Christmas in July? Resurrection Day in January?

  Many people love Christmas.  Even non-believers in Christ, know Christmas has a great "feeling".  It's a time of family and sharing gifts with friends, as well as being kind to strangers.  They may not ever enter church any other time but will enjoy attending this one occasion for the warm fuzzy, the music or Christmas play. 

Even though it's not the actual date... We use December 25th to remember the birthday of Jesus Christ.  It's when He, GOD the SON, leaves the Glory of Heaven and enters a manger. 

Many children have been born before and since but an Angel said:  "I bring good news of great joy that will be for all people.  Today in the town of  David a Savior has been born to you; He is CHRIST the LORD!"  Man, that's why I will celebrate Christmas every day of the year.

  Many don't know what it's all about, but if they are offered it; they'll take Good Friday off.  It's when we remember why this Holy Jesus was born in the first place... Jesus came at the right time, for it is when the religious leaders and government would kill Him for His claims. 

When they did.... Christ died for the world (that God loved) that whoever believes in Him would never perish but have eternal life.  

Many had died on a cross before and after but because of who He was; made this a Holy cross, a terrible cross, a saving cross!  Man, I will remember that everyday of the year.

They used to say; " Everybody goes to church to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus". Today? not so much.  Yet some will go and listen to the cantata or experience the big Resurrection presentation.  

Original pagan Holiday or not, we use this day to celebrate the Resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ.  Sacrifice accepted! great victory over sin, the grave and death.  Paul wrote: "For what I received I passed onto you as of first importance; that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures..." 

Paul wrote: "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."   and now He sits on the right hand of God.  Man, I will praise and worship as well as celebrate that everyday of the year.

  Bible says:  "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord and believe in you heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
  Paul wrote: "therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." and he said: "Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Man, I will worship Christ and celebrate Christmas, Good Friday and Resurrection, everyday of the year!

How about you?

Here I Stand

I gave God my soul,
I then take my role.

Fight the good fight,
walking by faith, not sight.

On His truth I stand and sit,
standing fast no thought to quit.

Blast the past.
the vision cast.

He's my shield,
to Him I yield.

He's not the latest rave,
He shed His blood for all, to save!

Community investment

                                                            
It is encouraging to see construction of restaurants and stores beginning to start in our areas.  Jobs will be created as a result.  Beautification of the area is happening again.  We see the wisdom in the usage of large unused parking areas to build businesses etc.  I have noticed masses of people out an about!

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Let the church be encouraged as well,  to take advantage of open doors for sharing the Gospel to the millions of unreached and the discipleship training our own church's Biblical illiterate.  Improvement of our communities involve much more than buildings and restaurants for the belly.  If we truly desire community development in our neighborhood and families, we must declare and share the good news of Christ.

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This is not a world religion that includes efforts to merely turning over a new leaf or just trying harder, but a new generation with a new birth, heart and mind.  It is not infrastructural, but crossing over from trusting self, to trusting Christ, to spend eternity with God.  Followed by a transformed life.

Now that is community development.

True Life!

What was cold and seemingly lifeless, becomes a beautiful garden of colorful flowers of many sizes and shapes.

We can look back at our past spiritual position and experiences in our day-to-day life and see what was once, seemingly lifeless and without purpose.  

Through prayer and the power of God you had a season of change and new hope and an abundant life!  Like a flower garden it must be maintained daily.  Life killing weeds need to be removed, while water and fertilizer for growth and life, are to be added daily.

You may be reading this and living a troubled life, seemingly without hope.  Sadness even depression, the worries of this world are overwhelming.  We are all there for a time. That's natural, but we are not to park there. 

You can live on topside; you have hope for even eternity. That is supernatural.  Sin entered the world, but God desires you to believe and receive what He has for you. His new life!  We do not work for salvation, but it takes (as in our earthly relationships) a minute-by-minute effort to maintain and enjoy that relationship of love.

*Read the letter to the Philippians
*Prayer that includes worship, asking, interceding, thankfulness.
*A Bible believing counselor
*A good book (with Christian values)

We accept and trust, not in ourselves, but in what Christ did on the cross, not only in what He did, but who He is.  The Bible says to draw near to Him and He'll draw near to you. Asking forgiveness, know you have that forgiveness of sin and power of God, to live the life He desires.  You can have great joy and peace, (though there will be storms), living right where God has placed you. Then we are to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those that rejoice. 

 Let's be the flower, God and others can be blessed by.

John 10: 7-18.  Matthew 6: 25-34

Gracious!

The small letter to Philemon from the Apostle Paul contains quite a bit of action.  The action is not fist fights and explosions.  The action is of a spiritual direction. The Apostle Paul knew very well the grace of God, at salvation and in his day to day ministry and trials.

Onesimus has maybe stolen from Philemon and runs away.  (He was Philemon's slave).  Philemon had been led to Christ in Ephesus by Paul and transformed returned to Collosee and started a church.
Onesimus had ripped off Philemon and runs to where he can blend in.  Rome.

How many of you know you can run but you cannot hide.  God providently leads him to the Apostle Paul, who is in jail.  Onesimus might have been incarcerated there himself. Maybe from stealing. Paul for merely preaching the Gospel of Christ.

Paul shares the gospel to Onesimus and he is saved and transformed into useful from useless! He becomes strongly involved in Paul's ministry. "What's your story Onesimus?"  He shares his story of how he had stolen from Philemon...  "Philemon?"


"Philemon accepted the gospel when I shared it with him as you did."  Paul sent him back to Philemon with an explanation of how Onesimus  heard by grace and trusted by faith the work of Jesus on the cross.

Read the letter and using your imagination, see also the illustration:

Philemon is God
Onesimus is sinner
Paul is Jesus speaking on our behalf and saying to put the sinners sin to His account.

We know that Jesus paid the price and all to Him we owe.

Oh the Amazing Grace of God!

Thinking Back/Looking Forward

 It seems like yesterday I was babysitting and watching children's videos with him. He will go down on record as the first one to call us "PopPop and Gma." There will be memories of many conversations with this "Ol' soul" of a toddler and elementary age young boy.

He has always been creative and imaginative. He's forever been a young child and an older youth of impeccable manners and concern.

They say you will be what you are making of yourself. He is today a young adult of impeccable manners and concern.

Though his parents did a fantastic work in him, he is faithful to the village that led him along the way. 

To us who are now very senior, he will be forever young. He is involved in our past, present, and future thoughts.

He has met his counterpart someone similar to himself, both are a loving unit of impeccable manners and concern for others!

Today they will be married, a union that will always cause me to be thinking back and looking forward with great joy!

                                      -PopPop

Cats and Dogs

The saying goes it is raining "cats and dogs" meaning it is raining hard and might make travel or standing on the porch difficult. Tradition says that cats and dogs are always fighting. Old cartoons verify this.

It is also known that the Church sometimes fight like cats and dogs.  It apparently has been discovered; some church goers relate to God like cats and dogs relate to their human masters.

Not too long ago I read that, some Christians are like dogs and some are like cats. "Dog Christians" love their masters and wait eagerly for them to return from being away. These doglike worshippers say, "You feed me, you must be God".  The "Cat Christians" are finnicky and act like they can take it or leave it and say, "You feed me, I must be God."

If this comparison were true, I wonder which one am I. Which one are you?