Reflections of a year gone by

As we draw close to the end of this year most of us will reflect over the past, our triumphs and failures, we will reflect on lost loved ones and miss them , we should reflect and be grateful for those days we had with them and rejoice with those we still have with us.

Life has no pause or reset buttons, it always leads onward.

As we reflect over the past don't let the demons of discouragement and despair get into your mind, they will only lie to you and deceive you. They will dishearten you and destroy your hope, joy and focus.

This is a time to refocus on God , look back and see where failure grew and raised it's ugly head is where we pressed on without God, we do things in our flesh and forget to ask and seek God, then ask Him why, when we fail.

This I know unless I surrender daily to Him, I will surrender to my flesh, the world or the enemies lies and deceit, which leads me to defeat.

I need God in order to love another person unconditionally. I need His help to overlook offenses. I need His help to guard myself against all the temptations that lurk around every corner. I need His help to become more like Christ so I can lay down my life for my family. Without Him, my marriage wouldn’t be anything special. Odds are it would end badly, just like so many do.

We all get to choose who we will surrender our will to daily, our weaknesses and our strengths , we must learn out of obedience to surrender to God before our feet hit the floor, our enemies wait in darkness to attack in our thoughts, dreams and mind.

You can have the life God wants you to have. But you can’t have it without God’s help. No matter what’s happened in your past, this is a new day. A new chance. A new beginning. A new year awaits, let's not squander this gift from God.

This is a new day the Lord has given to us, be glad and rejoice in Him. Things can be different, let's go forward in Christ in Him we will find healing, in Him we will be more engaging, in Him we can truly forgive as we've been forgiven, in Him we can have peace, strength and overcome what gets in our way,in Him we can be more intimate with our spouse, in Him we can become closer to others than ever been before.

The past is the past. It's dead and buried don't dig it up and relive it. We can’t change it. But God can change our future. He can take what the enemy meant for evil and use it for good.The enemy wants us to It feel like we have too much to overcome, like the damage is too great to be repaired. We don't and It’s not.

We don't have what it takes to face life alone, we need God .

Life is complicated, we need all the help we can get. Jesus said ““Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:28-30‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

We need to take Him up on this, we don't need to fight back fairly, we need to learn to fight like men and women of God. You don’t fight for victory; you fight from the victory God has given you.

““When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you. When you are about to engage in battle, the priest is to come forward and address the army. He is to say to them: ‘Listen, Israel: Today you are about to engage in battle with your enemies. Do not be cowardly. Do not be afraid, alarmed, or terrified because of them. For the Lord your God is the One who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.’”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭20:1-4‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring — what your life will be! For you are like smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes. Instead, you should say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So it is a sin for the person who knows to do what is good and doesn’t do it.”
‭‭James‬ ‭4:13-17‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

I can only imagine

It is hard to imagine at times a world of peace, we all hope and should pray that day comes soon. But as long as there is sin in this world, chaos, death, destruction, anger, hostility all the enemies of peace will have the upper hand. There is coming a day though when Christ shall return, and when He does hope will be fulfilled, peace will be installed, and love will rule our lives.

Jim Daily from focus on the family recently posted this.

"I want every child to grow up in a home with a mom and a dad, with parents who tuck them into warm beds on cold nights with a kiss, a hug and prayers of assurance.

I want the most innocent and vulnerable among us, pre-born children, to be protected under the rule of law.
I want God’s gift of marriage to be celebrated, not redefined.

I want our nation’s schoolchildren to walk in and out of their classrooms with a spirited and excited spring in their step, not looking over their shoulder or wondering if their school is safe.

I want a world where we celebrate not denigrate our pastors, these brave and courageous individuals who extend God’s love to all people and who preach the Gospel with boldness and courage.

I want to live in a colorblind society, among people who see the character of a person, not the pigment of their skin or their place on the social class ladder.

I want our leaders to respect our religious freedoms and not force us to choose between violating our conscience and following the laws of the land.

I want peace, not war – militarily, politically, physically, socially and emotionally."

Jeremiah 23:5-6 HCSB

“The days are coming”  — this is the Lord ’s declaration — “when I will raise up a Righteous Branch of David. He will reign wisely as king and administer justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. This is what He will be named: Yahweh Our Righteousness.

Philippians 2:1-11 HCSB

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love,  if any fellowship with the Spirit,  if any affection and mercy,   fulfill my joy by thinking the same way,  having the same love,  sharing the same feelings, focusing on one  goal. Do nothing out of rivalry  or conceit,  but in humility  consider others as more important  than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests,  but also for the interests of others. Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death — even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow  — of those who are in heaven  and on earth and under the earth  — and every tongue  should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory  of God the Father.

Revelation 21:1-8 HCSB

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,  for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,  and the sea no longer existed.   I also saw the Holy City,  new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,  prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice  from the throne:   Look! God’s dwelling  is with humanity, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things  have passed away. Then the One seated on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words  are faithful and true.”   And He said to me, “It is done!  I am the Alpha and the Omega,  the Beginning and the End.  I will give water as a gift to the thirsty  from the spring of life.   The victor  will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son.   But the cowards, unbelievers,  vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars  — their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur,  which is the second death.”

Even so come quickly Lord Jesus, Merry Christmas, may there be peace on earth and goodwill towards all men.

Timeless Treasures

Most followers of Christ don’t need any more insights into faith, we have enough insights to last us a lifetime. The most urgent need in our lives is to trust what we have already received and know.

We need to reexamine our lives, and the authenticity of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

The challenge is to actually trust God to stop believing in our life's experiences as that is who or what we are, and know that God love us where we were, but He loves us enough not to leave us there. stop clutching what we are so afraid of losing.

We need to renew our minds daily and ask the question "is every word I had ever read or spoken about Jesus Christ what I know or if I really trusted in him. Then shouldn't I be conforming into His image?

The act of trust is a brutal and ruthless act, because it makes us fully accountable by the way we live. Trust is rare and priceless but when we really trust it is a timeless treasure .

Trust God who seeks us, and works in us, who is always working all things out for the good of those who believe in Him. Whether it be in adversity,or joy, or in tribulation trust in God’s Abba Fatherhood, His personal love for us and let Him work in us were we are.

1 Peter 1:3-19 HCSB Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith — more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire — may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. You love Him, though you have not seen Him. And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that would come to you searched and carefully investigated. They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when He testified in advance to the messianic sufferings and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Angels desire to look into these things. Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be serious and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. But as the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy. And if you address as Father the One who judges impartially based on each one’s work, you are to conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your temporary residence. For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.

What if?

Andrew Murray wrote this many years ago "You are in this straight place by Divine appointment." Second, he said, "You are here in His keeping. He will keep you by His grace and love in this situation." Third, Murray said, "You are here for His training and discipline. God wants to stretch you, to build you up, and He has brought you to this trial to test you by fire." Finally, he said, "You are here in His time. You don't know how long you'll be here, or what your future will hold, but this is where God wants you now."

What if you and I approached every trial we face with these precepts in mind?

What if we viewed every hardship as His perfect plan for us?

Murray also said, "If there were any circumstance better for you than the one in which you find yourself, Divine Love would have placed you there."

That gives our trials a whole new meaning, doesn't it? If you are experiencing a time of difficulty right now, ask God to give you wisdom to see your situation the way He sees it. His aim is that you and I grow up. Trials are our ticket out of complacency and mediocrity. When we struggle, we grow. Like Job, we can be certain that the outcome of our pain will be a stronger, purer faith.

The Apostle Paul wrote this over 2000 years ago, how true these words are still today.

Romans 5:1-5 HCSB

Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith,  we have peace  with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.   We have also obtained access through Him  by faith  into this grace in which we stand,  and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that,  but we also rejoice in our afflictions,  because we know that affliction produces endurance,   endurance produces proven character,  and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us,  because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts  through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

The 66 gospels of Jesus

ld Testament Book	Main Revelation	Key Prophecies* / Types of Jesus
Genesis	The Seed of the Woman	Messiah would be born of the seed of a woman (Gen 3:15, Luke 1:34-35) Messiah would be a descendant of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob (Gen 12:3, 17:19, 28:14, Luke 3:23-34) Messiah would be a king in the line of Judah (Gen 49:10, John 1:49) Typified in the person of Melchizedek (Gen 14:18) The life of Isaac - the sacrificed son (Gen 22) The life of Joseph - the rejected brother (Gen 37)
Exodus	The Passover Lamb	Typified in the life of Moses - the deliverer The Passover Lamb (Ex 12, John 1:29,36) The Manna from Heaven (Ex 16, John 6) The Rock struck at Horeb (Ex 17, 1 Cor 10:4) The Tabernacle (Brazen Altar, Lampstand, Table of Showbread, Ark of the covenant etc) (Gen 25-30)
Leviticus	The High Priest	Typified in the sacrifices and offerings (Lev 1-7) In the Jewish festivals (Passover, Atonement, Lev 16, 23) In the scapegoat (Lev 16:7-9) In the person and duties of the High Priest (Lev 16)
Numbers	The Cloud and The Fire	Messiah would be a King (Num 24:17) Typified in the bronze serpent (Num 21:8-9) The Water from the Rock (Num 20)
Deuteronomy	The Prophet Like Moses	Messiah will be a prophet (Deut 18:15-19, John 6:14) Messiah would be worshipped by angels (Deut 32:43, Luke 2:13-14) Typified in the cities of refuge (Deut 4:41)
Joshua	The Captain of Our Salvation	Typified in the person of Joshua (our leader into the promised land) In the Promised Land In the Commander of the Army (Josh 5:13-15)
Judges	The Judge And Lawgiver	Typified in the Judges (for He is true Judge of the living and the dead)
Ruth	The Kinsman Redeemer	Messiah would be a descendant of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 4:12-17) Typified in the life of Boaz - The Kinsman Redeemer (Ruth 2:1)
1 & 2 Samuel	The Prophet of The Lord	Messiah exalted by God with power (1 Sam 2:10, Matt 28:18) Messiah would be a descendant of David (2 Sam 7:12-16, Matt 1:1) Messiah would be the 'Rock' (2 Sam 23:2-3, 1 Cor 10:4) Typified in the life of David - The King in Exile (1 Sam 22) The life of Jonathon - the faithful friend (1 Sam 18:1-4)
1 & 2 Kings	The Reigning King	Typified in the life of Solomon (the Millennial Reign) In the life and miracles of the prophet Elisha (multiplying bread 2 Kings 4:42, healing leper 2 Kings 5)
1 & 2 Chronicles		Messiah would be from the tribe of Judah (1 Chron 5:2, Luke 3:23-32) Typified in Solomon's temple In the Wisdom of Solomon (2 Chron 9:22)
Ezra	The Faithful Scribe	Typified in person of Zerubbabel, the rebuilder of the temple (Ezra 4)
Nehemiah	The Rebuilder of the Walls	Typified in the person of Nehemiah, the rebuilder of the walls of salvation
Esther	Mordecai	Typified in the person of Mordecai
Job	The Dayspring From on High	Typified in the sufferings of Job and the blessings that would follow
Psalms	The Lord Who Is Our Shepherd	Messiah would be the Son of God (Ps 2:7, 12, Matt 17:5) Messiah would be resurrected (Ps 16:8-10, Acts 13:30-37) Messiah would be despised & crucified (Ps 22:6-8, 14, Luke 23:21-23, Matt 27:35) Messiah would be hated without cause (Ps 69:4, Luke 23:13-22) Messiah would be Lord, seated at the right hand of God (Ps 110:1,5, 1 Pet 3:21-22) Messiah would be in the line of Melchizedek (Ps 110:4, Heb 6:17-20) Messiah would be the 'stone' rejected by the Jews (Ps 118:22, Matt 21:42-43) Key Messianic Psalms: Chapters 2, 8, 16, 22, 45, 69, 89, 109, 110, 118
Proverbs & Ecclesiastes	The Wisdom of God	Messiah would be from everlasting (Prov 8:22-23, John 17:5) Messiah would be the Son of God (Prov 30:4, Matt 3:16-17) Typified in the Wisdom of God (Prov 8:22-31)
Song of Solomon	The Lover & Bridegroom	Typified in the Bridegroom's love for, and marriage to, the bride
Isaiah	The Suffering Servant	Messiah would be born of a virgin (Is 7:14, Luke 1:34-35) Messiah would be Immanuel "God with us" (Is 7:14, Matt 1:21-23) Messiah would be God and Man (Is 9:6, John 10:30) Messiah would have the 7-fold Spirit upon Him (Is 11:1-2, Matt 3:16-17) Messiah would heal the blind, lame, deaf (Is 35:5-6, Mark 10:51-52) Messiah would be proceeded by a forerunner (Is 40:3, Luke 1:17) Messiah would be a light to the gentiles (Is 42:6, John 8:12) Messiah would be despised by the Jewish nation (Is 49:7, John 10:20, Matt 27:23) Messiah would be whipped and beaten (Is 50:6, Matt 26:67, 27:26) Messiah would die as a guilt offering for sin (Is 53:10, John 18:11) Messiah would be resurrected and live forever (Is 53:10, Mark 16:16)
Jeremiah & Lamentations	The Weeping Prophet	Messiah would be God (Jer 23:6, John 13:13) Messiah would be a righteous Branch (Jer 23:5) Messiah would be our righteousness (Jer 23:6, 1 Cor 1:30)
Ezekiel	The Son of Man	Messiah would be a descendant of David (Ez 34:23-24, Matt 1:1)
Daniel	The Son of Man coming in the clouds of Heaven	Messiah would be 'a son of man' given an everlasting kingdom (Dan 7:13-14, Luke 1:31-34) Messiah would come 483 years after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem (Dan 9:25, John 12:12-23) Messiah would be killed (Dan 9:26, Matt 27:35) Revealed as the 'stone' (and His kingdom) that smashes the kingdoms of the world (Dan 2:34,44) Typified in the 4th man in the fiery furnace - one like 'the son of gods' (Dan 3:25)
Hosea	The Bridegroom	Typified in Hosea's faithfulness to his adulterous wife (Hos 3)
Joel	The Baptizer With The Holy Spirit	Messiah will offer salvation to all mankind (Joel 2:32, Rom 10:12-13) Messiah would baptize people with the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28-32)
Amos	The Burden Bearer	God would darken the day at noon during Messiah's death (Amos 8:9, Matt 27:45-46)
Obadiah	The Mighty Savior
Jonah	The Forgiving God	Typified in Jonah being 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of a fish (Jon 1:17, Matt 12:40)
Micah	The Messenger With Beautiful Feet	Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Mic 5:2, Matt 2:1-2) Messiah would be from everlasting (Mic 5:2, Rev:1-8)
Nahum	The Avenger of God's Elect
Habakkuk	The Great Evangelist, Crying For Revival	Messiah would come from Teman at His return, full of glory (Hab 3:3) Typified in the life of Habakkuk (his intercession and prayer for his people)
Zephaniah	The Restorer of the Remnant
Haggai	The Cleansing Fountain	Messiah would visit the 2nd temple (Hag 2:6-9, Luke 2:27-32)
Zechariah	The Pierced Son	Messiah would be Priest and King (Zech 6:12-13, Heb 8:1) Messiah would be ride into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zech 9:9, Matt 21:6-9) Messiah would be God (Zech 11:12-13, John 12:45) Messiah would be pierced (Zech 12:10, John 19:34-37)
Malachi	The Son of Righteousness	Messiah would appear at the temple (Mal 3:1, Mark 11:15-16) Messiah's forerunner would come in the spirit of Elijah (Mat 4:5, Matt 3:1-2)
New Testament Book	Main Revelation	Titles / Names Revealed of Jesus
Matthew	The Messiah	The Son of David (Matt 1:1) The King of the Jews (Matt 2:2) The Son of God (Matt 2:15).  The Bridegroom (Matt 9:15)
Mark	The Miracle Worker	The Holy One of God (Mark 1:24) The Servant (Mark 10:45) The King of Israel (Mark 15:32)
Luke	The Son of Man	The Horn of Salvation (Luke 1:69) The Consolation of Israel: (Luke 2:25).
John	The Son of God	The Only Begotten Son: (John 1:14,18) The Lamb of God (John 1:29,36) The Bread of life (John 6:35) The Light of the World (John 8:1) The I AM! (John 8:58) The Door of the Sheep: (John 10:7,9) The Good Shepherd (John 10:11) The Resurrection and life (John 11:25) The Way, the Truth, the Life (John 14:6) The True Vine (John 15:1)
Acts	The Ascended Lord	The Prince of Life (Acts 3:15) The Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42)  The Just One (Acts 7:52). The Hope of Israel (Acts 28:20)
Romans	The Justifier	The Rock of Offense (Romans 9:33) The Deliverer (Romans 11:26) The Lord of the dead and the living (Romans 14:9) The Root of Jesse (Romans 15:12)
1 & 2 Corinthians	The Last Adam	The First-fruits (1 Corinthians 15:23) The Last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45)
Galatians	The One Who Sets Us Free	The Lord Jesus Christ (Gal 1:3)
Ephesians	The Christ of Riches	The Head over All Things (Ephesians 1:22) The Cornerstone: (Ephesians 2:20)
Philippians	The God Who Meets Our Every Need	The Name above all names (Philippians 2:9)
Colossians	The Fullness of The Godhead	The Image of the Invisible God (Colossians 1:15) The Head of the body (Colossians 1:18) The Beginning (Colossians 1:18) The Firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18) The Hope of Glory (Col 1:27)
1 & 2 Thessalonians	The Soon Coming King	The Lord of Peace (2 Thessalonians 3:16)
1 & 2 Timothy	The Mediator Between God And Man	The King of Ages (1 Timothy 1:17) The Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5)
Titus	The Blessed Hope	The Blessed Hope (Titus 2:13) The Great God and Saviour (Titus 2:13)
Philemon	The Friend, Closer Than a Brother	The Lord Jesus Christ (Philemon 3)
Hebrews	The Blood That Washes Away My Sins	The Heir of All Things (Hebrews 1:2) The Faithful High Priest (Hebrews 2:17) The Author and Finisher of our Faith (Hebrews 12:2)
James	The Great Physician	The Lord of Glory (James 2:1) The Judge at the door (James 5:9)
1 & 2 Peter	The Chief Shepherd	The Living Stone (1 Peter 2:4) The Chief Shepherd  (1 Peter 5:4)
1 & 2 & 3 John	Everlasting Love	The Eternal Life (1 John 1:2) The Righteous (1 John 2:1)
Jude	The God our Saviour	The Only Wise God our Saviour (Jude 25)
Revelation	The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!	The Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last: (Revelation 1:17, 22:13) The Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev 5:5) The Word of God (Revelation 19:13).  The King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16)The Bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16)

This is not mine, but I had to share http://www.jesusplusnothing.com/jesus66books.htm

Hope!

What does the word "hope" mean in the Bible? It doesn't mean "maybe." We may use it that way in modern English, but that's not whatever the word "hope" means when used in Scripture.

"Hope" means certainty, but not just any certainty. When the Bible says "hope," it means a rock-solid assurance with anticipation, based on the Word of God.

Put your hope and faith in Jesus Christ today if you have not and if you have. Take heart and have peace that all is well with Christ in command.


Romans 12:12-21 HCSB

Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone. Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord. But If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.