Category Archives: ‘Come unto me

Hope IS Jesus??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #83

11 Tuesday Apr 2023

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Father's Love, A heart of faith, Advice for the journey, All About Jesus!, All Sufficient God!, Encouragement, Glory of God, Glory To God, God Is In Charge, God Knows, God Knows His Own, God of all comfort!, God Still Reigns, God Who Sees, God's Faithfulness, God's Glory, God's got you and me!, God's love, God's provision, God's Wisdom, Godly Wisdom, Gospel, He IS Alive!, HE who began it will complete it!, Holy Living, HOPE, I Know Whom I Have Beleived, I Will Never Leave You, It's All About The Cross, Look UP, Look up and Praise The Lord, Now is the time...., Press ON!

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Hope IS Jesus???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #83

“Now faith is

the substance of things hoped for,

the evidence of things not seen…

….6 But without faith

it is impossible to please him:

for he that cometh to God

must believe that he is,

and that he is a rewarder

of them

that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:1 & 6

Faith by the biblical definition says, “faith is the substance of things hoped for”, yet it isn’t just vain “wishing” but it IS “the evidence of things not seen”!  I didn’t see the resurrection of my Lord Jesus, but I trust to the word of God and the witness and testimony of those who did see HIM.  And why would I do that?  Because the Word is of God a precious love letter to those who will receive it; and through that Word, receive Jesus as the Lord and Savior of our lives.

“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!

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel.

For Esaias saith,

Lord, who hath believed our report?

17 So then

faith cometh by hearing,

and hearing by the word of God.”   Romans 10:13-17

(Just a side note, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” 1 Corinthians 1:21–not entertainment, or gimmicks, or programs but PREACHING of the GOSPEL, see 1 Corinthians 15:1-6)

I heard that voice speaking to my heart some 50 years ago, and responded in repentance of MY sin (yes, a church-member but lost!), and faith in HIS substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for my sin, and received the forgiveness that Jesus paid for at Calvary, and HE has never failed me to this day, and HIS WORD has never missed a beat of truth as I have learned to lean upon it, to trust its advice, wisdom, direction and HOPE for today and tomorrow (however many of them I have), yet my call is to live in the ‘today’s’ with gratitude for yesterday and pressing on today (regardless of its circumstances– remembering that God orders my steps!) knowing that God is The Sovereign God over all!

“The steps of a good man

are ordered by the LORD:

and he delighteth in his way.

24 Though he fall,

he shall not be utterly cast down:

for the LORD upholdeth him

with his hand.”  Psalm 37:23-24

I press on with this prayer of the psalmist in my heart (but remember if you don’t put The Word ‘in’–“member it” — you won’t “re”member it)!

“Order my steps

in thy word:

and let not any iniquity

have dominion over me.

134 Deliver me from the oppression of man:

so will I keep thy precepts.

135 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant;

and teach me thy statutes.

136 Rivers of waters run down mine eyes,

because they keep not thy law.”   Psalm 119:133-136

Jesus Himself reminded us that HE came to give us life–real life–with hope in The One who not only created us but gives us joyous life, no matter our circumstances; and while HE didn’t promise that our circumstances would always be pleasant, HE is faithful to be with us to work them for our good, and HIS glory!

“I am the door:

by me if any man enter in,

he shall be saved,

and shall go in and out,

and find pasture.

10 The thief cometh not,

but for to steal,

and to kill,

and to destroy:

I am come

that they might have life,

and that they might have it

more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd:

the good shepherd giveth his life

for the sheep.”  John 10:9-11

Paul said it amazingly:

“And we know that all things

work together for good

to them that love God,

to them who are the called

according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow,

he also did predestinate

to be conformed

to the image of his Son,

that he might be the firstborn

among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate,

them he also called:

and whom he called,

them he also justified:

and whom he justified,

them he also glorified.

31 What shall we then say to these things?

If God be for us,

who can be against us?

32 He that spared not his own Son,

but delivered him up for us all,

how shall he not with him also

freely give us all things?”  Romans 8:28-32

Yet there is even more encouragement in the close of chapter 8!

“For I am persuaded, that

neither death,

nor life,

nor angels,

nor principalities,

nor powers,

nor things present,

nor things to come,

39 Nor height,

nor depth,

nor any other creature,

shall be able to separate us

from the love of God,

which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”                  Romans 8:38-39

There is so much more that I could share about the assurance of hope that we have in Jesus, but I simply want to close with one of my favorite verses of assurance that lights my hope anew again and again.  May Jesus comfort your heart today with HIS truth no matter the battles that you may be facing, the discouragement that may be haunting your soul, or the uncertainty of life’s issues coming at you–remember that Jesus knows, Jesus cares, and Jesus will provide the perfect provision!  I pray that you will find the same comfort, encouragement, and hope that I find in HIM no matter how I “feel” –God works on truth and certainty and feelings change with the wind (and in Oklahoma we know all about the ‘wind’) so look up, walk forward in faith, and cling to HIS WORD not those ‘feelings’!

“Let your conversation

be without covetousness;

and be content

with such things as ye have:

for he hath said,

I will never leave thee,

nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say,

The Lord is my helper,

and I will not fear what man

shall do unto me.”  Hebrews 13:5-6

I pray blessings of hope and encouragement on your heart and life today.

Amen and Amen!!!

Where’s Home??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #76

15 Wednesday Mar 2023

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Father's Love, Children, Choices And Consequences, Choose you this day?, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Faithfulness, God Who Sees, God's Faithfulness, God's got you and me!, God's love, God's provision, Prodigal Son, Trusting God, Trusting Jesus?, Wait on the Lord, Wait upon the Lord

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Where’s Home???    A Word from THE WORD!!! #76

I have a word for those of us who are aching for those that we love who are wrestling with battles of their own making.  Many of us love those who are bound in chains of one kind or another and so often don’t know what to do.  Some have tried for years to “fix it”, yet we can’t fix what another person doesn’t want fixed yet!  I simply want to share a few comments on a story of a “pig pen”!

I heard a story many years ago of a devoted Christian farm hand who worked for a proud and arrogant farmer.  One day the farmer came and asked his worker why he was always so pleasant and talked about Jesus like he was his best friend.  The worker responded that Jesus “is my best friend”, to which the farmer said how do I get what you have?  The worker simply told the man you have to go down and get in that pig pen; well, the farmer got in a huff and said, ‘no way’, and walked off.  This happened several times, and the farmer always walked away with ‘no way’!   Time passed and one day the farmer in desperation came to the worker and said, “I’m ready to get in that pig pen, what then?”, to which the worker replied, you don’t have to get in that pig pen, you just had to be willing to do whatever it took to humble yourself before Jesus, the One who died for you!  And of course, the man found Jesus on his knees in repentance and faith in Jesus substitutionary, atoning sacrifice!

Well, I want us to look at the biblical story from the other side of the ‘pig pen’ fence (so to speak)!  A story most have heard from Jesus himself.

“And he said,

A certain man had two sons:

12 And the younger of them said to his father,

Father, give me the portion of goods

that falleth to me.

And he divided unto them his living.

13 And not many days after the younger son

gathered all together,

and took his journey into a far country,

and there wasted his substance

with riotous living.

14 And when he had spent all,

there arose a mighty famine in that land;

and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and joined himself

to a citizen of that country;

and he sent him into his fields

to feed swine.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly

with the husks that the swine did eat:

and no man gave unto him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said,

How many hired servants of my father’s

have bread enough and to spare,

and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father,

and will say unto him,

Father, I have sinned

against heaven,

and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy

to be called thy son:

make me as one of thy hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father.

But when he was yet a great way off,

his father saw him,

and had compassion,

and ran,

and fell on his neck,

and kissed him.

21 And the son said unto him,

Father, I have sinned

against heaven,

and in thy sight,

and am no more worthy

to be called thy son.

22 But the father said to his servants,

Bring forth the best robe,

and put it on him;

and put a ring on his hand,

 and shoes on his feet:

23 And bring hither the fatted calf,

and kill it;

and let us eat,

and be merry:

24 For this my son was dead,

and is alive again;

he was lost,

and is found.

And they began to be merry.”  Luke 15:11-24

I know this is a lengthy passage, so I’ll only make a few comments and trust God to help you see the truth that HE has for you today.  Here we have a son who wanted to do his ‘own thing’ on his father’s “dime”, and the father consented, and watched his son walk away into the world (Knowing that the world wanted to “steal…to kill…and to destroy” this child whom the father loved!), and sure enough the story reveals that when the son ran out of resources to share with his “friends–so called” they evaporated, and when trouble came he found himself feeding pigs!  What are you ‘feeding’ today to get by.  What are you watching someone you love ‘feed’?

We see this father didn’t run after his son, he didn’t send out runners to find him and bring him home, he didn’t pay his fine and bring him home, he didn’t move physically, but we can know that he moved heaven with his prayers.

We’re not told how long the boy was gone, or how long the father waited; but we are told that however long it took, the circumstances had to bring this young man to see his own situation and recognize that he was in the “pig pen”!  And my friends, until our loved one (our you yourself) see that you are in the pig pen, they/you will never get out.  And sadly we can’t “see” the pig pen for anyone but ourselves, and your loved one must “see” the pig pen for what it is before they can truly seek help–help which only God can provide through Jesus!  Until we see the ‘pig pen’ AS a ‘pig pen’ why would we want to get out; but like this father we can wait, pray, watch, and run to our beloved when we see them coming, and lead them to the cross, welcoming their humility and confession of sin!

We can’t pay their debt, only Jesus can.  Will you stop trying to be the solution, and just be the lover of their soul, seeking God’s wisdom, grace, and comfort for those long days of watching from the porch for their return.  God loves them more than you or I can!  Will you trust God to do the work that only HE can do–the work of conviction and the drawing of HIS Holy Spirit.

“No man can come to me,

except the Father which hath sent me

draw him:

and I will raise him up

at the last day.”  John 6:44

Are we willing to pray and wait for God to work HIS work of conviction, repentance, and restoration, or are we running ourselves ragged trying to “be GOD” and save our loved ones?  It’s your choice, but look what God did in this young man’s heart:

“I will arise and go to my father,

and will say unto him,

Father,

I have sinned against heaven,

and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy

to be called thy son:

make me as one of thy hired servants.”

If you’re the one who needs to come, will you hear the voice of the Lord Jesus today, and come to HIM.  If you’re the one loving a “prodigal”, won’t you release them to Jesus, for only His Spirit can convict and draw them to the cross, and remember HE loves them more than you or I can!  I pray that you will find the peace that only God’s grace and love can provide, for I know the heart of the “waiting one” just like you!  Are you willing to do “whatever” it takes?  Even if that means releasing, waiting, and trusting as you pray on?  Will you stand beside me with Job’s words on our lips, declaring our confidence in our Lord and our God?

“Though he slay me,

yet will I trust in him:

but I will maintain mine own ways

before him.”  Job 13:15

“If we believe not,

yet he abideth faithful:

he cannot deny himself.”  2 Timothy 2:13

Amen and Amen!!!

Whose Side??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #71

01 Wednesday Mar 2023

Posted by in 'Come unto me, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Be not conformed to this world, Be YE Steadfast, Come to Jesus, God's Judgment, God's love, His Mercies Are New Every Morning, Holiness, Judgment, Just Jesus!

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Whose Side???        A Word from THE WORD!!! #71

I have a simple but hard word to share this morning.  I am so grieved over the things I see around us–especially what I see and hear coming from the “churches”!  Much like Jeremiah, I grieve over the corruption, greed, lust, and just plain old SIN that is being accepted, promoted, and justified!  God hasn’t changed nor has HIS Word; but it seems that we have.

“Jesus Christ

the same yesterday,

and to day,

and for ever.”  Hebrews 13:8

We have presumed upon God’s mercy and grace and tried to make our sin a non-issue; but my friend SIN is the issue and no matter what the popular voices may say being born again makes us a new creation IN JESUS; it’s not a ‘get out of jail free’ card!

“The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying,

2 Son of man,

thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house,

which have eyes to see,

and see not;

they have ears to hear,

and hear not:

for they are a rebellious house.” Ezekiel 12:1-2

It seems that America (our whole world) has rebelled and denied the God who has been the One we have claimed to trust.  It appears to me that God has become not only a “byword”, but just a token that we name when we are in need, or tragedy or crises… we talk about God and prayer, but our lives reveal a total disregard for HIS ways, HIS Word and HIS SON, JESUS!  But there is a day of testing, and judgment coming–which side will you be on?  Paul gives us a warning that many neglect, but it is true, no matter what the movies, books and false prophets say!

“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work:

only he who now letteth will let,

until he be taken out of the way.

8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed,

whom the Lord shall consume

with the spirit of his mouth,

and shall destroy

with the brightness of his coming:

9 Even him, whose coming

is after the working of Satan

with all power

and signs

and lying wonders,

10 And with all deceivableness

of unrighteousness

in them that perish;

because they received not

the love of the truth,

that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause

God shall send them strong delusion,

that they should believe a lie:

12 That they all might be damned

who believed not the truth,

but had pleasure

in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12

And if I might add a note from Jeremiah (which I hope to dig into next week, as The Lord leads) who was grieved over the fall of Jerusalem and the captivity of his own people, because they rejected his word for some 40 years (and God’s for longer). While God is merciful and I pray for His continued grace and mercy toward us, His judgment is coming.  Will you be on HIS side?

“It is of the LORD’S mercies

that we are not consumed,

because his compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning:

great is thy faithfulness.

24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul;

therefore will I hope in him.

25 The LORD is good

unto them that wait for him,

to the soul that seeketh him.

26 It is good

that a man should both hope and quietly wait

for the salvation of the LORD.”  Lamentations 3:22-26

While God is merciful, judgment is coming, will you be among the deceived who reject HIS mercy, grace, and salvation in Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for SIN, or will you believe and be saved?

“(For he saith,

I have heard thee in a time accepted,

and in the day of salvation

have I succoured thee:

behold, now is the accepted time;

behold, now is the day of salvation.)”.  2 Corinthians 6:2

I pray that you will heed the voice of the Lord if HE is speaking to your heart and calling you unto Himself; that you won’t wait and try to come one day too late!

“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

Amen and Amen!!!

What Can’t REvive??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 20 No. 02

29 Sunday Jan 2023

Posted by in 'Come unto me, Abiding In Jesus, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Born Again, God's Faithfulness, God's ways are not our ways, Good News, Jesus Saves!, Restoration, REvival, Saved by grace, Saved by Grace Through Faith

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What Can’t REvive??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 20 No.02

“And you hath he quickened,

who were dead

in trespasses

and sins;

2 Wherein in time past

ye walked

according to the course of this world,

according to the prince

of the power of the air,

the spirit that now worketh

in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also

we all had our conversation

in times past

in the lusts of our flesh,

fulfilling the desires of the flesh

and of the mind;

and were by nature

the children of wrath,

even as others.

4 But God,

who is rich in mercy,

for his great love

wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins,

hath quickened us together

with Christ,

(by grace ye are saved;)

6 And hath raised us up together,

and made us sit together

in heavenly places

in Christ Jesus:” Ephesians 2:1-6

I love God’s Word, it is so true, hopeful, and enlightening to help us see where we have come from, and to see how urgent it is to help others come to Jesus.  The thing I want us to think about today is what does “Revival” mean?  I have prayed for revival for many years and will continue to pray for it until Jesus comes, or HE allows me to see a real Holy Ghost, heaven-sent, knee-bending, sin-confessing, tear-stained altar (and sadly to me, many young people don’t even know what that is!) filling, life changing, church-altering, REVIVAL!  The kind of revivals that I knew and saw as a child and a young adult that brought conviction to bear on believers to the repenting of sin, the recommitment of hearts and lives, then a world that takes note of the change!

But there is a catch!

Revival: restoration to life, consciousness, vigor, strength, etc. ….an awakening in a church….an evangelistic service or a series of services for the purpose of effecting of a religious (my word is Spiritual) awakening…

The key I want us to note is “restoration”, for to be ‘re’stored, something must exist first; and that is what Paul is pointing out to the Ephesian believers, and to us!  Only when we realize that we are “dead in trespasses and sins” will we see the need to come to Jesus to be “born again”, or as Paul says here in Ephesians 2, that God has “quickened us”, in Blanche’s paraphrase, “God has given us life from the dead”, or as the Apostle John wrote in his gospel:

“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

It’s like what Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3, we “must be born again” by the power of God through the Holy Spirit!  And my friends, if we haven’t received the new birth–NEW LIFE– from Jesus then we are still “dead in our trespasses and sins” and we can’t be “Revived”! Revival is for those who have received new life in Jesus.  It is for those who know Jesus, but have grown cold toward spiritual things, or have lost their ardor, or just become muddled and confused in the fray of life and need a rekindling of the fire in their heart.  Sort of like a fireplace where the coals are either close to the fire and glowing, or they have become cold with the distance between them and the fire!  Jesus IS our fire!

“Wilt thou not revive us again:

that thy people may rejoice in thee?

7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD,

and grant us thy salvation.

8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak:

for he will speak peace unto his people,

and to his saints:

but let them not turn again

to folly.”  Psalm 85:6-8

God is ever at work conforming His own into the “image of His Son”; our job is to stay near to our “fire” –the fire of Holiness and truth! Jeremiah shared that he had a fire of God’s power in his life, we also have a call, a ministry, a life of obedience, and I think I understand what Jeremiah means, for God’s call is ever on my heart.  I would love to be the one God calls to write the “fluff stuff”, but God has called me to often speak the hard things, may I ever hear his call and like Jeremiah speak as God directs.

“Then I said,

I will not make mention of him,

nor speak any more in his name.

But his word

was in mine heart

as a burning fire shut up in my bones,

and I was weary

with forbearing,

and I could not stay.”  Jeremiah 20:9

So, as I pray for revival amongst God’s own, won’t you join me and seek revival in your own heart–for revival must start with “ME”!  How about you?  And if you don’t know Jesus and are just trying to play the game, use the right words, do the right deeds, be in the right church, or belong to the right group…God wants YOU and YOUR heart not your stuff or your abilities to get to heaven. HE wants you to come through Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning, sacrifice!

“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 for rest as well as life–take HIS yoke, and you’ll never walk alone!

“Come unto me,

all ye that labour and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;

for I am meek and lowly in heart:

and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy,

and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Amen!!!