Blank Canvas #God #Jesus #HolySpirit

As an artist, I’ve looked at many blank canvases. When you’re staring at a completely new canvas, you can’t help but see all the possibilities that it could become.

It’s easier to start with a blank canvas. I have painted a particular canvas multiple times before. Layer upon layer. Can’t seem to get it the way I want! It’s almost always easier to just start over. It’s easier to paint the canvas white and begin again.

Only Christ can take your canvas and make it white again. Only Christ can make it new and start afresh.

Only you can let Him.

Allow Him to take your scribbles and turn them into His masterpiece. We look at our lives and see what a mess we’ve made. Christ only sees all the wondrous possibilities. Eph. 2:10

May God’s Love be with you

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A Sit Down

Have you ever imagined a “sit down” with God? Just you and God. Maybe over coffee or something. You know, casual. You could ask Him all your questions and just sit and enjoy His company?

It might go down like this:

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. “If you consent and obey, You will eat the best of the land; “But if you refuse and rebel, You will be devoured by the sword.” Truly, the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 1:18-20 NASB)

This is God laying it out pure and simple. In fact, it doesn’t get any more simple. It doesn’t get any more beautiful.

First He says “Let us.” I love that! God says “Let us reason this out. I don’t want you to be confused! I want you to get it!”

Though our sins stain us, if we but obey, they’ll be as pure as snow. Stained! Once something is stained, it’s ruined. You usually throw it out. But God can remove the stain. And not only that, he can make it better than before! Whiter and purer than it ever could be on its own!

By the way, that “sit down” you are imagining? It can happen any time you want. All you gotta do is call on His name. He’s ready for you. He’s wanting to clear all the confusion you may have. He wants you to get it.

He desires a sit down with you even more than you desire one with Him. Let that sink in for a minute.

Yes. I know, it’s overwhelming. But it’s true.

May God’s Love be with you

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Special Delivery

I ordered a pizza. The pizza delivery guy did something weird. He put a big red bow on my pizza. But that’s not it, He also attached balloons to it. Then he kept on and on about how much I was going to enjoy this pizza and how this pizza was better than the pizza from the shop across town.

Not really. What he actually did was deliver the pizza. No song and dance.

We are called to deliver the Good News of Jesus (Matt. 28:19,20). We don’t need to dress it up. We don’t need to put a bow on it. The message is powerful enough on its own.

May God’s Love be with you

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Stand and Knock #God #Jesus #HolySpirit #Christian

Have you ever knocked on your friend’s door and stood there and waited? Well, if he didn’t answer the door you would leave, right? He’s either not home, didn’t hear you, or busy. Or maybe he did hear you, but he’s acting like he didn’t. Maybe he’s ignoring you on purpose! Whatever the reason, you wouldn’t just stand there and keep knocking. Eventually you would leave.

Thank God The LORD is not like that!

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20 NASB)

Jesus stands and knocks.

Even when you didn’t hear Him, He stands and knocks. Even when you are busy, He stands and knocks. Even when you are ignoring Him and pretending that you are not home, He stands and knocks.

He’s persistent like that. He won’t give up. He won’t stop reaching out to you. He won’t stop coming over to visit.

He won’t stop until you answer.

May Gods Love be with you

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Whosoever

I was just watching Billy Graham’s 1987 Crusade in Denver. He is, of course, the master and one thing he said that I loved was the “whosoever” in John 3:16.

“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.” (John 3:16 KJV)

Everyone knows John 3:16. Even the secular world knows it. Have you ever read it and replaced the word “whosoever” with your name?

Because that’s who whosoever is, it’s you and I.

Try it.

May God’s Love be with you

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Aliens

1 Peter 2:11,12

Do you believe in aliens? I guess it depends on who’s asking. If it’s Ridley Scott, then no. If it’s the Apostle Peter, then yes. Because… dun, dun, DUNNN! YOU are the alien.

Ahhhhh!

1 Peter 2:11, Peter says “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.” (NASB)

Why does Peter call the various churches, “elect resident aliens?” Or strangers? Or sojourners? Or pilgrims? Because they were not in the homeland. They were scattered throughout the land. They were longing for their true home.

Today, we are not in our homeland either. Wait! I live in ‘Merica! Yes, Yes. Settle down. I am talking about your REAL home. Your home is not this physical land. You knew that, right? Your real home is with your Father. Your Father is in Heaven. Our REAL home is Heaven, people!

We are a long ways from home, for sure!

What do we do until we get home? I’m glad you asked. Read on to verse 12: “Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

Keep your behavior excellent.. uh-oh. Peter is telling us to step it up! Represent Christ like you are supposed to! It may lead to someone accepting Christ. It may lead to someone glorifying God. And that is our main objection while we are away from home anyways: Glorifying God!

We may not look like E.T. (at least I hope no one out there looks like E.T.!) but we are aliens nonetheless. We are sojourners and strangers and pilgrims in a strange land. Not for long though, buddy!

Soon we be with our Father. Soon we will be home.

May God’s Love be with you

#ChildofTheKing #CitizenofHeaven

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Opened

Luke 24:45

Yesterday I thought I would read Luke. It’s my habit to look up how long a book is first and then get started. For some reason my eyes fell on verse 45 of the last chapter. And that’s as far as I got.

It reads, “Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” Luke 24:45

I read that verse several times and marveled at it.

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

Jesus had to open their minds so they could fully understand the Scriptures. Although these men had grown up with the Scriptures and many had studied it, they didn’t really understand it all the way.

Not until Jesus stepped in.

In John’s account (20:22) He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles (and us today) can understand the Holy Words of God.

Only with God’s help, can we truly understand.

Has Jesus opened your mind?

May God’s Love be with you

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Give and Take

Heb. 6:18-19

The devil promises to GIVE you things, but he can only TAKE things. He can’t give anything. He’s a taker.

A promise is only as good as the person promising it.

If the source of your promise is, “the father of lies,” then perhaps it would be prudent to check the fine print. If the source of your promise is, Jehovah-Jireh “The Lord will provide” (Gen. 22:14) then perhaps it would be prudent to PRAISE HIS NAME!

The devil was a murderer from the beginning. His very dialect is lies. It’s his native language. There is no truth in him (John 6:63). Is this the type of person you want to make a promise with?

God is/was/will be a Creator from the beginning. His very dialect is life. It’s His native language. There are no lies in Him (Heb. 6:18-19). This IS the type of person you want to make a promise with!

God promises to TAKE things. He’ll take your pain, your hardship, and your fear. God promises to GIVE things. He’ll give you rest, love, and peace.

He can give anything. He’s a giver.

May God’s Love be with you

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Why Are We Here? #God #Jesus #HolySpirit #Salvation #Worship

Isa. 43:7

Why are we here? What’s the meaning of life? What is the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything?

Well, it’s not 42.

You know, philosophers have spent their entire lives trying to answer life’s big question. Poets have driven themselves insane looking to crack it. Artists have painted and sculpted interpretation after interpretation attempting to reveal it.

I don’t know what all the hubbub is about. Life’s biggest question has life’s simplest answer.

What is the purpose of life? Ok, here it is. Got something to write it down with? Are you ready?

To glorify God. That’s it. Boom.

God created us for His own Glory, Isa.43:7.

There. Everyone can now rest their pounding heads. You’re welcome.

May God’s Love be with you

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Revive #revive #revival #god #jesus

To “revive” something means to bring it back to life. Psa. 85:6 asks, “Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?”

Note that revival leads directly to rejoicing. If you were dead and someone brought you back to life, wouldn’t you rejoice too?

Revival is a church word. The secular world doesn’t need revived, they need a rebirth (a completely new begining).

Christians have already been reborn, but sometimes we need brought back to life.

Psa. 80:18 – “Revive us, and we will call on Your name.” Come back to life and call on Jesus!

May God’s Love be with you

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Walk With God

If my wife agreed to go on a walk with me and then took off in a different direction, would you say we were walking together?

Amos 3:3 asks a similar question.

To walk together, you have to be in agreement. Our “walk” with Jesus is a metaphor for our way of life, but it’s also ture literally. There are many accounts of people walking with God; Adam & Eve, Noah, and Enoch. Jacob even wrestled God!

How is your walk with God? Are you in agreement? Or have you taken off in a different direction. If so, like the Matt Maher song says, “All you gotta do is turn around.”

God Bless!







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Speak, Lord

Samuel didn’t know what to do when the Lord first called to him. He didn’t even know it was the Lord’s voice.

His mentor Eli recognized what was happening. He told Samuel if the Lord called again to reply: “Your servant is listening.”

That sums up all that is required of us. Listen. Recognize the Lord in your life and listen to Him!

Sometimes God speaks and we don’t even hear it. I pray that His servants are listening and secondly, that they are ready and willing to obey!

May you recognize God’s presence today!







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All Things

I can do some things through Christ which strengthens me. I can do a couple of things through Christ which strengthens me. I can do a few things through Christ which strengthens me.

Nope, that’s not what the Holy Word of God says, is it? Instead it says: I can do ALL things through Christ which strengthens me. ALL THINGS! Not some, a couple, or a few.

All things.

That means everything. That means anything headed your way, good or bad – you can handle through Christ which gives you strength.

Now, does that mean you could run faster than a speeding bullet and jump over a building in a single bound? No… not unless God willed it and it would bring Him glory. Then, you bet you would. But, this refers more to like daily troubles.

As we face daily trials and tribulations, we know that Christ Jesus will strengthen us. He will be our strength when we have none. He will be our courage when ours has run dry. He will be there for us daily and supply us with ALL that we may require.

May you recognize God’s love with you today!







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Set Your Heart On Things Above #focusonGod #JesusSaves

To listen to a particular radio station you have to zero in on the right frequency. If you don’t, all you get is static.

Col. 3:1 tells us to set our hearts on Christ.

It’s all about focus.

What is your focus? Are you listening to all the radio stations at once and getting only static? Are you listening to voices that pull you below? Or have you set your focus to things above?

May you set your heart on Christ today and experience His wondrous blessings!

God Bless!







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Please and Thank You

How about we make year 2014, the year of Please and Thank You.

Please, God, help me.

Please, Lord, let me get closer to You. Please, Father, give me the Peace that passes all understanding!

Thank you, Lord, for all you’ve done for me.

Thank you, God, for the Cross and all that it stands for.

Thank you, Father, for loving me, for remembering me, and for saving me.

I think if we can make 2014 the year of please and thank you, we will all have a blessed year!

God bless!







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