Relational Bridges

 PSALM 106:24 The people of God refused to enter into the Promised Land because they wouldn't believe His promises to care for them. How quickly they forgot what He had done. They wouldn't wait for His counsel. THAT can become the lie we swim in as well.  Not only is the world we live in constantly pulling us out of the habit of believing God, for which we were created. The world is trying to condition our souls against finding our way home. We can become deluded to thinking our own finite perspective on life is actually all there is. We stay lost and hopeless. Jesus Christ, alone, is not only our way Home. He IS our true home.

PSALM 12:8 "THE WICKED STRUT ABOUT WHEN WHAT IS VILE IS HONORED BY THEM."

  ISAIAH 26:3 " You will keep in perfect peace  all who trust in you,  all whose thoughts are fixed on you!" Why would anyone fix their mind on God? Well, it's because He alone is eternally faithful, just, merciful and almighty to save and keep. He alone is trustworthy, worthy of us putting the full weight of our lives and existence on Him. He alone can keep us in His perfect peace.

GOD'S WORD God's Word is perfect, trustworthy, right, radiant, pure, unchanging, righteous, mot precious than silver or gold, sweeter than honey, convicting, healing, delivering, eternally true. Psalm 19:1-14 " The instructions of the   Lord   are perfect  reviving the soul.  The decrees of the   Lord   are trustworthy,   making wise the simple.  The commandments of the   Lord   are right,   bringing joy to the heart.  The commands of the   Lord   are clear,   giving insight for living.  Reverence for the   Lord   is pure,  lasting forever.  The laws of the  Lord  are true;  each one is fair.   They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.   How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hid...

 HOW CAN YOU EXPECT "LIGHT" TO EMMINATE FROM DARKNESS? HOW CAN YOU EXPECT INTEGRITY AND JUSTICE TO FLOW FROM LAWLESSNESS? YOU CAN'T. "OUR DOUBTS ARE TRAITORS. THEY WORK TO DISTRACT US FROM GOD'S WORD. THEREBY WE LOSE THE GOOD WE OFT MIGHT WIN BY FEARING TO ATTEMPT." SAID SHAKESPEAR. GOD DOES NOT MAKE US GUESS AT WHO HE IS. HE SPEAKS DIRECTLY, SIMPLY AND PROFOUNDLY TO US IN HIS WORD AND BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. JESUS ALONE IS THE GIVER AND SUSTAINER OF LIFE.

 THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD The whole counsel of God will not leave the Church powerless and the supernatural absent. John14:12-14 " I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!" Oh God, deliver us and keep us from worshipping our worship, bowing before our liturgy as if that is what makes us a holy people. Deliver us from this subtle and deadly idolatry. All joy and peace in Christ Jesus come from believing Him in utter surrender. Thus, we can abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. We can expect the Lord to continue to confirm His Word preached and taught with demonstration of the Holy Spirit and power. We are to never fall prey to the satanic deception to not believe in the everlasting, almighty power of God ...

 ONENESS WITH GOD My perfect oneness with Jesus Christ is due only to the Holy Spirit uniting me to the death of Jesus Christ and to His resurrection Life. My oneness with the Lord God is not any of my own doing. He has taken the initiative to deliver me from the dominion of darkness to bring me into the Kingdom of His dear Son, in Whom I have redemption by His blood, the forgiveness of all my sin.

 THE GOSPEL'S POWER The reason St. Paul declared that the Gospel is the power of God for the salvation for all who will believe is because when God speaks, what He declares becomes, takes place.  The Word of God changes and transforms because it IS the Word of God, the eternal creative Word of God. The change in human living takes place not because of any human effort, but because God's Word will accomplish what it declares. Having begun a good work in the believer, God has promised by the Holy Spirit to bring that work to completion. I have earned nothing. I have nothing to contribute by my own spiritual bankruptcy, my being spiritually dead. I surrender, humble myself under the Almighty Hand of God and it is the power of God's Word is what saves, redeems, restores, heals, guides, provides and care for every dimension of my life. Lord God, Heavenly Father, Son and Holy Spirit, please tell me, open my whole life to what I need to hear from You.

 WHAT IS SIN? Every sin is a form of practical atheism, as if God doesn't exist and His Word is some sort of flimsy suggestion to be ignored and scorned at will if it crosses our rebellious wills. To say, "I am not sorry for scorning and rebelling against God and His Word." is a strong indication that you have no relationship with Him. Sin pays a singular dividend. It is death and decay here and now as well as eternal separation from all goodness and light for eternity. When God spoke His Word and had it recorded in time and space historically, He wasn't "shooting blanks." God's Word is true Truth, a guide to lead us to Himself, to become new creations in Christ Jesus, and to know the power of a changed life. The Holy Spirit IS the Life of God, the resurrection life of Jesus Christ. It is the never-ending supply of God's Life within us. To act contrary to the Word of God and the guidance of the Life of God within is to try and draw life and meaning f...

QUESTION Does your life shout, "Look at me!" or does it declare, "Look at Him?"  We need to remember, to keep in mind that followers of Jesus Christ, His disciples who have been given eternal life to live out on the earth day by day. We are placed on earth to love and forgive others as we have been loved by Jesus Christ and to lead them to know the Love of God as well.