Category: Love

A Lazarus Around Every Corner

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By: Jessica Huber

 

Luke 16:19-31
19“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

25“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

27“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

29“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

30“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

31“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

Think about that last statement of the parable, Abraham basically says .. what’s the point? They won’t believe anyway! It’s too late! If they didn’t believe Moses and the prophets then why would they believe if he sent someone back from the dead?….hmm especially a beggar that people ignored and allowed to suffer day in and day out. Yes, what a Miracle that would have been, what a sign .. but it would soon be forgotten just as the many miracles and signs of Moses and the prophets were.

 

Wow But Jesus!
…We have to pause and just Thank God for His generosity, for providing His word to help teach us and guide us, for never giving up on us! I mean you can’t argue that God considers our thoughts and you definitely can’t argue that God gives chance after chance .. when Jesus came walking this Earth, He did the very thing that Abraham denied to do for the Rich man. He brought the dead back to life, He even used a man with The same Name as the beggar who lay at the rich man’s gate! I personally believe the connection of Jesus bringing His friend Lazarus back to life absolutely points to the importance of this parable.
God gave his only son to give us a chance. The Lord Himself died and Rose from the dead!
How many chances? How many more miracles will be ignored?

Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

There was a Canaanite woman who came to Jesus asking for his help. Her daughter was suffering from being possessed from a demond. Jesus told her that he was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel. He said it wouldn’t be right to toss the children’s food to the dogs. Her reply was “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
Jesus Commended her for her faith and healed her child.

Jump back to Lazarus… He too longed to eat what fell from the rich man’s table.

Today we Have a table set before us! Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead so that we would not have to suffer in the rich man’s shoes, begging for one little drop of water. God has given us way more than we deserve, more than enough. It’s right there, we do not have to beg or earn, we only need to desire and partake.

Jesus said “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

Our wealth is In Him and we are not to be stingy.
Be kind and gracious while on this earth! If there is an opportunity to reach out to someone in need, do it, that is how God’s love shines through. Show compassion, If even the dogs can look at a person and see that they are in need of help then you can see it too! This world is very self driven, don’t Forget, who ever is First will be last and whoever is Last will be first In God’s Kingdom! Love your brothers don’t look down on them, No matter where they are in their walk!
Lift, Encourage and Support.
Do it while you can! This isn’t Groundhog Day! Even if God sets another opportunity in your path, tomorrow is not promised, why save for tomorrow what you can do today. Love, Forgive, Share!

If You haven’t accepted Jesus as Your Lord and Savior, What are YOU waiting for? Proof and Signs? The proof and signs are All Around, we choose to have Eyes to see! Instead of asking for proof ask Him into your heart, ask him to use YOU! Then You Will See PROOF, proof OF What Gods Love Truly looks like.
This is the goodness the rich man failed to experience and share while he lived.

For us, there is a Lazarus around every corner .. yes some are hungry for food to fill their bellies but the food that fills the soul will last for an eternity… disciples are not just the people we read about in the Bible. WE Are the chance for someone to hear of Salvation. We are The disciples of NOW! People are starving to death and I mean right into an Eternal Death. Tell Them about JESUS! Tell them what He has done for them, tell them that The Lord is not slow about His promises as some count slowness, but is patient toward them, not wishing for any to perish but for ALL to come to repentance.


The rich man was concerned about warning his family and brothers and we should be too! The difference is it’s not too late for us and Someone WAS brought back to life for us! The opportunity is now. Don’t ignore the signs going on around you, because the signs are ticking ticking, Our God has been more than generous with His CHANCES. TODAY if You Hear His Voice do not harden your heart, accept Him as Lord of your Life, consume the word that has been provided and Invite someone to the table.

What if we actually Believe in God’s Work?

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IMG_0148By: Jessica Huber

“We try to take life back, right out of the hands of The King of the world.”

This is from a beautiful song by Natalie Grant.

I really like a song that will basically allow for a good self check.
And this one does just that.
It’s So true! We do it. Seriously..,Who do we think we are? We try to take our lives out of the hands of God.
Anxiety, Stress, Worries, they all stem from very real situations. There is no lie about that. So often we put more confidence in the severity of the problem, rather than focusing on The Severe and Powerful God we have!
It’s true that many of these worries are about struggles that can be life altering, there is no arguing that!
What if during the process of this alteration, we learn to embrace the shift. What if Instead of expecting the situation to change when we want it to or how we want it, we set our focus on a sure bet. God’s Goodness, His Love, His Provisions!
I CAN Expect God to be Who He IS!
I know what I’d like to happen, I know how I would hope for this to turn out, but better yet, I want to see God’s Expectations fulfilled!
The situation may not be ideal, but I Can expect God to do something extraordinary In it, Through it and From it!
Look at it in this way! This is happening in an imperfect life, in an In perfect world, it its ugly, but My God is Perfect!
He Is The The Master at working All things for the Good of those who love Him!
He knows the yuck of the world, but more importantly He knows The Beauty of what He can do with it.
I’m not saying there won’t be pain or uncertainty, but what if we Trust that God will do something Glorious? What if, we Trust that out of this darkness there will be a clarity like no other. What if, while In it, we accept the peace and security that He freely gives, and we remind ourselves that God is just.
What if through it, we learn something? What if from it, we are positioned for something that is for a far greater purpose, one that our limits can’t fathom? What if from enduring, we come out of the other end and we are able to see others in a different way? What if through this darkness, God is creating opportunities for the scales on our own eyes to fall? What if this is the moment  to cultivate compassion? We know that His plans are to prosper not to harm, what if we Trust that? What if while in the dark, He is polishing us in a way where we can reflect his light more than we could have before we entered? Think of a Diamond, its found in a dark cave but once it’s been cleaned chipped and shaped, it’s buffed and boy does it shine! We are the same, He finds us in the dark and What he can do with our mess is incredible. We need to stop trying to make sense of the process and instead expect that there will be something that shines! A blazing instrument that He can now use for His Perfect Purpose. What if, we believe the scriptures that we read Day In and Day Out?
Trust In The Lord with all our hearts and lean Not on our own understanding.
The next part is a Promise!
He will make the path straight!
Hand it to the King and leave it there!
Put The Power where the Power Belongs!
Through Him!
Thanks Be To God we are given the Victory Through our Lord Jesus Christ!
1 Corinthians 15:57

1 Peter 2:9
But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Psalm 21:11
Though they intended evil against You And devised a plot, They will not succeed.

Isaiah 41:10
‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Psalm 91:14-16
14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

 

The LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the LORD your God loves you. . Deuteronomy 23:5

Heart and Mind God Infused!

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IMG_0032By: Jessica Huber

Matthew 6:21
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Jeremiah 17:10
“I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.

What do you want Him to discover when He is exploring your heart and it’s desires?

Romans 8:7
7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,

Let’s remember what that Law is.

Deuteronomy 6:5
5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength

If we are using His strength, what or who will be able to keep us from Loving Him?

We know from Romans 8:38-39 that Nothing can keep us from His Love..Nothing!

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Then we should definitely be able to keep This Law Within Our Daily Lives. It’s the most important Command and the second is to Love your neighbor as yourself. When you know How much you are
Loved by The Creator THEN you will know how to love others.
Lets move back to the first command of Loving our God with all our heart, If we are to be One with God, that means we are to be God infused. It’s about having a Relationship and with any relationship, learning to trust is important. How can we trust if we do not know who it is we are trusting?

We want God in our Lives, but are we Willing to Get Into the Life Of God?

A relationship is made of two. Both doing their part. There isn’t a person out there that could agree that they enjoy being on the Nonexistent end of a one-sided relationship. Imagine being in a relationship with someone, you know all about them, you know their favorites of life, as well as their dislikes. Imagine that the only time you hear from this person is when they want to use you as a sounding board. Imagine if this person never truly included your interest, your likes, or considered your dislikes. Imagine if they never ask for your opinion or cared to even set time aside for you? Imagine if they never tried to learn anything about you. Would you consider this a productive healthy relationship?

Let’s start getting into The Life of Christ! He already knows all about us, He considers our thoughts and our ways, let’s get to know Him! We do not need to acquire His love, He is already offering that free and clear, but what He does want is our attention. He wants our heart and mind.

So in Loving Our God with All of our heart we are not to put anyone or anything above Him. No person, No Job, No opinions, No hobby, No Nothing. We put Him first and including His Word. The rest falls where it Falls, right into every inch of His Good Will.

Heart and Mind God Infused!
Where to start?
We involve Him with every inch of our lives. We start the morning by waking up, He is present.. Are You ? Talk to Him in your mind, out loud, sing to Him. However you want, Just spend time with Him, In the shower, in the car, Anywhere is perfect. It’s not about an opening and closing of the day, it’s on going. Set a special time to Read the Bible! Here is where you will find the details of His true character. That’s How we Know His truth and how we separate it from anything else that comes our way.
The more we read His word, the more we Hear His voice within our decisions. This is how we receive His feedback. This is how we learn of His opinions, His likes and dislikes.

Let’s start getting into The Life of Christ. Then the next time that we imagine Him giving our heart a good examination, He will find that our heart is full and overflowing with.. Him!

let us pray

Dear Lord,

it’s true at times I have treated this relationship unfairly. I thank you for the Love and attention you give to me each and everyday. All of the intricate details and plans you have for my life, I know I can never thank you enough. But I can give you my heart and my attention. I want to know you Lord on a deeper level. Help me to set my time and rearrange my priorities. I want to know your thoughts and your ways as you know mine. Guid me into your Glory, help me to see the world, through your eyes. Help me to love others as you love them! In Jesus name I pray.

Amen

We can not reflect what we do not know

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By: Jessica Huber

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Mark 12:30-31
30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

If You know Who you are In Christ, then the second portion of this scripture makes perfect sense.

As yourself hmmmm

We can not reflect what we do not know.

Many do Not Love who they are at all, in fact we have some real self loathing going on. We allow our past to create the internal image. We hold onto regret, shame, fear, resentment, pain, anger, jealousy, and failures. We hold them up and we look into them as if we are looking into a mirror. It distorts the way we see ourselves as well as the way we view the people around us.

The perception of the outside begins to reflect the ugly that’s held within.
So many times we are staring right into a pool of deception, we look to the world to become our mirror. In reality what the world determines as beautiful, will soon perish.
Are we seriously letting the perishable guide our self worth?

We allow ourselves to believe that our worth is found in possessions and people. We even base our worth on our struggles. Let me tell you no one is without a struggle! Everyone has them. But they do not need to define us.

The world would rather encourage us to stay under the control of our weaknesses.
It passes out the labels and we accept them proudly.
We wear them around like name tags.
Hello I am …

We would rather proclaim these labels on ourselves, rather than Claiming The Name JESUS CHRIST over our lives!
So if this is how we look at ourselves, how can we love a neighbor as ourselves. How do we treat people kindly if we can’t even treat ourselves with love and respect? How do we tell people that God loves them if we do not even believe that His Love applies to us as well.

In order to project love we have to first receive Love. To know the Father’s love is to Trust it! We are Loved regardless of our ugly past, we are Loved regardless of our ugly mistakes, and we are Loved despite our present blemishes inside and out.

No you are not a label of the world!

You are a child of The King of Kings, The Lord of lords.
The One Who Can make ALL things New! The One who has wiped your past clean and remembers it no more. Your Lord is the one who restores the broken and projects them into victory!

You Are His if you want to be. The choice is yours! What label will you be putting on today? What will follow after The I AM…
or maybe I should say Who will follow after The Great I AM?

Ephesians 3:19
and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

We are to be filled with His Love and overflowing so that we can share it with others.
Will we allow ourselves to receive it?
Will we soak in a love that is pure and true?
Will we hold it up and look into The Face of Christ?

1 John 4:4
You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

Will we allow God to determine our worth or will we let the world decide?

Isaiah 61:10
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

What have you been reflecting onto your neighbors? Are you passing out the labels that you have accepted?

The Word of God says that You are Holy righteous and redeemed, you are cherished and treasured.
Accept That! Reflect That!

 

1 John 4:16
We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

Ephesians
1Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

Get to know Our Lord and Savior. He will Show You who you are as you become acquainted with His Love.
He will guide your steps towards His Will.
To be self controlled is to be God Guided! The only way to truly know your full purpose and your potential is to receive it through His direction.

Psalm 143:8
Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul.

2 Thessalonians 3:5
May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.

 

United

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IMG_8403By: Jessica Huber

satan has been on the prowl lately and he seems to have a particular agenda. That agenda is division.
We are seeing it in our country, we are seeing in our marriages and sadly we are seeing it in our churches.

Church if we are not united and standing strong We fall apart. Remember,
On Christ the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

Mark 3
24“If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25“If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.

We need our churches to stay united in Christ and remember that He is the glue that binds us together as One.
Brothers and Sisters there are people lost, broken and confused. There are people hurting and looking for a way out.
They will be seeking assistance.
Problem is, there are many forms of “help”
If we are not there to Show The Way, they will find another way .

2 Timothy 4:3
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,

It’s super tempting to seek out answers that will sooth our fleshy desires especially when we are in pain. Answers that will give us the quick and easy relief. It’s a deception and we know that most of these answers are actually damaging and far from easy. They guide us away from seeking God’s face and deter us from His promises.

Lets live as examples, and I do not mean put on a SHOW that we do not have struggles of our own. I mean the opposite, let’s share our struggles, let’s encourage and support. let’s express victory and perseverance through our trials. Let’s be the Compassion and Love of the God that we represent! Instead of talking about one another let’s pray for one another. Let’s take it a step further, we need to Pray WITH one another.

Ephesians 4:1-32
4 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

Ephesians 5
1Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

Just to add a little note towards the marriages that are under attack right now. We have people giving up on that unity, in and out of the church body. We need to be reaching out, supporting and pointing our brothers and sisters to The Glue when it comes to this matter.
No marriage is perfect but God created a perfect plan for marriage. Why wouldn’t satan want to rip it apart?
Christ refers to His Church as His Bride. So that should tell us a lot on his thoughts towards the unity of a man and a woman. Husbands and Wives are to be One in the same way that He is One with us! Look what His Love did for us! So we should pay close attention when He commanded that we love one another as Christ loves the church.

Ephesians 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,

22Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

Now hold on ladies I know what your thinking! But look
28So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;
Who wouldn’t want to submit to that? But let’s be real, that doesn’t always happen.
Believe me I know we have marriages where people are on separate levels when it comes to our spiritual walk! We may not all have a husbands or a wives that live their life for The Lord. That may be confusing when you are being told to submit to that. Here is where your submission comes in.

Submit to God and HE will make your path straight! It goes back to that personal relationship with our Maker. Do all things for His Glory. The Faith is In Him and what He can do with our situations.

Just remember this Isaiah 54:5
“For your husband is your Maker, Whose name is the LORD of hosts; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of all the earth.

His Plan is Perfect and Beautiful! Let’s start implementing it! Let’s start reaching out and let’s be examples of His Great Name!
If we can understand The Power that God wants us to have as a unit, the more we will understand the reason for satan wanting to tear us apart.
Don’t fall for it!

This world is wicked and becoming more and more corrupt. Our children are just seeing the beginning of how ugly it truly is. Keep their homes united and Strong!
For those of you who are in the Middle of The struggle, for those of you who are so tempted to find that quick relief, please be encouraged that You are not alone, find your rest in the Lord. Be Still In The Moment and Allow God to move In your life!
Keep Fighting the Good Fight!
God Bless!

Ignorance is far from Bliss

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By: Jessica Huber

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Proverbs 4:19
The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble.

A friend of mine shared a verse and commented on something she heard, “you can play the Christian but have a bad heart.” There is truth in that!
It directed my mind to my own studies! I just Love when God connects his children through sharing his word.

I recently read a story in Acts 19 and in the beginning Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

It goes on to tell about these Jewish priests who tried to go around casting demons out of people. They were saying “In the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches”
One day the evil spirits spoke back to them and said.. JESUS I know and Paul I know about, but Who are you?? Then they attacked the Jews. The scripture says they were left naked and beaten.
So what was it that had these guys wanting to perform these miracles? What drove them? Were they using the Lord’s name for a self gain? Who knows, but their hearts apparently did not really believe That JESUS was Lord, it most certainly did not contain The Holy Spirit.
They were exposed!
Goodness, the evil spirits weren’t even fooled by their declarations! These men were of no threat whatsoever and the evil spirits pounced on the fact that the priests had no connection to JESUS at all!
This became an example to others and The Name of The Lord was seen to be truly honored and not something to be thrown around.

People can claim themselves to be a Christians, they can consistently sit on a church pew, they can and do even speak The Holy Name of Jesus but who are they deceiving if even demons know better. The only one getting played is the one who stares back from the mirror.
Apart from Christ we are nothing.
Apart from Him we are left wide open for the attack!

What is it to be called a Christian? Where is the proof found?

I The Lord search The Heart and Examine the mind!

Proverbs 27:19
As in water face reflects face, So the heart of man reflects man.

Matthew 7
21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.22“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’23“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

John 3:1-21
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Romans 8:14
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

The Holy Spirit is the revealer and the connector, He is the interpreter of The Way The Truth and The Life.

1 Corinthians 2
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”
the things God has prepared for those who love him

10these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.c14The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the spirit.
We are known by the fruit that we produce as Mathew 7:16 says
by their fruit you will recognize them.
This fruit is the Evidence. The fruit shows if we have the Holy Spirit Working and dwelling within, it also show if we do not.

Matthew 7:18
“A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.

Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

John 15:5-6
5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.

2 Corinthians 3:18
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Galatians 5:25
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

May your heart reflect The Glory of The Lord!

The Sweet Aroma

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By: Jessica Huber 

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2 Corinthians 2:14-17
14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. 15 For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16 to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?
17 For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.

 
Have you ever warn a shirt that belonged to your love? You can’t help but smell them all around. Or maybe you have lost a loved one, picked up an item of their clothing and held it close. Drawing in that familiar sent you closed your eyes to envision their presence. When your child went off to summer camp or college, you couldn’t help but walk into their room, and find that the familiar aroma brought on a comforting hug.
The sense of smell can flash a moment of history right before your eyes. The smell of Grandma’s cinnamon buns or Pappy’s pipe, can have you sitting in their kitchen, reliving the smiles and the laughter all over.

Psalm 141:2
May my prayer be counted as incense before You; The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering.

Song of Solomon 1:3
“Your oils have a pleasing fragrance, Your name is like purified oil; Therefore the maidens love you.
The Aroma of Christ is the most pleasing fragrance, it is the haze of an offering that seeps into our soul. His sincere followers can’t help but give off this aroma, because it is Him Who moves and dwells within. It is lifted to the Heavens every time prayer is released and the moment praise is proclaimed. This aroma fills the air whenever and wherever His Name is spoken. When the aroma of Christ is given out, it has an affect on everyone, believers, non believers and The Father Himself.
The Sacrifice of Christ, is the aroma of His Love. When we bear that reflection in this world, it does not go unnoticed. You can not have a relationship with Jesus Christ and not be affected, you cannot have a relationship with others where they are not affected by Him. In one way or another it is either received or rejected.
Just as 2 Corinthians 2:16-17 explains.
16 to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?
17 For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.

John 9:39
And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.”

For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and to those who are perishing. This is what it is to witness within this world, to be an ambassador for Christ. The knowledge of Him manifests in every place.
When Christ is present within us and working through us, it is an aroma creating an offering of Salvation to all!

In every place! The next time you go out, the next time you engage in conversation, think about the witnessing you are doing. Think about who you are witnessing for. What is the essence that others will experience from this encounter ? Do they walk away with that fragrance? Is it lingering in their midst, can they shake it? Can they tell that the aroma is Of Him? Do you give credit to where credit is due?
Or is it a fragrance of confusion?

I recently saw a picture of a celebrity and underneath were the words “correct a fool and he will hate you, correct a wise man and he will appreciate you.” There was a caption that said ” the Truth is here” and following that, it said “wise words.” Well, the statement quoted was wise. And actually I recognized it from Proverbs 9:8
Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you. This proverbs 9:8 was nowhere to be found on this picture, just the face of a celebrity. I feel like this was an opportunity missed. Yes the information given was great, but when we start leaving out the true source, the fragrance becomes tainted.

JESUS is the Way the Truth and the Life!
The Truth Has been here!
No one comes to the Father unless it’s through Him.
Ultimately, the goal is for all to know Him and experience the Gift that He offers. Words of wisdom are wonderful but they mean nothing if the Gold is not backing the paper.

May you surround yourself with the Aroma of Christ. May the fragrance that you give off be the evidence of the closeness that you share with Him.

 

Prayer
Lord thank you for providing a way, for giving us Life and for surrounding us in your presence. Thank you for the personal relationship that we share. Submerge those who desire to share you with this world, douse us with your Love. Help us to remember your true character and most of all help us to reflect it on to those who do not yet know you. Lord bless us and protect us while we serve in the mission field. Keep us humble and remind us of Who we belong to. Remind us of who we are to be giving the credit to, and each time we do, may it be an Aroma to your senses! All Glory and Honor to You Our Lord and Savior!
In JESUS Name, Amen

Teachable Moments

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By: Jessica Huber

I love love teachable moments!!!
So recently I was writing about hope and it included the parable of the lost coin.
I found myself referencing this once again, when it became a topic of conversation with my kidos!

My workout group likes to use hip scarfs with little coins on them, they look like the type that belly dancers use. We use them just for fun and to encourage body movement. My daughter likes to dress up and play with them as well. So this morning I found one of the coins on my kitchen counter. Oh I got so excited because it took my mind right to the lost coin mentioned in Luke 15. Both kids were sitting at the island so it was a perfect moment to bring it up to them!
I said, “hey did you know? “Back in the day, instead of a woman receiving a wedding ring, she would receive coins? ” “Check it out!”
A lawful Jewish marriage requires an act of kinyan (that the bride be given – and that she accept – something of nominal value from the groom). In ancient times, coins were typically given. (They are still used by many Sephardic and Oriental Jews).

I gave the kids a little bit of history and I told them the parable of the lost coin. This woman most likely searched for that coin because it was of personal value not just because it was monetary. It was precious to her. It was like loosing a promise.
I told them that Jesus told this story because we are like the coins to Him, the Angels rejoice when a sinners repents and turns to the Lord. We are precious to him and his promise of salvation stands true. When we are not walking with The Lord we can be considered spiritually lost, but just like the woman searches for her coin, The Lord pursues us. He calls and when we hear his voice, we realize that the direction we are walking in, is not good for us. Its not His way, we might even feel remorse or regret. In that moment we have a choice to keep going the wrong way or we can turn back to Him. Remember the Lord searches our heart so He knows if we are sincere. The moment we whole heartedly turn to him, that is repentance.

We talked about that weird word repent. I demonstrated by walking towards the wall and then turning and walking in the opposite direction. “That’s repent… to turn. ”
And Here is where I knew they got it!
I just happened to be facing the refrigerator, (not intentionally) when I turned back. My son said, “oh repenting is like turning to food.” “There was nothing over there for you to eat when you were walking with the devil..just the wall, but when you turn to JESUS it’s like your turning to food!” Oh man I swore I could hear angels! Hallelujah yes yes!!! That’s exactly what repentance is like! When we are walking with the devil there is no food, lack of nourishment, literally a DEAD END and when we turn to JESUS we are eternally Filled!!! Walking In His glorious Light Wahoo! A LIFE with no end! JESUS the Bread of Life! God is so good!!! Amazing Grace how sweet the sound! I once was ________ but now I’m __________.

Psalm 139:1
O LORD, You have searched me and known me.

The Lord is Abundant in His teachings! Anywhere Anytime!

Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Deuteronomy 11:19
“You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up.
Prayer

Dear Lord your timing is always perfect, I pray that my spiritual ears and eyes will be alert and open to your guidance within my everyday surroundings.
Lord thank you for my children, they are a blessing and a gift and I want to handle them with care. I know that it is my job to make sure they hear your word. Scripture says to teach them and show them the way and they will not turn from it. I know that it will eventually come down to their choice whether they have a relationship with you or not. It is my hope to give them a good start, so that when the day comes for them to hear your voice, they will turn to you and follow.
I ask that you bless them and keep them In The Precious Name of JESUS.

God Does Not Over Look

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By: Jessica Huber

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I was looking for my veggie peeler the other day and In my mind I had a picture of what it looked like. I spent some time in one drawer shuffling around until I finally gave up and went onto another. I did the same thing in that drawer, rummaging around, picking up the divider, looking to see if it could have slid under. It was nowhere to be found. I knew this peeler had to be somewhere in the kitchen. I remembered using it not too long ago so I was determined to find it. I went back to the drawer that I had previously scoured, I thought, maybe I overlooked it. I searched and I looked and I looked and I had this picture of a white peeler in my head and then it dawned on me. Maybe it’s not white. My eyes started to scan for a peeler, any peeler and Bam, there it was! A black peeler that could have bitten me if it had been a snake. Maybe I had owned a white one in the past? Who knows.

Why am I telling you about my kitchen utensil dilemma?
Well, immediately a thought came to my mind, we insist on our own image and it causes us to overlook or underestimate the position that God has placed us in.

Great determination, focused in the wrong direction leads to frustration.
So often we have a preconceived plan in our head. We have an image for what our life should be. Many times that image is derived from our past experiences. We insist on it and when it doesn’t turn out, we get frustrated and anxious. We argue with God, we tell Him we are in the wrong place. We stomp our feet and we demand to be positioned where we think we need to be. After all we prayed about it! Right?

Our tunnel vision blinds us from important factors. We have to remember that we only see a very small portion of the picture to begin with. Why not rely on God’s protection and provision through this time? Trust that God’s love does not over look your desires, he knows your heart, he receives your thoughts and he gathers your prayers. But all in all it’s not really about us, is it? We forget that. Now he’s not a puppet master, but His ways are far above and beyond what we can accept at times. It’s a normal human mindset, but it causes us to be unappreciative of the work going on behind the seen. Instead of insisting that God jump into our vision, let’s open our hearts and come alive in His. Let’s gain a Spiritual mindset, by Trusting in the Lord with All our heart and leaning not on our own understanding. That verse can’t be used enough.
Habakkuk 2:3
“For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay.

I can’t imagine how many times I might have passed up a good opportunity because I insisted that the peeler was white. How many times did my eyes glaze over God’s blessings? Or worse, how many times did he want to use me to bless someone else, but instead I was too busy complaining that I was in the wrong place.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
You are not your own. Repeat that to yourself.

John 15:5
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
We know that a good pruning is needed for a healthy production of fruit.

1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”

It wouldn’t hurt too clean out that drawer. Get rid of the things that are limiting the situation, ask God to weed out the areas in your life that are blocking your view, not just people but anything that may cause you to pull down the shades.

In All ways Acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.
Acknowledge His Plan, Acknowledge His Truth, Acknowledge His Promises and His Love. Acknowledge His Patience and Let Him Guides you beyond this nearsightedness.
If there is something you want, don’t force it, line it up with His word. Then, leave it to him to filter and sift. Don’t battle the No!
Why am I here, what good is this? Why aren’t things moving as fast as I hoped, what am I doing wrong? Doesn’t God love me? Yes, He loves you! Simply Trust in His Will. Rest in that thought right there.

Your plans may sound pretty good, but God knows the talents he wants to use in you, He knows the areas that need strengthened, and he knows what it takes to bring this to completion, be patient. Try looking at it this way, I may not be comfortable, but I can’t wait to see what my God will do with this moment!
Who will he introduce me to along the way?

James 1:4
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

John 13:7
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

If you have received a No, be certain that God has purpose for that no.
It is possible he planned that no, way in advance.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.


Prayer
Dear Lord, this is the day that you have made, thank you! Thank you for your patience with me, when I struggle against your will. Help me walk with Spiritual eyes of faith. I may be going through something that I do not understand, but God I know you have it all figured out. You make beauty out of ashes, and I am excited to see what you will do with mine. Help me to look beyond my vision Lord and clear out whatever may be blocking me from accepting yours. No matter what disappointments come along, help me to continue to see each day as an open opportunity to introduce you to this world. Help me to reflect your love and kindness. Help me use this time to be selfless and help me to focus on what is most important in your eyes.
In JESUS Name I pray

I Do!

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By: Jessica Huber

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Loving the world is like the bride loving the ring more than she loves the groom.
I heard this quoted the other day and it made me say …”Oh Yes!”

It’s no secret, scripture compares The sacred union of a husband and wife to Christ and His Church.

It made me think even further. If we take it in another direction, I would think that the ring would represent His eternal Love, the gift of Salvation. To be worldly, would be to misconstrue the representation of the ring. The meaning behind the ring being forgotten or watered down.
The ring being appraised by the natural instead of by the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:12-14
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.
14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

Titus 2:11-12
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,

To appreciate the gift, you must appreciate the Giver, get to know and understand His true character.
We can not Flaunt Salvation and then tuck Christ to the side, this includes his teachings. Honor the One Who gave this to you! Honor Him with your life!

Romans 6
15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! 16Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?

Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

When the Glory is not given to the Lord, then the gift is taken for granted. We cannot separate the ring from the groom.

The World tends to misplace where credit is due. ” look within yourself” “Believe in your own strength” ” You will find the answer within” We can not receive our gifts from any substitute, we certainly do not do it in our own strength.
JESUS is the Way The Truth and The Life, no one comes to the father accept through him.

Scripture reminds us not to conform to the patterns of the world. But to be transformed by the renewing our our mind.

Life revealed and lived by The Spirit!

Let’s stick with this wedding ring analogy and look at the actual picture of wedding bells within the world. Today, women run around flashing the ring, the wedding celebration becomes larger than the vows. We draw up contracts based on a future failure. There are shows based solely on the dress, the debt can grow beyond limits as long as it’s seen as the best! The budget could feed the five thousand or heck, the five hundred thousand! So much thought and effort is put into a one day celebration, falling in love with the hoopla, rather than the journey ahead.
It’s a mindset fixed on the worldly within an illusion of the temporary.

We have Christians who also live within this temporary realm, walking into a building for a one day a week celebration. We proclaim Salvation and receive His beautiful gifts but after the quick fix, when it’s all said and done the union is forgotten.
Manny even go as far as putting that ring in their pocket, allowing anything that comes by to catch the eye. They may proclaim of a walk but it looks NO Different from that of the rest of society. When things get rough, The groom is missing entirely from the conversation! Many actions and behaviors would lead one to ask, hmm are you even married? Where is the proof of your husband?
In other words ..”oh I had no clue you were any different, I never knew you were a follower of Christ.” “That’s news to me.” ???? “Where is the proof?”
How many times have we resorted to the back up plan and jump ahead of God’s will, just because our request was not for filled instantaneously?

The truth is, we are to be Set Apart! He did not die for us to go on living in the old. He died so that All who walk this earth may experience the New! His plan today is to do it through You!

Galatians 5:25.                                                           If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

The real value is in the marriage, not the celebration. Its what happens After the DJ packs up, after the guests go home and the venue has been swept and closed. In the end, it’s about the relationship. Two become one. There will be trials and difficulties, there will be pot holes within the ride home. How we weather the storm will determine on What we fix our eyes on, the temporary or the Eternal.

The world will not see the true value of the gift, if The Giver has been forgotten. Let’s start showing this world who we belong to ! Lets follow His lead! Brothers and Sisters, express love, gentleness, patience and kindness, start putting hypocrisy aside.

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Wear your Salvation proudly but make sure your arm is Linked to The One Who gave it to You. Display His Grace and Compassion as you walk! Don’t short change the mission with just a Sunday walk down the isle, Let His Commitment and Love be Always on display, EXPANDING beyond the walls.

James 1:22
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

We share the gift because it is the representation of His goodness, It’s the proof of His all consuming Love, a love that never changes, it is complete and never ending. The cost is far from worldly, it was priceless and might I add, it was paid in full! It is not something to be stingy with or withheld, it is for ALL to share within this union!
Engrave His Name on it!

Galatians 6:14
But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.


Prayer
Dear Lord, I thank you for the gift of salvation. Lord, help me to remember that I walk this earth as a representative of your Glory. Lord forgive me for passing on opportunities to allow for your light shine. I thank you for your commitment, All that you have been, All that you are, and All that you will be in my life. Help me to display your love, your patience, and mercy through my actions and behavior within this walk.
In JESUS Name.. Amen