Tag Archives: it’s your choice but choose wisely there is a test.

Rehearsing Or Regretting??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #455

29 Friday May 2026

Posted by in 'Come unto me, Blessed by God, Bloom Where You're Planted!, Born Again, Bow Before our God, GET READY, Gifts of the Spirit., Give Us This Day, Giving and Sharing, Giving or Getting, Giving Or Taking?, Giving Thanks to God!, Saved FROM Sin, Seeing Truth, Self-sufficient or Dependent on Jesus?, Sharing Our Faith!, Sharing the blessings, Sharing What God Has Given, Shine as lights in the world, SMILE!!! Jesus loves YOU!!, Smiling is contagious, Someone is following you!, Sorrow

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Rehearsing Or Regretting?? A Word from THE WORD!!! #455

As I’ve been thinking about the truth that we have freedom to choose—not only in this country we live in, but more importantly before our God.  We can choose to be born again, or we can reject Jesus and His gift of salvation.  We can choose whether we will serve Him in faithfulness or serve ourselves, extending into so many areas of life.

Having lost my husband recently, I can look back knowing that we chose to live our lives with few regrets.  We served our Lord, and we faithfully served each other, and others whom we had the opportunity to serve when there was a need.  One of the things I loved about my husband was his heart to help others, and he was generous to a fault, it’s one of the things I learned to love and appreciate in him.  And I can truthfully say that we tried to live so as to have few regrets, and by God’s grace, direction and help we were, I think, rather successful at it.

In my grief and loss, my hope and intent is to follow Jesus in this same manner of life.  We don’t have to have unlimited resources, but we do need an unlimited heart of compassion and openness to whatever God directs us to be and do!  It’s so much better to rejoice in what we have shared with others—not just family but with any God brings across our path.  God’s Word says it better than I can.  And I pray that you will share your life with those around you (yourself not just your possessions), before it’s too late and they are gone.  We can never get back those missed opportunities—of our time shared, our resources used to honor God and help others, or our love to others, especially those who need to see Jesus in us (for remember people are watching whether you notice it or not!)!

Paul’s example sets the bar high!

“I have coveted no man’s

silver, or gold, or apparel.

34 Yea, ye yourselves know,

that these hands have ministered

unto my necessities,

and to them that were with me.

35 I have shewed you all things,

how that so labouring

ye ought to support the weak,

and to remember the words

of the Lord Jesus,

how he said,

It is more blessed to give

than to receive.”  Acts 20:33-35

We are to have a heart attitude of giving not just getting. Yes, we are to work to provide for our needs and to share what we have.  I’m reminded of one of my husband’s favorite sayings about what we’re not to be or do: “Get all you can, can what you get, and sit on the can!”  Food for thought.

“6 But godliness with contentment

is great gain.

7 For we brought nothing into this world,

and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

8 And having food and raiment

let us be therewith content.

9 But they that will be rich

fall into temptation and a snare,

and into many foolish and hurtful lusts,

which drown men

in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money

is the root of all evil:

which while some coveted after,

they have erred from the faith,

and pierced themselves through

with many sorrows.”  1 Timothy 6:6-10

It’s not money that is evil, but Paul reminds us that it is the “love of money” that is the pitfall of many.

Jesus put it this way to those around Him.

“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?” Mark 8:34-36

All of our choices matter, and when it comes to relationships, Jesus is the defining choice!  If we are following Jesus, we are called to keep our eyes fixed on HIM and when we take up our cross, that isn’t our daily trials or troubles—it means I die to self and live to and for Jesus, treating others, as Jesus said, as I’d like to be treated; and no one wants to be neglected or forgotten!  Remember that, so your tomorrows won’t be filled with regret for words not spoken, visits not made, or relationships not attended to.

“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.”  Galatians 2:20

And just a few scriptures that I hope you’ll find encouraging and helpful today!  Work on those relationship skills!

“Then he said unto them,

Go your way,

eat the fat,

and drink the sweet,

and send portions unto them

for whom nothing is prepared:

for this day is holy unto our Lord:

neither be ye sorry;

for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”Nehimiah 8:10-(reading this whole chapter will bless you!)

And a couple of passages with advice and encouragement from the Apostle Paul.

“But this I say,

He which soweth sparingly

shall reap also sparingly;

and he which soweth bountifully

shall reap also bountifully.

7 Every man according as he purposeth

in his heart,

so let him give;

not grudgingly,

or of necessity:

for God loveth a cheerful giver.

8 And God is able to make all grace abound

toward you;

that ye, always

having all sufficiency in all things,

may abound to every good work:” 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

“Let him that is taught in the word

communicate unto him that teacheth

in all good things.

7 Be not deceived;

God is not mocked:

for whatsoever a man soweth,

that shall he also reap.

8 For he that soweth to his flesh

shall of the flesh reap corruption;

but he that soweth to the Spirit

shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

9 And let us not be weary

in well doing:

for in due season we shall reap,

if we faint not.

10 As we have therefore opportunity,

let us do good unto all men,

especially unto them

who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:7-10

Let’s live each day rehearsing God’s Word and the grace that HE has bestowed upon us, rather than living only for self, leading to a boat load of regret one day.  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test. (And perhaps coming very soon!)

Amen and Amen!!!

Sin Kills! Not Necessarily?? A Word from THE WORD!!! #451

17 Sunday May 2026

Posted by in 'Come unto me, JESUS, Jesus is able, Jesus Is Coming!, Jesus IS Lord--bow before Him!, Jesus is our peace, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus IS Truth!!!, Jesus Knows YOUR Storm, SIN, Sin IS the issue, The Word

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Sin Kills! Not Necessarily?? A Word from THE WORD!!! #451

What will you do with your sin?  I want us to ponder what that means; for God’s Word is clear—it’s a choice we all will make, either to receive God’s gift of salvation at the cross in the blood of Jesus who is the substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for sin to all who will repenting of our own sin, and trust to His payment at Calvary—delivered at the resurrection—or not?

“But if ye will not do so,

behold, ye have sinned against the LORD:

and be sure

your sin will find you out.”  Numbers 32:23

This is the message that God gave to the two-and-a-half tribes on the other side of Jordan, by Moses, as they had promised to go with the other tribes until they had possession of their own lands. They were warned that if they didn’t keep their word, it was sin and “sin will find you out”!  God’s Word hasn’t changed, no matter what the world says.  As an old adage says, “Sin will take you farther, than you thought you’d go, it will keep you longer that you wanted to stay, and it will cost you more—way more—than you thought you’d pay!”  What are you doing with your sin?

“But now

the righteousness of God

without the law

is manifested,

being witnessed

by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God

which is by faith of Jesus Christ

unto all

and upon all them

that believe:

for there is no difference:

23 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 3:21-26

Sin IS the issue!  JESUS death, burial and resurrection is the payment for sin to all who “believeth in Jesus”!  Yes, sin is the issue, but Jesus has paid for your sin and mine, if we will but admit our sin problem, and come to God through Jesus’ blood and righteousness!  For when we come to Jesus, HE makes a change—He provides the “new birth” and gives us His Holy Spirit to dwell within, imparting to us HIS righteousness.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature:

old things are passed away;

behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God,

who hath reconciled us to himself

by Jesus Christ,

and hath given to us

the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ,

reconciling the world unto himself,

not imputing their trespasses

unto them;

and hath committed unto us

the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,

as though God did beseech you by us:

we pray you in Christ’s stead,

be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him

to be sin for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made

the righteousness of God

in him.”  2 Corinthians 5:17-21

When we are willing to repent of our sin, and come to Jesus, trusting in His sacrifice for our sin, we receive His righteousness in return—all worked by the power of The Holy Spirit.

“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

 And let me just say the choice is yours but choose wisely, and don’t put it off today when you don’t’ know how many tomorrows you’ll have; how many times the Holy Spirit will call you to that cross.  The peace of God is available if you will come; but let me add, just saying so doesn’t make it so!  When we are truly born again by God’s Spirit, grace and our faith in Jesus’ payment for “my” sin, there will be a change, even as Paul stated above; we become new creatures; born again isn’t just words!  Paul describes it clearly in writing to the believers at Rome; a lengthy passage but one we need to see; look for all we have in Jesus Christ when we are transformed by His blood and His grace!

“Therefore being justified by faith,

we have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access

by faith

into this grace

wherein we stand,

and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only so,

but we glory in tribulations also:

knowing that tribulation

worketh patience;

4 And patience,

experience;

and experience,

hope:

5 And hope

maketh not ashamed;

because the love of God

is shed abroad in our hearts

by the Holy Ghost

which is given unto us.

6 For when we were yet without strength,

in due time

Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die:

yet peradventure for a good man

some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us,

in that, while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.

9 Much more then,

being now justified by his blood,

we shall be saved from wrath through him.

10 For if,

when we were enemies,

we were reconciled to God

by the death of his Son,

much more, being reconciled,

we shall be saved by his life.

11 And not only so,

but we also joy in God

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

by whom

we have now received the atonement.”  Romans 5:1-11

And in closing, just so you’ll understand that the wrath of God is real—and the time is drawing near.  Are you ready for Jesus’ return for His own, it’s your choice, but choose wisely there is a test!

“And the devil that deceived them

was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone,

where the beast and the false prophet are

and shall be tormented day and night

for ever and ever.

11 And I saw a great white throne,

and him that sat on it,

from whose face

the earth and the heaven fled away;

and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead,

small and great,

stand before God;

and the books were opened:

and another book was opened,

which is the book of life:

and the dead were judged

out of those things

which were written in the books,

according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead

which were in it;

and death and hell delivered up the dead

which were in them:

and they were judged

every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell

were cast into the lake of fire.

This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written

in the book of life

was cast into the lake of fire.”   Revelation 20:10-15

The only way to be written in the book of life, is to have new life that only Jesus can give, when you are born again!  How about you?  What are you doing with your sin?  Paying for it yourself; or trusting it to Jesus?

“For the wages of sin is death;

but the gift of God is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Romans 6:23

Amen and Amen!!!

What’s In My Hand??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #449

11 Monday May 2026

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, Dare To Be Different!, God's Faithfulness, God's glory NOT mine!, God's got you and me!, God's grace is sufficient...always!, God's measure isn't ours, God's provision, God's ways are not our ways, God's Wisdom, Godliness will be opposed, Godly Instruction, Godly Wisdom, Rock-It Science, Running The Race!, Salvation

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What’s In My Hand???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #449

I’ve been reading about David this week, and I couldn’t help but think about myself; we all face giants, but what do we have in our hand?  We can be like David and pick up the tool that he was familiar with—a simple sling—or we can try to come up with elaborate defenses and devices to face our problems, or we can be like David, who refused the professional armor of the king and trusted to his God instead!

“And he took his staff in his hand,

and chose him five smooth stones

out of the brook,

and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had,

even in a scrip;

and his sling was in his hand:

and he drew near to the Philistine.

41 And the Philistine came on

and drew near unto David;

and the man that bare the shield

went before him.

42 And when the Philistine looked about,

and saw David,

he disdained him:

for he was but a youth, and ruddy,

and of a fair countenance.

43 And the Philistine said unto David,

Am I a dog,

that thou comest to me with staves?

And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

44 And the Philistine said to David,

Come to me,

and I will give thy flesh

unto the fowls of the air,

and to the beasts of the field.

45 Then said David to the Philistine,

Thou comest to me

with a sword,

and with a spear,

and with a shield:

but I come to thee

in the name of the LORD of hosts,

 the God of the armies of Israel,

whom thou hast defied.

46 This day will the LORD deliver thee

into mine hand;

and I will smite thee,

and take thine head from thee;

and I will give the carcases

of the host of the Philistines this day

unto the fowls of the air,

and to the wild beasts

of the earth;

that all the earth may know

that there is a God in Israel.

47 And all this assembly shall know

that the LORD saveth

not with sword and spear:

for the battle is the LORD’S,

and he will give you into our hands.”  1 Samuel 17:40-47

Oh that we could learn to remember that “the battle is the LORD’S”; that our Father is The totally sovereign Lord God Almighty and His Son Jesus Christ who paid the debt for our sin and is working all things to the good of those who are His own, who are the blood bought, born again children of God.

“…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”.Portions of Romans 8:28-29

Will we be like David and leave the victory to The Lord!  It’s so hard sometimes to trust God in the dark, to let God conform us into “the image of his Son” by whatever means HE sees fit.  David went in faith; he used the weapon that God had taught him to use and had blessed in the past.  He didn’t trust to his own wisdom, but in the value and power “in the name of the LORD of hosts”!  He didn’t trust in the king’s armor, but in his Lord God of hosts!  What are you trying to use in your own defense—intelligence, power, position, consorts, or even using the “name of the LORD of hosts” without knowing HIM!  We must have a close and intimate relationship with God, and that only comes with the new birth, and the indwelling Holy Spirit, who is imparted by Jesus to everyone who comes to Him in repentance and faith in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for our personal sin!  Just claiming His name isn’t enough, we must belong to Him by being born again (See John 3:6-19)!  What stones do you have in your hand?  Rocks of offense, or stones of trust in the Savior to guide your/our every step? Jesus makes it clear that it’s our choice, but choose wisely, there is a test!  Will you accept His invitation or reject the only hope of salvation and heaven!

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,

thou that killest the prophets,

and stonest them which are sent unto thee,

how often would I have gathered

thy children together,

even as a hen gathereth her chickens

under her wings,

and ye would not!

38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” Matthew 23:37-38

And His invitation is still open—but it won’t always be!

“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.

21 To him that overcometh

will I grant to sit with me in my throne,

even as I also overcame,

and am set down with my Father

in his throne.

22 He that hath an ear,

let him hear what the Spirit saith…” Revelation 3:20-22

What’s in your hand?  Self?  Ambition? Greed? Popularity? Or the Gospel, for yourself and as you are born again, to share with the world God places before you?  What’s your Goliath?  Will you give it all to Jesus or go your own way?  I pray that you will join me and Job, in proclaiming our total dependence on God, even when we don’t understand—still will I trust HIM even in the pain, sorrow and uncertainty!

“Though he slay me,

yet will I trust in him:

but I will maintain mine own ways

before him.

16 He also shall be my salvation:

for an hypocrite

shall not come before him.” Job 13:15-16

And in closing Jesus’ own words; you decide!

“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

And one final word from Job—Is Jesus our rock? Our sustenance? My necessary food –the Words of life?

“Neither have I gone back

from the commandment of his lips;

I have esteemed the words of his mouth

more than my necessary food.”  Job 23:12

Amen and Amen!!!

Resolutions Or Resolve??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #427

28 Sunday Dec 2025

Posted by in 'Come unto me, 'Tis The Season?, A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, Choices And Consequences, Choose Wisely, Choose You This Day!, Choose you this day?, Choosing Jesus or The World?, Christ IN YOU, Commitment Or Convenience, Just Jesus!, Just Talking?, Just words won't do?, Justified by Jesus, King Jesus, Know Whom I Believe, Knowing GOD, Knowing God's Word, Knowing Truth, Revival or Recycle?, Righteousness exalts a nation

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Resolutions or Resolve???   A Word from THE WORD!!! #427

Resolution: a formal expression of opinion or intention made…

Resolve:  a decision or determination….to make a firm resolution to do something…

“But Daniel purposed in his heart

that he would not defile himself

with the portion of the king’s meat,

nor with the wine which he drank:

therefore he requested

of the prince of the eunuchs

that he might not defile himself.”  Daniel 1:8

As we think about the new year coming in, we are often prone to make “New Year’s Resolutions”; they run the gambit from being healthier, exercising more, eating out less, eating out more, spending our money more wisely, or even deciding to pursue a new job or career, spending more time with our family, etc.!  The thing is that our resolutions often lack real resolve—we just thought about it, we didn’t resolve, firmly resolve.

You can surmise from the verse above that Daniel is one of my favorite Bible examples of resolve!  Here this young-to-middle teen who has been carried off to Babylon from his home in Jerusalem, he has been taken into captivity as a trainee in King Nebuchadnezzar’s court, yet this young man (along with his three friends) “purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself”!

Daniel knew that he would be expected to do things that would violate his conscience, and his commitment to faithfully follow and obey his God!  I wish we had time to dig into all of this book, but I want us to focus on this one decision.  Daniel decided to depend upon the God whom he loved and served faithfully.  But as we look into the context, we find a young man who had also committed himself to do the right thing the right way!

How are we doing things?  What are we devoted to?  What have we purposed to do or not do?  We live in a world going crazy; a world that calls wrong right, and right is called wrong.  Isaiah gives us God’s standard.

“Woe unto them

that call evil good,

and good evil;

that put darkness for light,

and light for darkness;

that put bitter for sweet,

and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe unto them that are wise

in their own eyes,

and prudent

in their own sight!”  Isaiah 5:20-21

Joshua also made a decision and called his nation to make a decision to choose whom/what to serve.  And yes, you have the right to choose; but choose wisely there is a test coming!

“Now therefore fear the LORD,

and serve him in sincerity and in truth:

and put away the gods

which your fathers served

on the other side of the flood,

and in Egypt;

and serve ye the LORD.

15 And if it seem evil unto you

to serve the LORD,

choose you this day whom ye will serve;

whether the gods which your fathers served

that were on the other side of the flood,

or the gods of the Amorites,

in whose land ye dwell:

but as for me and my house,

we will serve the LORD.”  Joshua 24:14-15

The Apostle Peter warns of those who will reject who God is and what He has said.  We must be Daniels and determine what we are going to stand for—The Word of God and The God of The Word—or the World and its lies.  And let me remind us all that the only way we can know the difference is to know God’s Word, and being born again, know the author!  If you have been born again, get into The Word. If you haven’t been born again, you can be today!  Come to the cross!  Come to Jesus in repentance and faith in His substitutionary atoning sacrifice for sin.

“This second epistle, beloved,

I now write unto you;

in both which I stir up your pure minds

by way of remembrance:

2 That ye may be mindful of the words

which were spoken before

by the holy prophets,

and of the commandment

of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

3 Knowing this first,

that there shall come in the last days scoffers,

walking after their own lusts,

4 And saying,

Where is the promise of his coming?

for since the fathers fell asleep,

all things continue as they were

from the beginning of the creation.” 2 Peter 3:1-4

And in closing, Paul reminds us that God never lies, and Satan is the greatest liar of all times (See John 8:44+)!!  May we approach this new year with a commitment to be all that God has called you to be; being resolved to not defile ourselves, trusting all to God’s care, His purposes and His ways—which you can learn all about in HIS WORD!!

“Paul, a servant of God,

and an apostle of Jesus Christ,

according to the faith of God’s elect,

and the acknowledging of the truth

which is after godliness;

2 In hope of eternal life,

which God,

that cannot lie,

promised before the world began;

3 But hath in due times

manifested his word through preaching,

which is committed unto me

according to the commandment of God

our Saviour;” Titus 1:1-3

I pray God’s greatest blessings of wisdom, grace, peace and joy on you in the coming 2026!  Dig into HIS WORD!!!

Amen and Amen!!!

Rest Or Wrest??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #391

26 Friday Sep 2025

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Form of godliness?, A Witness--Good or Bad???, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Choose Wisely, Choose you this day?, Choosing Jesus or The World?, Fixing Our Eyes On Jesus, Follow Jesus, Following Jesus, Following Jesus or the World?, For Such A Time As This, God's Righteousness Not mine, God's ways are not our ways, God's Wisdom, Godliness will be opposed, Resting In Jesus, Resting Or Wrestling?, Revival or Recycle?, Revive us O God!, The Word, Trusting Jesus?, Truth is True, Tuned In To Jesus, Turn to God's Word, Where are you leading those following you?, Whose Side Are You On?, Wisdom

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Rest Or Wrest??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #391

Just a few thoughts today that I pray will challenge us to consider our ways!  Will we rest in The Lord Jesus or keep trying to wrest things out of His hands and do it “my way”?  Jesus again and again called the people around Him to come; but He also made it clear that only those who heard the voice of His Father would truly come!  Let’s consider a few things that He shared and see where we land.

“At that time Jesus answered and said,

I thank thee, O Father,

Lord of heaven and earth,

because thou hast hid these things

from the wise and prudent,

and hast revealed them

unto babes.

26 Even so, Father:

for so it seemed good in thy sight.

27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father:

and no man knoweth the Son,

but the Father;

neither knoweth any man the Father,

save the Son,

and he to whomsoever the Son

will reveal him.

28 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 11:2530                   (See 1 Corinthians 1)

Jesus called us unto Himself, those who didn’t “know it all”!  Those who “knew it all” were ever standing against Him.  The same is happening today—as it has since the beginning; we can go all the way back to Genesis chapter 3!  Adam and Eve thought what Satan said made more sense than obeying God!  Cain thought if he got rid of Abel, he would be better off, for Abel obeyed and Cain did it his own way (which is never acceptable to God!) Jacob took some 20+ years to find out that God’s way is always right and best!  How about you and me?  Are we taking on the yoke that Jesus calls us to or doing it on our own—for surely ‘my ways’ are more efficient, more productive, more beneficial, more lucrative, more fun…you fill in the blank…than God’s ways!

We find that even in His own ministry, Jesus watched people come and go, even those of His closest circle.  Don’t expect any less, Jesus told us it would be so.  I implore you to consider all that you hear and see and compare it to God’s Word not simply what you see and/or hear.  And let me preface what we’re going to look at by simply reminding you that “speaking the truth in love” is not hateful; if I show you biblically that something is wrong, I am trying to save you from heartache, pain or even hell!

“These things I command you,

that ye love one another.

18 If the world hate you,

ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world,

the world would love his own:

but because ye are not of the world,

but I have chosen you out of the world,

therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you,

The servant is not greater than his lord.

If they have persecuted me,

they will also persecute you;

if they have kept my saying,

they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things will they do unto you

for my name’s sake,

because they know not him that sent me.

22 If I had not come and spoken unto them,

they had not had sin:

but now they have no cloke for their sin.

23 He that hateth me

hateth my Father also.”  John 15:18-23

And backing up a bit in the timeline of Jesus ministry, there came a time when He began to teach harder and harder things for the people to comprehend, let’s see what some of the response was to our Lord Himself.

“Many therefore of his disciples,

when they had heard this, said,

This is an hard saying;

who can hear it?

61 When Jesus knew in himself

that his disciples murmured at it,

he said unto them,

Doth this offend you?

62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man

ascend up where he was before?

63 It is the spirit that quickeneth;

the flesh profiteth nothing:

the words that I speak unto you,

they are spirit,

and they are life.

64 But there are some of you that believe not.

For Jesus knew from the beginning

who they were that believed not,

and who should betray him.

65 And he said,

Therefore said I unto you,

that no man can come unto me,

except it were given unto him of my Father.

66 From that time

many of his disciples went back,

and walked no more with him.”  John 6:60-66

So, as simply as I know how, I want to ask each of us to consider our ways.  Are we going to wrest things out of God’s hands again and again; or are we willing to “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me”?  Do we want to “find rest unto your souls”? Or will we continue to wrest things out of God’s hands and take the wheel for ourselves?  I’ll simply close with Jesus’ own declaration!

“Jesus answered them,

I told you,

 and ye believed not:

the works that I do in my Father’s name,

they bear witness of me.

26 But ye believe not,

because ye are not of my sheep,

as I said unto you.

27 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.

31 Then the Jews took up stones again

to stone him.”   John 10:25-31

Are your hands folded in prayer or about to throw rocks?  It’s your choice but choose wisely there is a test.

Amen and Amen!!!