- MONDAY -

Good morning folks,

I love how Scripture is written to eliminate our questions about the most important things.

The subject of works vs faith always comes up and the perfect explanation is found in James chapter 2.  Faith without works is simply talk and works are filthy rags (if done to earn salvation).  However faith put into works is proof that our faith is real.  It puts God's power into our deeds.

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

²⁰ You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? ²¹ Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. ²³ And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. ²⁴ You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.  James 2:18-24 NIV

Be blessed, be a blessing, work on it!

Randy

- TUESDAY -

Dear Ones,

Amos 4 talks about social and spiritual corruption and God's forthcoming discipline to apostate Israel. Verses 12 and 13 talk about God's omnipresence, His omnipotence, and the fact that He reveals his thoughts to man. He has honored us with His thoughts through the prophets in those days, and through His Word today! After foretelling His predicted judgment against Israel in Amos 4:6-11, Amos writes:

Therefore, Israel, that is what I will do to you, and since I will do that to you, Israel, prepare to meet your God! He is here: the One who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals His thoughts to man, the One who makes the dawn out of darkness and strides on the heights of the earth. Yahweh, the God of Hosts, is His name  (Amos 4:12-13 HCSB).

Regarding sin and apostasy in Amos and in much of our world, His judgment will come. While verses 12 and 13 about God's attributes can be comforting, the reference is actually about His power and presence to judge. Those harboring sin should ask ourselves, “Are we ready to meet our God?” If not, 2 Chronicles 7:14 offers guidance. 

and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14 HCSB). 

Be blessed. Be a blessing!

--Jackie

- WEDNESDAY -

Good morning folks,

The core of this post today is from a Verse for Today sent out nearly exactly ten years ago... 

Folks, I'm such a sinner that there would not be enough time for me to do enough good works to buy my pardon if I lived to be 1000 years old.  I'm too much like my dog Sunny.  He loves me.  I know that.  I think he would die to protect me if he needed to.  The thing is he likes to dig.  He'll dig a hole and then hang his head because he KNOWS he's done wrong.  It's like he doesn't have the strength to resist the act of digging.  My dog and I are so much alike.  I love the Lord.  I don't want to sin.  I'm just so weak.
I'm so glad I can take it to the cross! 
Jesus did it all on the cross. To defend our faith (something it seems we have to do more of each day) we need to defend the cross. On our own we will fall. But the cross remains. I'd also like to remind you that the cross is EMPTY! He has risen!!!

Amazing grace! Amazing love!!! 

I know the word "cross" isn't mentioned in these two verses.  But it IS there! Praise the Lord for the cross. 

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,  Romans 3:23-24 ESV

Guard the cross!  Don't let anyone detract from it.  It is our redemption.  Our redeemer died on it and now He lives so that we can have life with Him! There is NO better news to share today!
Be blessed, Be a blessing,
Randy

ps. My dog Sunny died some years ago. He never did stop digging. He was fully forgiven just as I'm fully forgiven. My dog forgiven by me and me forgiven by the cross. 

- THURSDAY -

Good morning folks,

I found this in Isaiah 32.  In my bible it's called "Israel's Ultimate Deliverance".  It seems little has changed over history.  This reads like the contrast between good leaders and bad leaders.  Actually a good leader putting an end to the bad leadership with all its evils.  Yup, America needs that now. 

Look, a righteous king is coming!
    And honest princes will rule under him.
² Each one will be like a shelter from the wind
    and a refuge from the storm,
like streams of water in the desert
    and the shadow of a great rock in a parched land.

³ Then everyone who has eyes will be able to see the truth,
    and everyone who has ears will be able to hear it.
⁴ Even the hotheads will be full of sense and understanding.
    Those who stammer will speak out plainly.
⁵ In that day ungodly fools will not be heroes.
    Scoundrels will not be respected.
⁶ For fools speak foolishness
    and make evil plans.
They practice ungodliness
    and spread false teachings about the Lord.
They deprive the hungry of food
    and give no water to the thirsty.
⁷ The smooth tricks of scoundrels are evil.
    They plot crooked schemes.
They lie to convict the poor,  Isaiah 32:1-7 NLT

America needs Jesus.  Actually America needs to return to Jesus. 

Be blessed, be a blessing,

Randy

- FRIDAY -

Dear Ones,

Sometimes I feel stressed by the battle to proclaim Christ to others and the fact that new believers often do not persevere after professions of faith.  However, thankfully, none of us are actually in charge.  We are simply vessels to be used by our Lord. Paul, in 2 Corinthians 5 declares us ambassadors for Christ with the ministry of reconciliation. 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God”  (2 Corinthians 5:17-20 HCSB). 

Keep pleading on Christ's behalf.  Be blessed.  Be a blessing.

--Jackie