Amy Coney Barrett delivers opening statement | FULL

What's new
New Year New Day New Way OK
Jesus still the way same yesterday today and tomorrow
No resolution
No change
No hope
NO WAY

Jesus is still the way
There is still hope
There is still  arms open
He's  waiting
HE'S  STILL CALLING

DO you hear 

Passion or Pride? re edited

Sin swept pride,

Don't play that game.

Sin swept shame,

Don't believe it, believe in the Name.

Sin soaked stain?

Our souls' made clean, only by His name.

Another Easter came and went,

I barely remembered the Rose who rose.

Again and again the years go by,

Some soften, some harden, some bitter, and some callous, who's to know?

Another went by

Am I softer? Or, am I harder?

Soul, be sensitive to our Savior.

Soul, be sensitive to the Spirit.

Soul, don't grieve the Father,

As did I, did you?

Selah

In misguided anger, in a passive display

I fought the Spirit, and He forgave.

What love and lives are unconditional on display?

What love teaches me is how God really gave.

What parents are taught, God only knows.

We the recipients rarely understand, until we are weighted.

The Father's path led to one day.
Our Father gave His beloved Son that day.
Our Jesus' submission put Him on the cross for me.
THAT DAY!
He died that day.
He walked through death.
Three days down, THEN Jesus ordered a party to go.

That death tomb opened and JESUS rose!

Got resurrection? 

It'll make your day! 

Passion or Pride?

Sin swept pride,

Don't play that game.

Sin swept shame,

Don't believe it, believe in the Name.

Sin soaked stain?

Our souls' made clean, only by His name.

Another Easter came and went,

I barely remembered the Rose who rose.

Again and again the years go by,

Some soften, some harden, some bitter, and some callous, who's to know?

Another went by

Am I softer? Or, am I harder?

Soul, be sensitive to our Savior.

Soul, be sensitive to the Spirit.

Soul, don't grieve the Father,

As did I, did you?

In misguided anger, in a passive display

I fought the Spirit, and He forgave.

What love lives unconditional on display?

What love teaches me how God really gave?

What parents are taught, God only knows.

Recipients rarely understand, until they are weighted.

The Father's road led to one day.
Our Father gave His beloved Son that day.
Our Jesus' submission put Him on the cross for me.
THAT DAY!
He died that day.
He walked through death.
Three days down, THEN Jesus ordered a party to go.

That death tomb opened and JESUS rose!

Got resurrection? It'll make your day! 

Christianity 101

“When God took on flesh.” I say.

Before the words completely left my lips a demanding, “What?!” shouted from pursed lips.

“Yes, God took on flesh and bone.” I began to explain.

Then once again my ears ran for cover from your response.

“God took on flesh and bone? What?!” You exclaim.

“Yes, that's right.” I calmly interject. “God put on skin.”

“Wait a minute. Did you say, “God put on skin?””

As I began to replied chills run through my spline. I said, “Yes, God became a man: the man Jesus.”

Forgive me if my attempt to write dialogue seems simplistic or is dull. I've only tried to state and restate what is mulling through my mind. This is Christianity 101, Jesus is God and man. He is the Theanthropos. This means what I just said. Jesus is the God man. As incomprehensible as this may seem, it is the primary truth of the Bible. The living God of action, took action and moved in with the human race. Jesus took on a body just like you or I. Yes, of course there were differences. But, the differences were not in biological ways. These differences are in the spiritual side of His nature, His perfect state of being God. While being God, Jesus was born of a woman with every physical part of the human body. Yet, Jesus was also born of God, birthed through the intervention of the Holy Spirit into Mary's life. Mary, a virgin, gave birth to the one true Son of the Living God. This Son of God is the Word of God. The Word of God is the Logos. The living God, who in action created all!

Jesus spoke and in accordance to the Fathers desires and Jesus created the Universe ( John 1, Colossians 1, Hebrews 1). All that is, is from the Word of God. All that is, is from Jesus. Perhaps I'm making this too simple? No! This needs to be plainly understood or you will miss that Jesus is God and this knowledge of God is essential. Jesus is the God who created you! Jesus is also the God who loved you enough to offer up His life of perfection for our life of imperfect, stained in sin. With the deepest stain of sin that nothing would cover or remove, Jesus became our cover to be stain free. Sin free? Stain free? Free of condemnation? Free of fear? FREE indeed! Jesus spoken word took up action moved with humanity and He died for me! His bold action of dying once for all, meant nothing if Jesus stayed in grave. 

That rich mans' grave did not, would not and could not hold the Holy Creator! 

He rose! Jesus rose from that grave and gave grace to me! (And you too!)

Does all of Creation Give Glory to God, our Jesus, who created it? Not yet, but you and I can RIGHT NOW! What awe I had just looking at the stars tonight, just imagine the awe of seeing Jesus face to face! One day all Creation will give God His glory and we will see Jesus!

Time Keeps Slipping Away

Have you ever had a day just slip away? My day just did that. I woke up twice and I didn't nap. I'll explain what I mean, I hope. The day was weird and bizarre; it had a Rip Van Winkle feel to it. Yes of course Mr Winkle had 20 years of sleep and my sleep didn't come even close in time comparison. Still, this unexpected sleep caused a little stir, or so I'm told. Mind you, had I been in bed, I could have just snored and roared on and no one would be any the wiser; being what happened, I would have died too. But I wasn't in Mr Rips' Catskills and I obviously didn't die. Nope, I didn't die and I was in church fast asleep! (Though dying in church does seem like the perfect place for a Christian to die.)

Asleep in church? I know sleeping in church isn't that abnormal. I've been guilty of it too, thankfully, it was years ago. Usually when one falls asleep—forgive me pastors—it is usually during the sermon. Growing up in church, I have seen this time and time again. It not the lobby! For whatever reason, today I fell asleep five minutes after walking in the church (my wife says it was longer, to me it's time lost within; it's time stuck in the space between my ears.) I'm not talking dozing either. I was out! I must have been comatose. I have the wounds to prove it too! How they came to be? I'm not sure.

I always get there early to help with sound. But, I had today off of the soundboard, so I was seeking extra fellowship. I remember only walking through the church door. Soon (how long I don't know) I was fast asleep. I don't remember anything. 

How can we just fall asleep SO FAST! It amazes me how God made the human body and how science can manipulate it. It takes me usually take me thirty minutes just to relax so I can go to sleep. Today, you'd think I had narcolepsy. 

By the way, what happens to us in sleep anyway? How do we remember nothing of our surroundings? How does our senses go dead or do they? I don't know? It seems our senses turn inward as dreams take place. Reason is put on hold and we try and figure out the days events. Today wasn't like that, yeah, I had my normal vivid sleep, BEFORE CHURCH. 

This was different. This sleep was just a poor sequel and the whole screen was blank!

The only thing I know for sure is that I drove to church and woke up in a hospital. Coming out of the fog, I awoke sensing something was different. Hospital?!!? I was in the hospital and plugged to all the usually creatures of the ER. Hoses and wires going this way and that, all pinning me down. I was hungry, pinned down and needing to pee! Most of all, I was confused. I just wanted to go home. 

A little more observation was needed before I could depart. The doctor stated. Fortunately, I did soon go home.

In the end the doctor thinks I just overdosed! What! Why! What's up? Well first off, if I did, it was not intentional. In an arsenal to fight off the debilitating effects of a cursed world, only one thing up my sleeve is powerful enough to cause such a thing as sleep. It's Zolpidem. Right after my first back surgery, normal sleep became a thing of the past and this gives me semi-regular sleep. Some will complain right there,“What is a Christian doing taking that!”  As you think of that, think of this: "it rains on the just and unjust." Life happens in all ways and in all forms, to all people. Meaning all people, including Christians suffer from the fallout of sin: the curse on Creation.

I think I grabbed one thing and though it was another. (I was in a hurry to be early. Figure that one out!) In size and color, Ambien (Zolpidem) looks much like the Prednisone I'm taking temporarily for allergies. That is my plausible solution to my sleeping debacle. And of course, again, this was unintended. If it had been intentionally. I would have taken the whole bottle. But who could think of such things! We all do from time to time. Yep, even Jesus was tempted--by Satan-- to cast Himself down on the rocks below. YET, Jesus didn't listen to this evil voice! And we don't have to either, not ever. For we have hope!

We have this treasure of life in earthen vessels crying out for the eternal God. Our God is our hope! Our hope lays solid on the one who is solid: Jesus. Jesus is hope fulfilled. Jesus fills us to the brim with life that wait earnestly and patiently for our time to be complete. Now, I wait in expectant faith knowing Jesus will complete His work in me and bring me home one day. It just wasn't today.

Humble King

Proud of your pride are you?

Do you forget pride was the first sin?

Do we forget on whose shoulders we stand?

I stand on Christ' shoulders dependent.

Dependent on Him for all I need.

Dependent on Jesus, of that I'll praise and sing!

For Christ did the unthinkable in finding me.

Jesus formed and made the world and even thought of me.

Even then, He knew I would sin, like Adam the eldest grandpa.

For sins sake, Jesus died.

For my sake, Jesus died.

For your sake, Jesus died.

Forgiveness swept away my sin stained life.

Forgiveness moved my mountains, O what praise I sing!

Forgiveness works in me, yes I'll forgive even thee.

Still proud of that lengthy pedigree?

Still proud of God given skills He gave to thee?

Still proud of those looks? Aren't we made like He?

God gives to all ability.

God sets our place and time in eternity.

God even gave His best to humanity.

The best took on a task, just for me.

Christ stepped into humanity.

The begotten of God, God in flesh came for me!

Jesus accepted the task of redeeming me, He took on flesh to be like me. The royal maker of time, dimension and matter, Jesus came into the life He breathed into existence.The spirit met the physical and Jesus came all humbled.

Jesus didn't demand His rights to royalty.

Jesus, while holding the universe, held out His hand to me.

Those hands were nailed down.

Jesus' hands and feet, Jesus laid out in humility.

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In grace given from Jesus, I write what He places on my heart and mind. It is liberation through activity. Christ liberates my soul everyday. His mercy comes again and again. Grace after grace, mercy after mercy it is new everyday. Today I celebrate my 200th post.

May Jesus enrich your life as He has mine. Take forgiveness!

God bless!

               Gordon