Friday, June 29, 2012

Not so Doubting Thomas John 11:16

Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him."   John 11:16

Isn't it interesting that we are often remembered for our faults.  This is the same "Doubting Thomas" that questioned the Lord's resurrected state later in the Gospel of John.

Brethren... if we want to leave a godly legacy, our faith requires consistency.

Cheers.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Are you man enough? A blog from the past...

(from 09/03/09)

What does Paul mean when he says:
 
Husbands... love your wives as Christ loved the church....(Ephesians 5:25)
 
Think about some of the implications of this verse:
 
  • Jesus loved the church before it was founded.  (He died for HER)
  • Jesus loves the church now and intercedes for her.  (He lives for HER)
  • Jesus loves the church so much that He will one day come to claim His bride.  (He longs for HER)
  • Jesus loves the church so much that He will never leave her nor forsake her.  (He loves HER)

Husbands, those are some tall orders from our King.
 
Are you man enough?


Originally posted at:
http://connectiontogod.blogspot.com/2009/09/are-you-man-enough.html

Sunday, June 24, 2012

The Tiny Guide to Being a Great Dad

I know, it's not Father's day... but here is a fantastic article about about fathering...


Friday, June 22, 2012

Testing the Testimony John 10:37-38

If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.
John 10:37-38

Interesting... no?

Jesus asks His doubters to consider His works, if they point to His credentials.

I wonder sometimes if the testimony of my hands matches the testimony of my mouth.

You might do well to wonder the same thing.

Cheers.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

You're in Good Hands John 10:27-30

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one.  John 10:27-30

Have you ever glued your hands together?

No...?

So I am the only one then?

If you have trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, picture this...

You are in Jesus' hands, His hands are in the Father's hands, and according to Ephesians 1:13, the Holy Spirit is like Super Glue keeping the two together.

Next time you questions God's love for you or plan for you... meditate on these things.

Cheers.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Bringing in the Sheep John 10:15-16

As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.  John 10:15-16

It always interests me when I learn that someone is adopted.  What it must be like to know that someone loved you enough to choose you and take you home with them,,, to love and to care for.  That is simply beautiful.

Jesus is talking to Jews at this point and makes reference to you and me.  We are some of the  other sheep He has which are not of that fold.  We heard His voice, answered the call and followed Him.  Like an adopted child we were chosen and taken home.

I don't know about you, but I rejoice in that truth.

Cheers.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

That's Life... John 10:9-10

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.  John 10:9-10

The Life of Christ is not only available NOW... it is part of the deal.  There is much talk about the abundant life... what it is and what it isn't.  Let's bypass all the hype:

The abundant life is the Life of Christ in you.

Take a moment to let that sink in... I'll wait.

The life that loved you and gave Himself for you is yours.

The life that rejoiced in the presence of the Father is yours.

The life that taught the masses and healed the wounded is yours.

If you enter in through Christ, He offers you HIS LIFE...!

The abundant life is a life of joy, service, memories, hope... and yes, suffering for the Gospel.

So I guess the question is... have you entered into the sheepfold?

Cheers.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Even right now. John 9:35-38

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him,  "Do you believe in the Son of God?"
He answered and said, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?" And Jesus said to him,  "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you." Then he said, "Lord, I believe!" And he worshiped Him.  
John 9:35-38

...and he worshiped Him.  What a fitting way to show adoration to the Savior.  So I guess the question is: When is the right time to worship?

That's right friends... all the time, every time.

Even right now.

Cheers.

Friday, June 15, 2012

Reason Enough John 9:1-7

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
Jesus answered,  "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who
sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.  "When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him,  "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. 
John 9:1-7

Isn't that always the case?  We assume that the challenging, difficult, and otherwise, unfair situations in our lives are the direct result of sin. True, some of what we experience is simply the law of SOWING AND REAPING playing itself out... but not all of it.

The fact of the matter is friends... Jesus sometimes uses our greatest weakness and trial to manifest His power.  Shouldn't that be reason enough?

Cheers.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Caught in the very act! (John 8:3-6)

Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?" This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.  John 8:3-6

Yes... someone(s) was caught in the very act.  And it was the men trying to catch Jesus.

How often do we look at the faults of others?

My, my, my... is that a speck of dust in your eye? (Matthew 7:5 and John 7:24)

Think about that.

Cheers.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

YOUR hour had not yet come (John 7:28-30)

Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, "You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me." Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. John 7:28-30

Are there moments, even days, when we feel the pressure to stand down... to walk away when we should stand tall?  Have you even sat quietly, even thought he Holy Spirit urged you to speak up?  Jesus had two things going for Him:

1. He was/is God and knows the truth.

2. His hour had not yet come.

Friends, until YOUR hour has come... you are, in a very real way, bulletproof.  

Think about that...

Cheers.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

The work of God (John 6:27-29)

Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?"  Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." John 6:27-29

I love old-time preachers.  One of my favorite is G. Campbell Morgan.  He would frequently end his sermons with:

"Salvation is not in running, but in resting. Not in trying, but in trusting.  May the Lord visit us with restlessness until we come to rest in Him."

Praise the Lord that He requires my faith and not my performance.

Cheers. 

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Backdoor revival (John 6:65-66)

And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.  John 6:65-66

There is a great temptation among most pastors to skip over texts that are "hard" because it may drive people away.  

Romans 8:29-30 tells us, For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 

Ephesians 1:5 and 11 declare, He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will…In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.

That is just one example... but what about submission in marriage? What about... dare I say it... money!?!?

Look though at the Master and see what's going on.  Jesus preached and preached hard words and what happened?  Those who were not going to last anyway, fell off.  That, my friends, is what we call "backdoor revival".  

Sometimes loss is actually gain.

Cheers.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

The soothing voice of the Shepherd John 6:19-21

So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. But He said to them,"It is I; do not be afraid." Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going. John 6:19-21

So... there is a Guy walking to you in the middle of a huge lake.  A man is walking toward you.  Now, you are an experienced fisherman and, in your experience, PEOPLE DO NOT WALK A FEW MILES ON TOP OF WATER.  Of course you would be a little scared... if not completely terrified.  

Enter the soothing voice of the Shepherd.  It was the voice of the Protector... the Master... the Lord.  It was the voice of the One who will die for the sins of the world and conquer death, sin, and the grave.  

And it still is.  When life throws you something terrifying, or just out of the ordinary... listen for the voice of the Shepherd.

Cheers.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

The Law of Faithful Increase (John 6:10 &13)

So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.  ... Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.  John 6:10 &13

We have a running joke in my house that had I been there on that mountainside and the menu included HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN (yes... my favorite Chinese delight)... then there might not have been any leftovers.  

:)

Seriously though:

Where there is a need... the Lord fills.

Where there is lack... the Lord supplies.

Where there is faith... the Lord responds.

Where there is obedience DESPITE the circumstances... the Lord empowers.

We see time and time again in the Scriptures the principle that:

What the Lord commands of His people He empowers/equips.

To put it another way, our obedience is on us... His delivery on His promises is on Him.

Are you looking for the blessings of God?  Obey, in faith, and see what the Lord will do...!

Cheers.

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Honor (John 5:23b-24)

He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.  John 5:23b-24

Wow... how about that for a deal?  Notice the fine print... He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him... how do we honor the Son?  Certainly it is by doing what He has asked/told us to do.  

I don;t know what the Lord has called you to specifically... but I do know that it is an honor to honor Him.

Do what is requested... expect the extraordinary!

Cheers.