What will you do with Jesus?

The people were plotting as to how to put Jesus to death. Judas had returned the blood money...30 pieces of silver, to the chief priests and elders. With it they purchased the potter's field, which would be known even to the present day, as the "Field of Blood."

Jesus stood before the governor, Pilate, while the people hurled accusations against Him. Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus replied, "It is as you say."

It was the time of the feast, and the governor was allowed to release one prisoner. He asked the people, who will it be? Jesus or Barabbas? His wife gave him warning not to harm Jesus in any way. She had had a dream concerning him. The chief priests and elders persuaded the crowd to cry out for Barabbas to be released.

The pivotal question of the hour was, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" It was a question asked of the people of that day and it is a question asked of each of us today.

What will you do with Jesus who is called the Christ? If you haven't responded to Him as yet, please receive Him as Lord of your life today. One day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!

Be a Believer

Are you a doubting Thomas?

After Jesus was resurrected, he appeared to some of His disciples. Thomas, though, had not been there. The disciples told Thomas that they had seen the Lord and that He had risen from the dead. He informed them that "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." Thomas not only wanted to see in order to believe, but He wanted to FEEL as well.

How many of us are that way? It's "natural" to be this way. We are such "senses" people. We want to see and feel and touch. God made us to have senses and emotions. But, he doesn't want them to rule over us. Truth is more important than feelings or senses. Rely on truth to guide you...not what you feel or sense (or don't sense, for that matter.) Be a believer! Believe the truth of the Word.

Go ahead and take from Him!

The Ways of Grace by Joseph Prince

He invites us to take from Him and continues to reveal His grace to us in
many different ways. I'm so thankful for Him.

Restoration...I love the way God does things.

I watched this clip from CBN today [link below] and it got me thinking about the word Restoration.  God is in the business of restoration. He delights in it because He gets the glory and honor for transforming a life, but also because He loves His creation so much that He wants them to live an abundant life and not a life of addiction, depravity, and hopelessness.

No matter what you are facing or going through today, know that God loves you! He DOES have good plans for your life. He wants to bring restoration to you and your family. He loves the family and He loves healthy relationships. He sent Jesus for your restoration. [God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself.]

If you look up the word Restoration, you'll see the word Renew. He wants to make you NEW! If you are already born-again, just submit yourself to Him, give Him all your junk, get in the Word, ask Him and He will restore your life. If you need to be born-again, it's a simple process...Just say, "Jesus, I need you. Come in and make me new. I can't do this on my own. Thank you Jesus for loving me and bringing me into your family."

CBN TV - Finding True Freedom from Drug Addiction

Stress-free?

Hey, I have good news for you today...according to wayfair.com, you can enjoy the upcoming holidays "stress-free"...and I quote: (with a hint of sarcasm)

"From furniture to our favorite ways to deck the halls, celebrate the holidays totally stress-free."

Now, mind you, I have nothing against Wayfair or their products, but that is quite a claim! Seems just a bit unrealistic to me. How about you? We all know that the holidays bring out the best and the worst in people (and yes that includes every family).

I think for most of us (especially women) we go into the holiday season wanting everything to be perfect; the gifts, the decor, the food, etc. Talk about a set-up for disappointment! Ladies, I just want to say up front, "It will not be perfect." Things will go wrong, here or there.

I don't think there is such a thing as "stress-free." Maybe in death. :) Just enjoy the holidays...try not to have unrealistic expectations. Enjoy your family and friends. Enjoy, yes, even enjoy the fact that nobody is perfect, except Jesus. Be conscious of Him in your celebrations this season, and the stress level will decrease measurably.

Stress-free? Still a doubting Thomas.

You are important

I want you to know today that God's love for you is enormous! He loved you enough to sacrifice his Son for you. You are a treasure to Him. Continue to learn more about His love for you.

You are important and you matter.

That's How You Forgive (Lyric Video)

If you're a Christian, He just wants to live His life through you. You are an ambassador for Christ, His highest representative on earth. What an honor.

If you are not a Christian, that can be remedied today...right now. If you believe that Jesus is the Christ, that He needs to be Lord of your life and give you new life, just say to Him, "I believe in You Jesus. I know that You are the Son of God and you came to free me from my bondage of sin and death. I know that in You, and only in You, I find new life. Live Your life in me...beginning today, this moment. I surrender to You. Thank you Jesus! (If you said, and more importantly, meant, that prayer, you are a new member of the household of God.)

Welcome to the family! You can now go out and tell someone, "I'm a child of God."

Redoubt: Northwest a Haven for Dismayed Americans - US - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

Redoubt: Northwest a Haven for Dismayed Americans - US - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

I don't know if this is the right thing to do..or not. But I do understand why people are feeling this way. They no longer trust their government. They want their families to be safe. They enjoy being in the beauty of nature. There are many reasons why a family would move to places like these. You decide for yourself. Blessings on your day!

Joseph Prince - Confession Of Sins—Is It For The Believer? - 15 Sept 2013

David and I believe that Jesus came and died and He accomplished what He was sent to do. He paid for and removed the sins of the whole world; everyone and ALL sin. Now it's up to each individual to believe and receive what Jesus did for them and focus on Him...not sin.  Amen?

My Apologies

I apologize for the lateness of this post. We moved recently and you know how that can really throw you off, so to speak. Moving is something I don't want to do for a long time. (I can hear the "amen to that" 's out there)

We left Colorado Springs on August 23rd and headed back "home" to Wisconsin. This is the state that we have spent most of our time in, at least as a married couple with children. (Our true home is heaven and we so look forward to that home-going) This is where our children and grandchildren live, and it's so nice to be near them once again! This Grandma has a lot of time to make up for with her grandchildren.

It is very nice to be back in familiar territory, although Colorado Springs was certainly beautiful and had a lot to offer. If you haven't visited there, I would highly recommend the trip. There is the Garden of the Gods park, with its gorgeous red rock formations, trails to walk and roadway to travel through. There are the Rocky Mountains, of course, and we had a wonderful view of them from our balcony. The Cog Railway is a very fun thing to do; you can travel up to the top of Pike's Peak, weather permitting. I've included a link for you to check it out below.
God is good, all the time!

Check out the Cog Railway

He is the Same

Jesus came to show us the Father. 

The Bible says that He is the express image of His Person.

In the context of Hebrews 13, the writer is telling us to love one 

another as brothers [God is Love], be hospitable and given to

entertaining [You just might be entertaining angels], remember the 

prisoners and those who are mistreated, just as if you were one of them.

Marriage is honorable, keep your lives free from the love of money, be

content with what you have. He tells us not to be afraid, and that God

will never leave us nor forsake us....so much contained in just these few 

verses of chapter 13.

We are so blessed to have the Word of God, the Word of Life.

Words

When I was growing up, I used to hear the saying, "Sticks and stones can break my bones, but WORDS will never hurt me." I'm sure you heard it, too, probably more than once. Oh my, nothing could have been further from the truth! My brother and I used to get in some pretty nasty name-calling sessions from time to time. Being raised in a "Christian in name only" home, we were not taught to love and respect each other. I remember a glass ashtray flying through the air, as well. Thankfully, his aim wasn't very good...haha  Okay, enough about my childhood.

God's word tells us that "death and life are in the power of the tongue." Prov. 18:21 It goes on to say that "those who love it will eat it's fruit." If we could only see the choice we have each day to either bless or curse with our WORDS. I know that over the years I have spoken things out of my mouth that did not bring life, and if I could go back and undo them, I certainly would. But, once we utter them, they have gone out either to edify (bless) or to harm someone.

This verse also tells us that whichever one we love the most, life or death, will be on our tongue, meaning that whatever we feed on the most, will eventually come out of our mouth. So, the good news is...we have a choice in the matter. We can choose to feed on His goodness, His word, His faithfulness each and every day. Then our words will line up with His words. Our words will bless and not curse.

I pray blessings on your life today!

RSVP

This is the invitation...

"A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.' But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.' Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'"  Luke 14:16-20

The master of the supper, (who represents Jesus) then said to the servant, "For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper." [The master referring to those who were invited but refused to attend.]  Luke 14:24 in quotes

What is your reply to Jesus' invitation to come and dine at the marriage supper of the Lamb? Will you give an excuse? Or will you be attending?
[Rev. 19:9 "Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!'"]

This was adapted from an original article by Andrew Wommack. Link below.

http://www.awmi.net/devotion/jesus/jul_24

You Are Healed!

"Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted.

But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,

and by His wounds we are healed." Isa. 53:4-5 NIV

It has been DONE!

See your sickness today on the body of Christ. See your brokenness on the body of Christ. See your worry and anxiety on His body. See your depression put upon Him. See your financial lack or poverty put upon Him. He took it all upon His body on that cross. He did that for you and for me.

He accomplished that so that we could enjoy PEACE. Peace in our physical body, peace in our minds, peace in our finances. What a Savior! Receive from Him today what He paid such a great price for.  He loves you!

In Christ

Two little words, but oh, two such important little words. The crux of living the Christian life is knowing who we are in Christ.

Today, I've been listening to Pastor Lawson Perdue teach on "Resurrection Realities." What a great series of teaching CD's! I recommend them to anyone who wants to go further and learn more about their identity in Christ. This is where we find Victory. This is where we find Hope. This is where we find our very Existence. In Him.

If you'd like to get the series for yourself and grow in the knowledge of your own identity, click the link below.

Resurrection Realities by Lawson Perdue

God is Good!

This is a bit of an understatement. Well, okay, more than a bit.

In my reading this morning, (as if we didn't already know) Psalm 145

talks about His goodness. I especially picked up on verse 7. which says, "They

shall utter the memory of Your great goodness, And shall sing of Your righteousness." We have songs that talk about God's goodness, but none are really able to express the depth of His goodness. I don't believe we can fully know it until we reach heaven. I only know what He has done in my life; He has given me new desires (that line up with His desires), He protected me, even when I didn't belong to Him; He has healed many, many hurts; He has given me new life. For all these and more, Lord, I praise You!

What has He done in your life?

JESUS

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever! He healed then...and He heals now.

Our healing has been provided for in the atonement, just as our salvation was provided for. If you are sick in your body today and need healing, let your faith be strengthened by watching this awesome healing testimony below.

TODAY IS MY DAY TO BE HEALED!

Nature

Creation is evidence of God's existence. David and I went camping recently in Buena Vista, CO. What a beautiful place. The mountains, including Mt. Princeton, the smell of the pine trees, the beautiful birds, (the hummingbirds put on quite a show) the Arkansas River, the cactus flowers and much more.

We wouldn't have all of that without a Creator. He is the grand Designer of the nature we so enjoy. Being out in nature is very therapeutic, but I really don't believe it's nature itself that brings us such peace and tranquility. It is the God of nature. It is the One who made all of it. A person can try to deny the existence of God, but in his heart he knows there is a God. God built that knowledge into every person.

So Long Self! (Mercy Me)

The Christian life is about the "exchanged life." When we come to Christ, we reckon ourselves to have died with Christ on the cross. We take up our new life that is found in Christ. This is what being 'born again' is all about. It's the exchanged life. We give Him all of our "bad" and He gives us all of His "good"...what a great deal (for us). Yes, Jesus is back in His rightful place, with the Father, but He had to take on an incredible amount of suffering to redeem us back to Him. Praise you Lord Jesus for the marvelous things You have done!

The way to increase faith is to "say."

This is one of Joseph's best teachings on faith. Take the 12 minutes to hear him. It's really good, church, and we all need to learn how to have victory in our lives.

We increase our faith when we "say!"

Speak to your "tree" or your "mountain" today!

Blessings

One Thing Remains -

Jesus Culture (lyric video)

His love for you never fails!

His Faithfulness

We want it to be said of us that we declared God's love and faithfulness. That's what this blog is all about. Our desire is that it would at all times lift up the name of Jesus. Jesus is the central figure in our Christian faith. He is our Redeemer. He is the Lover of our souls.

Psalm 40:10 says, "I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great assembly."

The Lord is our spiritual food supply. We need to feed on His Word. Just as we eat physical food every day, we (our spirits) need the spiritual food that is only found in the Word of God. It is a book like no other. It is "living and active."

Psalm 37:3 tells us, "Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness."  Blessings to you today!

A Free Conscience

What does it mean to have a "free" conscience? Well, what I believe it means, and what Paul says about it in Gal. 5:1 is that we are free from the condemnation that comes from failing when we try to live up to a set of rules and regulations. (the law) Paul refers to it as a "yoke of slavery."

The Bible says in Rom. 3:23 that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," which we have heard preached a lot from the pulpit, but there is a comma there along with the remainder of the sentence, that many people seem to omit. Verse 24 says, "and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." It means that Jesus fulfilled the law [for us] so that we don't need to be concerned about it any longer.

Sin means falling short of the mark of perfection. Our sin(s) problem has been removed and thrown into the sea of forgetfulness. Jesus tells us that He will remember them no more...(see Jer. 31:34) Jesus was (and is) our perfect sacrifice; the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.

 Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 

Galatians 5:1

Amplified Bible (AMP)

5 In [this] freedom Christ has made us free [and completely liberated us]; stand fast then, and do not be hampered and held ensnared and submit again to a yoke of slavery [which you have once put off].

Help My Unbelief

Jesus, in the book of Mark, says an incredible thing...

        25 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible
             to him who believes."  Mark 9:25

The operative word there is "If." Such a tiny word, but what an important word. The sentence Jesus spoke was said in the context of a deliverance miracle and the account of Jesus' transfiguration, in the presence of Peter, James and John.

The disciples had failed to be able to cast out the mute spirit from a boy and Jesus had rebuked them for it. He almost sounds as if He was somewhat weary and maybe a bit annoyed with them as He said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me."

I know Jesus well enough to know that whatever He said to them, He said in love. He is Love, after all. But, I also believe He expects us, at some point, to mature and to exercise our faith, cast out the unbelief as the evil thing that it is, and begin to see those things we pray about and for come to pass. "If you can believe..."

The Lord spoke to my heart in church this past Sunday as the Pastor was preaching on faith. He (the Lord) spoke, "Believing has nothing to do with seeing." It may seem too simple, at first glance, but don't gloss over it.. Read it over several times and then begin to meditate on it throughout the day. It's a word from God.

Lord, we cast out the "unbelief" and choose to "believe!" It doesn't matter

what I see in front of my face. If the word of God has given me a

promise about something, and I believe it, it will be mine.

Scandals

In our day and time we seem to be bombarded each and every day in the news with one scandal after another, concerning our federal government. It's very easy to get "stuck" there... focusing for many hours a day on these issues. I'll confess that at times, I have been guilty of this very thing.

But I know, in my heart of hearts that it's wrong for a Christian to be focused on the "negative." We need to be aware, yes. We need to be involved where possible, yes. But do I let the bad news determine what kind of day I will have? No. I guess you could go back to the "tree of good and evil" in the Garden. God didn't want Adam and Eve to "feed" from that tree. He doesn't want us to "feed" off  of the evil things we see and hear about in our world today. It does not bring us nourishment or health for our bodies or our souls, and in fact, does just the opposite. God tells us exactly what to meditate on in His Word.

Philippians 4:8

New King James Version (NKJV)

Meditate on These Things

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Grace Teaches Me

Grace is an amazing thing...

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions~it is by grace you have been saved. Eph. 2:4-5

There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  Rom. 3:22b-24

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope ~ the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, Titus 2:11-13

Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given to me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,  Eph. 3:8

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Pet. 1:13

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17

But He said to me, "My  grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Cor. 12:9

His grace is sufficient for us!

Meditate

When I think about the Lord, I so often think of all the times He has been there for me, how He saved me, He has kept my body well and healthy (never had a broken bone), He healed my mind and my thoughts in so many ways, He reminds me of His word throughout the day, He has kept my children healthy and so many other things. My soul is happy in the Lord!

Psalm 104:34

King James Version (KJV)

34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord.

Was your innocence stolen?

There is healing for every hurt.

If your innocence was stolen from you as a child, I want you to know

that God cares. Whether it be from emotional, sexual or physical abuse, 

your heavenly Father never intended that for you. He hurt with you.

The first requirement for healing to take place is for you to be born again. 

Jesus, in John chapter 3, tells us we "must be born again" in order to see

the kingdom of God. It's really being born of His Spirit, by the Word of God.

We believe what the Word says, concerning Jesus~His life, death, burial and

resurrection, and that He came to give us life. For me, it was coming to the 

end of myself, knowing that "I" couldn't do it. 

[See the Salvation Prayer on this blog]

The next step is to ask Jesus to help you forgive the person or persons 

who hurt you. He will forgive them through you, and begin to release

 you from the pain you have endured. Unforgiveness is poison.

He will set you free from that.

 Then start learning about how much God loves you. Read His word

 and ask Him to show you how much He loves you! He will amaze you. 

God is love...and His love is enough!

Obedience

Do you place more faith in Adam's sin (is it greater?) or in Jesus' death and resurrection? Our only obedience is to the faith. Faith in what Christ has 

done on our behalf! Hallelujah!! When we are obedient to the faith, we will
be obedient to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus has to be Central

Make Jesus the Center of your Life!

In so many or our churches today, we have storytellers,

we sing songs that talk about our desperate conditions and our lack.

In this video, Joseph talks about the book of Revelation and the account

of Jesus standing at the door and knocking. We have used that account to

give an illustration of Jesus knocking at the door of one's heart, for 

salvation. But, in reality, Jesus was knocking at the door of the Laodicean

church. He wanted to be central in their lives, just as He wants to be

central in your life and in your church. I pray that our churches would

begin to lift up Jesus as the central figure and point people to Him! Let's

keep our focus on Him ~ He is altogether lovely!

He Purged our Sins

I was reading Hebrews chapter one today, and the word "purged" caught my attention. I went to the dictionary for the definition of "Purge:"

   1 a : to clear of guilt
      b : to free from moral or ceremonial defilement

   2 c (1) : to rid (as a nation or party) by a purge
         (2) : to get rid of  

Now I know what you are thinking regarding 2 c (1)...but no politics here. 
Don't get me started.

Back to the Word.  Chapter one reads, "God who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds, who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they."  Hebrews 1:1-4

God has spoken to us...by His Son. Jesus has (past tense)... purged our sins. For the church to keep talking about sins, week after week, month after month, and year after year is a slap in the face of God to what Jesus accomplished on our behalf! It needs to stop. Our sins have been purged, we are cleared of all guilt, once and for all. Let's throw out the flesh (carnal thinking) and just believe we are guilt-free! We are no longer defiled by sin. We have been made new!! All praise to Jesus!

[Obviously speaking of born-again believers.]

If you are not among that group ~ you can be today.

See the "Salvation Prayer" post.

Baby Robins Hatching

Baby Robins Hatching

It was amazing to me in watching this video that the baby Robin

opens it's mouth almost immediately upon breaking free of the

egg shell. They seem to know instinctively to open their mouths 

wide in order to be fed, to survive. and to thrive. We can take a

lesson from the baby Robins, and in faith look to our heavenly 

Father for all of our provision each and every day! God loves you!

Psalm 81:10

New King James Version (NKJV)

10 

I am the Lord your God,

Who brought you out of the land of Egypt;

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

Gospel of Grace

Acts 20:32

So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

We are called heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. What is it that we have inherited? Well, for one thing, we have inherited the Word of God. As born-again believers, we were born of the incorruptible Seed ~ the Word of God. We also have inherited the Holy Spirit ~ who lives and abides in us and is there to teach us. The Lord spoke these words to me one day ~ 'The Spirit and the Word work together to bring life to a situation.' I believe our greatest gift of inheritance is life. Without life [true eternal life] nothing else holds much value. Now that's grace!

Calamities...Why?

Joseph Prince talks about why there is trouble in this world. In order for there to be "free choice" there had to BE a choice. Humankind has a choice to make in all areas of life. Many make the wrong choices, and their wrong choices affect other people many times. It is always God's will for us to have the good, not the evil. So, if you are one who says "God is in control," no, he gave man dominion in the earth. If God were in control (truly) everything would be perfect on the earth. There would be no sickness, disease, abortion, poverty, crime, adultery, murder, tsunamis, tornadoes, etc. There will be a day when Jesus will make things right in the earth, but for now, it's up to us to make good choices and use our god-given authority in the earth. (see Luke 9:1, Luke 10:19)

Boldness

This is an excerpt from David's new book, "Gates: Thanksgiving Papers"

  'It says in John's first epistle, "Herein is our love made perfect, that we have boldness in the Day of Judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world." I John 4:17  The way that God thinks of His Son Jesus is the same way He thinks of you. This blessing is a free gift, but you must become born again to receive it.  His love is extended toward all. He is not mad or angry at you. If you are struggling with something, a behavior you know isn't right, God says come as you are. Know that God is a kind and merciful God who has already forgiven mankind, but you and I must receive it. (See Ps. 86:5)'

"that if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Romans 10:9-10

Receive the forgiveness and love of your Father today.

As one who is born-again, you can be bold as a lion, now and on judgment day.

History of Memorial Day

The Civil War claimed more lives than any other war. In the late 1860's, Americans began honoring their fallen in the spring of the year with flowers on grave sites and with prayers spoken.

Decoration Day was the precursor of the current Memorial Day. It began on May 5th, 1862, as a nationwide day of remembrance for the fallen, with flowers and flags. Originally, it was a day to honor only the soldiers who died in the Civil War, but it evolved into commemorating the deaths of all Americans who died fighting in any war or conflict.

With the passing of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in 1968, it was deemed to fall on the last Monday of the month of May. This same law made Memorial Day a national holiday. The day is celebrated with parades, memorial services at grave sites, and is the unofficial start of summer. 

Father, we pray for the families of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice of their lives for the sake of love of country. Comfort them...be near to them.

Jesus Saves

Jesus Saves

He is the Bread of Life

He is  the Alpha & the Omega

He is the Living Water

He is the great I Am

He is Love

He is all you need!

Storms

With the onslaught of these recent storms, I feel compelled to send out a warning to people who have not made Jesus Lord of their lives.

Nobody knows when they will take their last breath here on earth, in this earthly body. Be assured there is an afterlife. Your spirit will live on...it's just a matter of where? Hell or heaven. There are no other options. Just make a decision today to be ready, either for when Jesus returns for His bride, or you leave this earth by way of death. That day could be tonight, tomorrow or next year. Only God knows.

If you are ready to make Jesus Lord of your life,

all that is required is that you believe Jesus is

the Son of God, He lived as a man on this earth,

He died (to remove your sin and mine) on a 

cross. He rose from the dead, to give you new

life, and His desire is to live in you now. If 

you believe this, just say "Jesus, take my life

and do something with it. Come and live

your life in me, make me new." 

[If you prayed that short prayer and meant it in your heart, you 

are saved, you are a child of God, and you belong to Him.]

God's love for you

This is it, church. 

We need to show people 

how much 

the Father loves them!

Sin is a non-issue.

What does God believe about us?

Do you struggle with wondering what God thinks of you, maybe even on a daily basis? Do you wonder if He is pleased with you?

 

What are God's thoughts toward us and how do we find out? 

If we are wise, we'll go to the Word. We were appointed to the Word, according to 1 Peter 1:8b. And this is how God sees us...

            "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,

             His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him

             who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once

             were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not 

             obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." 1 Pet. 1:9-10

Read this over several times. Saints, it's time to renew our minds to what the

Word of God says about us. He says that we have been called out (sanctified)

to proclaim His praises. We are to tell others of the marvelous works that God 

has done in our lives. He pulled us out of a miry pit and brought us from death to life. He brought us from darkness to light! To God be the glory for what he has done in our lives!!

Wanderlust

Wanderlust...I woke up with that word on my mind today. I had to look it up, so I checked with Merriam W.

It means "a strong longing for or impulse toward wandering."

David and I have moved quite a bit in our 22 years of marriage...just ask our kids. And I have always had a desire to see new places and experience new things. For good or for bad, we have traveled to new lands many times.

I do believe that part of it is that we are just plain "homesick." This earth is not our home. Our citizenship is in heaven. (I have to qualify it and say this is for Christians, now) We are waiting for a land where Jesus Himself will be the light. There will be no darkness there. There will be no tears, no sorrow, no pain, no sickness. And best of all... no more death!  Finally, an end to "wanderlust."

If you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, go to the post titled "Salvation Prayer." He is waiting to hear from you...with some new citizenship papers.

St Francis of Assisi

We are heirs, joint-heirs with Christ. We are co-laborers with Him. What a privilege God has given us. What a responsibility, as well. We don't have to walk around and look at all the evil that is present in our world. Christ is in us, and we can make a positive difference in the world.

Lord, make me an instrument of peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, let me sow pardon.
Where there is doubt, let me sow faith.
Where there is despair, let me sow hope.
Where there is darkness, let me sow light.
Where there is sadness, let me sow joy.
                                 St. Francis of Assisi

Seek His Righteousness

Many people believe that they can earn their way to heaven by "being good and doing good." Nothing could be further from the truth! The Bible tells us that 'our righteousnesses'  (our way of trying to do and be right) are as filthy rags. Pretty plain, huh? The Bible doesn't mince words.

Isaiah 64:6

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁶ But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away.

But, the Bible also tells us what we should be doing in Matthew 6, verse 33... that we are to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you."

What this means is that we, in and of ourselves, have no inherent goodness, holiness or righteousness. We have to seek those qualities outside ourselves and there is only one place to look. We need to look toward heaven and look to Jesus. The only 'righteousness' that counts with the Father is His (Jesus') righteousness, and the only way we attain it is by surrendering our life to Jesus and letting Him give us new life [in Him.] 

If you haven't surrendered to Him, do it today. If you have, then go out and share the joy you have found in Him.  

I'm Not Worthy

Have you ever wondered if you were worthy enough to be saved or to go to heaven? Or have you ever flat out said, "I am not good enough or worthy to be saved." Well, if you have, I have "good news" for you! You will never be worthy enough or good enough to make it to heaven, apart from Christ. This is "good news" you say?  Yes, if you are apart from Him, change it right now...the choice is yours to make. Jesus has already invited you in His Word.
If you are "saved," your only qualification for heaven and every other blessing is Christ. You need to be found in Him.

¹² giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. Col. 1

When (if) you accepted God's Son, He qualified you. You never have to worry about whether or not you are good enough. You will never be good enough.
But, Christ is more than enough! He is your Sufficiency! He is your Strength.
He is your Everything! Praise God for Jesus!

Have you manufactured a god for yourself?

John 1:1

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Eternal Word

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Think about that verse...especially the last part of it. 

The Word was God. 

So many people have listened to their families, friends and other voices, telling them who God is. If that information doesn't line up with what the Bible says about who God is, then it is just false information. There are many Christian books out there today, trying to define who God is. But, let's face it...some of them are just plain untrue depictions of our God and His nature.

We can only learn who He is by reading His Word. God, at His core, is love...according to 1 John 4:8. "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." Everything God does is motivated by love. His nature is love. The very famous verse, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16) has been quoted and heard by many. 

One thing may be missing. You have to believe that God is love and that He so loves YOU. You are part of the world. You are the reason He sent His Son to die a horribly cruel death and to pay the price for your and my sin. You are the reason that He was raised from the dead. He wanted more than anything to give you "new life." Think about it. He thought you were worth it. You are.

Come to Him today...the one true God.

Spirit, Soul & Body

I (and you) am a three-part being. Those three parts are spirit, soul and body.

When I was born, I was born spiritually dead. My need was for "life." On my own,  I had no way of obtaining that life. Jesus is the Life-Giver. When I believed in Him, put my trust in Him and gave Him my life, his Holy Spirit came to live inside me. I was "born-again" from above, re-born by the Spirit of God. It's my spirit that was re-born. My "soul" which is my mind, will and emotions, was not born again. My body was not born-again. Only my spirit. My spirit is the "REAL" me. I have been sealed for eternal redemption by the Holy Spirit. My sins are gone; I am eternally forgiven. This is the Good News of the gospel! Only believe...

2 Cor. 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;

old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

...for of such is the kingdom of God.

I watched a sermon of Joseph Prince this morning. He talked about the only time where it's recorded in the Word of God that it says Jesus was "greatly displeased" was in Mark 10:13-16. You can read it below.

13 Then they brought little children to Him, that He might

touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who brought

 them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased 

and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, 

and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

15 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive

the kingdom of God as a little child will by no

means enter it." 16 And He took them up in His

arms, laid His hands on them and blessed them.

From this passage, we can learn that Jesus had a very soft heart for children. You didn't mess with His kids! And they really do belong to Him. As parents, we committed our children to God when they were very small. As they get older and are finally grown, we don't (or shouldn't) all of a sudden take them back...we dedicated them to God. He is far more able to care for them than we are. 

Children are full of faith. They believe what their Daddy or Mommy tells them. They take it at face value. In the same way, so should we. We just need to believe the Word of God.                ~ Blessings on your day!

Joseph Prince ~ The Good Shepherd

Jesus came to bring us LIFE!  Don't let anyone steal

that from you. Shepherds, feed your sheep.

Graduation

2 Timothy 4:7

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

We haven't posted for a few days because our son and daughter-in-law both graduated from college this past weekend and we traveled to Oklahoma to be part of that celebration. As a parent, you're so proud when your kids complete a task, especially an important one. It's a proving ground when you have to spend four years (or more) of your life and work hard to accomplish a great goal. They fought the good fight...they finished the race!

I can't help but think of heaven. As Christians, heaven is our ultimate goal and the way we get there is by faith. We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work, to be saved, and by faith we hang on to our belief. Our fight is the fight of faith. The things of life come against us, satan comes against us..to try and get us to stop believing in the glorious gospel. But faith hangs on and doesn't give up or give in. Eventually, we get to "graduate" to heaven. What a wonderful day of celebration that will be! But, instead of celebrating for one day, it will be for all eternity!! Amen?

David's New Book

I'm proud to announce that David's new book is available right now on

Amazon as an ebook for Kindle or the paperback version.

It's titled "Gates: Thanksgiving Papers."

In the book, he talks about God's unconditional love & grace, and the liberty we have, along with the need to defend it.  

You can get it here:  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=gates+david+niedenfuer

Hope

1 Peter 3:15

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁵ But sanctify the Lord God^[a] in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

My reason for the hope I have.. is Christ and being found in Him.
He is my Everything. He is my perfect sacrifice. He became sin for me, so that I could go free! He paid my sin debt. He loves me with an everlasting love. He called me by name. When I was dead in my sin, He gave me life!

The Bible says that those that are without Christ in the world have no hope.
Don't be among those. Open your heart and believe that He came for YOU.

A Wintry Day in Colorado

This being the very first day of May, you would never know it by looking outside. I can't see the mountains anymore, due to fog or whatever it is. The ground is white with snow and yes, it is cold. As I sit here looking out my patio door at this very overcast, chilly day I can't help but think that this kind of day can be related to a person's heart. It is sometimes easy to let our hearts become "cold."

Jesus talked about this in Matthew.

Matthew 24:12

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹² And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

If we aren't careful to keep our eyes on the Word of God and the truth we know, it can start to affect us in a very negative way. We start to focus on all of the bad news, bad reports and things that only serve to upset us. We start to become cynical, bitter, introspective and generally begin to want to turn away from people. Sometimes even our own families and people we have loved dearly. If we let this pattern of thinking go on, we may even turn from God.

Let's remember that He is not the problem..He is the answer! Don't be tempted to turn from the One who loves you unconditionally. Keep your eyes on Jesus and His Word. He will see you through any storm that comes. If you belong to Him, He is with you.

Salvation Prayer

Dear God

 I know that I was born into this world a sinner. The Bible says

that I am dead in my sins. 

Ephesians 2:5

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁵ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

I am tired of trying to do this on my own.

I can't do it. I need LIFE. I know you sent Jesus to save anyone who

calls upon His name, and today, that's me.

I ask you to save me Lord and seal me with Your Holy Spirit.

Teach me Your ways and help me to follow You all of my days.

I place my life in Your hands.

Take my life and do something with it. Thank you Jesus!

[If you prayed this prayer from your heart, WELCOME to the family of God! What just happened to you is John chapter 3. I recommend you begin reading the New Testament book of John. Read the Word every day. It will help you to know your new Lord & Savior.]

Now find a church that teaches the Bible. Pray and ask God to show you where you should attend. He will let you know. Blessings on your life!

Our Father God refers to Himself as the great "I Am."
Have you ever wondered why? At first glance, it may seem like a
strange title. I Am what or who?

I really believe that He gave Himself that "name" because He IS for you
what you need Him to be, in every moment of every day. Isn't that an
awesome thought? He loves us so much that He is willing to BE whatever
we need. He is in the NOW. If you can't call Him Daddy, because you
haven't given yourself to Him yet, do it today. He is waiting for you.
Blessings!

For those of us who are born-again, God is our heavenly Father.
This speaks of relationship. We are in relationship with a living God,
not a set of rules.

I love God and I know He loves me.
This makes it easy to willingly follow Him.

Are you looking for more grace and peace today?

According to 2 Peter, grace and peace come by way of 'knowledge.' Not just any knowledge, but the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. God is so good that He allows us to be partakers (to possess or share a certain nature or attribute) with Him, of the divine nature. His Holy Spirit teaches us about God and about the nature of God.  He is truly a God of grace and peace...the more we learn about Him ~ the more we know this.

  To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue... 2 Pet. 1b-3  (read on and you will be blessed)

The Son produces the fruit.

David had been reading Deuteronomy, and while he was there, he came across this verse:

Deuteronomy 33:14

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁴ And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon,

It reveals to us that just as the "sun" brings forth the natural fruit on a tree, in the spiritual realm, it's the "Son" that brings forth the fruit in our lives. We don't have to try and manufacture "fruit." Fruit is brought about naturally by the "light" that it receives. In the spiritual realm, Jesus is the light of the world! And in His light, we WILL produce the fruits of righteousness! No worry.

The law was "given," but grace and truth "came." The actual Scripture is this:

John 1:17

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

The law is centered around "commandments." Grace is centered on "kindness." God revealed His kindness toward us by sending us His Son, to die in our place and then be raised so we could have newness of life! What a Savior!

More of God

So often, in churches we attended in the past, we would hear people pray 'God we just need more of you!' or hear "worship" songs with lyrics that cried out for "more of You" (God).
We don't need more of God. We have ALL of Him when we are born again. He lives in us and we live in Him. The following is an excerpt taken from "Grace, the Power of the Gospel," by Andrew Wommack.

The key to the Christian life is the renewing of the mind. When you were born again, your spirit changed - but your natural mind didn't. It remained unrenewed. You don't need more of God in your heart. You already have all of God there. Everything you need is already in your born-again spirit - the life of God, the faith of God, the joy of God, the peace of God, the anointing of God, and everything else that's of God - but it's only going to manifest itself in your life to the degree you renew your mind.

God tells us, according to Romans 12:1-2, that the way of transformation is by the renewing of our minds. Blessings!

Grace stops singing about

what we have to do and stops

reading about what we have to do

to impress God and starts singing to

Him, and thanking Him for His love.

Period.