John 8:12 12

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

The light of the World born over two thousand years ago. The One who came into the world for us, still significant, still powerfully moving, and still has followers to this day.

His book still one of the best selling books of all time and is the reason for who we are, and why we are here. He is our purpose and we are His purpose according to His will in all we do each day of our life.

The Light shines in the darkness and brings comfort to those who seek it.

The Light brings awareness to our being and energizes us for what we need to do, as we follow His light and path of righteousness.

This week marks the time when the Light of the world came to reside with us. We celebrate His birth  and give thanks to God for His Son and His sacrifice.

The Light is our redeemer and we share our spiritual faith with others to bring glory to Him and to bring others out of the darkness, and into the Light of lights.

As it nears the day of His miraculous birth…honor Him through your love for others, shining your light as an example of His, and enjoy the wonder of His love.

“Lord, thank You for being our Light and for coming for us as our Redeemer, and Savior, Your Glory and Your love for us is everlasting, and we thank You for it, in Jesus name, Amen.”

Luke 2:8-11 8

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

9An angel of the LORD appeared to them, and the glory of the LORD shone around them, and they were terrified.

10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the LORD.

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 

Matthew 25:33-34 (KJV)

Are you a goat?  Or are you a sheep?

Jesus, our Lord and Savior, warns us here in the Gospel of Matthew, while illustrating a vivid picture of future events to come.

The goats being separated from the sheep implies a significant parable of things to come.

The goats obviously being the ones who weren’t followers, and who didn’t obey His commandments and doctrine.  They are separated and put to the left, and will not share in the feast of eternal rewards.

The sheep, are those who follow Him, and apply the foundations of His Word into all that they do, while here on earth, or to say, in “His Pasture.”

The verses that follow, referring to being hungry, naked, and in prison is twofold .

The Sheep  recognized Christ and His Word.  So, when Jesus said, “I was hungry and you gave me meat, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, and I was a stranger and you took me in, and in prison you came to me”(Matt 25: 35-36)  refers to His Word and doctrine. Which is to say the “Spiritual translations.”

Food/meat is His Word.

Drink/ His living water

Prison/set free with the Truth

Of course, literal translation of giving to those less fortunate certainly is of essence as well.  To give, and help those in need, is always the way of Jesus, that goes without saying.

But, referring to the “goats vs sheep” is a valuable and important part of our lives, we not only are following Jesus, in bringing the Word, and His light, to others, by “feeding them” and providing “drink” and setting them “free from prison” with His truth, we are seeking His Kingdom in the process.

Speaking for myself…I want to be a “sheep” not a “goat” and a follower in His pasture.

I pursue Him and try to make sure of it every second that I can…consciously and unconsciously, (while doing things followed by the Spirit) doing it all for His glory and His honor.

I don’t know about you, but when my Lord, and Savior, separates the goats from the sheep,  I want to rejoice, and sit at His table forever more in the magnificent presence of the LORD!

Baa-Baa little sheep, follow the Shepherd, and cry no more!

“Father God, I follow You, I love Your pasture, and love to provide Your meat, Your drink and Your truth to Your lambs, in all I do, I thank You for Your Word, and Your love, in Jesus Christ name, Amen.”

Song of Solomon 2:1 1  (KJV)

I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.

A rose is a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus Rosa, in the family Rosaceae, or the flower it bears.  The rose varies in sizes and shapes, and are usually large and showy, in colors ranging from white, (my favorite)— through yellows and reds, some of which literally take ones’ breath away.

Every rose is exquisite, each one fragrant, some more than others, but…they are all connected in that they are flowers, created by the Master Himself.

So, too are His children. We all vary in stature, weight, background, and color, but we are all created by the Master Himself. We are connected by His grace and love.  And we are all part of His magnificent “garden” of love.

How do we grow?  By believing in Him, accepting Him as our LORD, and by planting His seeds of truth.

The LORD will provide the water for our growth, our roots will become stronger as we receive our surplus of nutrients from the “Rose” of all roses, the LORD Himself.

There will be thorns on some of the flowers, but their thorns can be shed, or pruned for harvest,leaving only the beauty. We see the thorns on flowers, but God only sees the beauty.

For He knows what lies within our hearts. He sees what man cannot. And, He loves us irrespective of past, current or future sins.  He knows a repentant and true heart that is filled with unconditional love for Him, and holds us up with His grace and kindness.

As a Child of God, I am thrilled and honored to be in His garden.  Each day is a new day is in His field, the opportunities to serve Him are new and rewarding,  although some may be challenging. But He will always supply that in which I need in order to make it happen, according to His will and purpose in my life.

We can continue to grow in His garden, and shed our thorns, or we can stagnate, thereby stunting our growth in Him, eventually, crumbling up, and dying on the vine.

No one loves us the way our LORD does. He wants to have us with Him for Eternity.  But ultimately, it’s our choice.

What is your choice? 

Will you continue to grow and thrive in Him and His word?  

“Father, my Creator and Master, thank You for supplying my needs according to Your Word, and for loving me as no one has or ever will, I choose You and Your garden, now and forever, in Jesus name, Amen.”

Romans 12:2 (KJV)

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

I often hear comments from various individuals—whether it be, friends, family, or acquaintances—that I’m a fanatic in terms of Jesus.

How is that again?  Excuse me?

Please, would you mind repeating that again?  Because, that’s truly the most complimentary thing you could ever say to me!

So please, feel free to say it again and again and again!

Jesus tells us in the Beatitudes, Matthew 5:11–12 “…we will be mocked, and persecuted for His name sake, and to be exceedingly glad, because great is our reward in heaven…” Well, as I’ve just said…I am glad, and thrilled to be considered a “fanatic of Jesus.” It’s an exclusive club, and anyone can join. All you have to do is accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and love Him, fully, freely and truly.

Which brings me to these questions:

• How can anyone be too fanatical about Jesus?
• Didn’t He come to this world, for our sake?
• Didn’t He come to this world, to free us from sin? 
• Didn’t He come to this world, seeking us, because of His love for us? 
• And, didn’t He die willingly, freely, and without any regrets, for all of us?

So, in my own opinion…One can never become too fanatical about their love, devotion, and diligence to the LORD and His Word.

The will of God was followed by Jesus, (John 6:38-40) He fulfilled the scriptures, and did the work of His Father, (our Father,) and performed countless miracles, healed the lame, made the blind see, cleaned the lepers, ordered evil spirits out, and showed compassion to all.

And…He went to the cross for me!  For you!

He defeated death, and is the author of peace and love.  How can I not be “fanatical” about my love for Him?

It is truly a delight to do His will, and to be serving such a great God. He is all things to me, and has seen me through everything both happy and sad, “truly, His goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life where I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever more.” (Psalm 23)

So, the next time someone calls you a “fanatic” of Jesus, smile broadly, nod your head, and emphatically proclaim, “AMEN!”

“Father God, I love You with all that I am, thank You for Jesus and His blood, thank You for Your unapparelled love, and for Your grace that touches my face, heart, body, mind, and soul, each and every day of my life, You are my everything, in Jesus name, Amen.”

Psalms 16:11 (KJV) 

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

It’s that time of year again, and winter is knocking at our door extra early this year.  Although December 21 it the official ushering in of the season, apparently winter doesn’t realize it’s a little early, as evidenced by a huge snowfall last week, and another one on its way in two days!  Oh well..

I see things differently than I did as a child.  For example, I loved romping in the snow.  In fact, Mom had a difficult time keeping me “dry” in winter, as I was always creating snow angels, building igloos, or building snow people!  Yes, snow people, I always insisted on a female, and a male, and even snow children, in our winter wonderland backyard.

Now, having made my way into retirement years, I view snow in a realistic fashion.  Of course, it is still a thing of beauty, as it envelops our yard, while transforming trees into magical, twinkling, white magnificence,  at times, seeing a stunning red cardinal sitting atop a tree,  adding a dramatic effect to the beauty, created by our Creator.

However, that having been said…I can’t stand navigating the icy roads, or walking slowly to, and from, the car as I do errands.  So, yes… I see it differently from an adults’ view versus a childs’.

But, there is one thing that’s never changed, and that is, I see “God” in all of the seasons.

I feel, and see Him, and experience the fullness of Joy, through it all. I feel His peace, and His love, I feel alive, and I am filled with LIFE!

I see His hand in snow, sleet, and rain.  I see Him in cloudy days, I see Him in the radiant sun, I see Him in the light, I see Him in the dark.

His mercy endures in any weather, irrespective of where we live. God, is always in the realm, in which we are, in which we breathe, in which we exist.  He, is a part of us, in every season, and He, is a reality in all that we do.

As I gaze our into our backyard, and view the snow, and watch the squirrels skipping, and jumping, from branch to branch, and birds flitting from tree to tree, I see the face of God.

And I know  even though it’s freezing outside, I’m filled with the warmth of His love, and it doesn’t get any better than that!

“Father, God, I am in awe of Your magnificence, and Your Sovereign power, I see You in all I do, and all that surrounds me, thank You for Your love, Your enduring mercy, and for seeing me through all the seasons of Your love, now, and always, in Jesus name, Amen.” 

All scripture from KJV Bible

Exodus 33:14 – And he said, My presence shall go [with thee], and I will give thee rest.

Psalms 27:8 – [When thou saidst], Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

Jeremiah 29:13 – And ye shall seek me, and find [me], when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John 3:30 (KJV)

So I was speaking with a good friend a couple of days ago, and she was kind of “murmuring” about her life and her non stop responsibilities…it was an ongoing litany and woeful saga, that came down to one essential thing, “she is centered around herself.” She has her health, she has freedom, and she is blessed with financial rewards.  But, she simply can’t stop speaking about “herself.”  Don’t get me wrong, I love her…she has a great heart and soul, but…the endless complaints are staggering. And, that breaks my heart. Let me explain before you think I’m being harsh.

I’m not one to “gossip” or say outlandish or hurtful things to friends, or strangers for that matter, but I felt urged by the Spirit to explain some things to her. So, I outright told her, “My good friend, you need to decrease and let the LORD increase.”

She immediately stopped speaking, as if a thunderbolt struck her, and all of her business about her responsibilities ceased to exist at that moment. I could sense that thoughts were surging through her mind, heart, and soul.

And, she responded in a small voice, with one word… “How?”

Many of us are caught in a whirlwind of life, and the endless productions of such, after all we have responsibilities to handle, each one of us.  Some have more, others have some.  Which of course brings me to the Bible verse,  “to whom much is given, much will be required” (Luke 12:48)

This well known verse of “to whom much is given, much will be required” is that we are held responsible for what we have been blessed with.

If we are blessed with talents, knowledge, time,  patience, kindness, and the like, it is expected that we use these gifts in order to glorify God, and benefit others in the process.

Therefore, by operating in accordance with God and the gifts He has freely given to us, whatever they are, we must be mindful to use them, and put them into daily use.

And when we do, we will glorify God and His name.  What happens then is that we are pulling back from our “own selfish thoughts and actions” and using our time benevolently, and allowing God to INCREASE, as we decrease in our mind-set, and purpose concerning selfish deeds or tasks that always are centering on ourselves, instead of others.  That is a way to allow God to INCREASE by letting go of “vanity” and “our selfish ways. When we do that, we are “decreasing” and God is coming in lighting our path and INCREASING.  In fact, He begins to surge within us more and more.  From there on in, things begin to come into perspective and we’re able to do things in a different way, or approach things differently than we did before.

Yes, it’s wonderful to relax, and yes we all need it.  No one is saying otherwise…but, we must be careful to fulfill His purpose according to our life, and exacting measure of opportunities that the LORD has given us, and has shown us.

So, getting back to my friend, she and I had a long beautiful discussion about God, His commandments, and His expectations for His children.  And, how important it is to focus on Him and declare our love for Him, through Him, and by Him, in all we do.

She called me two days later and said, “You know what?  It’s so much easier when I do it for Christ.  It makes everything easier, even the tough stuff.  I hope to step back and let Him increase in my life.  So, thanks for the reminder!”

That made my day.  To be a vessel for the LORD delivering a message, or holding fast to His Word and putting it into action, is a blessing for me, as it is for every other Christian in this world. when they do the same, deliver the message or Word of God.

The next time you find yourself complaining about some issue, task, or situation, open up to the LORD, and let Him INCREASE so you can decrease and find peace in a world of chaos, and mayhem, after all,  as Jesus said, in John 14:27 27;   “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

“Father, my Lord and Savior, thank You for Your love, guidance, and support in all that I do, may I continue to decrease and may You continue to Increase in my heart, and my mind, and my body, and my soul, today and always, in Jesus name, Amen.”

A dear friend of mine sent me a link to witness her sweet niece getting baptized.  It warmed my heart to see it, and hear her testimony, for she went through so much in her young life, and I am familiar with her story.  But, to hear one give testimony prior to baptism is always “new to me” and always a joy to experience.  To see a young lamb come to the LORD and give freely and openly about the reason they choose “Christ.”

Baptism is by immersion, after salvation, is done in obedience to Jesus Christ.  Baptism is necessary for Christians, and complying with Jesus Commandments is vital to an individuals growth in  their Christian walk. We are encouraged to keep Christ’s commandments through baptism: By the example of Christ.

Each person stepping forward, and making a public declaration of their love and obedience in Christ, is a gift from the Father of lights, He is always waiting, and knocking on His children’s hearts, and we get to choose if we want to open that door to let Him in.  And, when we do…oh Joy!  Hallelujah!  The life that begins from that point on is subject to all kinds of new ways to meet life in its everyday demands and trials.  Children of Christ can maintain dignity in harsh times, and can find significant peace in His name when undergoing issues in life.

Baptism is an outward show of love expressing our desire to be a Christian Soldier and therefore following Him, willingly, and openly.  We are saying, “YES” to Him and “YES” to His love…and we are saying, “I love You Jesus…thank You for Your love and Your sacrifice, Amen!

We are saying, “We are free, and born again…because of Jesus.”

I can hardly wait to see another testimony and another baptism, because as I’ve said in the beginning of this post, “it never gets old…in fact, it’s NEW each time…Amen!”

Colossians 2:12
 
Having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

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1 Corinthians 12:13

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

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Galatians 3:27

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.