Month: September 2020

Having a rough day? God can see through clouds.

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He set out resolutely

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, church, Death of Jesus Christ, ego, eternity, Heaven, judging, Saved from hell, worshipLeave a comment

0-BK 7-ShadowOfDeath-Cover-new-MediumThe scripture for today, September 22 (9/22) is Luke 9:22 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“And he [Jesus] said, ‘The Son of Man[kind] must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

Jesus did not look forward to his death. Hebrews 5:7 says, “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death….” Loud cries!

Yet, in today’s scripture, shortly after he announced to his apostles that he would be killed in Jerusalem, over in verse 51 it says, “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.”

Jesus had to use every bit of human self-determination he could muster up to face that terrible death he had to suffer for us. What kept him to his goal? He knew only he could save us from hell by taking the death wages from Satan (Romans 6:23). Then his work would be done ~ all would be finished ~ and he could return to heaven.

Is it difficult for you to get up on Sunday morning to go to church? Is it difficult for you to read the Bible every day? Is it difficult for you to invite a friend to church with you? Do you love Jesus as resolutely as he loves you? Are you as determined to go to heaven and avoid hell as he was for you? Do you love your soul as much as Jesus does?

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0-BK 7-ShadowOfDeath-Cover-new-ThumbnailSHADOW OF DEATH begins with the illegal trials and witness hiring in the middle of the night, a sympathetic Pilot trying to save the harmless man, and Peter wanting to stop the whole thing but paralyzed with fear he’d be next.  It ends with the apostles in hiding and wallowing in their shattered dreams of what should have been. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  http://bit.ly/Death-Resurrection

 

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There’s a God-shaped emptiness in the heart of man

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I do not know how

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, church, Heaven, Inspirational, prayerLeave a comment

Love Letters of Jesus & his Bride, Eccelsia-THUMBNAILJehovah, you are my life, the light that shines from afar and which grows stronger the closer it comes to me.  You continue to shine on me day after day, year after year. You are the only light. Without you, there is only darkness and loss, even, of hope.  Without you there is no reality and all is without form and void.  Oh, what a terrible thing it would be to exist in such a void, made possibly only by Satan. But with you is brightness of life with the brilliance of your glory shining down on me, the illumination of your mercy, the vividness of your love.

Ah, my God, you did so much to save me. It took you centuries to accomplish everything. You sent a part of yourself, your Word, your Son to finalize everything. Your Word gave up heaven to become my substitute. In the world’s state of rebellion, that part of you gave in to Satan and died so my ransom could be paid. You loved me first. How can I thank you? I do not know how. I will spend my life trying.

Love Letters of Jesus & his Bride, Eccelsia-THUMBNAIL

LOVE LETTERS OF JESUS & HIS BRIDE, ECCLESIA.  This is the Song of Solomon paraphrased into modern applications and the glories of the church. Hundreds of cross references guide the way to a fuller understanding of our groom and what is yet to come.  Watermark of a bride on every page. Good for wedding gifts and anniversaries as well as Bible class study.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/32rrvZM

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/love-letters-of-jesus-his-bride-ecclesia-2/

Some day it will happen.

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, death, eternity, faith, forgiveness, Heaven, Inspirational, patience, praise, prayer, Thanksgiving, worshipLeave a comment

Supper-Front Cover-MediumAh, my Lord, I know you long to be gracious to mankind and that you wait patiently on high for the world to acknowledge you. What do you do while you’re waiting? You turn your attention back to your children. Oh, how I wish I could help you convince the rest of the world that you are not their enemy. Does your throne radiate just a little more when you see another child returning to you? Do the angels around you flutter their wings just a little more? Do the stars sing a sweeter song? Does your smile reflect the soft light of the moon?  As you wait, I bow down before your throne and worship you.

One of these days, Lord, I am going to close my eyes and soar on eagle wings to you. My heart will be swelled with anticipation as I draw nearer to you.  Your love, a ray of light, will form a highway to the heavens to draw my soul ever closer and closer to you.  I will soar upward. You will send my angel to guide me near the last of my journey until at last I reach the gate of heaven. Oh, glorious day, day of rapture and euphoria, when I see you at last as you open up your arms to me. Thank you for that hope. Someday it will happen. Someday.

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Supper-Front Cover-ThumbnailTHE LORD’S SUPPER: 52 READINGS WITH PRAYERS.  Buy a book for your church library, or keep it on the shelf of the communion table.  Give one to new Christians. Or buy one for yourself to meditate with as you participate in the weekly Lord’s Supper.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/2Vhacqn

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/the-lords-supper-52-readings-with-prayers

With God’s love, I can never be consumed.

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Blood streaming through the veins of my soul

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, blessings, Death of Jesus Christ, discouragement, eternity, forgiveness, Holy Spirit, love, patience, prayer, sacrifice, Saved from hell, worshipLeave a comment

0-BK 7-ShadowOfDeath-Cover-new-ThumbnailI lift up my heart to you, my God. I ache so much for the lost. But my puny efforts are nothing compared to you. You did so much more than I ever dreamed of doing and for longer than a thousand lifetimes. You paid the death ransom, then overcame Death itself.  You put up with our sins while you did everything necessary to destroy our greatest enemy ~ Satan. Satan must be destroyed and you have given mankind the privilege of working with you to that end. So, amidst my paltry efforts I praise you, my majestic King. You are so incredible. Beyond finding out.

Father, sometimes when I talk to people about your love for them and ask them to return to you, I think I come across as controlling. That is not what I want to do. Help me know when to back off and let them think. Help me be patient and calm and respect the free will that you gave them.

My Lord, thank you for not getting so angry you would give up on me.  You are a high and great mountain that cannot be moved. You are the deepest ocean that cannot be emptied.  As the river of life, you offer to give me your blood so it will stream through the veins of my soul and give me life without impurities of sin. What more could anyone ask than that? You offered to me your blood and your Spirit. The sacrifice was too great, but you made it anyway.

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0-BK 7-ShadowOfDeath-Cover-new-ThumbnailSHADOW OF DEATH takes the reader through the trials and beatings and lashings.  Nearly lifeless already, the soldiers  carry him up that dreadful hill so he can live long enough for them to kill. Two chapters cover the agony and ecstasy of the cross of torture saved only for traitors.  Then the funeral.  Two old men, some women, and his mother.  Washing his lifeless body with tears, surrounding him with spices only the rich can afford, wrapping him in the flimsy shreds of broken hearts. Then going home to agonize over what could have been and never will be.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  http://bit.ly/Death-Resurrection

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/historical-novel-about-jesus/book-7-shadow-of-death-adults-childs-versions/

Picking and Choosing

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn ego, Enemies, governments, healing, judging, Life of Christ, persecution, sacrifice, Scripture, teaching, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, September 18 (9/18), is Leviticus 9:18ff as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“He slaughtered the ox and the ram as the fellowship offering for the people. His sons handed him the blood, and he sprinkled it against the altar on all sides. But the fat portions of the ox and the ram ~ the fat tail, the layer of fat, the kidneys and the covering of the liver ~ these they laid on the breasts, and then Aaron burned the fat on the altar. Aaron waved the breasts and the right thigh before the Lord as a wave offering, as Moses commanded.”

The Law of Moses did not have just Ten Commandments. It had over 600! They were intricate commands that had to be kept exactly. The above is just a small portion of what they were supposed to do for a particular sacrifice.
Thank God, Jesus nailed the Old Law of Moses to the cross (Colossians 2:14). Yet some religious leaders continue to dip back into the Old Law to copy showy types of worship ~ robes, candles, choirs, harps, incense ~ many things, and all commanded. But if they do that, they must keep ALL of the Law of Moses ~ stoning for adultery, giving 1/3 of their income (not just 1/10), not working on Saturday (even cooking), going to Jerusalem three times a year.

They can’t just pick and choose which ones they like. The Apostle Paul said in Galatians 5:17 “Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised [just one command in the Old Law of Moses] that he is obligated to obey the whole law.”

James said in 2:10, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” Old Testament worship was showy, elaborate, and demanding to the nth degree. New Testament worship is just the opposite.

Mark 14:26 says that after Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper/Communion, “When they had sung a [single] hymn, they went out…”

Acts 2:41-42 says, “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

Acts 20:7 says, “On the first day of the week, we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people…”

I Timothy 4:13 says, “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.”

Nothing complicated about it. Just simple worship. Worship the way Jesus and his apostles worshiped. Worship the way God wants it. He said so himself.

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FLOOD GATES is novel 5 in the THEY MET JESUS series.  His life has been threatened since last his first year of ministry.  Now it is the third year and his enemies are desperate to kill him.  The people are running after him, declaring their folk hero their king.  No more doctors, no more begging for food ~ he’ll supply it all free.  In the temple, he tells off the hypocrite leaders more.  Among the people, he performs miracles more.  Alone with his twelve, he speaks of his death more.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  http://bit.ly/5FloodGates

 

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We are God’s hands and feet

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How he smiles when you do.

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, attitude, ego, Fear, healing, power, problems, Saved from hellLeave a comment

00-LUKE-KINDLE Cover-ThumbnailThe scripture for today, September 17 (9/17), is Nehemiah 9:17 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and, in their rebellion, appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore, you did not desert them.”

Such love! Do you rebel against God (who is only trying to save you) over and over because you don’t want anyone telling you what to do? Or because he’s too much bother? Or because you don’t have time for him? Or maybe you just outright hate God? Stop. Turn around. He is only trying to help you.   

God has faith in you when you do not have faith in him. God forgives you over and over. First Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord…is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

God could turn you into a robot and force you to love and obey him. But that wouldn’t be real love. God is Love, and he cannot go against his own nature.

And so God follows you around and pleads over and over, “Come back! You’re in danger. Come back. Follow my Son to safety!”

How he hurts when you do not; how he smiles when you do.

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00-LUKE-KINDLE Cover-ThumbnailLUKE: SLAVE & PHYSICIAN.  In Roman times, doctors were almost always slaves and belonged to one family. The legions were just beginning to have their own doctor.  In this story, Luke loses his father at age 8 from a battle between his Nordic village and the Romans.  He is adopted by Theophilus, a tribune, and given training to be his doctor. Then they meet the apostle Paul, become Christians, and Luke is released to be Paul’s personal physician.  Paul’s back has been ripped to shreds so many times, it is solid scar tissue and ten times more sensitive to touch than normal tissue.  Luke works to keep Paul alive.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:   https://bit.ly/2FsFwin

 

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/books-more-biblical-historical-novels/book-3-luke-slave-physician/