Blessed Morning to all:
Let's read:
Matthew 1:23
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Luke 1:31
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
Luke 2:10-14
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
Why is His name so important?
Luke 5:31-32
And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician: but they that are sick.
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Out of all the religions in the world, Christianity is the only one that has and offers a plan of redemption. No other god except Christ Himself shed their blood, conquer death and hell and rose from their grave. Therefore, Jesus suffices all the requirements of the only True and Living Savior of the world. In the words of the song "How Many Kings" by DownHere:
Cause how many kings have stepped down from their throne?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats became the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?
The question is: Do you need The Physician to heal you of your lost (sinful) condition? If so, call on the name of the Lord. Confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Blessings
kc
Friday, December 24, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Psalm 100:4
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
What are you Thankful for?
Here are a few things that I am thankful for:
a. Salvation - by the precious blood of Jesus
b. Freedom - spiritually and naturally
c. Family and Friends - near and far
d. Health - the ability to move and function
e. Military - aboard and home side
f. Saints - those that labor in the Lord (missionaries, persecuted believers, etc)
g. Bible - Thank God for His words in print!
Last but not least: Waiting for the promise return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!!
No matter where you are in life - have a Thankful spirit.
Blessings
kc
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
What are you Thankful for?
Here are a few things that I am thankful for:
a. Salvation - by the precious blood of Jesus
b. Freedom - spiritually and naturally
c. Family and Friends - near and far
d. Health - the ability to move and function
e. Military - aboard and home side
f. Saints - those that labor in the Lord (missionaries, persecuted believers, etc)
g. Bible - Thank God for His words in print!
Last but not least: Waiting for the promise return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!!
No matter where you are in life - have a Thankful spirit.
Blessings
kc
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
How Many Times Have You Been Passed By?
Good Morning:
Let's begin in Matthew 5:3 and move to Acts 3:2
Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Acts 3:2
And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the temple gate called Beautiful to ask alms of them that entered into the temple.
This is a beautiful story of a lame beggar that the Lord heals through His disciples.
This man had been lame from his birth. At some point in his life, friends would take him daily and place him at the temple gate to ask of alms. The age of this man is not told in this story. If one is thinking as an American would think, one would have to say this man has to be at least 18 years of age. Or, if one is thinking as a Jew would think, one would have to say this man has to be at least 20. Again, the age doesn't really matter - he could have been 18, 20, 30, 40, etc. What is interesting is even if this man was 18, 20 or even 50 - how many times did the disciples of Jesus previously pass him by going to the temple? Or, how many times did Jesus pass this man by going to the temple? The question would have to be asked, why was this man not healed prior to this story in Acts? I think our answer is in verse 2.
Our clue is the word Beautiful. When wee see this word "beautiful" we say it is pretty, eye appealing, lovely, etc. The Greek meaning for "beautiful" is fair, proper, timely, good timing. Yes Jesus and His disciples could have (probably did) pass this lame man up many times but his healing did come then but it came later. Why? because it was the proper time - other words - it was God's timing to set this man free.
This lame man wasn't expecting to be healed that day. Why? he had been sitting there for years, seeing the saints go to church (temple) day after day and still no healing. So after a while, life became to take on the same routine - asking for alms to survive and live out his life. This is sometimes a picture of a Christian on his journey in this life. Let me explain. We (Christians)need a breakthrough in our circumstances (whether healing, fiances, family, job, etc) and if we don't see a deliverance, then a routine mentality sets in. All we start to do is expect only the source (THE WORLD) that would just get us by and not the source (THE WORD) that can totally free us.
Remember, this lame man had been passed by many. You might be in a situation that you feel that you have been passed over and life is going no where. All I can say is - I don't know when but there is a gate called Beautiful for you. Don't give up and don't give in. If Jesus did it back then, He will do it again.
Blessings
kc
Let's begin in Matthew 5:3 and move to Acts 3:2
Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Acts 3:2
And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the temple gate called Beautiful to ask alms of them that entered into the temple.
This is a beautiful story of a lame beggar that the Lord heals through His disciples.
This man had been lame from his birth. At some point in his life, friends would take him daily and place him at the temple gate to ask of alms. The age of this man is not told in this story. If one is thinking as an American would think, one would have to say this man has to be at least 18 years of age. Or, if one is thinking as a Jew would think, one would have to say this man has to be at least 20. Again, the age doesn't really matter - he could have been 18, 20, 30, 40, etc. What is interesting is even if this man was 18, 20 or even 50 - how many times did the disciples of Jesus previously pass him by going to the temple? Or, how many times did Jesus pass this man by going to the temple? The question would have to be asked, why was this man not healed prior to this story in Acts? I think our answer is in verse 2.
Our clue is the word Beautiful. When wee see this word "beautiful" we say it is pretty, eye appealing, lovely, etc. The Greek meaning for "beautiful" is fair, proper, timely, good timing. Yes Jesus and His disciples could have (probably did) pass this lame man up many times but his healing did come then but it came later. Why? because it was the proper time - other words - it was God's timing to set this man free.
This lame man wasn't expecting to be healed that day. Why? he had been sitting there for years, seeing the saints go to church (temple) day after day and still no healing. So after a while, life became to take on the same routine - asking for alms to survive and live out his life. This is sometimes a picture of a Christian on his journey in this life. Let me explain. We (Christians)need a breakthrough in our circumstances (whether healing, fiances, family, job, etc) and if we don't see a deliverance, then a routine mentality sets in. All we start to do is expect only the source (THE WORLD) that would just get us by and not the source (THE WORD) that can totally free us.
Remember, this lame man had been passed by many. You might be in a situation that you feel that you have been passed over and life is going no where. All I can say is - I don't know when but there is a gate called Beautiful for you. Don't give up and don't give in. If Jesus did it back then, He will do it again.
Blessings
kc
Friday, September 3, 2010
Through The Fire
Good Morning:
Our text today is found in John 16:33:
These things I 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.
May the words of John be an encouragement to you and may the following lyrics to the song Through The Fire by the Crabb family be uplifting.
Through The Fire:
So many times I've questioned certain circumstances
Things I could not understand
Many times in trials, weakness blurs my vision
It's then I am reminded I've never been forsaken
I've never had to stand the test alone
As I look at all the victories the spirit rises up in me
And it's through the fire my weakness is made strong
(chorus)
He never promised that the cross would not get heavy
And the hill would not be hard to climb
He never offered our victories without fighting
But he said help would always come in time
Just remember when you're standing in the valley of decision
And the adversary says give in
Just hold on, our Lord will show up
And he will take you through the fire again
(bridge)
I know within myself that I would surely perish
But if I trust in the hand of God, He'll shield the flames again
(repeat chorus)
Blessings
Our text today is found in John 16:33:
These things I 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.
May the words of John be an encouragement to you and may the following lyrics to the song Through The Fire by the Crabb family be uplifting.
Through The Fire:
So many times I've questioned certain circumstances
Things I could not understand
Many times in trials, weakness blurs my vision
It's then I am reminded I've never been forsaken
I've never had to stand the test alone
As I look at all the victories the spirit rises up in me
And it's through the fire my weakness is made strong
(chorus)
He never promised that the cross would not get heavy
And the hill would not be hard to climb
He never offered our victories without fighting
But he said help would always come in time
Just remember when you're standing in the valley of decision
And the adversary says give in
Just hold on, our Lord will show up
And he will take you through the fire again
(bridge)
I know within myself that I would surely perish
But if I trust in the hand of God, He'll shield the flames again
(repeat chorus)
Blessings
Monday, August 23, 2010
Illegal Fishing
Good Morning and Greetings to all:
Our text today is Matthew 4:19
And he (Jesus) saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Many have heard of the saying "fishers of men" and what it represents. It represents people who have become a believer in Christ going out into the world to witness about Him. It would be like a person fishing out on a lake or ocean. We have heard people say - oh, he (name here) is a fisherman. A fisherman and "fishers of men" are two different roads but use the same concept. In other words, a fisherman has a rod, a weight, a hook and some bait. He then cast his line out (with hook and bait) to an area in the water where the fisherman thinks he can catch a fish. It is similar with "fishers of men" - they have been saved by the blood of Jesus, reading their bible, praying, fasting and then goes out into the world to find a spot to cast forth the word of God (witnessing) to see if they can catch some fish (souls).
Today's post is dealing with a trend I see going on in the body of Christ - I call it illegal fishing. If you are a true fisherman (I am not) and have been in tournaments, you understand that not everyone plays by the rules. There are guidelines that a fisherman must adhere to. Anywhere from filling out proper paperwork for registration, the boundaries one must stay in, how many can be in one boat, what kind of equipment and what type bait that can be used. If you fail to obey the rules, you will be disqualified.
You might say, what does this have to do with being "fishers of men"? Let me share a natural story that will give us a little spiritual insight. I have heard recently of a fisherman that had been disqualified from a tournament and banned from that prestigious tournament for life and some other competitions all for cheating. This fisherman would put a 2 ounce torpedo shape sinker on a treble hook and place it in the fish's mouth (9 fish all together). The idea is that the fisherman hoped the torpedo sinker (weight) would stay in the fish's mouth and not drop into his belly. As the bible says, you're sins will find you out. When it was time to weigh the fish, the fisherman presented three dead fish. Dead fish for weigh-ins are OK by the rules. The fish were weighed and everything seem to go smoothly for the fisherman. The dead fish from this tournament are filleted and the meat given to charity. This is where the fisherman's plan started to crumble. When the fish were fillet, the torpedo sinker did not stay in the mouth of the fish but went into the belly of the fish. The fisherman's sin (cheating) was discovered.
I believe there is illegal fishing going on in the body of Christ today. Yes, all we have to do is go out into the world and present the gospel of Jesus Christ. But, what is going on is that some are using weights to not catch but entice some to come to Jesus. A weight is something that can be heavy - like a load or a burden. Hebrews says ....let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Fishing with a weight isn't wrong but using it an improper way is. People nowadays are being fed a line of Jesus (freedom) and the world (weight) to hook them into the church. It sounds good but there is a mixing that shouldn't be going on. What are some of the weights that believers are using to entice people into the kingdom of God? Anywhere from promised riches, live like you want, God is a God of love and not wrath, you can still cling to your worldy music, movies and things and don't worry our God is the same as any other God. The list could go on and on but hopefully you see that there is some illegal fishing going on by so-called Christians.
Remember, the story of the fisherman who got caught - he was disqualified and so was his fish. Hmmmm. Just a thought.
Are you fishing by the rules of the Lord or by the popular conditions of the world?
Blessings
kc
Our text today is Matthew 4:19
And he (Jesus) saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Many have heard of the saying "fishers of men" and what it represents. It represents people who have become a believer in Christ going out into the world to witness about Him. It would be like a person fishing out on a lake or ocean. We have heard people say - oh, he (name here) is a fisherman. A fisherman and "fishers of men" are two different roads but use the same concept. In other words, a fisherman has a rod, a weight, a hook and some bait. He then cast his line out (with hook and bait) to an area in the water where the fisherman thinks he can catch a fish. It is similar with "fishers of men" - they have been saved by the blood of Jesus, reading their bible, praying, fasting and then goes out into the world to find a spot to cast forth the word of God (witnessing) to see if they can catch some fish (souls).
Today's post is dealing with a trend I see going on in the body of Christ - I call it illegal fishing. If you are a true fisherman (I am not) and have been in tournaments, you understand that not everyone plays by the rules. There are guidelines that a fisherman must adhere to. Anywhere from filling out proper paperwork for registration, the boundaries one must stay in, how many can be in one boat, what kind of equipment and what type bait that can be used. If you fail to obey the rules, you will be disqualified.
You might say, what does this have to do with being "fishers of men"? Let me share a natural story that will give us a little spiritual insight. I have heard recently of a fisherman that had been disqualified from a tournament and banned from that prestigious tournament for life and some other competitions all for cheating. This fisherman would put a 2 ounce torpedo shape sinker on a treble hook and place it in the fish's mouth (9 fish all together). The idea is that the fisherman hoped the torpedo sinker (weight) would stay in the fish's mouth and not drop into his belly. As the bible says, you're sins will find you out. When it was time to weigh the fish, the fisherman presented three dead fish. Dead fish for weigh-ins are OK by the rules. The fish were weighed and everything seem to go smoothly for the fisherman. The dead fish from this tournament are filleted and the meat given to charity. This is where the fisherman's plan started to crumble. When the fish were fillet, the torpedo sinker did not stay in the mouth of the fish but went into the belly of the fish. The fisherman's sin (cheating) was discovered.
I believe there is illegal fishing going on in the body of Christ today. Yes, all we have to do is go out into the world and present the gospel of Jesus Christ. But, what is going on is that some are using weights to not catch but entice some to come to Jesus. A weight is something that can be heavy - like a load or a burden. Hebrews says ....let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Fishing with a weight isn't wrong but using it an improper way is. People nowadays are being fed a line of Jesus (freedom) and the world (weight) to hook them into the church. It sounds good but there is a mixing that shouldn't be going on. What are some of the weights that believers are using to entice people into the kingdom of God? Anywhere from promised riches, live like you want, God is a God of love and not wrath, you can still cling to your worldy music, movies and things and don't worry our God is the same as any other God. The list could go on and on but hopefully you see that there is some illegal fishing going on by so-called Christians.
Remember, the story of the fisherman who got caught - he was disqualified and so was his fish. Hmmmm. Just a thought.
Are you fishing by the rules of the Lord or by the popular conditions of the world?
Blessings
kc
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Semper Fi
Good Early Morning to all:
It is 5:15am EST. At this early of an hour, I am reminded of my Marine boot camp days at Parris Island, SC. To all the future Marines and other Marines that are hitting the pavement at this hour - Semper Fidelis (Semper Fi).
Our text this morning is found in Mark 12:30
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all they heart, and with all thy should, and with all thy mind, and with all they strength: this is the first commandment.
Semper Fi is a Latin word that means - Always Faithful. Always faithful to what? In Marine world it is being faithful to God, Country and Corps. From day one the Marine (recruit) is taught these principles. Let's take these 3 words in reverse order. The recruit in boot camp is taught to always honor the service of the Marine Corps. This means not only the present but the history of this fine institution. Not only honoring the service of the Corps but honoring the country you defend. That means you will protect America at all costs, even dying for it. Not only a Marine is taught to honor the Corps and their Country but is also taught to honor God. Actually, there is not much teaching on that subject while a person is in boot camp - at least I don't recall. They do let recruits go to church on Sunday and have their freedom of religion. Basically what is taught is if you have a God - you may worship him. Nevertheless, the motto of the Marines is Semper Fi - Always Faithful. I believe the Marines can attest that through out their history, this word Semper Fi is just not a "nice" little saying but has brought together a unity among a group of people that no matter where you at in this world - it ignites a "kindred spirit" within the ones that have proudly worn the label United States Marine.
As a Marine is faithful to the Corps during his service, the question has to be ask of those that confess Jesus as their Lord - Are you Always Faithful to Him? You see, a Marine knows that the Corps isn't going anywhere. They know they wake up each morning without a thought about anything happening to the Corps. There is no worry or concern in that Marine's mind. But, they do have to get up each morning and conduct themselves by the honor code of Semper Fidelis. Their concern is to carry out their duties as a well trained, well behaved and well mannered Marine. They show their loyalty to the one that is taking care of them.
Where is your faithfulness, where is your loyalty at or to? Do you love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength? Are you faithful to the One that is Always Faithful to you?
Why is there a boot camp in the Marines? There are several reasons, but one is to weed out the "wanna be". To see one is for real and who is not. Make no mistake about, the Lord knows who is Faithful and who is Not! Which one are YOU!
Blessings
It is 5:15am EST. At this early of an hour, I am reminded of my Marine boot camp days at Parris Island, SC. To all the future Marines and other Marines that are hitting the pavement at this hour - Semper Fidelis (Semper Fi).
Our text this morning is found in Mark 12:30
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all they heart, and with all thy should, and with all thy mind, and with all they strength: this is the first commandment.
Semper Fi is a Latin word that means - Always Faithful. Always faithful to what? In Marine world it is being faithful to God, Country and Corps. From day one the Marine (recruit) is taught these principles. Let's take these 3 words in reverse order. The recruit in boot camp is taught to always honor the service of the Marine Corps. This means not only the present but the history of this fine institution. Not only honoring the service of the Corps but honoring the country you defend. That means you will protect America at all costs, even dying for it. Not only a Marine is taught to honor the Corps and their Country but is also taught to honor God. Actually, there is not much teaching on that subject while a person is in boot camp - at least I don't recall. They do let recruits go to church on Sunday and have their freedom of religion. Basically what is taught is if you have a God - you may worship him. Nevertheless, the motto of the Marines is Semper Fi - Always Faithful. I believe the Marines can attest that through out their history, this word Semper Fi is just not a "nice" little saying but has brought together a unity among a group of people that no matter where you at in this world - it ignites a "kindred spirit" within the ones that have proudly worn the label United States Marine.
As a Marine is faithful to the Corps during his service, the question has to be ask of those that confess Jesus as their Lord - Are you Always Faithful to Him? You see, a Marine knows that the Corps isn't going anywhere. They know they wake up each morning without a thought about anything happening to the Corps. There is no worry or concern in that Marine's mind. But, they do have to get up each morning and conduct themselves by the honor code of Semper Fidelis. Their concern is to carry out their duties as a well trained, well behaved and well mannered Marine. They show their loyalty to the one that is taking care of them.
Where is your faithfulness, where is your loyalty at or to? Do you love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength? Are you faithful to the One that is Always Faithful to you?
Why is there a boot camp in the Marines? There are several reasons, but one is to weed out the "wanna be". To see one is for real and who is not. Make no mistake about, the Lord knows who is Faithful and who is Not! Which one are YOU!
Blessings
Thursday, July 29, 2010
He Will, He Did, He's Coming
Wonderful Morning to All:
Our text today is John 2:19, Matthew 28:5-6 and John 14:1-3.
John 2:19 states:
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
Matthew 28:5-6 states:
Verse 5:
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
Verse 6 :
He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
John 14:1-3
Verse 1:
Let no your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Verse 2:
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Verse 3:
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come agian, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
No matter what you are going through today, let these words encourage you in your walk with the Lord. He has risen and one day (all true believers) will also rise.
For the commentary, please read and meditate on the lyrics of Rise Again by Dallas Holmes:
Go ahead, drive the nails in my hands;
Laugh at me.........where you stand;
Go ahead, and say it isn't Me;
The day will come.......you will see.
Cause I'll will.......rise again;
Ain't no power on earth can keep me down!
Yes, I'll will rise....again;
Death can't keep me in the ground.
Go ahead, mock my name;
My love for you is still the same.
Go ahead, and bury Me;
But very soon, I will be free!
Go ahead, and say I am dead and gone,
But you will see that you were wrong.
Go ahead, and try to hide the Son;
But all will see that I am the One!
Cause I will come again!
Ain't no power on earth can keep me back!
Yes, I'll come again;
Come to take my people back.
Be of good cheer - He is coming back! Blessings.
Our text today is John 2:19, Matthew 28:5-6 and John 14:1-3.
John 2:19 states:
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
Matthew 28:5-6 states:
Verse 5:
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
Verse 6 :
He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
John 14:1-3
Verse 1:
Let no your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Verse 2:
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Verse 3:
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come agian, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
No matter what you are going through today, let these words encourage you in your walk with the Lord. He has risen and one day (all true believers) will also rise.
For the commentary, please read and meditate on the lyrics of Rise Again by Dallas Holmes:
Go ahead, drive the nails in my hands;
Laugh at me.........where you stand;
Go ahead, and say it isn't Me;
The day will come.......you will see.
Cause I'll will.......rise again;
Ain't no power on earth can keep me down!
Yes, I'll will rise....again;
Death can't keep me in the ground.
Go ahead, mock my name;
My love for you is still the same.
Go ahead, and bury Me;
But very soon, I will be free!
Go ahead, and say I am dead and gone,
But you will see that you were wrong.
Go ahead, and try to hide the Son;
But all will see that I am the One!
Cause I will come again!
Ain't no power on earth can keep me back!
Yes, I'll come again;
Come to take my people back.
Be of good cheer - He is coming back! Blessings.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
What Jesus Said and What David Knew
Good Morning and Happy Wednesday
Our text this morning finds us in John chapter 10 and Psalm 23.
John 10:3-4, 11, 14
Verse 3:
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Verse 4:
And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Verse 11:
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Verse 14:
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Psalm 23:1
The Lord is my Shepherd; and I shall not want.
Commentary:
Jesus tells us that He knows His sheep and the sheep know Him. To know someone you have to spend time in their presence. For example, I know my wife and my son - how do I know them? We live and spend time with each other. We have "face" time with one another. We know each others likes, dislikes, and personalities. Now, if someone ask me about my neighbor - I usually will say (like most people) yes I know them, they are my neighbor. Even though I used the word know, I don't know them as I know my own family. So our degree in knowing can vary depending upon who, what or where. This can happen even when talking about the Lord. Many will say Oh yes I know the Lord but a few will truly only know Him. The question is - do you know the Lord as part of your family or just as a neighbor? It is very important to intimately know the voice of the Lord. Jesus said ..."the sheep hear his voice".... If we don't spend time with Jesus in prayer and studying the word, we won't be able to hear his voice that directs our life. What will happen is that someone other than the Shepherd will climb up some other way into the sheepfold and lead the sheep astray. There are many voices out there today calling out to many saying follow me - do you know the voice of the Shepherd? Oh yes, remember I told you that I know Him! But, do you really? Let me give you another natural example to hopefully open up your spiritual eyes. When I was in Marine Corps boot camp, my platoon would have to march. The platoon would hear the drill instructor calling cadence and we would follow the order in our marching. One day while waiting to get into the chow hall, my platoon was practicing some marching drills. After doing some of these drills, we came to a position of "at ease" (basically meaning a rest, a time-out sorta speak). A few minutes passed by and we heard a voice say platoon uh-ten-hut (cadence of bringing a platoon to attention) and when the platoon came to attention and started doing some of the cadences that were bellowing out of the drill instructor's mouth. All of sudden, we heard another voice yelling at us for marching. In short, the voice we heard, it sounded like our drill instructor but it was another drill instructor's voice from another platoon. The voice that yelled at us for obeying the first voice was our own drill instructor. You see, we thought we knew our own "shepherd" (drill instructor) even though we have spent some weeks with him but in reality we fell for the deception. So, the question remains - do you KNOW the Lord?
Can you say the Lord is my Shepherd as David did? David was a king but he knew the real king was not him but the Lord. David understood what it means to know the Lord. He spent time with Him, commune with Him and served Him through the valleys and mountains of his (David's) life. When you spend time with something you eventually will begin to worship that something. That something for David was the Lord. He knew the voice of his Shepherd and the Shepherd knew him. There can't be any "ifs"or "buts" not even an "I hope so" that the Lord your my Shepherd - it has to be like David said - The Lord IS my Shepherd; I shall not want! If the Lord clothes the lilies and feed the ravens will he not as a Good Shepherd care for you, provide for you and protect you. If you truly have a close relationship with the Lord you will know His voice and understand that He is truly your Shepherd. If you don't have a close relationship with Him or you don't even know Him - Seek after Him with all your heart and you will find eternal life. The Bible says confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. Blessings!
Our text this morning finds us in John chapter 10 and Psalm 23.
John 10:3-4, 11, 14
Verse 3:
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Verse 4:
And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Verse 11:
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Verse 14:
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Psalm 23:1
The Lord is my Shepherd; and I shall not want.
Commentary:
Jesus tells us that He knows His sheep and the sheep know Him. To know someone you have to spend time in their presence. For example, I know my wife and my son - how do I know them? We live and spend time with each other. We have "face" time with one another. We know each others likes, dislikes, and personalities. Now, if someone ask me about my neighbor - I usually will say (like most people) yes I know them, they are my neighbor. Even though I used the word know, I don't know them as I know my own family. So our degree in knowing can vary depending upon who, what or where. This can happen even when talking about the Lord. Many will say Oh yes I know the Lord but a few will truly only know Him. The question is - do you know the Lord as part of your family or just as a neighbor? It is very important to intimately know the voice of the Lord. Jesus said ..."the sheep hear his voice".... If we don't spend time with Jesus in prayer and studying the word, we won't be able to hear his voice that directs our life. What will happen is that someone other than the Shepherd will climb up some other way into the sheepfold and lead the sheep astray. There are many voices out there today calling out to many saying follow me - do you know the voice of the Shepherd? Oh yes, remember I told you that I know Him! But, do you really? Let me give you another natural example to hopefully open up your spiritual eyes. When I was in Marine Corps boot camp, my platoon would have to march. The platoon would hear the drill instructor calling cadence and we would follow the order in our marching. One day while waiting to get into the chow hall, my platoon was practicing some marching drills. After doing some of these drills, we came to a position of "at ease" (basically meaning a rest, a time-out sorta speak). A few minutes passed by and we heard a voice say platoon uh-ten-hut (cadence of bringing a platoon to attention) and when the platoon came to attention and started doing some of the cadences that were bellowing out of the drill instructor's mouth. All of sudden, we heard another voice yelling at us for marching. In short, the voice we heard, it sounded like our drill instructor but it was another drill instructor's voice from another platoon. The voice that yelled at us for obeying the first voice was our own drill instructor. You see, we thought we knew our own "shepherd" (drill instructor) even though we have spent some weeks with him but in reality we fell for the deception. So, the question remains - do you KNOW the Lord?
Can you say the Lord is my Shepherd as David did? David was a king but he knew the real king was not him but the Lord. David understood what it means to know the Lord. He spent time with Him, commune with Him and served Him through the valleys and mountains of his (David's) life. When you spend time with something you eventually will begin to worship that something. That something for David was the Lord. He knew the voice of his Shepherd and the Shepherd knew him. There can't be any "ifs"or "buts" not even an "I hope so" that the Lord your my Shepherd - it has to be like David said - The Lord IS my Shepherd; I shall not want! If the Lord clothes the lilies and feed the ravens will he not as a Good Shepherd care for you, provide for you and protect you. If you truly have a close relationship with the Lord you will know His voice and understand that He is truly your Shepherd. If you don't have a close relationship with Him or you don't even know Him - Seek after Him with all your heart and you will find eternal life. The Bible says confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. Blessings!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Welcome
Welcome to my blog - Sonshine Sayings. My prayer is that this blog will be encouraging, uplifting and a drawing to the Son - Jesus Christ - by the leading of the Holy Spirit. From time to time, I will quote scripture that Jesus spoke and do a brief commentary on it. With this said, it does not mean that I won't quote from other books of the Bible and comment. I am not a scholar, theologian or even have a degree in Bible; however, I love the Word and love to study it. So, please feel free to post a comment. Please keep all comments respectful, graceful and in the spirit of our Lord whether you disagree or not. May you be blessed.
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