ANOTHER BIT OF USUAL HUMOR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzggPRCmaCQ

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ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE DAY

The Blessings Of Persecution

How in the world anyone could think that they would be blessed for being rejected by sharing their faith?  Isn’t it hard to think of persecution as a blessing?  What’s good about being scorned or ridiculed for telling others about Jesus Christ?

Jesus said that not only are we blessed when we are persecuted, but we are to pray for those who do this to us (Matthew 5:44).  Imagine praying for someone who has hurt you or wants to hurt you.  It’s difficult to believe that you are being blessed when someone hates you.  Believe it because Jesus said, “Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man” (Luke 6:22) and “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me” (Matthew 5:11).

The Apostles were disgraced for their witnessing, but they “left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5:41).  It’s good to remember that they really don’t hate the messenger as much as they hate the message.  The next time someone persecutes you for your sharing the gospel, thank God because you have been blessed for His name’s sake and the spirit of glory rests upon you.

If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. -  1 Peter 4:14

This daily devotional was written by Pastor Jack Wellman a writer at What Christians Want To Know.  To read more from What Christians Want To Know check out the article below or follow WCWTK on Facebook for daily Christian encouragement:

www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/bible-verses-about-blessings-20-good-scripture-quotes/

http://jesus-loves-you.org/?p=7510

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LEADERS NEED TO LEARN HOW TO FOLLOW THE PATTERN OF JESUS

LEADERS NEED TO LEARN HOW TO FOLLOW THE PATTERN OF JESUS

YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN Jesus said “Feed my sheep”(John 21:15-17).

WRITTEN BY SHIRLEY RHODES

Our Church leaders are Chosen Leaders, handpicked by God and called to suit up and go into themission field on their assigned task to shepherd and guide, and then placed in the unique position to make defining decisions and choices that can have a profound impact on a few or many. Our leaders in the church are called and expected to keep diligent watch over the flock. That is the pattern and designexpected when one accepts their calling knowing it comes with incredible responsibility.

Placed in their care are people who bring many loads of heavy burdens, looking for a way to find peace and joy as they are about this earthly journey. People from all walks of life seeking hope, lost, weary and tired wanting rest, a release from those things that keeps them in bondage.

Our leaders are therefore placed in position to minister to those souls as directed by the Holy Spirit, knowing they hold very fragile children in their hands. They are now given the authority through Christ to shape and mold lives for the kingdom of God, to feed the flock.

Remember, Jesus and how he was crucified outside the city gates–where he poured out the sacrificial blood that was brought to God’s alter to cleanse his people.  His sacrifice is a reminder to our leaders as to their purpose and calling, who must walk in obedience, faith and be examples of godliness as he accepts the torch to carry out his mission as assigned. The mission of kingdom building is not one to be taken lightly or for granted because souls are at risk.

Our Leaders are to be visible and able to relate to the needs of their followers, meaning that in order to accomplish their assigned mission they should follow the pattern of Jesus. Scripture puts it this way; let’s go outside, where Jesus is, where the action is–not trying to be privileged insiders, but taking ourShare in the abuse of Jesus. This “insider world” is not our home. We have eyes peeled for the Cityabout to come. Let’s take our place outside with Jesus, no longer pouring out sacrificial blood of animals but pouring out praises from our lips to God in Jesus’ name  (Hebrews 13:13-15, MGS).

We as seekers of peace and righteousness are to be responsive to pastoral leaders, listen to their counsel because they should be alert to the condition of our lives and work under the strict supervisionof God. We are to contribute to the joy of their leadership, not drudgery; we are to pray for them that they be diligent in their assigned mission.

Our Leaders are accountable to God and its plain in Gods’ Word the responsibility expected of them.  God says,” My sheep were scattered because they were without a shepherd and they became prey when they were scattered; I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock”. (Ezekiel: 34).

After Jesus had risen from the dead and before his ascension as he gave final instructions to his disciples: Jesus asked Peter, “Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me more than these”, three times.  When he responded “Yes”, Jesus said, “Feed my sheep”(John 21:15-17). This is a reminder to our Leaders, don’t take your calling or position lightly. YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED, CHOSEN.

 http://vineandbranchworldministries.com/2013/05/16/leaders-need-to-learn-how-to-follow-the-pattern-of-jesus/

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EXODUS 34:1 BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY

 

The Lord said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.

– Exodus 34:1 (NIV)

 

Today’s commentary
by Dave Whitehead, Senior Pastor, GraceNYC.org

Moses had broken the first set of tablets in a fit of anger when he saw the Israelites worshipping at a golden calf that was made while he was meeting with God on Mt. Sinai. Yet even the anger of Moses would not stop the purposes of God. This picture is throughout the Bible—God gives second chances. God’s steadfast love extends to the heavens. His faithfulness to the clouds.

DAILYBIBLEVERSE.ORG

 

 

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ROSE AND LINDA’S JOURNAL BRIGHT AND CLEAR

What started as time to share coffee in the morning has turned into Praise and Fellowship with the Lord.  One morning they decided to have prayer, afterwards they noticed everything looked brighter and clearer. Bible study and prayer followed as their way to start the day. Then miracles begin to happen.  Without leaving his home one member got a job.  Financial blessings took place.  Unsaved children were taking part in Bible study.  Saved children were turning back to their roots.  Restoration was taking place in others.  All were aware of changes in their lives.

It all started with a prayer that turned their world and lives into a brighter and clearer day.  That morning after prayer they all noticed how sharp and clear the sky, trees, even the birds looked.  It was like putting on a new pair of glasses.  God though was doing more than that.  He was showing them that by putting Him first, everything comes into focus, bright and clear.

Oh to start our day with Jesus.  Everything brighter and clearer by placing all into His hands.

God Bless

recj/LJG

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A BIT OF HUMOR

You have just received the Amish Virus.

Since we do not have electricity nor computers, you are on the honor 
system. 
Please delete all of your files.

I thanketh thee,

Abe

[forwarded by Autumn Mott]

============================

I just wish once someone would call me "Sir" without adding, "You're making a 
scene."

=======================================

MIKEYSFUNIES

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ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE DAY

The Benefits of Salvation: Saved From God’s Wrath

Romans 5:9-10

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

[Today we return to "The Benefits of Salvation" series with "Part 7: Saved from God's Wrath."]

What is the “wrath” Paul mentions?

It is the wrath of Zephaniah 1:15: “That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness…”

The wrath of Psalm 21:9: “At the time of your appearing you will make them like a fiery furnace. In his wrath the LORD will swallow them up, and his fire will consume them.”

Jesus speaks about it in Luke 21:23: “How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people.”

All of which point to the final wrath and judgment of Revelation 11:18: “The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great — and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”

In our passage today, Paul tells us we have been saved from God’s wrath. Yet He has not only saved us from the penalty of sin for the past, but also the power of sin in the present and the presence of sin in the future. The last two is what Paul speaks about when he says: “…how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”

The seventh “Benefit of Salvation” is we are saved from God’s wrath by our faith and belief in Jesus.

Too often I see Christians focused on just what Christ’s death represents — forgiveness of sin. Although critical, I think Paul’s point today is to not forget the equally important power Jesus has given us through the resurrection: victory over sin in the present and the presence of sin in eternity. Have you considered the wholeness offered by Jesus’ sacrifice — for the past, present and future? How does this change your perspective regarding a battle you may be currently facing?

POCKETPOWER.ORG

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WHAT IS CORE: LOVE

by Phil Ware on January 13, 2013

And these remain, faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love! (1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV).

We are on a journey to highlight, emphasize, make central, and live by What is Core. Yet this is not a quest to find something new… or novel… or faddish. There are plenty of those things out there.

We are NOT asking the question, “What is Core?” We are NOT hunting around for some secret hiding place where God, or previous church leaders, have hidden What is Core. It is not like this is something that has been hidden or hard to find in the Scriptures.

It’s just that we can get so busy with our lives, so busy with our ways of doing things, and so busy with our church stuff that we misplace What is Core and we begin to live life without what is most important, without what is the source of everything else important.

We begin to live on spiritual junk food — the latest book, the latest song, the latest idea, the latest video, the latest tweet, the latest forward; and all of these may be quite good, just not core. Before long, however, we are overweight with cool ideas that will quickly become passé and we find ourselves becoming spiritually sick because we have forgotten to eat what makes us strong, whole, and gives us life… real life.

So we come back today and remind ourselves that LOVE is CORE!

And these remain, faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love! (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Ooo! Wow! Cool! Amazing! Shocking!

NOT!

I mean, come on, everyone knows love is CORE, right? God is love! Love makes the world go ’round. Love is a many splendored things. Love is the bomb. Love is the real deal. Make love and not war. Love. Love. Love. Who can quarrel about love being important, being core?

The problem is, we’ve said the word “love” so much, that saying it is important doesn’t really mean much because love is a sloppy word, at least as we use it.

• I love Dr. Pepper.
• I love my wife.
• I love Mexican food.
• I love my grandkids.
• I love being outdoors.
• I love God.
• I love the Dallas Cowboys… oops, uh, scratch that one! I love the Texas Rangers.
• I love my parents.
• I love Duck Dynasty.

What a sloppy word, this word love is. At least as we use it.

So why is love CORE? And if love is What is Core, how do we understand what love means… I mean surely, it has to mean more than loving refried beans or chocolate pie?

Well here is our Bible passage that reminds us that love is CORE. It claims it. It defines it.

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”Jesus replied, ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:36-40).

This is the GREATEST commandment … or really greatest two commandments. Found again & again in both the Old Testament and in the New Testament. We are to love God and love our neighbor. This is What is Core!

And these remain, faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love! (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Great. Yeah. I get it. Love is CORE! But again, what do we mean when we say the word “love”? We’ve already said that love is a sloppy word, so what does the word “love” mean?

If you know Victor Hugo’s story, “Les Miserables”, then you know the story begins with a man, Jean Valjean who has served 19 hard, brutal, oppressive, dehumanizing years in a French prison doing the hardest manual labor imaginable. He was sent there for stealing a little food to help his sister feed her starving children.

Upon his parole release, no one will house him or give him food, until he knocks on the door of a church and The Bishop, much to the surprise of everyone else in the house and also to Valjean, offers to not only feed him, but also give him a place to stay. During the night, wrestling with nightmares, bitterness, and self-condemnation, Valjean gets up and steals all the silver silverware. Yet in the middle of his heist, The Bishop comes in to check on the noise and catches Valjean in his thievery. Valjean hits him and knocks The Bishop to the ground, then runs off with the silver.

The next day, French soldiers search his knapsack because they recognize Valjean’s clothing and haircut as that of a convict. When they find the silver in his knapsack, they return him and the silver to The Bishop. While expecting The Bishop to press charges, he instead asks Valjean why he did not take the silver candlesticks which are worth so much more than the silverware, since he had “given” Valjean everything. He orders that the candlesticks be given to Valjean and that he be released because he has wasted so much time.

When the soldiers leave, Valjean is stumped… dumbfounded… and speechless at first. Then he asked, “Why?” Why would The Bishop forgive his thievery and his violence? Why would he even offer him more to begin his new life out of prison? And The Bishop, clearly living out the character of Christ — love your neighbor, love those who persecute you, love your enemies, and even turn the other cheek to those who abuse you — says in essence, “I have bought your pardon and your soul with this silver. You have a new life. Now go and do the same for others.”

The rest of Valjean’s life, he lives as a new man — he lives by the principles he learned from The Bishop and his forgiving, risking, all-encompassing love.

And these remain, faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love! (1 Corinthians 13:13).

You see, love turns the other cheek. Love pays the price for others sins. Love bears injustice so that justice can be served and grace be given. Love risks forgiving when forgiveness isn’t deserved. Love makes us new people!

The Bible says it this way.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. … For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (Romans 5:6-10).

Notice the power of love. This is what we were: powerless, ungodly, sinners, and enemies of God. Not a great resumé for heaven! We were a bunch of Jean Valjeans. Dangerous criminals with nothing but a yellow passport defining us as dangerous, unchangeable, and hopelessly flawed.Then Jesus died for our sins… was buried because of our sins… raised to life to defeat the power of our sins and give us new life… because he LOVES us!

And now, we are sons and daughters of God. We are brothers and sisters of one another. We are princes and princesses of the King of glory!

That is the power of love! That is why love is CORE!

And these remain, faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love! (1 Corinthians 13:13).

But we must notice two things about this kind of love.

First, this kind of love is so much more than just a feeling… a fleeting infatuation… a surging lustful passion. Yes, it is as powerful as those things, and sometimes feels like those things… but it is much more tenacious, forgiving, and enduring.

This kind of love is ALWAYS demonstrated! Let me give you an example.

For over twenty years, I have challenged people to find me a passage that just says God loves us… that he has feelings of love for us. And every time someone says, “I found it, we have looked around and seen how God demonstrated that love… how with God love is always a verb and never just a noun! The most famous example is, ‘For God so loved the world… ‘! See, I found it!”.

Yes, it does say God loves the world… that he loves us. But look more closely at what it says: “For God so loved the world, that he GAVE…” (John 3:16). God always defines his love by his actions!

Now some folks want to define love by the Greek words — agape, philia, eros, storge. The winner, of course, is always agape — the kind of love and the word you often find in the New Testament. Interestingly, however, when the New Testament was written, agape was used pretty much like our word for love is used — very sloppy, and used for everything from loving the first century equivalent of Dr. Pepper and fried chicken to loving one’s children and spouse! Then something happened to the definition of agape. It was tied to what God did through Jesus by those who wrote about Jesus. Suddenly, agape meant a whole lot more.

You see, God defines love by what he did and what he does! And when he makes love our CORE, he calls us to do the same:

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. …This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another (1 John 3:16 & 1 John 4:9-11).

What would have happened to Jean Valjean if The Bishop had said, “I love you man!” but never offered him a place to stay, food to eat, then turned the other cheek and forgave his violence and thievery to defend his innocence to set him free? Love is what we do with our passion and compassion!

So love, and its actions, are costly and messy because it’s so much more than a feeling… it’s real, gut level, hands on, action to redeem and bless another at our cost!

And these remain, faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love! (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Second, our love doesn’t come first. Love doesn’t begin with us. Love is far more than mere obedience to love God and love others. Jesus died for our sins…

Say that out loud: Jesus died for our sins…

Our love is always our response to God, who demonstrated love to us, first.

Our love is rooted in Jesus, and his sacrificial love for us when we were unworthy and unlovable.

We love, because God first loved us! (1 John 4:19).

We were loved overwhelmingly, sacrificially, undeservedly when we were powerless, ungodly, sinners and enemies!

So when we love God with all that we are, and when we love our neighbor as ourselves, our impact on others brings about new people… a new Jean ValJean… to new life!

And it brings us the reminder of who we are and what we are about and why we are here and What is Core: Jesus and loving God and loving others like Jesus!

Which brings me back to the questions of last week:

1. Do I believe this?

1. Do I let this change who I am?

1. Do I let this guide me to what is important in life, in fellowship, in worship, and in doctrine?

How can I not, when I’ve been loved so graciously by God?

http://www.heartlight.org/articles/201301/20130113_core_love.html

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PSALMS 100:3 BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY

Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

—Psalm 100:3

Thoughts on Today’s Verse…

God made us. While we were in our mother’s womb, he made us with his loving care with a purpose for life and a promise to be with us every step of the way. God cares for us, much better than even the very best shepherd cares for his sheep. So let’s live as those who know our Leader, Creator, and King! Let’s display his character, share his grace, extend his mercy, and offer his forgiveness. Let’s show that we are his!

Prayer…

I am truly thankful, dear LORD, that you are God. Thank you for being my Shepherd, my Father, and my Hero. Please help me genuinely display your character and kindness to those around me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today’s Verse Illustrated

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi/todaysverse.cgi

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ROSE AND LINDA’S JOURNAL GODLY HUSBANDS/GODLY WIFES

He was saved, but he knew he wasn’t living right.  He was married to a Christian women, they were raising their three children in the Faith of Jesus Christ.  She always lifted her husband up in prayer as did others that knew him.  He said “she shut me out, she told me no” then he explained she had said no sex.  He asked her why, and her answer changed his life.  She told him “I have the Lord, and He is enough”, she went on to explain “I want us to be right, for us to be together.  I don’t want to be with you when you aren’t right with the Lord.”  As he thought about her answer, he realized, he did not want his wife just for sex.  He too wanted it to be right.  For it to be right, he needed to be right with the Lord. 

 

They had lived together for years.  She found the Lord and he found Him right behind her.  They knew living together was wrong and they decided to get married.  Talking to them you knew they loved the Lord and each other.  But, he prayed and asked God to increase his love for her.  Within four months of getting married two of her older children moved back home, the daughter expecting.  They were already raising a grandchild by another of her daughters. With the two older children came their father who wanted to visit his children [her ex- husband], a man who had caused problems in the past between the husband and wife.  The husband sought God in how to handle this, he did not want this man in his home.  He had been out of work a few months, though seeking a job, had found none.  God told the husband to have compassion on his enemy, to open his door to him, and he did.  Within 24 hours of being obedient to God’s call for compassion for this man the husband was called for a job.  In showing compassion for others God had blessed him, and increased his love for his wife.

 

We never know what God is going to put before us.  We don’t know the traps we can walk into our selves.  These Godly women are blessed to have Godly men, and these Godly men are equality blessed to have Godly women. 

 

God tells us what He has put together let no man put asunder. When God puts a marriage together, He picks couples that will know in times of trials who to talk to to make it right, Lord God Almighty.

 

God Bless

 

recj/LJG

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