Promises, promises, promises

 New Years resolutions are being made, promises to loose weight, give up smoking or spend more time with your family.  All these are good, but I wonder how many people will actually keep these promises?  People make promises, but people also break promises. Not God, He always keeps His promises. One of the best promises can be found in 1 John 2:25 "And This is the promise that He has promised us - eternal life."  Eternal: infinite time; future life.  It boggles the mind to think of "forever", at least it boggles my mind, but I am comforted to know that my Lord and Savior will be there, and that's all I need to know.  Revelation 21:23 "The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light."  There will no darkness there... which means no hunger, no senseless killing of innocent lives (abortion), no pornography, no lies, no promises being broken, NO SIN.  A perfect city, with a perfect Savior, A prefect home, perfect temperature, perfect gardens that don't need to be watered, promise kept by God, absolutely perfect.
(See Revelation 22:1-5)  Who can make a better promise then that?! A promise that will be kept, a promise that gives us hope for a better tomorrow... Hebrews 11:1"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, (of the Messiah) but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.....v16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He prepared a city for them"
(Also see John 14:1-4)  This is our resolution made by God to us through His son, Jesus.  So whether or not you make a personally New Years resolution or not, you can have hope in the New Year and all the years till Jesus comes back again, that where He is you will be too!

The best Christmas gift ever

Yesterday was Christmas and as we read the familiar story of the birth of our Savior. We need to stop and think and ponder as Mary did, about how the story of the greatest gift to all mankind didn't start at a stable in Bethelhem.  It started much sooner then that, even before  mankind started.  John 1:1-3 says, " that In the beginning was the word and the word was with God, and the word was God, He was in the beginning with God.  all things were made through him, and without him nothing was made that was made."  Who was the word? Jesus, but I would like to call him by his Hebrew name: Yeshua!  Yeshua was with Yahweh (God the Father), in the very beginning, before time existed, when He said, "Let there be light"  He saw the beauty and holiness of His Father and His master piece He had made, but then sin enter into the world and polluted God's beauty.  Now that sin had came causing a rift between Him and His master piece (mankind) how would that rift ever be pulled back together?  In Genesis 3 God had the plan in motion when He said that the seed of women would crush Satan head, and Satan would bruise His heal.  God would leave His holiness and come to earth in human flesh through His Son to save His master piece and bridge the gap between them.  And come He did.  Not as a prince, although He was of David's blood line, he didn't just pop on down here, like in Star trek, (Beam me down Scotty).  He was born to a virgin and to a carpenter in a cave along side the barn animals.  These were the same animals that were used in giving sacrifices, for Bethlehem was known as the keeper of the sacrificial animals that were allowed to be given as an atonement for sin.  Coincidence? I think not! The Lamb of God was born in the same place as the lambs for sacrifice, but unlike them. He came to die once for all. Came as a baby, THAT, is what marvel's me. Imagine nursing the Messiah?  Changing his swaddling clothes and watching him take his first step, and playing with his toy tool set that his earthly father made him.  Away in a manger, Joy to the world, O Little Town of Bethlehem... THIS is what Christmas is really about.  Praising God for giving us His only begotten Son, so that whosoever believes, shall not perish but have everlasting life."  The best Christmas gift ever!!!

Take the water and thirst no more

     Remember the old Calgon commercials where the lady is having a bad day and she says, "take me away Calgon."  Next we see her in this nice bubble bath relaxing.  As a mother of 5, there have been many days I wish I had a big tub so I could say, "Calgon take me away." Instead I watch a movie or go shopping at the resale store.  I think it important as a mother, wife and friend to take a few minutes each day to do something for yourself, but its even more essential to take time out for God.  He can refresh like no other can.
Take a look and see how the Lord brought refreshment to the women at the well...

    JN 4:10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
    JN 4:13 Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
    JN 4:15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."
                   The Samaritian women was really shocked to have this Jewish man speak to her, not only was she a hated Samaritan but she was adulterious women, who could only come at noon, (the hottest part of the day), just to avoid the other women in the village and their nasty glares.  Jesus didn't just speak to her, but He offered her the one thing she needed most in her life...Himself.  When she finally relaized who He was, she ran to tell everyone else in the village.  Something she could not, nor would she do if it hadn't been for Jesus refreshing her soul with His truth.  Not only can we be refreshed by Jesus, but we also can refresh others when we come to Him.      
    John 7: 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."   We can tell others, like the women at the well, about our Messiah and how He gives water that never runs dry.  He is our refreshment, He is our Calgon!

Part of the Family of God

Many years ago we used to sing a song in church that went like this:
"I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God, I've washed in the fountain cleansed by His blood..."  Do you remember singing that?  This should be not only a song, but our life.  However, how many fellow brothers and sisters do you know that are hurting because someone in the church turned on them? Or talked behind their back?  Or flat out lied? This shouldn't be! Take a look at God's word.
     Ephesians 4: 31-32 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
     Col 3:8-10 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator...
    COL 3:12-14 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
     Let us not forget what our Lord and Savior did for us and follow His example by setting aside foolish arguments and forgiving one another. If at all possible make peace with your fellow brethren. Then the world will see our love and want to be a part of the family of God too!

G.R.A.C.E.

G.R.A.C.E. = God reigns and controls everything. 

 Isn't it nice to know that God has got your back?

 Whatever happens is never done without Him knowing it, and He always has your best interest at heart.  If something bad happens its because He wants you to stop and look to Him.  Depend on Him, lean on Him, totally trust in Him.  I like how The Message puts it in

 Proverbs 3:5,6 

"Trust God from the bottom of your heart;

don't try to figure out everything on your own.  Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go,  He's the one who will keep you on track." 

 Are you listening for His voice? 

 Or is the world drowning Him out?

It's time to get in the quiet spot and take time out to just sit and listen, listen for the still quiet voice of God. 

 He is there and He wants to speak to you today!

  So sit down and take a load off 

and be refreshed by God in Jesus name.

 Amen!