REJOICE in CHRIST this CHRISTmas!part 4
* Wednesday * 12/24/08 * ANY ROOM FOR JESUS?

Luke 2:7
...And she brought forth her first born son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the Inn.

THERE WAS NO ROOM IN THE INN.....

Today is the day before the big day - its CHRISTmas eve - my second favorite day of the year - CHIRSTmas being the first- I loved as a child the excitement of gifts the next day - of wearing new clothes to the CHRISTmas eve service and of lighting the tree - such awe and wonder are attached to this day - children yearn for whatever they have coming to them - and they just assume you give them what they want now - often in my family we could open one prized gift - often it was the smallest - just a preemptive strike for the finale of CHRISTmas day!
As we go through the motions of this day - often we leave out the most important part -JESUS Himself - there is an awesome song by Casting Crowns that talks about the fact many where sleeping when JESUS came into this world- there was no room in the Inn for Jesus - the King of Kings - and I wonder if there is any room in many a hearts! I am just as guilty - I have gotten caught in the crossfire of shopping till you begin to drop - I have also been fighting a bad infection -this has only highlighted that JESUS should be the center part of this Day and all days! Since I have not felt well this year I didn't even get to put a tree up! But that's ok! The Reason for the Season is JESUS! Ask the tough questions this time around - is there room for JESUS in our hearts - or are we far too busy in the hussle and bussel of this frenzy - we all need to slow down -take a deep breath and remember the reason for the season -
JESUS CHRIST came so we could have eternal life -
He came humbly - in a manger - with just a few witnesses - to many it didn't even make a dent in the night - for many where sleeping and I am afraid that many sleep today -
IS THERE ROOM FOR JESUS!?

REJOICE THAT JESUS HAS COME - TO US!
This CHRISTmas - Rejoice because CHRIST came to this world!
Livin in the WORD for 12/24/08 - DO YOU HAVE ROOM FOR JESUS?
Soon the months of carrying JESUS would be over -soon Mary would give birth -soon the Son of God would be born - lets rejoice in CHRIST this CHRISTmas - open your heart to HIM today and give HIM your all!

REJOICE in CHRIST this CHRISTmas!part 3
* Tuesday * 12/23/08 * A WORD OF CAUTION

ROMANS 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!

THE TRUE MEANING OF THE SEASON:

Some may wonder what in the world Romans has to do with CHRISTmas - in a word -everything - you see we are all marred with this imperfection and God requires perfection - He is a Holy and Righteous God - He demands purity - He demands righteousness -but we in and of ourselves cannot produce this righteousness - all we do is produce filthy rags - We cannot be saved without Christ -and without HIS birth -there would be no hope at all.

I wanted to take a side step today - I wanted to offer a word of warning - to be cautious - I have to admit last night I got hit with the shopping bug - I was just gonna buy a few things but ended up giving into the pull of the season - satan our enemy is very active this time of year - he wants us to miss the real reason for the season - here is a reminder that its not about the gifts that we buy - its all about the gift GOD gave us in HIS SON - and its not just about family - not that family is a bad thing - ok those of you who giggled - its ok - sometimes our families can drive us nuts - but family is not the reason for the season -its JESUS - simply its JESUS its all about JESUS - Rejoice in JESUS - don't get caught up in all the buy buy buy mentality - I know the that we are being told we have to buy buy buy to be happy - but in the end it leaves us empty - let me ask each of you - do you remember everything you got last year - how much of that stuff is till in use? Why not tell someone about the greatest gift of all this CHRISTmas - JESUS came to this world to save that which was lost -you and me - HE came with a mission - a single reason - to offer Himself up to God as sin - to cover our sin with HIS Blood -
this my friends is what CHRISTmas is all about!Just a word of caution - the enemy is active and he wants to get our mind off JESUS and onto what we can do without Him! Warning!!!!!
This CHRISTmas - Rejoice because CHRIST is all we need!
Livin in the WORD for 12/23/08 - THE FOCUS OF CHRISTMAS is CHRIST
JESUS CHRIST WAS BORN TO DIE FOR YOUR SINS AND MINE!

REJOICE in CHRIST this CHRISTmas!
part 2

12/22/08 * MONDAY

The WORD became flesh...

JOHN 1:14
And the WORD became flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father)
full of grace and truth!

FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH

Simple words on a page - but what a great impact these words make on our lives -that GOD came near - that GOD became a mere man - and not just a man - but a babe - a bade in a manger of all things -in Bethlehem of all towns - This is what it is all about - Jesus Christ is God in the flesh- what many kids Ive heard call God with skin on - although we were not here to see Him in the flesh -we yet believe - The Word says He was full of Grace and Truth - this is true -God's grace is seen in this event- its seen in the cross that will come later -Jesus was born to die -
REJOICE!
JESUS came -
REJOICE
JESUS was born - JESUS lived - JESUS died and JESUS Lives on -
Rejoice in CHRIST this CHRISTmas -
The Holy clothed in earthly human flesh - what an amazing thing -
God did this for us - JESUS came at the right time to save us!
Without HIS birth -there would have been no cross and no salvation-
Rejoice that the WORD has become flesh and dwelt among us -
and He is still with us today - the WORD Is alive!
REJOICE CHRISTIANS REJOICE FOR OUR SAVIOR WAS BORN!
This CHRISTmas - Rejoice because CHRIST was born!
Livin in the WORD for 12/22/08 - The Holy Became Fleshly
GOD IS WITH US - EMMANUEL!

REJOICE in CHRIST this CHRISTmas!
part 1

an Angel came to Mary with great news!

LUKE 1:32
HE SHALL BE GREAT
and shall be called the SON of the HIGHEST! and the LORD GOD shall give unto HIM the throne of his father David!

Welcome to the CHRISTmas series!
Here at Livin in the Word - this has become a tradition -
this year while one of the toughest of my life -has also produced a heart of gladness in my life - hence the name of this year's series is Rejoice! No matter what your circumstances you can rejoice in CHRIST this CHRISTmas!
He is our life - lets worship the KING of KINGS!JESUS the CHRIST!

Your servant LORD, Daniel

After the Angel came to Mary and told her about the good news that God had picked her out of millions of women to be the Mother of His Son - JESUS - The Angel tells Mary that this child will be like none other and will be produced like none every before - she will not have to even have an earthly man for this to happen -God will make it happen! Mary agrees to do this service for God and the rest is HIStory!

Mary is told JESUS will be GREAT - that HE will reign on the throne of David - this is odd to her I have to believe -she might have gotten more then she expected to get - to give birth to God!? Wow! Many questions raced through her head I am sure - but in the end she choice to submit to God and Rejoiced at this news -what about us? Do we still rejoice in this Great News?
CHRIST was born to die -He came to this world and lived like us to Die -HIS mission ahead of Him - and now Mary being told of His Birth - we all should be able to Rejoice in this Great news!
It is for ALL people - Lets Rejoice for soon Christ will return and take us all home -what a glorious day that will be -
until that day -let's rejoice in CHRIST!
This CHRISTmas - Rejoice because CHRIST lived like we live!
Livin in the WORD for 12/21/08 - GOOD NEWS FOR MARY
Paul says we should rejoice always and then says it again to remind us the need to rejoice when we don't feel like it!
GOD IS SOOO GOOD TO US - REJOICE! AMEN!
For unto you is born this day in the City of David - a Saviour which is CHRIST the LORD! - Luke 2:11

The Daily Blueprint

The Word:

In The Heart

Luke 7:45
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

I believe God looks at our motivation for what we do, more then what we may actually do. In the negative Jesus said that its not just what we do - its why we do it - Jesus was talking about sin at one point and said if you think it in your heart -you have done it - even if you don't do anything physical! This is a hard line but its the line Jesus took often - He knew that out of man comes whatever is in His heart - if we have evil in our hearts - then evil is just what we will do - what's in our heart becomes who we are - not just what we do - Why do we do good? is it to get something in return for our good deed? We should do good because God commands it -We should do good out of nothing more then worship - not what we can get in return - many believe if you live a good life -then only good things will happen to you -this is simply not true -all one needs to do is ask around - many "good" people are suffering while many "evil" people seem to be prospering - but in the end what does it profit to gain the whole world but lose your soul? Whatever is in our heart - will produce the fruit of our lives - and God can see right past anything we do on the surface - He is never fooled - while man looks on the outside - God will always look upon our heart and HE will know our motivations for why we do what we do -
What's in your heart? Your life will reflect whatever is in there!

The Final Word:
What is your life saying to the lost around you?
CHRIST knows what's in our heart!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 12/8/08-
What's in your heart? Good or Evil?

The Daily Blueprint

The Word:

WITHOUT OFFENSE

Philippians 1:10
That you may approve things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ...

Once Christ takes residence in our hearts -we should begin to see a major change in our lives - our focus should begin to shift from ourselves to God and to others around us who are in need- We have been called to be the Salt and Light of the world -we should live lives that don't offend our Savior! People are watching us - many times we fail to realize this - we represent Christ in all we do - one way this is true is the cars we drive -many of us have fish or something else that shows the world we belong to Christ- my question I ask myself is how am I driving? Can those around me see Christ or just my flesh? This sure can step on my toes - but many you may not realize are looking at your life - I don't say this to scare you but to point out that we are to be the examples to the lost around us - our actions while always forgiven in Christ Jesus - can bring offense to God -we need to be careful what we do and how we do it - where is our heart? We must be willing to ask ourselves the hard questions. As I was praying and thinking about today's verse -one thought came to mind - the fact then when we live for Christ- the world around us won't understand - and that there is a line somewhere were we don't want to offend those around us who don't know Jesus - we should never compromise our faith just because it offends someone - we are moving into a season in which the truth is being watered down and Christmas is becoming (or has become) nothing more then a way for stores to met their yearly quota - I want to get back to what they did in the past - they helped others -lets love the world around us but let's not get caught up in it - let's live lives that don't offend!

The Final Word:
What is your life saying?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHRIST lives the life within our lives!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 11/26/08-
DO OTHERS SEE CHRIST IN YOU?

The Daily Blueprint ~ Thursday ~ 12/4/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 23

Ecclesiastes 8:1
Who is as a wise man? and who knows the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom makes his face shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed!

Wisdom is not something you can get at school- wisdom is not something you can pay enough money to obtain - Wisdom comes from God - He gives to those whom ask for it - The Word of God is clear on this. We cannot find a short cut to gain wisdom - it comes from living this life. God wants us to learn from our trails so that we can gain wisdom - and when we do gain it - we must share it with others or it just becomes knowledge - this is not the same was wisdom - do you know someone in your life with wisdom - spend some time with them - they have stories they can tell you -and you can learn much from them - for they have been there -they have been through the storms of life and they know best what advise to give you. But God knows far more then anyone else- He put all this together - He wants His children to have wisdom - so that we can be safe from the enemy and also save many alive - God has purpose in all things and HIS will shall be done.
Worship the LORD and seek HIS wisdom and you will never be the same!

The Final Word:
Who is like our God? (Thanks to Chris Tomlin)
CHRIST gives us His understanding!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 12/4/08-
What you know is not as important as WHO you know!

The Daily Blueprint ~ Wednesday ~ 12/3/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 22

Ecclesiastes 7:20
For there is not a just man upon Earth,
that does good, and does not sin!

God's Word answers the question for the self-righteous of this world who claim to be without sin - the truth is all of us can and often will sin - I don't say this with a smile on my face -but with tears in my eyes- its sad that we choice sin over Jesus time and time again - while His Spirit now resides in us - many times we ignore His pleadings and go on and sin just as if we didn't know Him at all -its possible to know Christ and still sin - Ive seen many who claim they no longer sin - if this were true -then they should have died for our sins - for it was only the Sinless Savior who died or could die for our sins - He lived a perfect life - and died for our sin - He even became sin for us - that's like no other love there is anywhere else! Sin is a fact of life in this world - I do agree somewhat with those who say we don't have to sin - we really don't - but so often we choice to sin - Paul says that we should not just go on sinning so grace may abound more and more -that's just grace abuse - if we would do whatever the Lord commands us to do - and always do that -then yes -we can live without sin - but as I have always said -given the right circumstances or set things up a certain way - all of us can sin -
with our human nature sticking around - we can sin - we have the ability to sin - its the hope of CHRIST in us that we sin less and less - and while whatever sin we do commit is forgiven - we still must live a righteous life for the world to see His light shine in us - its hard to minister if you are falling into one sin after another - let Christ make you righteous - apart from Him its true - no one is righteous - but because HE paid down HIS Life for us - we can live righteously in and through Him - He in us - we in Him - this is what it means to be in fellowship with GOD!

The Final Word:
Sin is boiled down to - our way over HIS way!
CHRIST came to take our sin away!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 12/3/08-
Are you a slave to sin or to righteousness?

The Daily Blueprint ~ Tuesday ~ 12/2/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 21

Ecclesiastes 7:19
Wisdom strengthens the wise more then ten mighty men which are in the city.

Wisdom that comes from above is first pure and then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits...James 3:17

I don't normally begin my devotional part of the daily word with another verse- but today this verse was ringing in my head as I read today's verse from Ecclesiastes. When we talk of wisdom - we must talk about where true wisdom comes from - God brings us wisdom - and at times we receive it easier then other times -sometimes God has to take us through a storm in our lives to bring us wisdom - to me its all about learning from your trials - the problems and circumstances of our lives can be learning opportunities if we allow them to be - many times we get bogged down with our problems and fail to see God at work - sometimes we can be very negative about our lot in lives - but if we choose too we can use these things to bring ourselves wisdom - and with this wisdom we can help others -we can teach others- we must always remember true - pure - real wisdom comes from God. The world has another type of wisdom - but its not the kind from God - many use their minds to further deny Christ and His work - they want to figure it all out and whatever conclusion they come to - they run with it! We must instill the knowledge and wisdom we get from God to others -we must be willing to allow the Spirit of God to conform us into His image and sometimes trials are the way God gets that done - believe me I am not dealing too well right now with the trial in my life - its really hard during the holidays - but if I will keep GOD in focus - then the results will be much better -let's remember where our focus is - our heart and lives will follow!
Get that pure holy The WORD says that if anyone lacks wisdom - let them ask of GOD...HE will do it! Amen!

The Final Word:
What we cannot do - GOD can do!
CHRIST gives us wisdom if we ask!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 12/2/08-
WHO IS WISER THEN GOD?

The Daily Blueprint ~ Monday ~ 12/1/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 20

Ecclesiastes 7:14
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also has set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

In this life we will have both great joy and at times great pain -that is just the nature of life as we know it - the good news is one day when all is said and done and we are home with Christ - none of this will really matter much - but in the meantime we must be about God's business - this life is so very short -we live maybe 8 decades if we are blessed! And in that time there is no way we can know all there is about God - He is indescribable at best - How can we know all about God here and now? We must go through this life to become what wants for us to be - He who began a good work in us will complete it -this is the promise written in His Word and also written in Blood - you see JESUS gave HIS life so we could be free to dwell with God the Father - He paved a way - He made a way - He is the only way -
So when things go well for you - rejoice -when they don't - rejoice -we must have in us the mind of Christ once we come to know Him - we should view things differently - we should look at the world in a new way now that Christ dwells in us! God is good and He will allow what He allows to bring Himself glory and make us who HE desires us to be - God made both the good times and the bad times -our circumstances should never be our focus but JESUS should be! Lets worship the LORD our GOD in the good and bad times -
in every life there will be some bad but always some good as well!PRAISE BE TO THE LORD OUR GOD!

The Final Word:
No matter what happens - to GOD it's all good!
CHRIST brings good out of the bad!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 12/1/08-
When GOD see us - He sees JESUS, not us!

The Daily Blueprint ~ Thursday ~ 11/20/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 19

Ecclesiastes 7:13
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which He has made crooked?

It's human nature to fight to be in control - but it's God who is actually in control - and its a daily battle for us to let Him have control -what I mean by this is we have to let go and allow HIM to do what's best - many times we try and get our hands in whatever mess we are in -trying our best to get out of it - all the while God has a plan that He desires to come to past - are we willing to trust His plan without trying to be in control - Who can straighten what God has made crooked - man's ways are meaningless apart from God -we can do many things - but they are never worthwhile unless we are being obedient to God - He made this world and all that is in it - there is nothing apart from Him - humans have always tried to be in control- to make up their own rules and own ways to be right with God - but God's solution was one we would never have dreamt up - He sent Jesus to this world to live like us and die a death of a criminal -yet never once guilty of any crime or sin - God's ways are not our ways - we are not in control -HE is GOD and we are not -think about that - how much do you think we effect the outcome? How much power do we alone have? Apart from God we can do nothing!
God has a plan - and if we submit to it - we will be in much better shape then if we try to manipulate God into doing what we want for HIM to do -
I read a book that talked about the God we want and the God who is -
The God we want is in subjection to us - but the God who is - IS!
HE is GOD - THE GREAT I AM - He does not need any of us - but has seen to it to use us - if we are willing to be used by Him - He is in ultimate control and yet has given us many choices to either serve Him or not!
Remember GOD is in control - no matter what the world around you may say!

The Final Word:
We cannot undo what GOD has done -thankfully!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHRIST is our all in all - we need no one else!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 11/20/08-
TRUST THE ONE WHO IS IN CONTROL!

We have reached our 500th blogging (I guess that's what you call them!!!) God bless you!

Daniel

The Daily Blueprint ~ Friday ~ 11/14/08

The Word:

Nothing Withheld

Romans 9:32
He that spared not His Own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Today's verse comes with a promise - you see God gave us the one thing He had one of - His Only Begotten Son! God also gave us all that is - all that will be and all that will ever be! The promise is God will not withhold anything from His people so long as it lines up with His will and His purpose for your life - God freely gave us His Son - He didn't have to do it - but He wanted to do it - the Word says it pleased God to place all the penalty of sin on His Only Son - it pleased God! Wow - Jesus came with the whole purpose of dying for creation - He came on a mission and He completed it!
Nothing is withheld from us - He has given us all we will ever need - we always have fellowship with God! He has opened heaven for us - He has brought us into the new abundant life - He has given us hope and a future -
God has given us everything He has - and there is no limit to what He has - He made it all and all of it glories Him - those who don't know Him and even those whom seem to hate Him are still loved by Him - The offer is on the table - but few will take God up on it - and many will not take it seriously -what a tragic thought -lets pray for the lost -for those who have not yet taken up their cross and followed Jesus!
Remember nothing is withheld from us His children!
PRAISE GOD!

The Final Word:
GOD GAVE US ENOUGH WHEN HE GAVE US HIS SON!
CHRIST is enough!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 11/14/08-
GOD GAVE US HIS SON - WHAT HAVE WE GIVEN HIM? WHAT CAN WE GIVE HIM? HE OWNS IT ALL ANYWAY - LET'S GIVE IT ALL BACK!!!!!!!!

The Daily Blueprint ~ Tuesday ~ 11/25/08

The Word:

One Day

1st Timothy 6:16
Who only has immortality, dwelling in the light that no man can approach unto; whom no man has seen, nor can see: to Whom honor and power everlasting. Amen

The truth is that God is eternal - He is never changing - Always righteous - Always mighty in strength and undefeated in battle..He made everything and everything thus belongs to Him - He has given us life - but also a responsibility to live that life for His glory - Today I want to talk about how truly brief our short life here on Earth is - One day we will go home -this is a fact - one day we will leave this place far behind and be changed in the twinkling of an eye - The Word says that only God is immortal - only He has always been and always will be - because HE saved us -we too can join Him forever one day - today may be your day - or again it may be in 10 years- the fact remains that all of us will leave this place one day -what you did with your life will matter in the end - if you put your trust and faith in Jesus Christ -then heaven awaits you - if you have decided to do things you way and not submit to God - and live your life apart from Him -then you will spend forever apart from Him -this is very sad - but the facts are many will go to their graves without the saving grace that Jesus paid the price to give us - lets not waste a single moment of this life God has given us - for one day we will leave- lets make the most of each day -always putting our focus on our Savior and not our problems- and not on what we want - its not about us - it's all about Him -the sooner we learn this - the more joy we will have!
One day will we be going home!

The Final Word:
Only GOD knows our final moment on Earth, therefore trust in HIM!
CHRIST died the death we deserved!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 11/25/08-
One Day we will be going home- be ready!

The Daily Blueprint ~ Monday ~ 11/24/08

The Word:

FEAR/TRUST/OBEY

Psalm 56:3
What time I am afraid, I will trust Thee!

Today I want to talk about fear...What are you afraid of? There are many different answers to such a question - some its the fear of losing control (and yet none of us have it!) The fear of the dark is common among children but it may surprise you that many Adults also fear the dark - then there is the fear of heights - that one really kicked into high gear when I went to a place in North Carolina called Chimney Rock - I climbed 500+ steps to the top and the view was awesome - but I stayed away from the end - Fear is something we all deal with - but what we do with it determines where we put our trust - you see fear and trust go together hand and hand - and if you fear - you may not be trusting the Lord like you should - however sometime God puts fear in us to keep us safe -sometimes fear is not a bad thing - one example is me and speeding - I admit sometimes I speed (when I am late for work - but that does not excuse it) but I am scared to speed much - I will go maybe 5-10 over at times - sorry but being honest! But the fear keeps me from doing something really stupid! When we fear things that God says He will take care of -we lack faith - Ive had to come to this conclusion and it was hard to face but none the less true - when we trust in the LORD -we know HE will take care of us -and of those things we have need of - lets put our fear of anything but God out of our minds - and just relax and trust the Lord - When we trust Him completely then we will obey Him -
All three go together- Are you fearful of something God is able to take care of? Maybe its a lack of faith! We all fear things but God is in control!
When we fear - let's trust and then obey!

The Final Word:
If we have fear in our heart -maybe we need to ask JESUS to take it away!
CHRIST eases our fears!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 11/124/08-
Jesus said "Fear Not" Many times - maybe we should listen to HIM!

The Daily Blueprint ~ Wednesday ~ 11/19/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 18

Ecclesiastes 7:8
Better is the end of a thing then the beginning there of: and the patient in spirit is better then the proud in spirit.

Before we get into today's verse -I wanted to ask each of you to pray for this ministry - I have been doing this 10 years now - and ive been really praying about the direction God has for this ministry - part of this has been praying over what God wants for me to do - I was thinking about the name of the ministry as well - it began as Life in the Word - then became Livin in the Word - and now its Livin in the Word and Prayer -and then when I prayed about it - and thought about how God lead me to call each edition the daily blueprint -this is a name that I feel would better suit the ministry -but I wanted input before I go changing it - God uses all of us for His purpose -
The new proposed name is this: Building On The Word Ministries.
Please drop me a line to let me know what you think!
God bless, Daniel<><

Today's verse talks about the beginning and the end - one of the last CDs I got was from a band called Downhere -the title of the CD is - Ending is Beginning - this is so true - in light of yesterday's topic of death - our true beginning has not happened yet - the Word says that the ending is better then the beginning - what an odd statement -but since its in God's Word -we all know its true! The verse goes on to talk about a patient spirit - that is where I want to camp out today - We live in a world that is always in a rush - we rush to work - we rush to drop the kids off and pick them up - then we rush home - just to do it all over agian - we don't like to wait - any of you who have been out shopping know that sometimes checking out takes longer then the actually shopping - again we hate to wait for anything - many call this a microwave society - also we hate waiting for our computers to boot up and shut down - we are always in such a rush -God wants us to slow down - We should be patient because that is what God wants us to be - its in obedience to Him that we are to be patient and not only that -He gives us His Spirit and His fruit -we should be good waiters as Christ's children!
Sometimes the best thing to do is wait..lets wait on the Lord and trust HIM!

The Final Word:
Why are we in such a hurry? - Slow Down and smell the roses!
CHRIST makes us patient!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 11/19/08-
Sometime God answers our prayers with, WAIT!

The Daily Blueprint ~ Wednesday ~ 11/19/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 18

Ecclesiastes 7:8
Better is the end of a thing then the beginning there of: and the patient in spirit is better then the proud in spirit.

Before we get into today's verse -I wanted to ask each of you to pray for this ministry - I have been doing this 10 years now - and ive been really praying about the direction God has for this ministry - part of this has been praying over what God wants for me to do - I was thinking about the name of the ministry as well - it began as Life in the Word - then became Livin in the Word - and now its Livin in the Word and Prayer -and then when I prayed about it - and thought about how God lead me to call each edition the daily blueprint -this is a name that I feel would better suit the ministry -but I wanted input before I go changing it - God uses all of us for His purpose -
The new proposed name is this: Building On The Word Ministries.
Please drop me a line to let me know what you think!
God bless, Daniel<><

Today's verse talks about the beginning and the end - one of the last CDs I got was from a band called Downhere -the title of the CD is - Ending is Beginning - this is so true - in light of yesterday's topic of death - our true beginning has not happened yet - the Word says that the ending is better then the beginning - what an odd statement -but since its in God's Word -we all know its true! The verse goes on to talk about a patient spirit - that is where I want to camp out today - We live in a world that is always in a rush - we rush to work - we rush to drop the kids off and pick them up - then we rush home - just to do it all over agian - we don't like to wait - any of you who have been out shopping know that sometimes checking out takes longer then the actually shopping - again we hate to wait for anything - many call this a microwave society - also we hate waiting for our computers to boot up and shut down - we are always in such a rush -God wants us to slow down - We should be patient because that is what God wants us to be - its in obedience to Him that we are to be patient and not only that -He gives us His Spirit and His fruit -we should be good waiters as Christ's children!
Sometimes the best thing to do is wait..lets wait on the Lord and trust HIM!

The Final Word:
Why are we in such a hurry? - Slow Down and smell the roses!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHRIST makes us patient!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 11/19/08-
Sometime God answers our prayers with, WAIT!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Daily Blueprint ~ Wednesday ~ 11/19/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 18

Ecclesiastes 7:8
Better is the end of a thing then the beginning there of: and the patient in spirit is better then the proud in spirit.

Before we get into today's verse -I wanted to ask each of you to pray for this ministry - I have been doing this 10 years now - and ive been really praying about the direction God has for this ministry - part of this has been praying over what God wants for me to do - I was thinking about the name of the ministry as well - it began as Life in the Word - then became Livin in the Word - and now its Livin in the Word and Prayer -and then when I prayed about it - and thought about how God lead me to call each edition the daily blueprint -this is a name that I feel would better suit the ministry -but I wanted input before I go changing it - God uses all of us for His purpose -
The new proposed name is this: Building On The Word Ministries.
Please drop me a line to let me know what you think!
God bless, Daniel<><

Today's verse talks about the beginning and the end - one of the last CDs I got was from a band called Downhere -the title of the CD is - Ending is Beginning - this is so true - in light of yesterday's topic of death - our true beginning has not happened yet - the Word says that the ending is better then the beginning - what an odd statement -but since its in God's Word -we all know its true! The verse goes on to talk about a patient spirit - that is where I want to camp out today - We live in a world that is always in a rush - we rush to work - we rush to drop the kids off and pick them up - then we rush home - just to do it all over agian - we don't like to wait - any of you who have been out shopping know that sometimes checking out takes longer then the actually shopping - again we hate to wait for anything - many call this a microwave society - also we hate waiting for our computers to boot up and shut down - we are always in such a rush -God wants us to slow down - We should be patient because that is what God wants us to be - its in obedience to Him that we are to be patient and not only that -He gives us His Spirit and His fruit -we should be good waiters as Christ's children!
Sometimes the best thing to do is wait..lets wait on the Lord and trust HIM!

The Final Word:
Why are we in such a hurry? - Slow Down and smell the roses!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHRIST makes us patient!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 11/19/08-
Sometime God answers our prayers with, WAIT!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Daily Blueprint ~ Tuesday ~ 11/18/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 17

Ecclesiastes 7:1
A good name is better then precious ointment; and the day of death better then the day of one's birth.

Today's verse is something that should make us think - one thing I take from this is that this world is upside down - what I mean by that is that this world has bought into the lie that having possessions and having fun is the reason we live -just to enjoy life without any real purpose -Jesus is our example - He said to be first you must be a servant of all - but this world says others should serve you - after all we deserve it - or do we? Jesus says our treasure is to be in heaven - but this world says he who dies with the most toys wins. In another vain - the Word says that the day of our earthly death is better then our earthly birth - the world as a whole does not see it this way at all - the world would say the day you die is the worst day of all - but to those who have been redeemed by the Lamb -its the day of our real birth - this world is not our home - but those of this world who are lost believe this is all there is - nothing else- they believe we close our eyes in this life -and that's it - but Paul said that to die is gain - we spend all our time here avoiding death at all costs but its still coming -so we better have reservations with Jesus so we can enter into His kingdom - He is right now preparing a place for us - in ending lets talk about the fact that a good name is better then riches -its better then anything -and as a believer in Christ -we now have a new name - We are His children now - He has redeemed us from certain death - and has brought to us life everlasting - Rejoice in this good news today - that JESUS paid it all in full -there is nothing else to add to what He has done for us - let's remember who we belong too!

The Final Word:
Sin causes death but JESUS brings us life!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHRIST conquered death once and for all
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 11/18/08-
One day we are born - One day we will die - but GOD rules it all!

The Daily Blueprint ~ Monday ~ 11/17/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 16

Ecclesiastes 6:7
All the labor of man is for his mouth,
yet the appetite is not filled!

There is nothing wrong with working hard - its actually a good thing if used in the right way - if its only for selfish gain -then it is not good - but if it is to help others - then its a good investment - but its only a means to an end - we work to earn money to care for ourselves and our families - however many work for other reason -some reasons is to get away from a situation they don't want to be a part of, so they go and work to stay away - others work for the sole purpose of finding meaning in their lives -these people work not just for the money they gain but for the meaning it seems to bring to their lives- you have heard it said that when you earn more money - you just buy more things- you make more purchases when you know you are getting more then enough to cover it -we often depend on our employers more then we depend on God it seems - what does God want for our lives -do we listen for His voice or do we even care? These are tough questions and the answers will reveal much about our faith - what is your goal? Does it line up with what God has for your life? Do you want to please Him or yourself? If you whole purpose in life is to just earn money - you have missed the point of life -again there is nothing wrong with earning a wage -God commends it in His word - He says that if you don't work - you won't be able to eat - but its just a part of our lives -not the whole -JESUS should be our everything -not our jobs - lets remember to keep the main thing the main thing!Let JESUS rule in your life -that will always bring you meaning in life!

The Final Word:
God's plan for our lives will bring us meaning if we listen and obey!
CHRIST knows best!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 11/17/08-
What are you working for?

The Daily Blueprint ~ Thursday ~ 10/24/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 15

Ecclesiastes 5:15
As he came forth from his Mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labor, which he may carry away in his hand..

Today's verse mirrors what Job said - "Naked I came from my Mother's Womb and Naked I shall Return" this is the truth - we came into this world not owning anything and we shall leave the same way - you have heard it said time and time again that you cannot take it with you - I am reminded by the fact I celebrated another Birthday yesterday - each year that passes is one year closer to leaving this ol world - we must be ready at any time to be called home - life in the here and now is a gift from God although there are times that it does not seem like a good gift -lets face it - we live in a sin filled place - a place that is ruled not by God but the enemy - God is in control and the enemy cannot make a move without God's approval - the case for Job is just that -satan said Job would curse God if bad things happened to him - but this never happened and God won like He always does - and while we are just passing through this place -we must do all we can when its called today to love others Jesus calls us to love - we must be willing to give up our rights -our wants and our desires so that God can have His way in our lives - HE wants to mold us to be just like HIS SON - that is and remains God's goal for us - let's live with our eyes looking up to heaven - not down at what we may think we own - many times what we think we own actually begins to own us - lets learn to let go and allow GOD to move in our lives!

The Final Word:
You never see a hearse with a luggage rack....you cannot take it with you!
CHRIST gave us life - it all belongs to HIM!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 10/30/08-
GOD OWNS IT ALL - WE JUST BORROW IT FOR A LITTLE WHILE!

The Daily Blueprint ~ Thursday ~ 10/24/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 15

Ecclesiastes 5:15
As he came forth from his Mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labor, which he may carry away in his hand..

Today's verse mirrors what Job said - "Naked I came from my Mother's Womb and Naked I shall Return" this is the truth - we came into this world not owning anything and we shall leave the same way - you have heard it said time and time again that you cannot take it with you - I am reminded by the fact I celebrated another Birthday yesterday - each year that passes is one year closer to leaving this ol world - we must be ready at any time to be called home - life in the here and now is a gift from God although there are times that it does not seem like a good gift -lets face it - we live in a sin filled place - a place that is ruled not by God but the enemy - God is in control and the enemy cannot make a move without God's approval - the case for Job is just that -satan said Job would curse God if bad things happened to him - but this never happened and God won like He always does - and while we are just passing through this place -we must do all we can when its called today to love others Jesus calls us to love - we must be willing to give up our rights -our wants and our desires so that God can have His way in our lives - HE wants to mold us to be just like HIS SON - that is and remains God's goal for us - let's live with our eyes looking up to heaven - not down at what we may think we own - many times what we think we own actually begins to own us - lets learn to let go and allow GOD to move in our lives!

The Final Word:
You never see a hearse with a luggage rack....you cannot take it with you!
CHRIST gave us life - it all belongs to HIM!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 10/30/08-
GOD OWNS IT ALL - WE JUST BORROW IT FOR A LITTLE WHILE!

The Daily Blueprint ~ Thursday ~ 11/13/08

The Word:

Rejoice!

Psalms 98:4
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise and rejoice, and sing praise!

Rejoice again I say Rejoice, says Paul! Is your life full of praise to God - Do you praise Him each day of your life? Do you make it a habit of making a loud noise of praise to the Lord!? We should be all about worship of our Savior King - we should praise Him with all we have - every moment of every day - this may seem like an odd thing but lets remember what the Lord has done for us -He has opened Heaven to us - He has given us a new name - we are now new creations in Him - our sins though many have all been paid - that should be enough to make us praise His Mighty Name! Rejoice! This is what this year's CHRISTmas series will be called - God brought this to my mind as I was praising on one of my many trips to the Atlanta area this year to help my Step Mom heal after major back surgery -as I read today's verse I was reminded of the children that I help at church on Wednesday nights -they have to be some of the loudest kids ive ever known - they give all they have and speak loudly - that's how our praise should be to God - Lets be so full of His grace and praise Him so fully that many will tell us to be quiet! Remember what Jesus said - that if the people kept quiet - the rocks would cry out -this shows the total power of God - We are all subject to Him -
Another thought I had was the children of Compassion that when they sing praises to the King - they don't hold back -its too bad that as we get older - we believe we must always be quiet before the Lord - now there is a time for that - I do a lot of quiet reflection where I don't say or do anything - but there are also times when we need to let it all out - Rejoice brothers and sisters - lets sing praises to the LORD our GOD! Lets praise Him with our lives! Rejoice!

The Final Word:
WE WILL NOT BE SILENT ANYMORE - WE WILL PRAISE THE LORD!
CHRIST sings over us with HIS Love!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 11/13/08-
Sing a song to the Lord with your life!

The Daily Blueprint ~ Wednesday ~ 11/12/08

The Word:

WHERE IS THE LORD?

Jeremiah 2:8
The priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that handle the law knew Me not: the pastors also transgressed against Me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit!

The Prophet Jeremiah had some harsh words to say to the people whom in the past God had delivered - how many times have we been like those Jeremiah was talking to? We have all asked the same question - where is the Lord? The people who were delivered by God didn't praise Him for long -they went back to their old ways - their pre-delievrance days - why go back? God is so good to us -Who else is like our Lord? How often does God save us from something that we forget and move along that same ol path - if we all took a good look at our lives -we could say we all need a change. The election is now over and the platform of the whole election could be summed up in one word- Change - both men who ran for the office of President, kept beating the drum called change - God longs to change our hearts - He no longer wants us to remain in our old ways - God sent His Son to deliver us from our sin but also to give us life! Abundant life - Those whom God has delivered had forgotten His goodness and His grace -they thought they knew better then God and fell back into their old ways - let that not be said of us - lets not ever go back to the time before we knew Christ -we can think back and then see the grace and hand of God on our lives- but let us not remain there -lets head to the promised land - God has a plan for each of us - we should no longer say where is the Lord? We should have faith that says even when we cannot see His hands or face -that He is still active -His goal remains the same - to see everyone come to know Him - lets praise our LORD JESUS in all we do - Lets remember the price He paid -
Where is the LORD? He is right there with you - right now!

The Final Word:
When you can no longer see God -that's when He is holding you so close you cannot see Him -that my child is why we need faith! Praise GOD!
CHRIST is close to His children!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 11/12/08-
GOD IS WHERE HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN, ON THE THRONE!

THANK YOU

The Daily Blueprint ~ Veteran's Day ~ 11/11/08

The Word:

FREEDOM IS NEVER FREE!

HOME OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE

Remember the cost...

Proverbs 9:7
The memory of the just is blessed:
but the name of the wicked shall not!...

Finding a verse that fits for this day has been a bit of a problem - I know freedom is in the Word of God but my concordance in my Bible didn't direct me to it - but it does not matter as God is the One who leads this ministry - today is a great day - a day of remembrance - a day that we set aside each year to remember the sacrifice of those who came before us - our Nation continues to fight for what is right -even though many naysayers say the fighting is in vain and the new administration that is coming into power plans to take many of our men and women out of the fight - forgetting that freedom is not free- forgetting what it cost to free us from the bounds of dependance - the cost it took to bring freedom to us - I love a sign I saw the other day - it simply said this -
"Home of the free because of the brave!"
What a true saying - if it were not for those willing to put their very lives on the line - who knows what freedom if any we would have had-
now hear me out - I hate war -and I know GOD does -but just read the old testament - there is war all throughout it - and in the end there is gonna be a war of all wars - wars are a fact of life - American has fought not only for her freedom but of freedom around the world -We seek to bring some peace to the world - but also knowing that until Christ returns -there will be no real lasting peace in this world - there are those who hate the United States and everything we stand for - but we are thankful for those who stand in the gap -those on the front line -those who paid the price for our freedom we enjoy today - for some reason many these days feel that freedom is cheap -that it does not cost - lets remember those who laid their lives down for the freedom of America! And lets also not forget that JESUS CHRIST died to give us freedom from the penalty of our sins - Freedom always has a price -thankfully in both cases it has been paid for in blood - without those who have stood up and fought the good fight -we would not be free -
Lets remember - today is the day to thank a veteran!
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY!
TRUE FREEDOM COMES FROM KNOWING CHRIST AS LORD
OUR NATION IS ONE NATION UNDER GOD AND WILL REMAIN SO AS LONG AS THERE ARE THOSE WHO TRUST CHRIST - CELEBRATE FREEDOM TODAY -
BOTH FROM THE OPPRESSION OF OUR ENEMIES AS A NATION AND OUR DELIVERANCE FROM THE ENEMY OF OUR SOULS
SPECIAL THANK YOU'S FOR TODAY
To My Dad - He fought for peace - Served in the US ARMY 20+ years
To My Grandfather -Hank - He served this nation proudly for many years
For Clinton M for serving this nation (My Grandfather in Law!)
To all veteran's of all wars - THANKS FOR DEFENDING OUR FREEDOM!

The Daily Blueprint ~ Friday ~ 10/17/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 14

Ecclesiastes 5:10
Whoever loves money never has enough; whosoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income, this too is meaningless....

Here we go again- King Solomon once again gets on his this is meaningless kick! For several verse he didn't add this statement - until we get on the subject of money - how appropriate that we should read about money at a time like this when many people are losing their shirts - among other things - in the stock market- me I am not worried at all - its not that I have an unending flow of money - no that's not it - its that my trust is in JESUS not in the money I have - which by the way is not even mine - greed is what breed ed this stock market economy problem - Today's verse is right on the money (oh sorry - that's a pun!) Anyway - its so true that we (yes we) all depend on money far too much and too little on the ONE who owns it all - we are all human and can get caught up in this - hey I got my 401k statement the other day - ive had nothing but gain after gain - only to have it drop way down - I did get upset - but then God calmed me down - What are we living for? The wealth of this world that will soon pass away - or on JESUS CHRIST - the Author and finisher of our faith? Yes economic times seem bleak - but we must look pass all that we see now and look on to JESUS - He knows our needs - He has it covered - just trust Him!
We all have a mansion in heaven waiting on us!

The Final Word:
You may think you have nothing -
but if you have CHRIST you don't need anything else!
CHRIST will provide for us HIS children!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 10/17/08-
MONEY IS WORTHLESS UNLESS YOU SPEND IT

10_16_08<><

The Daily Blueprint ~ Thursday ~ 10/16/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 13

Ecclesiastes 5:7
If you see the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for HE that is higher then the highest regards the matter; and there be higher than they.

Today's verse reminds us all that God sees everything -there is nothing hidden from His view - while some may feel they get by with what they do -they could not be more wrong -sure JESUS laid HIS life down paying for our way to heaven -but we are still watched from on High - God longs for us to live lives that honor HIM - this is the whole point of our lives once He transforms us - He must change us from our present condition and renew us by His Spirit - once we come to know CHRIST everything in our lives should change -He paid the price for this change to take place. Its hard at times to see people whom seem to be getting away with things we know are wrong and seeing them seem blessed without trouble or even with having to answer God - but the truth is nothing is hidden from God -those who oppose Him will once day suffer - but now He will allow it for HIS glory - Lets remember our actions are seen by God - this should make us want to please Him even when no one else is looking -remember God sees all and knows all!
There is no escaping our GOD! Praise HIS Mighty name!

The Final Word:
God's eyes are on the sparrow but also on us!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHRIST sees all.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 10/16/08-
GOD NEVER LOOKS THE OTHER WAY

The Word:

The Last First, The First, last

MARK 10:31
But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.


Today's verse reminds us all that Jesus said to be greatest you must be the servant of all - serving is not natural to our human nature -the way our human nature is set up -its all about what's in it for us - many are willing to serve so long as they know they are getting something out of it - when Christ saves us - we should be so full of joy at what He did for us -we should be willing to serve - but sadly many times we choose not serve the Lord -we can find many reasons why we don't - but in the end all of us will have to answer for our actions - thankfully in CHRIST all is forgiven - We need to remember that these lives don't really belong to us - Jesus paid a great price for us and He also made us - Its all about Him - I have heard it said that this world is backwards from what Heaven is like - the rich here seem to be getting richer - and there seems to be more poor among us - the current culture of this world shows just how selfish humanity can be - everywhere you look you can see people looking out for #1 - lets change that always look to JESUS CHRIST - HE should be first in our lives -not ourselves - there is room on the throne for only one God - amen!
Lets remember to be first - you have to be last - give not expecting anything in return - live totally for JESUS and HIM alone!
Jesus is our example of what it means to serve - follow HIS example!
amen!

The Final Word:
We could never repay God - We could never out give God -
All we have to offer Him is our lives....
CHRIST shows us what it means to serve!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 10/23/08-
If you want to be like Christ- become a servant!

10_22_08<><

The Daily Blueprint ~ Wednesday ~ 10/22/08

The Word:

Remember HIS works

PSALM 111:4
He has made His wonderful works to be remembered:
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion!

I am back after an extended break from the ministry - I spend four days helping my Dad while my Step Mom has been in the hospital - the time has been precious that I could spend with my Dad and Step Mom - getting back into the swing of things is sometimes hard - but when God does all the work and just calls me to write it out -its not that hard at all - Today's verse talks about the works of God - they are to be remembered - Great are HIS works - just take a look around you right now - what do you see? Whatever you see belongs to God and is of His works - He made us - so anything we make He made - its not all about Him - everything we do for God should bring Him glory -that should always be the top goal - I was thinking yesterday about some trials I have been going through and how sometimes it seems like I am on my own - but God reminded me that HE is there - and as I go through this storm - He is with me - how I go through it will show others what I really think about God - He made all of us for a purpose -some have found it - some are still looking - but through it all we should strive to bring God glory -its not that He needs us at all - He needs no one - but He has chosen to create us and He wants to use us - all of us - no one is without the ability to bring God glory in some way - Pray to God today and seek His face so He will put you where you will be used to greatest - seek the LORD and HE will reveal HIS will for your life - lets always remember HIS mighty works - and the fact He is gracious and compassionate to us as we live this life - Glory to GOD in the Highest!

The Final Word:
Without GOD there would be nothing

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHRIST is all we need!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 10/22/08-
LOOK AT WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE

10*12*08

The Daily Blueprint ~ Tuesday ~ 10/14/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 12

Ecclesiastes 5:6
Suffer not your mouth to cause your flesh to sin; neither say before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?

The Word God has many things to say about the tongue - in one place the Word says that out of the heart the mouth speaks - in another the Word speaks of the tongue as untamable - What we say matters - we will have to give an account for every idle word - we may have just said something without thinking but its clear from the Word of God we will be accountable for what we say - now what I am not saying is that God cannot forgive us the sin of saying what we say - but what I am saying is that we should not be flippant about what we say - our words mean much - the spoken word is very powerful -God spoke all that is into existence just by saying the words! We can destroy relationships with what our mouth speaks - Gosip is spread through what people say - the old saying that sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me - is simply untrue - we can remember what people have said to us from way back when - those things stay with us - we need to watch our mouths - knowing that if we just think it and not speak its just as bad - the solution is surrender to Jesus Christ -allow Him to clean up what we say - our words are powerful - never underestimate their power - may we allow GOD to tame our tongues to only speak of His glory!
To speak to others about His grace and to use our mouths as an instrument of God! Lets be careful what we say and how we say it!

The Final Word:
What have you said today?
CHRIST will change our heart thus changing our speech!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 10/14/08-
WORD OF GOD SPEAK.............

The Review of CHURCHED - Matthew Paul Turner's Latest Book

THE REVIEW OF "CHURCHED" - Matthew Paul Turner's latest book....

I read this book in just over 2 days - it's about Matthew when He was a child growing up in a church that was full of rules instead of being full of JESUS. Matthew learned many things at this church - many have stuck with him through the years - enough for him to write about it - I recommend this book to everyone - its a good read and I don't read books very quickly - but this one I could not put down!

Matthew explores his fundlementalist upbringing and finishes with present day Matthew!

From the beginning to end you wil laugh- cry and cheer Matthew on - many of the stories will have you rolling - you can just see it in your head - Matthew writes in such a way that you are there in the gym when He recieves the reward for being most Christlike - and you will see what it means to grow up a in a church that is so bent on rules that it loses the focus of what a church is to be - Matthew in no way slams his old church -its what makes him who he is today - through it all Matthew falls in love with JESUS -

so take some time - get this book - read it and laugh , cry and get carried back in time!

I'm Daniel and I approve of this message.....

here is what others have said about "Churched":

Here's the complete list of people who endorsed churched and what they had to say...

"Matthew Paul Turner has written a book that is at once funny and full of humanity. The prose was so vivid that, after reading it, I felt like I'd grown up in a fundamentalist Baptist family – and I'm a Jewish guy from New York."--AJ Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically

“Churched is funny, poignant, and surprisingly moving. In this deft story of his fundamentalist upbringing Matthew Paul Turner proclaims the good news: that even church can't drown out the message of Jesus.”—Sara Miles, author of Take This Bread

“Turner’s churched lives in that elusive space between whimsical memories of an innocent youth and cringe-inducing flashbacks of life growing up in the church. Like a visit with long-lost relatives, churched reintroduced me to characters anyone who grew up in the church will find familiar, and I was surprised to find that I was glad to see them. Sweet-hearted, funny, and honest, churched had me reminiscing about the little boy searching for God that I once was and gently reminded me I still have some miles to travel.”—Dan Merchant, writer/director of Lord, Save Us From Your Followers

“Thanks to churched, Matthew Paul Turner’s vivid, often hilarious account of his childhood, I realized that not having grown up in evangelical culture is less of a handicap than I previously thought!” —Andrew Beaujon, author of Body Piercing Saved My Life and writer for the Washington Post“Turner crafts an amusing field guide to fundamentalism that’s both a gentle lampoon of hypocrisy and misplaced fervor, and a model of how to survive being ‘churched’ without cynically rejecting the good with the bad, the Founder with his followers.”—Anna Broadway, author of Sexless in the City

“Matthew Paul Turner’s memoir has the insight of Anne Lamott and the comic honesty of David Sedaris. His stories force us to wonder which of our Christian beliefs and practices come from scripture and which spring up out of our own preferences and fears.”—Rob Stennett, author of The Almost True Story Of Ryan Fisher

“Finally! A bona-fide humorist in the North American church! I might be tempted to say Matthew Paul Turner is Christendom’s answer to David Sedaris, but Matthew stands on his own without the comparison. A memoirist who doesn’t take himself or the world too seriously, but still manages to write profoundly and beautifully, Turner gave me a belly-laugh on almost every page. If you grew up believing ‘being conformed not to this world’ meant being the weirdest kid on the block, churched will be the funniest book you’ve read in years!” —Lisa Samson, award-winning author of Quaker Summer, Embrace Me and Justice in the Burbs

“With his homespun humor and eye for living detail, Matthew Paul Turner’s churched invites readers to rethink the quirks of Christian culture for the sake of uncovering that which is lastingly good and worth holding dear. Turner’s work is a refreshingly gentle discussion of faith and culture with the potential to spark meaningful conversations.”—Pete Gall, author of My Beautiful Idol

"If you didn't think Jesus-loving fundamentalist kids were very funny, Matthew Paul Turner proves you wrong."-- Jason Boyett, author of Pocket Guide to the Bible and Pocket Guide to the Apocalypse.“How can a book be so stinkin’ funny and yet so poignant at the same time? Matthew Paul Turner found his voice! After reading churched I wanted to hug him and then toss out all of my son’s clip-on ties.” —Jennifer Schuchmann, author of Six Prayers God Always Answers

“Who knew that a journey through faith and fundamentalism could be so painfully funny? I laughed out loud many a time while reading churched. Matthew Paul Turner manages to channel both boyhood innocence and wry retrospective through this fast-moving account of growing up with Jesus in late twentieth-century America.”—Mike Morrell, TheOoze.com“A funny, heartfelt portrayal of one man’s attempt to find true meaning despite his upbringing among fundamentalists who taught him that Azrael—the cat from The Smurfs—was an agent of Satan. The true miracle of this book is that its author never manages to lose his faith.”—Robert Lanham, author of Sinner's Guide To The Evangelical Right

Summary:
He spent his childhood trapped within the confines of countless bizarre, strict rules. And lived to tell about it.In this first-hand account, author Matthew Paul Turner shares amusing–sometimes cringe-worthy–and poignant stories about growing up in a fundamentalist household, where even well-intentioned contemporary Christian music was proclaimed to be “of the devil.” churched is a collection of stories that detail an American boy’s experiences growing up in a culture where men weren’t allowed let their hair grow to touch their ears (“an abomination!”), women wouldn’t have been caught dead in a pair of pants (unless swimming), and the pastor couldn’t preach a sermon without a healthy dose of hellfire and brimstone. Matthew grapples with the absurdity of a Sunday School Barbie burning, the passionate annual boxing match between the pastor and Satan, and the holiness of being baptized a fifth time–while growing into a young man who, amidst the chaotic mess of religion, falls in love with Jesus.

Author Bio:
Matthew Paul Turner is a blogger, speaker and author of The Coffeehouse Gospel, Provocative Faith, Beatitude: Relearning Jesus, the What You Didn’t Learn from Your Parents About… series, and several other popular books. He has written for Relevant, HomeLife, Christian Single magazines and was the former editor of CCM magazine. Matthew and his wife, Jessica, live in Nashville, Tennessee. He can be found online at www.matthewpaulturner.com.

To purchase "CHURCHED"

please visit the following sites:

@Amazon.com
@Barnes & Noble
@Books-A-Million
@Borders
@ChristianBook.com
@Cokesbury
@LifeWay

I am personally giving away one copy of this book - please email me at INTHEWORD2004@aol.com

and the first person who responses will recieve one copy!

GOD BLESS YOU !

Daniel

Livin in the Word Ministries

The Daily Blueprint ~ Thursday ~ 10/2/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 11

Ecclesiastes 5:2
Be not rash with your mouth and let not your heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven and you are upon the earth: therefore let my words be few!

One of my favorite music groups is three pastors that make up the band - Phillips, Craig and Dean - they have been around for years - one of their latest CDs was entitled Let My Words Be Few I always liked the title but until reading the above verse - did I know it comes right from the Bible - its not just some saying picked out of the air - its actually from God's word - to me the whole issue is being careful of what you say - God's Word says that out of the heart the mouth speaks - so its not so much just trying to control your tongue - its more about allowing God to change your heart - once your heart is changed - your language will no longer be an issue - but still we all need a lesson in being careful what you say before God - nothing we say is kept to ourselves - for God even knows our thoughts - and also knows what we will say -do - or think before we do! =-) God is everywhere at once - our minds cannot understand that - but anyway - we should let our words be few - many times during our "prayer time" we spend much of that time speaking out piece - we want God to hear us so we assume many words mean He will hear us better -but this is not the case -God would rather us speak 10 true words then 100 words that don't come from our hearts - He wants us to know Him personally -this means we must spend time with Him - I have many friends but sometimes they seem distant - or maybe I am distant - it takes a lot of work to keep friendships going - both parties must be willing to compromise and help the other -we must be willing to think more of others then ourselves - again all this flows from our heart - let our word be few so that people will see GOD and not us! We are just His servants anyway! Let God use you today - speak the truth in love - many forget that last part! Amen!

The Final Word:
We should only say what's profitable - let's not waste our words!
CHRIST speaks through the WORD - WORD OF GOD SPEAK!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 10/2/08-
May our words be few - and may they all praise the LORD!

The Daily Blueprint ~ Friday ~ 10/10/08

The Word:

GOD'S BLINDING LIGHT

GOSPEL OF JOHN 3:19
And this is the condemnation, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather then the Light, because their deeds were evil.

Jesus called Himself the Light that had come into the world to save sinners. This light is blinding to those who don't believe in Jesus - and also those who commit deeds of evil - or some could call them deeds of darkness - another way of looking at this is that sin is darkness while holiness is light - we either love the darkness or the light - but cannot love both - we must choice who will we serve - if we follow Jesus and walk in the Light -our sins will come to light and God will begin to deal with our sinful ways - His objective is always to conform us to the image of His Son - Jesus Christ. This is the goal - truth be known there are many who refuse to follow Jesus because they are afraid their evil deeds would no longer be allowed to be done - basically human nature is selfish - it feeds its desires -and dose not want to follow Jesus at all - matter of fact the WORD says that men loved darkness more then the light and didn't want their sin to be revealed - many live in full fledged denial about their sins - when our lives are held up to the Light our sins will be shown - The Word also says all have fallen short -each and every day I realize how much I need God's grace -this grace is only found in the light - lets follow the Light of Christ and allow Him to transform our lives!

The Final Word:
Its impossible to hide your sin when the light is cast on your life.
CHRIST shines in the heart of those who believe!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 10/10/08-
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine....

CHURCHED by Matthew Paul Turner

LOOK FOR INFO SOON ON MATTHEW'S LATEST BOOK -"CHURCHED"

I read this book in three days , that's how great it is - a little overview - this is about Matthew when he was growing up in a funalmentalist church - now in his 30's - Matthew looks back to a simpler? time -

STAY TUNED>........more about "CHURCHED" soon

The Daily Blueprint ~ Wednesday ~ 10/8/08

The Word:

WAIT'N

ISAIAH 30:18
...therefore will the Lord wait, that He may be gracious to you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: For the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for Him!

Many times we hear of waiting on the Lord - but today's verse brings to mind that its God who waits! God is waiting to end this world so we can all go home and be with Jesus - but its not yet time - for God does not want any to parish but He wants and longs for all to come to Him and be saved- God is waiting till the time is right -as His people we also have been called to wait - many times in this life we don't like the circumstances of our lives and want to pass through the valley as quickly as we can - but this not always the case or the option we have - Moses was in the valley 40 years - many of us don't like a day of trial or an hour of trial - we must be willing to go through what God allows so that we can be more like Him! This is the whole point of living this life -its for God's glory! Its not about us getting our way - its about GOD being on the Throne - sovereign and in full control - He knows what is best all the time - in the meantime - we are waiting to see the King - one day my friends - Jesus will come back and take us home! What a glorious day that will be...Praise the LORD
Much of life is spent waiting - but the best thing is to wait on God!

The Final Word:
We should be thankful GOD is patient and that HE wants for us!
PRAISE GOD!
CHRIST waits so we can be more like Him!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 10/8/08-
As a farmer waits for his crop- we are to wait on the LORD!

The Daily Blueprint ~ Tuesday ~ 10/7/08

The Word:

OPEN EARS

2nd Chronicles 6:39
Then You hear from the heavens, even from Your dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications,
and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people which have sinned against You.

More often then not -Prayer is the subject of many of theses devotionals and with good reason - prayer is essential in the life of a Christ-follower - how can we know God without talking to Him daily? How can we know anything about Him without reading His Mighty Word? Prayer is simply our conversation with God - it should be a dialog - not a monolog - it should be both presenting our requests to God, and offering Him praise - in this we must be willing to come apart and listen - we are usually convinced we have to do something - that we must continue to talk or else the prayer ends - what God wants I believe is for prayer to be our lifestyle - many times we get far too formal and miss the point - often - well every morning I can - I pray on my way into work - the subject matters differs a little each time - but the main thing stays the same - I try and remember to Praise God before just coming before Him with supplications - He does care for what we have need of - God is closer then we think - He is just a prayer away. HE does listen but we need to understand that often His answers are not really what we thought we where looking for - we never know what today's prayer will do! God is always there and the line of communication is always open - often times we fail God or fall into some type of sin and think we can no longer come before God and prayer - at these times we need God the most -its when we need to be sure to keep our side of communication with God open!

The Final Word:
Prayer is never a one way street - its equal parts Praise - Request and Worship! Have you prayed lately?
CHRIST always got away from everything to pray!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 10/7/08-
GOD LONGS TO HERE FROM YOU

The Daily Blueprint

The Word:

He Is Over All

1st Corinthians 15:27
For HE has put all things under HIS feet. But when HE has said all things are put under HIM, it is manifest that HE is excepted, which did put all things under HIM.

Jesus Christ is over all, period - He who made all things and spoke all things into existence has the power to save us! He and He alone has this power - and there is no force in the universe that is stronger than Jesus Christ! We are saved by His blood that HE willingly poured out on the cross - He went there for you and for me - He went there to restore the broken relationship we had with God the Father through the sin of Adam and Eve - left to our own devises - we would be lost forever - but praise be to God that He has saved us - redeemed us - and made us into new creations that are now pleasing in His sight - one thing that is true is God loves everyone - He longs for all to come to Him with repentance in their hearts and a song of praise on their lips to God who is over all - Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega- the first and the last - and the everlasting Father - In Him there is no beginning and can be no end - He is from every lasting to every lasting and beyond - our minds cannot fathom what God has done nor what He can do - all HE asks of us is to trust Him -to admit that our sins separated us from God and His work on the cross saved us once and for all - He no longer has to die for our sins - all this shows us that Jesus is over all!
Lets praise our Risen Lord today and forever more-
know that HE is over all! Amen!

The Final Word:
There is none greater then our GOD!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHRIST only did what the Father did - that is to save!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 9/26/08-
JESUS SAVES - THANK GOD - JESUS SAVES!

The Daily Blueprint ~ Tuesday ~ 9/30/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 10

Ecclesiastes 3:14
I know that, whatsoever God does, it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken away from it: and God does it, that men should fear before Him!

God has a plan - and while we don't have all the details - we know that whatever God does is right and never wrong - He always knows best- and for sure He knows more then any of us - we are just here for a short time -this is not our final resting place -this is not our home - and the things that God does -He does because He wants to do it that way - He has a purpose in everything He allows into our lives - nothing is beyond His care and control -He sees all - knows all and in Him all things exist - without God there would be nothing at all - This shows us that our lives do have meaning if we will view them from His perspective and not our own limited one - What God does cannot be stopped by any mere man - He does what HE does for an outcome He is looking for - the trials of this life are so that we can learn to be more like Jesus - nothing is wasted -all things that happen to us have meaning - nothing just happens - God allows what HE allows for HIS purpose - the sooner we learn this - the more joyful we will be - we don't have to carry the load of the world on our shoulders -they were never meant to carry such a load - give it all to JESUS - He desires an intimate close relationship with you -won't you just trust HIM!?

The Final Word:
Where we are today depends on where we came from and where we are going... we can choose either to draw closer to God or further away.
CHRIST causes all things to work for good for HIS purpose!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 9/30/08-
ONLY GOD HAS CONTROL - WE ARE ALL AT HIS MERCY

The Daily Blueprint ~ Monday ~ 9/29/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 9

Ecclesiastes 3:3-4
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up, a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to morn and a time to dance....

Continuing on the theme of a time for everything under the sun -today's selection talks about a time to kill and heal - a time to weep and a time to laugh - the last part of this verse came alive to me this weekend -you see my great friend from years ago whom I have not spoken too for a least 4 years - its not that we don't enjoy each other - its the fact he has moved away and has a life of his own - we just no longer cross paths -that was until this weekend and I heard his Father had passed away - me and this family go back at least 20 years or so - and it was a joy to see many of them again -and yet it was also a time of sorrow - a mixture of the celebration of a life that was given to Jesus - and the sorrow of losing someone to death. There was weeping and there was laughter - remembering the old times brought that out even more - this life is but a cycle - if you are born- you will die - if you were lost - when JESUS saves you - you will be found - we don't find JESUS but He finds us - when you lose someone you love -its a mixture of sorrow because we miss them - but a time of rejoicing because we will see them again - as far as me and my friend are apart - we are closer then ever in the fact we are brothers in Christ - if you are in Christ -these cycles won't worry you- its all a part of this journey called life - we will lose some and win some - but in the end -we will rejoice in our lives that where lived for Christ! What time of life is this for you? Whatever time in the cycle - Jesus is still LORD of it all! Amen! Praise GOD!

The Final Word:
IF TODAY YOU WEEP - TOMORROW YOU WILL REJOICE!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHRIST is always with us - no matter what!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 9/29/08-
Cry - Laugh - but in all worship GOD!

The Daily Blueprint ~ Thursday ~ 9/18/08

The Word:

Meaning In Life: the study of Ecclesiastes
part 8

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2
To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under of heaven: A time to be born, a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which has been planted....


Today's verse talks about a time for everything - the truth is the truth - there is a time to be born and if you are born you will one day die to these physical bodies - but in Christ that will not be the end - only the beginning. This place is not our home and from the look of things in the headlines - that's a very good thing - This world is full of evil and sin - but it was not always that way - before the fall of man - Earth was paradise - there was no death - no pain - no fear and no sin- but in the midst of the garden the enemy of our souls was lurking - his goal was to undermine God and cause humanity to fall into sin - before this happened- Adam and Eve had little knowledge of what sin was - they knew God given them orders never to eat from the tree in the midst of the garden - but under the temptation of satan -Eve and then Adam gave in and things were never the same - the good news however is God sent Jesus to this world to restore our souls to Himself! We now have meaning in our lives - while this is all true - if we should die in the flesh before Jesus returns - we will be going home! Since we were born -we will die - and when you plant - one day you will harvest - for everything under heaven there is a reason - nothing happens haphazardly in this world -its all on course by God - Does your life have purpose and meaning? Or are you just spinning your wheels - this too shall pass -and pass quickly. Time here is short - lets make the most of it for the Glory of God!

The Final Word:
TO FIND MEANING IN LIFE - LET JESUS FIND YOU!
CHRIST gave us all we needed in HIMSELF!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 9/18/08-
WHEN THE SUN RISES IN THE EAST - IT WILL SOON SET IN THE WEST

The Daily Blueprint ~ Thursday ~ 9/25/08

The Word:

His Mercy Endures

Romans 9:15-16
For He said to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy.

One thing we can be assured of - God is a God of mercy - He who sent His Only Son to die for our sins - is the same God who reigns right now - God is on His Throne as I type these words - He is in full control and He will show mercy on those He wants to show mercy too - God can do what HE wants because HE is never wrong -never caught off guard - He knows all - Sees all and can be all places at once - We are so much unlike Him as we are limited but He is unlimited. Some think God shows us mercy because of something we have done - its not what we have done that warrants mercy - its totally and completely about what Jesus did - His death and resurrection from the dead secures our future - heaven begins the moment you are saved - now I am not going to tell you that when you come to know Christ that everything will go well - it won't - this world is full of sin -its full of evil - and the enemy of our souls hates God - he wants nothing more then have many join him in hell for eternity - but because of CHRIST and HIS sacrifice - we now have heaven to look forward too - imagine it - Our minds cannot even dream up what it must be like - the fact is none of us deserves heaven -we cannot make it on our merit at all - we must put our whole eternity on the line by trusting Jesus as our Savior - God's mercy will endure - He is a loving Father - and through His Son - His mercy endures!

The Final Word:
Sin's penalty has been taken away by the blood of JESUS!
CHRIST took our sin and brought us mercy!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 9/25/08-
GOD'S MERCY ALLOWED US TO LIVE THIS DAY!

The Daily Blueprint ~ Wednesday ~ 9/24/08

The Word:

Turning Away

Acts 3:25-26
You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham,
And in your seed all the kindreds of the earth shall be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up His Son Jesus,
sent Him to bless you, in turning away
everyone of us from his iniquities.

God wants us to turn away from our sin and turn to Him - The only way this can happen is through His Son Jesus! His blood is what allows us to come into His presence at all - remember that God cannot look upon sin - The Father had to turn His back on the His Son for the first time ever while He suffered on the cross - as our sins where placed on Him. Through Abraham the Earth has been blessed that's for sure - even though the nation of Israel was being persecuted - she continued to grow in numbers - God made a promise that Abraham's family would number more then all the stars - and today its evident by the size of this nation today. God sent His Son to take the sins that entangle us and set us free so that we could have a personal and intimate relationship with Himself! Jesus takes over and our sins are forgiven because He poured out HIS blood on Calvary for us. Once we come to know Christ- there is a turning away from our old life - we are now new creations - in some people the changes can be overnight -but others its over an entire lifetime - the goal for God is to cause us to be like His Son. The closer we get to Jesus the further from sin we should be - I don't believe in this life we will ever get to a sin free period - Jesus paid the price and He was the only perfect one without sin -the rest of us have sinned and will sin - the difference is we have Jesus as our Savior and He took our sins upon Himself - When we come closer to Jesus - we should be turning away from our sins - lets leave them in the past where they belong. Life free today! Allow God to change your heart so that you won't sin against Him!

The Final Word:
As you turn toward Jesus you should begin to turn away from sin
CHRIST wants us to turn away from sin and to Himself
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 9/24/08-
Sin will keep us away from Jesus , His Blood will bring us back to Him

The Daily Blueprint ~ Tuesday ~ 9/23/08

The Word:

What To Boast Of...

Proverbs 27:1
Boast not yourself of tomorrow; for you don't know what I day may bring forth...

I was went to God's word this verse was on the page I turned too - and its a good one to think about - What should we boast of? The Words says not to boast about tomorrow because only God knows what's gonna happen- for it has not happened yet - so who are we to boast of what is not yet here - the same goes with all we have - it all comes from God and He owns it all - we just use it - this includes our very bodies - What then shall we boast of?
The simple answer is that we have been redeemed from our sins by the blood of the Lamb - we can boast that the righteousness we have in Christ didn't come from us - but all from Him - the Word says our goodness is like soiled rags - the spotless garments we now have come from Christ alone!
We all make plans and there is nothing wrong with that - but many times we just assume tomorrow will come - we always think that we have another chance to do whatever -but the truth is we have no idea -only God knows - the point to me is not to waste you life on things that don't matter - its easy to get caught up in our own little world and miss the bigger picture.
Lets boast in CHRIST and HIM crucified as Paul has said - lets be willing to lay our will at God's feet - and then we can boast about His goodness and grace -praise the LORD GOD!

The Final Word:
GOD IS GOOD AND BECAUSE HE IS GOOD - HE GAVE US HIS GRACE
CHRIST is who we can boast about!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 9/23/08-
Today is the present - yesterday is gone - tomorrow not yet here!

The Daily Blueprint ~ Monday ~ 9/22/08

The Word:

He Desires Us

ISAIAH 53:2
For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, & as a root out of dry ground; He has no form or comeliness; & when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.

Left to our own devises we would never seek after Jesus Christ - we would have never thought about His great love for us without the leading of the Holy Spirit of the Living God - He draws all men to Himself - We would never have picked Jesus - there is nothing about what we see of His physical appearance that would draw you to Him - and our flesh is an enemy of God -all because of sin - we were not made to die -we were not made to disobey God but He made us unlike robots who function without choice -God has given us a choice - which is hard to understand when the truth of the matter is God desires us -God first loved us - God made us - He did all this before we came to be - and He loves all of us with an undying love -we are all family if we know Christ - He desires us so much He was willing to die for sins He never once committed - He choose us -we didn't choose Him - I may never completely understand this - this side of Heaven - but its none the less true - His Spirit had to draw us - His Spirit had to reveal the truth to us - for apart from God's Spirit -there is no liberty! But in Christ there is forgiveness of sin -and eternal life - Praise HIS name!
That He caused us to follow Him - by being so good to us!Thank YOU Jesus our LORD!

The Final Word:
I enjoy music and have written some lyrics to a possible song -the name of this song is "It's not fair" what's not fair is God died for us -what's not fair is JESUS paid the price we owed! Its not fair and I praise GOD for it!
CHRIST desires us!
- LIVIN IN THE WORD - 9/22/08-
FIRST HE LOVED US SO WE COULD LOVE HIM!