Category Archives: Walking With Jesus

Let Go And Reach UP??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #243

24 Wednesday Jul 2024

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Abundant Life In Jesus, Choices And Consequences, Cleansed from all sin, Confidence, Forgetting or Remembering?, Forgiveness, Let go...and let God, Let it go?, Let This Mind Be In You, Let You Light So Shine, Past-Present-Future, Peace that passeth ALL understanding, Press ON!, Pursuing Excellence?, Rejoice IN The Lord, Remember, The Word, Walk in the Spirit, Walking by Faith or Sight?, Walking With Jesus

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Let Go And Reach Up???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #243

“Not as though I had already attained,

either were already perfect:

but I follow after,

if that I may apprehend that

for which also I am apprehended

of Christ Jesus.

13 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.

15 Let us therefore,

as many as be perfect, (mature)

be thus minded:

and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded,

God shall reveal even this unto you.”   Philippians 3:12-15

Sometimes life gets to us, and our past failures try to drag us down, so Paul gives us a message of hope and clear instruction.  We are to have a different focus than the world, or what Satan is trying to throw in your face; we can forget that which we have taken to Jesus in confession and repentance, for it is forgiven and buried in the deepest sea, never to be remembered.  There is a favorite Old Testament passage and a New Testament one that assures us of God’s forgiveness and restoration to those who will face their sin, admit it to God and receive His pardon and healing from our sin.  And when God forgives, HE forgets.

“Who is a God like unto thee,

that pardoneth iniquity,

and passeth by the transgression

of the remnant of his heritage?

he retaineth not his anger for ever,

because he delighteth in mercy.

19 He will turn again,

he will have compassion upon us;

he will subdue our iniquities;

and thou wilt cast all their sins

into the depths of the sea” Micah 7:18-19

What’s holding you back?  What sin does Satan keep throwing in your face?  If you belong to Jesus my friend, you can have the total forgiveness of God, as well as healing, and cleansing restoration.  Tell the Devil to buzz off!!  You aren’t his after you’ve been born again; so stop walking in the dark and draw near to The Light of the world, Jesus our Lord and Savior.  The Apostle John says it better than I can!  (See Ephesians 2:1-10.)

“And these things write we unto you,

that your joy may be full.

5 This then is the message

which we have heard of him,

and declare unto you,

that God is light,

and in him is no darkness at all.

6 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 1:4-10

One of the greatest reminders that comes to my heart and mind often in those times of doubt, confusion and the attacks of the enemy, is to simply remember, the past is just that, passed!  Let it go and look up to The One who died that we might have “life and have it more abundantly”—forgiven, cleansed and beautifully useable!

“Beloved, believe not every spirit,

but try the spirits

whether they are of God:

because many false prophets

are gone out into the world.

 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God:

Every spirit that confesseth

that Jesus Christ

is come in the flesh

is of God:

3 And every spirit that confesseth not

that Jesus Christ

is come in the flesh

is not of God:

and this is that spirit of antichrist,

whereof ye have heard

that it should come;

and even now already

is it in the world

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 4:1-4

Forget the past…Remember what Jesus has done…Press on!!

Amen and Amen!!!

Quiet And Still Is Hard??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #231

24 Monday Jun 2024

Posted by in Be Steadfast, Be Still and Know, Be ye doers of the Word, Be ye HOLY, It's Your Choice, Jeremiah's faithfulness, Jesus IN You!, Jesus IS Lord--bow before Him!, Jesus IS The Gift!, Renewing or Reviewing, Resting Or Wrestling?, Safe Place, Stand by ME!, Stand Fast!, Still Will I Trust HIM, The Call of God!, The Word, Wait on the Lord, Wait upon the Lord, Walk in the Spirit, Walking by Faith or Sight?, Walking With Jesus

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Quiet And Still Is Hard??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #231

“Be still,

and know

that I am God:

I will be exalted among the heathen,

I will be exalted in the earth.

11 The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Selah.”  Psalm 46:10-11

This precious verse reminds us that God is our peace, our hope and our confidence; we can “Be still, and know that I am God…”.  My husband has a lovely story of an encounter with this verse, and while that is his story to tell, I will say that God pointed him to this truth, and he could “be still” and know that God had him in His hands—and He surely did.  And my friends, He will do the same for us if we will but be listening, sensitive to His voice and dependent upon His care.  Still has several meanings, one is to cease from motion, or activity; another is to keep on keeping on—to go onward continually.  Both are indicators of our ability to see God as God!  Oh, how grateful I am that God IS God and ever at work in our lives, our surroundings and our world!  It’s hard to recognize sometimes, with all the wickedness and evil around us; especially when people of faith compromise with the world so much, and the church has laid down her cross and taken up the world’s method’s.

Have you been antsy lately?  Have you fretted and worried about people, places, things and circumstances, or are you willing to just “Be still, and know that I am God…”, trusting yourself to His care.  Have you been digging into His Word to know Him better and grow in intimacy with The Lord Jesus who gave Himself for our salvation?  The prophet Jeremiah is one of my favorite Bible prophets, for even after he had preached and called the children of Israel to repent (for some 40 years), he was persecuted, rejected and mistreated, and saw the destruction of Jerusalem, yet his heart knew whom he believed?  How about you and me?  Are you ready to keep your eyes on the prize—Jesus.  Only as we learn to know Him through His Word and yield our lives to the power and direction of His precious Holy Spirit can we know Him in fulness and truth, even as Jeremiah did.

“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

And just FYI, this reference to quietly wait isn’t an instruction to wait to come to Jesus, but to wait, as His child, for His saving provision in our circumstances; and notice Jeremiah instructs us to “quietly wait”—not rant, rave, or pitch fits when things don’t come in “my” time!  Remember we are to know that God IS God and behave thusly!  So, here are a few more passages about being still—in both ways!

“Stand in awe,

and sin not:

commune with your own heart

upon your bed,

and be still. Selah.

5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,

and put your trust in the LORD.

6 There be many that say,

Who will shew us any good?

LORD, lift thou up the light

of thy countenance upon us.

7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart,

more than in the time

that their corn

and their wine increased.

8 I will both lay me down

in peace,

and sleep:

for thou, LORD, only

makest me dwell in safety.”   Psalm 4:4-8

“Blessed are they that dwell in thy house:

they will be still praising thee. Selah.”  Psalm 84:4

Will you be still?  Will you pursue the knowledge of The Most High and His Son Jesus?  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test!

“I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,

holy,

acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove what is that

good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

will of God.”  Romans 12:1-2

Amen and Amen!!!

What Works Are You Working?? A Word from THE WORD!!! #214

28 Sunday Apr 2024

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Form of godliness?, Advice for the journey, All Sufficient God!, Almost But Lost, Are you ready for Jesus' return?, Armor of God, Flesh-vs-Spirit, Follow Jesus, Following Jesus, Following Jesus or the World?, Wait upon the Lord, Walk in the Spirit, Walking by Faith or Sight?, Walking With Jesus, Walking Worthy, Wasting Time, Well Done Thou good and faithful servant!, What are you listening to?, What do you SEE?, Where your treasure is--Your heart is!, Who are YOU following?, Who are you listening too!, Who will you believe and follow?, will you?, Work

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What Works Are You Working?? A Word from THE WORD!!! #214

“And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man

which was blind from his birth.

2 And his disciples asked him, saying,

Master,

who did sin,

this man,

or his parents,

that he was born blind?

3 Jesus answered,

Neither hath this man sinned,

nor his parents:

but that the works of God

should be made manifest in him.

4 I must work the works of him that sent me,

while it is day:

the night cometh,

when no man can work.

5 As long as I am in the world,

I am the light of the world.”  John 9:1-5

As I watch the scenes that fill the news each day, my heart is grieved at the darkness around us, and it is getting darker with each passing day.  It reminds me that the “evil day” that Paul mentions in the Ephesians 6 passage regarding the armor of God, is upon us; sadly it’s going to get darker.  Jesus made it clear to His followers that sin wasn’t and isn’t the cause of all calamities; that God is totally in charge and that while some things are the result of original sin, they aren’t necessarily the direct result of personal sin.  God is at work in and around us and while we don’t always understand what is going on, we can absolutely know that God is sovereignly in charge—always!

With that said, Jesus gives us the standard, “I must work the works of him that sent me”!  And when we are following Jesus, we are accomplishing the works of our Father who sent Him to us.

“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.

26 For what is a man profited,

if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul?

or what shall a man give in exchange

for his soul?”  Matthew 16:24-26

The way to do the Father’s work is to follow Jesus, and be born again, by the power of God, and then yield to His Word, His ways, and the truths that Jesus made clear to us.  Jesus is saying above that if we choose to attempt to “save” ourselves, we will lose! Yet when we give our life to Him, He will help us walk the narrow way, rather than hear “depart from me” in “that day”.

“He was in the world,

and the world was made by him,

and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 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 1:10-13

“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

The question is, are we doing the work of Jesus or our own thing?  The distinctions are very visible if we will but open our eyes!

“I charge thee therefore before God,

and the Lord Jesus Christ,

who shall judge the quick and the dead

at his appearing

 and his kingdom;

2 Preach the word;

be instant in season,

out of season;

reprove, rebuke, exhort

with all longsuffering and doctrine.

3 For the time will come

when they will not endure sound doctrine;

but after their own lusts

shall they heap to themselves teachers,

having itching ears;

4 And they shall turn away their ears

from the truth,

and shall be turned unto fables.

5 But watch thou

in all things,

endure afflictions,

do the work of an evangelist,

make full proof of thy ministry.

6 For I am now ready to be offered,

and the time of my departure is at hand.

7 I have fought a good fight,

  I have finished my course,

  I have kept the faith:

8 Henceforth there is laid up for me

a crown of righteousness,

which the Lord,

the righteous judge,

shall give me at that day:

and not to me only,

but unto all them also

that love his appearing.”  2 Timothy 4:1-8

In case you haven’t noticed, we also are in a time when people are not wanting to hear the word, much less obey it.  So, my friends will we “work the works of him that” saved us, called us, and has commissioned us to do HIS works.  It’s your choice, but remember, there is a test.

“And, behold,

I come quickly;

and my reward is with me,

to give every man

according as his work shall be.”  Revelation 22:12

Amen and Amen!!!

The Manger>The Cross??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #164

11 Monday Dec 2023

Posted by in A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, A Father's Love, Christmas IS Jesus, Christmas IS?, Christmas Ponderings, Jesus IN You!, Jesus Is Alive, Jesus Is Coming Again., The manger leads to the cross, The Manger To The Cross, The Mind Of Christ, The Only Name That Matters, Trusting Jesus?, Truth, Walking by Faith or Sight?, Walking With Jesus, What's The Word?, Where your treasure is--Your heart is!, Who are YOU following?

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The Manger>The Cross??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #164

“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

Without the cross the manger is, in and of itself, rather insignificant; it’s the story of a baby born in strange and difficult circumstances, but when we consider the truth that Jesus was born to die for our sin, it changes everything!  Jesus then stands out in history as the only ‘God-Man-Savior’ who came that we might have life; even as the angel told Joseph, “thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins”!  Amen, what an amazing gift from God—the greatest gift of all—a “Savior which is Christ The Lord”!

“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.”  Luke 2:10-12

The most amazing ‘birth announcement’ in history, Jesus’ birth was proclaimed by angels, unto the lowliest of men, shepherds who were tending their sheep; and the announcement was totally amazing, so much so that they were ‘scared to death’, but found out it was ‘life’ that was being shared with them, for the birth being announced, was Jesus’, The Son of God, “THE way, the truth and THE LIFE” for all who would believe and receive His saving grace!  And just FYI, Jesus wasn’t “born in a manger”, He was simply “placed” in the manger, His cradle, so to speak.

“And she brought forth her firstborn son,

and wrapped him in swaddling clothes,

and laid him in a manger;

because there was no room for them

in the inn.”  Luke 2:7

Jesus wasn’t born in a palace, or laid in a golden cradle, or surrounded with people of note; rather he came amongst the lowliest of people, but people who loved God, believed what HE revealed to them, and acted upon it in faith and obedience!  We are faced with the same choice today.  We can believe and receive the God-Man-Savior, or we can reject Him; we can say we believe, we can go to church, we can do good deeds before men, but are we truly walking in the faith, hope and love of The Savior?  Are we willing to ‘leave the sheep’ and pursue the New Born King’?  Are we willing to stand in faithful service to our King Jesus, and do what He bids, go where He sends, serve the lowly as He did?  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test!  For what’s the point, yes, the nativity story is an amazing gift from God, but the real gift was and is that Jesus came to die for you and me; to die for our sin.  Have you seen “your sin” and come to Jesus in repentance and faith to be forgiven of your sin; or are you playing games with God and putting on a show before men?  God knows!  So do you if you really search your heart!  Jesus said it better than I can:

“But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them,

They that be whole

need not a physician,

but they that are sick.

13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth,

I will have mercy,

and not sacrifice:

for I am not come to call the righteous,

but sinners to repentance.”  Matthew 9:13

Ponder these things, as you go through your day, and don’t lose sight of the truth that the “manger” points to the cross; and without the cross we have no hope.

“And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them,

Whosoever will come after me,

let him deny himself,

and take up his cross,

and follow me. 35

For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it;

but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake

and the gospel’s,

the same shall save it.

36 For what shall it profit a man,

if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul?

37 Or what shall a man give in exchange

for his soul?

38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words

in this adulterous and sinful generation;

of him also

shall the Son of man be ashamed,

when he cometh

in the glory of his Father                 with the holy angels.”   Mark 8:34-38

Jesus is coming again, and it won’t be in a manger, or on a cross again—He’s coming in “the glory of his Father with the holy angels”!  Are you ready?  Don’t celebrate the manger without the cross.  Jesus came to save you and me, my friend.  Don’t miss the cross, it is our only eternal hope!

“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth,

will draw all men unto me.

33 This he said,

signifying what death he should die.”   John 12:32-33

He died for you and me—don’t miss it!

Amen and Amen!!!

Gap Standers Needed??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #144

16 Monday Oct 2023

Posted by in A Father's Love, Stand by ME!, Stand Fast!, Standing in the GAP!, Study to Show Yourself Approved Unto God, Sweet Words or Bitter Words?, Teachers, The Gospel, The greatest gift!!!, The Love of God, The Only Way, The Word Or The World?, There IS a Test!, This IS The Day, This is the Way, Time Is Grace!, Touch them while you can?, Trendy Or Truth, True Gospel, True Knowledge, Trust God, Trusting Jesus?, Truth, Truth is True, Turn to God's Word, Victory IN Jesus!, Walking With Jesus, What are you listening to?, What's coming out of YOUR mouth?, What's in your book?, Whose Sheep are You?, Witness, YOU Can do ALL things through Jesus

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Gap Standers Needed???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #144

God is faithful at every turn, and HIS WORD has never changed, nor will it!  We are living in a world full of those who claim the name of Jesus and lead people away from The Word of God; but we’re not the first and if Jesus tarries, we won’t be the last!  Ezekiel has a word from The Lord in this regard, and I’d like us to consider it today, for we have these same “lying prophets” in our culture today!

“And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

2 Son of man,

prophesy against the prophets of Israel

that prophesy,

and say thou unto them that prophesy

out of their own hearts,

Hear ye the word of the LORD;

3 Thus saith the Lord GOD;

Woe unto the foolish prophets,

that follow their own spirit,

and have seen nothing!

4 O Israel, thy prophets

are like the foxes in the deserts.

5 Ye have not gone up into the gaps,

neither made up the hedge

for the house of Israel to stand

in the battle in the day of the LORD.

6 They have seen vanity and lying divination,

saying, The LORD saith:

and the LORD hath not sent them:

and they have made others to hope

that they would confirm the word.”    Ezekiel 13:1-6

And Ezekiel received another similar message from God for this foolish and deceived people.  May we hear The Word of The Lord!

“The people of the land have used oppression,

and exercised robbery,

and have vexed the poor and needy:

yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.

30 And

I sought for a man among them,

that should make up the hedge,

and stand in the gap before me

 for the land,

that I should not destroy it:

 but I found none.

31 Therefore have I poured out mine indignation

upon them;

I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath:

their own way have I recompensed

upon their heads,

saith the Lord GOD.”  Ezekiel 22:29-31

Do you see the parallel to America?  I do!  Israel had listened to lying prophets, and rejected the true prophets of God, who warned them of God’s coming judgment through Babylon!  We have prophets (preachers & teachers) today who claim the name of Jesus, and yet preach a word that is not biblically sound.  But how do we know?  We MUST be IN it for ourselves, for it IS the standard of truth, right, God’s ways, times, and righteousness.  Paul told His precious son-in-the-ministry to cling to the truths of God’s Word!  What are we clinging to?  God’s Word or the foolish things of the world—the lies of the enemy (See John 8:44)?

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God,

a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,

rightly dividing the word of truth.

16 But shun profane and vain babblings:

for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”  2 Timothy 2:15-16

The main things which Paul points out here I’d like to simply repeat for our consideration, that we might examine our own lives in light of these principles:

We are to STUDY GOD’S WORD to know truth—

We are to seek GOD’S approval over man’s—

We are to Be A faithful WORKMAN, living without shame—

We are to “RIGHTLY DIVIDE” GOD’S WORD—                                           (not putting our own ‘spin’ on it but doing honest, diligent study, keeping the whole counsel of God in sight, with the immediate context and larger context always in mind.)

We are to shun that which is profane and senseless.                               (Jesus said, “Cast not your pearls before swine.”)

Paul went on in this letter to the young “Preacher Man” to call him to know that  THE WORD of GOD is what we are to study, not just for information’s sake, but for the increase of our faith, maturity, wisdom, grace, and righteous service to others before a lost and dying world.  We must remember that these instructions aren’t just for the preachers and teachers, but for every child of God; for we are saved to serve God and be full of good works and righteous living!

“All scripture

is given by inspiration of God,

and is profitable

for doctrine, (truth, information)

for reproof,   (showing what’s wrong)

for correction, (making the wrong right)

for instruction in righteousness: (prevention)

17 That the man of God

may be perfect, (mature)

throughly furnished (fully equipped)

unto all good works.”  2 Timothy 3:16-17

These ‘good works’ are to be an integral part of who we are “IN CHRIST JESUS”, for we have received life, peace, and new life through the power of The Holy Spirit who comes to dwell within each believer!  (See Romans 5:1-11+). God’s work of grace in us is to be a true and effective reflection of Jesus in all we are & all we do!  We must “be HIS” before we can “do HIS” work!

“For by grace

are ye saved

through faith;

and that not of yourselves:

 it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works,

lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship,

created in Christ Jesus

 unto good works,

which God hath before ordained

that we should walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:8-10.                 (I would encourage you to read all of this precious chapter.)

We must choose to live like it, if we are truly “his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” that Jesus may be seen IN us, for HE IS IN us!  What does my life and yours say to this lost and dying world around us?  Are we being faithful witnesses, by knowing what God has said; or will we waste our time with fruitless “profane and vain babblings” (and if you consider ‘profane’ and ‘babbling’ they are both synonyms of ‘fruitless’!).  May we be found faithful students of God’s Word so that we can truly reflect the “TRUTH” of God—who IS JESUS!  Let’s stand in that gap for our Lord, by HIS power and grace!!!

“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

Amen and Amen!!!