Category Archives: Jesus Is The Only Way!

A Christmas Word–Part 1??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #166

15 Friday Dec 2023

Posted by in 'Come unto me, 'Tis The Season?, A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, A Father's Love, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Blood of Jesus cleanses us, By His Grace, Christmas, Christmas IS Jesus, Christmas IS?, Christmas Ponderings, Creation, Creator, Creator of ALL, Cross, JESUS, Jesus In Genesis!, Jesus Is Coming Again., Jesus is our peace, Jesus IS The Gift!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Is Truth, Jesus Never Fails, Jesus Saves!, Jesus SinLESS Son of God, Jesus' Sacrifice, Jesus--our all in all

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A Christmas Word–Part 1???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #166

I’d like to spend some time today thinking about the only true ‘reason for the season’, and that my friends is JESUS!  No, He wasn’t born on December 25th, but it is the date chosen to honor our Lord’s birth—the long-awaited coming of The Messiah to Redeem mankind; for all who will believe.  So let’s back up a bit and do a short review of why we need Jesus!

“For all have sinned,

and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23

“For the wages of sin is death;

but the gift of God

is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Romans 6:23

Why do we need this gift, you might ask; well that’s a good question, and we’ll briefly consider the answer—it’s the reason we trust The Word of God—it gives us the ‘whole truth’.  And that begins in Eden with the first man and woman (And yes, God created them “male and female”, read the account!).  We won’t go into the whole story but just some portions of Genesis 1, 2 and 3; and yes, my friends, I believe the Bible from Genesis to Revelation; I believe that we were/are are created in “the image of God….”!  Let’s dig in.

“For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16

“Forasmuch as ye know that

ye were not redeemed with corruptible things,

as silver and gold,

from your vain conversation

received by tradition from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ,

as of a lamb without blemish

and without spot:

20 Who verily was foreordained

before the foundation of the world,

but was manifest in these last times

for you,

21 Who by him do believe in God,

that raised him up from the dead,

and gave him glory;

that your faith and hope

might be in God.”  1 Peter 1:18-21

Why was/is man perishing?  It’s because of sin—it’s the disease; we all have it, we can’t cure it, only Jesus can, how did we get in this shape?  Our first parents failed the test, but in God’s love and mercy HE already had a plan in place to redeem us; He knew we would fail, and He created us anyway—a concept that is beyond my comprehension (and yes, I believe in the Genesis account of creation in six literal days).

“In the beginning

God created

the heaven and the earth.” Genesis 1:1

“And God said,

Let us make man in our image,

after our likeness:

and let them have dominion

over the fish of the sea,

and over the fowl of the air,

and over the cattle,

and over all the earth,

and over every creeping thing

that creepeth upon the earth.

27 So God created man

in his own image,

in the image of God created he him;

male and female

created he them.”  Genesis 1:26-27

Genesis 2 goes on to fill in some more of the details for us and sets the stage for us to understand.

“And the LORD God formed man

of the dust of the ground,

and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;

and man became a living soul.

8 And the LORD God planted a garden

eastward in Eden;

and there he put the man

whom he had formed…

…16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying,

Of every tree of the garden

thou mayest freely eat:

17 But of the tree of the knowledge

of good and evil,

thou shalt not eat of it:

for in the day that thou eatest thereof

thou shalt surely die.”   Portions of Genesis 2:7-17

The saddest part of this account to me, is that we failed to believe God, at the prompting of Satan, the great “father of lies” (see John 8:44); how sad that we’re still falling for the same old lies!  But we did eat, and we did die spiritually on the spot, and physically later, and still do! It’s why Jesus so boldly and powerfully reminds us:

“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 10:10-11

Jesus came to give us back the life with God that Satan stole, tricked, and deceived our first parents out of.  How much have we been tricked out of by this ‘liar of liars’? There is a price to pay, and we pay it every day, except as we walk “in the Spirit” with our Lord (See Galatians 5:16 & 25)!  But back to Genesis, He’s our Lord not only because He came, but because God promised HIS coming from before the beginning!

“And I will put enmity

between thee and the woman,

and between thy seed and her seed;

it shall bruise thy head,

and thou shalt bruise his heel.”  Genesis 3:15

Jesus IS the great restorer!  Our great and good Redeemer!  Our soon-coming KING!  This is why I celebrate HIS birth!  How about you?

“And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people from their sins.

22 Now all this was done,

that it might be fulfilled

which was spoken of the Lord

by the prophet, saying,

23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child,

and shall bring forth a son,

and they shall call his name Emmanuel,

which being interpreted is, God with us.”   Matthew 1:21-23

Amen and Amen!!!

A Call To Look Unto Jesus??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #159

29 Wednesday Nov 2023

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, A heart of faith, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Choose you this day?, Choosing Jesus or The World?, Christ IN YOU, Christmas, Christmas IS Jesus, Christmas IS?, Christmas Ponderings, Jesus call, Jesus IN You!, Jesus IS The Gift!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Is Truth, Jesus Saves!, Jesus SinLESS Son of God, Jesus' Sacrifice, Jesus--our all in all, Light In The Dark

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A Call To Look Unto Jesus???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #159

“But while he thought on these things,

behold,

the angel of the Lord appeared unto him

in a dream, saying,

Joseph, thou son of David,

fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife:

for that which is conceived in her

is of the Holy Ghost.

21 And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people

from their sins.

22 Now all this was done,

that it might be fulfilled

which was spoken of the Lord

by the prophet, saying,

23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child,

and shall bring forth a son,

and they shall call his name Emmanuel,

which being interpreted is,

God with us.”  Matthew 1:20-23

One of my sister’s favorite Bible phrases is, “and it came to pass”, and it always does!  Come—to pass—that is; for God is a faithful God, and HE sent Jesus to fulfill His promises of a Messiah who would call His people to salvation, redemption, and eternal life; to restore us to relationship, hope and the life with God that we lost in Eden!  Sin had separated us from God, and Jesus came to save us from that sin and the penalty of it—death!  He came to bring life to those who would come to Him in repentance and faith in HIS substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for our sin!  The babe placed in a manger instead of on a throne, came to be the sacrifice for your sin and mine, and HE is waiting for you to respond to the call to come to HIM today, for today is all that we have, tomorrow may or may not be ours, yet Praise God, HE keeps HIS own and is conforming us into the image of HIS SON!

“Being confident of this very thing,

that he which hath begun a good work in you

will perform it

until the day of Jesus Christ:” Philippians 1:6 

“In hope of eternal life,

which God,

that cannot lie,

promised before the world began;” Titus 1:2

For our hope of eternal life is IN JESUS and no other.

“Jesus saith unto him,

I am

the way,

the truth,

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.”  John 14:6

John also introduced Jesus, not from a manger bed, but from HIS existence before the foundation of the world!

“In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him;

and without him was not any thing made

that was made.

4 In him was life;

and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness;

and the darkness comprehended it not.”  John 1:1-5

To me one of the saddest of all commentary in scripture is, “the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not”!  Jesus came to save us, and we wouldn’t recognize who HE was; yet HE was, is and always has been the only way to God, but the question is a personal one, ‘What will YOU do with Jesus?’

You can receive and believe Jesus’ witness of who HE IS, or you can go your own way, and pay for your own sin, it’s your call!  But remember there is a test, and a soon coming one, I truly believe!  Are you ready.  Jesus’ own words say it better than I can.

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,

even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world

to condemn the world;

but that the world through him

might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him

is not condemned:

but he that believeth not

is condemned already,

because he hath not believed

in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation,

that light is come into the world,

and men loved darkness rather than light,

because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil

hateth the light,

neither cometh to the light,

lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth

cometh to the light,

that his deeds may be made manifest,

that they are wrought in God.”  John 3:14-21

It’s not just the baby in the manger that we celebrate at this time of year, but it IS the work that HE was born to do—to die for your sin and mine, that we might have eternal life with HIM through that faith in HIS ‘substitutionary, atoning sacrifice’! He paid the price, but it can only be received through repentance and faith in HIS payment for our sin!

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:

but this one thing I do,

forgetting those things

which are behind,

and reaching forth unto those things

which are before,

14 I press toward the mark

for the prize of the high calling of God

in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:13-14

All this because God loves you and me, but there is a debt due; I owed a debt I couldn’t pay except in death and hell, yet Jesus paid a debt HE didn’t owe so that we could have life and escape hell!  What will you do with HIS gift this Christmas?  Accept it?  Celebrate it?  Rejoice in God’s goodness, love, and peace?  Or reject it and suffer the consequences, for we are free to choose or reject Jesus, but the consequence has already been set.  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test (See Revelation 20:11-15)!

“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;

26 To declare, I say, at this time

his righteousness:

that he might be just,

and the justifier

of him which believeth in Jesus.”  Romans 3:23-26

“But now being made free from sin,

and become servants to God,

ye have your fruit unto holiness,

and the end everlasting life.

23 For the wages of sin is death;

but the gift of God is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Romans 6:22-23

So friends, my challenge to you is simply to invite you to answer HIS call to your heart.  If you haven’t been born again by the blood of Jesus, you can be today if you will but call on Jesus to save you in repentance of your sin, and faith in HIS payment for them!  If you are HIS, won’t you reevaluate your walk with HIM and commit anew and afresh to live Jesus before a lost and dying world, as well as those around you at home—they all need to see JESUS IN Christmas IN you and me!

“And the angel said unto them,

Fear not: for, behold,

I bring you good tidings of great joy,

which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day

in the city of David

a Saviour,

which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you;

Ye shall find the babe

wrapped in swaddling clothes,

lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude

of the heavenly host praising God,

and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace,

good will toward men.”  Luke 2:10-14

Amen and Amen!!!

God’s Witness??? Really??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #152

08 Wednesday Nov 2023

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Father's Love, A Witness--Good or Bad???, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Abundant Life In Jesus, All About Jesus!, All Sufficient God!, Are you ready for Jesus' return?, Are you ready?, Be not conformed to this world, JESUS, Jesus IN You!, Jesus Is Coming Again., Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Is Truth, Jesus Knows YOUR Storm, Jesus Never Fails, Jesus Saves!, Jesus' Sacrifice, The Word

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God’s Witness??? Really???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #152

I realize that we talked about “witnesses” last time, but I wanted to go, if you would, a step farther, and consider that our witness is before God—good, bad, or indifferent!  Yet God also is a witness!  I can’t help but think that most around us are totally indifferent, without any cognizance or regard for God, His Word, or His ways, much less the substitutionary, atoning sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for all who will come to HIM in repentance and faith—may we shine JESUS in all we do!

No matter what the world may say, (even some churches now days), JESUS IS the only way to God—to heaven.  And I can’t help but think, “Why would you want to go to heaven and be with God when you have no time or regard for Him here and now?”  Just asking?  So, let’s just take a few minutes and consider what God has said in His Word, about THE WORD, Jesus—The Living Word who gave Himself for our salvation, the breath of life who imparted the ’words’ written in The Word of God, The Bible!

“In the beginning

was the Word,

and the Word

was with God,

and the Word

was God.

2 The same was in the beginning

with God.

3 All things were made

by him;

and without him

was not any thing made

that was made.

4 In him

was life;

and the life

was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness;

and the darkness comprehended it not.”  John 1:1-5

John goes on a bit later in his gospel to share Jesus’ own words in regard to who HE is, may we consider them today, in all our ways!

“3 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…

…. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee,

Ye must be born again…

…. 16 For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world

to condemn the world;

but that the world through him

might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him

is not condemned:

but he that believeth not

is condemned already,

because he hath not believed

in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation,

that light is come into the world,

and men loved darkness rather than light,

because their deeds were evil.”  Portions of John 3:3-19

When we are HIS, we have not only eternal life with God The Father, Jesus The Son, and The Holy Spirit, but we have an abundant life with Jesus right here—right now, by the power of HIS Holy Spirit with His own!  Yet, it’s our choice as to where we will walk, and with Whom we will have fellowship–with the God Man, Son of God who gives this abundant life or the prince of this world, the father of lies, he who comes to “steal…kill…and destroy”?  Choose wisely, there is a test, and the ‘father of lies’ will never lead you ‘up’, he’ll on drag you down—and who is following YOU?

“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 God and HE has promised to make us HIS own!  He has never failed me yet, and HE never will, because HE has already paid the price to redeem me from my sin—and my friends, I had a boatload of it, still fail Him so often, but HE is ever faithful to correct, teach and grow me into a child that pleases his Father!  Do you know HIM?

“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

Paul gives us the Gospel in a nutshell, and I’ll share it with you again, for it is truth and Jesus, The Truth, is the only way to have abundant life here, and eternal life with God when we leave this life—and we’re all leaving sooner or later!  Are you ready if Jesus came today for HIS own?   If He came for YOU?

“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

God’s witness IS Jesus, and HE will also be the judge, but for we who belong to HIM, HE is our ever-present help walking by our side!  You can believe HIS testimony—and an even greater blessing, we can BE His witness as we go along each day, walking with HIM.  HE is ever ready to hear and answer our cry, our prayers, our heartfelt longings to know HIM more and more.  Won’t you come to this great Throne of Grace!  It’s open 24/7 just for YOU and me!  God keeps HIS Word!  He’s waiting for you to come! (He has caller ID but never call blocker!)

“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 4:15-16

Come to HIM and then spread the WORD!

Amen and Amen!!!

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!!!

Like Jesus Not Each Other??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #142

11 Wednesday Oct 2023

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Father's Love, A Form of godliness?, Abiding In Jesus, Following Jesus, Help from The Lord, Here am I send me!, JESUS, Jesus call, Jesus IN You!, Jesus IS The Gift!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Is Truth, Jesus Knows, Jesus Saves!, Jesus--our all in all, Like Jesus NOT Each Other, Not a competition

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Like Jesus Not Each Other???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #142

I’d like to share a word that The Lord brought to my mind and heart recently and maybe it will resonate with you as well.  We live in a hostile and divided world, a country where we are at odds with one another; it shouldn’t be so in the Body of Christ.

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord,

beseech you that ye walk worthy

of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

2 With all

lowliness

and meekness,

with longsuffering,

forbearing one another

in love;

3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit

in the bond of peace.

4 There is one body,

and one Spirit,

even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5 One Lord,

one faith,

one baptism,

6 One God and Father of all,

who is above all,

and through all,

and in you all.

7 But unto every one of us

is given grace

according to the measure of the gift

of Christ…

….11 And he gave some,

apostles;

and some,

prophets;

and some,

evangelists;

and some,

pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints,

for the work of the ministry,

for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith,

and of the knowledge of the Son of God,

unto a perfect man,

unto the measure of the stature

of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children,

tossed to and fro,

and carried about with every wind of doctrine,

by the sleight of men,

and cunning craftiness,

whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love,

may grow up into him

in all things,

which is the head,

even Christ:” Portions of Ephesians 4:1-15

We are called by God unto The Lord Jesus, who by the power and indwelling Holy Spirit, gifts, equips, and uses us when, where, how and as HE sees fit.  Yet so often we think that everyone else has to minister “like I do”!  Everyone has to understand what I do!  Everyone who is right with Jesus has to agree with “me”! Duh!  Not necessarily so!  In fact Paul was telling the believers in Ephesus (and us) that we are to work together by the power, gifting, and love of Jesus, which should produce “unity” NOT “uniformity”!  Sometimes we who live in America, forget that God calls us to ‘godly DEPENDENCE’ AND ‘godly interdependence’ NOT that “good ol’ American INDEPENDENCE”!  As the modern proverb is so often slung about, “It’s MY way or the highway!”  Jesus said something that I often have to be reminded of, because I forget it so often in my own zeal and ardor for The Word of God.  Just as Jesus sent out the ‘apostles’ to different places, to encounter unique and different people, with the truth of The Gospel—that Jesus, Himself, would be “The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (See 1 Corinthians 15:1-5)!  Upon that we stand, not all the little nuances and uniquenesses of our individuality.  As long as it matches The Word of God, we are to work within our own giftings and callings from JESUS Himself!

We aren’t to be clannish, or judge others who carry out God’s work differently than “I” do, according to the truths in The Word!  Jesus had to adjust the thinking of His own disciples—those who walked the closest with HIM.  How about you and me; don’t we often miss it also (Just remember that the ‘wisdom of this world isn’t God’s wisdom)?

“Then there arose a reasoning among them,

which of them should be greatest.

47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart,

took a child,

and set him by him,

48 And said unto them,

Whosoever shall receive this child

in my name

receiveth me:

and whosoever shall receive me

receiveth him that sent me:

for he that is least among you all,

the same shall be great.

49 And John answered and said,

Master,

we saw one casting out devils

in thy name;

 and we forbad him,

because he followeth not with us.

50 And Jesus said unto him,

Forbid him not:

for he that is not against us

is for us.”  Luke 9:46-50

Sounds like a lot of believers today, doesn’t it?  Oh, that Jesus could mold my heart to see what HE sees, to go where, when, and how HE is leading “me” and allow others to do the same, as long as it isn’t in conflict with The WORD of GOD!  GRACE is a big word, that we often use selectively, and often remove the “amazing” from it!

Paul addressed this same issue in Romans 14, and I’ll share it with you that you may ponder what he says, and you and I can, as they say, mull it over—take it before our LORD—and walk worthy of our calling!  While this is a lengthy passage, I think it worth our attention, and I encourage you (as well as myself—for I can be as harsh as anyone, when my flesh jumps ahead of The Holy Spirit who is working ‘in me’ and ‘in you’) to consider that there are others besides ‘us’ who belong to Jesus!

“Him that is weak in the faith

receive ye,

but not to doubtful disputations.

2 For one believeth that he may eat all things:

another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

3 Let not him that eateth

despise him that eateth not;

and let not him which eateth not

judge him that eateth:

for God hath received him.

4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant?

to his own master he standeth or falleth.

Yea, he shall be holden up:

for God is able to make him stand.

5 One man esteemeth one day above another:

another esteemeth every day alike.

Let every man be fully persuaded

in his own mind.

6 He that regardeth the day,

regardeth it unto the Lord;

and he that regardeth not the day,

to the Lord he doth not regard it.

He that eateth,

eateth to the Lord,

for he giveth God thanks;

and he that eateth not,

to the Lord he eateth not,

and giveth God thanks.

7 For none of us liveth to himself,

and no man dieth to himself.

8 For whether we live,

we live unto the Lord;

and whether we die,

we die unto the Lord:

whether we live therefore,

or die,

we are the Lord’s.

9 For to this end

Christ both died,

and rose,

and revived,

that he might be Lord

both of the dead and living.

10 But why dost thou judge thy brother?

or why dost thou set at nought thy brother?

for we shall all stand

before the judgment seat of Christ.

11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord,

every knee shall bow to me,

and every tongue shall confess to God.”   Romans 14:1-11

May we each continually be “sharpeners” for God’s purposes and glory, and the good of all the brethren! (And remember that “the judgment seat of Christ” is for believers only!)

“Iron

sharpeneth iron;

so a man sharpeneth

the countenance of his friend.”  Proverbs 27:17

So, let’s get to sharpening!!!  Keeping our eyes on the PRIZE!!!

“Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life

for his friends.

14 Ye are my friends,

if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15 Henceforth I call you not servants;

for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth:

but I have called you friends;

for all things that I have heard of my Father

I have made known unto you.”  John 15:13-15

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples,

If any man will come after me,

let him deny himself,

and take up his cross,

and follow me.

25 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it:

and whosoever will lose his life for my

sake shall find it.”  Matthew 16:24-25

May we join with Paul, in his proclamation of faithful service to our KING in Galatians 2:20

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”

Amen and Amen!!!