GOD'S WORD.....GOING OUT.......AND COMING BACK TO HIM!!!!!!!!!
"Let the words of Jesus Christ, in all their richness, live in you and make you wise..."...Bringing praise, and worship, thanksgiving, and glory, and honor unto God...And love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control...and blessing and healing to your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers!!! (Colossians 3:15/Galatians 5:22)
"In all their richness..."
Oh, how rich is that???
So rich that all the riches and all the power of all the nations - are less than "dust on his scales" - as compared to his word. (Isaiah 40:15)
So desired, rich and powerful...that our brothers and sister in Jesus Christ in some countries risk themselves, their children and their grandchildren being killed by the government for having just a portion of God's Word.
(That also is a measure of how much the enemy fears God's word.)
So desired by our brothers and sisters, and so feared by the enemy...that in another nation - a pastor painstakingly copied Bible verses on pieces of toilet tissue, rolled it into tiny pieces and gave them to prisoners - who them hid them in cracks in the wall.
When this was discovered by the guards - the pastor was arrested (and most likely executed). The prisoners were tortured.
His Word is so rich and powerful - when it is received humbly and wholeheartedly it will continually transform our hearts, minds and spirits!
Because God says:
(Isaiah 55:11) "So shall my Word be that goes out of my mouth; it shall not return to me void (empty, without fruit), but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."
Jesus!!! O Jesus the living word of God. (John 1:1, 15, Revelation 19:13)
You came to Earth...Jesus Himself said "I speak just as the Father has told me." (John 8:28/12:50)
What did God say in Isaiah 55:11? "Every word that goes forth from my mouth."
Jesus - (when he was tempted by Satan) said:
"It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)
Jesus said "Your sins are forgiven." (Mark 2:5)
On the cross Jesus said "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Psalm 31:5)
And, Jesus said "It is finished." (John 19:30)...
"Your Word...coming back to you, Father..."
Oh but Jesus...You are coming back for us!!!!!
Oh God!!! Your word coming back to you...as prayers, declarations, thanksgiving, praises...ministering to others through our lives - having completed that for which You sent it, and prospering in that for which it was sent."
Let me tell you a story...
Several weeks ago, Mary and I visited two of Mary's aunts - Aunt Jean (age 95), and Aunt Noreen (age 97). (They both are retired teachers.)
Aunt Noreen Blackburn told me a couple of stories about her last two years of teaching (before she retired ) -
(She spoke to her students) -
A) "I can't teach you about the Bible - that is against the rules, but I am going to have my devotional time, and you can listen if you want to."
Later, when she finished, she told them, "If you want to know more - there is a box by the door with Bible lessons in it, you can pick one up as you leave."
After the children left, Aunt Noreen looked - and all the lessons were taken!
She continued doing her devotions, and putting Bible lessons in the box - the children would take them all.
Then children started coming from other classes, saying "I want some of those Bible lessons"!!!
B) One day at school, they brought some little African American children into Aunt Noreen's classroom and said:
"Mrs. Blackburn, these children can't learn anything! But could they just sit in your room so they will have someone to watch over them?"
Aunt Noreen said, "Sure."
[Aunt Noreen said to me (Barry)..."Everybody can learn something, so I asked these children, "Would you like to learn how to type?" They said "Yes."
(Now remember, it had been said "These kids can't learn anything.")
So Aunt Noreen taught them all how to type. First, she taught them how to type accurately; then told them, "Now that you are accurate, practice to increase your speed." (They all did learn to type.)
Fast forward about 30 years...Aunt Noreen was in a shopping mall...She heard someone call her name..." Mrs. Blackburn, Mrs. Blackburn"...It was an African American gentleman...He introduced himself, his wife and children, and he told Aunt Noreen:
"Mrs. Blackburn, you taught me how to type. That is how I make my living now. And I have a really good life!"...
Oh! Father!!! "Your word coming back to you."!!!
When Jesus Christ - "The word of God" (John 1:14/Revelation 19:13) comes back for us, takes us into heaven....
He will not be void (empty, fruitless).
He will be bringing back to the Father all of us - His children, and all that His Word has accomplished in and through our lives -
The harvest of His Word - will fill - all of heaven!!!
"Let the word of God, in all its richness, live in you and make you wise..." And let His harvest fill all of heaven!!!
Let us read His Word, study His Word, meditate on His Word, declare His Word, proclaim it, share it, email it, text it, sing His Word!!! For the glory of God and His kingdom!!!
Hallelujah!!!
All praise to Jesus Christ!!! (Revelation 5:12)
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
"Our plans and hopes..........OUR HIGHEST DREAMS..........HIS GREATER GLORY!!!!!!!!"
Thank You Lord, for yellow maple trees!!!
On our property line, but in a place that you cannot see from our house, is an especially beautiful maple tree. When the leaves change color in the autumn, the leaves on this specific tree become a beautiful shade of red ; and when the sun shines directly on that tree - the leaves are such a bright shade of red- it is as if they are glowing.....it is truly a beautiful, glorious sight!!!
(Our plans and hopes)---
A few years ago, I decided that I wanted to purchase two red maple trees just like that one (described above), so I could plant them near our home. I took a leaf from that very special red maple tree, preserved the leaf, and mailed it to a landscaping expert. I requested the expert to identify the species of the tree - so that I could buy two of them.
In his return letter, my friend-the landscape expert did identify the species of the tree; but he cautioned me that "there is no way to determine whether the leaves will be red, or yellow, when the trees mature!
Because the place where we live belongs to God---
"The earth is the Lord's, and all its
fullness,
the world and those who dwell
therein."
(Psalm 24:1)
--I prayed much, asking that His will be done, and if it can be His will - "please guide me so that I get the maple trees with that special shade of red in the autumn".
I purchased two maple trees and planted them in the chosen locations (near our home). The trees are now mature -- they are strong, healthy, and truly beautiful. And every fall, the leaves turn a beautiful shade of............yellow. And truly, they are beautiful!! Thank You Lord!!!
This fall (2014) as I walk through the woods surrounding our home, our Holy God in His perfect love -- is showing to me many different species of trees, in many different locations -- and they each have leaves of that special shade of red!!!!!
So, in His timing, I am seeing and enjoying the beautiful red leaves that I wanted.
In His love, Holy God our Father first gave to me the yellow maple trees- - - so that I would have greater appreciation for the red ones, and for the greater numbers and varieties and locations!
This is far more than just a story about trees and pretty leaves.....
It is a message from our Holy God Who is Almighty---He loves each of His children intensely -- and He wants to open "the eyes of our hearts" so that we can know - that He wants to do things in and through us that we would not dream of nor dare ask----- AS IT IS WRITTEN IN HIS WORD:
"Now to Him Who, by His power
that is at work in us, is able to do...
far over and above all that we dare
ask or think (infinitely beyond our highest
prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes,
or dreams)---to Him be glory in the church
and in Jesus Christ..."!!!!!!!!!
(Ephesians 3:20/Amplified Bible)
He wants to work in and through our lives to achieve His Kingdom Purposes, and to display His Holiness and HIS GREATER GLORY!!!!!!!!
God's timing in what He does is crucial.....
Let's take a look in the New Testament at the book of John...and what happened to Lazarus:
"Now a certain man was sick,
Lazarus of Bethany, the town of
Mary and her sister Martha.
"It was that Mary who anointed the
Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His
feet with her hair, whose brother Laza-
rus was sick.
"Therefore the sisters sent to Him (Jesus),
saying, 'Lord, behold, he whom You
love is sick.
"When Jesus heard that, He said,
'this sickness is not unto death, but
for the glory of God, that the Son of
God may be glorified through it.'
"Now Jesus loved Martha and her
sister and Lazarus.
"So when He heard that he (Lazarus) was sick,
(Jesus) stayed two more days in the place
where He was. (What???...Read the verse above again!!!!)
"Then after this He said to the disciples,
'Let us go to Bethany (in Judea) again.'
"Then Jesus said to them plainly,
'Lazarus is dead.
'And I am glad for your sakes that
I was not there, that you may believe.
Nevertheless let us go to him.'
"So when Jesus came, He found that
(Lazarus) had already been in the tomb
four days.
"Now Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord,
if You had been here, my brother
would not have died.
"But even now I know that what-
ever You ask of God, God will give
You.
"Jesus said to her, 'Your brother will
rise again.
"Martha said to Him, 'I know that
he will rise again in the resurrection
at the last day.
"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection
and the life. He who believes in Me,
though he may die, he shall live.
" 'And whoever lives and believes in Me
shall never die. Do you believe this?'
"She said to Him, 'Yes, Lord
I believe that You are the Christ, the
Son of God, who is to come into the world.'
"Then, when Mary came where Jesus was,
and saw Him, she fell down at His feet,
saying to Him, 'Lord, if You had been here,
my brother would not have died.'
"Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping,
and the Jews who came with her weeping,
He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.
"And He said, 'Where have you laid him?'
They said to Him, 'Lord, come and see.
"Jesus wept."
(Lazarus Raised from the Dead)
"Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself,
came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a
stone lay against it.
"Jesus said, 'Take away the stone.'
Martha, the sister of him who was dead,
said to Him, 'Lord, by this time there is a
stench, for he has been dead four days.
"Jesus said to her, 'Did I not say to you
that if you would believe you would see
the glory of God?'
"Then they took away the stone from the place where
the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up
His eyes and said, 'Father, I thank You that You
have heard Me.
'And I know that You always hear Me, but
because of the people who are standing by
I said this, that they may believe that You
sent Me.
"Now when He had said these things,
He cried with a loud voice,
'Lazarus, come forth!'
"And he who had died came out... bound
hand and foot with graveclothes, and his
face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus
said to them, 'Loose him, and let him go.'
Then many of the Jews who had come to
Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did,
believed in Him."
(John 11:1-7; 14-15; 17; 21-27; 32-35; 38-45)
Jesus got there four days after Lazarus died. When He got Mary and Martha's message - He stayed where He was at the time. He rarely does exactly what we want or ask. He always does His Father's will!!! (John 5:19; John 8:28; John 12:50; Matthew 26:39, 42)
God will allow us to get into situations that are beyond human help.
Why? In order to give Him an opportunity to display the glory of His resurrection life!!!
We all know that death is mighty........but Jesus is Almighty!!!
(A brief recap)----
Jesus did not heal Lazarus; He came at "4 days past dead", and resurrected him!!! And he gave Lazarus back to his family alive and well!
He did this so that He could demonstrate HIS RESURRECTION LIFE for HIS GREATER GLORY!!!!!!!!
Jesus Christ says, "I am the resurrection and the life. Believe in me."
(John 11:25-26)
Dear Brothers, Sisters, and Friends, let us believe in Jesus Christ more and more!!!
Let us submit to Jesus Christ more and more...so He can display His resurrection life
in and through our lives........
FOR HIS GREATER GLORY!!!!!!!!!!!!
YES!!!
(See also Ephesians 1:15-21)
Thank You Lord, for yellow maple trees!!!
On our property line, but in a place that you cannot see from our house, is an especially beautiful maple tree. When the leaves change color in the autumn, the leaves on this specific tree become a beautiful shade of red ; and when the sun shines directly on that tree - the leaves are such a bright shade of red- it is as if they are glowing.....it is truly a beautiful, glorious sight!!!
(Our plans and hopes)---
A few years ago, I decided that I wanted to purchase two red maple trees just like that one (described above), so I could plant them near our home. I took a leaf from that very special red maple tree, preserved the leaf, and mailed it to a landscaping expert. I requested the expert to identify the species of the tree - so that I could buy two of them.
In his return letter, my friend-the landscape expert did identify the species of the tree; but he cautioned me that "there is no way to determine whether the leaves will be red, or yellow, when the trees mature!
Because the place where we live belongs to God---
"The earth is the Lord's, and all its
fullness,
the world and those who dwell
therein."
(Psalm 24:1)
--I prayed much, asking that His will be done, and if it can be His will - "please guide me so that I get the maple trees with that special shade of red in the autumn".
I purchased two maple trees and planted them in the chosen locations (near our home). The trees are now mature -- they are strong, healthy, and truly beautiful. And every fall, the leaves turn a beautiful shade of............yellow. And truly, they are beautiful!! Thank You Lord!!!
This fall (2014) as I walk through the woods surrounding our home, our Holy God in His perfect love -- is showing to me many different species of trees, in many different locations -- and they each have leaves of that special shade of red!!!!!
So, in His timing, I am seeing and enjoying the beautiful red leaves that I wanted.
In His love, Holy God our Father first gave to me the yellow maple trees- - - so that I would have greater appreciation for the red ones, and for the greater numbers and varieties and locations!
This is far more than just a story about trees and pretty leaves.....
It is a message from our Holy God Who is Almighty---He loves each of His children intensely -- and He wants to open "the eyes of our hearts" so that we can know - that He wants to do things in and through us that we would not dream of nor dare ask----- AS IT IS WRITTEN IN HIS WORD:
"Now to Him Who, by His power
that is at work in us, is able to do...
far over and above all that we dare
ask or think (infinitely beyond our highest
prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes,
or dreams)---to Him be glory in the church
and in Jesus Christ..."!!!!!!!!!
(Ephesians 3:20/Amplified Bible)
He wants to work in and through our lives to achieve His Kingdom Purposes, and to display His Holiness and HIS GREATER GLORY!!!!!!!!
God's timing in what He does is crucial.....
Let's take a look in the New Testament at the book of John...and what happened to Lazarus:
"Now a certain man was sick,
Lazarus of Bethany, the town of
Mary and her sister Martha.
"It was that Mary who anointed the
Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His
feet with her hair, whose brother Laza-
rus was sick.
"Therefore the sisters sent to Him (Jesus),
saying, 'Lord, behold, he whom You
love is sick.
"When Jesus heard that, He said,
'this sickness is not unto death, but
for the glory of God, that the Son of
God may be glorified through it.'
"Now Jesus loved Martha and her
sister and Lazarus.
"So when He heard that he (Lazarus) was sick,
(Jesus) stayed two more days in the place
where He was. (What???...Read the verse above again!!!!)
"Then after this He said to the disciples,
'Let us go to Bethany (in Judea) again.'
"Then Jesus said to them plainly,
'Lazarus is dead.
'And I am glad for your sakes that
I was not there, that you may believe.
Nevertheless let us go to him.'
"So when Jesus came, He found that
(Lazarus) had already been in the tomb
four days.
"Now Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord,
if You had been here, my brother
would not have died.
"But even now I know that what-
ever You ask of God, God will give
You.
"Jesus said to her, 'Your brother will
rise again.
"Martha said to Him, 'I know that
he will rise again in the resurrection
at the last day.
"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection
and the life. He who believes in Me,
though he may die, he shall live.
" 'And whoever lives and believes in Me
shall never die. Do you believe this?'
"She said to Him, 'Yes, Lord
I believe that You are the Christ, the
Son of God, who is to come into the world.'
"Then, when Mary came where Jesus was,
and saw Him, she fell down at His feet,
saying to Him, 'Lord, if You had been here,
my brother would not have died.'
"Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping,
and the Jews who came with her weeping,
He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.
"And He said, 'Where have you laid him?'
They said to Him, 'Lord, come and see.
"Jesus wept."
(Lazarus Raised from the Dead)
"Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself,
came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a
stone lay against it.
"Jesus said, 'Take away the stone.'
Martha, the sister of him who was dead,
said to Him, 'Lord, by this time there is a
stench, for he has been dead four days.
"Jesus said to her, 'Did I not say to you
that if you would believe you would see
the glory of God?'
"Then they took away the stone from the place where
the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up
His eyes and said, 'Father, I thank You that You
have heard Me.
'And I know that You always hear Me, but
because of the people who are standing by
I said this, that they may believe that You
sent Me.
"Now when He had said these things,
He cried with a loud voice,
'Lazarus, come forth!'
"And he who had died came out... bound
hand and foot with graveclothes, and his
face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus
said to them, 'Loose him, and let him go.'
Then many of the Jews who had come to
Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did,
believed in Him."
(John 11:1-7; 14-15; 17; 21-27; 32-35; 38-45)
Jesus got there four days after Lazarus died. When He got Mary and Martha's message - He stayed where He was at the time. He rarely does exactly what we want or ask. He always does His Father's will!!! (John 5:19; John 8:28; John 12:50; Matthew 26:39, 42)
God will allow us to get into situations that are beyond human help.
Why? In order to give Him an opportunity to display the glory of His resurrection life!!!
We all know that death is mighty........but Jesus is Almighty!!!
(A brief recap)----
Jesus did not heal Lazarus; He came at "4 days past dead", and resurrected him!!! And he gave Lazarus back to his family alive and well!
He did this so that He could demonstrate HIS RESURRECTION LIFE for HIS GREATER GLORY!!!!!!!!
Jesus Christ says, "I am the resurrection and the life. Believe in me."
(John 11:25-26)
Dear Brothers, Sisters, and Friends, let us believe in Jesus Christ more and more!!!
Let us submit to Jesus Christ more and more...so He can display His resurrection life
in and through our lives........
FOR HIS GREATER GLORY!!!!!!!!!!!!
YES!!!
(See also Ephesians 1:15-21)
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