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“The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”
Psalm 18:2
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Hebrews 13:8
“This world is not my home, I’m just passing through,
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”
-Albert Brumley-
For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.
Hebrews 13:14
In Whom
“...so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men or women, but in the power of God.” ~ 1 Corinthians 2:5
When we think about faith, we often think about an outcome during an event, circumstance, or season. I believe this or that will happen. I believe things will be ok.
The truest and most important aspect of faith is the object of the faith, in whom we place our trust. When we believe in specific circumstances, we disqualify our perspective from trusting God if the circumstance does not work out like we imagine.
Faith in outcomes is really hope. The foundation of faith is not in outcomes but in power. There is a fine, but distinct, line between believing the Who and the what. There is an immense difference between believing in Him who can do all things and believing a specific thing ought to be done.
Faith is the choice to trust God. It is obeying without knowing what the outcome will be. Faith unleashes the power of God’s Spirit.The true height of human capacity.
Faith means trusting in God even when we do not like or understand what He is doing. This, in fact, is the very thing that makes faith so powerful, so advantageous to us. The outcomes we want, even if we get them, don’t always work out how we imagined. Our wisdom is flawed and incomplete, but God’s wisdom is true and boundless.
________________
~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net
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The Daily Article — April 1, 2024
The White House became embroiled in controversy over the weekend after issuing a “Proclamation on Transgender Day of Visibility, 2024” for Easter Sunday.
Rev. Greg Laurie called the proclamation “a profound insult to the sincerely held religious beliefs of millions of Americans on our holiest day” and added, “It’s time to turn back to God, not turn our backs on God.” Others joined in criticizing the proclamation as assaulting the Christian faith. Proponents noted that the event falls on March 31 every year and only coincidentally aligned with Easter this year.
If the event had been rescheduled so as not to conflict with Easter, criticism would have risen in precisely the opposite direction: proponents would have supported the move while critics would have labeled it discriminatory and likely blamed Christians for being “transphobic.”
This controversy is nothing new: Easter has been dividing skeptics and believers since Jesus rose from the dead. The authorities who arranged Jesus’ crucifixion, when told by the guard of His resurrection, bribed them to lie (Matthew 28:11–15) and continued to persecute His followers (Acts 5:40). While billions of Christians claimed yesterday that Jesus is “risen indeed,” billions more rejected or ignored our claim.
How can we persuade Americans not to “turn our backs on God” but to “turn back to God”?
Monday can be our most persuasive evidence for Sunday.
Would you die for a lie?
The historical evidence for the resurrection is remarkably strong (see my article, “Why Jesus?” for an extensive overview). For example, we know from ancient non-biblical records that:
• Jesus of Nazareth was a real person of history.
• He was crucified by Pontius Pilate.
• His first followers believed He was raised from the dead.
• They worshiped Him as God.
We can also point to the empirical evidence of the empty tomb. No other explanation makes sense:
• If the disciples stole the body, how did they overpower the Roman guards, convince five hundred people that He was alive (1 Corinthians 15:6), make His body appear through locked doors (John 20:19) and cook a meal for the disciples (John 21:9–12), then cause His body to ascend to heaven (Acts 1:9)?
• Would they then all die for a lie, some in gruesome ways? Would you?
• If the authorities stole the body, wouldn’t they produce it when the disciples began preaching the resurrection?
• If the women went to the wrong tomb, wouldn’t the authorities and Joseph of Arimathea, who owned the correct tomb, correct the error?
• If Jesus didn’t really die on the cross, how did He survive a spear thrust that ruptured the pericardial sac of His heart (John 19:34) and an airtight mummified shroud, overpower the guards in His emaciated condition, make His way through locked doors, and then perform the greatest high jump in history at the ascension?
Of course, a postmodern relativist is likely to dismiss all of this with the rejoinder, “that’s just your truth.” We are objectivists with nearly every dimension of reality, from the laws of physics to laws against murder, theft, and the like. But when we confront reality that clashes with our preferences, we retreat to the shelter of subjectivism, claiming that “all truth is relative” (which is an objective truth claim).
The most compelling argument for Easter
You and I can choose today to become evidence for the most compelling argument for Easter in our relativistic culture: the changed lives of Jesus’ followers.
The apostles are our example. Men who abandoned Jesus when He was arrested, denied Him when He was on trial, forsook Him when He was dying on the cross, and then hid from the authorities behind locked doors soon became catalysts for the mightiest spiritual movement in human history.
Peter is Exhibit A. After boasting that he would never deny his Lord, he denied even knowing Him three times. Even after he saw the empty tomb, he returned to his fishing profession (John 21:3). (Note that he went fishing at night, which was what professional rather than recreational fishermen did so they could sell their catch as “fresh” the next morning; (Luke 5:5).
But when he met the risen Lord, he left his fishing nets behind to “fish for men” (Matthew 4:19). The other apostles joined him, spreading out across the Roman Empire to share the good news of Easter at the eventual cost of their lives. There is no other reasonable explanation for their transformed lives except that they met the risen Christ and were never the same again.
“From this, everything begins anew!”
So it can be with you and me. What we do today can show that what we celebrated yesterday is true. When others see the difference Christ makes in our lives, they will be drawn to seek that difference for their lives.
If you and I truly walk this path with the risen Christ today, our world cannot be the same tomorrow.
_______________
~ published by: Denison Ministries
https://www.denisonforum.org/daily-article/biden-transgender-day-of-visibility-easter-sunday/
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Dying for Encouragement
"Commission Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him.” ~ Deuteronomy 3:28
In Deuteronomy 3, we read that Moses encouraged Joshua as he was about to assume leadership of the Israelites. No doubt Joshua was filled with fear and a feeling of inadequacy to fill Moses's shoes. The Lord therefore told Moses to encourage Joshua.
All of us need a word of encouragement from time to time to spur us on when we are facing a major new challenge. But we also need words of appreciation and commendation as we carry out our daily responsibilities, whether at home or at work.
When a corporate accountant committed suicide, an effort was made to find out why. The company's books were examined, but no shortage was found. Nothing could be uncovered that gave any clue as to why he took his life-that is, until a note was discovered. It simply said: "In thirty years I have never had one word of encouragement. I'm fed up!"
Many people crave some small sign of approval. They need a word of recognition, a caring smile, a warm handshake, and an honest expression of appreciation for the good we see in them or in their work.
Every day let's determine to encourage (not flatter) at least one person. Let's do our part to help those around us who are dying for encouragement.
_______________
~ by Richard DeHaan (Our Daily Bread)
To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
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The best news of the Christian gospel is that the supremely glorious Creator of the universe has acted in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection to remove every obstacle between us and himself so that we may find everlasting joy in seeing and savoring his infinite beauty.
-Charles Spurgeon-
Let the resurrection joy lift us from loneliness and weakness and despair to strength and beauty and happiness.
-Josh McDowell-
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
Romans 6: 4-5
“The resurrection of Jesus changes the face of death for all His people. Death is no longer a prison, but a passage into God’s presence. Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won’t stay there. You can nail it to a cross, wrap it in winding sheets and shut it up in a tomb, but it will rise!
-John Stott-
Jesus Has Risen.........After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
Matthew 28: 1-10
The Empty Tomb
"On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had been removed [rolled away] from the tomb. So she ran to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put Him!”
"At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, yet he did not go in. Then, following him, Simon Peter came also. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. The wrapping that had been on His head was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up in a separate place by itself. The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, then entered the tomb, saw, and believed. For they still did not understand the Scripture that He must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went home again.”
Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord
"But Mary stood outside facing the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. She saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet, where Jesus’ body had been lying. They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“Because they’ve taken away my Lord,” she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put Him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not know it was Jesus."
“Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Supposing He was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve removed Him, tell me where you’ve put Him, and I will take Him away.”
"Jesus said, “Mary.”
"Turning around, she said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” — which means “Teacher.”
“Don’t cling to Me,” Jesus told her, “for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to My brothers and tell them that I am ascending to My Father and your Father — to My God and your God.”
"Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what He had said to her.”
The Disciples Commissioned
"In the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because of their fear of the Jews. Then Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!”
"Having said this, He showed them His hands and His side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord."
"Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” After saying this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Thomas Sees and Believes
"But one of the Twelve, Thomas (called “Twin”), was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples kept telling him, “We have seen the Lord!”
"But he said to them, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in His hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe!”
"After eight days His disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “Peace to you!”
"Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and observe My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Don’t be an unbeliever, but a believer.”
"Thomas responded to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
"Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
The Purpose of This Gospel
"Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in His name."
________________
~ John 20
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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...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...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 king to come told by the prophets of old...but this was no king...Jesus was but a simple man...a man they thought like any other...and now...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 life! Jesus had told them that He would rise from the tomb in three days and they wanted to believe...but...If He truly was who He said He was...why did He have to die to begin which...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?
I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane
Only in the Cross of Christ will we receive power when we are powerless. We will find strength when we are weak. We will experience hope when our situation is hopeless. Only in the Cross is there peace for our troubled hearts.
-Michael Youssef-
The Christian community is a community of the cross, for it has been brought into being by the cross, and the focus of its worship is the Lamb once slain, now glorified.
-John Stott-
Come, and see the victories of the cross. Christ’s wounds are thy healings, His agonies thy repose, His conflicts thy conquests, His groans thy songs, His pains thine ease, His shame thy glory, His death thy life, His sufferings thy salvation.
-Matthew Henry-
Love was compressed for all history in that lonely figure on the cross, who said that he could call down angels at any moment on a rescue mission, but chose not to – because of us. At Calvary, God accepted his own unbreakable terms of justice.
-Philip Yancey-
But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Galatians 6:14
It was Christ who willingly went to the cross, and it was our sins that took him there.
-Franklin Graham-
Resurrected for the Present Work
~ By God's grace, we are a new creation — made for good works.
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:1-7
Romans 6:23 tells us that “the wages of sin is death.” In today’s passage, however, Paul tells the Ephesians (and us) that those wages are fully paid.
“You were dead in your offenses and sins,” the apostle writes (v. 1). We might not have realized it, but in reality, we were dead people walking. Thankfully, like the prodigal son’s father (whom we discussed a few days ago), God doesn’t let us remain that way.
Notice how Ephesians 2:4 begins: The two words “But God” should ring joyously in our ears. Our Father, full of mercy and love, “made us alive together with Christ” (v. 5). He raises people today just as He raised Jesus — only we rise from the walking death of sin to new and eternal life.
That reality shines a bright light on all we’ve experienced. In that light we see differently, finally realizing that sin always leads to death, not freedom. We can also act differently. When Jesus said the kingdom of God was at hand, He wasn’t offering information about our future but transformation for our present life. By grace through faith, we become God’s workmanship, walking not in death but in the life of good works He’s prepared for us.
_______________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/resurrected-for-the-present-work
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Good Friday...the day that we celebrate the crucifixion and death of Jesus...and yes...i said celebrate...because...the birth..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 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! And He did that not because He wanted to as a man...He knew the pain that was headed His way...but because Jesus loved you and me so much He wanted to pay our sin debt in full and give us 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 He was nailed to that cross when the sins of the world came upon Jesus...Father God turned His back on Jesus for the first time in all eternity past..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..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?...
I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane
Nails could not have kept Jesus on the cross had love not held Him there.
God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, ‘I love you.’
-Billy Graham-
“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
As Christ struggled up Calvary’s hill and bled upon it, His aim was to eradicate self-love and implant the love of God in the hearts of men. One can only increase as the other decreases.
-Walter J. Chantry-
His brokenhearted cry on the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do,” shows God’s heart toward sinners.
-John R. Rice-
If we want proof of God’s love for us, then we must look first at the Cross where God offered up His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. Calvary is the one objective, absolute, irrefutable proof of God’s love for us.
-Jerry Bridges-
The Whole Picture
“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” ~ Philippians 2:4
When we take a group photograph, our critical eye naturally turns to ourselves. When surveying the result, we are occupied by one question: “do I look good enough in this picture?”
Our perspective gravitates toward self-focus. If we are blinking or our hair is out of place or we are making a weird face, we want the picture retaken. We want to look our best. Evaluating how others look or the overall quality of the photo is usually an afterthought.
Our perspective problem is that we default to believing self-focus is in our self-interest. The Bible offers us a conclusive truth about this: it is not. In fact, self-focus is self-destructive. Our true self-interest lies in including taking the best interest of others into account. The world is bigger than any one of us.
But widening our view to include the interest of others helps us develop a true perspective. The passage immediately following this verse tells us that this attitude of service toward others is what Jesus had when he came to earth. His perspective was that doing what His Father asked was in His true self-interest. He gained the rewards and approval from His Father for His faithful service, which made all the service worthwhile.
Jesus told us that the second greatest command is to love others like we love ourselves. Self-interest is presumed. But by seeking the best for others, we make the world bigger than just ourselves. This leads us to discover our purpose; how we fit in to the entire body. We need the whole picture in order to truly be ourselves. And that begins with shifting our perspective to realize our true self-interest is best served by seeking the best for others.
_______________
~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net
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The Life-Changing Power of the Cross and the Resurrection
"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” ~ John 14:6
The cross is empty and so is the tomb.
You can try to bury Power, but it won't stay there.
You can try to bury Truth, but it is not dead.
You can try to bury Love, but it cannot be contained.
Jesus is alive, He won the victory of sin and death. And He's still the same, even in all the days after the Easter weekend. He never changes. He made a way for us to live free.
No other truth in history has the ability to change our lives and affect our future like this. Yet so many still choose to reject Christ's sacrifice and love. He offers us a choice today, and it's the best decision you could ever make.
What Christ's Death on the Cross and the Power of His Resurrection Offers:
1. It provides a bridge, a way, to God.
It gives us an opportunity to have a personal relationship with the very God who made us and loves us more than we could imagine. Without the cross, there is no way to cross over to the other side of relationship with Him. Any attempt will fail. He is the Only Way.
2. It provides opportunity for forgiveness of sin.
Through the price that Jesus paid on Calvary, we have the chance to be forgiven of our own sin. He took our sin and shame upon His very shoulders. He took the blows on our behalf so we wouldn't have to suffer. Such incredible love. Such amazing sacrifice.
3. It provides freedom to all those who believe.
Freedom from the shackles of sin. Freedom from shame. Freedom from fear. Freedom from worry. Freedom from hopelessness. Freedom from despair. Freedom from addiction. Freedom from guilt. Freedom from darkness and eternal separation from God.
4. It provides new life.
We are not only forgiven and set free, but we have a whole new life and destiny through Christ. We are changed, from the inside. He renews our minds. He changes our hearts and desires. He gives us fresh purpose for every day set before us.
5. It provides power for us to live today.
When Jesus died on the cross, and was buried, it didn't stop there. The final picture of all that the cross provides lies in the powerful Resurrection of our Lord. He won. He didn't stay dead. His power broke through, and that same power is alive within us today. As believers, God gives us the power of the Holy Spirit, living and moving through us each day.
6. It provides the way to have victory over the enemy (Satan).
We don't have to fear him or his attacks. As we live aware of his traps, the power of Christ over our lives gives us a covering and protection from his evil schemes. We're not left to fend for ourselves. We don't fight in our own strength. We can stand strong in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ.
7. It provides for us an eternal heavenly home.
We never need to fear about what will happen when we die. In Christ we have been given the gift of eternal life. This earth is only our temporary home. God is preparing a place for us, with Him, to live forever. And you can be assured it will be far greater than we could ever imagine.
Suggested Prayer:
Dear God, thank You for your great gift of love and sacrifice, so that we can live free. Thank You for the power of the cross and the Resurrection. We ask that the truth of it all sinks deeply into our hearts and changes us forever. Fill us fresh with your Spirit today. In Jesus' Name, Amen
_______________
~ by Debbie McDaniel (https://www.debbiemcdaniel.com)
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Mother Teresa on Roe v. Wade
“It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.”
“America needs no words from me to see how your decision in Roe v. Wade has deformed a great nation. The so-called right to abortion has pitted mothers against their children and women against men. It has sown violence and discord at the heart of the most intimate human relationships.”
“It has aggravated the derogation of the father’s role in an increasingly fatherless society.”
“It has portrayed the greatest of gifts — a child — as a competitor, an intrusion, and an inconvenience. It has nominally accorded mothers unfettered domination over the independent lives of their physically dependent sons and daughters.”
“And in granting this unconscionable power, it has exposed many women to unjust and selfish demands from their husbands or other sexual partners.”
“Human rights are not a privilege conferred by government. They are every human being’s entitlement by virtue of his humanity. The right to life does not depend, and must not be declared to be contingent, on the pleasure of anyone else, not even a parent or a sovereign.”
~ Mother Teresa (February 1973)
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Does That Really Hurt?
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even 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.” ~ Psalms 23:1-4
Have you ever seen a small child fall down, tripping over their shoe laces or accidentally bumping their head against the wall? There is, in the aftermath, a moment that seems to be frozen in time.
• Is the child going to cry?
• Are they truly injured?
A parent will often preempt the response by making a joke or encouraging their kid that they are ok.
Sometimes we cry because of the fear of pain rather than the experience of pain itself.
Once we get a taste for pain, it is easy to become overly fearful of it. We adopt a confirmation bias. Out of our fear of it, we are looking for pain.
This threat permeates our worldview. Everything could hurt. Everything might offend me. We find what we are looking for. And so many of us are looking for pain, peering for it around every corner.
Our perspective often invents offenses. We want to justify our way of thinking, eager to blame others for our hurt, dissatisfaction, or ineptitude. We act as though things hurt when really we are just trying to massage the circumstances to get our way.
• Does it really hurt?
• Or have I learned that tears get me attention?
Obviously, we can push too far in this direction. Acknowledging what truly hurts is vitally important. We have to be able to honestly name sorrow when it strikes. But we must be equally able to see when it is just the threat of pain that scared us into offense or sadness or anger. We should not cover up true pain. Neither should we adopt imagined pain.
If we want to live a life of truth, we need to be able to ask ourselves, "Does this really hurt?" and have the courage to answer truthfully.
_____________
~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net
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Good morning CarlCarlMcB...good to meet you....the story of the centurion Cornelius in Acts chapter 10 and what you speak of in verses 44-48...right?
Have a awesome day!
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+10&version=ESV
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
Isaiah 55:8
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 required. 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....sit down and read Psalm 23 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 your hope and prevent negative emotions from gaining a stronghold on your life..and...the owners manual of life...the Bible....use it and rejoice and be glad...and do have a awesome and blessed day!
I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane
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
Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long
Psalm 25:5
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.
Psalm 32:8
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."
Isaiah 30:21
Returned from Exile
~ God offers grace, not condemnation, to all who acknowledge their mistakes and ask for help.
Scripture Reading: Luke 15:11-32
Jesus’ resurrection — the heart of the gospel — promises us resurrection as well. When He comes again, we will rise from physical death (1 Thessalonians 4:16). But the Lord promises more, which is described in the story of the Prodigal Son.
After taking his inheritance, the son assumed he could choose the life he wanted. Instead, he wasted everything — which is the definition of prodigal — and ended up with a life more like death. Penniless and alone, he at last “came to his senses” (Luke 15:17) and realized the full life he longed for was waiting back at home.
Great need motivated the young man to return home, but he didn’t assume that a full life would be restored; he hoped only for a servant’s existence. But the father, feeling that the son’s return warranted gracious extravagance, said, “Bring out the best robe ... let’s eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again” (vv. 22-24).
Whenever we have chosen the way of death and find ourselves in a spiritual “far country,” we can remember the prodigal’s story. Like him, we can respond to the Spirit-given change of heart that draws us home. The Father’s extravagant grace awaits all who return.
________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/returned-from-exile
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A Perspective On Possession
“For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” ~ 1 Timothy 6:7
Our materialistic society advises we live our lives a bit like Pac-Man, gobbling up everything around us. To be like a child who shouts “Mine!” as soon as they see any toy in the possession of another. But reality is that everything we ever possess is just passing through our hands, on the way to somewhere else.
Recognizing this reality allows us to adopt a stewardship approach to all we own. The question of a steward is not “How can I continue to possess?” This is because the steward recognizes that they are only managing on behalf of someone else. The proper stewardship question is “What is my proper duty?” while this temporarily passes through our hands.
We are stewards for God in this life. God is the true owner of all. We know this by faith. But even observation tells us this is reality. We are only owners for a time. Someone else will eventually possess all we currently possess.
We may be entrusted for a while with land, money, houses, or investments. We have gifts, imagination, emotion, and skills. But in the end, it all belongs to God. The power of this truth unlocks our freedom, our participation, and our truest perspective. We no longer need to cling. We need not worry about loss. We can free our focus to steward well. Peace and truth are found in this fact: The Lord is The Lord of All.
_____________
~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net
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Parting Words: Love One Another
~ Leading others to Jesus begins with caring the way He does.
Scripture Reading:
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.” ~ John 13:34-35
What does it look like to love God and to follow Jesus?
Hundreds of voices around us shout very different answers to such questions. Believe this! Do that! Follow me! It can be confusing, even frightening, to a genuine seeker longing to know God.
But in today’s passage, we learn how Jesus wants believers to act on their faith — during His last dinner with the disciples, He simply encouraged them to “love one another.” This, Jesus says, is how the world will know we are His followers. Love will be the fruit, the sign, the proof.
What does this love look like?
That’s a fair question, and Jesus has that covered, too: “Just as I have loved you, you should love each other” (John 13:34 NLT). Turning with compassion to the hungry, sick, fearful, and vulnerable, Jesus spent His life putting aside status in order to serve. He confronted the greedy and those using God’s name to amass power for themselves. In a startling act of humble service, He got down on the floor to wash the feet of His followers. And soon after, He went to the cross in the most stunning display of love in history.
Our marching orders, then, are to love in the ways Jesus loved.
This is how the world will know we are His. This is how the world will know Him.
_________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/parting-words-love-one-another
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Roman centurion house Peter spoke and while Peter was not done speaking centurion was saved , and all who was there. No repentance no water baptisms, But they were baptized in the Body of The Jesus Christ.
The Daily Article — March 22, 2024
More than 1 in 5 Gen Z Americans now identify as LGBTQ+
According to the latest poll from Gallup, more than one in five Gen Z adults in the US — people born between 1997 and 2012 — now identify as LGBTQ+.
But while that number may seem high, it’s right in line with the changes in sexuality from generation to generation. The study found that people in each generation are roughly twice as likely as the one preceding it to identify as LGBTQ+. If the trend continues, then nearly half of those who come after Gen Z will share a non-heterosexual identity.
What is more interesting than the overall statistics, however, is the breakdown of how they got there.
You see, the most common LGBTQ+ status among Gen Z, millennials, and Gen X is bisexual rather than homosexual. That’s a marked change from older generations, where the two identities are roughly equal. Moreover, Gen Z women are nearly three times as likely as men to identify as LGBTQ+, with more than two-thirds of them affiliating with the B part of that acronym.
As such, while 4.4 percent of the adult population identifies as bisexual, it’s a designation claimed by 57.3 percent of the LGBTQ+ population.
A Binary Distinction
I bring all of this up today because when we hear these statistics, it’s easy to forget how much diversity exists within an acronym that encompasses essentially every sexual orientation besides heterosexual individuals. And that kind of binary distinction is intentional.
After all, adults who identify as lesbian (1.2 percent), gay (1.4 percent), or transgender (0.9 percent) remain a distinct minority within the culture. And the same proportions are largely true of Gen Z as well where, despite an LGBTQ+ population nearly three times greater than the national average, only 3 percent, 2.6 percent, and 2.8 percent identify as L, G, and T, respectively.
But when you think about how LGBTQ+ normalization is often portrayed in the culture, how do those statistics compare with the national narrative?
From Tolerance to Acceptance
When the movement to normalize LGBTQ+ activity first began to gain momentum, the stated goal was tolerance. In the decades since, however, it has largely shifted to acceptance and validation.
And understandably so.
After all, very few of us would be all right with just being tolerated. We were created to crave a deeper level of relationship than simple tolerance affords. As such, it was only natural for the goalposts to shift once toleration was achieved. And that’s not likely to change anytime soon.
So how should we respond?
A Choice We All Must Make
The choice each of us must make is ultimately whether we will condemn Scripture or condemn actions that Scripture clearly calls sin.
And we need to understand that choice is one each of us will eventually have to make. The only question is how far down the path toward acceptance we’ll go before making it.
I wish that weren’t the case, and as we stand for a biblical view of sexuality, it’s imperative that we do so in a way that honors God and demonstrates His love to those with whom we disagree. But, ultimately, the least loving thing we can do is encourage people to continue living in a way that God can’t bless.
That doesn’t mean we should go looking for a fight or even that we volunteer our beliefs on this subject. People are more than their sexual identity, and our approach to them should reflect that. But if pressed for an answer, God’s Word is clear what that answer must be, and we shouldn’t apologize for it or be ashamed by it.
So, the next time you’re forced to choose between affirming Scripture or affirming what Scripture calls sin, which path will you take?
Decide now because it will only get more difficult the longer you wait.
NOTE: For more on what the Bible teaches on this subject and why, please see “What does the Bible say about homosexuality?” and “What does the Bible say about transgenderism?”
_______________
~ published by: Denison Ministries
https://www.denisonforum.org/daily-article/more-than-1-in-5-gen-z-americans-now-identify-as-lgbtq/
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