Faith - Purposes - Mercies

This morning I took my 15 minute walk with God, and here's what He shared for today.

FAITH

 "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Matthew 17:20 (KJV)

Made me stop and think: The mountains in my life - obstacles between me and God - are only there because my faith is not growing as the grain of mustard seed does. That mustard seed does not remain in a state of being contained in a shell. No, it breaks from the shell and begins to grow. And it seems to me that God is implying (without spelling it out for us) that as our faith grows, mountains had ought to be removing, so that nothing shall be impossible unto us and remain as an obstacle between me and God. If they remain, then that just simply means my faith hasn't broken from its shell and begun to grow!!

PURPOSES

"'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 (NASB)

His ultimate blessing is for our good! I need to believe it because He said it, and HE doesn't lie! Though there is so much to keep us praying and praising, God does not give us anything as a means to destroy us. He gives us those things to grow our faith and increase our trust and belief in Him that who He said He is, He REALLY IS!!!

MERCIES

When all thy mercies, O my God,
my rising soul surveys,
transported with the view, I'm lost
in wonder, love and praise. (Joseph Addison (1672-1719), 1712)

Grasping hold of the vision of His mercies transports our souls beyond the clutch of all that surrounds us in our daily circumstances to elevate our faith into the realm of the unveiled Christ! Praise Him for His manifold mercies!!

A "Better Year" ??

Looking for "a better year than last year" makes me wonder: Do we REALLY understand the purpose for which we are here? As Christians, do we not understand that our very purpose for being here is to be conformed to the likeness of Christ? Do we not recognize that those very things we suffer are bringing us jewels for His crown? If we would partake of His glory, we must also partake of His suffering. "Looking for a better year" makes me realize that I was not in the enjoyment of every moment that God gave me, that I was not looking for the return of my Savior, that I was not embracing that which was bringing glory to God. It makes me realize how selfish and earthly I really am. Because I want something better (here) than I had. It also makes me stop and reflect, that in the last days, God declared that it is going to get worse. So, I'm thinking, I do not expect this year to be better than last year was. What I am hoping, is that in all of the distresses, disappointments, pain and suffering, we may each one embrace what God has entrusted to us to bear for His glory, and that we may recognize that each moment brings the Lord's return that much closer. Who knows, my beloved friends, brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ, it may be THE day in 2012 and just at such time as we are in the very midst of a very trying circumstance, that our precious Lord Jesus Christ will come at that very moment; that the Father will say, (so-to-speak) "Ok, my Son, it is enough. Bring my other sons and daughters Home to my glory. It is time for You to receive Your joy that I set before You at the cross. Bring them Home!"

Who knows, after all, that this could be "the best year of our lives"!!!!!!!

Thankful!

Philippians 4:6 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." "in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." [NASB]

It is in [during, while "it" is happening] e-v-e-r-y single circumstance of our lives that giving thanks should occur. -Notice that God did not say FOR EVERYTHING give thanks! Though this is true as well, being thankful "for" something {only} could remove the element of immediacy. I may think it's ok to grumble and complain while something is going on, but "be thankful for it once it's over." I daresay, we would miss, overlook, or forget many things to be thankful for once "it" is over and past if we are not thankful IN "it."
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If thanksgiving is the one time of year we are most giving thanks, that probably means there's not much praying going on the rest of the year!
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jfn - 11/16/2011

His Everlasting Arms

Deuteronomy 33:27
"The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms; ..."
"Leaning on the everlasting arms ..."

During our trials, there are times when "leaning" may not be enough. We must give place to our complete weight IN His arms.

There are seasons when I love to have His arms wrapped around me. But there are also seasons when I rejoice that His arms are carrying me!

We pray, "Lord, please wrap Your arms of love around So-and-so and protect them!" Then we say (when trials overtake us), "Where is God? Does He even care? I don't even feel His arms of love around me!" May I suggest that it is just in such a time as this, that His arms are underneath us carrying us THROUGH the trial?!
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jfn - 10/27/2011

What Happens In Time is Relevant To Eternity

The trials, testings, pains, and sorrows experienced in time are instruments in the hand of God to prepare us for the highest service in eternity.
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Acts 16:9
" A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." "

The man, I noticed, didn't say, "Oh, and by the way, Paul, you and Silas are gonna get dragged around in the market-place, get beat up, and be thrown ----all bloodied-up---- into jail!"

Does it seem like sometimes God wants us to do something for Him, but all this stuff happens to us along the way? Then we begin to question, "Lord, I thought You wanted me to do such-and-such, but all this other stuff is happening, and I just can't seem to do what You wanted me to do. What am I missing here?"

I think that sometimes God just needs to get us moving in order for Him to accomplish all of His purposes in us, for the blessing of others, the building up of the Body of Christ, and to bring eternal glory to Himself.

It is not as much about doing the thing to which he has called us, as it is about being available for His use all along the way.

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jfn - 10/26/2011

Here's How It IS Possible to Live Within Our Means!

There are at least two ways to live within our means - our budget - our scope of wealth:
1. Earn more income.
2. Want less stuff.

I'm pretty sure God is more interested in the second method according to Hebrews 13:5 and 1 Timothy 6:6
" Make sure your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, 'I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,' "
and
" But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. " (Both NASB)

We hear about "being positive" - well, there is such a thing as "being negative" to create a balance!
Sometimes we would be far better off if we told ourselves, "NO, I do not NEED this particular item." or "NO, I do not NEED this particular item right now." or "NO, this particular item is not good for me to have." or "I better WAIT for a little while until I have the money saved for this item." God tells us "Yes" but sometimes He tells us "No" and sometimes He tells us "Wait". We would do much better if we learned to tell ourselves these things first, before we even asked God our Father about them!

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I felt a little sadness recently when a dear friend of mine declared, "I really need THIS job!" - as she turned around and saw the bills piling up all around her. She got the job, but now confesses to discontentment. Maybe it would have been better for her to invite her Lord to guide her to the employment He wanted her to have instead of her insisting that this particular job was the one she NEEDED because she believed it impossible to wait any longer, and it appeared TO HER that there were no other "jobs" available.

Maybe we "hinder" God giving us "something better" because our thoughts fall short of His thoughts. Isaiah 55:8,9 - " 'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' declares the Lord. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.' "

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jfn - 10/19/2011

Colossians 1:13

Colossians 1:13 (NASB)

"For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son."

When people (specially teenagers) ask, "What is wrong with doing this or that or going here or there?!" There IS something wrong with it! Doing "that" or going "there" identifies us with something from which we have already been rescued. It masks, hides, or even denies our identification with the kingdom of God's beloved Son into which He has already transferred us.

The manners that we display identify us with heaven or hell. It is white and black with no "shades of gray." We're not "a little saved" or "a little lost." We are not "a little in the domain of darkness" or "a little transferred to the kingdom of His beloved Son." We either believe Christ died for our sins, or we don't. We are going to heaven, or we are going to hell. The truth of the matter is just this simple: We either ARE or we ARE NOT. Period.

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Every permanent thing in this life is temporary.

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The same loving God and Father who watches over me, cares for me, protects and provides for me is the exact same loving God and Father who performs in every single person that which advances His purposes and brings Him glory designed in eternity past for eternity future.

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Sometimes I wonder if we "prolong" God's work by our prayers. For example, we pray, "O God, please break down their stony heart with the hammer of Your Word!" What if God only needs to soften their heart. The "hammer" is not "the right tool for this job." And we "prolong" God's work in our heart until we surrender to HIM to use "the tool(s)" He chooses!!

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jfn - 10/5/2011

Heart Alignment!

Psalm 37:4
"Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart."

As we are in the enjoyment of the Lord, He administers and aligns the desires in our hearts with His.

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We would have fewer foiled plans if we would let God form them for us.

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1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NASB)
"...the Word of God ... performs its work in you who believe."

When was the last time, fellow-believer, we had work performed in us? Hopefully, it was TODAY!!

jfn - 10/3/2011

Strength

Deuteronomy 33:25; Isaiah 40:29, 31; 2 Corinthians 12:9

"... as thy days, so shall thy strength be." "...to them that have no might, He increaseth strength." ... "but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; ..." "...My strength is made perfect in weakness. ..."


We invite fear into our hearts when we try to live beyond the strength of today.


We receive "bad news" and think, "How will I ever get through this??!!" We look at the life of another who has a child with a severe disability and think, "I don't know how they do it! I couldn't have done all these years what they have done!"

In the first instance, we are trying to get the strength allotted for the days ahead, and that's not what we need for today. And we're afraid. In the second instance, we are viewing a lifetime, forgetting that every single day carried its own allotted strength, and it was given to the person who needed it. We didn't need it. We're afraid if the past had been placed on us, we would have failed.

Today's strength was not required yesterday, and it won't be adequate for tomorrow. It is perfect for TODAY.

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I have found over the years sharing what I have already received bestows greater blessing than wishing I had more to share or to give.

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I was thinking the other day about God being the Righteous Judge. When I was reflecting on this today again, it occurred to me that if lawyers and judges cared less for their purses and more for those in their care, correct and righteous judgment featuring fairness and justice would be the rule rather than the exception.

jfn - 9/24/2011

Crosses, Yokes, and Backpacks

Matthew 11:29, Matthew 16:24, John 3:30, 2 Corinthians 6:14

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me..." "...If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." "He must increase, but I must decrease." "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers..."

We're supposed to be carrying crosses and yokes, not "backpacks."

Crosses reveal what is being carried. Crosses are the loads God has given us to carry.

Yokes lighten the load of what's being carried. Taking God's yoke upon us makes our load easier to carry.

Backpacks conceal what's being carried. Backpacks carry stuff we've put in them, perhaps secret sins, maybe even stuff --which in themselves appear good-- that elevate us, rather than our Lord Jesus Christ. Stuff that we have no business carrying.

We must remember to get the correct yoke, as well; for the wrong one will ease the wrong load on us and lead to disaster.

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We get our minds so occupied with our cloaks of doctrines and wrap ourselves so tightly in them, that God just comes along with a little test and totally exposes our souls.

When we get to heaven, I just can't seem to imagine (yes, I know, it's imagination at work!) but I just cannot seem to think that God is going to sit across from us and say, "So, what did you hold about "such-and-such" doctrine?" No! I can imagine Him saying, "So, let's talk about My Son..."

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May God align me to Himself as He brings facts to my soul, which examine my beliefs, perceptions, insights, assumptions, and suppositions of Him.

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As believers, we should "be ecstatic" that God is the Righteous Judge! In the day when God sets right every wrong, it will be fair, right, and just.

jfn - 9/23/2011

The Future Depends Upon the Past

History is absolutely necessary to affirm the future.

Documentation confirms the truth that the Word of God has already declared. Just as surely as the birth, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ were documented by historians, the events of the present period of time are being documented by historians confirming what the Word of God has declared would happen. How, then, can we even think to "suppose" that the events described in the Prophets of the Old Testament and The Revelation of the New Testament won't happen! The historical facts lead to the factual conclusion that:

1. The eternality of Hell is a real place.
2. The eternality of Heaven is a real place.
3. The consequences of rejecting God's plan of salvation are real consequences.
4. Acting like you don't believe God doesn't prevent the future [events] from happening.

History verifies that the future according to the Word of God is going to occur just as He said it will!

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The Old Testament and The New Testament are in agreement as to future events. It's as if the Holy Spirit of God gave a sort of outline in The Old Testament and a "in other words" description in The New Testament.

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What's hindering us from Jesus' return? Have the short-sighted "...passing pleasures of sin..." [Hebrews 11:25] (NASB) eclipsed our vision of "...with Christ; which is far better:"? [Philippians 1:23] (KJV)

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I think in God's School, He uses the exact same lesson plans for every single one of His Children. Though circumstances are varied and as different as every single one of His Children, they are all used of God for one purpose: that all of His Children "... become conformed to the image of His Son..." Romans 8:29 (NASB)

jfn - 9/20/2011

Yokes Reduce Burdens!

Matthew 11:28-30

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
"For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (NASB)

Do we have any idea why our stress levels are so high? It's because we don't have enough on our shoulders! We have not taken the yoke of Christ's gentleness (on the one shoulder) and His humbleness in heart (on the other shoulder) and found His rest for our souls. Jesus clearly stated, "My yoke is easy and My burden is light." It's as if His yoke absorbs the weight of our weariness and our burdens.

So, if we're stressed out, we NEED to take His yoke upon us. It's THE ONLY WAY we're going to find rest and "de-stress."


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Position placed upon us by man does not belong to us by right.
Position placed upon us by God belongs to us by His right.

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Every event, occasion, circumstance, person, place, thing in our lives is an instrument of God to call forth the praise of His glory as He steadily completes His purposes for eternity.

jfn - 9/17/2011

John 3:16 - The Two-Letter Word - "SO"

John 3:16 - "For God SO loved the world..."

Because the extent of God's eternal Love and compassion for the world was greater beyond the scope or capacity of any word or phrase to describe His Love, He gave . . .

The inexhaustible ability to capture with words the depth of God's love is just neatly bundled into one tiny two-letter word, so!


May the eternal love of God so grip us, that the world will receive His wonderful gift in the death of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Body of Christ will be nourished and built up for the praise of His glory!!

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jfn - 9/2/2011

Irene - Do NOT Misplace the Credit

The fear of the unknown, the terror of the possible destruction, the storm _IRENE_  for most of us is past!

I've heard: "Wow, we were really lucky." "Probably this was terrorism hype." "Probably just a big scare or a hoax." ETC.

Really??!!??

You (and I) might have been "the lucky ones"

Terrorism hype and a scare or a hoax --- HOW???

Do you think the loved ones of several people who were killed think this was a terrorism plot, a scare, or a hoax?? Do you think THOSE PEOPLE consider themselves "lucky" now that THEY don't have power and have sustained large losses of property and life?? Tremendous amounts of rain gusting in sheets; trees uprooted and tree limbs falling on vehicles and homes and people; wind that blew in excess of 80-100 mph - THIS was not the work of terrorists. This was not a hoax. This WAS a scare, but for some, it became a real living scare - the horrible reality of a nightmare!!

Number one: There is no such thing as "luck"!! To quote *another: "The word 'luck' comes from 'Lucifer'". If we had been "lucky", then, we would all be dead, because LUCIFER delights in our destruction! WE WERE NOT LUCKY!

Second: TERRORISTS had NOTHING to do with this storm!

Third: GOD has/had EVERYTHING to do with this storm!

The fact that Irene did not create GREATER destruction and devastation, and the fact that some of us HAVE NOT lost our electric, and the fact that the storm was less severe than predicted has NOTHING to do with "luck", and I am 100% convinced in my innermost being that these facts have EVERYTHING to do with the God who loves us. When the Body of Christ unitedly prayed for brothers and sisters in Christ experiencing the storm, and the storm lessened considerably, there is only ONE acceptably explainable reason for this happening: GOD heard the requests of His children. GOD was blessed in those requests. GOD was glorified in their requests. And GOD answered their requests. It is this simple. There is no "scientific explanation" necessary, there is no "luck" involved, there is no hoax or terrorist threat possible to "explain" why the storm weakened. But God....

So, please, please, let's truly ascribe to God what is due to HIM and do not equate to the enemy one ounce of the victory given to us by the very God who loves us!!!!

~~Still praying for those still experiencing the power of God's deliverance through the storm~~

* Pastor Chad Perry

jfn - 8/28/2011

The Door of Human Crisis

When God leads us to the door of human crisis, He does not shove us through, slam the door, and meet up with us again after we've passed through the maze of the trial and reached the exit door.

No! He leads us through the door, firmly closes it behind us, and has promised to be with us and go through the maze of the trial together with us to the exit door.

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The eye of unbelief asks for a sign -a miracle- and does not see. The eye of faith sees what the eye of unbelief cannot see, therefore it has no need to ask.

jfn - 8/22/2011

Would We Know . . .

Would we know there is a hill if there was no valley?
Would we know there is rest if there was no work?
Would we know the comfort of God if there was no discomfort?
Would we know there is success if there was no failure?
Would we know there is a remedy for sin if there was no Savior?
Would we know there is forgiveness if there was no blood?
Would we know there is a Savior if there was no cross?
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I wonder if God permits the light to shine through the clouds (penetrate, enter and pass through) as proof that He is REALLY there, as it says in 2 Chronicles 6:1 "...'The Lord has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud.' " because in Revelation 21:8, it says there will no longer be night and there won't be any need of the sun because God will be the Light there.
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Leviticus 2:12,14 "As an offering of first fruits ... a grain offering of early ripened things ... you shall bring fresh heads of grain ... grits of new growth ... of your early ripened things." (NASB)

In my neighbor's garden, I see beautifully ripened tomatoes. Matter-of-fact, they gave us eight huge, juicy tomatoes a week and a half ago. DELICIOUS!

Then I remembered about other tomatoes we'd received. Though large and ripe, they were deeply scarred from over-watering, sun scorching, and caterpillars, insects, and other critters making paths in the pre-ripened fruit.

Then I thought and asked myself, "Do we -no! Do **I** do this to God? Do I truly offer to Him the first fruits of my life? --- Time first to Him in the morning; thanks to Him first before eating; praise and worship to Him first when faith sees Him at work; rejoicing in Him first, last and always; tithes and offerings to Him first before supplying my own needs or wants. Or do I offer to Him the "second fruits" of my life, that which is deeply scarred by the effects of hurrying my time with Him; placing the needs and wants that I may have above what is due to Him first; being in awe and amazement at some "miracle" performed to faith, but viewed only as a miracle; rejoicing only sometimes. DO I REALLY GIVE TO GOD the first fruits???

Thoughts for my heart to ponder before Him!

jfn - 8/18/2011

The Entrance of The Cave - Have You Been There???

Even in the work of the Lord, the Devil gets us so occupied with the details, so that we will forget the work is for our Lord.
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1 Kings 19:11-13 -- "And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?" (KJV)

The voice of the Lord was not in the whirlwind. The voice of the Lord was not in the earthquake. The voice of the Lord was not in the fire. The "still small voice" was heard after all the other "voices" were silent. Maybe that's the way it is today. We're so busy listening to all the other "voices" of trials, tribulations, and the hustle and bustle of our everyday busy lives, that we seldom go "out and stand in the entrance of the cave" (NASB) and HEAR the voice of the Lord.

Were we to do this more consistently, we would learn the reality that God DOES control every detail and circumstance of our lives and the work He gives us to do for His glory.

And could it be . . . that even our circumstances would prove more miraculous than we allow them to be through lack of listening to the voice of our Lord? Perhaps He would increase our faith and then "turn right around" and bless our faith --- even to the point of "miraculous" change of our circumstances??

Have WE stood at the entering in of the cave today??

jfn 8/17/2011

Your Corner - God's Creation!

Our Daily Bread for August 15,2011 says, "...the...majestic sites in God's nature...the embroidery of earth..."
Our Daily Bread, Jun, Jul, Aug 2011, August 15, Monday


I am in complete "awe" as I consider the awesome creation of God, that no matter where He placed us on this earth or wherever He allows or even sends our feet to travel on this earth, there is -at the very least- this one thing that every land and every place has in common: You may observe the handiwork of God in His creation. From the lone pebble or the single blade of grass in the smallest garden plot, to the most picturesque expanse the eye can behold, and the word is insufficient to describe, God displays that for which He may receive praise and honor and glory.

If you think you have nothing to thank Him for today, try (as a beginning) looking in your small corner where He has placed you!

jfn-8/15/2011

Sunday, August 14 - Mighty Reflections!!!

Sometimes I think God does not do great "earth-shaking" miracles because we have become too complacent. We allow fear (terror) to rule in our hearts. Think of it: Every time God DOES do something, we're afraid. He's always telling us in His Word, "Fear not," "Let not your heart be troubled," "Do not be afraid". When God appeared, in the Person of Jesus Christ, the disciples were afraid. Even in Old Testament times, when the Angel of the Lord appeared to men, they were afraid.

When thick black clouds, rattling thunder, and non-stop lightning in the terrifying storms come along, we're afraid. But consider: God passes by us in the storms, the clouds are the dust of His feet. Yet, we're afraid!

And if He were to do something marvelous while we're in His presence at church, probably fear would rule. But this is, perhaps, why God does not bless us abundantly with His mighty working in the place where He meets with us because fear, terror, and pride of place have lulled us into a false sense of complacent security.

Imagine if God were to arrive this morning and shake the walls of our "meeting-place", church, home, wherever we assemble to worship and praise Him! Imagine if He did a work in the hearts of our neighbors! Imagine if He compelled them to seek a place where the Blood of Jesus Christ was valued at higher worth than their own hell-bound soul! Imagine if God really revitalized the Body of Christ! Imagine if our complacency gave way to God! And just imagine if our hearts wished that Sunday would never end!

Then call to your remembrance that Jesus said, "My peace I give unto you." That even in those things which would bring natural fear and terror into our hearts, the Holy Spirit dwelling within us would administer the peace of God to us!!!!

I believe this with my whole being because as I sit here in the gazebo this morning, God has passed by me in the storm. Though I did not see His face, I see the dust of His feet, and I believe in His Word, and what is written in it, specifically, Nahum 1:3, "...in whirlwind and storm is His way, and clouds are the dust of His feet."

I believe that God put this verse in my pathway earlier this week for me to meditate on and then He gave me a real example of the reality of it this morning!

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---Thank You, O Lord, my God, that You watered all the flowers in my garden today and You filled up my little fish pond, and while You were at it, You cooled their water! Thank You, God my Father, that you allowed me to have a real sense of Your presence with me today!!---

Purpose-Driven -- Purpose-Fulfilled

The other day, I was enjoying the awesomeness of God and I was lost deep in thought, when I turned in my swivelly chair in the gazebo and the most incredible movement caught my eye, quickly crashing into my "deep thoughts"! Swarms and masses of hundreds of thousands of spinning and revolving gnats, danced and gyrated across our lawn, -ever rising, falling, and changing shape- making the space directly above the green grass look like the fizzy bubbles in a soda bottle!! The sight was incredibly amazing!!!!

Almost as quickly as I'd noticed these little biting creatures, they disappeared. I wonder where they went??!! --- Well, anyway, the little musings I had up until that point, were these:

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"A Purpose-Driven Life" by Rick Warren

Have you read "A Purpose-Driven Life" by Rick Warren? Will we be able to check off:

__ Purpose-Fulfilled!

at the end of today on our To-Do List??

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On Working

God is my Employer, The Body of Christ His workshop, Jesus Christ is the Manager and intercedes for me, the Holy Spirit issues my orders, the Word of God gives me instructions. At the end of the day, the building up of the Body of Christ is the accounting given to God. And the question is: Did I fulfill the purposes of God for the building up, nourishment, edification of the Body of Jesus Christ for today?

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CREATION -

It boggles my human intellect when I consider that EVERY SINGLE phase of God's creation and the skills that He's given His human creation to produce methods of employment are all spoken of, pointed to, or hinted at in His Holy Word. Consider:

A machine
A body
Plants / Trees / Fruit
Employer / Employee
Rocks / Water / Animals
Occupations: Physicians / Lawyers / Tax Collectors / Scientists / Mathematicians
Runners / Sports / Races / Teams
Gears - wheels within wheels
Families / adoption
Painting / Artistry
Grass Mowing
Iron Sharpening
Wars
Earthquakes
Etc., etc., etc.

Solomon really did sum it all up:

"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun." Ecclesiastes 1:9


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Clouds

Nahum 1:3 "...In whirlwind and storm is His way, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet." - The thicker the clouds, the quicker His steps. The blacker the clouds, the closer He is.

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Earth's Classroom

Earth is the classroom where our soul and spirit get their education for dwelling in heaven.

~~~~~
jfn 8/13/2011

"The Formula" For Miracles

John 11:41-44 - "The Formula For Miracles"

"So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes and said, 'Father, I thank You that you have heard me. I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.' When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come forth.' The man who had died came forth..."    (NASB)

The progression:
Remove the stone
Thanksgiving
The Request
The Miracle

If we would see miracles, there's the formula!!

If we DON'T see miracles, here's why:
1. We have not removed the stone (covering our hearts)
2. We have not given thanks or praise to the Father
3. We have not made a clear request
4. We have not seen the miracle with the eye of faith

The stone covering our hearts is unbelief. Without that being removed, we will be unable to give thanks. We will beat about the bush and make unclear requests because we do not believe that God is going to do (nor can He do!) this impossible request. We do not see the miracle because our faithless eyes accept human explanations.

God performs the request!
Science gets credit.
Human wisdom or intelligence or skill gets credit.
We might get close by hearing:
a. "It's amazing!!"
b. "It's phenomenal!!"
or even
c. "It's a miracle!!"

But where is the authority or authorship of God in this?

What glory would God receive if our immediate reaction to events was:

"Come!! see what THE LORD has done!!!!"


~~JFN - 8/4/2011~~

Masters of Mud Creations!

Often, Christians create mud.
And then we struggle in it!

A sinner comes along with the dirt of his sin. A Christian struggles with the sinner trying to convince him of the filth of his sin by applying just enough of the Water of the Word of God to the dirt to create mud. All the while he (the Christian) is getting just as filthy as the sinner because he is occupied with / in the filth of the sin.

Were we to apply the precious Water of the Word of God liberally, the Holy Spirit of God would convict the sinner of the filth of his own sin, and GOD would wash the sin away without US struggling in the filth.

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"You are what you eat"

I think this applies spiritually, just as well:
If we are the type of Christians who are shallow, intellectual, spiritual, etc., etc., etc., it is a direct result of what we feed on -spiritually- habitually.

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"Fly to the Food"

I was thinking the other day that my hummingbirds fly to where the food is. It's always in the same place. And then I thought, "Do we 'fly' to where our Food is??" Our Food is always in the same place, too. God's Holy Word contains spiritual nourishment for every one of us!!

Consistency - Your "Birth"-day - Life in Christ

CONSISTENCY
The other day I was in the gazebo staring at my hummingbird feeder. I was mesmerized by "Hog" (the Hummer Phoebe named because he was "hogging" the feeder, the bicycle in the garden, and the mailbox in the garden - pretty much, he thinks he owns the garden!!) Anyway, though my eyes were riveted on Hog, my mind drifted to an article I read about hummingbirds. The main thing for feeding them, I read, is CONSISTENCY. You need to feed them regularly, and keep the feeder clean - consistently.

That made me think of the CONSISTENCY of:
Christ and His Church
Christ and His Body
Christ and His Bride
Christ and His Child/ren
How WE are to be individually to / for / with Christ
How WE are to be collectively to / for / with Christ

Maintenance through feeding on the Word of God and cleansing our hearts from sin and its effects, leads to consistency in relationships with Christ and each other.

=================
YOUR "BIRTH"-day
Write your "birth"-day down! Write it someplace visible. Write a date. Write it SOMEWHERE! No, not your "natural" "birth"-day --- your SPIRITUAL one!! Maybe you're like me, and you don't remember the exact day you accepted God's wonderful gift of salvation - the day you were saved. And maybe you're also like me, that sometimes Satan likes to whisper, "Yea, well since you don't remember the day, the time, nor the place and you didn't have 'an earth-shattering experience' then you probably aren't really saved, after all."

You see, when you've settled in your heart before God that Christ died for YOUR sins, THAT is THE day you may present to Satan that Christ became your Lord. And if ever he threatens you again, just turn to your piece of paper and present it to him. Through remembering the date, it will confirm that occasion when your heart was settled before God, even though the actual acceptance of Jesus Christ may have been at a very early age.

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Life in Christ
The more clearly we apprehend the death of Christ, the greater will be our appreciation for our life in Christ.

=================
Preaching
NOT preaching is the best way to reach.

=================
Our ACTIONS confirm or deny what we say
Say little. Actions have much to confirm! Say lots. Actions have much to deny!

Children: Bubble-Wrapped to Absorb Life's Bumps??

As parents we want to put our kids in bubble-wrap to protect them. We want to shield them from harm and danger, minimizing the hurts we've experienced, longing that they might not have to go through what we've gone through. We look around. We see older folks, maybe brothers or sisters in Christ that have persevered through the most grueling circumstances. They have endured great physical afflictions, yet we observe that they are some of the most patient, loving people we know. We think to ourselves, "Boy, I wish I could be just like them. They NEVER complain. They just seem so sweet and unselfish."

Then one day it hits us:

We (parents) ARE becoming just like them. The trials and difficulties God affords us through our children and the various stages they grow through, make us realize that tribulation does indeed work (or precede) patience! One day we DO realize we have more patience than we used to have. But we want to protect our dear children from those hardships of life, that they might be spared from the weight and burden of the results of sin. Surely, there must be another way in which they can become patient, loving, sweet, and unselfish!

Yet again, on another day it hits us:

Our children HAVE (as in NEED!!) to experience these difficulties as well as we, for how else will THEY become the polished Stones and Gems created for the pleasure of God?? It is only in the tumbler of life that the jagged edges are removed, that the priceless treasure may be revealed by God for His glory!!

Dear Parents, take heart. The SAME (remember, that IS one of God's names!!!) the SAME God who preserved those dear older folks, and who IS preserving US, still has the SAME ability to preserve our children!- Remember, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."? - Hebrews 13:8


jfn - 7/12/2011

SILENCE!!

Ecclesiastes 3:7b - "...A time to be silent and a time to speak."
Revelation 8:1 - "...there was silence in heaven for about half an hour."
(both NASB)


Can we really "imagine" silence, the complete absence of sound? (Wikipedia Dictionary)


----
This morning, while in the gazebo, I thought, "I wonder what that would be like - the complete absence of sound - where absolute stillness rules!" So I "foolishly" thought I'd give it a try right there! "See" what it would be like!


I had no idea "God's creation" was so noisy!!


The droning, low-throaty rattle of a bi-plane as it circled, dipping and rising over its freshly dusted crops, scrutinized every blade and leaf that was dusted. Satisfied, the plane with its droning rattle faded off into the distance as another field was surveyed to receive its share of the bug-reducing spray!


I hear a whole sanctuary of birds nestled together in the throats of two mockingbirds trying to outdo each other with the number of chirps, chips, trills, and calls they've both learned!


The breeze rearranges my hair and creates a gentle but noisy wave as the leaves of nearby trees and bushes rustle and bump into each other, all moving in the same direction.


Then the sounds of the pump, filtering the pool; gentle drops of water lightly splashing back into the fish pond; the hum of tires (louder than its engine) of a passing SUV; arguing crows, happy robins, chipping sparrows, and the buzzing wings of a bee on a mission whose course is right past my head(!) all crowd out silence! 


And I began to wonder, "Is THIS why God says to enter into a closet to pray, where it's 'quiet' and 'still' ?? "
---
Matthew 6:6 - "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."
(KJV) - I'm pretty sure the emphasis in this verse is about the "secret" part, but so-to-speak, wouldn't it be "ok" to just enter into your house? I wonder if it has to do with "getting the noise out and the quiet and stillness in" so that we may know God. (“Be still, and know that I am God” [Psalm 46:10]).
---
So, I realized that I really do not know what it is going to be like in heaven for that solemn and momentous half hour!! And I think we really do not know what that silence is going to be like at all! - - - - - I'm praying that as you read this, you will be on the heaven-side of this silence, rather than on the earth-side!!!
---
jfn - 6/30/2011

There Can Be NOTHING Better Than THIS!! - - - ?? - - - REALLY???

On Wednesday morning, I sat in the gazebo, enjoying a wonderful cup of Hazelnut coffee, surveying meticulously every detail of God's awesome creation that my little finite mind could define, and listening intently to all the amazing sounds that God has orchestrated for HIS pleasure. I was absolutely thrilled with the non-rhythmic symphony that the water delicately trickled out as it fell lazily back into the pond, punctuated only with periodic distortions created by the soft whisper of a gentle breeze. Birds sang to each other, and a robin and robinness were caught up in a "domestic dispute," I think, which settled quickly, and harmony returned. I watched breathlessly -literally!- as my hummingbird feeder saw its first guest arrive and settle onto the little bar, driving its long bill deeply into the simulated flower, and begin to drink unhurriedly.

I watched as my fish darted to the surface of the pond, snatched bits of their flaky food, and disappeared with a slight splash, leaving circles of rippling water, overlapping each other as every circle raced for the edges of the pond. Oh, I smiled at the wonderful thought that these things of creation which our Creator permits us to take in fleetingly, were CREATED FOR HIS PLEASURE!!!

"Ahh!" I mused, sipping my coffee, letting it settle on my tongue, and enjoying the wonderful taste before swallowing it, "What could be ANY better than this??!! - There is NOTHING better than..."

"...WITH CHRIST, WHICH IS FAR BETTER;" (Philippians 1:23)

Suddenly I realized, the things that are so good and so pleasant and so right and so just are only little teeny tiny examples of what it is going to be like WITH CHRIST!!!! (Yes, I know, I was redundant with my speech, but I really, really wanted to share that we can only imagine the littlest speck of what it is going to be like WITH our Lord!!) - - - And likewise, the absolute very worst thing that could ever possibly happen on this earth is only the littlest, tiniest speck that we can possibly imagine what it is going to be like for eternity WITHOUT CHRIST!

So, may the God of Creation, be the center of our focus and OUR PLEASURE, since the things that ARE created were created for HIS pleasure!!!!

The Four EASIEST / MOST DIFFICULT Things in This Life!!!

This morning I realized something that I've wondered for a long time but never put into words before:

I now know the two easiest and the two most difficult things in this life:


1. I know that it is the EASIEST thing in this life to know how another person should live, use their money, is messing up their life, slipping spiritually, etc.

2. I know that it is the MOST DIFFICULT thing in this life to know how I should live, use my money, am messing up my life, slipping spiritually, etc.

3. I know that it is the EASIEST thing in this life to have all the answers for everybody else.

4. I know that it is the MOST DIFFICULT thing in this life to have ANY answers for myself.

Matthew 5:16 - "Let your light so shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (NASB) --- I noticed that in almost every translation (if not all of them), it says, "...shine BEFORE men..." - not "...shine ON men..." ---- The light that we shine should glorify our Father who is in heaven, not shine ON another and either exalt them or point out their failures!!

---
jfn - 6/8/2011

IF ... You COULD Choose ... Heaven?? or Hell??

Today's Our Daily Bread, "Bad Choice" (May 31), jolted me into a serious consideration of what I've heard before about people "choosing" (as if they COULD) to go to Hell. I've heard, "I wanna go to Hell, 'cause all my friends are gonna be there, and we're gonna party!!" Interestingly, the same person declared not a week later, "My life is a living hell on earth!!" - - - I cannot figure out WHY this person would actually choose MORE of that kind of a "life"!!! - - - and I am 99% sure he HAS NOT read "The Book" (The BIBLE), in which there is not one mention of "fun" or "partying" or "friends" or "interesting people" EVER connected with Hell!!

The only descriptions of Hell as found in The Bible do not even remotely suggest that it is a place where pleasure will be found. The Bible talks of, "sorrows" in 2 Samuel, "pains" and "destruction" in the Psalms, "cast into;" "torments;" and "weeping and gnashing of teeth" in the Gospels, "death" and "the lake of fire" in Revelation. Every one of the scriptures dealing with Hell clearly paints a vivid picture of the most undesirable place in which to find oneself!!

On the other hand, the descriptions of Heaven are in stark contrast!!

Deuteronomy speaks of "the precious things of heaven."
2 Kings and Malachi talks of "windows in/of heaven."
Ecclesiastes exults that "God is in heaven."
Isaiah says that God declares, "Heaven is my throne."
Matthew states "great is your reward in heaven."
1 Corinthians gives the greatest reason for wanting to be in heaven: "the second man is the Lord from heaven."
Revelation elicits praise with: "a door was opened in heaven;" "there was silence in heaven;" and "appeared a great wonder in heaven"

You will notice the contrast here:
There is no mention of even a few moments silence in Hell.
There is no mention of "sadness" or "darkness" or "sorrow" connected with heaven.
There is no mention of those crossing over from Hell to Heaven or vice versa.

-----------

It seems to me that the definition of insanity is:

"Knowingly choosing the most foolish, unwise, and irrational options, while expecting, perhaps even demanding them to yield the same results (or better) as the rational and wise options."

jfn - 5-31-2011

The Shadow and The Law

This morning I enjoyed a cup of coffee in the gazebo and witnessed with great delight the work of God's hands. I studied the ever-changing shadows He drew as He moved the sun in its divinely-appointed pathway for this day, which HE made. I AM REJOICING, AND AM GLAD IN IT!

But the shadows reminded me of two verses:

John 1:17

"For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."


Hebrews 10:1:
"For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things..."

The very best explanation I have ever heard to help me remember the difference between The Law and Grace and Truth was given by bro. Ruben Ruga many, many years ago:

"I may see a shadow coming around a corner and I KNOW it is my mother. I recognize her image. But when my mother COMES around the corner I run to embrace her and immediately forget about the shadow. I do not run to embrace her SHADOW, for that was only a sample of the good which was to come! This is the type of what Hebrews 10:1 refers to."

---
jfn - 5/26/2011

WHO not WHEN - Knowledge of our Lord's Return

I posted the following on a Facebook page about the Lord's return for us:

"I read all of the posts but cannot make a comment on Fred's status about Family Radio. I only have one comment on all of this: IF MATH was used "to calculate" the Lord's return, the "calculations" have been incorrect -how many times now????- It should be clear to EVERY person that MATH has nothing to do with the Lord's return. The WORD OF GOD has EVERYTHING to do with it, and yet THE WORD OF GOD DECLARES in black and white that NO PERSON knows... So, wasting time with math calculations is foolishness, at best! - And all the books written are foolishness.  Because it has nothing to do with the day, year, time of KNOWING, it has to do with the WHO of KNOWING!!! The SON doesn't know, the ANGELS don't know. THE FATHER ONLY knows!!! To try to figure it out only reveals the foolishness in our earthly wisdom!!"

jfn - 5/24/2011

EXACTLY What ARE We Looking For - In The Word of God???

To pit the New Testament against the Old Testament, one gospel writer against another gospel writer, one truth against another truth is nothing short of an excuse to disobey God. Period.

For the time in history, the place geographically, the people nationally, the individual personally, God caused to be recorded EXACTLY what was needed to bring Him glory and to reveal to us His ways and His works. A true heart before God will rejoice to recognize how "detail-oriented" God is to every individual person. He gives to every person, time, place, people, nation, EXACTLY what is suitable at that moment!

We ARE of all previous peoples the most blessed!!

1. We have the completed Word of God!
2. We are excluded from the ritualistic observances required under Jewish law, through faith in Christ Jesus.
3. The blood of Jesus Christ has set our hearts free from looking into the scriptures for the "Thou Shalt"'s and the "Thou Shalt Not"'s to follow!
4. God has given to the believer in Christ the simplest, easiest, and most personal attachment to Himself. He has given His Holy Spirit to live within our hearts!!

Humbly submitting to what God has placed within our hearts by His Holy Spirit is what He's looking for, not gaining more intellectual knowledge as to why we think we should or shouldn't do something based on what He spoke in another time, to another person, or to His "earthly" people - nor even the early church in its "infancy." Isolating a Scripture, a Truth, a verse to serve as a platform to project our own likes or dislikes is extremely dangerous - if not "deadly" - for the one at whom it is aimed. Remember? We cannot keep "the law"??!! Not one person has the ability to do so!

But I believe this: How God directs our hearts TODAY will never be contrary to the principles He has spoken in His Word. Of that, I am CONVINCED!!

---

Simple submission is the greatest witness to true humility and obedience.

--
jfn - 5/18/2011

God's Justice!

To believers, God administers justice by a sentence of: ACQUITTAL by reason of Christ's death, blood, resurrection, and ascension; and our acceptance of Christ by faith.

The door to our Solitary Confinement cell of serving hell are thrown open, our chains of bondage and slavery to Satan are snapped, and we are ushered into freedom to live our lives in gratitude to God and for His glory!

Can you think of a better serving of justice than this??

jfn - 5/17/2011

We ARE Getting What We Pray For!!!

We often pray for the health and healing of our bodies. We often pray for things which effect our emotions -- increase our faith, love for another, peace, humility, patience, etc. -- how often do we realize as we make these requests that it is in reality a cry of our souls and spirits to grow before God? For, as we make our requests, God has already answered (Isaiah 65:24 - "It will also come to pass that BEFORE they call, I will answer; and WHILE THEY ARE STILL SPEAKING, I WILL HEAR. -NASB-) with just what is needed so that our souls and our spirits will grow for His glory.

More often than not, it seems as if God send us more of the very thing we are trying to avoid, for, though a worldly expression, the sentiment is backed by The Word of God: "It's got to get worse before it will get better." "...tribulation brings about perseverance;" Romans 5:3 -NASB-

The increase of the very thing for which we request relief is PROOF that God has heard and answered our souls' and spirits' request to grow before Him!

jfn - 5/13/2011

His Wings

Psalm 17:8 - "...hide me in the shadow of Your wings."
Psalm 36:7 - "...take refuge in the shadow of Your wings."
Psalm 61:4 - "...let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings."
Psalm 63:7 - "...in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy."
Psalm 91:4 - "...under His wings you may seek refuge."
Matthew 23:37 - "...how often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling."
--- All references NASB ---

Hiding in the shadow -- taking refuge in the shelter -- seeking refuge under -- His wings we may sing for joy that our Protector shields us from that which the enemy hurls at us.

Dear fellow "chicks" [believers] let's not be unwilling to be gathered together and hidden under the shelter, refuge, and protection of His wings!!

jfn - 5/11/2011

God's Demands on Faith

Faith does not hesitate at what God demands of it. How else would the father of faith (Abraham) have received that commendation by God that he (Abraham) "...is the father of us all,? - Romans 4:16

jfn - 5/10/2011

Deliverance From Evil

We often pray: "...deliver us from evil...", but have we ever prayed: "...deliver evil from us..."?

Perhaps if we prayed more in this way, we should see more victories and deliverances, as we witnessed last night, and perhaps we should witness them way sooner than the evil continuing on for an extended period of time?     --     jfn - 5/2/2011

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As we accept what God is giving us, whether pleasing or painful, do we look at the face of God and into the eyes of Jesus and experience the love in His heart for us?

When we give our problems over to Jesus, do we look at His nail-pierced hands and remember all that He suffered on our behalf?

How / why is it that we so easily forget His greatest proofs of His love, by the look in His eyes and the effects of His suffering, and begin to accuse Him of forgetting about us and blaming Him for our circumstances?

Do we REALLY believe that He made His Son SUFFER THAT MUCH before, and now He's going to just FORGET ABOUT US? He wouldn't be GOD if He did!!!     --     jfn - 5/2/2011

The Garden of Our Words

Have we tended to the Garden of Our Words today, watering them with The Word of God, weeding out the ones that cause harm or hurt to one another, fertilizing them with grace and a pinch of salt; and are we harvesting the ripe fruits of words to use for encouragement, comfort, and revival of one another? Does the blossoms of our words send forth a sweet fragrance to those who hear them? But above all, are The Garden of Our Words tended with thanksgiving, praise, honor, and glory to God? --- ". . . how does your garden grow?" - jfn-4/28/2011

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God gives us good: people, events, things, places, etc. down here to enjoy --not to be focused on them-- so that He may say, "Look, see how much you enjoy this? Well, My heaven with Christ is far better than anything you will experience on earth."

Think of it: If God DIDN'T give us good: people, events, things, places, etc. to enjoy, we would have no concept of what "far better" really means.

I believe God intends us to enjoy what He's given to us here, but He wants us to be excited that He has much better in store for us with Him!     - jfn-4/28/2011

The Maze of Our Lives

How is it "God's fault" when we sporadically thank Him [even less] seek Him, when we hurriedly bumble and stumble through the maze of our lives, take wrong turns, end up in the same place, and we're not any further ahead --or anywhere, for that matter? This becomes God's fault - HOW?     -- jfn 4/21/2011