OUR DAILY OUTLOOK

We should always expect things in Christ to have a wonderful and good ending. This covers all of our needs, our work, our servings and our fellowship with others. The Christian is supported by all the power and wisdom of His eternal God and Savior Jesus.

Our God has no limits in His kindness and love toward His children. His plan is the same for all of us. That is: that we become images of HIs Son Jesus Christ in life and character in the world. Our life service is fulfilling the service of Christ Jesus here in our world of family and neighborhood. All this is truly wondrous and glorious with all praise to our loving God and Lord Jesus Christ.

Read Gal. 4:19; Eph. 2:10; Phil.1:11; 2:5f, 12f; Col. 1:27

RICHES OF GOD

There are no limits to God. He will give to us eternity to share His glory and wisdom to our eternal amazement and blessings in Christ Jesus. Our earthly human life allows us to come face to face with the first levels of our great God. All people can enjoy the footprints and fingerprints of our almighty God. The earth tells of His creative power, in giving existence and life to all things. In Him we live and move.

Christ Jesus has come, in fleshly life, serving in love and redemption. Each one can accept God's intervention, in Jesus' death and resurrection, and present faith and hope of eternal life. This is the level of personal and intimate sharing of the boundless blessing of God's personal presence within our hearts/lives.

He meets the full depths of truth, wisdom and knowledge in our total life in the world and heaven, moment by moment. This is because of our repentance from our sinful, empty and closed life without faith in God's Son Jesus Christ. However, in new faith in Jesus the Son of Man and the Son of God, we have gotten anchored in the riches of God in heavenly places as we live. See Romans 11:33-36.

LOOKING UP

When Jesus was at the mountain of ascension into heaven, He left His disciples as they gazed into the heavenly sky after Him. I think it must have been a beautiful clear blue nearly cloudless sky, which allowed them to follow HIm as He went higher and farther into a cloud and heaven.

Were they sad? Remember this was post-resurrection after they had been with Him for a few weeks. They knew and were pursuaded of His being alive and well. But, now He is leaving them in a marvelously great victory over death, in a total physical triumph and fulfillment of His word and prophetic promise.

Most of all He left them with special additional prophectic promises and instruction: firstly, their special mission to be witnesses, beginning at Jerusalem, under the Holy Spirit and their need to faithfully completion that mission, of bringing His Truth to all creation, everywhere. Then, He promised to return to gather all believers and to take them to the father's house.

Where do you and I see ourselves in this mission of witnessing? Are we eagerly serving witness, with our words and lives, of His loving victory and our great anticipation for the final moment of His return. See John chapter fourteen and following, also see Acts chapter one.

UNENDING DAY

There are certain days that are special; i.e., birthdays, anniversaries, Easter, Christmas and others which are so rich in excitement, joy and with special good feelings which we might wish would never end. All of us might like to hold one special birthday as unending, maybe our sixteenth, twentieth, fortieth and never grow any older, only wiser. But that's just not the way it is in earthly life. Then our earthly days end with a funeral and memorial service by our family and friends, not meeting with us one more time but only remembering us in our past days.

A spiritual child of God is always a child among the children of God on earth or in heaven. Jesus said such is the Kingdom of Heaven which is a place of unending day and no night. For, God is a God of light in whom is no darkness. Today make sure of your election as a child of God for now and eternity with Jesus in the Father's presence. See I John five.

HAPPINESS

Where is happiness? A certain special place? A tasty meal in a comfortable setting? Being in romantic love? Becoming a mother or dad? Receiving a gift or prize/reward/recognition? For most people these are some places where happiness has been found. All are felt as good and happy. And, all have a down side whenever things are not just right, then there may be disgust, anger, sadness.

Basic life in the world follows this pattern. Here is the vanity of life in our fleshly earthy world. It all goes by with the passing of time.

Only when happiness is found in Jesus Christ is there unspeakable joy and ongoing happiness. We, in Christ, experience that deep joy and comfort that is based upon our being centered in the love of God. Oh! what resounding enduring joy. Read Romans 8:26-37.

HOLY, HOLY, HOLY

("hagios" Gk.) Holy, holy, holy are words of sacred distinction, meaning powerfully living separate from defilement and death. In Rev. 4:6f a great truth of praise is repeated for all heaven and earth to know.

God alone is worthy of these three repeats of the four living creatures.

God almighty is the power above all power, who is everlasting and living in powerful presence.

Three holies to/in one living eternal personal God "Theos".

Just stop now where you are and repeat these words: " Holy holy, holy Lord God almighty who was and is and is coming." Our Lord Jesus is coming.

But, He is presently sitting at the right side of Father/God with victory and has all the help and strength needed for you now.

Let Him be Lord of your circumstances, right now.

CHRISTIAN LIVING

Christian living is where we find full fellowship with Christ and our heavenly Father, daily and moment by moment. ^Our thoughts come as directed by the Holy Spirit while we think upon God through Christ in our inner prayer life. ^As we study God's holy word, our hearts are filled with the precious truth of Christ which is life giving.

Thus, Scripture study is a blessed experience of unique value to our fellowship with God in Christ. ^Empowered with great intent of worshipful reverence for Christ in God, all doubt about Jesus as our living Lord, who knows and sees our needs as well as His own wonderful will for our lives, is completely driven from our minds because our hearts are full of His Holy Spirit's powerful loving and love assuring presence.

My friends, Jesus will be with us in our every spiritual need and work, and also, our more physical and natural needs will be supplied as He sees our needs. ^He has told us that He will send His Holy Spirit into our hearts and lives in John's Gospel chapters 14 -17. ^Let us pray, firstly, for more of His Holy Spirit.

TAUGHT OF GOD

The written text in our Bibles is the Holy Spirit's instrument of instruction in the will and plan of God for all time. The earth/world, the Church, and the individual believer are all covered in the Bible. This is the reason Christians continually read and study the Bible. Many of us become so familiar with the Scripture that we remember it clearly and can quote and give our experienced understanding easily. We have been taught by the Holy Spirit and He has brought it to life in our hearts.

We are comforted and guided through the Holy Spirit's presence who establishes our walking with the Lord.

New Christians need the milk (elementary things of our Lord's will/plan) first and then build greater experience, understanding, assurance and confidence with boldness in Christ.

I first read in systematic manner a book/epistle and then read for a particular subject in a mood of prayer and openness to the Holy Spirit for guidance.

I suggest you find I Thess. and study it in this way. You will find rich understanding of how the Apostle Paul lived and did the Lord's work with all its daily concerns. ^May the Lord be with you today.

HIS PRESENCE

When you were a child, did you like to go with your family on a trip? Did it make much difference where you were going? Just getting to go for the ride and adventure was sufficient to make the trip inviting. Being with your trusted parent or grandparent was assuring in itself. Things which we may remember most of our early days are those trips.

What made them so meaningful was their infrequency, for we who are older. Most of us born before l950 didn't get to travel very far, very often. Now, maybe you long for such days again. But we must live in the present, not the past. We need to live today as God sets opportunities forth into our days. Jesus invites Himself into our daily lives, to take us upon a new day of HIS grace, and hope for today and tomorrow. Like in our childhood, where we followed the lead of someone else, today we follow the lead of our Lord Jesus Christ. We need to open the door and let Him in to prepare us to go out with Him to victorious living. See Rev. 3:20f.

KNOW JEHOVAH

In the Book of Ezekiel the phrase: "and you/they shall know that I (am) Jehovah!" is often used to sum up the works of Jehovah in the history of Israel and her neighbors. See Eze. 36. This day our Lord is making himself known around the world through His people, the body of Christ. Everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ is part of this witness to God's presence and power, in this day of time.

Our witness is one of blessing and power to each other and to the world about. Today, brother and sister in Christ, concentrate upon Jesus Christ as Lord of your living, in humility and faithfulness. ^ Read Mt. 20.

DOING THINGS GOD'S WAY

Jesus told the people, who came to hear His teachings, to quietly demonstrate their charitable giving without public fanfare, Mt. 6:1-4. ^Praise for our charitable giving should not come from ourselves but from others who are blessed by our faithfulness to our Lord, who has given His best for us. ^Our Lord deserves our commitment of praise and our service. ^And, He wants to bless us abundantly everyday of our lives. ^To be blessed in Christ will always make the day a wonderful day of assurance and joyful living.

Have you found Christ Jesus to be the focus of your daily life?

HOW TO PLEASE JESUS

Jesus is pleased when we set ourselves to love and to serve Him with our whole selves, including: personal goals, social goals, employment goals, our spiritual goals, and our total physical beings. ^In doing this we are set upon the straight and narrow road through the tight gate into the door of the Heavenly Father's kingdom on earth and in heaven. ^Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth and the life...," John 14:6.

SUNNY DAYS

We all seem to appreciate a warm sunny day after a cold grey day. ^Most of us find some glow and sunshine in the faces of certain other people. ^God's plan is for Christians to reflect the sunshine/light of Christ Jesus to others. ^We can make the life of others a more blessed and wonderful time.

You may remember the song "You Are My Sunshine". ^It said you make me happy when skies are grey. ^Jesus is the only begotten Son of God who came to bring sunshine/light, peace, love and joy into the world and the lives/hearts of those who believe upon Him. ^Read John one.

The sadly tragic part of it was and is that many did not and do not accept the light of His presence and reject Him while choosing darkness and unbelief.

REMAIN IN HIM

Jesus taught us to abide in HIM, Jn 15:5ff. ^The root word in the Gk (meno) means to dwell, lodge, rest, settle or endure. ^First, this means we always side with Jesus Christ in our actions as we need Him to guide and to strengthen us. ^His strength or power is undefeatable and constant. ^Jehovah God will save us through Jesus Christ from spiritually falling and defeat.

In I John 2:6 we are reminded to walk as Christ Jesus walked in His great love for all of us. ^Therefore, we will be kind and helpful to one another in every situation. ^Since we are made one together in Christ and our heavenly Father, we must live in harmony and peace, while we enjoy the good grace of God.

TRYING THE SPIRITS

John told us in I Jn 4:1 to try/examine (dokimazete from dokimazo to prove by trial or test) the spirits. ^The Bible tells us many evil, unclean spirits of Satan are in the world. ^They seek to gain control of individuals by deception and promises of an easy way of life without God's controlling presence.

On the other hand, we Christians must examine these spirits as to their doctrines/teachings, ways/methods as well as goals.

Christians must therefore seek the direction of the Holy Spirit of God and Christ before giving way to commit to a plan of action.

We must examine the spirit's relationship to our Christ and Lord. ^False spirits do not glorify Jesus as Christ and Lord. ^No individual can curse Jesus and be of God. ^The Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus is Christ and Lord. ^See I Cor. 12:3.

MISSION POSSIBLE

Christ Jesus is sending His people out to share the abundant life found in Him with the world. ^There always is some sort of resistance from Satan and those he has blinded. ^Satan is the father of liars and lies. ^He has many followers who believe his lies. ^Only as people receive the truth in Christ can people be set free from his deceptions.

Let's pray today for strength to be faithful in sharing the truthful witness of our personal faith. ^Christ is our power source. ^He will give strength, power and might as the Apostle Paul wrote in Eph. 6:10: "... be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." NIV

THE ESSENTIALS

Simply put, everyone who is a true Christian must confess that Jesus is Lord upon the repentance of sin and then show forth their new personhood by witnessing for Christ Jesus to the world while living the new life of holy love. ^Of course, every true Christian wants to show his new faith by water baptism for all to see and to know of his identifying with Christ and His body the Church.

Second, each Christian will be given a burden and gift by the Holy Spirit for sharing the adoration of Christ and for glorifying Christ Jesus. ^Today's scripture gives this message of glory and thanksgiving found in Psa. 106.

Also read Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:13

(ROMAN ROAD). What must I do to be saved? ^A. Understand/realize that you are a sinner -Ro. 3:23 "ALL HAVE SINNED...." ^B. Understand/realize the results of sin- Ro. 6:23 ..."THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH." ^C. Understand/realize that Christ died for you- Ro. 5:8 (PRICE/PENALTY PAID) ..."WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US." ^D. Ask Christ Jesus to save you- Ro. 10:13 "WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD (JESUS) SHALL BE SAVED." ^This is known as the Roman road.

DECEIVED BY SATAN

Satan is the father of liars and deceivers. ^He has deceived multitudes of people here in the USA AND AROUND THE WORLD. ^In the world, whole political and religious movements are and have been dominated by Satan's deceptions.

Firstly, I think of those movements which seek to take over the essentials of personal freedom and put the lives of the people into the hands of the government for total care with control of their life's activities, including work/vocational choices, such as one who desires to become a minister with complete freedom to propagate his message and to do the work of his ministry without interference from the government. ^Where can a minister publicly preach his message in a government/public owned facility without being told you can't do this on government/public property such as the courthouse steps? ^Yet, you can preach on some streets in certain places without interference from city officials here in the USA. ^A minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ must be faithful to his calling and never willingly allow any governmental authorities to stop the preaching of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. ^In this way we force Satan to show his true colors/methods.

In many different ways Satan creates false and deceptive impressions of what is right and what is wrong. ^Some, or maybe many, people will buy into it. ^Gambling is an area of Satan's deception. How about mind/mood altering drugs and alcohol? ^How about sexual expression which is immoral and harmful, be it homosexual or heterosexual?

Scripture teaches us the real ways of righteousness as testified by the Holy Spirit in our hearts as Christians. ^So, God gives truth to us through Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. ^See Jn. 1, 8, 10.

A DAY IN CHRIST

A day in Christ is always a day of peace. ^Peace, rest and safety are found only in Jesus Christ who has bought our peace with God the Father. ^With His sinless blood on the cross of Calvary he purchased our peace by dying for our sins. ^We can now rest in peace and hope of Jesus our Savior and Lord. ^Thank Jesus Christ right now for His peace which He has sent into your heart. Read Phil. chapter four.

ATTACKING SATAN

Christians need to get on the offense or attack against Satan. ^We must not just sit and wait for Satan's attacks against us personally or as the body of Christ. ^We know Satan's style of dividing and conquering. ^He seeks to turn Christian against Christian with foolish issues of difference of opinions, administrations, leadership, and most of all with attacks on trusting the Word of God. ^The written rule of faith for each Christian is the Bible under the Holy Spirit. ^We are compelled to agree with this rule.

Thusly, the Holy Spirit compels us to cooperate in love and submission to Christ Jesus as Lord. ^Even as Satan is attacking belief and trust in the Word of God, we attack Satan with the weapon of the Word of God which is called the sword of the Spirit, Ephesians 6:17. Christ Jesus has defeated Satan and we will defeat Satan through the living Word of God. ^A banner we Christians must bear is: "I am defeating Satan through Christ the Word made flesh."

MORE TIME FOR JESUS

We can't spend too much time with Jesus. ^We need to stay in prayer and thought to Christ Jesus, in our plans, and struggles day by day. ^Satan tries to distract our thoughts away from Christ Jesus and His will for our life. ^Satan thinks and believes he can slow down and possibly defeat the working of Christ Jesus through you and me. ^The world of people in which we live is always challenging us to speak up and stand for right and Christ in God.

People who do not know Jesus as Lord and Savior are naturally walking by carnal sight or the natural events occurring about them and are without the insights of the Holy Spirit.

There are times when the people of the world face the need for help and deliverance from a horrible state of fighting and war in their societies and communities; family against family; clan against clan; etc.

Jesus Christ is the only answer of lasting power and virtue. ^We Christians offer the only true word of hope and deliverance.

Now we must enter into deep prayerful thought to Christ Jesus for our neighbors, friends or foes, near and far, for a real peace from God through Jesus Christ. ^Jesus always prayed day and night. ^Early Christians prayed without ceasing. We need to learn from them and build our house of prayer. ^See I Thess. 5:17,18.

TRYING OR BEING

If someone were to ask you if you are a Christian, what would you say? ^"I'm trying to be a Christian." Or would you say, "yes, I'm a Christian." ^The Holy Spirit enables us to answer without any doubt or lack of certainty. ^No one can say Jesus is Lord without the Holy Spirit creating that assured belief. See I Cor. 12:3. ^When people think of Jesus, they can think of Him as just a figure in history, followed by certain people in the world. ^Or, they can believe upon Him as the Messiah/Christ the anointed Son of God. ^And then, they will know Him as their own Savior and Lord.

If anyone will call upon His name, confessing Him as Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit will come into his/her heart and give assurance of His wonderful presence in his/her heart. See Romans 10:13.

MOVING AHEAD

To move ahead and progress in Christlikeness, is to be spiritually directed by the Holy Spirit as the breath and power of your ongoing daily walk.

The Holy Spirit (parakletos Gk. meaning the one who is called to our side as our comforter, intercessor) fills us with the presence of Christ Jesus, and, thusly, we become Christlike. ^You can't miss becoming Christlike as His loving likeness in patience works in your life in the same way as you breathe automatically.

As a newborn Christian, you must seek the fullness of Christ's Holy Spirit in your total thought and action. ^You will learn more and more to live out your Christlikeness in everything you are experiencing: in your work, home life, social life, school and training life.

Firstly, fill your mind and heart with the sound doctrines of Christ from the Scriptures. Secondly, open your life up to everything God sets before you as an opportunity for Christ to work through you. Thirdly, look constantly for doors of need all about you for service to others in their needs. ^Read Romans 8, l2; Ephesians 6; First John 3.

FEAR

Much has been said and written about fear. ^I believe it was Roosevelt (FDR) who said: "We have nothing to fear but fear itself" at the time of World War II. ^The Bible says perfect love casts or drives out fear. ^See I John 4:l8. ^Yet, we Christians are tempted to fear. ^When I was a child I feared the dark. When I had a toothache, I feared the dentist. ^I feared the doctor's needle. ^I feared falling, fire, water, fast moving vehicles, bats, Mom's switchings, Dad's belt, the principal's paddle. ^I experienced many instances of fear. ^I was somewhat shy, which I believe is a form of fear.

All of us experience fears of many kinds in our lives. ^But, the one main fear which is most important and beneficial to all people is the fear of God. ^This is reverential fear of the awesomeness of God's holiness in light of our impurities of sin and its guilt.

We need God's love (agape) to take away unnecessary fears, drive them out and give to us the real eternal pure love of God in our hearts and lives.

MATURITY

Maturity is basically something which is worked out. ^It involves experience, persistence, consistency, as well as a positive outlook of hope. ^As Christians we mature as we continue to look only to Jesus as the Lord of our life. ^This means we are committed to walking in the Spirit as we are led by the Holy Spirit. ^We don't argue with God's Word or turn to some other teaching basis.

Many young people through the years have taken their ungodly teachers and professors too seriously, when attending secular schools and colleges, and have stumbled from a pattern of growth in Christlikeness, only later to find themselves out of fellowship with Christ and His people. ^They know then that something wonderful and powerful is not in their daily lives. ^They have become backsliders without much conscious sense of what has happened to them.

This is one example of backsliding from maturing in Christ. ^Christians have allowed worldly friends to lead them away from maturing in Christ. ^Christians have allowed worldly pleasures, money, fame or desire for popularity to get their attention off of maturing in Christ.

Maturing in Christ is a daily battle and struggle through which we build up our stance and strength and become more and more fully Christlike and thusly stand tall in Christ Jesus. ^Read Ephesians chapters 2-4.

BLESSED

Blessed is a word used by Jesus nine times in Mt. 5. ^It is "makarios" in the Greek meaning fortunate, happy and blessed. ^In each case in Mt. 5 it refers to a condition of heart/spirit and life of a person who is godly and right with God and mankind. ^He/she is merciful like God; meek and humble like Christ Jesus, who came lowly riding upon a donkey in Mt. 21.

He/she lives in peace with others with real empathy for their condition. ^Because he/she loves God with his/her whole personal being, he/she is willing to face painful persecution for Christ's and righteousness' sake. ^He/she is always happy and blessed. ^Are you happy and in this blessed state? ^If you are truly walking with Christ and led of His Holy Spirit you are.

MEMORY

My wife and I recall precious memories when we visit our family graves. ^These graves help us renew our days past with our loved ones. ^We are reminded that life in this world does end at some point in time. We know that physical death seals our lives, as lived in the world.

We also know that we cannot bring back into this world our precious loved ones, nor can we bring back our yesterdays.

Then, we can understand how precious each day is in our lives, for we can never live any day again. ^The Apostle Paul wrote in Eph. 5:16 "...redeeming the time because the days are evil."KJV Each day provides opportunity for good or evil. ^The world under Satan brings evil and death, but the born-again person brings goodness, peace, joyful love and patience in the midst of the turmoil of today's world.

BROUGHT LOW BUT GOING HIGHER

Life has its setbacks. ^Men build, but suffer destruction of their buildings. ^Women bear children, but some children never reach junior age. ^Has God ever promised us that the things of earth will last forever? ^As far as the earth is concerned, God has given to us Spring and its bloomings; but also, Fall and its dyings.

This brings the understanding that we are finite on the earth in our goings and our comings, our buildings and our tasks and dream pursuings. ^Only those things done solely at the Lord's call will endure forever by His almighty power. ^It's those things which take us higher in spite of the earth's Fall and its dyings. ^Read Psalm twenty-three.

TODAY

When we arise and start a new day in Christ, we must remember God's plan for time and eternity for us. ^As Christians we think about our own place in God's plan. ^We know God loves us and Christ died for us. ^We know God wills our blessing and well-being each moment of our lives. ^We also see the needs of our own lives and the lives of our families, friends and others close and far.

We can make a difference as God's witnesses in our day by our words, works and overall character. ^Let us humble ourselves before our Lord and yield afresh to do His will and work. ^Read Romans twelve.

MOODS

Human beings are beset by varied and changing moods. ^Some of these moods are a curse rather than a blessing. ^The Bible teaches us to seek the fullness of the Holy Spirit who will give sound meaning to our lives while focusing our attention upon others rather than our pleasurable desires.

Most of people's personal moods are situational. ^If they gain some tangible things which are expensive and desirable, they experience happiness. ^If they win, rather than lose, they are joyful. ^Watch people at a sports event; when their team wins, they are happy and generous. ^If their team loses, they are unhappy or mad.

What's going on here? ^Unspiritual people, who are not walking in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, are carnally driven toward the outcome of jealousy, division, strife and turmoil.

When the Christian is yielded fully to the guidance of Jesus Christ he/she will be saddened when things go wrong for others, such as sicknesses, deaths, loss of a job, or any other unpleasant or negative event. ^On the other hand, when others are successfully blessed and honored, the Christian rejoices and celebrates the blessing and honoring. ^This is exactly where the fruit of the new life of abundant living through Christ Jesus leads. (See I Cor. 13; Gal. 5).

WORLDLY NOISE

I love music; that is good music that has a good steady beat with uplifting harmony and words. ^Music can be a great blessing. ^The Bible/Word of God is spiritual music to my heart. ^The Apostle Paul in Col. 3:16 wrote: "...Let the word of Christ dwell ('enoikeito" Gk. from "en" and "oikeo" meaning to indwell or inhabit) in you richly...as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs...."

I sing because I'm happy in Christ Jesus as He by His Spirit dwells within my heart. ^I am rich and full in Christ, now and forever.

Christ won't let you down to gloom and defeat in life or spirit, but He lifts you up in blessing and peaceable quietness of heart and mind. ^Don't sing the blues of this world's gloom; sing the praise of God/Jehovah. Hallelujah!

DAY OR NIGHT

When you awake in the morning to begin a new day, are you usually eager and feeling a certain blessing from the Lord to be His child and look for great/wondrous things to happen? ^Christians have it all, so to speak. ^Nothing, which may happen, is out of God's plan for our lives. ^His Word tells us to continue in faith and commitment to serving Him in trials and difficulties from the world and Satan. ^See I Peter chapter one. ^Trials are our opportunities for growth in our faith and standing in the Christian walk and course of life.

We must remember at all times, that every moment is a small piece/part of the greater picture of our life, which is being built in Christ, to make us more and more in the likeness of His image and glory in this world and in the world to come. ^See Philippians chapter one and following.

We must learn the lessons of leaving the world and lustful/over indulgent living, for the purer life of living in the world as Christ Jesus lived in the holiness of pure fellowship with the Father, and with the brethren, in God's total self-giving love (agape).

ALERT

Do you sometimes wonder why you haven't suffered a very serious auto accident on our busy highways? ^I have often wondered about this. ^Once I slid completely across four lanes of Interstate 77/64 in Charleston, WV, on a snowy day. ^After coming to a stop against the medium barrier, and within seconds, a tractor/trailer passed where I had just slid across. ^Everything had gone smoothly except I had not been sufficiently alert to the conditions of the highway. ^I suffered no harm and my car was not damaged and I thank the Lord that I can sit here and write this account. ^I've often thought about that near fatal incident.

The Scripture tells us much about being ready, alert, watching, and patient because we do not control the coming events. ^Satan wants control of the world of our lives. ^He is deceiving, cunning, and celebrates in the act of lying. ^He also uses fear tactics. ^He belittles us and our Lord.

Our defense is God's Word resting in our hearts, constantly. Jesus said: "Watch out that no one deceives you...." ^See Mark 13:5-25.

THINKING

Our minds seem to be always active, even when we are sleeping. ^Sometimes our thoughts disturb us, causing us to be distressed and discomforted. ^Bad thoughts can lead to bad deeds and activities.

What are some bad/evil thoughts? ^Evil thoughts are about not trusting the Lord's direction and following the ways of the world. ^They are thoughts of carnal fleshly lusts to satisfy our pleasurable desires at the expense of obeying God. ^A little sin is the spice of life, Satan whispers. ^"Others are practicing it, so can I." ^"If there is any harm, I can get out of it." ^The hard fact is: sin brings death. ^Sin does not come for a day, it comes to stay. ^See Romans 6:23.

Good thoughts are of God and His will for our lives, now, this day.

THANKFULNESS

People owe our Lord thanks and praise every day. ^For He has given to them daily blessings which they have not earned or deserve. ^The reasons they don't deserve these blessings are: they have lived in unbelief while sinning much and often in their past lives, there have been sexual sins and adulteries, lyings, hatefulness and fightings, drunkedness and lewdness. ^None of us has done anything good which could merit God's blessing of daily breath, or supply of our needs.

Yet, God waits, while supplying daily blessings, and calls people to Himself through Christ Jesus for cleansing of their sins and the gift of a new life of holiness, purity, peace, joy, love and eternal life in His kingdom. ^Read Matthew 5.

RENEWAL

God has, in Christ, made preparation for the Christian's renewal, for each undertaking. ^Inwardly, we never wan or wax old, or become so weary that we faint or lose our power to live. ^We are refreshed by the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts with great power to strengthen us in every way for progress in the work of our Lord, whatever may be the moment's task. ^Paul faced certain trials, persecution, pressures of need, schemes of Satan, the temporal weaknesses of his physical body including aging, but he never stopped in complaint or in discouragement and quit. ^The Greek word translated renewal and renewed is "anakaiao", meaning to make new again, to renew.

The Christian needs refreshing renewal for each day of witness/service in the name of Jesus Christ. ^We cannot do God's work alone and go alone without His direction and empowerment. ^See II Cor. 4:14-18; Eph. 4:23ff; Col. 3:10ff.

GOD OVERLOOKS

God overlooks our age. ^Most of us are over and well past the age of so called "accountability."

Jesus called young men around his age to follow Him. We know then that young people, men and women, each one, can follow Jesus. ^Even children can follow Jesus, who wants to bless them. ^Older people can follow Jesus. ^More and more of us can testify to the fact that older people can follow Him. ^Some even begin well into their senior years.

The thing is: don't delay listening to the call of Jesus, whether you are young or old. ^ Jesus gives the invitation to all the weary and heavy ladden to come, since He and our Heavenly Father overlook our age. ^See Mt. 11:28-30.

FAIR AND EQUAL

People sometimes think that life is not fair. ^Disease or handicapping conditions of the body do not come equally to everyone. ^Our place or condition of birth may not always be equal. ^Life is full of surprises and the unexpected.

Yet, we can expect God to do good and gracious things of present and eternal value to everyone who in full faith seek Him through His Son Jesus Christ, who died for their sin debt.

The Holy Spirit blesses us in our need of comfort and assurance that Christ knows and shares our every need.

In the sharings of Christians in the Bible, equality is the norm, as found in II Cor. 8:14ff. ^In our earthly physical conditions and needs, we Christians have the commandment of loving our neighbor, our brothers and sisters in Christ and to share our blessings with them. ^God wants us to bless each other in His Son Christ Jesus' name.

Sharing and giving have their special blessing of thanksgiving and gratitude.

Our Lord has been more than fair, equal and helpful. ^He has given Himself totally to meet our very grave need of new life, here and forever. ^We can joyfully praise Him all the day long.

I

I make mistakes. ^Not necessarily sinful mistakes of missing the mark of the pure righteousness of God and Christ Jesus, but mistakes, nevertheless. ^For instance, a moment ago I happened to be reading my home page paragraph and noticed for the first time that I had left out the first letter "i" in the word original. ^I was a bit amazed that I had not noticed that error a long, long time ago. ^I hurried to open my editing section and made the correction. ^I'm sure someone noticed that error/mistake before I finally saw it, but they did not let me know. ^Many times we fail to help each other to see our mistakes of action and living.

Our loving concern for one another in Christ should lead us to remember that we are our brother's keeper.

Maybe we are thinking so much about ourselves, our "I", that we ignore our fellow Christian who needs our words of help and encouragement or correction.

We grow in Christlikeness when we keep our eyes upon the needs of each other. ^I, pardon the personal usage, need your helping words, and your prayers; and, you need mine.

ORDINARY CHRISTIANS

An ordinary Christian is different from what he, she was before his/her Christian birth into the body of Christ. ^The Apostle Paul wrote in II. Cor. 5:17 "...if anyone is in Christ, that one is a new creation (ktisis Gk. from ktizo meaning to call into being, to frame, to create)..." ^A new-born from above Christian starts afresh, living a new life of powerfully serving Jesus Christ as Lord of his/her new existence on earth. ^His/her outlook is one of seeing himself/herself as beloved of God and Christ; a valued soul united in spirit with the whole body of Christ. ^He/she is now renewed in this life of love with and to all others. ^Hate, jealousy, immorality, stealing and all sin, as practiced before, is not a part of his/her new life. *Any relapses are usually grievously repented of; instead of grief there is then, a return of joyous fellowship with other Christians in a renewed walk of holiness and giving.

God gives us growth and blessings which deeply satisfy our hearts. ^We don't need manifold worldly and carnal things/possessions to be happy.

I'm perplexed when I listen to some TV preaching and teaching which emphasizes carnal monetary things, and giving money for an expected increase of carnal possessions. ^We are to lay up spiritual treasures in heaven, according to Jesus. See Mt. 6:19-20.

LAW OF LOVE

Love/charity ("agapae" Gk.) of our brothers, sisters, neighbors, and enemies is special, and in its purity must be a gift of God. ^Love is real and fulfills the law. ^That's because the law of God reflects his love to and for us. ^It makes us understand the purity of God's holiness and how it affects us. ^It teaches us how God wants us to be.

God wants us to be peaceful, kind, merciful, patient, truthful, faithful, and strong/firm with wisdom and understanding. ^The presence of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of God's special people directs and empowers each one to fully love one another.

In all needs, God works through the members of the body of Christ to heal and to build itself up. ^We pray, give and exhort one another in love.

As the Church lives the life of love for one another in Christ, the world of sinners is convicted and convinced of the righteousness of God and is drawn by the Holy Spirit's powerful presence in each Christian and the body of Christ. ^Then God adds to the body of Christ, His Church, through the message of the Gospel of redemptive love in Christ. ^Read Romans 13.

GLADNESS

Jesus Christ is the Lord of gladness and joy. ^This is great and extreme joy as the Gk. word "agalliasis" means exultation and extreme joy. ^Heb. 1:9 tells us that God, the Father, has anointed His Son Jesus Christ ("christos" Gk. from "chrio" meaning to anoint) with great joy or gladness above all His partners. ^Therefore we can say with great joy, that Jesus Christ is our great and wonderful Lord.

When we find our joy and gladness in Christ Jesus it will never cease. ^Constantly we experience the gladness and joy of Christ in our hearts.

Trials in the world will come, but when we take Jesus, who is our triumphantly victorious risen Lord, as our banner/leader in the spiritual battle with the world, the flesh, and the devil, we can shout the cry of victory and gladness on the mountain or in the valley. ^Our trials present opportunity for great gladness and joy of victory through Jesus Christ.

GREATEST HOPE

As days, weeks and months pass by our hope in Christ Jesus becomes brighter. ^We learn to look more intently for our great day of resurrection and glory in Christ Jesus. ^Hope brings new motivation to our hearts and lives to live for Jesus in the peaceful and joyful gladness of the Holy Spirit's comforting daily presence.

So let us turn everything over, again today, to Christ Jesus for His living in and through us. Our verse for today is found in 2 Cor. 5:15, "... and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf."NASV

NATHANAEL AND JESUS

In the Gospel of John chapter one we find Jesus meeting His new disciple to be, Nathanael, as Philip introduced him to Jesus. ^Nathanael was greatly moved by the words of Jesus: "before Philip called you, while you were under the fig tree, I saw you." And, he, therefore, said to Jesus: "Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel."

Notice this confession of faith and perception, in Nathanael's heart, from his mouth. ^Jesus planned for this basic faith to build/grow in the days ahead. ^Angels from an open heaven will be upon Jesus, going up to heaven and coming down from heaven. ^They will ascend up to heaven and down from heaven from and to Jesus, the Son of Man. ^This is to be a holy demonstration of the unity and directness of the communication of the Son with Father/God. ^Nathanael, in following Jesus, will enjoy this sight with the Son of Man, Jesus Christ. ^The scripture reads: "the angels ("ayyelous" Gk. from "aggelos" meaning messenger) of God going up and down on the Son of Man." ^Jesus, the man/fleshly born son of Almighty God, was in constant communication with Father God in heaven. ^Jesus directed his disciple's attention upon the power and presence of God the Father with and in Him. ^Only Jesus gives the revelation of God's redeeming love for the lost repentant sinners/people of the world. ^He calls you to Him today for knowledge of the living Word of God. ^Jesus through the Holy Spirit is our great teacher.

Are you committed to Him in full trusting discipleship?

COURAGE

In John chapters sixteen and seventeen, Jesus continues His revealing message to His disciples and then closes with His prayer to His Father. ^In 16:33, Jesus admonishes the disciples to be courageous and boldly confident in the world of trials, afflictions, pressures and distress of mind, for He has overcome the world. ^The Greek words translated courage and afflictions/pressures are: "tharsos" for courage/confidence/cheer and "tlibo" for afflictions/pressures. ^The basis for this courage and cheer is that Jesus has overcome/conquered the world.

Jesus is set and ready, now, in this passage/message, for His crucifixion where He must/will die for the sins of the world of mankind. ^The world and its attractions could not turn Jesus from His sacrificial death on the earthly wooden cross. ^He came, not to please Himself with comforts and a worldly life, but to face Satan and the world of Satan's control while bringing heavenly deliverance from the Father upon the earth, among people who receive Him as their Savior and Lord.

We who know Jesus as our Savior and Lord are to experience the same victory over the world through our powerful victory in Christ. ^Living in the present time brings dark, uncertain and harsh experiences by/in this world of sinful godlessness. ^But, in the midst of it all, every true "born from above" Christian is safe and victorious through Christ Jesus, both today and forever. ^The present day and future are always turned to hopeful brightness of light in Christ Jesus.

LIVING ABUNDANTLY

Everlasting life is fully living and walking all the time in the faith and comfort of the Holy Spirit of Christ Jesus. ^Paul wrote about baby Christians who are not able to stand strong meat of the Christian life, teaching/Word, and practice. ^They easily stumble on what are the dos and don'ts of life rather than walking confidently in the comforts and practices of love without fleshly, carnal, racial restraints, and opinions/ideas of folkish/clanish customs. ^This is mere outward religion without power.

We must mature in the love ("agape" Gk.)of one another as equally part of the body of Christ the Church. ^Our testimony of Christ as Lord means we yield to Him our whole body("somata" Gk.) and life ("bios", "eros"), for our true life ("zoa") is eternally, abundantly full, both now and forever through Christ Jesus. See John 6, and Romans 12.

BE A BLESSING TO ALL PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE TODAY!

A NEW CHRISTIAN STORY OF AVINEL B. CHILD IS FOUND AT THE END OF DEVOTIONAL TWENTY: "FATHER".