We all know that God is love. It’s who He is. Jesus gave His life because He loves us. Now God has passed that requirement to us. We are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. We will say we will do this, until the rubber meets the road. When we meet people who are unlovable and they attack us, our first reaction is to attack back. But God will send people like that our way to show them the love of God. It’s not always easy to love people but it is necessary for us and the other person. We have to see people as they are, so God can change our heart and theirs. I met a paraplegic who couldn’t speak verbally, but he love Jesus. He spoke volumes to me. He loved me like Jesus does. He had to have people to do everything for him. To told me through a computer that the one thing that really bothered him was drooling. It broke my heart. I cried. He loved me with the love of God. Love is long suffering, it is kind and gentle and it never fails.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

There is a scripture that says not to lay hands on anyone suddenly. I have met people who I would like to lay hands on them suddenly and repeatedly. But that isn’t how God operates. God extends His love everyone, including those that fight Him. So, how do we resist or fight against the devil in people? God has specific ways to entreat people back home. In Colossians, God says that we are to fight heresy with truth. And we are to tell people in the love of God. It is the only thing that will win people over. We as Christians must prepare to tell people the truth. The word of God is how we do that. We must read and study the scriptures so that they work in us first. Then we can tell others the truth and they can see it working us. Now the devil is a different story. We can be aggressive with him. As God’s children, He has given us dominion over this earth, in the name of Jesus. Using our faith mixed with the word of God can create results according to God’s will. Paul wrote the Corinthians about this very subject. In 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Paul speaks to spiritual warfare. Yes, it is warfare. This is the battle that everyone must face. The devil doesn’t leave us alone. When do we win this battle? That is a easy question answer. We win when we go home to Jesus in death. But in the mean time, we don’t war against the flesh.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

In 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, Paul talks about to the Corinthian church about giving over and over to him. Paul equated their giving to their spiritual growth in Christ. So, what is sowing all about? Sowing is an action that is taken by a person to produce an effect in their life. We think about farmers sowing crops. This is a good example of what sowing is about. But this isn’t the only example. What people do in their lives is another, whether good or bad. When I began with the Lord, I didn’t know Him very well. I want to know God, my Father, and Jesus, my Brother. So, I studied day and night until I was satisfied I knew Them. This took about 25 years of my life. But all that I very learned is just a faction of who God is. I still study everyday to learn who God is. The effect of my searching out God in my life had produced a strong relationship with both God and Jesus. I sowed my effort into learning about God and it produce the effect I wanted. In verse 7, it says as he has purposed in his heart. It is because this is where the sowing has to take place. Your heart controls everything, your growth in the Lord, your giving to the gospel and your church attendance. Everything we do is control by our heart. If you give sparingly, you will reap sparingly. So, if you aren’t satisfied with your relationship with God, then you know you have to give more of yourself. If the church is in need of laborers or funds, you know that it is up to you to give. It is all accordingly what you purpose in your heart.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

Everybody wants to have things. A wise man will count the cost before trying to acquire things. And if something cost too much and can’t afford it, all we can do is dream about it. Or like foolish people, they will buy it and find out they can’t afford it, will have to sell it. And if we find out we can’t afford it and buy it anyway, it may destroy us. I know people that got into so much debt, it all most destroyed their life. They had to dig their way out of the hole they made. Counting the cost applies to everything in life. We walk through this world trying to acquire things to satisfy ourselves. Only to find out that things don’t satisfy us. I have seen people come to a point in their life where they are on the brink of destruction. And they see what Jesus has to offer and turn away. They see what it cost and aren’t willing to pay the price. Although they will pay the price in the end. What is the cost of Christianity? Good Question. The cost of Christianity is dying to oneself. Yes, just as Jesus died on the cross, we must die to ourselves. So that God can raise us up unto righteousness. The most heinous thing to us as humans is death. And it is the one thing that people fear the most. But death is the only thing that will actually save us from this world and it’s destruction. So, we must muster the courage and pay the cost of Christianity. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV).

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

Jesus went to Bethany to see about Lazarus. Lazarus had been dead for four days. As soon as Jesus enter the town, Martha, Lazarus sister, heard and ran to Him. Martha said if only you had been here Lazarus wouldn’t have died. Jesus said that Lazarus will rise again. Martha said I know that he will rise in the resurrection. Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes through he were dead, yet shall he live. He that lives and believes shall never die. Believeth thou this? Jesus is speaking to us through the ages to believe because He is the Resurrection and the Life. Do you believe?

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637@juno.com

In 1 Peter 4:12-13, it talks about the fiery trials we go through. Peter preached the gospel throughout the his known world and was crucified upside down. He was crucified upside down because he thought that he wasn’t worthy to die like Jesus. Peter wasn’t concerned about his death, he was concerned that the gospel was preached. He gave his life to Jesus and didn’t take it back. His life belonged to God and was God’s to use Peter’s life as He willed. In 1 Peter 4:12, it says think it not strange that fiery trials come upon you. It is because they come upon every Christian, whether or not them are dedicated to Jesus. Jesus said if they hated me, they will hate you. Besides the world hating you, the devil will fight against you. So, it isn’t strange that we go through trials. Now what we do in the midst of them is what Jesus taught the disciples and us to do. The word of God says when we have done all the praying and believing, we are to stand. So stand therefore. You see through the fiery trials, we grow as a Christian. God says that in the midst of the trial, we will never be tested more than we are able. And with the trials, God will make a way of escape. So, we can enter into the trial with joy and walk through it.

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy” (1Peter 4:12-13 KJV).

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

It has been 2000 years since Jesus walked on this earth. He told the disciples that He returning. Jesus said His return was at the gate. So when is Jesus returning? He said as a thief in the night. You will not know when or where. But Jesus will keep His word to us. Jesus told the disciples to look at the sign of the times to judge approximately when He was returning. Jesus said only the Father knows the time of His return. But Jesus that we are to live as if He was returning today. It is because, if we live ready to go home, when Jesus returns we will be ready to go home. Many people look and see that He hasn’t return so far, so it doesn’t any difference. I feel sorry for those who don’t believe what Jesus said. But that won’t stop Jesus returning at any time. The only way that we can go home, is to live ready to go. That means that we have to believe and trust God with our life. Asking God to forgive us is the first step. Then we have to walk in God’s path. As He said, narrow is the way and strait is the gate. And few find it (Matthew 7:14). As Paul went throughout Asia Minor, he had to rebuke people who believed that Jesus was returning now. They had stopped working and were living on the their rooftops. That was 2000 years ago. But Jesus is returning soon. In Revelations, John wrote, Come Lord Jesus. Praying for His returning. Jesus is returning and it is soon. But I don’t know the time or the day. But I will be ready to go home when He returns.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

In 2 Timothy 2:15 it says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” All throughout the Bible God talks about skilled craftsmen. Whenever there was something to be built, they called for skilled craftsmen. Whether it was for the Tent of the Meeting or the temple in Jerusalem or the walls in the Jerusalem. Skilled Craftsmen were needed to construct anything, The Bible talks about how we are constructed by the word of God. When we first come to the Lord, we are called babies that need to be taken care of. But as we mature in Christ by reading and doing the Word of God, we begin to handle the Word of God as a craftsman. Then as we continue in the Word of God, we become skilled. We are able to rightly handle the Word as God intended for us to do. The Word of God mixed with faith will produce God’s will on this earth. As it says in 2 Timothy 2:15, study to show yourself approved unto God. We must make time to read and study God’s word. Then it will become real in our lives. We have to start with reading, then understanding what it says and finally experiencing God’s word, then it becomes wisdom for us. This is how we become mature in God’s kingdom being able to handle God’s word, a skilled craftsmen.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

The smallest book in the Old Testament. It is disputed who Obadiah is. It is because there are over a dozen Obadiah’s mentioned in the bible. But what he has to say is universal. Jacob (Israel) and Esau were the sons of Isaac. Jacob received God’s blessing and Esau didn’t. Jacob inherited the Promise Land, but not Esau. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of soup. Esau never forgave Jacob because of his birthright. Although, it was Esau that gave it away. When Nebuchadnezzar took Judah captive, Esau or Edom helped capture Judah. God brought recompense upon Esau. Esau’s nation, Edom, disappeared from the earth. They were destroyed by the hand of God. How does this apply to us? The bible says that we are to love God with our whole heart and to love our neighbor as ourselves. But it also says that if we don’t forgive our brother, God will not forgive us. Esau never forgave Jacob and fought against him. It was the same with Cain and Abel. Cain killed his brother because Abel was righteous and he wasn’t. Esau did the same to Jacob, Israel. No one can fight against God and win. It doesn’t matter what you think. God’s word will win out every time. Hear what the prophet Obadiah has to say to us, forgive from your heart and live.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

The book of Philemon is a personal letter from the apostle Paul to Philemon. It is a story of forgiveness and redemption. Onesimus was a runaway slave. He ran to Rome to be free and ran into Paul. Paul took him in and took care of him. As Paul preached the gospel, Onesimus listen and received Jesus as Lord. He began to take care of Paul and to become a fellow servant of the gospel. Paul knew that Onesimus had to return to his master. Paul had led Philemon and his household to Lord and knew them well. He wrote a letter pleading with Philemon to forgive and redeem his lost servant Onesimus. Not to take him back as a slave, but as a brother in the Lord, faithful and true. This is the story of Jesus and His love for us. The letter He wrote is the bible and sealed it with His blood. We are servants and sons of the Most High God. And the only way we can return is through the work of Jesus. He blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us (Colossians 2:14). And it is for us to return unto the Father for Him to accept us back. Paul began with a prayer and that is the best place to begin and end is with a prayer. May God bless and keep you in Christ.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com