The Word became flesh ~

I am certain of this...that every day God reveals to us so many things we could never have time to write about it all. It is just too much. Each year I try to set a goal of reading through the Scripture of God; it usually takes me three years.

In the first chapter of John the author, inspired by God, tells us that:
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Joh 1:4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Joh 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Each of theses verses has been disected and studies many times. Chapters in commentaries have been dedicated to just these five verses. My professor, Dr. Neil Nelson is a greek teacher. This passage is the first he has his students read in the Greek language. The "Word" is pertaining to Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Word. You say, "So what? What's the big deal?" Here is my point. To think the our Creator became flesh, later on in the chapter (v.14), to save us from eternal separation from Him...is very hard to understand and accept. I cannot fathom that kind of love. Can you? When I spend time meditating on this I am in tears. God's grace and mercy is born from his holiness. God is, "Holy, holy, holy!" In the book of Revelation is says:
Rev 4:8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come."
There are angels in heaven that are created just to respond on His holiness. Why would God give us His only Son to save us? He loves us. He loves you. Meditate on these five verses and you cannot help but respond in thankfulness. Remember that the "light of men"(v.4) is Christ. The only light in you is Christ. Continue to walk in His good fellowship and feel His good pleasure flow through you today. God bless you ~

War in heaven ~

A thought occurred to me that two-third of heaven went to war for God, our heavenly Father. What I find interesting is that the battle continues to this day. What!? According to the Scriptures the battle will not stop until Satan is contained for a thousand years during the millenial reign on earth (if your theology believes that). Then he (Satan) will be released again for a short time. After that he will be judged and cast into the Great Abyss (lake of fire) for all of eternity at the final judgement. There he will not able to do battle against the God we know and love. The angles went to war for God! I will say it again, "The angels went to war for God." This disturbs me alittle I'll have to admit. With a single thought God could have taken Satan with the third of angels, he had convinced to side with him, and banished them for ever; but God didn't do that. He had a plan that involved you and me. I will ask you this question. Do you battle for the Lord? Man! Bro! Dude! This is no joke. Do you battle for the Lord? When I thought of the angels in heaven siding with God to do battle, which they had never had to do before, I thought, "Do I battle for the Lord...at all?" My heart is heavy with this thought. God battles for us all the time. Do I battle for Him, my Creator?

A New Chapter ~

Thank you ~ There is always a time when a new chapter in life is recognized. Such is our circumstance today. The neighborhood we live in is full of young couples with children. Shasta, our white lab, has been our good will ambassador. The days are thoughtful with plenty to do. At times our Father in heaven knows when it is time to rest. Kathy is very busy with her new occupation as a business analyst. It is a supervisory role and part of team of people she enjoys working with. I am finishing up my graduate classes at the seminary and hope to be finished in six months. But, believe it or not, this is our time of rest. Kathy is very busy at work and I am always studying. But the "rest" is there as we live moment to moment in fellowship with our Father in heaven. The job is not important. The studying is not important either. It is always about our communion with God. Hearing from Him is premier in all that we do. If anxiety or fretting seeps in it is because we have lost focus. This is not rocket science. God has made it easy; we just refuse to believe it at times. I had talked to an old friend recently. He has been to so many colleges trying to find the right fit for him and wondering what to do with his life. When one is greiving it is extremely difficult to hear God. There is a grieving process. But after that there must be praise to Him. As we praise God, and join in the work He has going, we find direction. I know it sounds simple but let me ask you a question. Are you risking anything in faith trusting God? If not, you must try it. "Without faith it is impossible to please God," the Bible. Kathy and I love you all ~

Whose in charge?

"I'm in charge." "No, I'm in charge!" I love this picture. It was taken less than a month ago at the Womacks. The person next to me is Linda Womack. She is the brilliant wife of Everett Womack. They are both close friends. Linda and I were talking about our missed opportunity of discussing escatology (i.e. - future events yet to happen). We both just happen to have our hands on our hips at the time which I though was funny. When I first looked at this picure I thought of my relationship with my Lord. I get to this place where I am convinced that I am living moment to moment with the Lord only to be interuped with something that draws me away from fellowship with Him. I am a fellow who likes to get things accomplished well. As a result I am constantly having to watch my behavior towards others. It is not about how I can accomplish this or that; it is about my moment to moment fellowship with God. I can choose anything to get for self satisfaction or I can listen to what my creator is guiding me to do. If I brush off a thought to accomplish what I want to do am I sinning against my Lord? God's word tells me that I will give an account for every thought to my Lord. A dear friend, who has passed on five years ago, paid me a compliment, "Mike, you are a capable guy you know." I thought, "Wow! She is so cool." Then she said, "Mike, I am a capable person to too. And well, can I say something?" I said, "Sure." She then said, "Mike, I know because I am capable I don't pray very often; how about you? Do you struggle with prayer?" Man, I did not know what to say. I was struck through. My heart sank because I only knew this to be true. I told her that I did struggle with prayer and thank her for the exhortation. I knew God was trying to get my attention...my fellowship. God wants our fellowship from moment to moment. He wants to commune with us. As I seek to live more humbly with my Lord I hope to leave Him IN CHARGE so that I remain living in fellowship moment to moment with Him.