The Testimony of Believers

It seems that most people are simply not at ease with speaking about their Faith in public settings where they are others whom they do not know or are not sure if they share a like minded faith in God.

How do you deal with sharing your Faith with others?

Read John 4:7-53 in several translation and think about the conversation that Jesus and the woman were having. Check out the communication between Jesus and his disciples. What are some power points that zing out at you and make you think about how you share or do not share your Faith. Share your thoughts with us.

Conviction or Condemnation
Choose this Day whom you will serve.


Romans 8:1 (KJV) "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." ( Key Phrase: after the Spirit )

John 16:8 (Amplified Bible) "And when He comes, He will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God) and about judgment:" ( Key Phrase convict and convince. )

Conviction adhered to brings life to an individual who responds to that nudge before it becomes condemnation which is developed by the mind of a person who is wrestling with the work of the Spirit of God. The question that comes to the forefront is: Am I willing to receive conviction and let it works its full potential? Or will I wander around in condemnation and try to figure out a way to justify my actions? It is interesting that Satan may get involved right in the middle of the Spirit's work of conviction. If there is something in your life that is pulling you away from the Father's presence and you sense this(conviction), but you begin to mull it around to see if you can justify your actions and those actions begin to well up with condemnation then you can be assured that a battle for your soul has begun. Satan would love to create condemnation in your mind and heart. So strange, he wishes to cause you to feel condemn for sinful behavior. But, the problem is that you simple draw away from God out of fear being punished or worse you determine that some things are okay, because you have liberty and it is only Satan that is making you feel condemn.

The fact is that conviction can be turned into condemnation if you choose to ignore the prodding's of the Holy Spirit.

I John 2:16 (KJV) "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."

This is a key passage to consider in such battles of conviction and condemnation. Whatever you are involved in will fall under one of those categories of: The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life.

The first two are fairly easy to discern. It is the third that really creates the darkness of condemnation. It is in the pride of life that one begins to desire to control what is wrong or right. Do I not have the right to choose what I do? God has given me a mind to figure this out. Surely, I can make a judgement on whether or not these actions I do affect me or will effect those around me.

There is a simple solution. Follow the conviction of the Holy Spirit and see what happens. Follow the condemnation and ignore the Holy Spirit and see what happens.
Following the Spirit brings life. Following condemnation brings death. You decide !

Scars of Commitment.

Isaiah 49:16a (Amplified Bible) "Behold, I have indelibly imprinted (tattooed a picture of) you on the palm of each of My hands."

The idea of "Scars of Commitment" is not an easy thought to ponder. What in my life would be considered scar worthy? Are there events in my life that would be monumental enough to consider being in the category of sacrificial? Isaiah was telling Zion that He was aware of their needs and He would write on His hands ( palms ), basically their names or perhaps his promises. Isaiah even said that God would lift His hands to the nations so they could all see His care for Zion ( Israel ).

John 12:33 "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die."

Our Lord and Savior did the same thing but with piercing of His palms. Using the phrase, lightly, "Scars of Commitment" take on a whole new meaning. If we as His children where to think of our "Scars of Commitments", what would they be?

Here is Paul the Apostle's "Scars of Commitment":2 Corinthians 11:24-26
"From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren."

I personally cannot think of such "Scars of Commitment" in my life of this nature. But, I am reminded that they can come and should come.
II Timothy 3:12 (Amplified Bible) "Indeed all who delight in piety and are determined to live a devoted and godly life in Christ Jesus will meet with persecution [will be made to suffer because of their religious stand]."

When those moments come into our lives, may they show that we endured for His name sake and the battle scars are simply tattoos of those "Scars of Commitment".

What does it mean to Walk by the Spirit?

Is it possible to be walking by another spirit?

Hmmmmm. Would you consider that you walk by another spirit other than the Holy Spirit?

Galatians 5:16 & 25 (King James Version)
"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

The key is learning to walk in the Spirit and that is only done when you live in the Spirit. Can't do either without the other. You can't walk in the Spirit if you are not living in the Spirit and you cannot live in the Spirit without walking in the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:19 (NIV) "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;"

I simply love this verse. Why? Because it tells me that I am already filled with His Spirit. And I can live in or by the Holy Spirit and thus can exercise that reality by walking in the Spirit. And if I choose to walk in the Spirit, I will not do the things that are considered sinful. How in the world is that possible? Well, that is the key...not in the world but of the Spirit. If we choose to abide in the things of the world then we simply cannot walk in the Spirit, because have chosen to not be led by the Spirit.

What helps us is the knowledge that the Spirit lives within us and that we can draw on that wonderous experience of being redeemed not only to experience a Heavenly bliss in the future but spiritual intervention that gives us the power to live victorious lives.

Read Chapter five of Galatians and pay close attention to verses 19-24. The answer is right there. Which will you walk in?

Judging One's Own Self.

"A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. " I Corin. 11:28-32

As God's children, we become so enthralled about His loving embrace; we often forget His judgment( Which, I see as a loving embrace as well) in our lives. The seriousness of the Lord's Supper is clearly indicated by Paul's words. It was a spiritual time of connection to the Father and it required self-judgment. How easy it is to say, God knows my weaknesses and I need the Lord Supper to remind me of what Christ did for me. Paul would have, no doubt, agreed with that statement, but he would have said judge yourself for the sins in your life first and repent, then partake in this spiritual Communion.

Confession of one's sins and repentance is a spiritual encounter that must preceed forth in one's life at all times. If judgement was waiting at the door of those who read Paul's admonition, it likewise is at our door as well.

The Bible is very easy to understand.


But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers.
We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand we are obliged to act accordingly. Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How would I ever get on in the world?


Herein lies the real place of Christian scholarship. Christian scholarship is the Church’s prodigious invention to defend it-self against the Bible, to ensure that we can continue to be good Christians without the Bible coming too close. Oh, priceless scholarship, what would we do without you? Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God. Yes, it is even dreadful to be alone with the New Testament.


I open the New Testament and read: “If you want to be perfect, then sell all your goods and give to the poor and come follow me.” Good God, if we were to actually do this, all the capitalists, the officeholders, and the entrepreneurs, the whole society in fact, would be almost beggars! We would be sunk if it were not for Christian scholarship!

Praise be to everyone who works to consolidate the reputation of Christian scholarship, which helps to restrain the New Testament, this confounded book which would one, two, three, run us all down if it got loose (that is, if Christian scholarship did not restrain it).
- Soren Kierkegaard,

Trials of Life are just Wedgies !

So life has thrown you a few wedgies !
Or in a more colloquially pictorial thought: "What's got your panties in a wad?"



"What's happening up on the street, just don't seem right brothers & sisters, but it is evident that I am suppose to be in the groove of it all. No matter which way I turn something smacks right up against my face. This here life seems to be a bit harsh, if you get my word on it. The Lord, seems to be laying down that I am to be walking the talk in the midst of my chaos, but I'd rather be cussing the stuff that blinds my eyes to doing my own thang. So back tracking is the path to dealing with the chaos. Pulling toward the One who has the answers. Bulling my way through the stuff, just ain't going to get it. Time to get it right." James 1:2-4 JLU translation

Often I have heard it said that God does not tempt us, but He sure found a way to test our character. When we go through the trials of life, they are testing our fortitude in Christ. Will we look at the trials of life as our path of learning? Or will we curse them and blunder through and hope that those troubling circumstances will go away? The Apostle James saw that trials were simple testings of our faith. Testings that should bring great joy, because in and through them, Christ reigns supremely and those going through them will "go on to complete a balanced character that will fall short of nothing." New English Bible

So got a few wedgies? Allow those circumstances to be the testing ground of your faith and walk in Christ !

Without a Picture

It is hard to describe something without a picture. Especially, in today's society. We are not people that communicate with words of description as much as statements of thoughts. "I see a bird." Verses "I see a brown bird with an orange belly." Or "I see a dark brown bird with a brilliant orange vested belly and splashes of white when it raises it wings."

But, what if you are talking to a person blind from birth?

All of mankind is spritiually blind from birth. Romans 5:12 "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned."

How do you describe to a spiritually blind person, the grace and mercy of God?

The answer - is Romans 5:10,11 "For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."

We have the statement, now we need to paint the picture through our lives, so those who are blind can see.

Mark 8:23-25 (King James Version) "And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees,walking.
After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

Perhaps we can paint the picture when we allow the Master Painter to guide our hands.

To Speak or not to Speak

"To Speak or not to Speak is the Question"

Now, we all know that there are people who have the propensity to communicate more than others. It is just their nature. The question is whether or not it is from the natural man's desire to be heard or from the spiritual man's desire to impart wisdom into the hearer's ears.

What saith the Scriptures?

James Chapter 3......traditional Heading for this chapter: The Tongue is a Fire. Main verse that speaks it plainly is: James 3:10-12 (The Message) "My friends, this can't go on. A spring doesn't gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? Apple trees don't bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don't bear apples, do they? You're not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you?"

Though this is an extreme vernacular translation, it gives some down to earth examples for us today.

It may be said that most people do not intend to muddy the waters, but it happens. So, what does one do to deal with that natural inclination to speak in to conversation? Stop! Look! Listen! Then pray for wisdom so you will not cloud the issue, but instead bring clarity! Better said than done, but it is the truth.

Proverbs 25:11 (The Message)
"The right word at the right time is like a custom-made piece of jewelry."

If you have time place some comments on this site with Scripture that will help us all...to learn "To Speak or not to Speak"

Mix DNA produce illegitimate life

Can it be possible to do that which seems natural and be out of God's will? Certainly, if God has already told you no to certain behaviors. The question is "Were you listening?"

Ezra 10:10-12 (New International Version)
" Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, 'You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel's guilt. Now make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives. ' The whole assembly responded with a loud voice: 'You are right! We must do as you say'."

We want to judge God for this harsh command. Those poor people ! But, what we fail to see is the consequences of the mixed DNA spiritually. God knew the end results of such disobedience and He was calling for them to repent and come back to His spiritual DNA.

Are there things in your life that God has spoken no to? Do you try to justify what you are doing as being natural and just doing what you feel is right? Check it out ! Does the actions you walk in have consequences to your spiritual DNA? If so, then stop the illegitimate actions....because they will produce offspring that you will regret !!

Tending the Garden of Your Soul

There are times we simply need to tend to the Garden of our Souls. There is much to do about tending the garden of the body in this world. All types of media espouse the idea of taking care of one's body, so you can be healthy, attractive and live longer. But what of the Soul. Surely, it has importance as well. Perhaps even more than we think!

Proverbs 28:19 ( The Message Bible )"Work your garden—you'll end up with plenty of food; play and party—you'll end up with an empty plate" ( The New American Standard Bible ) "He who tills his land will have plenty of food, But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty."

Give thought to your daily pursuits. Do you take time to Tend the Garden of Your Soul? If you are a Christian...then your spirit is saved! But that is your future inheritance!(We live daily inview of that inheritance.) But what of your soul? Your soul is your mind, emotions, and will. How is the health of your soul? Is there proverty in your garden or is there plenty of food?

I Thessalonians 5:23 (Ampliflied Bible)
And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

The Kudzu Life

Kudzu, a southern vine imported from Japan. It will simply over takes anything in its way. What was intended as something useful as beautifying southern highways has become an invading weed


Timothy 2:4-7 (Amplified Bible)
No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy and please the one who enlisted him.-----And if anyone enters competitive games, he is not crowned unless he competes lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid down).-----[It is] the hard-working farmer [who labors to produce] who must be the first partaker of the fruits.-----Think over these things I am saying [understand them and grasp their application], for the Lord will grant you full insight and understanding in everything.

Paul's warning here seems odd for the "Culturally Wise Church" of today. We want to be in the world but not of the world. So how do God's children stay engaged in the world but not entangled?

Paul was actually speaking to Timothy as a called out minister and warn him of not being faithful to his calling, which meant to stay on course and not become involved in the affairs of this world. What does that mean?

Simply this: Whatever pulls you away from being true to your walk with Christ !

There is much Kudzu in this world that allures one and seems so right to plant in ones life, to beautify it. But the reality is, it will overtake and cover up that which God wants in your life. Paul's statement: "his aim is to satisfy and please the one who enlisted him.". This is the real way to stay untangled by the things of this world. Please the one who saved you!

The vision of a setting sun has so many implications for those who are watching. Past memories, present assurances, simple beauty.

Moments that generally are not understood by others, because one cannot picture for them what was saw through the wealth of your eyes.



It would be the same for those who have encounter the Light of God through His Son, Jesus the Christ.

"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." "There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man" John 1:4&9

Because what one experiences in this Light is beyond this world, yet experienced. How can one tell others: "But as many as received Him to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:12,13

The Apostle Paul spoke to the believers at the Ephesus Church these words and they sum up the experience of the Light. "Once you lived in the dark, but now the Lord has filled you with light. Live as children who have light." Eph. 5:8

Are you a child of the Light"

Cut Cut Prune Prune Slash Slash

When one prunes a grape vine, it requires a real aggressiveness. No playing around, you got to slash off the old growth or you will get a weak harvest.


Notice only three buds. But there were many feet of old vines. And there would have been many many buds, but they would have produced only small grapes.

John 15:2 says in the Amplified:

Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.

Hmmmmm...do I need to ask the Father if there are things He wishes to prune off of my life?

I almost miss it all - Easter Thoughts !

It seems so balant at times. Missing the key ! Missing the door handle! Missing something, but cannot get my head together to know what I am missing. Then suddenly it dawns, there it is. It was there all the time.


......................."I all most Missed It All".........................


When I woke up this morning all was despair
even the washing of my face, I despised,
to me there was a coldness in the air
I wanted to give up.

As I sadly walked toward the tomb
I remembered no more the words He spoke
for all things seemed certain for doom
the only thought was, how can I remove the stone.

Along the path, the birds sang their song of spring,
the trees seemed to reach toward the heavens,
and in the distant I barely noticed a peaceful spring,
then I noticed something, something different.

The lilies had bloomed, the white trumpets of glory
there in the early morning hours, proclaiming a beautiful
message that spoke of something new, something promised
I was moved, and knew something was to happen

As I near the tomb, there was a soft and alluring light
the closer I came, the more I was drawn
by now I had forgotten who was to move the stone
I only knew that I was to behold a great sight.

I was startled to see two men
but yet not afraid, they seemed to belong there.
Speaking gently, yet with authority, they said,
"The man, Jesus, whom you seek, has Risen!".

He promised us He would return
now I realize why the birds were singing
the trees reaching for the heavens.

Yes, this was a new morning
and to think, "I almost missed it all".

Clothed in Humility

Psalm 25:9 (New International Version)
"He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way."

It is a real task to be humble when it seems those around you receive or get more than what you believe you deserve. One of the greatest examples in the Bible is that of the prodigal son story. A son who leaves his home and squanders his life in wrong living. A son who stays home and does what seems to be righteous living. The disobient son returns home with sincere humility, yet the righteous son holds his brother in contempt.

What was the problem? The father chose to bless the humble son and the righteous son was angry because he had always done what was right in his eyes and he was not being given his rightful rewards. The older brother was trying to justify his faithfulness by what he had done and deserved.

The younger brother saw himself as one who deserved nothing and humble himself. The father choose to bless the younger and had hopes that the older would join in the celebration. Instead the older brother's true nature came forth.

The Apostle Paul would call this fulfilling the desires of the lower nature ( Gal. 5:13) . The answer to the lack of humility that is brought about through walking in the lower nature of man is this: " I mean this: if you are guided by the Spirit you will not fulfil the desires of your lower nature. The nature sets its desires against the Spirit, while the Spirit fights against it. They are in conflict with one another so that what you will to do you cannot. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law." Gal. 5:16-18

Paul was talking about the Law, yet it can be easily seen that there is a lower law of nature that seeks to control us, when we do not seek to have humility that draws us to be under the tudoring of the Holy Spirit.

This takes us back to the title of this devotion: Clothed in Humility, along with the Scripture "He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way." If we as God's children wish to walk in the nature of the Spirit, we must reject that lower nature that demands our rights, regardless of what we have achieved, believe we deserve, or even desire.

Humilty is a challenge, but it is a Scriptural mandate. It is one of the hardest paths to walk on. "God resisteth the proud, and giveth his grace to the humble" (James 4:6) Another great verse, Galatians is 6:1, speaks to this issue. "We must not be conceited, challenging one another to rivalry, jealous of one another."

As Children of God, we ought to take stock of our attitudes and self motivations the next time we are faced with a situation that our lower nature begins to demand our rights verses the Spiritual nature leading us to a state of humility and submission to God's work to show us the right way.

I Peter 3:8 "Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind...."

He Taught me

I cannot remember a lot of things that my father taught me. But, I remember being with him and going places. Working at gas stations, delivering beer on big trucks, making doughnuts, mowing the yard........hmmm it seems he taught me through doing things with me.

He taught me when I was not aware of what he was doing. Sometimes those were the best experiences, because I was having fun being with him and he was teaching me through life's daily responsibilities.

" Hear. O sons, the instructions of a father, and give attention that you may gain understanding,..." Proverbs 4:1

"I'm telling you this straight. The Son can't independently do a thing, only what he sees the Father doing. What the Father does, the Son does. The Father loves the Son and includes him in everything he is doing." John 5:19 ( The Message)

Even our Saviour, Jesus, was subject to His Father's teachings as he walked daily with Him. So, we must learn to walk in the reality of "He taught me".

"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.. John 1:12 (English Standard Version)

Emmet Kelly Weary but Free !

"Just the slightest raise of an eyebrow from Weary Willie made people laugh during the Depression. No small task. By then, audiences were used to seeing tramps and hobos and Willie’s plight though heartbreaking, made for perfect comic relief. " Quote By Rosemary McKittrick.

Our nation is going through what one might call a "Weary Time" and we all wish it would go away.

So what is a weary child of God to do today as we view things changing all around us?

Matthew 11:29 (Amplified Bible)
Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (a relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls.

A yoke is something we post modern folks simple are not much aware of. It is a device used to put two animals together to pull a cart or a plow. There was a lead animal who pull most of the work load. In this understanding, Jesus is calling His followers to be yoked with him. Thus they are not alone in the work, but are yoked with Christ to do that work.

The passage indicates a emotional work load, that we cannot take alone. Christ knew this and was simply inviting those who follow Him to take their position along side of Him in this life's concerns and He would provide all we need to find rest in a weay world.

Does God Answer Prayers?

For most of those who claim to be Christian, the answer to the title "Does God Answer Prayers?" is yes. The question behind the question is "Does He answer all prayers with an affirmative Yes?"

Now in God's way of doing things He may simply say yes to all prayers, but state them in this way: "Yes, I will answer your pray in this way...." Being that He is sovereign, our quest is to understand His answers so we do not despair or lose hope because they are not answered the way we perceive they have to be for our hearts to be glad.

Take for instance, Israel had always known that their Messiah would come. The prophets foretold the promise down through the ages. But, was His death on the cross the answer to their prayers, "Lord send the Messiah!"?

It certainly was and it was a positive Yes! But in their eyes it was an utter failure, because it did not change their circumstantces which was the very heart of their prayers.

The Cross is the means of understanding God's way of answering prayers. He sees much further than we do, because we look through the mind's eye of our circumstances(the sum of essential and environmental factors). What is essential to us in our environment determines what we pray and our expectation of the answer to that prayer.


What say the Scriptures? Matthew 6:9-13 in the Message Bible does a rather straight forward approach...simple... no holding back...ideology.


"The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They're full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don't fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this: Our Father in heaven, Reveal who you are. Set the world right; Do what's best— as above, so below. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. You're in charge! You can do anything you want! You're ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes."

"And he looked up and said, 'I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.' Then again, He ( Jesus ) laid his hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and he began to see everything clearly" Mk 8:25

Ever wonder why you see things not so clearly? Perhaps it is due to a less intent desire than is needed in order to see things fully as God intends. Notice that the blind man's sight was restored after "he looked intently".

Most of us would do anything to see God's will in our lives more clearly. We pray, we read the Scriptures, and we may even walk the talk. But for some reason, we simply seem to only see partially.

I would like to suggest that a return to Jesus might be in order. In a moment when we realized that Jesus was ministering to us, we got in too big of a hurry and took off thinking that He was through, thus we saw things in a haze and we were bumping around from one thing to another in our Christian walk.


"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." I Cor. 13:11

As a child, everything in front of me was what I wanted and most of the time could not hold all of it in my little hands. But as I grew older, I became more intent and focused on one thing and that was what I really wanted. As Children of God, we might need to stay at the moment Jesus is teaching us something and focus intently on that and then move forward with our spiritual sight restored.


Job 8:5-7 (New International Version)
But if you will look to God and plead with the Almighty, if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place. Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.

Jesus could no longer........

Every Been in a Huge Crowd of People ? No matter which way you turned, it was overwhelming?

Jesus healed a leper according to Mark's Gospel that created a real stir when he chose to tell everyone what had happened to him.

" But he went our and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in the unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere." Mark 2:45 ( NAS)

So have you ever been apart of such an event within your Christian walk?

"Saturday was a day of power and excitement. The event turned into a series of gatherings. The main centers of preaching were: the meetinghouse, the tent, and a separate meeting where the Negroes gathered. Numerous other attractions caused people to spontaneously rush back and forth when a stir took place during some nearby preaching or the many physical exercises that occurred throughout the week.

During the preaching the sounds of moaning, groaning, screaming and crying had become commonplace in the western revival. The most universal exhortation, "Lost! Lost!" struck terror throughout the camp. The unsaved would cry and weep, while compassionate friends entreated them to turn to the Lord Jesus.

The most prevalent physical "exercise" was falling down. It was usually accompanied with fainting, some bodily agitation's, and even a trance or coma. It caused the crowds to begin exhortations and praises, while trying to co-labor with the preacher. Confusion reigned. James Finley said that, "the noise was like the roar of Niagara."

The above quote was in the 1800s and was a Cumberland Presbyterian Revival. Are we looking for the same? We should not, because it was a period of history that God chose to work that way. What we need is the type believers who will share their faith in Christ with such fervent belief that people would over whelm and growd the churches, begging to know this Jesus !!

Being a Gentle Shepherd

"Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is Near." Phillipians 4:5

John 10:1-5 (The Message Bible)

"Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he's up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won't follow a stranger's voice but will scatter because they aren't used to the sound of it."

There is hardly a more beautiful picture than that of a shepherd caring for his lambs. The importance of this is seen in John's word about the True Shepherd, and Paul's words calling for a gentle spirit in our lives.

As we consider the way we carry about in life, let us remember that a gentle spirit is likened unto the Lord's care for us. It should be intentional that we walk about with gentleness as a garment about us. Thus, when people see us and hear us, their hearts are receptive to that "open hands" invitation through our gentleness.

Let our gentleness be the motivating factor in our lives as we meet those in and out of the Kingdom of God. We might just be able to minister God's love to them.

Heroes of Our Time

What sparks our fantasties at times? What drives us to day dreaming?

Who would have been the heroes of Old Testament or New Testament times?

Who would a young boy or young girl want to be like when the only heroes were those who were real people with real heroic deeds?

Samson was a hero to many. But, I imagine that parents did not want their children emulating him. He hung out with a bad woman and was always getting into trouble.

"O God, please strengthen me just once more." Judges 16:28 That prayer gets me to thinking for some reason Samson always knew who to trust when it came to that moment of relying on God for the task before him.

David followed a similar pattern as well. He often looked in places he should not have looked and even had a man sent to his death in the heat of war. Hmmmm, would he be a good hero? "Keep me safe, O God, for I have taken refuge in You." Psalm 16:1 Then again, he knew who to run to in times of trouble.

Is there a perfect hero to model ourselves after....to day dream and wish we could attain that status?

Perhaps we should consider that all who trust in God become heroes as they learn to seek out God in their lives. Someone is always watching our lives. We just might be that hero to someone who catches a glimpse, a moment when we turn to our Heavenly Father and simply say, "Help me!".

Perhaps you do not wear tights, a mask, or a cape. Yet, there are moments when you know that you have been a hero at that right moment even in your own eyes. It was when you trusted God with all your heart. And I imagine that God has someone watching you, so that person could have a hero, if only for that moment.

Rains on the Unjust and the Just !

Ever wonder, "Why do bad things happen to good people? or "Why do bad people seem to do all right in life?".

Perhaps, we are looking at life incorrectly. We live in a fallen world. Everything changed after Adam and Even sinned against God's command.

Look at this picture. Would not that storm touch the lives of all it encounters?

"He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. " Matt. 5:45b

So where does that leave us? It still hurts when a loved one dies. There are still problems when one loses his or her job. Does God care? He does, but we often want to look at things in a way that measures events by what we deem good or bad in our eyes at the time we are experiencing loss, discouragement, or pain.

Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Would it not be more beneficial to begin by asking our Father how to live through events in our lives so we can to see His handprints and footprints in the midst of life's encounters?

Romans: 8: 38,39 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Yes, it is simple ! But profoundly beyond this world's thinking. God does care, but His love is much deeper than our love of things here. It is the eternal love that carries us through the things we encounter in a fallen world. This world will pass away and all the things that we as humans deem important will pale in comparison to the things He has planned for us. Our journey begins here with all its pains and joys that we will experience in our human flesh. When we are finished with this earthly life there is much much more to experience than we can imagine !!