1 Corinthians 15:51-58

Think about this....

 

1 Corinthians 15:51-58 (The Message)

 ^51-57But let me tell you something wonderful, a mystery I'll probably never fully understand. We're not all going to die—but we are all going to be changed. You hear a blast to end all blasts from a trumpet, and in the time that you look up and blink your eyes—it's over. On signal from that trumpet from heaven, the dead will be up and out of their graves, beyond the reach of death, never to die again. At the same moment and in the same way, we'll all be changed. In the resurrection scheme of things, this has to happen: everything perishable taken off the shelves and replaced by the imperishable, this mortal replaced by the immortal. Then the saying will come true:

   Death swallowed by triumphant Life!
   Who got the last word, oh, Death?
   Oh, Death, who's afraid of you now?
It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God!
 ⁵⁸With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don't hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort.

What more is there to say!!

Matthew 11:28-30

Lately my life seems to be a bit stressful. So...today I only worked half a day and took the afternoon for myself. It was a last minute decision so I had nothing planned. I went to Family Christian Bookstore and looked around a little and, of course, bought a couple of books. It's generally very relaxing there. The shoppers always seem relaxed and quiet. I like quiet when I'm feeling stressed. Then I went home and called a friend and talked awhile. Talking to a friend always helps with the stress level too. Then I picked up a devotional and read this verse...

Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)


 ^28-30"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

I'm guessing that at some time we can all relate to that passage. It was as if it were written for me this week. When I read it I realized that this is just how I have been feeling and what these verses said to me.

Tired...yes I am! Worn out...That's an understatement. Burned out on religion..."religion" yes, GOD no!! Then what does JESUS say to us? Come to ME, walk with ME. "I" will help you. "I" will give you rest. "I", JESUS, can take all that heavy load off your shoulders. "I" can help you with your life. Watch ME. Do what "I" do. You don't have to bear up under all that "life" by yourself. "I" am here for you. If you stick with "ME" you can walk through anything and still have peace.

So, you ask...How can that work? Because JESUS will carry you through, whatever your circumstances, when you can't make it on your own. I often think about what it would have been like to actually walk around with HIM as the disciples did. Seeing and hearing HIM just simply speak, and the storm stopped! That is what HE still does for us today when we just can't take our "storms" anymore. JESUS just speaks when we have had enough and says..."Peace, be still." But...we have to be willing to ask HIM and turn it over to HIM. That's the hard part.

When circumstances get you down...life is just being life...read these verses. Think about them, pray and listen to what JESUS is saying to you through them. Imagine yourself there with HIM. Walking and talking with HIM or just simply sitting at HIS feet listening. Let JESUS come close to you through HIS word as you draw close to HIM.

CHALLENGE TO SELF

Zephaniah 3:17 (Amplified Bible)

¹⁷The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Mighty One, a Savior [Who saves]! He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest [in silent satisfaction] and in His love He will be silent and make no mention [of past sins, or even recall them]; He will exult over you with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17 (New Living Translation)

 ¹⁷ For the Lord your God is living among you.
      He is a mighty savior.
   He will take delight in you with gladness.
      With his love, he will calm all your fears.
      He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”




While I was reading and talking to GOD tonight I asked HIM to show me what I needed to read. First thing was an incredible devotion...which I will share about in a later post. Second, HE brought to my memory a song that I haven't heard in a long time. The name may be; The LORD Thy GOD, I'm not sure. It talks about how GOD is in the midst of us and how "Mighty" HE is, how HE saves us and rejoices over us. So I started thinking that it must come from scripture. I googled it and there it was. I like the Amplified because of how it explains the meaning in each line and the New Living because of what it says about fears. The LORD will "calm" all your fears. You may key in on another aspect of the verse but that is important to me. GOD knows when we need to hear that HE is our SAVIOR! and how HE loves us in ways we can't imagine!! Then HE took me to another passage...

Psalm 51:10-12 (New Living Translation)

 ¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God.
      Renew a loyal spirit within me.
 ¹¹ Do not banish me from your presence,
      and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
 ¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
      and make me willing to obey you.


For me this Psalm serves as a reminder that I need to be in constant communication with HIM. Everyday...24/7...I am in need of HIS forgiveness and renewal. The LORD wants to give us a clean heart and renew us. HE wants to make us feel right on the inside. My inner being needs to feel the calmness that washes through me when I commune with HIM. When I don't, it gets increasingly harder to keep going. HE is the one that gives me that inner renewal...peace...that we all need. When I don't have that for awhile, that's when I think I have been banished from HIS presence. That is when all the fears come back. Then as soon as I turn back to HIM, HE restores my joy and lets me know HE never left me. It is amazing to me how I tend to do the same things over and over again. Thankfully, the LORD is loving and patient. HE is more than willing to restore my joy. I just have to do my part.


I don't know what you get out of these verses. For me they have been very healing and something that I needed to share. Not so you know about me, but so you can see how GOD works through HIS word if we will only ask HIM. I don't ask HIM nearly enough for these kinds of things. I ask HIM for to many things that really aren't of much importance. Earthly things that won't make a bit of difference once I leave this earth. My goal is to just go after more of GOD. Let HIM change me and give me a more GODLY character. It is said...If you really want something, you will go after it with all your might. Do you really want more of GOD? Are you willing to go after HIM with all you have? That's my challenge to myself...

Step up and just go for it! All I can get!!

THE CHALLENGE

What inspires you? I have been thinking about that lately because at times I don't feel that my life is what it should be. Yes...I am a Christian, but...am I doing what GOD has asked of me to the best of my ability? Probably not. In fact...I know I'm not. I'm not using this blog as a confession for myself. I'm using it to get me to think about my calling and also to get you to think about your own calling. What I have been called to do is not anything that I ever expected. Writing this blog and giving away Bibles and books. A different kind of calling than most people. I think it works for me because...as much as I would like to be able to get up and tell a few hundred people how GOD changed my life, HE didn't give me a new personality. I'm still working on that one! So what is it that inspires me...

Sometimes we get away from doing things that are good for us. Things happen in our lives, people happen in our lives, circumstances change...it all presents a challenge. What we have to do is overcome the challenges and do what it takes to continue in the "ministry" that GOD has given us to do. That said...I have figured out what always inspired me. Listening to good preaching and teaching, like Paula White, always would get me thinking about things. Talking to Christian friends about GOD and the Bible would get me excited about being a Christian and challenge me. Asking questions about things I didn't understand and trying to work out the answers. Reading the Bible, Christian books and devotions. And finally...just being open and listening for GOD to speak to me. GOD speaking to me is by far the best one. But, GOD uses all these other ways to speak to me also. The bottom line is this...

Sometimes we let the cares of this life get in the way of doing what we know we need to do. We get sidetracked, we lose our focus, sometimes we just step back and watch life go by for awhile. That's when we need to get ourselves up and get back in the race. Don't let satan get any type of edge on you. Jump back in with both feet and start doing the things that GOD wants you to do.

For me I know that I need to continue sharing what GOD has done and is doing in my life. I need to keep speaking out for GOD. It's for this reason that I believe GOD has given me this to write...kind of a challenge. The question now is...will I meet the challenge or will I let it defeat me? If you read this blog...you will probably find out.

Psalm 107:1-2 (New Living Translation)
¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
      His faithful love endures forever.
 ² Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!
      Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.

JESUS: The Only Way To Peace

What a crazy few days I have had. Nothing to big, just lots of irritations. Wednesday I got my e-mail hacked and had to spend time making sure I didn't have anything I don't want on my computer, or could give to someone else's computer. Then, I had to change all my passwords, to all my accounts, and today set up a new e-mail account. What a hassle all of that was. Then today I did something that I have never done before. I locked myself out of the house. Even my cell was in the house so I couldn't just call someone...because I don't just "know" the numbers to other people's cell phones. All I do is push a button and it dials! Technology is good and bad. So, when it first happened I just experienced disbelief. After a minute or two I got a little irritated, then decided that wouldn't help. Finally, I came up with a plan and was in the house shortly there after. I am telling you all of this just to say...in the past I wouldn't have gotten over those things so easily. I would have known some major irritation and then shortly anger. Eventually, those minor episodes would have totally ruined my day and my week. What is the difference between how I reacted this week and how I would have reacted in the past? There is one easy answer...JESUS.

I just put up a post about something I read...I trust YOU JESUS. I did have to do that. Even though these things are relatively minor they can still cause problems. So...I said a prayer, trusted HE would give me a solution, and HE did! Even though the LORD is with us, if we are Christians, we can still make bad choices to solve our problems. We can react in ways that just make us feel worse or we can stay calm and ask JESUS for help and trust that HE will do it. Sometimes, when things don't happen the way we want them too, we do things to make ourselves feel better. Then afterward wish we would have just trusted HIM to get us through or help us to feel better about our lives. After thinking about how we as Christians react, and are affected by life, I started thinking about how hard it must be for those that don't have hope with the LORD. What about you...?

Do you ever think about what people without the LORD do when things go wrong in their lives? Or maybe you can remember how it was for you before you accepted CHRIST. For me it wasn't all that long ago so I can remember easily what it was like. Now, I have family and friends that don't know HIM and they have a hard time coping with just little issues in their lives. When big things happen some of them come completely undone...they really lose it.  Some to the point of wanting to take their own lives. That's going on with some in my life right now. Only GOD can change those kinds of situations. HE can bring peace to troubled minds and turn things around for HIS glory. From my own experience, I know that JESUS can completely change your life if you allow HIM to. So as Christians, we need to pray for our family and friends and trust that they turn to HIM. We need to commit to that daily. JESUS is their only hope to salvation and peace.

Here are some verses on peace.

Psalms 29:11
The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.


John 14:27   
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.


Romans 15:13
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.


Philippians 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.


2 Thessalonians 3:16
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.


Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

If you want the people in your life, Christians and non Christians, to know this peace...pray for them. JESUS is the only way to true peace.

TRUST JESUS

Life here on earth seems to get crazy for us at times. We all have things to deal with and sometimes they aren't very good. Many times there is sickness or family issues that we just don't have any control over. In the present day many people are having financial troubles. What ever problems you are going through remember to talk with GOD about them. We need to be thankful that we have the LORD on our side because HE can help us to deal with things with a lot less anxiety.

There is a little phrase that I used to say all the time and lately I have been reminded of it. It seems to help me when life is rough. I read it in the JESUS Calling book...I trust YOU JESUS. Just simply saying that when things are bothering me tends to make me feel better. In the business world they use catch phrases a lot so I have decided to make this my "catch phrase"...I trust YOU JESUS. You don't even have to say it aloud. Many times at work I just say it to myself and JESUS gives me peace. What I have found lately is, even when I'm having a hard time trusting HIM with the situation...when I let doubt in...if I actually say or think those words, peace arrives. Do you know why that is?

JESUS is very powerful. When you speak the name of JESUS mighty things happen. JESUS heals the sick, casts out demons, gives sight back to those that can't see. JESUS even gives "sight" to the spiritually blind...and that is the most important kind there is. There is nothing that JESUS likes more than when we come to HIM and ask HIM for help. When we trust, and don't doubt, HE will be right there to help you. That's why when I say, I trust YOU JESUS, and really mean it, HE calms me down and brings peace to my spirit. There is an old song that comes to mind...

Peace, Peace, wonderful peace, coming down from the FATHER above. Sweep over my spirit forever I pray, in fathomless billows of love.

Fathomless...impossible to measure the depth of, bottomless. Another way to say it is...impossible to understand, incomprehensible. That's what peace from JESUS really is...tons and tons of love! The kind of love that I can't even imagine. HE just washes it over you...you are bathed in HIS LOVE!!

For whatever it is that you are going through right now try saying...I trust YOU JESUS. If you really mean it HE will give you the peace you need for the situation.

Isaiah 26:3 (New Living Translation)

³ You will keep in perfect peace
      all who trust in you,
      all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

John 14:27 (New Living Translation)

 ²⁷ “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

"Peace, be still!"

Mark 4:35-41

³⁵ On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” ³⁶ Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. ³⁷ And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. ³⁸ But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
³⁹ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” ⁴¹ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

Could you imagine being out on the ocean in a small fishing boat when a big storm comes up as the disciples were? It's not some place that I would want to be. However, they did have an advantage because they had JESUS in their boat. What they didn't have was the faith it took to know that, whether JESUS was sleeping or awake, HE was still going to take care of them. I can so see myself in this story. When I saw JESUS words, "Peace, be still!" I instantly thought of how those words, so much, apply to me...

When I let fear and doubt take over in my life I'm lacking the same thing the disciples did...faith.We may not have JESUS "physically" riding in  our car, or sleeping at our house but...HE is still with us everywhere we go. I can just imagine that JESUS is saying the same things to me that HE said to HIS disciples that night. "Why are you so fearful? Where is your faith?" I always think that HE probably gets so frustrated and tired of me lacking in those areas that this could be the time HE will just leave me hanging out there alone. But...that's just not how HE is. Just like with HIS disciples, when I finally get it together and ask for HIS help HE calms my storm just like HE did theirs. HE calms...and then HE gives me peace!

When storms start beating me around and filling my life with fear and doubt I need to remember to ask JESUS to speak to it. When I do I know just what HE will say, "Peace, be still!"

Are you letting HIM speak to the storms in your life? I have tried it both ways so I can tell you, life is a lot better when you do.

The Day the Grid Stands Still ~ Bible Prophecy Today

I found this to be quite interesting. I believe the LORD is coming back soon and it seems to me that all evidence is pointing that way. Are you ready? Don't be left here!

Click on this link.

The Day the Grid Stands Still ~ Bible Prophecy Today

HE HEARD ME

Psalm 18:1-6 (New Living Translation)

 ¹ I love you, Lord;
      you are my strength.
 ² The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
      my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
   He is my shield, the power that saves me,
      and my place of safety.
 ³ I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
      and he saved me from my enemies.  ⁴ The ropes of death entangled me;
      floods of destruction swept over me.
 ⁵ The grave wrapped its ropes around me;
      death laid a trap in my path.
 ⁶ But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
      yes, I prayed to my God for help.
   He heard me from his sanctuary;
      my cry to him reached his ears.

Psalm 18 is one of my favorite Psalms. When you are going through tough times in your life the Psalms can give you insight as to how GOD will help you if you let HIM. HE will come to your rescue and save you and protect you from the enemy of your soul. Again...HE has done that for me!

When we are caught in the middle of that war zone, with the devil and his agents, we need to remember who our "Rock" is...I need to remember! Most importantly to me...HE is my SAVIOR!! Three years ago HE saved me from a life that I wanted out of. HE protected me from the devil and the plans that he had for me. Why? Because GOD has HIS own plans for my life. Jeremiah 29:11 says...

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I need to hold onto that verse and repeat it to myself daily. Let GOD make it real to me. Any of you reading this that find yourself feeling hopeless at times also need to quote this verse to yourself...frequently. The LORD will protect us from our worst enemy...satan! He is the one that entangles us with death ropes and tries to destroy us. I like the way The Message says it...

^4-5 The hangman's noose was tight at my throat;
      devil waters rushed over me.
   Hell's ropes cinched me tight;
      death traps barred every exit.

Have you ever felt like that? I can tell you that without a doubt I know that feeling! For a few weeks now it was as if something was trying to squeeze the life out of me. I was full of fear and was pretty sure that if JESUS were to come back I wouldn't be going. I was at the point where all I could say to GOD the last few days was...GOD, Please!! help me!! Don't come back and leave me here!  I would repeat...GOD, Please!!  help me! over and over. Why was I so fearful? Because I let the devil get into my head. It doesn't matter why or what happened, the point is...I did. But now...

PRAISE GOD!!!  Just like verse six says...I cried out to GOD and HE heard me, My cry reached HIS ears and HE gave me an escape route out of the dark place I was allowing myself to go. Further on in verses 16-19 it says...

 ¹⁶ He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
      he drew me out of deep waters.
 ¹⁷ He rescued me from my powerful enemies,
      from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
 ¹⁸ They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress,
      but the Lord supported me.
 ¹⁹ He led me to a place of safety;
      he rescued me because he delights in me.

I am so grateful to The LORD for reaching down and rescuing me once again! HE has done that for me so many times. If you need HIM to do that for you just ask HIM. That is what HE wants us to do...talk to HIM! If you have read much of this blog you know that at times I lose my way. Somehow though GOD always finds a way to get through to me. Sometimes it's just by talking to HIM and reading HIS WORD. Sometimes it's through something I read in a book or hear from someone else. Sometimes it's through me having to talk it out with a Christian friend. The point of all this is...whatever it is that you need to do to get back in touch with GOD...do it. FIND your way back. Or, find GOD for the first time. Which ever it might be...GOD is waiting to hear from you!!!

WAR ZONE

Today, while sitting outside, a couple of military jets called "Warthogs" flew over. They were so high you could hardly see them but you knew they were there. The roar was unmistakable. Imagine what it must be like when you live somewhere that is in or near a combat zone. The noise of the jets alone would be deafening at times. You would probably really be thankful for any quiet time you might get. Even pray for the day that life would return to normal. I can't even imagine what it would be like. But I do know what it's like to live in a war zone of good and evil...GOD and satan. Or in this case...me and the devil...

As soon as I heard the noise today, and saw what they were, it flashed in my mind of how we live in a war zone everyday. As Christians satan attacks us all the time. His usual style of attack for most of us is in our minds.

With me he brings up a lot the old things that used to plague me. Fear...doubt...bad attitude...feelings of inadequacy...thinking that I am just not good enough, that I am only good at being bad and bad at being good and lots of other lies. The worst part of all of this is that at times, I believe him. As it was said to me..."we let him get a toe hold and then a foot hold" and then he just keeps on going until we are down so low we can't always fight back on our own. I had to get help and talk it out with someone I could trust. If that's what you have to do, do it! Don't let the devil get you so afraid you can't ask for help. You have to do whatever it takes to get through all of the mess that's in your mind, and get a hold of GOD!! Sometimes you can't get there on your own because you have listened to the devil a whole lot longer that you should have.

I found out a big thing about myself in all of this...I am not spiritually mature in a lot of areas. I have a whole lot more growing to do. One thing that I need to learn to do all of the time is to "Praise HIM" through every storm in my life. I am always going to have them and so will you. We just can't let satan get that first toe hold. Trust in GOD to see you through. I like these verses...

Deuteronomy 31:6



So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Deuteronomy 31:8

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

If you see yourself in what I have just said...do something now. Talk to GOD, read HIS WORD or find a Christian friend and ask for help. If they are truly a person of GOD, and a real friend, they will be able to help you.

FIXES

Sometimes circumstances of life get you so screwed up you don't know what to do. You may have multiple things come at you at the same time that really throw you off. What you should do is talk to GOD and read HIS word so HE can help you. The problem is that many times we tend to go in the opposite direction. One reason for this is that you may not be as spiritually mature as you thought you were. Another reason could be that you are disappointed by what did or did not happen. Maybe, you might even be...just a little bit upset with GOD...and you don't know how to handle that particular feeling. Then again...it could be all of those things together. So, what do you do next?...

That's a question I have been trying to answer for a couple of weeks now. You can have a room full of Bibles and Christian music. You can have a computer with all kinds of Christian resources on it. But you know what? None of those things make any difference unless you can get through the blockage in your mind and heart. Until you do, all you get is a small fix that lasts a few minutes or maybe a few hours. Why is that!! Because those things are a fix for Christians just like alcohol and drugs are a fix for non Christians. But those too are just fixes for a short amount of time. Maybe that is part of the problem. Before being a Christian you used alcohol and drugs when things went wrong...a short term fix. Maybe you are so used to short term fixes you don't really know how to do things with long term fixes.  In reality, all the Christians resources are short term fixes too. I am not talking about your relationship with GOD, I am talking only about the resources. The things we use to try to make everything good.

So...what do we now? We know that only JESUS can make it good and be the permanent fix. The big question is...how to get back there.

This is...a reformed rebels struggle to get back, and stay, with the only true fix for life. There is one thing I know for sure...

HE doesn't leave us we leave HIM. It's all in how we respond to that situation that makes the difference.

LIFE

Sometimes we struggle with things here on earth
life isn't always fair and it doesn't always work
Our minds get all filled with things that don't matter
but try as you might you can't keep from being scattered
You begin to walk down some streets that are crumbled
then before you know it you find you're about to stumble
What do you do now can you get your head straight
you decide to keep going look for a road you can take
Then you find a large path and it starts to get steep
but you trudge on ahead just hoping to keep your feet
It starts going down further jagged rocks all about
you start slipping and sliding and find yourself going down
Before you know it you're out on a ledge
perched on a precipice dangling close to the edge
What happens now you cry in a loud voice
should I just tumble over is that the right choice
NO you decide you have got to be strong
pull yourself up you need to travel on
You finally make it to the top and take a look around
there off in the distance there's a light that abounds
You know if you can get there you will make it this time
no turning back now it's your life on the line