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0-Joseph-Cover-Kindle-MediumJOSEPH: THE OTHER FATHER. “An awesome book. Love reading her books.” FREE MON-FRI at http://amzn.to/2bbLbV1

Imagine being told by God to guard His Son in a violent world until he is grown.
How does Joseph choose a city in strange Egypt to hide 2-year-old Jesus from Herod’s spies? Does he dare take 4-year-old Jesus to the temple where now-dead Herod’s son slaughters thousands?

How can Joseph protect Jesus with all the skirmishes and killing on roads everywhere with dozens vying to take over as king?

How does Joseph handle the persecution in Nazareth by people who could count and knew Mary was pregnant before marrying Joseph?

What does Joseph do with Jesus in Nazareth, just three miles from Sepphoris, hotbed of zealot protesters, when a Roman legate burns the city and crucifies 2000 more zealots in Jerusalem?

In what ways does Joseph teach Jesus how to be a skilled carpenter in sometimes dangerous situations, and avoid being mauled in the mountains when they cut trees for lumber?

How many times, when Jesus was in danger did Joseph cry out, “God, help me protect our Son!”?

(NOTE: A year before Jesus’ death, he was rejected in Nazareth where they said, “Isn’t this the son of the carpenter?” In present tense.)

 

 

Scripture for Wednesday, October 12 (10/12)

The scripture for today, October 12, is 2nd Corinthians 10:12 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 5-FLOOD GATES-Cover-Print“We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”

But that is how most of the Christian world is run. We go to a church and do what they do to get their approval. Or we go one step above what the others do to get a little more approval. Or we go one step below what the others do, and say we’re not “so bad.”

What we do must be compared with what Jesus did. Jesus went everywhere doing whatever was necessary to spread the Good News. Instead of saying, “Well, our congregation never did that before, so it must be wrong,” we must say, “Jesus did it, so I will too.” Instead of saying, “Well, brother or sister so-and-so in our congregation is worse than me, so why object to me?” we must say, “Jesus did not do those things, so I will not either.”

Who are we comparing ourselves ~ our works, our fancy doctrine, our faith ~ with? Never compare with others; always compare with Jesus. He is our perfect example.

#truth, #honesty, #integrity, #comparisons, #Jesus, #example

Scripture for Thursday, October 6 (10/6)

The scripture for today, October 6, is Jeremiah 10:6 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-Joseph-Cover-Kindle-MediumNo one is like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is mighty in power.”

The word “name” here is from the Hebrew word for “renown” ~ shem. This same word is sometimes translated fame. Sometimes we say someone “has made a name for himself” to indicate s/he has become successful and possibly even powerful.

The Lord is known to this prophet (Jeremiah) as being more mighty and powerful than any being in existence.

Do you see the Lord this way? Not in a general sense, but a personal sense? Think back over your life. In what way has the Lord used his power to cause certain “coincidental” things to occur in your life just at the right time? How did it make you feel toward him?

#power, #fame, #God

Scripture for Tuesday, October 4 (10/4)

The scripture for today, October 4, is Romans 10:4 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 7-SHADOW OF DEATH-Cover“Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”

When Jesus nailed the Law of Moses to the cross (Colossians 2:14) it came to an end. Thank God. There were over 600 commandments in the Law of Moses, not just the “ten commandments.” They were tedious. Try reading Leviticus and see if you can keep every commandment in it.

Jesus was the only one who ever kept the Law perfectly (Hebrews 4:15). Once that occurred, he could be the Perfect Lamb of God without blemish, and he could be sacrificed on the altar of the world (the cross) in our place ~ take the punishment for our sins.

And with his death came the introduction of a New Law covered in the New Testament. Read the New Testament in its entirety. It is not tedious. It is beautiful. Let us not try to dip back into the Old Law and bring back showy worship practices done back them. The Book of Hebrews explains it all. He put the Old Law to death and gave us a new and wonderful and simple law of grace and love.

#LawOfMoses, #LawOfJesus, #Cross

Scripture for Friday, September 30 (9/30)

The scripture for today, September 30, is Luke 9:30f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 7-SHADOW OF DEATH-Cover“Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.”

Hebrews 5:7 says something very startling to most people. “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.”

Jesus did not look forward to going to the cross, even though many thousands of others had died that way. Why was it different for him? Because he had to take on all our sins as though he had committed them himself ~ every lie we’ve told, every gain from cheating, every insult, every slander campaign against another, every adultery, every murder ~ everything ~ all our sins! How could he bear it?

Not only that, but he had to experience both physical and spiritual death. Spiritual death means being separated from, being forsaken by God. What a terror to experience!

And so, a few weeks before his crucifixion, as he prayed on the mountain, Moses and Elijah appeared to him and they spoke about his death. They surely gave him courage to do what had to be done to save you and me who deserve hell.

The crowning glory of this conversation with Moses and Elijah is that God reassured him by announcing, “THIS IS MY SON! WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN! LISTEN TO HIM!”

Jesus was to nail the Old Law of Moses to the cross (Colossians 2:14). He had promised people, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law and the Prophets: I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).

Indeed, by the time Jesus returned to heaven, he had lived the Old Law introduced by Moses perfectly ~ something no man had ever been able to do. And by the time he returned to heaven, he had fulfilled every prophecy about his birth, life, and death, the first such prophet being represented by Elijah.

Oh the things Jesus went through for us. We fall at his feet and worship him.

#Law, #crucifixion, #hell, #death, #prophecies

The scripture for today, March 14, is Philippians 3:14, as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 7-SHADOW OF DEATH-Cover“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Jesus knew that, out of jealousy, the religious leaders were trying to kill him. So for awhile he stayed out of Jerusalem where the religious headquarters was. But eventually the time came for him to put himself in their hands. Was it easy for him to do? Definitely not! For he knew his death would be by torture.

“They were on their way up to Jerusalem with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished while those who followed were afraid” (Mark 10:32).

Jesus pressed on. He did not want to go through the crucifixion. Hebrews 5:7 says that “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.”

As difficult as it was for him, Jesus pressed on toward the goal to win the prize. But the prize was not for himself; it was for us ~ eternity in heaven instead of hell!

None of us has to go through what he did for our salvation and avoidance of hell. Our little bit of sacrifice is nothing by comparison. Shall we throw away the prize Jesus sacrificed so much for so we can have a little more fun, accumulate a few more things, be a little more important to our friends?

Are you throwing away your prize?

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A note for Christmas day. If you are with family or friends today, you are blessed.  If you are not and are alone, you will bless this day in your own private way. Regardless, my heart is with you all.

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Why do people love Christmas so much?

When people talk about Christmas, the thing they most discuss is “the busy season” with all the rushing around to buy presents, and putting up decorations and going to dinners and parties and celebrations.

Sun Rays on Road-greenThink a minute. What if we got rid of all the Christmas gifts? What if, on Christmas morning, we got up and there were no presents under the tree? Would people continue to keep Christmas?

Madolyn Murray O’Hare, the most famous atheist of my generation, kept Christmas. Agnostics and atheists everywhere love Christmas as much as the next person.

People say, “Well, we’re actually giving the presents to baby Jesus vicariously through our friends and family.”  Really?

Think about it.  Really think about it. What would Christmas day (or all of December) be like for you without all the spending and going into debt and satisfying our desire for more things?

If there were no gifts on Christmas, what would you do that day?

 

The scripture for today, September 6, is Isaiah 9:6 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

000-BOOK 1-STAR SONG-PRINT COVER-Small“For to us a child is born! To us a son is given! And the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace!”

Notice the Godhead is represented in this one child.

Wonderful Counselor: John 14:16f says, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever ~ the Spirit of Truth” ~ God the Spirit.

Everlasting Father: This is God the Father. Many scriptures substantiate this.

Prince of Peace: Matthew 2:6 says, “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers [KJV says princes) of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler….”

In summary, Colossians 2:9 says, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity (KJV says Godhead) lives in bodily form.”

They are like a coin. The top looks one way, the bottom looks different, and the edge looks still different. The coin has three looks, but is one. If you try to take away one of the three, you take away the entire coin. Why? Because it is three in one.

This is so amazing. And we have been so blest.

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