Not Thots

  Dating versus engaged.    There is quite a difference, as most of us know,  between being engaged to somebody and merely dating them.    When you are engaged, your mindset (should) switch to a "this is serious! Let's start building forever now" mode. The dating mentality, on the other hand, is one of, "I'm going to check this person out in deeper detail, but I know that my options are really still open."   In other words, if something that appears to be better comes along, it's socially acceptable to jump ship and start over...   However, if you are born again, your relationship with Jesus Christ is one of engagement. That's right. He exclusively chose you!!   He proposed when He died and rose again and knocked on the door of your heart, asking you to accept and trust Him.  Fully engaged.    You probably are just "dating" Him if you have one foot on the path of following Him and one foot in the world.    Here's...

  What Jesus was really saying in Luke 9:23 There is so much misunderstanding, fallacy, and false teaching of this scripture;    "You must deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow me."  When Jesus was telling this to the disciples, He had not gone to the Cross yet, neither had he been physically carrying one around.  So, since He ALWAYS leads by example, what was He carrying around Daily?  His purpose. And His purpose was to be The Messiah on the cross. Yes, the physical cross was in his path, but that was ONE day out of his 33 years of living, and after that one day, he was done with the material of the cross! He lives even today, still fulfilling His purpose.   This is the same thing that he wants from us.  As we willingly and purposely walk with him in discipleship, we learn more and more of what our individual calling is as He guides our hearts (to will and to do). Philipians 2:13   I've never met anybody who has said...

  How do you describe to someone how to obtain this thing that you've got going on with God?    Yes, we've all got that scripture down that "you must be born again" (John 3:3), but as a step by step instructions, it leaves a lot to be desired in the "how to" details. In a nutshell, it can be very easily described as such: "The thing we all must do is repent (turn) from our known sins, and accepting Jesus, as he really is, to be our on-site manager." Sadly, we have been trained, by the church, not God's Word, to say to people, "you must make Jesus the Lord of your life."    Yes, this is what MUST happen, but that terminology has scared off many a damaged soul.   A lot of people, including me, find that given phrase a huge turn-off. It barks of a power struggle with someone who wants to wrestle you into submission. (nothing could be further from the truth with Jesus) I personally embraced the idea when offered as, "manager of my...

  "The Lord is my Shephard....   Have you ever read or recited this scripture and tried to mean it? If you have, then guess what that would make you?  That's right, a sheep. One of the most insecure and herd mentality driven mammals on this planet! Oh, and not very bright at all!  A mammal that was created to be led and cared for. Yep, we're sheep, alright. Our creator refers to us as "sheep" a few times in His Word... Did you know that sheep have rectangular pupils?  With their eyes on the side of their head, they have almost 360 degree of vision to help detect any potential danger. But it also makes them extremely skittish because when they catch a glimpse of something that they don't immediately recognize, they tend to immediately freak out. A branch unexpectedly moving, a falling rock, a tumbleweed, another sheep.... Sort of like us. The only thing that successfully puts them at ease is a shepherd that that they can run to.  The Lord speaks of...

    There's Still Hope! Do you think that God has possibly given up on you? Do you wonder if you've drifted too far?  If you do, I think we should together take a look at the Biblical truth of the Patience, Grace and Loyalty of God.  1st off, lets set the record straight.  "So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie.   Heb 6:18 He tells us about Himself here. Remember, He cannot lie!   "The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. Ps 103:8 and again;    "The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in Mercy." Ps 145:8   Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you and me? When God says something more than once He is trying to drive home a vital truth to us. It is almost incomprehensible to me when reading the books of Kings and Chronicles about how this ki...

CHANGES ARE INEVITABLE   I have a brother in my weekly Bible study who is an architect.  He describes how he would spend months and months designing a building, and then once it's underway, he would get called out to the job site to make corrections to his drawings. Not that they were incorrect, but that the workers built the building differently. The plans had to be a direct reflection of what was really out there, so he would go make changes to his drawings. Again and again..... This process is caĺled making the plans "as built." God started off with a perfect design for us, but we made some changes along the way without asking Him. (see the history of Genesis) Hence, the rest of the Bible became necessary after the first 3 chapters of Genesis! God had to make revisions to His plan for us to spend Eternity with Him. And the corrections were no small thing!  First, He gave us a list of do's and do not's that we were required to meticulously keep. They w...