BLUEPRINTS!

From the beginning of time, man has made excuses.   Even Adam and Eve, the first of creation, BLAMED anyone else they could for their SINS!  

Genesis 3:12-13 (KJV)

"And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.  And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat."

It seems so lame for Adam to take the GIFT that God had given him and blame the GIFT for his own weakness.   But I do that all the time!  I always have an excuse or reason why I fail in GOD's plan for my life!  Why don't I just fall on my face and ADMIT that I am vile and self-centered and need forgiveness?   

GOD's mercy is unending!   HIS grace knows NO boundaries!  HIS forgiveness is indescribable!  Don't let pride or perceived self-worth prevent you from being what HE has called you to be.   

FATHER IN HEAVEN, help me be JUST what YOU desire for me to be!  Nothing MORE, nothing LESS!  

HOME ALONE!

While listening to Bill Gaither recently during the taping of the Gaither London Homecoming Video, he was commenting about Rex Nelon going to glory early that morning.  He commented "We live in a time where it is tough to find a place to be quiet"at the 01:18:04 mark in the video.   I had to stop and ponder that awhile.  

You know, JESUS spent 40 days and nights alone in the wilderness (Mark 1:13).  HE also went to the garden (Gethsemane in Matthew 26:36) alone.   Many other times HE had to "get away" from all of life's distractions to be with The FATHER.   HE had to be where HE could be ALONE with The FATHER!  

JESUS is/was my supposed example.   I am to follow HIS lead in my life.  Why then do I find it difficult to set aside time in my life to be with "The FATHER"?  If I have a relationship with the CREATOR of all, why do I not better advantage of it?   

LORD IN HEAVEN, cause me to rely on YOU for everything in life.  The air I breathe, the clothes I wear, everything I do!  I trust in YOU!  

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS!

Waking at 4:45AM is not a good thing for me!  I feel it is too early to wake up, but is too late to go back to sleep for fear of wasting half of the day!   

GOD put a scripture on my heart (Ephesians 2:8 ESV) that I could not get out of my mind!  Not having a good memory for scripture, when I got up I looked it up and it read "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the "GIFT" of God,  not a result of works, so that no one may boast."   Verse 9 is included in this.    

Our salvation is the greatest "GIFT" that GOD could have ever given.  My thoughts go to my childhood when my two sisters and I got bicycles for Christmas!   That was the MOST excited I can remember being about Christmas!

GOD wants me to know that HE provided the "GIFT" of salvation all on HIS own.   I did nothing for it, nor could I have done anything worthy of it.   HE alone provided even the desire to follow HIM.   The "GIFT" my mom gave me (bicycle) when I was a kid was great, but it will NEVER compare to the "GIFT" I have been given by The CREATOR!  

WHAT IS FAITH?

WHAT IS FAITH?

Faith is a misunderstood phenomenon.   It us not a HOPE SO or a MAYBE SO!  We say we have FAITH, but when it comes down to s serious matter, DO WE?

As many of you know, I experienced a brain hemorrhage over five years ago.   I was put into a drug induced coma for a number of days.   I have NO recall of what was going on.   It was if that period of time does not exist in my memory.  

I have asked my wife about what went on while I was in the coma?  I want to better understand what she and my family went through when I was "OUT"!  She tells me that she did not have great "FAITH" that I was going to be healed, SHE JUST KNEW everything was going to be okay!  

I have experienced what my medical records describe as a "Miracle from GOD" as far as my physical recovery.   My mental status was in question BEFORE the hemorrhage, so we won't argue that point?!?  This statement in the picture was posted by a friend yesterday and it has been on my heart since I read it at 12:25AM this morning. 

My wife "just knew" everything was going to be okay!  Nurses and Doctors familiar with my case say she was naive or uninformed.  Regardless, she refused to listen to the "Naysayers" and remained positive!  

I "choose" to remain positive!  Many times in scripture a choice has to be made.  One on my favorites in John 15:16.   It records JESUS saying "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you."  

My FAITH is continually growing in HIM!  HE NEVER FAILS!  

Sheep or Shepherd!

1 Peter 5:2-5

"Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;  not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.  And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory."

A true SHEPHERD is one who is willing to lay down his life for his flock.   LOVE was the determining force behind our Shepherd giving HIS life for us.  LOVE has to be the force that motivates us to live our lives for HIM!  

LORD, let my life be an exhibit of YOUR love for mankind!  I pray that I will my love will be so REAL that it cannot be mistaken for anything else!  

SPIRITUAL CLEANSING!

A few days ago I worked outside until dark.   As I went in to take a shower, "Tired" had a new definition!

While taking the shower, I had to wash my hands two or three times because I had gotten them so dirty.  I washed and washed and FINALLY got all of the dirt and grime cleaned off.  

Sometimes, I am in so big of a hurry to get on with my life, that I don't spend the time with GOD that I need to getting myself SPIRITUALLY clean!  The "dirt and grime" has to be addressed with JESUS!  

As busy as I think I get, there is nothing more important in my life than to get my "spiritual cleansing" everyday.   LORD, help me to always put my "spiritual cleansing" first in my life.  

My Everything!

Psalms 23:1

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want"!

Charles H. Spurgeon has an excellent commentary on this chapter.  Two points that he makes that made an impression on me were:

The Lord is "MY" shepherd.  HE would be mine if I were the only person in the world.  HE loves me THAT much!

Next, I shall "NOT" want.  I might want otherwise, but when the LORD is my shepherd, HE is able to supply me needs.   I have "No Worries" when I allow THE LORD to be the Shepherd of my life.  When I get in trouble is when I start trying to "help" The Lord! 

Lord, help me to totally depend on you for my every breath!