Category Archives: Abiding IN Jesus or the World?

Nothing Or Something??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #145

18 Wednesday Oct 2023

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Father's Love, A heart of faith, Abiding In Jesus, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Abiding In The Vine, Advice for the journey, All About Jesus!, Almost But Lost, Amazing Grace, Are you clean?, Are You Ready, Are you ready for Jesus' return?, Are you ready?, Grace, Greater is HE that is IN US!, JESUS, Jesus IN You!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Knows, Jesus Knows YOUR Storm, Jesus Never Fails, Jesus Saves!, Something out of nothing

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Nothing Or Something???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #145

 

I have a relatively brief word for us today—and I say ‘us’, for I need this reminder and encouragement today, and thought you might as well.

Jesus’ message to His disciples just before His death, calls us to devotion with a most solemn statement of truth that we need to be reminded of—or maybe it’s just me?  Either way, let’s dig in.

“I am the true vine,

and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit

he taketh away:

and every branch that beareth fruit,

he purgeth it,

that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean

through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me,

and I in you.

 As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,

except it abide in the vine;

no more can ye,

except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine,

ye are the branches:

He that abideth in me,

and I in him,

the same bringeth forth much fruit:

for without me

ye can do nothing.”  John 15:1-5

Without Jesus, I would be nothing, but HE took this cracked pot—broken in pieces—and made it all anew by HIS blood, HIS love, HIS forgiveness, and HIS grace.  He gave me (and you, if you’ve been truly born again!) HIS indwelling Holy Spirit to guide me into HIS truth, by knowing HIS WORD, to convict, to encourage, to lead and intercede when we have no words!  OH what a Savior Friend is Jesus, and because of what HE has done in/for me, I can truly be one of God’s creations of ‘something out of nothing’, as Paul made clear.

“As it is written,

There is none righteous,

no, not one:” Romans 3:10

Because I was a lost and wandering sinner (even within and active in a church—a good church) Jesus came to me and broke my heart for my own sin and saved me.  I fell on my face before HIM, broken and wretched—I got up redeemed, forgiven and cleansed.  OH, what a Savior– to do for me what no one else could do, not even myself.  And because of what HE has done, I/we can now say “I CAN”!  All because Jesus said…”I AM”…”I can”….”I will”!  And HE did it all for you and me on Calvary!

“I can do all things

through Christ

which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13

Press on my friend, if you know Jesus walk on in power, grace, love, and wisdom; if you don’t know HIM, you can by hearing the voice of God’s Holy Spirit calling to your heart to see your sin as sin, to turn to Jesus in repentance of that very sin—yes all of it—and believing/trusting in HIS substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for your sin and mine!  OH, what a Savior!  Oh, what a friend!!!  I am praying for you even now!

“Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet to be partakers

of the inheritance of the saints in light:

13 Who hath delivered us

from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us into the kingdom

of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

even the forgiveness of sins:”                Colossians 1:12-14

Amen and Amen!!!

I Deserve Hell??? You??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #141

08 Sunday Oct 2023

Posted by in A Father's Love, A heart of faith, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Eternal Consequences, Eternity is Long, Gospel, Grace, Hell, Hell's Hot, Hell's Real, Jesus Saves!, Salvation, SIN

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I Deserve Hell??? You???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #141

I have an important word this evening, and I pray that it will be received where it is needed, for without Jesus, there is no hope!  There is no salvation! But if we never see our sin, we’ll never need a Savior!  Where are you today?  Religious?  Self-righteous? Self-sufficient? Without any need?  Jesus said that without repentance we will perish; so I’d like to share some of the words of Jesus that warn us that we need Jesus, and there is no other solution to our SIN problem, and we all have one!  If you think you don’t have sin, then you will leave this world without a Savior, a Redeemer.

“Enter ye in at the strait gate:

for wide is the gate,

and broad is the way,

that leadeth to destruction,

and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate,

and narrow is the way,

which leadeth unto life,

and few there be that find it…

….21 Not every one that saith unto me,

Lord, Lord,

shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;

but he that doeth

the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day,

Lord, Lord,

have we not prophesied in thy name?

and in thy name have cast out devils?

and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them,

I never knew you:

depart from me,

ye that work iniquity.” Parts/Matthew 7:13-23

Jesus also makes it clear that ‘repentance’ is essential to salvation, because if we see no need of repentance, it’s likely that we do not see our sin, or the need to repent of our sin and trust and believe in Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for MY sin!

“I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish…

…. 5 I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish.”   Luke 13:3 & 5

Our salvation is why Jesus came!  Will you receive HIM?

“And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people

from their sins.”  Matthew 1:21

Also, Jesus promises to keep those who come to HIM in this same repentance and faith!

“All that the Father giveth me

shall come to me;

and him that cometh to me

I will in no wise cast out.

38 For I came down from heaven,

not to do mine own will,

but the will of him

that sent me.

39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me,

that of all which he hath given me

I should lose nothing,

but should raise it up again

at the last day.

40 And this is the will of him that sent me,

that every one which seeth the Son,

and believeth on him,

may have everlasting life:

and I will raise him up

at the last day.”  John 6:37-40

In this same vein, Paul paints an amazing picture of why salvation is dependent upon our recognition of sin, repentance, and faith in JESUS!

“For all have sinned,

and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely

by his grace

through the redemption

that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth

to be a propitiation

through faith in his blood,

to declare his righteousness

for the remission of sins

that are past,

through the forbearance

of God;” Romans 3:23-25

“For the wages of sin

is death;

but the gift of God

is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Romans 6:23

 While I know that I have broached this subject on numerous times, it is the one thing in this life that is truly “all that matters”!  So I’ll keep repeating it until all have heard!

“For I am not ashamed

of the gospel of Christ:

for it is the power of God

unto salvation

to every one that believeth;

to the Jew first,

and also to the Greek.”  Romans 1:16

And as Peter proclaimed with boldness—may we also be bold in our call to salvation!

“Neither is there salvation in any other:

for there is none other name under heaven

given among men,

whereby we must be saved.”  Acts 4:12

I pray that you will examine your heart today; have you received The Redeemer?  Or do you plan on taking care of your own sin; there are only two options—Salvation IN JESUS, or hell for those who reject HIM.

It’s your choice but choose wisely there is a test, and HIS name is JESUS!!!

Amen and Amen!!!

Greater IS HE??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #139

04 Wednesday Oct 2023

Posted by in A Father's Love, A Form of godliness?, Abiding In Jesus, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Abiding In The Vine, All About Jesus!, All Sufficient God!, Almost But Lost, Great is Thy Faithfulness, Greater is HE that is IN US!, He Died That We Could Live, He Opens Blinded Eyes to SEE, Hear ye HIM!, Hearing God

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Greater IS HE??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #139

It is so easy to become dependent on our own strength, wisdom, and strength, but in truth I am so aware of the truth that Jesus spoke in John 15, that I remind myself (my often self-willed and self-determined self) that it is ALL because of Calvary and the ONE who gave Himself for my salvation!  He is my hope, help and supply in all things—not just in so-called “spiritual” things but in all things!  I need to listen to HIS voice and pursue HIS will in ALL things.

“I am the true vine,

and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me

that beareth not fruit

he taketh away:

and every branch

that beareth fruit,

he purgeth it,

that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean

through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me,

and I in you.

As the branch

cannot bear fruit of itself,

except it abide in the vine;

no more can ye,

except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine,

ye are the branches:

He that abideth in me,

and I in him,

the same bringeth forth much fruit:

for without me ye can do nothing.”  John 15:1-5

There is so much that I could write on this subject, but suffice it to say, we must –yes, we must abide in JESUS—every day, every step of the way, in ups and downs, in good times and difficult ones, whether we understand or not!  All I need to know is that JESUS is my King, my Lord, and my Guide in all that I will release to HIM!  All things!  It’s what Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 3, where he contrasts the difference between “wood…hay… stubble… gold…silver….and precious stones”; just as he wrote to the Galatians to “walk in the Spirit” not the flesh!  It’s one of the hardest things to do consistently, walk in HIS SPIRIT and not our own earthly wisdom; but the results call us to strive for God’s will—it will result in eternal, indestructible results that will withstand the judgement of fire before our KING!  And there is a day coming (and very soon, I believe) when we will stand before The Lord Jesus and answer for our decisions, our life, and our work!  Oh, how I want to please HIM, but it means I must learn more and more to “Abide in me, and I in you”!  Right here–right now!  Will you join me in the pursuit of holiness in our Lord Jesus, that we might truly hear HIM say, “well done, thou good and faithful servant”!

HOW?  How do we stand fast and follow?  Well, it’s not easy, but it is doable because we do it “IN HIM”, and John makes it clear for us in his letter to encourage and help believers.

“Ye are of God, little children,

and have overcome them:

because greater is he that is in you,

than he that is in the world.”  1 John 4:4

John goes on to say:

“If we receive the witness of men,

the witness of God is greater:

for this is the witness of God

which he hath testified of his Son.

10 He that believeth on the Son of God

 hath the witness in himself:

he that believeth not

God hath made him a liar;

because he believeth not the record

that God gave of his Son.

11 And this is the record,

that God hath given to us eternal life,

and this life is in his Son.

12 He that hath the Son

hath life;

and he that hath not the Son of God

hath not life.”  1 John 5 :9-12

Are you running your own show?  Or have you come to Jesus in repentance and faith in HIS substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for YOU?  He IS able—and HE will keep you, for truly “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world”, for those who are HIS own!  I’m so glad HE saved me!  How about you?  John said it all:

“He that hath the Son

hath life;

and he that hath not the Son of God

hath not life.”!!!

Amen and Amen!!!

 

Tipping Over Or Standing??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #138

01 Sunday Oct 2023

Posted by in A Form of godliness?, Abiding In Jesus, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Walking With Jesus, Water of Life

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Tipping Over Or Standing??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #138

I have two large flower pots out in front of our home, they are large pots, the smaller one of the two is the heavier and usually stands up to our Oklahoma winds, but not always, the other is a light pot, and even though it’s the largest of the two, it is so light that it blows over regularly unless I keep them watered.  As I was watering the pots last evening, I couldn’t help but think of the parallel to our spiritual life, when we don’t stay “full of the ‘water of life’, we also will tip over regularly”!

“In the last day, that great day of the feast,

Jesus stood and cried, saying,

If any man thirst,

let him come unto me,

and drink.

38 He that believeth on me,

as the scripture hath said,

out of his belly shall flow

rivers of living water.

39 (But this spake he of the Spirit,

which they that believe on him

should receive:

for the Holy Ghost was not yet given;

because that Jesus

was not yet glorified.)”. John 7:37-39

In John 6 Jesus spoke mostly with the people in/near Jerusalem, yet in chapter 7 Jesus had moved into the area of Galilee to avoid conflict with the religious leaders, for as the scripture often says in the gospels, “His time had not yet come”, but it was coming!  Yet even before Jesus was found in Jerusalem, He shared this very truth with, of all people, a Samaritan woman of ill repute!   In fact it’s the first recorded time that He revealed Himself as the Messiah, and that not only to a woman, but a Samaritan woman, to whom He made the same reference to this water of life—Jesus IS The water of life for all who will come to HIM in repentance and faith in HIS substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for sin—your sin and mine!  We need this water of life to stand, to keep from ‘tipping over’ in the winds of life.

“Jesus answered and said unto her,

Whosoever drinketh of this water

shall thirst again:

14 But whosoever drinketh of the water

that I shall give him

shall never thirst;

but the water that I shall give him

shall be in him a well of water

springing up into everlasting life.

15 The woman saith unto him,

Sir, give me this water,

that I thirst not,

neither come hither to draw.”  John 4:13-15

As Jesus encountered this woman and started a conversation with her (which was a cultural no-no), He led her to examine her life, her beliefs, and then brought her to the truth of Who HE was.

“Ye worship ye know not what:

we know what we worship:

for salvation is of the Jews.

23 But the hour cometh,

and now is,

when the true worshippers

shall worship the Father

in spirit

and in truth:

for the Father seeketh such

to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit:

and they that worship him

must worship him

in spirit

and in truth.

25 The woman saith unto him,

I know that Messias cometh,

which is called Christ:

when he is come,

he will tell us all things.

26 Jesus saith unto her,

I that speak unto thee am he.”  John 4:22-26

Jesus IS The Water of Life, and only in HIM can we find the strength, grace, and power to “withstand in the evil day”!  Just like my pots full of plants, without water they just fall over; in the same way we can’t stand when we don’t stay at the fountain of living water and quench our souls IN JESUS!  I find it interesting that John 7:39 reminds us that The Holy Spirit who indwells each born-again believer in Jesus, is our constant source of this water, and empowers us to live successful, holy, pleasing lives before our God, and avoid the pitfalls that the enemy is ever trying to trip us up with!

“This I say then,

Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh…

….25 If we live in the Spirit,

let us also walk in the Spirit.”  Galatians 5:16 & 25

So my question is relatively simple, will we stay at Jesus’ ever-springing well of the ‘water of life’, or will we settle for the water from the well like the woman of Samaria, the water that keeps requiring refill after refill; while like my pots, we lay on the ground from the winds of the world, to dry to stand upright.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:10 (sometimes the part of the armor that we forget!) that we must remember to keep our eyes on the prize—Jesus, Father God, and The Holy Spirit.

“Finally, my brethren,

be strong in the Lord,

and in the power of his might.”  Ephesians 6:10

Amen and Amen!!!

Have You Checked Your Crop??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #136

27 Wednesday Sep 2023

Posted by in A Father's Love, A Form of godliness?, Abiding In Jesus, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Abundant Life In Jesus, Choices And Consequences, Choose you this day?, SIN, Sowing and Reaping, Speaking, Speaking The Truth In Love, Trusting Jesus?, Truth, Victory IN Jesus!, Walking by Faith or Sight?, Watch Your Words, What's In Your Heart?, What's In Your Mouth?, Who are YOU following?, Who are you listening to?, Words Matter

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Have You Checked Your Crop??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #136

 

“Be not deceived;

God is not mocked:

for whatsoever a man soweth,

that shall he also reap.

8 For he that soweth to his flesh

shall of the flesh reap corruption;

but he that soweth to the Spirit

shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

9 And let us not be weary in well doing:

for in due season we shall reap,

if we faint not.

10 As we have therefore opportunity,

let us do good unto all men,

especially unto them

who are of the household of faith.”   Galatians 6:7-10

For those of you who may not know, I am married to a farmer (a retired one, but still a farmer at heart, for ‘Once a farmer, always a farmer!”), and that is an amazing adventure, in and of itself, but farmers know about sowing and reaping. You’ll never reap what you don’t sow at all—You won’t reap different than you sowed (other than the weeds that we all fight, physically and spiritually, for remember, we “wrestle not again flesh and blood, but principalities…..”), if you sow good, clean seed, you’ll reap the same—You won’t sow what you don’t have, without seed there is no crop!  Yet, you’ll always reap more than you sowed (example 1 kernel of corn produces an ear of approximately 1100 kernels!!!), the kind that you sowed, and later than you sowed (it takes time for a crop to sprout, grow, and produce a harvest!)!  But what you sow you will reap—sooner or later!  God says so!

I find it amazing that people talk about God and heaven, especially when there’s been a death near them, like they are something ‘good’!  Yet, they have no regard for God, His Word or His Son, Jesus Christ The Lord, in their living—they speak what they want, regardless of the vulgarity, profanity, or lewdness, and they act how they like.  James has a most profound word about that.

“But the tongue can no man tame;

it is an unruly evil,

full of deadly poison.

9 Therewith bless we God,

even the Father;

and therewith curse we men,

which are made after the similitude of God.

10 Out of the same mouth

proceedeth blessing

and cursing.

My brethren,

these things ought not so to be.

11 Doth a fountain send forth

at the same place

sweet water

and bitter?

12 Can the fig tree, my brethren,

bear olive berries?

either a vine,

figs?

so can no fountain both yield

salt water

and fresh.

13 Who is a wise man

and endued with knowledge among you?

let him shew out of a good conversation

his works

with meekness of wisdom.”  James 3:8-13

James is reminding us that if we claim to belong to Jesus our lives—especially our tongues—out to reflect Jesus, not the vileness of the world, by the power of The Holy Spirit who dwells within those who are born again by HIS power. Jesus imparts HIS Spirit, love, and power to those who genuinely call upon Him in repentance and faith/trust/belief in HIS substitutionary (in my place), atoning (satisfaction for a wrong/debt due) sacrifice (Jesus died in my place for my sin— “for God so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten Son…”)!  All this because He loves us—you and me—sinners in need of a Savior!

“But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.”  John 1:12-13

As Jesus told Nicodemus, the religious leader who came to Him by night to know what he could ‘do’; and Jesus told HIM!

“Jesus answered and said unto him,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born again,

he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him,

How can a man be born when he is old?

can he enter the second time

into his mother’s womb,

and be born?

5 Jesus answered,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born

of water

and of the Spirit,

he cannot enter into

the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born

of the flesh

is flesh;

and that which is born

of the Spirit

is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee,

Ye must be born again.”  John 3:3-7

This “new birth” is what Paul was referring to when he described the children of God in 2 Corinthians 5:

“Therefore if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature:

old things are passed away;

behold, all things are become new…

…. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made the righteousness of God

in him.”  2 Corinthians 5:17-& 21

God put our sin upon Jesus (who knew no sin—see Hebrews 4:15) that we who come to Him and receive this new birth, also receive the very “righteousness of God in him”!  It’s relational, it’s not about my works but the work of Salvation that Jesus completed at Calvary, for all who will come to HIM in that repentance and faith that scripture teaches again and again.  If Jesus is in you, can anyone see it?  If not, won’t you come to HIM today, HE is ready to give you that new heart full of HIMSELF!  If you claim the name of Jesus, what’s coming out of your mouth—HIM or YOU, ‘the you’ that has allowed the world to invade your heart and push Jesus to the side?  Only you can answer that question; here’s what Jesus said about the mouth; and note in this context, that Jesus is speaking to “religious leaders”, I say again, “sayin’ so doesn’t make it so”, only the new birth can!

“Do not ye yet understand,

that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth

goeth into the belly,

and is cast out into the draught?

18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth

come forth from the heart;

and they defile the man.

19 For out of the heart proceed

evil thoughts,

murders,

adulteries,

fornications,

thefts,

false witness,

blasphemies:

20 These are the things

which defile a man:

but to eat with unwashen hands

defileth not a man.”  Matthew 15:17-20

  In other words, you can wash your hands multiple times a day, you can claim your ‘religion’, your ‘works’, your ‘family’, but if your heart is unchanged by Jesus, your mouth will betray what is really in your heart!  Your choices will come back to haunt you! Paul said above that we are in reality mocking God, and HE knows the truth!  Do YOU?  Jesus came to die for sinners just like me!  Just like you!  I’ll share with you today a rather lengthy passage from Paul that paints a glorious picture of what we receive in Jesus; we are to be a reflection of the Savior within, a mirror of HIS love, HIS Spirit, HIS work, HIS grace to a lost and dying world.  Are you reflecting Jesus?  Or has your mirror gotten dirty?  Do you need Jesus to forgive, restore and cleanse you?  HE will!  The Apostle John gives great truth and hope for all who will receive it.

“If we say that we have fellowship with him,

and walk in darkness,

we lie,

and do not the truth:

7 But if we walk in the light,

as he is in the light,

we have fellowship one with another,

and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son

cleanseth us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin,

we deceive ourselves,

and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins,

he is faithful

and just

to forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned,

we make him a liar,

and his word is not in us.”  1 John 1:6-10

Please don’t mock God, but come to HIS throne of grace for forgiveness in Jesus, your harvest is at hand; what will it yield?

“Therefore being justified by faith,

we have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith

into this grace wherein we stand,

and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only so,

but we glory in tribulations also:

knowing that tribulation

worketh patience;

4 And patience,

experience;

and experience,

hope:

5 And hope

maketh not ashamed;

because the love of God

is shed abroad in our hearts

by the Holy Ghost

which is given unto us.

6 For when we were yet without strength,

in due time Christ died

for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man

will one die:

yet peradventure for a good man

some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love

toward us,

in that,

while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:1-8

How about your harvest?  Are you mocking God, or do you love HIM and walk in HIS ways.  It’s your choice but choose wisely, there is a test!  I’m praying for you!

“Be not deceived;

God is not mocked:

for whatsoever a man soweth,

that shall he also reap.”

Amen and Amen!!!