Who is My Neighbor?

Happy Sunday!

Queen Elizabeth II gave her Christmas Address this week and referenced the story of The Good Samaritan.  Pastor David Winston also used this story in his sermon today.  It's a great story and provides an opportunity for us to do a bit of introspection, and self evaluation.  The Jews hated the Samaritans and tried to avoid them at all cost.  Who are you avoiding?  Who are you hating? Jesus knew what the man really wanted.  He wanted to try to trip Jesus up.  So Jesus told a special story or parable. Telling a story to Jewish listeners about a "Good" Samaritan was brilliant because they didn't believe a Samaritan could be good.  But would you expect anything less from Jesus? 

Luke 10:25-28 says, "Then an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. He said, “Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?”  Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you understand from it?”  The man answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ Also, ‘Love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.” Jesus said, “Your answer is right. Do this and you will have eternal life.”(Easy-to-Read Version).

The man failed to trick Jesus into going against the Law of Moses and might have been a little embarrassed.  "The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”(Luke 10:29 NLT).  "Jesus replied: As a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, robbers attacked him and grabbed everything he had. They beat him up and ran off, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road. But when he saw the man, he walked by on the other side. Later a temple helper came to the same place. But when he saw the man who had been beaten up, he also went by on the other side."(Luke 10:30-32 CEV).  Don't miss this!  The man laying on the side of the road injured was Jewish.  He was of the same nationality, ethnicity, and religious belief of the priest and the temple worker who passed him by.  These people were commanded in the Law of Moses to help others, but they refused to even help their own.

Luke 10:33-35 says, “Then a DESPISED Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him.  Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’(NLT).

"So, now, tell me, which one of the three men who saw the wounded man proved to be the true neighbor?” The religious scholar responded, “The one who demonstrated kindness and mercy.” Jesus said, “You must go and do the same as he.”(Luke 10:36-37 TPT). 

Colossians 3:12-15 says, "As, therefore, God’s picked representatives of the new humanity, purified and beloved of God himself, be merciful in action, kindly in heart, humble in mind. Accept life, and be most patient and tolerant with one another, always ready to forgive if you have a difference with anyone. Forgive as freely as the Lord has forgiven you. And, above everything else, be truly loving, for love is the golden chain of all the virtues.  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, remembering that as members of the same body you are called to live in harmony, and never forget to be thankful for what God has done for you."(Phillips).

Go and Do the Same!

Love and prayers, Cynthia

New Menu

 Happy Sunday!

One of my favorite Christmas movies is "Last Holiday" starring Queen Latifah.  In one scene she is at dinner, and the waiter is reciting the menu.  He describes numerous extravagant food items.  Then she says, "It all sounds so good. Will Chef Didier have the same items on the menu tomorrow?"  The waiter quips, "Chef Didier never creates the same menu twice!"  I felt like that this morning.  I watched our 7am and 9am worship services, and although Dr. Bill Winston preached using the same topic both times, the messages were unique.  But isn't that just the way the Word of God always is?  I can read a scripture I memorized in Sunday School in the 1970's and get a new revelation for today.

Hebrews 4:12 says, "God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what."(Message).  Don't miss this!  God's Word is our light, our mirror, and our guide.  When we have questions, the Word is the answer.  The Psalmist said, "Forever, O Eternal One, Your Word stands in heaven, firm and resolute."(Psalm 119:89 Voice). 

Dr. Winston is continuing a series entitled, "Reaching the World", and this section is called "Restoring the Glory".  God breathed into Adam and he became a Living, Speaking, and Breathing Being like God. "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."(Genesis 1:26 KJV).  The Glory of God was upon Adam and Eve so much so that they didn't even realize they were naked until they sinned and the Glory left them.  Jesus is called the Second Adam.  His perfect work allows us to get the Glory back.  Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and Glorify your Father which is in heaven."(Matthew 5:16 KJV).  The Apostle Paul went on to say, "Do everything without complaining or arguing so that you will be blameless and pure, children of God without any fault. But you are living with evil people all around you, who have lost their sense of what is right. Among those people you SHINE like LIGHTS in a dark world, and you offer them the teaching that gives LIFE. So I can be proud of you when Christ comes again. You will show that my work was not wasted—that I ran in the race and won."(Philippians 2:14-16 Easy-to-Read Version).

Are you shining in this dark world?  Are you bringing Glory to God by the way you live? If you were put on trial for being a Christian, would there be any evidence? 

Love and prayers, Cynthia

You Are My Son Shine

Happy Sunday!

Psalm 18:28 says, "God, all at once you turned on a floodlight for me! You are the revelation-light in my darkness, and in your brightness I can see the path ahead."(TPT).

This scripture made me think of the song, "You Are My Sunshine" written by Johnny Cash.  Can't you hear it in your head already?  "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.  You make me happy when skies are gray.  You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away."   Of course, if you read the lyrics to this song it doesn't end well.  By the end of the song, his love has left him for another.  But when I sing this song, I think of Jesus...my Son Shine!  Truly He is my only sunshine, and He and His Word make me happy when skies are gray.  I know that he will never leave me.  Because He promised, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."(Hebrews 13:5 KJV).

Isaiah 9:2 says, "The people who had been living in darkness have seen a great light. The light of LIFE has shined on those who dwelt in the shadowy darkness of death."(Voice).  We know that Jesus is the Light of Life.  Isaiah goes on to prophecy, "For unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder. These will be his royal titles: “Wonderful,” “Counselor,” “The Mighty God,” “The Everlasting Father,” “The Prince of Peace.” His ever-expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule with perfect fairness and justice from the throne of his father David. He will bring true justice and peace to all the nations of the world. This is going to happen because the Lord of heaven’s armies has dedicated himself to do it!"(Isaiah 9:6-7 Living Bible).

Don't miss this!  Jesus specializes in shining the light that leads us, comforts us, saves us, provides for us, and heals us!  He has all of the bases covered and never misses a beat.  He comforts us when everything is shaking, and loves us with an everlasting love.  How does he comfort us?  So glad you asked!  Psalm 119:130 says, "As people understand your WORD, it brings LIGHT to their lives. Your word makes even simple people wise."(Easy-to-Read Version).  Reading, knowing, and meditating on the Word of God comforts us and reassures us.  Are your skies gray?  Go to the Word. 

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Pray Without Ceasing

 Happy Sunday!

Colossians 1:9-14 says, "Since the day we heard these things about you, we have continued praying for you.
This is what we pray:
 - that God will make you completely sure of what he wants by giving you all the wisdom and spiritual understanding you need;
 - that this will help you live in a way that brings honor to the Lord and pleases him in every way;
 - that your life will produce good works of every kind and that you will grow in your knowledge of God;
 - that God will strengthen you with his own great power, so that you will be patient and not give up when troubles come. 
Then you will be HAPPY and give thanks to the Father. He has made you able to have what he has promised to give all his holy people, who live in the light. God made us free from the power of darkness. And he brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son. The Son paid the price to make us free. In him we have forgiveness of our sins."(Easy-to-Read Version).

What a thoughtful prayer.  We don't have to reinvent prayer we can follow the Biblical examples.  The Apostle Paul had heard great things about the Believers in Colossae and wrote a letter to encourage and instruct them.  Isn't it wonderful to know that someone is praying for you?  Even Jesus prayed for us and the Bible says He's still praying for us, "But Christ, because he lives for ever, possesses a priesthood that needs no successor. This means that he can save fully and completely those who approach God through him, for he is always living to INTERCEDE on their behalf."(Hebrew 7:25 Phillips).

Who are you praying for? Did you know we are commanded to pray? 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, "Continually be prayerful."(ISV).  Because we have faith we can pray with confidence. Hebrews 11:6 says, "It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he EXISTS and that he CARES enough to respond to those who seek him."(Message).  1 John 5:14-15 reassures us that our prayers will be successful, "We can come to God with no doubts. This means that when we ask God for things (and those things agree with what God wants for us), God cares about what we say. He listens to us every time we ask him. So we know that he gives us whatever we ask from him."(Easy-to-Read Version). 

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Thank You Jesus!

 Happy Sunday!

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

I'm so very thankful!  Thankful to God for Life, Health, and Strength. As the Deacons used to say in prayer, I'm thankful for the activity of my limbs, and I'm thankful that the bed I slept on last night was not a "cooling board", and the cover I covered my body with was not my "winding sheet".  I'm thankful for Salvation through Jesus Christ and the confidence that I will never open my eyes in Hell. I'm also thankful that I don't have to live a life of hell here on earth.  Like the psalmist I can say, "I believe that I will see the goodness of the Lord in this world of the living."(Psalm 27:13 GW).  I'm thankful for the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, and thankful that He is with me and leads me and guides me into all truth.(John 16:13).

I'm thankful for freedom, and happy to live in the United States of America.  I'm thankful that God is merciful and doesn't give me what I deserve. I'm thankful that God, "is good even to people who are unthankful and cruel".(Luke 6:35 CEV).  He always gives us, "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think".(Ephesians 3:20 KJV).  I'm far beyond second chances, so I'm thankful for another chance to get it right.  I'm thankful for my parents introducing me to the things of God early in life.  Even through ups and downs, and ins and outs what I learned in the Word of God has sustained me. 

I'm thankful for my family, and friends.  I'm even thankful for my enemies.  Yes, I do have enemies.  They teach me to be kind and give me standard to exceed.  With each slight, I learn to be more loving, more giving, more transparent, and more like Jesus.  I'm thankful for prosperity, and employment.  I'm thankful that God is happy when I prosper, "As for those who desire my vindication, may they be joyful and glad. May they forever say, “The Eternal is indeed great! He takes pleasure when good things happen to His servant!”(Psalm 35:27 Voice).

I'm thankful for YOU!  Yes, YOU!  Thank God for you allowing me to invade your inbox, and ramble on and on about how Magnificent God is!

Happy Thanksgiving!  Remember Everyday is a Day of Thanksgiving!

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Battle Ready

 Happy Sunday!

"The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity."(2 Corinthians 10:3-5 Message).

Years ago Joyce Meyer wrote a book entitled, "Battlefield of the Mind".  This title is so true, appropriate, and relevant today.  The Bible says it over and over again, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he."(Proverbs 23:7 Amplified).  The Apostle James said, "Where do you think your fighting and endless conflict come from? Don’t you think that they originate in the constant pursuit of gratification that rages inside each of you like an uncontrolled militia?"(James 4:1 Voice).  Even secular writers and mentors say, "Change you mind or thoughts, change your life".

The Apostle Paul reminded the Corinthian believers that we are fighting a battle, and as soldiers we do have weapons.  But our weapons are unconventional.  Our weapons are used to change minds and tear down strongholds that have been constructed by ungodly thinking.  In Ephesians 6:13-18 he encourages us to dress appropriately for combat, "So use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will still be standing up.  But to do this, you will need the strong belt of TRUTH and the breastplate of God’s APPROVAL. Wear shoes that are able to speed you on as you preach the Good News of PEACE with God.  In every battle you will need FAITH as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. And you will need the helmet of SALVATION and the sword of the Spirit—which is the WORD of God. Pray all the time. Ask God for anything in line with the Holy Spirit’s wishes. Plead with him, reminding him of your needs, and keep praying earnestly for all Christians everywhere."(Living Bible).

We know where the fight is raging, and we have on the right uniform and equipment, but what can we do daily to ensure greater success?  Great question.  I'm so glad you asked!  First remember your eyes and ears are gates or gateways to your soul.  Proverbs 4:23 warns, "Above all, be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life."(Easy-to-Read Version).  You don't have to listen and watch everything.  Remember the Children of Israel when the spies came back with their news reports?  10 spies acknowledged that the land was everything God promised, BUT they denied His power to take them into the land.  2 spies tried to encourage the group that God is always faithful, and he promised them the land, and they were well able to take it now.  The people let the evil message get into their minds. The scripture says they cried all night long.  You know the story.  They missed out on going into the land and everyone 20 years old and older was doomed to die in the wilderness.  Numbers 14:29 says, "You will all die here in this wilderness! Not a single one of you twenty years old and older, who has complained against me, shall enter the Promised Land. Only Caleb (son of Jephunneh) and Joshua (son of Nun) are permitted to enter it."(Living Bible).  OUCH!

Second, decide to always put God's Word first place.  It's not what I think, or you  think but what God thinks that matters.  Go to the Word to find out what God says about every issue.  Jesus comforted the disciples when he informed them that he would be leaving them soon.  He said, "But the Holy Spirit will come and help you, because the Father will send the Spirit to take my place. The Spirit will TEACH you everything and will REMIND you of what I said while I was with you."(CEV).

We have everything we need to WIN! 

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Good vs Evil

 Happy Sunday!

"The wicked become angry when they see this. They grind their teeth in anger, but then they disappear. They will NEVER get what they want most."(Psalm 112:10 Easy-to-Read Version).

What is making the wicked people angry?  Good question.  I'm so glad you asked. Reading the entire 112 Psalm will explain why the wicked are so angry.  Psalm 112 describes a Godly, God-fearing, God-respecting person and the wonderful life God provides for him.  Verse 1 says, "Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who fears the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worships Him with obedience], Who delights greatly in His commandments."(Amplified). 

Why would the wicked hate the good?  Well, the Apostle James described it like this, "What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Isn’t it because there is a whole army of EVIL desires within you? You want what you don’t have, so you kill to get it. You long for what others have, and can’t afford it, so you start a fight to take it away from them. And yet the reason you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it. And even when you do ask you don’t get it because your whole aim is wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure."(James 4:1-3 Living Bible).

Psalm 37:4 says, "Do what the Lord wants, and he will give you your heart’s desire."(CEV).  You and I are probably more familiar with the King James Version of this scripture, "Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart".  We never have to worry about the wicked, we just want to live our lives in a way that makes it clear that we are not the wicked ones.  Jesus said, "A good tree does not produce bad fruit. And a bad tree does not produce good fruit.  Every tree is known by the kind of fruit it produces. You won’t find figs on thorny weeds. And you can’t pick grapes from thorn bushes! GOOD people have good things saved in their hearts. That’s why they say good things. But those who are EVIL have hearts full of evil, and that’s why they say things that are evil. What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts."(Luke 6:43-45 Easy-to-Read Version).

"If you want a happy, good life, keep control of your tongue, and guard your lips from telling lies."(1 Peter 3:10 Living Bible).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Bless The Lord

 Happy Sunday!

We are living in exciting times!  Of course the Word always has something to say.  Psalm 103 comes to mind.  Read it for yourself in different translations when you get a chance.  It's beautiful!  This is what we should be doing everyday!  Blessing the Lord!  Remembering how great He is, and how much He loves us. Not forgetting, but taking advantage of every benefit He has provided.

"O my soul, come, praise the Eternal with all that is in me—body, emotions, mind, and will—every part of who I am— praise His holy name.
2 O my soul, come, praise the Eternal;
    sing a song from a grateful heart;
    sing and never forget all the good He has done.
3 Despite all your many offenses, He forgives and releases you.
    More than any doctor, He heals your diseases.
4 He reaches deep into the pit to deliver you from death.
    He crowns you with unfailing love and compassion like a king.
5 When your soul is famished and withering,
    He fills you with good and beautiful things, satisfying you as long as you live.
    He makes you strong like an eagle, restoring your youth.
6 When people are crushed, wronged, enslaved, raped, murdered,
    the Eternal is just; He makes the wrongs right.
7 He showed Moses His ways;
    He allowed His people Israel to see His wonders and acts of power.
8 The Eternal is compassionate and merciful.
    When we cross all the lines, He is patient with us.
    When we struggle against Him, He lovingly stays with us—changing, convicting, prodding;
9 He will not constantly criticize, nor will He hold a grudge forever.
10 Thankfully, God does not punish us for our sins and depravity as we deserve.
    In His mercy, He tempers justice with peace.
11 Measure how high heaven is above the earth;
    God’s wide, loving, kind heart is greater for those who revere Him.
12 You see, God takes all our crimes—our seemingly inexhaustible sins—and removes them. As far as east is from the west, He removes them from us.
13 An earthly father expresses love for his children; it is no different with our heavenly Father; The Eternal shows His love for those who revere Him.
14 For He knows what we are made of; He knows our frame is frail, and He remembers we came from dust."(Psalm 103:1-14 Voice).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Influence

Happy Sunday!

Ecclesiastes 9:16 says, "Then I realized that though wisdom is better than strength, nevertheless, if the wise man is poor, he will be despised, and what he says will not be appreciated."(Living Bible).

Deuteronomy 8:17-18 says, "If you start thinking to yourselves, “I did all this. And all by myself. I’m rich. It’s all mine!”—well, think again. Remember that God, your God, gave you the strength to produce all this wealth so as to confirm the covenant that he promised to your ancestors—as it is today."(Message).

Matthew 6:16 says, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven."(Amplified).

Don't you just love how the Word of God flows?  I do.  Don't miss this.  God wants you to have influence in the world.  He knows that a poor wise man is not appreciated so he gives you power to get wealth.  Not just so you can be rich, but also because he keeps his promises to the ancestors.  When you get the wealth, the people in the world should see you doing good things with it.  When they see you doing great things for others they will glorify God. 

Remember when Jesus told the disciples about the King separating the sheep from the goats?  Matthew 25:34-36 says, “Then the king will say to the godly people on his right, "Come, my Father has great blessings for you. The kingdom he promised is now yours. It has been prepared for you since the world was made. It is yours BECAUSE when I was hungry, you gave me food to eat. When I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I had no place to stay, you welcomed me into your home. When I was without clothes, you gave me something to wear. When I was sick, you cared for me. When I was in prison, you came to visit me."(Easy-to-Read Version).  These godly people got it right!  They even had to ask the King, "When did we see you hungry, thirsty, homeless, sick, and in prison?"  The King responded, "I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me."(Message).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Knowing the Future

 Happy Sunday!

"When the Holy Spirit, who is TRUTH, comes, he shall guide you into all TRUTH, for he will not be presenting his own ideas, but will be passing on to you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future."(John 16:13, Living Bible).

So many people want to know the future.  Do you understand God has given you His Spirit that knows everything?  Not a fortune cookie, not a psychic, and not a horoscope but the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now gives life to our mortal bodies.(Romans 8:11).  Back in the Old Testament, Amos 3:7 says, "When the Lord God decides to do something, he will first tell his servants, the prophets."(Easy-to-Read Version).  Hebrews 1:1-3 goes even further and says, "Going through a long line of prophets, God has been addressing our ancestors in different ways for centuries. Recently he spoke to us directly through his Son. By his Son, God created the world in the beginning, and it will all belong to the Son at the end. This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God’s nature. He holds everything together by what he says—powerful Words!"(Message).

John 1:1 ties this all together, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."(KJV).  Don't miss this!  If you want to know the future get to know the Word.  The more Word you have the more revelation you will have.  Ok, I can hear you now.  "Sounds too simple", you may say.  It is simple.  God made it that way so that no one will have an excuse for not getting it.  Proverbs 14:6 says, "A scoffer seeks Wisdom in vain [for his very attitude blinds and deafens him to it], but knowledge is EASY to him who [being teachable] understands."(Amplified).  The Living Bible says it this way, "A mocker never finds the wisdom he claims he is looking for, yet it comes easily to the man with common sense". 

2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not being slow in doing what he promised—the way some people understand slowness. But God is being patient with you. He doesn’t want anyone to be lost. He wants everyone to change their ways and stop sinning."(Easy-to- Read Version).  Sometimes it may appear that the Word is not working, and that the future is not predictable.  But this scripture reminds us that God in merciful, and wants us to do right.  Galatians 6:7 shows the other side of the coin, "Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life."(Message).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Childlike

 Happy Sunday!

In John 16:33, Jesus says, "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]"(Amplified).

Most people love babies.  Well, at least we love other people's babies.  We can love on them, smell their necks, and give them back to their parents.  Have you ever noticed that the world around them can be chaotic but they can sleep as if nothing is happening?  Perhaps, that's what we really enjoy about babies...seeing peace in action.  The baby is forced to trust the people in whose care they are placed.  They must trust that their parents and care takers will be loving, compassionate, and forgiving especially when they make smelly messes.  They must trust that they will be given sufficient provision, and kept safe.

We are the Children of God, not the adults of God.  Jesus rebuked the disciples for trying to prevent the children from coming forward in the crowd to be blessed.  He said, "Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.”(Mark 10:14, Message).  Don't miss this!  It's so simple, not complicated at all.  Proverbs 3:5-8 says it this way, "Place your trust in the Eternal; rely on Him completely;  never depend upon your own ideas and inventions.  Give Him the credit for everything you accomplish, and He will smooth out and straighten the road that lies ahead. And don’t think you can decide on your own what is right and what is wrong. Respect the Eternal; turn and run from evil. If you depend on Him, your body and mind will be free from the strain of a sinful life, will experience healing and health, and will be strengthened at their core."(Voice).

Isaiah 26:3 says, "You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You."(Amplified).  The God's Word Translation of this scripture says, "With perfect peace you will protect those whose minds cannot be changed, because they trust you".  Amen.

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Winning

Happy Sunday!

Proverbs 11:30 says, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise."(KJV). 

Are you winning?  Are you winning souls for Christ?  If you were arrested and taken to court, would there be enough evidence to prove your Salvation, or your Christianity?  God has called us and commissioned us.  Jesus said, "You, then, are to go and make disciples of all the nations and baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to observe all that I have commanded you and, remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”(Matthew 28:20, Phillips).

Are you leading others closer to God, or are you causing them to move away from God?  Jesus said, "But if anyone abuses one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him to have a heavy boulder tied around his neck and be hurled into the deepest sea than to face the punishment he deserves!"(Mark 9:42, Passion).  Ouch!  We don't want to be on the wrong side of this scenario.  It makes sense then that the Apostle Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to, "Abstain from all appearance of evil."(1 Thessalonians 5:22, KJV).  Other translations of this scripture say, "Keep away from every kind of evil."(Living Bible).  Not that he wanted us to be disingenuous, but we have to be unselfish.  God cares about me, but it's not all about me.  You may want to read that again. 

John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."(KJV).  We learned this scripture in Sunday School, but do we take time to feel the weight of it?  God loves everyone.  His love is not superficial.  It's not just a sweet thing to say, or emojis in a text message.  He put His love and His Son on the line with no guarantee the love would be accepted, or reciprocated.  He wants everyone to experience everlasting life.  In Ezekiel 33:11, "The Lord God says: By my life, I swear that I don’t enjoy seeing people die—not even evil people! I don’t want them to die. I want them to come back to me. I want them to change their lives so that they can really live."(Easy-to-Read Version).  We are here to show that love to the world, and win others for Christ.

2 Corinthians 2:14 says, "But I thank God, who ALWAYS leads us in victory because of Christ. Wherever we go, God USES us to make clear what it means to know Christ. It’s like a fragrance that fills the air."(God's Word Translation).

Love and prayers, Cynthia