December 31, 2016                                 THAT  THE  WORLD  MAY  BELIEVE
John 17:20-21: “I do  not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those who also believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me.”
Jesus often spoke of the unity that He and the Father enjoyed in heaven and continued to enjoy while on earth. The seventeenth chapter of John is referred to as the high priestly prayer of Jesus; in this chapter we have the prayer Jesus made to His Father just before He was crucified, and it reveals the heart that Jesus has for those who believed Him then and for all of those who would come to believe in Him-and that includes us. It is apparent that in the kingdom of God, there is not division or competition, but total unity. Unlike the heavenly kingdom, in this worldly kingdom, competition and division are the norm and at the heart of this is the selfishness of man and the pride of man. In Gods kingdom at least two things are evident; the majesty or splendor of God, and the love of God. When one, whether an angel or a man, sees the glory of God, His absolute power, His beauty, His wisdom, His purity, and that He IS love, worship of Him and unity among all who see Him is the only response. Believers are to live in unity, and when they do not, it is evidence that they are not seeing God for who He is and that He is not ruling in their heart; for where God rules, there is unity. This is not to say that there cannot be varying view points and opinions among believers, but unity supersedes any differences. We do not, and cannot create unity, but we are to ‘maintain’ the unity among us that comes as a result of living in fellowship with the Father and with one another. In Ephesians 4:2-3 we read: “with all humility and gentleness, with patience bearing with one another in love; being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” It is interesting to see that God has chosen to use unity among believers as a means of letting the world know that Jesus was sent by His Father. Sad but true, there has been much dis-unity among believers, and surely this is not pleasing to the Lord. There are numerous denominations and churches in existence and most of them were formed because they disagreed with ‘the other church.’ We must remember that there is only one true gospel, and wherever this gospel is honored, pursued, and proclaimed, there will be unity. If just the ‘one another’ verses were put into practice, there would be unity; theses verses take the emphasis off of self and put it on the call to serve and bless others. Just as Jesus emptied Himself and came to bless us, we can likewise be a blessing to others. Disunity will be replaced with unity when and where the Lord reigns.
1 Corinthians 1:10: “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no division among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgement.”
Romans 12:16: “Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in our own estimations.”
Blessings,
Buddy

 
December 28, 2016                         OUR  DEBT  HAS  BEEN  PAID
Colossians 2:13-14: “And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”
Certainly, one of the basic tenants if the Christian faith is that of forgiveness of sins. Sometimes, because we hear something so often, what we are hearing presently may not have its intended impact. We have all done things and said things that were a sin against God, and when we remember sins of the past, certain images or memories may come to mind. If we have not experienced genuine forgiveness, the thoughts of past sins may ‘haunt’ us and bring us continual grief. Many believers find themselves being in bondage to the memories of sins of the past, indicating that they do not yet know the full forgiveness of God. The verses above are primarily referring to the sins we committed before salvation when we were in bondage to sin and sinners by nature. Once a person is converted to faith in Christ, he or she is given a new heart and a new spirit and are no longer in bondage to sin. Even though believers are no longer sinners by nature, they may choose to sin. The scriptures teach that when a believer sins, God forgives him and cleanses him when he confesses and turns from the sin.  Often, it is pride that stands in the way of confessing our sin; we may find it difficult to admit that we did sin, and we try to justify, trivialize, or place the blame on others for our sin. Also, it is pride that prevents us from forgiving ourselves, even though God forgives us. Should we find ourselves being defeated by the memories of past sins, we should go back to that night in Bethlehem when the angles proclaimed the good news of great joy, that a Savior has been born. God made provision for the sins of man, and that provision was the birth, the life, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus, and all who place their faith in Jesus as Savior, are fully forgiven from all sin-past, present, and future. (When a believer sins, until the is confessed, it interrupts the fellowship we have with God.)  It is really quite simple; anytime we sin, the Holy Spirit will convict us of the sin, and the moment we confess our sin, we are fully forgiven and our fellowship with our Father is restored. Let us not over-analyze or become overly introspective regarding sin, but let us know that God went to great lengths to bring forgiveness and set us free from the power of sin. Whether it is sins we committed before becoming a believer, or sins we have committed as a believer, the blood of Jesus cleanses US from ALL sin! When a past sin comes to mind, use it as a springboard to thank God for His forgiveness.
Colossians 1:13-14: “For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Blessings,
Buddy
 

 
December 25, 2016                         YOU  WILL  FIND  A  BABY
Luke 2:12: “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger.”
Luke 2:10: “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
Jesus, the Son of God, being born as a babe in Bethlehem is the greatest news mankind has ever received. We may fail to recognize or lose sight of just how awesome it was for God to choose to take on flesh and blood, to become a human being, and to become one of us, in order that we might be redeemed.  In his book, ‘God Rest Ye Merry’, the author, (I do not remember his name) referring to God becoming man, painted a clear picture of that reality when he said: “God consented to have his diapers changed.”  That statement had its impact on me as it brought into sharp focus the extent that God was willing to go because of His love for us. (Our salvation required not only that God be born a man, but also that He would suffer and die on a cruel cross and be raised from the dead.) On that night, in a barn in Bethlehem, Jesus humbled Himself and divested Himself of the place He had at the right hand of God in heaven; for the first time, Jesus was separated from His Father.  It is an amazing truth to dwell on; that on a certain date, at a certain hour, at a particular place, the Savior of the world was born. Can you even imagine Mary holding in her arms the baby who was God incarnate! God, through His Son, became a man; John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” To fully understand the magnitude of Jesus becoming man is outside the range of human understanding. However, for those who have been born of God, the Spirit of God within them has made known the reality of the birth of Jesus-and that is what believers around the world celebrate. No matter what our circumstances are at the present, the birth of Jesus is still “good news of great joy” because our Savior has come. May we turn our hearts to the real meaning of Christmas; if we do, we can truly celebrate.
Blessings.
Buddy

 
December 22, 2016                                    ONE  THING  I  DO
Philippians 3:12-14: “Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Obviously, the Apostle Paul had a lot going on in His life to say the least.  Paul was highly educated in the best schools of his day and was on his way to success in the religion of the Jewish people. However, God had other plans for Paul, plans to use him in a major way in proclaiming the New Covenant that God was making with His people.  God used Paul to establish churches, to write numerous letters to believers and personally visit believers scattered throughout the world to encourage and to teach the gospel of Christ, to mentor young men, to boldly identify and protect believers from teachings that were contrary to the gospel, and to present the gospel to those in high-places who rejected Jesus.  If anyone had a right to brag about what he had done or what he was doing, it was the Apostle Paul. In spite of all that Paul had accomplished, it is amazing to hear him say that his entire life revolved around doing ONE thing-forgetting what lies behind and pressing on to what lies ahead. All that really mattered to Paul was the “upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Like us, Paul had some things in his past that he was not proud of; before he was converted to faith in Christ, he was zealous in persecuting believers. To Paul, the call of God was so powerful and magnificent that he gave little attention to past successes and failures. Sadly, many allow their past to defeat and discourage them to the point that they do not pursue the call of God for their life. Dwelling on our mistakes, bad choices, our failures, and what might have been, robs us of the opportunities of the moment, it causes us not to undertake any new action, and it is a ‘dream-killer.’ The antidote for looking back, is having something that draws our attention and focus to the future.  Sure! We have all sinned and fallen short and have made bad choices, but so what? In spite of our past, God has a purpose for each of us to fulfill, and His purposes for us are much higher and greater than our past. Paul said that he was ‘pressing’ on, denoting that the pursuit of God is not without challenge; sometimes, pressing on means saying no to some things and it means making the hard decision concerning the choices we make.  At the same time, when we see the prize that awaits us, making the hard decisions and saying no to some things is not as difficult as we might think. If you are a believer, you have been “laid hold of by Christ Jesus” for a purpose. May we refuse to look back, and may we us be focused on attaining the prize of the knowledge of God and His purposes for our lives.
Philippians 3:8: “Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ.”
Blessings,
Buddy

 
December 19, 2016                            ME?   IMITATE  GOD?
Ephesians 4:31-5:1: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as
God in Christ also has forgiven you. Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children;”
Really? Imitate God? We are so use to focusing on our humanity and our ‘short-comings’ and our not measuring up to our understanding of what it means to be a Christian, we may consider the idea of  imitating God as a nice thought, but out of our grasp. Many believers continue to see themselves as ‘sinners’ even though they have been transformed and given new hearts and minds and have been joined to God. It is imperative that we are aware of the fact that we have been made new creations, that we are now sons and daughters of our Father God, and that God has made it possible for us to imitate Him. Jesus came and died that we might be redeemed, and that redemption not only assures us of heaven, but also redeems us from our old way of life. Jesus’ mission on earth was also for the purpose of demonstrating what it was like to live as a son of God in the midst of a dark world. Imitating God is not a matter of living by a list of do’s and don’ts, but a matter of living out of our new hearts, our new identity. There are times when we just have to make a decision to imitate God even if we do not ‘feel’ like doing so. We imitate God because that is who we are, not because we feel like it. Imitating God does not always come as a result of a spiritual experience we may have at a particular moment; imitating Him is to be a way of life for the believer. When we listen to, and obey the promptings of the Spirit within us, we will find ourselves imitating God. The liberating news is that we can be imitators of God in our relationships, on the job, on the golf course, at church, in our thought life, and in our overall demeanor. And again, it’s not a matter of living by rules, but a matter of living according to our new identity in Christ-He lives in us! Believers should be aware of the fact that it is possible for a believer not to live according to his or her identity, either because they do not know their new identity, or even worse, they simply choose to live according to the flesh and not according to the Spirit. Let us be quick to lay aside those things that would not be in keeping with imitating God, and let us be quick to do the things that reflect the nature of our Father. The old adage holds true-‘like father, like son.’
Ephesians 4:22-24: “that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lust of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which is in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Blessings,
Buddy

​ 
December 16, 2016                         A  NEW  BODY  AWAITS  US
1 Corinthians 15:42-44: “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.”    Verse 49: “And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.”
Because we are human beings living in a physical world, we are very familiar with sickness, disease, and limitations of our physical bodies, and thus we may fail to have the truth of theses verses as a basic view of life. God has a grand and glorious scheme in the works, and it is so awesome that we may find it difficult to believe. By God’s design, the physical precedes the spiritual (verse 46); we are born perishable, but our destiny is to become imperishable.  We tend to see death as final, and indeed it is the end of physical life, but death is the door that leads to immortality, or becoming imperishable, and when properly viewed, there is celebration in the death of the one who belongs to God.  Certainly the death of a loved one is grievous, but the sting of death is taken away when we, as believers, understand and accept as true the plans of God concerning our death and resurrection. Just as an apple tree loaded with apples is much more glorious than a dead apple seed buried in the ground, so it will be with our resurrection. Because we are so accustomed to life in the physical, the idea of becoming spiritual beings may not sound that exciting, but if that is the case, it reveals how little we understand about being spiritual bodies. We have some clues in the Scriptures that give us insight as to what it will be like being a spiritual body. Before Jesus died on the cross, He knew the limitations of physical life, but He arose from the tomb as a spiritual body. And with His spiritual body, He appeared to His disciples (He did not use the door) and they recognized Him, He ate food, He could be touched, He carried on a conversation with His followers, and He could be anywhere in an instant. The plans God has for His people exceed our wildest imaginations, and when we see our physical life as just the beginning of what God has in store for us, we are much better equipped to deal with the setbacks and limitations of life in the physical. Let it be understand however, that God does make provision for our life in the physical and He enables us to become overcomers in the here and now. It is a healthy view to see life as a training ground where we encounter various trails as a means of preparing us for eternal life where we reign with Him. Let us not be surprised by or discouraged by the physical challenges that are part of life, but let us view this life as a precursor to a life that will be absolutely fabulous. Soon, and very soon, those who know the Lord will indeed “bear the image of the heavenly.”
I Corinthians 15:52: “In as moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
Blessings,
Buddy
 

 
December13, 2016                                  SOWING  TO  THE  SPIRIT
Galatians 6:7-8: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.”
This passage of scripture is on one hand sobering and frightening, and on the other hand it is a passage where we find a great promise, depending on choices we make. God has set a law into place-the law of sowing and reaping-and whether we believe it or not, this law cannot be defied, and if we ignore this law, we do so to our own hurt. The man who does not know God, has only one option, and that is sowing to the flesh; for the one who knows God, there are two options or choices; sowing the flesh, or sowing to the Spirit. The ‘flesh’ referred to in this verse is not referring to the physical body, but is referring to that part of man that is alienated from God-the desire of man to be in full control. In our culture, sowing to the flesh is the norm, and in fact, sowing to the flesh is encouraged. It would appear that most lives are built around taking care of self, and doing whatever it is that makes one ‘happy’ or gives a sense of fulfilment.  When one does whatever he does in order to make him feel good about himself, bring him pleasure, or empower himself, he is sowing to the flesh. For example, one might sow to the flesh by by focusing his life on acquiring money and material possessions, while one may sow to the flesh by volunteering for community service projects. While sowing to the flesh may bring temporary pleasure, the end result, or the reaping, is corruption. As believers, we have the Holy Spirit living in us and it is the Holy Spirit that gives us wisdom and guidance, and He prompts us in the way we should go, and when we obey, and walk according to the Spirit, we are sowing to the Spirit. Two people could serve in a good deed project of some type side by side, and one could be sowing to the Spirit and the other to the flesh-it all depends on why they are doing what they are doing. There is no overlap, or blending of sowing to the flesh and sowing to the Spirit; the flesh is in direct conflict with the Spirit.  As pointed out above, believers have two choices; they can sow to the flesh, or they can sow to the Spirit, but if they sow to the flesh, they will reap corruption; but by sowing to the Spirit, they will reap eternal life-starting now. When we sow to the Spirit, we will feel good about ourselves, with no regret, because that is how God designed us-to do His will-and by doing the will of God, we are the ones blessed. May we be sensitive to the voice and direction of the Spirit and let us be quick to obey His promptings.
John 6:63: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”
Romans 8:2: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
Blessings, Buddy
PS: No matter what ‘bad seeds’ we have sown, when we repent and confess our sin, God forgives us. We may still suffer the consequences to some degree, but we find the grace of God to be sufficient in all situations.

 
December 10, 2016                              A  STEWARDSHIP  ENTRUSTED
1 Corinthians 9:16-17: “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will; I have a stewardship entrusted to me.”
There is a lot that could be discussed in this section of 1 Corinthians, but the subject today is about stewardship. Webster defines stewardship as: “the conducting, supervising, or managing of something; especially: the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.” It is not just ministers or those in ‘full time ministry’ that are called to be stewards, but the call goes out to every believer to be a steward of what God has entrusted to each one. No matter what your vocation may be, no matter your age, no matter your financial status, or no matter your place in life, you have certain opportunities that call for your stewardship. We do not decide what it is that we steward, but rather see that we are to be stewards over what God has given-or what He has ‘put on our plate’ in life. In fact, we can rightly view the entirety of our life as something that we are to be good stewards over. It is wise and proper to see our relationships, our job, our neighbors, our church, our citizenship, our hobbies, our thoughts, our hearts, our health, and our possessions as areas that can be positively affected by our stewardship. It is to our benefit to see what we have is from God rather than seeing ourselves as owners; a steward represents the owner. It is a great stress reliever to understand and to know that we are receivers of God’s grace and what He gives, and to know that we can rest in His provision. If we are being good stewards, then whatever happens is really God’s decision, and we do not have to fret over it-just continue being a steward. It is an undeniable fact that the blessings of God flow through faithful stewardship. Let us today put on the mantle of stewardship; let us be good managers of what God has given ever how great or small it may appear to be. As sons and daughters of God, we have been given the power and the ability to represent Him and to demonstrate the very nature of our God. Do not let the familiarity and routine of the day to day task rob us of the opportunity and the call to be good stewards. God has indeed entrusted a stewardship to each of us, and one day He will evaluate our stewardship, and it’s is up to us whether or not we hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)  
1 Corinthians 4:2: “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”
Luke 16:10: “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”
Blessings,
Buddy
 

 
December 6, 2016                                RIVERS  OF  LIVING  WATER
John 7:37-38: “Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, from his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.’”
No doubt that many in the world, if not most, are about trying to find something or someone to fill the emptiness and the void that is ever-present.  According to man’s logic and opinion, riches, material gain, prestige, a good income, the right mate, or whatever, will fill the void. In fact, the culture in which we live perpetrates the idea that man should do and seek whatever it is that brings him happiness and fulfillment.  The philosophy of the world is in total opposition to the message of truth that Jesus came to teach and to demonstrate-that He alone is the one who satisfies our deepest longings. Simply stated, it is man living according to his/her own dictates, or man living as unto the Lord. Just as in the day of John, Jesus is still proclaiming the same message; the message that only He is the source of abundant, satisfying life and that He is the only one who fills the longings of our heart. It is important to note that our belief in Jesus must be in accordance with the Scriptures, and not according to our own preferences, opinions and interpretations.  Fundamentally, we live out of our heart-our innermost being. The good news of the gospel is that at salvation, God gives us a new heart, enabling us to live not according to the philosophy of the world, but according to the ways of God! A major issue, and a stumbling block for believers to be aware of, is that of trying to blend together the ways of the world and the ways of God. The fact is that it is impossible to blend the two; we live according to one or the other at any given time. Isaiah 55:8 makes it clear that His ways are not the same as man’s ways: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.” (Let us not misunderstand; because we have a new heart, our ways and our thoughts can be in accordance with His ways.) When a believer is walking in his/her new identity (out of their new heart), the life of Jesus is experienced in the heart and the mind and His life becomes “rivers of living waters” flowing out of us. We must ask ourselves if our heart is indeed turned to the things of God, or is the focus of our heart somewhere else. When it is our heart desire to know God in a personal way, and we are learning of Him through the Scriptures, we will find, just as Jesus said, rivers of living waters flowing out of our innermost beings.
Isaiah 55:1-2: “Ho! Every one who thirst, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. ‘Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy?’ Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance.”
Blessings,
Buddy

 
December 3, 2016                                THE  LORD  REIGNS
Psalm 97:1: “The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.
Should we become distracted with the conflicts occurring throughout the world, or with personal disappointments and difficulties, we must turn our focus back to the truths found in Psalm 97 and adjust our view of life. The magnificence and the greatness of God is the subject of this Psalm and it is a reminder that God is in absolute and total control of all the universe. In an effort to describe an indescribable God, the Psalmist used such phrases as: “clouds and thick darkness surround Him,” “righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne,” “fire goes before Him,” “His lightning lights up the world,” “the mountains melt like wax before the Lord,” and “the heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see His glory.” Man cannot come to know the greatness of God on his own, but only as God chooses to reveal Himself to man, can man begin to be impacted by His greatness and absolute power. To know and to believe the message of Psalm 97 has a tremendous impact on our daily lives; the greatness of God extends to every detail of life. Because our God reigns, we can be glad! Because our God reigns and because we belong to Him, we can take dominion over every area of our life. God has chosen to share His life with those who place their faith in Him, and when we are joined to Him, His ‘greatness’ sets the stage for us to be overcomers in life. The amazing reality is that when we see the ‘awesomeness’ and greatness of God, all that we do takes on new meaning and the things we do are brought to a new level; our motivation in life is different; what use to look like an insurmountable obstacle is no longer a point of fear or dread; we find that we have new energy for the task at hand; we find it is no longer difficult forgive others or to overlook their shortcomings (and ours); and we find confidence for life all because God reigns. Seeing His greatness is not a once in a life time event, but rather it must be the on-going desire of our heart that leads us to a pursuit of Him through learning of Him through the written word and by turning our thoughts to Him. God is ready to reveal Himself to us throughout our lifetime provided that we have it in our heart to know Him. As we come to know Him and begin to understand His ways, we will find reason to be glad-just because He reigns. May we today turn our hearts toward seeing His greatness and may we actively pursue knowing Him in ever increasing ways. One day, He will appear and we will see Him as He is! One day, all sin and evil will cease on earth and all will see the greatness of our God!
Isaiah 40:28: “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.”
Psalm 95:6: “Come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.”
Blessings,
Buddy