🐬All Things🐘

Sidewalk verse for the day

Colossians 1:17 (KJV) And he (God) is before all things, and by him all things consist.

It's not hard to believe that God is before anything that we know. God was before the first tree, river, ocean, mountain, canyon  great or small, before the sun and the planets and the stars, before light and dark. Name it and God was before it. It doesn’t stop there because we read that “by him all things consist” have you just stopped to view all the beautiful scenery that’s around us? The beauty of the Sunrise as well as the Sunset. I love to watch the sunrise it never gets old and I have many pictures to remind me of its beauty. The rainbow; wow what a work of God’s art. I have seen triple rainbows more than once while I was in Alaska. The northern lights with its green rays filling the sky. The oceans, as the waves never stop rolling in upon the beaches. The beauty of the mountains as the fog drifts across on a cool morning. We must remember before all of these things I just wrote about, God was already here. When we slept last night God was watching over each of us. When we got up God was waiting to speak with us. Were we in a rush? Fighting the traffic to get to work on time. Racing to our workstation to get ready for the long day. At break time hearing of the new layoffs that are coming soon; will it be you this time? Finally the day is done and the drive back home, oh my the traffic; only 20 more years and I can retire. Before all we know and are involved in God was before it all. 

 

🤔 Something To Think About 💬

 🤔Something To Think About 💬

Psalms 119:171 (KJV) My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.Sidewalk verse for the day

The Son of God who is the image of the invisible God.

Colossians 1:16 (KJV) For by him (the invisible God) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

One only has to read Genesis chapter 1 to understand. God steps out on the pages of scripture in. Genesis chapter 1 and verse 1 “In the beginning God created.” God created everything you and I know. God has given us the abilities to take the things He has made and produce many things. John 1:3 (KJV) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. Colossians verse 16 told us why all things were created “all things were created by him, and for him”  We are also told that all things created which are in “heaven” and “earth.” Then we read these words “visible and invisible” when we look around here on this earth we pretty much see the visible. If we look into the heavens on a clear night we see partly visible. What I mean is we see the bright shapes of stars and planets but the visible part of what is on them we see not. Then there’s the heaven that is totally invisible. Where is this invisible heaven? I don’t really know, it’s invisible. Maybe like you I think it’s past the partly visible heaven. Why do I say that? In the book of Acts as Jesus left this earth we read this. 

Acts 1:9 (KJV) And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Acts 1:10 (KJV) And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

Maybe the visible Jesus went up to the partly visible to the invisible. I don’t really know but I’m going to stick with the Heaven we read about in our Bibles is upward, because we know what is downward. I got interested in what the internet had to say about how many people believed there was a heaven and how many believed there was a hell. Here’s the results.72%) of Americans say they believe in heaven — defined as a place “where people who have led good lives are eternally rewarded,” according to the Pew Research Center’s 2014 Religious Landscape Study.   

Good lives??? Let’s define “GOOD” where in our Bibles is “GOOD” defined? Romans 3:12 (KJV) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. But at the same time, 58% of U.S. adults also believe in hell — a place “where people who have led bad lives and die without being sorry are eternally punished.” If no one is good then would that make everyone bad? Something to think about.

🩻The Image 👨🏼‍⚕️

Psalm 119:162 (KJV) I rejoice at thy word, as one that fineth great spoil. Sidewalk verse for the day

Colossians 1:15  (KJV) Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature

Who have we been writing about (his dear Son) that would be Jesus Christ. Then we are told that Jesus Christ is the (image of the invisible God)      

John 1:18 (KJV) No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

I John 44:12 (KJV) No man hath seen God at any time.

But the image has been seen and is still being seen in those who have accepted Him as their personal Savior. How, you may say? In us who are His children and have a personal relationship with Him. Just the other day I was in a store, I bought an ídem that cost $2.50 with tax it came to $2.69. I gave the young lady a $5.00 bill and she in return gave me $2.50 in change when the change should have been $2.31. I knew she had given me too much change but I went out the door telling myself it was only 19 cents. As I walked toward my truck the Lord said in my heart “you stole 19 cents.” I then turned around and went back into the store and said to the young lady that she had given me 19 cents too much. I gave her a quarter and told her to give me a nickel and a penny. She did and I left. What made the difference? The image of His dear Son Jesus Christ. I remember the story of a man who had bought something and in a hurry he placed the money in his pocket and returned home in the cold and snow. Later as he removed his money from his pocket he realized that the man had given him 10 cents too much. He began to get ready to go back out into the cold and snow to give the man his 10 cents. His son said “Dad it will be dark before you return. The temperature is dropping and the snow is beginning to blow. Can’t it wait until the morning?” His dad said “it could but what if the Lord calls me home tonight? Then I have knowingly stolen another man's money. What is done today must be taken care of today.” What makes God’s Children different? The image of His Dear Son. In my case it more than likely didn’t mean as much to that young lady as it did to me. It wasn’t her 19 cents and she didn’t even know I had it but I did and the Lord knew. It was my responsibility to return it no matter what anyone else thought. The young lady would have slept fine but would I? My youngest son is now married and has two daughters but he hasn’t forgotten this one thing he saw. It was Christmas time and he was about 8 years old at the time. He and I were together at the mall and he was wanting to get his mother a Christmas gift. He spotted what he wanted the cost @ $21.00. We purchased it. I gave the lady a $100 bill and in return she gave me back my $100 plus the cost of the ídem. I thought, today was my lucky day. Oh no there was the Lord telling me to return what wasn’t mine; so I did. As my son and I walked away he said to me “Dad I saw she gave you too much money.” Oh, what if I had kept the money? What would I have taught my son? It was my lucky day I got the opportunity to teach my son what was right instead of what was wrong. I got to show the image of His dear Son. 

🥵To Much at State 🤹‍♀️

Psalms 119:155 (KJV) Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes. Sidewalk verse

Colossians 1:14 (KJV) In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Remember, if the rescuer doesn’t come we all die. 

So what is this “redemption”?  Webster says “Repurchase of captured goods or prisoners” 🤔wait a minute “In whom we”  are we prisoners? I would say so. Why do I say that? Because we have  an enemy! An enemy wants to capture and destroy.

John 10:10 (KJV) The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: (Jesus said) I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly

Luke 4:18 (KJV) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

We first read that in  

Isaiah 61: (KJV) The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 

Isaiah 61:2 (KJV)  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

Isaiah 61:3 (KJV) To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Many don’t know they are captured. We live in the land of the brave and free. Brave yes but free is questionable. We are free to do a lot of things, yes but we are not as free as you might think. One goes out and buys a house for $400,000 and works hard to pay off the loan. If asked, are you the owner of your own home? The answer would be yes. You think? Well just don’t pay your taxes and they will sell your home on the courthouse steps. Yes you are the owner of your home as long as you pay to be the owner. The human race lost its freedom when Adam and Eve disobeyed their Heavenly Father and was captured by the enemy. The moment they disobeyed they were captured by the enemy. We had no choice, we were all born in captivity and we need “redemption”. The price of our “redemption” is not paid in cash, check or credit card. We can’t buy our “redemption, we can't work for it, nothing we do can break us free. Then how do we get free? Great question! Here’s the answer.

 Colossians 1:13 (KJV) Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

Colossians 1:14 (KJV) In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

I would love to believe that everyone goes to heaven when they die. But unfortunately that’s not the case according to the Bible. One may say “I go to Church.” Great and that’s good but Jesus when he came to a town He went to a Synagogue (Church). I wonder why? There was a Pastor I know very well. He was called by a Church to be their Pastor and he Pastored there for over 20 years. He preached the gospel and many that were attending there on a regular basis gave their heart to the Lord. What changed? He preached the Gospel; the Death, the Burial and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Listen, if our lives are only different when we attend Church then we need to ask ourselves why this is. The Apostle Paul said  

2 Corinthians 13:5 (KJV) Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? Don’t be mistaken there too much at state. 

⛑️If The Rescuer Doesn't Come🚁

 

Psalms 119:151 (KJV)  Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth. My Sidewalk Verse For The Day 

Colossians 1:13 (KJV) Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

Colossians 1:14 (KJV) In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

If anyone has ever been delivered they will never forget it. Here we read of the deliverance from “the power of darkness” If one has ever been delivered from “the power of darkness” they will not forget.

It was November 14, 1965, Major Bruce Crandall flew a Huey helicopter assigned to lift troops into La Drang, which was to become known, in Vietnam, as the "Valley of Death." His mission to deliver the troops was done. But pretty soon he realized the plight of those troops. There were 450 American soldiers hugely outnumbered by 2,000 enemy troops. Major Crandall began flying into that Valley of Death to bring out the wounded and to bring in ammunition. Before that day was over, he had flown for 14 hours straight - 22 flights barraged with enemy fire. It took three different choppers to do it all; two were too damaged to continue. One officer said, "Without Major Crandall, our battalion would almost surely have been overrun." Crandall simply said, "They knew we would come if they needed it no matter what." That's heroism.

Another officer in the Valley of Death that day bottom-lined their heroic rescuer's work this way: "If he hadn't come, every man there would have died." But then, that's always the way it is with rescue, right? If the rescuer doesn't come, people die.

Jesus Christ came into this world to rescue sinners; that’s you and I. The Apostle Paul understood that.

1 Timothy 1:15 (KJV) This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. If the rescuer didn’t come, sinners would die. 

🌄Since The Day We Heard👂

Sidewalk Verse For The Day 

Psalms 119:140 (KJV) Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.  

Colossians 1:9 (KJV) For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

The Apostle in his writing to those at Colosse tells them that since the day we heard  about you we continue to pray for you. Wow, wouldn't you like to go to your mailbox, pick up a letter, open it and read words like that? Paul says “since the day we heard” it’s not just Paul that is praying but “we” that’s more than just The Apostle Paul. What were this group of people praying for? In the next verse we read that they were praying for those at Colosse to be filled with the Knowledge of God’s will for them and that they would have wisdom and spiritual understanding. But Paul and his group that were praying didn’t stop there. They  prayed that they would continue in their walk with the Lord and be fruitful in their walk. Paul and his praying group goes on and not just prays for their knowledge and wisdom in God’s will but that their knowledge would increase in God. Why does The Apostle Paul want their knowledge to increase? Because knowledge gives strength and patience and joyfulness. It all boils down to knowing who God is. The year 1973 I had just finished up a 4 year enlistment with the USAF I had been discharged 25 August 1972. From August to April I had gotten my life in a real mess. I could blame it on the military where I was sent, what I experienced, what I saw, what I did; but that wasn’t my real problem. My real problem was I didn’t know God. Therefore I didn’t have God’s strength nor the patience nor the joy that only God can give. Like most I was looking in the wrong places. Nightclubs, alcohol and drugs but all those increased my troubles and problems. I finally went to Church and on that day in April 1973 my life changed forever or as I like to say for eternity. On that day I asked for help from the only one that could give me help, God. Wow, what a day that was never to be forgotten. The day God gave a young man hope and assurance of heaven. From that day until this day I have been prayed for, taught God’s Word from the Bible, I have learned to walk with the Lord on a daily basis. Perfect, I’m not but I have been strengthened by the knowledge from God and therefore I have joy in my life. Problems? Oh yeah I have them! Sorrows? Yes I have them too along with disappointment and heartbreak. My loved ones pass away and I experience grief. I know that’s part of life but it is still not easy and it still hurts. At the end of the day I can still be thankful for all that my Heavenly Father has given me.  It’s like anything else worth having; it's a learning process. Two times in the Bible you will find this phrase “I have learned.”

Genesis 30:27 (KJV) And Laban said unto him,(Jacob)

 I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.

Philippians 4:11 (KJV) Not that I(Paul) speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. This past weekend my nephew gave me a very small doll that has written across its breast Jesus ❤️You. The more I thought about that. I said this to myself “if that little doll reminded me of how much Jesus loves me. Wouldn’t it do the same for someone else? It’s nice to be reminded of how much God loves you and I, don’t you think? Just another leaning moment. 

🪂☄️Trust When It Appears No Way Out❌

Trust is a two-way street with two traveling it together.

The Bible has many places and people who didn’t see a way out of their dilemma. Moses at the Red Sea. Then there was Gideon with 300 men who would defeat 135,000. The impossible became possible. David, a young shepherd defeated a mighty warrior with a small smooth stone. In each of these cases there appeared no way of victory. Mighty things happen when trust is placed in God. 

My intention in all that I write is for you to read God's Word. To trust what God has promised in His Word. For the more one reads asking God for understanding the stronger relationship one builds with their Heavenly Father. The better one understands the God that loves them the more they will trust. Get in the Bible and learn how much God cares what goes on in your life.

Proverbs 15:3 (KJV) The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

July

Colossians 1:7 (KJV) As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ.

In verse 7 we read and learn of a man named Epaphras. We read that Epaphras was a dear fellow servant of the Apostle Paul. Epaphras is mentioned only 3 times in the New Testament, twice in Colossians and once in Philemon. In Colossians 1:7 Paul refers to him as a Fellow servant. In Colossians 4:12 Epaphras is referred to as a Servant of Christ. In Philemon he is referred to a Fellow prisoner. Philemon 1:23 (KJV) There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus; 

So what do we know about this man? In verse 7 we learn that Epaphras was a “faithful minister of Christ.”  That Epaphras was teaching and showing the love of the Spirit. When Paul heard this about Epaphras he began to pray for those he was teaching that they might be filled with the knowledge of God’s will with spiritual understanding. Paul also was praying for their walk with the Lord and the knowledge of God. Paul was praying as we read on in chapter one for their strength and joyfulness in suffering. Do what? How can one have joy at the same time they are suffering? Let me give an example. Let’s say you got a letter in the mail from the loan institution that held the mortgage on your home. When you opened it up you read where they were calling for the loan to be paid in full and then gave you a date. There’s no way, you don’t have that kind of money. That would be suffering. What if you didn’t have the money but you knew that before the due date a large check was being placed in your account that would more than cover the loan. How much do you think you would be suffering? That’s what the Apostle was praying for and that’s how one can have joy in suffering.  Psalms 56:3 (KJV) What time I am afraid,(worried, troubled, suffering) I will trust in thee. We were never promised a life without problems or suffering. Do you remember the movie “GroundHog Day?” Phil relives it over and over again. That’s what many of us do: we relive day after day our troubles. When God is saying don’t worry, trust me. Don’t get the wrong impression, no one goes through this life and never has a care. No that’s not so, but in our suffering we must learn to trust in the God who loves us and that He will help us in our suffering. Read the cry’s from those in the scriptures. Psalms 25:17 (KJV) The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.

Psalms 34:6 (KJV) This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

Learn not to trust yourself in your suffering, learn to trust God in your trouble.