It’s A New Day!!

Happy New Year!!!

    2018 is here and the New Year is in it’s second day. A new day in a new year with hope in our hearts as we head down the road! Why shouldn’t we be hopeful and optimistic? We serve a great God Whose Love watches over us each and every day.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness. Lam 3:22-23 NIV

    Does this mean that we will live this year free from suffering or misfortune? Will we be isolated from the pain that life can sometimes bring with it? Obviously the answer is a resounding no. As long as we are in this world we will be subject to the effects this world has on its inhabitants. So, where is this “mercy” that this scripture speaks of? It’s in the power to stand the storms of life. The umbrella in the rain if you will. It’s in the knowledge that although we might be shaken we will not fall because God is on our side.

    Paul talked about the fragility of our lives as we carry the Light of God within us –

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;

perplexed, but not in despair; 

persecuted, but not abandoned;

struck down, but not destroyed.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NIV

    Paul knew too well how hard life can be especially for someone who works to spread The Good News to the world. In a rare moment he boasts of his credentials and lists his sufferings for the Gospels sake in 2 Corinthians chapter 11. He shares that before his conversion he had a zeal for the Lord and goes on to describe what he has endured for Christ.

I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.  Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.  Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,  I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.  I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.  Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 2 Cor. 11: 23-28 NIV

    Yet, Paul suffered all this and if we look at  2 Corinthians chapter 4 verses 17 and 18 we see that he refers to all those sufferings as “light afflictions”!

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

    So, the mercy of God may not save us from the troubles of this world, it will sustain us and perfect within us a spirit of strength, hope and love if we look past the storm in faith.

Faith in Him Who bore our sins and promised –

I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

Matthew 28:20 NIV

 

 

Ps – Before anyone thinks I am sitting on a high horse as I write this I will share that I dispise the pain of a paper cut! I hate drama and the troubles that can knock on my door. I pray for storms of life to pass quickly and can’t always see that the sun will shine again. But I try, by faith, to preserver and not ask “why me?” Because I know the answer to that question is – So, that I may bring glory to God as I learn from the experience.

Be Blessed in 2018 and thanks for stopping by. A&B

 

What’s the Devil like?

   Did you ever see that old movie where a family is experiencing strange things in their home? You know the one – a little blond haired girl stands in front of a static filled TV screen and turns to announce “their back!”. Yup, that one. Well there’s a scene in one of the movies in that series where a tall skinny scary old man walks up to the screen door and yells “You’re all gonna DIE!!!”

That, Virginia (and everyone else), is what the Devil is like!

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour   1 Peter 5:8 NKJV

And if we left it at that it would be a fairly scary situation to be in

But there’s more to the story

You see, the devil, is a defeated foe. Beaten down by our Lord Jesus Christ

I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen.

And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. Rev 1:18 NKJV

   Whatever authority the devil thought he had when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he lost it that day on Calvary. By dieing the death of a sinner the sinless Savior broke the curse and defeated the devil.

 Death came into the world because of what one man (Adam) did, and it is because of what this other man (Christ) has done that now there is the resurrection from the dead. Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, being members of his sinful race, and wherever there is sin, death results. But all who are related to Christ will rise again.  1 Cor 15:21-22 TLB

   If you recall, Sin came into the world because the devil (serpent) deceived Adam and Eve in the garden. That sin was past down threw the years to all by birth. Jesus being both God and man, born of a woman but without the sin of man upon Him, died in all of our places so that the devil has no hold (ownership) on us. Jesus called the devil the father of lies and revealed to us that the only real power the devil has is to deceive. Yes, it’s true that the devils job description is to kill, steal and destroy. But, he accomplishes his tasks by deception. Just pick up a paper or turn on the evening news and you will see acts perpetrated by people who were listening to a liar. Theft, drug addiction, domestic violence, murder, abortion, adultery, fornication, and on and on – all acts fueled by lies whispered into peoples hearts and minds by the father of lies. But we do not have to believe his lies. We do not have to act on his lies. We do not have to die in our sin.

  We can be free from our past sins. We can be born again by accepting Jesus as our Savior and our Lord.  We can open the Bible and read the Word of God that will tell us how to live a life in victory of the devil. Do not be confused here. I’m not saying that your life will not have troubles or trials. Everyone on this earth will see their share of difficulties. What I am saying is that when trials come we can see them for what they are – bumps in the road. Potholes of life if you will. They are not the end all of all. You are not gonna die!! No matter how loudly that skinny scary old man screams it at your door.

   Granted some potholes may be bigger than others. I have had my share of potholes that I thought would take me out. But they did not. Jesus is truly bigger than any pothole you hit. He will see you threw whatever life or the devil throws at you. But if you don’t know that it’s just a pothole. If you think you are alone on the side of the road because you don’t know Jesus or His Promises found in the Word. You may be tempted to believe the liar who is screaming at you that you’re gonna die! That’s why it is so very important to have a relationship with Jesus, read His Holy Word, and be strengthened thru fellowship with other believers –

so that you will know the truth and the truth will set you free  John 8:32

If you don’t know Jesus as your Savior and Lord you can get to know Him. He is waiting for you to call out to Him. All you need do is admit that you are a sinner. The Bible tells us that all have sinned. Admitting that you are a sinner is the first part. The Bible also tells us that the wages (penalty) of sin is death. Jesus Christ died for your sins. Yes, your sins. As He hung on that cross He thought of you and how much He wants you to be free from sin and be with Him in Paradise. Call out to Him and ask for His forgiveness and ask Him to save you and become Lord of your life – and He Will. The moment you admit your a sinner and ask Him to save you it will be done. Don’t expect to feel or hear or see anything special or different. Your sins silently weighed on you and just as quietly they will be washed away. You will be a child of the most high King and although you die you will live.

If you prayed a pray like that and you meant it in your heart, you are saved and Jesus is Lord of your life. get a Bible and find a church that reads and teaches the Word of God (not mans opinion) and grow in your new relationship with the Creator of the universe.

If you already know Jesus and have a Bible that you read and a church that you attend remember to beware the liar lion that roams about and see if you can help save others before they really do die.

God bless you all and thank you for stopping by, AL

the first commandment with a promise

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” Ephesians 6: 1-3 NKJV

That it may go well with you and you may live long.

The Living Bible translates this scripture like this –

This is the first of God’s Ten Commandments that ends with a promise.  And this is the promise: that if you honor your father and mother, yours will be a long life, full of blessing.

Whatever translation you choose to read the idea still resounds. God will reward you for honoring your parents.

See also Exodus 20:12  and Deuteronomy 5:16 NKJV

On this Mothers’ Day as we salute our Moms  and celebrate their devotion in raising us through the years we need to remember that not all Moms are feeling loved and appreciated today. Sadly many Moms (and Dads too) are abandoned or ashamed by their children.  Is it any wonder that prisons and morgue are filling up as our society shows less respect for parents and more concern for what matters only to me.

That it may go well with you and you may live long

Fortunately, God is the God of U-Turns. If  we think that we have been less than “honorable” towards our parents we can repent and turn towards God as we change our ways. Even if our parents have passed away we can still ask God to forgive us of being rebellious and disobedient children. Even if they were less than perfect parents, we can be honorable towards them. God does not tell us to honor our father and mother if they are good and perfect parents. The responsibility is on us to honor our parents. How good a job they do with the children they were given is between them and God. So, if they were poor parents or even abusive derelict parents, we should forgive them.

That it may go well with you and you may live long

It’s a promise from God that He clearly put in writing. No reading between the lines or ambiguity here. Simply put do this and this is what will happen. So, the exact opposite is rationally true. Dont honor your parents and it will not be good for you and you will not live long.

Maybe this should have been a happy funny uplifting post but I don’t tend to plan what I write too far in advance. I write what is on my heart. I speak as a layman – not a clergy. I have to say that this is something that I had to learn and like almost all of my life lessens – I learned the hard way. After years of disrespecting and disobeying my parents and years of speaking critically about their shortcomings I found myself in a bad place. Only by the love of God was I able to learn Gods Word and live a new life.

My parents both died long before I learned what kind of child I should have been but I know that God has forgiven me and I honor them today in how I speak of them to others and by looking back at them with compassion rather then judgement.

Finally, I pray that everyone had a wonderful Mothers Day today but if you did not, I want you to know that there is a God in Heaven Who sent His Son, Jesus, to show the greatest measurable amount of love towards YOU! He died so that you don’t have to. He LOVES you and will wash away that hurt you feel because of  a child or a parent who hurt you so long ago.

He will hear you when you call – Honestly, He Will.