abandoned to Christ.

I know it sounds a bit strange to say that I’m grateful I grieve. But when I add the words, “when God grieves”, then, for any beloved child of God Most High, it doesn’t sound strange at all. Rather, it demonstrates the power of the Holy Spirit in us; that renews our minds and transforms our hearts to think how God thinks, and to feel what He feels, and do what He does; the way He does it—in His steadfast love, righteousness, and justice (Jer 9:23-24). One of the sins that us Christians rarely speak, think, or teach about, is the sin of omission. The sin of knowing the good we ought to do and not doing it (Js 4:17). This passive sin (neglecting to do good) grieves our God and Father just as much as when we actively doing evil. Examples of the sin of omission include: neglecting to daily seek the face and counsel of our God in all our ways (Prov 3:5-8) and neglecting to pray without ceasing for the needs of others as well as ourselves. This particular sin of omission is fr...

As my earthly tent continues to weaken, due to the the 13 years in which the Lord Jesus carried me through a brutal and torrential storm of persecution, my mind and heart delight in these words from my Lord, All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst…” ~Matthew 11:27-30, John 6:35 On January 8, 2020, I will undergo my 3rd heart surgery (cardiac ablation for atrial fibrillation) and 13th surgery within an 11-year-period of time. Less invasive methods for my fifth ar...

Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife. "So Zedekiah gave orders, and they committed Jeremiah to the court of the guard. And a loaf of bread was given him daily from the bakers' street, until all the bread of the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard. ~Proverbs 17:1; Jeremiah 37:21, ESV Yesterday, part of my Bible reading was Proverbs 17. Today, part of my Bible reading was Jeremiah 37. When I came to the last verse of Jeremiah 37, God's faithful Holy Spirit reminded me of Proverbs 17:1. What a joy and peace we have in Christ! Because God is faithful to complete the good work of salvation He granted to us through His Son, we have the peaceful assurance of sanctification. Our participation in our spiritual growth is simple— daily feed our souls and cleanse our consciences with the Word of God.  And the Holy Spirit will not neglect to renew our minds and transform our hearts ever so much more, int...

What we praise, proves what we value. And what we value, determines our moral compass. If we value all that glitters (gifts that make us feel important, our homes, cars, vacations), all that feeds our egos (popularity, flattery, external beauty) and all that the world values (positive thinking, constant entertainment, Photoshopped versions of our lives a.k.a social media), then that is what we will praise, value, and fight for. But if what we value are the things of God: holiness, righteousness, justice, kindness, sacrificial living/giving, and humility/humiliation; then that is what we will praise, value, and fight for. Let the saints learn then to be more open mouthed for Christ. Let them commend him to others, and commend him from their own experience; first, to their fellow saints, saying, ‘Come, and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.’ O! should not Christ’s friends be commending their friend one to another. This would be a ...