Are you merciful? Or is it all about you?

Good morning everyone!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good!!! You know, when things look frustrating just take time, talk to your Father in Heaven, and watch events turn around. God has blessed me and continues to bless me. Praise God!

Matthew 5:7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."

Have you been merciful to others lately. It may be a small act, such as slowing in traffic so the car in the lane beside you may change lanes. Or, did you speed up so they can't get over. If you want to change lanes you appreciate someone letting you over....well......why not do it for others? Slow up, let them in.

In Matthew 18:23-35 Jesus talks about the man who was indebted to the king when the king called in all debts. The king was going to sell the man, his wife and children and everything he owned to pay the debt. The man fell to his knees and cried for pity. The king show him mercy. Then , after receiving mercy this man went out and confronted a man who owed him. Since he could not pay the man had him put in prison until the debt was paid in full. When this was reported to the king, he had the man brought forward, called him an evil servant, and put him in prison to be tortured until the debt was paid in full.

Are you the merciful king? Or, are you the ungrateful servant who wants mercy for yourself but not grant it to others? How deep is your faith, really? Do you "trust" God, or do you really have a RELATIONSHIP with God. Be merciful, slow down, smile, greet others pleasantly, help others, let your RELATIONSHIP with God shine through. Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace,

Johnny

Thirsty? Hungry?

Good morning everyone!! It is great to be alive in Jesus!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

The beatitudes - Matthew 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."

Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness? It is those who hunger and thirst for righteousness who are most readily drawn into the Kingdom in which righteousness is everywhere in evidence.

Jesus taught that the Kingdom is for the good of each of us. The Kingdom is best for those who need it most. The kingdom of God is for those who can value it and appreciate it and live joyously with what it offers.

Isaiah 55:1-2 "Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink - even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk - it's all free!! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food."

Food costs money, lasts only a short time, and meets only physical needs. But God offers us free nourishment that feeds our soul. How do we get it? We are to come, listen, seek, and call on God.

God's salvation is freely offered, but to nourish our souls we must eagerly receive it. We will starve spiritually without this food just as we will starve physically without our daily bread. Are you starving? Are you being satisfied with Jesus?

Thank you for reading with me today. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Are you meek? Is Christ the source of your meekness?

Good morning all! Another great day to be alive in the LORD JESUS CHRIST!! GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME, ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD!! Be careful today as the roads are icy. Please say a travel prayer prior to departing.


Matthew 5:5 "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."Meek - -the source of our meekness is Christ. Matthew was the only one to mention meek which relates to Psalm 37:11 "The lowly will possess the land and will live in peace and prosperity."


Our meekness is Christ who bestows it when men submit their wills to his. Matthew 11:28,29 "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls."


Inherit the earth...The earthly Messianic kingdom.
Are you meek? Do you follow Christ?

Do you follow Christ with head knowledge or do you have a personal heart to heart relationship with Him?

Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Blessed are those who mourn.......

Good morning everyone!! Another great day to be alive in the LORD JESUS CHRIST! God is good all the time, all the time God is good!! As we go through the beatitudes please remember we are talking about relationships here, not do's and don'ts. Being a Christian is not about rules - but about a relationship with God.

Matthew 5:4 "Blesseed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

Mourn used here is PENTHEO, a verb, to mourn for , lament, is used of mourning in general. Blessed - ashere means blessed or happy.This word conotes the state of "prosperity" or "happiness" that comes when a superior bestows his favor (blessing) on one. Ashere as "blessed," the rendering of "hapiness" does not always convey its emphasis to modern readers.

A sense of anguish for sin characterizes the blessed man. But genuine repentance will bring comfort to the believer. Since Christ bor the sins of every man, the comfort of full forgiveness is readily available.

This tells us blessed are we, those, who mourn, for they are alive in Jesus. Jesus will return for them, and they are forgiven, we are truly blessed or happy in Jesus. Thank you for reading today. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Are you poor in spirit?

Good morning everyone!! Another great day to be alive in Jesus! God is good all the time, all the time God is good!! Beatitdes? Many of us have " 'tudes,' " but do we know about the beatitudes. Turn in your Bible to Matthew chapter 5.

Matthew 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."Jesus began his sermon with words that seem to contradict each other. God's way of living usually contradicts the world's.

Blessed, Happy. A description of a believer's inner condition. When describing a person in God's will, it is virtually equivalent to "saved." Psalm 1 gives an example of the blessed man, who evidences his nature by the things he does.

Poor in spirit. Opposite of proud in spirit. Those who have recognized their poverty in spiritual things and have allowed Christ to meet their need have become heirs of the "kingdom of heaven."

So, are you happy and view from spiritual eyes that Christ allows? Or are we 'blessed' by materials things, and view things as the world views them? Are you saved - not just by head knowledge but inside--by Jesus? Thanks for reading. Love you all.
In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Following Jesus - Popular?

Good morning everyone!! A wonderful day to be alive in Jesus Christ!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good!! Monday we will begin study on the Beatitudes. But, today, turn to Matthew 5:1-2

"One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them."
Huges crowds would follow Jesus - he was the talk of the town and everyone wanted to see him. The disciples, who were the closest associates of this popular man, were certainly tempted to feel important, pround and possessive. Being with Jesus gave them not only prestige but also opportunity for receiving money and power.

The crowds were gathering once again. But before speaking to them, Jesus pulled his disciples aside and warned them about the temptations they would face as his associates. Don't expect fame and fortune, Jesus was saying, but mourning, hunger, and persecution. Jesus did assure his disciples that they would be rewarded but perhaps not in this life.

There may be times when following Jesus will bring us great popularity. If we don't live by Jesus' words in this sermon, we will find ourselves using God's message only to promote our personal interests.

Thank you for reading. Love you all. Monday Beatitude #1 - verse 3.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

The first dysfunctional family!

Good morning everyone! Another great day to be alive in Jesus Christ our LORD and savior. God is good all the time, all the time God is good!

Have you thought about the first dysfunctional family? Adam and Eve were the first earth dwellers to experience the world and run and love and enjoy God's creation. You know from Genesis they DID NOT OBEY GOD!! They did the one thing he asked them not to do.

Because of this they were forced to leave their ideal garden and a life much more like ours began. Sweat, labor, pain, and disappointment arose. They lost their first two children because one brother, Cain, killed the other, Abel, out of jealousy and rage.

It was not a happy time. Abel was dead and Cain was exiled. Adam and Eve did what we do today. They picked themselves up and dusted themselves off and, with the forgiveness and guidance of almighty God, they started all over again. Their world was now less than ideal, but their God was still the same.

Matthew 11:28-30 "come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentl and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."Thank you for reading with me today. Love you all. Next week the Beatitudes.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Now is the time to PRAY!

Good morning all! God is good all the time, all the time God is good! Praise God for all you have. Well, a new regime is in place. Now is the time....support Obama, don't like Obama, or on the fence.....now is the time to pray for him and our country.

Differences don't matter. God is in charge and our job is to pray and support our president, staff, and troops. Take time today to reflect on who is really in charge....GOD! Matthew 6:6 "When you pray go into your private room...and your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

Whatever we are facing personally, as a community, as a state or nation, talk it out with God tonight. Just tell God how you feel. Then listen. You will find that having someone who love you so much and whom you can talk to is a great reward.

Psalm 17;6 "I call to you, God, and you answer me. Listen to me now, and hear what I say."

Thanks for reading. Love you all.
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Encourage one another with God

Good morning everyone!! Well, if Monday was a holiday for you I hope you enjoyed it. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

Hebrews 3:13 "Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."Our burdens are lessened when a friend cheers us on and encourages us to trust in God. God loves us unconditionally and want to help us. Without God's support, our time of waiting can seem lonely and discouraging and leave us tempted to sink deeper into doubt or turn to something other than God for comfort.

However, when we have someone there who has been where you are now, and they encourage you and reinforce your faith with words and deeds we are less likely to lose heart. Take time to thank God for the ones around you who encourage you, and to praise God continuously for what you have.

Hebrews 10:25 "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Praise God all creatures.............

Good morning everyone!! God is good all the time,all the time God is good. IT IS GREAT TO BE ALIVE IN JESUS!! Have you stopped and thought about what God did? What HE created, just by speaking it? Wow!

God created the largest musical ever, and many people experience it but never understand the theme, the whole purpose. All creation is like a huge orchestra with each part being in harmony with the other parts. Everything is created and put together in such a glorious, hormonious, precise way and we take it for granted.

This week we have talked about praising God. Yes, we need to monthly, weekly, daily, moment by moment. Take time our of your busy schedule today and read Psalm 148. It begins with "Praise the LORD!" It ends with "Praise the LORD!"

Take a moment to read this, here is Psalm 148:13-14 "Let them all praise the name of the LORD. For his name is very great; his glory towers over the earth and heaven! He has made his people strong, honoring his faithful ones- the people of Israel who are close to him."
Thank you for reading today. Two good books Wild at Heart, and The Shack. They will touch you deeply. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

God's promises - Is there a God?

Good morning all!! Another great day to be alive in the LORD JESUS CHRIST!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

God doesn't promise us anything.....God can't do anything.....There is no God....
I am sure you may have heard these statements. Take a moment and read
1 Corinthians 1:20 "For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding "YES!" and through Christ, our "Amen" (which means "YES") ascends to God for his glory."
We should be encouraged by the assurance that God will never leave us or forsake us. For God there is no wavering between yes or no. Jesus Christ was the premier example of this. Jesus is the embodiment of God's faithfulness. Look back at the verse - - 'all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding "yes."' Wow, it that encouraging. Just do as the song says: standing on the promise........

If you begin to worry, take time (90 seconds) to read Psalm 140. This is a prayer for protection against those who slander or threaten you. To be delivered we have to concentrate on our future life with God. FOCUS - FOCUS - FOCUS!!

Thank you for reading with me. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Praise God from whom all.............

Good morning everyone! God is good all the time - all the time God is good!! When you woke this morning, blurry eyed and all, you were blessed as God allowed you another breath, another heart beat, another day with your loved ones!

When is a day of prayer? When is a day of praise? EVERYDAY!!! We should do as Psalm 150 says - PRAISE GOD!!

Psalm 150:1-6 "Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heaven@
(2) Praise him for his mighty works;
praise his unequaled greatness!
(3) Praise him with a blast of the ram's horn;
praise him with the lyre and harp!
(4) Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;
praise him with strings and flutes!
(5) Praise him with a clash of cymbals;
praise him with loud clanging cymbals.
(6) Let everything that breathes sing praises to the LORD!
PRAISE THE LORD!"How are you going to approach everything crossing your path today? With misgivings or with praise. An old preacher and friend were once walking down a street late one evening and two thugs jumped them, pulled guns, and demanded anything of valuable. When they left the friend was visibly angry, but the old preacher looked up and praised God that they took their material things but left them unharmed.

Which are you - the friend or the old preacher? Thank you for reading. Love you all. Praise God like a meal, morning-noon-night and then snack inbetween.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Delight in the LORD!!

Good morning! Isn't God grand?! God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

Take a moment and read Psalm 149. Look at verses 3-5 "Praise his name with dancing accompanied by tambourne and harp. For the LORD delights in his people, he crowns the humble with victory. Let the faithful rejoice that he honors them. Let them sing for joy a they lie on their beds."
The Bible invites us to praise God, we often aren't sure how to go about it. Here are some suggestions; by singing, by dancing, by playing a harp or tambourine.

God enjoys HIS people, and we should enjoy praising HIM. Take time right now and praise God, ask for HIS joy throughout the day. verse 6 "Let the praise of God be in their mouths......" To often a negative is said and we focus on that. Take God at HIS word, and challenge HIM as HE tells us to. Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Running the race!

Good morning everyone!! A great day to be alive in the LORD JESUS CHRIST!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good!

Certain things in lfe cannot be done half heartedly. You are either committed to it or you are not. Without passion, it is not worth attempting. Paul encouraged believers to devote themselves to God as runners dedicate themselves to winning a race.

Marathoners train by disciplining their diets and bodies and focusing on the finish line. They do it to win and give it their all - strength and passion to reach their goal.

"In a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. You also must run in such a way that yo will win." I Corinthians 9:24

I Corinthians 9:25 "Every athlete in training submits to strict discipline, in order to be crowned with a wreath that will not last; but we do it for one that will last forever."

Who are you running for; what are you working for?? Thank you for reading with me today. Love you all.


In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

I run OR Ruin?

Good morning everyone!! Another great day to be alive in the LORD JESUS CHRIST!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good!

Have you thought about what is first in your life? God, football, golf, fishing, movies, etc.? Yesterday evening while driving back from Dallas I was thinking about “I RUN.” Whenever I try to RUN things my way, the big I gets in the way and along comes “R U ‘I’ N.” When I get in God way of how HE runs things they seem to ruin.

Luke 6:46-49 “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I will sow you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the flood waters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”Think about this. Give me feedback and thank you for reading. Love you all.
In Christ’s Love and Grace
Johnny

Whose side is God on?

Good morning everyone! God is good all the time, all the time God is good!!! Yesterday day we talked about being inspired, fired up, or hot for God!

Rev 3:15-16 “I know all the things you do, that your are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you our of my mouth!”

Did you rate yourself on a scale? Are you hot? Cold? Or Lukewarm? Watch the national championship in football or worship God?

Is God on America’s side? I do believe the correct question is: “Is America on God’s side?” When the children of Israel were worshiping God, following His commandments everything seemed to go smoother. However, when they did not, he did not just punish the wicked, the turn coats, the whole nation was punished.

What is the difference? God rewards the righteous, but punishment lies in wait for the evil doers, the wicked, the unrighteous. So, what are you saying? I do believe God takes sides, but not necessarily with nations. He sides with the faithful, He punishes the unfaithful.

God will protect His children, look at the Passover. Give me your thoughts, are we a nation blessed? Or are we a nation cursed? Or are we a nation lukewarm, uncaring?

Thank you for reading with me today. Love you all.
In Christ’s Love and Grace
Johnny

Food for thought!

Good morning everyone!! Another great day to be alive in the LORD JESUS CHRIST! While driving, watching people, and thinking yesterday I came up with a thought and will throw it out to you. Just stop and think about your daily life, what you go through, the routine, the constant-never ending persistence of life. What do you say? What information do you share? Where do your thoughts travel?

Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes - the Jew first and also the Gentile."

If we were as dedicated to Jesus Christ as we are football, golf, music, fishing, boating, and on and on, wouldn't our life, the church, the community be a different place? Rate your dedication to God and rate your hobby. On a scale of 1 to 10 which one is higher?

Thank you for reading with me today. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Seeds of hope

Good morning all! Another wonderful day to be alive in the LORD JESUS CHRIST!! God is good all the time all the time God is good!!

John 12:24 “A grain of wheat that falls on the ground will never be more than one grain unless it dies. But if it dies, it will produce lots of wheat.”

Often we find it difficult to release the seeds God has given us for the purpose of planting. We have seen what God does with the precious things we have given up.

Like the seed that is sown, a beautiful, nourishing harvest springs up in its place. God takes our seeds of hope and multiplies them, giving us back what we thought we had lost in a form that is even more pleasing.

We need to see, and help others see that those seeds bear good gifts if we will just let them go.

“He sent me to give them flowers in place of their sorrow…and joyous praise in place of broken hearts.” Isaiah 61:3

Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ’s Love and Grace

Johnny

Who do you imitate?

Good morning to all, and to all a great year!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good!! Say, how is your character? They say you can best see a man’s character when he/she thinks no one is watching.

In the old testament, Josiah, was raised in a home that did not honor God, and his father and grandfather were evil, selfish, and destructive men. Wow! What an example! Can the generational curse be broken? Well, that is YES and NO!

What? Why would you think yes and no? If you grow up this way, are taught this way, then you will be this way UNLESS something changes your life or way of thinking. So? Did Josiah? Yes, he sought to imitate one of his ancestors, King David.

He tried to imitate his superior character. What was the difference? GOD!! God is the difference!!

“Josiah did what was pleasing to the LORD; he followed the example of his ancestor King David.” 2 Kings 22:2

We should all take heart that God has given us numerous models throughout history and in the church. Seek out God honoring people as mentors and imitate their behavior. A great book to read is The Shack as it was recommended to me. It may better help you understand your relationship with God.

Thank you for reading with me today. Love you all.

In Christ’s Love and Grace Johnny

Real commitment to God!

Good morning everyone!! Running a little late today. A new year, a new resolution or attitude. A lifestyle change for me and I was determined, however, it was difficult to rise and go do my workout this morning. I could think of a lot of reasons why not to......BUT.........it works just one step at a time. So, today was my second step. I want my "temple" to be pleasing to God. My temple needs remodeling and I am on a lifestyle change, not a quick change. How are you doing with your resolutions?

Okay, enough of the me aspect, now what about our focus on life? Matthew 16:24-28 "Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lost your own soul? Is anything worth more than you soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.""

The possibility of losing their lives was very real for the disciples as well as for Jesus. Real discipleship implies real commitment - pledging our whole existence to his service. If we try to save our physical life from death, pain, or discomfort, we may risk losing eternal life. If we protect ourselves from the pain God calls us to suffe, we begin to die spiritually and emotionally. Our lives turn inward, and we lose our intended purpose. When we give our life in service to Christ, however, we discover the real purpose of living.

Thank you for reading with me today. What is YOUR FOCUS? WHO are you FOLLOWING? Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace Johnny

The New Year, 2009, is here to stay!

Good morning and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 2009 IS NOW UNDERWAY AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME, ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD!

YESTERDAY WE TALKED ABOUT JESUS DESTROYING THE TEMPLE AND RAISING IT AGAIN IN THREE DAYS. THE JEWS AND EVEN HIS FOLLOWERS WERE FOCUSING ON THE PHYSICAL, STONE BUILT TEMPLE, NOT THE TEMPLE OF "JESUS CHRIST," WHICH IS GREATER THAN THEM ALL. AT THIS TIME IN LIFE THEY WERE REMODELING THE TEMPLE, MAKING IT BIGGER AND BETTER, AND AFTER 46 YEARS WERE NOT THROUGH. YET JESUS IS STILL GREATER THAN THEIR TEMPLE.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT YOUR TEMPLE FOR GOD? MY GOAL IS A LIFESTYLE CHANGE. TO EXERCISE DAILY - SOMEHOW-SOMEWHERE-SOMETIME! ALSO TO CUT BACK ON MY DAILY PORTIONS OF FOOD INTAKE, BUT TO BE MORE FREQUENT WITH HEALTHY SNACKS. HOWEVER, THE GREATEST OF MY RESOLUTIONS IS TO SPEND MORE TIME IN THE WORD, WITH GOD, AND LEARNING TO NOT ONLY TALK THE TALK, BUT WALK THE WALK.

LET'S ALL BE BORN AGAIN!! jOHN 3:3 "JESUS REPLIED, "I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, UNLESS YOU ARE BORN AGAIN, YOU CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD."" JESUS WAS TALKING TO NICODEMUS WHEN HE SAID THIS, HOWEVER, IT IS JUST AS RELEVANT TODAY AS IT WAS THEN. CAN YOU SAY YOU ARE TRULY "BORN AGAIN?" READ JOHN 3. THANK YOU FOR READING WITH ME TODAY. HAPPY NEW YEAR!! LOVE YOU ALL.

IN CHRIST'S LOVE AND GRACE JOHNNY