Choice

Everyday while He was on earth, Jesus went out to preach and teach the Kingdom of God. He constantly looked for lost sheep,  not content that some were saved, but it is His desire that all be saved. The Parable of the Lost Sheep has the shepherd leaving the 99 and going after the one.
 

 In Luke 15, the Parable of the Lost Son goes deeper. Are we willing as sheep to allow Him to do what He must to bring home the one without the attitude of the big brother?

Have Mercy Lord Jesus on all of us.
James 3:18,
Camelot

Lose Faith?

How horrible it will be for the world because it causes people to lose their faith. Situations that cause people to lose their faith will arise. How horrible it will be for the person who causes someone to lose his faith! (Matthew 18:7 GW)

Oh be careful little eyes what you see,

Oh be careful little hands what you do,

Oh be careful little tongues what you say,

For Your Father up above is looking down in love,

Oh be care full...

God loves the world. He is always at work drawing people to himself. Jesus is the author, pioneer, and finisher of our faith. Throughout the journey in between we can encounter and can become people who encourage faith or who cause people to lose faith. So put on love, which holds us all together in holy faith.

James 3:18,

Camelot

Write On My Heart

For 40 years I was disgusted with those people. So I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts continue to stray. They have not learned my ways.’ (Psalms 95:10 GW)

So glad today that my righteousness does not depend on my learning, but rather on my leaning. How gentle sit my kind God, who writes love with love.

James 3:18,

Camelot

Illustrations

In a chapel service recently, I shared the attitude of the heart when looking at art. Passing it over or REALLY looking into the illustrations, noticing the details and almost hidden truths folded in. Let us lean in with open ears and encourage others to do the same with the Word of God and the illustrations of Jesus.

Then he used stories as illustrations to tell them many things. He said, “Listen! A farmer went to plant seed. 

Some seeds were planted along the road, and birds came and devoured them. Other seeds were planted on rocky ground, where there was little soil. The plants sprouted quickly because the soil wasn’t deep. But when the sun came up, they were scorched. They withered because their roots weren’t deep enough. 

Other seeds were planted among thornbushes, and the thornbushes grew up and choked them. But other seeds were planted on good ground and produced grain. They produced one hundred, sixty, or thirty times as much as was planted. Let the person who has ears listen!” 

The disciples asked him, “Why do you use stories as illustrations when you speak to people?” (Matthew 13:3-10GW)

So what the prophet had said came true: “I will open my mouth to illustrate points. I will tell what has been hidden since the world was made.” (Matthew 13:35 GW)

James 3:18,

Camelot

Vision Needs Eyes

Without prophetic vision people run wild, but blessed are those who follow ⌊God’s⌋ teachings. (Proverbs 29:18 GW)

Spending time at ENC this week at Festival of Life with teens from all over the eastern field. Hebrews Cafe has this quote...

Cole Ellis is one of the VA District's students who came to participate in one of the many competitions. Truly this quote is being realized as these students give attention to honing the gifts God has given to them. Lord continue to open the eyes of this generation to seek You and serve You with their whole heart and their eyes wide open.

James 3:18,

Camelot

Tested and Tried Faith

It is a faith that has been tried and proved and has withstood the test. Abraham is not a type or an example of the holiness of sanctification, but a type of the life of faith-a faith, tested and true, built on the true God. "Abraham believed God. . ." -Oswald Chamber

Faith like the faith of Abraham only comes through the test. Jesus told the disciples of John the Baptist, "Whoever doesn’t lose his faith in me is indeed blessed.” (Matthew 11:6 GW).This was right after they came to Jesus with the doubt and confusion questions from John.

Then after speaking some more Jesus said to those around Him.

“Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Place my yoke over your shoulders, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble. Then you will find rest for yourselves because my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 GW)

Wow, what a picture of a trial. We are called out by God, do not lose heart, do not grow weary, we are promised rest and a gentle humble Love that will fill the longing of our soul. Lord, may my faith be so tangible in my life that it is just shy of being my sight. 

James 3:18,

Camelot

Prayer Realized

When he saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them. They were troubled and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is large, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord who gives this harvest to send workers to harvest his crops.” (Matthew 9:36-38 GW)

Jesus had the disciples praying for The Lord to send workers for the Harvest. So really they were praying for what they themselves would become. What are you praying for? What am I praying for?

James 3:18,

Camelot

Harvest

“Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or gather the harvest into barns. Yet, your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? “Can any of you add a single hour to your life by worrying? 

“And why worry about clothes? Notice how the flowers grow in the field. They never work or spin yarn for clothes. But I say that not even Solomon in all his majesty was dressed like one of these flowers. 

That’s the way God clothes the grass in the field. Today it’s alive, and tomorrow it’s thrown into an incinerator. So how much more will he clothe you people who have so little faith? (Matthew 6:26-30 GW)

I was reading this morning and the line that stuck out was what the birds don't do. We are given the immeasurable privilege of participating in the harvest. Seek God first, pray to The Lord of the harvest, pray for the harvest, participate in planting and harvesting and gathering and let God handle the rest. Souls. It is about saving souls.

James 3:18 for sure "A harvest that has God’s approval comes from the peace planted by peacemakers." (James 3:18 GW)

Camelot

Your Guardian

I look up toward the mountains. Where can I find help? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. He will not let you fall. Your guardian will not fall asleep. Indeed, the Guardian of Israel never rests or sleeps. The Lord is your guardian. The Lord is the shade over your right hand. The sun will not beat down on you during the day, nor will the moon at night. The Lord guards you from every evil. He guards your life. The Lord guards you as you come and go, now and forever. (Psalms 121:1-8 GW)

The difference between a guardian angel and The Lord Himself is relationship.

James 3:18,

Camelot

Choose

2 Corinthians 5:7 ^"For we live by believing and not by seeing." (NLT)
2 Corinthians 5:7 ^"For we live by faith, not by sight." (NIV)

Jesus, Peace in the midst of anything. It is important to choose to live by faith or by sight, but it is more important to make sure that the One in whom you put your faith in is indeed worthy. Jesus is faithful and true, He will never leave you or forsake you. Jesus, I choose You, because You chose me first.

James 3:18,
Camelot

HIS Arm

Isaiah 59 reads 
Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you,
    nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call.
...
The Lord looked and was displeased
    to find there was no justice.
¹⁶ He was amazed to see that no one intervened
    to help the oppressed.
So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm,
    and his justice sustained him.

The ...  that I put between the two scriptures above represents the state of his people. In our sin, our hopelessness, our chaos the bible says that God's people Israel were in the state of being, that they "didn't know where to find peace or what it meant to be just and good. They mapped out crooked roads, and no one who follows them knows a moment's peace." BUT that was before... HIM.

JESUS is here. Right here, right now.That means no excuses for not entering in and receiving ALL His strong Arm has provided! 

James 3:18,
Camelot 

Salt and Light

“You are salt for the earth. But if salt loses its taste, how will it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. “You are light for the world. A city cannot be hidden when it is located on a hill. (Matthew 5:13, 14 GW)

I love the way God's Word Translation puts this verse. Not salt of the earth, but salt for the earth;not light of the world, but light for the world. So this does not so much highlight the stark difference between the children of light and the children of darkness, even though there is a difference, but this highlight how we respond in midst do that difference. We are for the, to serve, to testify, to preach, to love, to show forth the praises of Our Father by doing good in His Name... OC makes the distinction this way.

"Even the natural heart of the unsaved will serve if called upon to do so, but it takes a heart broken by conviction of sin, baptized by the Holy Spirit, and crushed into submission to God's purpose to make a person's life a holy example of God's message." Oswald Chambers

James 3:18,

Camelot

Surrounded

Many heartaches await wicked people, but mercy surrounds those who trust the Lord. 

Be glad and find joy in the Lord, you righteous people. 

Sing with joy, all whose motives are decent. (Psalms 32:10, 11 GW)

Rich Mullens has a song entitled, "Hold Me, Jesus". Even when we are in a time of uncertainty or even darkness, the mercy and Grace of God are at work and sufficient for us. His mercy encompasses everything that seems exposed and weak. His grace reaches to the innermost parts of our being. This is the perfect time to find joy in The Lord. Our faith and hope in Him shines brightest in the darkness.

James 3:18,

Camelot

The Name

Before I became a Christian, when the name of Jesus was spoken (not cursed) but spoken, something inside of me felt like I was punched in the stomach.

After becoming a child of God, when the name of Jesus is mentioned my heart rejoices.

So that at the name of Jesus everyone in heaven, on earth, and in the world below will kneel. Philippians 2:10

Spending time praying and praising...join me. His name is Holy. His name is Jesus!

 

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James 3:18, 

Camelot

Eternally Faithful

     You will receive a double measure of wealth instead of your shame. You will sing about your wealth instead of being disgraced. That is why you will have a double measure of wealth in your land. You will have everlasting joy. 

     I, the Lord, love justice. I hate robbery and wrongdoing. I will faithfully reward my people’s work. I will make an everlasting promise to them. 

     Then their offspring will be known among the nations and their descendants among the people. Everyone who sees them will recognize that they are the descendants whom the Lord has blessed. 

     I will find joy in the Lord. I will delight in my God. He has dressed me in the clothes of salvation. He has wrapped me in the robe of righteousness like a bridegroom with a priest’s turban, like a bride with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:7-10 GW)

God has never and will never forsaken the righteous, those whom He has called as His own. God, my Father is faithful. Praise be to His Name! You, O God, are faithful to a thousand generations. Your eye is on the sparrow and I know You watch over Your own.

James 3:18,

Camelot

Fasting

Today is Ash Wednesday. Over the last few months, I have been reevaluating what I believe about fasting. It seems others are doing the same from some of the questions I have been asked. The main question asked boils down to "Why do we fast?"

Before I have been under the impression that we must replace the fast with prayer or worship or something that would make it more than skipping out on a meal or missing out on something important to me. While that is part of it, it is more the symptom than the reason.

During what others have called a dark night of the soul, I realize that fasting is what I must do. It seems that food and other things that would occupy my time simply do not provide the strength needed to breath, or talk, or get through the day. Those things even food become a simple substitution that I do not have time for while relying on the strength that my God alone gives freely to us His beloved children.

So this year, I will not fast, but rely with all that my soul can relinquish. Simply because HE is more faithful than food, His cup does not run dry, He sustains all things, even me.

A few scriptures are running together in my mind like this...Humble yourself under the Mighty Hand of God, for in due time you will reap a harvest if you faint not.(1Peter 5:6, Galatians 6:9)

James 3:18,
Camelot