I looked in the mirror

As the mirror looked back at me this morning, a short sigh passed my lips. Was this me? Was this old fellow, with advancing wrinkles, really a true reflection of the me looking on? The mirror seems so unkind because it can only reflect the truth that it sees. Truth. The mirror speaks truth in the present. The mirror also reminds us of the truth of the past.

The rear-view mirror alerts us of things past that could be a future or present problem if not corrected. A glance in the rear-view mirror can save us a lot of heartache as we avoid mistakes of yesteryear. Strangely, things seem to look different, viewed through the rear-view mirror!

The morning will bring a fresh start. God heralds this new day with His artistry in the morning clouds. Reds and oranges, yellows and sapphire blues, silvers and golds in all kinds of hues. Our Lord gives us each day brand new, ever fresh, never the same nor repeated from the beginning of time. Each day fulfills His promise, His grace, His love.

The morrow will reveal the newness of the year. Yet another fresh start. A God given opportunity to learn from the reflection of the past. To grasp the weight the gift God offers to each and everyone of you. The chance to leave the past in the past. To clear your path in the present. To light your path in the future to a place of peace and joy and love that cannot be fully comprehended by our limited human minds. This wonderful gift is yours, won't you ask for it?

(Rom 10:9, 10) that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Start your year from a place of strength, of love, of peace, of joy, by welcoming into your hearts our Creator, our Lord, our King, Jesus of Nazareth, Son of Almighty God, Amen.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE THIS YEAR?

I looked in the mirror

As the mirror looked back at me this morning, a short sigh passed my lips. Was this me? Was this old fellow, with advancing wrinkles, really a true reflection of the me looking on? The mirror seems so unkind because it can only reflect the truth that it sees. Truth. The mirror speaks truth in the present. The mirror also reminds us of the truth of the past.

The rear-view mirror alerts us of things past that could be a future or present problem if not corrected. A glance in the rear-view mirror can save us a lot of heartache as we avoid mistakes of yesteryear. Strangely, things seem to look different, viewed through the rear-view mirror!

The morning will bring a fresh start. God heralds this new day with His artistry in the morning clouds. Reds and oranges, yellows and sapphire blues, silvers and golds in all kinds of hues. Our Lord gives us each day brand new, ever fresh, never the same nor repeated from the beginning of time. Each day fulfills His promise, His grace, His love.

The morrow will reveal the newness of the year. Yet another fresh start. A God given opportunity to learn from the reflection of the past. To grasp the weight the gift God offers to each and everyone of you. The chance to leave the past in the past. To clear your path in the present. To light your path in the future to a place of peace and joy and love that cannot be fully comprehended by our limited human minds. This wonderful gift is yours, won't you ask for it?

(Rom 10:9, 10) that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Start your year from a place of strength, of love, of peace, of joy, by welcoming into your hearts our Creator, our Lord, our King, Jesus of Nazareth, Son of Almighty God, Amen.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE THIS YEAR?

(Luk 2:11) for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Merry CHRISTmas

Shalom Hannukah, May the Temple be restored, Amen.

(Luk 2:11) for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Merry CHRISTmas

Shalom Hannukah, May the Temple be restored, Amen.

Birth Pains

As each day passes, it seems that we are thrust forward yet another step towards extreme violence and hatred all around the globe. Never in my lifetime has there been such vulgarity in the public square.

We celebrate the most wonderful birth in our earthly history this month. The Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, the very Son of God. The Light of the world arriving to make right that which man caused to go horribly wrong. The door-opened to sin and to death and the planting of the seed from which today's hatred is being harvested. The hate-filled crop has grown like weeds and our earth is rapidly being consumed by the thorns and thistles of anger, pride, selfishness, God-less-ness and carnal horror.

I truly recommend that you spend time each and every day in the Word. Make it a practice to read and learn the Bible. In His word you will find comfort. Comfort in knowing that the Almighty is absolutely in-charge and events are moving forward just as they are described and forecast in Scripture.

Turn off the TV. Unplug the Twitter, deactivate the Facebook and poke your nose into the living history and prophesy of God's Word.

"Your sun will no longer set, Nor will your moon wane; For you will have the LORD for an everlasting light, And the days of your mourning will be over.

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.

I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. "For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. "They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."

(Isa 60:20) (Joh 16:33) (Rom 8:22, 23) (2Co 5:4) (Rev 7:14-17)sbagster

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

PERHAPS YOU SHOULD START............

Birth Pains

As each day passes, it seems that we are thrust forward yet another step towards extreme violence and hatred all around the globe. Never in my lifetime has there been such vulgarity in the public square.

We celebrate the most wonderful birth in our earthly history this month. The Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, the very Son of God. The Light of the world arriving to make right that which man caused to go horribly wrong. The door-opened to sin and to death and the planting of the seed from which today's hatred is being harvested. The hate-filled crop has grown like weeds and our earth is rapidly being consumed by the thorns and thistles of anger, pride, selfishness, God-less-ness and carnal horror.

I truly recommend that you spend time each and every day in the Word. Make it a practice to read and learn the Bible. In His word you will find comfort. Comfort in knowing that the Almighty is absolutely in-charge and events are moving forward just as they are described and forecast in Scripture.

Turn off the TV. Unplug the Twitter, deactivate the Facebook and poke your nose into the living history and prophesy of God's Word.

"Your sun will no longer set, Nor will your moon wane; For you will have the LORD for an everlasting light, And the days of your mourning will be over.

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.

I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. "For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. "They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."

(Isa 60:20) (Joh 16:33) (Rom 8:22, 23) (2Co 5:4) (Rev 7:14-17)sbagster

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

PERHAPS YOU SHOULD START............

Show me your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths

Moses said to the LORD, "See, You say to me, 'Bring up this people!' But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, 'I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.'; "Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people."; And He said, "My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest." – He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel.

He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way; Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way he should choose. – Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. – You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way, But the foolishness of fools is deceit.

(Psa 24:4) (Exo 33:12-14) (Psa 103:7) (Psa 25:9) (Psa 25:12) (Pro 3:5,6) (Psa 16:11) (Psa 32:8) (Pro 14:8) sbagster

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Show me your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths

Moses said to the LORD, "See, You say to me, 'Bring up this people!' But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, 'I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.'; "Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people."; And He said, "My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest." – He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel.

He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way; Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way he should choose. – Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. – You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way, But the foolishness of fools is deceit.

(Psa 24:4) (Exo 33:12-14) (Psa 103:7) (Psa 25:9) (Psa 25:12) (Pro 3:5,6) (Psa 16:11) (Psa 32:8) (Pro 14:8) sbagster

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Rescue the Perishing

(Jud 1:23) save others, snatching them out of the fire.....

Words: Fannie J. Cosby 1820-1915

Music: William H. Doane 1832-1915

Rescue the perishing, Care for the dying, Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave; Weep o'er the erring one, Lift up the fallen, tell them of Jesus the mighty to save.

Tho' they are slighting Him, Still He is waiting, Waiting the penitent child to receive; Plead with them earnestly, Plead with them gently, He will forgive if they only believe.

Down in the human heart, Crushed by the tempter, Feelings lie buried that grace can restore; Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness, Chords that are broken will vibrate once more.

Rescue the perishing, Care for the dying, Strength for Thy labor the Lord will provide; Back to the narrow way, Patiently win them, Tell the poor wand'rer a Savior has died.

Rescue the perishing, Care for the dying; Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.

HAVE YOU OPENED YOUR HYMNAL LATELY?

Rescue the Perishing

(Jud 1:23) save others, snatching them out of the fire.....

Words: Fannie J. Cosby 1820-1915

Music: William H. Doane 1832-1915

Rescue the perishing, Care for the dying, Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave; Weep o'er the erring one, Lift up the fallen, tell them of Jesus the mighty to save.

Tho' they are slighting Him, Still He is waiting, Waiting the penitent child to receive; Plead with them earnestly, Plead with them gently, He will forgive if they only believe.

Down in the human heart, Crushed by the tempter, Feelings lie buried that grace can restore; Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness, Chords that are broken will vibrate once more.

Rescue the perishing, Care for the dying, Strength for Thy labor the Lord will provide; Back to the narrow way, Patiently win them, Tell the poor wand'rer a Savior has died.

Rescue the perishing, Care for the dying; Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.

HAVE YOU OPENED YOUR HYMNAL LATELY?

Dust to Dust

The dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. – So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. – The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven.

By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, and to dust you shall return." – One dies in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and satisfied; While another dies with a bitter soul, Never even tasting anything good. Together they lie down in the dust, And worms cover them.

Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely. – Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall see God;

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

LORD, make me to know my end And what is the extent of my days; Let me know how transient I am. – So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom. In Christ, Amen.

(Ecc 12:7) (1Co 15:42-44) (1Co 15:47) (Gen 3:19) (Job 21:23, 25, 26) (Psa 16:9) (Job 19:26) (Php 3:20-21) (Psa 39:4) (Psa 90:12) sbagster

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Dust to Dust

The dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. – So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. – The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven.

By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, and to dust you shall return." – One dies in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and satisfied; While another dies with a bitter soul, Never even tasting anything good. Together they lie down in the dust, And worms cover them.

Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely. – Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall see God;

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

LORD, make me to know my end And what is the extent of my days; Let me know how transient I am. – So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom. In Christ, Amen.

(Ecc 12:7) (1Co 15:42-44) (1Co 15:47) (Gen 3:19) (Job 21:23, 25, 26) (Psa 16:9) (Job 19:26) (Php 3:20-21) (Psa 39:4) (Psa 90:12) sbagster

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

For You girded me with strength for battle.

... For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Then Asa cried to Adonai his God and said, “Adonai, there is no one like You to help in battle between the mighty and the powerless. Help us, Adonai Eloheinu, for we rely on You and in Your Name we have come against this multitude. You are Adonai Eloheinu! Let no man prevail against You.” – Jehoshaphat cried out. – Adonai helped him.

It is better to take refuge in Adonai than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in Adonai than to trust in princes. – No king is saved by his great army, no warrior is delivered by great strength. A horse is a false hope for victory, nor can its great strength save.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the worldly forces of this darkness, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist when the times are evil, and after you have done everything, to stand firm.

[Tree of Life Version ]

(Psa 18:40) (2Co 12:10) (2Ch 14:10) (2Ch 18:31) (Psa 118:8, 9) (Psa 33:16)

(Psa 33:17) (Eph 6:12) (Eph 6:13) sbagster

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

For You girded me with strength for battle.

... For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Then Asa cried to Adonai his God and said, “Adonai, there is no one like You to help in battle between the mighty and the powerless. Help us, Adonai Eloheinu, for we rely on You and in Your Name we have come against this multitude. You are Adonai Eloheinu! Let no man prevail against You.” – Jehoshaphat cried out. – Adonai helped him.

It is better to take refuge in Adonai than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in Adonai than to trust in princes. – No king is saved by his great army, no warrior is delivered by great strength. A horse is a false hope for victory, nor can its great strength save.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the worldly forces of this darkness, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist when the times are evil, and after you have done everything, to stand firm.

[Tree of Life Version ]

(Psa 18:40) (2Co 12:10) (2Ch 14:10) (2Ch 18:31) (Psa 118:8, 9) (Psa 33:16)

(Psa 33:17) (Eph 6:12) (Eph 6:13) sbagster

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Christian Perfection

(Php 3:12) Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

The writings of Oswald Chambers struck a chord in my heart this morning. The words triggered a self examination, a gut-check to determine if what Pastor Chambers wrote about applied to me. Well, I read and I am convicted.

As you absorb and ponder Chamber's words below, realize that none of us will remain as unfinished stones in that house, eternal in the heavens. We are already there, but the painful process of “fitting” us to the builder's use is on going. Uncomfortable adjustments will continue to be made in us until, at our last breath, we are placed, perfectly fitted, formed, and adjusted.......One With HIM!

It is a snare to imagine that God wants to make us perfect specimens of what He can do; God’s purpose is to make us one with Himself. The emphasis of holiness movements is apt to be that God is producing specimens of holiness to put in His museum. If you go off on this idea of personal holiness, the dead-set of your life will not be for God, but for what you call the manifestation of God in your life. “It can never be God’s will that I should be sick,” you say. If it was God’s will to bruise His own Son, why should He not bruise you? The thing that tells for God is not your relevant consistency to an idea of what a saint should be, but your real vital relation to Jesus Christ, and your abandonment to Him whether you are well or ill.

Christian perfection is not, and never can be, human perfection. Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship to God which shows itself amid the irrelevancies of human life. When you obey the call of Jesus Christ, the first thing that strikes you is the irrelevancy of the things you have to do, and the next thing that strikes you is the fact that other people seem to be living perfectly consistent lives. Such lives are apt to leave you with the idea that God is unnecessary, by human effort and devotion we can reach the standard God wants. In a fallen world this can never be done. I am called to live in perfect relation to God so that my life produces a longing after God in other lives, not admiration for myself. Thoughts about myself hinder my usefulness to God. God is not after perfecting me to be a specimen in His show-room; He is getting me to the place where He can use me. Let Him do what He likes.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY??

Christian Perfection

(Php 3:12) Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

The writings of Oswald Chambers struck a chord in my heart this morning. The words triggered a self examination, a gut-check to determine if what Pastor Chambers wrote about applied to me. Well, I read and I am convicted.

As you absorb and ponder Chamber's words below, realize that none of us will remain as unfinished stones in that house, eternal in the heavens. We are already there, but the painful process of “fitting” us to the builder's use is on going. Uncomfortable adjustments will continue to be made in us until, at our last breath, we are placed, perfectly fitted, formed, and adjusted.......One With HIM!

It is a snare to imagine that God wants to make us perfect specimens of what He can do; God’s purpose is to make us one with Himself. The emphasis of holiness movements is apt to be that God is producing specimens of holiness to put in His museum. If you go off on this idea of personal holiness, the dead-set of your life will not be for God, but for what you call the manifestation of God in your life. “It can never be God’s will that I should be sick,” you say. If it was God’s will to bruise His own Son, why should He not bruise you? The thing that tells for God is not your relevant consistency to an idea of what a saint should be, but your real vital relation to Jesus Christ, and your abandonment to Him whether you are well or ill.

Christian perfection is not, and never can be, human perfection. Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship to God which shows itself amid the irrelevancies of human life. When you obey the call of Jesus Christ, the first thing that strikes you is the irrelevancy of the things you have to do, and the next thing that strikes you is the fact that other people seem to be living perfectly consistent lives. Such lives are apt to leave you with the idea that God is unnecessary, by human effort and devotion we can reach the standard God wants. In a fallen world this can never be done. I am called to live in perfect relation to God so that my life produces a longing after God in other lives, not admiration for myself. Thoughts about myself hinder my usefulness to God. God is not after perfecting me to be a specimen in His show-room; He is getting me to the place where He can use me. Let Him do what He likes.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY??