Monday 9/24 ~ Read, study, mull, and be Amazed

On September 24, 2018September 24, 2018 By Inspirations By KatherynIn death, Death of Jesus Christ, eternity, forgiveness, Heaven, Saved from hell, victoryLeave a comment

The scripture for today, September 24 (9/24), is Luke 9:24 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.”

Romans 6 explains this phenomenon best. We are to put our old self to death ~ to crucify that part of us that sins and doesn’t care, that part of us that puts ourselves first (verse 7) ~ in imitation of Jesus dying. Once we decide to put that part of ourselves to death, we are buried, just like Jesus was buried (verse 3 & 4a).

And then, “just as Christ was raised from the dead as the savior, we rise from the dead as the saved. Why? “If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection” (verse 5). Having been “brought from death to life” (verse 13) through baptism, we have been born again!

This is a spiritual death, of course. There is another spiritual death called the second death in Revelation 21:8. If we go through the first spiritual death at baptism, we will not have to go through the second spiritual death in hell. We will have lost our life of sin and in the process saved our souls.

It’s all there. Study it. Absorb it. Mull it. And be amazed.

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Saturday 9/22 ~ What kept Jesus with his goal?

On September 22, 2018 By Inspirations By KatherynIn Death of Jesus Christ, eternity, forgiveness, Heaven, Saved from hell, worshipLeave a comment

The 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 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 fulfilled ~ and he could return to heaven.

Is it just too hard for you to get up on Sunday morning to go to church? Is it just too hard for you to read the Bible every day? Is it just too hard for you to invite a friend to church with you? Do you love Jesus as resolutely as he loves you?

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Friday 9/21~ Jesus, I didn’t understand.

On September 21, 2018September 21, 2018 By Inspirations By KatherynIn Death of Jesus Christ, ego, eternity, forgiveness, Saved from hellLeave a comment

The scripture for today, September 21 (9/21), is Hebrews 9:21f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“In the same way, he [Moses] sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.”

Jesus ended that with one final sacrifice ~ himself.

Oh, Jesus, I didn’t understand. Your flesh. It was torn for me. I was the one who should have received the lashing that turned Your back into meat. And the thorny slivers on the cross. The slivers that went into Your already shredded back to create gangrene. The lashing and thorns were supposed to be for me, not You. And the nails too, Jesus. The nails too. How could You go through that in my place

Oh, Jesus, I didn’t understand. Your nakedness. They stripped You instead of me. I was the one who’s nakedness should have been exposed, and put on display for the whole world to gawk at and ridicule. I was the one who was supposed to have been subjected to exposure, enduring both the heat of the day and the cold of that strange noon-time darkness. How could you have endured this for me?

Oh, Jesus, I didn’t understand. Your blood. It was shed for me. If I had been the only sinner in the world, You still would have had to die to free me from hell. That was my blood that was supposed to be falling off the cross that day, not Yours. How could You love me that much?

Oh, Jesus, I didn’t understand. Your every breath. Taken away from You a gasp at a time as You hung there by merciless nails tearing away at Your life, rendering Your lungs almost paralyzed, piercing Your soul. Each time You chose to ignore the screaming blood vessels in Your back and the unbearable spasms in Your arms and legs just so You could get just one more taste of air, that should have been me. How could You volunteer Your own body to be tortured like that in my place?

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Monday 9/17 ~ “Follow my son to safety.”

On September 17, 2018September 17, 2018 By Inspirations By KatherynIn ego, forgiveness, Heaven, judging, Saved from hell, truth, victoryLeave a comment

The 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? 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, “Follow my Son to safety!”

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

A year-by-year tracing of each change in worship and organization from the 1st century to the 18th century and what they did to those who protested. Ends with a call to unity. To buy, click images or type: https://amzn.to/2D6pEQB

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Sunday 9/16 ~ “I will not stop until they kill me.”

On September 16, 2018 By Inspirations By KatherynIn forgiveness, Heaven, Inspirational, knowledge, persecution, sacrifice, Saved from hell, victoryLeave a comment

The scripture for today, September 16 (9/16), is 1st Corinthians 9:16 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!”

The Apostle Paul said this. An Old Testament prophet, Jeremiah, said almost the same thing in 20:9: “If I say, ‘I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,’ his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in! Indeed, I cannot!”

Are you so full of the Word of God that you have to share it? Do you work it into your daily conversations?

I knew a lady once who took several church bulletins with her every Sunday. Then during the week, if she heard a conversation at a bus stop, she’d interrupt them and say, “I couldn’t help but hear what you were saying. Perhaps God in your life would help.” Then she’d hand them a bulletin. She’d do the same thing at a fast-food place like McDonald’s, or in the waiting room of a doctor. She could not hold it in. She had to share, even if it was with strangers.

There is a man in Afghanistan who is a partially secret Christian. When he thinks he can trust someone, he teaches them the gospel. He has run for his freedom and his life three times in the last eight years. He tells me, “I will not stop until they kill me.”

What about you? Is the Word of God overflowing in you so much you cannot keep it in? Tell someone today that God loves them. Watch them smile with a gleam in their eye that says, “I’d like to know more”.

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Thursday 8/16 ~ A child of the Creator?

On August 16, 2018 By In blessings, emptiness, family, forgiveness, Heaven, Saved from hell, ScriptureLeave a comment

The scripture for today, August 16 (8/16), is Romans 8:16 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

This is so similar to the scripture of a few days ago on how to know if the Spirit is living in you. You can use the same approach to determine how the Spirit teaches you that you are God’s child.”

Once again, John 14:17 says the Comforter Jesus sent us was the Spirit of Truth. And Jesus said in John 17:17, God’s Word is Truth. So it is through God’s Word that you are taught how to become God’s child. You do not have to guess!

This is what is so wonderful about Christianity. The Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto, Shamanist and many other religions leave the followers to guess because their “god” has given them no instructions. Ninety-nine percent of them believe they are not children of God. They also believe there are not saved because they can’t be perfect, so have to be reincarnated thousands of times to try to be perfect. The Muslim religion says followers are slaves, and they won’t know until the Day of Judgment if their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds.

In all other world religions, followers never know if they are children of God and saved. As hard as you try, you cannot be perfect. But Jesus came and was perfect for you. All the good works in the world will not get a sinner into God’s home ~ heaven~ because we are still sinners. Jesus collected the wages for your sin, thus making Satan’s threats of hell ineffective. If you believe this and follow what he says in the Bible, you can become God’s child and live with Him forever after you go through the happy door of death.

Praise God! He has given you The Map, the Way ~ the Holy Bible, God’s Word in written form. Such solace. Such comfort. Such reassurance.

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Friday 8/10 ~ Weeping so we can be happy

On August 10, 2018 By In discouragement, ego, forgiveness, humility, Inspirational, Thanksgiving, victory1 Comment

The scripture for today, August 10 (8/10), is Nehemiah 8:10b as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

After exile for 70 years for forsaking God, the Jews were led by Ezra and Nehemiah back to Jerusalem. On a special day, Ezra read the Law of Moses to all the people. And they wept. They were so embarrassed and so sorry they had betrayed God. The above scripture quotation is from that occasion.

But many people find it too humiliating to admit to others that they were wrong. Others find it easy to repent, but never regroup and pull themselves up so they can try again. Still others say, “What I’ve done is so bad, God could never forgive me.”

God can perform miracles. That means he can forgive the greatest sinner. So grieve. Ask for forgiveness. Then start over fresh ~ innocent in the eyes of God.

Remember, the joy of the Lord is always your strength.

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Wednesday 8/8 ~ The God of Second Chances

On August 8, 2018 By In ego, forgiveness, judging, patience1 Comment

The scripture for today, August 8 (8/8), is Zechariah 8:8 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.”

The Jews had done terrible things against God. They had worshiped terrible idols that required ghastly things be done in their honor such as setting up brothels with so-called “priestesses” and sacrificing their children on an altar of fire. They had nailed the doors of the Temple closed. They had broken every one of God’s rules. They had sworn at him, rejected him, hated him.

So God punished them with 70 years of exile in Babylon. What a light punishment for what they had done! Still, it was the boomerang effect. They had rejected God, so God rejected them.

But it was not permanent. God is love and has no choice but to love and give people a second chance. Isn’t He amazing? The God of Second Chances?

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Tuesday 8/7 ~ The Boomerang Effect

On August 7, 2018 By In ego, forgiveness, good works, humility, judging, love, patience1 Comment

The scripture for today, August 7 (8/7), is Hosea 8:7 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.”

This is the boomerang effect. We throw a boomerang into the air and no matter how we throw it, it always comes back to us. In the same way, God treats us the same way we treat him.

If we draw near to God, God draws near to us (James 4:8). If we don’t have time for God, God doesn’t have time for us. If we don’t want to do what he says, God doesn’t want to do what we say. If we reject God, God rejects us:

Psalm 9:15-16; Psalm 10:2; Psalm 37:14-15; Psalm 140:9; Proverbs 3:34; Proverbs 6:27; Proverbs 26:27; Isaiah 33:1; Isaiah 59:18; Ezekiel 7:8; Obadiah 1:15.

Another viewpoint is that there may be people out there mistreating us. Someday their mistreatment will boomerang right onto themselves. In the meantime, our assignment is to remain true to God with patience and calm. God will take care of the boomerang.

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Thursday 8/2 ~ And he touched him

On August 2, 2018 By In discouragement, forgiveness, healing, Inspirational, love, sin, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, August 2 (8/2), is Matthew 8:2 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.’ “

People in Jesus’ day who had leprosy had to live outside of town in what we would call a leper colony. And if someone without leprosy started getting close to them, they were required to call out, “Unclean! Unclean!”

But here was a man who apparently pushed his way through a crowd where he didn’t belong. He didn’t ask Jesus if he could heal him; he asked if he was willing to. After all, he was “unclean”. Remarkably, Jesus said yes.

Then Jesus did another remarkable thing: He touched the man. He touched the leprosy. Not only was he willing to be seen with an unclean man, he was willing to touch him.

Jesus still does this today. When we come to him with a diseased heart wondering if we are good enough, Jesus reaches out across the centuries and touches us. And his voice echoes across the centuries and says, “I am willing.”

No matter how much sin mars your life, Jesus still today wants to say, “Be clean.”

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