July 4th Reflections

Jeremiah 2.1-3 records, GOD ’s Message came to me. It went like this: “Get out in the streets and call to Jerusalem, ‘ GOD ’s Message! I remember your youthful loyalty, our love as newlyweds. You stayed with me through the wilderness years, stuck with me through all the hard places. Israel was GOD ’s holy choice, the pick of the crop. Anyone who laid a hand on her would soon wish he hadn’t!’” GOD ’s Decree.

We just finished celebrating the 4th of July, the birth of America, the greatest nation on the earth. Great because it allows its people the greatest freedom to be who God made them to be and to exercise the gifts and talents that God gave them. It is the greatest nation because it is the most free nation for worshiping the One True God, without constraint or control by the government – or at least it used to be. (more…)

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The Most Appropriate Response to God

Joshua 5.14 observes, Joshua fell, face to the ground, and worshiped. He asked, What orders does my Master have for His servant?

When we encounter God our response to Him is simple, what would you have me to do? It’s not complicated really. He is God, our Creator, our Sustainer, the One Who brought us into His world and allows us to live upon it. If we chaff at this idea of responding to God humbly and obediently it is because we are poor in at least two areas. (more…)

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Living Well? By Whose Standard?

Psalm 90.12 asks God, Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well! Come back, GOD —how long do we have to wait?

What does it mean to live well? Man would define it by money enough to do as you please. To buy the things you need and want. To go to the places you desire. To do the things you want to do. Living well means freedom to have and do whatever you desire. To live well one must have money, a lot of money. (more…)

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What Do You Think About Who God Is?

John 20.30-31 records, Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it.

Most conversations about God begin with, ‘I think.’ Everyone has an opinion it seems about Who God is, if God is and how God operates. Where do these ideas come from and how do we know they are true? (more…)

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The Necessity of Staying Alert

Deuteronomy 4.9 commands us to just make sure you stay alert. Keep close watch over yourselves. Don’t forget anything of what you’ve seen. Don’t let your heart wander off. Stay vigilant as long as you live. Teach what you’ve seen and heard to your children and grandchildren.

What a great summary of the Christian life. The Bible consistently speaks to us the things God wants us to do, whether through prophets and leaders thousands of years ago or through God Himself in His appearance as a man, Jesus, or through the disciples of Jesus who wrote by direction of God. (more…)

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God Lives On The Streets

Hebrews 13.16 observes, God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship—a different kind of “sacrifice”—that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets.

Following Jesus means living where He is, following Him to where He goes, and being with Him where He is active. God is not occupied with or limited to temples, though He may visit on occasion, rather He is a friend of sinners. (more…)

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We Were Made To Live Passionately

1 Timothy 6.11-12 commands, you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.

The successful businessman, the Olympic athlete, the small child on Christmas morning, all know the meaning of run hard and fast toward the goal, to seize the day and to fervently embrace the desire of their affection. This picture is to be the normal Christian life. (more…)

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God Believes In YOU

Galatians 6.4-5 commands, make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

God knows He is awesome, that He can do all things and that He is limitless in His ability or creativity. God knows too that He created us in His image so believes deeply that virtually nothing is impossible for us to accomplish. (more…)

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Being A Christian Requires a Two Part Harmony

John 6.39-40 records, that everything handed over to Me by the Father be completed—not a single detail missed—and at the wrap-up of time I have everything and everyone put together, upright and whole. This is what My Father wants: that anyone who sees the Son and trusts who He is and what He does and then aligns with Him will enter real life, eternal life.

Can Jesus be your Savior and not be your Lord? Can a person get to heaven with only half of Jesus? Jesus is both Savior of all and Lord of all. He is Judge of all and is the only One Who gives eternal life to be spent with Him and the Father and all Who are His adopted children. (more…)

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