CO-WORKERS OF CHRIST – PART ONE of TWO

GENESIS 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

We marvel at the ingenuity, wondrous artistry, and astonishing architecture of this universe, both in its macrocosmic and microscopic elements. The farther and deeper one examines creation, the more astounded one becomes.

Barely over 100 years ago, it was the belief that the human cell was just an extremely small globule of some sort of protoplasm. With the advent of the electron microscope, we discovered that a single cell has far more complexity than the most sophisticated computer chip.

PSALM 139:14
I will praise You; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are Your works; and that my soul knows very well.

Our Milky Way galaxy is over 100,000 light years across (that’s not even considering the entire mass!). It’s dwarfed in size compared to others, the largest galaxy thus far on record is nearly 10 times our size! There are approximately 100 billion (observable) ‘stellar-islands’ dancing about in the heavens, to the tune of GOD’s own orchestrated omnipotent music! There are stars so huge, that you could fit our solar system from the Sun all the way to Jupiter (365 million miles away from the Sun) inside any one of them!

PSALM 19:1
The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.

JEWELS FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: JOHN 6:41-44 - Murmurers and Unbelievers

The following is a series of short exhortations, brief commentary, and writings to convey thoughtful meditation on God's Word. I have chosen the Gospel of John as the subject. I pray that these will be a blessing and an edification for the saints.

JOHN 6:41-44
 41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. 42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? 43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

JEWELS FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: JOHN 6:40 - SEEING And BELIEVING

The following is a series of short exhortations, brief commentary, and writings to convey thoughtful meditation on God's Word. I have chosen the Gospel of John as the subject. I pray that these will be a blessing and an edification for the saints.

JOHN 6:40
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Second Star to the Right - - and Straight on til Morning

That famous line from PETER PAN, "...the second star to the right, and straight on til morning" that which led the way to Neverland - the place where children need never grow up; because when one grows up, they eventually get old; then they die. This expression rings with angst in our souls.

The conundrum of humanity is summed up by Gertrude from the Shakespearean play Hamlet when she addresses her young prince regarding his late father, recently (mysteriously) dead:

"Do not forever with thy vailèd lids seek for thy noble father in the dust. Thou know’st ’tis common. All that lives must die, Passing through nature to eternity."  

Death is the insult to our existence, the infringement and lastly the denial of what we would have - life unending (though there are those who find this idea abhorrent, having nothing to compare an eternal life with, other than the present one, fraught with sorrows and strife). Neverland was the symbol of exuberance, the escape from death, the perpetuation of youth, of life and vigor - and quite simply, fun! 

JEWELS FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: JOHN 6:37-39 - A No Lose Situation

 The following is a series of short exhortations, brief commentary, and writings to convey thoughtful meditation on God's Word. I have chosen the Gospel of John as the subject. I pray that these will be a blessing and an edification for the saints.

JOHN 6:37-39
37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

This is an argument that's lasted throughout the ages of the church: can a true child of GOD forfeit their salvation? Many solid arguments on both sides of that debate. It was a question I wrestled with as a young believer and in those days, I wasn't at all certain which view was correct. The one thing I was certain about was, I wasn't willing to experiment! So I held fast as close to Jesus as I could!

Things as They Are - October, 2021 with Greg Reid

Youthfire! Newsletter: 

Things as They Are - October, 2021

Dear Friends,

God bless you all, and thank you for your continuing prayers and support! September raced by, and the days have been full and productive.

This last month, I was blessed to attend the installation of both Mike Schuetzler and Kerry Boone as the new pastors at my former fellowship, Crosspoint Church. I was honored to have been their youth pastor for a time, and I am so proud to see how they have walked with Jesus and followed their call into ministry. I also was blessed to attend Pastor Dan Sattlemeier’s retirement weekend events. It was a wonderful time to reconnect with him and his family, and so many others I had not seen in a while. May God bless the new pastors and keep them steady and strong!

Last night I was privileged to be part of our Christian TV station’s telethon and share on an hour program with NRB president Troy Miller and host Pastor Joe Williams, as well as be able to donate 50 copies of Treasure from the Master’s Heart for giveaways to donors. The work KSCE TV has done for so many years is so vital in a media world growing increasingly dark. I am thankful we were able to have a small part in their efforts.

My God by Glenn Christopherson

I've been on Facebook now for about twelve years, and I've read a lot of powerful posts from my fellow saints. Makes me wish I had saved them on a WORD doc. Well, here is one that I asked to share with all of you, from a Facebook friend that I've come to know and appreciate in the last couple of years.
I look forward to his posts; they are rarely anything less than excellent!
I pray that you will be as blessed by this wonderful exhortation as I've been.

Perhaps you might even consider friending Glenn on Facebook?  I know you'll want to read more of his writings and you can! Check out his EMBASSY of PRAYER blog! Well, without further delay, let's get into Glenn's post!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

JEWELS FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: JOHN 6:36 - SEEING Is Not BELIEVING

The following is a series of short exhortations, brief commentary, and writings to convey thoughtful meditation on God's Word. I have chosen the Gospel of John as the subject. I pray that these will be a blessing and an edification for the saints.

JOHN 6:36
But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

"Let me see a miracle, THEN I'll believe!" someone usually says in regards to any discussion involving GOD, the Bible, Jesus Christ.

The old saying, "Seeing is believing" doesn't apply to the Kingdom of GOD and the truth that reigns there; at least not the sort of 'sight' that this world is accustomed to. In vs. 40 the LORD Jesus says, "40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."

WONDERFUL WISDOM, FOLLY of FOOLISHNESS - A Look At PROVERBS 15:8-21

For the Facebook video of this teaching, at Shine Bright Church,  go here.

 Wisdom is knowledge correctly applied. Knowledge is important, but it’s useless unless we put it into practice.

And if we apply knowledge according to wisdom to our lives, it’s wonderful, and wonderfully effective in bringing blessing and benefits to us, because all gifts from the Father are given to us freely, and of all of His gifts, one of the greatest is wisdom. 

We’ve read before:

PROVERBS 4:7 
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

In his youth, as the successor to King David his father, Solomon was given a ‘blank check’ from GOD. Essentially GOD said to the new king of Israel, “Tell Me what you want Solomon, and it’s yours!” Wow! What would you ask for if GOD gave you that opportunity?

We know what Solomon asked for:

2 CHRONICLES 1:10-12
10 "Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?" 11 And God said to Solomon: "Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life-but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king 12 "wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like."

Because Solomon made the Kingdom of Israel, GOD’s Kingdom the highest priority, by seeking wisdom to know how to govern in the Kingdom, the LORD decided to bless him with riches and honor as well.

NO MORE DEAD BABIES - A Testimony of James J. Fire

I was born August of 1962; I should have been born in October, but there were serious complications, so I was brought into this world early.

I almost wasn't. The afternoon my mother was rushed to the hospital was because her water broke, and there was a considerable amount of blood loss.

She was terrified as the hospital staff was preparing the delivery room. She was shaking from head to toe, not knowing what was wrong, but knowing something was terribly wrong. She kept looking at the crucifix over the door of the room where she was laying on a gurney. She told me she never felt the presence of GOD so powerfully as in those moments when she whispered a desperate prayer.

She was brought in to the delivery room and the doctors, after examining her and looking over her vitals understood that she could lose her life as well as her unborn child. She had three other children and a husband to care for. They decided for the sake of her life and her family to abort the child. That was me.

Meanwhile my father was at a funeral home, kneeling beside the casket of his deceased mother. Some men approached him and whispered to him, "You need to get to the hospital. They think you might lose Dorothy and your baby."
They had to physically lift my father to his feet, so despairing he was of his bleak future without mother, wife and son.

JEWELS FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: JOHN 6:34-35 - Bread of Life

The following is a series of short exhortations, brief commentary, and writings to convey thoughtful meditation on God's Word. I have chosen the Gospel of John as the subject. I pray that these will be a blessing and an edification for the saints.

JOHN 6:34-35
34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

A MESSAGE From the Men & Boys - Fathers/Sons retreat at Mt. Lemmon, Tucson, AZ 6.12.2021

This is one of three short exhorations given at the Men/Boys - Fathers/Sons retreat at Mt. Lemmon, Tucson, AZ 6.12.2021.

MENS/YOUNG MENS MT. LEMMON Retreat

 A GUARANTEE of GOD According to TRUTH and HOPE

COLOSSIANS 1:3-5 
 3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 

RUNNING THE RACE OF THIS SINGLE LIFE TIME

"Of all the words of tongue and pen, the saddest of these are 'It might have been'."

This life is a testing ground, and for the saints, it's a race - how well we run will depend on our source of strength; either in our own strength, or by renewing (literally 'exchanging') our strength for the LORD's own (ISAIAH 40:31). Those who run well receive the prize (crowns, rewards, etc.).

Paul stated the following:

1 CORINTHIANS 9:24-27
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; *but we an incorruptible*. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

WHAT’s YOUR PURPOSE?

GOD never does anything without a plan or purpose:

EPHESIANS 3:11-13
11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. 13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

Even before He said, “Let there be light”, He had a plan. We Christians know this plan revolves around the Person of Jesus Christ in accordance with the Holy Scriptures (PSALM 40:7). His plan includes His calling, His purpose for your life!

Jot these down to look up later: ROM 8:28; 9:11; EPH 1:11; 2 TIM 1:9

The LORD Jesus Christ understood that in just three of the thirty three years He lived on Earth, those final years, He would fulfill the Father’s Grand Purpose (JOHN 17:4).

It all built up to the moment when He was on that Cross (MATT 26:53-56; JOHN 3:14; 12:32), died for our sins, dealt the death blow to the kingdom of darkness (EPH 3:10; COL 2:15; 1 COR 15:25-27) when He rose from the dead (1 COR 15:4) and potentially altered the course of doomed humanity from certain, eternal damnation to the adoption by GOD as His children (EPH 1:5-7)!

JEWELS FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: JOHN 6:30-33 – Manifesting Messianic Manna

The following is a series of short exhortations, brief commentary, and writings to convey thoughtful meditation on God's Word. I have chosen the Gospel of John as the subject. I pray that these will be a blessing and an edification for the saints.

JOHN 6:30-33
30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? 31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

JEWELS FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: JOHN 6:28-29 – The WORK of GOD

The following is a series of short exhortations, brief commentary, and writings to convey thoughtful meditation on God's Word. I have chosen the Gospel of John as the subject. I pray that these will be a blessing and an edification for the saints.

JOHN 6:28-29
28 Then they said unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of GOD? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of GOD, that ye believe on Him Whom He hath sent.

JEWELS FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: JOHN 6:25-27 – FOOD for LIFE

The following is a series of short exhortations, brief commentary, and writings to convey thoughtful meditation on God's Word. I have chosen the Gospel of John as the subject. I pray that these will be a blessing and an edification for the saints.

JOHN 6:25-27
25 And when they had found Him on the other side of the sea they said unto Him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? 26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily I say unto you, Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled. 27 Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you; for Him that GOD the Father sealed.

JEWELS FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: JOHN 6:22-24 – SEEKING JESUS

The following is a series of short exhortations, brief commentary, and writings to convey thoughtful meditation on God's Word. I have chosen the Gospel of John as the subject. I pray that these will be a blessing and an edification for the saints.

JOHN 6:22-24
22 The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; 23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) 24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.

WARRIOR SAINTS, ASSEMBLE!

From the beginning when iniquity was found in the heart of Lucifer (EZEK 28:15) and he dared to utter those fateful words "I will..." thus denying the LORD in doing so (ISAIAH 14:12-14), a war ensued in the heavenly domain where the rebellious angels were dealt with. Then Satan infiltrated the Garden of Eden, and by his wiles, cunning and flattery appealed to our Parents the notion of being their own gods, and turn away from their Creator.

When they fell from their first and glorious estate, they only then realized that instead of being transformed into 'gods' they were corrupted and malformed into sinners.

Yet the LORD GOD didn't leave this effrontery unchallenged; He declared war on the serpent at once:

GENESIS 3:15
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

JEWELS From The GOSPEL Of JOHN: RECEIVING JESUS - JOHN 6:21

The following is a series of short exhortations, brief commentary and writings to convey thoughtful meditation on God's Word.

I have chosen the Gospel of John as the subject. I pray that these will be a blessing and an edification for the saints.

JOHN 6:21

21 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.