Verse of the Week - Galatians 2:20

Paul acquaints us with what his own judgment and practice were. 

• That he was dead to the law. Whatever account others might make of it for his part, he was dead to it. 
• He knew that the moral law denounced a curse against all that did not continue in all things written in the law and therefore he was dead to it, as to all hope of justification and salvation that way. 
• As for the ceremonial law, he also knew that it was now antiquated and superseded by the coming of Christ. He was therefore dead to the law, through the law itself. By considering the law itself, he saw that justification was not to be expected by the works of it (since none could perform a perfect obedience to it) and that there was now no further need of the sacrifices and purifications of it, since they were done away in Christ. 
• A stop was put to them by Jesus offering up himself a sacrifice for us; and therefore, the more Paul looked into it the more he saw that there was no occasion for keeping up that regard to the law which the Jews pleaded for. 
• Paul had renounced all hopes of justification by the works of the law, and was unwilling any longer to continue under the bondage of it; but he was far from thinking himself discharged from his duty to God.
• On the contrary, he was dead to the law, that he might live for God. 
• The doctrine of the gospel, which he had embraced, instead of weakening the bond of duty upon him, strengthened and confirmed it; and though he was dead to the law, yet it was only in order to his living a new and better life to God.
•  (as Rom. 7:4, 6), Paul's new life would be more agreeable and acceptable to God than his observance of the Mosaic law.
• A life of faith in Christ, and, under the influence of Jesus, was a life of holiness and righteousness towards God. 

Paul also acquaints us with

• That, as he was dead to the law, so he was alive to God through Jesus Christ.
•  (v. 20): I am crucified with Christ, etc. 

And here Paul gives us an excellent description of the life of a believer.

• He is crucified, and yet he lives; the old man is crucified (Rom. 6:6), but the new man is living; 

• he is dead to the world, and dead to the law, and yet alive to God and Christ; 

• sin is mortified, and grace quickened. 

• He lives, and yet not he. This is strange: I live, and yet not I; 

• he lives in the exercise of grace; 

• he has the comforts and the triumphs of grace; and yet that grace is not from himself, but from another. 

• Believers see themselves living in a state of dependence.  

• He is crucified with Christ, and yet Christ lives in him; this results from his mystical union with Christ, by means of which he is interested in the death of Christ, so as by virtue of that to die unto sin; and yet interested in the life of Christ, so as by virtue of that to live unto God. 

• He lives in the flesh, and yet lives by faith; to outward appearance he lives as other people do, his natural life is supported as others are; yet he has a higher and nobler principle that supports and actuates him, that of faith in Christ, and especially as eyeing the wonders of his love in giving himself for him. 

• Hence it is that, though he lives in the flesh, yet he does not live after the flesh. 

• Those who have true faith live by that faith; and the great thing which faith fastens upon is Christ’s loving us and giving himself for us.  

• The great evidence of Christ’s loving us is his giving himself for us; and this is that which we are chiefly concerned to mix faith with, in order to live for him.

Lastly, The apostle concludes...if righteousness comes by the law, then it must follow that Jesus Christ has died in vain; for, if we look for salvation by the law of Moses, then we render the death of Jesus needless: for to what purpose should he be appointed to die, if we might have been saved without it?

Adapted from Matthew Henry's Complete Exposition of the Entire Bible 

Verse of the Week - Galatians 2:18

Circumcision was an issue that was dividing the Hebrew and Gentile Christians. Hebrews were required to be circumcised by the law. Gentiles were not under the law and therefore not following this. However, some of the Hebrew followers of Jesus began to expect Gentile followers of Jesus to follow the law about circumcision. Paul disagreed with this quite vocally.

Paul preached the foundational doctrine of Jesus' teaching that sinners are justified by faith alone and no one is under the law. 

Romans 7:4 and 6:7 backs this up that we died to the law through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. We died to sin through Jesus' sacrifice when we place our faith in him for our salvation. We don't need to follow rules or laws to follow Jesus. 

Christians are free of the Mosaic law. 

Why would we want to place ourselves back under sin? Jesus is not the minister of sin. He died as a ransom sacrifice or sin offering for all of us and rose from the dead three days later and ascended to heaven to be with his Father God. Titus 2:14 says,

who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

To Retire or Not to Retire

I wrestled with the decision to retire for weeks. I looked at data and made calculations until I had a headache. I am NOT a math person. My sweetheart was supportive and encouraged me. He prayed with me and for me. Still I wrestled with the decision. 

Calmness would be mine for about 24 hours before I  started feeling doubt and indecisiveness again.

Do you remember Dr. Doolittle's pushmi pullu? It was a "gazelle/unicorn cross" with a head at opposite ends of its body. That's what I felt like. One head would be thinking about retirement while the other was dealing with today and I  wasnt getting anywhere with my decision.

Finally on my way to work, I had a one sided conversation with Jesus; he listened and I talked.
"Lord Jesus I am surrendering this decision to you. I've wrestled with it enough. It's up to you. I know that financially I can retire. If I'm supposed to retire, I  know you will let me feel the peace that only comes from you when I  think about it. Thank you for the sacrifice that you made so that I might be saved and become a coheir in the kingdom of God. Amen"

And I didn't think about retirement all day. That evening the retirement decision tried to creep back into my thoughts. Immediately I told myself that I'd given my retirement decision to Jesus and it was his choice. And I didn't think about retirement all evening or at bedtime.

24 hours after I  surrendered my retirement decision to Jesus, I woke up filled with a deep and unshakable calm. The doubt and indecisiveness were GONE! I knew in my head and my heart that retirement was the next step on my journey with Jesus.

Proverbs 3:5‭-‬6 NKJV

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Verse of the Week - Galatians 1:11-13

Paul's Testimony is Amazing to Me
Here he is owning that he had a personal and intimate revelation from Jesus. He is facing a crowd and admitting how intensely he was persecuting the church.
From Spiritual Revelation to Testimony
As I read these words, I think of the many testimonies I have heard from people who have had an intensely spiritual revelation from Jesus that completely altered their lives. Sex, drugs, and addictive behavior are left behind in the dark shadows of a painful lifestyle. Their path in life changes after they decide to become followers of Jesus Christ. In the past, theses people would awake to a new day with dread and fear in their hearts. Now they wake up with the light of the Son shining from within and complete confidence that this new day will be fine no matter what happens. Honestly, only a divine intervention can explain the testimony of Paul and the countless brothers and sisters who have had similar revelations.
I Stand in Awe of the Lord
God shows us his power by transforming people who no one else would want, into his strongest servants! Saul was responsible for the deaths of many people. He imprisoned men and women because they followed Jesus and his teachings. Saul's conversion was completely unexpected. I am sure there were people familiar with Saul who saw his transformation and were at a loss to explain what had happened to him. Can you imagine being Saul's mother, father, or synagogue teacher?

"It is hard to explain what happened to me. I was blinded by this light on the way to Damascus and the Lord talked to me. He called me to follow Him even though I was killing his people. Then, I had to find my way to Damascus and find a man who could teach me about Jesus and heal my blindness. I know it sounds unbelievable, but I knew it was the Lord. I know I am giving up a lot, but I am following my call."

All of us can imagine the conversations Saul would have had with family members can't we?
Persecutor Turned Teacher
Early church members didn't trust Saul. Most thought Saul was just finding a new way to seek out Christians to persecute and kill. However, that thought was proven wrong as the newly named Paul began his ministry and taught about the life of Jesus Christ.
As I sit here reading Paul's words, I gain a sense of how miraculous his conversion truly was.
How does a Roman citizen/zealous Pharisee who is bent on seeking and destroying heretical Jews change like this? At the heart of this question is my personal belief that Saul must have loved the Lord. Yes, he channeled his belief into killing people, but I think he must have had a love of God, too. This is sheer speculation on my part, but it is based upon my own life experiences with Jesus. However, what matters more than my speculation, is that after his Damascus road experience, Paul spent the rest of his life as an obedient servant to Jesus Christ and he shared the teachings of Jesus with others every single day that he was alive.

My Word for 2018 is Jesus, or a Christian New Year's Resolution

Hello all,
You may have noticed that I haven't posted a lot from Dec.4 to Dec. 31. I spent the holiday season focusing on family, friends, and holiday events. However, today is the beginning of a new year and it is time to begin writing again.
I read a post on "Out of the Ashes", a FB public group, that was asking the members to post one word for 2018 as they received their word through prayer. 

My word was immediately given to me - Jesus.  Jesus the Messiah, Jesus the Redeemer, Jesus the Teacher, Jesus the Servant, Jesus the Fisher of Men, Jesus the Sacrificial Lamb, Jesus the Healer, Jesus the Son of God, Jesus the Lord of my Life.
Jesus is in the beginning, middle, and end of my day.
That doesn't mean I don't fall short of his example though. I do. Daily. It is so hard to walk down the narrow path of faith and think of myself as a stranger in this life. I find myself concerned with things that have no bearing on my life as a follower of Jesus.

My actions and behaviors do not always reflect the loving light of Jesus Christ. So what do I do?

1. Ask for Jesus to help me and strengthen my ability to reflect his love and lifestyle as a servant of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit every day. 
2. Stop beating myself up mentally when I fall short and do my best to not repeat the error. Let the error teach me and not condemn me. Condemnation is Satan trying to widen the gap between myself and Jesus. I am not letting him succeed. 
3. Focus on what I am doing right. This simple activity will increase my spiritual connection with the Lord and keep Satan from trapping me into thoughts of condemnation. 
4. Evaluate my activities regularly and not let myself get caught up in busyness that stops me from reading my bible, meditating on the bible, and being a servant. This isn't an excuse to skip out on what the Lord calls me to do, but a way to keep me from getting caught up in activities that don't serve Jesus in anyway. 
5. I need to be a servant of the Lord that is actively asking people if they know Jesus and not a busy part of an organization that isn't fulfilling the needs of orphans, widows, homeless, and hurting people. Unconditional love for the unlovable is part of being a new person filled with the Holy Spirit.
6. Read my bible regularly. All of the bible, not just part of the bible. The bible is the "Sword of the Spirit" and can teach me how to think, act, and keep my mind focused on the new woman that I am. I will grow spiritually this way and begin to find myself speaking the word in my daily life, not quoting, but speaking the word as naturally as breathing. 

Jesus is my word and my way of life for 2018. 

I will continue to be a coheir of the kingdom of God and do my best to reflect the unconditional love and light as a follower of Jesus Christ. 

The Holy Spirit is my counselor, the bible is my instructional manual, and my Jesus will strengthen me to be his servant. 

Happy New Year and may the Lord bless you and keep you through the coming year,
Sallee Bonham

A Joy Filled Woman

Washed by Jesus - John 13:8

Jesus taught by example.
Can you see the servant king kneeling  before each of his disciples so he could wash their feet? I wonder how each of them felt as they watched Jesus wash their brother's feet?  He laid aside self-seeking and practiced self-sacrifice. He laid aside pride and practiced love.
Let Jesus kneel down before you and wash your feet. 
He wants to be closer to you. You don't have to pay the bills, cook meals, work 12 hours a day, or work on your car alone.
Come on, let Jesus wash away your dirt and stains. He is waiting to wash your sin dirt away. Even the stubborn stains will yield to his cleansing wash. Do not be stubborn and say, "I can do it myself!" You can do it yourself, however you won't know Jesus.
Come on, what are you waiting for?
You can be washed in the water of Jesus' love and forgiveness. Jesus knows how hard it is to lay down your burden. After all, "I can do it myself!" are some of the first words a toddler learns to say. My mom tells me that my first words were,"Do it myself!"
Jesus is a servant king.
He is a king waiting for his brothers and sisters to come to him, weary from their travels through this life, dirty and stained. He is waiting for you, holding a bowl of water and a washcloth in his hands, waiting and ready to wash away the grit and grime of your journey.
Jesus knows what I am and loves me anyway. 
I was an unbeliever, who wanted to do everything myself. I started out with a foundation laid upon Jesus, thanks to my mom. However, I left that behind at the ripe old age of 17. Yes, I had plans for my life. Military service, drinking, drugs, physical relationships, broken marriages, and children were all a part of my plan.
I sought things that made me feel good, but that feeling of being content just didn't stay with me for long until I finally decided that I needed Jesus to help me. Yes, I let Jesus wash the stains and grime from my heart and soul when I surrendered my life to Jesus.

Jesus knows the idols and influences on my life: money, advertisements for alcohol filled with attractive people having a good time, my computer that is a gateway into all sorts of enticements, a tendency to gossip, be sarcastic, and a nasty temper.

But then I accepted Jesus' offer to be washed clean from the dirt and stains that were clinging to me.
I accepted where I was at in life and where I was at in my relationship with Jesus. Yes, Jesus was right there, waiting for me to accept his help. So I say, "What are you waiting for? Get up, get baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on his name."

Do you already know Jesus? Then come on, let him sit at your feet and wash the grit and grime from this world off of you.

Acts 22:16
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, get baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.'
1 Corinthians 12:2
"You know that when you were pagans, you were influenced and led astray by mute idols."
Ephesians 2:2
in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience."

30 Days of Thanksgiving - Day 18

The Right Hand of God - Psalm 110:1

Sitting is a resting posture:
after services and sufferings, to give law, to give judgment. It is a remaining posture: he sits like a king for ever. 
All his enemies are now in a chain, but not yet made his footstool. 
And his kingdom, being set up, shall be kept up in the world, in despite of all the powers of darkness. 
Has the gospel of Christ been to us the power of God in to salvation? 

• Has his kingdom been set up in our hearts? 
• Are we his willing subjects? Once we knew not our need of his salvation, and we were not willing that he should reign over us. 
• Are we willing to give up every sin, to turn from a wicked, ensnaring world, and rely only on his merits and mercy, to have him for our Prophet, Priest, and King? 
• Do we desire to be holy? 

To those who are thus changed, the Saviour's sacrifice, intercession, and blessing belong to the the Lord through Jesus Christ. 
adapted from Matthew Henry's Bible Commentary

Psalm of the Week - 146:3 - June 19, 2017

There is a Son of man ...who is also the Son of God, who will not fail those that trust in him.                                                                                            Matthew Henry's Bible Commentary

Rely on God rather than on man, however rich, wealthy, or high in society that he may be. There is a work of protection and salvation which no man, however eminent and elevated he may be, can perform for you; a work which God alone, who is the Maker of all things, and who never dies, can accomplish.                                                                                       adapted from Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Be a Believer AND a Receiver

A New Person
Today, I know and understand that I am a new person whose entire life changed once I told Jesus I would do anything he wanted me to do if he would just take away the pain of living life my way. 

I gave my life back to Jesus, but I didn't let go of the guilt, shame, and remorse that were caused by my alcoholic actions and attitudes. I believed it was my job to make myself into a "good" person. 

In early sobriety and the resumption of my childhood faith, I didn't truly understand that I didn't have to try and fix myself, or turn myself into a good believer. I couldn't grasp the simplicity of God giving me what I needed, in return for living a new life of faith. Instead, I strove to make myself a better person by fixing my own faults. That didn't turn out well because all I was truly doing was mentally beating myself up over past behavior that I couldn't change. This misconception caused me trouble for over 15 years. 

Freed from Misconception
Finally, the scriptures that I studied began to make sense. What changed? I started praying for the wisdom and discernment that I needed to understand the Bible. Slowly, I came to understand that as a believer in Jesus, I was freed from the baggage of my past. The alcoholic fueled life that I led for 33 years was washed clean by the blood of Jesus and all I had to do was try to be the best Sallee I could be today. God would fix me himself.

Equip Me and Fix Me
First, I came to believe that God would equip me and fix me as I walked down the path that best served him. That's right. I learned that my life isn't mine to live. My life belongs to Jesus Christ and Father God. 

I began to ask God to shape me and mold me into his will for me. I repeated this over and over to myself in order to let go of the urge to control my own life. I'm stubborn and change is difficult. 

My heart's desire became to be a good servant and do the will of God. As a new person through Christ, I choose to be a servant of Jesus Christ and God. Everything I have in my life, is through, from, and for Jesus Christ. 

I am a Receiver of Blessings 
Today, I am a receiver of blessings because, "the commandments of him we keep, and the things pleasing  before him, we practice." I believe the Bible and I keep the Word of God in my life, and do what is pleasing before him. Therefore, I know I will receive his blessings when I ask. 

Honestly, you just have to make up your mind that you belong to Jesus Christ from the top of your head to the tip of your toes. Make your heart's desire to be a servant. Give your life to him daily if necessary. Every day, look into the bathroom mirror and say,"I can't, He can, and I think I'll let Him." 

Live in Joy Daily! 
The only life any of us truly has is the moment in which we are alive right now. Life can change in the blink of an eye. Be joyful in your faith. You are beloved by Jesus and he wants to take care of you. Live his way and you will be equipped in everything good. 


Hebrews 9:14 NASB
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 10:10 NASB
but He (Jesus), having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD,

Hebrews 13: 21 NASB
equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.


1 John 3:22 NASB

and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

Romans 11:36 NASB

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

A Baptism and a Baby Dedication

Today, God blessed us with a beautiful, sunshine-filled, Sunday morning. 
We were given a Sabbath Day full of sunshine outside and spiritual sunshine inside the church building as the family of God gathered to worship him this morning. Inside the church, we had the opportunity to watch one of our youth get baptized and a young couple dedicate the life of their new daughter to God's family.

My mother did her best to raise me to follow her faith. I loved Jesus and was very religious as a preteen and teen. Then, I left home at seventeen to go into the military.

My mom prayed hard for me after I left home and went into the military.
In Navy boot camp, I continued to go to church on Sunday morning. However, that changed after I reported to my first duty station. I became a member of the world, rather than a church-going child of God. Like many young adults from a strict family, once I was out from under parental supervision I chose to dedicate myself to worldly activities. My momma never quit praying for me.

I didn't forget about Jesus and God.
Guilty feelings accompanied some of my activities, but not enough to stop me until I was thirty-three years old. At this point in my life, I returned to Jesus and the way in which I had been trained because I had proven to myself that I was an alcoholic. My life choices hadn't worked and were not working. Each day brought some joy, but the shame, guilt, and remorse that I felt outweighed the joy.

Today, I am filled with gratitude that my mother dedicated me to Jesus as a child.
I am thankful that she trained me up as a child of God. I never felt hopeless, no matter how bad the life situation I was in felt. Trouble always caused me to turn to Jesus and God, and not hopelessness.

Proverbs 22:6
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Matthew 18:2-3
And calling to him (Jesus) a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

1 Peter 2:2
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Attitude is Everything in Christ

Chopped!

This morning as I watched "Chopped," the attitude of each chopped competitor caught my attention. 
The losing chef of the appetizer round said, "I failed, but I did learn a few things."
In contrast, the chopped chef of the entree round said,"Being on "Chopped" has been the greatest experience of my life. I have learned so much."
What a difference in attitude!
Both contestants had identical experiences; they competed on a cooking show and each was chopped after competing in a round of cooking the basket ingredients. The first chef gave a lukewarm acknowledgement of having learned something after saying, " I failed." The second chef only saw an amazing experience and an opportunity to learn.
A reminder of my lukewarm attitude
The difference with which each participant accepted not winning struck me as being a significant reminder of  my old self and my new self in my relationship with Jesus Christ. What a perfect illustration for having a lukewarm attitude for Jesus versus having a completely positive attitude for living life with Jesus to its fullest.

Revelation 3:15-16 
I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth.

I grew up knowing about Jesus. 
As a small child, I loved Jesus with all my heart. As I grew into puberty, my relationship with Jesus became an emotional and religious one. After leaving home, I relied on people, alcohol, and drugs to fulfill my needs. Living this way in the world, cooled my love for Jesus because I didn't have an indwelling Holy Spirit. What I had was a head full of bible knowledge and an empty place where the Holy Spirit should be. 

Matthew 24:12
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 
Revelation 2:4

Nevertheless I have somewhat against you, because you have left your first love. 

A Prodigal Daughter Returns

Although I returned to reading my bible and attending church at age 30, my relationship with Jesus didn't extend into all areas of my life. I continued to rely on alcohol and living an ungodly life on Monday to Saturday.  In short, I had not completely submitted to God, or forgiven myself for making bad choices during my twenties. 
Filled with the Holy Spirit
At age 35, after two years of sobriety, I did change my life, leave alcohol behind,and asked Jesus to come into my life as my Lord and my Savior. At my baptism, I heard an internal snap and was filled with immense happiness. I no longer had an empty place where the Holy Spirit should be. 

Romans 6:6
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that from now on we should not serve sin.
Romans 12:9

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; hold to that which is good

An Answer to Prayer
During my late husband's illness, I learned to quickly turn to the Lord in prayer. Prayer sustained me through his 12 year battle with illness. The Lord gave me a strength that was well beyond my own abilities as I dealt with children, a sick husband, college classes, and working full-time. Acquaintances would remark that they didn't know how I managed to make it through these tough issues. My answer was always the same, "It is Jesus and not me." During the last six months of his illness, we dealt with a rebellious teenager. Copious amounts of prayer and the Holy Spirit saw me through this difficult time. My love for Jesus had grown tremendously, but I still didn't realize just how much God and Jesus love me. However, I was living a life that reflected my love of Jesus. 

Philippians 1:9
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment

Do you know how much God loves you?
At that time, I loved the Lord, but I still didn't understand how much He loved me, or how much deeper that relationship could be if I would completely submit myself to His Lordship and forgive myself for the past that I could not change. 

Philemon 1:6
That the communication of your faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

Widowhood
After my husband's death, I went through a period of readjustment, bereavement, and living in the world. However, my Heavenly Father wasn't going to let go of me.  He put several bold, Christian women into my life to disciple me so that I could learn about the true depths of his love. 
A Revelation of Love
Two years later, after untold hours of bible study, prayer, and fellowship with these women, I finally had a revelation about how much Jesus loves me, I belong to Jesus Christ and not to myself. He took my sin upon himself and the minute I asked him to come into my life, I was forgiven. Finally, I learned to live a joyous life with Jesus to its fullest extent. Today, Jesus is the greatest experience of my life and He is all and in all areas of my life. 

Colossians 3:10-11
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Verse of the Week - Colossians 2:12 - May 1, 2016

Our pastor's sermons have been focused on a believer's relationship with Jesus and God. Colossians 2:12 was part of his sermon for May 1. Our faith, or belief in God's work of raising Jesus from the dead is necessary for our salvation.

Matthew Henry wrote in his bible commentary,
"Through Christ, we, who were dead in sins, are quickened. Christ's death was the death of our sins; Christ's resurrection is the quickening of our souls."                      

I like the word "quickened" that Matthew Henry useed when he was writing abut Colossians 2:8-17. Basically it means that through Christ's resurrection, I was revived and brought to life. I was dead through sin, but brought back to life through my faith that God did indeed raise Jesus from the dead. Jesus' resurrection means I am spiritually risen with Him too. 

An older meaning for "quickened" is: "to cause to burn brighter, or kindle (as in making a fire, or flame to burn brighter)."
 Now I understand where the saying,"He is on fire for the Lord!" comes from. It comes from this older meaning for quickened. It isn't a bad thing for faith to cause us to burn brighter for God.

Verse of the Week - 1 Corinthians 12:12 - January 24, 2016

Sugar cookies are like church members.

Confused? Bear with me for a moment.

Sugar cookies all begin as cookie dough in a bowl.
The baker takes a ball of the dough, shapes it into a sheet, and cuts out cookies. A variety of cookie shapes and sizes are made from the same lump of cookie dough.The baker changes each sugar cookie with a chosen color of frosting, multi-hued sprinkles, and a variety of colored sugars. However, they all taste about the same; sugary and sweet. The decorations don't really change the sugar cookie,

Similarly, the members of the body of Christ, are made of the same dough.
All the members come together to form one body, or church, and are united by faith in Jesus Christ. A variety of shapes,sizes, and colors are seen in the many members of Christ's body.  However, the similarity between sugar cookies and church members ends here.

Christ gives each member a gift to use for His purpose.
Every member has a unique set of spiritual gifts that continue to shape and mold them into a different shape and size as they walk through life.

Christ himself is one body formed by three members; God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ the son of God. Jesus and the Holy Spirit were each given a purpose by God - to reconcile His people to Himself. Jesus died for us, the Holy Spirit was given to us, and now we also belong to the one body.

Verse of the Week - Galatians 4:6-7 - December 14, 2015

Christmas 2015 started before Thanksgiving this year. I have to admit, I did buy a few Christmas items in October. However, I was on a Christmas party committee that kept me focused on the true spirit of Christmas, Jesus Christ.

Jesus' sacrifice and ascension into heaven occurred so that you and I could become heirs of God through Christ. In return, Christians were given a holy spirit that dwells inside of us. 
Happily, we have the Spirit of Jesus with us all year - not just in December at Christmas. 

Pastor and bible commentator Matthew Henry wrote about the advantages of being heirs through Christ and having the Spirit of Jesus with us in his bible commentary:

The great and invaluable advantages which Christians enjoy under the gospel
1. We receive the adoption of sons

•  It is the great privilege which believers have through Christ that they are adopted children of the God of heaven. 
• We who by nature are children of wrath and disobedience have become by grace children of love. 

2. We receive the Spirit of adoption. 

• All who have the privilege of adoption have the Spirit of adoption-all who are received into the number partake of the nature of the children of God; for he will have all his children to resemble him. 
• The Spirit of adoption is always the Spirit of prayer, and it is our duty in prayer to God as a Father. Christ has taught us to pray to God as our Father in heaven. 
• If we are his sons, then his heirs. It is not so among men, with whom the eldest son is heir; but all God’s children are heirs. Those who have the nature of sons shall have the inheritance of sons.

Knowing that I am an adopted heir of God through Jesus Christ fills me with joy - capital J-O-Y. The Spirit of Jesus helps me to resemble him more and more as a child of love, not wrath. How marvelous is that? 

Verse of the Week - Galatians 4:4-5 - December 6, 2015

 "That we — Whether Jews or Gentiles, who believe; might receive the adoption of sons — Might stand related to God, not only as his people, ...but also as his sons and daughters;...favoured with his special guidance, protection, and care; might have continual liberty of access to him...might have all our wants...supplied by him here, and might be constituted joint heirs with his beloved Son of the heavenly inheritance hereafter."                                                                                          Benson Commentary

Isn't this verse amazing? God sent Jesus to redeem us, that we could be adopted as sons and daughters of God. How do you feel about that? 

I find it amazing that God loves his people enough to come up with a plan that includes sending his son to Earth to be born as an ordinary baby. A baby that grew into a man who knew he was going to die on a cross. 

Verse of the Week - John 10:11 - 21 September, 2015

In John 10, Jesus was explaining to the Pharisees who he was. He also stated that the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. Jesus gave his life for us, the sheep. This  verse reminds me of the African-American spiritual, "Were You There?"

Were You There

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?

Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?

Were you there when God raised him from the tomb?
Were you there when God raised him from the tomb?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when God raised him from the tomb?

Can you hear the Roman soldier hammering in the spikes? Can you hear Jesus groan as the cross is slid into a hole and lifted upright? Can you hear the weeping of Jesus' followers? The good shepherd gave his life for the sheep. 

Do You Believe? Yes! I Do!

September 20, 2015

Bill and I went to watch the movie,Do You Believe?, at our church. We are still filled with the joy and connectedness at being children of God. The twelve lives in the movie were inextricably intertwined around small wooden crosses that the pastor gave his congregation after having to examine his own faith when he was asked by a street preacher if he believed Jesus had died on the cross for him. 

Twelve people each had an encounter that changed their lives.The EMT who couldn't apologize for sharing Jesus with a scared, dying man. The EMT's wife, a nurse, who hadn't given her whole life to Jesus, just part of it. The homeless mom who didn't believe God was there because her Christian husband died and left her alone with their small daughter. The older couple who were stuck in the grief and sadness of losing their daughter. The pastor's wife who didn't want to take in a pregnant teenager because she couldn't have children. The pregnant teenager who ran away when her family took her to an abortion clinic instead of an ob-gyn appointment. Two brothers who were gang members. A veteran who went to a bridge to jump off, but saw a lonely woman on the other side of the bridge who was there for the same reason. A female lawyer who was raised around the church, but had left faith far, far behind. The doctor who had no faith in anything except his own ability to heal. And the dying ex-con who befriended the homeless mom and her daughter.

The scene I loved best was when Joe, the ex-con, died in the hospital from an infection and Stage 4 Leukemia. The nurse who was on duty was the EMT's wife. On the bedside table was one of the small wooden crosses. The doctor signed the death certificate and left the room. Then, a miracle occurred. Joe woke up and said he felt amazing! The nurse ran to get the doctor, but even in the face of this miracle, the doctor would not believe in the power of God. 

Several people in the movie face death. The Christians with a deep and abiding faith are not afraid to go home to Jesus because they know with all their heart that Jesus died on the cross for them. They know they are taking their place in the kingdom of God. 

I am aware that many reviewers feel this movie is too overtly Christian. In my opinion, the purpose of this movie is to cause Christians to look at the depth of their own personal walk with the Lord before they have to face death. Isn't the point of being a Christian to fulfill Jesus' Great Commission?

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”                                                    Matthew 28:18-20 NIV

Verse of the Week - Matthew 28:19 - August 24, 2015

The picture above is from our chapter's Run for the Son ride. See me in the middle? The patch on the back of my riding vest is a public profession that I am an evangelist and following the commission that Jesus gave to all of his followers. 

When I first started wearing the patch, or colors (the proper biker term), I was scared. There was no way I could be perfect. What if I failed miserably? What if, what if, what if... started whirling around in my head. Finally, I just said to myself,"I can do this because I am being obedient to his call." 

With the Father's, the Son's, and the Holy Spirit's help, the fear evaporated as I kept telling myself,"I can do this." The Lord equips me for the paths he calls me to follow. He gives me the right words to say, he gives me calmness when I need it, and he gives me encouragement when I need it. 

I hope you enjoy the video as much as I do.

Verse of the Week - Matthew 16:16 - Week of March 30, 2015

Who is Jesus?
In chapter 16 of Matthew, Jesus asked his disciples,"Who do people say the Son of Man is?" The disciples told Christ that some people thought he was John the Baptist, others thought he was Elijah, and still others were guessing that he was Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets. 

Then Jesus asked his disciples another question," Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered him," You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus was pleased because he had not told the disciples who he was. Then Jesus said an interesting thing. He said that Simon Peter knew this information because his (Jesus') Father in heaven had revealed Jesus' identity to Simon Peter. 

God can and will give the followers of Christ personal revelations. Simon Peter knew who Jesus was. Simon Peter knew that Jesus was the Messiah. He could only know this as a personal revelation from God. 

Do you know Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God? 
I would like to tell you about him.

1. Jesus is God and became human. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." 
John 1:1, 14

2. Jesus died for us on the cross. "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.' 
1 Peter 3:13

3. Jesus was resurrected from the dead. "He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification:
Romans 4:25

If you want Jesus to affect your life, you have to receive Him by believing in Him. "To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God"
John 1:12

ABC's of Receiving Jesus

Admit - Admit you need Jesus and repent of your sin. Repenting is not just feeling sorry, but it means we turn our whole life toward Jesus. We want to live differently.
Believe - Believe in Jesus. You have to trust and believe that He is God, He died for us on the cross, and his death is why we will have eternal life in Heaven. You believe there is one God.
Confess - Confess, or say that 'Jesus is Lord.' For it is by your mouth that you confess and are saved. Romans 10:9-10 You are giving Jesus control of your life. You have just become a passenger in life and Jesus is the driver. 

Pray
Jesus, you are Lord. I believe you are the Son of God and that you died on the cross and were raised from the dead. I know I have not been living right and that I need forgiveness. I am turning from my sins and receive you as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for saving me. 

You have just enter God's family by a spiritual birth. Follow up on your commitment by:

• reading God's Word, the Bible daily
• pray  
• find a church home.  
• Communicate your faith to others.
• Share what has happened to you.

Resources used for this post

NIV Disciple's Study Bible Chapter 16 of Matthew
NIV Disciple's Study Bible Life Helps pgs. 1745 - 1748
www.biblehub.com