Good Morning
Psalm 14 (English Standard Version)
The Fool Says, There Is No God
To the choirmaster. Of David.
1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."
They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds,
there is none who does good.
2The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man,
to see if there are any who understand,[a]
who seek after God.
3They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good,
not even one.
4Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers
who eat up my people as they eat bread
and do not call upon the LORD?
5There they are in great terror,
for God is with the generation of the righteous.
6You would shame the plans of the poor,
but[b] the LORD is his refuge.
7Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 14:2 Or that act wisely
b. Psalm 14:6 Or for
John Carter shared this with me:
An atheist filed a petition with the court to prohibit Christmas and Easter as holidays. His premise was that atheists were being discriminated against since they had no holiday to celebrate. The judge promptly threw the case out of court. The atheist was enraged! “Why?” He asked the judge. The judge calmly replied that atheists did indeed have a holiday – April Fools day. “The fool has said in his heart there is no God.”
Actually, though, this psalm talks about the corruption of man, the enslavement of mankind to sin, and the hope for our redemption. I love verse 5. “There they are in great terror….” Who is the “they”? The corrupt and immoral fool who denies God. He has reason to fear – because despite his efforts to control others, their God protects them and meets their needs.
Have you ever observed how those who seem to have very little have so much joy? One would think their days would be miserable. Oh, sure, there are days where the world weighs on them – but I often see them just enjoying life. Let me share this with you:
Norma and I often crave a Taco Bell burrito. Okay, I know it’s not the best thing for me…but we do enjoy them – and, for $3.81 we can have a burrito and nachos. Last Saturday night was a Taco Bell night. An older couple – or I should say a couple about my age – followed me in. I could tell by their dress and by the car they were driving that they were of limited means. While waiting for my order to be filled, I overheard them ordering their meal. The husband immediately made his choice. The wife made this comment – “oh, everything looks so good”. It was then I realized this was their “date”. They didn’t have much money – but they had each other – and the menu – THE TACO BELL MENU – looked good to them. God gives us joy in the simple things of life – love, togetherness, struggles, successes. When we have God and each other, it all is good.
Have a great weekend!!!
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Happy Birthday
Good Morning
Today is a special day for Norma and me. You see this is one of our children’s birthday. I remember the night well. Norma went into labor about 11:30 p.m. – just as I was nestling down for a good sleep. I had scheduled the next week to be vacation in anticipation of the new arrival – but suddenly Norma is telling me that we need to consider going to DeKalb General Hospital. I told her she would have to wait until my vacation week. She set me straight right away.
I didn’t rush too much because I figured that labor always take some time. So we moseyed over to DGH, not going particularly fast. I don’t think we got there until around 1:15 or so. We parked the car and walked into the hospital – notice the “we” meaning that I didn’t drop Norma off – where she was immediately put into a wheelchair and whisked off to the unknown. I was assigned the task of getting her admitted to the hospital. Nothing moves quickly at 1 a.m. in the morning so I didn’t get up to the waiting room until right at 2:00 a.m. You can imagine my surprise when I saw the doctor walking towards just after I sat down. Heather Nancine Gant was born at 2:09 a.m. on April 29th. What a joy!!!
I have mentioned many times before that I am a blessed man. I really am. God has blessed me with five children – four boys and one girl. Each one is precious to me – and each one is precious to God. I find myself thinking often of seeing my children grow into adulthood. I can still picture the three year old with pigtails who was so assertive even at that age. She hasn’t changed – and that’s good. So this good morning, I want to thank God for my Heather. Several years ago we almost lost her – but He preserved her and put her in a place where she can thrive.
Thank you for sharing this day with Norma and me.
Have a good day!!!
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Today is a special day for Norma and me. You see this is one of our children’s birthday. I remember the night well. Norma went into labor about 11:30 p.m. – just as I was nestling down for a good sleep. I had scheduled the next week to be vacation in anticipation of the new arrival – but suddenly Norma is telling me that we need to consider going to DeKalb General Hospital. I told her she would have to wait until my vacation week. She set me straight right away.
I didn’t rush too much because I figured that labor always take some time. So we moseyed over to DGH, not going particularly fast. I don’t think we got there until around 1:15 or so. We parked the car and walked into the hospital – notice the “we” meaning that I didn’t drop Norma off – where she was immediately put into a wheelchair and whisked off to the unknown. I was assigned the task of getting her admitted to the hospital. Nothing moves quickly at 1 a.m. in the morning so I didn’t get up to the waiting room until right at 2:00 a.m. You can imagine my surprise when I saw the doctor walking towards just after I sat down. Heather Nancine Gant was born at 2:09 a.m. on April 29th. What a joy!!!
I have mentioned many times before that I am a blessed man. I really am. God has blessed me with five children – four boys and one girl. Each one is precious to me – and each one is precious to God. I find myself thinking often of seeing my children grow into adulthood. I can still picture the three year old with pigtails who was so assertive even at that age. She hasn’t changed – and that’s good. So this good morning, I want to thank God for my Heather. Several years ago we almost lost her – but He preserved her and put her in a place where she can thrive.
Thank you for sharing this day with Norma and me.
Have a good day!!!
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Treed
Good Morning
Luke 19:1-9 (English Standard Version)
Jesus and Zacchaeus
1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. 4So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today." 6So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7And when they saw it, they all grumbled, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." 8And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold." 9And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.
Vacation Bible school was one of my favorite times of year – both as a child and as an adult. I think it was in VBS that I first learned of a character named Zacchaeus. What do we know about Zacchaeus? One, he was not only a tax collector – he was the chief tax collector – which means that he was the big dog in Jericho, tax wise. He had the rights to collect taxes from more people than any other tax collector. Under the Roman approach to tax collecting, they would levy a tax and appoint people to collect it. The tax collector would then add his costs to the collection process – and the amount he charged could be what he felt he wanted. The Roman government would then back him up in the tax collection process. So when we hear that Zacchaeus was not only the chief tax collector but also rich, we can surmise that he took full advantage of his leverage.
But Zacchaeus had a problem. He was “vertically challenged” to put it politically. The Scripture says he was “small of stature” such that he couldn’t see over the crowd. So, when Jesus came to town and Zacchaeus wanted to see Him, Zacchaeus had to climb into a tree. And that is where Jesus had him… treed.
Zacchaeus didn’t have too many friends – tax collectors at that time didn’t. They were viewed as evildoers – and rightly so, since they did take advantage of their position. One has to wonder why Jesus would want to associate with a person who was obviously a crook and a sinner. I think He had two purposes – one, to offer Zacchaeus an opportunity to make things right; and two, to prove a point to the onlookers.
It is easy to spot the evil in another person. But Jesus spotted both the evil AND the potential for good in this tax collector. Jesus knew the heart of Zacchaeus – the part of him that would seek to make restitution and to bless other people. And He was willing to risk the ire of the crowd to reach out to him. In a similar fashion, Jesus knew my heart even when I was so far away from Him. And He reached out to me – praise God, He reached out to me.
It is also easy to judge people. The “they” who grumbled about Jesus going to be a guest of a sinner were blind to their own sin – but quick to pass judgment on both Zacchaeus and on Jesus. And in their blindness they absented themselves from seeing the change in a man they despised. What a shame they missed the blessing.
Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see Jesus – and received new life in Him.
Have a good day!!!
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Luke 19:1-9 (English Standard Version)
Jesus and Zacchaeus
1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. 4So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today." 6So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7And when they saw it, they all grumbled, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." 8And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold." 9And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.
Vacation Bible school was one of my favorite times of year – both as a child and as an adult. I think it was in VBS that I first learned of a character named Zacchaeus. What do we know about Zacchaeus? One, he was not only a tax collector – he was the chief tax collector – which means that he was the big dog in Jericho, tax wise. He had the rights to collect taxes from more people than any other tax collector. Under the Roman approach to tax collecting, they would levy a tax and appoint people to collect it. The tax collector would then add his costs to the collection process – and the amount he charged could be what he felt he wanted. The Roman government would then back him up in the tax collection process. So when we hear that Zacchaeus was not only the chief tax collector but also rich, we can surmise that he took full advantage of his leverage.
But Zacchaeus had a problem. He was “vertically challenged” to put it politically. The Scripture says he was “small of stature” such that he couldn’t see over the crowd. So, when Jesus came to town and Zacchaeus wanted to see Him, Zacchaeus had to climb into a tree. And that is where Jesus had him… treed.
Zacchaeus didn’t have too many friends – tax collectors at that time didn’t. They were viewed as evildoers – and rightly so, since they did take advantage of their position. One has to wonder why Jesus would want to associate with a person who was obviously a crook and a sinner. I think He had two purposes – one, to offer Zacchaeus an opportunity to make things right; and two, to prove a point to the onlookers.
It is easy to spot the evil in another person. But Jesus spotted both the evil AND the potential for good in this tax collector. Jesus knew the heart of Zacchaeus – the part of him that would seek to make restitution and to bless other people. And He was willing to risk the ire of the crowd to reach out to him. In a similar fashion, Jesus knew my heart even when I was so far away from Him. And He reached out to me – praise God, He reached out to me.
It is also easy to judge people. The “they” who grumbled about Jesus going to be a guest of a sinner were blind to their own sin – but quick to pass judgment on both Zacchaeus and on Jesus. And in their blindness they absented themselves from seeing the change in a man they despised. What a shame they missed the blessing.
Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see Jesus – and received new life in Him.
Have a good day!!!
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
04/27/2010
Good Morning
Driving along Highway 85 south Sunday I passed a church sign that read: Ready for Renovation. There was no punctuation so I didn’t know if the quote was a statement or a question. I also don’t know if they were talking about making improvements to the church building or if they were talking about the change that comes when a person comes to know Christ as Lord and Savior. Paul tells us in 2nd Corinthians 5:17: 17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Just what does Paul mean by this statement? Well, when a person is “in Christ Jesus”, his / her viewpoint changes. The old “me-me-me” becomes the “Christ-Christ-Christ”. Our walk is different. Our talk is different. We are “set apart” – not because we are superior but because we are redeemed.
I was thinking about the word “redeemed”. What came to my mind is the old S&H green stamps we used to get at the grocery store. For those of you who are too young to remember them, your Mom would go grocery shopping and get a stamp for every ten cents she spent. She would save these up in books supplied by the grocer and when she had enough saved, she would either go to the “redemption center” or get a catalog and choose the item she wanted to have sent to her. And some of the items were pretty good.
The word “redeemed” as we use it, though, means that a price had to be paid for you in order for you to have eternal life. That price was a blood price – Jesus had to shed His blood to cover the sin that you (and I) had committed. Without the shedding of blood, there could be no remission of the sin – and we could not be redeemed. I can assure you God looks upon us as a great prize – one He would give His only Son to claim.
So, are you ready for renovation? Or have you already been renovated and are gleaming bright? If so, today is your day to shine for Jesus!
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Good Morning
Driving along Highway 85 south Sunday I passed a church sign that read: Ready for Renovation. There was no punctuation so I didn’t know if the quote was a statement or a question. I also don’t know if they were talking about making improvements to the church building or if they were talking about the change that comes when a person comes to know Christ as Lord and Savior. Paul tells us in 2nd Corinthians 5:17: 17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Just what does Paul mean by this statement? Well, when a person is “in Christ Jesus”, his / her viewpoint changes. The old “me-me-me” becomes the “Christ-Christ-Christ”. Our walk is different. Our talk is different. We are “set apart” – not because we are superior but because we are redeemed.
I was thinking about the word “redeemed”. What came to my mind is the old S&H green stamps we used to get at the grocery store. For those of you who are too young to remember them, your Mom would go grocery shopping and get a stamp for every ten cents she spent. She would save these up in books supplied by the grocer and when she had enough saved, she would either go to the “redemption center” or get a catalog and choose the item she wanted to have sent to her. And some of the items were pretty good.
The word “redeemed” as we use it, though, means that a price had to be paid for you in order for you to have eternal life. That price was a blood price – Jesus had to shed His blood to cover the sin that you (and I) had committed. Without the shedding of blood, there could be no remission of the sin – and we could not be redeemed. I can assure you God looks upon us as a great prize – one He would give His only Son to claim.
So, are you ready for renovation? Or have you already been renovated and are gleaming bright? If so, today is your day to shine for Jesus!
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Monday, April 26, 2010
Good Morning
Psalm 41:3 (English Standard Version)
3The LORD sustains him on his sickbed;
in his illness you restore him to full health.[a]
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 41:3 Hebrew you turn all his bed
Elijah is eight years old. Elijah has pain in his hip area. All the tests indicate that he probably has Ewing’s sarcoma – a form of bone cancer. If you think you have heard of it before, you have. For months you have been praying for Sara Barr who had – repeat had – Ewing’s sarcoma in her leg. Her thigh bone was removed and she has been undergoing chemotherapy for months. Just last week, her scans returned CLEAN!!! Praise God from Whom all blessings flow. The survival rate for Sara’s cancer is 60%. We will keep on praying because that is what we do.
The survival rate for Ewing’s sarcoma in the hip area is 25 to 30%. Wednesday we put Elijah on our prayer list as an urgent prayer request. Friday the doctors in Denver did exploratory surgery. All markers pointed toward the worse case scenario. The tumor was BENIGN!!! The doctors cannot remove it so they will attack it with chemotherapy over the course of the next two months but they are confident that by July this little boy will be running and playing sports again!!! There is still a long road ahead but God IS GOOD … Amen.
Melinda shared this good news with us yesterday. At the same time she shared that her Dad shared with Elijah’s father that we should never doubt the grace of God. Amen? Amen!
Then we heard good reports on Terry Patterson and on Sara Barr. And this was all before we studied about Paul being put in the deepest part of the jail in Philippi – and holding an impromptu prayer meeting. What a good day …and it makes me excited about the day to come.
Remember to pray for Elayne today as she undergoes surgery – and for James too.
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Psalm 41:3 (English Standard Version)
3The LORD sustains him on his sickbed;
in his illness you restore him to full health.[a]
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 41:3 Hebrew you turn all his bed
Elijah is eight years old. Elijah has pain in his hip area. All the tests indicate that he probably has Ewing’s sarcoma – a form of bone cancer. If you think you have heard of it before, you have. For months you have been praying for Sara Barr who had – repeat had – Ewing’s sarcoma in her leg. Her thigh bone was removed and she has been undergoing chemotherapy for months. Just last week, her scans returned CLEAN!!! Praise God from Whom all blessings flow. The survival rate for Sara’s cancer is 60%. We will keep on praying because that is what we do.
The survival rate for Ewing’s sarcoma in the hip area is 25 to 30%. Wednesday we put Elijah on our prayer list as an urgent prayer request. Friday the doctors in Denver did exploratory surgery. All markers pointed toward the worse case scenario. The tumor was BENIGN!!! The doctors cannot remove it so they will attack it with chemotherapy over the course of the next two months but they are confident that by July this little boy will be running and playing sports again!!! There is still a long road ahead but God IS GOOD … Amen.
Melinda shared this good news with us yesterday. At the same time she shared that her Dad shared with Elijah’s father that we should never doubt the grace of God. Amen? Amen!
Then we heard good reports on Terry Patterson and on Sara Barr. And this was all before we studied about Paul being put in the deepest part of the jail in Philippi – and holding an impromptu prayer meeting. What a good day …and it makes me excited about the day to come.
Remember to pray for Elayne today as she undergoes surgery – and for James too.
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Spiritual Gifts
Good Morning
Yesterday’s Scripture dealt with several of the gifts of the Spirit: Ephesians 4:11Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, … There are other gifts of the Spirit, found in Romans 12 and 1st Corinthians 12.:
Romans 12:6-8 (Contemporary English Version)
6God has also given each of us different gifts to use. If we can prophesy, we should do it according to the amount of faith we have. 7If we can serve others, we should serve. If we can teach, we should teach. 8If we can encourage others, we should encourage them. If we can give, we should be generous. If we are leaders, we should do our best. If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully
1 Corinthians 12:1-11 (English Standard Version)
Spiritual Gifts
1Now concerning[a] spiritual gifts,[b] brothers,[c] I do not want you to be uninformed. 2You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit.
4Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 12:1 The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians’ letter; see 7:1
b. 1 Corinthians 12:1 Or spiritual persons
c. 1 Corinthians 12:1 Or brothers and sisters
Perhaps this is the first time you have ever heard of the gifts of the Spirit. If so, understand that God indwells each believer in the person of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has several functions in our lives, one of which is to empower us to do the work of God where we never would imagine we could. Imagine being an introvert that God directs to teach a Sunday school class. Or imagine being called upon to share your testimony in front of a large group of people. Person after person I talk with will tell you that there are times that God leads them in areas they never thought they would go…and they see His hand at work when they thought it would never happen. How does it happen? The Holy Spirit makes it possible by leading and endowing the individual with the necessary gift to do the work of the ministry.
Look at some of the gifts: serving others; teaching others; encouraging others, giving; being good to others; leading; and on. Notice that not all the gifts involve standing before a congregation. As a matter of fact, many of the gifts are support gifts – faith, mercy, encouraging, giving, helps and the like. Every one of these is important to the life of the Body of Christ. No gift is more valuable than another – because each serves its purpose in evangelism and discipleship.
Bottom line: God values each one of us. God wants us to enjoy being a part of His family. He knows we are happiest when we are busy doing the work of the ministry.
As I said before, we are one brotherhood/sisterhood together. And that makes our days special.
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Yesterday’s Scripture dealt with several of the gifts of the Spirit: Ephesians 4:11Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, … There are other gifts of the Spirit, found in Romans 12 and 1st Corinthians 12.:
Romans 12:6-8 (Contemporary English Version)
6God has also given each of us different gifts to use. If we can prophesy, we should do it according to the amount of faith we have. 7If we can serve others, we should serve. If we can teach, we should teach. 8If we can encourage others, we should encourage them. If we can give, we should be generous. If we are leaders, we should do our best. If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully
1 Corinthians 12:1-11 (English Standard Version)
Spiritual Gifts
1Now concerning[a] spiritual gifts,[b] brothers,[c] I do not want you to be uninformed. 2You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit.
4Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 12:1 The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians’ letter; see 7:1
b. 1 Corinthians 12:1 Or spiritual persons
c. 1 Corinthians 12:1 Or brothers and sisters
Perhaps this is the first time you have ever heard of the gifts of the Spirit. If so, understand that God indwells each believer in the person of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has several functions in our lives, one of which is to empower us to do the work of God where we never would imagine we could. Imagine being an introvert that God directs to teach a Sunday school class. Or imagine being called upon to share your testimony in front of a large group of people. Person after person I talk with will tell you that there are times that God leads them in areas they never thought they would go…and they see His hand at work when they thought it would never happen. How does it happen? The Holy Spirit makes it possible by leading and endowing the individual with the necessary gift to do the work of the ministry.
Look at some of the gifts: serving others; teaching others; encouraging others, giving; being good to others; leading; and on. Notice that not all the gifts involve standing before a congregation. As a matter of fact, many of the gifts are support gifts – faith, mercy, encouraging, giving, helps and the like. Every one of these is important to the life of the Body of Christ. No gift is more valuable than another – because each serves its purpose in evangelism and discipleship.
Bottom line: God values each one of us. God wants us to enjoy being a part of His family. He knows we are happiest when we are busy doing the work of the ministry.
As I said before, we are one brotherhood/sisterhood together. And that makes our days special.
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Good Morning
I received several responses to the question about taking John Mark with you. And I am grateful for each response. The question is not an easy one … because one has to measure the impact on the ministry in the event of failure against the impact on the person. As Christians we have the dual purpose to evangelize and to disciple. We are to share the gospel message … and then to build people up. Here’s what Paul wrote about our purposes:
Ephesians 4:1-16 (Contemporary English Version)
Unity with Christ
1As a prisoner of the Lord, I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own. 2Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. 3Try your best to let God's Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. 4All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God's people. 5We have only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. 6There is one God who is the Father of all people. Not only is God above all others, but he works by using all of us, and he lives in all of us.
7Christ has generously divided out his gifts to us. 8As the Scriptures say,
"When he went up
to the highest place,
he led away many prisoners
and gave gifts to people."
9When it says, "he went up," it means that Christ had been deep in the earth. 10This also means that the one who went deep into the earth is the same one who went into the highest heaven, so that he would fill the whole universe.
11Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, 12so that his people would learn to serve and his body would grow strong. 13This will continue until we are united by our faith and by our understanding of the Son of God. Then we will be mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him. [a] 14We must stop acting like children. We must not let deceitful people trick us by their false teachings, which are like winds that toss us around from place to place. 15Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head 16of the body. Christ holds it together and makes all of its parts work perfectly, as it grows and becomes strong because of love.
Footnotes:
a. Ephesians 4:13 and we will be completely like him: Or and he is completely perfect.
This is a powerful passage of Scripture – admonishing us to walk worthy of the people God has chosen; to remember that we are one together; showing us that God has given us gifts to help each other grow. My focus today is on verse 12 where Paul gives the reasons: so that His people would learn to serve and His body would grow strong.
The neat thing about being a believer is that we are not alone – and we don’t have to “do it all”. Some of us are like Paul – focused on bringing people to Christ; impatient with those who are quite as fervent in their commitment. Some of us are like Barnabas – focused on developing people to their fullest; seeing the possibilities and potentiality. Together, we evangelize and disciple – and the Body grows strong.
Paul went his way with Silas. Barnabas went his with John Mark. Two missionary groups sprang from one – and God was honored. Again, thank you for the comments made.
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
I received several responses to the question about taking John Mark with you. And I am grateful for each response. The question is not an easy one … because one has to measure the impact on the ministry in the event of failure against the impact on the person. As Christians we have the dual purpose to evangelize and to disciple. We are to share the gospel message … and then to build people up. Here’s what Paul wrote about our purposes:
Ephesians 4:1-16 (Contemporary English Version)
Unity with Christ
1As a prisoner of the Lord, I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own. 2Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. 3Try your best to let God's Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. 4All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God's people. 5We have only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. 6There is one God who is the Father of all people. Not only is God above all others, but he works by using all of us, and he lives in all of us.
7Christ has generously divided out his gifts to us. 8As the Scriptures say,
"When he went up
to the highest place,
he led away many prisoners
and gave gifts to people."
9When it says, "he went up," it means that Christ had been deep in the earth. 10This also means that the one who went deep into the earth is the same one who went into the highest heaven, so that he would fill the whole universe.
11Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, 12so that his people would learn to serve and his body would grow strong. 13This will continue until we are united by our faith and by our understanding of the Son of God. Then we will be mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him. [a] 14We must stop acting like children. We must not let deceitful people trick us by their false teachings, which are like winds that toss us around from place to place. 15Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head 16of the body. Christ holds it together and makes all of its parts work perfectly, as it grows and becomes strong because of love.
Footnotes:
a. Ephesians 4:13 and we will be completely like him: Or and he is completely perfect.
This is a powerful passage of Scripture – admonishing us to walk worthy of the people God has chosen; to remember that we are one together; showing us that God has given us gifts to help each other grow. My focus today is on verse 12 where Paul gives the reasons: so that His people would learn to serve and His body would grow strong.
The neat thing about being a believer is that we are not alone – and we don’t have to “do it all”. Some of us are like Paul – focused on bringing people to Christ; impatient with those who are quite as fervent in their commitment. Some of us are like Barnabas – focused on developing people to their fullest; seeing the possibilities and potentiality. Together, we evangelize and disciple – and the Body grows strong.
Paul went his way with Silas. Barnabas went his with John Mark. Two missionary groups sprang from one – and God was honored. Again, thank you for the comments made.
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Good Morning
Our study Sunday was about the conflict that arose between Paul and Barnabas over John Mark accompanying them on their second missionary journey. Here’s the Scripture to ponder:
Acts 15:36-41 (English Standard Version)
Paul and Barnabas Separate
36And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are." 37Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
When we are speaking about conflict here, we aren’t talking about just having words but “sharp disagreement”. Paul saw John Mark’s leaving one way; Barnabas saw it another. And they were at an impasse – and ultimately they decided to separate.
So here’s the question I would like for you to answer. Who was right? Was Paul right? Or was Barnabas right? Or were both men “right”? Or were they both wrong? There you have it – four answers to one question. You choose.
I think the answer lies in understanding how both men viewed not only John Mark but also their own ministry. Paul was committed to bringing the Gospel to every place he visited. From experience, Paul knew that when the Gospel was preached, persecution followed. He may have felt that John Mark wasn’t up to the rigors that he would face. After all, John Mark had left them earlier – wasn’t it very likely that he would do so again?
Barnabas, on the other hand, saw John Mark in the light of a work in progress. Keep in mind that Barnabas was the “encourager”. Wasn’t it he that took a new Christian named Saul under his wing and saw his potential? Both Paul and Barnabas were men who were called of God but given different gifts. We don’t hear anymore of Barnabas after this – Luke continued the journey with Paul and didn’t go down to Cyprus. But we do know that in his later life, Paul found John Mark to be necessary for him. Could it be the patience of Barnabas paid off with a John Mark that was acceptable to Paul?
Now the big question – and I do want your answer either in an email or a comment on the website. What would you do with John Mark? Would you take him with you or leave him behind? Why would you make your choice?
Be talking with you…. Have a blessed day!
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Our study Sunday was about the conflict that arose between Paul and Barnabas over John Mark accompanying them on their second missionary journey. Here’s the Scripture to ponder:
Acts 15:36-41 (English Standard Version)
Paul and Barnabas Separate
36And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are." 37Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
When we are speaking about conflict here, we aren’t talking about just having words but “sharp disagreement”. Paul saw John Mark’s leaving one way; Barnabas saw it another. And they were at an impasse – and ultimately they decided to separate.
So here’s the question I would like for you to answer. Who was right? Was Paul right? Or was Barnabas right? Or were both men “right”? Or were they both wrong? There you have it – four answers to one question. You choose.
I think the answer lies in understanding how both men viewed not only John Mark but also their own ministry. Paul was committed to bringing the Gospel to every place he visited. From experience, Paul knew that when the Gospel was preached, persecution followed. He may have felt that John Mark wasn’t up to the rigors that he would face. After all, John Mark had left them earlier – wasn’t it very likely that he would do so again?
Barnabas, on the other hand, saw John Mark in the light of a work in progress. Keep in mind that Barnabas was the “encourager”. Wasn’t it he that took a new Christian named Saul under his wing and saw his potential? Both Paul and Barnabas were men who were called of God but given different gifts. We don’t hear anymore of Barnabas after this – Luke continued the journey with Paul and didn’t go down to Cyprus. But we do know that in his later life, Paul found John Mark to be necessary for him. Could it be the patience of Barnabas paid off with a John Mark that was acceptable to Paul?
Now the big question – and I do want your answer either in an email or a comment on the website. What would you do with John Mark? Would you take him with you or leave him behind? Why would you make your choice?
Be talking with you…. Have a blessed day!
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Monday, April 19, 2010
04/19/2010
Good Morning
We had another gorgeous weekend in North Georgia this weekend. The front of our humble abode is ablaze with color as the azaleas are in full bloom. Or dogwood has put on its leaves after just a brief bloom. We had a purple bearded iris right smack in the middle of one of our red azaleas – like a royal rising above a beautiful basket of bloom.
I say all of this to marvel at how God has dressed His creation with so much beauty. This is especially true when spring arrives and the colors pop out. I am reminded of a time when Norma and I were just married. Grandma Ward lived on Oakdale Road in Atlanta Georgia, four houses north of The By Way, On the corner of The By Way and Oakdale was lived a family named Atkinson who had a hill with rhododendron and azalea; wisteria and dogwood. Every spring was a collage of color along that bank. When Norma and I lived with Grandma, she would walk up to Ponce de Leon to meet me at the bus – usually pushing Jim in the stroller. We would walk back home each pleasant evening – what a treasure to remember. It was a simple time with the simple pleasure of being with each other and beholding the beauty before us.
God blesses us with the beauty of this earth and with the expectation of the beauty we will behold when we are at last at home with Him. Today is another beautiful day in the Lord. Let’s enjoy it to its fullest.
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Good Morning
We had another gorgeous weekend in North Georgia this weekend. The front of our humble abode is ablaze with color as the azaleas are in full bloom. Or dogwood has put on its leaves after just a brief bloom. We had a purple bearded iris right smack in the middle of one of our red azaleas – like a royal rising above a beautiful basket of bloom.
I say all of this to marvel at how God has dressed His creation with so much beauty. This is especially true when spring arrives and the colors pop out. I am reminded of a time when Norma and I were just married. Grandma Ward lived on Oakdale Road in Atlanta Georgia, four houses north of The By Way, On the corner of The By Way and Oakdale was lived a family named Atkinson who had a hill with rhododendron and azalea; wisteria and dogwood. Every spring was a collage of color along that bank. When Norma and I lived with Grandma, she would walk up to Ponce de Leon to meet me at the bus – usually pushing Jim in the stroller. We would walk back home each pleasant evening – what a treasure to remember. It was a simple time with the simple pleasure of being with each other and beholding the beauty before us.
God blesses us with the beauty of this earth and with the expectation of the beauty we will behold when we are at last at home with Him. Today is another beautiful day in the Lord. Let’s enjoy it to its fullest.
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Friday, April 16, 2010
04/16/2010
Good Morning
Galatians 5 (English Standard Version)
Walk by the Spirit
16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21envy,[d] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Footnotes:
a. Galatians 5:4 Or counted righteous
b. Galatians 5:11 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 13
c. Galatians 5:11 Greek proclaim
d. Galatians 5:21 Some manuscripts add murder
In our Acts study, we talked about the Judaizers who came to Antioch and insisted that anyone who wanted salvation first had to be circumcised. Paul argued strongly about it, insisting that in doing so, the person was binding himself (herself) to the Law – and had lost the freedom found in Christ Jesus. In the verses above, Paul urges us to walk by the Spirit – that is, in the power and under the control of the Holy Spirit that indwells the believer. You can read the list of the actions that are evidence of the works of the flesh and compare them to the attitudes that make up the fruit of the Spirit. Which would you prefer to have in your life?
The key to having the fruit of the Spirit in our lives is being led by the Spirit. One illustration I used to use in class was a chair with an “e” and a cross beside it. The “e” stands for ego (self) and the cross stands for the Holy Spirit. When the “e” was on the chair, it meant that self was controlling the activities of the life – and the result was the works of the flesh. When the cross was on the chair, it meant that the person was being led by the Spirit and the attitudes that lead to the fruit of the Spirit were in evidence. I think I would rather have the love, joy, peace and the like flowing out of my life…
Have a blessed weekend.
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Good Morning
Galatians 5 (English Standard Version)
Walk by the Spirit
16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21envy,[d] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Footnotes:
a. Galatians 5:4 Or counted righteous
b. Galatians 5:11 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 13
c. Galatians 5:11 Greek proclaim
d. Galatians 5:21 Some manuscripts add murder
In our Acts study, we talked about the Judaizers who came to Antioch and insisted that anyone who wanted salvation first had to be circumcised. Paul argued strongly about it, insisting that in doing so, the person was binding himself (herself) to the Law – and had lost the freedom found in Christ Jesus. In the verses above, Paul urges us to walk by the Spirit – that is, in the power and under the control of the Holy Spirit that indwells the believer. You can read the list of the actions that are evidence of the works of the flesh and compare them to the attitudes that make up the fruit of the Spirit. Which would you prefer to have in your life?
The key to having the fruit of the Spirit in our lives is being led by the Spirit. One illustration I used to use in class was a chair with an “e” and a cross beside it. The “e” stands for ego (self) and the cross stands for the Holy Spirit. When the “e” was on the chair, it meant that self was controlling the activities of the life – and the result was the works of the flesh. When the cross was on the chair, it meant that the person was being led by the Spirit and the attitudes that lead to the fruit of the Spirit were in evidence. I think I would rather have the love, joy, peace and the like flowing out of my life…
Have a blessed weekend.
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Tax Day!
Good Morning! And “happy Tax Day” … or maybe not so happy tax day.
Matthew 22:15-22 (Contemporary English Version)
Paying Taxes
(Mark 12.13-17; Luke 20.20-26)
15The Pharisees got together and planned how they could trick Jesus into saying something wrong. 16They sent some of their followers and some of Herod's followers [a] to say to him, "Teacher, we know that you are honest. You teach the truth about what God wants people to do. And you treat everyone with the same respect, no matter who they are. 17Tell us what you think! Should we pay taxes to the Emperor or not?" 18Jesus knew their evil thoughts and said, "Why are you trying to test me? You show-offs! 19Let me see one of the coins used for paying taxes." They brought him a silver coin, 20and he asked, "Whose picture and name are on it?"
21"The Emperor's," they answered.
Then Jesus told them, "Give the Emperor what belongs to him and give God what belongs to God." 22His answer surprised them so much that they walked away.
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 22:16 Herod's followers: People who were political followers of the family of Herod the Great (see 2.1) and his son Herod Antipas (see 14.1), and who wanted Herod to be king in Jerusalem
I know very few people who enjoy paying taxes. Imagine being under the rule of a foreign power and having to pay taxes to them. Well, the Pharisees knew the Jewish people really hated to pay taxes to Rome. Things weren’t going well for the Pharisees. This Jesus guy was gaining quite a following and, try as they might, they just couldn’t discredit Him. So they hatched a plan to entangle Jesus in His words. They thought they could put Jesus in a box. If He said to pay the tax, He would lose popularity. If He said to not pay the tax, they could let the Roman ruler know that Jesus was teaching sedition. Either way, this Jesus would be history… or so they thought.
What the Pharisees didn’t understand was that Jesus already knew what they were thinking. Remember, Jesus is not just a man – He is God, made flesh. He could see within the scheming heart of mankind and figure out what the true intent was. That is why Jesus asked the Pharisees why they were testing Him and called them “hypocrites”. (I don’t like the CEV rendering here – “showoffs” just isn’t the same as “hypocrites”.) Jesus knew that these guys were in league with not only the Herodians but also the Romans so they could keep their power over the people.
So what does Jesus mean when He tells them to give the Emperor what belongs to him and God what belongs to God? Well, Rome did provide some benefits to the people of Israel. Prior to Roman rule, they had been under Greek domination. And prior to that, they had been captives of the Assyrians and Babylonians. It had been a long time since Israel was truly a free nation. History tells us that Roman rule, while tough, was preferable to any of those that preceded them. Rome brought highways and aqueducts. They brought order. And they brought peace. All these things were costly – and they were due some payment.
What the Pharisees really needed to hear, though, was to give to God what belonged to God. What does God deserve from the Pharisees … or from any of His people? What does God deserve from us? I am sure we could make a long list of many things that we owe God – but I truly believe what He really wants is His most precious treasure. So, as you are rendering what belongs to our “Caesar” on this tax day, don’t forget to give God what belongs to Him … YOU.
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Remember, you can read the Good Morning on the website. The address is: http://www.mrjimsgoodmorning.blogspot.com/
Matthew 22:15-22 (Contemporary English Version)
Paying Taxes
(Mark 12.13-17; Luke 20.20-26)
15The Pharisees got together and planned how they could trick Jesus into saying something wrong. 16They sent some of their followers and some of Herod's followers [a] to say to him, "Teacher, we know that you are honest. You teach the truth about what God wants people to do. And you treat everyone with the same respect, no matter who they are. 17Tell us what you think! Should we pay taxes to the Emperor or not?" 18Jesus knew their evil thoughts and said, "Why are you trying to test me? You show-offs! 19Let me see one of the coins used for paying taxes." They brought him a silver coin, 20and he asked, "Whose picture and name are on it?"
21"The Emperor's," they answered.
Then Jesus told them, "Give the Emperor what belongs to him and give God what belongs to God." 22His answer surprised them so much that they walked away.
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 22:16 Herod's followers: People who were political followers of the family of Herod the Great (see 2.1) and his son Herod Antipas (see 14.1), and who wanted Herod to be king in Jerusalem
I know very few people who enjoy paying taxes. Imagine being under the rule of a foreign power and having to pay taxes to them. Well, the Pharisees knew the Jewish people really hated to pay taxes to Rome. Things weren’t going well for the Pharisees. This Jesus guy was gaining quite a following and, try as they might, they just couldn’t discredit Him. So they hatched a plan to entangle Jesus in His words. They thought they could put Jesus in a box. If He said to pay the tax, He would lose popularity. If He said to not pay the tax, they could let the Roman ruler know that Jesus was teaching sedition. Either way, this Jesus would be history… or so they thought.
What the Pharisees didn’t understand was that Jesus already knew what they were thinking. Remember, Jesus is not just a man – He is God, made flesh. He could see within the scheming heart of mankind and figure out what the true intent was. That is why Jesus asked the Pharisees why they were testing Him and called them “hypocrites”. (I don’t like the CEV rendering here – “showoffs” just isn’t the same as “hypocrites”.) Jesus knew that these guys were in league with not only the Herodians but also the Romans so they could keep their power over the people.
So what does Jesus mean when He tells them to give the Emperor what belongs to him and God what belongs to God? Well, Rome did provide some benefits to the people of Israel. Prior to Roman rule, they had been under Greek domination. And prior to that, they had been captives of the Assyrians and Babylonians. It had been a long time since Israel was truly a free nation. History tells us that Roman rule, while tough, was preferable to any of those that preceded them. Rome brought highways and aqueducts. They brought order. And they brought peace. All these things were costly – and they were due some payment.
What the Pharisees really needed to hear, though, was to give to God what belonged to God. What does God deserve from the Pharisees … or from any of His people? What does God deserve from us? I am sure we could make a long list of many things that we owe God – but I truly believe what He really wants is His most precious treasure. So, as you are rendering what belongs to our “Caesar” on this tax day, don’t forget to give God what belongs to Him … YOU.
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Remember, you can read the Good Morning on the website. The address is: http://www.mrjimsgoodmorning.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Good Morning!
Regret… an emotion that plagues each of us who have a conscience. We think of things we could have done but didn’t do and things we have done and shouldn’t have. And we feel bad. Regret is a reminder of who we were and whose we are. But I have good news for you on this Good Morning – God has forgiven you and you no longer need to carry regret. Here’s one of my favorite Bible verses – well worn from the many times I have had to use it:
1 John 1 (English Standard Version)
The Word of Life
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4And we are writing these things so that our[a] joy may be complete.
Walking in the Light
5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Footnotes:
a. 1 John 1:4 Some manuscripts your
Okay, so I gave you the whole chapter… but we need to understand it all. Apostle John writes this letter to us – key word – us – so that our joy might be complete. And how is our joy made complete? By our recognition that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. Our joy is made complete when we walk in that light. And when we walk in that light, we have fellowship with God and with one another. So how do we walk in the light? By cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord. And we can only do this when we are willing to admit our sin and received forgiveness and cleansing. I could almost have a running, shouting dance on this thought – enough to scare the Presbyterian out of me.
As the song says:
Forgiven I repeat it I'm forgiven
Clean before my Lord, I freely stand
Forgiven I can dare to love my brother
Forgiven I reach out to take your hand
- excerpt from “I Am Loved” by Bill and Gloria Gaither
Fellowship with God and fellowship with man… what a concept. No more need for regret. Praise God on this Good Morning.
Remember, you can read the Good Morning on the website. The address is: http://www.mrjimsgoodmorning.blogspot.com/
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Regret… an emotion that plagues each of us who have a conscience. We think of things we could have done but didn’t do and things we have done and shouldn’t have. And we feel bad. Regret is a reminder of who we were and whose we are. But I have good news for you on this Good Morning – God has forgiven you and you no longer need to carry regret. Here’s one of my favorite Bible verses – well worn from the many times I have had to use it:
1 John 1 (English Standard Version)
The Word of Life
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4And we are writing these things so that our[a] joy may be complete.
Walking in the Light
5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Footnotes:
a. 1 John 1:4 Some manuscripts your
Okay, so I gave you the whole chapter… but we need to understand it all. Apostle John writes this letter to us – key word – us – so that our joy might be complete. And how is our joy made complete? By our recognition that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. Our joy is made complete when we walk in that light. And when we walk in that light, we have fellowship with God and with one another. So how do we walk in the light? By cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord. And we can only do this when we are willing to admit our sin and received forgiveness and cleansing. I could almost have a running, shouting dance on this thought – enough to scare the Presbyterian out of me.
As the song says:
Forgiven I repeat it I'm forgiven
Clean before my Lord, I freely stand
Forgiven I can dare to love my brother
Forgiven I reach out to take your hand
- excerpt from “I Am Loved” by Bill and Gloria Gaither
Fellowship with God and fellowship with man… what a concept. No more need for regret. Praise God on this Good Morning.
Remember, you can read the Good Morning on the website. The address is: http://www.mrjimsgoodmorning.blogspot.com/
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Good Morning!
Proverbs 9:10 (English Standard Version)
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
Respect is something each one of us desires. When we begin to recognize the majesty and power of God – and begin to respect Him for who He is and what He does in our lives, we begin to “get it” – gain wisdom. Giving respect requires us to acknowledge God’s power and authority – something that should seem evident but often humans fail to understand. So, when the Proverbist states that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”, he is telling us that we would be wise to give God true respect.
I thank God for His patience with me while I am learning these valuable lessons.
----------------------------
Some good news came to me from several friends. One great piece of news is that Sarah Barr has completed her chemotherapy. We praise God for His goodness and grace to the Barr family during this ordeal. I love reading about Sarah in the Sarah’s Journey blog. What a powerful testimony is the simple trust she and her family have placed in God all these days. A special thank you to Joni Hyde who sent me a kind note about Sarah as well.
My friends the Charles Johnson’s send this note: A PRAISE
You remember Chris our Grandson that had a lot of heart surgeries as a young child. Well he is a new father of a 2lb 6 oz baby boy. Yes that is two pound six oz. He is one week old Saturday. Margarita, his wife was put on bed rest and hoped for 3 weeks, it only lasted one but that was enough to give the baby an 89% chance, He is was able to breath room air but they put him on oxygen as a safe guard. The Doctor said he is in good shape for being 2 months premature.
Please remember him in your prayers.
In Christian Love,
Charles & Alma Johnson
Anna Mitchusson shares that Terry Patterson is waiting for a pathology report that may mean surgery and further treatment. We need to hunker down in prayer for the remainder of the week that the report will be good news.
Judy, one of Anna’s coworkers sent a note asking for prayer for Marcia Mayfield who is having surgery on April 20th. We believe in the power of prayer…we know that God is faithful to answer when we pray.
--------
Well, today’s Good Morning is somewhat different – but it does catch us up on things. Remember, you can read the Good Morning on the website. The address is: http://www.mrjimsgoodmorning.blogspot.com/
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Proverbs 9:10 (English Standard Version)
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
Respect is something each one of us desires. When we begin to recognize the majesty and power of God – and begin to respect Him for who He is and what He does in our lives, we begin to “get it” – gain wisdom. Giving respect requires us to acknowledge God’s power and authority – something that should seem evident but often humans fail to understand. So, when the Proverbist states that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”, he is telling us that we would be wise to give God true respect.
I thank God for His patience with me while I am learning these valuable lessons.
----------------------------
Some good news came to me from several friends. One great piece of news is that Sarah Barr has completed her chemotherapy. We praise God for His goodness and grace to the Barr family during this ordeal. I love reading about Sarah in the Sarah’s Journey blog. What a powerful testimony is the simple trust she and her family have placed in God all these days. A special thank you to Joni Hyde who sent me a kind note about Sarah as well.
My friends the Charles Johnson’s send this note: A PRAISE
You remember Chris our Grandson that had a lot of heart surgeries as a young child. Well he is a new father of a 2lb 6 oz baby boy. Yes that is two pound six oz. He is one week old Saturday. Margarita, his wife was put on bed rest and hoped for 3 weeks, it only lasted one but that was enough to give the baby an 89% chance, He is was able to breath room air but they put him on oxygen as a safe guard. The Doctor said he is in good shape for being 2 months premature.
Please remember him in your prayers.
In Christian Love,
Charles & Alma Johnson
Anna Mitchusson shares that Terry Patterson is waiting for a pathology report that may mean surgery and further treatment. We need to hunker down in prayer for the remainder of the week that the report will be good news.
Judy, one of Anna’s coworkers sent a note asking for prayer for Marcia Mayfield who is having surgery on April 20th. We believe in the power of prayer…we know that God is faithful to answer when we pray.
--------
Well, today’s Good Morning is somewhat different – but it does catch us up on things. Remember, you can read the Good Morning on the website. The address is: http://www.mrjimsgoodmorning.blogspot.com/
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Sunday, April 11, 2010
04/12/2010
Good Morning!
I have to admit that I was not thrilled when our Bible study group began to study the book of Acts several months ago. I was much more inclined to study one of Paul’s letters or one of the history books in the Old Testament. But we are now a little past midway in the book of Acts and I am finding our study quite enlightening. Yesterday’s lesson was really good because we studied about a conflict that arose in the early church. Let me share just a little about it with you this morning:
Acts 15:1-21 (English Standard Version)
The Jerusalem Council
1 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." 2And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. 3So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.[a] 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. 5But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses."
6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will."
12And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13After they finished speaking, James replied, "Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. 15And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
16 "'After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins,
and I will restore it,
17that the remnant[b] of mankind may seek the Lord,
and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,
says the Lord, who makes these things 18 known from of old.'
19Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. 21For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues."
Footnotes:
a. Acts 15:3 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 22
b. Acts 15:17 Or rest
The issue was over what it took to be saved. Now we all know what it takes to be saved, don’t we. Well, maybe there are differing opinions amongst those of us who read the Good Mornings. The Bible teaches that one must receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior – and that’s it. Paul writes: “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Period – end of story. So why didn’t these teachers who came to Antioch just teach that message? Well, we have to remember that the Church was in its infancy at the time – and Jesus was Jewish so these men thought that “The Way” was just another segment of the Jewish religion. We have assigned a name for these men – Judaizers. And many people who hear the term “Judaizers” immediately think bad thoughts about these men. But I am convinced that these men were really concerned about the Gentile believers who had not been circumcised because circumcision was more than just a ritual – it was what set people apart as being part of God’s chosen people.
So there was a big disagreement between these men and Paul and Barnabas. How was the conflict handled? Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem and spoke with the leadership – the apostles (Peter, John and the other disciples still there) and the elders (James, and other leaders). For me one of the more critical statements comes in verse 12. After Peter has told them that God didn’t decree circumcision (that really what he is saying), Paul and Barnabas shared what they had experienced in their mission journey. They didn’t just say where they had been and how many folks they had baptized. They related how they saw the Holy Spirit come upon the people and how a change had occurred that convinced them that God had accepted these people just as they were. In short, they gave a witness to the Council – and it convinced James, the half-brother of Christ, of the validity of their claim.
If we read further in Acts, we see that the Council sent Paul and Barnabas back to Antioch with a clarifying letter. We also see that the Church continued growing as the conflict was resolved.
Some “wrap up” thoughts for this Good Morning:
- Conflict is going to come – and sometimes it comes within the Body of Believers. We need to learn to not demonize people for their true concerns but to seek the wisdom from God and from those He has placed in leadership roles within the Body.
- Sharing real life experiences where God has revealed His direction to you can resolve conflicts. It is important that we become sensitive to God’s working in our every day life to be able to share.
Well next week we take on the personal conflict between Paul and Barnabas. I can hardly wait to see what God has in store for us then.
Have a blessed Monday.
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Good Morning!
I have to admit that I was not thrilled when our Bible study group began to study the book of Acts several months ago. I was much more inclined to study one of Paul’s letters or one of the history books in the Old Testament. But we are now a little past midway in the book of Acts and I am finding our study quite enlightening. Yesterday’s lesson was really good because we studied about a conflict that arose in the early church. Let me share just a little about it with you this morning:
Acts 15:1-21 (English Standard Version)
The Jerusalem Council
1 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." 2And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. 3So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.[a] 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. 5But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses."
6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will."
12And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13After they finished speaking, James replied, "Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. 15And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
16 "'After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins,
and I will restore it,
17that the remnant[b] of mankind may seek the Lord,
and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,
says the Lord, who makes these things 18 known from of old.'
19Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. 21For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues."
Footnotes:
a. Acts 15:3 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 22
b. Acts 15:17 Or rest
The issue was over what it took to be saved. Now we all know what it takes to be saved, don’t we. Well, maybe there are differing opinions amongst those of us who read the Good Mornings. The Bible teaches that one must receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior – and that’s it. Paul writes: “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Period – end of story. So why didn’t these teachers who came to Antioch just teach that message? Well, we have to remember that the Church was in its infancy at the time – and Jesus was Jewish so these men thought that “The Way” was just another segment of the Jewish religion. We have assigned a name for these men – Judaizers. And many people who hear the term “Judaizers” immediately think bad thoughts about these men. But I am convinced that these men were really concerned about the Gentile believers who had not been circumcised because circumcision was more than just a ritual – it was what set people apart as being part of God’s chosen people.
So there was a big disagreement between these men and Paul and Barnabas. How was the conflict handled? Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem and spoke with the leadership – the apostles (Peter, John and the other disciples still there) and the elders (James, and other leaders). For me one of the more critical statements comes in verse 12. After Peter has told them that God didn’t decree circumcision (that really what he is saying), Paul and Barnabas shared what they had experienced in their mission journey. They didn’t just say where they had been and how many folks they had baptized. They related how they saw the Holy Spirit come upon the people and how a change had occurred that convinced them that God had accepted these people just as they were. In short, they gave a witness to the Council – and it convinced James, the half-brother of Christ, of the validity of their claim.
If we read further in Acts, we see that the Council sent Paul and Barnabas back to Antioch with a clarifying letter. We also see that the Church continued growing as the conflict was resolved.
Some “wrap up” thoughts for this Good Morning:
- Conflict is going to come – and sometimes it comes within the Body of Believers. We need to learn to not demonize people for their true concerns but to seek the wisdom from God and from those He has placed in leadership roles within the Body.
- Sharing real life experiences where God has revealed His direction to you can resolve conflicts. It is important that we become sensitive to God’s working in our every day life to be able to share.
Well next week we take on the personal conflict between Paul and Barnabas. I can hardly wait to see what God has in store for us then.
Have a blessed Monday.
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi
Saturday, April 10, 2010
04/09/2010
Good Morning!
Joshua 24:14-15 (English Standard Version)
Choose Whom You Will Serve
14 "Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
Joshua had led the people of Israel into the Promised Land. He had led them through the many battles that defeated and destroyed the inhabitants of the land so the people of Israel could claim it as their home. Now the time to settle down had come and Joshua called the people together to remind them of the covenant that God had given them – and to warn them of the serious consequences of failing to keep their word with God. I believe Joshua’s purpose was not to scare the people into submission but to show the people of Israel the expectation that God had of them.
Read through the verses above. Joshua is presenting the people of Israel a choice: fear (respect) the Lord and serve in sincerity and faithfulness; putting away the old religious (dead) practices and embracing the Lord OR choose to continue to serve those dead idols that remind you of your captivity. It was a choice Joshua gave them. Then he announced his choice.
You and I are given a choice too. We come to God with a lot of baggage. We have to choose to keep that baggage or to put it aside – let it go – leave it alone. And often the choice is not that easy. There’s a lot of stuff we would like to keep. But it is all dead stuff – stuff the world gives you that passes away. Why not lay the baggage down and let God give you His good stuff. Who knows – it might even be better than what you have now.
Let me encourage you to no forsake the assembling together of God’s called out ones this week. (That’s another way of saying “go to church”.) Have a great weekend.
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
Good Morning!
Joshua 24:14-15 (English Standard Version)
Choose Whom You Will Serve
14 "Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
Joshua had led the people of Israel into the Promised Land. He had led them through the many battles that defeated and destroyed the inhabitants of the land so the people of Israel could claim it as their home. Now the time to settle down had come and Joshua called the people together to remind them of the covenant that God had given them – and to warn them of the serious consequences of failing to keep their word with God. I believe Joshua’s purpose was not to scare the people into submission but to show the people of Israel the expectation that God had of them.
Read through the verses above. Joshua is presenting the people of Israel a choice: fear (respect) the Lord and serve in sincerity and faithfulness; putting away the old religious (dead) practices and embracing the Lord OR choose to continue to serve those dead idols that remind you of your captivity. It was a choice Joshua gave them. Then he announced his choice.
You and I are given a choice too. We come to God with a lot of baggage. We have to choose to keep that baggage or to put it aside – let it go – leave it alone. And often the choice is not that easy. There’s a lot of stuff we would like to keep. But it is all dead stuff – stuff the world gives you that passes away. Why not lay the baggage down and let God give you His good stuff. Who knows – it might even be better than what you have now.
Let me encourage you to no forsake the assembling together of God’s called out ones this week. (That’s another way of saying “go to church”.) Have a great weekend.
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
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