jesus lay in a manger within the stable, now transformed, by the birth of the King of kings, into a cathedral of Redeeming Grace, filled with a choir of angels singing praises to “Emmanuel”, God with us!
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Oh, the wonder of it all: that our Savior would descend to the depths of poverty, forsaking all His omnipotent majesty to become an infant, born of flesh and blood, for the purpose of dying upon a cross for the forgiveness of all our sins, that we might be raised up into the heights of glory and live with Him forevermore in the Kingdom of Eternal Life.
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Oh, how rich this Holy Child grew up to make us; how marvelous the gifts He bestowed upon us; how infinite the treasures we have received by His crown of thorns and nail pierced hands, through which He secured our inheritance: fellowship with the wellspring of eternal joy, peace and love.
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Oh, how marvelous is the gift of the Holy Spirit we have received that, by grace, keeps alive within our hearts the reason for the Christmas season each and every day of our lives: the endowment of faith in Jesus Christ, the gift that keeps on giving.
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
December 19,2021
Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life… (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
Meaningless life? In what sense? Certainty not in any consensus of what we do with our hearts, our emotions, our feelings, from sunup to sundown, doesn’t matter; that love is for suckers; that to sacrifice anything for anyone else is this world is the epitome of foolishness!
The summation of all the laws of God is expressed in this commandment of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, born on Christmas morning - to reveal to mankind the unconditional love our Father in heaven has for sinners, one and all:
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)
The love our Redeemer has for the heart of man is by grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, the bond by which God blesses wedding vows, and gives meaning to all the sacrifices couple make throughout all the days they remain united…
…that God has given you under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
There is no greater blessing in life than this: the sweetness of a lover’s kiss; the faithfulness of a warm embrace; a couple giving to each other the essence of true love…
placing the other person first, in thoughts, words and deeds, under the Lordship of Jesus Christ…
that Emmanuel, “God with us,” gives them the ability to sacrifice their best efforts, one for the other, throughout the labor of all their days together, until both become complete in one another.
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
December 12,2021
'Friend, move up to a better place.' (Luke 14:10)
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Honking horns, arguing customers and the stresses that spike hospital admissions this time of year, with people having heart attracts, all bear witness to this truth: Many folks have yet to receive the gift of Christmas: the grace of the Holy Spirit by which we see baby Jesus as the promised Savior of this world; born to die upon a cross for the remission of our sins, and take up His life again, making it possible for us to be in a personal relationship with the Living Son of God.
Sadly, disconnected souls are all around us: at home, work and abundantly wandering the glittering shopping malls, rushing to purchase that special gift, for that special someone, even as their anxieties mount with the ever increasing frustrations of not being able to find a parking space; the lowest price on the current items deemed to be of greatest value; and, worst of all, the gifts of the holiday season most coveted, freely offered and yet, least received: the Peace, Joy and Love that our Redeemer offers to everyone willing to bow down and worship Him as the King of kings.
Our faith in our Savior to fulfill all our wants and needs is a gift to us beyond compare, not limited to the fleeting excitement generated with the opening of wrapped presents on Christmas morning; but the gift that keeps on giving us the benefits of His presence, communion with the Giver of all Good Things, that will endure through time immortal.
It is Jesus Christ who makes the Christmas Season, just like every other morning we wake up, and evening when we close our eyes in sleep, a blessing to us because, by His unconditional love, He has called us friends and invited us to move up into a better place, where Emmanuel is with us each and every day of the year.
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
December 5,2021
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
November 28,2021
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. (Colossians 2:8)
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By grace, through faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, our eyes are opened, our minds renewed, our hearts freed from the prison of doubts and fears, wherein the sophistry of unprincipled men holds captive the souls of the deaf, dumb and blind -people in this world who are deceived by proponents of spiritual relativity into accepting the viewpoint that there are many ways to gain the promise of eternal life – thereby denying the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and these words from the mouth of the Son of God:
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"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
Oh, what a mess this world is in:
everywhere, deception, sin;
all because we principally
refuse to let Christ set us free.
Thank You, Lord Jesus, that the way of this world is not Your way with us; that in Your sacrifice we trust Your love is forever true, because You have called us to place our faith in You.
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. (Colossians 2:9-11)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
November 21,2021
Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly. (Mark 14:4-5)
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There is only one person we have to please in expectation of inheriting the Promise of Eternal Life when we are put to rest, our bodies buried under the sod, and He is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God.
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There is much for us to do to elevate the suffering of the poor among us; the people without hope of any possibility of being set free from the restrictions, addictions and afflictions in their lives. The underprivileged in the realm of grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the people in this age of despair who seem to be everywhere, about whom our Redeemer said:
“You can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me” (Mark 14:7)
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Indeed! While walking this earth we now must trust in what our Savior did for us; share the “Good News” in adoration for the gift of receiving our salvation. And remember this most beautiful thing, in all we do to serve our King – make our hearts an offering.
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"Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." (Mark 14:6-9)
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Oh, how precious is our faith and trust that Jesus will remember us.
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
November 14,2021
Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:14-15)
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It is pure gibberish to speak of the god of nature; the god of the universe; the god of the lifeforce in all living things, if they are the gods we choose to prattle on about because we are ashamed to speak the truth about our God, God of the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit; the God of all creation and our salvation, unto the Promise of Eternal Life.
This world is full of wonderous mysteries; but our God, the God who made heaven and earth, is not one of them. He is the God whom has revealed Himself to the hearts and minds of sinners in “Plain English,” within the words written in the Holy Bible; and though there are many stories recorded therein which are beyond our comprehension – there is not one word of drivel, of no value, of inscrutabilities worth quarreling about, to anyone willing to pick up the Living Word of God and get up close and personal with Him who said:
"It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4:4)
Oh, the blessing that is ours by grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, by which Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, has chosen us to be His disciples and correctly handle the Word of Truth; thereby enabling us to ...
Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. (2 Timothy 2:16)
If we read the Bible with a humble heart,
God will talk to us, His wisdom impart;
Grant us to say “our God, alone,
Is the God of Love and can be known.”
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
November 7,2021
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
October 31,2021
I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. (Philippians 3:8)
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Are our eyes so focused on Jesus Christ that we clearly see all there is for us to gain by admitting our guilt, our sin, our shame which our Redeemer, to save the lost, pinned to a tree upon the cross?
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If we don’t see ourselves as being responsible in any way for the breaking of His body, and the spilling of His blood, to fulfill the laws of God which we have broken, then our vision is not perfect, owing to the fact we are either near-sighted, or far-sighted - both anomalies of sight created by our eyes not being able to properly focus on the Light: Jesus said,
"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
Paul speaks of losing all things in this world for the sake of His Redeemer, except for this: “The greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” And the reason He is counted among all the saints in heaven is because, by grace, through faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in his life, He was gifted with the blessing of “Keeping his eyes on the Prize” in the light of all his circumstances here on earth.”
And isn’t it wonderful that we, like the Apostle Paul, are not near-sighted, or far-sighted, when it comes to walking in the Light of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ - to see that it doesn’t do us any good to gain all the treasures in this world if we forfeit our souls in the process.
Oh, how blessed are we to have received the gift of 20/20 vision by which we will see, with our own eyes, the fulfillment of this promise of Jesus Christ found in the Holy Scriptures:
The Son of Man coming in his Father's glory with his angels to reward each person according to what he has done. (Matthew 16:26-27)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
October 24,2021
"Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn't we?" (Mark 12:14-15)
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Many a man has fallen into the trap of hypocrisy, duplicity and insincerity by professing Jesus Christ to have been a man of honesty, fidelity and integrity – but not the Son of God above. They reason the Redeemer of mankind was a prophet, a teacher, a truth seeker – but not the Son of God above. They say “we believe Jesus practiced tolerance, forgiveness, mercy and love” – but that He was not the Son of God above. Talking out of both sides of their mouths – they give lip service to our Lord and Savior, while denying the Son of God’s passion upon the cross for the forgiveness of all our sins unto the Promise of Eternal Life.
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Fair warning! There is no two ways of going about receiving the gifts of everlasting Joy, Peace and Unconditional Love in “Thy Kingdom Come.” Jesus said…
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"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' (Matthew 7:21-23)
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Our Lord and Savior knows the intention of everyone who mentions His name: those given to be two-faced, and those given by His precious grace to coin this phrase, which we know in our hearts to be true – “Jesus gave his life to save me and you!”
Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." (Mark 12:17)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
October 17,2021
“Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24)
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By grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ - the “Good News” of the forgiveness of all our sins unto the Promise of Eternal Life. And He who conquered sin and death now listens to our request and, from the wellspring of His unconditional love, answers the prayers we lift to Him on high.
Although mankind rejected Him, the Redeemer of this world accepted us; and, as He died upon the cross, He lifted this prayer for us up to heaven above, saying…
"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34)
If we would have our Risen Lord and Savior remove the height of the mountains of our despair, and the depth of the oceans of our misfortunes, we must first model obedience to praying for those who have sinned against us:
“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." Mark 11:25)
Nothing is impossible for us to receive from the blessings of our Risen Lord and Savior if we lift up our prayers to Him who suffered every pain of human emotion, the agony of a broken heart, and the wretchedness of the betrayal of all mankind in order that He may fulfill all our sentiments, desires and aspirations to be loved.
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
October 10,2021
Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints. (Psalms 149:1)
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Oh, how wonderful is the privilege of bearing witness to the miraculous testimony of a “chosen child of God” being baptized into the assembly of believers in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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To be “Born Again,” of water and the Holy Spirit, is the confirmation of the realization of our salvation - a demonstration of our Redeemer’s unconditional love for us in fulfilling the will of our Father in heaven, which is…
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All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:37-40)
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Baptism, of all the sacraments in the church, is the occasion worthy of the most ardent celebration of the saints in the assembly of the faithful, because it reminds all who are present of the almighty power of the Son of God to call people to follow Him by grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
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Oh, how our Lord and Savior delights in hearing old songs sung in praises to His name from the lips of new saints He has chosen to worship Him. And how great is our joy in welcoming new members into the body of Christ to join the voice of the chorus.
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Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. (Psalms 149:2)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
October 3,2021
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
September 26,2021
"How long will these people treat me with contempt? (Numbers 14:11)
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Unbelief is the work of the thief who would steal our inheritance from us if not for grace, faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It is the “Counselor,” the third person of the Divine Holy Trinity, Who opens our minds to comprehending the specifics about our Creator’s unconditional love for us, as recorded in the words of the Holy Bible – the book of revelation about the miracle of our salvation. And it is in Jesus Christ, alone, we trust to fulfill all of God’s promises to us:
"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26)
Yes, Lord, we believe in all the miracles You performed while ministering to the needs of sinful men, the greatest of which remains the miracle of faith You have bestowed upon us to presently proclaim these words found in the Holy Bible:
“You are the Christ, the Son of the God, Who has come into the world.” (John 11:27)
It is of the utmost condescension, arrogance and disrespect to mistrust what our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, did for us. To doubt His sacrifice upon the cross for the forgiveness of all our sins, and His resurrection from the tomb to give us the Promise of Eternal Life, is downright foolhardy.
How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?
(Numbers 14:11)
Sadly, as long as they are not rooted in the “Living Word of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
September 19,2021
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment. (Isaiah 51:6)
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All of us are born to die, no getting around it. The lives we live upon this earth are temporary. The light streaming from the center of our galaxy will still be here long after our bodies of clay have returned to dust. Nevertheless, though we pass away, the wonders of natural perfection will remain clearly visible to future generations: Flowers will bloom in the months of Spring; Summer will produce a bounty of delicious fruits to enjoy in the Fall; and Winter will continue laying a blanket of snow over all the seasons, that the earth may rest, until the next cycle of the joys of living begins again – reaffirming to all our senses the magnificence of all creation under the marvels of the glory of the heavens above.
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Oh, how splendid is the works of the “Great I Am,” our God, Whose hands produced every object in the universe to give us a vision of the splendor of our permanent home, which awaits us being called unto Himself.
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Consider this: All the amazing things we now see, all the beautiful sounds we presently hear, all the blessing we are capable to imagine pale, by grace, through faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, to what we are destined to experience when we receive the Promise of Eternal Life. Jesus said…
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In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
(John 14:2-4)
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And because we believe in His sacrifice upon the cross for the forgiveness of all our sins, and His victory over death by His resurrection from the tomb, we can now say, in the words of the prophet Isiah…
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“My salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.” (Isaiah 51:6)
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Even as we faithfully await experiencing what the apostle Paul said about our Lord and Savior’s unconditional love for us…
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"—
(1 Corinthians 2:9)
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!
September 12,2021
"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us." (Mark 9:38)
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There is but one Son of God, Lord and Savior, Redeemer of the world and in His name all the saints He calls unto Himself are empowered to perform miracles of extraordinary effects upon the lives of ordinary men in the simplest of ways.
“I tell you the truth,” said Jesus, “anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:12-14)
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By grace, through faith, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we are made disciples of Jesus Christ and in His name become capable of performing acts of incredible mercy, astonishing kindness and phenomenal love to the amazement and wonder of friends, family and strangers alike.
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The Gospel of our Risen Lord and Savior is for all the saints to share! Jesus lives within us! And through us who believe in the power of His resurrection to conquer sin and death, He touches the lives of the people we meet while walking upon the Straight and Narrow Road.
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Is there a friend you know struggling with the demon of depression? Then, tell them, in the name of Jesus, you are praying for them.
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Has a family member suffered an injury by the demon of misery? Then, tell them, in the name of Jesus, you are praying for them.
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Perhaps a stranger you will meet today is in need of a demon to be cast away? Then, tell them, in the name of Jesus, you are praying for them.
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Never let anyone tell you to stop lifting up the name of Jesus, for it is by praying for friends, family and strangers alike, that miracles happen in their lives.
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Jesus knows out of whom He chooses to let His blessing flow: answering the prayers of all of them He has chosen to be His miracle men.
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"Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward. (Mark 9:39-41)
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A cup of water, a simple fact; in the name of Jesus, a miraculous act.
May this interpretation of God’s Holy Word be a blessing in your life this week. Amen!