John 21:3-7 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”
They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”
They answered Him, “No.”
Continue readingJeremiah 33:1-3 “Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the prison, saying, “Thus says the LORD who made it, the LORD who formed it to establish it (the LORD is His name): Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”
God has great things for our lives, things He wants to show us for the future. Are we listening? Are we interested in listening? There are things we cannot even imagine that He wants to do in the world, things He wants to do with us! He is the smartest Person in the universe. We need to see as He sees because He sees the whole picture and holds the plan for the future.
Continue readingHebrews 5:8 “Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience through the things which He suffered.
Philippians 2:8 “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Hebrews 2:17-18 “Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
Continue readingAs Jesus walked the earth, He ruled in the midst of His enemies. Exactly what does that mean?
We know He never sinned and although there is no recording of it, I would bet He was also never sick. He had miraculous escapes from death as a baby as God protected Him and His family. He demonstrated the Kingdom of God to the people of that day by healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons, multiplying food, calming storms, and other supernatural acts. He showed them there was a spiritual world. These were the signs that the Kingdom of God was at hand. He experienced miraculous escapes also after His ministry began, until the time that He gave Himself into the hands of evil men in order to fulfill the plan of God to save the world from sin. He taught the disciples how to demonstrate the power of Heaven and we are commissioned to go and do likewise.
Continue reading1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
That short passage of scripture has the whole future of the world wrapped up in it. I don’t believe it is only speaking of when we get to Heaven. I believe it includes things that God has prepared for us here in the earth. Let’s look at some examples of things that were “impossible,” but when God and one man are involved together, it’s not so impossible after all, for with God, all things are possible. Meditate on the following list of faith heroes and what they did. Their stories are inspiration for us.
Continue reading“As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He is mindful that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass—he blooms like a flower of the field; when the wind passes over, it vanishes, and its place remembers it no more.” Psalm 103:13-15
I have at times pondered the fact that life seems to move slowly in regards to growth of the human personality in understanding. It seems we are not quick to catch on to things. Perhaps that is because we do not know our purpose, why we are here.
Continue readingNehemiah 4:6—“So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.”
Yesterday I was reading an article by a woman who has been on the front lines of fighting for the integrity of our nation for the past ten years. After the disappointing midterms, she said she felt like giving up and quitting, wondering why she had worked so hard, just to not see the results she desired. I forget the name of the organization, but many might recognize it. She ended her post by realizing she could not quit…she could not give up and get out of the war for the soul of the country.
Continue readingIt seems fitting in this Christmas season while world events swirl around us, to recall the words of this wonderful Christmas song. Jesus Christ truly is our only hope in this world. It is my prayer that all would pause in the season and look up to the God of the universe, who loved his created human beings enough to send His own Son to rescue them from the darkness. That is what we celebrate, that God became a man and came to be like us. He truly is Emmanuel, God with us.
Continue reading(Note: When I use the term “devil,” I am referring to the collective forces of darkness and not the head spirit. In the bible where it says Jesus was tempted of the devil, we can believe it was the head spirit that approached Him.)
Have you ever noticed when you don’t feel good, how it’s all about you? We are doing everything in our power to regain our health. It’s really all we can think about. Even the simple cold makes me sleep all the time and spend all my time and energies thinking about how I can feel better! And on top of that I can ruin relationships because I get cranky. Sick people just don’t feel good and because of that, it’s hard to respond well, right?
Continue readingThe bible says it’s the goodness of God that leads men to repentance.
I remember one morning I arrived at work excited after seeing something I felt was from the Holy Spirit. I told my co-worker, “People need to know that God really loves them! It’s the love of God that leads them to repentance.”
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Dogtags and Pearls...the plain and the precious 