ETERNITY

[Ranb2khz]

Good word brother tenac. Thanks for the share! May God continue to bless you and yours!






•

[tenac]

Without Hope...what do we have...i mean...think about it...without Hope....what do we have? Can i be so bold as to say without Hope...we have nothing? Hopelessness...darkness....despair...fear...are tools of the devil to help cause us stress...worry...dread. To keep folks away from God...away from Jesus and His awesome light. The devil and his demons...their fate is sealed...their twisted mission is to destract the unsaved to take those folks to hell with them...and also to have at us believers...and...even though the devil knows that as believers he cant have us...we are eternally secure thru the shed blood of Jesus...he sure can destract us with all kinds of temptation and the glitter and gold of the world to turn our eyes from Jesus and ruin our day week or whatever season of time. The devil is the master of lies and deception and he is very good at what he does...along with our own worst enemy...ourselves...our flesh...our sin nature. My mamaw Miss Poly use to say...the devil aint down at the beer joint he's got those folks...the devil is standing at the church doors waiting on those folks to come out and try and ruin their day...their walk with Jesus. So to say what we already know...Jesus is our Hope and Jesus is the light of the world...and...without Him we have no Hope and we walk in darkness....right? Ill say it again...Can i be so bold as to say without Hope...we have nothing? Jesus has come and He has brought Hope and light and life to our dark world. Thru Jesus...We are not in the land of the living headed toward the land of the dead...We are in the land of the dead headed for the land of the living. Remember what Jesus has told us...The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. And scripture also tells us that the devil walks about like a roaring lion...seeking whom he may devour. But remember...Jesus is our Hope...our light...our strongtower...and...He has promised to never leave or forsake us. So i ask y'all this morning...do you have Hope?

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Romans 15:13

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1 Peter 1:3

I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane

[Ranb2khz]

Serving Others

“Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage [to be grasped, or to be held on to]. Instead, He gave up His divine privileges [emptied Himself]; He took the humble position of a servant, and was born as a human being.” ~ Philippians 2:5-7

In September 1880, D.L. Moody, the famous American evangelist, held the first of the Northfield Bible Conferences in Northfield, Massachusetts. Invited to the bible conference were over 300 visitors and among those that came to the Northfield Seminary for the conference was a delegation from Great Britain.

As was their custom, each English guest put his shoes outside his room to be cleaned by the hall servants overnight. But of course this was America and there were no hall servants. Walking the dormitory halls that night, Moody saw the shoes and determined not to embarrass his brothers. So, he mentioned the need to some seminary students who were there, but met with only silence or pious excuses. Moody returned to the dorm, gathered up the shoes, and, alone in his room, the renowned speaker began to clean and polish the shoes. Only the unexpected arrival of a friend in the midst of the work revealed the secret.

When the foreign visitors opened their doors the next morning, their shoes were shined. They never know by whom. Moody told no one, but his friend told a few people, and during the rest of the conference, different men volunteered to shine the shoes in secret.

Are you the type of servant who is ready to serve others in any capacity? Today in prayer, thank Christ that He humbled Himself to be a servant and seek to follow the Lord’s example.

“It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” ~ Matthew 20:26
____________

~ by Peter Kennedy, Devotions in Philippians

~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager






•

[Ranb2khz]

To Infinity and Beyond!

"Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” ~ Matthew 18:33

Scripture Reading: Matthew 18:21-35

In the animated movie Toy Story, a child’s toys come to life whenever he leaves the room or falls asleep. One character, a space ranger named Buzz Lightyear, shouts his signature catchphrase while flying about the bedroom: “To infinity and beyond!”

It’s a phrase that has confused many. Isn’t infinity as far as you can go? How can there be anything “beyond” infinity?

Drawing on wisdom from ancient Greek philosophers, mathematician Ian Stewart suggests that what is beyond infinity are yet bigger infinities. On and on and on.

Jesus seems to employ such exponential effort in the realm of forgiveness. When Peter asked Jesus about forgiving another person, “How many times must I forgive him . . . seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, you must forgive him more than seven times. You must forgive him even if he wrongs you seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22). Jesus goes on to tell a parable comparing a merciful king and an unmerciful servant, making the point that when someone truly regrets their error, there is no limit to the number of times we’re to forgive. We’re to forgive others the way God forgives us (v. 33). Over and over, on and on.
That may seem impossible to us. That’s why we constantly need to ask God for His help.

Only in His strength can we do this. Forgiven people forgive people. To infinity and beyond!

~ by Elisa Morgan
____________

Reflect & Pray:

• Who longs for your forgiveness?
• What does it mean to forgive another in a way that honors them and God?

"Dear Father, please help me to be as generous and wise with forgiveness as You are. In Jesus’ name, amen."
____________

Scripture Insight:

Throughout Matthew 18, Jesus used extreme examples to make His point – become like a child to be deemed “greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (v. 4); cut off your hand or foot to keep from sinning (v. 8). In this parable of the man who owed “ten thousand bags of gold” (v. 24), Bible commentator John D. Barry notes the monumental size of the debt: roughly 150,000 years of wages. Christ’s point is that our sin is a debt we can’t possibly repay. Since we’ve been forgiven such a great sum, our own willingness to forgive others is to be likewise limitless.

~ by Tim Gustafson
____________

https://www.odbm.org/devotionals/devotional-category/to-infinity-and-beyond
____________

Hear more on how finding the strength to forgive others can bring you peace.
____________






•

[Ranb2khz]

Point of View

“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.” ~ 2 Corinthians 5:16

The worldly point of view is this: take charge, be in control, use the things/people around you to achieve your own agenda and pursue your own ends.

When Paul encounters Christ on the road to Damascus, he can no longer hold to this lifestyle. He trusts God and His promises. He puts his faith in Jesus and is obedient/submissive to God’s direction in his life, even to the point of death.

As Paul discovers the truth of Jesus and His gospel, he informs the Corinthians, he is obliged to share it with others. Paul, like many of us, used to view religion from a worldly point of view. God was something he could use to achieve his own agenda and pursue his own end. It is a temptation many of us are familiar with.

Paul’s encounter with Christ humbled him, showed him the truth, and introduced him to what he describes as the “fear” of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:11). To revere and honor him, to recognize him as judge, and to accept the truth that his agenda is better than our own.

When we view God and others from a worldly point of view, it sows derision and divisiveness among us. When we adopt God’s point of view, we see the opportunity for unity, synergy, and truth within all of us.
____________

~ published by: Yellow Balloons

https://yellowballoons.net






•

[Ranb2khz]

Preciouslife1, I am honored that you have visited the board that you helped to develop from its infancy. However, I am puzzled by you posting (by your own definition) an “off-topic” message. My desire is that you would continue to participate in this board according to the rules that you had (in part) established. May God continue to bless you and yours my friend.






•

[tenac]

Monday morning...another awesome day on planet earth...and as we continue to celebrate each and every day the fact that not only did Jesus step foot from the tomb alive and well. He is today sitting at the right hand of God the Father praying for us believers continuously...how cool is that. It is through that act of resurrection that all of us can have the hope and blessed assurance of eternal life...in heaven...with Jesus...for Forever! And how fitting that the Easter celebration takes place at this time of year in the fact that we know scripture tells us and as believers we know and see God in and through His creation of this beautiful earth. Outside this morning having my coffee...looking at the earth continuing to come to life from its winter sleep. The green grass...trees in blossom and the leaves getting bigger by the day with so many shades or green...some flowers starting to bloom... and to feel the warmth of a new spring day and more importantly the warmth of Jesus within me. And the birds singing their praises to God however a few seem to poke fun at me as i try to sing with them. And as i gazed upon all this...i started to think of my own earthly resurrection just twenty-nine years ago. Beaten down after wollering in that deep dark miry clay as my mamaw Miss Polly use to say...and...all hope lost after twenty five years of self destruction and booze and drugs...and then...at the age of forty and through the simple act of belief and a heart felt prayer for help and forgiveness. Jesus reached down and lifted me up and not only did God forgive me for all those years of living for satan...He chose to forget all of it...wow...amazing grace. Yes...He washed me white as snow from the sin filled and wicked life i had allowed to consume me. But hey...all of us at whatever time in our life that have come to trust and follow Jesus...our day of salvation...we all at that time...Just like Jesus from the tomb and the earth coming back to life from its winter sleep...had a resurrection from the old self to the new...but as we know...even a better day is coming. Yesterday morning i was leaving a sunrise service feeling the presence of the lord Jesus within me as we had just celebrated the fact that Jesus...He lives...and i got home and out on my back porch i felt the presense of the Lord from my backyard view in the picture and post i put here. But what is so cool...that is not just a warm and fuzzy feeling that happens once in a great while...dont just happen on a holiday like Easter or Christmas...if you are a born-again believer you know what im talking about. All thru the day here and there and everyday i feel the presense of Jesus...because...i am a child of God...Jesus is my friend my Lord and Savior...and the Holy Spirit dwells within me...so of course i feel His presense and i get that feeling often because i have been Rescued...Redeemed...Restored. So i ask you this morning...have you been saved...born-again...do you have a relationship with Jesus...have you ask Jesus to forgive you of your sin filled life? If not you cant know what im speaking of...you are still trying to do life your way....on your own...and im here to tell you...even though you might think you are doing ok...let me turn you on to some good news. The very God that created you can change your life just as He changed my life and the difference in the old life and the new life is as far as the east is from the west. A bad day on planet earth walking with Jesus is so totally better than a seemingly great day walking with satan. Say yes to Jesus...its the most important and best decision you will ever make....i promise!

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30

I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane

[Ranb2khz]

Reality

We are all wired to pursue our own self-interest. When we recognize that serving others, listening to God, and chasing after righteousness is actually the best thing we can do for ourselves, it transforms how we live.

All too often, we are deceived and led astray by the empty promises of this world and the lustful desires of the flesh. We start to believe (wrongly) that certain things are in our best interest.

Greed can lead to a compounding problem. The more we don’t get what we think we want, the more we try to fight, manipulate, and control both our circumstances and the people around us to correct what we feel is off course. Unchecked, this leads to delusion. We start to deny reality. We call false things true and sick things well.

One of the great gifts of fellowship with God is that it helps us to see things as they are. Refusing to acknowledge reality is a confusing shackle we sometimes find ourselves in, not sure how to escape.

Trusting God helps alleviate our fear of circumstances because we know we can trust him no matter what the circumstances entail. We do not have to be so worried about acknowledging the truth of how things are because we lean on a God who works all things for good.

A perspective that acknowledges reality takes courage and faithfulness. It is in our best interest to do so.
____________

"Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” ~ Philippians 2:3-4
____________

~ published by: Yellow Balloons

https://yellowballoons.net






•

[tenac]

This morning at sunrise service...looking over the beauty of Gods creation towards the mountains...and of course...everyone so hoping to see a awesome sunrise over those mountains as we celebrated the fact that Jesus rose from the dead...and...He is very much alive today as He has always been...God the Son. But this morning the clouds hung in there so we couldnt actually see that sun rise but we had the awesome daylight of another beautiful day here in east tennessee. And even though at the sunrise service we didnt get to see the sun rise...as we know...the most important thing we knew that the Son of God...Jesus... had risen from the tomb those 2000 years ago and lives in all believers hearts day and night for forever. And then about 8:20 when i got home and walked out in my back yard...there it was...the sun had just bursted thru the cloud cover in the most awesome way so it was cool to now have the sun rise along with the joy of the risen Son. But what came to my mind...as i looked at the sun thru the thin clouds well above the horizon now....it reminded me of that day when Jesus will come again in the sky...when the trumpet will sound and the sky will open up and there will be Jesus calling us home...the Rapture...first the dead believer bodies in their graves resurrected and glorified and made one with their souls again in heaven...and then those believers who are still alive here on planet earth risen up to heaven given their new glorified bodies. The day we all await...right? I mean...just look at that picture from my back yard...in my mind all that is missing is the Lord Jesus Christ in His glory looking down on me there where it looks like the sky has opened and saying...come on Rick...i have a place prepared for you....How cool and awesome is that!

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane

[Ranb2khz]

The Best Evidence

“God has resurrected this Jesus. We are all witnesses of this.” ~ Acts 2:32

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:29-36

Lee didn’t believe in God, and he didn’t believe in the resurrection of Jesus. But Lee was a journalist with an analytical mind. When his wife believed in Jesus, he decided to study her new faith for himself. After two years of research, he gave in – to God, to the resurrection, to faith in Christ.

The change in him was noticeable. After a few months, his five-year-old daughter said to his wife, “Mommy, I want God to do for me what he’s done for Daddy.” And the daughter of Lee Strobel put her faith in Jesus too.

Many people refuse to believe in the resurrection. But reputable eyewitnesses saw the risen Jesus. One of those eyewitnesses, the disciple Peter, told a large crowd that King David was certainly dead and buried (Acts 2:29). Then Peter pointed to a prophecy David had made. “David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah,” he said (v. 31). Peter concluded, “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it” (v. 32).

The best evidence for the resurrection is the changed lives of the eyewitnesses, including Peter. At the crucifixion, the disciples had gone into hiding. Peter actually denied Christ (John 18:15-17, 25-27). Once they saw Jesus alive, everything changed. Filled with courage, they began to share the truth of the one great hope of the world – the risen Christ.

~ by Tim Gustafson
______________

Reflect & Pray:

• What do you believe about the resurrection of Jesus?
• How does that belief affect your life?

"Father, I’m so grateful for the reality of Jesus’ resurrection that changes my life and gives me real hope. Amen, and amen!"
______________

For further study, read Hunting for Resurrection Hope.
______________

Scripture Insight:

In Acts 2:34-35, Peter quotes Psalm 110:1 in his Pentecost message: “The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’ ” James Montgomery Boice, in his commentary Psalms, Volume 3, notes that this verse “is quoted directly or alluded to indirectly at least twenty-seven times,” making it the most quoted Old Testament verse in the New Testament. Peter was likely in the audience when Jesus quoted this psalm in Matthew 22:44 as He challenged the Pharisees’ understanding of the Messiah. While Christ was the son of David and therefore human, He was also David’s “Lord” – He was Himself divine. Convinced of Jesus’ resurrection and exaltation to the Father’s right hand, Peter proclaimed that Christ is “both Lord and Messiah” (Acts 2:36). Such is the message that believers in Jesus proclaim on Easter and every day.

~ by Arthur Jackson
______________

https://www.odbm.org/devotionals/devotional-category/the-best-evidence






•

[Ranb2khz]

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

Thank You Lord Jesus Christ!








•

[tenac]

Saturday morning...some folks had known Jesus for the 33 years of His life...others only knew Jesus for a part of that and others only the three years of His ministry. Jesus...claiming to be not only the Son of God...but also God in a mans body. Most did not believe...others did. Whichever the case...here a good many had laid eyes on Jesus and watched Him heal the sick...cause the blind to see...the lame to walk...they had watched Jesus cast demons out...raise at least three people from the dead...and yet...for those that did or did not believe...they had now seen this man beat to within a inch of His life and then nailed to a cross where He hung for six hours and He died. This man that claimed to be Gods Son and God Himself...He had died like any other man...how can this be? All were expecting a Messiah...a king to come told by the prophets of old...but this was no king...was Jesus just a simple man...a man like any other...because...here He lay dead in a tomb...His life ended most brutally at the hands of other men...how can this be? Even the Apostles and His disciples...and a few other women that were close to Jesus...that totally believed in what they were told by Jesus...they were in shock...in disbelief...this man that they believed to be who He said He was....now lay dead in a tomb...and as His followers..now fearing for their own life! Jesus had told them that He would rise from the tomb on the third day and they wanted to believe...but...If He truly was who He said He was...why did He have to die to begin with...their faith was shaken to their core....they wanted to believe...but how can this be? They just didnt understand! So i ask you this morning...do you believe? Where is your faith and trust in your daily life? Are you depending on you to struggle thru the uncertainties of life...or...do you believe in who Jesus says that He is...do you believe in the coming Messiah?

Only thru the Cross of Jesus will we receive power when we are powerless...we will find strength when we are weak...we will experience hope when we are hopeless...only thru the Cross is there peace for our troubled hearts.

I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane

[Ranb2khz]

A Dark Sabbath

~ If God seems absent, remember the resurrection and know that joy is coming.

Scripture Reading: John 19:31-42

Just as Christ once rested in the stern of a boat through a raging storm, His lifeless body lay in the tomb as storms raged within His disciples. A day after they saw Jesus die, their minds must have been filled with an endless cycle of fear, doubt, and grief. Memories of life with Him must have played there, too: how it felt to stand upon a rolling sea, to feed thousands with a few loaves and a couple of fish, to see a demon-possessed man restored to himself and his community, and to see Lazarus walk out of his tomb.

The disciples’ feeble faith shouldn’t surprise us because, if we’re honest, we’re at times the same way. Those “of little faith”, as Jesus often called them, failed to believe or recall things the Lord said of Himself – especially that He’d lay down His life and take it up again. Had His followers held these things in their hearts, that Sabbath day might have been a time of joyful anticipation.

At times in our life, God may seem absent, but ultimately we know He will never leave us (Hebrews 13:5). When we are tempted to rely on our own solutions, we need to recall the wonder-working power of Christ’s resurrection. If we are willing to wait through the darkness of night, we can rest in the knowledge that morning will surely come.
______________

~ published by: In Touch Ministries

https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/a-dark-sabbath






•

[tenac]

Good Friday...the day that we celebrate the crucifixion and death of Jesus...and yes...i said celebrate...because...the birth and death and resurrection of Jesus are equally important and all three are what makes Jesus both fully man and fully God. So this morning i ask y'all...how many of you saw the movie..."Passion of the Christ". And guessing that most of you did...you remember very well the part of the movie that the beating, scourging and crucifixion took place. As horrific as that was in the movie...ive read that in fact when the Roman solders gave those brutal beatings...most often the people did not live thru them...and the shape of their bodies afterwards...including the body of Jesus...was far worse than the movie portrayed... literally ripped to pieces and sometimes unrecognizable. So...the horror of what Jesus endured through that beating and scourging that day was to within a inch of His life...and...im thinking the only reason that He lived through that beating is because He was man but Jesus was also still God and of course His life was to be surrendered on the cross. Then i think how Jesus hung nailed to that cross for six hours and died a horrific death...for me...for you. And He did that not because He wanted to as a man...He knew the pain that was headed His way...but because Jesus as God loved you and me so much He wanted to pay our sin debt in full and give us sinfilled humans the opportunity to spend forever in heaven with Him. But there is much more that Jesus endured that day that far exceeds the pain and suffering He endured at the hands of the Roman solders. And that was the fact that in the time period while Jesus was nailed to that cross...i believe that every person that had ever lived...every person that was ever going to live...Jesus thought of all of us by name and every sin that we were ever going to commit...all the sins of the world...past present and future was on Jesus mind at that moment and in that moment all those sins were forgiven...if...we accept Jesus and His salvation and are born-again. Yes...i believe when Jesus was nailed to the cross...He thought of you and me by name...how awesome is that. And at that moment when the sins of the world came upon Jesus...Father God turned His back on Jesus for the first time in all eternity past because perfect Holy Father God could not look upon His Son while the sins of the world was upon Him...remember...Jesus said...My God...My God why have Thou forsaken Me. That moment in time was unimaginable and indescribable in how Jesus must have felt...above and beyond even the physical pain. Jesus shed many tears and much blood for me on Calvary that day because He loves me that much...and...He loves you that much as well. Jesus died to pay our sin debt in full once and for all that day on the cross..."It is finished"...and...even on the cross that day Jesus said about the folks that had taken part in putting Him there...“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” ....So let me ask you...have you accepted His free gift of salvation? If not...what are you waiting for?

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane

[Ranb2khz]

Living Expectantly

~ Because of Christ's sacrifice, we can live with a sense of hope and anticipation.

Scripture Reading: Mark 15:42-46

After the crucifixion, a wealthy Jewish leader named Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for Jesus’ body. Not only did Joseph understand the risk of requesting Rome’s permission to bury a criminal convicted of treason; he also knew his reputation and status in the religious community would be jeopardized. Why did he have the courage to come forward while the Lord’s closest friends stepped back in fear? The reason is that Joseph had been living expectantly, on the lookout for God.

Christ’s sacrifice changes everything – it affects both our eternal destination and daily life, allowing us to live with a sense of hope and anticipation. Yet sometimes we don’t recognize God’s presence and fail to live expectantly in “the already but not yet.”

Consider Peter, John, and the women who saw the empty tomb. Though Jesus had told them what to expect, they didn’t anticipate His death. Their shock and disbelief tell us clearly what they had thought would happen. Like them, we must remember that where Jesus appears, how He thinks, and what He says may not always be what we expect.

Without Christ’s sacrifice, there would be no hope. Though it may not be easy to live expectantly between present and future realities, it’s the best approach to the Christian life.
_____________

~ published by: In Touch Ministries

https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/living-expectantly






•

[Ranb2khz]

By Our Side

~ When trials come, will you trust God to both help you and bring a beautiful harvest of growth and purpose?

Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:36-46

When you are suffering, where do you go for help?

God’s Word assures us that He will bring life, hope, and promise to otherwise hopeless situations. When we respond to trials the Lord’s way, the difficulty that threatened to harm us actually enriches our character and enables us to do greater works for Him.

The Bible provides a record of Jesus’ intense suffering in the garden of Gethsemane. Christ knew that by bearing our sin, He was about to endure not only a gruesome crucifixion but also the full force of the Father’s wrath. That’s something no other child of God will ever have to experience, because Jesus’ agony achieved mankind’s redemption. We know that whatever trial awaits, God will be by our side, supporting us through it (Isaiah 41:10).

• What trial are you facing?
• Do you have confidence that God is in control?

Let Jesus’ Gethsemane experience be your example in times of trouble. Our Savior fully trusted His Father and accepted His will. Don’t forget that our sovereign, omniscient God limits the length and intensity of the pain. Though seeing His children suffer hurts Him, He loves us enough to allow the difficulty because of the way we will ultimately benefit. There is a beautiful harvest of growth and purpose when we embrace His road for us and apply the lessons we learn from His holy Word.
_____________

~ published by: In Touch Ministries

https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/by-our-side






•

[Ranb2khz]

Destined for the Cross

~ When we trust God with all that we love and value, He provides all that we truly need.

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:6-11

“Death to self” happens at salvation, when we are crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6). The old self dies, and we are given a new nature as the Holy Spirit comes to live within us (John 14:17). At times, however, it takes a bit longer to willingly make a sacrifice – to hand over to the Lord something we love and value.

Once God has given us a new nature, we can experience freedom because Jesus triumphed over sin. But our Father doesn’t stop with our salvation; His purpose is to conform believers to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). To live as God intends, however, we must be willing to give Christ the predominant position in our life. As a result, the Lord calls us to the cross on a daily basis – to lay down anything that might distract us from our purpose of serving and following Him.

Don’t misunderstand what this means. God isn’t going to take away everything so we see ourselves as lonely paupers. Instead, leaving our valuables – whether possessions, people, or dreams – at the foot of the cross frees us from the attachments of this world.

When we lay down these treasures, our self-esteem will no longer be tied to “stuff” and our sense of acceptance won’t come from people. Then we are complete in the Lord. Or, as Paul said, we are “alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11).
______________

~ published by: In Touch Ministries

https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/destined-for-the-cross






•

[Ranb2khz]

Going with God

"For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.” ~ Ruth 1:16

Scripture Reading: Ruth 1:6-17

In The Courier, a film inspired by true events, the main character, Greville, is confronted with a difficult decision. He learns that a close friend is going to be arrested and will likely face a grueling imprisonment. Greville can save himself from the same fate if he flees the country immediately and denies association with his friend. Moved with compassion, Greville loyally refuses to leave and is imprisoned, suffering the same agony as his friend. Neither man betrays the other. In the end, Greville is released a broken, but true and faithful companion.

Naomi needed a friend like that. When her husband and sons died, Naomi faced destitution and a long journey to her homeland. Naomi told her widowed daughter-in-law Ruth to remain in Moab and find a new life for herself (Ruth 1:8-9). Ruth responded, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go” (v. 16). Ruth loyally accompanied Naomi to a foreign land and helped provide for their family. Ruth’s faithfulness transformed their broken family into an incredible legacy. Much later, her great-grandson David would become king of Israel and was called a man after God’s own heart.

Facing suffering with others is daunting. But if we surrender our own will and seek God’s strength, He enables us to love people in extraordinary ways. In His power, we can choose to say, “Where you go, I will go.”

~ by Karen Pimpo
_____________

Reflect & Pray:

• Who around you is walking a difficult road?
• How can you choose to walk alongside that person?

"Thank You, Jesus, for never abandoning me. Amen."
_____________

Scripture Insight:

Throughout Scripture, we find statements declaring the necessity of commitment to God or Jesus (Deuteronomy 6:5; Mark 8:34). Ruth’s statement of commitment is remarkable, however, because in addition to a commitment to her mother-in-law Naomi, she includes a commitment to Israel’s God: “Your people will be my people and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16). This is surprising because she’s a Moabitess and a foreigner. Her declaration echoes that of Rahab (Joshua 2), the Roman centurion (Matthew 8:5-13), and the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28). All these foreigners expressed confidence in or a commitment to God. Their acceptance shows hints of His love for the whole world.

~ by Bill Crowder
_____________

https://www.odbm.org/devotionals/devotional-category/going-with-god






•

[tenac]

As y'all know...I often talk of my past and the road of self destruction that i traveled for 25 years from the age of 15 to the age of 40. I couldnt start to know how many folks i have told in the past 29 years of knowing Jesus the person that i use to be and how messed up my life was...because...God allowed me to live thru all that insanity for a reason...to let everybody know that there is always hope...and that hope is Jesus. I remember in the past from time to time that some folks would say to me...why would you tell people all that...they will look down on you...treat you differently...and for a period of time that was true with some folks...but hey...i get it...the person that i use to be isnt the type of boy or man that a parent would want their daughter to bring home to meet them. But its all good...because...and ill say it again....God allowed me to live thru all that insanity for a reason...to let everybody know that there is always hope...and that hope is Jesus. So im here to tell y'all...and hear me...there aint nothing special about ole Rick...we all have a story to tell to help others...right? But as long as God gives me breath in my lungs...and gives me the opportunity to tell of His amazing grace and mercy...you can bet that every chance i get...no matter who it is...where im at...im going to tell my story of how i along with my use to be good friend satan...almost destroyed this life that God gave to me! I often talk with hopes of helping someone else that might be strugglin with addiction. I often talk with the hope that some lost person will see the hope that there is in a relationship with Jesus Christ and with putting our faith and trust in Him...how our lives can turn around. However...this morning i want to speak to any of you that might have a loved one...a friend...that is on that slippery slop of addiction with drugs or booze or both. And maybe this morning you have all but given up...you have lost hope...and hey i get it...you have worried and prayed for so long...thinking that they will never change. Well...let me tell you or remind you right here and now...there is hope and His name is Jesus! Now think on this...from the time i was born...my family...we were at church every Sunday morning for Sunday school and preaching....at church Sunday night and most Wednesday nights. I knew the truth of the Bible....Jesus and satan...heaven and hell...right from wrong...i just never got saved. Then in 1970...i started high school and that summer after freshman year...i started using a little weed and drinking a little beer...and by my junior year i had jumped off that cliff of using any and every sort of drug there was....and as you might know...in the 1970's there was a smorgasbord of drugs to partake in and i did them all from smokin to poppin to snortin to shootin up. This boy from farm country here in greene county Tn. went from 0 to 500 in no time flat...meaning...im living proof that we are all inches away from bad decisions that can turn life upside down for whatever period of time....sometimes a life time. And as for me...the turn around i made in life...like most folks...i could have never done it on my own...no way no how. i had long known in my hard heart and twisted mind that i would never see another sober day...that i would be pretty much in the twilight zone until that time that i would die and split hell wide open and that day was rapidly approaching...but...God had other plans for me. For me...knowing the truth of Gods word from my childhood...one night i got down on my knees in my bedroom...wasted...just as i always was...and i cried out to Jesus to forgive me and save me...and guess where He was? Yep...after 25 long years of helter skelter living....putting enough drugs and booze into my body to kill most of Coxes army and running from God in total rebellion...Jesus was right there in that bedroom waiting for me to reach out to Him and He lifted me up and not only saved my soul but also my life. So...never give up on that loved one...now hear me...im not saying to be a enabler...let the light of Jesus shine from you unto them and let me be the living truth and proof to you that its never to late to make a change of heart and accept the free gift of salvation or rededicate ones life to God through the shed blood of Jesus and Gods amazing grace! Yes...as we know...Jesus is still very much alive and thru Him comes healing...prayers answered and the blessings of miracles. The God that created the heavens and earth and every living thing can heal anyone of those addictions...Jesus stands at the door and knocks...but...we have to open the door and let Him in....just trust Him!

I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane

[Ranb2khz]

Cleansing the Temple

~ Believers should bring others to God – not hinder them.

Scripture Reading: Matthew 21:12-17

For the disciples, Palm Sunday must have felt like a dream as they celebrated with their people in Jerusalem. But the next day, something entirely different took place.

The Court of Gentiles, the only area of the temple non-Jews could enter, had become an open-air market. The Teacher and His followers pushed through customers who haggled with merchants, shouted over the livestock, or crowded around money changers’ booths. Jesus had seen enough. He went through the court, upending tables and chairs, pouring out coins, and driving animals toward the gate. Finally, He prevented merchandise from being carried through the temple (Mark 11:15-16).

The disciples must have been astounded. They expected the Messiah to judge their oppressors, not His own people and their place of worship. Shouting above the din, Jesus reminded them of a scripture they’d apparently forgotten. “Is it not written,” He cried out, “‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of thieves” (Mark 11:17).

Jesus’ fervor in cleansing the temple revealed the priority He placed on purity of worship and access to the Father. He showed that nobody – not even God’s chosen people – should interfere with anyone seeking to follow the Lord.
______________

~ published by: In Touch Ministries

https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/cleansing-the-temple-2






•

[Ranb2khz]

Give Me a Sign

As we drove away, I rested my head against the passenger side window and watched the funeral home in the rear-view mirror until it was swallowed up into a swirling kaleidoscope of browns and grays. Something so significant, now so small and fleeting. It didn’t seem right.

“I’ve had it with the ‘signs,’” I told my sister, breaking the silence.

“I know, right?” she said, looking at me just long enough to roll her eyes in support.

“God doesn’t send us ‘signs’ from the other side like that, does He?” I asked, more telling than asking.

“No,” she said.

“I know mom misses Colleen. We all do, but I wish she would just let it be instead of conjuring up these ‘signs’ from heaven, you know?”

“I do,” she said.

I let my head reclaim its spot against the window, soothed by the vibrations from the road beneath us, and watched the city rushing by, my thoughts adrift about God and death and life, until grief manifested into exhaustion and my eyelids were forced to close.

Life resumed, as it always does, callous to the fact that a tragedy had just occurred. Back home in Dallas, I was going through the motions, and despite secretly longing for a “sign” of my own, hope that this would actually happen, had been buried along with my baby sister.

About a week after the funeral, I walked into a Ross department store where something on a nearby table caught my eye.

Amidst little stacks of neatly arranged books sat a small square-shaped book. It was entitled A Cup of Comfort for Sisters. My mouth hung open. Could this be...

I picked up the book and studied its little cover. No way, I thought, the hairs on the back of my neck standing straight up. The only name listed was that of the editor. And her name? Colleen.

Like a child discovering a magical chest, I peered inside, expectantly.

My eyes honed in on the sentence at the top of the page. Amy, breathe, it read. That’s my name, I whispered. I reached for the table and steadied myself. Standing there, awestruck, I studied the book’s features as if it had dropped out of the sky.

As the sights and sounds of other shoppers pulled me into the present, I closed the tiny treasure and clutched it to my chest, fearing to lose it would be to lose the memory itself.

I needed to purchase the book and get it home before something could happen to it. Before I could find out it wasn’t real.

To discuss it was to somehow negate its significance so I placed it on my bookshelf, safely behind its paneled glass doors, content to leave it there untampered with forever.

Three years later, I pulled my newly purchased strawberries out of the fridge, intending to have some for breakfast. My youngest sister, Colleen, had loved strawberries. In fact, she collected everything strawberry over her thirty-two years of life.

Never have I noticed a brand name before, but this one jumped out. It read, “Colleen’s Strawberries.” What, I thought, taking a minute to savor her memory for the first time in years and recalling the special book.

I found the business online and shot them an email.

“How did you come up with the name for your company?” I asked.

“We named the company after our little sister who passed away at a young age,” was the reply.

Unbelievable, I thought.

“When was your company founded?” I asked next.

“1976.”

My sister’s birth year, I thought. God, you are so good to me. I don’t deserve you.

I want to stop right here and say, “While I don’t know your unique story – the heartache, the losses, or the trials, past or present, I do know this, God sees you, He cares about the minute details of your life, He weeps with you, and more than anything He desires to comfort you.

The ways God shows up for you may not be the same ways He shows up for me because He meets us where we are. Scripture says, “Your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him!” (Matthew 6:8), and He longs to “give you your heart’s desires” (Psalm 37:4). Though our journeys may differ, one thing remains the same. God will provide for you in magnificent ways if you seek Him with all your heart.

Back to my story. . .

I was content, but God wasn’t quite finished.

Six months after discovering the strawberries and three years after finding the book, I realized that one of my pre-K students shared my sister, Colleen’s, birthday.

“Do you know how special that is?” I asked her with a smile.

Her eyes lighting up, bouncy red curls framing her freckled face, she shot me a mischievous grin and exclaimed, “Guess what, Miss Amy?”

“What?” I asked, her excitement infectious.

“I’m gonna have a strawberry cake!” she announced.

Of course, you are, I thought, of course you are.

“You know what I long for, Lord; you hear my every sigh.” ~ Psalm 38:9
________________

~ Written by Amy Nordhues. Used by permission from the author.

https://discoverodb.org/articles/give-me-a-sign/






•

[Ranb2khz]

Listen to the Stones

“Jesus answered, “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out!” ~ Luke 19:40

Scripture Reading: Luke 19:37-40

After our family held a riverside memorial service for my father, we each selected a stone to help us remember him. His life had been a checkerboard of wins and losses, but we knew his heart had been for us. My fingers traced my stone’s smooth surface and helped me remember to hold him close.

In Luke 19, Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem while the crowds waved palm branches, shouted Hosannas, and cheered, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” (v. 38) (see John 12:12-13). In the Pharisees’ disdain of what they perceived to be a blasphemous claim of messiahship, they ordered Jesus to tell the disciples to be quiet. Jesus replied, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out” (Luke 19:40).

The stones do cry out – in many ways. God has used stones throughout the story of His love for us. Two rough-hewn stones carried ten chiseled commandments to tell us how to live (Exodus 34:1). Stones of remembrance piled by the Jordan River and in the middle of the river reminded generations of Israelites of God’s provision and faithfulness (Joshua 4:8-9). The one rolled into place to contain Jesus’ body is the same one that rolled away to show He had risen (Matthew 27:59-66; Luke 24:2). We “hear” this stone as it reminds us of Jesus’ words: “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).

Listen to the stones and lift your own voice along with them in praise to our loving Father.

~ by Elisa Morgan
______________

Reflect & Pray:

• How have the stones of God’s work in our world “cried out” to you?
• What message might God intend for you to take to heart?

"Dear Father, thank You for using even stones to speak of Your love. Amen."
______________

For further study, read Give Me a Sign
______________

Scripture Insight:

Some scholars believe that Jesus’ statement in Luke 19:40 that “if the crowds keep quiet, the stones will cry out” is a reference to Habakkuk 2:11: “The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.” Others suppose that the stones in view are the stones of the very gates themselves, as seen in Psalm 118:19-20: “Open for me the gates of the righteous . . . the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter.” Whether Luke 19:40 echoes an Old Testament text or not, it’s an example of poetic imagery where inanimate objects praise God (see also Psalm 114:6; Psalm 148; Isaiah 55:12). Jesus had often refused praise during His earthly ministry. Now He not only accepted it but encouraged it. When humans fail to praise the Creator, the creation itself will praise God.

~ by Bill Crowder
______________

https://www.odbm.org/devotionals/devotional-category/listen-to-the-stones






•

[Ranb2khz]

The Spirit’s Helpful Reminders

"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit – the Father will send Him in My name – will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.” ~ John 14:26

Scripture Reading: John 14:15-17, 25-31

One year, I agreed to sing a song before one of my son’s sporting events. I practiced for weeks, but I knew the song by heart already. So when I walked onto the field with the teams lined up on both sides of me, I closed my eyes and prayed. I started singing the first few lines. Then, I froze. In that moment I couldn’t remember the next line. A man behind me whispered the words I’d forgotten. As soon as I heard the helpful reminder, I belted out the rest of the lyrics with confidence.

We all need a little help sometimes. In John 14, Jesus explained that we love Him by obeying Him (v. 15), and He promised to ask the Father to give us a Helper – “the Spirit of Truth” (v. 17). Jesus said, “The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you” (v. 17). Though Jesus taught the disciples a lot while with them (v. 25), He said “the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (v. 26).

As we prayerfully read the Bible, the Holy Spirit helps us interpret, understand, and apply God’s wisdom. His leading always aligns with Scripture – guiding, comforting, and transforming us in love, one helpful reminder at a time.

~ by Xochitl Dixon
_____________

Reflect & Pray:

• What can you do to better recognize the Holy Spirit’s voice?
• How do you acknowledge Him daily?

"Holy Spirit, please help me recognize Your voice and submit to You as You make me more like Jesus, one helpful reminder at a time. In Jesus’ name, amen."
_____________

Scripture Insight:

On the night of His arrest, Jesus celebrated Passover together with His closest followers, which was a commemoration of their ancestors’ liberation from slavery in Egypt (John 13; see Exodus 12:1-14). Christ reminded His disciples that they were special in the world (John 14:16-18, 22), just as God had reminded the Israelites of this through Moses in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 4:5-8; 7:7-9; 10:14).

Jesus’ disciples won’t be removed from this world, but they’re to be distinct or set apart from it. Following God’s commands is what set Israel apart from the rest of the world, and it’s the thrust of Christ’s commands to those who believe in Him.

~ by J.R. Hudberg
_____________

https://www.odbm.org/devotionals/devotional-category/the-spirits-helpful-reminders






•

[Ranb2khz]

The Role of the Wicked

~ To bring about redemption exactly according to design, God involved many types of people in the unfolding plan.

Scripture Reading: Mark 15:1-25

With hundreds of prophecies related to the Messiah, it shouldn’t surprise us that God used many people – believers, unbelievers, and even some wicked individuals – to ensure the Savior’s earthly life would unfold according to plan. For example, a census ordered by Caesar Augustus brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, the city of Christ’s birth (see Micah 5:2; Luke 2:1-4).

What’s more, God used some of the most powerful men of the day to bring about His Son’s sacrificial death on the cross. Charges by the religious leaders helped turn the crowd against Jesus (Mark 15:9-11). Pilate condemned Him, and the Romans carried out the crucifixion. They even bartered for His clothes and chose not to break His legs, as predicted in Scripture (see John 19:24; John 19:36).

During the dark days between Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, the disciples must have believed the messianic plan had been derailed. But God’s goal wasn’t to bring the political revolution some expected. His purpose in sending His Son was to redeem mankind: Jesus paid the death penalty for all our sins.

Many had a hand in the Savior’s story, but the ultimate responsibility was the Father’s. He gave His only Son over to death on behalf of the world that He loves.
______________

~ published by: In Touch Ministries

https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/the-role-of-the-wicked






•

[tenac]

In my 25 years of helter skelter living with drugs and booze...and especially those last 10 or so years....i didnt give a hoot about much of nothing. I lived that life and all the craziness and madness that goes with it in pretty much self destruct mode...and...I didnt much care if i lived or died and didnt really much care if anyone else did. In many ways i was filled with hate and anger not just towards other folks but also myself...and...im thinking that forgiveness wasnt in my vocabulary? Now dont get me wrong...i was not a Charlie Manson type...though i did have a good many loose screws...and over the years ran with a good many of those types of folks. I was in some ways a good person? A friend to some folks? There was a few folks that im pretty sure i loved? And that might sound like im contradicting myself...but....to anyone that has been there done that in living that life and the insanity and darkness that surrounds you day by day with satan showing you the way...you get my meaning...there is a method to the madness in ones head and cold heart! Then at age 40 Jesus finally got thru my thick skull and hard heart and i changed...big time. I was born-again and made a new creation by the power of the Holy Spirit...God Himself...who came to live in me. So with all that said...today...and with this scripture in mind that i take as very serious business....."but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses"...Matthew 6:15. Now for me...and this doesnt happen very often...when someone says or does something in a hurtful way...it truly takes me about 10 minutes to put it behind me...let it go...and continue on with the peace joy and contentment that i have each and everyday thru the Lord Jesus Christ...almost like water off a ducks back....all by the power of the Holy Spirit...God Himself...who came to live in me! Before Jesus changed me i would lash out..fight back...get even...with rage and hate fueling the fire. That is as far as the east is from the west as to how the old Rick was compaired to the new Rick. And today when someone hurts my little feelings...and that doesnt happen very often either...i can just look past it...right then and there i just tell my heavenly Father that i forgive them...because...no one...is going to ruin my day in any way shape or form and especially because i refuse to harbor unforgiveness in my heart over something. My go to in that moment or the short time after...All i do is sit down and read Psalms 23 on my cellphone...or...call it out from memory... and ask Jesus for peace and strength and guess what...God lovingly gives it to me! Folks like to quote..."i can do all things thru Jesus who gives me strength"...do we believe that? Heres what i know....i can not live the believer life...i must let Jesus live His life thru me! Getting over being mad and forgiveness can be hard...but...to quote another scripture.... “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” In todays world with all the hate rage and anger that so many folks just serve up like its nothing...i mean really...we can use social media as the example and it carries from there to out here in real life...and...it is not just unbelievers but believers as well....right? So...whats my point...we know that light and dark cannot co-exist together...and...flipping that switch going from one to the other is never a good thing. Think about it!

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:16

For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
Ephesians 5:8

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17

I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane

[Ranb2khz]

From the Pastor’s Heart – April 2025

~ God keeps His promises. And nothing – nothing – can separate us from His love.

ave you ever felt tentative about your relationship with Jesus?

Sometimes we see the imperfection of our love for Him and worry that it’s not enough. But take comfort. This relationship has never been about us being “enough,” but rather His sufficiency for us.

This month, we remember and celebrate Christ’s death and resurrection – and the completeness of His triumph on the cross:

“He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by His victory over them on the cross.” ~ Colossians 2:14-15

Here are some thoughts from Dr. Stanley to encourage you as you reflect in the coming weeks on all that the Lord’s sacrifice means.
______________

The day I discovered the truth about salvation in Jesus, I wanted to shout with joy.

If we say that salvation can be lost, it implies Jesus’ work on the cross wasn’t quite enough – and that it’s our duty to make up the difference. But my friend, that’s an impossible task. There’s nothing we can do to overcome the effects of sin on our own. God saves us by the power of His grace, through faith in His Son – not by our own efforts.

Those outside the church often think Jesus was a good teacher who was unlucky enough to get Himself crucified, or a martyr for a good cause but nothing more. We can’t fault people for what they don’t know. Yet many believers, while professing faith in Christ’s work, still live as though salvation depends on them. Let’s revisit the cross from God’s perspective, as revealed in Scripture.

The crucifixion didn’t just “happen” to Jesus. It came to pass because God willed that it should.

Shortly after Jesus’ death and resurrection, Peter acknowledged this truth, telling the Jewish authorities who turned Jesus over for crucifixion that the Lord was in fact “delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23).

Jesus’ death wasn’t a simple human turn of events, but the fulfillment of God’s glorious plan of redemption. It would never have happened apart from the Father’s will.

Jesus said of His earthly life:

“No one has taken it away from Me, but I?lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.?This commandment I received from My Father.” ~ John 10:18

The cross of Christ was the only solution to the greatest dilemma in history: Humankind had been separated from God by sin.

The heavenly Father couldn’t simply overlook sin – it needed to be dealt with according to His holiness and justice. Sin had fundamentally changed the world and humanity’s relationship with Him, bringing dire consequences.

“For the wages of?sin is death,” Paul wrote to the Galatians (Galatians 6:23). We needed a Savior to conquer both sin and death once and for all. And so the Son of God came to earth and took on human flesh – to die in the place of sinners, rise from the grave three days later, and redeem His creation:

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” ~ 2 Corinthians 5:21

Jesus’ death and victory over sin transformed suffering, shame, and death into symbols of our salvation.

Unseen by human eyes, a great exchange took place as Jesus hung on the cross. He took all our sin upon Him and bore the wrath of every single one, past, present, and future. And in return, He gave us eternal life – His life for our life, and our life for His.

You may not always feel the assurance of your salvation, but that doesn’t change the fact that you are eternally secure. You can have confidence, because you are “protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5).

He is faithful to His promises. And nothing – nothing – can ever separate us from His love:

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~ Romans 8:38-39
______________

Friend, remember that indwelling Holy Spirit “testifies with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16). Follow His lead as you strengthen your understanding of Jesus’ finished work. And let the cross remind you this Easter that while He suffered and died to accomplish something for you, He also did it to be with you.

What amazing love! Until next time, God bless you.

For His glory,

Your friends at In Touch Ministries

P.S. This month we gratefully remember Dr. Stanley on the anniversary of his passing into the presence of the Lord. We are so blessed to continue his work and ministry. Your partnership in sharing the gospel and Dr. Stanley’s sermons all over the world is an eternal gift. Thank you.
______________

https://www.intouch.org/read/from-pastors-heart/april-2025






•

[Ranb2khz]

Forgetting Our Sins

“It is I [LORD] who sweep away your transgressions for My own sake and remember your sins no more.” ~ Isaiah 43:25

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 43:18-25

Julie and her husband felt sadness and regret when they learned that their daughter had been shoplifting. But with God’s help, when she came to them weighed down with sorrow, they forgave her – and they helped her make restitution and receive counseling. Some months after the revelation, when their daughter made an offhand comment about how they might not trust her anymore, Julie wondered, What does she mean? She didn’t immediately think about her daughter’s offense because God had removed the sting of it from her mind. She had decided not to dwell in the past but had asked God to help her forgive.

In that moment, God gave Julie a taste of His goodness and grace as she experienced the love He extends to His people. God told His people not to “dwell on the past” because He was “doing a new thing” (Isaiah 43:18-19). He also made the beautiful declaration, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for My own sake, and remembers your sins no more” (v. 25). God could choose to hold our sins against us, but because of His love and mercy, He doesn’t. When we repent, He wipes our record clean.

Although our forgiven wrongdoing may have a negative impact on our lives and that of others, God will never hold that offense against us. He will enfold us in His mercy and grace.

~ by Amy Boucher Pye
______________

Reflect & Pray:

• When have you experienced the surprising love of God?
• How does His grace change and transform you?

"Forgiving Father, thank You for running toward me with love. Please help me to turn from my sinful ways and return to You. In Jesus’ name, amen."
______________

Scripture Insight:

In Isaiah 43:22-24, God grieves His people’s failure to turn from their sins; yet He offers hope. He’s a loving God who forgives. He alone can blot out sins (v. 25). He’s the one who “forgives all our sins” and “redeems our life from the pit” (Psalm 103:3-4). “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:11-12). Jesus accomplished this once and for all through His sacrificial death on the cross. Now “everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name” (Acts 10:43). John tells us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just” to forgive and make us clean (1 John 1:9). Finally, when we trust in Jesus, God “remembers our sins no more” (Isaiah 43:25).

~ by Alyson Kieda
______________

https://www.odbm.org/devotionals/devotional-category/forgetting-our-sins






•

[tenac]

In todays world...we have no telling how many thousands of "self-help" books. The TV and radio has who knows how many talk shows that tell people how to help and provide for themselves. We even have...unfortunately... preachers that preach and people that believe the health wealth and prosperity message on how to look within and think and behave a certain way...have enough faith...and always get what we "want" from God. There is water cooler talk...social media talk...the news media...all expressing peoples thoughts opinions and beliefs as to what is right and what is wrong...how to be self-sufficient and get ahead. And in amongst all this...there is no shortage of argument and debate about these topics and everyone has their own opinion and most can give a list of reasons as to why they are right and to why you are wrong...and...stand behind those reasons without blinking a eye. Countless people that will tell us how we should think...how we should act and how we should behave to be what i think of as little "g" men and women...we only need ourselves to prosper and be everything that we think we are.We also have psychiatrist...counselors and social workers to talk and explore and tell us what and why we need to do and not do things and how to better equip ourselves for living life...and dont get me wrong...and let me be clear...i know there can be much value in these medical type people especially if they are born-again believers. Yet...in the mean time with all that i just mentioned...the world and the United States continues to "go to hell in a hand basket"! So lets make this easy. God created the heavens and the earth and every living thing on it...and of course...every single person that has ever been conceived in a womans womb. God gives every person the air they breath...the food they eat...the water they drink...God is life. Ultimately...by Gods mercy and grace He provides and sustains us every heartbeat of everyday...and...God is very much still in the prayer answering and miracle giving business and heals people of all sorts of physical mental emotional and spiritual sicknesses each and everyday! He offers hope and peace and joy and contentment for our heart mind and soul. And...God...when you get to the bottom line of life...has given us everything we have even though we often like to think our hard work has done much of it. So...whats my long winded point? A personal relationship with Jesus...faith even as little as a mustard seed...praying without ceasing and meditating on Gods word day and night...remember...the Bible actually is our human owners manual...if you will. That my friends is the recipe for contentment and a happy and productive joy filled life for born-again believers...right? So i ask you...do you believe that God is the answer for every circumstance in life? On our day of salvation...the day we got saved...the Holy Spirit came to live inside us...at that moment God equiped us with everything we need to face everything we come into contact with walking this earthly path. So..where is our success...depending on I, Me and Myself...or...reading Gods word...walking with Jesus...filled with the Holy Spirit and His descernment? We have to remember...everything...everything that comes into our life outside of our own stupid mistakes.... God has sent it....God has allowed it...God even sometimes gives satan premission to come at us...all for a specific reason...a Godly reason. So...Who said ill never leave or forsake you...yep...Praise him!

Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.
Psalm 54:4

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:16

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane

[Ranb2khz]

The God Who Saves

~ Salvation isn't something we earn; it is a gift of God.

Scripture Reading:

“God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” ~ Ephesians 2:8-9

Today’s passage tells us that we have been saved by grace through faith. Whatever we’re asked to change or give up for Jesus’ sake pales in comparison with that amazing gift.

The Lord isn’t looking for people who change a few habits by sheer force of will; He’s calling people to surrender themselves to Him. The only action God requires is belief in Him. That means trusting Jesus is who He says He is, will do what He promises, has the authority to forgive, and will equip His people to live a godly life. Because of those convictions, a new Christian is empowered to turn away from his or her old life – in other words, to repent – and begin the process of living as “a new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

We don’t evolve into a saved people by stopping old habits and instituting better religious ones. Rather, we are transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ when we believe in Him.

Since salvation isn’t something we earn, no one can boast before God. Compared with the holiness of Jesus Christ, all of our moral living, good deeds, and strenuous efforts to change bad habits amount to nothing (Isaiah 64:6). Only His righteousness can cover our sins and make us right before the Father.
_____________

~ published by: In Touch Ministries

https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/the-god-who-saves






•

[Ranb2khz]

Where Choices Lead

"For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.” ~ Psalm 1:6

With no cell service and no trail map, we had only our memory of a fixed map at the trailhead to guide us. More than an hour later, we finally emerged from the woods into the parking lot. Having missed the turn-off that would have made it a half-mile hike, we took a much longer trek.

Life can be like that sometimes. We have to ask not simply if something is right or wrong, but where it will lead. Psalm 1 compares two ways of Iiving – that of the righteous (those who love God) and that of the wicked (the enemies of those who love God). The righteous flourish like a tree, but the wicked blow away like chaff (vv. 3-4). This Psalm reveals what flourishing really looks like. The person who lives it out is dependent on God for renewal and life.

So how do we become that kind of person? Among other things, Psalm 1 urges us to disengage from destructive relationships and unhealthy habits and to delight in God's instruction (v. 2). Ultimately, the reason for our flourishing is God's attentiveness to us: "The Lord watches over the way of the righteous" (v. 6).

Commit your way to God, let Him redirect you from old patterns that lead to nowhere, and allow the Scriptures to be the river that nourishes the root system of your heart.
_____________

~ published by: The Daily Encourager

~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager






•

[Ranb2khz]

Hospitality in Jesus

"After she [Lydia] and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us". ~ Acts 16:15

Scripture Reading: Acts 16:11-15

During the US civil rights movement, famed New Orleans cook Leah Chase did what she could. She prepared food and fed those who were marching for equal rights for all people. She said, “I was just feeding people. They were fighting for something, and they didn’t know what they would find when they went out there. They didn’t know what would happen to them on the streets. But when they were here, they knew I’d feed them. That’s what I could do for them.”

The gift of hospitality may sometimes be overlooked, but it can be just as important as other forms of serving one another in Christ. A businesswoman named Lydia – “a dealer in purple cloth” (Acts 16:14) – showed hospitality to Paul and the other preachers spreading the good news about Jesus to the people of Macedonia (vv. 11-15). She used what she had – her home – to help the traveling team. After accepting the gospel message, Lydia insisted on providing a place for the preachers to rest, saying, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, . . . come and stay at my house” (v. 15). Much like the civil rights workers, Paul and his coworkers didn’t need to worry about a meal due to Lydia’s hospitality.

Gifts of hospitality can go a long way in helping all people – both fellow believers and those who still need Jesus. Let’s serve others as God provides what we need to help them.

~ by Katara Patton
_____________

Reflect & Pray:

• When has someone’s hospitality helped you?
• How can you serve others today and help meet their practical needs?

"Dear God, thank You for those who’ve shown hospitality to me. Please show me how to serve others in love. Amen."
_____________

Scripture Insight:

Genuine, selfless expressions of hospitality and kindness can be used by Jesus to encourage His workers. In addition to the “open heart, open home” dynamic in play with Lydia in Acts 16:14-15, we see a similar pattern with the jailer in Philippi. Upon hearing and believing what he and his household needed to do to be saved, he “washed [Paul and Silas’] wounds” (v. 33). Then “the jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them” (v. 34). Acts 28 also records instances of extreme kindness. When Paul was sailing to Rome as a prisoner, a storm forced the ship to come ashore on the island of Malta. He exercised his apostolic gifts among the islanders, and their hospitality was a balm for him (vv. 3-10).

~ by Arthur Jackson
_____________

https://www.odbm.org/devotionals/devotional-category/hospitality-in-jesus






•

[Bigfootbud]

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

[tenac]

This morning out on the back porch watching the night turn to day and all the critters out looking for their breakfast and i was thinking about the word success from the view point of saved and un-saved. So...i was sitting and thinking about my life and in that i was thinking about ..."my success". Thinking about what is my driving force to get out of the bed each day...the world and what it has to offer...or...Jesus and what He has to offer. That temporal vs. eternal thingy. Now im sure we have all heard these earthly phrases...“The one who dies with the most toys wins”...and..."You cant take it with you"...and..."there are no u-hauls behind the hearse". So this morning i wonder in many peoples hearts what the definition of success is as we watch this brass ring driven world we are living in. So what is success? Having our dreams come true? Getting all we want? Earning enough money so that we never have to work again? Having the best and most of everything? Having social status wanting people to look up to us as important and running with the rich and famous? Is that success? Now im not saying that these things are necessarily bad..its all in how you handle it and how much it consumes you and whether or not it has become an idol in ones life. Remember...scripture tells us our biggest problem is the "lust of the flesh...lust of the eyes and the pride of life". And scripture also tells us..."For the love of money is the root of all evil". Not money itself but the love of money and stuff. However...my view of success is this...And I say this without hesitation or regret. Success is the progressive realization of the will of God for ones life. Thats what success is. Its not how much money you have. Its not how famous you are. Its not how healthy you are. Its not how many friends you have or how many toys you have acquired. Success is nothing more...nothing less...than the progressive realization of the will of God for your life. Getting to that place that we are letting go of the world and embracing Gods perfect plan and purpose for our lives is our number one prioity. I think thats called walking the talk. What was Jesus saying when He said we are not to store up treasures on earth but to store them in heaven? Im thinking as born-again believers our treasure is Jesus and when we commit our resources...our money...our time...our talents...to His work in this world...we have obtained success. Jesus said "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly"...and what does that mean...i think it means not more stuff...but something far better...peace joy and contentment thru Jesus...thats life more abundant! Remember...anything...ANYTHING...that we put above God..im serious...better think about it...is an idol...and we know what God said about idols....right?

So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.
1 Peter 1: 13-15

I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane

[Ranb2khz]

A Spiritual Dilemma

"Yahweh is great and is highly praised; His greatness is unsearchable.” ~ Psalm 145:3

Scripture Reading: Psalm 145

The average person checks his or her phone 150 times a day. Let that sink in a minute. Something has our attention, and it may not be for our good. Tristan Harris believes this. He’s one of the voices in a film that features some of the top names in technology, people who ushered us into “social media.” But instead of praise, their voices are sounding an alarm, calling our reality (and the film) The Social Dilemma. “We’re the product. Our attention is the product being sold to advertisers.” We give our attention to what we believe is valuable or worthy. And in a very real sense, what we give attention to, we can find ourselves worshiping.

That word dilemma indicates a situation where a choice has to be made. Believe it or not, we face such a dilemma in our spiritual lives, a choice we have to make daily: Who or what will I give my attention to? In other words, Who or what will I worship? The psalmist clearly made his choice: “Every day I will praise You [God] and extol Your name for ever and ever” (Psalm 145:2 NLT). The verse that follows gives his rationale: “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom” (v. 3).

The psalmist believed nothing compares to God’s greatness, and so he focused his attention there. God and God alone is worthy of our praise.

~ by John Blase
_____________

Reflect & Pray:

• In contrast to time for praying or reading Scripture, what vies for your attention?
• What changes can you make to keep technology from becoming an idol?

"Dear God, You alone are worthy of my praise. Nothing compares to You. Amen."
_____________

Scripture Insight:

In Psalm 145, the psalmist David extols the name and character of God, who is “worthy of praise” (v. 3). He praises His mighty acts, glorious splendor, wonderful and awesome works, great deeds, abundant goodness, and righteousness (vv. 4-7). And in verse 8, he lists characteristics of God that are repeated throughout the Old Testament: “The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love” (see Exodus 34:6; 2 Chronicles 30:9; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 86:15; 103:8; 111:4; 112:4; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2). David concludes, “I will praise the Lord, and may everyone on earth bless His holy name forever and ever” (Psalm 145:21). One day, “every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them” will join in praise “to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb” (Revelation 5:13). We praise Him today as we anticipate what’s to come!

~ by Alyson Kieda
_____________

Visit ODBU.org/OT020 to discover more about the book of Psalms.
_____________

https://www.odbm.org/devotionals/devotional-category/a-spiritual-dilemma






•

[Bigfootbud]

♥ Love You Jesus!!! ♥ Praise You Lord!!! ♥

[Ranb2khz]

Heavenly Reward

“Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” ~ Matthew 6:19-21

When it comes right down to it, humans are willing to do things for one reason: we perceive it to be in our self-interest. We will willingly (sometime eagerly) endure hardship or defer pleasure so that we can obtain good rewards. This is actually very Biblical. God created and designed us to seek and pursue our own benefit. Jesus acknowledges this reality in setting the standard by which we should love others “as we love ourselves.” However, our perspective about what is truly in our self-interest is often skewed.

Jesus clarifies exactly what is in our best interest – the rewards of His Kingdom. Jesus encourages His disciples to seek the best (truest) rewards. Treasures that will endure. Nothing on earth can match the rewards of our Father in Heaven.

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus presents this as a binary choice. We can either seek a reward from our Father who is in heaven or we can seek reward in the world’s systems and the approval of man. We can’t do both, we must pick one or the other. We can’t serve God and money [anything of value to us].

Matthew 6 talks about how we give, how we pray, and how we fast. Just three examples of the way we encounter this choice: do we fast or pray to impress others and receive the reward of their approval or to seek God and trust His reward in His time?

Our hearts always follow where we invest our treasure. The extent to which our finances are investing in family, neighbors, and the various communities in which we reside are a clue to where our heart is focused.

If we rely upon earthly riches, we are certain to not only lose our treasure, we also fill our heart with the things of a world that will one day be no more. By choosing the treasures of heaven, we elect to pursue real and lasting treasure. That is how our true self-interest is best served.
________________

~ published by: Yellow Balloons

https://yellowballoons.net






•

[tenac]

Now let me say right up front...im not sitting up a on a righteous pedestal looking down on y'all....just as the Apostle Paul said...and i am not comparing myself to Paul...i sometimes find myself doing that that i dont want to do... and i sometimes find myself not doing that that i want to do...meaning...i sometimes embrace sin. Im still a work in progress and i praise God for His grace and mercy and forgiveness! So...Obedience to God...our personal relationship with Jesus...why is that so important? God gave us a free will to do what we want when we want all the way to letting us choose heaven or hell. Yes...we choose our eternal destination...heaven or hell. We can be obedient to Gods word or we can rebel with sin...its our choice! God loves us unconditionally but our perfect, Holy and righteous God can not look upon sin. Just as when Jesus was on the cross paying our sin debt..God turned His back...so to speak...on Jesus for that period of time that the sin of the world...past..present..future...came upon Jesus! The same with born-again believers...when we sin against God and His commandments it hinders our relationship with Him until we confess and repent of that wrong doing. When we harbor sin in our heart and lives it effects our relationship with Jesus. I dont want that...how about you? Our prayers can go unanswered...blessings can stop coming our way...life can become difficult because our loving heavenly Farther will bring correction and discipline upon us to not only get our attention...but also to get us back on the straight and narrow. As believers...God loves us to much to let us keep screwing up not only our lives but also our relationship with Him. Is sin really worth it? Folks...as believers we are all going to fall short at times. We are human and be it in word...deed...thought...we all sin from "time to time"...however..the emphasis is on "time to time" and not all the time. We are a new creation thru Jesus Christ...right? We need to remember a promise God has made to us and stop using the cop out that its just human nature to sin or trying to blame satan for everything...remember...we are our own worst enemy.........
"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it"...(1 Corinthians 10:13)...
Do we truly understand the promise of God in that scripture? Isnt God telling us that He will "always" provide a way to help us turn away from sin if we will allow Him to do so...Keeping our eye upon the cross...upon Jesus...thats the secret! Think about it!

I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane

[Ranb2khz]

The Spirit and The Letter

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” ~ Matthew 5:17-18

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells His disciples that seeking righteousness with mercy is the core essence of His Kingdom. He further instructs His disciples that they must surpass the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees in order to live up to Kingdom standards.

The Pharisees were meticulous rule-followers. But Kingdom righteousness flows from a heart of mercy toward others.

It is anger with a brother that is the root violation of righteousness (social harmony). Murder is the effect. Anger is the cause. Jesus shows this to be true in the way we perceive adultery, taking oaths (making promises), divorce, and our ideas of justice/judging one another.

Righteousness is primarily about our inner perspective (spirit of the law) rather than what we do when we know we are being watched, our outward actions (letter of the law).

Being hyper-focused on the letter of the law (like the Pharisees) misses the deep truth about the way our motivations and perspective shape our attitude, and ultimately our actions toward others.

Jesus wasn’t trying to measure up to His disciples’ expectations. In fact, they were astonished at the authority with which He taught. Jesus was seeking to pull them to a higher plane of living, so they could be blessed (Makarios, fulfilled in life).

If we want to seek the fulfillment Jesus promises by mercifully seeking His Kingdom and His righteousness, a good starting point is to shift our self-talk from “What do they think of me” to “How can I pull those around me towards a more fruitful life?”

This is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. The law Jesus came to embody and fulfill. A law of love, the inner workings of the heart.
______________

~ published by: Yellow Balloons

https://yellowballoons.net






•

[tenac]

Sitting on the back porch this morning enjoying a cup of coffee of course. Watching the sun come up through a thin layer of clouds. A gentle breeze blowing that makes me think that the trees are waving at me. And oh what a happy song the birds are singing this morning. I tried to sing along with them but a couple of them gave me the look so I guess they werent too impressed with me. And theres the pasture field right behind me that in just the last three or four days has started to become so lush and green. And slowly walking around without a care in the world about 40 head of black angus continuing to get their belly full. And there...two young steers butting heads with each other and jumping around and having the time of their life this morning. And theres at least three newborns the past week that are enjoying their breakfast from mom this morning. And as im watching them the scripture comes to my mind about how God provides…how we need not worry or stress but just keep our faith and trust in him…not saying that we should be like a cow but they seem to have it altogether back there and very happy and content. I see just in the last 24 hours how much bigger the Maple leaves have got on the trees…the redbuds here in full bloom and the dog woods just getting started along with the peach and cherry tree in full bloom. I see my yard that needs to be mowed…guess I better get on that today. Here we are the second day of April…and even though it's just a few days after… Spring time has arrived…and I'm still giving God the praise and the glory for seeing me through another winter and allowing me to see another spring. All the beauty of Gods creation that He shares with us…actually through all of the seasons…but theres just something so special about the spring time watching the Earth come to life again. And as Im looking at all of this beauty the verse comes to my mind…that Jesus doesn't want us to just have life…He wants us to have life more abundant. And for me…when I think about Life more abundant…It has nothing to do with stuff…It has to do with peace joy and contentment and another morning here on planet Earth looking at God's beautiful creation before me. That is life more abundant....peace joy and contentment ...do you have life more abundant? Y'all have an awesome day and let us always remember that this is the day that the Lord has made so let us get out here and rejoice and be glad in it...and...to be amazingly thankful for it!

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 6:33

I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane

[Ranb2khz]

Blessed by Mercy

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” ~ Matthew 5:6-7

The Greek word translated “Blessed” is ”Makarios". Makarios describes a complete fulfillment in life. It is an enduring condition rather than a fleeting happiness.

As Jesus launches into The Beatitudes to tell us how to be “blessed” (Makarios), it is important for us to know that He is using a literary device called a “chiasm" – wherein the most important elements are found in the middle. These verses (6 and 7) are the center of the Beatitudes and the main message of the chiasm: Blessed (Makarios) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Blessed (Makarios) are the merciful. Jesus is establishing His Kingdom on a foundation of both righteousness and mercy. They are two sides of the Kingdom coin.

The righteousness that Jesus describes is a social harmony, like a championship team. A “right way” that is chosen rather than imposed. “Righteousness” can also be translated “justice”.

We tend to desire justice for others and mercy for ourselves. But in Jesus’ kingdom platform, when someone is merciful, they enter into blessing (makarios) because they too shall receive mercy (from the King). Mercy is a compliment to rather than a substitute for righteousness. Righteousness (harmony) comes about because we are merciful and seek to lead others to follow God’s ways, for their own benefit.

The social harmony His Kingdom provides is unlike anything the world offers. It is the byproduct of truth and grace. We don’t compromise standards, but the standards are for the benefit of the community. Righteousness is a focus on God, and mercy a focus on others. Offense is a focus on self.

The kingdoms of the earth focus on dominion and control over others. Those who inhabit the Kingdom of Heaven find the good life through serving one another in love.
_______________

~ published by: Yellow Balloons

https://yellowballoons.net






•

[Bigfootbud]

❤️ Psalm 23 Leanna Crawford - Still Waters (Psalm 23) (Music Video)

[tenac]

Psalm 23...Such a short chapter of the Bible with only six verses...but...what a awesome and uplifting truth packed with so many awesome promises of God. I reckon i can say that that is my go to read for anything and everything in my life that tries to steal the joy peace and contentment i have in and thru Jesus Christ. I can sit and read that passage two..three..four times and that peace...that joy...that comes only from my relationship with Jesus...finds it way right back into my heart mind and soul...all for reading just six little but most powerful verses. How cool and awesome is that! You see folks...Jesus can take ANY impossible situation...take our problems...burdens...sickness...no matter what it is...and move in ways mightier than we truly can imagine..but our faith and trust and belief is the starting point. So let me ask you...do you live in eager expectation of what the Lord can and will do in your life? Or...have you chosen to linger in the pits of despair...wringing your hands in worry and dread? Let me encourage you to try something. The next time life throws you a curve ball...the next time satan is pounding on your door...the next time stress and worry or a new thorn tries to poke you in the side...when someone presses one of your buttons and you feel the anger starting to blow the little jiggler off your pressure cooker. Sit down and read Psalm 23...or say it from memory...i prefer to read...read that a few times and meditate upon the awesome truths that will fill your soul and get you over that thing that is trying to ruin your day...steal your peace joy and contentment. Jesus can always restore our hope and prevent negative emotions from gaining a stronghold on our life...and...the owners manual of life...the Bible....use it and rejoice and be glad. Remember...God is for us so who can be against us!!

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
Psalm 23

I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane

[Ranb2khz]

David: A Picture of Servanthood

~ God will work through any person whose heart is submitted to Him.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 78:70-72

Throughout his life, David served God in multiple capacities. The biblical account shows how his devotion in various roles allowed him to be used mightily by the Lord:

1. Shepherd. David was anointed king long before he took the throne (1 Samuel 16:1-13). During his days of waiting, he learned to be strong and brave, and to take care of those weaker than himself. An early life of obedience to his human father taught him the humility he would need later to depend on God.

2. Psalmist. David’s writings reveal his hunger for the Lord. He is open about his fear, depression, defeat, loneliness, and sorrow. By describing valley experiences and communing with the Father in the night watches, David provides us with intimate glimpses of the God he knew so well.

3. Commander. He ruled Israel for 40 years, and his people called Jerusalem the “City of David.”

His life also teaches us about the consequences of sin and the limitlessness of God’s grace. King David served God’s purpose not only when he lived but also ever since: Through writings by and about him, countless believers have been blessed by David’s obedience, service, and talents. He is a great example of what God can accomplish through those who yield their life to Him.
_______________

~ published by: In Touch Ministries

https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/david-a-picture-of-servanthood






•

[tenac]

Are we setting on the fence...meaning...when we are around our believer friends we behave one way but around unbelievers we behave totally different. When we are out and about we act one way but behind closed doors we do things that we hope nobody ever finds out? Are we really good at talking the talk but not so good at walking the walk? Have you ever heard you cant shack up with the devil and expect God to pay the rent? We can not be 50% believer and 50% worldly. For that matter we can not be 70% believer and 30% worldly. Do we really know that there is no such thing as a part time believer. How long will we be caught between two opinions...two lifestyles...two beliefs...two directions...two mindsets...two masters...two desires. It doesn’t work that way...and...the Bible says it cannot be done. We must take sides. We are either following Jesus or we are following satan. Did you hear that? There is no middle ground...trying to keep one foot in the world and one foot in the church...aint gonna work. The problem is we dont want to give up our sin. We dont want to give up our status in the world...Naw...we are having too much fun. We want our cake and ice cream too. Well...we cant have it...aint no mixing of allegiance to God with other gods...we got to choose! Either God is our daddy or satan! Whos our daddy? Time to decide...we cannot remain neutral. We cannot straddle the fence and we can not just give Jesus lip service. Listen...you cannot...and must not...compromise to any of satan’s conditions. Ultimately...everything you have and ever hope to be...must be laid at Jesus feet. Don’t let satan deceive you and rob you of the greatest blessing man and woman has ever known...salvation from sin through Jesus Christ our Savior and redeemer. Stop straddling the fence. We are either with Jesus fully...or we oppose Him...which is it? The record of choice...life or death...blessings or cursing. God wants wholehearted dedication or nothing! Its time to make up our mind...are we ready to serve the Lord? The application could not be clearer...choose for yourselves this day Whom we will serve. We cant walk with God and hold hands with the devil. There is no room for neutrality...make your choice...choose your God. The outcome is heaven or hell...where are we truly headed...once we die and step foot into eternity the stage is set...there are no do-overs...think about it!

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
1 Corinthians 10:21

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2

I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane

[Ranb2khz]

Just Right for Jesus

"This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” – and I am the worst of them.” ~ 1 Timothy 1:15

Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 1:12-17

Eric’s childhood challenges included a severe skin rash, difficulties in school, and getting high on alcohol or drugs daily from a very early age. Yet the one who dubbed himself as the “king of bad” found that he excelled on the baseball field – until he abandoned baseball after becoming discouraged by discrimination. This allowed him even more time for using and dealing drugs.

Things changed for Eric, however, when he had a life-altering encounter with Jesus while attending a church service. At his job the next day, a dedicated believer in Jesus invited Eric to attend yet another church service, where he heard these words that encouraged him in his newfound faith: “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT). Eric’s life has never been the same.

Like Eric, Saul of Tarsus (also known as Paul) would’ve been classified as a “tough case.” He said, “I am the worst” of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). He was “once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man” (v. 13). Like Saul, Eric was just right for Jesus. And so are we, even if we don’t view ourselves in the same league as Saul or Eric, for “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We’re all just right for Jesus.

~ by Arthur Jackson
____________

Reflect & Pray:

• How do Eric and Saul’s stories help you to see God as a forgiving God?
• What does it mean for you to be just right for Jesus?

"Dear God in heaven, please help me to see that the blood of Jesus cleanses from “big” and “little” sins. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen."
____________

Scripture Insight:

The apostle Paul (Saul) was there at the very beginning of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1-4), but at the time, he held no love or loyalty for Jesus and His people. Instead, he approved of the murder of Stephen, a leader in the new church (Acts 6:1-6; 7:51–8:1) and then actively hunted down believers in Christ in Jerusalem and “put them in prison” (Acts 8:3). He requested letters to travel around the area with the full intention of murdering any believer he could get his hands on or – at the very least – imprisoning them (Acts 9:1-2). It’s that very violence – something Paul thought he was doing in the name of God – that the apostle said made him the “worst of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:16). Jesus took a violent, angry man and turned him into someone who would lay down his own life for the salvation of the very people he once sought to murder (Romans 9:3).

~ by Jed Ostoich
____________

https://www.odbm.org/devotionals/devotional-category/just-right-for-jesus






•

[Ranb2khz]

Intimacy With Our Heavenly Father

~ Are you enjoying the privilege of a close relationship with your heavenly Father?

Scripture Reading:

"But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn – not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” ~ John 1:12-13

From the very beginning, God intended to have an intimate, loving relationship with His children. How do we know this?

1. His Son. Jesus, who is the exact representation of the Father, came to earth so we would know God. Their words and works were the same:

"So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself. He does only what He sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.” ~ John 5:19

"I know that His commands lead to eternal life. So the things that I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.” ~ John 12:50

2. Invitation. Through Scripture, God invites us to join His family. He has taken care of the arrangements:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him [the Son] should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” ~ John 3:16-17

3. Adoption. At salvation, we are adopted into the Lord’s family. This relationship with our heavenly Father lasts for an eternity and provides us with support, encouragement, and love.

4. Friendship. By calling His disciples “friends” John 15:15), Jesus revealed a new aspect to their relationship. Jesus is a forever friend – one who will never desert us or turn away.

5. His Presence. From the moment of our salvation, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

The heavenly Father invites us to join His family through faith in Jesus Christ. This is our highest calling – to believe in the Savior and live for Him all of our days (John 20:31). Once we become God’s children, His Spirit will work in us to make our family resemblance stronger and clearer in thought, word, and deed.
______________

~ published by: In Touch Ministries

https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/intimacy-with-our-heavenly-father-2






•

[tenac]

I often talk of my past and the road of self destruction that i traveled for 25 years from the age of 15 to the age of 40. And im here to tell y'all...as long as God gives me breath in my lungs...and gives me the opportunity to tell of His amazing grace and mercy...you can bet that every chance i get...no matter who it is...where im at...im going to tell my story of how i along with my use to be good friend satan...almost destroyed this life that God gave to me! I often talk with hopes of helping someone else that might be strugglin with addiction. I often talk with the hope that some lost person will see the hope that there is in a relationship with Jesus and with putting our faith and trust in Him...how our lives can turn around. And sometimes...which is the case this morning...i want to speak to any of you that might have a loved one...a friend...that is on that slippery slop of addiction and maybe this morning you have all but given up...you have lost hope...you have worried and prayed for so long...thinking that they will never change. Well...let me tell you right here and now...there is hope and His name is Jesus! Now hear this...from the time i was born...my family...we were at church every Sunday morning for Sunday school and preaching....at church Sunday night and most Wednesday nights. I knew the truth of the Bible....Jesus and satan...heaven and hell...i just never got saved. Then in 1970...i started high school and that summer after freshman year...i started using a little marijuana and drinking a little beer...then trying this and that...and by my junior year i had jumped off that cliff of using any and every sort of drug there was....and as you might know...in the 1970's there was a smorgasbord of drugs to partake in and i did them all from smokin to poppin to snortin to shootin up...This boy from farm country here in Greene county Tennessee went from 0 to 500 in no time flat...meaning...im living proof that we are all inches away from bad decisions that can turn life upside down for whatever period of time....sometimes a life time. And as for me...the turn around i made in life...like most folks...i could have never done it on my own...no way no how. I had long known in my hard heart and twisted mind that i would never see another sober day...that i would be pretty much in the twilight zone until that time that i would die and split hell wide open and that day was rapidly approaching...but...God had other plans for me. For me...knowing the truth of Gods word from my childhood...one night i got down on my knees in my bedroom...wasted...just as i always was...and i cried out to Jesus to forgive me and save me...and guess where He was? Yep...after 25 long years of helter skelter living....putting enough drugs and alcohol into my body to kill most of Coxes army and running from God in total rebellion...Jesus was right there in that room waiting for me to reach out to Him and He lifted me up and not only saved my soul but also my life. So...never give up on that loved one...but hear me...im not saying to be a enabler...but let the light of Jesus shine from you unto them and let me be the living example and proof to you that no matter how bad life has become for anybody Jesus will help you turn your life around....its never to late to make a change of heart and mind through the shed blood of Jesus and the amazing grace of almighty God!

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30

I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane

[Ranb2khz]

God Never Loses Us

“Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For it is the Lord your God who goes with you; He will not leave you or forsake you.” ~ Deuteronomy 31:6

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 31:1-6

The US Department of Transportation reported that in 2021, US airlines mishandled two million bags. Thankfully, many pieces were delayed or lost for only a short period. Thousands of bags were lost for good, however. No wonder there’s a surging market for GPS devices that attach to gear, allowing you to track bags when airlines have given up. We’re all afraid that those in charge can’t be trusted to keep track of what’s important.

Israel had a similar fear about God, only they feared that He was going to lose them. As the people prepared to enter their new homeland, Moses shared the unsettling news that he wouldn’t be guiding them. He explained that he was old and “no longer able to lead them” (Deuteronomy 31:2). The people were likely stunned. Moses represented God’s presence and offered His words. Would God forget about them now? Would He lose them in this wilderness?

“Do not be afraid or terrified,” Moses said, “for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you”. He promised that God would always be with them and assured them that He’d never ever lose them. And in the person of Jesus, God makes us this same steady, unbreakable promise. Christ will be with us “to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

God will never lose us. Never.

~ by Winn Collier
_______________

Reflect & Pray:

• When have you feared God had lost you?
• How has He shown you that He never forgets you?

"Dear God, I often fear that I’m out of Your sight and mind. Please help me to trust that You hold me and will never lose me. Amen."
_______________

Scripture Insight:

Echoes from Moses’ writings in Deuteronomy 31 can be heard in Psalm 27. Though the genre is different, God, through these inspired writers, calls His people to place their confidence in His care during times of uncertainty. Moses wrote, “Be strong and courageous” (Deuteronomy 31:6). The same combination of Hebrew words appears in Psalm 27:14: “Be strong and courageous.” Moses commanded, “Do not be afraid or terrified because of them” (Deuteronomy 31:6) and David said, “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1). The assurance of God’s presence is likewise expressed by these writers. In the words of Moses, “He will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8). From the pen of David we’re assured, “Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close” (Psalm 27:10 NLT).

~ by Arthur Jackson
_______________

https://www.odbm.org/devotionals/devotional-category/god-never-loses-us






•

[Ranb2khz]

Following God’s Plans

“If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.” ~ James 4:15

Scripture Reading: James 4:13-17

I was unable to focus on a work project because of anxiety; I was afraid that my plans for it wouldn’t succeed. My anxiety came from pride. I believed my timeline and plans were best, so I wanted them to proceed unhindered. A question broke through my thoughts, however: Are your plans God’s plans?

The problem wasn’t my planning – God calls us to be wise stewards of our time, opportunities, and resources. The problem was my arrogance. I was fixated on my understanding of events and how I wanted them to turn out, not on God’s purpose and how He wanted my plans to turn out.

James encourages us to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that” (v. 15). We’re to plan not with a presumptuous mindset, thinking we know everything and have control over our life, but from a position of submission to God’s sovereignty and wisdom. After all, we “do not even know what will happen tomorrow.” In our humanness, we’re helpless and weak, like “a mist that appears . . . and then vanishes” (v. 14).

Only God has authority and power over everything in our lives; we don’t. Through the Scriptures and the people, resources, and circumstances He allows each day, He guides us to live in submission to His will and ways. Our plans aren’t to come from following ourselves but from following Him.

~ by Karen Huang
_______________

Reflect & Pray:

• When you make plans apart from God’s leading, what’s the outcome?
• What plans can you submit to His authority?

"Dear God, please help me to submit to You and to let go of my plans for my life and embrace Yours. In Jesus’ name, amen”.
_______________

For further study, read When Fear Seems Overwhelming – Finding Courage and Hope.
_______________

Scripture Insight:

James, the half brother of Christ and leader of the church in Jerusalem (Galatians 1:19; 2:9), wrote to Jewish believers in Jesus living outside of Israel (James 1:1). James deals with a church characterized by a rich-poor divide, with favoritism shown to the wealthy, and the rich exploiting the poor (James 2:1-10; 5:1-6). The rich espoused a worldly and materialistic outlook (James 4:4-17). James warns these arrogant and self-confident wealthy believers – who think they have the future securely in their hand – that they too are precariously subjected to the uncertainties, brevity, and the frailty of life. Boasting and trusting in themselves is sin. Instead, James tells them to put their trust in God for their future and to use their material wealth to do good and to help the poor (James 1:27). The apostle Paul gave a similar command to rich believers in 1 Timothy 6:17-19.

~ by K.T. Sim
_______________

https://www.odbm.org/devotionals/devotional-category/following-gods-plans






•

[tenac]

Each and everyday that we live...no matter how happy we may feel in the present and how well things are going in our life at the moment. There are always two days...if we allow them...that can steal our happiness and put that black cloud back over our heads in this day that we are living. One is tomorrow and the other is yesterday. Both are days that we as believers should refuse to live as we focus on the here and now...that be today! There are so many folks that never learn to separate themselves from yesterday. They continue to drag it around with them and in the process it steals their happiness...their peace and joy of this present day. The same with tomorrow. So many folks also have a bad habit of worrying about this that and the other...that may or may not happen tomorrow and in the process they also rob themselves of the contentment that they could have had this present day! The thing about yesterday...its already happened...we cant do nothing to change it. And tomorrow...have you ever noticed how much is worried about that actually never happens and the things that do happen did the worry really help anything? Worry...regret and dread...seems to consume so many people and when we allow that in our life we basically have put our faith in the back seat for the long haul. Please remember my friends...God is sovereign...God is in complete control...God never takes a day off and God will never leave or forsake us. And...His loving tender mercy is new every morning! So...give it all to God and see what happens. Dont let yesterday and tomorrow contaminate your today. Learn to live in the here and now. Embrace the joy and peace and contentment that Jesus can provide...when...we put our faith and trust in Him! Think about it!

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43:18-19

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Mathew 6:34

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
Psalm 55:22

I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane