Q & A How Do I Resist Temptation? (part two)

Earlier this week, I had told you that we had gone out of town. We were staying in a hotel across town from my daughters. The morning after checking in we were going to her home and then from there going on over to my son's home. We left the hotel about 9 a.m. or so and made our way back there with directions printed from off the internet because it had been some years since we had been to the area that they live in. Unfortunately, we got turned around but after a half hour or so, we did find our way to her house

Once there, we had some breakfast, and about 45 minutes later got ready to leave for my son's. I went to gather my purse and things I needed to take with me. But when I got into my bag, I couldn't find my wallet. As I pawed through it wanting to pull it out for something in it, I became a little frantic that it was not coming out with the rest of what was coming out. There were quite a bit of things in it) When everything was out, there was no wallet. Oh no! I had to have left it at the hotel.

Just that morning, in the information provided by the hotel, I had read that starting at 9 am, the cleaning service would be cleaning the rooms. We had left about that time, and now here it was going on 11! There was no doubt in my mind that they had already been to our room, and most likely, whoever had done ours, probably done had that wallet in their possession. I tried calling the hotel and to my dismay, could not get through. It seemed their phone was out or something. I do not know what the problem with that was and never found out.

 Maybe I am just too easy to jump to conclusions. But unlike in years gone by where we learned to trust everyone, that is not just the case in today's world. And so I am getting really upset as the seconds' tick by and we need to go back over to the hotel to try to find it. 

Now I have to tell you. I am not a rich person. I am not a well-to-do person. In fact, just a couple more days we would need to start heading back home and needed to depend on the credit card in that wallet to put gas in the tank to get there. Because also to my dismay, I had forgotten to let the credit card know that we were going to be out of town in case there was any suspicious activity on it during the time we were gone. That is what I get for not taking the time to do it even though it had been a rush job and very busy getting ready for it.

And so I prayed rather hastily mind you because all the time I was still worrying, "Please God, if the cleaning service has not been there yet, please stall her from our room and if she has, let her be honest not to take it." Or something like that. As I said, I was hasty in my prayer, worrying about it. But I knew God heard my heart.

We got to the hotel room and parked in the space in front of it. There she was. At our door. Her cart of supplies holding our door open. I told my husband to look the cart over as we went past it before we got out of the truck. Which I did as well, but not seeing it. We went in and right inside was a black lady. We told her we were the ones that had the room and immediately-and I do mean immediately, she said, "Oh, I found a black wallet and took it up to the office where you can go to pick it up!"

Now, I do not just go up and hug strangers. And being white myself, though I am not at all predijuced against any other race, I would not have done so with a white person, nor any other race either. Not in this day and time.

However, I was so relieved that it was as if I knew this lady personally. I stepped toward her asking if I could give her a hug, gave her one anyway, without waiting for an answer. Thankfully, she hugged me back and had a big smile on her face.

I don't know if she was tempted that morning when she saw my wallet lying wherever I had left it in the room. Maybe so, and maybe not. Whatever, she had done the right thing and not been taken to follow through if she had been. And in this kind of a job, and being an older lady, I am sure it might have been.  She had been honest and returned it and I will never forget her for making me happy. I pray that she too will get gratification in knowing she had done the right thing and she had also gotten a hug from a white and very grateful lady. And I also pray God's blessing on her as well because I know what it is to be older and have to work hard. And this kind of job is not the easiest kind to do.

And God? He is all too faithful to us at all times. even when we don't think he is. Especially at times when we forget to remember not to worry because he has all things in his control.  And he heard and answered my prayer that day!

The next morning, my old feelings from our world today did pop up again, however. We had slept in later than usual that morning at the hotel. The cleaning service gal showed up and asked us if we needed anything to which we said we didn't think so for now. This time she was white and young and I thought, "I am glad she wasn't here yesterday, she probably would have taken it."

As usual, I had to repent. "Sorry, Lord. Please forgive me for that!"

Temptations come at us all the time. Some of them are not as bad or not as hard to overcome perhaps as others. Until we let them go on, never dealing with them. Something small can become bigger and bigger until they make us into someone we never thought we would be. They are sin and that is all there is to it. And that is what Satan does to us. Lead us to it. Hoping we will take the bait and not giving up so as to lead us so far away from God we have no idea or maybe no desire to get back to him. It maybe starts with one little innocent (so we think) lie and lead us to hell if we let it. But thank God that he kind, patient and he is forgiving. Wishing that none
of us would be lost without him. (2 Peter 3:9) All we have to do is get the help we need as in some of the ways I mentioned in part one of this particular post, and most of all ask for God's forgiveness when we follow through on the things we do that are wrong. Because after all, that is the most important.

Thanks for coming by Friends. Have an awesomely blessed day on this the Lord's Day!
(Up tomorrow: Are dragons mentioned in the bible? Find out tomorrow.)

Q & A How Do I Resist Tempation?

Temptation: A desire to do something wrong or unwise

No temptation has overtaken you that is common to man. God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability but with the temptation, he will provide a way of escape that you may be able to endure it. 1Corthianians 10:13

Temptation is not an easy thing to overcome. Our flesh wants to indulge itself in all kinds of it, not only everyday but most likely every minute.  And sometimes those temptations get us into trouble that we sure really do not want.

Of course, we know where it starts and who it starts with. Satan knows our weaknesses and when we have given into one, he will attack us at that very same point. He wants to draw us away from God into the very sin that we hate. Or come to hate. Because if we are Christians and truly saved, we might start out enjoying our sin because the bible says that sin is enjoyable for a season. Hebrews 11:25. But in time, we do begin to hate what we are doing and yet may feel that it is impossible to get away from. 

Even Jesus was tempted by the devil. Mathew 4:1-11. I wonder really, who Satan thought he was when he tried that of the Son of God. I mean come on, God did throw him out of heaven. Did he not get the idea then that he was not quite as important as he thought he was? But indeed, he tried it and Jesus did not fall for such a stupid temptation.

Of course, he was God's Son. Perfect in every way. How can we measure up to such a person? The fact is, we can't. Not under our own power. Our salvation from sin and temptation comes only from his redeeming grace. But there are ways we can avoid it when Satan is on our backs trying to draw us away.

The best way is to know his Word. The psalmist said, "Thy words have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against you." Psalm 119:11. 

When Satan threw something (temptation) at Jesus, he (Jesus) threw Satan an answer (his word) right back at him. We can do the same if we know God's word. Quote the scripture to let him know we are not falling for his tricks. Jesus even told Satan to get behind him in Mathew 16:23. If Satan is tempting us to do something we do not want to do, we need to tell him the same thing.

We need to spend time in God's Word daily. To pray and ask him for his help. We need to run away from it when are being tempted. Avoid it at all costs. And it helps to be accountable to someone we trust. Seek counsel from another Christian or a pastor. Attend a good home bible group where you can ask people to pray for you. You don't have to be specific but God knows what we need, and by others just praying that God will meet our needs, can go a long way in helping us overcome what Satan is trying to get us to do.

Finally, just know that God is faithful and just. And when we go to him and repent, and ask for help and we are sincere, he will get us through it. He will forgive us and we can depend on that!

Thanks for spending some time with me this morning Friends. I want you to know that I have some things going on right now that are keeping me busy and I am having trouble getting to my blog on time. However, I am committed to this blog, I love God and I love sharing with you. So I will try hard to get it posted sometime during the day, even if it is not on time until things get back to normal again. Thanks for your patience and spending the time with me. 
Wishing you the most wonderful blessings possible! PS. I am not sure yet what I will be posting for tomorrow. 

Q & A What Does it Mean to Be the Apple of God's Eye?

Back when our 4 children were growing up, we had 4 apple trees in our backyard. 

They were a wonderful thing to have to help supply our family with this fruit not only for that reason but because raising 4 kids on a budget....well you know, it can be expensive. And the apples themselves were delicious as I used them in so many ways in my cooking. Not only that, but the peelings were not even wasted when not eaten because, at the time, we also had 4 4-H hogs that enjoyed them as well!

And so what does it mean that we are the apple of God's eye?

David, the Psalmist said, " Keep me in the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings" Psalm 17:8

In Deuteronomy 32:10, God related his care of Isreal to Moes in this way, "In a desert land, he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him, he guarded him as the apple of his eye."

God's people, the Israelites were rebellious and stiff-necked, (Ummm...who does that sound like? Perhaps all of humanity?) But, he loved them and did see them as the apple of his eyes. He cared for them and even when they were disobedient, he never stopped cherishing them.

And just as God loved them his love is as Christ loves us. Like any godly parent who loves, protects, guides and disciplines their children, he loves, protects and guides and disciplines us as well.

And so, the next time you bite into that juicy, sweet apple that tastes so good, remember that God looks at you like he did the Israelites o old and remember the following:


:

I am so sorry that I could not get online yesterday to get a blog posted. As I explained on a short one last night, I did go out of town. So I apologize for not getting here. I hope you enjoy my post today and if you haven't seen your self before as the apple of God's eye, or just had never thought of it as being that to him, do it now because just between you and me....you really are!


Thanks for coming by and please come back tomorrow when our next post will be: Resisting Temptation. Just how can I do that? Blessings to all today, Friends!

No blog for 9/28

Sorry friends for not getting a blog done for today. I had to go out of town and thought I would be able to post it. However, was unable to. I am hoping to post the next one some time tomorrow. Please be patient with me this week until I can
back on track. Thank you.






.

Q & A Can A Christian Give Back His Salvation?

Can a Christian give back his salvation?

The answer is no. We who are truly saved were predestined from the foundation of the world by God to obtain salvation. He adopted us as his sons. Ephesians 4:5-6.  Therefore nothing can separate us from God's love. Nothing! Romans 8:38. Because when we became believers, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13-14. God accepted responsibility at that time to keep us saved.

Good news, huh? But wait. What about those that had been truly saved, but some time later decided they do not really want to live the life of a Christian and they walk away from it. 

We all have a rebellious spirit in us. And when someone walks away from God, he understands our hearts because he created us. But like the sheep that wanders off on its own and is lost, he will pursue us until we come back into the fold. We may have to go through some hard times when we go off on our own. We may have to pay the consequences for it. But eventually, we will see that doing that is not worth paying the price. And we do go back to God. 

Jesus paid too heavy a price for us and when we are saved, he is not going to let us go because now we belong to him. 1 Corthianian 1:18-19. That means that he owns us. Not anyone else, and we cannot walk away to leave his fold to lose our salvation.

Have you ever walked away from God? Whether to just throw your hands up and not want to be a Christian anymore or just to do your own thing? Have you done that and wondered if you would now go to hell for being disobedient?

Some of us do at some point in our lives. But God does love us anyway, and he will let us go do our own thing at times because he gives us the free will. In the meantime, he will lovingly pursue us until we come back to him and ask for his forgiveness. And he welcomes us back with open arms, forgiving us for our rebellion. Because that is his nature. His love is his nature.

Tomorrow's blog: The Apple of God's Eye? What does that mean?

Todays Cartoon

How easy it is to look at the dark things in our lives when

it rains. Better we do look for the rainbows because 

God promises that they will come when we look to him.

I hope you have a wonderful and blessed day today Friends. Thanks for visiting! See you tomorrow!

                                                                                                         

New Series Coming: Q & A About God and the Bible

Indeed. We can question God. We can question the bible. Have you ever had questions that you would like answers for? I know I have. So I am starting a new series to search and answer some of those questions that you and I have wondered at times. I do not profess to be a great student of the bible. But I believe it to be the Word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit. If you would like to learn more, please join my starting tomorrow September 26th. My first question will be:  Can a Christian give back his salvation? Please feel free to join me. In the meantime, I will not be doing a regular devotion today. So I am including some fun and inspiration things for you to view. 

                                              LOL

 LOL

Going over our church finances, I found a receipt
from a local paint store signed by someone
named Christian. I wasn't aware of anyone buying paint so I called the store to point out its mistake. "I'm sorry," I told the manager, but there are no Christians here at First Baptist Chuch.




The Lord stood with me and gave me strength
2 Timothy 4:17


Be still in the presence of God,
Wait patiently for him to act
Psalm 37:7























Thanks for coming by today Friends. May many blessings drop in on your day!

Do You Have Enough Time?

Friends, yesterday I told you I would be doing another day on prayer under a different heading, However, I am going to switch gears instead and save that for another day. For the last few days, I have been going through papers that had been my now deceased parents, sorting out what I wanted to keep or throw away. Yesterday I found a letter that I am going to put in for today. I have never read it before myself and do not know who authored it.
However, I hope it will have meaning for you.

Do you Have Enough Time????

Dear Friend,

As you got up this morning, I watched you and I hoped you would talk to me,

even if it was just a few words, asking my opinion or thanking me

For something good that happened in your life yesterday-but I noticed

you were to busy trying to find the right outfit to put on and wear to work

I waited again.

When you ran around the house getting ready, I knew there would be a few

minutes for you to stop and say hello, but you were still too busy

At one point you had fifteen minutes with nothing to do 

except sit in a chair

And then I saw you spring to your feet and I thought you wanted to talk some,
But you ran to the phone to call your friend to get the latest gossip. I
watched you as you went to work, and I waited patiently all day long. With all
your activities I guess you were to busy to say anything to me.
At lunch, I noticed that you looked around. Maybe you felt
embarrassed to talk to me, that is why you didn't bow your head. You glanced four or five tables over and you noticed some of your friends
talking to me briefly before they ate, but you didn't. That is okay.
There is still more time left and I hope you will talk to me
 even yet.
You went home and it seems as if you had lots to do. After a few of them were done you turned on the TV. I don't know
if I like TV or not. Just about anything goes there and you
spend a lot of time each day in front of it-not thinking about
anything, just enjoying the show.I
waited patiently again as you watched TV and ate your meal, but
again you didn't talk to me.
As you read the paper I waited again. While you did what you had
to do. At bedtime, I guess you were too tired. After you said goodnight
to your family, you plopped into bed and fell asleep in no time. That's
okay because you may not realize that I am always there for you. I've got
patience more then you'll ever know. I want to teach you how to be patient
with others as well.
Because I love you so much, a long time ago I left a wonderful place
called Heaven and came to Earth. I gave it up so that I could be
ridiculed and made fun of. And I even died so that you wouldn't have
to take my place. I love you so much that I wait every day for a nod,
prayers or thought, or a thankful part of your heart. Its hard to have a one-
sided conversation. Well, you are getting up again and once again I will wait with nothing but love for you hoping that today you will give me
some time. Have a nice day!

Your Friend Jesus
(author unknown}

Jesus does wait for us, everyday Friends. To ask him into our lives. To thank him for his provisions. To tell him of our needs. To just talk to him as we would any other friend. Sometimes we get so busy we forget. And yet he is always there, patiently waiting for us. Because why? Because he loves us. Thanks for your visit today! Have a wonderfully blessed day at the start of a brand new week!

Smart Phones Not Needed

What are some things to keep in mind when you begin praying? The following website has made some good points and I have listed them below.   What Does the Bible Say About Prayer?

God may be urging us to take some particular action. But how are we to know? Here are some ways to judge our thoughts and ideas.

1. Listen to your conscience. Acts 24:16, Hebrews 13:18
2. Does your prayer line up with God's word? Will it interfere with God's love or Christian love for other people? Mathew 24:34-40
3. Would you be proud or ashamed if your actions were published on the front page of the newspaper? John 3:19-21
4. Make sure your motives are pure. Do not seek revenge. Mathew 5:3848, 1 Timothy 6:5,10

A few months ago, I wrote about a friend that would call me about her boyfriend who mistreated her. And she would ask me to pray for her about her situations with him. The problem with that though was that as a single woman she lived with him as his wife but not in a legal context. And he was not a Christain and he had a drinking problem. Is it any wonder that she had problems with him? It got so bad between them that she finally left him because he ended up "cheating" on her. Which made her hate him and she spued terrible things about him over the phone while talking to me Instead of just leaving him, repenting for her own sin and praying for him, well...revenge was clearly on her mind and she would pray for God to take his life. Not that I blame her for all of it, but she shouldn't have ever considered being with him in the first place.

That is what it means to not seek revenge. It belongs to God. Deuteronomy 32:35. In that verse, it says that he will repay those that deserve it in his time. And in the meantime, we need to make sure that we are not doing something that is against God's laws. Living with a man that is not a Christian and drinks? It is any wonder this woman was having problems with someone that mistreated her?

Also, consider these points from this site: Principles of Prayer from Luke 11 | Bible.org

1. Prayer is not for emergency use only. To bail us out of difficult situations or when we or someone we love is sick or dying.
2. It is for every day, moment by moment
3. It is the means to claim God's promises and know and adhering to his will.

If we go to God with the right attitude, he will be faithful to answer our prayers. As stated before. In his own time. His own way. In his own form. We need to accept the fact that he always knows what is best for us. Whether at times we like it or not. Like his ways or not. It is his will that counts just as when Jesus was in the garden on that fateful night. "Let this cup pass from me. However, not my will but your will be done." And God's will was done because Jesus knew what was in the best interest of the sinfulness of man. Our eternity was at stake and without his shed blood, we had no hope. Thank God that Jesus took it on even under the stress of that awful event. That because of him, we have life eternal. 

For more information on prayer please visit the two sites mentioned above. Coming tomorrow, more about prayer but under a little bit different heading about what is also involved. Stay tuned.


Thanks for coming by today. I pray God's richest blessing on this the Lords Day. Remember that is this the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it! Psalm 118:24

No Smart Phone Needed (part 2)

Prayer is a communication between us and our loving God. Designed by God to give us a way to truly interact with him. Praying can bring us strength, inner peace, and wisdom.

Jesus himself found it necessary to spend time with his Father and is our prime example. Mathew 14L23, 26L36, Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16 and others.

When he was praying to his Father in the garden before the Roman Soldiers came to arrest him, he actually sweated blood. Being under heavy stress for what he was about to go through he prayed, "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass by, however, let it be your will and not mine."

And because it was God's will, Jesus went to Calvary to die for you and I. Therefore, we too must ask God's will in everything we ever ask of God.

 He does answer our prayer. But, any wise parent will not give his children everything they want because they become spoiled and often entitled and so it is with God. Sometimes we need to solve our own problems. We may need an adjustment in our own attitudes, make amends to someone that we have wronged, forgive someone that we need to forgive.

But what prayer is not, it is not a magical button that we push to try to get everything we want like the churches that teach the "name it claim it" kind of stuff. Nor it is a quick fix to get out of the problems we have ourselves created by our disobedience to God. Sometimes he wants us to learn something from the mistakes we have made. There are times we have to pay the consequences for our actions.


The answers from God, do not always come when we want them to or how we want them. God has our best interests at heart and he knows what we need, and when we need them answered and in what way we need them answered. But they do come. With an answer of yes, or no. In some way. In some form. At whatever time and in whatever way God gives them to us.

If you are waiting on God to answer your prayer, take heart. If you are serving him and have him as your Lord and Savior, his answer will come to you in a matter of time. He wants to fulfill his purpose in your life.

 If he is not your Lord and Savior, he does not listen to your prayer according to John 9:31. He only listens to those that who have asked him to their hearts and lives. And I urge you to do that now. Pray the prayer below. Pray it now to become a part of God's great kingdom. God loves you! Do it now.

I am so happy you have visited me today and hope this study on prayer has been helpful to you. But we are not done with it yet. Come back tomorrow for part 3 and in the meantime, stay blessed!!!!

Sources for today: Scripture and What Does the Bible Say About Prayer?

No Smart Phone Needed! (part one)

Have you ever wished your smartphone had a direct line to God so you could talk to him every day? And tell him all your troubles. I can tell you one better than that. You don't need a smartphone or any other kind of phone. You do have a direct line to him if you have been born again.

 I know that there are those that probably do not really know how to pray or perhaps think they don't. Sometimes we don't know what to pray. And so for the next few days, I will focus on prayer and how to call on God in different situations.

The very first thing to know is that God does not listen to the prayers of people that are unrepentant. He only listens to those that have repented and worship him. John 9:31.Those who are open to hearing his voice. The only exception is that he does hear the prayer of a sinner that asks God to forgive him and come into his life.

There are times in my life that I do not know how to pray. Especially when someone needs a prayer answered but cannot or does not want to give details about why they need it. And so the Lord's prayer is the best way for me to go in those situations. And Jesus taught us that prayer in Mathew 6:9-13.

One day one of Jesus's disciples said to him, Lord teach us to pray. Jesus said When you pray to say, Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be they name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those that sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom and the glory and the power forever. Amen. 

This prayer covers the basics of what we all need. First, it acknowledges God is our Father and how great he and his name is. Then we want his kingdom to come as he has promised us and we look forward to that time. We ask for his will to be done not only in our lives but those we are praying for as well. We ask for our daily needs to be met. We then ask him to forgive our sins as well as those that have sinned against us. We want him to keep us from all evil and away from anything that would tempt us to sin against him. And lastly, we acknowledge the fact that he is his kingdom and glory and is all-powerful forever.

 Sometimes we ourselves do not know exactly what we need. And sometimes others want us to pray for something, in particular, that may or may not be God's will and but we must always ask for God's will first. For example, I know a woman that is almost 70 years old that I know very well. She regularly asks me to pray for her and yet she has made some very bad choices in her life that she then needs God to get her out of. However, she keeps making the same choices over and over. She does love God, I do believe. But she allows temptation to get her into things she shouldn't And to be fair, she has come from a really sad background. But. I began just praying for God's will because I don't sometimes think she knows what she needs or what is best for her. or if it something she just wants. What she does need is to stop making those bad choices and make the right ones. That I do know. So it is better left up to God to pray his will as to opposed to what she thinks she needs because she goes back and forth in her decisons and can be very wishy-washy.

We all do make bad decisions for sure. We need to know what God's will is and stick with his plan for us. But sometimes we just do not know what to do or what to pray for. Sometimes we jump ahead of him thinking something is his will only to find out it wasn't and now we are in trouble. However, when we do that and confess it to him, he is always ready to help us, even though we may have to pay the consequences. He loves us in spite of ourselves and to him be the glory forever! Amen!

Thanks for coming by today. Please be a blessing to others

and may God bless you as

well! Be sure to come

back tomorrow!

More Q & A About the Disciples of Christ

In researching these facts about Jesus and his disciples, I have come across yet another unknown fact to me. Did you know that there was a man that replaced Judas Iscariot as an apostle after he died? The apostles and a group of believers had gathered together to pray according to Acts 1:12-26 one day. And the Apostle Peter stood up to tell them they needed to replace Judas. With someone that had been with them throughout the ministry of Jesus. Ultimately, a man named Matthias was the one that replaced Judas.

So who was he? What do we know of him?

Well, not much at all. In fact, practically nothing.

There have been various traditions that have been developed that may or may not fill in what his ministry was. One was that he evangelized in Ethiopia where he was martyred Another was that he went to Damascus and later died in Judea. Another says he spent most of his time in Jerusalem and died there. It is impossible to know what his ministry was because the bible does not mention him again.

Todays sources: Scripture and Who was Matthias in the Bible?

Another question I had was this: Were Mary and Martha and other women of the Bible considered to be disciples. And so I looked up the meaning of disciple.

It means: A  follower of Jesus while he was living.

Just a few facts:

 Websites I have looked at, say yes they were. We do know that Jesus allowed them to be taught right along with the men. Unlike most men, he spoke to them in public.Mary Magdalene traveled with a group of women that traveled with Jesus to various feasts.Never did he put any woman down in scripture. Even the prostitutes he encountered.Women consistently stayed with Jesus during his ministry. Throughout his agony and death and were the messengers that were sent from his empty grave to tell others that he was alive.

There are many other things that can be said of women of the bible. I especially loved some of the things that the following website has to say about this subject. Please feel free to go there for yourself.  How Jesus Discipled Women...... | CT Women | Christianity Today

Women of the bible-disciples? Indeed!

We women today were not among those women that actually lived in Jesus time. However, as we live our lives in this world we can still be disciples of him. In fact, we are called to be. Though he is not in a fleshly image now, he is still very much alive and working on our behalf. We should be doing the same for him. Are we? Or are we just existing, or working for ourselves to make our lives better and not caring about a sick and dying world. It is something for each of us to contemplate.


Thanks for coming by today. This ends our study on Christ's disciples. Please come back tomorrow and have a wonderful and blessed day!

Judas:After the Fact

Judas had betrayed Judas. He had received 30 pieces of silver from the chief priests and elders for it. He had made his choice and when he had carried it out he knew he had sinned, and betrayed innocent blood. Mathew 27:3. And the sad part of it was that it did not bring him to repentance.

 The money now meant nothing to him nor did his own life. Mathew 27:5 says that he threw the money into the temple, and went away and hanged himself.

But did he really? As with any event in life, you take a group of people that experience the same thing, and in seeing exactly the same events unfold, can sometimes see it from different perspectives. Or was there other parts that were left out in some of the scripture for some reason or another?

There are 2 accounts of what happened to Judas. In Mathew 27:5-7, it says simply that Judas threw the money into the temple and went away to hang himself. The chief priests could not return the money to the treasury, because according to their law, it was blood money. And so they used it to buy a potters field in which to bury foreigners.

However, in Acts 1:18, he used the money to purchase a field and he threw himself into it and his body burst open.

 And who bought the field? Judas or the chief priests?

Which account is correct? Could it be that perhaps some of each story is correct?

How it could have been is this, according to what I have found:

Mathews account says simply that Judas did hang himself. And that the chief priests purchased the potter's field with the blood money that Judas returned.  However, In Lukes account in Acts 1: his fell headlong into the field which he purchased.

 It could be that after he had hung himself, his decaying body could have broken the branch of the tree he was hanging from and he fell into the field causing his body to rupture. Acts 1:18-19. Note that Luke does not say that he died from the fall, only that his body fell.

How about the potter's field? Who really did purchase it?
Maybe Judas had begun buying it leading up to the days or weeks before his betrayal of Jesus Maybe, the transaction had not been completed and no money was yet paid for it. Maybe, he would have used that money to pay for the field. (my own thoughts) Maybe, once he had died, the chief priests completed his transaction of the field in his name.

Why could the accounts be so different? Maybe, Mathew's focus was more on his death, whiles Luke's was more on the horror of it. Maybe, maybe, maybe...on this side of heaven,k we will never know. But the way he died and that of who owned the field, is not what is important, though some skeptics would probably put their focus on that. (my thoughts)

The fact that this was predicted in the Old Testament was. Zechariah 11:12-13. And fulfilled when Judas betrayed Jesus Christ. It had to happen the way it did, to make the way of for the crucifixion of Christ. And the rest is biblical history.  Why? Because that was the way that God ordained from the beginning to save the world from our sin.

What we learn from it is that there are evil people in the world. They are out to destroy our belief in Christ and our testimonies. These are people that are going to hell because they are unrepentant for their sin. They do not believe they need a Savior, or some don't believe he even exists. Even though the devil had thought he had won when Jesus was crucified and buried, in reality, he had not. The whole thing was a lie made up by an enemy to turn people away from the truth. In the end, Jesus had power over death and it is his only because of his shed blood that we have the promise of heaven. And one day, satan will be cast into the lake of fire and will no longer have dominion over the earth or anything or anyone in it. Those of us that have confessed our sins and accepted him into our lives, will reign with him m forever. How awesome a day that will be!

Today's sources: Scripture, How did Judas die?, and Was Judas Iscariot forgiven / saved?


Thank you for your patience today while I have been trying to get this study finished and completed. I have to tell you that these last two days on this particular disciple, have been a real problem. Especially today. I have felt like it has been a real spiritual opposition from the devil to try to get me discouraged enough to give up on it. I am truly thankful to God that if I have learned anything over my 60 plus years, it has been to learn patience. That is the reason that I have not given up on it which only comes from God. I am not sure what exactly I will be writing on in tomorrows blog. I know there was one other thing about the disciples and how Mary applied to the subject, so that may be it. In the meantime friends, please have a blessed day and I hope you will be back again.

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Who Was Judas Iscariot? A Tratior

Judas had sold Jesus' life for 30 pieces of silver. In that day, it would have been worth about $20 per coin or $600 for the lot. It was perhaps a lot of money in that day and yet that was all the life of Jesus meant to him. In today's US economy it would be about a mere $20,400 according to  Here's How Much Judas' 30 Pieces Of Silver Worth In Today's Money - I'm A Useless Info Junkie

But who was Judas and what do we know about him? 
He was the son of Simon Iscariot and he followed the ministry of Christ during the 3 years that he lived with Jesus. He was one of the 12 original disciples called by Jesus and he was the treasurer of the group. (Gee, no surprise there. Is there?) 

The other disciples had no idea what Judas was really like. He was trusted. Else why would they have allowed him to be the treasurer?
Also, Jesus had selected him as well. Why would Jesus allow him to be one of them if he had known that Judas was anyone they could not trust?

Ah, but Jesus did know. He knew that Judas was evil and in John 6:70 called him a "devil." It came to him as no surprise just who Judas was. At the last supper, Jesus predicted that Judas would betray him with a kiss.  He said that whoever he gave the morsel of bread to, would be the one that betrayed him, and when he gave it to Judas and Judas took it, the devil entered into him. John 13:26-27

After that, Judas got up from the table and left. He was remorseful and took the silver back to the chief priests and elders. But then he took them to Jesus and did betray him with a kiss. So now they knew exactly who to kill. Judas had done what was predicted in Psalm 41:9. Judas was responsible for his actions and Jesus said in 
Mathew 26:24, that it would have been better for the man that betrayed him if he had never been born.

Sources in todays blog: Scripture Here's How Much Judas' 30 Pieces Of Silver Worth In Today's Money - I'm A Useless Info Junkie and Who was Judas Iscariot?

Judas went then and hanged himself. Mathew 27:5 However, other accounts of how Judas died are different. In tomorrows blog, we will look at those.

 And then what happened after that? Did they get someone to take his place? And what is this I read about Martha being a disciple of Jesus? Please come back.

 Thanks for coming by today Friends. Have a blessed day!

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Who Was Phillip? The Evangelist

The Apostle Phillip was one of the earliest followers of Jesus Christ and it is believed that might have been a disciple of John the Baptist because he lived in the same region that John preached.  According to Acts 6:3-7. he was one of 7 disciples that were chosen for a ministry by the brothers and sisters of the church. This ministry was to see to the needs of the poor and widows and may have been the beginning of what became the offices of the Decon of the Church.

He was noted for the fact that one day when Jesus had been followed by 5000 people while he was preaching and he asked where they could buy bread to feed them, Phillip answered that there was not enough to get the food they needed and that is when Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes so that there was much more then what was needed and the disciples gathered what was left into 12 baskets. 

He was an evangelist and according to Acts 21:8-9 had 7 unmarried daughters that had the gift of prophecy. They are nameless in scripture and there is no mention of any sons that he might have had and additionally no mention of a wife. It is thought that she may have been deceased by the writing of scripture.

Phillip was one of the disciples that witnessed Jesus' ascension into heaven after he had been crucified and risen from the grave. Acts 1:14.

One account on his death has it that traditionally speaking, Phillip died a natural death but another one says he was crucified.

(Today's sources include:)Scripture, What Do We Know about the Apostle Philip? - Disciples, Philip, Deacon and Evangelist, Acts 1 NIV - Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven - In my - Bible Gateway, The Apostle Philip Biography, Life and Deathand Daughters of Philip - All the Women of the Bible - Bible Gateway

The Apostle Phillip was one disciple that was into the ministry of Jesus Christ. Not only into being an evangelist and all that entails but also a minister of the people as well. Whether or not he died a natural death or was crucified or whatever else might have been the cause of his death, he was a servant of the Lords. Can we say we are servants of God's work ourselves? If we aren't we should be. And if we are, what can we do better to serve him? After all, as Christians, that is what we are called to do.



Thanks for coming by today Friends. Up tomorrow will we the last of the 12-Judas Iscariot. What else can we learn about him?  Have a blessed day and new week!

Who Was Simeon? A Zealot?

Zealot: someone who is fanatical in pursuit of their religious political or other ideas

One of the twelve disciples of Christ, Simon was known as a zealot Mathew 6:15 and also named " Canaanite." It was thought by some that he was a member of a fierce and fanatical political sect of Jews called the Zealots.

However, this may not be probable because the sect of Zealots had not really risen during the time of Jesus Some think that instead, he had the name because of the zealousness to his Jewish religion as well as after his conversion to Christianity.

It is believed that he traveled to Egypt and then on to North Africa to Carthage. On to Spain and north to Britain.

According to Church tradition, it is thought that Simon and the apostle Jude preached together in Syria, Mesopotamia and as far away as Persia.

There are traditions that call for the deaths of the two differently. One that they were martyred in Persia, and another in Britain.

Today's sources: Scripture,  Simon the Canaanite? Or Simon the Zealot? - Disciples and  THE APOSTLE SIMON (THE ZEALOT)

This was all the information that I could find about Simon the Zealot. And so what can we take from it? I believe it would be that he was zealous for his faith and we should be likewise. Zealous to win people to Christ. Zealous to live our lives pleasing to God.as best as we can. That is what we.can learn from Simon today. Are you zealous for the cause of Christ? You and I should be. It is a calling we should take seriously.

Thanks for coming by today Friends. I hope you have had a blessed Sunday! Up tomorrow:
Phillip

Who was James? Another Half-Brother of Jesus

It hit me this morning as I  began preparing this post. What would it have been like to have been a sibling of the Lord Jesus.? To have grown up in the same home, raised by his mother Mary who God placed his trust in to send the Savior of the world into her womb to bring forth Jesus. And Joseph,, his earthly father that could have put her away had he been that kind of man that would do that? What would it have been like? In all the 60 plus years of my life, it is a question that I have never contemplated before.

And then other questions that come to mind are, being Mary's firstborn and knowing who he was, was he favored among her other children? What kind of child was he? What kind of relationship did he have with his siblings? Were they jealous of him, if Mary did favor him? They were after all, human. 

He was the Son of God who knew no sin the bible says. 2 Corthinians 5:21. 

What was it like for his siblings to have a brother that did not sin? What kind of childhood did he have? Did he heal the sick? Was he ever sick himself? Did he perform other miracles?

There are stories about his childhood, but what is truth and what is fiction? 

We don't know because the bible does not say much about his childhood. However, we do know that Jesus had 3 bothers.  James was the second eldest mentioned of the siblings, Jesus being the eldest. But he was not really sold on his brother's ministry at first. He was not a believer. James 5:7.

Later, he is one of the witnesses of Jesus' resurrection. From then on, he became a part of Jesus's following. He had been a skeptic but after his conversion became a leader of the church.

In his epistle bearing his name, James identifies himself by his name but describes himself as a "servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ." James 1:1.

His ministry was geared mostly towards Jewish believers but he did care for Gentile believers as well. He wanted peace within the church and emphasized grace over the law. Acts 15:14-21.

James was a humble leader of his church, never using the fact that he was a blood brother of Jesus to assert authority on anyone. He was truly a servant of Christ and he knew that. And because of it, God greatly blessed his church.

There is no record of James' death, but it is believed he was martyred.

Today's sources: Scripture and What can we learn from the life of James, the brother of Jesus?

Indeed, what would have been like growing up in the same family as Jesus? I don't know but I am thankful that despite not knowing, I am part of his family now. I have brothers and sisters all over the world that no, we do not have his bloodline running through our veins as we know it. However, because of his shedding of blood, I by faith have it. Are you a part of his family? If not, you can be. Please consider it. You have nothing to lose and eternity to gain.

Up tomorrow: Simon




            Thanks for coming by Friends. Be blessed, stay blessed, pass your blessings on!

  But we do know that James was not a believer

Who Was Jude? Jesus's Half Brother

Jude's name was actually Jude Thaddeus and of course, he wrote the book of Jude. He was one of Jesus' lesser-known disciples. Mathew 13:55 makes a reference to Jude being the brother of Jesus and James. His name is a biblical name but not very common. It is the shortened name for Judah or Judas which means "praise." He was one of the 12 original and not to be mistaken for Judas Iscariot that betrayed Christ.  He wrote the book for the end times. His epistle dealt with the danger of believing in false teachers and encouraged readers to remain steadfast in the Christian Faith.

Any other information that can be taken from his life is only from tradition. Such as his mission to Levant, Mesopotamia, and Cyrenaica (Libya) and to Jerusalem in 62 AD to help in the election of his brother, St.Simeon to the bishop of Jerusalem.

He may have been martyred in Syria along with another apostle, Simon the Zealot

(Sources today came from Scripture, Book of Jude Overview - Insight for Living Ministries, who was the apostle jude - Google Search and Jude Thaddeus, Apostle - Amazing Bible Timeline with World History)

Unfortunately, that is about all that is said about Jude that I could find but the fact is, he did stand for the truth and wanted to make Christians aware of the false teachings that were trying to infiltrate them.

There are many of those today. They come in all sizes, all kinds of packages and preaching all kinds of "other gods." And too many times and too many people are swept up by their messages because they think they will gain some kind of better life.

From the so-called Reverend Jim Jones of the 70s that was able to persuade 900 of his followers to commit suicide to the fortune tellers and mediums of today that would take our money giving false promises of hope-these false teachers are among us, causing destruction among God's people whenever and wherever they can.

The book of Jude is a warning for us to beware. To dare to ask questions, to study what the bible says against what the teachings that we are being taught, just as the apostle Thomas did when he wanted to see and touch the nail prints in the hands and side of the resurrected Christ before he believed. He is our prime example to watch and beware of those that would snare us away from the truth of Jesus Christ.

The bible says in Mathew 7:15 to beware of false prophets that come in sheep's clothing but are inwardly raging wolves. And in 1 Peter 5:8-our adversary the devil is walking around like a roaring lion looking for those that he might devour.

By those two scriptures, we can see that there are at least 2 kinds of false prophets that we have to be aware of. Those that are sneaky, as in churches that lure people in by loving them and then they start brainwashing people, using just enough of God's Word to make people think they are from God when they are not, and those that are more blatant by getting people to think they can tell their futures or talk to dead relatives, sucking the money out of vulnerable and grieving people.

These and probably more, are what Jude was warning about in his epistle. It is up to us to learn who is who and what i what when it comes to the things we are being taught. We need to seek God daily in his word, to know the difference and do a lot of praying so that we don't fall victim to the devil as his prey.

God is so good to us. He knows the innermost thoughts that we have and the things we desire. If we need love, he gives it. If we want something, he promises to give us the desires of our hearts in his time. If we need something, he promises to supply all our needs. Why try to get it from someone or something that does not have our best interests at heart but only seeks to supply their own selfish needs? We don't have to if we trust God alone. Trust him today. He loves you and want to do for you as no one else can.

Thanks for stopping in for a visit today. Please come back tomorrow. The next disciple we will look at will be (The other) James. Have a blessed day!

Who Was Thomas? No, Not a Doubter

Thomas wanted proof that the person that the other disciples had said they saw and had called Jesus, was actually their friend, their master, their Lord. And because God is so great and knew that without that proof, he would not believe, he gave it to him. Jesus appeared to him and allowed him to see the wounds that he had received when he was crucified.

That much we know to be true. But what about the rest of the life of Thomas? What does the bible and/or recorded history itself tell us? There is not much but here is what I found.

His nickname was Didymus (the twin) There is only speculation as to why he had this name. Perhaps he had been a twin. Perhaps he had a strong physical appearance to Jesus. It is not really known.

He is mentioned in Mathew, Mark, Luke, and Acts in a very few scriptures. However, in the gospel of John is the account where he wants to see the wounds in the hands and side of Jesus. Math.10:3, Mark3:18, Luke 6:15, Acts 1:13 and John 20:24-25.

 He was one of the 12 original disciples. And though he has been known as the doubting Thomas down through history, he was really a leader, When Jesus was heading to Judea where the Jews were looking for him to kill him, Thomas said to the others, "Let's go with him, that we may die with him." Later in life, Thomas traveled to the outside of the Roman Empire as a missionary and perhaps as far away as India. And he may have been the first to bring the gospel to the Far East.

Not much is known about his death. Church traditions say that while he was establishing a church in India, he was stabbed to death with a spear. There are no known facts beyond his death.

In conclusion, he was not anymore a doubter than anyone that had been told that Jesus was alive, but had not actually seen him-until they actually had. He had a strong faith in God and God used him as to his glory to carry the gospel to those that did not know him.

Could we be given that label at the end of our lives? Or could we have had the kind of faith that Thomas had? I hope we opt for the latter because there are too many doubters and in the end, the answer to that question will make all of the difference to each of us when it comes to whether or not we really do believe in Christ.

 Sources for today: Scripture, The apostle Thomas: the infographic | Overview Bible and
The Apostle Thomas Biography, Doubting, Life and Death

Up tomorrow: Jude

Thanks for visiting Friends. Have a blessed Day!

Who Was Thomas? A Doubter?

Thomas, one of the twelve called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him "We have seen the Lord." But he said, "Unless I see the mark of the nails, and place my finger in the marks and in his side, I will never believe." John 20L24-29


Jesus had appeared to the disciples after his crucifixion and resurrection But Thomas was not there and when the others told him that they had seen Jesus, he just was not going to believe them without seeing proof. It should have been proof enough to him as there were 10 disciples that were present and had seen Jesus. He should have believed them. Shouldn't he have?

And yet he didn't. He still needed to see for himself. A week later, Thomas was to get the proof he needed. The disciples had gathered once again in the house and the doors were locked.  All of a sudden, there Jesus was right there with them. He told Thomas to put his finger in his hand and to see the marks in his hand and in his side. And then he told Thomas to stop doubting and believe.

Well, Thomas had his proof. He said, "My Lord and my God."

Jesus said, "You have seen me and believed. Blessed are those that have not seen me but have believed."

This disciple had doubts. Just like all Christians do, and through Jesus certainly did not have to give it to him, he did. Sometimes God just does not do what we want him to do when we doubt his promises and do not answer our prayers the way we want or in the time frame we think they should be answered. Sometimes he does. And while he did for Thomas, in itself lies the promise that he does give us what we need when and how he deems best for us.

It is interesting to note that in the Bible, Thomas was never said to be a "doubting Thomas." That nickname is not found there. Had we been in his position ourselves, how many of us could acquire such a label? How many people from those times through today, doubt the validity of Jesus, his birth, life, death, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and yet today living with the Father and soon coming again?  Unfortunately, too many.

And at times, are we any too different in things of a spiritual nature?

But he said, "Blessed, are those that have not seen, yet believed." Wow!" Friends, that means you and me! Those of us that do believe. And for those that just take him at his word, believe what he says, believe his promises, and that he will answer our prayers, he blesses us for our belief in him that he will do what he says he will do.

It is doubtful that the other disciples were that much more optimistic about what had happened then Thomas was. These men probably did not fully understand the implications of what happened or what would be. Understanding might have taken some time. They probably did have some doubt that entered their minds. But when they saw Jesus, they knew who he was right away while Thomas had to see what he needed to see to believe.

Thomas dared to ask questions. We today need to ask questions. If there are things that do not seem right in the churches we are a part of or the things that someone passing them off as messiah or god or whatever, we need to ask questions. Check them out. But do not just blindly follow them. And really, that is what Thomas wanted. To see for himself. To check out what was being told to him. And then he could believe.

This story of Thomas, and who he was is not is not in the bible to tell us how dumb he was for wanting to see the proof. I think Jesus chose him in spite of it. Because it shows us our own doubtfulness at times, and that we do need to seek out what is truth and what is not. Those other 10 disciples that did believe? Would they have fallen for someone that were false had it not been for Jesus? Maybe. Maybe not. But Thomas had more of a chance that he wouldn't have, due to his need for answers.

What else can we know about Thomas?  The bible does not have a lot to say about his life but come back tomorrow for what else I have found.

Todays's references are from the following: John 20:24-29,  How can I avoid being a doubting Thomas   John 20:24-29 NIV - Jesus Appears to Thomas - Now Thomas - Bible Gateway and The Apostle Thomas Biography, Doubting, Life and Death


I am thankful you decided to stop by today friends! Have a wonderfully blessed day and I hope you will come back tomorrow.

Who Was Luke? The Physican Turned Evangelist

Luke was not one of the twelve original disciples. He was one of the 70 that was called to go out and preach the gospel after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, therefore becoming an evangelist. I found it interesting that he never met Jesus. Or at least there is no evidence that he did. He had been a friend of the apostle Paul who called him "the beloved physician" (Colossians 4:14) and as a physician, he was devoted to science and research before his conversion to Christ.

He was a Gentile and wrote the books of uke and Acts. His writings focus on the plan of salvation as the "good news" and that phrase was mention ten times in the gospel, and fifteen times in the book of Acts.

It is said that he died at the age of 84 in Boeotia and it is not known how he died.


The fact that he began as a physician shows us that no matter what course we set for ourselves in life, God has other plans for us. Psalm 37:23 reminds us that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Luke was a good man. He started out one way on his path and ended up on another one set by God himself. Seeing the truth in Jesus, he knew it as truth and went on to follow it into carrying on the gospel of Christ. No matter the cost.

Can we say the same for ourselves? Have we started out in own way in our life, and then find Jesus who sets us another course? When he calls us, have we followed him? Or have we rejected his directions and gone our own way? It is something to think about as we go about our every day living. The bible also says: Choose this day, whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:14. I believe that means every day we should choose to follow our Savior because it is so easy to get off the beaten path and be tempted to go our own way. We must get up every morning to choose his way to avoid that. I pray that like Luke you have recognized the truth and let God set you on whatever path he has chosen for you. Whatever the cost to us, it will bring blessing and in the end, it will bring eternal life.

(sources: Scriptures used today, as well as   What can we learn from the life of Luke? and  Luke the Evangelist - Wikipedia

 I have not yet looked into the question of whether Mathew and Mark were two of the original disciples. I will do so before this series has ended. Thanks for coming by. Up tomorrow will be Thomas.

Have a wonderful Tuesday Friends. Be a blessing to someone today!

Who Was Mark?Known as The Evanglist but Not One of the 12 Orginal Diciples?

Learning about the disciples of Jesus had been an interesting study for me because I don't recall any teachings on what the bible has to say about them other than the familiar stories we read about them. For example, we all know the one where Peter denied Jesus after Jesus had been arrested by Roman soldiers. So this study has brought me a little closer in knowing what other information about them we could learn from the bible and perhaps reports that written by others during and after their ministries.

It was interesting to me to find that the Apostle Mark, was not one of the ordinal twelve disciples. A fact I had never known until now and that his name was actually named John Mark. He was a Levite, a native from Cyprus and owned land. ( Please note that other sources I found may differ from these facts.)

 He was the son of Mary, whose home was used for prayer meetings.

He became known as the Evangelist and of course, wrote the book of Mark for which it is named.
Early on,  he went with Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary trip. There was a disagreement and he returned home which caused the two to split up due to what were Paul feelings that Mark had abandoned them. Acts 15:36-41.

However, Mark did eventually become an important part of Paul's life and was mentioned in one of Paul's final letters while Paul was imprisoned and right before his death.

Other interesting facts about Mark's gospel:

1. It is the shortest gospel of the four
2. It is the only gospel that tells of the healings of the deaf and dumb of Tyre, 7:31-37 and the blind man at Bethsaida, 8:22-33
3. Throughout his gospel, Mark's focus is more on Christ's power over demons, illness, death and so on.
4. His gospel is written much in story form and his account of the coming death of Jesus in the garden, where Jesus is alone and on through to where he, suffering on the cross cries out to why his Father has forsaken him, is very passionate. 
5. His gospel is associated with the lion. He begins it with a reference to Isiah which reminded the early church of a roaring lion, roaring in the desert.

 “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way—a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.” 

There is more you can learn about Mark and his gospel at: 2 Timothy 4 NIV - In the presence of God and of Christ - Bible Gateway and The Story Of The Storytellers - The Gospel Of Mark | From Jesus To Christ | FRONTLINE | PBS if you are interested. 

As to his death, I was not able to find out much about that without doing a more exhaustive study. However,  Wikipedia references it this way:

 When Mark returned to Alexandria, the pagans of the city resented his efforts to turn the Alexandrians away from the worship of their traditional gods.^{[citation needed]} In AD 68, they placed a rope around his neck and dragged him through the streets until he was dead.^[30]

As with Mathew and others whom we don't know of how they died, that, of course, is not the important factor in their lives. That he became a minister of the gospel and followed Christ was. It resulted in his own eternal home when arriving there, as well as those that he led to Christ under his ministry.

Witnessing to people is not easy to do. Christians can be guilty of not telling others about their hope in God. I have been guilty of that. And yet there are those out there that are starving for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many do not even know it. It is our duty to tell them of Jesus. Because some will never know if we don't.

I thank you for coming here today and hope you have a blessed weekend. I want to let you know that something has come up that may prevent me from posting for Sunday and Monday. If you get here those days, and I have not posted the next disciple, please be assured that I will be back on Tuesday with some information about our next disciple: Luke. Was he one of the 12? What about Mathew that wrote the book of Mathew? I always thought they were. Do you? I will try to find out that information for Tuesday blog if not before then. Tell then God bless!