Instruction Simply

Simplicity. People seem to want simplicity. Sometimes people may feel and say that the Bible is complicated, difficult to understand.   Or they feel they don't know what God wants of them. They are looking for direction, simple instructions.

A portion of scripture was read a few Sundays ago and as I read more I saw instruction, simply.

It was from Romans 12, specifically verses nine through the end of the chapter

love

Abhor evil

Cling to good

Be kindly

honor

not lagging

fervent

serving

rejoicing

hope

patient

steadfastly

prayer

distributing

hospitality

Bless

not curse

Rejoice

weep with 

same mind 

humble

Repay no  evil

regard for good things

live peaceably

do not avenge 

feed

give 

overcome

love

Abhor evil

Cling to good

Be kindly

honor

not lagging

fervent

serving

rejoicing

hope

patient

steadfastly

prayer

distributing

hospitality

Bless

not curse

Rejoice

weep with 

same mind 

humble

Repay no  evil

regard for good things

live peaceably

do not avenge 

feed

give 

overcome

good

Some powerful words and simple enough. Even though I pulled them direcly from the text, I don't want to take words or instruction out of context. This passage is a letter written by the apostle Paul in about 50 A.D to the Christians in Rome. I am using the New King James Version translation of the passage which is titled

Behave Like a Christian 

📖 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Instruction simply.

🙏🏼Heavenly Father I pray this entire passage over each who is seeing this.  I pray simply

love

Abhor evil

Cling to good

Be kindly

honor

not lagging

fervent

serving

rejoicing

hope

patient

steadfastly

prayer

distributing

hospitality

Bless

not curse

Rejoice

weep with 

same mind 

humble

Repay no  evil

regard for good things

live peaceably

do not avenge 

feed

give 

overcome

good

AMEN ♥️

To Open Our Eyes

While Jesus walked this earth He lived with purpose; to teach and lead all to His Father.  But it was easy to hear Him, right?!  He was right in front of them. He lived with them.

From the account in Luke 24:15-49 I see some lessons for us.

After Jesus had been crucified and had risen from the dead and walked and talked among His Disciples and others, He showed us that He will help us hear...He will open our eyes.

📖 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” 

He wanted to listen! He wanted to hear what they had to say. He wants to hear us too!

17They stood still, their faces downcast.  One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

“What things?” he asked.

He knew "what things"...but wanted them to communicate with Him. To say our loud all that was in their hearts.

19 “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.  In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning  but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.  Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

These men talked about their sorrow and their pain and their uncertainty.  

25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!  Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”  And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

It may sound like Jesus was being harsh here...but I read it as "you silly children, don't you remember all that you have learned?""  Like your mother always said.  "Why don't you use the brain God gave you!" Then He went through it all again...as a patient, loving parent. He wanted them to know. 

28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther.  But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

It still may not have been revealed to them that this Man was actually Jesus Himself. But they did not want to part company, because something deep within them wanted to be with Him...to keep that connection.  We all have that...that deep need to know Jesus. To have Him with us in our lives, but we have to choose it. He is there beside us waiting for us to ask "please, come in...stay with me."

30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.  Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

When He broke bread with them....something ordinary.....the Spirit turned on the light bulb!  Their eyes were opened to who He was.  But He disappeared, because once they saw Him for who He was, and recognized that the "burning in their hearts" told them they knew all along, they didn't need His physical presence. 

33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

They had seen and heard and were given assurance...and they were going to make sure to tell the others. To spread the word that He was alive and that He opened their eyes!

36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”  They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.  He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

He comes and again appears to them physically to give validity to what the two were witnessing about and to calm them...He wanted them to be at peace, so that they could see and hear the truth.

40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”  They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.  He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.  He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.  I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”  

I personally love the fact that it is around something so simple and everyday ...sharing a meal...that He opens the eyes of those with Him. 

I believe we need to makes sure Jesus is a part of our every day, even our mundane so that He can open our eyes to His presence, His word and His truth. 

We shouldn't take "grace" or "the blessing" over our meal lightly. These were important moments and can be for us as well. If we take the time to walk with Him, listen, to communicate with Him, tell Him what is on our hearts...He will open our eyes to His truth that He desires us to see. And we will be changed! These men "knew" all this already...with head knowledge. But what an amazing transformation when their eyes were opened to the presence of Jesus and were reminded of all the truths they already had known. 

🙏🏼 Lord we are grateful You desire to hear us and to be with us. I pray we take the time to walk with You. I pray You open our eyes to what You want us to see. 

📖 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,  and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:18-19. AMEN♥️

Dark To Light

As we prepared for yesterday's solar eclipse..to go from sunlight to be plunged into darkness ...even if only for a few minutes...I think back to last week and the events that Easter week commemorates.

Jesus's triumphant entry into Jerusalem, His death, burial and resurrection. 

But for this particularly His death.

📖 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land Matthew 27:45

How frightening to experience darkness falling in the middle of the day!

We didn't have to have fear yesterday..we knew it was coming...the hype has been everywhere for weeks, months even!

But when Jesus died it was an earth shattering, rock splitting, curtain tearing event!

📖 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split.   Matthew 27:50-51

My thoughts went to how we go into darkness...when we allow sin to eclipse the Light of Christ. 

📖 But your iniquities have separated

    you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you,
    so that he will not hear. Isaiah 59:2

It was a very strange sensation to have it get dark mid day. The shadows looked strange.  And once totality hit...it wasn't complete blackness...but an erie, chilled twighlight. 

Our journey into sin can be the same way; as it creeps across our view of Christ it produces shadows that we might not even notice. It begins to cool our excitement and relationship with Jesus. And as it progresses the darkness just gets stronger and stronger. 

But the eclipse only lasted two hours in its entirety. 

We can allow sin to eclipse our view of Christ for ages sometimes. Months...years. 

BUT we can move back to Light!

📖  When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  John 8:12

We choose to move the sin out of the way and when we do the Son shines brightly in our lives. 

📖 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.” Luke 11:36

Another thought; we have to view the Son the right way. 

We need to see Him through the Scriptures.  We can "make" Jesus into what we think He is or should be.

📖 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.  If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.1 John 1:5-7

 We must view Jesus through scripture to see Him as He is...He can come to each of us differently and meet us where we are. BUT He will never be anything outside of what the Holy Bible states.

Just like it would be dangerous for us to view the sun without the special glasses. It is dangerous to see Jesus without The Word.

Another observation; as the eclipse started the sun was a yellow orange color. But when the darkness began to move off of the sun's surface and totality was ebbing ...the sun was a brilliant white light!

When we repent, turn away from sin and remove it from our lives the brightness is amazing. 

📖  When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. Exodus 34:29

Only with Christ's Light can we truly shine!!

Praying that you "totally" enjoyed God's amazing show yesterday. 🌕🌖🌗🌘🌚🌒🌓🌔🌞

📖 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

🙏🏼Lord, I pray that we all see You as You are in God's Holy Word. That we do not allow sin to eclipse our hearts from your Light. Give us the wisdom to see, the strength to repent, and the humility to turn to You! Amen♥️

📖 The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’ Numbers 6:25-26

A New Day ... To Choose

Yesterday was the celebration of Jesus's resurrection. He rose to life from death! 

He willingly suffered, died and was buried in a tomb...remained there and on the third day walked from that dark place into the new morning so that WE can have new life!

📖 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Romans 6:3-4

April 1st ....a new month, a new day!

Is it? Is today new for you?!

Today I choose to follow Him.

📖  Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23

Today I choose to Love ANYONE, EVERYONE with the love of Jesus.

📖  “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

Today I choose His forgiveness for all my sins and wrongs.

📖 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.   Matthew 26:27-28

Today I choose to remove anything that hinders my service to Him.

📖  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.  Ephesians 4:30-32

Today I choose to be an example of Christ's love

📖  Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Today I choose to not let my circumstances, people, or situation dictate my attitudes and behaviors.  I want the knowledge of what Christ has done for me and His Spirit within me to be what is evident  

📖 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25

Today I choose!

📖 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

YOU, reading this today, are a part of my family...my "house"

As for me and MY HOUSE....

🙏Heavenly Father, Amazing God, with humble hearts because of the great thing You have done for us, (the giving of Your only Son to willingly suffer and die for our sins to rise again in victory over death and Hell) we choose to follow Christ today! And with that ALL the forgiveness of our sins and ALL that You fill us with; Your Holy Spirit, Your love, grace, mercy, compassion, joy, peace, gratitude, 

generosity.  I pray that all You have poured into us we let spill out onto and into all those around us! In Jesus Holy name Amen!!♥️