It Isn't Fair.

Nothing personnel just business;  When I worked in retail years ago, why did we have a six second say hello rule.While no one now acknowledges your presence. If they do it's because your in the way of "their work.".

Why was it the students fault for their "F" and now it's the teachers fault.

Why was the Kid going to Sunday School called the sissy now he's a hater or bully.

Why was the our generation told to speak our minds and now You are held back or fired for leaving the box.

Why were bigots, picking on certain groups back in the day, and  now the certain groups are bigots. Why not just drop the characteristic altogether!

OLD LIFE.

So many followers of Christ desire someone to lay hands on them and pray so they won't steal or...do this, or do that, (we have our own list of sins and "mistakes").   But  Paul wrote in the Bible to; get rid of, mortify, and put off the old man. We bear much of the responsibility. It has been a matter of choice since "in the beginning." But through help of God's Holy Spirit and Christ's victory over sin and death, it is possible!

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Lazarus had been dead four days.  Jesus said:  "Lazarus come forth!" Take off his grave clothes."  He was alive now and didn't need grave clothes anymore

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Paul said to put off the old man, because you are not dead anymore with all the sinful nature with it's pride and excuses.  We are to repent and change.  It is more than turning over a new leaf!  Spiritually we will have a new life.  Old things having passed away all things made new. We then put on the new clothes of being a new man.  Talking the talk and walking the walk.Put off the old man and put on Christ and His righteousness.  Draw near to God and He will draw new to you.

Thank You Lord!

I grew up in a church going family that believed  the Bible and loved God.  Were they perfect?  No, I was the only one.  My parents taught that it was not another world religion but that it was a personal relationship with God.

Thank you Lord that you loved us so much.  There are some who think He is intolerant or doesn't even exist.  I for one do not believe they have looked into, what is the Bible,  speaking and even listening to hear what God would say to their spirit.

I don't believe in everything that is out there in the name of the spirit realm, nor do I think masses would continue to worship  after all this time if the Spirit of God wasn't miraculously  transforming hearts and minds. I thank the Lord that we can be reborn into the family of God. realizing His presence with us.  He said :"I will never leave you or forsake you." I have found that to be true. Thank God for His peace, power, purpose and provision. Let me invite anyone to look for yourself. Check out the book of John or Colossians. you'll see, He loves you.

Thank you Lord!

COMPASSION gives food AND shares the Gospel of Christ

Churches are almost on every corner.  Food banks are located throughout cities and regions.  Both are emptying out.  Short on worshipers and those that share the gospel, short on volunteers to hand out or deliver food/clothing.

Short on Compassion.

"The world is quickly going to hell.  They don't come to Church and uninterested in the things of God!"  That's what makes them the world. They are doing what the world without Christ would do. We shouldn't be surprised when shootings, political and church scandal happens.  Hungry people without God in their lives stealing, is not a new concept.  The craziness in the daily news is par for the course.

Some fault might lie with me and...c'mon..some of you.  We know it to be true; throwing money at these issues, in the long run, will not help.  The Church says we love people but do not communicate with the people three city blocks in either direction. Many Church groups are irrelevant to the community.

Big on dinner on the grounds, short on compassion to the neighborhood.  Talk about a comfort zone and a safe place where the only hurt some people realize in the church life  is when the pastor is to busy to shake their hand.  Like the mother said to her whining child: "If that is all you have to cry about you're doing pretty good.."

I thank God for those Groups and the body of believers that are selfless, that  have and display compassion for those in and outside of the church house.We can applaud and get on board with church leadership to share the message and love of God. We can live to tell others about the way, truth and the life! Smiling and food is not sharing the truth of peace with God through faith in Christ.  Sorry, in sharing the gospel, we must also use words much of the time with the balance of compassionate action.(living in the park with the homeless alone isn't enough). Paul writes "How can they hear..."

Eternity spent with God?  is by Grace alone, through faith alone,  in Christ alone

Those churches  that continue; growing numerically and spiritually are living empowered by the Holy Spirit directed and going to the village and lakeside, with Christlike compassion.

Many individuals, groups and entire churches are providing:   Canned goods, fruit and vegetables, bread.  and giving resources of time, talents and finances.  including;  Bibles, education  and wisdom sharing,  for those in the community  to develop Godly life choices.

"And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, for they were like sheep having no shepherd.  So He began to teach them many things."  Mark 6: 34.

JESUSCARE

We've heard for quite awhile how wonderful Government ran Health insurance will be. Past Presidents have desired to make it available, giving speech after speech of it's benefits  Now it is passed and they have nicknamed it; "Obamacare".  It has so far  lived up to the initial concerns or worries, that it's opposition warned about. There are worries and future concerns as well. Yet it sounds good to the "masses".

We just remembered  Palm Sunday.  We celebrate the kingly entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.  The road was packed with travelers coming to Passover feast with Jesus riding a humble donkey. Those that already arrived went out to meet Jesus and they shouted, announcing; He was their King and Messiah. 

Many there, wrongly assumed He was there to defeat the Romans. Most of them either heard or witnessed Him miraculously  feed the hungry, heal the sick and even raise some of the dead. Obviously He had their vote.  They just knew when Jesus arrived into town this week, He would begin His earthly Kingdom.

That sounds like the twenty-first century church. Many of us are only concerned about our health, our money, and position on the church organizational chart!  ("Jesuscare").   Resulting in us, on our schedule, building our Kingdom.

Jesus Christ was not at this time intending to defeat the Roman Empire. Matter of fact, He spoke of peace and loving your neighbor. He even said if you wanted to be in charge you had to be a servant.  Don't get them started on what He said about dieing, and for them to pick up their cross and follow Him.  That doesn't sound like a great campaign speech for volunteers.  Some later left discouraged because of this kind of talk. The tide was turning maybe Jesus wasn't what they thought.  Duh.  Jesus later told Pilate, He was a king but His Kingdom, was not of this world.

He said that He came to; seek and save those, that are lost. He spoke of spiritual saving, spiritual healing.  He was their Messiah and King. His Kingdom was Heavenly and eternal !

"For this reason (Lazarus)  the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign."John 12:18

He told them: "...I go to prepare a place for you....that where I am, you may be also."

"My Kingdom is not of this world.  If my Kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now my Kingdom is not from here."-Jesus.  John 18:36.

1 Corinthians 15: 3-11,  20-28.

Jesus our King, let us be a part of what you are doing to grow your Kingdom!

hashtag contentment, hashtag getaway, hashtag home.

My wife and I had a  nice quiet day or two as we went over to Shipshewana, In. to buy some groceries we can't get in our stores.  Though it is an Amish/Mennonite commercial spot it is also considerably laid back.  We make the little drive, two to three times a year.  We sometimes make a two day event, accompanied with a motel stay and  head up to the Michigan shoreline.  Where rising early, we might head out to the beach for an early coffee and  day dream out loud  with one another.

Many times it is enough to drive, shop, have lunch and return home.  We live in a small quiet "subdivision" of homes. Houses in the neighborhood are a nerf ball throw away, yet walking out to the backyard looking out to our tree line you have the notion you are far away.  The reality of barely hearing the rushing sound of the interstate traffic a few blocks away, still it is peaceful to us (when company visits, it's still quiet yet, we are most likely the noisiest).

Even in our so called ; peaceful, just the two of us setting,  that we actually,very seldom leave, we look forward to an excursion toward some other community's "backyard".  We travel somewhere nostalgic resembling somewhere our parents perhaps would have gone to get away from occupation, even family, (Impossible thanks to cell phones).

Balance is the key.  Enjoying home as well a premeditated holiday.  The alternative is; not loving either place, desiring to always being somewhere else.  Groaning for the past or future not living in the present (feel free to rotate those tenses)

Live life for God and others and enjoy the journey.  Be content in whatever state you are in.  Regardless, if it is Michigan, Illinois, or Indiana......!

Exalt, Equip and ENGAGE!

Many consider themselves loners or the noncommittal type. We like to say we are non confrontational or neutral on most ideals and topics.   We can be those, but in order to have a good balance and even adventure to our lives we must occasionally engage.

Business and Churches of course are to intentionally engage;  the local and global community.  To engage is to commit to involvement or committing our full attention and efforts toward a person or cause.

Christians have received commission to engage  the circle of life He has placed us in or sent you to.  The directive was to "GO" not wait for them to come.  Put another way ; not to "come and see." but rather; Go and tell.  Both Creativity and compassion empowered by the Spirit of God brings unlimited engagement opportunities.

• Volunteering to city community service (painting/ cleaning parks etc.)
• prayer and help to single parents
• class for good life choices 
• providing food and/or school supplies providing clothes.
• prayer walking the neighborhood/ telling the Good News of Christ's love!!                                                                                                                                      

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."  Ephesians 2:10

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..." Matt 28:19.

The Apostle Paul wrote that it was the Love of Christ compelling him to others and God.
Look into Act 2:42-47

To keep it simple:  let the followers of Christ ; EXALT, EQUIP and ENGAGE!

EQUIPPED

When you by an automobile you like the sticker to say ; "Equipped".  In other words,  it will have more than enough gadgets and voices to meet whatever traveling can throw at you.  We think it insane for a car not to be equipped with safety features. There was a day, no one would have used seat belts if they had them.  It required Educating the public of the obvious positives and fatal consequences for not having or using them as well.

We are in an uproar and rightly so, when soldiers are sent into combat with inadequate weapons or protection  It would be ludicrous for a combat soldier not to be equipped with the correct attitude, knowledge, leadership, machinery and firepower!

The follower of Christ is to be equipped and given every opportunity for spiritual maturity and strength under the leadership and authority of God.  Through Biblical instruction, prayer and relationship with God the disciple develops into someone who is not paralyzed by fear but mobilized in His peace.  I should not just carelessly or unknowingly bounce off of one circumstance and temptation to another.  When you and I are equipped we can enter into eternity loving God and loving others.

"And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, "All Authority has been given me in Heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always, even to the end o the age."  Matthew 28:16-20.

Read Ephesians Chapter 4, which includes: "And He gave apostles, some prophets, some evangelist, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the body of Christ....."

Remember Exalt, Equip, and next writing; is to Engage.

What did the testifying Christian say?  "I'm to Equipped to be whipped!"

EXALT HIM!

Exalt is not a word that your everyday twenty-first century person uses.  Those that have a relationship with God through faith and trust in Christ, use it, and other words quite often,  to express their action, feeling and submission.  God is value, He adds Value and is Valuable to us , so we exalt Him. If we value God why aren't we worshiping Him.  David is a great example throughout the Psalms of exalting, Him that made Himself of no reputation. The Bible says "We love Him because He first loved us." and  "He made Him sin, who knew no sin that we might become the righteousness of God"  So, how then should we live?!  With a lifestyle of worship and exaltation.

We used to sing;  "How Great thou art." and  "Majesty"  We are giving the exaltation He deserves. It is more than singing but there has to me that Kingdom melody in my step or how I conduct myself.  God said "They worship me with their lips but their heart is far from me."  Have you ever said that about a person that you know?  Doesn't it break your heart when it is just lip service or a facade to get what they want. 

"And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the Cross.  Therefore God also has highly EXALTED Him and given Him the name that is above every name..." Philippians 2:9,10.

Thank You LORD!