Who is to blame? Micah 1:5

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

Micah served as a prophet to Judah and during his time pagan idols were set up in the temple and the temple doors were nailed shut. Hezekiah became king and probably heeded much of Micah's advice in beginning a slow road to recovery and economic strength.

Is America doing this today? Are we allowing pagan idols the opportunity to take the place of Jesus? Our temple doors are not shut, but the ACLU is working hard to close our doors. How will we come out of our pagan ways and begin economic recovery?

In Micah 1-4 the LORD tramples the heights of the earth, mountains melt beneath his feet and flow into the valleys like wax in a fire. Why is this happening? Let's replace Israel with America.

Micah 1:5 "And why is this happening? Because of the rebellion of America (Israel)- yes, the sins of the whole nation. Who is to blame for America's (Israel's) rebellion? Washington D.C. (Samaria) its capital!"

This is not a slam against only Obama, but all the administrations prior, Bush, Clinton, Bush, etc., and our congressman. This is from God's word. Think about it.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Love vs Hate Matthew 22:37

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

LOVE ...... HATE ...... Matthew 22:37 "Jesus replied, 'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.'"

What are these words? These have become casual words we just cast out freely without a lot of thought; they have become empty words. Just like the beer commercial, the girl tells the man she loves him, he struggles to say he loves her but when asked if he wanted another beer he responds with "I would love one."

We tend to use the phase "I hate......." just as casual. I hate it when.....i.e. the wind blows, it rains, it is cold, it is hot, etc. Do we really, or is the word hate dummied down?

Because of this we may have difficulties understanding God's love for us and His hatred of sin. Oh, God is loving and compassionate, He would never do this or that. Yes, God is loving and compassionate but never forget GOD HATES SIN!!

God's love is so real He sent His son, Jesus, the Messiah, to save us and accept judgment in the sinner's place. God's hatred of sin is so real it burns, consumes, and destroys.

Take time, when your cell phone rings, beeps, or notifies you of a message, to remember that GOD IS LOVE AND LOVES YOU! Thanks for reading. Love you all. (really)

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Are you running from God? Or TO God? Jonah

Good morning everyone! God is good all the time, all the time God is good! Did you take the dare? Each time you reach for the cell phone, say a short prayer. I worked at it and actually made me feel good.

How often are we Jonah's? God called Jonah to do a job; Jonah ran the other way. God corrected Jonah; Jonah did as God called. Jonah has his opinion; his opinion was not Gods. God had compassion and saved Nineveh; Jonah was angry Nineveh was saved.

How often do we run from the job God has called us to do? Then we want to do it "our way" not God's way. How often do we suffer the consequences of our "not being obedient?" Then wonder why God is "letting" this happen to us.

God cares deeply for us as well as for people we may resent or hate. God will accomplish his purposes, even through reluctant and unwilling servants. God is patient with sinners and patient with his servants.

Do you follow God's call willing? Or are you as Jonah. The key verse Jonah 1:3 "But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the LORD. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the LORD by sailing to Tarshish."

To read Jonah click or copy and paste the following link and type in Jonah:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah%201-3&version=NIV

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Can your cell phone help you begin a new life?

Good morning everyone!! God is good all the time, all the time God is good! Today what we will be talking about is short but hopefully a point to ponder and will create continual thoughts.

As I have been traveling I see this in traffic, I see this in the restaurants, I see this at the rockets game, I see this at the astros game, I see this at the rangers game and I wonder.

See what and wonder? Cell phones! I am guilty! Sitting in traffic people are texting or talking on....... In restaurants people are sitting together and talking or texting on........ Pay money to see professional sports and people are texting or talking on........ But, it is part of our life. Yes, but how important do YOU make IT in YOUR LIFE?

Here is a challenge for me and I dare you to take it as well. Each time your cell phone rings, dings, or indicates you have a message.....take a moment to thank GOD for something, anything! Just do this and see how your day and week goes. A new life with the cell phone.

II Corinthians 5:17 "This means that anyone who belongs to CHRIST has become a new person. The old life is gone, a new life has begun."

Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

How will God judge you? Obadiah 1:15

Good morning everyone! God is good all the time, all the time God is good! So what is happening in the world?

Israel feels strongly that America is pulling away from them, and the dignitaries and residents have openly stated they do not feel Obama knows the consequences of his asking them to stop building the housing apartments. Many Israelites believe he is naive of what is really going on in Jerusalem. Do you know? What could happen if America pulls away from Israel?

Obadiah 1:15 "The day is near when I, the LORD, will judge all godless nations! As you have done to Israel, so it will be done to you. All you evil deeds will fall back on your own heads."

Why will God's judgment fall on all nations? Edom was not the only nation to rejoice at Judah's fall. All nations and individuals will be judged for he way they have treated God's people.

Some nations today treat God's people favorably, while others are hostile toward them. God will judge all people according to the way they treat others, especially believers. (Revelation 20:12,13; to read - http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2020:12,13&version=NIV). Jesus talked about this in Matthew 25:31-46.

We need to cast politics aside, get to our knees, and pray, pray, pray. Pray for our nation, our president, congress, the countries around the world and our local communities. Everyday should be national prayer day. Love you all

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Are you ready Obadiah 1:1

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 read Obadiah? Obadiah gave God's message to the Edomites. Because of their indifference to and defiance of God, their cowardice and pride, and their treachery toward their relatives in Judah, they stood condemned and would be destroyed.

Where do you stand, right now, this very moment? Are you at a stage of indifference? Cowardice? Pride?

Indifference - a don't care attitude. Example, you may volunteer at your church but you go through the motions of doing the job you volunteered for. QUIT!!! or DO IT FOR GOD! Indifference is like being luke warm and God will spit you from His mouth.

Cowardice - maybe keeping "Christian" as a secret and not telling anyone. Why? Be proud of your heritage, you are a child of the King of the Most High.

Pride - this is the stumbling block of man; satan was cast out of heaven because of this. Is your "pride" attitude in check? Take pride in being a Christian but don't flaunt it or hold it over people.

Obadiah 1:1 "We have heard a message from the LORD that an ambassador was sent to the nations to say, "Get ready everyone!......"

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Obadiah - A god nation or godless nation?

Good morning everyone! God is good all the time, all the time God is good! Wow! Have you ever just stopped and read Obadiah? Very interesting.

Obadiah, the shortest book in the Old Testament, is an example of God's response to anyone who would harm his children. Edom was a mountainous nation, occupying the region southeast of the Dead Sea including Petra, the spectacular city discovered by archaeologists a few decades ago. As descendants of Esau the Edomites were blood relatives of Israel, and like their father, they were rugged, fierce, and proud warriors with a seemingly invincible mountain home. Of all people, they should have rushed to the aid of their northern brothers. Instead, they gloated over Israel's problems, captured and delivered fugitives to the enemy, and even looted Israel's countryside.

Obadiah gave God's message to the Edomites. Because of their indifference to and defiance of God, their cowardice and pride, and their treachery toward their relatives in Judah, they stood condemned and would be destroyed.

Today God's holy nation is his church - all who have trusted Christ for their salvation and have given their lives to him. These people are God's born again and adopted children. As you read Obadiah catch a glimpse of what it means to be God's child, under his love and protection. See how the heavenly Father responds to all who would attack those whom he loves. Think about our nation and its state of affairs. Take time to pray. The link to Obadiah is pasted below. Love you all.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=obadiah&version=NIV

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Say, how is your world today? 2 Peter 2:2

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.

What do you hear on t.v.? What do you hear on the radio? What do you hear around you? What comes forth from a friends mouth? What comes forth from your mouth? Is everything you hear slowly corrupting your mind and values? Take time to think about this!

As a junior high student I dropped my books as I was walking into our house and I said "crap." My mother explained to me the errors of my way. My come back, but mom, everyone at school says it. Typical adolescent (and adult) response.

What we hear, say, speak and accept is not necessarily of God. Around 1965 a song came out on the radio and they sang, "I don't give a damn about a green back dollar." I was shocked to hear the word. The next day the censors already had it edited and it came out "I don't give a (silence) about a green back dollar." That quick. Today, if that was the worst word we heard we would probably be happy.

How slowly and easily do we become corrupt. 2 Peter 2:2 "Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered."

I would relish your feedback. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

2 Peter 2:1 It is all YOU!

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.

If I told you there are false prophets, or people who want to lead you astray all around you; ones who teach deception and deny many things about Christ, like His resurrection, virgin birth, etc. what would you say?

False teachers who teach that your power and strength is all within you. You can make a difference, You can do it all. It is You! You can be a motivational guru yourself. All you have to do is find the inner you, it is all up to you. What do you think?

2 Peter 2:1 "But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. they will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves."

Just as in the Old Testament times, telling people only what they wanted to hear, so false teachers were twisting Christ's teachings and the words of his apostles. These teachers allowed and even encouraged all kinds of immorality, especially sexual sin. We must be careful to avoid false teachers today. Beware of special meanings or interpretations that belittle Christ or his work. Take time to think about this. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Are you free? Is the Spirit within you?

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

Here are some things to think about. Your response would be appreciated.

God sent "the Spirit of his Son into our hearts" (Galatians 4:6)

We are "discharged from the law" (Romans 7:6)

We are no longer "slaves of sin" (Romans 6:17)

We have the incentive and power to be "obedient from the heart" (Roman 6:17)

We are "free from sin" (Romans 6:18)

We are "dead to that which held us captive" (Romans 7:6)

Why then do we demonstrate the Spirit only on Sundays? Follow man's laws? Fall slave to sin? Why do we act as captives with no freedom?

We are being "changed" into Christ's "likeness" (2 Corinthians 3:18) but we are not there yet. Our obedience is still not perfect. Our hearts are not yet pure. The church is not yet "holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5:27) However, we are the people of the new covenant. God has put his Spirit within us and has written his law on our hearts.

Go forth, be free, let the Spirit within you lead. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

2 Timothy 1:7 Power, Love, Self-Control

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

(II Timothy 1:7) 7 For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

What exactly does this mean to you? God gave you a spirit of POWER, LOVE, and SELF-CONTROL.

This quote by Glasgow should really resonate with us all.
"Make your life a mission—not an intermission."

Spurgeon put it this way...

"It is an abomination to let the grass grow up to your knees and do nothing towards making it into hay. God never sent a man into the world to be idle. (Adding that) Now is the watchword of the wise."

Do you live in fear? Or as God wants you to? With a spirit of Power, Love, and Self-control! Take time to thank God for all you have, what you do, where you tread, and the blessings in your life. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

1 Peter 1:8-9 Salvation of your souls

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

1 Peter 1: 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Just stop and think about these verses. You have not seen him yet you love him. You believe in him, you are filled with joy running over. How can this be? How can you love something you have not seen? How can you believe in something you don't see yet it gives you joy.

We believe in electricity but don't see it. We have running water but don't see how it gets to us. We have strong faith in things that don't bring salvation; things of the here and now. But what does it get you? Comfort! All things will rust, rot, dry up and no longer exist, EXCEPT, for one thing-----S A L V A T I O N!

The fruits of your faith is salvation. Jesus is salvation. Holy Spirit helps us with our walk to salvation. God is the charter member and organizer of salvation. So, what do you receive for your faith? Say it with me, S A L V A T I O N ! No better gift.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

2 Peter 1:5-7 Moral excellence? Moral excellence!

Good morning everyone! God is good all the time, all the time God is good! Events come, events go, events touch our lives in different ways.

2 Peter 1:5-7 "In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone."

Faith must be more than belief in certain facts; it must result in action, growth in Christian character, and the practice of moral discipline, or it will die away.

Peter lists several of faith's actions: learning to know God better, developing perseverance, doing God's will, loving others. These actions do not come automatically; they require hard work.

They are not optional; all of them must be a continual part of the Christian life. We don't finish one and start on the next, but we work on them all together. God empowers and enables us, but he also gives us the responsibility to learn and to grow. Is your walk one of Jesus? Or, is your walk a wandering through foreign lands? Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Galatians 2:20 Does Christ live in you?

Good morning everyone! God is good all the time, all the time God is good! Just stop and think about this for a moment. I have visited with some people who has turned away from "religion" because of the "Christians."

What? Why would they turn away because of Christians? Very simple, as Paul talks about in Galatians, are we saved by the law or by faith? By faith, meaning we have accepted Jesus Christ as our LORD and savior and it is free. So?????

Well, that means that we should walk as Jesus walked. We should show love, compassion, and the Holy Spirit who dwells within us would be our leading and guiding force. Well, what happens?

We decide we need rules, because just having faith isn't enough. So we set in place rules for each denomination to follow, we work so hard on these rules we forget, uh, what, FAITH!

We live like a saint and are holy when the church doors are open and we are there. Then.......when we are away our "true character" leaps forth with great strength and enthusiasm, thereby squelching the Holy Spirit, placing our "Christian" behavior on the back shelf until the church doors open again. Then what happens?

The newly saved or ones at the point of making a decision see what we are truly like and think I don't need that. I don't want to be hypocritical like they are. What is wrong with this picture. The problem is HEART! Jesus needs to be in our HEART, so we will live and portray His example. Don't be hateful, don't be pushy, but be loving with compassion, go forth and plant seeds. God will nurture them, water them, and help the seeds grow.

Galatians 2:20 "It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me."

Love you all. Let Jesus shine in you today!

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Galatians 3:5 Believe the message about Christ

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


Galatians 3:5 "I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ."

The Holy Spirit gives Christians great power to live for God. Some Christians want more than this. They want to live in a state of perpetual excitement. The tedium of everyday living leads them to conclude that something is wrong spiritually.

Often the Holy Spirit's greatest work is teaching us to persist, to keep on doing what is right even when it no longer seems interesting or exciting. The Galatians quickly turned from Paul's Good News to the teachings of the newest teachers in town; what they needed was the Holy Spirit's gift of persistence. If the Christian life seems ordinary, you may need the Spirit to stir you up. Every day offers a challenge to live for Christ.

Thanks for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny

Galatians 3:1 What do you believe?

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

When you look around, people are in their own world, following their own rules, and doing their own thing. What concern do we have for others? Is there compassion, concern, love, a caring attitude, dedication? Many times there is blatant disregard for the law.

We listen to Oprah, Joel, and different ones who talk about feeling good, it is the inside feeling, you are in control of your destiny, you deserve more and you can get it.

Look at Galatians 3:1 and put your name in here. "Oh, foolish Galatians (Johnny)! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ's death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross.
The Galatians believers had become fascinated by the false teachers' arguments, almost as though an evil spell had been cast on them. Magic was common in Paul's day. Magicians used both optical illusions and Satan's power to perfomr miracles, and people were drawn into the magicians' mysterious rites without recognizing their dangerous source. Food for thought. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Galatians 2:20 Who do YOU trust?

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 told someone about Jesus? Have you shared your faith? Are you hiding you light under a bushel?

What is your goal in life? To be a good person, do your job, go home, take care of the family, put finances away for retirement? All this is fine, IF, GOD IS FIRST!!

It is so easy to be derailed and leave Jesus in a box (aka Bible) that has dust on it.
Galatians 2:20 "My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Our Christian life began when, in unity with Him, we died to our old life. In our daily life, we must regularly crucify sinful desires that keep us from following Christ. This, too, is a kind of dying with him.

However, the focus of Christianity is on living. Because we have been crucified with Christ, we have also been raised with Him. We are no longer alone, for Christ lives in us, He is our power for living and our hope for the future. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Titus 2:12,13 Living today

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

Titus 2:12, 13 "And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed."

Paul brings out 2 aspects of Christian living that must be stressed today. "We should live in this evil world.....while we look forward with hope." Both aspects of living and looking forward are essential to our Christian sanity in this present evil age.

The living is made bearable because we live for God, seeking to build his Kingdom with whatever gifts he has given us. And it is that Kingdom to which we are looking forward.

As we live and look forward, we anticipate three great benefits of Christ's return: 1) Christ's personal presence....we look forward to being with him; 2) Redemption from our sinful nature....we long for the end of the battle with sin and our perfection in Christ; 3) Restoration of creation...we anticipate the complete rule of grace when the image of God will be fully realized in people and when the created order will be restored.

Love you all

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Titus 2: 1,2,6 Wholesome teaching

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

Sorry to have missed you yesterday, the day after Easter. I was experiencing internet difficulties and had to have the phone tech come and breathe life back into our DSL.lol

Goofy, stupid, goofus, little idiot, moron, crazy, ding dong, dummy, I don't care, don't bother me, later, not now. Just little words we use in our every day life. What do they mean? Not much. No, not much if you are the one saying them. How do they affect us?

As a child growing up and you hear these words, are called these words, how does that affect them? We will just blow it off as trivial and non-meaning, but is it really?

If you are called any of these names growing up you may not think much about them. Take time to stop and reflect: how did it make you feel? what went through your mind? did it create doubt in yourself? how did it affect your thoughts? how does it affect your self-esteem?

Titus 2:1-2 "As for you,Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience."
Titus 2:6 "In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely."

Are you promoting wholesome teaching? Wise living? We need to step back and look at the generation we are cultivating. Is it a harvest of good seed or bad? Love you all!

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

GOOD FRIDAY!

Wow! A great day to be alive in Jesus Christ our LORD and Savior. GOOD FRIDAY! God is good all the time, all the time God is good!

The saddest day in man's life.....when a man was hung on a cross.
The happiest day in man's life....when a man rose from the dead.

Yes, this man is one in the same, JESUS CHRIST, our LORD, our savior, the man who lifted the law and gave us grace. The man who took us from slavery to freedom. The man who came back to save the world.

Jesus went to the cross in AD 33, nearly 2000 years ago. On this day, from noon until 3 p.m. the land went black, then, when Jesus gave up the Spirit, earthquakes happened, tombs opened, and the curtain in the temple was torn. Was He truly the Son of God?

Peoples eyes should have been opened, however, some were cold, callused, and walking steadily away from God. Good Friday is a day of celebration for the Christian world as Jesus freed us. Check it out for yourself in the gospels; Matthew 26, John 18, Luke 23, or Mark 15. Thank you for checking in. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Ephesians 2:8-10 By grace you are saved

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.

Ephesians 2:8-10 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Okay, we are saved how? This is from? Are works involved?

This is a special time of the year to think about where you are, how you were able to get to this point, and remember we serve with a humble spirit - serving one another.

We dined at the Asian Grill in Gresham last night. Great food!! But the best of the whole night was the waitress. Yes, she is young, but the quality that stood out so much was the excitement she spread about the menu, the food, and all the options. She enjoyed her job, she believed in the food, and could not wait to share this information with others she comes in contact with. She served willingly, humbly, and with purpose.

If we could just carry this type of enthusiasm throughout our spiritual life. Be excited about the food (word), be excited about sharing the good news, and be willing to serve. No excuses. I'm tired, low on gas, too far, don't feel like it, just don't want to, have things to do at the house, don't meet people well, yadda, yadda, yadda. Excuses are like navels, just a hole with useless lent in it.

Hell - NO! Heaven - YES! I am going to do it for God, for Jesus! And you???

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Maundy Thursday - FYI

Good morning everyone! Today is Maundy Thursday! Also known as Holy Thursday. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

Maundy Thursday, also known as “Holy Thursday” is the Thursday of Passion Week, one day before Good Friday (the Thursday before Easter). Maundy Thursday is the name given to the day on which Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples, known as the Last Supper. Two important events are the focus of Maundy Thursday.

First, Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with His disciples and thereby instituted the Lord’s Supper, also called Communion (Luke 22:19-20). Some Christian churches observe a special Communion service on Maundy Thursday in memory of Jesus’ Last Supper with His disciples. Second, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet as an act of humility and service, thereby setting an example that we should love and serve one another in humility (John 13:3-17). Some Christian churches observe a foot-washing ceremony on Maundy Thursday to commemorate Jesus’ washing the feet of the disciples.

The word “Maundy” is derived from the Latin word for “command.” The “Maundy” in Maundy Thursday refers to the command Jesus gave to the disciples at the Last Supper, that they should love and serve one another.

Resource: The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus by Gary Habermas

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny