It’s a valid question. We start out as best we can to do what we believe that our lives are on the right track. Granted it’s a hit or miss proposition. Our parents try their best to help us get started. Sometimes it sticks. But we find out shortly what our limitations are. Sometimes we just believe we just can’t do it. It’s sad because the only thing that stop us is ourselves. God made us to succeed. But the only way it can happen is with God Himself. God made us with a missing piece. The missing piece is God Himself. But we have to accept Jesus into our hearts to become whole. Then we have the opportunity to succeed in this life. Just because we have accepted Jesus doesn’t mean we will succeed. It’s a walk with Jesus all the way home. God has made many promises, but unless we are willing to accept and believe them, they are just words. Assurance is God’s work in our hearts. The bible says, all things work together for good, to them that love God and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28).

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

You know the old expression, bite your tongue. Well, bite your tongue. Talking today seems to be the norm. With cell phones everyone can express themselves to anyone at any time. Except, it’s not always a good thing. The bible says that life and death are in the power of the tongue. It also says, it is a fire, set on fire by hell. Our tongue can be used for good, but God help someone that gets me angry. I used to be like that. God has done a lot of work in my heart, that I don’t get angry any time when someone rubs me the wrong way. My tongue is to be used for good, not complaining or criticizing. And it is easy to fall into that trap. Only by the Holy Ghost can we control our tongues. It’s yielding yourself to God. In Proverbs, it says even a fool when he keeps his mouth shut, seems to be wise.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

I was reading in Matthew 4, where Jesus was led into the wilderness. He didn’t chose His path in life, other than chosing to follow God. God led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, after He had fasted for 40 days. I don’t know if you have ever fasted for any length of time. It is life changing. I have never attempted a 40 day fast. I’ve done Daniel’s fast, 21 days, on water. But I know this, after the fast everything wasn’t important, except God and my relationship. I could see the path God planned for me and I walked on it. God leads us where He will. And we are to follow with joy. As it says in Psalm 37:23, “the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighted in the way.”

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

After Jesus came back from the wilderness, John was thrown into prison by Herod. Herod had taken his brother’s wife for his own. And John spoke against them. Jesus went back to Galilee. Knowing that persecution was going to follow them. Jesus settled in Capernaum and began calling His disciples. One of the things that Jesus spoke on, sermon on the mount, was persecution. He said, blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Jesus also said, if they hated Me, how much more will they hate us. It seems that persecution is part and parcel with Christianity. There is no getting out of it. If you are a Christian, you will be persecuted. Peter talked about the fiery trials we go through. God said, with the temptation He will make a way of escape. There are many examples of persecution in the bible. The thing is that you use your faith to walk through them all. So, prepare you faith and thicken your skin, not your heart. And you will find the way of escape that God has planned.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

It’s the orginal process of picking wheat. First, you cut and bundle stalks of wheat together. Then you beat the stalks of wheat against a wooden bar to separate the wheat and stalks. Then with a shovel you throw the wheat into the air as the wind separates the chaff from the wheat. The chaff was burned to get rid of it. And wheat is gathered to be used. God used this as a parable, to teach us the process He uses to cleanse us for His use. Wheat is mainly used for bread. Which is the staple of life. Jesus said I am the bread of life. The children of Israel were fed manna, bread from heaven, in the wilderness. Jesus, when tempted by the devil, said that man shall not live by bread alone. But by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. We are the wheat and need the be winnowed to be useful to God.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

What does this mean, “But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”(James 1:2 KJV) When we hear the Word of God taught, do we let God’s Word convict us, and let His Holy Spirit change us? If we let the Lord change us, then we will become more like Jesus. Then we will do the will of God from the heart. Our life then becomes more like Jesus’ life because He is living in us, and we are following the leading of His Spirit.