Do I have true freedom?

Not only has He healed my heart, He has set it free. That freedom leads me to run in the path of His desire for my life. His freedom leads to my commitment to do what He wants for me.

Freedom leading to willing obedienceis His way. And I run in it!! Willingly. Gladly.

 I run in the path of your commands,
for you have set my heart free. Psalm 119:32

"You don't make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace." ~~Jesus

Jesus challenges us to make sure our words are clear and genuine. They should reflect all of His love. Embellishing what we say with religiosity is useless. Being religious isn't being genuine in God.

Sounding religious doesn't make us religious.

"You don't make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace." ~~Jesus

"They act like they are worshiping me, but they don't mean it." ~~Jesus

Jesus challenges us to stop acting. And, He is serious. He means it.

How many times do we just go through the motions? What about our prayers at meals? What about how we sing (or don't sing) the songs at church? What about our "gifts" at the offering time?

Are we just acting? Do we really mean it?

May we worship God like we mean it. May we be head over heels in love with Jesus and let our worship show it.

"They act like they are worshiping me, but they don't mean it." ~~Jesus (Mark 7:6 The Message)

Atlanta Braves History: Dan Uggla 2 run home run

Atlanta Braves' Dan Uggla follows through with a two-run home run in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, May 26, 2012, in Atlanta.

Am I astonished or afraid?

Am I astonished or afraid? Those who simply follow get afraid. Those who are following Him and the new plan are astonished. His peace drives out fear all together. He is leading us. He knew what was going to happen. He let it be plain to His followers. He gave them hope. He would rise from the dead. This was good news.

It still is!!!

They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. "We are going up to Jerusalem," he said, "and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise. Mark 10:32-34

Memorial Day

These heroes are dead.  They died for liberty - they died for us.  They are at rest.  They sleep in the land they made free, under the flag they rendered stainless, under the solemn pines, the sad hemlocks, the tearful willows, and the embracing vines.  They sleep beneath the shadows of the clouds, careless alike of sunshine or of storm, each in the windowless Place of Rest. 



Earth may run red with other wars - they are at peace.  In the midst of battle, in the roar of conflict, they found the serenity of death.  I have one sentiment for soldiers living and dead:  cheers for the living; tears for the dead.  ~Robert G. Ingersoll

"Unless you people are dazzled by a miracle, you refuse to believe." ~~Jesus

You come to Jesus. Your son is sick and is going to die. You ask Jesus to come and heal him. Jesus puts you off. That's right, Jesus doesn't just hop to it to do what you want. In fact, He challenges your motives. This is your opportunity to slink off or stand firm.

Jesus challenges us. Do we believe in him or will we give up?

"Unless you people are dazzled by a miracle, you refuse to believe." ~~Jesus John 4:48 (The Message)

Expect nothing in return

Sometimes I am so very tempted to get upset with the "ungrateful". OK, truth be told, I do get upset. I succumb to the temptation. I feel justified. I blessed them and they didn't respond. I gave and they weren't thankful. I go out of my way and they don't notice. How righteous I feel. What is wrong with them? Oh my goodness. What is wrong with me? Really. I have been ungrateful to my heavenly Father. What is His response?
 
To show me mercy. To be kind. To love me. To lavish His gifts on me. To put His best clothes on me. To give me my inheritance. To prepare a feast for me. To go find an amazing ring and put it on my finger.
 
He does good, is good and is in a good mood. He doesn't get offended at all. He is God. He is stunningly great. How amazing? Amazing gifts in spite of my ungrateful heart. He is absolutely perfect.
 
May I be merciful like my heavenly Father. REALLY. My reward will be huge. I will be His son.

If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:34-36

"Go and do the same."~~Jesus

Jesus challenges us. He tells us stories to shake us up. He wants us to love like our heavenly Father loves.

There is the story about a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man. A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man's condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I'll pay you on my way back.'What do you think?

So Jesus tells this to a group of religious leaders. He asks, "Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?"

"The one who treated him kindly," the religion scholar responded.

Jesus said, "Go and do the same." Luke 10:37 (The Message)

Does God have enough?

This seems pretty timely. The economy goes up and down. That creates a lot of uncertainty. A lot of us trust in it our 401K. Better to trust in God who provides for us according to His richness. We should be rich in good deeds. We should be generous. We should share with those in need.

Then there is God's economy. It is certain. It will never evaporate from in front of our eyes. God's economy doesn't need a bailout. He is in a good mood. He is generous. He has plenty to go around.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19

"If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life." ~~Jesus

It happens all the time. Someone uses us for their own advantage. We get upset. It's just not right. We plot how we can get even. We put them in their place. We feel better for a while. But we are not at peace.

Jesus challenges us to not see it that way and act that way. It shouldn't be about who is right. We are here to love and serve. That is the "Jesus way".

"If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life." ~~Jesus 

Is God a liar?

Am I going to lay a stake in the ground, claiming that I have never missed God's goal for my life?

I could but I would be claiming that God is a liar. Now that is something to think about.

Claiming that would show my ignorance. Do I really want that?

No, I don't.

If we claim that we've never missed God's goal for our life (sinned), we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God. ~~Apostle John (1 John 1:10)

Atlanta Braves History: A long haul (1931)

Well, it got worse in 1931. Rather than finish sixth like they had in 1930, the Braves finished seventh. Bill McKechnie continued as the manager. They had a record of 64-90 and were 37 games behind the leader.

They had played pretty good until August and September. Hard to overcome a 17-43 slide in those two months.

They were in for a long haul with McKechnie at the helm. It would never get too much better.

Is it counterfeit?

It is all about love!! May our Father’s HOLY Spirit bring more love!!! How powerful is that?

 "The Pentecostal power, when you sum it all up, is just more of God's love. If it does not bring more love, it is simply a counterfeit."
----- William J. Seymour (quoted in “Apostolic Faith”)

 

 

"Are you being willfully stupid?" ~~Jesus

Jesus explains so many things to us. He challenges us to hear, really hear, what He is saying. He is blunt. He is straightforward. He really want us "to get it". He has given us the Holy Spirit to help.

May we listen and understand. It is important.

"Are you being willfully stupid?" ~~Jesus (Mark 7:18 The Message)

" How do you expect to get anywhere with God when you spend all your time jockeying for position with each other, ranking your rivals and ignoring God?" ~~Jesus

Jesus challenges us to stop being competitive. We are always comparing ourselves with others. It is a serious problem. It makes us feel better that we are better off than someone else.

We have all fallen short of what God has in mind for us. We miss the mark. Worrying about how we compare to others has us ignoring God.

"How do you expect to get anywhere with God when you spend all your time jockeying for position with each other, ranking your rivals and ignoring God?" ~~Jesus (John 5)

Is this just a promise for heaven?

Our God is. He is now. His promise is now. His presence is now. He is!!

The future is going to great. But so is now. His offer to me isn’t the distant future. “Just keep slogging away and I will reward you in heaven” kind of world. It is in this age as well in the age to come. Many times more now that I can expect.

First in the physical world. Then in the spiritual world. Many times more in the physical now.

Paul talks about the same thing. The promise is for now and for the future.

“Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” 1 Timothy 4:8

"Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way." ~~Jesus

God is God. He does things that don't make sense to us. We clearly wouldn't do very much the way He does. He doesn't need our permission or approval. How He does things pleases Himself.

Jesus challenges us to understand God, what He wants to do and accept His way.

"Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way." ~~Jesus (Luke 10)

Who understands me?

Wow. Now here is a thought. How much of our current culture is built around trying to understand ourselves. Way too much and not the way things are in God's world.

“We have to get rid of the idea that we understand ourselves. That is always the last bit of pride to go. The only One who understands us is God.” ~~Oswald Chambers

They were worried, Jesus wasn't at all

Here is a lesson in worry from our Master Jesus. He wasn't worried. He wasn't anxious. He was just doing what He knew to do which was be in His Father's house. So, his parents were worried. He was not. I should be concerned about doing my Father's business and not worry about anything else. And, he continued to grow this way. Stuff just didn't faze Him because He was listening to His Heavenly Father and just doing what He heard Him saying.

May I be about my Father's business and grow in His favor. May I worry about whether I am pleasing him.

When they saw Him, they were astonished ; and His mother said to Him, "Son , why have You treated us this way ? Behold , Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You." And He said to them, "Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?" But they did not understand the statement which He had made to them. And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. Luke 2:48-52

 

 

Will I obey God?

Am I willing to let others experience pain because I am following Jesus?

"If we obey God, it is going to cost other people more than it costs us, and that is where the pain begins." ~~Oswald Chambers http://ow.ly/Vfdi

"Don't say 'God be with you,' and not mean it." ~~Jesus

Jesus challenges us to mean what we say. Religious jargon and trite sayings are useless. It is the power of the risen Lord and Savior that means something. Jesus challenges us to understand what action God wants us to take not say some religious saying. The action Jesus took was always specific. He healed the blind but never exactly the same way.

May I live the life Jesus wants me to every day. May my life speak his power.

"Don't say 'God be with you,' and not mean it." ~~Jesus

Where does all my planning get me?

A friend sent me this quote. I have reading it over and over. Not sure who to attribute it to but thought it was worth sharing.

"You will not find My Peace by engaging in excessive planning:  attempting to control what will happen to you in the future.  This is a commonly practiced form of unbelief.  When your mind spins with multiple plans, Peace may sometimes seem to be within your grasp; yet it always eludes you. Just when you think you have prepared for all possibilities, something unexpected pops up and throws things into confusion. 

I did not design the human mind to figure out the future.  That is beyond your capability.  I crafted your mind for continual communication with Me.  Bring Me all your needs your hopes and fears.  Commit everything into My care.  Turn from the path of planning to the path of Peace. "

 

"These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn't in it." ~Jesus

Jesus challenges us to have our heart in the right place with God and everyone else. It is all about our relationships. It isn't the "big show" we make of saying things. Do we do the right God-things? Is our heart in it even if no one knows about what we do?

May my heart be in it every day!!

"These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn't in it." ~Jesus (Mark 7:6)

 

"It's who you are and the way you live that count before God." ~~Jesus

We get caught up in the wrong things. What church do we go to or what denomination do we belong to. How good is the worship team or choir. What school did we graduate from. What neighborhood do we live in. What is my title at work. How much money we earn. What car do we drive. The list goes on and on.

Jesus challenges us down to our core. What is my relationship with our loving God and Father? Do I love Him and Him only? Do I seek with all my heart to please Him every day? Do I love the people in my life the way He loves me?

That is all that is important. Jesus challenges us to live that way.

"It's who you are and the way you live that count before God." ~~Jesus (John 4:24 The Message)

"Too many of you are using doing things 'legally" as a cover for selfishness and whim, pretending to be righteous just because you are 'legal.' ." ~~Jesus

Jesus challenges us to look at whether meeting the "letter of the law" means we are living right in God. God's right way of living has nothing to do with "not doing" things but has everything to do with loving Him and others every day.

May I be right in Him doing His right things everyday.

"Too many of you are using doing things 'legally" as a cover for selfishness and whim, pretending to be righteous just because you are 'legal.' ." ~~Jesus

Is He always faithful?

I live in a hostile world. I call to God. To my heavenly Father I cry out. He hears me. He answers my prayers. My cry brought me right into His very presence. I can have a private audience any time I want it. He is ALWAYS faithful.

He is my rescuing knight. A mighty warrior strong and brave.  I can run to Him for my dear life.

I am an open book to you

I am an open book to our heavenly Father. He knows everything I am going to say before I even say it; before I even begin the first sentence. He knows what I am going to think before I even think it. I can't go anywhere to avoid His HOLY Spirit.

This is too good. He is always with me. That is so wonderful.

Where can I go from Your Spirit ? Or where can I flee from Your presence ? Psalm 139:7

God's goal for my life

Dear God, there is your word. If I was to hide it, where would it be? It should be in my heart. That is what is important to God. If it is in my heart, I will not miss God's goal for my life.

"Give her something to eat." ~~Jesus

The events of the day had been stunning. A 12 year old had just been raised from the dead. What is Jesus first concern? She is hungry. Get her some food. Jesus knows what is important and when it is important. He never ignores what we need and when we need it. That is just the way God is.

 "Give her something to eat." ~~Jesus (Mark 5:43 The Message)

"I have food to eat you know nothing about." ~~Jesus

It can be confusing to talk with Jesus. We're talking this world and He's talking about God's world. He challenges to see things from God's perspective; from His world. So, when we talk about food that isn't the kind of food He is thinking about. This seriously confused His disciples when He was here. It can confuse us today if we aren't careful.

May I see things His way and not my way.

"I have food to eat you know nothing about." ~~Jesus (John 4:32)

"Most of all, are you mis­nam­ing oppor­tu­ni­ties and call­ing them risks instead?" ~~Seth Godin

"Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful face on an empty head." ~~King Solomon

God wants us to be wise. He has given us His Holy Spirit. Pursuing beauty at the expense of His wisdom is like .... Well, we get it. No point in it at all.

"Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful face on an empty head." ~~King Solomon (Proverbs 11:22)

No fear

In our Father's house there are many, many rooms. But the one thing there is no room for is fear. Every room is filled with His love. In fact, the more His love forms in me and matures, this love just pushes out all fear. It is banished!!

Fear can cripple me and my faith. So I pursue my Father's love. I seek to have it mature in me. Be well formed. That pushes out the fear.

There is no fear in love ; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 1 John 4:18

"Las Vegas and New Orleans will have it easy on Judgment Day compared to you." ~Jesus

Tyre and Sidon were well known pagan cities in Jesus time. It might be like saying Las Vegas and New Orleans will have it easy on Judgement Day. Jesus is in our midst performing amazing miracles. Do we see Him? Do we hear Him? Do we believe Him?

It is easy to judge places like Las Vegas and miss what He is doing in Dallas. May I see Jesus here and respond to Him.

"Tyre and Sidon will have it easy on Judgment Day compared to you." ~Jesus

"I'm not here to demolish God's Law or the Prophets but to complete. " ~~Jesus

Jesus, God's Son, shows how He completes what was started in the Old Covenant (Testament). Everything in the Old Covenant pointed to Him. He completed everything through His life, death for us having missed God's goal for our life, glorious resurrection and ascension to rule with God. As He said on the cross, "It is finished".

"Don't suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the Scriptures— either God's Law or the Prophets. I'm not here to demolish but to complete. " ~~Jesus

Power and love

I don't have to be timid or shy. Fear can't grip my heart. He has given me His HOLY Spirit. The Spirit gives me power that I have never known. I can be bold.

I have His love drenching my heart and soul. With His sensible care I persevere. His love is a gift to me.

The discipline He brings into my life makes a difference. I can focus on His daily direction. I can move according to His long range goals for me. That direction and focus drives out all fear.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

"Little girl, get up." ~~Jesus to a dead 12 year old girl

She is 12 years old. She got sick and died. Everyone is beside themselves in grief and horror. Jesus arrives on the scene at the request of the father. When he goes in to the room where her dead body is lying, He says very little other than "Little girl, get up". At that, she was up and walking around! They were all beside themselves with joy. Amazed. Stunned. Ecstatic.

This is stunning. This is the power of God in Jesus. We have the same Holy Spirit in us. May I live my life knowing of this stunning power.

"Little girl, get up." ~~Jesus to a dead 12 year old girl

"If you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking me for a drink, and I would give you fresh, living water."~~Jesus

Jesus knows first hand the generosity of God. When we ask for a drink of water, he reminds us (challenges us) to focus on what is important. Water will quench our thirst for a brief period of time. Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit (living water) who empowers us for all of eternity. We have that now.

May I drink from the living water of Jesus and realize the power of His Holy Spirit. May I realize that now.

"If you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking me for a drink, and I would give you fresh, living water."~~Jesus (John 4:10)

Atlanta Braves History: Fred Tenney as an old timer

Prior to the Braves-Giants game on September 30, 1921‚ the Giants Old Timers take on the Giants regulars in a 5-inning contest. Twenty thousand fans cheer as former stars‚ Christy Mathewson‚ Roger Bresnahan‚ George Wiltse‚ Art Devlin‚ Larry Doyle and Fred Tenney (a Brave from 1894 to 1907) whip the current Giants‚ 2-0. The regular game is called because of rain after one inning‚ but only 4‚000 fans ask for a refund.

"You feed them." ~~Jesus

Jesus challenges us. It had been a long day. It was beginning to get late. His disciples came to him and said to Jesus, "Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the farms or villages around here and get a room for the night and a bite to eat. We're out in the middle of nowhere." You feed them, he challenged them. They came to him with a problem and a simple solution. They knew they couldn't feed them because there were close to 5,000 men and there was no food. No one was prepared to be there so long with Jesus.

They also should have known that God can provide food when there is none. They had been around Jesus long enough to know this. Our faithless solutions don't allow God to shine through.

And so ... Jesus challenges us to seek God first, don't depend on our own solutions even when we have one and let Him shine through.

"You feed them," Jesus said. (Luke 9:13)

How powerful is that?

Here is a really amazing thing about our heavenly Father. He spoke to us directly through His Son Jesus. Just reading what He said blows me away some days. He still does it today. Through His HOLY Spirit, the words come alive.

And, it was through Jesus that God created the whole world in the beginning. And because of what Jesus did, the world and all that is in it, will belong to Jesus at the end. He truly is the beginning and the end.

So ... this is stunning as well. Jesus perfectly mirrors our heavenly Father. He is stamped with God's complete nature. He is so powerful that He holds everything in the entire universe together by what He says. How powerful is that?

"You can't get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others." ~~Jesus

Jesus has set the bar high in some cases. We all want to be forgiven. To receive that in all its fullness, we need to forgive others. We can do that through the power of His Holy Spirit. We are the forgiving people!!

"You can't get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others." ~~Jesus

New baby

Meet our new grand daughter, Aubree Kate Hoegger.

 

"Tell me your name." ~~Jesus to the demons in a man

Imagine this. One day Jesus arrives in the country of Gerasenes by boat. As Jesus got out of the boat, a madman from the cemetery came up to him. He lived there among the tombs and graves. No one could restrain him—he couldn't be chained, couldn't be tied down. He had been tied up many times with chains and ropes, but he broke the chains, snapped the ropes. No one was strong enough to tame him. Night and day he roamed through the graves and the hills, screaming out and slashing himself with sharp stones. This is one terrifying dude.

When he saw Jesus a long way off, he ran and bowed in worship before him—then bellowed in protest, "What business do you have, Jesus, Son of the High God, messing with me? I swear to God, don't give me a hard time!" (Jesus had just commanded the tormenting evil spirit, "Out! Get out of the man!")

Jesus asked him to tell Him his name. He replied, "My name is Mob. I'm a rioting mob." Then he desperately begged Jesus not to banish them from the country. A large herd of pigs was browsing and rooting on a nearby hill. The demons begged him, "Send us to the pigs so we can live in them." Jesus gave the order. But it was even worse for the pigs than for the man. Crazed, they stampeded over a cliff into the sea and drowned.  Those tending the pigs, scared to death, bolted and told their story in town and country. Everyone wanted to see what had happened. They came up to Jesus and saw the madman sitting there wearing decent clothes and making sense, no longer a walking madhouse of a man.

Those who had seen it told the others what had happened to the demon-possessed man and the pigs. At first they were in awe—and then they were upset, upset over the drowned pigs. They demanded that Jesus leave and not come back. As Jesus was getting into the boat, the demon-delivered man begged to go along, but he wouldn't let him. Jesus said, "Go home to your own people. Tell them your story—what the Master did, how he had mercy on you." The man went back and began to preach in the Ten Towns area about what Jesus had done for him. He was the talk of the town.

Jesus is in control, always. There is no nasty demon that He can't send packing. They obey him and we must know it.

 "Tell me your name." ~~Jesus to the demons in a man. (Mark 5:9-10)

"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." ~~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Crazy Stats From Last Night's Braves-Phillies Game 18-13

The May 2 Braves Phillie game was crazy.  We won in extra innings. Here are some of the stats.

• It was the highest-scoring extra-inning game in the Major Leagues since 2006.


• It was the highest-scoring extra-inning game in the National League since July 4, 1985, when the Mets outlasted the Braves, 16-13, in 19 innings.


• The only other major-league team in the past 30 years that won a game after rallying from a deficit of at least six runs and overcoming a separate disadvantage of four or more runs was the 1997 Mariners, in a 12-11 victory against the Rockies.


• The last team to lose an 11+ inning game while scoring 13+ was the 116-win 2001 Mariners.


• The last team to win in 11+ innings while scoring 13+ was managed by... Charlie Manuel, tonight's losing manager.


• This was the Braves' 4th win since 1918 when allowing 13+ runs, and the 2nd in the last 60 years.


• This was the first game in MLB history to end 15-13 in 11 or more innings (since 1918, anyway).


• Roy Halladay gave up eight runs, the most he had allowed since surrendering nine on May 5, 2007 against the Rangers.


• This is the first time in Halladay's career that he's given up more than 6 runs to an NL team.


• Halladay was working with a 6-0 lead when he gave up six runs in the fifth inning and then two more in the sixth. He was 107-0 in his career in starts in which he was given a four-run lead. The Phillies, though, let him off the hook by rallying in the seventh.


• The Braves had 3 bases-loaded hits all year coming into last night. They had 3 bases-loaded hits in the 5th inning of last night's game... off Roy Halladay.


• Brian McCann hit just the fourth grand slam ever given up by Halladay (Evan Longoria hit the last in 2008).


• The I Hit A Slam Off Roy Halladay Club: Evan Longoria, Alfonso Soriano, Andy Sheets, and now Brian McCann.


• That was the first homer allowed by Halladay in six starts this season.


• Chipper Jones and Jason Giambi each hit game-ending home runs on Wednesday. It was the first day in major-league history on which two players age 40 or older hit walk-off homers.


• Never before had two men, each with at least 400 career home runs to their credit, hit walk-off round-trippers on the same day.


• Jones’s walkoff was his first since May 17, 2006 against the Marlins. It was the eighth of his career.

via Crazy Stats From Last Night's Braves-Phillies Game - Talking Chop.

"Would you give me a drink of water?" ~~Jesus

Jesus asks a question. Simple and to the point. He was thirsty.

Jesus also knew where the question would lead and that the conversation would change this woman's life.

It really didn't matter what her answer was going to be, He was going to have the conversation. So, it isn't about the question as much as it is about the conversation. True with Jesus. True with us. But it did start with a question.

A woman, a Samaritan, came to draw water. Jesus said, "Would you give me a drink of water?" (His disciples had gone to the village to buy food for lunch.)  (John 4:7-8)

"I've been given it all by my Father! Only the Father knows who the Son is and only the Son knows who the Father is." ~~Jesus

Oh my goodness. Jesus has everything. It is a great gift from His Father. All authority, power, love. Everything!! Nothing is lacking in Him. Their relationship is like none other. Only that kind of love can produce a world for us that is different than what we know today.

Jesus has it all. Nothing is impossible or lacking. May I know it and live that way.

"I've been given it all by my Father! Only the Father knows who the Son is and only the Son knows who the Father is." ~~Jesus (Luke 10:22)