The Right Words

 Happy Sunday!

"And Jesus replied, “Today you will be with me in Paradise. This is a solemn promise.”(Luke 23:43 Living Bible).

Have your ever been in a stressful situation or argument and didn't know what to say?  Then afterward you replayed it in your mind and thought, "I should have said this, or that!"  I certainly have!  I even remember playing out the "what ifs" beforehand.  Like, if he says this, I will say that.  Far too many hours and too much brain power expended unnecessarily.  Have you ever really had a chance to say all those witty, and possibly hurtful things? I haven't.

Jesus was in the midst of the most stressful part of his earthly life.  He'd been sleep-deprived, mocked, tortured and beaten, and then nailed to a wooden cross by the notoriously brutal Roman soldiers.  He said very little but what he did say is still teaching us today. Isaiah prophesied, "Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was NUMBERED with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."(Isaiah 53:12 KJV).  Even on the cross He suffered opposition.  Hanging between two criminals who should have been in the same excruciating pain, "One of the criminals hanging there began to shout insults at Jesus: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Then save yourself, and save us too!”(Luke 23:39 Easy-to-Read Version).

Jesus could have easily straighten him out.  But he didn't say a mumbling word, as the church folks would say.  What an example for us.  We don't always have to reply or respond.  Most times no words are plenty of response.  Proverbs 27:2 says, "Don’t praise yourself; let others do it!"(Living Bible).  "But the other criminal protested. “Don’t you even fear God when you are dying? We deserve to die for our evil deeds, but this man hasn’t done one thing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”(Luke 23:40-42 Living Bible).

I imagine that second thief had a praying mother, and grandmother.  Someone that never stopped believing he would be saved.  In his final moments he humbled himself, admitted he was wrong and asked Jesus to remember him.  Then Jesus spoke up!  He didn't condemn the man or rehash all his bad deeds. He didn't tell him it was too late because he couldn't join the local Baptist Church or get baptized.  He solemnly promised him that the same day he would be with Him in Paradise.  It was that simple!

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Can you be trusted?

 Happy Sunday!

"You bless those who obey you, Lord;  your love protects them like a shield."(Psalm 5:12 Good News Translation).

God's Word is always true.  God's Word has stood the test of time.  God's Word never fails.  When God promises to protect you he can be trusted to do so, no matter what may come.  We can trust Him, but can he trust us?

When we sincerely trust God we will obey his commands.  The Apostle John wrote, "The TEST of the genuineness of our love for God’s family lies in this question—do we love God himself and do we OBEY his commands? For loving God means obeying his commands, and these commands of his are not burdensome, for God’s “heredity” within us will always conquer the world outside us. In fact, this faith of ours is the only way in which the world has been conquered. For who could ever be said to conquer the world, in the true sense, except the man who really believes that Jesus is God’s Son?"(1 John 5:2-5 Phillips).

Proverbs 3:4-10 says, "If you want favor with both God and man, and a reputation for good judgment and common sense, then trust the Lord completely; don’t ever trust yourself.  In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.  Don’t be conceited, sure of your own wisdom. Instead, trust and reverence the Lord, and turn your back on evil; when you do that, then you will be given renewed health and vitality.  Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income, and he will fill your barns with wheat and barley and overflow your wine vats with the finest wines."(Living Bible).  Every base has been covered in these verses.  Trusting and obeying God causes blessings spiritually, emotionally, physically, and financially!  Now that's Good News!

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Beauty for Ashes

 Happy Sunday!

"As for those who grieve over Zion, God has sent me to give them a beautiful crown in exchange for ashes, To anoint them with gladness instead of sorrow, to wrap them in victory, joy, and praise instead of depression and sadness.  People will call them magnificent, like great towering trees standing for what is right. They stand to the glory of the Eternal who planted them."(Isaiah 61:3 Voice).

The Preacher said, "Everything on earth has its own time and its own season."(Ecclesiastes 3:1 CEV).  Since most of us have moved far away from farming, and agrarian society, and we can get summer fruits from South America all winter long, we tend to forget about seasons and times.  But seasons and times are really real.  When we lose a loved one we are shaken by this reality of time.  The Word says, "Everyone has to die once, then face the consequences. Christ’s death was also a one-time event, but it was a sacrifice that took care of sins forever. And so, when he next appears, the outcome for those eager to greet him is, precisely, salvation."(Hebrews 9:27-28 Message).

Don't miss this!  When we accepted Jesus and his payment for our sins, we don't have to fear death, or His imminent return.  Our judgement will not be the Great White Throne Judgement of sinners who refused to accept Jesus Christ.(Revelation 20:10-12).  Jesus took our judgement for sin.  We will be judged based on what we did after receiving salvation.  2 Corinthians 5:10 says, "For we must all appear and be revealed as we are before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive [his pay] according to what he has done in the body, whether good or evil [considering what his purpose and motive have been, and what he has achieved, been busy with, and given himself and his attention to accomplishing]."(Amplified).

The Prophet Isaiah prophesied of the Second Coming of Jesus in Chapter 61:3, and described how all the things that plague us will be removed.  Sorrow, Sadness, and Depression all are replaced by Gladness. Praise, Victory, and Joy!  In case you're thinking we have to wait until Jesus returns to enjoy these things, the Apostle Paul wrote, "But the fruit that the Spirit produces in a person’s life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these kinds of things."(Galatians 5:22-23 Easy-to-Read Version).  Because we have The Holy Spirit we can enjoy Beauty for Ashes right now!  We can have joy in the midst of sorrow.  We can live in victory, and free of depression today.  That's Good News!

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Momma Said...

 Happy Sunday!

Happy Mother's Day!

"His mother said to the servants, Whatever He says to you, do it."(John 2:5 Amplified).

Without a doubt mothers are some of the best cheerleaders, promoters, and handlers.  Mother's are looking out for you when you haven't got a clue.  Mother's are thinking ahead, and strategically planning their children's lives if allowed to.  Jesus' mother, brought him a problem.  We've talked about this before.  The bride or the groom may have been related to them, or simply close friends. But as mothers often do, she took the lead and went to her eldest son for a solution.  "Is that your concern, or mine?” replied Jesus. “My time has not come yet.”(John 2:4 Phillips).  She totally ignored his push-back and told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you to.”(John 2:5 Living Bible).

The servants obeyed, and Jesus turned 6 water pots full of water into the finest wine the master of the feast had ever tasted.  The Dake Annotated Reference Bible says these water pots held about 9 gallons each.  There are 5 bottles in a gallon of wine.  So 45 bottles worth in 6 water pots would be 270 bottles of wine.  A bottle of 1945 Romanee-Conti sold for a record $558,00.00 in 2018.  It was thought that it would sell for just $32,000.00.  $32,000.00 times 270 equals $8,640,000.00.  Excuse me for rambling, and forgive me if my math is off.  This was a miracle, an extravagant miracle, done by our extravagant God. 

2 Peter 1:3-4 says, "Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely TERRIFIC promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust."(Message).    Ephesians 3:20 says, "Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do SUPERABUNDANTLY, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]"(Amplified).  Don't miss this!  Jesus came to give us LIFE, and that life more Abundantly(John 10:10).  Our God is El Shaddai not El Cheapo!  He's concerned about everything that concerns you.  More than the best mother that ever lived, He has you on his mind.  He's already planned a good life for you, and He paid the price.  All we have to do is receive it by Faith.

Love and prayers, Cynthia

God's Riches at Christ's Expense

 Happy Sunday!

"For it’s by God’s grace that you have been saved. You receive it through faith. It was not our plan or our effort. It is God’s gift, pure and simple. You didn’t earn it, not one of us did, so don’t go around bragging that you must have done something amazing."(Ephesians 2:8-9 Voice).

Grace is defined as, "unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification"(Merriam-Webster).  I've also heard grace defined as, "God's Riches at Christ's Expense".   Either way grace is not something we are capable of earning or working for.  Our response is to accept what has been given, and enjoy the wondrous benefits.  I know I've mentioned how my students in Children's Church would gasp when I said that God doesn't send anyone to Hell. You may have also gasped, but it's true.  God gives every human being the opportunity to choose.  People will ultimately spend eternity in Hell because they refused to choose Life.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. Without me, no one can go to the Father."(John 14:6 CEV).

The Apostle Paul wrote, "Don’t you realize how patient he is being with you? Or don’t you care? Can’t you see that he has been waiting all this time without punishing you, to give you time to turn from your sin? His kindness is meant to lead you to repentance."(Romans 2:4 Living Bible).  Don't miss this!  God is kind and merciful.  He's giving everyone time to repent and choose life.  Hebrews 3:13 says, "But encourage each other every day, while you still have something called “today”.  Help each other so that none of you will be fooled by sin and become too hard to change."(Easy-to-Read Version).

What should our response be to these things?  Great question!  I'm so glad you asked.  Jesus said, "All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, for there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end."(John 9:4 Living Bible).  He also said, "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."(Matthew 5:16 AMPC).

Love and prayers, Cynthia