Room

Some people are lost in a vast dark room. It's so large that the walls aren't visible at all...much less the light switch. Father I pray that when I come across someone who us lost in their own dark room that I have the words to say. That I can say come this way...over here is the light.

Don't live in your own dark room...come to the light of the world. My prayer is that I not live for Jesus...but that he would live his life through me.

Slow down

I must admit I didn't write the following reading. But I thought it appropriate for where I seem to be. We all seem to get in too big a hurry...when all we really need to do is slow down.

http://bible.us/r/51.7.L Today I am reading day 7 of Living the Surrendered Life:

Good and evil

A man can easily get caught up these days in all the evil in the world. The best example I have yet found of this is the trilogy lord of the rings. Frodo, and Sam are trying to rid the world of unspeakable evil. The evil fights back with all its might. If we bow to all that is evil we will end up nothing....but if we allow god to lead....then we will destroy this evil once and for all. There is still a lot of good in this world...we just need to be still and know he is god.

running away

Matthew 26:55-56

GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

⁵⁵ At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as if I were a criminal? I used to sit teaching in the temple courtyard every day. But you didn’t arrest me then. ⁵⁶ All of this has happened so that what the prophets have written would come true.”

Then all the disciples abandoned him and ran away.

Matthew 26:69-70

GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Peter Denies Jesus

⁶⁹ Peter was sitting in the courtyard. A female servant came to him and said, “You, too, were with Jesus the Galilean.”

⁷⁰ But Peter denied it in front of them all by saying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Matthew 27:3-4

GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

³ Then Judas, who had betrayed Jesus, regretted what had happened when he saw that Jesus was condemned. He brought the 30 silver coins back to the chief priests and leaders. ⁴ He said, “I’ve sinned by betraying an innocent man.”
They replied, “What do we care? That’s your problem.”

Matthew 27:25-26

GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

²⁵ All the people answered, “The responsibility for killing him will rest on us and our children.”
²⁶ Then Pilate freed Barabbas for the people. But he had Jesus whipped and handed over to be crucified.

Matthew 27:45-54

GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Jesus Dies on the Cross

⁴⁵ At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. ⁴⁶ About three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” ⁴⁷ When some of the people standing there heard him say that, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” ⁴⁸ One of the men ran at once, took a sponge, and soaked it in some vinegar. Then he put it on a stick and offered Jesus a drink. ⁴⁹ The others said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

⁵⁰ Then Jesus loudly cried out once again and gave up his life.
⁵¹ Suddenly, the curtain in the temple was split in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split open. ⁵² The tombs were opened, and the bodies of many holy people who had died came back to life. ⁵³ They came out of the tombs after he had come back to life, and they went into the holy city where they appeared to many people.
⁵⁴ An army officer and those watching Jesus with him saw the earthquake and the other things happening. They were terrified and said, “Certainly, this was the Son of God!”


We are all responsible for a part of these versus.  For some it might be the abandoning jesus, some it might be Denial, or betrayal.  All these versus stood out at me as i was having my devotional time.  We are all guilty of these above things.  At some point we have all denied him, betrayed him, abandoned him, crucified him... Even though doing any of the above to any body other than Jesus would probably either ruin a friendship for life, or land you in prison.  Jesus would never leave your side, oven when we are at our worst...he is always at his best.  We may abandon him...but never will he abandon us.  This is especially true for parents.  our children may do any and all of the above to us at some point.  We can't get mad at them...we MUST love them like jesus loved us.  It may be hard at times...but he is always with us...never abandoning us nor forsaking us.

life in the light

How many of us know people that claim to be christian, but only open their bible for one hour on sunday?  How many know people who own a bible but don't know where it is?  Still how many more of us see wrongs being done unto others...and yet we sit here and do nothing? 

Matthew 25:31-46

New International Version (NIV)

The Sheep and the Goats

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”


He has called us do do what we can.  But will we...it's time us as Christians rose up stopped sitting on our laurels and did what we could.  If you have been blessed financially, give.  if you have been blessed with the ability to cook...cook for those you know who either can't or are unable to.  We can all make a difference to someone...question is will we?

I pray that God will fill us to over flowing.  May we that can shine his love to those who need it.

jesus culture - fill me up 

are you full?

It seems that a lot of the time we hunger and thirst for things.  It may be different for each of us.  There are so many around this world that would give anything for the scraps of food we throw away.  We are so blessed as a people that most of us really don't see it.  Most are caught up in the turmoil of the way society is.  We are too worried about stuff that doesn't matter.  All i want is for jesus to fill me with his holy spirit.  i want Him to come into this shack, and renovate it.  i want him to so fill me with his spirit and truth that i overflow.

the following are some items i have found on other websites.  The prayer below is my prayer for this new year, for not only me and my family, but everyone i know!  If anyone who reads this wants me to pray for them, leave a comment. 

jesus culture - fill me up

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

Luke 11:13

Heavenly Father!You know the thirst in me! Yes! Lord I have come to ask You to fill me with Your Holy Spirit.Lord! We have come to the last days and You have promised to pour out Your Spirit upon all flesh! I claim in Your promise and plead for Your Holy Spirit Lord! Your Word says whoever asks shall receive! Let Your Holy Spirit step into my heart Lord and let His mighty presence engulf me even now!Lord cleanse me of all my sins and short comings so that Your Holy Spirit can dwell in me. Lord! Unless He comes into my life, I can never lead a flawless life before You! So I need Your Spirit. I open my heart to You, come in and take control of my whole being and quench my thirst Lord!I thank You Lord right now for granting me this precious gift. Let Him be my sweet companion for ever and let Him direct my steps. I know You have answered this prayer because I ask this in the most precious name of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.Amen.

darkness part 4

The world lives in darkness.  It seems to me that the worlds view of Christianity and Christians is distorted.  It's like the worldly would rather suffer in their own dark place than  just ask Jesus to shine his light on them.  They try and try to toss their anchor...but it never hits the bottom.  still some are so drawn up in their own routine that they can't just slow down and admire the beauty of the world that god has created.  If we would only be willing to stop and let him be our cornerstone!

Ephesians 2:19-22

New Living Translation (NLT)

A Temple for the Lord

¹⁹ So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. ²⁰ Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. ²¹ We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. ²² Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

1 Peter 2:4-10

New Living Translation (NLT)

Living Stones for God’s House

⁴ You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor.

⁵ And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests.^[a] Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. ⁶ As the Scriptures say,

“I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem,^[b]
    chosen for great honor,
and anyone who trusts in him
    will never be disgraced.”^[c]

⁷ Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him,

“The stone that the builders rejected
    has now become the cornerstone.”^[d]

⁸ And,

“He is the stone that makes people stumble,
    the rock that makes them fall.”^[e]

They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.

⁹ But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,^[f] a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

¹⁰ “Once you had no identity as a people;
    now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
    now you have received God’s mercy.”^[g]

 ^{a corner stone  is the forst large stone in the corner of a building.  I don't mean you and i can't have fun...NO!  Hove fun, but live as he would have lived...struggling with darkness is mearly a choice.  We have been given the tools to dig ourselves out of our dark holes...question is will we...}

^{All the tools we will ever need is in his word.  all the advice we need is in his word.  some may say well you haven't walked the path i have.  This is true, but jesus has and is still there walking it with you.  His grace is enough...lean on him!}

^{Father i pray these words will fall on good soil all who read them.  i pray that people would pick up your word and read it.  Some it might have been years since they have...i pray that they would get drawn to your word like a moth to a flame.}

^{in your name i pray amen}

^{consuming fire}

^{some paths are wide and some are narrow...watch the video below.  does your life ever seem like this is the path you have been walking?  At times it may seem like you are alone...but jesus is always there with you.}

^{dangerous path}

darkness 3

The inky darkness surrounds us.  Have you ever been afraid of the dark?  My little girls are, they sleep with 2 night lights on, They trust in the light, there is saftey and peace in the light.  They trust that mommy and daddy will keep them safe.  As we adults grow older it almost seems to me that we become accustomed to the darkness at first.  Enough time goes by that we embrace the darkness.  More time passes that we long for the darkness.  Eventually something will happen that will rock you to the core, It will be different for everyone.  When this happens we start to fear the darkness, we start to see it for what it is.  It's a tool the evil one uses to entice us to come to him.  I imagine most people will question where Jesus was when we were going through our dark place.  He was there with you the whole time...hand on your sholder.  Will you turn to the only one that has the power to defeat this inky darkness?  Will we turn to Jesus and let him come into us and shine his light of safety and light?  Will we follow him as peter did?  will we deny him or will we say yes lord i will go where you go, i will pray what you pray?


Father i pray for everone who is in their time of darkness.  This darkness surrounds us not only individually, but as a body of beleivers and non beleivers.  I pray that you would move in your people that we may shine our light to those who are still struggling in their dark place.  I pray that i would be a light to those who need it.  I pray that we as christians would be like a beacon, leading people from their dark place. 

in jesus name, amen

listen to the following song, is it your hearts cry to go where he goes, to pray what he prays?  i pray so!

where you go i go - jesus culture

darkness part 2

 

1 Thessalonians 5

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁵ For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. ⁶ So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.

Acts 26:14-18

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁴ We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic,^[a] ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
¹⁵ “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ¹⁶ ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. ¹⁷ I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them ¹⁸ to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Romans 13

New International Version (NIV)

Love Fulfills the Law

⁸ Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. ⁹ The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”^[a] and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^{[b] 10} Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

The Day Is Near

¹¹ And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. ¹² The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. ¹³ Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. ¹⁴ Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.



This world is like living in a bottle of black ink.  People constantly doing evil to one another.  My heart breaks for those who are so rapped up in the darkness that surrounds them that they either can't, won't, or don't want to see the light that Jesus Shines for us all to see.  There are friends of mine who probably get angry that i Post Messages on facebook about my lord and savior...I am not afraid...I will be obedient to what he leads me to say.   I will do and go where he leads...I will not be moved by the darkness of this world.  I will leave a godly legacy for not only my children, but all those who i am around.  Christians can make a difference...only question is will we accept the challenge?  Will we go where he leads no matter the cost?  will we Live in the strength and light he as given us ?  I pray so!  The following song expresses my feelings a little better.




Jesus culture - where you go i go

darkness part 1

Darkness surrounds us, ever present, never stoping, always trying to drown us.  Only one thing, only one person can keep us safe from the slings and arrows this dark world can throw at us.  Only the light of my savior Jesus Christ can be a beacon of light and hope in the other wise inky darkness of this world.

John 1:5-12

GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

⁵ The light shines in the dark, and the dark has never extinguished it.^[a]
6 God sent a man named John to be his messenger. ⁷ John came to declare the truth about the light so that everyone would become believers through his message. ⁸ John was not the light, but he came to declare the truth about the light.
⁹ The real light, which shines on everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world came into existence through him. Yet, the world didn’t recognize him. ¹¹ He went to his own people, and his own people didn’t accept him. ¹² However, he gave the right to become God’s children to everyone who believed in him. 

Ephesians 5:7-14

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁷ Don’t participate in the things these people do. ⁸ For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! ⁹ For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
¹⁰ Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. ¹¹ Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. ¹² It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. ¹³ But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, ¹⁴ for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,

“Awake, O sleeper,
    rise up from the dead,
    and Christ will give you light.”

gods light shines brightly into all places and things.  with him living in me there is nothing in this dark world for me to fear.  There is nothing  that is hidden, for his light makes all visible.  Are you living in his light?  Are you living in the inky black darkness?  We must all ask ourselves this question.  are we really living in his light?  There are so many in this world that are just waiting for us as christians to just lend them a hand!!!!  and yet we say no not me, or not right now....

Father i want to be a lamp stand for you.  I want to shine your light into the Inky darkness like a lighthouse shines it's light to warn ships of danger.   I want to say this way to help!  I pray that you give me the guidance i need.  I feel there is more to say about the darkness that surrounds us...give me the words to write, and the places to study.

amen

jesus culture - roof tops