(January 31, 2006 Tue 6:11 AM CST)
This is from our Bible Study last week.
Paul saw paradise.
"I must go on boasting,
however useless it may be,
and speak of visions and
revelations of the Lord.
I know a man in Christ who,
14 years ago,
whether he was in or outside his body
I cannot say, only God can say ---
a man who was snatched up to the third heaven.
I know that this man ---
whether in or outside his body
I do not know, God knows ---
was snatched up to Paradise
to hear words which cannot be uttered,
words which no man may speak."
2 Corinthians 12:1-4
He saw heaven.
He was there.
He saw the glory of God.
He was taken away for a moment,
so that he could share with us
what he witnessed.
It is real.
It is there.
Make heaven your goal.
(January 30, 2006 Mon 6:11 AM CST)
This is also from the sermons I heard over the weekend.
God be with you.
"And the Lord's messenger, Haggai,
proclaimed to the people
as the message of the Lord:
I am with you, says the Lord.
Then the Lord stirred up the spirit..."
Haggai 1:13-14
The Lord of heaven and earth be with you.
Welcome him in.
He brings you great joy and peace.
Lord, stir up our hearts.
Change us, Lord.
May we love you more and more each day.
You proclaim a new year with great blessings.
(January 29, 2006 Sun 8:29 AM CST)
Yesterday I listened to the two recent sermons from
TC
.
The pastor quoted this Bible verse more than once.
Seek contact with the Holy Spirit.
The pastor compared our minds to air-traffic control towers.
We control what we let "land" in our minds.
Deny access to evil thoughts.
Welcome contact with the Holy Spirit.
He also mentioned a movie titled
"End of the Spear"
.
It is based on the life of Jim Elliot.
"Those who live according to the flesh
are intent on the things of the flesh,
those who live according to the spirit,
on those of the spirit.
The tendency of the flesh is toward death
but that of the spirit toward life and peace."
Romans 8:5-6
Tune him in.
Listen to his voice.
Welcome him.
Then you will find life and peace.
(January 28, 2006 Sat 9:42 AM CST)
Good morning.
Jesus said:
Serve the Lord.
It is a rainy day here in Omaha.
"The hour has come
for the Son of Man to be glorified.
I solemnly assure you,
unless the grain of wheat
falls to the earth and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat.
But if it dies,
it produces much fruit.
The man who loves his life loses it,
while the man who hates his life in this world
preserves it to life eternal.
If anyone would serve me,
let him follow me;
where I am, there will my servant be.
If anyone serves me,
him the Father will honor."
John 12:23-26
Follow the Lord.
Be the grain of wheat.
Give your life to the Lord.
The Father will honor you.
(January 27, 2006 Fri 6:26 AM CST)
"May God the Father and
God bless you today.
the Lord Jesus Christ
grant the brothers and sisters
peace and love and faith.
Grace be with all
who love our Lord Jesus Christ
with unfailing love."
Ephesians 6:23-24
May the love of God be with you.
May the peace of God be in your heart.
May your faith grow daily in Jesus Christ.
(January 26, 2006 Thu 6:16 AM CST)
Jesus said:
One day the earth will be gone.
"Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
Once the sap of its branches runs high
and it begins to sprout leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way,
when you see these things happening,
you will know that he is near,
even at the door.
I assure you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things take place.
The heavens and the earth will pass away
but my words will not pass."
Mark 13:28-31
It will be history,
but the words of Jesus will live on.
They are words to hold on to.
Base your life on them.
They are words to treasure.
(January 25, 2006 Wed 6:19 AM CST)
"I will rejoice in the Lord,
There should be joy in your heart.
I will be joyful because of his salvation."
Psalms 35:9
You have Jesus in your life.
He is there.
He is with you.
Be glad and rejoice.
He is your salvation.
He is eternal life.
You have been given much.
(January 24, 2006 Tue 6:15 AM CST)
"Have no love for the world,
We live in the world,
nor the things that the world affords.
If anyone loves the world,
the Father's love has no place in him,
for nothing that the world affords
comes from the Father.
Carnal allurements, enticements for the eye,
the life of empty show ---
all these are from the world.
And the world with its seductions
is passing away
but the man who does God's will endures forever."
1 John 2:15-17
but we can't get too attached to it.
Don't hold on to these things.
The world is passing away.
Give away what you can to help others.
Be careful.
Be on guard.
Guard your heart.
(January 23, 2006 Mon 6:15 AM CST)
"That divine power of his has freely bestowed on us
You have all that you need.
everything necessary for a life of genuine piety,
through knowledge of him
who called us by his own glory and power."
2 Peter 1:3
It was given to you freely.
You know all about Jesus and his glory and power.
Live a life of piety.
Live a life of holiness.
(January 22, 2006 Sun 8:31 AM CST)
Yesterday the drain in the basement was not working very well,
"My brothers and sisters,
You can't read the Bible very long
so I had to call someone out to fix it.
They worked on it for an hour.
God bless them and the work they do.
what good is it to profess faith
without practicing it?
Such faith has no power to save one, has it?
If a brother or sister has nothing to wear
and no food for the day,
and you say to them,
'Good-bye and good luck!
Keep warm and well fed,'
but do not meet their bodily needs,
what good is that?
So it is with the faith
that does nothing in practice.
It is thoroughly lifeless."
James 2:14-17
without it telling you to do something.
There should be some evidence of your faith.
If you believe in Jesus,
your life should reflect that.
You should be a thoughtful person helping others.
It is not a question of luck ---
it is a question of blessings.
You have been blessed, so you bless others.
(January 21, 2006 Sat 9:07 AM CST)
"Finally, my brothers and sisters,
It is a battle of the mind.
your thoughts should be wholly directed
to all that is true,
all that deserves respect,
all that is honest,
pure, admirable, decent, virtuous,
or worthy of praise.
Live according to what
you have learned and accepted,
what you have heard me say and seen me do.
Then will the God of peace be with you."
Philippians 4:8-9
Who will win?
Think of God.
Think of what is pure and true.
When an evil thought comes in your mind
push it out.
Think of something else that is admirable.
Ask Jesus to help you with this.
Ask the Holy Spirit to inspire you.
You will win.
(January 20, 2006 Fri 6:18 AM CST)
We talked about this last night in the Bible Study.
We all have gifts.
"Just as each of us has one body with many members,
and not all the members have the same function,
so too we, though many,
are one body in Christ and
individually members one of another.
We have gifts that differ according to the favor
bestowed on each of us."
Romans 12:4-6
We are all different.
If we each use our gifts,
together we make something beautiful.
It is the body of Christ.
It gives glory to God.
We touch other lives.
We have gifts of ministry and service.
We change the world for the better.
(January 19, 2006 Thu 6:17 AM CST)
Also, from the Bible Study this week.
Jesus showed us humility.
"Your attitude must be that of Christ:
Though he was in the form of God,
he did not deem equality with God
something to be grasped at.
Rather, he emptied himself
and took the form of a slave,
being born in the likeness of men.
He was known to be of human estate,
and it was thus that he humbled himself,
obediently accepting even death,
death on a cross!
Because of this,
God highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
above every other name,
so that at Jesus' name
every knee must bend
in the heavens, on the earth,
and under the earth,
and every tongue proclaim
to the glory of God the Father:
Jesus Christ is Lord!"
Philippians 2:5-11
He became one of us.
He did the will of God the Father.
He gave his life for us.
His name is wonderful.
Let us kneel and praise him.
(January 18, 2006 Wed 6:22 AM CST)
The garage door is fixed.
There are many people behind us.
God bless the guy.
It does not make much noise anymore.
It is too quiet.
It does not sound right.
I was writing the check to pay for the garage door
and I looked to see what the date was.
My watch was blank.
The battery had died.
Oh my.
The book I'm reading for the Bible Study says that
we don't know who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews.
"Therefore, since we for our part
are surrounded by this cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every encumbrance of sin
which clings to us and
persevere in running the race which lies ahead;
let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus,
who inspires and perfects our faith."
Hebrews 12:1-2
They are with us.
We are the body of Christ.
We keep our focus on Jesus.
We persevere.
He leads us on the victory.
We are inspired.
(January 17, 2006 Tue 6:18 AM CST)
The spring in my garage door is broke.
Seek the Lord.
Someone is coming to fix it this morning.
I can't lift the garage door without the spring.
It is too heavy.
I was listening to a sermon from TC last night
this Bible Verse was quoted.
The pastor was talking very fast.
He was trying to beat the clock.
"When you look for me,
you will find me.
Yes, when you seek me with all your heart,
you will find me with you,
says the Lord..."
Jeremiah 29:13-14
Open the door.
He will come in.
He will change your heart.
He is the Lord.
(January 16, 2006 Mon 6:19 AM CST)
You think you had a big heating bill last month.
The Holy Spirit dwells within you.
Cathedral paid almost $30K to heat the church.
That was in the church bulletin yesterday.
This is a reading from church yesterday
and from the Bible Study chapter this week.
"Do you not know that your body
is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you,
whom you have from God,
and that you are not your own?
For you have been purchased at a price.
Therefore glorify God in your body."
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Push the sin out of your life.
Make room for the Lord.
Be pure and holy.
The Lord calls you to holiness.
You are not your own.
(January 15, 2006 Sun 8:36 AM CST)
Well, I plugged in the numbers yesterday
The covenant was made by Jesus.
to Turbo Tax and I get back
a refund from the Federal and State returns.
In the process I lost my checkbook.
I'm looking all over the house this morning
trying to locate it.
It is here somewhere.
I just don't know where.
It is driving me crazy.
Yesterday I listened to some sermons from
TC
.
The pastor talked about this Bible verse on 12/31/05.
"May the God of peace,
who brought up from the dead
the great Shepherd of the sheep
by the blood of the eternal covenant,
Jesus our Lord,
furnish you with all that is good,
that you may do his will."
Hebrews 13:20
It is eternal.
It will never end.
It is offered to you.
Jesus offers you eternal life.
You follow him.
You do his will.
He brings you joy and peace this year.
Your search is over.
You have found Jesus.
(January 14, 2006 Sat 8:59 AM CST)
I bought
Turbo Tax
the other day (January 9th) and
Here is another thing from the Bible Study Thursday night.
If someone asks you, why you believe in Jesus,
installed it.
It took 30 minutes to get it going and updated.
I will have to plug in the numbers today
and see the results.
"Should anyone ask you the reason
for this hope of yours,
be ever ready to reply,
but speak gently and respectfully."
1 Peter 3:15-16
are you prepared with an answer?
Do you know what to say?
Be ready.
Prepare ahead of time.
Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the words to say.
Get out a piece of paper.
Write them down and update them from time to time.
I believe in Jesus because ---
(fill in the blank)
(January 13, 2006 Fri 6:22 AM CST)
Please, pray for a relative of mine
This morning at 6:00 AM on KGBI 100.7 FM
This is from the Bible Study last night.
They were witnesses to Jesus.
that is back in the hospital.
God bless him and his family today.
Jesus, heal him.
they played Carrie Underwood's song
Jesus, Take the Wheel
.
(Click on MEDIA and then Track 4 of this link.
It will play the whole song.)
There's another first --- country music on KGBI.
It is number 2 on the country music charts.
On Pentecost Peter said,
"This is the Jesus God has raised up,
and we are his witnesses.
Exalted at God's right hand,
he first received the promised
Holy Spirit from the Father,
then poured this Spirit out on us.
This is what you now see and hear."
Acts 2:32-33
They saw him in all his glory.
He died and rose again.
They touched him.
He was alive.
Then the Holy Spirit was sent to them.
Their lives were given power.
They were changed.
The people there that day noticed that.
Something amazing was happening.
3,000 people came to believe in Jesus that day.
That same Holy Spirit is given today.
Come, Holy Spirit, change our lives.
Be with us.
Send your gifts to us.
(January 12, 2006 Thu 6:18 AM CST)
Luke wrote the Gospel of Luke and
Stephen saw Jesus in heaven.
the Book of Acts.
It is one continuous story of Jesus and the apostles.
Stephen was the first martyr in the church.
"'Look!'
Stephen exclaimed,
'I see an opening in the sky,
and the Son of Man standing at God's right hand.'
The onlookers were shouting aloud,
holding their hands over their ears
as they did so.
Then they rushed at him as one man,
dragged him out of the city,
and began to stone him."
Acts 7:56-58
The window was opened to him.
He saw the glory of the Lord.
The others would not listen to the good news.
They covered their ears.
Jesus was alive and at God's right hand.
They would not believe.
Stephen died for what he believed.
He soon joined Jesus in heaven.
(January 11, 2006 Wed 6:26 AM CST)
This week we are studying the Book of Acts
The church is growing.
in our Bible Study.
"They went to the temple area together every day,
while in their homes they broke bread.
With exultant and sincere hearts
they took their meals in common,
praising God and winning the approval
of all the people.
Day by day the Lord added to their number
those who were being saved."
Acts 2:46-47
Each day more and more people discover Jesus.
He is the way, the truth and the life.
It is plain to see.
He is a very bright light in this dark world.
Have an exultant and sincere heart.
(January 10, 2006 Tue 6:17 AM CST)
"On one occasion in a certain town,
Jesus, stretch out your healing hand to us today.
a man full of leprosy came to him.
Seeing Jesus, he bowed down
to the ground and said to him,
'Lord, if you will to do so,
you can cure me.'
Jesus stretched out his hand
to touch him and said,
'I do will it. Be cured.'
Immediately the leprosy left him."
Luke 5:12-13
We need your healing touch.
We are sick.
We are hurt.
We are in need.
Touch us and heal us.
We ask this all in your holy name.
Amen.
(January 9, 2006 Mon 6:21 AM CST)
Jesus prayed,
It is interesting to listen
"My Father, if it is possible,
let this cup pass me by.
Still, let it be as you would have it,
not as I."
Matthew 26:39
to Jesus praying to the Father.
We get an insight into the Trinity.
There are 3 persons, but only one God.
There is the will of God.
There is the plan of God.
Jesus needed to pray.
We need to pray to the Father.
We need to know his will for our lives.
We are part of the plan.
Let us do what the Father asks us to do.
(January 8, 2006 Sun 7:38 AM CST)
"All through this,
Peter was with Jesus for 3 years.
Simon Peter had been standing there warming himself.
They said to him,
'Are not you a disciple of his?'
He denied it and said,
'I am not!'
'But did I not see you with him in the garden?'
insisted one of the high priest's slaves ---
as it happened, a relative of the man
whose ear Peter had severed.
Peter denied it again.
At that moment a rooster began to crow."
John 18:25-27
He was a close disciple of Jesus.
He was called by Jesus to follow him.
Peter denied that he knew Jesus.
Do we deny the Lord
or do we tell others about Jesus?
After you have been with him all these years
are you going to deny him?
Share what you know about Jesus.
(January 7, 2006 Sat 10:51 AM CST)
Jesus said to the eleven disciples,
He has full authority.
"Full authority has been given to me
both in heaven and on earth;
go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations.
Baptize them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Teach them to carry out everything
I have commanded you.
And know that I am with you always,
until the end of the world!"
Matthew 28:18-20
He is in control.
Baptize others.
Teach them about Jesus and his commands.
He promised to be with us always.
He is there until the end of time.
(January 6, 2006 Fri 6:21 AM CST)
This is from our Bible Study last night.
He is your source of inspiration.
We are studying the 4 gospels.
We met at my house.
Jesus said,
"I am the vine,
you are the branches.
He who lives in me and I in him
will produce abundantly,
for apart from me you can do nothing."
John 15:5
He is your strength.
I needed him to get up this morning.
I did not want to move.
We need to be attached to Jesus.
We have to stay close.
He gives life in abundance to us.
He is the vine.
Stay connected.
(January 5, 2006 Thu 6:19 AM CST)
"We always give thanks to God,
I thank the Lord for other believers in Christ.
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
in our prayers for you
because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus
and the love you bear toward all the saints ---
moved as you are by the hope held
in store for you in heaven."
Colossians 1:3-4
They help me.
They encourage me.
I see their faith and it is wonderful to behold.
We share this hope in Jesus.
I thank the Lord for brothers and sisters in the faith.
(January 4, 2006 Wed 6:26 AM CST)
We had 5 people last night writing Thank You notes
"Grace to you and peace
As you start this new year,
for donations to the
SFH
.
Two of the people helping
work on the SFH web site.
There is a large stack of people to thank still.
It will take a few weeks to write to all of them.
If I think about it, I usually pray for the
people I am writing to and their families.
God bless all the people that contributed
to help these people in need.
from God our Father and
from the Lord Jesus Christ."
Philemon 1:3
may you receive grace from the Lord.
May he bless your efforts to come closer to him.
May he bless your Bible reading to learn more about him.
It is a time of new beginnings.
(January 3, 2006 Tue 6:18 AM CST)
"For two full years
Paul was under arrest in Rome.
Paul stayed in his rented lodgings,
welcoming all who came to him.
With full assurance,
and without any hindrance whatever,
he preached the reign of God
and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ."
Acts 28:30-31
He could not go anywhere.
He was a prisoner.
He preached from where he was.
Many people came to him.
He reached out to them.
He shared Jesus with them.
(January 2, 2006 Mon 6:23 AM CST)
Jesus said,
Jesus wants you to be happy.
"As the Father has loved me,
so I have loved you.
Live on in my love.
You will live in my love
if you keep my commandments,
even as I have kept my Father's commandments,
and live in his love.
All this I tell you
that my joy may be yours
and your joy may be complete.
This is my commandment:
love one another
as I have loved you.
There is no greater love than this:
to lay down one's life for one's friends."
John 15:9-13
He wants you to have joy in your life.
He wants you to feel the joy
that he has in his heart.
Follow his example.
Give your life for others.
Stay near to him always.
(January 1, 2006 Sun 6:23 AM CST)
Happy New Year to you and your family!
"In the beginning was the Word,
The years keep going by.
Yesterday I copied all the birthdays
from an old calendar to a new calendar
in the south bedroom.
the Word was in God's presence,
and the Word was God."
John 1:1
We get new calendars.
But God is there all along.
His words are still there.
Year after year they endure.
You base your life on them.
You place your trust in Jesus.
He is here and always will be.
