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Where Do You See God??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #187

18 Sunday Feb 2024

Posted by Blanche in 'Come unto me, A heart of faith, Beauty of God's Creation, Creation, Creator, Creator of ALL, Cross, God Knows, God Knows His Own, God Still Reigns, God Who Sees, God's Glory, God's glory NOT mine!, God's got you and me!

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All things created by HIM!, Doing God's Work, Doing it God's way, Ephesians 2:8-10, Genesis 1:1-3, God is Creator!, God's beautiful creation, Isaiah 42:5, Isaiah 45:18, Jesus Creator., John 1:1-4, Praising God in creation., Seeing God in creation., Where do you see God?

Where Do You See God??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #187

I have a rather brief post this evening—well, maybe it will be short—depending on where it goes.  I just want to remind us all, especially those of us who claim to belong to Jesus Christ The Lord; we ought to see our God in all the times, places, events and especially the beauty of God’s creation in people and nature, even our trials and troubles—our God is at work (Check out Romans 8:28-39)!

“In the beginning

God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void;

and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

And the Spirit of God moved

upon the face of the waters.

3 And God said, Let there be…”.   Genesis 1:1-3a

Notice it doesn’t say that God ‘made’, but rather God said, “Let there be….”; yet there were parts of the creation that God did record as “make”, but the creation came into existence because God “spoke”!  Yet, we have allowed the world to rob us of the confidence to know that our God IS the creator, as well as The Son Jesus Christ!  When we recognize the indescribable beauty that God gave us to enjoy it encourages my soul and reminds me of the great creative mastery of our God; not even accounting for the individuality that He put into each of us.

Remember how amazed you were when your child was small as you saw that little one grow each day (and for most of us, way faster than we wish they had, but that too is part of God’s plan) and transform into amazing adults.  So, the greatest gift of God’s amazing design was that HE sent Jesus, HIS only begotten Son, to be born of a woman, walk this sinful old world without sin (See Hebrews 4:15 & 9:28), and be crucified, buried, and risen again for our salvation (for the Gospel in a nutshell see 1 Corinthians 15:1-5) —how can we not praise and see HIM in everything that HE has created around us.  Don’t miss the absolutely intentional way that the Apostle John began his Gospel.

“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…

…9 That was the true Light,

which lighteth every man

that cometh into the world.

10 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.

14 And the Word

was made flesh,

and dwelt among us,

(and we beheld his glory,

the glory as of the only begotten

of the Father,)

full of grace and truth.”   Portions of John 1:1-14

Here we find Jesus as “The Word”’; let’s look at what we find out about Him in this simple passage, may you consider these truths and thank God for them, I do!!!

He was/is/and ever shall be:

              In the beginning—

              With God—

              Was God—

              In the beginning with God—

         ***All things were made by HIM—(Jesus is the “said”)***

              Without HIM was nothing made—

              In HIM was (/is/ever shall be) life—

              He, the life, was (is/ever shall be) the light of men—

              HE shines in the darkness—

              (but the darkness comprehended “it” not, still doesn’t)

              He is the true light…for all who will see—

              He came into this world—

                      Which He created—

                      His creation didn’t want to receive Him—

              He gives power to all who will receive HIM—

                      To become sons of God—

                      Births them–***

                             Not by blood—

                             Not by the will of the flesh—

                             Not by the will of man—

                             (except by The God/Man Jesus)

                             But BY GOD—

He became flesh and dwelt among us—sinful mankind—

He revealed God’s glory as The Only Begotten of God—

He was/is/ever shall be full of grace and truth—

“Thus saith God the LORD,

he that created the heavens,

and stretched them out;

he that spread forth the earth,

and that which cometh out of it;

he that giveth breath unto the people

upon it,

and spirit to them

that walk therein:” Isaiah 42:5

“For thus saith the LORD

that created the heavens;

God himself

that formed the earth and made it;

he hath established it,

he created it not in vain,

he formed it to be inhabited:

I am the LORD;

and there is none else.”  Isaiah 45:18

God created all this beauty and made us stewards of it, to be sustained by it, and to bring glory to God in our stewardship and service to God, no matter our “occupation”.

I love God’s creation—the mountains, the oceans, the beaches, the trees, the clouds, the smiles, and laughter of children (of anyone really, but there’s nothing much more precious than a child’s pure laughter), the hands of a grandma or grandpa, a roaring fire, and snow!  I’ve gotten old enough, that I don’t look around much when I’m driving to avoid some of those lovely trees, and in Oklahoma, we don’t have any to spare, but I so love sunrises and sunsets, especially with a cup of tea.  May you spend some time today and each day thanking God for the beauty that He has made for us.  And of course, the most beautiful thing on this earth—the beauty of the cross on which Jesus died to save you and me.  I pray that you know Him, and if you don’t, you can; if His Spirit is speaking to your heart and revealing your sin to you, just call on HIM in repentance for your sin, and faith/believing in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for you.  And if you already know Him, then let us all go serve the beautiful Lord Jesus with all we’ve got!  By His grace and to His glory—Paul says it’s what we’re created for!

“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

Amen and Amen!!!

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What’cha Doing With Your Cup??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 19 No. 16

19 Monday Sep 2022

Posted by Blanche in Abiding In Jesus, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Cups of cold water!, Follow Jesus, Following Jesus, For Such A Time As This

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1 Corinthians 12:1-12, 1 Corinthians 3:10-16, Being God's servant, Being willing to go, Doing God's Work, Following Jesus, John 15:1-5, Just a cup of cold water, Matthew 10:40-42, Matthew 9:35-38, Praying the Lord of the harvest....., Romans 11:34-36, Spiritual Gifts, What'cha got in your cup?

Bible Ballistics: Vol. 19 No. 16   What’cha Doing With Your Cup???

Just a reminder this morning that God knows where you are and where I am, with all of our circumstances, pains, weakness, sorrow, or confusion, and HE speaks to us; will we but hear and heed what HE has to say!  We are called to follow HIM and leave the results and/or credit to JESUS!

“He that receiveth you

receiveth me,

and he that receiveth me

receiveth him that sent me.

41 He that receiveth a prophet

in the name of a prophet

shall receive a prophet’s reward;

and he that receiveth a righteous man

in the name of a righteous man

shall receive a righteous man’s reward.

42 And whosoever shall give to drink

unto one of these little ones

a cup of cold water

only in the name of a disciple,

verily I say unto you,

 he shall in no wise lose his reward.”  Matthew 10:40-42

One of the things that Jesus is telling us here is that none of us minister alone, and sometimes we’re called to be the “water boy” to assist the “prophet” on their way!  So, according to Jesus, if we are the “prophet” or the “water boy”, we each have our reward for service to HIM!  If we take up our cross and follow Jesus, the work and the rewards are according to HIS call and our willingness to serve, regardless of the task!

What are we doing for Jesus?  What has HE called you to be and do?  For the “being” must precede the doing, for if I have not yet become a child of God by being born again, the “doing” is our own, and not HIS work.  And as we have looked at recently, Jesus makes it clear in John 15, that we must abide in “the vine” to produce worthwhile fruit.

“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

What is your source; that upon which you depend for life, hope, strength, and direction?  If it’s not Jesus, then our work is of no real value.  Paul describes it in the most concise and picturesque way, let’s peruse its truth.

“According to the grace of God

which is given unto me,

as a wise masterbuilder,

I have laid the foundation,

and another buildeth thereon.

But let every man take heed

how he buildeth thereupon.

11 For other foundation

can no man lay

than that is laid,

which is Jesus Christ.

12 Now if any man build upon this foundation

gold,

silver,

precious stones,

wood,

hay,

stubble;

13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest:

for the day shall declare it,

because it shall be revealed

by fire;

and the fire shall try every man’s work

of what sort it is.

14 If any man’s work abide

which he hath built thereupon,

he shall receive a reward.

15 If any man’s work

shall be burned,

he shall suffer loss:

but he himself shall be saved;

yet so as by fire.

16 Know ye not

that ye are the temple of God,

and that the Spirit of God

dwelleth in you?”  1 Corinthians 3:10-16

Just as Jesus told His disciples, and us, in John 15, “for without me ye can do nothing”!  Do we really understand what this means?  Jesus makes it clear that He has called us to “do HIS work” not our own.  We can build with the wood, hay, and stubble, but when put to the fire test, it will burn for it is only that which is of “this world”, in contrast to the mined treasures that God created in the belly of the earth, and they must be mined by our earnest labor in the “field” of God; pursuing the things of God not the things that impress men!  The harvest is God’s, and we must labor in HIS Spirit, and HIS power not our own.

“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages,

teaching in their synagogues,

and preaching the gospel of the kingdom,

and healing every sickness and every disease

among the people.

36 But when he saw the multitudes,

he was moved with compassion on them,

because they fainted,

and were scattered abroad,

as sheep having no shepherd.

37 Then saith he unto his disciples,

The harvest truly is plenteous,

but the labourers are few;

38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest,

 that he will send forth labourers

into his harvest.”  Matthew 9:35-38

I find it curious that in this conversation with His disciples, Jesus didn’t say “GO”, but HE said “PRAY” that God, “the Lord of the harvest” would “send forth labourers into his harvest”!  The harvest is God’s, and we are to pray that HE will send forth at HIS will, direction, calling and equipping!  And my friend, if you decide that YOU want to go “harvest”, you better be sure that it is God’s call and not your own—for HE IS LORD of the harvest, the work, the calling, and the sending; and if you are moved to do a work, you better be praying that God will send forth the right workers for the right job.  And that may or may not be YOU.

GOD may be calling you to support the work of those who are sent.  We aren’t to run ahead of God but take the cup of water that HE puts in our hand and supply whatever need Jesus places in front of us—with or without the recognition of the world.  God doesn’t call the equipped—he equips the called!

“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren,

I would not have you ignorant.

2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles,

carried away unto these dumb idols,

even as ye were led.

3 Wherefore I give you to understand,

that no man speaking by the Spirit of God

calleth Jesus accursed:

and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord,

but by the Holy Ghost.

4 Now there are diversities of gifts,

but the same Spirit.

5 And there are differences of administrations,

but the same Lord.

6 And there are diversities of operations,

but it is the same God

which worketh all in all.

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit

is given to every man

to profit withal.

8 For to one is given

by the Spirit the word of wisdom;

to another

the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

9 To another faith

by the same Spirit;

to another the gifts of healing

by the same Spirit;

10 To another the working of miracles;

to another prophecy;

to another discerning of spirits;

to another divers kinds of tongues;

to another the interpretation of tongues:

11 But all these worketh

that one and the selfsame Spirit,

dividing to every man severally as he will.

12 For as the body is one,

and hath many members,

and all the members of that one body,

being many,

are one body:

so also is Christ.”  1 Corinthians 12:1-12

While this is a lengthy passage, the main thing I wanted us to see is that the gifts are given by the “Holy Spirit” at His will—HIS choosing—the choice of God The Holy Spirit to accomplish HIS work within and through the body of Christ, the church; one body doing a corporate, yet individual, work of their LORD JESUS!  It’s not about ‘me’ or ‘you’—it’s about JESUS, our Lord!  What are we doing with the ‘cup of water’ that Jesus has given each of us.  Are we so busy doing our thing, that we have missed the “call of God” upon our life?  May we do as God told the nation of Israel in the book of Haggai, when they had returned to Jerusalem, “consider your ways”.  Maybe we’ll look at that little book soon.

May God speak to our hearts today and open our eyes to see HIS call.  May we truly “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers“! May we use our cup wisely and obediently for God’s glory not our own!

“For who hath known the mind of the Lord?

or who hath been his counsellor?

35 Or who hath first given to him,

and it shall be recompensed unto him again?

36 For of him,

and through him,

and to him,

are all things: to whom be glory

 for ever. Amen.”  Romans 11:34-36

Amen and Amen!!!

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