Paths to God

He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.  The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.    

John 1:11-14

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

    “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.  The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.  But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.  Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me.  Because I live, you also will live.  On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.  Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.  The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”   John 14:15-21

Love for Enemies

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,  bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.  Luke 6:27:36

Really!  I am supposed to love those who hurt me, those that set out to destroy my life because they want it for their own.  I'm supposed to keep turning the other cheek to them every time they hurt me. We are also supposed to do good to them and if they need help we are to help them and expect nothing in return. This is too much to ask of me or anyone else, but with the help of God and His strength that is exactly what we are  supposed to do. 

Love One Another

“A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  John 13:34-35

Is it just me or is this really hard to do?  We let feelings, circumstances and emotions get in the way of loving each other.  But this is exactly what God is telling us to do.  No matter what we are to love one another.  Forget all the hurts and hangups and get on with life.  Not easy to do but with God's help all things are possible.

God's Plan

Gary and I planned our summer vacation and left for Vancouver, WA on Wednesday morning June 15 and had planned to stay until August 7.  Awbrey's, our granddaughter, 14th birthday is on August 6 and we wanted to be there to celebrate with her as we have never missed being with her on her birthdays.  But God had other plans.  Gary's Mom had a stroke on June 24 and was hospitalized in Puyallup, WA.  She had gone up to spend the summer with Jimmie and Liz, Gary's brother and his wife.  So we spent most of our vacation at the hospital going through all the rehab training with Mom.  We are home now and everything is going great.  We are all adjusting to the changes in our lives and getting ready to start outpatient therapy with Mom as she continues her recovery process.  We know that God will use this summer as a lesson for us to wait upon Him and He will also use everything that has happened for His glory.  Continue to lift Mom up in your daily prayers as works hard to recovery from this stroke and Gary & I as we minister to her.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Jeremiah 29:11

Freedom in Christ

 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.  “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”  I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Galatians 5:1-12

Paths to God

How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
Praise be to you, LORD;
teach me your decrees.
With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.
I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.
I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.

Psalm 119:9-16

Paths to God

Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,  for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.  Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.  Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever.

Psalm 112:4-6

The Little Children and Jesus

Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them  and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there. Matthew 19:13-15

Strength

“To whom will you compare me?

Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.

Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:

Who created all these?

He who brings out the starry host one by one

and calls forth each of them by name.

Because of his great power and mighty strength,

not one of them is missing.

 Why do you complain, Jacob?

Why do you say, Israel,

“My way is hidden from the LORD;

my cause is disregarded by my God”?

Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the LORD

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

Isaiah 40:25-31

Paths to God

Be strong and take heart all you who hope in the LORD. 

Psalm 31:24

The place of seeing God

I am so enjoying a book by Ann Voskamp, "One Thousand Gifts." My baby girl brought this book when I was visiting her this past February and I read the first chapter then.   When I got home I ordered a copy for myself.  Last night I was reading chapter 6, "what do you want? the place of seeing God" and it spoke to my heart so I thought I would share a small portion with you.

"The Only way to see God manifested in the world around is with the eyes of Jesus within.  God is the One seeing God without.  God is both the object of my seeing and the subject who does the act of all real seeing, the Word lens the inner eye wears.  To sit in the theater of God and see His glory crack the dark, to open the eyes of my heart to see the fountain of His grace, thousands of gifts, I have to split heart open to more and more of Jesus.  Who can split open the eyelids of Jesus?  He tears the veil to the Holy of Holies, gives me the only seeing I have.  I have been lost and now I am found and I sing it softly, before the flying of the flocks south: "Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart..."

What do you want and who do you want to see?

God bless each of you with a glorious day!

Happy Birthday Roger

Happy Birthday Roger!

Wishing you a day filled with all the good stuff as you celebrate you.