Tag Archives: Jesus

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Changin the Way We Think

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There are two kinds of thoughts. Godly and ungodly. We, as Christians need to make sure that our thought patterns are Godly. Proverbs 23:7a says, “For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”

We can’t trust our senses. They lie, and mislead. They may at times give us “facts” but they don’t always give us “TRUTH.”

We can’t trust what we see. For example, Elijah’s servant saw a great army surrounding them. God and Elijah saw the army of the Lord there to defend them. The disciples saw 5 loaves and 2 little fish. Jesus saw a feast, enough to feed 5,000 men plus women and children.

We can’t trust what we can hear. The woman with the issue of blood had heard nothing but bad news from the doctors and had spent every penny she had to hear it. But the TRUTH was that Jesus came to bring healing to her. The Israelites believed the bad report of the 10 spies. Only Joshua and Caleb believed the Lord’s report and were able to pass into the promised land.

Facts-versus-TRUTH. There is a huge difference between facts and TRUTH. Don’t ever get the two confused. The fact was that Elijah was surrounded by an army. But he TRUTH was that there were more warrior for them than were against them.

Satan used ‘facts’ against Jesus. He could have given everything over to Jesus, as he promised on the temple mount, legally Satan owned it all. But the TRUTH was that by doing it God’s way, Jesus not only got it all for Himself, but for us as well. God’s plan is always better than Satan’s schemes.

We can’t let what others say, good or bad, carry more weight than what God says. There are millions of people who have bought into the lies that we all go to heaven, that there is no hell, that there are many roads to heaven, and even that we evolved out of some primordial slime and when we die we become fertilizer for the next evolutionary change. That this life is all there is.

In John 8:44, Jesus tells the religious leaders that Satan is “The father of lies.” In Verse 47 He goes on to say to those stiff-necked, hard-hearted people, “Whoever is of God, listens to God-those who belong to God hear the words of God. This is the reason you do not listen [to them, to me] because you do not belong to and are not of God or in harmony with God.” (AMP)

Jesus spent countless hours trying to dispel the lies that had come into the minds of God’s people. They believed that sickness, accidents and death at the hands of Rome were all due to sin. That they were all some type of divine punishment. They believed that they were the only one’s God loved, that they were better than any other nation because they “have Abraham as our Father.” Their mindset was to love their brother but hate their enemy. That their works earned them God’s favor and kept them righteous. All lies.

We need to line up our thinking with God’s word. Not out of context, not adding to or taking away from. Simple truth. God isn’t trying to trick us. He isn’t hiding from us, or trying to mislead us. Ask Him to show you His TRUTH and the Holy Spirit will lead and guide you there.

John 10:1-5 The Message Bible
“Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through he gate, you know he’s up to no good-a sheep rustler! The shepherd walked right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won’t follow a stranger’s voice but will scatter because they aren’t used to the sound of it.”

Know His voice!

Philippians 2:5-8 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Have the mind of Christ.

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Book Review for “Saving Sailor”- Chrisitan Fiction

This is one of the best books I have read this year. I loved it. If possible I would give it 6 stars. A charming book about a ten year old girl who spends the summers on an island with her quirky family and some fun characters. It made me remember some of our own shenanigans when I was young. Will definitely be reading the rest of AJ’s story. New favorite author. Great for kids and up. Good Christian moral story, told in a non-preachy real life way. I had a hard time laughing quietly while reading in bed, so as not to wake my hardworking husband! So many funny parts, but still some serious things as well. Good lessons on life and fun reminiscing.

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Book Review for “52 Weeks of Ordinary People-Extraordinary God”-Christian Non-fiction

This little book is a 52 week devotional. One devotion for each week. I have to admit I have some issues with daily and weekly books. I tend to read right through them. This one took me a few weeks, I made myself slow down. It is a very simple devotional. No great revelation, just one woman’s insight to the goodness of God. She does have a few pages with short stories about real “ordinary” people and their faith. I give it 3 stars. I like it.
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What Are You Looking For?

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Multitudes came to Jesus. He was the rock-star, the all-star of His day (minus the money and the attitude). Why did they come? What were they looking for?

Some came seeking a healer. Like Blind Bartimaeus, or the woman with the issue of blood. Some came looking for salvation. Like the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears. Some were looking for deliverance. Like the Gaderine or the Canaanite woman whose daughter was demon possessed.

But there were others who came for less spiritual reasons. They were like the Roman mobs who demanded “bread and games.” Who flocked to the arena to be entertained and fed. Or like modern Americans who are looking for a “free ride” and a not-so-real reality show.

Jesus at the end of a long day of ministry looked around at the thousands of people and had compassion on them. He told the disciples to feed them. Of course there was some confusion on how to do that until they found the five small loaves and the two fish, and Jesus proceeded to feed them all. It happened twice. Both times there was enough food for perhaps a couple of people, and Jesus not only fed thousands, but they gathered up baskets full of left-overs. After that the people followed Him because of the food.

He also had those who asked for a sign. Something to “wow” them. Something they hadn’t seen before. They treated their Savior like a wind-up toy, demanding that he entertain them. Some came just to watch Him long enough to catch Him in a lie, or a sin so that they could expose Him for what they thought He was.
Jesus rebuked them for their lack of faith and understanding. He told those that were looking for food, that He was the bread of life and that they needed to eat His body and drink His blood. They were horrified and many left, never to return. When He asked the twelve if they were going to leave, Peter who sometimes seemed so dull, said “Where would we go? You have the words of Life.”

Some came and still come to Him, hoping for a quick fix, a way to make life easier. But following Jesus isn’t about an easy life or prosperity. Yes, the Father wants to bless us and give us good things, and He will. But Jesus warns us “that in this life you will have trouble.” But He also tells us not to fear because He is with us. Shortly after the two bread and fish feasts, Jesus is explaining to the disciples and the multitude that the elders would reject Him, that He would be killed, and that He would rise up. Peter tried to correct Him, only to be rebuked himself.

Mark 8:34-35 “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”
The Message Bible says it this way: “Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?”

Before the first nail was ever driven into those kind work-callused hands, He spoke of carrying a cross of our own. My cross is not illness, my disobedient child, my needy mother, or that awful job. No, my cross is my flesh, my ungodly thought patterns and my own will. What did Jesus say in the garden when He anguished over His own cross? “Not my will, but yours.” I have to carry that cross-not indefinitely-just until I reach my own Calvary where I crucify my flesh and rise again with Christ.

Sometimes I find myself out of the Kingdom of Heaven and back into the world. My flesh is rebelling and my mind is full of those un-truths again. Then I have to pick up my cross again-and take my sin to God. He is always quick to forgive. How can I crucify this flesh? Say what God says about me, my situation. Do what He tells me. Read His word, replace the lies with the truth. Fast! Pray for others. Put others first. Thank God for your child, and that job. Honor your mother and rebuke that illness.

The Kingdom of God isn’t about “bread and games.” It is about living in Him. Showing the world how much He cares about us. It’s about walking in our authority, giving of ourselves. It’s about giving and receiving. Sometimes it’s about sacrifice. Living for Him instead of our own selfish desires.

Mark 8:36-37 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

What are you looking for?

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Book Review for “The Other Jesus”- Christian Non-fiction

I was given a copy of “The Other Jesus” by the author in exchange for an honest review. Dave Campbell makes some wonderful observations on how we see Jesus, where we get our idea’s from and some changes we have to make in our thinking. He lines that all up with what the Bible says about Jesus and how we have imagined Jesus wrongly.Though I didn’t agree with everything 100% (can we ever), I did find this a very insightful. Dave has an easy writing style and this was a joy to read. Where some non-fiction, even inspirational, can be dry, this one was not. I give it a solid 4 stars. I will be reading more from this author.

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What a wonderful middle grade story! A young girl has lost hope until she meets Wild Thing, the white Arabian who cannot be tamed. This is a story of redemption, forgiveness and the love of God and family. Easy to read, with tons of horse facts throughout and some definitions along with a ‘horse parts’ picture. It made me remember with fondness my horse stage in my middle grade years. I give “Wild Thing” 5 stars. This is only book #1. I think there are 8 in the series.

Book Review for “Wild Thing” Middle Grade Christian Fiction