TODAY'S PROMISE.

 

"The LORD says, 'I will rescue

those who love me.

I will protect those who trust

in my name.

When they call on me, I will

answer;

I will be with them in trouble.

I will rescue and honor them.

I will reward them with a long

life

and give them my salvation." 

(Psalms 91:14 - 16 NLT)

THE SORROW OF RICHES

ANOTHER RICH MAN "BITS THE DUST".

Like so many rich people - I have never heard of him.

But you may have read that John McAfee died apparently

of suicide on June 23rd.

My understanding is that John, a British - American 

tycoon who made millions as a computer programmer

squandered millions on mansions all over the world.

Apparently in the process he got into legal trouble,

 died broke in a Spanish prison awaiting extradition

to the U.S.

Like so many of them, he went from the top of the

pile to the pits of hell.

Let me tell you of another one.  This particular story

that Jesus tells is another one that went from fame to

failure.  [Incidentally this one is the only president I

know of in the Scriptures for retirement.]

Jesus tells us that a wealthy farmer had such large

crops that his barns would not hold all the produce.

So, he decided to tear the old barns down and build

larger ones.  THEN RETIRE.

"But God said to him, 'You fool!

You will die this very night.  Then

who will get everything you worked

for?

Yes, a person is a fool to store

up earthly wealth but not have a 

rich relationship with God."  

(Luke 12:20,21 NLT)

Chase the dollar if you want.

But most likely it will cost you everything 

you ultimately get INCLUDING YOUR

VERY SOUL with an eternity in the Devil's

hell.

I choose to chase after a close relationship

with Jesus Christ the creator of all and 

ultimate owner of all.

 

TODAY'S QUOTE

 

“Never in history has there been a

society with so much information

about God, but so little knowledge

of the Holy One.”

- K.P. Yohannan

in the Road to Reality

WHERE DID THE POWER GO?

WHERE DID THE POWER GO?

The church of today when compared to the church

of the New Testament is about as useful as an old 

fashion push mower being used to mow a hay field.

Some one said;

"The early church had no building,

no money, and no political influence ...

Yet, they turned the world upside down."

My personal conviction is, they were filled with the

Holy Spirit of God.  They were directed and powered

by the Holy Spirit while we are working in the "flesh",

or our own power.

Do not expect a total answer from me on the subject.

But there is one area that God has been dealing with me

about that could be a partial answer.  And when I tell 

you, your answer will be; "I know that."  In fact any

one who has been a true born again Christian for more

than one day knows it.  But have we truly been using

this truth fully in faith - or just giving it lip service.

Jesus said;

"I tell you the truth, anyone who

believes in me will do the same 

works I have done, and even greater

works, because I am going to be 

with the Father.  You can ask for 

anything in my name, and I will do

it, so that the Son can bring glory to

the Father.  Yes, ask me for any -

thing in my name, and I will do it!"

(John 14:12 - 14 NLT)

[Consider also John 15:16 and

16:23, 24, 26.]

THE POWER IS THE NAME OF JESUS.

Read carefully John chapters 14, 15 and 16.

You will see that it not only applied to the 

"Apostles", but us as well.  Then go into the

first few chapters of Acts and you will see the

Apostles doing this very thing.

But, but, but.  This is not a magic wand that 

we can wave in the air and get what we want.

Consider;

"And even when you ask, you don't

get it because your motives are all

wrong - you want only what will give

you pleasure."

(James 4:3 NLT)

"And we are confident that he hears

us whenever we ask for anything that

pleases him.  And since we know he hears

us when we make our requests, we also

know that he will give us what we ask 

for."

(James 5:14, 15 NLT)

Am I asking for HIM, or me.

Lets ask what he wants us to and then

go out and turn the world upside down

FOR JESUS.

 

TODAY'S PROMISE

"God blesses those who patiently

endure testing and temptation.  

Afterward they will receive the 

crown of life that God has promised 

to those who love him."

(James 1:12 NLT)

 

ATHEIST

My understanding is that an atheist does

not believe in God because;

the atheist cannot see God,

the atheist cannot touch or feel God,

the atheist cannot hear God,

the atheist cannot smell God,

or the atheist cannot taste God. 

So, therefore God does not exist.

But an atheist cannot;

see a radio wave,

feel a radio wave,

                                 hear a radio wave, [Without a receiver]

smell a radio wave,

taste a radio wave.

So, radio waves do not exist either.

 

Whether it be a radio, cell phone or a T.V. set.

IT HAS TO BE TURNED ON

or there will be no reception.

A human being is a receiver - when turned on.

And God is very receptive to a turned on person.

TODAY'S QUOTE

 

TIME TO REBOOT

Yesterday I came to my computer to get online.

But my computer refused to.  Over the years we

have used about three internet service companies.

All of them have at times had their problems and

we could not get on line.  So usually if we wait

long enough they cure their "technical difficulties"

and we can resume online.

 However after a number of waits and hours I still

could not get on line.  So I went into my office and 

tried another computer.  Yep!  It worked just fine.

O boy!  It's my computer.   Now what?

I did the same thing you do.  I first tried to reboot.

And, praise God, you can see that I am back on line

without going to the computer shop.

We all know that a computer gets filled up with a 

lot of "junk" simply by being connected to the rest

of the world.  And if you live in this old world, you

and I both get filled up with a lot of junk from life.

How do we "reboot" and clear it out?

Just like Jesus did.

Jesus had thousands of people crowding around

him.  All of them had problems and wanted him

to "fix" their problems for them.  They often 

crowed him so much that he could not even eat.

So, how did Jesus reboot?

"But Jesus often withdrew to the 

wilderness for prayer."

(Luke 5:16 NLT)

"After sending them home, he went up

into the hills by himself to pray.  Night

fell while he was there alone." 

(Matthew 14:23 NLT). 

"Before daybreak the next morning,

Jesus got up and went out to an isolated

place to pray."  

(Mark 1:35 NLT)

If Jesus himself needed to get alone and pray

to God the Father.  How much more do you 

think that we needed to getaway from it all

and spend time in prayer with God.

 

 

TODAY'S PROMISE

"When I saw him, I fell at his feet

as if I were dead.  But he laid his right

hand on me and said,  'Don't be

afraid! I am the First and the Last.  I

am the living one.  I died, but look - I

am alive forever and ever!  And I hold

the keys of death and the grave."

(Revelation 1:17,18 NLT)

 

WHAT IS CONTROLLING YOUR LIFE?

I was at my daughter's house knowing that I

had three great grand kids there.  They are 

cousins from three different families.

Now when you have three boys ages six to nine

playing together you expect some noise.  Lots 

of noise.  And you know that when there is no 

noise you better go looking because they are 

probably in some trouble.  So, grandpa went 

looking for the boys.

That's where I found them.  Playing with their 

electronics.

I have a FaceBook account.  I know, FaceBook

is stupid.  But I have a motive.  However I have

noticed something of interest to me.  Many of my

FaceBook "friends" live in some extremely poor 

areas of the world.  If you look in the background

of their picture, you can see they are "dirt poor".

But they have a cell phone.

My point is, electronics seems to be taking over our

culture.  That is not necessarily bad.  

BUT WHAT IS IT TEACHING US?  

Most of what I see posted on social media,

TV or other means is "Godless" in nature

and lot of it is pure vile.

That kind of thing will destroy our relationship

with God.  This world and everything in it will

soon pass away.  But our soul [Our Real self]

is going to last forever - somewhere.

It is time to shut something off and grab the book

of life, the Bible.  Or, pull up the Bible on an App.

on your phone.

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of

this world, but let God transform you

into a new person by changing the way

you think.  Then you will learn to know

God's will for you, which is good and 

pleasing and perfect."  

(Romans 12:2 NLT)

 

TODAY'S QUOTE

THE DIFFERENCE

Can you imagine if you had invented a medicine

that actually worked.  It healed people, once and

for all as they say.

Then you would begin to sell it to people and people

would begin to get healed without going to a doctor.

You and I know that you would be in BIG trouble.  In

this country the FDA and the DEA would both have

you in trouble.

That is about the situation that Peter and John were

in.  They had healed a man crippled from birth by 

the mighty power of God.  Of course they did not

have the permission the the authorities.The powers 

that be did not like it.  Peter and John were taken 

in before the highest authorities in the land and in 

trouble.

Then we read;

"The members of the council were amazed

when they saw the boldness of Peter and 

John, for they could see that they were 

ordinary men with no special training in

the Scriptures.  They also recognized them

as men who had been with Jesus."

(Acts 413 NLT)

I just love this.  Here are two fishermen that are

standing before the Supreme Court of their land

in trouble for performing a miracle.  But the 

high powered smarties they were standing before

could not have done it if they wanted.

What was the difference?

Peter and John had been with Jesus the very 

creator of earth and sustainer of life it's self.

And these smarties only had an education and

some authority handed to them.

I cannot quote it exactly but I have read several

times that Martin Luther said something like this:

"I have so much work to do today that if I do not

spend at least three hours in prayer I will never 

get it done."

Martin Luther knew the answer.  Spend time with

Jesus.  Numbers of times when becoming completely 

baffled God would give me the answer after spending

time in prayer.

Go on and try to do it on your own if you want,

But for me, I want to spend more time with Jesus

first.

 

TODAY'S PROMISE

 

"And then he told them, 'Go into all the 

world and preach the Good News to 

everyone.  Anyone who believes and is 

baptized will be saved.  But anyone who 

refuses to believe will be condemned."

(Mark 16:15,16 NLT)

PRAISE GOD.

 

PRAISE GOD.

The last few days I have been doing some volunteer

work on a lawn mower.  And no, the image above is

not it.  I just liked the picture.  The one I was working

on was one of the newer zero turn mowers.

I think it and some other equipment was donated to the

camp and needed "fixing" before they could be used.

Anyway the mower had a flat tire, would not start and

needed the blades sharpened as a starter.

I found a way to bypass the switch and get the mower

running.  After running it about four times I went ahead

with the repairs.

After making the repairs I could not keep the engine 

running.  Now I am not smart, educated or any of those

things.  But, I have been working with all kinds of engines

for at least seventy five years.  Have been a professional

auto technician for over a quarter of a century and have a

feel for why an engine does not run.  This one was running

out of gas.  It would start easy and then run out of gas.

I took the carb off.  Went through it.  Checked the fuel pump

out - it was O.K.  I know, I had never worked on this brand 

mower before and was not acquainted with it.  But after

working an hour or more trying to keep it running I just

gave up for the day, very discouraged.

God through the Apostle James told us;

"If you need wisdom, ask our generous

God, and he will give it to you.  He will

not rebuke you for asking."

(James 1:5 NLT)

So, I began to ask God for help.  I was 

tired, discouraged and at a complete loss,

but praying.

That night while taking my bath God begin

to reveal a different train of thought to my 

punny little brain.  Look at the electrical system

instead of the fuel system.

That was it.  A very simple fix.  I had miss 

wired a wire which blew the fuse and that

shut the fuel solenoid off.

PRAISE GOD for straightening out my thinking

on the problem.

TODAY'S QUOTE

“Many times a dead creed imprisons a man.

You have been taught not to believe this and

not to believe that.

Your Christ has been lost in a maze of 

theological theories.

Abandon yourself to the Lordship of the Word;

act on it, and God will become real to you.”

- E.W. Kenyon

 

LOOKING FOR HIS COMING

 

I just saw a video of a small adopted girl,

possibly about three years old,  She was

standing on the front porch waiting for her

adopted father to return home.

When she saw him coming she began to jump

up and down acting excited just like a small

child would.  Really it tore at my heart like a

small child can,

But think about it.

If you are a true Christian, born again by the

Holy Spirit of God you are adopted into God's

family.  And, someday Jesus is returning to 

take us home to be with him.

ARE WE EXCITED ABOUT IT?

Or,

are too wrapped up in this world to

get excited?

"Look!  He comes with the clouds of heaven.

And everyone will see him - even those who pierced him.

And all the nations of the world will mourn for him.

Yes! Amen!"

(Revelation 1:7 NLT)

TODAY'S PROMISE

 

"Since you have been raised to 

new life with Christ, set your

sights on the realities of heaven,

where Christ sits in the place of 

honor at God's right hand." 

(Colossians 3:1 NLT)