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Posts from June 2022

Most Important One

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love…

The Lord Hates

“There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.” Proverbs 6:16-19 (NIV) God loves humankind. He created us out of an overflow of love. But God can hate the attitude of our hearts. He hates when…

Your Workmanship

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a…

Source of Life

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. John 1:1-4 (NLT) God is the creator of everything.  He created day and night.  He created land and water.  He created animals on land, in the waters and…

Under Authority

26 … Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28 (NIV) Christian leaders should go in the opposite direction of the world.  If you want to change the world, be a servant leader rather than leading from authority.   Before we…

Who Are You For?

13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” Joshua 5:13 (NIV) 14 “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Joshua 5:14a (NIV)  (Joshua is experiencing a Theophany: An appearance of Jesus before He was born in the manger.)  14 Then…

A Lasting Legacy

31Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.  Joshua 24:31 (NIV) Joshua’s great faith and courage inspired holiness among people.   Joshua is now an old man, he summons Israel to remind them of all God’s blessings and the curses.  Joshua spurs them on with his words in verse 8. 8 But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God,…

Growing Leadership By Growing Faith

8 But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now! Joshua 23:8 (NIV) We are ALL leaders.  We all lead SOMETHING or SOMEONE.  My sister wouldn’t think of herself as a leader.  The job she loves is closer to the bottom of the ladder than the top.  She is an aide to students. Kids watch her and witness the way she lives.  She models behavior and attitudes towards others, right ways to act…

The Servant Leader

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.  Matthew 20:28 NLT A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.   1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT Servant Leader:  Seems contradictory, doesn’t it?  Both are calls on our lives given by God.  Jesus is the head of the Church yet He Himself said He came to serve.  Leaders are equipped with…

God’s Love

22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies are made new each morning. Lamentations 3:22-23 God loves every one of us so much. He sent Jesus to save us and be able to have that relationship for us. He shows mercy and forgiveness to us. Every day we wake up we are blessed to be made new. No matter how much we mess up we can always go to him and…

Baptism

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of…

Paul

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. I Timothy 1:12-14 (NIV) If you ever think that there is no way that you can escape…

New

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 (ESV) 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 3:26-27 (ESV) When you trust Jesus your life changes. You are made…

Old

21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) Jesus never sinned but He became sin on that day, He did that for us. So that we can become righteous like Him. We can put our mistakes behind us because of what Jesus did for us. 22 To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life…

Here I Am

Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”  Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs.   He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is…

Full of His Glory

In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.”  Isaiah 6:1-3 (NASB)…

Greater

He must become greater; I must become less.  John 3:30 (NIV) Oftentimes, we focus on ourselves.  We focus on what we want – our hopes, our dreams, our goals.  While there is nothing wrong with working on our plans, we need to make sure they line up with God’s plans first.  As we put our focus on God and seek His kingdom first, everything will follow the plans He has for us (Matthew 6:33).  He will become greater in our…

Your Renown

Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.  Isaiah 26:8 (NIV) This life is not about us.  We are only here for a short time in the span of eternity.  We are a part of God’s story.  As we walk in His laws, our lives turn out better.  We learn to put God’s name and His fame above our own.  We can put His renown…

Let Your Light Shine

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 (NIV) We were created by God for a purpose. Each of us has our own individual way of changing the world around us. As we continue to reflect godly principles and His character in our daily lives, others will see the change God has made in our lives. This is the way we let our…

God Fights and Wins for You

19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. James 2:19 (NASB) 4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4 (NASB) 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7 (NRSV) Your physical battle is real but the core is spiritual.  The devil believes in God…

LOOKS ARE DECEIVING

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV) Let’s not be deceived. Lions are beautiful, powerful, and made for killing.  They are dangerous but pretty animals. The beauty can be deceiving. And so, it is with Satan.  We don’t naturally recognize this enemy until we see him for what he really is.  Jesus and Peter do not describe devil as dark or…

Battlefield

YOU ARE ON A BATTLEFIELD! 10 …I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. John 10:10b (NIV) 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy… John 10:10a (NIV) 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the…