Love you all, praying for you.
I just love God’s Word. It’s His love letter to you: the one He created, and loves enough to die for, to cleanse completely, and welcome into eternity. Have you ever wanted just to know for sure that God really loves you. When you know you’re not that loveable. God loves you! He said it. You can know it. Here is the proof from His Words, and your very life is also proof. Look what God has done for you. He saved you, preserved you, He blesses you. He’s always with you. He hears you, He forgives you, He leads you – if you’ll listen. Here’s what He said about His deep love for you. His Word is true. John 3:16– For God so loved the world (that’s you) that He gave his only son so that anyone who believes in him, will not perish but have everlasting life. I John 4:10 – This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:5 - For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 8:35,37,38 – Who will separate us from the love of Christ… No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ our Lord. I John 3:1 – See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! Ephesians 5:1 – Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children… Colossians 3:12 – Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Jeremiah 31:3 – The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. John 13:34 – A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 15:12 – My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. Psalms 139:14 – I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious are your thoughts toward me O God. How vast is the sum of them. Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand – when I awake, I am still with you. John 15:9 – As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 16:27 For the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer life, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Ephesians 2:3-5 – All of us also lived like them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of God’s anger. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our sins – it is by grace that you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 5:25 – Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for it. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 – So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. I John 4:18-19 - There is no fear in love. But complete love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears has not yet been made complete in love. We love Him because He first loved us. Revalation 1:5b-6 – To him who loved us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be kings and priests to serve His God and Father – to him be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen Psalms 36:5 – Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalms 36:7 – How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. Psalms 107:1 – Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Ephesians 3:16-20 – I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may live in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to comprehend how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! How deep is the love of God for you, unchanging, unchangeable! He loves you, you can know it. So now that you know. You can walk with joy in His plans for you – His good for you, the blessing He has waiting for you! You’ll go through some things, but He’s right there with you. You’ll make mistakes, but He forgives you every time you ask. Hi love for you endures forever. You are loved by God with an everlasting, never ending love. He choose you. He has plans for you! They’re so good! You can trust Him! Love you all, dad
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Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. It tells you the truth about who God is. So you can know who you are - loved by God. Have you ever just wanted to know that God loves you? Everyone knows that God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. Obviously, God loves you if He sent his Son to die for you… Intellectually you know that. But what do you have to do... to be loved by God? Is there a formula, or a list of things? So you can know and feel that God really loves you? Because you know what’s inside your heart, the good the bad and the ugly of you, and the ugly way outweighs the good… and you know that God knows all of your ugly as well. So, can you be sure that He really loves you? Sometimes what you know, you don’t feel, and that’s OK. So how do you know? Because He said so. But there is an interesting verse about when Jesus came to be baptized by John in the Jordan river, to fulfill what was prophesied about the Messiah. Mark 1:10 - As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. Mark 1:11 – And a voice came from heaven: “You are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” It is interesting to note that Jesus hadn’t done anything yet. He hadn’t turned water into wine, hadn’t healed the blind man or the lame man, hadn’t raised Lazarus from the dead. He didn’t even have his twelve disciples yet. But God said, you are my Son, whom I love, with you I am well pleased.” But, that’s because Jesus was God himself. True. But God’s love for Him, is like His love for you. Jesus died, so you could be called sons of God as well – it’s an inheritance thing, not a male-female thing. John 1:10-12 – He was in the world, and though the world was made by him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him (who believed in Jesus for their salvation), to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become the sons of God.” Some versions say children of God. But in the spiritual sense, the eternal sense, the heir sense, God doesn’t have sons and daughters, he has sons, heirs. He created man in His image male and female, and all who believe, Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female, believing in His Name, is how you become sons of God. And God said what He thinks. ”You are my son, whom I love, with you I am well pleased.” Becoming a child of God makes you loved. He loves you, He’s pleased with you. Yes, He has things for you to do, things for you to walk in that He has ordained since before the foundation of the world. Thankfully – you’re not Jesus, you won’t die for the sins of the world, He already did that. But if you believe in Him, and give your life to Him. You are a son of God, an heir with Christ (the first of many brothers). His blood cleanses your sin, and you are His son, He loves you, and He is pleased with you. Before you do anything, before you did anything, you just believed, and received His Salvation, a new Name, a new family, and a new destiny. And you are loved by your Father in Heaven, accepted by your Father in Heaven, He’s pleased with you! It’s the blood of Jesus that did it, not what you did. You’re now sons, and He loves you. So now that you know… you can walk in every good thing that He has called you to do, appointed for you. So that you may know the joy of the life He has saved you - for. The things He has planned for you! But it’s not the things that you do – that are why He loves you. You just do them because you love Him, because He first loved you. You are absolutely loved. He’ll never not love you. His love endures forever! No pressure, just His presence, and you will grow in His goodness, and the knowledge of Him, and His love for you, what He calls you to do, so you can do it with joy! Why wouldn’t you, all the fun is there, the significance, the victory, and the reward! Praying that you’ll do PiVAT today, if you missed it before dinner last night. He’ll give you His plan for you today – so you can walk in it. Praying that you’ll soak in PRISM – Those five things you can do in His Word today… So He can confirm what He told you, and how much He loves you. You are loved – completely, unchangeably, forever! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
I just love God’s Word. It tells you what to expect from your Father who loves you. Have you ever asked God for something and it didn’t happen the way you expected, or didn’t work out the way you wanted? Was He not listening? Did He not hear you? Is it just sometimes He says yes, and answers your prayer, and sometimes He says No, depending on His mood or availability? One of the beautiful things about God. He never says no. Only Yes or Better. Yes and Amen. 2 Corinthians 1:20 - For every one of God’s promises is “Yes” in Christ. Therefore through him we also say “Amen” to the glory of God. Anything regarding you for God’s glory is also for your good. Amen – means Sure, faithfulness, trustworthy, so be it. God doesn’t say yes and no, In Christ all His promises are already fulfilled. But what about what I asked for? We ask for things we think we want, that we think are good. But we see what we think they are, that person, or job, or opportunity. God knows what it really is. He sees around corners, He sees what we can’t see. What you think, is not always what is. If God says Yes – add your Amen to it. “So Be It! He’s faithful.” Your Amen – is your yes to God, so He can give His Yes to you. His Yes to you, is His Best for you. It might be different or it might be later, but it’s still Yes, and it’s God’s best for you! God said – He will lead you in the way you should go, the way best for you, the way chosen for you. So if it’s Yes, add your Amen to it. "So be it, I trust you!" And if it’s “Better” instead of yes... It means He’s saying yes to something different that’s better for you, or a different time which is also better for you. It’s easier to add your Amen to the Yes that you wanted and receive right now... then it is to say Amen to something different, something better, or something later. That Amen is even more powerful. Our Amen – is our yes to God - whether He says Yes to this, or Yes to better. Either Amen to the yes, or Amen to the better (a better thing, or better timing) - in Christ His promises are sure, fulfilled. There’s no such thing as no. God always answers. If you call, He will answer. Don’t get stuck on the answer you wanted. You don’t know the future, you don’t know what that thing really is - He sees what you don’t. Praying that you will always say Amen to His Yes or Amen to His Better. That your Amen will be your Yes to Him. So be it! I trust you! So He can bring the good that is best for you, so He can fulfill the purpose He has for you. God’s Yes or better, is His Yes to us. Our Amen is our yes to Him. Praying that you’ll give Him your Yes – even when He says – I’ve got better, or I’ve got it later. Seek Him, not what you want from Him. And always give Him your Yes, your Amen – to His decisions in your life – they’re faithful. “God if you’ve got better, I give you my Yes, my Amen – So be it. I trust you!” Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word – it is so practical, it is true wisdom in a false wisdom world. Praying that you will love His Word! Every time you open it, you get wiser, smarter, more effective, more productive. It never returns zero results, it never yields zero return. The guaranteed investment - every minute you spend in God’s Word – it produces a harvest. A benefit for you. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you and lead you in it – He takes from Jesus what He received from the Father for you. He will lead you in all truth! There is power and great effectiveness waiting for you. God wants you to have it, but you have to come get it. Have you ever considered all the things that you could do. Lots of choices – more than you could do in a lifetime… So in your life - what should you do? Other than career pursuits, spouse choices, passions and pursuits. What are some things you should do? Here are a few: Eleven Things To Do. #1 Do your homework. Always be the most prepared person in the room. Know your stuff. You don’t have to be a genius, just diligent. Do your research, do your homework. Know what’s at stake, know the information to be discussed, know each person’s interest and desired outcome. God said seek peace and pursue it. Part of seeking peace is skillful negotiation. Not to get what you want - to get everyone what they want. Get as many wins for as many people as possible. Not only will it bring peace, it will bring agreement, unity, and strong relationships, so many good things can be accomplished! #2 Do your job. There are some things that just depend on you. Do your job. Don’t do other people’s, you can help bear their burdens, but each one must carry their own load. And don’t let anyone do yours – they shouldn’t have to. Do your job, no excuses. It takes planning (to Get God’s plan) and executing, it takes diligence and perseverance. It sometimes takes growing a love for the simple, the seemingly unimportant or mundane – that may be the most important of all, what you become, what characterizes you. Be sure that you are accountable and dependable. Be trustworthy, your reputation should be excellence. Like Daniel. Start early, arrive early, stay late when needed… But always - be effective when its time to work, and all the extra hours are less needed. God has other plans for you in them - things that are as important or more important than just your vocation. Someone said, “The best second job, is doing a better job at your first job.” Whatever responsibility is yours – do your job! #3 Do Work. The precious possession of a man is diligence. If you lose your precious possession, you are unlike God, but you also lose what it could have produced. Success, benefit for others, encouragement and joy from the commendation of your Master whom you serve, the LORD Jesus Christ. You work for him, not money, not your boss, not even you. Be a worker – build a reputation of hard work – view it as the precious possession that God said it is. If someone would comment about you – let it always be said, He’s a worker, She’s a worker. He carries his own load, He helps others with theirs. You can depend on him, you can depend on her. Work for the LORD, not for men. It reflects the goodness, and the excellence of God. #4 Do Chores. There are some things that require daily attention to steward what God has entrusted to you: Body, Health, Money, Possessions. Don’t be like the sluggard whose walls are broken down, whose yard and fields are full of weeds, whose room is a mess, whose car is trashed. Simple daily chores – build habits of excellence that lead to God’s Order – and God’s peace. Lack of order comes with confusion, and every evil practice. Order – regular disposition – things in their assigned place, welcome the peace of God. Do chores faithfully, so you steward well the things entrusted to you, and you have more time to invest in others. So the peace of God remains on your house, and your life reflects God’s order. When people come to your home, they will sense the peace and the presence of God. The more regular your stewardship habits, the quicker and easier they become. You wouldn’t skip brushing your teeth, don’t skip the daily requirements of stewarding possessions that God has entrusted to you - in a way that reflects and honors God. It speaks of God, but it also speaks of you. #5 Do your time. We live in a microwave, drive-thru world – one click and five second attention spans. People expect to enjoy the fruits of labor before doing the labor. They want to live like someone who worked for years when they’ve only worked for a few weeks. Some things just take time. Don’t get stuck in old ways of doing things – if there’s a better way to do it, then do it. But in some things the old way is the best way. They’re old ways for a reason – they work! They take time, the best wine is old, it doesn’t come quickly. The wise have learned the value of diligence over time. God said wealth is built little by little and that doesn’t just apply to money. Don’t be impatient. Put in the time, pursue excellence more than you pursue a paycheck, promotion, or a raise. Be excellent where you are at, and trust God to promote you. Don’t always look for your next job. Be the best that ever was - on this job. With Christ – you can do anything. He will show you. Be a testimony, Be like Daniel, neither corrupt nor negligent. Be like Jesus – fully doing what His Father told him. Be patient, content, add value, give more than you get paid, and God will make sure your paycheck and promotion reflect the effort and attitude that you have put in. Don’t always live for tomorrow, enjoy the victory God has for you today! Do your time. #6 Do good. God has a plan for you – and it will always be good. Do good. Not what seems good, what is good. Get God’s plan, and your life will be occupied with His good. You cannot do good without it. Because He is good, there is no other good but Him, and every good thing comes from Him. So if you know His plans for you – you will walk in His good – and it will be a fountain of blessing for those around you. The number six thing to do, is do his plan for you – so you do good. #7 Do right. Life is full of opportunities to cheat – to give less rather than give more. To not honor, to speak ill, rather than speak life. Do what is right – no matter the cost. If you have to - do it over, if you didn’t do right the first time, make it right. Never treat anyone unfairly, God hates dishonest scales, ill-gotten gain won’t last. He hates injustice – don’t do it. And when required, stand up for justice, for those who can’t speak for themselves. Do right. Often what’s right is not the cultural norm. You may have to go against the grain to do what is right. There’s a cost. Don’t be deceived, those who do what is right are righteous. You won’t know what right is – because God’s right is not like man’s. Man makes excuses, changes definitions. To know what’s right – you must find out from God’s Word. PRISM every day – and the Holy Spirit will lead you in what is right – what is the right thing to do. He’ll show you how and when to do it, and you’ll know why. It’s easy to do wrong, everyone is doing it. But to do right – that is what God requires. Know His Word – and you’ll do what is right. #8 Do your wife, Do your husband. Sorry for the candor. There’s an important truth for a fulfilled life. Intimacy with your spouse is vitally important in marriage. It’s not the act itself, it’s how you treat them twenty-four seven that flows into the blessing that God created for a husband and wife in marriage. Without sex, you’re just roommates. That’s not what God ordained marriage to be. There is a spiritual union as well as a physical union that comes with the intimacy God designed for marriage alone. People with random hookups and growing body counts will never understand the beauty of God’s perfect design for intimacy in marriage – with someone committed to you and you to them - for life! Make it a priority in your marriage. Don’t wait for the perfect time, if you have kids you know, there never is one. And if you wait til the mood hits you, you won’t be hitting anything very often. Schedule regular times for intimacy. It doesn’t kill the romance, that should be happening already all day. Sex and money are the only two things you share completely with just one person – for the rest of your life. Otherwise, marriage is just roommates. God has way more for you than that! #9 Due Diligence – a different kind of do… Due diligence is doing the research required - so you are not easily deceived, not tossed like a wave in the wind, but rightly dividing the Word of truth. The best and only protection against deception is the Word of God, by the Holy Spirit. Don’t be easily swayed by winds and waves of doctrine, whether political, financial, philosophy, or religion. Know God’s Word – apply it fully, and you will see clearly through what deceives the masses. God will give you wisdom, the wisdom of heaven, and your discernment will expose things of the world. Remember your New Information Filter. 1) Is it True? 2) Where is the evidence? 3) What’s in it for them? and 4) What does God say? Ask Him when facing new information – but prepare beforehand with PRISM – those five things you can do in His Word every day. In just a few days, weeks and months – you will build a foundation of truth – that makes falsehood quickly visible. God will reveal and show you. His Word, and His wisdom are great protection. #10 Do what God told you to do. Most people don’t do anything, they lack the work ethic required to live honorable lives - to provide for their families, and have enough to share willingly with those in need. Most people think they work hard, but don’t really work hard at all. But that is not what we’re talking about here. A small percentage of people – do work hard doing all sorts of things that God never told them… chasing all sorts of goals and dreams, which can easily fall into greed. Some people keep jobs because of money, they are in debt, so they’re slaves - they have to. Others are in debt to a lifestyle the slavery of the mind – to a level of comfort they think they should have, whether their skill and work ethic merits it or not. But all of these miss the point. If you don’t know what God created you for, if you don’t know His plans for you today – then how can He fulfill in you the purpose He has for your life. PiVAT before dinner – the most important regular conversation with God you can have. He will lead you into all truth, and will lead you in the way you should go. What made David so special to God? He wasn’t perfect, he had some major screwups, so why did God honor Him, and even measure every subsequent king of Israel in comparison to him? Acts 13:22 – I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, he will do everything I want him to do. The tenth thing to do (and only do) - Do what God told you. You have to ask, and He will surely tell you. Do it! Don’t waste time on anything else - and victory will come in your life, joy will follow! #11 Do not fear. Fear will cripple you. You have not been given the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. “Fear not” - means do not fear, decline the opportunity. Trust God instead. Do not be dismayed, I am your God, I will strengthen you and uphold you with my righteous right hand. If you have committed your life to Jesus Christ, and by the Holy Spirit – walk in His plan for you every day – you will not fear, your trust will be in the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth, who fulfills His purpose for you! Eleven Things To Do. Praying that you will do everything God told you to do – with joy! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
I just love God’s Word – it’s simple, straight forward, but it leaves some things for you to seek out. It shares truth in principles, and specific commands. Sometimes it speaks plainly - Ten Commandments. Yet Jesus spoke in parables. Have you ever noticed the human tendency to argue about what it more important between two things? Most people are more interested in winning the argument, than applying the things. Even in spiritual issues. I remember arguing when I was younger, Prayer or Worship – which is more important? Is this an argument? Both are needed. Sitting in His Presence? Or doing the work He told you? What changes you the most? Is this a competition? Are not both needed? The work of God is to believe in the One he sent. And yet. Jesus said, I have come to do the will of the one who sent me. God didn’t say, I’ve found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, He will believe everything I want him to believe… No, it says I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, he will do everything I want him to do. God said He is always working. God’s Word says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. And then it says in James 2:20 – How foolish! Do you want evidence that faith without works is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. And he was called God’s friend.” So not everything is one or the other. Whether worship or prayer, sitting in his presence and being changed, or obeying what He told you and being changed. Whether without faith it is impossible to please God or faith without works is dead. The things we might think are one or the other, either-or, are perhaps more often both-and. Praying that you won’t debate in your mind, or with others, between things both needed. But that you would put on the whole armor of God, use all the tools that God has given you, to do everything He wants you to do – PiVAT before dinner will help you – it’s how you know what He wants you to do. PRISM throughout the day will help you, it’s how you know what He wants you to know. Praying that you will be in his presence, exercise the faith He has given you, and do every thing He tells you to do. So that you grow up together in him to become the image of God in Jesus Christ. What a journey! Every choice of His presence, every choice of obedience – will bring you closer to Him, a better reflection of Him, and full of the joy He brings. His love for you endures forever, and the command He gives? Love One Another. Praying that you will grow in wisdom, stature, and favor, unity and maturity in Him – so your testimony overcomes, and your joy abounds… Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
I just love God’s Word. It tells you what God thinks, the only opinion that counts – in the end. Can you trust it? Some atheists and sceptics believe because of the different English translations, that the Bible couldn’t be accurate over centuries of time. What do you think? That’s all that matters. Not what other people think, not even what God thinks. Ok, that does matter, but not to you, if you think differently. What you think is most important, because it controls what you hear, what you say, what you believe, and what you do. Here is an often unobserved fact. It takes faith to believe either one. It takes faith to believe God, and it also takes faith to believe something else, someone else (the atheists and sceptics). It takes faith to believe the Word of God is no longer accurate, just as it takes faith that the One True God who spoke it, is able to preserve it and perform it until the day of His coming. Either one takes faith. Faith in what God said, or faith in what someone else said. If God said it, and you don’t believe it, you put your faith in what someone else said, not what God said. Jeremiah 1:12 – You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it. Personally, I believe His Word is inerrant – because that’s what He said it is. “As for God, His way is perfect, The Word of the LORD is flawless, He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him.” (2 Sam 22:31, Ps 18:30, Ps 12:6) His Word is flawless, without flaw, without error. He is the One True God, and His Word was given for our instruction and encouragement. God said He keeps watch over His word to perform it. If you believe there is a God, so do the demons (they don’t just believe, they know) and they tremble. If you are looking for an excuse not to believe – either in God, or anything He said… the devil will insure no shortage of other beliefs from which to choose. So what do you believe? Reading in my PRISM time, Psalms 139 one of my favorite chapters in Psalms, verse 17. How precious are your thoughts toward me, O God, how vast is the sum of them. Were I to count them they would outnumber the grains of sand, when I awake I am still with you. Some versions say How precious to me are your thoughts. Other versions say how precious are your thoughts toward me, about me). Both should be precious, but which one is this verse talking about? Is what God thinks precious to me, or is what He thinks about me – precious to me. Does it bother you that Jesus didn’t speak English when He was on earth? So translations are required for us in our language? Some people believe the King James version is the only Bible, the newer versions are heresy. One lady even said, “I don’t correct the King James, the King James corrects me.” Hilariously, they don’t know history, and this poor lady in her ignorance is elevating some earthly king to the position of Jesus – the One who truly corrects us – the Word of God in human form. Their statements denegrading translations that reflect current language, is exactly what the people of that day said against them in 1611. They berated the King James version – “You can’t put God’s Word into commoners English!” Just because cultural English has evolved over time, and some translations may use newer words or cultural understanding of them to try to convey what the Hebrew or Aramaic meant - doesn’t mean they are not accurate. God’s big enough to handle it - and preserve it. But where there could be differing understanding. That’s where the Holy Spirit comes in. You can trust Him. God said He will lead you into all truth. This is not an accuracy dilemma, it’s just a listening to the Holy Spirit opportunity. This verse is about God’s thoughts towards you. First if it was just about His thoughts, you don’t really know His thoughts. You know His Word, so you know what He thinks about certain things: certain actions, behavior, sin and righteousness. And you even know His thoughts were about a few people. David for example a man after His own heart – because He was an obeyer. Acts 13:11 – and Moses, whom God considered a friend, with Moses He spoke face to face. But other than His nature, and character, and his law written in God’s word, and the Gospels, the good news about the Savior of the world, and the new requirements of a new kingdom. We don’t really know what God is thinking, it’s beyond our understanding, the things He has on His plate; from the heavenlies, the earth, kingdoms and powers, both natural and spiritual. He has a lot of thoughts, I’m sure. Not even a fraction that are recorded in Scripture, relatively few probably, compared to the whole. His knowledge is infinite, his thoughts are beyond searching out. This verse spoke of His thoughts. And how precious they were to the Psalmist. What thoughts? His thoughts toward you. If you love someone, you think about them all the time. God loves you, He is thinking of you. He has thoughts about you, they are vast in number. So how do you know that’s what it is talking about. The Word “thoughts” (rea)<Ray’ah> means a thought, an “association of ideas” but that word ‘rea’ comes from H7462 – (ra-ah’)<raw-aw’> which means to tend a flock, associate with, as a friend, companion, make friends with. This verse is talking about how precious are God’s thoughts as a shepherd – shepherds think about their sheep, they know every one intimately, who’s lame, who is stubborn, who will follow with just His voice. He loves you, He’s always thinking about you, your good, to lead you to green pastures, beside still waters, even through the desert and through the fire – He’ll be there with you. He’s the Good Shepard, who loves you and has good for you. His thoughts toward you are vast, and good! He’s always thinking about you, longing for your friendship and companionship, excited every time you choose Him over sin, His Word over other words, and His presence, over other things. He’s excited about leading you in the way chosen for you, for your good, to prosper you. He’s thinking about you, a lot. You can know that you are loved. You can’t know all His thoughts towards you, but God wanted you to know that He loves you and is thinking about you, a lot! Praying that you will know – His thoughts toward you are vast – and good. He has good things waiting for you. Just walk in His Spirit, walk in His Word, and walk in His plans, and He will direct your steps, and make His thoughts known to you. They are precious – and for your good. Just imagine that! He’s thinking about you. It’s because you’re valuable to Him, and He loves you! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. It’s unnatural. That’s why by your old nature, you cannot understand it. Nicodemus was a perfect example. He couldn’t get past having to crawl back into his mother’s womb to be ‘born again.’ Obviously, that is not what Jesus was talking about. Jesus was speaking spiritually, not naturally – how ridiculous? How come Nicodemus couldn’t get it? He didn’t know Jesus, He didn’t have the Spirit of God within him, and He didn’t know God’s Word. Paul said in I Corinthians 2:12 – We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God (so) that we may understand what has been freely given us. (You cannot understand what God is saying through the spirit of the world which controls your natural mind, only by the Spirit of God.) Paul continues, “this is what we speak not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: (only God’s) For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” How do you get that? That spiritual discernment to see spiritual things? To understand things that don’t make natural sense? How are you able to do this? #1 Salvation, #2 The filling of Holy Spirit, and #3 A transformed mind through God’s Word. So you have a new nature, a divine power, and a transformed mind, to see what you couldn’t see before. 2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ (If they have received Him, put their faith in Him, and committed to following Him with their life, which means they now have a new heart, a new nature, then…), old things are passed away, look, all things have become new.” You see differently. When you receive Christ as your Savior, by believing that He died in your place, for your sins, that God raised Him from the dead, and then commit your life to Him as your Lord - with your mouth… You are now saved, you have a new heart and new eyes, and a new nature that opens you up to the things of God. To see things that you couldn’t see before. Salvation does that. Like a pair of 3D glasses – to understand a 3D movie. Nicodemus didn’t believe in Jesus, so his mind wasn’t changed to ‘see things new’, and He wasn’t filled with the Holy Spirit to lead Him into all truth- like we can be. And He didn’t know the Word of God that transformed His mind to think like God thinks. Instead, he was stuck in his old blindness, the old nature’s way of thinking – that cannot understand spiritual truths. God’s Word is only understood spiritually, not naturally, that’s why you need a new nature to understand it, and a new spirit. His Word and His ways are unknowable by mere natural thinking - what you would think. Because God doesn’t think like we think. It’s why Salvation is so important, and It’s why the Holy Spirit is so important. If you have put your faith in Jesus as your Savior, and have committed your life to Him, as your LORD - you’re under new management now – that’s PiVAT, Getting His plan for you today, not yours…, And - The Holy Spirit is now receivable by you - to lead you in all truth – so you can see things you couldn’t see before, and understand what used to not make sense. How do you get this Holy Spirit? Just ask. Luke 11:13 – “If you though you are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask.” The Holy Spirit is like the goose that lays the golden eggs, why ask for an egg? Get the goose!) This was Jesus’ first instruction to His followers – those who put their faith in Him… “Wait in Jerusalem, until you have been received power from on High.” In other words, you have believed in me, now, don’t go anywhere yet, wait for the power. So you don’t try to do these new kingdom things by your old nature, your natural thoughts, but by the Power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit that will lead you in all truth (so you understand) - and – lead you in the way you should go (so you know, instead of just thinking, guessing, and hoping.) The power of PiVAT and PRISM, His plan for you, and His Word for you - is the Holy Spirit. So now that you have been saved and filled, do PRISM Daily – Let the Holy Spirit reveal the truth of God’s Word, so He confirms his plans (Rom 12:1-2) so your mind is transformed - so you think like God thinks, so you’re not fooled or deceived, and so you respond to God and others with truth in love. So you live an unnatural life, a new life, powered by His Spirit, with your mind transformed by His Word of truth and life! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
I just love God’s Word, it gives higher understanding, a new dimension. What is rest? Webster said: Cessation of motion or action of any kind. A body is at rest when it ceases to move, the mind is at rest, when it ceases to be disturbed or agitated. Some people have struggled greatly with the concept of rest. Some people say work for God, God expects us to work. Others say God did all the work, He calls us to rest. God wants us to understand truth, the fullness of it, not just the part of it. The Bible calls rest manoach - <maw-no’-ack> Quiet, settled, home, a place of rest. From noach - <noo’-ack> settle down, dwell, stay, let fall, let alone, comfort, remain. Jesus gave a secret to rest. A Sabbath rest. And as usual – it’s not what you would think. Mattthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Jesus said something that doesn’t make natural sense. Take my yoke upon you – learn from what I do, and you will find rest. Why would he say put my yoke on? Rest is when the day is done, and you take the yoke off. In the morning the oxen are yoked up and go back to work. So what is Jesus talking about when He says – put my yoke on you – and then you’ll find rest? In God’s Kingdom, the Kingdom of His Son Jesus, things work differently. Rest is not the absence of activity, it is physical and spiritual, mind, thought, action, and it can be work or rest. Striving is not resting, and resting isn’t doing nothing – it’s still believing. Rest like work is something beyond physical activity – it is physical activity and spiritual activity as well. Rest is not just body, but soul and spirit. Work can be rest if you have his yoke on you. And rest can be work, when it’s what God told you to do. To believe is work, sometimes you believe while you are physically resting, and sometimes you believe while you are physically working – it’s what proves your belief. God wants to reveal the true meaning of rest, and His purpose for you in it. Ask Him, and He will show you. It’s not what other people say, it’s what God says, and leads you in… Jesus didn’t tell the disciples – just rest at my feet, just hang out in the garden of gethsemane with me - that’s not even what Jesus did. He did it, but not that only. Jesus sent them out, two by two. To cities and towns, that’s a journey, that’s a long walk, that’s work. He said to “find the man of peace, and stay with him, a worker is worthy of his wage. And if they do not accept you in that town, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” That’s not rest. That’s work. God is working all the time! Jesus said, “My Father is always working.” If it’s good enough for the Master, it’s good enough for the servant. It’s not working that’s the problem, it’s striving in your own strength, pursuing your own goals and ambitions. Exhausting yourself for what your Father in Heaven has promised to give you. God said his children can enter into His Sabbath rest – a different understanding, a deeper level of rest. “Just like – “not just for breakfast anymore,” His Sabbath rest is not just for the Sabbath anymore. Jesus worked on the Sabbath – He preached and He healed. It’s a different kind of rest. Not the rest required by law, or religious opinions, it’s the rest received by grace. God said there is a time for everything under the sun. A time for war and a time for peace, a time to plant and a time to harvest, a time to work and a time to rest. But if you are under His Sabbath Rest. Even work can be a rest. When God is leading you, and filling you with joy and strength, you are resting even when you’re working. And when it’s time to physically rest, you are truly resting, not striving, not worrying, but in faith believing. Even the world has understood this truth in part – they just didn’t get the Spiritual part of it. Even the world knows. Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. God’s Sabbath rest is even greater than that. Do what God loves – what He has assigned you to do. You’ll grow to love his assignments and you will never work a day in your life. And your rest will be truly rest. It will be a joy to serve the King, your Master, and Heavenly Father. He will lead you in green pastures, beside still waters, and through the raging ones. He will restore your soul. So that when you work, you can still rest. And when you rest you can truly rest. Some people can never rest, even when they are not working, their soul is not at rest. God’s Sabbath rest is different. It's at another level. If you know the work God has for you to do. You’ll never work a day in your life. You will rest in Him, work in His strength, take joy in seeing Him bring a harvest from every seed you plant. If you hear and obey, if you get his plans - you can rest in Him. Even the mundane habits required for excellence and success… They can be rest for you, joy for you, a sacrifice of praise for you. He will show you physically the time to work, and the time to rest. Jesus said, my work is to do the will of the One who sent me. If Jesus worked, the servant is not above the master. Even believe is work. John 6:27 – Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” Then they asked him, “What must we do - to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent.” It was this chapter that Jesus said, I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (You work for me, not food) He then said, My work is to do the will of the one who sent me. That’s like you. If you know His will, you’re not working, He does the work, you just rest in Him, do what He said, believing in Him, so he can work through you to bring about everything He has planned, and planned for you. So like Jesus you don’t do your will, but the will of God through Jesus. It’s the Sabbath rest that comes through faith. That work is rest. That belief is rest, that rest is belief, that’s work, but it’s really rest. Praying that you will know the Sabbath rest of God, that you will believe when you are working, and believe when He tells you to rest. That you will do the work that He said – whether working or resting - to believe in the One He sent. And to do the will of the one who sent Him, and sent you, and loves you. He has rest for you. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
I just love God’s Word. It gives answers. Proverbs 25:2 – It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, (to conceal a thing). It is the glory of kings to search it out. Glory means brightness, shining, splendor, magnificence, that which brings honor, praise, fame, that which distinguishes or brings renown. A weightiness, reputation, gravitas, causing feelings of trust and respect. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, your glory (that which distinguishes you) is to search it out. Is anything concealed from you? Understanding? Victory? Healing? Overcoming? Patience? Peace? Wisdom? Search it out! It’s your job, it’s what kings do. God said He has made us to be kings and priests unto our God. (Rev 1:6, 5:10). The glory of kings is to search out a matter, to search out a thing. Nothing you face is unsearchable. God’s Word is the answer. Some things are concealed - for you to search out. Some things are concealed to you, but not to others. They have searched it out, you have yet to. Some people never do. His Word is the answer! Search it out! Whatever is hidden from you, whatever you are missing, search it out by the Holy Spirit who leads you into all truth, and by God’s Word – which is truth. You have to live in the knowledge you receive to get more. Don’t keep re-taking the same ground. Live in what He revealed so far and search out the rest. What are four good ways to search it out? #1 PRISM – those five things you can do in God’s Word every day – Just by staying consistent in His Word – the searching becomes easier – He’s already got a warehouse in you to pull from… #2 The S.O.A.P. part of PRISM – to dig deeper. It lets the Holy Spirit reveal deeper things to you from His Word. #3 The Meditate part of PRISM – PRISM Topics – which bring the power of God’s Word on a single subject. It helps you understand at a deeper level – what God thinks of this thing. And #4) The Study part of PRISM. – As you are Soaping out the verse of God’s choosing. Go to the original words – and let the Holy Spirit reveal more. A great tool that will help is e-sword.net a downloadable Bible Study application for your PC or Mac – even iphone or android. It lets you easily reference and cross reference original words and meanings – that can get lost in the language translation. Praying that you will become skilled at the glory of Kings. Praying that you will love God, hate sin, love one another, share the good news! Pray without ceasing, serve, give, trust and hope. And praying for you that whatever you are missing, you will search out, so God can give you – the wisdom and understanding to know it, and the grace to do it. Praying that you will know the glory of God, and the glory of Kings – to search it out. Love you all, dad |
AuthorKelly Kamentz - Jesus follower, husband, father, and friend, helping others surrender time, thoughts, money, and testimony, to fulfill their purpose! Archives
April 2024
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