Month: August 2018

When I’m not spending enough time with Jesus, I tend to live “outside” of Christ.  I’m left to my own devices, my own way of thinking and doing things, life’s more tricky on my own.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Colossians 3:16

Ann and I were talking this morning about being “in” Christ, about letting Him guide every moment of our day and what a blessing it is when we let Him take the lead in our conversations, our marriage, our work, our relationships with others, our thought life and emotions.  Cooperating with the Holy Spirit each day by letting Christ dwell in our lives makes life so much more enjoyable.  It helps us to be better listeners, more understanding of others, to be more compassionate, loving and patient, calms us down and keeps us focused on Jesus.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…Such sweet words of life.

God bless,

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

You probably know the feeling.  Something totally unexpected pops up in your day.  What to you do?  Well, I can tell you that after having a migraine attack, I need to be really careful how I react cause my emotions are all over the place.  We all have times when our emotions come out of balance.  These are times when I have to ask the Holy Spirit to help me react “in” Him in order to maintain peace, love, joy, rest, forgiveness, etc.  I’m thankful I have the Holy Spirit to help me keep praising God and listening for His gentle voice.

 

 

 

 

 

The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
Psalm 37:23-24

Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day.
Psalm 25:5

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6

God bless,

Mark

The following really speaks to me.  Circumstances in my life had made me (and it was impacting my precious family as well) miserable, angry, bitter and depressed for so many years.  I didn’t know how to change my heart.  Jesus has (and still is helping me) helped me to change and I’m so grateful.  Always ask for Jesus’ help to transform you by the power of the Holy Spirit.  While it can sometimes take time, as the Good Shepherd of our souls, Jesus can do it.

A Merry Heart
Joyce Meyer’s entry for August 28th in her “Closer to God Each Day Devotional”

A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.
Proverbs 17:22

God is life, and every good thing He created is part of that life.  We can get so caught up in doing and accomplishing, in working and earning, that if we are not careful, we will come to the end of our life and suddenly wake up and realize that we never really lived.  God desires for us to enjoy life and live it to the full, till it overflows.

We have a choice in life.  We can grumble our way through our troubles, or we can draw closer to God in difficult times, going through any trouble we face with a merry heart.  Either way, we will all deal with troubles from time to time, so why not take the joy of the Lord as our strength and be filled with energy and vitality?

In John 15, Jesus talks about abiding in Him.  In verse 11, He says, “I have told you these things that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing.”  Jesus made it possible for us to have merry hearts.  With His help, no matter what you go through, you can put a smile on your face and enjoy every day of your life in Him.

Don’t spend your life waiting for things to change before you can become happy.  Make the decision to be happy now.

 

 

 

 

 

God bless,

Mark

Happy Monday!

But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
Psalm 3:3

Boy, is that ever true of Jesus in my life.  Just about the time I need Him, He’s always near to rescue me from anger, bitterness, resentment, fear, anxiety, etc.  I’m SO thankful to be a child of God, to have a Father Who knows how to “lift up my head” when old sins or the enemy are pressing down on my spirit making it difficult to see God’s way of escape.

Go with Jesus…

God bless,

Mark

Just like any loving parent wants to keep their children away from anything that will hurt them, God, strongly, desires to set us free and protect us from the false gods in our lives.  This short video by Jonathan is an excellent reminder of God’s love for us.

Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Cahn:  False gods In Your Life

God bless,

Mark

Satan deceived us in the garden by making us think we could be our own god.  All along, satan knew we could never be like God.  The devil knew if he could separate us from God, from He Who is love, from the safety and fulfillment we had in our relationship with God, that he’d have a greater chance of destroying us.

Humble yourselves, then, under God’s mighty hand, so that He will lift you up in His own good time.  Leave all your worries with Him because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7

It’s so wonderful that God won’t let His children be ruined by the deceit contained in pride.  He commands us to be humble and to wait for Him to lift us up in His own good time.  His “good time” for us comes when we’ve learned to rest in His care, to be content in whatsoever state, to take thoughts captive, to believe that He’s truly working all things together for our good, to love our neighbor as ourselves, to walk in forgiveness, and to have compassion for each other, etc.  When He lifts us up, being easily offended and striving have been removed from our lives and His peace that passes understanding is controlling our hearts and minds in Jesus.  At this point, we’ve learned to love the comfort and ease of the dwelling place of the Most High, and all we want is His blessed will.

The following is taken from Biblestudytools.com.

We know from God’s Word that he resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.  How can we know that we are living in humility and ready to receive God’s blessings?  Humility is the ability to be without pride or arrogance and it is a main character that should be seen in those who follow Jesus Christ.  Jesus is the best example of someone who humbly followed God’s plan for His life.

Proverbs is filled with warnings of those who refuse to be humble.  The New Testament is full of blessings for those who put others before themselves.  You will miss out on the blessed, abundant life that God wants for you if you refuse to let get of pride and follow His purpose on your life.  Be encouraged by these Bible verses about humility and start choosing to day to come humbly before God so He can lift you up!

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Colossians 3:12

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Ephesians 4:2

But He gives us more grace.  That is why scripture says:  “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
James 4:6

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.
James 4:10

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders.  All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another because “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5

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

For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Luke 14:11

He (God) has shown you, O mortal, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
Proverbs 11:2

Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the LORD, and humility comes before honor.
Proverbs 15:33

Humility is the fear of the LORD; its wages are riches and honor and life.
Proverbs 22:4

He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way.
Psalm 25:9

For the LORD takes delight in His people; He crowns the humble with victory.
Psalm 149:4

Live in harmony with one another.  Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.  Do not be conceited.
Romans 12:16

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Philippians 2:3-4

God bless,

Mark

Jesus loves me – this I know
For the Bible tells me so
Little ones to Him belong
They are weak but He is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

God bless,

Mark
Jesus Loves Me by Anna Bartlett Warner

8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.   9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2 Peter 3:8-10

I’m (Mark) so thankful God didn’t give up on me along the way when I couldn’t find The Way, when I didn’t know Jesus.  The song “You Gave Me Love” (below) really spoke to my heart.  I hope it speaks to you as well and lets you know how much Jesus loves you.

Ann and I heard BJ Thomas in person in the 70s.  He has an amazing voice when heard “live.”  BJ Thomas began singing in church at an early age.  He was later “discovered” and led a pretty hard life due to the pressures of fame, alcohol and drugs.

Many start out with God and then, for one reason or another, go their own way and live apart from Him for a time.  Thankfully, God keeps calling us back to His side, back to His love, tenderness, mercy and forgiveness.

Taken from Wiki:  “BJ Thomas has been married to singer-songwriter Gloria Richardson since December 1968.  They have three daughters:  Paige (born 1970), Nora (adopted from North Korea in 1978), and Erin (born in 1979).  Shortly after Thomas’s career began, he became dependent on drugs and alcohol, which led to his marriage nearly ending and his life nearly ending too.  In 1975, he became a Christian less than a month after Gloria did; most press sources indicate that Thomas has been sober since he and Gloria reconciled in 1976.”

You Gave Me Love
By BJ Thomas

You gave me time when no one gave me time of day,
You looked deep inside while the rest of the world looked away,
You smiled at me when there were just frowns everywhere,
You gave me love when nobody gave me a prayer.

That’s why I call You Saviour ….. that’s why I call You Friend,
You touched my heart ….. You touched my soul,
And helped me start all over again,
That’s why I love You, Jesus ….. that’s why I’ll always care,
You gave me love when nobody gave me a prayer.

You gave me laughter after I cried all my tears,
You heard my dreams while the rest of the world closed it’s ears,
I looked in Your eyes, and I found the tenderness there,
You gave me love when nobody gave me a prayer.

That’s why I call You Saviour ….. that’s why I call You Friend,
You touched my heart ….. You touched my soul,
And helped me start all over again.
That’s why I love You, Jesus ….. that’s why I’ll always care,
You gave me love when nobody gave me a prayer.

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16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son (Jesus), that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
John 3:16-17

God bless,

Mark

I love loving families.  It really touches me when I see families hugging each other, encouraging each other, being tender together and laughing together.

Here’s another good one from Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Cahn called The Strength Of An Ox (From Jonathan’s message #683 available on his hopeoftheworld.org site).

Up until about the mid-80s, I (Mark) was really into football.  I’d always loved creaming others on the football field.  I had a killer instinct – God’s replacing it with His character and it’s really helping me to rest more in Him.  God told me to give up football since it could make me pretty angry, and to put that same energy and time into learning how to love my wife and family.  He also helped me to learn how to say “I’m sorry” which was huge since I’d come from a family that almost never said that to each other.  God’s always right.  I’m so thankful He helped me see things His way.

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The Hebrew word for father is av.  It’s made up of two Hebrew letters: the aleph and the bet, or our “a” and “b.”  The aleph, in ancient Hebrew, represents an ox; the bet represents a house.  So a father is the ox of the house.  He’s the strength and the ultimate burden bearer.  An ox’s strength is a great blessing.  But the ox is known for its stubbornness as well.  So if you’re a father, you’re to be the strength of your family.  That strength is given by God.  But be careful that your strength doesn’t turn into blind stubbornness.  Be stubborn for good and for love, but never in anger, bitterness, pride or domination.  For the stubbornness of a father for anger and pride has destroyed countless families and lives.  But the stubbornness of a father for love, compassion, godliness, and mercy has protected and saved countless families and lives.

Be tender in heart.  Be willing to say “I’m sorry.”  And be strong and stubborn in your love for those who are weaker than yourself and who need your strength, just as God is, in the same way, stubborn in love for you.

Today’s Mission:  Today, be stubborn in love, stubborn in faith, stubborn in joy, stubborn in righteousness (living life God’s way is right (righteousness) living that will bless your life).

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
Luke 6:36

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God bless,

Mark

I’ve been noticing how the Jewish people I know, or know of, are always saying, “Everything happens for a reason.”  And they usually say it unapologetically and with real conviction.  The more I think about their words, the more my faith in God is growing.

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Commemorating Your Medbar
By Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Cahn

Midbar is the Hebrew word for wilderness.  We usually think of the wilderness as a single place, but it’s really not.  There are many Hebrew names for various wildernesses.  For instance, there’s Midbar Yehuda; the Wilderness of Judea where John (John the Baptist) preached.  Then there’s Midbar Negev; the Wilderness of the Negev where Abraham pitched his tent.  And there’s Midbar Sinai; the Wilderness of Sinai through which Moses and the Israelites journeyed.  Then there are a host of other smaller wildernesses:  Midbar Zin, Midbar Paran, and so on. Each wilderness had a different name.  The Hebrews didn’t just go through wildernesses.  They named each of them. It means they wanted to remember them.  They saw them as something meaningful in some way.  So, we all go through wildernesses.  Rarely do we value them or seek to remember them.  But you should remember them.  For God uses them to grow you and make you more like Him.  So rejoice in your wilderness because in the Lord it will only be used for good as you look to Him.  For the Hebrews gave names to their midbars.

Today’s Mission:  Today, give thanks to God for your wilderness, even give a beautiful name to a wilderness in your life that ended up bringing you to God’s blessings.

And he (Jesus) withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
Luke 5:16

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I’ve written about our time of living in Oregon in the 80s and 90s.  I used to think it was a super-difficult time, a time when I thought God was so far from us, I was so scared and confused. However, God used that precious time to heal us, to teach us so many good things about marriage and family, to set me on a path to being a better husband, to get our attention, to separate us to Him, to bless us and teach us His ways and to bring us closer to His presence.  We’re so thankful for our Oregon wilderness experience.  Truly, we needed our Oregon wilderness time.  We’re so thankful God knew (and knows) what we needed.

God bless,

Mark

Happy Monday, Everyone!

These things I (Jesus) have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation:  but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33

Remember to take each day as they come knowing that Jesus is in control and working all things together for the good of those who love Him.  Don’t get ahead of God and the peace He has for you today.  Remember to take each day one day at a time, and to keep casting all your care on Jesus.  Ask Jesus to cover, and protect you as you give Him your work and day.

“Jesus, please give me Your peace that passes my understanding, and help me to trust You today…”

God bless,

Mark

Maybe you’ve had to give up something recently – something material, a relationship, a dream…  While it could take time at times, whenever God’s asked me to give up something, He’s always replaced it with more of His peace, rest, understanding, compassion and joy.  It’s funny cause I thought that if I gave up something I was emotionally attached to that God would replace it with a better “material” item.  Now, while that can occur, I’ve honestly found that gaining more of His character was much more valuable than getting material replacements.  There’s simply nothing I can compare to Him mercifully imparting more of His divine nature to me.  I need His nature and character so much in my life – the more He shows me, the more of Him I want.  And, He’s always, patiently waiting to make me more like Him so I can enjoy life more abundantly in His character and truths that set me free.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:  for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:  thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:  and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Psalm 23

God bless,

Mark

Only in Christ can the wisdom and knowledge of God be discovered for apart from Christ, we can’t do it (John 15:5)

No really, can you imagine anything more fun than learning – truly learning, for real – to trust in the Lord with your whole heart?  Wow, what peace, rest, assurance, calm, security, love, mercy, grace, and joy must fill the life of one who obtains this precious, life-transforming, supernatural trait.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6

With me, ask Jesus to make this true of your life.  Ask Him to give you the incredible gift of being able to trust Him with your whole heart.  Wow, what a matchless treasure.  Mmmm…

God bless,

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

 

God bless,

Mark

Happy Monday!

 

 

 

 

 

God wants to help us be free from this world and its ways.  He sets us free by showing us how to be transformed by the renewing of our minds so we can be free from this world’s pressure to conform to its ways.  We have such a mighty, loving Father.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2 Corinthians 10:4-5

In every thing give thanks:  for (because) this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

Ask the Holy Spirit to remind and help you renew your mind to these three great Bible scriptures and truths.  Always remember:  “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Ephesians 6:12

God bless,

Mark