ATTITUDE OF MARY

Mary, the mother of Jesus, gets a bum wrap about this time each year.
We either elevate her higher than she should be or we totally discard what she gave unto God.
If you really look at her, you see that she gave everything to be a servant of the Lord.
She gave up her plans for the future.
She gave up friends and possibly family because of the social stigma connected with the birth of Jesus.
Yet before it all began, when the angel came to inform her of God's intention we read of her response.

Luke 1:38
Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true."

The recognition of her position: "I am the Lord's servant."
The surrender of her will: "I am willing to accept whatever He wants."
The faith to believe: "May everything you have said come true."

How we love to wrestle with God. To interject ourselves into his plans as if we were part of a democracy. It isn't a democracy, it is simply God's plan and our obedience. Nothing more, nothing less.

Let us be like Mary.
A willing servant who lays aside every aspect of their life in order to embrace the life God is calling them to.

God on you........

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KNOW.....NOT BELIEVE

 

Sometimes in the process of putting together a message for our service, I will find myself parked in certain portions of Scripture that seem really odd at first glance. Such was the case yesterday as I was reading in Luke. It being the Christmas season, I though it might be good to begin to look into the portions of scripture that deal with the birth of Jesus.
Reading in Luke chapter 1, I found myself locked onto a particular verse........verse 4.

"So that you may know the certainty of the things that you have been taught."

Luke writing to a man named Theophilus wanting to provide for him an orderly account of the events surrounding Jesus' life and death (and resurrection). Luke driven by the thought of wanting his friend to know, understand, come to grips with and be settled once and for all time in his mind and life the value and truth of all that he had been taught.

Do you know without a shadow of doubt of the certainty of the things you have been taught? Or do you find yourself swayed and buffeted by popular opinion? Everyone has an opinion, especially during this time and day. Each person holds high their opinion as being a banner of truth. Truth has become an understanding that has no part in the everyday practice and ability to live life.
Truth may be that it is alright for you to be unfaithful to your spouse.
Or that cheating on your taxes is not a bad thing as long as you don't get caught.
When we do not know the certainty of the things we have been taught, then we are open to compromise and we will trade the eternal things of God for the shiny, flashy, temporary things of this world.

If we are not being taught the basic Biblical principals of God, how can we expect to live a life that is truly within the calling of salvation? We somehow have a constructed a religion that has found its place in the mainstream of Christianity that allows for the sin to be forgiven and justified without asking anything of the sinner. That is why it is important for you to know the certainty of the things you have been taught. If you are not being taught or you consider such things a foolishness ask yourself this question, "Why am I upset by reading this post?" Is it that the Holy Spirit has uncovered things in your life that you thought were o.k. but, in truth, were an offense to God?

Repent and turn to God.
Become a student of the Word of God.
Ask God to show you how to live.
Do it!

God on you...........
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I AM A NEW CREATION OF INFINITE WORTH

 

Isaiah 43:18-19
Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing. Now it shall spring forth. Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.


I have spoken with a lot of folks this past week who seem to not have anything to be thankful for.
Every story I  have heard is tinged with the power of things that took place in their past.
The past has a stranglehold on them. It chokes out any life that tries to come in. It loudly defines the individual in their mind, to the point that any hope of a future is clearly destroyed by the behaviors of the past.

I have seen men and women who, because of past failures and attempts to be clean and sober, actually sabotage their own recovery when they start having some success. Why? Because in their minds, failure is just around the corner waiting to drop down on them. So if failure is inevitable, then why not go ahead and stop this nonsense about being sober. That is what I refer to as "addict-a-logic".  

Sometimes we have a tendency to focus on the actual steps, at the expense of the One who can make all things possible. We read the steps and can only see them being carried out by our own strength, willpower and effort. They sound good. They seem like they would work, but our past keeps telling us, "It's not use! You can't do this."

What's the answer? 
A simple formula.

Person = Performance + what others think about me

This formula shows how we have a tendency to get our self worth from what we have done in the past (Our performance). We are also heavily influenced by what other people think about us. If our past behavior, or performance, has been one of destruction and addiction, then our self worth is at an all time low. The main thought that invades our thinking and directs our actions is "I am a terrible person----look what I have done in my past."  Any thought of moving on and having something positive in our life is automatically attacked by the "I'm a terrible person" thought. So what is the answer? Simple. Jesus.

Jesus? You mean the guy in the Bible? Yep..that Jesus.

Step # 1 / #2 / and #3 put is into a right relationship with Him.
We are powerless....we are the problem....

He is the Power......He is the answer....

I make a decisions to turn will and life over to His care.

SO, how does that eliminate the view I have of being this terrible creature because of my past behavior?

I have to replace those old thoughts with some new truth.

Hebrews 10:14 -  For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

What offering? Jesus. He gave himself as a payment for every bad thing...every bad thought...every bad behavior we ever had, or will have. He died as a payment for my sin. (Sin being the very nature that drives me to be independent from God). He settled my "past" once and for all. Truth be known, Jesus broke the power my past had over me.

The verse goes on to say that "He HAS perfected forever". Not "will perfect", but past tense "Has".  What is it that has been perfected? Why my person.....that question has been settled by Jesus doing for me what I could not do for myself. SO when God looks at me, He sees me as perfect. DO I feel perfect? Do I sense that I have risen above life to a new state of being? Probably not. But hey....it isn't about me feeling something. It's about the truth of God, and the truth is He sees me as perfect. The question about my self worth has been answered once and for all time. So what does that leave?

My performance.

My behavior.

The rest of the journey you will take in the twelve steps addresses your behavior.

It goes to the root of such behavior through Step #6 and #7, the acknowledgement of our character defects and a willingness to have God remove them.

If you don't seem to have anything to be thankful for this holiday season....
Then proclaim the truth that you are no longer a victim tied to your past and defined by what you have done.

Because of Christ's Redemption...
I am a new creation of infinite worth...
I am deeply loved...
I am completely forgiven...
I am fully pleasing....
I am totally accepted by God...
I am absolutely complete in Christ...

God on you....

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THANKSGIVING 2022

Well, here we are!  Thanksgiving 2022. Seems like it was only yesterday when everyone was worried about Y2K. Time has a way of slipping along whether we are ready or not.

It has been a banner year for Vicki and me. We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary a few months back. This year was my 25th year as a pastor. Yes, I got started kind of late in my life, but I wouldn't trade this past 25 for anything in the world.

Maybe because of all the years that have piled up around me the words of Psalm 100 take on a new meaning on this Thanksgiving day.

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you land! Serve the Lord with gladness, come before His presence with singing..

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to  Him and bless His name.

(Why should we do this?)  For the Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.

Thanksgiving, to me, isn't about the things I have....it is about celebrating the goodness of God in spite of this dark, dark world and the death and destruction that comes through sin. It is about a God who did not give up on mankind, but sent His Son to be the ransom payment so that we could have eternal life in His presence. That is what I am truly thankful for.

So.....from Vicki, Michael, Chad, Robin, Tyler, Ashley, Josh, Heather.....the Bynum's...we wish you a day of Thanksgiving and that the Spirit of God would rest on you, grow in you, and flow from you.

God on you....

michael b. 

RAMBLE TAMBLE WEDNESDAY

 

Sometimes we need to revisit verses in Scripture because the ring of truth has grown silent and we do not heed it any more.

The verse in question may have become such a part of knowledge (head/intellect) that we have lost sight of the simple, life-giving truth it imparted to us when we first read it.

I pray that this morning, God would grant to you "new eyes" and "fresh vision" to see His words again for the first time. That as you read them, you would let them soak deep inside your spirit.

Colossians 2:6-7 reads: And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him. Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he had done.

Notice that it reads that we are to draw nourishment from Jesus. Nourishment? Yes, the evidence in our life that the truth of God has the power and ability to change us. We draw nourishment every time we say "no" to our sinful nature. Every time we put aside our own decisions and wants and desires to embrace what God wants for us, we are fed. Every time we open the Bible, asking God to draw up the Holy Spirit in us so that we might understand what we are going to read, we grow in Him.

I guess the greatest weapon the enemy ( the devil) can use against a believer is to draw him into a place of apathy and complacency. From this place, we easily slip into acting religious instead of having a relationship. We go through the motions. We sing the songs and put our five dollars in the offering plate, but we do not "hear" the message that is delivered by the pastor. Or if we do hear it, we believe it is for every one else but us. When was the last time you heard the word of God preached and it struck you hard? It stirred up the brokenness that drew you to Jesus. I'm not talking about getting saved again, I'm talking about the realization that He truly is God and you are nothing without him. That He alone holds your very life and gives to you every day to live. When was the last time you were stirred for the people around you who do not know this Jesus you claim to live for? That their salvation was the main thought...the main concern in your heart, and that your prayers was for God to give you strength to share with them.

The word of God should impact us when we read it.
The word of God should stir within us a longing for the Kingdom of God here on earth as it is in heaven.
Think on these things.....

God on you.....
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THE HOLY DOOR KNOB

 

(Posted back in 2014, but felt like I was to share this again)

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He even gave up His only begotten Door Knob, so that whoever believes in, trusts in, clings to, relies on the Door Knob shall not perish or come to destruction but have eternal everlasting life.

Did I read that right?
Door knob?
Well, some would have you believe that in following the twelve steps, you get to pick your higher power. If you can't find anything or anyone to call your higher power, then use a door knob or a coffee cup until you do. 

In the beginning of A.A. there was no question as to the identify of who the Higher Power was...It was God. Bill Wilson was changed by an encounter with God. Given up as hopeless drunk, Bill found sobriety as he cried out to God and simply gave up. There in his hospital room, Bill was suddenly bathed in a warmth and presence that forever changed him. He no longer had the desire to drink.

Next year will be the 80th anniversary of A.A. and like I said, things have changed. In an effort to appease some, the focus has been watered down. Before I go any farther, I would like to point out that from the very beginning, A.A. has never been nor will it be a religious organization. It was never intended to be a place where deep theology is discussed, or doctrine practiced. It was, and continues to be a fellowship of people who have found a common purpose....to pursue a state of sobriety that had escaped them in the past.  The only qualification to be a member of A.A. is a desire to stop drinking/ using. But make no mistake...the Higher Power mentioned in the big book IS God.

This past week, for me, has been a celebration of what God has done in the lives of a number of people who have escaped the bondage of addiction.
Got a call from a person who is chasing after Jesus. Been out there for a while and grew tired of the struggle. Monday, he got a call for a job interview. Good job with benefits. He went for the interview and now is employed. He is doing all the little things necessary to keep his sobriety. 

Another person called, filled with gratitude for the meeting they are attending. God has surrounded this individual with good people who are like minded in their pursuit of Jesus. They have gotten a taste of what real life is all about, and they want more. This man has found the truth of the twelve steps. You get to keep your sobriety when you give it away to others.

Calls about family being brought together and united for the first time in a long time. Calls to simply thank me (like I had anything to do with it) for showing them the way out . Last but certainly not least happened last night.

One of the men at Rapha found a baby duck that had been abandoned. I mean this little fellow had just hatched. He was injured and without some sort of intervention, would wind up a meal for some other animal. This duck, who has been christened "HENRY", was fixed up in a box with grass, straw, some water and food,  But the new keeper of the duck was concerned that it would die. He kept coming back to check on it. He would pick it up and hold it, talking to it in an effort to quiet it. I was getting ready to leave last night when the new owner and the duck, along with several others showed up. "Brother Mike, we don't know what to do, so we thought we'd ask you to pray for Henry." I explained to them that God is concerned with all His creation and even knows when a sparrow falls to earth. So there in that room, we gathered around that box and we prayed for Henry. This may seem like a silly thing to some, but to these men it was a big deal. The realized that they were powerless to help Henry and needed a power greater than themselves that could bring healing. Sounds kind of like the twelve steps, doesn't it? I think maybe what we had there in this encounter with an abandoned baby duck and a group of me in treatment, was a little show-and-tell from God about the state of their own lives. 
So, if you would....
Throw up a prayer for Henry.

God on you..
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HE IS THE REAL DEAL

 

Matthew 1: 21
And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS.....
For He will save His people from their sins.....

Not many ways you can tell the story of Jesus that hasn't already been shared....
But that doesn't stop me from proclaiming my love and life for Him.
Why?
Because everything I am....
Everything I possess....
Everything I know.....
IS because of Him.
Simple as that.
I live under the fullness and direction of His Holy Spirit, given as a guide to help me navigate this dark world.
By His hand, I base all my daily choices upon what His desire is.....
Not mine....

My life for His....
He killed the old "me" when I came confessing and repenting....
He killed that old nature that loved sin...and in doing so, He did three things for me.
He broke the power of sin in my life
He paid the penalty of sin, a debt I could never pay....
And He separated me from the presence of sin.....
That is why on this week of Thanksgiving, I give thanks for my HIGHER POWER!!!
JESUS!

Do you know Him?
I don't mean have you heard of Him..
Or do you have some information about Him.
I mean do you really know Him.
Have you been touched by the sheer magnificence of His presence?
A touch that you will not soon forget.
A touch that will change everything.
My prayer is that we all run into Him today.....

God on you...
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DIE TO LIVE-- OR LIVE TO DIE

 

Paul, the Apostle talking.....er...writing.
"I beseech you, therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

Isn't it odd that Paul would use images of pagan worship and human sacrifice to demonstrate the power of serving and living for the God of the Bible? 
Paul is trying to keep everything relevant and open when it comes to embracing this new life with Christ. That is exactly what it is...a new life. A new way of seeing things. A new way of doing business with the world. Paul addresses the practical, day-to-day living and interaction that we each have with other believers and with those who haven't come to this relationship we now have.

I think maybe the crux of the whole Romans 12:1-2 thing, is that we present ourselves to God to receive His Holy Spirit. We don't do this on our own accord. It's like trying to embrace the 12 Steps by doing it the way you want to. Most people in addiction have what is commonly referred to as a 2-step program...."Step # 1 - I've got a problem and Step # 12--- Now go give it away. We don't like all the "Stuff" found in Steps #2-11." 

Here in the opening verses of Romans 12, we see that we are not to serve the individual (my own selfish needs, wants and desires), but rather, serve God. He directs our steps as we seek Him daily. 
We are not to give in to peer-pressure or influence from those we use to run with in our old life. Nor are we to allow ourselves to be conformed to the morals and dictates of what society says is appropriate.

I like how the Message Bible states Romans 12:1-2

 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Giving myself....body,soul and spirit to God so that, through me, he can reach others who need to hear my story. I become God's 12-stepper, filled with His Spirit, not the spirit of this world. My message is clear---Jesus is the Higher Power you've been looking for.

So in this Romans 12:1-2 attitude, I become a living, breathing, walking around individual, that daily gives myself to God. That doesn't mean that I get saved every day, but it does mean that I die to "self" every day.
Food for thought....
Have you "died" for Him today so He can live in you?

God on you....
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FAITH

 Luke 8:25 - But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"

Luke 5:20 - When He saw their faith.......

Faith....strange word. A word that seems to be seen differently by people. Oh, I know the book answer about "evidence of things not seen"....."Substance of things hoped for." Still it seems to carry this ethereal, whispy kind of definition to it. Fact of the matter is that Faith is something that has been planted deep in the heart of every person. If you read Romans 12:4 then you'll see this at the very end of the verse. "As God has dealt to each one a measure of faith."

Faith is what is activated by the Holy Spirit when we come under conviction for our sin. Looking everywhere for an answer to our problem, we find that faith leads us to Christ as the only answer for our freedom from the darkness that is consuming us. One translation reads that faith is the handle, the title deed to our salvation. In other words, it is that unseen force within us that draws and binds us to Christ. Maybe that is why II Corinthians 5:7 tells us that we are to "Walk by faith, not by sight." To not focus on what we can see, but allow what we see to turn to Christ for direction and guidance, helping us to navigate life.

Faith in Christ keeps me grounded though the world around me is crumbling. Faith draws me to see beyond my current situation and circumstance, and see the truth of who God is and what He has promised He would do.

Faith doesn't always take me out of dark times. Sometimes faith gives me strength to walk through the painful times. To embrace my situation, not allowing doubt and fear to chisel away my faith.

Oh I'm no expert when it comes to this thing we call faith. I know it is real. I know that my faith in Christ has kept me moving forward all these years in spite of what the world may tell me. Faith is the spiritual glue that connects me to Christ no matter what my day holds. I know that He will be there to show me His way.

Today I am grateful for this thing we call faith... No need to say anything else.

God on you...

michael b

I WILL MEET YOU THERE

 

The Ark of the Covenant. Ark, meaning box, was built by the Israelites under the direction of Moses who had received instruction from God on "how to".  In Exodus 25:22 we read where God tells Moses, "I will meet you there and talk to you from above the atonement cover between the gold cherubim that hover over the Ark of the Covenant. From there I will give you my commands for the people of Israel."

Imagine that! God gives a specific location where He will be and that He will communicate from that place. Instruction....
Guidance.....
Encouragement.....
Discipline.....
All given from this location. You might be busy during the day, but at some point drop what you were doing and walk over to the Tabernacle. Everyone did not have access to this Ark, only the High Priest. But even as one of the many Israelites, you could at least be near when the High Priest went into the holy of holies. You could watch as the priest's took the tabernacle down and moved the ark. As cool as this was, what God has done for us through the work of Jesus Christ is more amazing. I understand the fascination that the Ark holds for people. But what God has brought forth for humanity is beyond comprehension. No longer do we have to go to a tabernacle and offer sacrifices. No longer do we have to have someone else hear God for us. No longer do we have to rely on a system of ritual and tradition. We have a high priest who entered the holy of holies once and for all time, pouring his blood out to pay the ultimate price for the salvation of humanity.
If you notice the picture of the ark, you'll notice the two angels (Cherubim) on the cover or lid. Seems as thought the idea of Cherubim has been a staple in God's kingdom.

Genesis 3:24 - After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

Cherubim are a class of angels that guard access to God's presence (Ezek. 28:14). God, in the Exodus 25 passage, states that He would dwell between the Cherubim. Now let's flash forward to a tomb on the outskirts of Jerusalem. A place of the dead. A place that holds nothing but memories of loved ones that have gone on. But here in this place we will find something very interesting. In this tomb the body of Jesus had been laid. Early on the first day of the week, women have gone to finish the burial preparation of Jesus. When they arrive they are greeted by a sight that has seems all too familiar. John 20:12....."She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the others at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying."  Sound familiar? Two angles? Ark of the Covenant? 

God gave the Law to Moses and at the Ark, it was placed inside. Here the reality of man's ability and future was sealed. The Law gave definition to sin and sin brought forth death and destruction to humanity. But in the tomb, the Law was satisfied through death and resurrection of Jesus. Mankind would no longer die in their sins, because salvation had come. Now, here in this tomb, stood two angels to proclaim to the world that "He has risen!" What began as a gold box built by the hands of sinful man, ended with the power of the Holy Spirit invading death and taking back the glorified, risen Son of God. And it is because of this that I have access into the holy of holies. It is because of this I can come boldly to the God's throne of Grace. It is because of Jesus, that the Law no longer holds sway over me. Praise God! Praise God! Praise God!..If that doesn't set you on fire, then your wood is wet.

God on you.....
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RAISING UP WHAT HAS BEEN TORN DOWN

 

Nehemiah 1:3 /  They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.

Walls around the city of Jerusalem have been torn down. Gates meant to allow passage into and out of the city were now non-existent. The enemy of Jerusalem could come and go as they pleased. Something had to be done. Instead, it seemed as if everyone lamented the plight of this once proud city, but no one came forward to address the situation. That is until God called a man named Nehemiah to take on this task.

Is your life like the walls of Jerusalem? Have you allowed the enemy to tear down and create openings in your heart, your will and your life where he can come and go. Without any protection at all, without rising up and saying, "No more! I will rebuild the walls of my life, the enemy will continue to ravage you. Bringing temptations and dark thoughts to your heart and mind. Thoughts, that because you have no walls of protection, rumble around in your mind. Thoughts to take matters into your own hands, seeing as how God has deserted you. Nothing could be farther from the truth than this lie.

Once a person commits to turn will and life over to the care of God, a rebuilding process begins under the direction of the Holy Spirit. It isn't an over night work but one that is near and dear to God's heart. To see us resurrect the broken down places in our life so that the enemy won't have access. If you are familiar with the 12 steps, you know that they are a kind of "blue-print" on rebuilding a broken life. Removing the rubble of our character defects, and allowing God to replace our old ways with His "fruit of the Holy Spirit." So where does fruit come from? A tree mostly. The Holy Spirit is the tree. His work produces a fruit (or evidence of His presence) in my life, as I look to Him to guide me daily.

You might want to check out the book of Nehemiah. Using my best theological vocabulary, I would say that the book of Nehemiah was "GOOD STUFF."
So what do you say? Let's rebuild some walls.

God on you...

mbb

GOOD WAY TO START OUR WEEK

 

Matthew 28:20
........and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the (very) close and consummation of the age. Amen (let it be).

Words of Jesus....
A promise, if you will, of His commitment to those who choose to follow Him.
He was there last night while you slept.
He is there this morning when you woke up.
He will follow you, as you follow Him, through out this day.

More than a presence standing silent in the back ground, this Jesus will speak to your heart and guide you through this day.
Guess what? If you got up sober this morning (something that you found hard to do in your old life), then you got up ahead of the curve. You got up with a wonderful present in grasp. You are sober. Now, all you have to do is maintain this gift until bedtime tonight. Will there be struggles during the day? You bet'cha. You might ever run into some problems or even situations where you don't have any answers to the solution. But Jesus is there for you. He is the stability that will help you not run back to the old ways. He is the firm foundation that will tell you to stand and weather the storm that rages around you, and in your emotions. After all, He did promise to be with you, did He not?

II Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself (or seek out) strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him.
We have lived far to long with an appetite for the things of this world. Things that never satisfy, but only leave us empty and dark craving for more. We get caught up in a viscous cycle that unless checked will take us to destruction. 
There is nothing you will face today that you cannot overcome, move through, or go over with Jesus' help.
Think on these things....

God on you...
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THE TOUCH THAT GIVES

 

In the book of Romans Chapter one, we read "For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established----"

The impartation of truth is a huge part of Scripture.
One person sharing and giving to another what God has freely given to them.

It isn't magic.
It isn't something mystical....
It is God at work.
Why is it when we humans can't define what it is God is doing, we call it mystical or supernatural?

When God is the one implementing his plans and empowerment among humanity...

it is very natural.
That is God's nature, to give away to those who are seeking him.

Does He not say in Matthew 6:33 "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you."

Translated: God will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the kingdom of God your primary concern.

It is my aim, here on this blog to give to you...
To impart to you....

Through words....
What God has given to me.

Understand that I am the least in this equation.

It isn't about me.
IT is about us and God.

I have to find truth for my own life, because society bombards us with false messages everyday.

"Live this way!"

"Buy this and you'll be a better person!"

"Do what feels good!"

All lies from the father of lives, the devil.

SO what is the gift I wish to give today?
Something I read this morning in my Recovery Bible.

At the heart of the gospel is the truth that God is bigger than our past.

In other words, it doesn't matter what you have done in your past,
You are not beyond God's forgiveness and salvation.
There is no pit so deep that God is not deeper.
There is no darkness so strong that God cannot overcome.
There is no life so far gone that God cannot redeem.

God is in the reclamation business.
Reclaiming broken lives and hearts to heal and restore.
Receive this word today and let it resonate in your heart.
I needed to be reminded of this truth.

Sometimes the events and situations that we face can almost overwhelm us and suffocate us.
But God will bring truth that will lift us out of these places of death and bring life to us.

Let that be for you today.
Life.
God life.

Real life.

Oh yeah...

One more thing.....

God on you this day....

michael b.