How do you do your work?????

Good morning everyone!!! I had trouble with internet, sorry I am late. God is good, all the time, all the time, God is good!!! Have you had things happen when you think you are working in the will of the Lord??? This happened to me yesterday and we ask why??? There is a reason, our reaction should be that there is something better waiting. Too often we do the woe is me act and want to feel sorry for ourselves. That is great!!!! For Satan......to take the joy out of all God does for us. I had to stop and look up......remembering GOD IS IN CONTROL!!!
Okay, enough of my woe. Galatians 6:4-6 "PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO YOUR OWN WORK, FOR THEN YOU WILL GET THE SATISFACTION OF A JOB WELL DONE AND YOU WON'T NEED TO COMPARE YOURSELF TO ANYONE ELSE. (5) FOR WE ARE EACH RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR OWN CONDUCT. (6) THOSE WHO ARE TAUGHT THE WORD OF GOD SHOULD PROVIDE FOR THEIR TEACHERS, SHARING ALL GOOD THINGS WITH THEM."
What is being said here? vs 4-5 When you do your very best, you feel good about the results. There is no need to compare yourself with others. People make comparisons for many reasons. Some point out others' flaws in order to feel better about themselves. Others simply want reassurance that they are doing well. When you are tempted to compare, look at Jesus Christ. His example will inspire you to do your very best and his loving acceptance will comfort you when you fall short of your expectations.
vs 6 Paul says that students should take care of the material needs of their teachers (I Corinthians 9:7-12). It is easy to receive the benefit of good Bible teaching and then to take our spiritual leaders for granted, ignoring their financial and physical needs. We should care for our teachers, not grudgingly or reluctantly, but with a generous spirit, showing honor and appreciation for all they have done (I Timothy 5:17,18).
Do you take care of your tithing? Are you being responsible for all God has given you? Is your church profiting from your time, talents, etc. Thank you for listening....uh....reading. Love you all!!
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Just how important do you think you are???

Good morning to all!!! What a great day to be alive in the Lord Jesus Christ!!! I hope your past week was good!! I did not have my computer for 3 mornings, sorry. It was a good week but exhausting as well.
May God have mercy on you as you travel and go about your daily/weekly activities. God is good all the time, all the time God is good!!
Stop just a moment and look at Galatians 6........ I will spend this week sharing the good news of this chapter with you. Seven days to cover 18 verses.....this should be manageable.
Galatians 6:1-3 "DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IF ANOTHER BELIEVER IS OVERCOME BY SOME SIN, YOU WHO ARE GODLY SHOULD GENTLY AND HUMBLY HELP THAT PERSON BACK ONTO THE RIGHT PATH. AND BE CAREFUL NOT TO FALL INTO THE SAME TEMPTATION YOURSELF. (2)SHARE EACH OTHER'S BURDENS, AND IN THIS WAY OBEY THE LAW OF CHRIST. (3) IF YOU THINK YOU ARE TOO IMPORTANT TO HELP SOMEONE, YOU ARE ONLY FOOLING YOURSELF. YOU ARE NOT THAT IMPORTANT."
No Christian should every think that he or she is totally independent and doesn't need help from others. The body of Christ - the church - functions only when the members work together for the common good. Do you know someone who needs help? Is there a Christian brother or sister who needs correction or encouragement? Humbly and gently reach out to that person offering to lift his or her load. (John 3:34,35)
Be cautious of the third verse - "...you are not that important." Does this talk about pride? Be in check, watch your actions for a day, see how you respond to ones around you!!! Share Jesus with someone today. If you tell someone about Jesus write back and let me know, please. Thank you for reading. Love you all!!!
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Did you touch someone yesterday??? JESUS DID!!

Good morning everyone!!!! I hope this is a great day in the Lord Jesus Christ!!! God is good, all the time---all the time, God is good!!!
So what do you think?? Did you touch someone yesterday for Jesus????Jesus touched all kinds of people.....healed them.....but listen to this. The demons recognize Jesus....they tremble at the sound of HIS name.
Matthew 5:1-15 "...........When jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him. With a shriek, he screamed, "Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God I beg you, don't torture me!!" For Jesus had already said to the spirit, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit." Then Jesus demanded, "What is your name?" And he replied, "My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man." Then the evil spirits begged him again, and again not to send them to some distant place. There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. "Send us into those pigs," the spirits begged. "Let us enter them." So JESUS GAVE THEM PERMISSION. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned inthe water........."
Okay, 1- Even today, demons are dangerous, powerful and destructive. It is important to recognize their evil activity, and we should avoid any curiosity about or involvement with demonic forces or the occult. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) If we resist the devil and his influences he will flee from us. James 4:7 The demon shrieked at Jesus- - it was a shriek of fear, defense, and rebellion against God. We don't see people as being filled with demons today.....BUT.....what is society "screaming?" Society does not want any interference with their life. Let me be me!!!! I can do what I want when I want. And we wonder why our moral values are changing and have changed so much. Society is screaming at God, the church, and Christian moral values 'leave me alone.' Even in the church, some pulpits are filled by feel good pastors who don't believe everything in the Bible. The Bible is not a buffet, pick and choose. It is a full meal deal---you take it all or none!!! The demons screamed at Jesus to let them go into the pigs, which are unclean by the Jews. So, Legion (3 to 6 thousand) and all his soldiers were cast into the pigs, who ran into the lake and drowned. Demons recognize and tremble at the name of JESUS. Do we?? We tend to believe we will live forever......continue on....doing our own thing!!!! When is the time we wake up and realize that JESUS is the KEY?!?!?!? Our strength lies in our Lord and Saviour-----JESUS CHRIST!!! Where is your faith?? Thank you for reading with me today!!! Love you all!!! I did get to keep my computer today, but won't have it tomorrow.
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Who did Jesus touch??? Who do you touch???

Good morning everyone!!! What a great day to be alive in Jesus!!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good!!!! Yesterday I posted a study on my blog site. If you care to visit it go to: www.johnnybdailyblog.com
I was visiting about who Jesus touched.....who touched Jesus!!! Look at Matthew 9:9 - Jesus talked to a despised tax collector. Mark 5:1-15 Jesus talked to an insane hermit. Mark 15:1-15 the Roman governor.
Who do you touch with your life??? No one??? Who have you mentioned Jesus to yesterday?? the last week? the last month??? What makes us different than Jesus where we cannot reach out to more people. Who? The guy or gal with tattos, the guy or gal with piercings, the business man, the long hair with a pony tail, the clean cut ivy league looking person, your friend, your neighbor!!!!!
Matthew 9:9 "As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector's booth. "FOLLOW ME AND BE MY DISCIPLE," Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him."
Matthew was a Jew, appointed by the Romans to be the area's tax collector. He collected taxes from the citizens as well as from merchants passing through town. Tax collectors were expected to take a commission on the taxes they collected, but most of them overcharged and kept the profits. Thus, tax collectors were hated by the Jews because of their reputation for cheating and because of their support of Rome. When Matthew got up as Jesus commanded and followed Him, he gave up a very lucrative career. When God calls you to follow or obey him, do you do it as Matthew did?? Leaving your comfort zone and step into the questionable area of......."THE WORLD!!" The decision to follow Jesus may require difficult or painful choices, but we must decide to leave behind those things that would keep us from following Christ.
Where are you?? Share the good news of JESUS CHRIST to all around you. What have you to lose?? We may lose today's life for ETERNAL LIFE!!! WOW!! Worshipping God, Jesus the rest of our lives. No pain, no hunger, no sleep, just rejoicing and being in the presence of God. AWESOME!!!!
Thank you for reading with me today. Love you all. My computer has to go into the shop. Hopefully I will be back online by Thursday.
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Are you as Jesus???

Good morning everyone!!! What a great day to be alive in the Lord Jesus Christ. God is good all the time......all the time God is good. WOW!!!! God takes care of us even when we don't know it or don't want to know it.

Who are your friends???? Would they stand by you??? Who do you associate with????? What kind of people do you share the word and Love of Christ with????

Food for thought.....what kind of people did Jesus associate with?? Whom did he consider important enough to touch??? An idea for you to ponder upon!!

Matthew 9:9 Jesus talked with a dispised tax collector; Mark 5:1-15 An insane hermit; Mark 15:1-15 the Roman Governor. WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?? WHY IS JESUS WASTING HIS TIME VISITING WITH THEM???

Look these up and let's talk tomorrow. Thank you for reading. Love you all!!

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Lord's Prayer

Good morning everyone!!! I hope this is a great day for all of you!!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good!!!! Well, this has been an interesting week. Please allow me to bore you with family "stuff" for a moment. My granddaughter's softball team went to the state playoffs this week. They lost their first game of a 2 game elimination tournament. Sooooooooooooo, to make it to the championship they cannot lose any more games. Weeeeeeeeelllllllllll, they played 3 games a day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to win the state championship. Yea!!! Hard on parents and grandparents too. Okay, enough!!
God wants us to find a quiet place to pray, have our Bible, let His will be done, and follow His will. Jesus taught his disciples to pray and this is what He said. Matthew 6:9 "Pray like this "Our Father in heaven, may youname be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptaion, but rescue us from the evil on. If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins."
vs 9 - praise our Father in heaven
vs10 - God's spiritual reign, God's will (not ours) be done
vs11 - God gives us sustance and is our provider
vs12 - forgive others as He forgives us
vs13 - pray to be delivered from temptation
vs14,15-if we refuse to forgive others, God will not forgive us
You all know this, but sometimes a refresher is worthwhile. Thank you for indulging me and reading. Love you all.
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

PRAYER -Heartfelt or Headfelt

Good morning to all!! Yes, yes, yes LORD!! Open the EYES OF MY HEART!! Some great praise songs are out. Go to Scroll or your local Christian book store and you will find some great praise songs.
Bro Lou is talking about prayer!! Pastor Lutzer on KBJS was talking about prayer!!! AND........this is touching me very much and I hope and pray it touches you as well.
Yes, for you LCUMC people, we heard this from Bro Lou. However, have you ever read scripture and understand, even talk about it and then.....WHAM!!!It leaps out and smashes you between the eyes??? Well........
Matthew 6:7,8 "When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don't be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!!"
Repeating the same words over and over like a magic incantation is no way to ensure that God will hear your prayer. It's not wrong to come to God many times with the same requests--Jesus encourages persistent prayer. But he condemns the shallow repetition of words that are not offered with a sincere heart. We can never pray too much if our prayers are honest and sincere. Before you start to pray, make sure you mean what you say.
Take caution against being ritualistic. Example, the Lord's Prayer...do you say it from mere memory..... or do you listen to the words and what you are saying. How does the Lord's prayer begin???? Huh????? Exactly, we are talking not only to a holy God, but to our FATHER.
Thank you for reading with me today. May God bless your steps, thoughts, and actions.
Love you all!!
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Prayer for people OR prayer for GOD??

Good morning everyone!!! I hope this is a great day in the Lord Jesus Christ for you. God is good all the time, all the time God is good!!!
Bro Lou's sermon about prayer has really spoken to me and I continue today. Be humble and sincere is so very important. We all enjoy praise, it makes us FEEL GOOD!! These emotional/physical feelings only last a short time.
The religious leaders in Jesus' day wanted to be seen as "holy" and public pray was one way to get attention. Jesus saw through their self-righteous acts. Jesus taught that the essence of prayer is not public style but private communication with God. There is a place forpublic prayer, but to pray only where others will notice you indicates that your real audience is not God.
Jesus was drawing attention to the motives behind the actions. There is a place for public prayer, but Jesus is talking about heartfelt prayer and hypocritical prayer. It should come from the heart. If you are asked to pray in public the focus should be on addressing God, not how you will sound to others or how your prayer will come across to the 'people.' Prayer is a conversation between you and your Heavenly Father.
Matthew 6:5,6 "When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father sho sees everything, will reward you."
Thank you for reading with me. I hope and pray you gain as much as I do from studying this. Bro Lou is preaching a series on prayer and this has be a catalyst for me in my prayer life. Thank you Bro Lou. Thank you Jesus for opening my eyes. Love you all.
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Prayer-How to pray by JESUS

Good morning everyone!!!! I hope you have a wonderful day in the Lord Jesus Christ!! Yesterday was a great day to be alive in Jesus. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

Our pastor, Bro Lou talked about prayer. Last week he gave us four beginning guidelines: 1. find a secret place; 2. have a BIBLE; 3; pray for HIS will to be done; & 4. let HIM decide.

Now in Luke 11 a disciple asked Jesus to teach them to pray, Just as John had his disciples. Read chapter 11 or open you Bible and look at it. Vs 2 “Jesus said, “this is how your should pray. Father, may your name be kept holy” Jesus praised God first before he made his requests. Praising God first puts us in the correct mindstate to tell our HEAVENLY FATHER about our needs.

Vs 3 “Give us each day the food we need,” God’s provision is daily, not all at once. We cannot store it up, fill our storehouse, then not communicate with God until the storehouse runs low. We are not self satisfying, we cannot fulfill our needs—God can.

Vs 4 “and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.” When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He made forgiveness the cornerstone of their relationship with God. God has forgiven our sins, we must now forgive those who have wronged us. To remain unforgiving shows we do not understand that we ourselves need to be forgiven.

Okay, so what is being said? First, praise your heavenly Father; second- go to God daily – we need to be filled each day; and third – forgive others- do not let unforgiveness sit in your body to fester; and fourth ask for strength so that we do not fall to temptation or the worldly ways.

Thank you for reading today. Lately I have been having trouble getting to my internet provider so I will post when I can. Love you all.

In Christ’s Love and Grace

Johnny

God's timing is always perfect!!!!

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE!!! I hope this is a wonderful day for you in the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, we often wonder does God hear my pray, why doesn't he answer, why can't I see evidence of my prayers being answered??
We live in an age of instant everything!! Hungry, go get food at McD's, Burger King, Whataburger, etc. We get it quick and fast. Or we have instant oatmeal, instant grits, instant rice, etc. Today we demand things quick, convenient, and at a reasonable price. So what happens? WE GET IT!!!
We set deadlines, God if you heard me show me a sign!!! A little arrogant on our behalf, but many times God does. However, God doesn't work according to human deadlines. His timing is not always our timing, but it is always perfect. HE will answer, and you will have HIS answer WHEN YOU NEED IT!!!!
No matter what you may be praying about, God hears your prayer. Sometimes his answer is no; sometimes yes; and sometimes wait. You can rest assured that God will answer you according to HIS infinite wisdom, impeccable timing and boundless love.
Stop pushing, stop analyzing, the hardest things to believe in are those which are not seen or cannot be proven. Remind yourself that God's time is always perfect and that yours is not! Strive to view God as your heavenly Father, and not just a prayer answering machine. Be grateful for God's anwers to your prayers, even when the answer is no or wait. Be open to what god is trying to teach you through His anwers to your prayers. Realize that God always has you best interest at heart when He answers your prayers. Psalm 27:14 "Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and HE shall strengthen your heart, wait, I say, on the LORD!" PSALM 25:5 "Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation, on You I wait all the day." As Willam Culbertson said, "Keep praying, but be thankful that God's answers are wiser than your prayers!" Thank you for reading with me today. Remember, God is good all the time, all the time, God is good!! Love you all.
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

"Don't be afraid. Just have faith."

Good morning everyone!! I hope this is a great day in the Lord Jesus Christ for you!!!! A day without Jesus is going to be a tough day. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.
We have been talking about letting Jesus have the front seat and us pedaling from the back. You know, as mere humans this is quite difficult. We tend to want to take control. A friend recently told me he never really let go and let God in his time of woe. He thought he was letting God but kept picking it back up himself.
In Mark 5....Jairus had nowhere to go, his daughter was dying and the whole household had given up. He did not know where to go, where to turn, SO, he went to Jesus. And what did Jesus say? "Don't be afraid, just have faith."
Jesus went to Jairus' house, and said why all the commotion, the girl is only sleeping. The crowd laughed, but guess what? Jesus went to the little girl and said, "Talitha kown," which means "little girl get up." And the girl who was twelve years old immediately stood up and walked around.
God is still in the business of doing wonderful things, doing miracles, and He can do this in your life as well. Don't lose hope, keep your eyes cast upon Jesus, maintain the faith. Mark 5:36 "........Don't be afraid. Just have faith." What encouraging words.
Thank you for listening....uh....reading today. May God bless you beyond your wildest dreams. Love you all.
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Letting go!!! Let Jesus have the front seat!!!! part 2

Good morning everyone!!! I hope this is a great day in the Lord Jesus Christ for you. God is good all the time, all the time God is good!!!
Yesterday I visited with you about letting Jesus have the front seat and us taking the back seat and pedaling hard. Here are some ideas for you in the form of I will's and Things to do.
I WILL: Trust God to guide me and I will follow;
Remind myself that God knows the way;
Be careful of situations where I am tempted to give God advice
Encourage others as they struggle with letting go;
Stay grounded in my personal relationship with Jesus;
Identify those areas of my life where I tend to keep control;
Relinquish control of those areas to God.
Things to do: When you sit behind the steering wheel of your car, let it remind you to ask God for guidance.
Read Matthew 4:18-22 and John 1:35-49; when Jesus called His disciples
Ask God to help you resist the urge to call the shots.
Find someone trustworthy who will hold you accountable to live a God-lead life.
Make a list of some areas of your life where you would like to relinquish control to God.
Pray and thank God for His unconditional love for you.
MATTHEW 16:25 "JESUS SAID, 'WHOEVER DESIRES TO SAVE HIS LIFE WILL LOSE IT, BUT WHOEVER LOSES HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE WILL FIND IT.'"
MARK 8:34-35 "JESUS SAID, 'WHOEVER DESIRES TO COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS, AND FOLLOW ME. FOR WHOEVER DESIRES TO SAVE HIS LIFE WILL LOSE IT, BUT WHOEVER LOSES HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE AND THE GOSPEL'S WILL SAVE IT.'"
JAMES 4:10 "HUMBLE YOURSELVES IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, AND HE WILL LIFT YOU UP."
JOHN 3:29 "HE MUST INCREASE, BUT I MUST DECREASE."
Thank you for reading with me. Please continue to pray for one co-workers mother in law who is struggling with cancer; and another co-workers child who is critically ill. Love you all.
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Letting go!!! Let Jesus have the front seat!!!!

Good morning, in my morning devotional I read a story about 'Don't be a Front Seat Driver' that I would like to share with you.
Isaiah 42:16 "THE LORD SAID, 'I WILL BRING THE BLIND BY A WAY THEY DID NOT KNOW; I WILL LEAD THEM IN PATHS THEY HAVE NOT KNOW. I WILL MAKE DARNESS TIGHT BEFORE THEM, AND COOKED PLACES STRAIGHT. THESE THINGS I WILL DO FOR THEM, AND NOT FORSAKE THEM.'"
It only takes a minute or two to read this article about letting go.. let Jesus have the front seat.
A christian man pictured his life as being like riding a tandem bicycle w9th Jesus. He saw himself sitting up front and steering with Jesus riding on the backseat, always with hij. It was comforting for the man to know that Jesus was behind him pedaling, ready to handle any emergencies.
Then one day, Jesus asked the man a question, "Will you trade places with Me?" But the man was not ready to give up the front seat. After all, things seemed to be going along rather nicely. So the man said, "Not today," and they pedaled on together. They continued down familiar roads, passing the same landmarks again and again. Occasionally the man took a wrong turn and got lost and Jesus would quietly point and guide the man back to the right road. No matter where they went, Jesus was always there, pedaling fron the backseat.
Some time passed and again Jesus asked the man, "Will you trade places with Me?" This time the man decided to give up his seat. As Jesus took hold of the handlebars, He looked back at the man, smiled and said, "Trust me. Now Pedal."
The man discovered immediately that Jesus was taking a different route. When he asked Jesus about it, He replied "I can take you places that you never knew existed. I know roads that you have never ridden on. I know the paths that lead up mountains and through valleys and along the seashores. I know your abilities, your strengths, and your needs. I can lead you to places where you will make a difference for My kingdom. All you have to do is trust Me to steer while you pedal." So the man pedaled.
The pedaling was strenuous at times, and at others, they seemed to coast along effortlessly. Occasionally the man would offer suggestions to Jesus about what direction they should go next. But Jesus would smile and respond with the words, "Trust Me and pedal." The man allowed Jesus to permanently have the front seat; his life was never again the same.
Where are you in your life? Are you riding a tandem bicycle with Jesus? If not, now is a good time to start. If you already have a relationship with Jesus, are you riding up front? Or have you chosen to let go of the handlebars, take the backseat, and allow Him to steer? Remember - when Jesus is in the front seat, all you need to do is trust Him and pedal!!!
Thank you for reading with me, I hope this touched your heart as much as it did mine. Love you all. Please pray for a friends mother in law who has aggressive breast cancer, and a friends child who has 1 kidney shut down and is in critical condition, she is not quite 1 year old.
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Do you bear marks of Jesus Christ????

Good morning everyone!!! I trust yesterday was a great 4th of July!!! May any troubles and woes be cast aside and your days be trouble-free and enjoyable.
Okay, let's finish up Galatians 6 today and tomorrow. So what is on the agenda today?? Galatians 6:17 "From henceforth let no man trouble me for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus."
Okay, the first part of this verse, "From henceforth let no man trouble me." Paul's spostleship, authority, and gospel had all been questioned. He successfully answered all the criticism, and now he says he won't hear or listen to disturbing and distracting remarks. Does this happen today? Certainly, even as Christians we become distracted with minor items. Like what? Oh, like....baptism, tongues, music or no music, dress, and the list can go on. We, Christians, need to bond together, pray for each other, and fight the battle against evil which comes in beautiful, distracting packages.
Let's look at the second part. Remember, Paul is talking or writing here. "For I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus", Paul is talking about being qualified to speak. Back in these days devoted people would have the names of their gods stamped upon their bodies, slaves would have the mark of their owners, and soldiers were identified. This identified them. Paul had "marks of the Lord Jesus" from scourgings, stones at Lystra, and rods at Philippi. Paul had endured hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
Can you show your marks of being a good soldier of Jesus Christ?? Do not be afraid to show your marks, this is not pride, this is committment to what our Lord and Saviour-Jesus Chirst. Do not worry about "secular man" only about our Father in Heaven. Take care. Take your strips and walk upright and humbly for Jesus.
Thank you for reading with me today. If you have comments please let me know. If you don't want to receive this, let me know. Love you all!!
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Don't worry!!!! Be happy!!! Try a new comfort zone!!

Good morning all!! HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!! INDEPENDENCE DAY.......are you independent, free from the troubles of life??? If we leave our comfort zone what will happen then???
Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
Soooooooo........life is an adventure....which makes the man....and sometimes the man makes the adventure. At some point we have to step out of the comfort zone we live in and try something new, something different. Wow....is this scary?? Think about Jesus when he called HIS disciples, they left what they knew, their comfort zone, and where did they walk?? They followed Jesus, a troubled, new idea, rocky path where they would have troubles, be ridiculed, beaten and jailed.
Did they turn back, retreat, run?? No, they did deny Christ for their "safety" but soon repented. Truly repented asking forgiveness, not just regretting their gettting caught as did Judas. Their steps out of the comfort zone afforded them what????? Oh, not much, nothing more than ETERNAL LIFE (said with tongue in cheek)!!!!! What a reward to step out of our comfort zone, tell people about the truth, the light, the way..... JESUS CHRIST!!!! Through Jesus we have eternal life!!
Don't worry.....be happy!!!!
"Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34
Thank you for reading!! Have a safe and happy 4th of July!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good. STOP, DROP, PRAY!!!LOVE YOU ALL!!!
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Israel of God???? OR Israel of flesh???

Good Morning to everyone!!! Well, Texas is getting plenty of water. Not enough last year, and our cup runneth over this year. WOW!!! Life is good, all the time because of God. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.
What are your prospects for the day? Where are you going today? Who are you going to share Christ with today? Yesterday Paul said circumsion or uncircumsion was not the answer, the answer is to be a new creature. Are you? A new creature in Christ??
Galatians 6:16 "And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them and mercy, and upon the Israel of God."
what?? What does this mean?? The first part...."as many walk according to this rule"... Man needs a standard or a measuring rod to guide his steps. The law was not working so God has given us another standard...placing all our hope of salvation in the crucified, buried, risen and coming again Jesus Christ!!!!!
The last part ... "...peace be on them and mercy, and upon the Israel of God." This refers differently Israel of the flesh compared to Israel of God. Those who received the saviour, Jesus Christ, who came through Israel are true Israelites, spiritual descendants of Abraham.
Where do you sit??? What rule do you walk by?? Are you Israel of God or Israel of flesh??? Who brought us through all this??? JESUS CHRIST!!! It may be a good time to reflect and STOP, DROP, & PRAY.....listen to God, hear what HE has to say. I woke early this morning and realized I was trying to be Johnny of the flesh......doing things on my own....and at this time I knew I needed to pray......I DID!! When I did rise, I knew 2 things: 1-I visited with my Father in Heaven and communicated well with Him, and, 2- my day is and will be better because I visited with my Father in Heaven.
Thank you God for sending Jesus for ME, I know I am unworthy to come before you Father, but through Jesus I can, now, come before you. Praise you name great Jehovah!!! Thank you for reading today. Love you all.
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny