Our Heavenly Daddy

Living as a friend of God is so peaceful and satisfying (John 15:15). No matter what our lot in life, we are fulfilled, because the God of the universe loves us (John 3:16, 15:14). We are God's adopted children and He loves us so much that He did not spare His only begotten Son, but freely gave Him as the perfect sacrifice for our sins (Romans 8:32). We are co-heirs with Christ of the entire Kingdom of God.

If we strive each day to obtain the things of this world for our self and our family, we waste our time. A fire or an act of nature could destroy everything we worked so hard to attain. We were born with no earthly goods and we will die without them too. However, we can never lose Godliness and contentment, which are our two greatest assets for living a fulfilled life (1 Timothy 6:6-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:18).

God accepts us just the way we are and He has a perfect plan for our life (Ephesians 2:9-10). All condemnation and shame come from Satan's lies (Romans 8:1, 34). God will convict us of sin or discipline us when we stray from the straight and narrow path; but this is to protect us from the ravages of sin and the separation from His holiness, which sin causes (Matt 7:13-14; Romans chapters 5-8).

A daily quiet time with God allows us to immerse our spirit and soul in His Word. His promises comfort us, His prophecies inform us and His dealings in the lives of Biblical Saints encourage us. God's Words give us wisdom for living and fortitude to face life's trials. Godly contentment prevents life's stresses from killing us. Our Heavenly Daddy wants to pour His love, joy and peace over us like a waterfall.

Prayer:

Father God, thank You that we do not have to earn Your love or keep a list of do's and don'ts in order to please You. Give us a fresh filling of Your Spirit each day, so we can walk in Your Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of our flesh (Galatians 5:15-25). Draw us ever closer to Your loving heart and remind us to be still, so that we can experience You as our protective and generous Heavenly Daddy (Psalm 46:10). We give You praise, glory and honor for the multitude of blessings You pour out on us each and every day.

Thought for the Day:

Jesus willingly gave His life, so that we can be the friends and adopted children of our Heavenly Daddy. - Galatians 3:26

Proof for Skeptics

Hi~

Tonight's blog is a different format, because we just spent a few hours with the college and carreer group at First Baptist in Bonita. Pastor Kevin answered their questions about a myriad of topics. Their questions reminded me of some research I did for a friend who was skeptical about the Bible. I love the way the Bible answers these questions so clearly. For instance:

The New Testament is proven to be true by the accounts from the Old Testament such as:

In Luke 3:23-38 the genealogy of Jesus is traced through a long line of ancients, including a number of the well known personalities of the Old Testament, along with Seth, who was “the son of Adam, which was the son of God.” Thus clearly does Luke establish that Adam not only was the first man, but that he was the direct creation of God—“the son of God.”

“For Adam was first formed, then Eve.” (I Tim. 2:13; Gen. 1:27) Here again we note the full confidence Paul had in the details of the Genesis account of creation.

In Jude, verse 14, we are informed that Enoch was the seventh from Adam. Surely Jude had confidence in the genealogical record of Genesis.

Jesus believed in the Genesis account of the Flood. When describing conditions in the earth at the time of his return and second coming, he said, “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.” (Luke 17:26,27) If Jesus was mistaken concerning the Flood, then we could have no confidence in any of his teachings. But Jesus was not mistaken, as archeologists have since confirmed.

Jesus believed in the Jonah and the whale account. "But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah: for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”—Matt. 12:38-40

I also love the number of Old Testament Prophecies that Jesus fulfilled. They say if you stack silver dollars three feet deep, across the entire state of Texas; then mark one silver dollar with an X, get up in an airplane and randomly drop it out of the plane over the state of Texas; the likelihood of finding that silver dollar with an X would be the same probability of one man fulfilling all of the dozens of prophecies that Jesus fulfilled by His birth, scourging, crucifixion, death, burial, placement in the tomb, resurrection and ascension into Heaven. Here are just a few of these Old Testament prophecies and their New Testament fulfillment:

He will enter Jerusalem riding a donkey (Zechariah 9:9).

Fulfillment: Matt. 21:5; Luke 19:32-37.

He will be hated for no reason (Psalm 69:4).

Fulfillment: John 15:25.

He will be betrayed (Psalm 41:9).

Fulfillment: Matt. 27:3-10.

More specifically, He will be betrayed by a friend (Psalm 41:9).

Fulfillment: Matt. 27:3-10; 26:47-48.

The price of his betrayal will be thirty pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12).

Fulfillment: Matt. 27:3-10.

The betrayal money will be cast onto the floor (Zech. 11:13).

Fulfillment: Matt. 27:5.

More specifically, it will be cast onto the floor of the Temple (Zech. 11:13).

Fulfillment: Matt. 27:3-10.

The betrayal money will be used to buy a potter's field (Zech. 11:13).

Fulfillment: Matt. 27:6-10.

He will not open his mouth to defend himself (Isaiah 53:7).

Fulfillment: Matthew 27:12.

He will be beaten and spit upon (Isaiah 50:6).

Fulfillment: Matthew 26:67; 27:26-30.

He will be“numbered with the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12).

Fulfillment: Jesus was crucified as a criminal in between two thieves (Mat 27:38).

He will be pierced (Zechariah 12:10).

Fulfillment: John 19:34 His hands and feet will be pierced (Psalm 22:16; Zechariah 12:10; Galatians 3:13).

His crucifixion was foretold in Psalm 22 , which graphically prophesies the Messiah's manner of death.

At the time the Psalm was written (and long after), the penalty for blasphemy was stoning.

However, at the time Jesus was condemned by the Sanhedrn, it no longer had the legal right to put people to death.

Thus, the case was taken to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, who crucified Jesus according to Roman custom, and as Psalm 22 prophesied.

Today, so many skeptics scoff at the Christian’s unshakable faith in the truth of the Bible, but when you look at it from the point of view of fulfilled prophecy, it just makes sense!

An Antiquated Book

Read: 2 Timothy 3: 16-17

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." ~ Psalm 119:105

I have no idea how I could survive in this insecure world without the solid footing provided to me by God's Word. The Bible contains a complete library bound into one book. Although multiple authors penned it years ago and years apart, the message is relevant throughout the ages. From Genesis to Revelation, we sit entranced as we read of the amazing adventures of human beings just like us.

The Word also tells us that He died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and to provide us with Eternal Life. The Bible is important for us today because it shares relevant wisdom to give us the skill to live successful lives. It is a road map through the uncharted world in which we live, giving us hope in troubled times.

God did not create us and then abandon us on this earth. He gave us His Word to instruct us in how to live in the present at the same time that it encourages us to look to a future in His loving presence. God does not leave us in the dark. His prophecies give us clues about His plans and ignite our hope about His imminent return.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word that offers us hope, enlightenment, instruction and encouragement. Thank You for fulfilling many of its prophecies already and for allowing us to live in this age where Your prophecies are fulfilled almost on a daily basis.

Thought for the Day:

A Bible that is falling apart belongs to an owner that is getting it together.