EXCESS WEIGHT

"Therefore, since we are surrounded

by such a huge crowd of witnesses to

the life of faith, let us strip off every

weight that slows us down, especially

the sin that so easily trips us up.  And

let us run with endurance the race

God has set before us."

(Hebrews 12:1 NLT)

This is approximately forty years of 

scrap metal on it's way to the recycler.

At one time or another very bit of it was

being used for something around here.

But, it ended up just being junk in the way.

I have to stop and think.  How many habits,

attitudes, routines, beliefs and actions,  not

to count the material accumulations, do I 

have that need to be trashed?

"Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me an know my anxious thoughts.

Point out anything in me that offends you,

and lead me along the path of everlasting

life."

(Psalms 139:23,24 NLT)

TODAY'S PROMISE

"He give power to the weak

and strength to the powerless."

(Isaiah 40:29 NLT)

 

FOCUSED

"Jack of all trades and master of none."

is an expression I used to hear as a kid.

In essence it means a person can do a lot

of "stuff", but none of it real well.

As I live and move among Christians I get

much the same feeling.  We are a lot of fine

people, but no one would know we are

Christians, unless we had a name tag on

marking us as Christians.

I fear most of us are like the seed the sower

Jesus told us about that fell among the 

thorns;

"The seed that fell among the thorns

represents others who hear God's

word, but all too quickly the message

is crowded out by the worries of this 

life, the lure of wealth, and the desire

for other things, so no fruit is produced"

(Mark 4:18,19 NLT)

I do not know about you, but with all

that is going on around me, even good

stuff I am trying to do for God, I am 

easily distracted from the race I am

supposed to be running.

I need the apostle Paul's attitude regarding

life;

"I don't mean to say that I have

already achieved these things or

that I have already reached perfection.

But I press on to possess that perfection

for which Christ Jesus first possessed

me.  No, dear brothers and sisters, I

have not achieved it, but I focus on this

one thing: Forgetting the past and looking

forward to what lies ahead, I press on to

reach the end of the race and receive the

heavenly prize for which God, through

Christ Jesus, is calling us."

(Philippians 3:12-14 NLT)

"

TODAY'S QUOTE

“There is no better way to 

get healed than being near

to Jesus.”

- A.G. Valdez -

 

 

JESUS HAS A FIX IT SHOP

DO YOU NEED NEW LIFE?

"This means that anyone who belongs

to Christ has become a newsperson. 

The old life is gone a new life has begun!"

(2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT)

DO YOU NEED A REST

"Then Jesus said, 'Come to me,

all of you who are weary and carry

heavy burdens, and I will give you

rest.  Take my yoke upon you.  Let

me teach you, because I am humble

and gentle at heart, and you will

find rest for your souls.  For my 

yoke is easy to bear, and the burden

I give you is light."

(Matthew 11:28 - 30 NLT)

DO YOU NEED WISDOM

"If you need wisdom, ask our 

generous God, and he will give it to 

you.  He will not rebuke you for

asking.  But when you ask him, be

sure that your faith is in God alone.

Do not waver, for a person with divided

loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the 

sea that is blown and tossed by the

wind.  Such people should not expect

to receive anything from the Lord.

Their loyalty is divided between

God and the world, and they are

unstable in every thing they do."

(James 1:5 9 NL)

DO YOU HAVE A NEED?

"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

anything in my name and I will do it.

(John 14:12 - 14 NLT)

TODAY'S PROMISE

"If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord 

and believe in your heart that God raised 

him from the dead, you will be saved."

(Romans 10:9 NLT)

 

WELL ROOTED

Yes, that's a rose bush.

I do not know how many years the bush has

been there.  It belonged to my wife who passed

away a couple of years ago.

Way too late in the spring I saw that the rose

bush was getting way too large.  It was like it

was trying to take over the yard.  And in all the 

years she had it, it had never been trimmed back.

So, dummy here got some clippers and cut it

back to a size I wanted - too late in the season.

You know what happened.  After a couple of

weeks it was obvious I had killed it.  Well, it

looked like I had killed it.

A couple more weeks and it looked like the

image above.

But, the story don't stop there.  We are in 

the middle of a "dry spell" here.  And a couple

of times I noticed that all the neat little flowers

wilted away.  I guessed it was done for the 

season.

Nope.

A few more days and it was back with a 

new batch of flowers again even in this 

dry spell.   WHY?

It is well rooted.  The root system is for a

plant that is much bigger, and the system

has been growing for years going deeper

all the time.

As Christians that is the way we are suppose

to be in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul said:

"Then Christ will make his home in

your hearts as you trust in him.  Your

roots will grow down into God's love 

and keep you strong."

(Ephesians 3:17 NLT)

and;

"Let your roots grow down into him,

and let your lives be built on him.  Then

your faith will grow strong in the truth

you were taught, and you will overflow

with thankfulness."

(Colossians 2:7 NLT)

With the things that are coming on in this old

world we need to get our roots down deep,

deep, deep into Christ.

How do we do that?

Get your nourishment here.

 

TODAY'S QUOTE

"He rejected the distinction between

clergy and laity, and preached and

practiced the priesthood of all

believers."

- Brother Bakht Singh of India -

 

BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS.

Yes,

even now I am waiting for another

book in the mail.

I am one of those old guys who could not

pass up a good book, or tool.  I would any

day of the year rather have a good book

with written information, charts etc for me

to see than one of these new stupid videos

filled with empty talk.

The north wall of my office is pretty much

covered with technical books.  And the south

wall of my office [Which has the most books]

is covered with Christian or spiritual books.

And it is in this realm that I am most interested.

Over the last thirty years or so my prime interest

in the spiritual realm has been eschatology.  But

I have been picking up on something regarding 

most books, including "Christian" or "Spiritual"

books.

Most books are plain and simply written for

"fame" or "fortune".  In other words, to enhance

the reputation of the author, or the author's bank

account, and if it can be a help to you - fine.

But as an old, old, old - great, great 

grandfather I want to pass on a little advice.

In the "spiritual" realm most of the 

books are only passing on the party line of

their denomination, the newest teaching and

or a lot of conjecture.  In short, you will

probably be disappointed, but the author

will be richer.

Remember,

when you stand before Jesus Christ he is

not going to be asking you what:

Dr. John MacArthur, Dr. Church Swindoll,

Dr. Billy Graham or any other Dr.

said on the subject.

THE ONLY ONE THAT COUNTS

IS THE BOOK:

 "But my child, let me give you

some further advice: Be careful,

for writing books is endless, and 

much study wears you out."

(Ecclesiastes 12:12 NLT)

TODAY'S PROMISE

"When people work, their wages

are not a gift, but something they

have earned.  But people are counted

as righteous, not because of their

work, but because of their faith in

God who forgives sinners."

(Romans 4:4,5 NLT)

 

BE STILL

"Be still in the presence of the LORD,

and wait patiently for him to act."

(Psalms 37:7a NLT)

Sorry about the poor image.  I should have 

taken the picture a few hours earlier before

the sun caused such a glare.

After fighting COVID for a few weeks and 

having several problems facing me I just 

wanted to get away from it all for a while.

So, I took off to my little hide a way in the

woods.

Every one would not want to go to the woods,

the beach or somewhere else.  But the point is,

try to get away from it all - even if you have to 

hide under the bed - and get alone with God.

I want to be a man of prayer.  And I try -

but sometimes we need to shut up and listen

for the still small voice that God wants to 

speak to us in.  As it says another palace

in the King James, "be still and know that I

am God."

I tried to "be still" before God today and

it sure did refresh me.

Go hid with God somewhere and see if it

don't make a difference for you.

 

TODAY'S QUOTE

“It is astonishing, how many difficulties

clear up without any effort when the 

inner life gets straightened out.”

- A.W. Tozer -