A Very Rich Man Makes a Very Poor Choice (Mark 10:17-31)

Here are PowerPoint slides for Sunday, October 27. Enjoy!

A rich man makes a poor choice! mark 10 17-31 - oct 27, 2013 from John Smith

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pj

Jesus and the Children (Mark 10:13-16)

Here are the PowerPoint slides for Sunday, October 20th.

Jesus and kids! mark 10 13-16 - oct 20, 2013 from John Smith

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pj

Jesus' Straight Talk on Marriage

Here are the sermon PowerPoint slides for Sunday, October 13th (Mark 10:1-12). Enjoy!

Jesus' straight talk on marriage! mark 10 1-12 - oct 6, 2013 from John Smith

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pj

Jesus Sets Us Straight! (Mark 9:33-50)

Here are the PowerPoint slides for Sunday, September 22nd. Enjoy!

Jesus setting us straight! mark 9 33 50 - sept 22, 2013 from John Smith

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pj

Faith Matters! (Mark 9:14-32)

Here are PowerPoint slides from Sunday, Sept. 15 message. Enjoy!

Faith matters! mark 9 14 32 - sept 15, 2013 from John Smith

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pj

Jesus Transfigured! Mark 9:1-13

Here are the PowerPoint slides for Sunday, September 8. Enjoy!

Jesus transfigured! mk 9-1-13 - sept 8, 2013 from John Smith

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pj

What Does It Mean to Follow Jesus?

Here are the PowerPoint slides for Sunday, June 30th. Enjoy!

What does it m ean to follow jesus mark 8- 27-38 - june 30, 2013 from John Smith

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pj

Bread and Blindness: Mark 8:1-26

Sunday June 23rd's PowerPoint slides ... enjoy!

Bread and sight mark 8- 1 - 26 - june 23, 2013 from John Smith

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pj

More Signs! (Mark 7:24-37)

Here are the PowerPoint slides for Sunday, June 16th. Enjoy!

More signs mark 7-24 - 37 - june 16, 2013 from John Smith

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pj

Truly Clean! Mark 7:1-23

Here are the PowerPoint slides for Sunday, June 9th ... enjoy!

Truly clean! mark 7-1-23 - june 9, 2013 from John Smith

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pj

Two Impressive Miracles . . . One Amazing Portrait! (Mark 6:30-56)

Here is the PowerPoint for Sunday, June 2nd. Enjoy!

Two miracles ... one portrait mark 6-30-56 - june 2, 2013 (1) from John Smith

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pj

The Murder of Messiah's Forerunner (a.k.a. "Set Up Man")

Here are the PowerPoint slides for Sunday, May 26th . . . Enjoy!

The murder of christ's forerunner may 26, 2013 from John Smith

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pj

Rejected ... Released! (Mark 6:1-13)

Here are the PowerPoint slides for Sunday, April 28th.

Rejected ... released mark 6 - 1-133 - april 8, 2013 from John Smith

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pj

Christ or the World? Self-denial or self-indulgence? Which Will It Be?

What Does Jesus Mean to You?, Day 5 Reading: Luke 9:18-27

Luke 9:23-25   And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?"

Jesus makes something very, very clear here. Following Jesus is not just something we decide to do and then go on living as if nothing had ever happened. Following Jesus involves a radically new direction in our lives. Before we come to faith in Christ, our sinful flesh controls us. As a result, life as we view it is about ME ... and we pursue those things that will benefit ME. But Jesus tells us that at the very heart of following Him is a denial of self and a taking up of the cross. So we must say "No!" to self-centered desires, and yes to sacrifice for Christ's sake! And this, my friends is not a "once-and-done" thing ... but it is something we must intentionally do each and every day! 

Friends, the odds are great! Don't miss this! Choose Christ over the world. There's not a better choice you could ever make! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj

P.S.  If you have any questions about this decision to follow Jesus Christ, check out Two Ways to Live: A Choice We All Face. 

I Once Was Blind, But Now I See!

What Does Jesus Mean to You?, Day 4 Reading: Acts 9:1-19

Acts 9:17-19  So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened.

Talk about an eye-opening moment in the life of the apostle Paul (a.k.a. Saul)! As Ananias laid his hands upon him, Paul's physical eyes were opened. But more importantly, he also received his spiritual sight! And that to which he had been blind for so long, became very clear. For it was at this very moment, he realized he had gotten things all wrong. Very wrong! And this Jesus whom he had denied and whose followers he had been fervently persecuting was exactly who he claimed to be: the long promised Messiah ... the Son of the Living God! The Savior of the world!

All of us who now follow Jesus, were also at one time in that same blind state. Scripture states that Satan is blinding unbelievers to the truth about Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4). Add to this blindness is the deadness of the human soul (Ephesians 2:1) and the verdict is clear: we are hopelessly lost! Unless God were to take the initiative ... we would never come to faith (John 6:44; 1 John 4:19).

All this to say ... if you know Jesus today, then take a moment and thank God for his grace toward you! The only reason you are a part of God's family today is because he first set his love upon you! Praise HIM for his grace, love and mercy!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Thirsty?

Who Is Jesus to You?  Day 3 Reading: John 4:1-42

John 4:4a. 13-14 (NLT)  He [Jesus] had to go through Samaria…Jesus replied, "People soon become thirsty again after drinking this water.  But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether.  It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life."

I have always been drawn to verse four where it says, “He [Jesus) had to go through Samaria (emphasis, mine).”  For a Jew in Jesus’ day, there was nothing further from the truth.  Jews avoided Samaria at all cost.  They despised the Samaritans to such a degree that to rub shoulders with them was to become ceremonially unclean.  Jews traveled out of their way to avoid going through Samaria.  Yet Jesus made a special point of going there. 

Jesus loved people so much and was so committed to His mission that He went through Samaria in order to have a divine appointment with an outcast, Samaritan woman.  This woman had three strikes against her from the get-go.  She was a woman, a Samaritan, and she had a reputation as a sinner.  All of these things would have rendered her “off limits” for any self-respecting Jew, but Jesus went out of His way to give her life and change her life forever.

He does the same for us.  Because He loves us so much, He pursues us, longing to give us life and change our lives forever.  How does He do this?  He gives us living water. This is not water pulled from a well dug in the ground – water gotten by our own efforts.  This is living water -- His life within us that perpetually springs up from our soul giving us abundant, eternal life.  This water cannot be obtained by human effort.  Rather, it is the free gift of God. The moment we accept Jesus as our Savior, His living water is readily available to us.   We can fully enjoy this thirst quenching water as we trust Him with every part of our lives, daily walk in the awareness of His presence and  stand on the promises of His Word.   

                   

What does Jesus mean to me?  He is everything to me.  He is my source of abundant life here and now, and He is my hope of eternal life in Heaven- with Him! 

   

Lord, may each of us who have received your living water be like the Samaritan woman and share it with others.

Written by guest blogger, Patty Deiter. 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj

The Message!

What Does Jesus Mean to You? Reading for Day 2: John 3:1-21

This scripture is packed full of theological messages but the greatest point for me is the words spoken by Jesus to one of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. Jesus stated; “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” When one is born again they are given a new slate, cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. It is not on our own merit but by the saving power of Jesus death and resurrection.

Jesus continued to explain that being born again requires belief that He is the only way to heaven. He made reference to his upcoming death on the cross by comparing himself to the days of Moses. Jesus has made it very clear that anyone who does not believe He is the Son of God is condemned and will never see the kingdom of God.

This is the message we need to relate to all people in our circles who are non-believers.  We must explain that being a good person will not get them into heaven, as many people have a tendency to think.  It takes a believing faith that Jesus died for us, to reconcile our sinful nature before the father, and that Jesus arose from the dead and now sits at the Father’s right hand on the throne. This is what gains us entrance into the Kingdom.  It really is quite simple.

From this message of Jesus comes one of the most powerful, well known verses of all time, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

I think that deserves a “Praise the Lord, Amen”! If Jesus said it, we must believe it!

Written by guest blogger, Don Mills. 

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pj

Do You Love the Gift ... or Giver More?

What Does Jesus Mean to You?, Day 1 Reading: Matthew 19:16-30

Matthew 19:16, 21-22 (NLT)  Someone came to Jesus with this question:  ‘Teacher what good things must I do to have eternal life?’… Jesus told him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.’  But when the young man heard this, he went sadly away because he had many possessions. 

In today’s reading, we meet a rich young man who comes to Jesus wanting to know how he can have eternal life.  I’ve heard/read various commentaries regarding this man’s motives for coming to Jesus.  Was he arrogantly challenging Jesus’ teaching of “blessed are the poor”?  Was he filled with the pious self- righteousness of a self-made man?  Was he looking for a full-proof sacrament or a quick and easy five-step method for achieving peace with God?  Did he wish to add “Member of God’s Kingdom” to his list of social credentials?  Or did he hear Jesus teach, see His miracles and see something in Jesus that he genuinely wanted – needed?  I am inclined to lean toward the later.

Sometimes, I believe, we modern-day readers can tend to quickly read over this passage and harshly judge this wealthy young man.  Thinking we are not wealthy by the world’s standards, we don’t identify ourselves in this story.  Walking away from Jesus is something worldly (those wrapped up in a secular world-view, driven by the standards of society) people do.  Loving the riches and pleasures of this world more than Jesus is what those outside the church do.

However, if we take some time to really analyze what is taking place here, chances are we can see ourselves in this story.  Most likely, this young man did not realize that all he had was a gift of God’s grace and that what he was essentially doing was choosing the gifts instead of the Giver.  If we are not careful, we can do the same thing.  We place the gifts and pleasures God lavishes on us as a higher priority than Jesus – the Giver of all good gifts. 

Sometimes this faulty exchange manifests itself in our spending more time in activities, hobbies, pleasures, etc. than in cultivating a relationship with the Lord.     Sometimes it can even happen while serving in the church.  The Lord had to bring to my attention that I, at times, have been guilty of enjoying the gifts of music and teaching – which come from Him, more than I enjoyed time with Him.  I had placed the gifts above the Giver. 

Lord, all I have and all I am is from You.  You mean everything to me.  Help me to guard my heart from placing Your gifts above my love and devotion to You.  Amen

Written by guest blogger, Patty Deiter 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj

Jesus Our Cornerstone!

Psalms about the Savior, Day 5 Reading: Psalm 118:1-29

Psalm 118:22-24, 29 (NLT)  The stone rejected by the builders has now become the cornerstone.  This is the LORD’s doing, and it is marvelous to see.  This is the day the LORD has made.  We will rejoice and be glad in it… Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!  His faithful love endures forever.

I am not a yard sale or flee market shopper. However, I know some avid yard salers who take great delight in finding a special treasure at a bargain price.  They then take what some would consider a piece of junk and turn it into a focal point around their home.  An item rejected by one person becomes a thing of value to another.

In our reading for today, we see the ultimate illustration of this type of exchange when the Psalmist writes; the stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.  A cornerstone, sometimes referred to as the capstone, was the most important or critical part of a structure.  It was the foundation stone upon which the rest of the wall/building was constructed.  Acts 4:11 identifies this cornerstone as Jesus, the foundation of our faith.  Verse 12 of Acts 4 goes on to say that Jesus is the only Name by which we can be saved.  This verse affirms that He truly is The Essential Jesus.  There is no salvation, forgiveness, peace with God or eternal life without Him!

Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 2 that to those who believe, this stone (Jesus) is precious.  How thankful and blessed I am to know Jesus as my Savior, Lord and Friend.   But Peter goes on to say, that to those who do not believe, Jesus becomes the stone over which they stumble.   There are people all around us stumbling without the Savior.  

“Dear Jesus, out of a heart of gratitude for all that You have done for us, help us to extend your love and grace to others so that they may see You in us and be drawn to You.  We thank you for your faithful love that endures forever!”

Written by guest blogger, Patty Deiter. 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj

The End of All Evil!

Psalms about the Savior, Day 4 Reading: Psalm 110:1-7

Psalm 110:1  The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”

In this verse, King David makes a bold prediction ... at least from a human perspective. He claims that the day is coming when God will vanquish all of His enemies ... and make those enemies a footstool for David's Lord, also known as the Messiah ... the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul also writes about this final victory of God over evil in 1 Corinthians 15:

"Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all." 

(1 Corinthians 15:24-28)

In my first sentence above I stated that this prediction by David was a bold one ... at least from a human perspective. For as we look at our world, it seems like evil has the upper hand. Every time we blink it seems like there is another incident of evil raising its ugly head (think Sandy Hook Elementary School or North Korea for example). So to think that one day evil will be no more ... sure seems like a hopeless dream. 

Yet, right here King David, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, makes it very clear that evil will one day be  history! And when that day arrives, God will be all in all! Even so, Lord Jesus, quickly come! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj

A Response You Can Count On!

Psalms about the Savior, Day 3 Reading: Psalm 69:1-36

Psalm 69:16  Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.

King David here cries out to God to answer him. He reminds God (NOT that God needs reminding ... but the reminding is for David!) that his (God's) love is steadfast and his mercy is abundant. Because God is loving AND because God is merciful - David knew that at the end of the day he could count on a response from God!

Don't you get frustrated when you email, call or text someone and they don't get back to you? So you try again with the same results. If you go through this enough times you will eventually stop calling (or emailing or texting). With God, my friends, you will never have to worry about not getting a response. He WILL respond. Now perhaps it may be with a different response than the one you might have wanted ... but it will be a response none the less.

All of us could stand to pray more than we do. Maybe this verse will be the catalyst for you to do so. Remind yourself that God's love is both steadfast and good AND His mercy is abundant!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

God Forsaken!

Psalms about the Savior, Day 2 Reading: Psalm 22:1-31

Psalm 22:1  My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

The question that opens this psalm is a familiar one to many Christians. Not because they have read it here in the book of Psalms. But rather because they have read it in the gospels. This question was one that Jesus Christ cried out to God as he hung on the cross (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34). The ESV Study Bible note on Matthew 27:46 states that these words are among "the most profoundly mysterious words in the entire Bible. In some sense Jesus had to be cut off from the favor of and fellowship with the Father that had been his eternally, because he was bearing the sins of his people and therefore enduring God’s wrath" (cf. Isa. 53:6, 10; Hab. 1:13; Rom. 3:25; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; 1 John 2:2).

This is truly an incredible statement ... God forsaken of God? How can it be? Yet it was. All because Jesus, the God-Man was willing to be our substitute ... to pay the penalty for our sin that a just God required ... to face the wrath of almighty God against our sin ... ALL SO THAT WE WOULD NEVER HAVE TO! 

Praise God for his amazing grace and his indescribable gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! What a Savior! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj

The Nations Rage!

Psalms about the Savior, Day 1 Reading: Psalm 2:1-12

Psalm 2:1-4   Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”  He who sits in the heavens laughs.

Here the psalmist pictures the nations of the world preparing for war against God, for they want to be free of his authority over them. How does God respond? He laughs! Why? Because all the might of humanity is nothing before God. As Scripture states elsewhere, men are mere grasshoppers before God (Isaiah 40:22). Can you imagine a swarm of grasshoppers trying to bring down Mt. Everest? Never happen. And man will never be able to free himself from God's authority!

SOOO ... all this to say, Jesus as God's Anointed will indeed one day rule the world with a rod of iron (Revelation 19:15). What a glorious day that will be. Are YOU ready for that day? Take a moment and check out, Two Ways to Live: The Choice We All Face. 

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Homesick but Heading Home!

Week 18, Day 5 Reading: Revelation 21:1-22:21

I never felt such homesickness in my soul as when we moved out to Illinois in 1988.  The area have been undergoing a drought and there was no green in this dingy town.  Every night to calm my soul I pictured Pennsylvania in my mind as I fell asleep. 

When John wrote Revelation he was exiled to the Island of Patmos which was used as a penal colony for those who were perceived as a threat to the peace of the Roman Empire.  In this barren landscape God decided to give the most delightful detailed vision of heaven in all of Scripture.  There are repeated references to light and healing in this passage which I think this were of special significance to John the exiled who was living in the darkness of a prison colony. John’s heart was directed to his eternal Heavenly Home. 

I recently read of Carinette, a Haitian orphan. She's been adopted. Her adoptive parents brought her pictures and they are her most cherished possessions. They remind her of her home-to-be. Within a month, two at the most, she'll be there. She knows the day is coming. Any day now her father will appear because he promised he'd be back. He came once to claim her and he'll come again to carry her home. Till then she lives with a heart headed home.

John gave John a picture of Home to sustain him during the long nights and God has lovingly done the same for us. What a lovely picture to warm our homesick souls that are truly headed Home.

Written by guest blogger, Jacqui Stoner

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Faulty Eyesight!

Week 18, Day 4 Reading: 2 Peter 3:1-18

I remember the day our son Josh first put on eyeglasses.  He remarked, “Oh, I didn’t know trees looked like that!”.  He had no idea what his surroundings really looked like because he had been living with unfocused eyes. 

In the same way, the scoffers in this passage view the world and eternity with faulty eyesight.  They look at life saying that everything will continue as it has from the beginning.  In Matthew, Christ refers to His return being like the days of Noah: “Before the great flood everyone was carrying on as usual, having a good time right up to the day Noah boarded the ark. They knew nothing—until the flood hit and swept everything away”. The scoffers have no room for God who has the power to both create and to destroy. 

With nostalgia I view reruns of The Rifleman on TV.  The world of the Rifleman is always safe and predictable.  If you have seen one episode, you have pretty much seen all the episodes:  Lucas (the Rifleman) and Mark (his son) encounter a bad guy.  Lucas wins and he closes the show by speaking a life lesson to the camera.  In no episode do the heavens open up with fire destroying the earth.

The scoffers in II Peter passage view their lives through the lenses of “past episodes”.  If Christ didn’t return in the last episode, then He won’t return in this episode. 

Do you live your life realizing that Creator God is writing the episode?

Written by guest blogger, Jacqui Stoner 

Satan Is Alive and Well on Planet Earth!

Week 18, Day 3 Reading: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10  The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

We know it’s coming – the Second Coming of Jesus will take place. As surely as He arose from the dead and ascended into heaven, He will return. Many have been preoccupied with a timetable for Jesus’ return and some have even been so bold as to predict a date when this will happen. However from our reading yesterday, we are reminded that “the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2)

Satan is very crafty and he has been working to deceive mankind since we were created. He is the Father of Lies and even those who know Jesus personally and trust in His work on the cross are capable of being tricked. But especially those who have not trusted Christ (and consequently don’t have the Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth) are ripe for false signs and wonders. They have refused to love the truth.

We read in John 14:6 that Jesus is “the way, and the truth and the life.” No one comes to the Father except through Him. In John 8 Jesus told his followers, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

Before Jesus returns, Satan will be working overtime. Do you know someone who needs to be set free? Introduce him/her to the Truth! 

Written by guest blogger, Jan Shetter. 

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

"Goin' Up Soon!"

Week 18, Day 2 Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11  God didn’t set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ. He died for us, a death that triggered life. Whether we’re awake with the living or asleep with the dead, we’re alive with him! So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it.

I’d like to begin with the last sentence of the overview for this week’s reading in our Essential Jesus guide: "...Someday Jesus will come back in the same way that he went up into heaven."

This is a statement even a small child can relate to – even if he might not have all the details.  Several years back one of our grandsons (age 3 ½ at the time) was sitting behind me on a warm summer day munching on an apple. He took note of the fact that most of my hair was of the silver variety and remarked: “Grandma, ‘You’re goin’ up soon!’”

As I stifled laughter, I assured him I would be “going up” to heaven someday because I had trusted Jesus as my Saviour, however, I wasn’t certain it would be anytime soon. As you can see, I have not yet been “taken up” and neither have you, but we do expect to be someday.

Just as Jesus promised never to leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), we are also told Jesus went to prepare a place for us and He promised to come again and take us with Him so that we might be together (John 14:2, 3). Are these not extremely encouraging words?

We are to encourage one another and build up hope in our brothers and sisters: One day Jesus is coming back and none of us who know Him will be left out!

Written  by guest blogger, Jan Shetter.

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj

God's Gospel, Our Focus!

Week 18, Day 1 Reading: Acts 1:1-11

Acts 1:7-8  “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 

Whenever I visit my grandfather in Florida I can be assured of one thing: I will be forced to watch Fox news until I have a headache. I will sit and watch my grandfather get all worked up over the economy and give me his wisdom on how much better the country would be if he was in charge. It is quite a humorous time!

But, in reality, we are all a lot like my grandfather. We are anxious to know when things will be restored and the Kingdom will be established. But, Jesus reminds us that knowing those things is not our job. Our job as Christians is to be His witnesses! We do not – and cannot - know God’s entire perfect plan, but we do know His Gospel, and we have been given His Spirit to go and proclaim it to the ends of the earth.

Is our focus on the things that are only the business of the Sovereign Lord? Or is our focus on the Gospel that He has given to be the center of our lives? When we reorient the priorities of our hearts to be on the Gospel, our greatest strength and hope becomes God and we become better witnesses to the Gospel’s power. So, let us be focused on the Gospel and boldly proclaim it until He returns! 

Written by guest blogger, Adam Swift 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj

A Desperate Dad . . . A Despairing Woman (Mark 5:21-43)

Here at the PowerPoint slides for Sunday, April 7th .... Enjoy!

A despertate dad ... a desperate woman mark 5 -21-43 - april 7, 2013 (1) from John Smith

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Knock! Knock!

Week 17, Day 5 Reading: Revelation 3:14-22

Revelation 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 

This verse is often (probably could say "most" often) used in an evangelistic context. That if a person who is hearing the invitation to receive Christ were to open his heart to Jesus, then Jesus would enter into a personal relationship with that person. But the context indicates that the meaning is broader than this. Christ is actually knocking on the door of the wayward Laodicean church. His call is to an entire church! Wow! Hard to believe that in just a few short decades from being established, this particular church had sunk to such depths! 

There is a warning in that for all of us. None of us are exempt from a wandering heart. There is much that the Enemy will use to entice us to wander away from God. The hymn writer, Robert Robinson expressed his desire for God to protect him from a wandering heart. Take a moment and reflect on his words. Then pray them to God! 

O to grace how great a debtor

Daily I'm constrained to be!

Let that grace now like a fetter,

Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

Prone to leave the God I love;

Here's my heart, O take and seal it,

Seal it for Thy courts above.

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj

Ears to Hear!

Week 17, Day 4 Reading: Revelation 3:1-13

Revelation 3:6, 13  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

This call to hear what the Spirit of God is saying to each of the churches is repeated at the end of each one of these letters to the seven churches. Why? Jesus wanted those who read the letters (and by extension us as well) to listen and to hear what he was saying. All too often our ears become dull ... we become distracted by other voices ... and therefore, we do not hear what God is saying to us! 

Ouch! All of us need to ask God to help us "hear what the Spirit is saying." Failure to do so will cause us to miss out on what God wants to speak into our lives. So the next time you open God's Word (and I hope you do this EVERYDAY!), pray this prayer: 

"Father, God. I thank you for the gift of your Word. And I thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit who is my constant companion. May he give me the ears to hear (over the noise of the world around me) exactly what he wants me to hear. Without his enablement, I fear that I will not hear YOUR voice. So God ... in the words of King David, "lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long" (Psalm 25:5). 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj