God Leads

Good Morning! 

I feel like Bob Cratchit from Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol this morning … when he was late for work after celebrating too much on Christmas day.  I had a little too much Thanksgiving.  But I did enjoy the day.  And Heather and I worked together to have everything ready right on time.  Even little Cozy (that’s how she spells her name, by the way) helped … reminding me to make a list of what needed to be done … even to the lighting of the Mawmaw candle on the table centerpiece.  The day was full. Around six in the evening, Heather and her friend, Marvin caught me “nodding” on the couch. 

Nodding is when a person falls asleep while just sitting.  Grandma Ward often nodded in the afternoons.  I remember watching her rocking in her rocking chair, chin slowly falling towards her chest as she slipped away into a quick nap. She was always busy, taking care of her sister, cousins and, of course, us three.  Her day began early and ended late … even into her mid-eighties.  Her attitude of serving others was passed on to her children … Mom, Aunt Jane and Aunt Bette were all hard workers, taking care of people.  And my siblings and cousins exhibit the same trait … constantly taking care of others first.  Grandma’s legacy continues even until this day.  And I see this trait being carried on in my own children … a testimony to all that have gone before … especially to my Miss Norma.

So, after her work was done, Grandma would nod off while resting.  So do I … very frequently nodding off while watching TV. 

Grandma Ward led her children … which is a good transition to today’s thoughts regarding the Bible study this coming Lord’s Day.  We begin a new study in the book of Numbers.  I admit that the book of Numbers is one of what I call “yawners”.  I start to read a passage … and find myself losing concentration pretty quickly.  I don’t know why … that’s just what happens.  So, having a few weeks of study in the book is going to be very helpful for me.  Of course, the writers of the Bible study literature skip all the way to chapter 9 in their first session.  But, the lesson is good … entitled “God Leads” with the Scripture coming from verses 15-23:

Numbers 9:15-23 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Cloud Covering the Tabernacle

¹⁵ On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. ¹⁶ So it was always: the cloud covered it by day^[a] and the appearance of fire by night. ¹⁷ And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped. ¹⁸ At the command of the Lord the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the Lord they camped. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. ¹⁹ Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the people of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not set out. ²⁰ Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the Lord they remained in camp; then according to the command of the Lord they set out. ²¹ And sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning. And when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud lifted they set out. ²² Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, abiding there, the people of Israel remained in camp and did not set out, but when it lifted they set out. ²³ At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out. They kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by Moses.

Footnotes:

Numbers 9:16 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew lacks by day

Three quick points for us to consider …

·        God makes His PRESENCE known.  The people of Israel were in the wilderness with Moses leading.  We aren’t just talking about a few folks … we are talking about literally millions … so many that Pharaoh was afraid of the number of people.  Think about the difficulty Moses had in leading these people … on foot, without the benefit of communication systems … just passing instructions from person to person.  Moses found out early the need for the people to feel they had a leader available … when he returned to find them worshipping a golden calf.  God provided the Israelites a focal point so they would be assured that He was present … a cloud by day, a fire by night.  God does the same for us … with the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

·        God puts this focal point into PRACTICE.  In verses 17 through 22, we see how God led the people … when the cloud moved, the people moved. When the cloud stayed still, the people rested.  The point here is that God knows when we need to move and when we need to rest.  Sometimes we forget to rest.  We get so caught up in service, we exhaust ourselves.  We need to be conscious of the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our lives … and rest a little bit … nod off, so to speak.

·        God gives us a simple PRINCIPLE to understand.  It comes down to two words: obey God.  Moses was an important figure in the process of Israel’s journey to the Promised Land … but Moses was not the ultimate leader.  God was … and is for us as well.  Sometimes we can get caught up following a human … like a very successful preacher or teacher, like a Billy Graham or a Charles Stanley.  What we need to realize is that God is our ultimate leader … giving each of us the gifts and talents to lead.

God never nods off … keeping us by day and by night.  And I find that encouraging as we face this new day.  God bless each one of you this good day.  

Agape’

Mr. Jim

  

Prayer: “He leadeth me, O blessed thought …” is so comforting to me this good day, dear Father God.  Thank You for leading me from point to point in my earthly journey.  Help me to see Your leadership even today … and to obey You so that my footsteps will honor You.  In Jesus’ Name … Amen.

Scripture for today: Numbers 9:15-23

Happy Thanksgiving 2019

Good Morning! 

Psalm 100 English Standard Version (ESV)

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

A Psalm for giving thanks.

100 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
²     Serve the Lord with gladness!
    Come into his presence with singing!

³ Know that the Lord, he is God!
    It is he who made us, and we are his;^[a]
    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise!
    Give thanks to him; bless his name!

⁵ For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations.

Footnotes:

Psalm 100:3 Or and not we ourselves

Come, ye thankful people, come, 
raise the song of harvest home; 
all is safely gathered in, 
ere the winter storms begin. 
God our Maker doth provide 
for our wants to be supplied; 
come to God's own temple, come, 
raise the song of harvest home. 

I was thinking about the many blessings I need to be thankful for as I was driving home yesterday.  Let me list a few today …

·        I am thankful for the Triune God present in my life; willing to guide me and protect me all of my days. Thank You, dear Father, for Jesus who loves me just as I am and for the Holy Spirit that dwells within.

·        I am thankful for the wonderful woman God gave me as a friend and a partner for more than fifty years. She completed me.  And, while I miss her, I am also thankful that she is Home with our Lord and no longer suffering pain.  Thank You, dear Father, for my beloved Miss Norma.

·        I am thankful for my five children … even those who are distant from me. God blessed Norma and me with each one … and I love them. Thank You, dear Father God, for Jim, Heather, Michael, Bryan, and David … and for their spouses.

·        I am thankful for my fifteen grandchildren and my four great-grandchildren. Thank You, dear Father God, for each one … what joy they bring to me.

·        I am thankful for my Mom whom God has allowed to stay with us. Thank You, dear Father God, for her love for all of my days.

·        I am thankful for my brother and my sister, Bruce and Claire.  Thank You, dear Father, for the many days we have had together.

·        I am thankful for my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus … members of the Church Universal … joined together through the precious blood of Christ Jesus, our Savior and our Lord. Thank You, dear Father God, for each one.

This is just a short list … I could go on for a long time.  But I want you to note that my thankfulness is not about things … all of which God has blessed me with throughout the year.  My list is about people.  While things give me temporary pleasure, my real joy comes with the relationships that last forever.  That said, let me be more specific in my final point above …

·        I am thankful for each one of you … readers of these daily words of encouragement; brothers and sisters brought together by our love of the Lord and our desire to serve Him daily.  Thank You, dear Father God, for my good friends who join with me each day.  Give us a good day today as we celebrate Your many blessings together. In Jesus’ Name … Amen.

Agape’

Mr. Jim

  

Scripture for today: Psalms 100

Thank You, Jesus

Good Morning! 

Hebrews 1:1-4 English Standard Version (ESV)

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. ³ He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

This morning I want to give thanks to God for Jesus, my Savior and my Lord.

The letter begins with the statement that God has always been active in the lives of the people of the Hebrew nation. God was always speaking to the people, attempting to gather His people to Himself.  He has never stopped.  He still speaks to His people today.  But at the proper time, God shed His mantle of glory to become flesh and dwell among us.  He faced the same physical issues we face … the need for food; the need for clothing; the need for a place to lay His head at night.  If He stubbed His toe, He hurt.  At the end of each day, He was weary.  He was flesh … and yet, He was also God.  He could discern a person’s need … and address it successfully.  He knew the hearts of those who opposed Him.  He could heal a person from miles and miles away.  He could raise a person from the dead.

Jesus was both God and man.

One day … now many years ago … Jesus spoke to my life.  He revealed my need to repent … turn away from my disobedience … and seek God with all my heart.  He revealed that He had paid the full price for my sin.  He revealed to me that I could become a child of God by trusting in His completed work on Calvary.  When I took Him at His word, He changed my life focus.  How could I be anything but thankful?

Tomorrow, as we gather together to give thanks, let us all remember that God’s greatest blessing to all the world is His only begotten Son … our Lord, Christ Jesus.

God bless you all this good, good day.  If you are traveling, I pray that God will go with you and before you, protecting you along the way.  And, if you are staying at home, I pray God will give you much joy throughout the day. 

Agape’

Mr. Jim

Prayer: Father, thank You for Jesus. Thank You for the salvation He provided to me and to all humanity.  May my life be consecrated to Him. In Jesus’ Name … Amen.  

Scripture for today: Hebrews 1:1-4

New Prayer Needs and Updates: (hey, listen – most of these prayer requests come from you … so I need you to let me know if things change so we can update them – especially when we need to praise God for His healing.)

Praises for Answered Prayer:

The Slam on SPAM

Good Morning! 

Whew!!! What a day!!!  I spent most of Monday (after our worship service at Friendship Rehabilitation Center) trying to get yesterday’s Good Morning message to you … finally resorting to asking daughter Heather how to create and post a blog.  She quickly found where I already had a blog spot that I used in 2011.  I had forgotten … no comments about my aging, please.  By the way, thank you for letting me know that you received some of my messages.  And thank you, son Jim, for doing your research for me.  The article is true … once Google thinks a person is spamming, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to get a message out.

By the way, what a slam to SPAM – the meat product of my parent’s generation. Hormel Foods introduced this combination of pork and ham meats plus fillers in 1937. It became very popular during World War II when food was rationed and meat was hard to attain.  Later, it became an inexpensive alternative for those whose financial resources were limited. I am sure that I have eaten my share of SPAM during my lifetime.

I have often asked the question “WIIFM”.  I am contemplating what God has in it for me when it comes to the difficulty of yesterday. I think one of the lessons I learned is how important I feel these messages I send are for some of you.  When I began to encounter this issue last week, I received several messages, wondering if I were sick or if something had happened to me.  Occasionally, I get an email from one or more of the members of the group telling me that the posting for that day was meaningful.  I am grateful for those messages as each one encourages me in this ministry.

I am very grateful to God for the ministry He gave me eleven years ago.  Over the span of years, there have been many times I arose with a blank slate … only to have the Holy Spirit speak to me in God’s Holy Word for that day. I love those days … hoping that each day will have less of ME and more of HE. 

Speaking of more of HE, let’s take a look at the verse of the day on Biblegateway:

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,

Hebrews 12:28 ESV

You know that I can’t let a “therefore” go without knowing what a therefore is there for.  We have to remember that chapter and verse numbers are an addition to the original letters that were penned – designed to help us learn Scripture in little bites.  When we look at the letter to Hebrews, we find that chapter 12 is a continuation of the statement of the impact of faith given in chapter 11.  Have you considered how important one or more persons in your life was and is in leading you to faith in Christ Jesus?  Do you realize that your faith in Christ Jesus changed your status from a creation of God to a child of the King?  And, do you appreciate the benefits of His discipline? 

The writer of Hebrews wants us to understand and be grateful for God’s everyday involvement in our lives … and for the security we find in that status.  What a blessing for today.

Well, let me say to you that I am grateful to God for each one of you.  Again, thank you for your patience.  God bless and keep you this good day.

Agape’

Mr. Jim

Prayer: Father, thank You for reminding me how important this ministry is to me. In Jesus’ Name … Amen.  

Scripture for today: Hebrews 12:28

New Prayer Needs and Updates: (hey, listen – most of these prayer requests come from you … so I need you to let me know if things change so we can update them – especially when we need to praise God for His healing.)

Praises for Answered Prayer:

11/25/19

11/25/2019

Good Morning! 

Well, you may have noticed that the change of the heading in my email did not accomplish what I presumed would happen.  Apparently, Google has put in an algorithm that treats the greeting of “good morning” as spam.  I will keep on trying … assuming the best and anticipating the worst.

Listen, I am still thankful for a venue that can be used to spread the Word of God in a way that, hopefully, provides a word of encouragement to people who are traveling with me through this earthly walk. Some MAY consider the daily messages as SPAM.  The old saying is that “you can please some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.  I know that … but cannot allow the fear of not pleasing someone to inhibit the messages.  My objectives are (1) to give you a positive word from God to start your day; (2) to do a little teaching of the Word of God along the way; and (3) to give you something to meditate upon as you make your daily walk.  Finally, there is a prayer list where you can share your needs with a group of people who are willing to lift your concerns up to God. 

I am very thankful to God for each one of you who take the few minutes each day to read through these messages.  I am especially thankful for those who take a moment to comment as each comment encourages me to keep on going. And, it goes without saying, I am thankful for each person who takes a moment to seek God’s face on behalf of the people on our prayer list. Most of us have never met many of these people … but we pray anyway believing that God knows every situation and hears our prayers for these folks.

You may have noted that I haven’t put a Scripture in today’s post … at least not yet.  The thought comes that ultimately all of us are disciples of Christ Jesus. What is a disciple? It is a person who forsakes all to follow.  And I do mean “ALL” when making this statement.  Listen to what Jesus said to Simon Peter by the seashore …

Matthew 4:18-22 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁸ While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”^[a] 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. ²¹ And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. ²² Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Footnotes:

Matthew 4:19 The Greek word anthropoi refers here to both men and women

For the balance of the three years, we see these four plus eight more not plying their trade but following Jesus from place to place as He sought to bring the people of Israel to follow Him.  Later, after Jesus had been crucified, Peter decided to return to fishing … and, well, let’s look at John’s account of that …

John 21 English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples

21 After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. ² Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. ³ Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

⁴ Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. ⁵ Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” ⁶ He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. ⁷ That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. ⁸ The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

⁹ When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. ¹⁰ Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” ¹¹ So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. ¹² Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. ¹⁴ This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Jesus and Peter

¹⁵ When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” ¹⁶ He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” ¹⁷ He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. ¹⁸ Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” ¹⁹ (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

In this passage, Jesus was telling Peter that the mission before him was not catching fish but leading people to Jesus.  I am sure that there were times that Peter returned to fishing to provide for his needs – just like Paul would return to tent making.  But the primary focus of Peter’s life was changed.  How about my life?  Or, yours? 

Well, have a great day following Jesus.  God bless you in your journey.

Agape’

Mr. Jim

Prayer: Father, give me the courage to follow You wherever You want me to go. In Jesus’ Name … Amen.  

Scripture for today: Matthew 4:18-22; John 21:1-19

New Prayer Needs and Updates: (hey, listen – most of these prayer requests come from you … so I need you to let me know if things change so we can update them – especially when we need to praise God for His healing.)

Praises for Answered Prayer: