Talk Tuesday-Christmas in October!

Okay, okay, I know it may seem excessive to start celebrating Christmas in October, but the truth is that I can't help it! I LOVE Christmas! I love the smell of the pine trees, the lights, the food, the feeling of warmth and togetherness, the scent of baked cookies, the songs, and the anticipation of eating lots of yummy food...but most of all I love what it is all about... the fact that, "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

What does it mean that GOD sent JESUS down to earth? We are RECONCILED to GOD and we are REDEEMED from the dominion, penalty and scourge of sin by the blood of JESUS shed on the cross.

"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."
1 John 2:1-2

The idea of ATONEMENT denotes both RECONCILIATION and REDEMPTION:

RECONCILIATION is the restoration of our relationship with GOD THE FATHER: Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

REDEMPTION involves JESUS paying the price for our lives, covering the cost of our sin and buying back our lives from the penalty of sin: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

So, let's not wait until Christmas to start singing, "O Come Let Us Adore Him" but let us always worship JESUS who "6 Who, being in very nature GOD, did not consider equality with GOD something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death- even death on a cross! 9 Therefore GOD exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of JESUS every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, to the glory of GOD the Father." Philippians 2:6-11

 Merry Christmas in October! Happy JESUS day everyone!

Talk Tuesday - Why, Lord, Do You Stand Far Off?

In Psalm 10:1 the psalmist says,

“Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?”

Doesn’t it feel like that sometimes? When we are at the lowest it feels like God is not there, but God is there. We can see the light of a candle when it is in a dark room. God reveals Himself most when we go through trials.

Sometimes we feel like the psalmist

“He says to himself, ‘God will never notice; He covers his face and never sees.’”  Psalm 10:11

 If you feel like God has turned His face from you and you cannot feel His presence, consider what is said in verse 17 and 18:

“You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;
 You encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
defending the fatherless and the oppressed.”

If you don’t feel Him, He is there. Remember, He defends the Fatherless. He is able to take you through the storm. He is faithful. Look back at your life and remember how He was there for you in the past. The Word of God says that He is faithful.

Psalm 10:12

“Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless.”

He did not forget you.

There is a song written by Worship Leader Kari Jobe, titled, I Know That You Are For Me. It is our Movie Monday post for this week. Listen to it and let it minister to your heart. May you feel God’s presence today, in Jesus Name we pray, Amen.

Movie Monday - You Are For Me - Kari Jobe

Lord I know you are for me.

Talk Tuesday - Fisher of Men

The Lord led me to Luke 5 as I was doing my devotions the other day. It moved me so much that I plastered it on the wall in my home office. In this scripture we see Peter coming from a night of fishing, disappointed because he did not catch anything. Jesus tells him to go and throw his net into the deep. Peter replies that they were fishing all night and did not catch anything, but he did as Jesus said. God then blessed him with a huge catch they could not contain. Peter fell to his knees.

 Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” Luke 5:10 

 Has God called you to be a fisher of men? 

 We have a young friend that goes with his church to share the gospel in the malls. My father and mother-in-law go out in the streets evangelizing. If God is real then there must be an urgency to share the good news. And it is good news! Your life is a testimony of how good God is. You have tasted and seen that the Lord is good. I know it is hard for some people, it is hard for me but God wants to use you to speak into someone's life. You don't have to go in the street but what about your workplace or your school? We are all called to make disciples.

 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19

Talk Tuesday-Remember To Give Thanks

Many of us can testify to the faithfulness of the LORD, especially when we are in the valley of suffering. It is here that we are able to experience GOD's unfailing love in a very unique and powerful way. When the season of affliction ends, prayer is answered and we are back on level ground, do we remember to return and give thanks? The story of then Ten Lepers in Luke 17:11-19 tells of ten men who were healed, yet only one of them, a Samaritan, returns to give praise and thanks to Jesus.

11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:11-19

This is an interesting story. Where did the other nine go? Why was the foreigner the only one to return to Jesus with thanksgiving and praise in his mouth?

Today, in my quiet time, I meditated on Psalm 106. The Psalmist opens up with, “Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever. Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD or fully declare His praise?” Psalm 106:1-2. Yet the rest of Psalm 106 sadly recounts the forgetful, idolatrous, apathetic, and rebellious response of the people to the GOD who worked miraculous deeds on their behalf. I was reminded to GIVE THANKS at all times, putting GOD first, even as my feet begin to settle on level ground.

“FATHER help us by the power of your HOLY SPIRIT to recall to mind your goodness, faithfulness and enduring love, as we go about our daily lives. May we constantly walk in a stance of thanksgiving and praise, bringing glory to Your Son JESUS CHRIST, in whose name we make this prayer. Amen.”

Movie Monday - Glorious Ruins - Hillsong Live

Talk Tuesday-Welcome To Jesus!

Today we live in what can be called an 'i-Culture'. We speak of our right to the pursuit of happiness. We often hear people refer to 'karma' in response to someone getting their 'just due'. The phrase, 'I'm a good person' has become commonplace. It is even popular for it to be said, 'I am a god' and that prayers uttered to ' the universe' will yield the answers we desire. The Apostle Paul writes, “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen,” Romans 1:25. If we are so good, then what is sin? Can we be sinless/good?

The New Testament is written in the language of the Old Testament; it is the fulfillment of the promises of the Old Testament. Did you know that there are 613 Mizvot (Commandments) in the Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible)? If even one of these Commandments is broken, sin is committed. Wow! So how can I be a good person when in the secrecy of my heart and my home I 'accidentally' and deliberately say and do things that hurt others and offend God in the pursuit of my own happiness? God made provision for our sin. The Book of Leviticus speaks of the Sacrificial System, in which the blood of animals is shed for the remission of our sins, but it is not permanent, it is constantly needed. The culmination of this is the Day of Atonement, Leviticus 16 (known today as Yom Kippur), where atonement is made for the entire community and it's living space, because SIN CONTAMINATES even our very surroundings. “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life,” Leviticus 17:11.

So what about the blood in today's i-Culture? The Apostle Paul, who is described as 'a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees' (Acts 23:6), who 'studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law' (Acts 22:3) boldly proclaims:

“21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:21-26.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord,” Romans 6:23.

Welcome to JESUS!