Sunday 8/4 ~ They lost everything

The scripture for today, August 4 (8/4), is Acts 8:4 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-PAUL COVER-Thumbnail-“Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.”

Sometimes your plans get scattered, your dreams shattered. You lose your home, your job, your chance at an education, your savings, your family.

Satan loves to discourage you. He’s good at it. But Romans 8:28 says God can make something good come out of all things, even the bad.

Do you use your circumstance in life as an excuse to not share the Good News of how to be saved from hell and go to heaven instead? 

If you use the excuse you don’t have time, then lose your job, would you share the gospel then? If you use the excuse your upper-class neighbors are all agnostics, then lose your home, would you share the gospel with middle-class neighbors?

Your circumstance may change, but you would be the same person you were before. What is the likelihood you would be any different if your life was “scattered”?  If your old excuses were no longer valid, would you then share the Good News?  

The people in Jerusalem who feared martyrdom ran for their lives and lost everything.  Their concern for the souls of others never wavered. 

Today, consciously look around for someone to share the gospel with.  Afraid your friends will reject you? Then go to a fast-food place or a park or a bus stop, find someone sitting alone, and tell a stranger. No matter where your dreams and ambitions scatter to, you can still “Seek and save the lost.”

 

00-PAUL COVER-Thumbnail-PAUL: THE UNSTOPPABLE was just that. They beat him, stoned him, lashed him, told lies about him, imprisoned him, turned entire cities against him. He was stubborn. He was loyal. He was determined to save people’s souls.  They would have to kill him to stop him. They finally did, but not before he had saved countless thousands from hell.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2OzFMQ3

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Friday 8/2 ~ He still reaches across the centuries

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

Road to Heaven-COVER-KINDLE-THUMBNAIL“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. They were incurable. 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 sneaked into town where he didn’t belong, went up and down streets where he didn’t belong looking for Jesus, pushed his way through a crowd where he didn’t belong.

Once he found Jesus, he didn’t ask him if he could heal him; he asked if he would. 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, and have a conversation with an unclean man, he was willing to touch the unclean man.

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

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

 

Road to Heaven-COVER-KINDLE-THUMBNAILTHE ROAD TO HEAVEN begins with the problem of sin and evil and works its way step by step from the Garden of Eden to Golgatha and on to heaven. Thought-provoking and reassuring.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2KdVOuT

 

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Thursday 8/1 ~ Your longing, your hope, your reason for being

The scripture for today, August 1 (8/1), is Romans 8:1 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-1st Century Worship KINDLE-COVER-Thumbnail“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

There are a lot of religious groups out there in the world who control their people with fear. If you don’t do such and such, it proves you aren’t spiritual enough. If you do such and such one second before you die, you’re going to hell.

They put burdens on you that just are not in the New Testament. By making you feel guilty, they make you depend on them for your salvation and that boosts their ego. The Apostle Paul wrote to the congregations in Galatia (today’s Turkey) and warned them with tears:

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel ~ which is really no gospel at all. Evidently, some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached [past tense] to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again:

“If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? ” (Galatians 1:6-10).

Are you sure you are IN Christ Jesus? Do your church leaders dance around scriptures they wish weren’t in the Bible and tell you they don’t really mean what they say? Or add things that the scriptures say nothing about? Are you sure they aren’t people pleasers instead of God pleasers? What do they do with Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, Romans 6:3-4, Galatians 3:27, I Peter 3:21? Look them up. Do your church leaders try to explain them away?

Ah, to be sure you are indeed IN Christ Jesus and can someday live in his world. This is your longing. Your hope. Your reason for being.

00-1st Century Worship KINDLE-COVER-ThumbnailWORSHIP THE FIRST-CENTURY WAY is book two of the series WANDERING SOUL, ENTITLED HEART, AND THE SIDETRACKED CHURCH.  Each chapter is about one form of worship. It begins with quotes from famous theologians, ends with quotes from second-century theologians, and all in between is scriptures and prayers for understanding. WRITTEN FOR UNBELIEVERS.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2GECkNW

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Wednesday 7/31 ~ That Great Gettin’-Up Morning

The scripture for today, July 31 (7/31), is 1st Corinthians 7:31b as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BK 8-ComeFlyWithMe-Cover-Thumbnail-New“For this world in its present form is passing away.”

How easily that which you have slaved for over a period of years can pass away. It can happen as a result of fire, flood, storm, war, economic crisis. Every day something in this world “is passing away.”

Life plods on and on. It seems so slow and so long ~ Year after year, month after month, minute after minute.  If you live to be 90 (not uncommon these days), that means nearly 33,000 times you get up in the morning, 100,000 times you eat a meal, some 25,000 times you may leave your house and go to work to earn a living. On and on.   

You were put here on earth for a reason:  To prepare yourself for the other world.  That is our real home. That world will never end for good or for bad. It will never pass away. It’s hard to stay focused on the other world when there are so many things that need to be done to survive in this world.

The other world seems so far away. But you will be there before you know it. 

What are you working for day after day? Are you making time to prepare for “That Great Gettin’-Up Morning” when you say goodbye to this world forever?   What are your plans for today? How about this week?  How often do you worship?  

Here is a link to hear singing of “That Great Gettin’-Up Morning”  http://bit.ly/2Mxfqf1

 

0-BK 8-ComeFlyWithMe-Cover-Thumbnail-NewTHEY MET JESUS:  COME FLY WITH ME is the last of 8 novels on the life of Christ. In this last novel, Jesus is alive again and spends 40 days appearing to people. The apostles begin the church, spend nineteen years in Jerusalem, then scatter. It ends with old crippled John’s visit to heaven and view of hell. And Jesus’ invitation: “Come to me…I will give you rest.” To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2ZxCYE4

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Thursday 7/25 ~ Sunday, Sunday

The scripture for today, July 25 (7/25), is Hebrews 7:25 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Supper-Front Cover-Thumbnail“Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him [Jesus], because he always lives to intercede for them.”

How grateful are you that Jesus interceded or you on the cross and still does? Do you live for yourself ~ never reading God’s word, going on outings, shopping, or sleeping in on Sunday mornings, praying only in emergencies? Have you bought into the mindset that, if you don’t murder, steal big things, and only swear a little bit, God will suddenly let you into his home, heaven, when you die?  If you could care less about God in this life, you would be miserable in heaven. 

There are even those who do worship on Sunday mornings but forget why Sunday worship is different from worship the other days of the week.  According to Acts 20:7, the early Christians met on Sunday to (for the purpose of) break bread (the Lord’s Supper). Jesus said hours before his agony that we had to keep his supper ~ his little ceremony. Instead, do you disobey him and tell yourself it’s okay to spend worship time doing other things that are more interesting and so time-consuming there is no time left for Jesus’ little ceremony?

Remember what happened on Sunday? Jesus broke those unbreakable chains of hell for you on Sunday. He broke the indomitable power of death for you on Sunday. He came back to life forever for you on Sunday. But ballgames and shopping and sleeping in are more important, and showing off how good people can perform or make speeches during worship are more important?

Oh, Jesus, help me bury my selfishness. You gave up so much for me. I have grown so insensitive to it. Help me remember what you sacrificed for me in this little ceremony you set up for me.  Please forgive me for not meeting you at the cross every week in Your Supper.  You did so much and asked so little. Help me live for you. Help me live with you.

Supper-Front Cover-ThumbnailTHE LORD’S SUPPER: 52 READINGS WITH PRAYERS helps worshippers think of Jesus’ sacrifice for us in 52 different ways. No more having to think of something original to say when presiding over the table. Scripture readings throughout the Bible say what is in your heart, you want to say.  This is FREE for you in e-format with over 160 pages. To get your FREE copy, click a book cover or paste this……………..http://bit.ly/2GtLIDP

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Tuesday 7/23 ~ How much do you even care?

The scripture for today, July 23 (7/23), is 1st Corinthians 7:23 in the New Testament of the Bible.

Supper-Front Cover-Thumbnail“You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.”

Who were you bought from? Satan. God told Adam and Eve the day they sinned their soul would die. Satan is the source of death. When we sin, he holds us hostage.  I Timothy 2:6 says Jesus paid the ransom to free us from Satan.  “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).

God loved you so much, he put his words in a human body (John 1:1,14). Why? Hebrews 2:14 says, “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil.”

Then God told the world through his Bible that, if you will believe this really happened and follow his will for you, he will consider you perfect through the blood of Jesus and eligible to enter his perfect home ~ heaven.

But it is not automatic. Romans 6 speaks a lot of who we are slaves to and how to break those chains and come under the umbrella of what Jesus did for mankind.

You were bought back from Satan at a great price ~ the blood of Jesus. On Sundays ~ the day he came back to life and overcame that terrible soul and body death for you ~ where are you? Who do you spend your time and attention with? Do you even care?


Supper-Front Cover-Thumbnail

THE LORD’S SUPPER: 52 READINGS WITH PRAYERS is 165 pages and completely FREE as an e-book.  Click a book cover or go here to get your FREE copy:  https://dl.bookfunnel.com/3r3rm0o4v1

 

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Sunday 7/21 ~ Teaching the teachers

Our scripture for today, July 21 (7/21), is Matthew 7:21ff as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

NF-WorshipChanges-WorshipFirst“Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ “

There are hundreds of denominations/sects out there all contradicting each other. It’s impossible for them all to be right. They cannot all be on different roads going to the same place. They cannot all be pleasing God if we decide opposing things please him.

You can never rely on what someone else says just because they look and act holy and say all the right holy words and phrases and pray such holy-sounding prayers. You must never rely on your religious leaders to tell you what to believe. Shall you take their opinion or God’s opinion?

Romans 10:1 in the Bible mentions some people who had a lot of zeal for God, but were lost because it was not according to the proper knowledge.

Well, how do you get God’s opinion? Read the Bible for yourself! Use a concordance (lists every word in the Bible and every scripture with that word ~ Bible Hub has one on the internet) and look up your chosen subject.  Then, having found the truth, why not go back to your religious leaders in love and try to teach your teachers? Some just might listen to you.

 

NF-WorshipChanges-WorshipFirstWORSHIP CHANGES SINCE THE 1ST CENTURY gives the very year changes were introduced and who introduced them. It also tells what they did to the protesters to each change.  WORSHIP THE FIRST-CENTURY WAY gently covers each part of our worship beginning with quotes from famous theologians, scripture examples, and intermittent prayers for guidance.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2M2Gsux

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Saturday 7/20 ~ Invading Heaven

The scripture for today, July 20 (7/20), is Ecclesiastes 7:20 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-BK 7-ShadowOfDeath-Cover-new-Thumbnail“There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.”

Many people believe if they don’t murder or steal, and if they help people poorer than themselves, and aren’t mean to their family, God will have no choice but to let them into heaven. But it only takes one sin to be a sinner.

God ~ who is Perfect Goodness ~ cannot dwell with sin. But mankind has never figured out a way to be perfectly good.

God said in the Garden of Eden that the moment we sin, our soul dies. Satan holds us for ransom. I Peter 1:18-19 says, “…knowing that you were not ransomed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.”

Jesus became that perfectly good person (Hebrews 4:15) ~ that perfect Lamb of God (John 1:29). Then he paid the terrible ransom to free you and me from Satan. But, it does no good if you do not believe he did this. You cannot despise Jesus and say he is too demanding.

Your part is the easy part. All he asks is that you love him, thank him, worship him, follow his examples and all his commands (there aren’t many). Then Satan can no longer hold you hostage. God the Father will consider you perfect too. Then you will be accepted into heaven.

 

0-BK 7-ShadowOfDeath-Cover-new-ThumbnailTHEY MET JESUS: SHADOW OF DEATH takes the reader to the last hours of Jesus’ life on earth, two chapters on the crucifixion itself, and his unexpected resurrection. Join him in the lowest and highest days in the history of mankind. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2JFUvV7

 

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Saturday 7/6 ~ It IS possible to know!

The scripture for today, July 6 (7/6), is Mark 7:6f as found in the New Testament of the Bible.

“He [Jesus] replied, ‘Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ ”

It is the trend today to say that all religions ~ even those who teach opposing things ~ are right and all are good. It is the trend today to say all gods are the same God, and we are all going to the same heaven if we’re pretty good. It’s not that simple.  Jesus did not say this. Well, then, how do we know which religious things we are taught and do today are from God and which from men?

You are smart. Don’t be lazy.  Read the holy books of all major world religions for yourself. Who knows? What you have been told all your life may be wrong.  Do the other holy books have built-in proofs they really originated from God?  Perhaps scientific, archaeological, ancient inscriptions, prophecies fulfilled? Here is a website with those holy books on it:  https://www.sacred-texts.com  Here is a website with nearly 400 proofs the Bible is from God:

https://casagrandechurchofchrist.com/bible-proofs/

If you conclude the Bible is true, use a concordance and do a study of everything the Bible says about any topic. That way you will have God’s opinion, not men’s.

Here is a website with an online Bible concordance and it’s easy to use:  http://bibletab.com

You can find out for yourself,~ you can KNOW ~ whether what you were told to believe by family, friends, and leaders is what God told you to believe. Your eternity depends on it.

 

CHRISTIANITY OR ISLAM: THE CONTRAST quotes from both the Qur’an and New Testament of the Bible on the same subjects without comment. It can be given in a Muslim without offending them. Things they have been told about Christianity which is not true are explained. It ends with statements of over 100 Muslims I have studied with who decided Jesus really was the Son of God and not just a prophet.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2NyJHMH

 

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Wednesday 7/3 ~ Gear up and take that leap

The scripture for today, July 3 (7/3), is Acts 7:3 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-PAUL COVER-Thumbnail-” ‘Leave your country and your people,’ God said, ‘and go to the land I will show you.’ “

This is part of a speech by Christian Stephen soon after the church began. He was reminding the Jewish leaders how God told their ancestor Abraham to leave his religion, home and family, and move to where God had something special for him ~ to begin the Jewish nation and a new religion.

But when Stephen got to the part where now God wanted his audience to leave the Jewish religion and move on to a still better one ~ the Christian religion ~ they were outraged. They were not like Abraham; they did not want to change. So, not liking the message, they killed the messenger. These religious leaders stoned Stephen to death.

Have you learned “new” things in the Bible that your religion is against? It is hard to change. You could lose your friends and family like Abraham did; you could even lose your home as Abraham did. It takes a great big “leap of faith” to follow that “new” truth you have discovered in the Bible. But when God does the recommending, you can know he has something special in mind for you. So, gear up and take that leap!

 

00-PAUL COVER-Thumbnail-PAUL: THE UNSTOPPABLE did everything possible to not change from Judaism to Christianity. He hauled people to prison and even killed them if they refused to stop talking about changing. It was only when he changed sides that he saw what he had been missing out on. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://amzn.to/328ta59

 

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