Please show your support for your local Police by lighting your house entry blue January 2-4, 2015.

blind eyes opened by the Spirit of God

"I try to explain to you the joy of following Christ: the thrill, the excitement, the exhilaration—knowing where I’ve come from, why I’m here, where I’m going! There’s a reason for existence. There’s a reason for getting up every morning of the year. I try to tell you what I’ve found in Jesus Christ, and in studying the Scriptures and walking with Him, and you say, “I can’t see that!” Of course, you can’t. You are blind. Try to explain television to a blind man. He can understand a little of it, but it doesn’t make sense to him. Try to explain a sunset to him. He’s blind to it. The scales must be removed from your eyes, and only Christ can do that. He can remove them right now and you can start living and seeing a whole new world that you never knew existed, if you will let Him open your spiritual eyes."  ~ Billy Graham

The blind cannot see that which is just before them.  It simply is not possible.  So it is with the things of God. 

"But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised."  1 Corinthians 2:14

We waste our time in trying to convince a natural man of the things of God; he is simply not able to see through natural eyes and with a natural mind.  Evangelism is a tool to announce the Word, using the Word and preceded and followed by prayer.  We tell them what we know and we faithfully wait for the Holy Spirit to open their eyes.

"And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.  And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way."  Mark 10:51-52

In the interim, we try not to become jaded, frustrated, angered, rejected or dejected by the darkness of the world around us.  It is what it is, the blind leading the blind.


"Stay away from those Pharisees! They are like blind people leading other blind people, and all of them will fall into a ditch."  Matthew 15:14 

the thin blue line

It saddens me to hear otherwise logical folks spewing hate for the police in general, because of the acts or perceived acts of a few.  I know of no group of people (police, doctors, students, retailers, farmers, soldiers,  etc..) who are composed of perfect people and every group of folks contains people who make mistakes, purposefully or otherwise.  I know of no person living on this earth who is perfect, who has never done something wrong, or who has never made a mistake.

During my short time as a Sheriff’s Deputy, I witnessed mistakes, bad judgement calls and blatant stupidity on the part of brother LEOs.  I also witnessed heroism, compassion, kindness, generosity and sacrifice, far more of the later than the former.  The average Law Enforcement officer is underpaid, overworked and walking the line in one of the most dangerous and stressful jobs on this planet.  The average Officer does this willingly, purposefully and will put his life in harms way for you on a daily basis, and ask nothing from you in return.

Yes, we all have the right to form our own opinions in this country and the right to peaceful protest.  That right was won for you by the men and women of the armed forces and is protected and guarded for you by the men and women of Law Enforcement in your community.

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The time is coming when people won't listen to good teaching

"When Christ Jesus comes as king, he will be the judge of everyone, whether they are living or dead. So with God and Christ as witnesses, I command you to preach God's message. Do it willingly, even if it isn't the popular thing to do. You must correct people and point out their sins. But also cheer them up, and when you instruct them, always be patient.   The time is coming when people won't listen to good teaching. Instead, they will look for teachers who will please them by telling them only what they are itching to hear.   They will turn from the truth and eagerly listen to senseless stories.   But you must stay calm and be willing to suffer. You must work hard to tell the good news and to do your job well."   ~ 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Choosing the devil?

"Students today want to know about the devil, about witchcraft, about the occult. Many people do not know they are turning to Satan. They are being deluded because, according to Jesus Christ, Satan is the father of lies and the greatest liar of all times. He is called a deceiver. In order to accomplish his purpose, the devil blinds people to their need of Christ. Two forces are at work in our world—the forces of Christ and the forces of the devil—and you are asked to choose."  ~ Billy Graham

It's no mystery; turn your back on God and you are following Satan. There is no middle ground.
 
"Jesus answered: If God were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and only from him. He sent me. I did not come on my own.   Why can't you understand what I am talking about? Can't you stand to hear what I am saying?   Your father is the devil, and you do exactly what he wants. He has always been a murderer and a liar. There is nothing truthful about him. He speaks on his own, and everything he says is a lie. Not only is he a liar himself, but he is also the father of all lies.   Everything I have told you is true, and you still refuse to have faith in me.   Can any of you accuse me of sin? If you cannot, why won't you have faith in me? After all, I am telling you the truth.   Anyone who belongs to God will listen to his message. But you refuse to listen, because you don't belong to God."   John 8:42-47

why do we gather together on Sunday morning?

Act 2:40-47 (NASB)
"And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!"  So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.  They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.  And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.  Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved."

Why do we gather together on Sunday morning?

Heb 10:23-25 (NASB)
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near"

• Our hearts and minds are renewed, refreshed, upon hearing messages and teachings from those appointed with spiritual gifts.

• Our hearts are gladdened by joining together in praise and worship, in song and in prayer.

• We are held and seen accountable by our brothers and sisters

• Frequent gathering serves to strengthen and discipline us in our faith, we are designed as a corporate body of believers to share and strengthen each other.  We have different gifts and the "church" works when all gifts are utilized.

• We are reminded of the needs of our bothers and sisters, not only here, but those who are far off

• We are reminded of the needs and sufferings of the world

• We learn new concepts, scriptures and understandings that otherwise might not come to mind so readily and easily.  We are exhorted, as the Body of Christ, to cling to the truth.

• God enjoys the praises of his people and we are able to join in the praises of our fellow believers

• It is a Christian tradition 

• Gathering with like minded believers pleases God.
  

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB)
"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."

1 Timothy 4:13 (NASB)
"Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching."

2 Timothy 4:1-4 (NASB)
"I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths."

Romans 12:2-8 (NASB)
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.   For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.     For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,  so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.   Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness."

Psalm 150 (NASB)

"Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. 
Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre.
Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe.
Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals. 
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!"


I found the the following articles of interest while researching this topic.

Why Go to Church?

5 Reasons to Attend Church Regularly

SUNDAY IS NOT THE SABBATH DAY

Vote for unbelieving judges?

As a follower of Jesus, shall I cast a vote for anyone who does not also follow Him as Lord?

At every level of government, we place men and women who create and enforce laws.  Shall I vote for anyone who does not follow after God and profess Jesus as Lord?

1 Corinthians 6:4-6 NASB

So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?

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Jesus is the vine

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.

You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.   Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.   If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My  commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.   These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full."   ~  John 15:1-11 (NASB)


Jesus is the vine.  Abiding in Him, staying rooted to Him, allows us to partake of His nourishment, His roots; through His stems we are fed, watered and grow.  So long as we remain grafted into His branches and do not separate ourselves from Him, we are fulfilled and alive; we prosper in Him.

Should we become detached, by choice or circumstance, we are, for that time, no longer fed, no longer nourished and lack the capacity for growth.  Only as his "branch"  are we able to grow real fruit.  Sin separates us from His nourishment; repentance restores.

What is this fruit?   Fruit is fulfilling His purposes, glorifying him, reaching to bring others to Him, participating in growing His kingdom.

How do we remain attached?  Spending time in His Word, prayer, meditation and action feed our roots.

"Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.   But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was."  ~  James 1:21-24

This is real growth, real fruit. 

"And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."   ~  Matthew 28:18-20

"your own wickedness will correct you"

""Your own wickedness will correct you, and your apostasies will reprove you; know therefore and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the Lord your God, and the dread of me is not in you," declares the Lord God of hosts."  ~  Jeremiah 2:19 (NASB)

God points to all of us who have stepped away from His will, engaged in the pursuit of our own means and sought after self rather than seeking his will for us.

In seeking after the lusts of the flesh I have become fat and distracted.  In following pride and arrogance, I have become lonely and bitter.  In pursuing the means of the world, I have become purposeless and unfulfilled.

Lost ground can not be regained, but new ground may be limitlessly plowed.

I praise God for awakening in me a new heart, and a renewed purpose.

crazy love

  In Francis Chan's book "Crazy Love",  he makes a point about the holiness of God and of the sometimes posture of every day "Christians".
He says, " It's easy to fill ourselves up with other things and then give God whatever is left. Hosea 13:6 says , "When I fed them,  they were satisfied; when they were satisfied they became proud; then they forgot me."
"God gets a scrap or two only because we feel guilty for giving him nothing."
  Francis says, " God is holy.  In heaven exists a being who decides whether or not I take another breath.   This holy God deserves excellence, the very best I have.

too easily pleased

"Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."  ~ C.S. Lewis

Looking at Abraham and Isaac with a simple faith.

God promised Abraham that Isaac would have children.

Genesis 21:12  And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

God tells Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, in effect, to kill Isaac.

Genesis 22:2  And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Abraham tells his servants that he and Isaac will return.  He knew that, even though he planned on obeying God, that God would keep his promise (see 21:12 above).

Genesis 22:5  And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

Abraham fully planned on obeying God, trusting God, obeying god.

Genesis 22:10  And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

God redeems his promise.

Genesis 22:11-12  And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.   And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

Genesis 22:16-18  And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Abraham returns to his servants, with Isaac, just as he knew he would.

Genesis 22:19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.

God is more interested in our obedience than in our intentions and he rewards the faithful.

Seeking after God?

The Gospel of John is an eyewitness account of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.  John wrote this account with a special theme in mind.

" but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name"  ~  John 20:31 NASB

I encourage those who may be seeking after God to start here; read the Gospel of John.  If you don't have a Bible handy, check out BibleGateway.com online or as a phone or tablet app.

May our risen Lord bless your life.

I'd like to hear from you.