THE LIVING GOD #LAMB

Posted on April 11, 2017 by Barbara Jones

Our first born daughters’ favorite #toy was a stuffed lamb. She learned at a very young age that the lamb was #comforting to her. We would put the lamb on the #shelf where she could see but not touch; however, that was not the same as holding it. Through the years that stuffed lamb was not as pristine or white, but showed the results of many hugs and tears. (Just between us, I think that lamb is still around with her keepsakes) That was just a toy, a replica of a real lamb. Thirty years later on our farm, we raised real sheep that had precious lambs, but surprise, they didn’t stay pristine white either after all they were grazing in our red Georgia clay fields. Now why would I be talking about a lamb? The Bible does…in Jer,22:29 “Hear the word of the LORD” John 1:29 John was baptizing and saw Jesus coming and said, “BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD” Why a lamb? Why God’s lamb? What’s a lamb got to do with removing sin before God? The Lord instructed Moses as recorded in Exodus 12 to kill an unblemished lamb, place it’s blood on the doorposts and lintel, then roast with fire and eat it in haste while standing so the LORD would PASSOVER all who whose entrance was covered by the blood of the lamb. This miracle of our Lord has been commemorated each year since then. Would you believe God’s perfect timing? In Jerusalem at the same time that people were taking the sacrificial lambs to their homes to observe Passover — Jesus (the Lamb) was being carried on a colt into Jerusalem – no coincidence! Each individual had to partake of the lamb and recognize the saving blood covering them from the death angel that night in Egypt. Today each of us can accept Jesus Christ sacrifice for our individual sin before our Heavenly Father by asking the spotless lamb to cover our sin. Remember the sacrificial lamb! Don’t put the LAMB OF GOD on a shelf, but hold Him and feel His comforting love then “the LAMB in the center of the throne shall be their SHEPHERD and shall GUIDE them to springs of the water of life, and God shall wipe every tear from their eyes” Rev.7:17

THE LIVING GOD #SWEET SAVOR

Posted on April 6, 2017 by Barbara Jones

Savor is defined by Webster as a distinguishing smell that delights and has distinctive characteristics in its’ presence. We all know the difference between the moldy/musky and the fresh/airy smells when we are out and about. Recently I had to go nosing around at an antique mall where I was searching for a replacement of an old hand blown glass window pane from the 1800 era. They had some stacks of salvaged windows piled in a musty basement which one of the men offered to help me search. So with my measuring tape and a strong helper, I leaned over and examined them one by one while he maneuvered the windows. When we finished the search, he quietly said to me, “Your hair smells good”. I said, “Thank You” (I knew he didn’t have alzheimer’s cause he could smell even over that stale musty basement enclosure) Have you ever had someone walk by you who was wearing a certain perfume that you immediately associated with another individual who always wore that scent? Was it a sweet savor or stinky sweet? You know what I mean was it- overpowering ..lingering….suffocating…or pleasant…refreshing…appealing? God created all things with a unique savor. Even hound dogs can track by smell. If we have our own savor, does GOD have a scent? What does the Bible say? 11Corth.2:14-16 “Now thanks be to GOD , who always leads us to triumph in CHRIST, and makes manifest the SWEET SAVOR OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM IN EVERY PLACE. FOR WE ARE A SWEET SAVOR (FRAGRANCE) OF CHRIST TO GOD AMONG THOSE WHO ARE BEING SAVED AND THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING” Eph.5:2 “Be followers of God….walk in love, as CHRIST also has love us, and has given himself for us an OFFERING and a SACRIFICE TO GOD FOR A SWEET-SMELLING SAVOR” What is your fragrance of choice?

VOICE OF THE LIVING GOD

Posted on March 30, 2017 by Barbara Jones

#Voice recognition is amazing! I was in a small dress shop last week asking the salesperson about an item when a woman at the checkout called out my name while coming over to give me a hug. We had not seen each other for over ten years, but she said she recognized my voice. We all have distinct detonation, accent, and tone when phrasing our words which makes us distinctive. I have always been partial to a low mellow voice which I find very pleasant. I even married a man with a God given voice that was so suited for proclaiming God’s Word to a listening crowd. Even today, I recognize Nat King Cole’s voice from recordings like “When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever” that he made back in the 50s. Here in 2017 I enjoy the group Home Free with their great voices. Do you have voices that you immediately recognize? Could it be a singer, preacher, friend, teacher, spouse, child, mother, or father? What are your ears tuned into? Prov.7:24 “Listen unto Me now..and attend to the words of My mouth” Is.28:23 “Give your ear, and HEAR MY VOICE: listen and hear my speech” John10:27 “Jesus said, My sheep HEAR MY VOICE AND I KNOW THEM AND THEY FOLLOW ME” Rom.10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the WORD OF GOD” Rev.3:20″I stand at the door and knock: IF ANY MAN HEAR MY VOICE, and open the door, I will come into him and will sup with him and he with Me” John 15:11 Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full” While I have mentioned two musical voices that bring me joy there is another message in my choices for I pray you too will Fall in love forever with Jesus Christ so you will be Home Free with Him ETERNALLY!

THE LIVING GOD #TRUE VINE

Posted on March 23, 2017 by Barbara Jones

Do you have #clinging #vines around you? Are they a plus or a minus for you? #Poison ivy is a real problem that I try to eradicate; however, I cultivate my sweet confederate jasmine. Here in the South we don’t even want to talk about the aggressive Kudzu vine onslaught that overpowers our landscape. Whether in our soil or our soul, we can have a clinging vine. We have a choice – eradicate or cultivate. Jesus speaks about himself in chapter 15 of John, “I AM THE TRUE VINE….ABIDE IN ME, AND I IN YOU. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it remains attached to Me to bring forth much fruit- for without Me, you can do nothing.” Is it time for you to weed out and pull the life choking vines from your life that are keeping you from being productive? If so, I pray you will spend time nurturing the TRUE VINE who has promised -“I will never leave you or forsake you” Heb.13:5 – John 14:18 “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you …because I live, you shall live also”

THE LIVING GOD # HEIRS

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Barbara Jones

Strange Inheritance is a human interest show on Fox that takes a very insightful look into what individuals treasure and pass onto their heirs. I am amazed by the variety of “objects” that people amass from photos, letters, cards, toys, cars, houses, land to an autographed book. Once the heirs have their inheritance they are on a quest to find out the true value of what they have been bequeathed. I find Strange Inheritance episodes very parallel to scriptures in God’s Holy Word about His Heirs and their Everlasting Compounding Inheritance. How, you say? Have you read in the BIBLE where we are told the true value of our inheritance as heirs of our living GOD? Romans 9: tells us, 8.”It is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.” 8:1,”Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 14.For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God..24. not Jews only, but Gentiles – I will call those who were not my people, My people.. they shall be called SONS OF THE LIVING GOD” for our inheritance is stated in Rom.6:23 “Wages of sin is death, but the FREE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.” Eph.1:13,14 “In CHRIST you have the message of truth and your salvation – having believed, you are sealed in Him with the HOLY SPIRIT of PROMISE who is given as a PLEDGE of OUR INHERITANCE with a view to the redemption of GOD’S OWN POSSESSION, to the praise of His glory. 18. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His call what are the RICHES OF THE GLORY OF HIS INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.” You are an heir, but what is your inheritance? Strange as it may seem, this world is not your permanent home. What will you inherit in the hereafter?

THE LIVING GOD # CHILDREN

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Barbara Jones

New life is springing out all around us. Adults and children see beautiful blooms from dormant bulbs, shrubs, trees that are bursting with delicate petals of which many will shed to produce fruit. I have a neighbor who just brought me a dozen fresh eggs which are the first of this laying season. Another cattleman shared pictures on his phone with me of his new born calf. Are we still in awe of new life? What about that new born baby? Do we realize the miracle of life or is it something to just show & tell on Facebook? How do you go about protecting, nurturing, and developing life? Today, we seem to have a specialist for all species and levels of life. May I let you in on the best source for living…#1 is The LIVING GOD . Romans 2 “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.. 8. For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now ..21 the creature shall be delivered from the death into the glorious liberty of the CHILDREN OF GOD. waiting for the adoption – redemption of our body..9.Now if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. 14.For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 16. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that WE ARE THE SONS OF GOD. 9:24-26 “Even us, whom He has called, not of the Jews only, but also the Gentiles..I will call my people and it will come to pass, that in the place where it was said , You are not my people; THERE SHALL THEY BE CALLED THE CHILDREN OF THE LIVING GOD.” There is new life in Jesus Christ.

THE LIVING GOD # OFFSPRING

Posted on March 2, 2017 by Barbara Jones

https://youtu.be/-_m5ZWchiZo

Are you curious about your #family #tree? From whom are you an OFFSPRING? We laugh at the old song “You’re bound to look like a monkey when you grow old” Lately, I see many TV ads depicting people sending their DNA to companies who test it and then disclose areas to which their blood lines have been traced. These individuals display joy and amazement with the new found knowledge of their fore fathers. What if you could trace your linage (descendant in a line from a common progenitor-family)? How you say? Not possible! I don’t even know who is my father! Where in the world could one find such knowledge? Let me share: “GOD has made the world and all things therein…He has given life and breath to all things and made one blood all nations of men for to live on the face of the earth..that they should seek the LORD to feel and find Him though He is not far from everyone of us: for we live and move and have our very being in that WE ARE THE OFFSPRING OF GOD.” Acts 17:24-29 “GOD said, “LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE, according to OUR LIKENESS…..GOD created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female” Gen.1:26,27 Would you like to be reunited to your Father? David asked for that in Ps.51 when he asked “GOD be gracious to me according to Thy lovingkindness blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly and cleanse me from my sin. I desire truth in my innermost being. Purify me, Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow..create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me..Do not cast me away from Thy presence or take Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Thy Salvation.” Now that is a Family Reunion!

THE LIVING GOD #THOUGHTS

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Barbara Jones

Why do you like #Facebook? #Twitter? Is it because you can share your thoughts, activities, and family photos with your #friends? Does it make you feel good when others acknowledge your posts? I can remember a time when friends and/or family would sit on the porch and “gossip”. As a young child, I can recall my Granny coming for a visit and they would stay up talking past my bedtime. However, I could hear her giving my parents updates on all the family members and then go on to cover every persons status in their hometown.(that’s when I would fall asleep as I didn’t know any of them, but I do remember –they always asked if the town drunk was still sleeping at the bus terminal +praying for him) Way back then there was no Facebook, but I had Granny! Times change and my Granny and parents are deceased, but the One who watches over us all and acknowledges our very existence is very much ALIVE and listening. We need to hear what the shipmaster said to Jonah, “O sleeper arise and call upon your GOD, so He will think upon us so we shall not perish”Jonah 1:6 Do you know the Living GOD cares about you & me and what we do? Ps.140:15-17 “My substance was not hid from GOD.. how precious are GOD’S THOUGHTS UNTO ME! how great is the sum of them! more numerous than the sand even when I awake, I am still with GOD” How many likes can you count? Ph.4:8