Meditate today and be strong.
Then, when our dying bodies have been
transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:
"Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O
death, where is your sting?" For sin is the sting that results in death,
and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin
and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be
strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know
that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. 1 Corinthians
15:54-58
Nothing
you do for the Lord is ever useless. What do you “do” for the Lord? None of
your “works” can get you into heaven. So of what value are “works”…things that you
“do”? God does it all. He gives us
victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. We can’t obtain
victory on our own. We “do” things after we become Christians to serve the
Lord. We become doers of the Word—not to get us into heaven, but because we
want to help others.
 |
| Glace in the mirror. What do you see? |
But don't just listen to God's word. You
must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you
listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a
mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you
look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it
says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. If
you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling
yourself, and your religion is worthless. Pure and genuine religion in the
sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress
and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
James 1:22-27
“Doing” may be teaching others about Jesus so
that one day they will go to heaven, too. Or it may be just an act of service…like
taking food, clothing, or assistance to someone who is sick, homeless, or
grieving. To serve someone is to serve God Himself. One day we will die…and in
that death the victory will be for Jesus. He has saved us from eternal
damnation…and saved us to an eternity with Him. That is love…no greater love
than with the one that gave His life for us…and that even now is seated at the
right hand of our Heavenly Father, pleading for mercy on our lives.
My dear children, I am writing this to you
so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who
pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly
righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only
our sins but the sins of all the world. 1 John 2:1-2
Jesus has power over the sting of death—and
since we belong to Him, if we believe in Him as our Savior, then death has no
power over us, not even to wound to our souls. These bodies may die and
decay…but we will be given new bodies.
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared
to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly
for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against
its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse. But with eager hope, the
creation looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious
freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning
as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers
also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of
future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering.
We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights
as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.
Romans 8:18-23
Prayer
~ Thank You Lord, we won't be misled—no one can mock the justice of God. People
will always harvest what they plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own
sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those
who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So
we will not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will
reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up. Therefore, whenever we have the
opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of
faith. Galatians 6:7-10. Guide us today to do Your will in serving others.
Friday’s
Feast at the King’s Table
One of my granddaughters recently
celebrated 100 days of school. Some kids have created paper chains while other
children count out 100 pennies, 100 Cheerios, 100 jelly beans or other things
like Hot Wheel cars. Lydia wanted to make 100 cookies. Here’s a family recipe
for 100 Good Cookies.
100 Good Cookies
1 c
sugar
1 c
brown sugar
1 c
butter
1 c
vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp
vanilla
3½ c
flour
1 tsp
cream of tartar
1 tsp
baking soda
1 c chopped
nuts of your choice, like pecans, walnuts or almonds
1 c
oatmeal
1 c
coconut
1 c Rice
Krispies
Cream
together sugars, butter and oil. Add egg and vanilla.
Stir
together dry ingredients and add to the sugar mixture.
Add nuts,
coconut, oatmeal and then gently add the Rice Krispies, so as not to break them.
Drop by
teaspoon on cookie sheets. It does make 100 cookies!
Bake at
350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. These cookies freeze well.
The
best way to freeze cookies is label the bags: LIVER. No one will bother them.
© 2020 Text and
photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
Unless
otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation,
copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of
Tyndale House
Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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