Meditations for an every day relationship with jesus

The voic

e God

gave me

The voic

e God

gave me

Forward

Writing this book is the inevitable result of collecting. I do this to

bring a unique voice … a voice that has developed resonance over

many years by the grace of God. Listening to Him speak is a

blessing I have attempted to record for the purpose of honoring

Jesus Christ as Lord.

At the core of this collection is the harvesting of countless

“meditations” … lessons which have been sent out to an

e-congregation initially called the gathering after the Gospel of

Matthew 18:20

"For where two or three are gathered

together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

Note: all Scripture is taken from the Holman Christian Standard Translation

How does God protect us?

Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear for I am with you;

Do not be afraid, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you; I will help you;

I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.

Jesus hurt on the cross in ways we will never understand; and

there is a part of us that feels a deep sense of guilt whenever we get

wrapped up in self pity because we know full well that what we are

going through Jesus experienced first for each of us. We know in

our spirits that our taste of the hurt has been allowed, but has been

minimized to protect us. We get a sense of the bitter-sweetness, and

what can best be described as hell (separation from God); but be-

cause of Christ we do not know the fullness of that separation.

This is grace: unmerited favor given to the undeserving.

What child is this?

Luke 9:18–20 Once when He was praying in private, and His

disciples were with Him, He asked them, "Who do the crowds say

that I am?" And they answered, "John the Baptist; others, Elijah;

still others, that one of the ancient prophets has come back."

"But you," He asked them, "who do you say that I am?"

Peter answered, "God's Messiah!"

Who do you say that He is? The answer will forever define you and

your relationship with God. C.S Lewis said that unless Jesus was

telling the truth about Himself He could not be a moral teacher, since

He had obviously lied. Jesus would have been undeniably insane to

have orchestrated His own death by the cross … the worst kind of

torture! So, if you are reading this, and cannot believe that Jesus is

the Son of God, then who do you say that He is?

Who is the Lord of this world?

Job 1:6-7-8 One day the sons of God came to present themselves

before the Lord, and Satan also came with them.

The Lord asked Satan, "Where have you come from?"

"From roaming through the earth," Satan answered Him, "and walk-

ing around on it." Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you consid-

ered My servant Job? No one else on earth is like him, a man of

perfect integrity, who fears God and turns away from evil."

Have you ever felt like your life was in the toilet, and God was just

waiting for the perfect opportunity to flush your karma down the

drain? Understood! But, you wouldn’t have been the first person to

consider the possibility. Take heart … God trumps karma, fate and

especially Satan! Your life is not a gamble. Albert Einstein once

said that God doesn’t play dice. The great physicist knew that worlds

upon worlds are ordered, balanced, and with purpose.

Is life fair?

Matthew 5:43-45 "You have heard that it was said, You shall love

your neighbor and hate your enemy.

But I tell you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute

you, so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He

causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the

righteous and the unrighteous.

Actually, life is fair. Life is neutral; and is an option for everyone. It

is people who make lives what they are. And, the person who has the

most profound impact on our lives is us. … you and me. No one

else has a bigger starring role in the drama of our lives than we do.

This greater issue is about freewill, and the use (or misuse) of the

blessing we call life. The clouds rain and the sun shines on every-

one. The bigger question is whether we will make the best use of

umbrellas and sunscreen.

Why is Jesus different?

John 14:6-7 Jesus told him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you know Me, you

will also know My Father. From now on you do know Him and have

seen Him.”

Jesus, unlike other faith leaders, is exactly who He claims to be.

Instead of pointing to a god, or one who might offer a profound or

enlightening answer, Jesus comes as God and is the very answer we

seek. Instead of being confusing and complex, offering riddles and

rules, Jesus is simple and direct.

Jesus also did something that no one else has ever done: He was

resurrected bodily from the dead and promised the same for all who

believe. This assertion was never successfully challenged, and no

corpse was ever produced. Our God lives!

Is God nearby?

John 14:14 –18 “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to

be with you forever.

He is the Spirit of truth, whom the world is unable to receive because

it doesn't see Him or know Him. But you do know Him, because He

remains with you and will be in you.

I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.”

There are those times for each of us when we wonder where God

went; when we ask why we feel so alone in our faith. The answer is

this: God is always close in the person of the Holy Spirit. The Holy

Spirit is Jesus left behind with us in a spiritual form.

Since we are not gods, and our faith is not perfect, we have doubts

and fears. But know this … We are children of a living God. We are

not orphans.

How can we love our enemies?

Luke 6:27-30 "But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do

good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for

those who mistreat you. If anyone hits you on the cheek, offer the

other also. And if anyone takes away your coat, don't hold back your

shirt either. Give to everyone who asks from you, and from one who

takes away your things, don't ask for them back.”

We can only love our enemies if we have Jesus “in us” as our

personal Lord and Savior. No one can love themselves into a

relationship with Him by loving others. We do not have the capacity

to do that without His grace.

This is not an ordinary love. It is “agape love” a Greek term which is

best defined as a selfless love of one person for another without sex-

ual implications, especially love of a spiritual nature.

Be loved and love without condition. Forgive seven times seventy.

Why me, Lord?

Romans 5:3-8 And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflic-

tions, because we know that affliction produces endurance,

endurance produces proven character, and proven character pro-

duces hope. This hope does not disappoint, because God's love has

been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given

to us.

For while we were still helpless, at the appointed moment, Christ

died for the ungodly. For rarely will someone die for a just person--

though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die.

But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sin-

ners Christ died for us!

Why not you; why not me? What makes us so special that we think

we are exceptions to any rule? Addiction recovery tells us that we

are not so special or so unique that we have a free pass through the

difficult times. Jesus died for each of us that we might live. Isn’t it

outrageous that He would die for even those who would mock Him

and scoff? God approves of those few willing to walk the walk.

Do the good always die young?

Isaiah 57:1-2 The righteous one perishes,

and no one takes it to heart; faithful men are swept away,

with no one realizing that the righteous one is swept away

from the presence of evil. He will enter into peace-

they will rest on their beds—everyone who lives uprightly.

The good may not always die young, but when they do at least we

can point to a verse in Scripture that deals with it in an honest way.

What happens to us is not bad luck, karma, destiny or fate. What

happens is the net result of the decisions we have made over a life-

time. In Isaiah we see that death can be a protective shield.

More importantly … does good mean one who is innocent or does it

mean those who make a public effort to be recognized for they good

works they have done? Goodness is not godliness; righteousness is

godliness. Be holy because God is holy. In that is our purpose.

Being honest with God?

Habakkuk 1:2-4 How long, Lord, must I call for help

and You do not listen, or cry out to You about violence

and You do not save?

Why do You force me to look at injustice?

Why do You tolerate wrongdoing?

Oppression and violence are right in front of me.

Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates.

This is why the law is ineffective

and justice never emerges. For the wicked restrict the righteous;

therefore, justice comes out perverted.

This sense of outrage is only half of the equation. Honest communi-

cation with God is more than frustration, petition and challenge.

However, this diatribe by the prophet Habakkuk suggests that God

can handle our outrage and more without blinking. Our God has an

infinite capacity for our fears and our sins. Remember that it was He

who gave up only His Son as a ransom for our very lives.

I recommend that we balance our conversations with God by offering

up praise, confession, and seeking forgiveness. This is a relationship.

Always saved?

Isaiah 51:6 Look up to the heavens,

and look at the earth beneath;

for the heavens will vanish like smoke,

the earth will wear out like a garment,

and its inhabitants will die in like manner.

But My salvation will last forever,

and My righteousness will never be shattered.

If salvation can be lost, then it is not good news for us. If salvation is

conditional, then it cannot be eternal. The more critical question is

whether or not we can lose something we have not merited or

earned?

Neither you nor I can lose something we never had, which is why an

altar call can feel so empty after all of the excitement has passed, the

church is empty, and nothing has really changed. However, if we are

truly transformed, our salvation can never be lost. We could no more

give back our “new creature” status than we could un-know God.

Why is Jesus different?

John 14:6-7 Jesus told him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you know Me, you

will also know My Father. From now on you do know Him and have

seen Him.”

Why is Jesus different?

John 14:6-7 Jesus told him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you know Me, you

will also know My Father. From now on you do know Him and have

seen Him.”

Why is Jesus different?

John 14:6-7 Jesus told him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you know Me, you

will also know My Father. From now on you do know Him and have

seen Him.”

Why is Jesus different?

John 14:6-7 Jesus told him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you know Me, you

will also know My Father. From now on you do know Him and have

seen Him.”

Why is Jesus different?

John 14:6-7 Jesus told him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you know Me, you

will also know My Father. From now on you do know Him and have

seen Him.”

Why is Jesus different?

John 14:6-7 Jesus told him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you know Me, you

will also know My Father. From now on you do know Him and have

seen Him.”

Why is Jesus different?

John 14:6-7 Jesus told him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you know Me, you

will also know My Father. From now on you do know Him and have

seen Him.”