THE GOSPEL

     The Gospel:  It means GOOD NEWS!  Why isn't this good news on every front page, on FOX, on ABC, NBC, CBS, etc.?  Jesus called some teachers of the law blind guides and hypocrites.  Who have we chosen to respond to, to follow?  Where are they leading us?
     Jesus said to beware of who we follow.  To be blind means there is no light.  How can the blind lead the blind?  Wait!  There is good news!  It's good and it's there and is waiting to be read.  Greater love has  no man than he lay down his life for his friends, and He said, "you are my friends."  He stood on a hill and wept, not just a few tears.  I believe He wept till He could hardly breathe over Israel and cried, "How I have longed to gather you to Me, and you would not!"
     Good news.  "I have loved you with an everlasting love."  Good news.  "There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  Good news.,  By His stripes you have been healed.  He took all our sin, sickness, diseases, condemnation, fear.  We are whiter than snow.  Good news!
     Jesus said, "I want them to share in the love and joy that we share, Father.  I want them to see the glory I had with you before this world began."  Good news!  He says "Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.  Good news!
     "Don't be discouraged or afraid, for the Lord goes before you.  I will never leave you or fail you."  Good news!
     I could write a whole book based on the good news.  Whoops!  Someone got there before me!  That book is called the Gospel.  The Good News!  The New Testament.  We've had this good news for over 2,000 years and we still insist on filling our minds with the BAD news.
     The Lord is the Good News.  The Gospel.  He is so good!
     Matthew 11:28; Jeremiah 17:7; Hebrews 13:5, Philippians 4:4-8.

    Love, A work in progress.

A MEMORY

     A memory passes through, that's true, but a memory is just that--a memory!  Some are pleasant, some are not.  What do we find ourselves concentrating on?  People do awful things to themselves when their lives are based on memories.  They do some awful things to themselves and others based on those memories.  Are you having a hard time with memories?
     God says to think on these things:  Things that are good, lovely, worthy of praise.  It's hard to make new, good memories when you're engrossed in negatives.  But if you can find one new good to focus on, it can change your life.
     We can make a choice.  "choose you this day who you will follow."  I follow Jesus.  He is so good and will give all the help you need.
     It can also keep your mind young and alert to discover new things.  Positive, lovely things.  Don't build life on old memories.  As you change your life, those old negative memories can take on a new slant and actually take on some good and bring healing.  God is so good!
     Is it surprising to you that God has said you are good?  Whiter than snow!  Holy, set apart for God's use!  He has a plan!  A good plan!

    In His love,  A work in progress.

REJOICE!

Rejoice!  In Him!  In Him!  In Him!  I was just reading "The Practice of the Presence of God."  In this book, it says, "as we enter into the Spiritual life we ought to consider who we are as humans.,  We shall find we are deserving of contempt, unworthy of the name of Christ."  Let me say, in the presence of a Holy living God, that would only be another reason to rejoice.,  All I see in the presence of this beautiful loving God is acceptance and love.  God doesn't hate us.  He loves us!  John 3:16.  He wants us.  He wants to save us from whatever mess we may have made of this gift of life He's given us.  He has fulfilled us, made us new.  Set us at His right hand.  Gave us the most precious gift He could ever give!  His desire has always been to be one with us.  For us to know Him for who He is.  John 17.
     Why, pray tell, should I concentrate on who I used to be when I now have all that is good and lovely and worthy of praise?  What is old in me is simply a memory.  Don't live in old memories!  Live for now, this day, with Him in love and joy and freedom and a future that has just begun.
     We have become one with Him who has loved us from before time.  He has a plan for us.  A plan to bless us and not to harm us, to give us hope and a future.
     Take a deep breath--blow it all out!  The old is gone!  Behold the new!  Let your light shine.  Rejoice in Him!  Love what God has created.  When He created you, He said, "It is good!"  You are created in His image.  Rejoice!  Look in the mirror and rejoice.  John 17.  Rejoice!
     A work in progress.  In Christ.  A tree starts out as a seed, but tn that seed there is all the potential of becoming a mighty oak!  His love is new every morning!

WE LONG FOR EXPOSURE--CALLED FREEDOM

     How lonely and fearful we are without (and sometimes with) Christ.  We hide.  We must know good from evil even before we're taught.  We are taught what is good and evil by another human being.  But we know what we do will displease them and bring wrath.  So we hide what we know is unacceptable to them.  We fear disapproval.  A child must be taught, but what happens when the child reaches a time when he  discovers that he can do what he wants as long a no one catches him?  He hides within himself.  There is a room no one can enter, and there he stores up all his rebellious treasure.  As he stores up these treasures, he becomes more and more alone with himself.
     Then one day he discovers there is someone he can't hide anything from.  All those hateful, evil things he hides from everyone else, he can't hide from this person.  This person invades his secret place and loves him anyway.  This person says "You can't hide from Me.  I know everything about you."
     This place where I keep all my treasure is flooded with light.  Now I want to be an open book to be read by anyone with eyes to see.  As long as I fear what everyone else thinks of me, I will still be a closed book.  Only this time my treasure will be light instead of darkness.  This light permeates every bit, tiny bit of shadow.
     I find to some, my light doesn't make me any more acceptable than my darkness did.  So, if like a child desiring to be acceptable to all, I hide this beautiful treasure, this light, who is my God?  I am already acceptable to one who calls Himself God.  He made it so because of His great love, not because of my ways, thoughts, or actions.  For all have fallen short of who God is.
     But, from the beginning, he created man to be made in His image.  Know Him, you know who we were created to be.  That is amazing!  We try to make something of ourselves by what we do and accomplish in life, when the greatest accomplishment is to be who He created us to be.
     There is "NO" condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  He even provided the perfect way for us to accomplish who we were ordained to be.  John  3:16.
     He know it all --  every shadow I ever tried to keep hidden!  Lord, help me!  Not to hide the shadows or the light.  I want to be an open book.  "Fear not.  I am with you always, in shadow or light.  I will NEVER leave you!
    Bless you, Lord!  Joshua 1:9    Jeremiah 29:11  Isaiah 43:1-2   Psalm 46:10.
    Amazing grace, my light!  A new creation  in progress, to His image.