Revelation 4:2,3

Revelation 4:2 "And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones-like jasper and sardius stone. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow."
Four time in the book of Revelation John says he was "in the Spirit." This expression means that the Holy Spirit was giving him a vision - showing him situationa and events he could not have seen with mere human eyesight. All true prophecy comes from God through the Holy Spirit.

God's Throne is mentioned 11 times in Revelation. A symbol of God's sovereign rule and authority. Verse 4 "like a rainbow" - from the time of Noah, the rainbow became a sign of God's faithfulness to His Word, His promises, and His Noahic covenant (Gen. 9:12-17)

Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Battling the dark or evil side

Good morning everyone!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good. Why do some bad things happen to good people? Does God allow this to happen. Let's look at Ephesians 6:12

"For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseens world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places."

Those who are not "flesh and blood enemies" are demons over whom the devil has control. They are not mere fantasies==they are very real. We face a powerful army whose goal is to defeat Christ's church. When we believe in Christ, these beings become our enemies, and they try every device to turn us away from HIM and back to sin. Although we are assured of victory, we must engage in the struggle until Christ returns, because Satan is constantly battling against all who are on the LORD's side. We need supernatural power to defeat Satan and God has provided this by giving us his Holy Spirit within us and his armor surrounding us.

If you feel discouraged, remember Jesus' words to Peter: "Upon this rock I will build my church, and as the powers of hell will not conquer it" Matthew 16:18.

Stand tall, stand proud in the LORD, our Living God!! Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Why are you safe? One word---GOD

Good morning everyone!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good! What do you have to be thankful for? Don't list A time, list many. A tornado struck the area where we live. Scary, to say the least.

Psalm 4:8 "In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe."

Proverbs 18:10 "The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe."

What am I thankful for? Big number 1 is thank GOD for what I do have, and that I have a living GOD. Then, the next Number one is my wife, Jo Anne, who was not injured during the storm. In our Man in the Mirror weekend one of the things we are to do is let God be number 1, then next comes the spouse, before anything or anyone else.

Now, I thank GOD for our family, our daughters and grandchildren are wonderful.

Then I have to thank God and praise HIS name that nothing else was of serious consequence. All that Jo Anne and I have has been given to us by God, we are blessed and keep GOD first.

Thank you for reading. May your day be blessed! Love you all!

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Integrity

Good morning everyone!!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good! Are you free of sin? If you are a good Christian, then you should be. We should confess our sins daily, turn it over to God, ask forgiveness and forgive ourselves.

Adrian Rogers, pastor, will tell you you need to be free of sin! Confess your sins daily. If people could open your heart and look in--would thay see a heart filled with integrity?

Job 2:3 "And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? And still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause."
Satan acknowledged that Job had steadfastly maintained his integrity under the most adverse circumstances. Can you say you have the integrity of Job? Look at the things around you, this should give us good reason to praise God, and thank him for all we have. Then stand fast to HIS word, let our integrity show forth as a beacon in the night. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Don't worry! Be prayerful!

Good morning everyone!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good. No matter what the age we are, a big question is "do you have peace?"

Philippians 4:6-7 "Don't worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

Imagine never worrying about anything! It seems like an impossibility; we all have worries on the job, in our homes, at school. But Paul's advice is to turn our worries into prayers. Do you want to worry less? Then pray more! Whenever you start to worry, stop and pray.

God's peace is different from the world's peace. True peace is not found in positive thinking, in absences of conflict, or in good feelings. It comes from knowing that God is in control. Our citizenship in Christ's Kingdom is sure, out destiny is set, and we can have victory over sin. Let God's peace guard your heart against anxiety.

Take time now to stop and pray. Ask forgiveness, first, pray for spouse, children, community, state, nation and our leaders. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Revelation 4:1

Good morning everyone! God is good all the time! All the time God is good! What ideas or conceptions do you have of heaven? What is it like to be in the presence of and see Jesus? What does it mean to worship God?

Revelation 4:1 "After these things I looked, and behold a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.""

This is a command for John to be temporarily transported to heaven "in the Spirit" to receive revelation about future events. This is Jesus' voice.

This begins the third and final section of the book, describing the events that will follow the Church age.

These chapters, 4 and 5, record glimpses into Christ's glory. Here we see into the throne room of heaven, God is on the throne and orchestrating all the events that John will record. The world is not spinning out of control; the God of creation will carry out his plans as Christ initiates the final battle with the forces of evil. John shows us heaven before showing us earth so that we will not be frightened by future events. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Our Father is waiting and watching

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

Luke 15:20 "So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him."

The father watched and waited. He was dealing with a human being with a will of his own, but he was ready to greet his son if he returned. In the same way, God's love is constant and patient and welcoming. He will search for us and give us opportunities to respond, but he will not force us to come to him. Like the father in this story, God waits patiently for us to come to our senses.

Take time now to go to the Father, knee mail, talk to our Father in Heaven. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Money? Money!

Wow! What a day! God is good all the time, all the time God is good!! Let's cut to the chase. Monday Revelation 4

What about money! Is it the root of all evil? I don't think so, however, the LOVE OF MONEY is the root of all evil. Excessive concern about money can close a life to the entry of God's Spirit. The constant need for money to buy food or clothing or shelter or medical care or other necessities can keep a person scrambling for dollars day and night. And the seemingly continuous rise in prices means that what was enough yesterday is not enough for today or for tomorrow.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 "Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!"

1 Timothy 6:10 "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. and some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows."

Should we tithe? Yes we should, as Bob the builder would say. Can you do it? yes you can. Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

1 Colossians 1:15-20

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

Heresy about Christ had invaded the church at Laodicea. Who is Christ? These verses tell us more and possibly give us an insight as to who Christ is.

15 "He is the image of the invisible God, the first born over all creation."
16 "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him."
17 "And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist."
18 "And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence."
19 "For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,"
20 "and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross."

What is this saying? CHRIST IS SUPREME!! Take time when you have your Bible and study these verses. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

The love of God

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.

Paul proclaimed that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. Unfortunately, we often live in such a way that we are unaware of that love. We do things that keep us from experiencing it.

We become so concerned with ourselves that thoughts of God's love are crowded out. We worry about so many things. Our egos are so tender that we devote all our attention and energy to protecting them from getting hurt. We want so many things from life that we exhaust ourselves in struggling to get them. As a result, we push aside opportunities for God's love to enter our lives.

Luke 6:24 "What sorrow awaits you who are rich, for you have only happiness now."

Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Revelation 3:22

Hello everyone!! Another wonderful day to be alive in Jesus Christ! God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

Revelation 3:22 "Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches."

At the end of each letter to these churches, the believers were urged to listen and understand what was written to them. Although a different message was addressed to each church, all the messages contain warnings and principles for everyone.

Which letter speaks most directly to your church?

Which has the greatest bearing on your own spiritual condition at this time?

How did you respond?

What was the message to the church at: Sardis? Philadelphia?

Revelation 3:11 what is the significance of the crown mentioned?

Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

To bloom or not to bloom

Good morning everyone!! Yes, God is good all the time, all the time God is good. I have to say that I know God is in control and all will be well today. Thank you Jesus!

John 10:10 "Jesus said, 'I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.'"

This is coming out of my daily devotional book I read and from me. A mixed thought for the day. Children have fun blowing the seeds off dandelions and watching them float away in all directions. Once they are gone they look for more dandelions or are disappointed all the little seeds are gone. You can't put them back. You cannot create once again what God created.

As the seeds float in the wind some land on pavement, some on rock, and some on fertile soil. Each seed is looking for a place to land, live, and continue the life cycle it was given.

This is so much like our life. We plant seeds, some good seeds and some bad seeds. The bad seeds you planted in your past are forgiven through Jesus. The good seeds have landed on fertile soil. Some may lie dormant for years before they bloom, some may bloom right away.

When life blows us in new or different direction many time we become uncomfortable. Why? Simple, we are out of our comfort zone. God calls us toward new horizons,new adventures, and new paths. This is where we cast out more seeds; seeds of salvation.

God has a place prepared for us where we can put down roots and bloom. First, here on earth; then as a heavenly body with Him in heaven. Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Revelation 3:20-21

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

Revelation 3:20-21 "Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. (21) Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne."

Christ is talking to the unbeliever. The church at Laodicea was complacent and rich. They felt self-satisfied, but they didn't have Christ's presence among them, Christ knocked at the door of their hearts, but they were so busy enjoying worldly pleasures that they didn't notice that he was trying to enter.

The pleasures of this world-money, security, material possessions-can be dangerous, because their temporary satisfaction makes us indifferent to God's offer of lasting satisfaction. If you find yourself feeling indifferent to church, to God, or to the Bible, you have begun to shut God out of your life.

Leave the door of your heart constantly open to God, and you won't need to worry about hearing his knock. Letting him in is your only hope for lasting fulfullment.
Jesus knocks at the door of our heart because he wants to save us and have fellowship with us. He is patient and persistent in trying to get through to us-not breaking and entering, but knocking.

He allows us to decide whether or not to open our life to him. Do you intentionally keep his life-changing presence and power on the other side of the door? Do you open the door and welcome Him in, and plan to spend eternity in His presence? Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Write it down - Journaling - a wonderful gift

Good morning everyone!! Another great day to praise God! God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

Exodus 13:3 "Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place."

Marcia Conston started keeping a journal a few years ago. She had tried before, but this time was finally successful and she realized that keeping a journal is not a task for completion but a wonderful opportunity for self-expression, reflection, and release.

Job knew the value of writing. He expresses sorrow and laments that his words have not been written down: "Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were printed in a book!" Job 19:23

Keeping a journal has been a life-changing experience for Marcia. She took time to record important events in her life and even the dull occurrences of her day. She was able to express her deepest feelings and concerns and to link her life to verses of scripture about God's grace and mercy, which offer deliverance.

When she reflects back over her journals, she recalls with great fondness many of the joys of her life. When she reads about the sorrows and pain, this, too, is a reminder of the mighty works of our LORD and Savior and God's divine love for her. Remembering God's grace and acts of deliverance strengthens her faith. It can do this for you as well.

Writing is a wonderful gift we can give ourselves. It is personal, can be kept confidentially, and does help take some burdens away from us. Later, we can reflect back and see God's hand in all our life movements. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Thriving in the Pit!

Hello, sorry, late in the day; but still completed. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

This thought for the day is from Terry Thomas Bowman of North Carolina. She begins: Three years ago I found myself in a deep "pit" when I was falsely accused and threatened with a lawsuit. Once certainty in life is that we will find ourselves in the pit at some time. For one young mother the pit is a terminal illness. For some middle aged man it is the loss of a job or financial disaster. And for a fragile young woman it is a broken relationship.
No one know more about surviving in the pit that Joseph. His own brothers cast him into a well and then sold him into slavery. Later he was falsely accused and thrown into prison. Yet Joseph not only survived but also actually thrived in his miserable circumstances.
The statement "The LORD was with him" appears several times in today's Bible reading. The scripture seems to imply that Joseph was able to face misfortune because he knew he was not alone. Joseph understood that the LORD was with him and would deliver him. Acts 7:9-10. How comforting it is for Christians to know that in whatever "pit" we may find ourselves-the death of a loved one, health issues, broken relationships, or financial problems - God is with us and able to lift us out.
Genesis 39:21 "The LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love."

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Revelation 3:19

God is good all the time, all the time God is good!!

Revelation 3:19 "I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference."

God, talking to Laodicean church, He would discipline this lukewarm church unless it turned from its indifference toward him.

God's purpose in discipline is not to punish but to bring people back to him. Are you lukewarm in your devotion to God? God may discipline you to help you out of your uncaring attitude, but he uses only loving discipline.

You can avoid God's discipline by drawing near to him again through confession, service, worship, and studying His Word.

Just as the spark of love can be rekindled in marriage, so the Holy Spirit can re-ignite our zeal for God when we allow him to work in our heart.

Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Are you a David or Goliath?

Good morning everyone!! Another great day to be alive in the one and true living God! Do you believe? DO YOU BELIEVE?!?!

Take a gander at 1 Samuel 17. This is about David going to meet Goliath. David was probably the most powerful man alive at this time. Huh? What are you talking about?

David spent hours upon hours tending sheep, so who was with him and who did he talk to? GOD! David spent hours with God, visiting, worshiping, and just being in the presence of God. When a lion or bear would come steal a lamb David would pursue the lion or bear, kill it, and take the lamb back. He did not fear. Why?

David did not fear because God was with him. David, a little shepherd boy, in verse 32 says: "Don't worry about this Philistine, I'll go fight him."

Saul reaction was don't be ridiculous! Goliath was 9 feet 6 inches tall. David did not understand why no one would fight him; David was upset because Goliath had (36)"........for he has defied the armies of the living God!"

Verse 45 David said, ".....you come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven's Armies-the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied. Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel!"

What is your Goliath, or Goliath's? Do you face them with the strength of the LORD? Or, do you face them with your strength? Obviously David had no fear because he know GOD was with him. Can you step forth with this much faith, confidence? If yes- PRAISE GOD! If no - then why not? It may be time for a little knee-mail.

Thank you for reading. Be strong in the living God! Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Did you..........?

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

Did you talk to God yesterday? Did you stand up for Jesus yesterday? Did you think about Jesus yesterday? Did you listen to Christian music yesterday?

Did you use your cell phone yesterday? Did you text someone yesterday? Did you listen to music yesterday? Did you stand up for anything yesterday?

In the Bible Esther stood for something. She experienced something and laid her life on the line for what? For her faith! Our experiences, which we may see as normal, shape our lives. Our time on earth is a practice for life everlasting. How well are you practicing?

In the situation of Mordecai and Esther, Esther's first thought was of her own safety. Quite natural, but what makes this story different is she was asked to risk her very own life! And guess what....she did!

Would you? For Jesus? For your family? If you would for your family but not for Jesus---YOU BETTER RETHINK, ANALYZE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD! Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Revelation 3:17-18

Good morning all! God is good all the time, all the time God is good!

Revelation 3:17-18 "Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked- I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see."

Some believers assume that numerous material possessions are a sign of God's spiritual blessing. Laodicea was a wealthy city, and the church was also wealthy. But what the Laodiceans could see and buy had become more valuable to them that what is unseen and eternal. Wealth, luxury, and ease can make people feel confident, satisfied, and complacent. BUT, no matter how much you possess or how much money you make, you have nothing if you don't have a vital relationship with Christ. How does your current level of wealth affect your spiritual desire? Find true riches in CHRIST!!

Verse 18 Christ told the Laodiceans to buy their gold from him, real spiritual treasures; Christ told them to buy white garments from him, his righteousness. Christ told them to buy ointment for their eyes so they could see the truth. Christ was showing the Laodiceans that true value was not in material possessions but in a right relationship with God. Their possessions and achievements were valueless compared with the everlasting future of Christ's Kingdom.

Where are you right now, this very moment? High on yourself, your material position in life? OR, high in your spiritual relationship with Jesus? In God's world there are only 2 cases in Deal or No Deal.....SO....spiritually speaking-DEAL? or NO DEAL?

Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

ACCEPTANCE

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!

Are you living life for you? Are you living life with the goals all set from YOUR EXPECTATIONS? Do you expect to be disappointed? When we travel the hills and valleys of life, many times we set the expectations we have. If you set expectations in the realm of controlling or guiding your spouse, your children, your family, your friends, you have set yourself up for disappointment. The only person you have control over is you!

We do not live a perfect life! We have to learn to acceptance. Jo Anne and I have 4 daughters and I worry about all of them. One of them is constantly on my mind. Why? Because I am a fixer. I want to heal and fix. Jo Anne knows this and she sent me this bit of information that really struck a cord with me, maybe it will with you.

ACCEPTANCE is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation-some fact of my life unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God's world by mistake; unless I accept life completely on life's terms (spiritual terms), I cannot be happy (content). I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.



IT IS WHAT IT IS

Thank you Jo Anne for these words. Thank you all for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Revelation 3:16

Good morning all! God is good all the time, all the time God is good! How did the water taste, being neither hot nor cold?

Revelation 3:16 "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth."

Lukewarm water makes a disgusting drink. The church in Laodicea had become lukewarm and thus distasteful and repugnant. The believers didn't take a stand for anything. As the old saying goes...if you don't stand for anything you will fall for everything.

Indifference in the church had led to idleness. By neglecting to do anything for Christ, the church had become hardened and self satisfied, and it was destroying itself.

There is nothing more disgusting than a half-hearted, nominal Christian who is self sufficient. Don't settle for following God halfway. Let Christ fire up your faith and get you into the action. LET GO--LET GOD!!

STOP!! Right now, ask God to take charge, then go forth and be fired up for Jesus! Don't go through the motions! Singing in church, raise your hands up, say Amen to the sermon because that is what you are "supposed to do." Stand up, praise God, sing, scream, holler, yell because the fire of the Holy Spirit is in you and you are being "moved spiritually." God, we all have problems, we just give those to you as they block the way for us to be "hot" for you. My prayer now is that I will be neither lukewarm nor cold, but hot to work for your Kingdom. Give me the strength, faith, wisdom and knowledge to do your work. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Why worry? Questions part 2

Good morning everyone!! Another great day to be alive in the LORD JESUS CHRIST!! Things happen for a reason, and that reason may be to listen, learn, and draw closer to Jesus!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

Yesterday some questions were asked about why worry. Here are a few more questions to consider and think about.

4. Do you have a secret fear that if you let go of your worry, you won't have control over your concern? WOW! Is this a good or bad thing? Why?

5. Is there a worry in your mind today? How can you turn to Christ each time it comes into your consciousness and remind yourself that you can trust him to take care of it? What give you that assurance? What else can you do to allow yourself the peace of not worrying?

Print this out, take time, write down and look at your answers. Don't just do them in your mind but write them down and view them.

Take time now to stop, be quiet, pray! Ask God for forgiveness, then pray for you ones who are of major concern to you. Pray for wisdom, courage, and the strength to deal with what is going on in your life. Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Revelation 3:15 -Hot, Cold, or Lukewarm

Good morning all! Yes, yes, God is good all the time, all the time God is good!! Wow! We have another opportunity to wake up, praise God, and go forth as a bold and confident disciple of God, of Jesus, walking with and in the Holy Spirit.

Going to step on toes today. Get ready. Whew!

Revelation 3:15 "I know your works, that your are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot."

What?!?! History first: Laodicea was the wealthiest of the seven cities, known for its banking industry, manufacture of wool, and a medical school that produced eye ointment. But the city had always had a problem with its water supply. At one time an aqueduct was built to bring water to the city from hot springs. But by the time the water reached the city, it was neither hot nor refreshingly cool-only lukewarm.

The church had become as bland as the tepid water that came into the city. How is your spiritual life? Are you hot Sunday morning when in Sunday School, in Church, and then by the time you get into your car; drive home or to the cafe, or to the gas station for a "coke" are you lukewarm.

When was the last time you freely did something for someone who is/was struggling?

When was the last time you invited someone to church?

When was the last time you really prayed, sincerely, and talked to God?

Have you asked for a renewed spirit so you can carry the word forward?

What are we, you and me, waiting for? An invitation. We need to get off our pompous areas and carry God's message forward. I challenge you to mention God, or Jesus, or your church, or offer to pray for someone at least twice a day. Once in the a.m. and once in the p.m. Thank you for reading. May this have struck you as hard as it did me. Thank you Man in the Mirror Men's conference for opening my eyes. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Why worry? Questions to ponder

Good morning everyone!! Another great day to be alive in the LORD JESUS CHRIST!! Last week we did a Why Worry in 5 parts; now, here are some questions to ponder.

Stop and pray a moment. First, ask forgiveness for yourself. Once you are forgiven God will hear your prayers. Go into conversation, or prayer, with our Father with a clean slate. Take time now to pray.

1. Do you think of yourself as a worrier? If yes, what kinds of concerns take up most of your worry time? If no, what helps you to avoid worrying over things?

2. Have you ever worried about something and then found out later that it wasn't important or that the troubling situation resolved itself? How did you feel? What might you learn from such experiences?

3. Have you ever tried to give a worry to God? What happened? Were you able to relax and let the worry go while you waited for the resolution? How did you do this? If not, what happened each time you took the worry back?

Yes, it is difficult to just give God the worry and let Him handle it. We, humans, don't think he handles it fast enough or in the way WE want. Like Yosemitey Sam says: "Back off!" Let go, Let God!

Love you all. Thanks for reading today.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Revelation 3:13-14

Good morning! God is good all the time, all the time God is good!

Revelation 3:13-14 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, "These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God."

Obviously, pay attention, be attentive to God, listen. Then talking to the church leader of Laodiceans, here is a message. Laodicea became the wealthiest, most important commercial center in the region. It was known for banking, wool, and medicine.

An inadequate local water supply forced the city to build an under-ground aqueduct. This, and the 3 industries played a major part in this letter. The church began through the ministry of Epaphras, while Paul was ministering in Ephesus.

the Amen - This is a common biblical expression signifying certainty and veracity. According to 2 Corinthians 1:20, all the promises of God are fulfilled in Christ; all God's promises and unconditional covenants are guaranteed and affirmed by the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Faithful and True Witness - He is a completely trustworthy and perfectly accurate witness to the truth of God.

Beginning of the creation - This corrects a heresy, apparently present in Laodicea and in Colosse, that Christ was a created being.

Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Why worry? part 5

Good morning everyone!! Another great day to be alive in the LORD JESUS CHRIST!! If you think and believe it, then it will be real to you! Believe in your salvation, believe in Jesus, believe and leave doubt behind. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

Letting go of worry is a daily, even hourly, or moment-by-moment looking away from the problem and toward CHRIST. As worry surfaces and our mind begin to chew over the details and the possible ramification of our concern, we can say, "I won't worry about this right now." Then, we can take it one step further: "I give it to you, LORD, knowing that you will take care of it"

We literally let the worry go- over and over and over again if need be. After a while, as we repeatedly put aside the worry, its hold on us loosens until we find ourselves walking boldly on the waters of our concerns. We can be secure in the knowledge that our only task is to keep our eyes fixed firmly on JESUS, the author and perfecter of our faith.

Romans 12:2 "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let GOD transform you into a new person by changing the way you think."

Wow!! Thank you for reading. Pat Wilson did a good job of putting worry into perspective from our Christian standpoint. Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Revelation 3:12

Good morning everyone!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good. Don't worry.......be happy!!!

Revelation 3:12 "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My god, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name."

"He who overcomes" - all Christians
"a pillar" - Believers will enjoy an unshakable, eternal, secure place in the presence of God.
"write....name of My God" In biblical time, one's name spoke of a person's character. Writing His name on us speaks of imprinting His character on us and identifying us as belonging to Him.
"New Jerusalem" - the capital city of heaven. the overcomer will enjoy eternal citizenship.
"My new name" - At the moment we see Christ, whatever we may have called Him and understood by that name will in the reality of what we see. And He will give us a new, eternal name by which we will know him.

Wow! A lot in this verse. Please take time to reread. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Why worry? part 4

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. We have been talking about worry, starting with Peter.

Now let's go back to Peter. In his moment of triumph, worry brought him low. As he sank beneath the waves, he called out in despair to Jesus. Jesus immediately stretched out his arm and raised Peter up. Together, they walked back to the boat.

A core truth in this story was brought home to me by my mother. One day during a particularly rough patch in my life, I began to tell her all the things I was worrying about. She stopped me mid-sentence. "Pat," she said, "Where are your eyes?" There it was - a spiritual truth in a nutshell. When forced to consider this question, I realized that my mother had given me the Christian's answer to worry. Peter earned that when he took his eyes off Jesus and thought about the wild waves and howling winds around him, he began to sink beneath the waters. When we worry, we take our eyes off Jesus and turn them toward whatever problem besets us. We flounder in the waters of despair, we flail against the winds of chaos, and we sink into separation from God.

Great words, again this is written by Patricia Wilson from the Upper Room. Thank you for reading with me today. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Revelation 3:11

Hello All! God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

Revelation 3:11 "Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown."

Christians have differing gifts, abilities, experience, and maturity. God doesn't expect us all to be and act the same, but he does expect us to "hold on" to what we have, to persevere in using our resources for him. The Philadelphians are commended for their effort to obey (3:8) and encouraged to hold tightly to whatever strength they have. You may be a new believer and feel that your faith and spiritual strength are little. Use what you have to live for Christ and God will commend you.

Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Why worry? part 3

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! Okay, part 3 of Why Worry?

Worry is a concern for believers because it separates us from God. That person or situation that we worry about usually occupies our first thought in the morning as we get up and our last thought at night as we fall into bed. In between, the concern nibbles and gnaws at us, intruding on our quiet and destroying our peace. Worry can disturb our sleep and give rise to troubling dreams. As our brain scurries down one pathway after another, looking for a solution to our dilemma, awareness of God can become lost in the maze of our worry. Even as we hold our concern before God in prayer, we may find ourselves moving from a dialogue with God to an internal monologue of worry and fretting.

Like the song, "Don't worry.....be happy!"

Love you all.
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Revelation 3:10

Good morning everyone!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

Revelation 3:10 "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth."

Christ's description of a future event that for a short time severely tests the whole world must refer to the time of tribulation, the seven year period before Christ's earthly kingdom is consummated, featuring the unleashing of divine wrath in judgments expressed as seals, trumpets, and bowls. This period is described in detail throughout chapters 6-19.

The latter half of this time period is called "the Great Tribulation". The verb "to keep" is followed by a preposition whose normal meaning is "from" or "out of"- this phrase, "keep.......from" supports the pretribulational rapture of the church.

Now, some believe that the time of testing is the constant tribulation the church is going through on earth and this refers to times of great stress in general. I, personally, see it as ongoing, but talking primarily for the end of times, the great tribulation. Thank you for reading. Check it out yourself. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Are you a natural worrier? part 2

Well, another wonderful day to be alive in the LORD JESUS CHRIST!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good. Yesterday we did Why Worry - part 1, now part 2......

Most of us won't have a dramatic event like Peter's to cause us to think about what can happen when we worry. But all of us know what worry is, and some of us are just natural worriers. In Fact, it seems as if the world is divided into two camps: those who worry and those who don't. For the worriers, everything is a source of anxiety; and the true, dyed-in-the-wool worrier will not only worry about his or her personal issues but will devote quality worry time to the big issues like war, world famine, climate change, and rising oil prices. It's as though we find it difficult to trust God to handle these issues. In fact, we might even have a nagging suspicion that if we stop worrying, everything around us will fall apart. For some, not worrying is equated with not caring.

Do you see yourself in here? If so, what are you going to do about it? The answer is simple, the task if difficult, BUT, keep your eyes on Jesus. Thank you for reading with me. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Why Worry? part 1

Good morning everyone!! God is good all the time all the time God is good. Why Worry? This is from the upper room, a daily devotional guide. When I was reading this I realized how this applies to us all, but I caught a different light. This will be 5 parts, so if you want the complete gest start you a "why worry" file.

From one of the authors of The Upper Room:

I've always felt drawn to the story of Jesus walking on the water, not because of the miraculous quality of the event but because of the way Peter reacted. As an expression of love for Jesus, Peter jumped over the side of the boat and began to walk across the stormy waves toward his master. How amazed Peter must have been as he felt the heaving seas become firm beneath his feet!! In those moments, he knew what it was to put his life entirely into Jesus' hands. And then he began to sink.

Peter had trusted Jesus. BUT, then Peter saw the wind. And I believe that because he allowed himself to worry about the supernatural event happening to him, the seas no longer held him up. The winds howled and tore at him.

When Peter had his eyes on Jesus, all was well, when he doubted...well. Thank you for reading today. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny