Settle For What I Deserve

What do you deserve out of life? 

You’ve made your mistakes and you’ve done your good deeds.

Have you given value to yourself as having:

• Earned or deserve failure, punishment, or mistreatment?  
• Earned or deserve success, reward, or compassionate love?

God outdoes your self-judgment. Whatever you’ve decided was not in humility to God.

Deciding your own fate is exalting of self – it is assigning self-value.   

God’s rightful place is to decide your value! 

Jesus said:
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” 
~ Luke 18:14


You can’t settle for what you think you deserve.  

 

Your view is clouded by external things.
In mercy:
“God does not judge by external appearance.”
~ Galatians 2:6

Humble and naked in the hands of a loving God,

who looks into my heart with great mercy,

Owen <><

What Would Jesus Do for YOU?

Before becoming incarnate, stepping out of his divine stature, that he could live among us, the Lord looked down from the glory of haven and said …
… I would die for you!

From a manger in a barn, the only place mankind would welcome him to the world, Jesus looked out from the stench of animals and said …
… I will die for you!

In agony after struggling to the top of a hill, the Lord Jesus Christ looked down from the cross he had been nailed to, and said to his executioners …
... I now die for you!

From the cross:
“Jesus … breathed his last.” Luke 23:46
... ... Jesus died for you!


“The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men,
                            be crucified and on the third day be raised again.”  ~ Luke 24:6-7
 

Jesus did more than die for you.
He overcame death ...
... He rose to Life for you!

God’s grace gives you eternal life ...
through your faith in Christ.

Thank you Jesus, for all that you've done,

Owen <><



“…if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”  ~  Romans 10:9-10

Give ‘em What They Deserve!

Can we agree we are not perfect?

We all mess up. You and I have messed up.

So, it only stands to reason that we shouldn't expect perfection from others, ... this applies to our fellow church members.

They're as messed up as you are. ... ... Give them the same break you need.

Paul, through God's anointed Word – spoke to the church in Colossi, writing:

“Therefore, as God's chosen people,

holy and dearly loved,

clothe yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience.

Bear with each other and
forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.
Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

~ Colossians 3:12-13

By God's Grace,
Owen <><

Stand Strong

“Therefore put on the full armor of God,
so that when the day of evil comes,
you may be able to stand your ground...”  ~ Ephesians 6:13

Standing on the promises of God, that is what the “faithful” in Christ do.

In faith there is power to stand your ground against evil.
In faith of a prayer's answer, stand strong, living for all that is good.
Indeed in faith, prayer, and a life in the Spirit you are enabled to stand. 

In life’s struggle we overcome, we stand in the power of God’s grace that is found only through the love of Christ and sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.   

… and

“You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.” ~James 5:8

Owen <><




Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.
Do everything in love.  ~ 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

DVR Christianity

"If you have believed but not obeyed, you have postponed your Christian life."
~ AW Tozer

A life having submission, humility to Christ is required of anyone who calls themselves a Christ follower.  Following Christ Jesus, is what the born again do.

To "postpone your Christian life" is not a mere delay in the fullness of salvation; it is not having received life, the new birth.  Salvation isn’t a safe spot you can put on hold.

You DVR entertainment, not the new birth.

 

Not living for Christ in obedience is called disobedience.

Disobedience earmarks a Christless life. 
Simply, "you are" or "you are not" in Christ.

"... some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience."
~ Hebrews 4:6

Live the Gospel, Owen <><

Walk in the Spirit - What's that?

“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”   ~ Galatians 5:25

To keep in step, to walk in the Spirit … what is that?

It is living.

God’s Spirit comes in you at salvation, so you can have eternal life, a walk that reveals Christ’s gospel.  Listen to God’s Holy Spirit to know how to be a spring of life that quenches the thirst of all in need of Christ Jesus’ touch.  Live the gospel, God’s Spirit will teach you—listen as you walk with Him, and live the kind of life in which you do what matters.

blessings,

Owen <><

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it,

but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.  ~ Mark 8:35

Cross the Line

“Which is easier: to say …,
‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk?’”    
~ Jesus, Mark 2:9

If someone offends you, wrongs you with evil, or deceives you, what do you say?  Something like, “They’ve went over the line!”  If we set a challenge, we “draw a line in the sand,” daring someone to cross the line.  It seems to make sense that if there is a line for all that is to be crossed, then the line has two sides. 

Go over the line with Jesus.  Does that seem crazy?  Why is it crazy?  Did you trust Jesus as Savior?
 

Then, you have crossed the line.  So, don’t let the deceiver drag you back.  You’re over the line, go as far away from the line, then, if you stumble you‘ll always fall on the Lord’s side of the line.  Go over the line, you believed in forgiveness of sin for salvation, you spirit was healed.  Now “get up,” receive all that Jesus will heal and save you from. 

Don’t let the deceiver pull you back across the line.  “Get up,” cross the line, “and walk” to Jesus, he will forgive sin, heal you, cast out the deceivers oppression.

“Which is easier to say?”  Just “Get up …and walk” toward Jesus!  Cross that line!

blessings.    

Owen <><

Don't Be Afraid in Victory

The LORD said to Joshua,
"Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand.
Not one of them will be able to withstand you."                      Joshua 10:8

I will look you in the eye and tell you that I know that God is with me and that no matter what difficulties I face, I will succeed.  Then I live life like anyone else without hope.  So, what’s with that?  Joshua and his men faced battle; warriors die in battle – the soldiers of Israel were wounded, killed, and suffered trauma of combat … yet, God’s child, Israel, was victorious.  Now, undoubtedly,

 

God can protect all who are in Him, in His army ... in Christ.  Nonetheless, children of the Lord are persecuted and die in his service (Matt 5:10-12, 44; 24:9, Luke 21:12, John 15:20). 

 

What’s my point? 

 

Although we walk in faith, we sometimes find that all isn’t peaches and cream.

It seems there are moments when the cream can spoil, and we may be without fruit.

Nonetheless, in God you will be victorious! 

You will rise to the top and bear fruit.

  

You have his confidence, because, "thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor 15:57)

 .... Hallelujah! 

 

All is possible under the blood of Jesus!

Owen <><

1 Corinthinas 15:57
"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Can You Shout HALLELUJAH!

Are your actions recognizable, bursting up from your heart and spirit full of love, gratitude, praise to God’s Spirit – joyful in the assurance of the power of grace having put Christ in you?

Can you really shout from your heart: 

“HALLELUJAH!”

… or are you just going through religious ceremony? 


In 1 Corinthians 14:24-25, Paul asked the church: 

But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare.

So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!" 

 

Wow.  "Among you!"  Seeing you or within your congregation would someone (?):
Fall down and Worship God when watching and hearing awesome worship and prophesying (proclaiming) the Word of God!!

 

Falling down,

Owen <><