Tim's Blessing Blog

With any creation the designer, the creator understands more than anyone else the purpose, the care, and the use of what was created. It is true of mechanical devices, high-tech innovations, and it is true of us. God designed us: body, soul, and spirit. He knows what is best for us. He knows what will succeed and what will fail. He knows each of us intimately.

He loves us and wants the best for us. He rejoices when we succeed. We should be less resistant to what God wants us to do.He made us. He loves us. He wants us to succeed. Who is better to give guidance to make our lives operate successfully? More success comes from cooperating with the creator rather than assuming the creation knows better the creator,

God loves you. He knows best. Obey His instructions and succeed. Blessings and success follow obedience.

In the last three + years I’ve been having some drama. My eyesight was getting really bad. My teeth were in such a state that it was painful to eat. I had a wound on my back that would not heal.

The work on my eyes was over an extended period of time. It included four surgeries. I grew weary but God was faithful. My friends and family provided the many trips to Iowa City.. The care was top notch. My eyesight is better than it has ever been.

Then I had to deal with my teerh. That too required surgery. After six weeks healing I was fitted with dentures. I can now eat without pain. Once again all needs were met,

The next drama was the wound that would not heal. It turned out to be cancer. I had an excellent surgeon and the operation went well. I am now cancer free.My surgery went well. But the healing went better. Within ten days of the surgery I had no pain and discontinued pain medication.

Many rides, many hours, many prayers were provided by my friends, my family, and my church. God put me in good hands and healed my body. I am thankful for HIS faithfulness…and the favor and support of His people. THANK YOU ALL who were a part of this physical restoration.

Blessings from Tim

We all have had regrets. We have all done something wrong, either intentionally or not. Those actions cause results that we often regret. The hardest of these to deal with are those with results we cannot fix.

If there is a death of a relationship or a person involved, it can lead to extended regret and mourning, with seemingly no way to be free. Why? Because we cannot see a way to make it right,

Though there are some things we cannot make right, as Christians, we have access to God with His love, peace, and forgiveness. God has forgiven us, even if we have not. We need to go to Him in prayer or to our ministers to be delivered from the self-hate that lingering regret can cause,

Often, a stronghold of regret can rob us of blessings now and hope for our future. When God has covenant blessings for you do you hesitate? Do you feel unworthy? There can be a variety of reasons for this. But often it is because of regret. Remember God has forgiven you. You must forgive yourself. We can only do this with God’s help and healing.

But it can be done and the results are wonderful

Jesus, the Word

John 1:1-4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.

By Him, In Him

Colossians lets us know His importance to us. In Him we have redemption through His blood. (1:14) By Him were all things created.(1;16) He is before all things and by Him all things consist.(1:17) In Him dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (2:9) We are complete in Him (2:10) We are quickened with Him and forgiven all our trespasses. (2:13)

WOW!

Revelation 1:8 I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Jesus is central. We need to keep Him central in our hearts, in our theology.

The blessings of the kingdom of God are found in our relationship with God. To have a relationship with God we must have it through Jesus. He is the only way to the Father. When we were born again we gained access to new life, new blessings, and new relationships.

We first know Jesus as Savior. A whole series could be taught about what happens when Jesus becomes our savior. Though this new birth is the most important initial experience, it is just the beginning of blessings in Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit and Bible witness of Him. Indeed the Bible was given as a revelation of who God is and what He wants in our relationships with Him. We must realize that our limited carnal minds cannot understand God or Jesus. We need the help of the Holy Spirit and the anointing of the ministry gifts to truly understand the revelations of God in the Bible.

The Bible has a lot to say about Jesus. Some people get confused. How can He be a lion and a lamb? How can He be the bread of life, the Lord of Glory, the suffering servant? These explanations of who He is are all true, and there are many more. They are not given to confuse us. Each one of these explanations of who Jesus is is an invitation to know Him in a different facet and role. They are there so we can know Him better.

We can get to know Him as our good shepherd. We can get to know Him as our prince of peace. If we study these things and ask Him to reveal Himself in these ways, He will. If we draw near to Hom He will draw near to us.

The whole idea of God’s revelation of Himself is so we can know Him. As we come to Him seeking to know Him in His various facets, we grow closer to God. As we experience God we become more like Him. WOW! Talk about richness and goodness!

Remember. It all starts with JESUS and what we have in Him.

As Christians, we have a great advantage. We know The Prince of Peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Is. 9:6 Upon His coming angels proclaimed, “Peace on earth goodwill to man”Luke 2:14 What they did not say was, “All humans will be at peace now.” Their message was about God’s gift of Jesus and the reconciliation between God and humans. Part of our new nature is Peace. Gal.5:22

Furthermore, we are told to live in peace with others as much as it is possible. Romans 14:19 But scripture does NOT say “go along to get along”. We live in peace not compromise. Peace is not our highest goal though we are to value it. Pleasing Jesus is our highest goal.

I was asked, “If Jesus is the prince of peace, what about Matt. 10:34-36? In these verses, Jesus says that He did not come to bring peace but a sword. Does this mean He was not the Prince of Peace? No, of course not. Look at the context. Jesus was speaking of bringing truth to a lying world, light to darkness, and righteousness to evil people. Of course, conflict and divisions followed. Jesus came as the Prince of Peace not the prince of convenience or compromise.

Jer. 6:14 says people will say “Peace. Peace.’ but there will be no peace. Does this mean the Prince of Peace has failed? “We do live in a messed up world.” God forbid! He has brought about peace with God for all that would accept Him. He gives us His peace as part of our new lives. We can live in a messed-up world and have inner peace. Jesus is truly our Prince of Peace.

A NOTE: Focusing on one verse on peace or any other subject without considering others and their contexts can lead to confusion and misunderstanding.

Grace and Peace be to You.  Brother Tim

This is shared with us by my pastor, Monte Knudson.

There are extremes of riches and poverty that cause unique temptations if we let them. Prov. 30:8-9

Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses. Prov. 12:9

The rich and poor are more alike than you think. Prov. 22:2

You can’t outgive God. Prov. 3:9-10 (11:24, 22:9)

Poverty is not pretty. Prov. 10:15 (14:20, 19:4)

Money can’t give you ultimate security. Prov. 11:7 (8:18, 11:28)

The Lord hates those who get riches by wickedness. Prov. 2:6 (22:16, 22:22-23)

The Lord loves those who give to the poor. Prov. 28:27 (14:21, 22:9)

Hard work and good decisions lead to great provision. Prov. 6:6-11 (10:4, 13:11, 14:23, 21:17, 22:4, 27:23)

Money is not everything. Prov. 23:4 (8:10-11, 19, 10:2, 11:4, 13:35, 16:8, 20:17, 22:7)

As a Christian God takes up residence in us. There are many references to His new nature in us or Christ in us the hope of glory or our body being the temple of the Holy Spirit. God is with us and in us.

The Word says God is Love. That perfect love is in us.

1 John 4:8

The Word says perfect Love casts out fear.

1 John 4:18

Are there fears trying to hold you back or keeping you from being all you know you should be? If you are a Christian, you have the answer to that. God is in you. God is Love. Perfect love casts out fear. Believe God. Let God’s Spirit arise in you and cast off the fears. You do not have to live in fear as a Christian.

I love my conveniences. I love being able to communicate with friends across the globe. I am thankful for that and so many other 21st-century conveniences. They make work and play easier. Good stuff!

But if I let convenience become part of my value system, my character, I will never be great. I will gravitate to the easy. I will demand the world conform to me. I will not persevere. I will take the route of least resistance.

The great men and women who overcame and changed their worlds were people who did not give up when things got hard. During the US Revolutionary War Things seemed bleak…sometimes impossible but George Washington and his soldiers stayed through the tough times until Victory.

Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, Roy Benevetez, Audie Murphy, and millions of others who helped change history, and change the world all persevered when things were tough. They stayed the course when things were not convenient.

Conveniences are fine, But there is no convenience button or EZ button for relationships, success, or greatness. To improve ourselves and our world we must press through the inconveniences and not fall back to whatever is easiest.