Never on time

After all my friends implored me to see Fireproof,finally after my son loaned us his copy and my wife asking me every day to watch it with her I finally gave in.Better late than never. I was expecting some sappy love story chick flick that I would have to endure for an hour and a half but instead I found myself feeling conviction by the way I have treated my wife at times in our marriage. Don't get me wrong I am not gonna run out and by a copy of the "Love Dare and try to mechanically go thru every task. I got the message, If you want real peace and happiness "Love thy neighbor as thyself" My closest neighbor is my wife and once I begin to let the Love of God flow thru me then I can start right here at home fulfilling God's law. James 2:8

This is where God wants to take us Right here with our spouses, children,parents and our siblings. His love was so commended for us that while we were yet sinners he died for us. Such a simple message isn't it? Why is it that WE yes We ,All of us get the message convoluted into a works base religion like Cain, whereas we end up slaying our brother/sister.

I want to post something wrote by Oswald Chambers:

"And Abraham built an altar . . and bound Isaac his son." Genesis 22:9

This incident is a picture of the blunder we make in thinking that the final thing God wants of us is the sacrifice of death. What God wants is the sacrifice through death which enables us to do what Jesus did, viz., sacrifice our lives. Not - I am willing to go to death with Thee, but - I am willing to be identified with Thy death so that I may sacrifice my life to God. We seem to think that God wants us to give up things! God purified Abraham from this blunder, and the same discipline goes on in our lives. God nowhere tells us to give up things for the sake of giving them up. He tells us to give them up for the sake of the only thing worth having - viz., life with Himself. It is a question of loosening the bands that hinder the life, and immediately those bands are loosened by identification with the death of Jesus, we enter into a relationship with God whereby we can sacrifice our lives to Him.

It is of no value to God to give Him your life for death. He wants you to be a "living sacrifice," to let Him have all your powers that have been saved and sanctified through Jesus. This is the thing that is acceptable to God.

The message of Fireproof is clear.If you want true peace and happiness you have to ask Jesus to come into your life and then lay down your life with his and walk in the love that he has shed in our hearts. Become second.

By the way if you did not get it, I highly recommend everyone watch this movie.

Mike

99 and the 1

Mathew 18:12 Jesus says12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the NINETY and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the NINETY and nine which went not astray.

In today's order I see shepherds doing the opposite of what Jesus said. They cut off the one to protect the 99.So afraid that the straying sheep will lead the other sheep astray but that is not the order we should follow. Jesus can and will go after the one. Will we accept him/her into the fold? Will we show love and compassion like our Lord and savior? Think about it.

Snowing

It is snowing in Little Rock this morning and I thought I would take the time to say something about 09.
It was a different year for me, a full year in a new location with the worst economy I have ever seen. God provided for us on every front:spiritually, financially as well as health. While some times I wondered how our bills would be paid,they were paid. One time we even received a $100 that came via mail anonymously. Praise God he provided. I know he loves us and I know I didn't deserve it. That is God,he knows how to take care of his children.
If times are getting tough or have been tough. Ask the Lord to help you with faith unwavering and I know he will be there to provide for you.
God Bless
Mike