JesusfreaksRus

Plans?

2023-08-17T14:28:00.001-07:00

Proverbs 16:1-4 NLT

We can make our own plans,

but the Lord gives the right answer.

People may be pure in their own eyes,

but the Lord examines their motives.

Commit your actions to the Lord,

and your plans will succeed.

The Lord has made everything for his own purposes,

even the wicked for a day of disaster.

We can make our own plans,

but the Lord gives the right answer.

We can make our own plans, but the will of the Lord, will be done. That's why it is so important to pray on a daily basis, that the Lord's will be done in your life. And that I pray that His will is done in my life. Because what I can see, hear, and even what I feel, may be wrong. But the Lord is never wrong. I try to remember to pray for every decision. Especially those that will affect my future. And I say "I try to remember" because I don't always. And the fact of the matter is, if I'm honest, sometimes I do want my will to be done. And that usually turns out to be a learning experience. Ha ha ha.

Have you ever gotten to a particular place or situation, and you cry out to the Lord, and say, "Lord, how could You let this happen?" The answer I've gotten in those particular situation was, "I didn't tell you to go over there!" Or, "I didn't tell you to do that!" And it's at that point I have to stop, and put the blame where it really belongs, on me.

People may be pure in their own eyes,

but the Lord examines their motives.

What can make things so difficult is, everybody believes their own heart. They believe what they're doing is right, even when it's clearly not. It can be frustrating for those watching bad things happen to people they love because of choices they made. And they're floundering around trying to find somebody to blame, when the one to blame, is looking back at them in the mirror. And even when folks realize that what they are doing is wrong, they will make excuses to justify it, maybe based on things that happened to them in the past. Well, I know that all too well, because I did that. When I was being molested as a kid, I didn't realize what was really going on. The grooming, along with drugs and pornography, worked. And then once I did, and it stopped, I was one of the angriest people you could ever encounter. I hated everyone, chief of all, me. So I understand that blame game. And I could continue to play it. But there comes a point when you have to take responsibility for your own decisions, your own choices. Because you're the one that's gonna have to live with the results.

Commit your actions to the Lord,

and your plans will succeed.

Commit, 100% of all that you do, to the Lord. If you're sweeping floors and cleaning toilets, dedicate it to the Lord. Trust in the Lord, well, let's read that scripture.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do,

and he will show you which path to take.

The reason it's imperative to trust in the Lord, with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, or do not depend on your own understanding, is, because sometimes you're not gonna understand certain things. You're not going to understand why things happen the way they do. Why people act the way they do. What we have to understand is, everybody has free will. And only they can decide for themselves what they're gonna do. And they are responsible for the results. They're responsible for their own choices. You're responsible for yours. I'm responsible for mine. And when you commit everything to the Lord, he will tell you which way to go. And if you ask Him to, what to do in certain situations. And that leads nicely right into the next scripture.

The Lord has made everything for his own purposes,

even the wicked for a day of disaster.

No matter what things look like, no matter what you see, here, or even feel. God is in control. He knows what's happening, and why it's happening. Sometimes we will find ourselves praying against things, that are in fact, God's will. And you might even throw your hands up and say, "How can this be God's will?" Because it has a purpose. And you don't know that purpose just yet. In this walk with the Lord, that's one of the hardest things, one of the most difficult to be OK with. Now we can absolutely positively pray with all our hearts against the works of the devil. We can pray against those demonic spirits that are moving people to do things. But we can't pray against peoples free will, those demons will lead them, and they have a choice to make. Furthermore, we cannot pray against God's will. Because God's will, will be done. Even though bad things happen from time to time, I believe with all my heart,

Romans 8:28 NLT

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

No, it was not God's will what happened to me as a kid. But that person's free will was carried out. He did what he did. And what happened happened. But, it has allowed me to give comfort and to encourage folks who had similar things happen to them. For those folks, I can say, "I know how you feel." And I do. The only way to reach healing in situations like that, is to forgive. And that's a whole other message. A good one for the near future.

God wants the very best for you and for me. And for your loved ones too. But each of us must submit to God's will for our lives. And yes, that means receiving Jesus as Savior and Lord, and serving the Lord with all your heart. Amen? Have a great day, and God bless. James

Resist Pride

2022-12-17T16:24:00.006-08:00

Proverbs 16:18-20

Pride goes before destruction,

And a haughty spirit before a fall.

Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,

Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

He who heeds the word wisely will find good,

And whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he.

Pride does indeed come before destruction. It literally ruins everything. In pride, there is no surrendering to the Lord. It's impossible. It cannot be done. You cannot be partially surrendered to the Lord, and prideful at the same time. I mean you can, but it doesn't work. If all you're wanting to do is reach around pat yourself on the back, and telling everyone who will listen how good you are, you won't be talking about how good the Lord is. Just stands to reason. And I know we've talked about this before. But it's certainly bears repeating. Because the enemy is very crafty. He knows that if he can get us to be prideful, it will weaken our testimony, and hinder our walk with the Lord.

Humility. I saw something once that really made me think. It said, "Humility. Once you think you have it, you've lost it." Have you seen that? Folks saying things like, "I'm the most humble person you'll ever see. If you look up humility in the dictionary, you're gonna find my picture right there! I guarantee it. There's no one more humble than me." Hahahaha. It is a daily struggle to remain humble. Because we have narcissism on steroids nowadays. People checking back 47 times a day to see how many likes and comments they have on their posts. Completely consumed with being noticed. And I'm gonna use a word that's going to be very uncomfortable. Completely consumed with being praised. Ouch. We don't wanna hear that. It feels icky to even say it. Worse to know it's true.

We have to get to the point where all of the honor, glory, and praise goes to the Lord. None to us. When you get to that point, it's absolutely incredible. For me personally, I've noticed in ministry, and also in music, it's easy to allow pride to weasel its way into my life. Because if I allow it to enter in and I entertain that thought. That interjection of pride. "Yes, I am good! I'm more special because I'm good at this." Once that thought gets planted, and you begin to entertain it, all the ground you've gained, starts slipping away.

And the way to fight it is right here in these Scriptures as well. Through the word of God. We must heed the Word wisely! And trust in the Lord. Yes, I'm gonna say it again.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.

We see that, and we think, it can't be that simple! It is. That is faith. Not trusting in what you see, hear, or even feel. You trust in the Lord, because you believe His word is true. You know His word is true! You're not trying to figure things out on your own. You're trusting that the Lord has them all figured out. He does. Amen? Have a great day and God bless. James

And We Know

2022-12-17T16:23:00.005-08:00

Proverbs 15:13-15

A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance,

But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

The heart of him who has understanding seeks

knowledge,

But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.

All the days of the afflicted are evil,

But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.

Happiness is emotional. It's fleeting. Here today, gone tomorrow. Maybe here right now, and gone in 20 minutes. Happiness is temporary. But joy can be permanent. Joy is a decision. Like love is. Love is a decision. Yes it's emotional, in the beginning stages of it, but most of all, it is a decision. Let me tell you why I choose joy every day. Because the Creator of all that was, is, and/or ever will be, loves me. The mayor of my city doesn't know who I am. Much less the governor of my state. But God Almighty knows who I am, and loves me so much, that He sent Jesus to die on the cross for me. In order to experience the joy of the Lord, you must believe that with all your heart. When you have joy in your heart, you don't have to pretend to be happy. You just are. It's not emotional at that point. It's a state of mind now. My spirit is alive and thriving in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, my Savior and Lord. So that knowledge moves into the rest of my being. Why wouldn't I be filled with joy?

Does that mean bad things don't ever happen to me? Of course not. But circumstances don't change the fact that the Lord of all creation knows me and loves me. And oh, by the way, He wants the best for me. Because I am His child! It's all about what you believe and what you expect. Do you expect the best, or do you expect the worst? That's why when someone asks me, sometimes, how I'm doing, I answer as DL Moody used to. "Better than I deserve!" Because it's true. I know what I deserve. I know who I was. Furthermore, I know who I am now. I'm not perfect. Far from it. Sometimes I dwell on the wrong things. I say the wrong things. I react badly at times. I get frustrated in traffic. I want you to know that under the anointing these messages are created. That doesn't mean that I am perfectly observing everything in them all the time. I wish I could say that was the case, but it's not.

But, my heart has understanding. And I seek the knowledge of God. Where do you find that knowledge? In God's word. Certainly not found anywhere in this world. I learned long ago, not to put anybody on a pedestal as more than or in a position of absolute greatness, other than the Lord. Because guess what? Man will fail you. I will fail you. Everyone on this earth, who is flesh and blood, is going to fail you at some point. Nobody is perfect, including you. But as we're going through this sanctification process. Learning more about the Lord and His character. We come to that point where we know that we know that we know. When we begin to trust God at His word is when things really begin to change within us.

And this last part. All the days of the afflicted are evil. When you're going through stuff, it's not fun. But when you have that joy of the Lord, to sustain you, nothing is impossible. Jesus said all things are possible to them that believe. That's the key. I don't wonder. I don't hope. I know. Which is why this next verse is my verse.

Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

You see that? Not we hope. Not even we believe. But we know beyond a shadow of any doubt! When you walk in the confidence that only comes through the joy of the Lord, that joy of knowing and understanding who the Lord is in your life, and all that He's done for you and through you. No, you're not afraid. Because you know that, somehow, some way, the Lord is going to work this out for your good! Not, hope so. Not, maybe so. But you know so! And yes, at that point, I can absolutely guarantee you that you will have a merry heart. Amen? James

Preach the Word

2022-12-17T16:21:00.007-08:00

2nd Timothy 4:1-2

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Here are Paul's last instructions to Timothy. Someone he had taken under his wing. Sort of like an apprentice. He treated him and considered him a son. A big brother/fatherly type of influence on Timothy. And here he is very clear with Timothy in his final letter to him. And he makes his final words very very clear.

Preach the word!

Be ready in season and out of season.

Paul knows who the Lord has called Timothy to be. What he has called Timothy to be. An evangelist. We are all supposed to be about our Father's business. Telling folks about Jesus. We all have that ministry of reconciliation. Reconciling those around us to God Himself. But not everyone is called to be an evangelist. To hold the office of evangelist. What does it mean when he says to be ready in season and out of season? Don't get too comfortable. There's no such thing as retirement from ministry. If the Lord has called you, it is a life long calling. Especially if you're called to an office. Let me clarify what that means.

Ephesians 4:11-12

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

Folks can have different talents, and even different types of anointing from the Lord. What I mean by that is, you can be anointed to do several different things. But to be called into an office is different. I've always been a musician. Well, since I was about 12 years old. I've written lots and lots of songs. But, that's not my main anointing. I've come to find over the years that my chief anointing is as a teacher. Sadly, it took me years to come to that understanding. So anyway, that's what I'm talking about as far as an office goes. A specific calling.

To be ready in season and out of season also means that there is always an opportunity for ministry. Even when you're not expecting it or planning for it. I know some of the most powerful anointing I've been under has been when I was at my weakest and most vulnerable. Because the whole point is, it's not about me. It's not about you. It's about furthering the kingdom of God. Being available to the Lord to be used in whatever capacity He calls us in. There are so many out there who are doing just that. Who aren't known. Who are not recognized by the general public. But they are doing fantastic things to further the kingdom of God, by being obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit. I don't wanna be rich! I don't want to be famous! I just want to be obedient! In all things that the Lord calls me to do. That should be our prayer. I know more and more that's my prayer. "Father, I want to be obedient to You in all things." And I'm gonna tell you right now, that's a lonely road. Not everybody's gonna want to follow you into complete obedience to the Lord. Friends and family may not want to be around you as much anymore. Because sometimes your very presence convicts them of their sin. That is sort of what Paul is warning Timothy about here. When you seek to walk closer with the Lord, and desire the righteousness of God, not everybody's gonna be thrilled with that. But I want to tell you, there's nothing like it. Nothing you've ever experienced can compare to having the presence of God with you at all times. Amen? Have a great day, and God bless. James

God is Good

2022-12-17T16:20:00.004-08:00

Psalm 75:1-5

We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks!

For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.

“When I choose the proper time,

I will judge uprightly.

The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved;

I set up its pillars firmly. Selah

“I said to the boastful, ‘Do not deal boastfully,’

And to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn.

Do not lift up your horn on high;

Do not speak with a stiff neck.’ ”

I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again. If you don't have one, do your best to find, and get, a reference edition study Bible. Personally, I like the New King James version (NKJV). Most all of you know that, so I don't post what version I use anymore, because it's always that one. If I deviate from it, I will mention it then. The reason I mention that is, there's often explanation given to different chapters in the Bible. And, of course, reference verses to the verses you may be reading. Also, introductions to the books of the Bible. The explanation of this particular chapter, Psalm 75, is this:

"Thanksgiving for God’s Righteous Judgment

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Psalm of Asaph. A Song."

So anyway, that reference edition study Bible gives you extras that some Bibles don't include. So now, having said all that, let's get into the study itself.

Verse one is a collective prayer mixed in with some praise for the Lord. And in the next four verses, God Himself is speaking. You know, when I read this, you know what I hear in the back of my mind? People who are ignorant of who God is, saying, out loud, for all to hear, "Only God can judge me!" And they are right. He will. But I don't think they know what that means. Because God says, "When I choose the proper time, I will judge uprightly." What does that mean? It literally means God will judge according to His word! Not according to your word, not, according to what you believe, but according to His word. Thankfully, through Jesus, folks can avoid the just judgment of God, by receiving Jesus as Savior and Lord. But if they do not do that, they will in fact, receive the righteous judgment of the living God.

All of the rules, and the laws, are set in motion. In the natural, and in the spiritual realm. They cannot, and will not be changed. By anyone. Then God speaks a warning. Do not be boastful. Do not be a braggart. I literally cringe when I hear someone say, "I am a self-made man" or a "self-made woman." The Bible says in

James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

If it's good, it is a gift from the Lord. If you have the mental capacity to understand things, and retain knowledge in order to get all sorts of degrees in education. That's a gift from God. If you're able to work out problems and issues, so that you demand a high pay grade. That is a gift from God. If you start pounding your chest and taking credit for what God has done, be forewarned now, that is not a good thing. And it will not end well for you.

Then God goes on to say, "Do not speak with a stiff neck." What does that mean? In conjunction with, don't be proud, it means, don't be proud and stubborn. When you hear the truth, receive it as such. What I'm speaking to you here is truth. Not my truth. Not your truth. (That whole concept of my truth and your truth is just relativism. There is no such thing. There is the truth, and that's that. Whether you like it or not, whether you believe it or not. The truth is the truth.) But God's truth. Straight out of God's own mouth. So don't be proud and don't speak with a stiff neck. Be humble. As we read in

James 4:10 (in context 4:7-10)

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

I do recommend your reading it in its context. The whole thing here is, fully surrender to the Lord already! And you will see great and mighty things. Both in your life and in the lives of your loved ones. Things change when you surrender to the Lord. I guarantee it. Have a great day, and God bless. James

Ministry of reconciliation

2022-12-07T08:57:00.004-08:00

2nd Corinthians 5:18-19

Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Continuing yesterday's message, we come to these two verses. This is directly following "we are new creations in Christ Jesus". As we've already read in previous messages, sin separates man from God (Isaiah 59:1-3). That was why a mediator was needed. Someone to bridge the gap. Someone to reconcile us to the living God. That is what Jesus did.

This is the gospel. Jesus, born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, free from sin, died on the cross to pay for our sins, and rose from the dead on the third day as He said He would. If you have received that free gift of salvation, you also have a ministry of reconciliation. To speak of all of the Lord has done. As Paul says, "I am not ashamed......"

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

Have you noticed in the public eye, the media allows people to talk about God? But once you mention the name of Jesus, you get cut off? Have you noticed that? I first really noticed that shortly after September 11th, 2001.

In the replays of live TV, where sports figures (players) give honor and glory to their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the name of Jesus is removed. If you see it live, you hear them mention Jesus' name. But in the replays, they remove Jesus' name. The fact of the matter is Satan does not want you to be reconciled to God! He doesn't want anybody to be reconciled to God. This whole world is searching for answers. They see every thing and every one around them is fake. Maybe they've never heard the gospel? Maybe they've heard people talk about following Jesus but they don't know what that means. It is incumbent upon you and me to share Jesus with those around us. To not be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. To live our lives in such a way that folks wanna know why we are different. Why do we have joy in the storm that they know we're going through? How can we forgive those who have done us wrong? Maybe they've even seen the wrong done to us and they don't understand how we could ever forgive them. And that's important. But we must also be available to speak the name of Jesus in the public forum. To share the gospel with those around us. In person and in everything we do. Social media and wherever we are.

We have been forgiven and reconciled to God. We have an intimate, personal relationship with our Father God. God did not anoint an appoint angels to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. He has appointed and anointed you. And me. Stand for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen? All right, then, y'all have a great rest of your day, and God bless you and yours. James

Regard no one in the flesh

2022-12-07T08:55:00.005-08:00

2nd Corinthians 5:16-17

Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

So what does it mean to no longer regard anyone according to the flesh? It simply means that status doesn't matter. Rich, poor, middle class, or somewhere in between. None of that matters. Who you were in the past. Whether you were a good guy, a bad guy, a mean guy, whatever. Once you have been born again, you are a new creation. Furthermore, it means, it doesn't matter whether you're male or female, what nationality you are, or what color your skin is. In speaking on this, it reminds me of...

Galatians 3:27 -29

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

To most Jewish folks hearing this, especially at that time, this would have been considered heresy! Absolute heresy. Blasphemy even. But it is 100% true. He makes quite a distinction here in this cluster of verses. And this is why Jews at that time would've been awfully upset. Because he says, if you are in Jesus, that new creation we just spoke about, you have become Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. What promise? The promise God made Abraham. In receiving Jesus, we have been grafted into that vine of the people of God, but we are not the people of God. We are children of God.

Romans 8:16 -17

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Now, do you see that? I'm not telling you anything that's not scriptural. And I want to, more and more, as time permits, to lay down the scripture that refers to what I'm speaking of. Just for clarity, and for further, or future reference.

So back to our original scripture of the day in 2nd Corinthians. In Jesus, we are new creations. Old things have passed away. And all things have become new. This is speaking of the complete turnaround from following the flesh, to following the Spirit. The sanctification process begins as soon as we receive Jesus. And, like I've said before. If the only reason for your being born again, was so that you would go to heaven, you would've dropped dead instantly right after you received Jesus. Right? So, if you're still breathing, that means there's a purpose for you. And we'll talk more about that tomorrow. Lord willing. As we're going to continue in this chapter in 2nd Corinthians for at least another day, maybe two days this week. So stay tuned, there's more to come. Y'all have a great day, and God bless. James

Whosoever Calls Upon Name of the Lord Shall Be Saved

2022-12-01T06:34:00.000-08:00

Joel 2:32

And it shall come to pass

That whoever calls on the name of the Lord

Shall be saved.

For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,

As the Lord has said,

Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.

Act 2:21

'And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’

Romans 10:8-13

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

I'm sure you're seeing a pattern here. What all these verses have in common. And of course, that is, "Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved!"

Not maybe. Not could be. Not we hope so. But "shall be". Which is just a different way of saying "will be". Which means, for sure it's going to happen.

Acts 4:10-12

let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

(I highly recommend reading verses 8 through 12.)

Calling upon the name of the Lord is different now, than it was in the Old Testament. Joel was a prophet. And while what he was saying applied to the people he was speaking to, it far more applies to us. I believe that is the reason both Paul and Peter quote it. Because the name that we call upon now, is the name of Jesus. When we call upon the Lord. Don't let that be confusing. Because it's not.

In order to be saved, set free from our sins, what we read in Romans 10:8-12 is exactly what we must do. Furthermore, the entire world, both dead and alive, on earth, & in heaven and in hell, will at some point, bow their knees, and confess Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God.

Philippians 2:9-10

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

So yes, Jesus is the name above all names. The only one through which we must be saved. So those who call upon the name of the Lord now, are to call upon the name of Jesus for their salvation. For our salvation. Because Jesus died on the cross to bridge the gap between God and man. And that gap was/is, caused by sin.

Isaiah 59:1-3

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.

But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.

For your hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity.

I realize we've bounced a lot throughout Scripture here. But every single one of the Scriptures we have read is necessary to tell the story of how and why, "those who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." God is so very good to us. And He doesn't want anyone to die in their sins and go to hell. So He has made a way for that not to happen. A 100% guaranteed way to be saved. And I guess a pertinent question here at the end of this would be, "Saved from what?"

Saved from hell. And no I don't just mean eternal hell after you take your last breath on this earth. Although that is certainly a reason to call upon the name of the Lord. To be saved from that. Most definitely. But there's also the hell that we create for ourselves, right here on this earth, through following the flesh, and committing sin after sin after sin after sin.

Sin is not like a bullet to the head or a knife to the heart. Oh no. It slowly kills you spiritually and physically. To the point that you're looking forward to death. Even though death means eternity in hell. I know this firsthand. And yet, I just couldn't stop. I knew better, but I didn't do better. Because I couldn't. Not without the help of the Lord. I had to call upon the name of the Lord in order to be saved from all of that. Same is true with you and everyone you know.

There is no loophole. There is no other way to salvation except through Jesus (John 14:6). Here's the other thing. You're not saved because your parents are saved. God does not have any grandchildren. You are either His child, or you are not.

All right then. Y'all have a great rest your day and God bless. James

The Word

2022-12-01T06:30:00.003-08:00

1st Peter 2:1-3

Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Philippians 2:14 -16

Do all things without complaining and disputing,15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

Malice, what does that mean? Simply defined, malice means the intent to inflict injury or harm on someone else. I would say it goes hand-in-hand with selfishness. When you're selfish, you want what you want, when you want it, and how you want it. And you could care less who gets hurt along the way, in order for you to get it. It's where we get "malicious intent" as a legal definition in our legal system. It wasn't an accident. It was premeditated. You planned to do it, and you did it. So, first and foremost, let go of that.

And then, stop lying on a regular basis. I never realized what a big, fat liar I was until I stopped lying. Or rather, purposed in my heart to stop lying.

Now, hypocrisy, we know what that is. Saying one thing, and doing another. Perfect example of that would be telling everybody else to stop smoking, when you in fact, are still smoking. Or drinking, or doing drugs, looking at porn, or whatever. And guess what, we're surrounded by hypocrites, because we are all hypocrites in one way or another. We all say one thing, and do the other, in different aspects of our lives. So don't kid yourself, when you point the finger at other people calling them hypocrites. You've got three pointing right back at you. Our job is to stop doing these things. And really, the only way to do that is to ask the Lord to help you. That is the key. Pointing fingers at other people because they fall short it's pretty stupid. Because we all fall short. You might not fall short where they fall short, but you fall short.

Envy, we know what that is. Jealousy.

Evil speaking? That covers a whole bunch of stuff. Lying, gossiping, speaking words of discouragement, rather than words of encouragement. Cuss words. All kinds of stuff. But again it's not a mystery to us when we see that. Evil speaking. We know what that is. So to help you keep from doing those things, we must have that thirst, that starvation of spirit, for the word of God. The pure milk of the word. Now, as you grow, you will go from drinking milk to eating meat. And it's at that point you can start sharing the meat of the word that you've received. And here we go right back into the sanctification process.

As we head into the next scripture of the day. Those verses above in Philippians are all about being a good example. Being an effective ambassador of Christ. Being a good example among fellow believers. Not whining and complaining about everything, and everyone. Because everyone whines and complains. But when you don't, you sort of stand out. You're weird. You're different. Why is that? Why don't you have that malicious intent to get your own way?

Our goal is to become more like Jesus, and less like our old selves. To purpose in our hearts to allow that sanctification process to occur from within to without. In other words, from the inside out. It does no good to have a cup clean on the outside, if it's dirty and filthy on the inside. Signifying that we can really only be an effective witness if we allow the Lord to clean us from the inside out. Jesus spoke about this in

Matthew 23:25-26

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also."

And no, I'm not gonna lie to you, it's not easy. It's sometimes very uncomfortable being the different one. And it's hard because our old nature is ever present. Wanting to get a foothold again. And here we go again. That's why you have to purpose in your heart to meet with the Lord every morning in prayer, and to read your Bibles every single day. Feed your spirit, not your flesh. And finally, live what you believe. When you read and believe God's word, it's imperative to live according to it. And again, it's not easy. But it's the best way. Amen?

All right, then, have a great rest of your day, and God bless you and yours. James.

The World and Money $$$

2022-11-25T05:52:00.005-08:00

1st John 1:15-17

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

It's easy to get caught up in things. This thing, that thing, and the other thing. I've said before, it's OK to have money, as long as money doesn't have you. Jesus clearly said a man could not serve two masters, God and money. Money is a necessary thing, we need it to survive....for food, to pay bills, for housing, light, and transportation. So again, things are OK to have, as long as they don't have you. Don't love them. God is still a jealous God. He wants to be number one in our lives. Not 2nd, 3rd, 5th, or 100th... He deserves to be number one in our lives. After all, He put us first.

Also, don't love this world. Guess what? This is NOT our home. It's just like when you go to stay at a hotel, even for an extended period. You might even refer to it as home out of habit. You might say something like, "OK, let's go home." meaning the hotel. But you and your family know it's NOT home. When you finally arrive at your home, there's no convincing anyone you're home...they just know it. Well this world is not our home, it's only a temporary thing, just like the hotel. Although our home doesn't need renovations in order for us to move in, WE are the ones in need of renovation...hehehehe. For years now I've wanted to design a shirt that has a construction sign on it, or with some visible construction on it, and a caption that says, "God's still working on me."

So what is in this world that we should avoid like the plague? Lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, and the pride of life. I think those are pretty self-explanatory. And besides, all that stuff is on its way out...soon it will be no more. We need to purpose in our hearts to avoid those things. Two out of the three are as easy as a mouse click... Not too long ago folks had to go to a shady part of town, or out in the middle of nowhere and disguise themselves to go buy their porn. Now it's just a mouse click away. No one sees, no one knows...but that's not true, now is it?

Let's purpose in our hearts to follow Christ's example of how to live, love, and behave. If you have problems in certain areas, ask for His help. He will, if you'll just ask. Call upon Him and trust in Him...and you'll see things change...in your life, and in others. My being here isn't an accident. Many prayed for a very long time, and God heard and answered their prayers. So keep praying, and keep believing...

:-)James

Give Thanks

2022-11-24T05:49:00.002-08:00

1 Chronicles 16:34

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

Psalm 35:18

I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.

Psalm 69:30

I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.

Psalm 79:13

So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, Will give You thanks forever; We will show forth Your praise to all generations.

Psalm 97:12

Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.

Philippians 4:6

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Now I suppose you might be thinking...."Golly, why all the scriptures this morning?" Well, I just wanted to show you a small percentage of the times "thanks" is mentioned in the bible. It shows up 108 times, some of which are not directly related to giving thanks to the Lord, but 90% of them are. This Thursday we celebrate Thanksgiving...really the only holiday we celebrate that hasn't been taken over by gimmicks and greed. Granted I'm sure the turkey farmers are happy, but other than that, there's not a whole lot of money to be made on Thanksgiving.

One thing is very important, we need to be humble and thankful to God. Let's face it, sometimes things are going on in our lives and it's very difficult to be thankful. The bible even speaks of a sacrifice of praise. I've heard it called an attitude of gratitude. If you walk around being thankful, your whole perspective changes. And you begin to expect good things to happen in your life. You begin to believe that the holy favor of God really does rest upon you. You're not worried about who's trying to cheat you or take advantage, because you know the Lord is your defender.

When you bring that sacrifice of praise, when you purpose in your heart to be thankful in all things, it's easier to make it through each day. And when things hit you like a sack of potatoes in the midsection, you're able to withstand them better. You don't lose your mind. You don't start blaming and questioning God, you start thanking Him because you know that you know that He has the answer. Because the doctors, they don't get the last word. The Creator of the heavens and the earth is my Daddy. And He always gets the last word! Nothing surprises Him, He knows everything before it even happens. So when you walk around knowing all of that, believing all of that, standing on all of that, it's easy to be thankful. How could I not be?

Sometimes the problem is, I want to get back on the throne over my heart. I don't belong there. I'm not the boss, God is. There used to be a bumper sticker years ago that my pastor used to talk about. And I've mentioned it a few times here myself. But it bears repeating. Anyway, the bumper sticker said "God is my copilot". Really now? If God is your copilot, you're in the wrong seat. He's the pilot. When I said, I make You Lord of my life, I meant it. I've seen the Boss's job, and I don't want it.

TTFN and God bless. 🙂 James

PS: Have a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving. Make time to mend fences, be a peacemaker, heal old wounds. Forgive, even if you did nothing wrong, and ask forgiveness. Start anew. Be blessed.

Come back!

2022-11-23T05:56:00.004-08:00

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord

Forever.

I know we've gone through this chapter before, verse by verse, days on end, so I won't do that again. Not today.

Often times this is read at funerals. And it is an encouragement for those who are grieving. But it's also a good encouragement daily. To remember, to not only know that we have a Shepherd, but to listen to Him. To take His guidance. To be willing to say, and really mean it...Lord, Your will be done, not mine. The Lord is our provider, our protector, our comforter, our restorer, our discipliner, our Savior, and our Lord. The King of kings and Lord of lords.

I'm not a parent, and I don't play one on TV. But I do know that children rely on their parents. If something scares them, they go running to mommy and daddy. They may stand behind them, cowering in fear. And you know what?We can do that with our Daddy. Because sometimes things are scary. And I don't care how much faith you have, you can get overwhelmed. Sickness and disease, grieving the death of a loved one, all sorts of things make us wanna run and get behind Daddy, and just let Him deal with it. And the thing about it is, He will.

He's waiting to hear from you. He knows you're overwhelmed. He knows it's too much. He doesn't want or expect you to do it all on your own. He's there waiting. In fact, bending down, listening for your cry. But one thing the Lord will never do. He will never force you into anything. If you're being pressured and forced. Your arm being twisted, and you're being left with really no choice at all, that's not God. That's how the enemy works. Terrorizing you, manipulation, sleight-of-hand. The Lord presents us with the right way to go, and it is up to us to choose to walk in it, or not. No tricks, no force, just love.

One of my favorite parts about this Psalm is "He restores my soul". We all need restoration from time to time. Having strayed from the family like the prodigal son did, Father God is waiting, just like the father in that story. The Lord gave me a song many years ago entitled "Come Back to Me". And it's God speaking. And He's telling His child to come back. Come back to Me.

The chorus goes like this:

Come back to Me, I love, I need you can't you see

Come back to Me, come be part of the family

I'll keep saying my child, come back to Me

So if you've taken a detour that's lead you to places you didn't wanna go, in the company of folks who did you wrong, come back. Stop making excuses as to why the Lord won't receive you back. And just surrender. Just like the prodigal son did. Come back. Turn around. You'll be so glad you did. If you've picked up addictions along the way, the Lord will set you free from those. He's not calling you to be perfect, He's just saying...come back. Deal with all of that other stuff later. His arms are open wide. Open with love, not with judgment. Come back. As I write this I feel that yearning in the Spirit, and it brings me to tears. Because I know so many out there are hurting. And Jesus is the answer. Let Him be your shepherd. Don't be afraid or ashamed, just come back. James

Psalms Bible Study

2021-10-10T15:05:00.003-07:00

Psalm 5:1-3 & 11-12

Give ear to my words, O Lord,

Consider my meditation.

Give heed to the voice of my cry,

My King and my God,

For to You I will pray.

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord;

In the morning I will direct it to You,

And I will look up.

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;

Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;

Let those also who love Your name

Be joyful in You.

For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;

With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

"Please listen to me Lord." David says this often in the Psalms. And I don't think he says it because he doesn't believe the Lord is hearing him. Quite the opposite. I think he it is more for the reader, or listener rather, since all of these were songs. It's to bring in reason. To make people think, question, and then get the answer all in the same Psalm. I used to think that David was questioning a lot. But I believe now that it was purposeful. It had a purpose. And still does. I think David really humanizes following the Lord. He made some serious mistakes along the way. He did horrible things following the flesh. And the prophet Nathan called him out on it, and he did repent. (You can read his prayer of repentance in Psalm 51.)

And after David asked the Lord to hear his prayer, he says this:

My voice you shall hear early in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.

The other day we talked about the first fruits of our money. Giving the Lord the first, because He deserves the first. He also deserves the first part of our day. Not Facebook, not Twitter, not the morning news, but God. He deserves to be first. Because He put you first. You don't think Jesus could've said, "Look Dad, I don't really wanna do this. These people are horrible! I've healed some, I've set some free, but let's just start over again, OK? I don't wanna die on the cross for these people. Look at them! They're not even looking for You, for Us. Why should I die for them?" And had Jesus said that, He wouldn't have been wrong. But praise God, He didn't say that. He was faithful to the end, even to the cross! So, He deserves to be first. And finally.....

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;

Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;

Let those also who love Your name

Be joyful in You.

If you're a follower of Jesus, you are a child of God, and you need to remember to rejoice and to shout for joy, because the Lord defends you! I don't know about you, but I love the name of Jesus! Sometimes I just say His name over and over and over again. Sometimes that's all I can say! Sometimes that's all I want to say.

And don't forget that the Lord is going to bless you. What do you expect? Do you expect the worst? Or do you expect the best? Jesus prayed for a lot of people, and most all of them He would ask them, do you believe I can do this? And He was even heard saying, "According to your faith so let it be to you." What you believe, is what you will get. So we have to, on a daily basis, ask ourselves and be honest, "What do I believe? Do I believe the word of God that says that He will bless me? That His holy favor will rest upon me? Or do I believe gloom and doom...that everything's just gonna go wrong no matter what I do, so I might as well just accept it?"

Whatever you believe, that's what you're gonna get. No amount of prayer from other people from the outside will make any difference. You will have exactly what you believe. Nothing more, & nothing less. Because as much as I love you, and I want the best for you, I cannot pray against your free will. You choose what you believe. No one else. You may pretend to believe, but you need to be honest with yourself about what you really believe. This is not a fake it till you make it kind of thing. Doesn't work that way. You either believe, or you don't. Now does that mean you're never ever ever ever ever ever going to doubt? Of course not. But, if you're doubting all the time, that's a problem. And if you are doubting, don't just accept it. Ask the Lord to remove that doubt from you. And continue in reading His word. Meeting with Him in prayer, first thing in the morning, every morning. And see if that doesn't change real quick like.

And if anyone ever tells you that they've never doubted, they are lying to you. Perhaps they're lying to themselves too, but they are absolutely lying to you. The guys who walked with Jesus on a daily basis for 3 1/2 years. Saw all of the miracles mentioned in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John) right in front of their eyes, those guys doubted! So you're not going to tell me you, who never walked in a physical sense with Jesus, and witnessed all of the miracles He did, isn't going to doubt, or hasn't ever doubted. Don't try to sell me that line of goods, because I ain't buying it. Hahahaha. Yikes!

God is great and greatly to be praised! There is nothing, no nothing, too difficult for him. Whatever it is, just give it to the Lord and go on. James

Proverbs Bible study

2021-10-10T15:03:00.001-07:00

Proverbs 4:3-4

But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly;

The Lord will hear when I call to Him.

Be angry, and do not sin.

Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah

So we read that in verse 3 and we may think to ourselves, "Godly? What does that mean?" The long version of the dictionary definition for that word is:

"Pious; reverencing God, and His character and laws; obedient to the commands of God from love for, and reverence of, His character; conformed to God's law; devout; righteous."

I do like that definition. To be godly means to serve the Lord because you love Him, not because you're being forced to. We live our lives according to God's word because we want to please Him in all that we say and in all that we do. I can't speak for you but I want to be a faithful child. I don't want to bring shame to the name of the Lord. Let's look at:

Colossians 3:17

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

I know that I quote this verse often but it is very relevant to our daily lives. If we will purpose in our hearts to do this on a daily basis, everything in our lives will change.

Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah

Being angry is not the problem, it's what we do when we're angry that's the problem. The words that come out of our mouths and perhaps physical actions we may take towards others. We're not five years old anymore. We're not supposed to act like that anymore. We're not supposed to react like that anymore. Especially as blood bought children of the Most High God.

Being shocked at the lack of driving skills of some folks on the road, and being angry about that, is not the problem. It's beating the steering wheel or using words that we hadn't ought to be using anymore that's the problem.

Case in point:

A guy pulled out in front of me yesterday, and praise God I don't know how I got the car stopped, but it did. Or actually slowed down enough to a point where I could go around him. Keep in mind the speed limit on this road is 55 and I was doing that for sure. (For you locals I was traveling south on McColl Road just before you get to Sprague. And he was it exiting a driveway on the west side, that was completely blind. I couldn't see the truck at all until it came out onto the road.) Thankfully he stopped in the middle of the lane to where I could get around him without hitting him or anyone else. If I had hit that giant truck broadside there would likely be no Bible study this morning. Or any morning to come. Of course I would be rejoicing in the presence of the Lord right now, which is definitely what I prefer, but I guess the Lord has some more stuff for me to do down here.

And it was so funny because usually, when you're involved in a situation like that, you have that apprehension you feel in your heart all the way down to the pit of your stomach. Like totally freaked out. I didn't have that. I wasn't shaking, I didn't need to catch my breath, none of that. I just said, "Thank You Lord." And I went on my way. This was right after church yesterday. 1:30 in the afternoon.

I share that with you because sometimes things just happen that we have no control over. It wasn't really that guy's fault, as he couldn't see. Or perhaps he didn't look, I don't know. But I certainly didn't see him until his truck was in the road. Being upset or mad or even freaked out about the whole situation is not helpful. I don't know how to describe it, but more and more when I experience things like that I don't have that freak out factor anymore. I believe I'm getting to a point where I just fully trust in the Lord. I know that what happens, even just seconds in the future, is in His hands. Of course it's very possible that something similar could happen today and I'll be totally freaked out. I don't know. I just found it strange that that didn't occur yesterday. And then the more I thought about it, the less strange it seemed. I don't know if anything that I just said makes any sense or not, but there it is.

I really like that whole meditate in your bed thing. When you're laying down at the end of the day, mentally run through the events of the day so that maybe tomorrow you can make better choices. But whatever happened that day, at the end of the day, that night before you go to sleep, give it all to the Lord. That's it. That's the whole point. Whether you got angry and sinned, or you got angry and didn't sin, whatever the case was, at the end of the day, just give it to the Lord. Don't hold onto it, don't worry about it, don't feel guilty about it. Release it all to the Lord and sleep. And hopefully, with the help of the Lord, do better the next day. I pray you're all doing well this lovely Monday morning. Have a great rest of your day and God bless you and yours. James

Proverbs 20:19

2018-08-20T20:32:00.002-07:00

Proverbs 20:19

He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.
...

Gossiping is NOT a good idea. It’s bad for you, your family, and for those who associate with you. I’ve always said, anyone who will lie for you, will lie to you. Sometimes folks will “appear” to be your friend, someone you can trust, so you share things with them. And before you know it, folks are looking at you differently, treating you differently….you’ve become a pariah, even to those close to you. So FINALLY someone actually tells you why. That “good friend” told everyone what you told them in confidence, and your reputation is now ruined by something that happened years ago. Something that is a part of your testimony, something you’ve been set free from, and have been forgiven of is now front and center in your world now. And that “friend” is now cozying up to other folks to do the same thing to them. And of course, if you warn those future potential victims that person tells them, “oh, he/she is just lying because you and I are close now. He/She is just jealous of how close we’ve gotten.” Uh huh. It won’t be long and that friend you warned will come back to you and say, “Man I wish I would’ve listened to you.” He/She did exactly what you told me they would do.
Don’t be that person. The one who strategically gets to know folks in order to learn their secrets and spread them. It will NOT end well for you. At the very least, you’ve probably got a good beating coming. Sadly, there are folks like that in every church, place of business, job, group of friends…..EVERYWHERE!!! There are those who will “butter you up”. Feed your ego, tell you how good you are. That’s why the bible (specifically all throughout Proverbs) warns multiple times about pride. It was the first sin and was committed IN HEAVEN!!! Lucifer’s head got too big and he decided he was going to replace God. He was going to set up his own kingdom. Forgetting of course, that he is a creation, not the Creator. Pride. It literally came before Lucifer’s fall.
So if you catch yourself getting caught up in someone’s admiration for you, be careful. There may indeed be an ulterior motive at work there. It may well be innocent, but anyone trying to create, or feed pride in you, may not have your best interests at heart. Of course it may well be something else entirely, but that’ll be for another day. Have a great day and God bless. James

Same

2018-05-26T09:47:00.000-07:00

Galatians 3:26-29

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Generally, folks quote these verses, and I've done it myself, as standalone verses. But you really need to read the entire chapter, in fact I'd really recommend reading chapter 2 and chapter 3. Then when you get to this verse, you can see it's a summation of all of the verses that preceded it. And the explanation is just fantastic. How Jesus was the promise given to Abraham. That Abraham's seed would carry the inheritance of the promise. And the promise being, that Abraham's seed would bless all the nations. That the plan to include the rest of the world (Gentiles) in salvation was already at work, even in the promise given to Abraham. Through Jesus we are grafted into the vine of the promise. You can read more about that in Romans chapter 11 starting with verse 11.

The more we understand the inner workings of our salvation, the more beautiful it becomes. It is just so amazing how things from long long ago were already in the works so that you and I could be saved, redeemed, and grafted in to the family of God, sharing in the full inheritance of Jesus Christ.
Jesus explains the vine in John chapter 15. How the branches can do nothing without the vine. And that we can do nothing without Jesus. And it is so true. Our redemption comes from Him and our ability to prosper and produce fruit comes only through Him. Just like physical branches get their sustenance from the vine, we get our sustenance from the Lord. I guess in today's time you could equate it with an appliance being plugged in. The appliance is fully capable of doing whatever it was created to do, when it's plugged in to the source. The electricity. But without the source, it can do nothing. A washing machine, dishwasher, oven, and microwave, just really big paper weights without electricity. Useless. Before we come to Jesus we are trying to plug ourselves into different things. Things that other folks say will sustain us. But they never do. It just doesn't work. We weren't designed to be plugged in anywhere else, but into the vine alone.

Only Jesus will sustain us. Our salvation was bought with a very precious price. The blood of the only begotten Son of God, Jesus. Jesus speaks of this in John chapter 3 and how we must be born again from the physical realm, into the spiritual realm. (See Romans 10:9-10) From understanding natural things to understanding supernatural things. And that doesn't happen if you don't know Jesus. Even Nicodemus, one who studied the law from the time he was a child, and was already an old man in John chapter 3, he couldn't even grasp it. He asked Jesus, what am I supposed to do crawl up in my mothers womb again? Almost mockingly because we know an old guy like that, his mom is no longer around. And even he says, we know You're of God because no one who is not could do what You're doing. He speaking of the miracles that Jesus is doing. Anyway I highly recommend reading that as well. Goodness gravy if I don't stop now I never will. This will be a 40 page message.

I hope you're having a great day so far. Have a great rest of your day, a splendid weekend, and God bless you and yours. James

Bible Study...Friends?

2011-02-07T16:57:00.000-08:00

Proverbs 12:26

The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Proverbs 27:17

As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

Ah friends...how many true friends to any of us have? I can count on one hand the people I know I can trust. I am careful who I spend a lot of time around...because I know who I'm around the most is who I will become. If they are filled with unbelief and doubt, soon I will be too. People I used to get high or drunk with don't call me anymore, nor do I call them. We have NOTHING in common anymore. I don't wanna get drunk or high, and they don't wanna hear about Jesus.

We all tend to migrate towards those who are most like us. It's something that comes naturally. I've said it before and I'll say it again. If you want to be a successful businessman, you have to surround yourself with folks MORE successful and learn from them. If you want to be a successful Christian you have to do the same. If you surround yourself with losers, whiners, and slackers...guess what you're going to become?

Your job as a friend is to encourage your friends. To be an example to them. Don't just tell them about Jesus, but live that life in front of them. Most people back away from confrontation, but many times we need to stand our ground...not back down on what we believe. I don't mean be a jerk or a loudmouth, but stick to your principles and what you believe. In other words, don't go along to get along. If they want to go to a strip club for a "meeting" don't go. Just remember, it's always easier to be pulled down than it is to be pulled up. Try this with a friend seated in a chair, and you standing. Try and pull them up from the chair with no assistance from them. Then have them try to pull you down...it's a great visual on what we're talking about here. Have a great day folks and God bless...:-) Pastor James

Sweet & Sour

2009-10-19T05:13:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 25:27

It is not good to eat much honey; so to seek one's own glory is not glory.

Oh my. Now what does all that mean? Even too much of something as sweet as honey can be bad. Did you know that if you put too much honey in something (to sweeten it) it won't taste good? Refined sugar is different, you can put as much as you want, and it just gets sweeter and sweeter. Hmmmmmm. Savor what is good, but don't live for it.......live for God. The bible says all good things come from God. Worship Him, and not the good things.
Which is one of the quickest ways that a man or woman can fall? Yes, the "P" word again. Pride. With a capital "P". Hey, it's easy to do, and encouraged quite often in this society. But when you seek to lift yourself up, as the bible says, you are headed for fall, or a rude awakening. I guess a rude awakening could best be illustrated by, let's say, a bucket of cold water poured over you at say 4AM. That would be a rude awakening. Pride is sort of a deep sleep at 4AM sometimes. We get lulled into a sense of pride, and basically fall asleep to humility and fear of God. Then comes the wake-up call, or the bucket of ice water, and oh boy, do we feel foolish. I should say, "I feel foolish." I can't speak for anyone else, but I have been there. More times than I'd like to admit. Being a musician it's easy to let that pride in.......very easy. It's a constant battle. But if I give in to pride, the old man will raise himself from the dead, and try and take over again. I can't allow that. It's just not worth it. The man I used to be will come back, in other words. That is something I NEVER want.

"Father, we pray You would give us strength this day, to submit to You, and to resist the devil that he may flee from us. Give us Your compassion for those around us, and let us feel the love You feel for them. We worship You this day, for You alone are worthy of all honor, glory, and praise. Thank You for another day of life, we will rejoice and be glad in it. Thank You for all You've done, for all You're doing, and for all You will do. I love You Lord, and I lay down my wants and desires, and I pray Your will be done in my life. In Jesus' name, amen."

Have a great day, and keep smiling, Jesus loves you. :-) Pastor James

Who do you believe???

2009-01-29T20:26:00.001-08:00

1 John 4
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Now John is talking to fellow Christians...fellow followers of Christ. He is giving them a warning. It is a valid warning to this day. Be careful whom you listen to...be sure they are of God. If someone comes to you and says, "Thus saith the Lord....." and they say something contrary to the Word of God....it is NOT from God. Many people have been deceived because they simply don't know their bibles. Someone will say to them "It says in the bible....." and they just accept it. Don't ever do that. Test the spirit, check the facts...don't even trust me....make sure what I say lines up with the Word of God. If it does not, throw it out...don't receive it. If someone tries to tell you they are the chosen one, or they are the one you should pray to or hold up and worship....DON'T. I know this is Christianity 101, but sometimes folks just don't check things out and are easily deceived. The devil has always been able to "twist" God's Word to suit him and to trick folks. Each time Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by the devil, He answered his temptation with scripture. "It is written, it is written....." How can you say "It is written.." if you don't know what is written? Well, you can't. Your intellect won't help, you charisma won't help, your fancy words won't help. ONLY God's Word will answer a temptation from the enemy. If you don't know God's Word, you'll slip and fall every time. I hear people all the time confessing they are weak, and I'm one of them. But by reading God's word, praying, and singing praise to Him (all daily) you will get stronger. You don't build your muscles by sitting on the couch all day. You do it by working out with different weights specifying each exercise to coincide with a specific muscle or muscles you are targeting. There are scriptures that deal with salvation, healing, confidence, security, provision............just about every topic you can think about is covered in the bible. Don't EVER take anyone's word for it....only take God's Word for it. One preacher once said, "Either you're lying or God's lying, I pick you!" Every person on the planet is a liar compared to the Word of God. Be wary of those who would twist God's Word to make you feel like you owe them something. Unfortunately I have met people of that ilk. They expected to be paid and praised for praying for folks. That's not scriptural folks. If you feel the Lord is leading you to give a donation that's one thing...but to have someone require you give them something....is just not cool. If people call me to go pray for a loved one in a hospital or at their house....it is my pleasure to go and I don't expect anything in return. God is my provider when I am doing His work. Have a great day folks and God bless. :-) Pastor James

Psalm 103:10

2008-11-08T10:13:00.000-08:00

Psalm 103:10

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee glory! We were far from God and Jesus died for us. I know I've told you this before, but it bears repeating. The head of the Moody Bible Institute is greeted by many as he enters the office. Most ask him, "Hey, how are today?" He answers, "Better than I deserve!". Can you grasp that? We deserved eternity in hell for our sins. Eternal separation from God is what our earnings were. You know, the wages of sin is death. So why won't we get what we deserve? Because we accepted God's free gift of salvation via His Son's death on the cross for our sins! Thank You Daddy, and thank You Jesus!!! TTFN and God bless.
:-) PJ

Psalm 103:9

2008-11-08T10:12:00.000-08:00

Psalm 103:9

He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever.

Yesterday we saw that God is slow to anger. He has a very long fuse. But, He does get angry. But He won't stay angry forever. He won't remind you what you've done wrong, after He's forgiven you of it. That's the devil's job. If we're constantly reminding folks of the sins of their past, we're doing the devil's bidding, not the Lord's. God wants the best for you....at all times. Sure there are going to be unpleasant times, unpleasant situations, but we can always remind ourselves of Romans 8:28. Do you remember it? Remind yourself of God's promises daily. Have a great day and God bless. :-) PJ

Psalm 103:8

2008-11-08T10:11:00.001-08:00

Psalm 103:8

The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

He has had mercy on us all. He gave His only Son for us, so that we could have life, and have it more abundantly. Gracious is defined as: enjoying favor. Wow. His favor and His mercy is upon us. One thing we need to remember is that we should be merciful as He has been merciful to us. Sometimes we don't want to pray for those who've done us wrong. We don't want to be kind to them, but we should be. Ask the Lord to help you see the lost (and other Christians......in other words...everyone) as He sees them....to help you forgive, forget, and move on. He will. Have a great day and God bless. :-) PJ

Psalm 103:7

2008-11-08T10:09:00.004-08:00

Psalm 103:7

He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.

He's made His ways known to us too...........even more so, than to them. How? You may ask. Through His Word. One thing that they didn't have was the entire bible like we have. They didn't have all the examples, and most of all, they didn't have Jesus as Lord and Savior. They were under the law. We have oodles more than they did. Now they may have seen more with their own eyes than we have, but I believe having the Word is as important, if not more so. The Word doesn't change. The way you remember things changes........the way you see things changes, but God's word never does. Are you seeing what the Lord is revealing to you each and every day via His Word? Are you seeking His face and answers in prayer........and waiting for His answer? I can ask the same of myself. He will reveal Himself to you if you will allow Him to.........expect Him to.........ask Him to. God bless. :-) James

Psalm 103:6

2008-11-08T10:09:00.003-08:00

Psalm 103:6

The LORD executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed.

There is a payday coming. We see despots and dictators doing horrible things to their people. Sometimes the world steps in and executes judgment, and sometimes not. But God sees all, and there will be justice. Maybe not justice you can see with you own two eyes, but there will be justice.....guaranteed. He sees the suffering and will make it right. He is a good God, and He's a God of justice. Have a great day and God bless. :-) PJ

Psalm 103:5

2008-11-08T10:09:00.001-08:00

Psalm 103:5

Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Eeeeeeeeeee glory. The Lord satisfies your mouth with good things, and renews your youth. That's good news. Sometimes I think I'm 80 years old.....hehehe. But praise God, the Lord recharges my battery for me, and off I go. I had once heard a story of eagles.....that they went off on their own and lost all their feathers, talons, and beak. But I found that to be a myth via the website: http://www.baldeagleinfo.com/eagle/eagle-myths.html It makes a great story, but it's just not true. But, the old feathers do push the old ones out, gradually, in what's called a molt. Well, here's the quote from the website:

"For those of you who have e-mailed me wondering if it's true that an eagle goes into seclusion, plucks all of its feathers, sheds its beak and talons, and then renews itself, is a myth. An eagle's beak and talons grow continuously, because they are made of keratin, the same substance as our hair and fingernails. Eagles molt in patches, taking almost half a year to replace feathers, starting with the head and working downward. Not all feathers are replaced in a given molt. An eagle without feathers, talons, and a beak would die of starvation and exposure." As quoted from the aforementioned website.

So now, we can see that our being renewed isn't instant, and it's not a horrendously drawn out process as we (or as I) thought it was. It's a gradual process. You didn't get worn out overnight, and you're not going to be renewed overnight either, although nothing is impossible for God. But I see from the comparison to the eagle's restoration that it is most likely a slower process.....not years, but not days either. Anyway, rejoice because the Lord is on your side, and He will work it out for good. Have a great day and God bless. James