Category Archives: Choices And Consequences

When Are You Singing??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #235

03 Wednesday Jul 2024

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Free Indeed?, Freedom To Or From?, Jesus Never Fails, Jesus Saves!, Preach Christ and HIM crucified!, Preaching Jesus, Preaching truth about SIN, Salvation, The Song in the night!

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When Are You Singing??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #235

Here in the USA we will celebrate “Independence Day”—The Fourth of July—a day when freedom from tyranny was proclaimed throughout the land.  We did accomplish that independence with God’s grace and many lives of devoted, committed men and women to the cause of freedom.  But my question today is, “Are you free?”  “Are you singing the songs of joy in The Lord, or the songs of death and despair?”   Jesus offers true freedom to those who come to Him in repentance of sin, and faith/belief/trust in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for my sin and yours!

“And ye shall know the truth,

and the truth shall make you free…

36 If the Son therefore shall make you free,

ye shall be free indeed.”  John 8:32 & 36

Jesus makes us free—free from sin, free from the power of the enemy, free from despair—for we belong to The King of Kings, The Lord of Lords and He puts a song in our hearts.  I simply want to share with you a picture of that “joy” even in the midst of trials, suffering or persecution.

“Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness

in the daytime,

and in the night his song shall be with me,

and my prayer unto the God of my life.”  Psalm 42:8

Paul and Silas’ had a song in the night.  What are you singing where you are?  Are you singing God’s song or your own?  I invite you to consider what Paul and Silas had in their hearts, the marks that were on their bodies—and the outcome of their trial (literally! Read the rest of the chapter!), and God’s amazing grace!

“And the multitude rose up together against them:

and the magistrates

rent off their clothes,

and commanded to beat them.

23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them,

they cast them into prison,

charging the jailor to keep them safely:

24 Who, having received such a charge,

thrust them into the inner prison,

and made their feet fast in the stocks.

25 And at midnight

Paul and Silas prayed,

and sang praises unto God:

and the prisoners heard them.

26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake,

so that the foundations of the prison

were shaken:

and immediately all the doors were opened,

and every one’s bands were loosed.

 27 And the keeper of the prison

awaking out of his sleep,

and seeing the prison doors open,

he drew out his sword,

and would have killed himself,

supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying,

Do thyself no harm:

for we are all here.

29 Then he called for a light,

and sprang in,

and came trembling,

and fell down before Paul and Silas,

30 And brought them out, and said,

Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31 And they said,

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,

and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

32 And they spake unto him

the word of the Lord,

and to all that were in his house.

33 And he took them the same hour of the night,

and washed their stripes;

and was baptized,

he and all his,

straightway.

34 And when he had brought them into his house,

he set meat before them,

and rejoiced,

believing in God with all his house.”  Acts 16:22-34

As we celebrate our nation’s Independence/Birthday, may we look up to and depend upon our Lord, and sing songs of praise unto HIM—in the night, in the daytime, and touch the lives of others who need to hear the voice of conviction unto salvation.  May each of us celebrate the freedom that Jesus bought at Calvary!

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord

shall be saved.

14 How then shall they call on him

in whom they have not believed?

and how shall they believe in him

of whom they have not heard?

and how shall they hear

without a preacher?

15 And how shall they preach,

except they be sent?

as it is written,

How beautiful are the feet of them

that preach the gospel of peace,

and bring glad tidings

of good things!”  Romans 10:13-15

So, my friends, what are we singing?  May our lives be a song and a testament of the freedom in Jesus Christ our Lord; never license but liberty, freedom from sin, not to sin—keeping our eyes on the prize, Jesus, that others may be drawn to HIM!

“Now the Lord is that Spirit:

and where the Spirit of the Lord is,

there is liberty.

18 But we all, with open face

beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,

are changed into the same image

from glory to glory,

  even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”2 Corinthians 3:17-18

Amen and Amen!!!

Did You See That??? What??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #234

01 Monday Jul 2024

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Choices And Consequences, Choose you this day?, Evil and Adulterous Generation?, Eyes that SEE HIM, Eyes that see not, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Looking up Or around?, Salvation, Speaking The Truth In Love, Spiritual Warfare, The Word, Victorious Living, Wise As Serpents, Witness

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Did You See That???  What??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #234

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying,

Whom shall I send,

and who will go for us?

Then said I,

Here am I;

send me.

9 And he said,

Go,

and tell this people,

Hear ye indeed,

but understand not;

and see ye indeed,

but perceive not.”  Isaiah 6:8-9

Isaiah was sent to preach to a people who would not heed his message!  We often get discouraged but we need to understand that even Jesus was rejected because He spoke God’s truth, and just like today, every man wants to walk his own way. Even as Solomon recorded, “there is no new thing under the sun…” (See Ecclesiastes 1:9,) we live in a day when even much of the church is rejecting God, His Son, His Word and His ways!  We must not let the unwillingness of others to hear or heed our words change our commitment, we must continue to proclaim the truth.  What are you hearing?  What are you seeing?  Are you allowing the world to dull your senses to the things of God?  Isaiah had even more to say from the Lord in this regard.

“That this is a rebellious people,

lying children,

children that will not hear the law of the LORD:

10 Which say to the seers,

See not;

and to the prophets,

Prophesy not unto us right things,

speak unto us smooth things,

prophesy deceits:

11 Get you out of the way,

turn aside out of the path,

cause the Holy One of Israel

to cease from before us.”  Isaiah 30:9-11

This could have been written to America just as easily as God told Isaiah to prophesy to the people of Judah.  Will we heed his word and open our ears and our eyes and judge with righteous judgment.  Or will we fall to the world’s ideology?  Jeremiah had the same message, just a little later down the road to this same people who had ignored and rejected Isaiah’s warnings; and this precious prophet of God was given the same message, and a warning that while God would protect him, the people would be against him, and for some forty years he proclaimed the warning to God’s people to repent or fall into captivity.  He could have been right here—right now.

“Hear now this,

O foolish people,

and without understanding;

which have eyes,

and see not;

which have ears,

and hear not:” Jeremiah 5:21

I so love the book of Jeremiah, for it is so pertinent to us.  Oh, God, may we hear you?  Oh God, may we see you?  Oh God, may we heed your word?  Is God calling you?  Do you measure with God’s Word or the world’s standard?  Oh, my friends please heed the call.

“But the LORD said unto me,

Say not, I am a child:

for thou shalt go to all

that I shall send thee,

and whatsoever I command thee

thou shalt speak.

8 Be not afraid of their faces:

for I am with thee to deliver thee,

saith the LORD.

9 Then the LORD put forth his hand,

and touched my mouth.

And the LORD said unto me,

Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

10 See, I have this day set thee

over the nations

and over the kingdoms,

to root out,

and to pull down,

and to destroy,

and to throw down,

to build,

and to plant.”  Jeremiah 1:7-10

May we heed the call to share God’s truth as God gives us opportunity; whether it be in the small things, the big things, in our homes—first and foremost–in our churches, in our interaction with others.  And more than anything else may we bathe our hearts and lives with prayer—real Spirit led, heart-felt, earnest prayer for our own path as well as the salvation, holiness, and maturity of God’s own. Remember my friends, if we don’t see the peril we can’t escape it, and we are called to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves”, we are to love and be kind, but trust is something that must be proved and earned!  (Just say’n, as the kids say!) The peril is at hand!  Are your eyes trained to see truth?

“This know also,

that in the last days

perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be

lovers of their own selves,

covetous,

boasters,

proud,

blasphemers,

disobedient to parents,

unthankful,

unholy,

3 Without natural affection,

trucebreakers,

false accusers,

incontinent,

fierce,

despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors,

heady,

highminded,

lovers of pleasures

more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness,

but denying the power thereof:

from such turn away.”  2 Timothy 3:1-5

Don’t be afraid to disagree with untruth!  Don’t be afraid to excuse yourself!  Remember Joseph ran when Potiphar’s wife attempted to seduce him—we can follow his example, and run from sin, temptation and lies.  We can stand fast without being rude or unkind—but firm yet gentle!  May God open our eyes and our ears to be in tune with HIS way not man’s.  Do you know the shepherd?  I pray that you do; and if you don’t you can.  If you hear His voice respond in repentance and faith in Jesus’ own substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for our sin!

“My sheep hear my voice,

and I know them,

and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life;

and they shall never perish,

neither shall any man pluck them

out of my hand.”  John 10:27-28

Amen and Amen!!!

Know Him-Love HIM-Do You??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #232

26 Wednesday Jun 2024

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Abundant Life In Jesus, Broad road or the Straight Gate?, Building up or Tearing down?, Choices And Consequences, Choose Wisely, Choose you this day?, Choosing Jesus or The World?, Confidence, Encouragement, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Forgiveness, He was born to die for our sin, He's Alive, Hearing God, Heaven or Hell?, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Salvation, The Word, Trust God, Trusting God, Trusting Jesus?, Truth, Turn to God's Word

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Know Him-Love HIM-Do You??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #232

We talked last time about being still and knowing that God IS God, and in this crazy, troubled, uncertain world it’s often hard to be still; yet we need to remember our childhood lesson to “stop, look, and listen”, stop running from God and turn around running to Him, looking up to seek His grace, mercy and wisdom, and listening to His direction for our lives…oh, what a difference we would see and know!  Take some time today to stop for a few, look up to Jesus, and listen for His voice; He is ever ready to meet you where you are—and He already knows where you are and what you really need!

“Behold,

I stand at the door,

and knock:

if any man hear my voice,

and open the door,

I will

come in to him,

and will sup with him,

and he with me.” Revelation 3:20

Jesus calls us to Himself!  Have you heard the voice of Jesus calling you?  Are you already His, but you’re confused, tired, frustrated—let go and listen to your shepherd—Jesus!!!

“My sheep hear my voice,

and I know them,

and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life;

and they shall never perish,

neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me,

is greater than all;

and no man is able to pluck them

out of my Father’s hand.

30 I and my Father are one.”  John 10:27-30

Jesus is Lord—He is my shepherd—He IS God—and He IS coming back soon!  Are you ready!  Live today with Him, for Him and by His power, grace and truth (dig into His Word!!!)!  Who do you belong to?  Jesus?  The world?  Your fleshly desires and lusts?  Your greed?  Your goals?

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying,

I am the light of the world:

he that followeth me

shall not walk in darkness,

but shall have the light of life.”  John 8:12 

Get out of that dark cellar and look to the “light of the world” and follow Him. Again remember that childhood song we all sang about letting our “little light shine” and the refrain that taught us to not “let Satan blow it out”!  The enemy is ever after us, but we have victory in Jesus when we but stop, look and listen!  (that might make a great song…)!  And if you don’t know Jesus, don’t miss His voice calling you—the wrong way will always look appealing, but it leads the wrong way and only brings destruction and death.  Let’s examine Jesus’ call to all!  A call to His own to shine as a reflection of the true light of the world; if you don’t know Him, He calls you to choose the straight/narrow way and walk with Him.  The journey isn’t easy, but He is ever faithful to walk with us!

“Ye are the light of the world.

A city that is set on an hill

cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle,

and put it under a bushel,

but on a candlestick;

and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine

before men,

that they may see your good works,

and glorify your Father

which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

Jesus’ great warning of the difference between the two roads; the two choice that we each face; it’s your choice but choose wisely there is a test (and a consequence—you are free to choose but the choice carries its own consequence.)!  Jesus knows your heart!  As my mother used to say, “You can fool all of the people some of the time; you can fool some of the people all the time; but you can’t fool God!” Remember, the majority isn’t always right!  Will you be part of the “few” or the “many”?

“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.”  Matthew 7:13-14

“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.”  Matthew 7:21-23

God is ever faithful to care for His own.  Jesus has never failed me, and HE won’t fail you either.  Jesus knows His own and He always cares—delivering right on time; and His Word is the standard not the opinions of the world—regardless of how popular they seem to be!  Trust Him today if you haven’t!

“For the word of God is

quick,

and powerful,

and sharper than any twoedged sword,

piercing even to the dividing asunder

of soul and spirit,

and of the joints and marrow,

and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents

of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature

that is not manifest in his sight:

 but all things are naked

and opened

unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest,

that is passed into the heavens,

Jesus the Son of God,

let us hold fast our profession.

15 For we have not an high priest

which cannot be touched

with the feeling of our infirmities;

but was in all points tempted

like as we are,

yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly

unto the throne of grace,

that we may obtain mercy,

and find grace to help

in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:12-16

May the grace and love of Jesus overflow your soul today!

Amen and Amen!!!

Wise And Harmless??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #230

21 Friday Jun 2024

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Fickle or Faithful, Follow Jesus, Following Jesus, Following Jesus or the World?, Harmless As Doves, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Persecution, Perseverance, Sheep amongst Wolves!!!, Suffering With Jesus, The Word, Wise As Serpents

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Wise And Harmless??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #230

“Behold,

I send you forth

as sheep

in the midst of wolves:

be ye therefore wise

as serpents,

and harmless

as doves.

17 But beware of men:

for they will deliver you

 up to the councils,

and they will scourge you

in their synagogues;

18 And ye shall be brought before

governors

and kings

for my sake,

for a testimony

against them and the Gentiles.

19 But when they deliver you up,

take no thought

how

or what ye shall speak:

for it shall be given you

in that same hour what ye shall speak.

20 For it is not ye that speak,

but the Spirit

of your Father

which speaketh in you.”   Matthew 10:16-20

I am so sorry to have been absent for a week or more, but we have been traveling, and then we both got sick and had to cut our trip short, and we are still wrestling with this “crud” that we have.  We praise God that it isn’t the flu or Covid, but this cough is a killer, and this is the first day in a week that I’ve felt up to even thinking, much less writing—but thank You Jesus, I have a few things to share with you.  A call to a consideration of what our Lord cautioned His disciples about.  If I do say so, it is a most timely warning for us as well.

As we consider this account of Jesus’ words to His disciples as He sent them out to minister the Gospel, of what would lay before them—but He goes even farther, if we will but take note, to a future after He departed from them, and the difficulties that would come from being His followers.  He told them, and us, that men wouldn’t always respond positively to His message, but that they would be persecuted, ridiculed, and even imprisoned for the truth about Jesus!  Oh, how often we allow the thinking of the world to invade our ministry, in that we want to appeal to the flesh and call people to an “easy beleiveism” which is totally foreign to the biblical truth of the Gospel which Paul so aptly presents to us in his letter to the Corinthian believers; it’s not a message of just claiming the name of Jesus, but seeing our SIN and HIS payment for it, and trusting to Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary for our salvation.  A repentant turning from sin to Jesus, the risen Lord; trusting to, and believing in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for SIN—my sin!

“For I delivered unto you

first of all that which I also received,

how that Christ died for our sins

according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried,

and that he rose again

the third day

according to the scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas,

 then of the twelve:” 1 Corinthians 15:3-5

Jesus makes it so clear that HE sends us forth–never go in your own power, for it will likely fail, or you can be misled and/or mislead others, simply put, we just won’t be where we need to be because we won’t be where Jesus wants us to be; but when we are sent by our Lord and follow His leadership (by the power and presence of The Holy Spirit of Jesus/God) we may or not see results that we expect, but Jesus makes it clear that we are “sheep” being sent out among “wolves”!  Contrary to popular culture and popular philosophy, it isn’t safe to ‘follow your heart’.  We must follow Jesus by the direction, power and provision of His Spirit. I have learned to trust God and His Word way, way more than my own heart.  Jeremiah made it very clear; but apparently, we would rather trust to the words of men over God’s!

“The heart is deceitful

above all things,

and desperately wicked:

who can know it?

10 I the LORD search the heart,

I try the reins,

even to give every man

according to his ways,

and according to the fruit

of his doings.”  Jeremiah 17:9-10 

We must learn to depend upon God’s leading in our lives; oh, to walk more closely to Him each day.  Jesus gives us the order of things, if we will but hear and heed—

go as we’re sent–

beware of men—

trust to Jesus even in the crises—

when called to speak, trust to the Spirit and His Word—

       (that which we have hid in our hearts–)!

“Search me, O God, and know my heart:

try me, and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.”  Psalm 139:23-24

“Wise as serpents…harmless as doves….”

Amen and Amen!!!

Listening Is Optional??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #229

12 Wednesday Jun 2024

Posted by in A Witness--Good or Bad???, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Abundant Life In Jesus, Choices And Consequences, Every Knee Shall Bow, Eyes that SEE HIM, Faith, Faith or Entertainment?, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Hell, Hell's Hot, Hell's Real, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Salvation, The Word, True Gospel, True Knowledge, Trust God, Trusting God, Trusting Jesus?, Truth, Try yourselves, Tuned In To Jesus

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Listening Is Optional??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #229

I want to share a most profound account that Jesus gave us.  Some teach it as a parable, but I believe it is a true account—for there is no other parable where Jesus mentions a specific name.  You can decide, but the message that I want us to consider is Jesus’ statement about the rich man’s request to send Lazarus back to testify to his family.  This lost man in hell was more concerned about the salvation of his family than many of us are about ours (what I often call, the greatest evangelist ever).  May we heed the message and get our prayer life focused on the salvation of our loved ones; our life lived in a way that they will desire Jesus; and our mind, as Paul says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus”, that people may see Jesus in me! (Read Philippians 2:5-11). What do people see in me? You? Take note and hear the voice of The Lord!

“There was a certain rich man,

which was clothed in purple and fine linen,

and fared sumptuously every day:

20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus,

which was laid at his gate,

full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs

which fell from the rich man’s table:

moreover the dogs came

and licked his sores.

22 And it came to pass,

that the beggar died,

and was carried by the angels

into Abraham’s bosom:

the rich man also died,

and was buried;

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes,

being in torments,

and seeth Abraham afar off,

and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham,

have mercy on me,

and send Lazarus,

that he may dip the tip of his finger in water,

and cool my tongue;

for I am tormented in this flame.

25 But Abraham said,

Son,

remember that thou in thy lifetime

receivedst thy good things,

and likewise Lazarus

evil things:

but now he is comforted,

and thou art tormented.

26 And beside all this,

between us and you

there is a great gulf fixed:

so that they which would pass

from hence to you cannot;

neither can they pass to us,

that would come from thence.

27 Then he said,

I pray thee therefore, father,

that thou wouldest send him

to my father’s house:

28 For I have five brethren;

that he may testify unto them,

lest they also come

into this place of torment.

29 Abraham saith unto him,

They have Moses and the prophets;

let them hear them.

30 And he said,

Nay, father Abraham:

but if one went unto them from the dead,

they will repent.

31 And he said unto him,

If they hear not Moses and the prophets,

neither will they be persuaded,

though one rose from the dead.”  Luke 16:19-31

And a side note in closing, Jesus told this story knowing that His passion was at hand and knew that He would be the very living-out of this statement that, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead…”.  Jesus rose from the dead, yet people still reject Him to this day.  Have you met Jesus?  Have you come to Him in repentance of your sin, and faith/belief in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice on the cross–for all our sin!  He came for you and me!  Don’t miss His grace and become an evangelist from hell!

Amen and Amen!!!