Jesus said, "Follow me"; can you or do you really? Hmmm!

 Good morning all.  God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!!

  Will you follow Jesus?  Let's look at this and not just think, but meditate on it.  Matthew 4:19 And He said unto them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  And what happened?  These 2 men, Simon Peter and Andrew, got up left their fishing nets and began to follow Jesus Christ.  Huh?  Who is this man that is a complete stranger telling them to follow Him and they do.  Think about how this could have come about.  Why did they leave EVERYTHING BEHIND and follow Jesus?

  Then we come to another and see what Jesus told him.  Luke 9: 61 And another also said, “Lord, I will follow Thee, but let me first go bid those farewell who are at home at my house.”  

  Here is another man wanting to follow Jesus and what is the difference between him and  Peter and Andrew?  The first two dropped everything and went with Jesus; then this man wanted to do what.  Go back and tell his household goodbye. So how does Jesus respond to this?

  Luke 9: 62 And Jesus said unto him, “No man, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God.”   What does Jesus mean from this? What does Jesus want from us?  Total dedication, not half-hearted commitment.  We cannot pick and choose which ideas of Jesus we wish to follow, we can't follow him at our will.  We have to accept the cross along with the crown.  We have to willing to abandon everything and not look back. Think of Lots wife--do you want to be a pillar of salt?

  What do you think Paul has to say?   Phillipians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended it, but this one thing I do: forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

  Paul is telling us to forget our past and go forth to "those things which are before";  and what does Paul mean by this?  Phillipans 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.   Paul, who was Saul, did many things in his past (killing Christians) for which he is now repentant of and we all have things in our past that we regret.  But, we must not dwell or hang on to those things of the past, but move forward and reach for the prize of the high call of God in Christ Jesus.

  As in 1 Corinthians 9:24 - we don't just run a race to run; we run the race to win.  We are all in this race together, the difference is that we all may win.  If you and I run the race for Jesus Christ, WE CAN ALL BE WINNERS and claim the prize!  The prize of ETERNAL LIFE WITH GOD!!!  Amen and Amen!  

  Thank you for reading with me today. Love you all. Don't let down, run to win souls for Jesus!

In Christ's love and grace,

Johnny

Will you share your faith? When will you start? Today? Now?

 

Good morning and God's blessings to you,

   God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!!!

  I have 2 thoughts to share with you today.  First, about Penn Jilette, the magician from Penn & Teller.  A few years ago a man came up to Penn and gave him a small book and said I wrote something in the front.  The book was a small New Testament and the Book of Psalms.  Now you need to understand that Penn is an Atheist.

Jillette, moved by the man’s gesture, recalled: “He was kind, and nice, and sane, and looked me in the eyes, and talked to me, and then gave me this Bible.”

“I’ve always said,” Jillette explained, “I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe there is a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life or whatever, and you think it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward.

“How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate someone to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?”

Please, RE-READ THE BOLD WORDS ABOVE.  This is from an Atheist asking how much do you and I, Christians, have to hate someone to not tell them about eternal life.  Food for thought.  We often get in our comfort zone and refuse or are very reluctant to step out and tell people about Jesus Christ, the greatest man who ever lived.  WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

  The second thought that, to me, relates to what Penn was saying is this.  I was at a friends house a few days ago and we were sitting outside by the firepit and had a great fire going.  I found a small twig on the ground and decided to throw it in the fire. 

Once I did I watched it intently, as the twig lay there I saw it move slightly from the intense heat. It was as if it was withering in pain from the heat.  It was very small but did not just catch fire immediately.  As it moved, or withered in the heat slowly it started turning gray, but not yet on fire.

  As I watched the twig withering and not catching fire my thoughts turned to hell.  Is this what hell would be like?  Withering in pain, in agony, and getting no relief?  Wishing to catch fire and be extinguished forever and permanently?  Then I thought about the rich man and Lazarus, when the rich man asked for just a drop of water on his tongue to relieve some of the agony.

  Because of this and what my pastor said in church Sunday, I felt moved to buy some small crosses and share those with people on a daily basis.  I will have a tool to share and let God open the door for me to be a witness for HIM.  What about you?  Will you let God, the Holy Spirit lead you and share with others? Again, as Penn said:  “How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate someone to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?”

Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Offer encouragement and Lay aside your man-made laws and legalism

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

  How often do people wish to EXALT THEMSELVES to a higher position, caring not for others?  How often do people pass others by because they are ALL ABOUT THEMSELVES, when a nice word or smile could make a difference?  Hmmm.

  Let me write a little essay taken off the internet:

  That man that you want to confront because he has a hat on in church, might be taking chemo and is trying to cover his head.

    That woman who you want to rebuke for wearing raggedy pants in church might be a struggling single mother who just got off work and is doing her best to keep her kids in church.

   That crying baby that disturbed the service may be hungry because his family can't afford food but they're trusting God for a miracle.

    That man who came in with long hair and a bad smell might be on the verge of suicide, but in an attempt to get help, walks in the House of God.

    Be careful who you criticize. Lay aside your man-made laws and legalism.  We are to bring people in, not kick them out.

    Yesterday at church pastor mentioned a "GREETER" at a small church in the country that observed a car arriving that looked as if it had been in a wreck.  A lady exited the car and was not exactly well kept.  The "GREETER" met her in the parking lot and told her she was not welcome there.  The lady was humiliated and left.  A great Christian example was not set forth here.  How often have you or someone with you reacted the way the greeter did?

   A good lesson is in Luke 14 and here is what Jesus said in Luke 14:  11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

  Where are you today my friend?  Are you the Christian that judges; OR, are you the Christian who offers a word of encouragement or maybe just a smile and nod of acknowledgement?  Something to think about. Thanks for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

What is good? Would you give up everything for Jesus? Really!!?? Luke 18:18-24

 Hello my fellow Americans and Christians. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

  Several wrinkles to look at today.  First, a quote from anonymous:  IF A MAN IS IN THE WOODS AND NO WOMAN IS AROUND,  IS HE STILL WRONG??

  Okay, the laugh for the day.  Now, down to business,  What is good?  We have different definitions of good.  Good by definition from Websters is: effective, efficient, beneficial, valid, real, healthy or sound, honorable, enjoyable, pleasant, reliable, thorough, excellent.

  So we meet people all the time that would rate in one of more of these categories. But, is this what good really is.  This is one  man's definition of good.  So what does the Bible say about GOOD?

  According to the  Bible tells us that the word 'good' actually means holy, pure and righteousness. Literally goodness is godliness. Goodness can often be seen in our actions, but our heart also has to be pure.  But again, I ask:  "Who is GOOD?"  

  Only GOD is good. Look at Luke 18:18-19----18 And a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”19 And Jesus said unto him, “Why callest thou Me good? None is good save One, that is, God.

   We can show goodness, but we are not good.  If we are walking with God, then our actions will imitate our heart, which is in accordance with God.  Then we may look "good" to others, but we are truly walking in the spirit.

  Now comes in the law. Let's read on:  20 Thou knowest the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery.’ ‘Do not kill.’ ‘Do not steal.’ ‘Do not bear false witness.’ ‘Honor thy father and thy mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these have I kept from my youth up.” 

  So, now this young man feels like he is "good" and doing what he should. But let's read on:  22 Now when Jesus heard these things, He said unto him, “Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven; and come, follow Me.”

   Now look at this.  This is deep and should hit home with all of us.  He is lacking!  Where?  Sell all he has.  Huh? What?  Are you serious?

  Give it away?  To the poor, huh, they need to work for anything they get.  Really, come on now, seriously?

  You say I'll have treasure in Heaven, I want to see it first.  Me, doubt, no, not at all----I am a realist.  And you want me to follow you when I have given all away, have nothing, how can I do this?  23 And when he heard this he was very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

  Okay, let's put this in today's perspective.  A car drives up in front of your house, no, let's make it an SUV.  You hear the horn honk so you come to the door.  You see that it is Jesus in the car.  Jesus says come on, we have room for you.  You say, just a moment, let me pack some things to go.  Jesus says, no, we don't have room for luggage, just you.  Come on, let's go!  You look at Jesus, then you look at your recliner, your couch, the new TV, the nice kitchen and think about the bedrooms and how comfortable the beds will be.

   You look further and see the SUV looks full, very crowded and probably not as comfortable as your home.  So you say, "sorry Jesus, not today, check with me later".

  It seems the material things of the world are more important than knowing, by faith, there are treasures in heaven waiting for you and all you have to do is follow Jesus.  After all this Jesus tells the disciples:  24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, He said, “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of God!

    We could continue on, but think about this.  I don't go to church because......... I was out late Saturday;  I don't have to be in church to worship (forsake not the fellowship of one another); I've got things to do on Sunday and then the sports I like comes on;  I just don't have the energy;  I just don't want to go.

    We can give all the excuses to justify our actions, but there is only one way to heaven and that is through the LORD Jesus Christ.  You say you are a Christian...... then show it!!!!

Thanks for reading with me today.  If I stepped on your toes----YEA!!!  If you are doing right and following Jesus------YEA!  Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny