I Am The Way

"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me."  John 14:6 NIV

Jesus did not say that he is one of many paths to the truth and life.  Jesus said he is the way and the truth and the life.  None of us would go to heaven if it were not for Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.  That one loving sacrifice paid the price for our sins.  It is very simple.  If you want to spend eternity in heaven with God then ask Jesus into your heart and ask Him to forgive you for your sins and to be your Lord and Savior.  After you do that no one can take you away from Him.  You will be saved.  Think about it.  Forever is a very long time.     
 
"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.  I and the Father are one." John 10:27-29 NIV

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Perseverance

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:1-8 (NIV)

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Stuff Happens

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
This past month has been difficult.  I had major surgery, my husband has had some problems with his inner ear and my golden, Amy Rose, had a big seizure.  The good news is my major surgery is over, my husband got medication that is working and my golden is doing well.  We live in a broken world that has sin in it.  Things will be difficult at times. It is just the way of the world.  The comfort you have is what Jesus said.  "We will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world."  We have the assurance that even in hard times Jesus is with us and helping us get through it.  You will get through whatever it is that is happening to you.  Just remember to put your trust and faith in the Jesus of the Bible.  Set aside a little time each day to read your Bible and talk to the Lord.  He speaks to you through the pages of the Bible.  Give Jesus your heart and life and He will give you eternal life.  Remember, Jesus overcame the world.

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Health

The day before I found myself facing major surgery in the hospital was a really good day.  I finished this painting, paid all my bills, did a 5 mile aerobic walk with hand weights, walked my dogs and various other things around the house.  After watching some TV I started to get a little stomach pain.  The pain kept getting worse and I was up all night.  We went to the doctor in the morning and he sent me to the emergency room.  I thought the doctors there would give me some stomach medicine and then send me on my way.  That did not happen.  Gall stones caused my liver enzymes to go up and I have to stay.  I first saw the Lord's hand on me as I asked to use the ladies room.  While I was walking down the hallway I saw my surgeon walking towards me.  He asked me what I was doing here and I said I had some severe stomach pains.  From then on he took over. He is a wonderful doctor so I was happy about that.  I was put into a shared room. The woman who was my roommate was a born again Christian, and years ago our children had been in kindergarten together.  It was nice that I was sharing a room with someone I already knew. God's comforting hand there again. She got to go home pretty quickly.  On Sunday night I was then moved to a private room on the next floor.  I had to have an endoscopy and then I had to have surgery to have my gall bladder removed.  The private room had a beautiful view.  So many people were praying for me and  with each step of this journey each prayer was answered.  Even when I was alone in the hospital our Father in heaven was always there with me.  He always provided the doctors with wisdom and helped me get through all this.  A hospital chaplin came in before my surgery and read  from the Bible. 

"Is anyone of you in trouble? He should pray.  Is anyone happy?  Let him sing songs of praise.  Is any one of you sick?  He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well, the Lord will raise him up.  If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:13-16

"A thousand my fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.  You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.  If you make the Most High your dwelling- even the LORD, who is my refuge-then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.  For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you in in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.  You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.  "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.  With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."  Psalm 91:7-16

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Sapphire, Diamonds and a New Creation

"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved.  And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:4-9 NIV

I enjoyed watching the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.  Now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.  I thought Catherine, her dress and jewels were all beautiful.  Prince William looked really handsome too.  I loved all those hats!  Everyone is talking about Catherine's engagement ring with the beautiful sapphire and diamonds. I thought it was very sweet of Prince William to give his mother's ring to his beloved Catherine.  This got me thinking about when you first find a diamond in the ground it is rough and dirty and sometimes cloudy.  You have to polish it and have an expert diamond cutter cut it into a beautiful gem.  Before we accept Christ's gift of salvation we are like a diamond in the rough.  After we are saved and Christ comes to live in our hearts we are a new creation. As we mature in our faith the diamond is polished and cut into a beautiful gem--until it sparkles.  The sparkle is Christ and we are His. He will never leave or forsake us. 

Let's pray:  Thank You Father God for Your free gift of salvation.  We praise Your name and we thank You for all the blessings You have given to us.  I pray that Your hand of protection will be upon us. Please Father, keep us safe and healthy. Thank You for always being there for us.  I say these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

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Happy Easter!

Isaiah 53 (NIV)
"Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?  He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.  He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.  He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and a familiar with suffering.  Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.  He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.  By oppression and judgement, he was taken away.  And who can speak of his descendants?  For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of my people he was stricken.  He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.  Yet it was the LORD'S will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.  After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.  Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors.  For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

May you all have a happy and blessed Easter!

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Pray and Rejoice!

"Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again:  Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)
God hears all our prayers, even the most simple ones.  The summer of 1995 was terrible.  I had an abnormal mammogram and my mother had a small heart attack. After my mother's heart attack we stayed with her to help out.  One afternoon I took my beautiful golden, named Ashley for a walk.  Many times when I walk my dogs I will silently pray. I was alone and as I passed by the houses on one street I said to God, "I wish we could afford to live here.  Any one of these houses would do Lord, this one, or that one."  Then I turned to this really cute home and I said to God, "That is a really pretty house Lord, I would love to live there."  I continued on my walk and didn't think much more about it.  Two years later in 1997 we were able to move to that neighborhood.  Our realtor brought us to look at a really pretty house and when we walked into it we immediately felt like this was "home".  It was the house that I had prayed for two years earlier.  We moved in about two months later. It was so nice that the Lord heard my little prayer and I am still rejoicing and still thankful to Him.  This beautiful home is truly a gift from God.
No prayer is too small  for God.  He wants to hear from you.  God wants to bless you.  Talk to Him!

Let's pray:  Dear Lord Jesus, I lift up the people who are reading this devotional.  I pray that they will talk to You Lord and I pray that their hearts will be open to what You have to say.  I pray that those reading this will ask Jesus into their hearts to be their Lord and Savior.  Please keep us safe and healthy Lord.  Thank You for answering our prayers, for You are always there ready to listen and ready to rescue us.

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