Advent:

1. The coming or arrival, especially of something extremely important
2. Advent
a.The liturgical period preceding Christmas, beginning in Western churches on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and in Eastern churches in mid-November, and observed by many Christians as a season of prayer, fasting, and penitence.
b.Christianity. The coming of Jesus at the Incarnation.
What is Advent?
The word 'Advent' is from the Latin 'Adventus,' which means 'coming.' Advent is the beginning of a new liturgical year (in the Western churches), and encompasses the span of time from the fourth Sunday before Christmas, until the Nativity of Our Lord is celebrated.
Advent will always fall somewhere between November 27th at the earliest and December 3rd at the latest. http://observationandprinciples.com/bible-study/what-is-the-meaning-of-adv
The season preceding Christmas is a time for preparation and a time for choices. A lot of time, energy and money are spent preparing for our celebration of Christmas.
This is a season for sales and storing up of earthly gifts. This is a time for decorating and arranging our homes for visits from family and friends. This is a season of joy!

Matthew 2:10-11 (New International Version, ©2010)
10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Christmas is truly the arrival of something extremely important in Christian lives but we must not fail to remember that Advent is a time for celebration of Christ’s first coming and preparation for His second coming.

Matthew 24:30-31 (King James Version)
30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

We must not fail to teach our children the significance of being a Christian. This is a time to introduce or reinforce the concepts of prayer, fasting and penitence so that these premises become a part of our being. This is the time to make prayer, fasting and penitence a part of the common language of our families.
This is a time to encourage a strong relationship with the Holy Spirit and to talk about the importance of the gift of The Comforter. Now is when our children should be introduced to the peace that comes from knowing that our God is a Living God and that and that we are never left alone while we await His second coming.

Matthew 2 (New International Version, ©2010)
The Magi Visit the Messiah
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Have a great time. Enjoy the food and the fellowship, but remember that our first obligation is to “come to worship Him”.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Hebrews 11:1 (New King James Version)
By Faith We Understand
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

I believe for every drop of rain that falls
A flower grows,
I believe that somewhere in the darkest night
A candle glows,
I believe for everyone who goes astray,
Someone will come to show the way,
I believe, I believe.

I believe above the storm a smallest prayer
Will still be heard,
I believe that someone in the great somewhere
Hears every word,
Every time I hear a newborn baby cry,
Or touch a leaf, or see the sky,
Then I know why,
I believe.

Every time I hear a newborn baby cry,
Or touch a leaf, or see the sky,
Then I know why,
I believe.

Do you remember that old spiritual by the Platters? It was such a simple expression of faith. It was such an acceptance of the joy available in the simple things of life.

Romans 10:17 (New King James Version)
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith allows us to know that there a God. Faith allows us to have a personal relationship with God. Faith allows us the comfort of the Holy Spirit. But faith does not require us to be gullible. We study to show ourselves approved. We study so that God will give us discernment.

"It is no sin to doubt some things... it may be fatal to believe everything. Faith never means gullibility. Credulity never honors God. The healthy soul, like the healthy blood system, has its proper proportion of white and red blood cells. The red corpuscles are like faith: they carry the life giving oxygen to every part of the body. The white cells are like discernment: they pounce upon dead and toxic matter and carry it out to the drain. In the healthy heart there must be provision for keeping dead and poisonous matter out of the life stream. http://www.acts17-11.com/faith.html

2 Thes 2:10b-11 (NIV) They perish because they refuse to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie.

“When you have come to the edge
Of all light that you know
And are about to drop off into the darkness
Of the unknown,
Faith is knowing
One of two things will happen:
There will be something solid to stand on or
You will be taught to fly”
Patrick Overton

This is faith.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 100 (New International Version)
A psalm. For giving grateful praise.
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Did you wake up this morning? Now that sounds like a silly question, but every day that we wake up is another opportunity for a fuller life. Every day that we wake up is an opportunity to experience joy. Every day that we wake up is another opportunity to praise our Lord.

Psalm 118:24 (New King James Version)
24 This is the day the LORD has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

We have choices about the ways we will use the precious time that God gives us. Sometimes we get so swept up in the mess of the day that we actually forget that we do have choices.
When we acknowledge that we can hold only one thought at a time we can make effective use of those choices. When we fill our hearts and minds with praises to God we close the door to negative thoughts.

Psalm 150 (New King James Version)
Let All Things Praise the LORD
1 Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
2 Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness! u
3 Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
4 Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
5 Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD!

Take a hint from David and dance with all your might before the Lord.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Only God Saves

Only God Saves
When we are given the chance to be a part of the lives of children and young adults, every day becomes an opportunity to honor one of the critical mandates of God, and that is to 6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 (New King James Version)

My granddaughter got wonderful news last night. A wrong had been made right with extra blessings added. After a dance of gratitude she insisted that we pray a prayer of thanksgiving and acknowledge that only God could have produced these results.
When I woke up this morning I was filled with joy just from remembering this child of my heart and the comfortable way she has of communicating with God.
I remembered a day many years ago when she questioned me about prayer and what things could she ask in prayer. I explained that we could ask God, our Father, for anything and, like any good father, He would grant those wishes best for our lives.
We have talked many times over the years about prayer, both answered and unanswered, and I have watched her grow in her relationship with the Holy Spirit.

But this morning as I researched for this blog I was led to a very short posting from a woman, another mother/grandmother, who was in great pain. She described herself as a failure in bringing up her children and helping them on the road to Christ.
I thought about the years my spiritual mentor prayed for me when I was one of the “lost”. I thought about the times that I needed the support and counsel of my church family when I felt like a failure with my own family. I thought about our obligation to “pray without ceasing” but I also remembered the many examples of persons who were “saved” when their lives were so far from examples of piety (including mine).

I wish I could share with this mother the hard won understanding that only God saves. I wish I could help her remember Paul, who was on his way to persecute the Church when God snatched him up for service, in hopes that she would realize that nothing is impossible for God, including the salvation of her loved ones.
This woman asked that no one respond to her posting and I see only one brief response and that from one of her children.

I will honor her request but pray that someone will find comfort in the understanding that God does not command us to “save” our children. That is His job. He does command us to teach them and to provide an example through our lives.

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5 (New International Version)

I hope that this woman has a strong and supportive church family. I hope that she has found peace in her role as mother/grandmother .

2 Timothy 1:5 ESV
I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

I pray for all mothers/grandmothers who are trying to serve as role models for their children.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

God's Covenant of Love

"Awesome God" is an American worship song which became popular in the United States during the late 1980s, composed by Rich Mullins. Its title is inspired by a biblical expression (Nehemiah 1:5, Nehemiah 9:32, Psalm 47, Daniel 9:4, etc.), variously translated as "Awesome God", (JPS, in the old-fashioned meaning "awe-inspiring"), "great" (KJV), among other alternatives. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awesome_God
This was the song that was in my heart when I woke this morning.

Nehemiah 1:5-11 (New International Version)
5 Then I said:
“LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,
6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you.
7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
8 “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,
9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’

When the chosen people of God are able to recognize and acknowledge that they have strayed from the will of God He is willing to hear their pleas for redemption. Our “Awesome God”, creator of the heavens and earth, expresses love through forgiveness and redemption.
We must not allow ourselves to be deluded by the evil one who would love for us to stay outside the protection of God’s love through ignorance and fear when all that is required is true repentance and a request for forgiveness.

Nehemiah 9:32 (New International Version)
32 “Now therefore, our God, the great God, mighty and awesome, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes—the hardship that has come on us, on our kings and leaders, on our priests and prophets, on our ancestors and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.

There is a continuous thread through all of these scriptures that speak of our “Awesome God” and that is His covenant of love. Nehemiah called out to God at a time when His people had sinned grievously, breaking many of God’s commandments and decrees. Yet, Nehemiah knew that God would hear the earnest prayers of His people. He knew this because he had studied God's word and learned of His love for His chosen people.

Daniel 9:4 (New International Version)
4 I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed:
“Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,

The entire ninth chapter of Daniel is a truly heartfelt and heartwarming prayer to God. Daniel freely acknowledges that the people of God have sinned and are not worthy and his plea is solely to the grace and mercy of God.

Psalm 47 (New International Version)
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
2 For the LORD Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth.

We, the children of our Awesome God have been given the right to come to Him with our petitions. Let us avail ourselves of the mercy that is available to us and renewed every morning.
Our God truly is an “Awesome God”.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

How Great Thou Art!!!

Psalm 8 (New King James Version)
To the Chief Musician. On the instrument of Gath, A Psalm of David.
1 O LORD, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have set Your glory above the heavens!
2 Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
4 What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

How Great Thou Art – The Lyrics
O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

chorus
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

chorus

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

chorus

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

We are in the midst of studying the Psalms this quarter. What a wonderful experience! The Psalms are glorious songs of praise to our God. Songs of praise in times of great joy, songs of praise in times of trouble and fear, songs of praise in times of repentance and gratitude for forgiveness. One theme is consistent in the Psalms and that is an understanding of the greatness of Almighty God.

This song, written all the way in Sweden way back in the 1880’s, continues to warm the hearts of believers in America in the 21st century. What an awesome testament to the Glory of Almighty God.

Psalm 90
A Prayer of Moses the man of God.
1 Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Christian Meditation

Christian Meditation
It has become my habit to meditate on God’s Word on a daily basis. I hesitate to use the term meditate because many Christians hold negative images about meditation. For them it brings up thoughts of “New Age Thinking” and Eastern religions.

I am old enough to have been caught up in the New Age Movement at a time in my life when I was searching for God in all the wrong places. I read the books, I listened to the tapes, I meditated.
I did experience the ability to focus on whatever was important to me at the time.
What I did not get was the true peace that comes from an established relationship with the Holy Spirit. I did not get direction for my life. I received no joy or understanding in the Word of God, as a matter of fact; I was hard pressed to read more than a few verses from the New Testament once in a rare while.

There was a severe restlessness in my spirit for many years and I couldn’t get a handle on the root cause.

1 Peter 2:9 (New International Version)
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

How wonderful to know that it is not only good and Christian to meditate but that meditation is mandated by God.

Joshua 1:8 (New International Version)
8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Psalm 1 (New International Version)
1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.

All About God, a Christian research site, states that the Bible mentions meditate or meditation 20 times. http://www.allaboutgod.com/christian-meditation.htm

Meditation is another gift that we have been given to open doors to a fulfilled Christian life. I am not willing to throw this great gift away. There are numerous writings on meditation for those who are interested but not sure where and how to start.

Hebrews 11:6 KJV "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."

Diligently seeking Him includes meditating on His Word.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Castaway or In the Spirit?

The movie CastAway describes 4+ years in the life of a man alone on a tropical island. He had no one for companionship except “Wilson”, a soccer ball with a painted face, who became his confidant and friend.
I was reminded that we are never without companionship, mentorship and counsel after receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, yet many times we fail to take advantage of the comfort that is available to us.

John 14 (New King James Version)
25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

As children of the Most High God we need not be afraid because we are never alone. If we were abandoned on a tropical island we would already have a friend and companion with us. But most of us fall prey to fear from time to time. I believe this forgetting grieves the Holy Spirit yet know I am guilty at times.

In the fourteenth chapter of John Jesus provides a wonderful view of the workings of the trinity in our lives. He especially encourages us to accept the special blessings available to us.

Ephesians 4:30 (New International Version)
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

The entire fourth chapter of Ephesians is a wonderful tapestry for living in the Holy Spirit. The focus is on the relationship with our brothers and sisters, but there is acknowledgment of the security and peace available to us when we obey God’s Word and submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit.

Father God, we pray for guidance in our studies which lead us to your peace and to direction in our daily lives. I thank You, God, for all that You are. I ask that You keep within me this hunger for understanding.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

A Day for Rejoicing

"Sweet, Sweet, Spirit"
There's a sweet, sweet spirit in this place
And I know that it's the spirit of the Lord
There are sweet expressions on each face
And I know you feel the presence of the Lord

Sweet Holy Spirit, sweet heavenly Dove
Stay right here with us, filling us with Your love
And for these blessings, we lift our hearts in praise
Without a doubt we'll know that we have been revived
When we shall leave this place

Did you ever wake in the morning with such a sense of peace that you just knew that this was going to be one of those glorious days?
Because you know it is going to be a glorious day, even when annoyances arise, nothing is a big deal.

Psalm 118:24 (New King James Version)
24 This is the day the LORD has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Some days it is just easy to obey the Psalmist’s direction to rejoice and be glad in the day. The trick is to know that we have the power within us to make every day a day for rejoicing.

2 Timothy 1:7 (New King James Version)
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

With the power of this great shield we can make big issues into little annoyances.
I have a dear friend who truly will not let herself get sucked into negative thinking or negative speaking. She keeps her days of rejoicing by staying in God’s simple truths.
It is our duty to maintain peace within the family of God. I pray God keep me firmly in His Word of truth and spirit.

2 Timothy 2:14-17 (New King James Version
14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.
17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, (emphasis added).

Hang on to your Sweet, Sweet Spirit. Deny the evil one access to your heart and mind.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Please, God, Order My Steps

Romans 8:26-27 (New King James Version)
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

When I woke this morning my prayer was for special guidance on all decisions I had to make today. I have several things to work through, many of them with lasting repercussions, and I wanted to be sure that I was working within the will of God. I was not sure of the words, not sure exactly how to phrase my needs, then the gracious Holy Spirit placed the words of this song in my heart.

Lyrics to Order My Steps :
Order my steps in Your word dear Lord,
lead me, guide me everyday,
send Your anointing, Father I pray;
order my steps in Your word,
please, order my steps in Your word.

Humbly, I ask Thee to teach me Your will,
while You are working, help me be still,
Satan is busy, God is real;
order my steps in Your word,
please, order my steps in Your word.

Briddle my tongue let my words edify,
let the words of my mouth be exceptable in Thy sight,
take charge of my thoughts both day and night;
order my steps in Your word,
please order my steps in Your word.

CHORUS
I want to walk worthy,
my calling to fulfill.
Please order my steps Lord,
and I'll do Your blessed will.
The world is ever changing,
but You are still the same;
if You order my steps, I'll praise Your name.

Order my steps in Your word.
Order my tongue in Your word.
Guide my feet in Your word.
Wash my heart in Your word.
Show me how to walk in Your word.
Show me how to talk in Your word.
When I need a brand new song to sing,
show me how to let Your praises ring,
in your word (2x),

Please order my steps in Your word,
Please order my steps in Your word.

REPEAT CHORUS ( 2 X )

Please order my steps in Your word,

My friend and I were talking this weekend about our tendency to try to “help God” after we have prayed for His help. I truly believe God placed this song in my spirit to tell me to be still.
This is not a day for slogans. This is not a day for half-hearted commitment. This is truly a day when I must trust God to order my steps.
Therefore, I am truly grateful for the gift of the Holy Spirit. I am grateful for the knowledge that He is here to guide me through.

Please, God, Order my Steps.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

The Promise of Greater Joy

The Promise of Greater Joy

Luke 10:17-24 (New International Version)
17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

These seventy-two men had been sent out to spread the gospel. They are back with wondrous reports of power given to them, even the power to subdue demons. I can imagine how awesome it had to be to come with this great report. How thrilling it had to be to be told that there was going to be a greater joy awaiting them.

21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
22 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

We are given many opportunities to be in the will of God. In even small interactions with others we can conduct ourselves in ways that tell the world of the joy of having your name written in heaven. We can be living proof that being a Christian is a matter of joy, not consternation. We can witness the comfort and peace of the Holy Spirit.

23 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

We can stay involved in meaningful study of the Word so that we may have eyes that see.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

What if there is no hell.

Daniel 12:1 (New International Version)
1 “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.

We suppose that Michael is the great Archangel and that those written in the book are those of us who belong to God. There is great comfort in this belief, but is it enough to maintain the life of a Christian?

Daniel 12 2-3 (New International Version)
2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.

This scripture, Daniel 12:2-3, speaks, not only of living a life of righteousness, but of leading others to God. This scripture encourages the attainment of wisdom and compassion for the souls of others.

Matthew 25:46 (New International Version)
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Revelation 20:14-15 (New International Version)
14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Some people, especially people who are outside of the love of God, believe that the only reason people believe in God is a fear of landing in hell. That might be true for some; but, anyone who held this belief would be cheating themselves of the greatest possible joy.
There is great joy available to the believer way before the time of judgment. There is the joy of a relationship with God. There is the joy of time with the Holy Spirit. There is joy in the word.

John 5:28 (New International Version)
28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice.

I look forward to a time when I will hear His voice. I look forward to a time of communion with the Holy Spirit.
There is much more for me in this Christian walk than a fear of hell. I pray this joy and fulfillment is part of your life.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Hope for "Late Bloomers"

Matthew 20
Parable of the Vineyard Workers
“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
2 He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work.
3 “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing.
4 So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day.
5 So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing.
6 “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’
7 “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’
“The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’
8 “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first.
9 When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage.
10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage.
11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner,
12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’
13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage?
14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you.
15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’
16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

How many times I have read this scripture and heard sermons preached on this theme without a true appreciation of its personal meaning to me.

I thank You, God, for another opportunity to study your word. I thank you for leadership and direction that teaches me to look beyond an isolated verse for better understanding. I thank You for the desire to grow in my faith. I have so much for which to say “Thank You, Lord.”

One look at this scripture could be that God now opens arms to the Gentiles (those coming in late in the day) as well as the Jew (those who started early in the morning). This is a blessing to me, a Gentile. But there is a closer meaning for everyone who is still outside of the fold.

King James Version: John Chapter 9
4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

How awesome it is for those of us who were “late” coming into the kingdom to know that our God receives us with open arms. How encouraging it is for those of us who are committed to the Great Commission to know that there is value in our work to bring others into the fold, no matter their age or circumstances, for as long as they breathe it is day.

“ Today this message applies to the Church. Sometimes the Church can be so closed off from the world. The message for those of us who know Jesus already is that we should long for all people to partake in the same reward that we ourselves receive when we follow after Jesus.” http://metrobibleblog.wordpress.com/2010/02/17

Lord, I ask for strength and understanding to do whatever it is that You will for me. I thank You for all You are in my life. I hope that someone finds encouragement in these words.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!