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
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Friday, September 23, 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
Tuesday, September 20, 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
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!
==========
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.
==========
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)
==========
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
Saturday, September 17, 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
"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."
----------
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.
-----------
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
Friday, September 2, 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!!
---
jfn - 9/2/2011
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!!
---
jfn - 9/2/2011
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