Day 1
Isaiah 53
There is, however, an old saying that goes, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” This was certainly the case with Jesus Christ. It was not what
men saw, but what they could not see that made Him extra-ordinary. In fact, Paul touches on this very line of thought in Philippians 2:5-8. Here, Jesus is pictured as One who has concealed “His heavenly fame in an earthly frame.” Jesus was willing to come and live in this world, in poverty, and He was willing to surround Himself with common men and sinners so that His real beauty might be seen. Think, for a moment, about His life:
•Born to peasant parents.
•Born in a manger, not a palace.
•Poverty His constant companion.
•His Disciples were just common fishermen.
•Common peasants were His most devoted followers.
•His death was among the condemned and wretched.
•His church, for the most part, is made up of the lowly.

Many might think that such a man is not worthy of our love, devotion and worship.
*HIS PAIN
He Suffered Pain At The Hands Of The Soldiers – He was forced to endure excruciating pain such as:
Beating…Scourging….Spitting..
Mockery….Beard Plucked From Face…. Stripped…Nailed To The Cross.
He suffered all that He did and yet, He was God in the flesh! Isn’t it astonishing that the One who has all power in Heaven and in earth would endure what He did, and do so without opening His mouth, Isa. 53:7! Yes…Jesus could have spoken the word and the very iron in the nails would have crawled back into the earth at the voice of the Creator. If He had so desired, He could have disbursed the molecule of His executioners with a single thought. But, His love for sinners was so great that He refused to condemn. Instead, He willingly took our sins upon Himself and died in our place. And, when He did speak, it was to forgive and not condemn -What a Savior!
* HIS PAYMENT
In dying on the cross, Jesus did what no other could do, He satisfied God’s righteous demands for the payment of sin.
Jesus paid the price and the bill will never come due again.
* HIS PLAN
God will still hold us accountable for what we do and will convict us, and chastise us if we do not repent, Heb. 12:6-12. It does mean, however, that we have been declared righteous by God and that nothing will prohibit us from being with Him in a perfect, sinless condition some day. What I am trying to say is this, my flesh commits sin, and will until I lay it down, but there is a part of me, and you, if you are saved, that has been sealed and cannot be contaminated, Eph. 4:30. You see, God has chosen to see, not as we are, but as we shall be when we are changed into His image! By the way, this is alright with me!
Jesus desires that men come to Him for salvation! He desires this so much that He has flung the doors of salvation so wide open that anyone who desires to be saved can be! I know I’m right there!
* HIS PLACE
The Bible tells that after He died, He was placed in a grave and then 3 days later, He arose from the dead. At this time He ascended back to Heaven and made the atonement for our sins by offering His blood on Heaven’s mercy seat. Then, 40 days later, He ascended back to Heaven where He sat down on the Father’s right hand to wait for the fulfillment of the Father’s plan. No man has seen Him, yet the Bible tells us that He is in a place of honor today.

Have you bowed before Him and acknowledged Him to be the Lord of Lords and King of Kings? Have you bowed at His feet?

You can get full of yourself…
Impressed with yourself that you become fleshly intoxicated with a Spiritual spin to it.
#Pastormeditatingonlife

What if all the things that people give you achulades for has nothing to do with what you were call to do?

What was your real calling when God called you and what was it that man has placed on you?

What if all said and done:you have plaques on the wall, newspaper achulades,at the end of the day is this the wrong things.

My answer to that : I’m not afraid of trying and failing but I am afraid of suceeding in doing the wrong.

Those eyes don’t lie….Your soul is seen through them there eyes….breath……let the truth out that so desperately wants to be free..who’s a free..free indeed…

Walking dead …..are you blind to the reflection that shows in your mirror of life….fooling who…you….me..them……they…us…

Who give a care…..those eyes watching you……moving sluggish to the rhythm of life…….the drum beat of Your feet as they trample through the streets…..your breathing .. sounding like the wind that chaffs in winter…the heart beat is in slow motion and rhythm…as the blood tries to run up the hill of protection….

Yes..yes…who cares ….who knows….who wants…..Yes…. Thump …thump..beats the drum of death…..while you are tramped in this shell..the worms eating you alive….your emotions…..your feelings…your masks…..your fakeness..
Touching you…..feeling the numbness of a cold., cold, heart……Smiling with a posture that is prepared for timing….Hello….do you see me???? I’m here alive and well..see the Smile.see the tears in the rim of my eyes…..the overflow…wait…I can’t cry….

Somebody help me…..I’m buried alive by life…..past hurts…..abuse of my gender not expected..words of coldness…volume but only  silence…..love but no passion….a duty……my job subscription…speech with no feelings..

Somebody help me…..love…..no more…not one….many…..I never will love just one…..can’t stand to hear…feel the rain as it pours down on me….

Somebody please tell me…help me. Get out of this grave ….that I’ve dugged for myself….you..come and go with me…this one……that one…many as I can caused I won’t feel hurt again…

Manuel
2015

Those eyes don’t lie….Your soul is seen through them there eyes….breath……let the truth out that so desperately wants to be free..who’s a free..free indeed…

Walking dead …..are you blind to the reflection that shows in your mirror of life….fooling who…you….me..them……they…us…

Who give a care…..those eyes watching you……moving sluggish to the rhythm of life…….the drum beat of Your feet as they trample through the streets…..your breathing .. sounding like the wind that chaffs in winter…the heart beat is in slow motion and rhythm…as the blood trys to run up the hill of protection….

Yes..yes…who cares ….who knows….who wants…..Yes…. Thump …thump..beats the drum of death…..while you are tramped in this shell..the worms eating you alive….your emotions…..your feelings…your masks…..your fakeness..
Touching you…..feeling the numbness of a cold., cold, heart……Smiling with a posture that is prepared for timing….Hello….do you see me???? I’m here alive and well..see the Smile.see the tears in the rim of my eyes…..the overflow…wait…I can’t cry….

Somebody help me…..I’m buried alive by life…..past hurts…..abuse of my gender not expected..wotds of coldness…volume but no silence…..love but no passion….a duty……my job subscription…speech with no feelings..

Somebody help me…..love…..no more…not one….many…..I never will love just one…..can’t stand to hear…feel the rain as it pours down on me….

Somebody please tell me…help me. Get out of this grave ….that I’ve dugged for myself….you..come and go with me…this one……that one…many as I can caused I won’t feel hurt again…

Manuel
2015

LUKE 19
DAY 19
Who this Zacchaeus was. He was a tax collector.  That means that he was the head tax collector. He was a traitor to his nation because he was aligned with Rome. People hated him because he defrauded them out of their money. As a result of his position and his greed, he was rich, powerful, connected, feared and despised.
While Zacchaeus had wealth, position and power, he knew there was something missing in his life. His financial, political and social connections left him empty and needy. Somewhere along the way, Zacchaeus heard about a man named Jesus. Maybe he heard the reports from the men who worked for him as they came in from collecting taxes around the community. Perhaps he heard the stories firsthand as he fleeced the people out of their cash. Regardless of what it was, something was tugging at his heartstrings. He was not satisfied with anything he had; he came to the place where nothing but seeing Jesus would satisfy the deep longings of his soul.
Many of us have been at this same place. When we were lost, God brought us to the place where nothing in our lives was enough anymore. He brought us to the place where we knew that something was missing. He brought us to the place where we could not longer drown our need in alcohol, lose it Im the fog of drugs or bury it in the shallow grave of tough talk and false bravery. God, through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, brought us to the place where we knew we needed Him. So, we came to Him and He saved us by His grace.
I am speaking  to saved people today. I am talking to people who have already looked away by faith and have come to know Jesus in a personal way. I am speaking to the redeemed. Even after we are saved, there is a desire to see Him. There is a desire to know Him. There is a desire to grow in our relationship with  Jesus . As you read His Word and walk with Him, there will be an ever-deepening desire to know Him better.
I think we can all identify with Paul’s desire. No matter how deep the saint of God grows in the things of God there always seems to be a desire for more. There is a desire to know Him better, to understand His Word better, and to grow closer to Him; there is a desire within the child of God to know Him in His fullness! No matter how close you get, how much you learn, or how much you grow in the Lord, there is always a desire for more. The child of God is never satisfied with where he or she is in their walk with God! When you get satisfied, you will grow cold and you will get slack. As long as there is a hunger and a desire for Him in the heart of the saint of God, there will be growth, closeness and blessing!
  When the desire to see Jesus was birthed in the heart of Zacchaeus, he made his way to the roadway he knew Jesus would travel as He passed through Jericho. He stationed himself beside that road because he wanted to see the Lord. But, Zacchaeus was hindered in his efforts to see the Lord Jesus. There were some obstacles that stood in his way and prevented him from achieving his goals. Notice these difficulties with me today.
When you develop a desire to see the Lord, you need to understand that your request will not go unopposed. Satan will place whatever obstacles he can in your path to keep you from seeing Jesus. Sometimes, he will use people. There are times when he will use a spouse, a parent, a child, a friend, or some other person to hinder you in your desire to see the Lord. He will place them in your path and they will criticize you, or your efforts. They may attack those who would try to help you grow in the Lord. They will stand in your way and do all they can to prevent you from seeing Him.
Sometimes, he will use the flaws in our own natures to hinder us from seeing Jesus. We all have character flaws and sin that we are constantly seeking to overcome. If he can, Satan will use our own shortcomings to keep us from seeing Jesus.
When you get to the place where you see Him for yourself, it will be a very personal thing for you. You will not have to rely on the testimony of others; you will have your own story to tell! When you see Him, He will speak to you and you will hear His voice. If you ever see Him one time, you will want to see Him again! I remember some of the times God has showed up in my life and let me catch a glimpse of Him. Those times have been a blessing, but they have just made me hungry for more. I was in a service last night and I watched some people getting a glimpse of Him. I silently prayed that He would let me see Him too. I got a blessing, but I didn’t get what they were getting last night, but I will! I have seen Him before and I want to see Him again!
If you know the Lord, there are some places along the way that He has prepared for you. There are some places of meeting that He has designed just for you. There will be some divine encounters where He will allow you to see Him and experience His grace and power. There will be some moments of divine interruption when He will just show up and show out in your soul. He may cause you to dance like He did David. He may cause you to humble yourself before Him like He did Job. He may give you a shout, or He may just squeeze your heart and let the juice run out of your eyes. But, there will be some times when He will let you see Him! When He does, it is life changing. It is profound. It is wonderful. Enjoy those times for all they are worth, for they will sustain you though many a hard day when He doesn’t show up in the same way. I know that He is always there, but He doesn’t always manifest His presence. When He does, live it up and praise Him in the day of His visitation!

Isaiah 55:1-3
Few people ever reach contentment.In fact, one poet put it this way.

As a rule, man’s a fool
When it’s hot, he wants  it cool.
And when it’s cool, he wants it hot,
Always wanting what is not.

Isn’t this the truth?  We live in a world filled with discontented people. Everywhere you look, people are striving to get more stuff.  They are laboring to have more things. Not many people are completely content and satisfied with their place in life.

I think that the answer lies in the fact that people are looking for true contentment in places, people and things that can never provide contentment to them.

~A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in the stream. The next day she met another traveler who was  hungry,and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the women’s give to him. She did so without hesitation.  The traveler left rejoicing his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security’s a lifetime.
But,a few days later, he came back to return the stone to the wise women. He said,”I been thinking,  I know how valuable this stone is but I give it back in hope that you can give me something even more precious.Give me  what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone.

The women didn’t need riches to give her joy.She had joy in her heart. ~

A Bowl of Soup

There was a gentleman that seemingly to   complain about a bowl of soup. 

My mind went back to a time when I had water soup. Made a brouth from water and salt to taste. Sometimes we have go through a time of famine to realize how we are blessed in the time of abundance.

Soup is a mixture of left overs. These ingredients together makes the best taste but it’s funny how you can’t taste one single ingredients by itself?  Is this why homeless people are serve soup? Soup goes a long way.

When soup is serve ;” Things  are used fthat are falliing apart  while other things are coming together.”  Be Blessed!.  !Lady J

Wow! God only created one of me.So You wants to know who my  designer is.
He can designs anything…..
You need a reference …
.look in the blueprint in the book called Genesis…
Where is He located ?..
Look Him up in the heavenly pages, He lives on the Right side of His Father on Heaven Street. You have  to be careful when you go inside the store.
You have to pull your old shoes ,
Put on these golden slippers..
Pull your old clothes off
Put on this long white  robe..
Wait.
All of this?
Yes…theirs more..
Put a crown on your head measures just for You.

Day 6
Luke 6
Why do you call me Lord, but do not obey me?”

He is talking to his followers. What kind of faith and trust is this?
You call me Lord, you call me master, and yet you will not do the things I tell you?  We like being called Christians as long as it does not inconvenient us. He says that this person “dug down deep” and laid the foundation on rock.

If we are going to have a strong foundation we need to dig down deep. What does that mean?

To dig down deep is to get beyond surface-level Christianity.

Not just church attendance, but service in and to the church
Not just faith, but deeds that reflect our faith
Not just reading the bible, but discovering it’s truths
Not just fellowship, but strong heart-level relationships
Not lip service, but TRUE obedience to Christ as Lord. Dig deep to make sure our foundation will last.

Verse 48 let us know that  “Like a man… who laid the foundation on the rock.

Jesus in 1 Corinthains 10:4 tells us that “and the rock was Christ.”
Peter in Matthew 16:18 states that“you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church
Who will build the church? Christ
Romans 9:23
“See I lay a stone in Zion, that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And the one who puts his trust in HIM will never be put to shame.

Jesus is the rock upon which God builds his church. He is the ONLY solid foundation upon which we should build.

When things are good, it doesn’t seem so important to build on the rock. We see houses that are like a laid on a slab foundation.

What’s wrong with that? What happens when times are not going good??

With no foundation in a marriage, we have divorce.
With no foundation in our relationship to Christ, we have backsliding
With no foundation in our church, we lack faith and vision.
With no foundation under a house, we have a mess!

So a solid foundation is crucial in all aspects of life!

“When a flood came, the torrent struck that house, but could not shake it because it was well built. In verse 49 he shows us what happens when we claim to know him, but do not have that deep and solid foundation.

But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

In contrast is the person who listens but doesn’t obey.

Two houses. May have looked the same on the outside!
The difference is in the foundation.

Without a solid foundation, when hard times come, when things don’t go right, when we face struggles at home, on the job, at school…
we will not have the strength to endure!

So how do make sure that our foundation is on the rock?

Self examination!!

We need to take an honest look at our faith, our beliefs and our trust in the rock.
We need to apply the teachings of Jesus in our lives. Not enough to say Lord.

What does a church which is built on a solid foundation look like?

We will be:
– mature
– spiritually sensitive
– doctrinally sound
– committed to Christ
– bearing fruit
He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure!
If we try to live the Christian life on a foundation other than that of Christ Jesus, we will not remain steadfast and committed to true Christian living. We will fail to bring God the glory.
We need to reevaluate our beliefs and level of obedience to God’s commands so that we are not deceived by the devil. He wants us to think that everything is fine.
Each of us know in our heart of hearts if everything is really fine
“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples
then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

I want to encourage you all to pray for one another and for our church, that during the next several weeks God would reveal any cracks in our foundation so that we can work on getting them strengthened.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Amen