Get Some Daddy Time

Family Ministry, God Loves You, Spiritual Food

Ps 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

So this morning, as it is many Saturday mornings, my industrious wife was off to the grocery store early to beat the rush and get back in time to still enjoy the weekend.  So it is up to Daddy to take care of breakfast and spend some quality time with the children.  This time is usually spent with me in the kitchen cooking, and the kids downstairs watching their favorite cartoon or TV show.  Then we eat breakfast together, typically at max speed because the boys want to get back to playing games and or hopeful that I will let them watch another show.  But today was a little different, no hot breakfast, just cold cereal and toaster’s strudel.  This was quickly gobbled up by the kids and I had not even sat down to eat my mix of breakfast and leftovers from last night’s dinner.  My 4 year old daughter was still sitting there and she said these words to me “Daddy can I keep you company while you eat your breakfast?”

Ohhhhhhhh, my heart melted so fast, I could not get the words “Of Course!!!” out of my mouth quick enough.  There was such a smile of my face that I could not wait to sit and spend Daddy Time with my little Princess.  We had such a pleasant time, we talked about questions she needed answers to, things that were fun for her, some things that I did when I was small and our favorite things about playing in the snow yesterday and even sharing some of her fears.  It was then that Jesus spoke to me and said this is exactly what I feel when my children want to spend time with me.

The bible says “In Your presence is fullness of joy” and I have always enjoyed this verse because it reminded me that when I spend time in the Lord’s presence, I will be full of joy.  His joy not mine, this Joy the world could never take away from me, because it did not give it to me.  This joy is not based on my situation or circumstances but based on the Joy of Jesus, whose Joy is unspeakable.  Knowing this makes you look forward to spending time with God so that we can be replenished or be filled.  Today, Jesus revealed to me that it’s not just my joy that will be full, but that Jesus joys in His children desiring to spend time with Him.  He loves to hear from us, He smiles when we tell him what makes us happy, the things we like about being with Him and especially the cares we want to lay at His feet.  Nothing beats Daddy Time for you or Daddy.

Know that Jesus Joys in your presence with Him.  He loves to hear from you and loves to fill you with His unspeakable joy.   In Your presence is fullness of joy

Christmas without Christ!!

God Loves You

John 1:3-5  3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it[1].

This morning I saw this calculated assault on my Lord, Savior and Friend Jesus Christ.

New Billboard in NYC Says ‘Nobody’ Needs ‘Christ During Christmas’

While it was not a surprise, it was still sad.  How much abuse can you possibly take from someone you love so much??  The Cross answers that question over and over again.  Jesus died for everyone, yes even the ones who designed, paid for and authorized this sign.  He loves them abundantly; guess what just as much as He loves you and me.  I know it does not seem like that is possible, but it is the truth.  I just felt like sharing this with you today so that we remember “what manner of Love His is.”

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made:

Although these atheist (a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods), and I use that term graciously, because they seem to flat out hate Jesus, believe Christmas does not need Christ.  We see in the text that All things were made through Him, Yes Jesus created every things and without Him nothing would exist.  They don’t believe Jesus created them, they just can’t see how that is possible, but that does not change the fact.  I cannot see the air, but every second, I inhale believing that something will enter my lungs and keeps my body functioning.

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men:

The phrase “and the life was the light of men” is in the Greek imperfect tense and means that “the life” began to be “the light of men” in the past and continues to be so in the present time.  In essence, Jesus is the source of all life and not only to physical life, but also to spiritual life.  In Jesus we find life, other scriptures let us know that it is abundant life, so we are not even capable of living without the Lord.  Life (Logos) is the absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God.  When we are in Christ we receive His life, and His life is awesome (all power, knowledge, presence)!!!   This is what we now have access too.  Without Christ; you get nothing (and without Him nothing was made that was made).
And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it:

So say we were to “remove” Christ from Christmas, what would be the result?   Christmas with Christ is just mas, mas in Spanish means “more;” more commercialism, stuff, debt, ungratefulness and just chaos.  According to the billboard the “true meaning,” includes charity, family, friends and food.  How in the world can they remove Christ if this is what they believe is the true meaning??   Let’s just look at their definition or Christmas:  “Charity” is love and (He who does not love does not know God, for God is love[2]), “family”(but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”[3]), friends (but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you[4]) and food (“I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.[5]).  I would get upset at the people associated with this billboard, but remember the darkness did not comprehend it.  The dark will never comprehend Jesus, but Jesus will always shine, even on them (And the light shines in the darkness).  He will continue to love them, and put people around them to care for them, giving them time to “change their mind” about Him (The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance[6]).  Jesus died for each one of us and although we have accepted His wonderful act of love in our hearts, not everyone has and according to this John they are not living!!

This Christmas remember that Jesus is the “Center” of everything, because He created all things (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God[7]) and as we celebrate His love for us, coming as flesh and blood to stand in our place and redeem us from eternal damnation.  Remember that He did it for everyone, so when you come across those who don’t believe in Him, tell them know how much Jesus loves them.

Merry Christmas!!

[1] John 1:3-5

[2] 1 John 4:8

[3] Romans 8:15

[4] John 15:15

[5] John 6:35

[6] 2 Peter 3:9

[7] John 1:1

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Vanessa A. Harris's avatarVanessa A. Harris

I heard this amazing song today, for the first time. Early on, over the past three years, I lamented over the error I learned for years from the pulpits of well-meaning men and women of God. These days, and today especially, I’m just thankful the Lord has brought me to the truth as echoed in the following…

Before the Throne of God Above

Written by Charitie L. Bancroft (Smith)

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end…

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JESUS

Spiritual Food

Jesus!  Jesus!!  Jesus!!! Jesus!!!! Jesus!!!!!        JESUS

JESUS!  JESUS!!  Jesus!!! Jesus!!!! Jesus!!!!!        JESUS

JESUS!  JESUS!!  JESUS!!! Jesus!!!! Jesus!!!!!        JESUS

JESUS!  JESUS!!  JESUS!!! JESUS!!!! Jesus!!!!!        JESUS

JESUS!  JESUS!!  JESUS!!! JESUS!!!! JESUS!!!!!        JESUS

Read it, Sing it, Yell it, Think it, Speak it, Rap it, Write it….Whatever you decide to do, do it and you won’t regret it.  His name is higher than any of our situations, illnesses or circumstances and it will invoke our worship.  Don’t take my word for it……..

Phil 2:9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

We’re Never Alone

Family Ministry, God Loves You

2 Kings 6:16So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”17 And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.”

Have you ever felt like you were the only one or one of a few in your walk with Christ?  Sure we know that there are more than 2 billion Christians in the world, but some days when you are going thru life honestly, it  just seems like you’re alone.  The devil has specialized in isolating Christians over the years, whether it was in the Garden with Adam and Eve or in the asylum we set up in our own minds.  When he can get us alone we tend to focus on ourselves, our short comings and our faults rather than the awesome choice that Jesus made on the cross on our behalf.  About 3 and a half years ago my wife were introduced to Joseph Prince’s ministry and began to hear his teachings on God’s Loving Grace.  It has definitely changed the way receive from Jesus and walk in His love for us.  It was so simple and foundational that it was really difficult to accept at first, until the Lord began to show Himself in scripture like never before.

Rejuvenated by the Love of God and knowing how precious I am to Him, it became something I could not wait to share with everyone.  The issue I had was that it was not well received with those who I’d grown up with spiritually; it kind of made me feel isolated.  My wife and I really became the epitome of iron sharpening iron, encouraging each other in the Lord.  Even in that, it would often feel like you’re walking alone at times.

This past weekend I had an Elisha’s servant episode.  In this text Elisha’s servant that he and his master we isolated and surrounded by their enemy.  But what the servant did not realize was “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”  My oldest Son and I took a trip up to NJ to see Joseph Prince who was preaching in Newark, during his first preaching tour in America.  It was our first trip together, just the two of us.  I had a really great time, it was really cool and it reached a pinnacle for me when we found ourselves in the middle of praise and worship with well over 18 thousand other believers lifting up the name of Jesus Christ on one accord.  To see Jesus’ loving embrace caressing each one of us was tremendous.  I saw Jesus overflow my son’s heart with His joy, so much so that all he could do was cry.  He told me that he was so happy and he knew that Jesus loved him.  Are you kidding me???  It was as if Elisha was praying for me to have my eyes opened and that night I was reminded like Elisha’s servant “And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around ME.”

It Cannot Be Wiped Away

Family Ministry, Spiritual Food

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Have you ever cut yourself and did not know it?  Or, you’ve cut yourself but cannot see the cut because there is so much blood?  What do you do?  Wipe the blood away so that you can see the injury, the hurt, the thing causing the pain, then immediately apply some type of cleanser to keep the cut from getting infected.  Now I’m sure my wife, the Pediatrician, will school me later on the technical terms and techniques, but I hope that I got the gist of it.

I highlighted this verse in 1 John, because it says something that we have to believe to survive, the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.  Jesus does just the opposite to our spiritual cuts and injuries.  Our sin, causes hurt and pain, but Jesus’ blood is the balm in Gilead (Jer 8:22).  His blood not only covers our sin, but it cleanses us from all sin; but doesn’t stop there, His blood heals (Lk 4:18) and gives eternal life (Jn 6:54).

So what’s up with the title?  Well, we’ve been taught that God sees all of our sin, and He is upset with us when we sin.  He is not pleased with us until we repent from every individual sin.  In essence wiping away Jesus’ Blood.  I guess we wipe it away so God can see our sin, then after we repent the blood is then reapplied.  I know that it seems like a little thing, but we mix up God’s old covenant with His new one.  In His old covenant, we indeed would have to atone for every sin, working for our salvation by offering some type of sacrifice, even putting our hope in the High Priest so that he would sacrifice on our behalf.  Then on top of all that, the offering had to be accepted by God for our sin to be removed.  That is a heck of a lot that has to go right.  Jesus died so that we do not have to live like this anymore…..

I’m so glad that God declared in Heb 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, there was fault with the first covenant or the Old Covenant or the Law, therefor He gave a new covenant.  Paul tells us that this old covenant, was the ministry of death (2 Cor 3:7).  Be mindful of what you are receiving and believing, you may be sippin’ on a little death, which slowly kills our Faith is Jesus’ Blood.

I will not say any more, I will let the bible tell you that Jesus’ Blood is more than enough, and it can NEVER be wiped away…….

Heb 8:8-13 Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah — 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 13 In that He says, “ . Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

It’s Our Presence……

God Loves You

Ps 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Have you heard these words before: “How can you go to God now after what you’ve done?”  “You will not hear Jesus if you sin!!” or even “You have to repent of all of your sin before you enter the Lord’s presence.”   Who do you think is the author of these quotes!!!

Let me give you a hint, he is the Father of Lies (John 8:44), the Accuser of the Brethren (Revelation 12:10) or better known as the Devil.  It is yet another of his many tricks to keep us from tapping into the power that is inside of all of us.  If he can constantly remind us of our sin, we will focus on it and never look to Jesus, who died on the cross for the forgiveness of all of our (your & mine) sin; once and for all.    Don’t believe me?? Check out the Word……

  1. 1.      Gen 3:9 Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”  10 So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” 
    Or
  2. 2.      Gen 4:9 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”  He said,”I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.

Take a quick look; Adam and Eve sinned and they immediately knew they were naked, so look at God’s response…The Lord came looking for them.  What about Cain and Abel?  Right after Cain killed his brother, who showed up?  Our Lord, yep yours and mine.  Jesus never turns His back on us, He never leaves us or forsakes us (Heb 13:5).  Why!!!  He Loves us!! His love is amazing and He is always looking for us.  It is our presence that He is after, when we really love someone we enjoy spending time with them and Jesus loves spending time with us.  So much so that when we are in His presence He gives us “the path of life,” “fullness of joy” & “pleasures forevermore.”

Too often we let sin cause us to look everywhere but Jesus; look at what Adam and Cain focused on, Adam feared (I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself) and Cain lied (He said,”I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?)…When our focus is on our sin…we fear our King and lie to ourselves.  We neglect the Lord’s presence and miss out on His abundant joy and wondrous blessings, forgetting that we can never leave His presence.  What then are we left with…guilt, sorrow, broken hearts; we become captives of our own despair.  But we must look to Jesus the “Author and Finisher of our Faith (Heb 12:2);” after all He came to save us and redeem us….  Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”

No More Holding Back

God Loves You, Spiritual Food

Ps 63:3 Because Your loving kindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You.  4 Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.  5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. 

Today at church I heard a song that I absolutely love, it was only about the 3rd time that I’ve heard the song (which doesn’t mean that it is new, just new to me), but it had the same impact that it always seem to have….Surrender!!!  But today was something special; the words of the song are simple “I surrender all to you; everything I give to you; withholding nothing- withholding nothing.”  As I raised one of my hands and enjoyed the worship, I heard Jesus say so lovingly “You’re still holding back… when you lift up both hands in worship, you let go of everything you’re holding on to and reach for Me.”   When I lifted my other hand, the tears began to flow, not out of sadness or shame, but out of a wonderful since of peace and joy.  You cannot help but feel the love of the Jesus, when He assures you that He wants to take care of ALL, every single aspect of your life. 

Look at Psalm 63, when we lift up our hands we acknowledge the Lord’s love for us and demonstrate our faith is in His loving kindness towards us.  Our surrender causes us to want to praise and bless the Lord, then we are able to see the Lord satisfy all of our need and fill us with joy.  Give everything to the Jesus, the good and the bad, highs and lows; if it is a part of your life let Him have it and He will satisfy your every need and lovingly give you His abundant joy. 

These Three Words

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John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

                Yesterday I heard an old Stevie Wonder song that I’m sure everyone will remember, especially if you’ve seen the movie Jungle Fever.  In the song, Stevie reminds us of the desire we all have which is to be loved.  The song begins with a question: When was the last time that they heard you say….I Love You?  Have we told those the closest to us, that we love them??  Or do we spend more time telling them about their failures and shortcoming?  Jesus wants to give us a very important message from His Father.

God never wants us to ask the question “When was the last time that you’ve heard Him say that He loves you?”  So much so that over 2000 years ago, God sent His only Son Jesus to die on Calvary’s Cross and the ultimate display of Love for each one of us.  So today should never be a doubt about how much God loves us, and every time we hear a message or read the scripture we should be reminded of His love for us.  Remember the Cross, the ultimate sacrifice, the shed blood, the remission of sin, the restoration of the saints, the love, and the acceptance of His beloved.

These Three Words bring peace in chaos, healing in pain and shelter from every storm.  These Three Words have made our crooked ways strait and the lost become found.  These Three Words have made the unrighteous righteous and the sinner saved.  It was These Three Words that made you and me.  These Three Words….Father, Son, Spirit…want to tell us “I LOVE YOU.”   There is no greater love…