Friday... But we want it to be deep.

There are so many that when comparing people say, "But they aren't deep." They are too shallow." That is said so much in the church.

But look here at the Apostle Paul and what he said in his letter to the Corinthians. I Corinthians 2:1-2 (MSG) says, "You'll remember, friends, that when I first came to you to let you in on God's sheer genius, I didn't try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did - Jesus crucified."

He said, "I deliberately kept it plain." He also said, "I didn't try to impress you." The older I get the more I desire to deliberately keep it plain and simple. Life is so complicated, isn't it?

He goes on to say, "I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate - I was scared to death, if you want the truth of it - and so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else. But the Message came through anyway. God's Spirit and God's power did it, and who he is; then Jesus and what he did - Jesus crucified."

Listen, we are just human but we have a Message that makes all the difference and it starts with the fact, it's first of all about "Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did - Jesus crucified." And as we lift him up then the Message will come through because God's Spirit and God's power does it, "and who he is; then Jesus and what he did - Jesus crucified."

So let's not strive to impress. but to share the Message.

Now the Spirit wants to take us deeper, But that depth is not to impress. Verses 11a-12 (NLT) says, "For his Spirit searched out everything and shows us God's deep secrets. And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's word to express spiritual truths."

Yes God's Spirit wants to take us deeper but it is not for us to use to impress. Verse 16b (AMP) says, "But we have the mind of Christ [to be guided by His thoughts and purposes.]" Verses 15-16 in The Message says, "Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God's Spirit is doing, and can't be judged by unspiritual critics. Isaiah's question, 'Is there anyone who knows God's Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?' has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ's Spirit. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

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Tuesday... It is so worth it. It really is!

Tuesday... It is so worth it. It really is! Look at this, Proverbs 5:21-23 (CEV) says, "The Lord sees everything, and he watches us closely. Sinners are trapped and caught by their own evil deeds. They get lost and die because of their foolishness and lack of self-control." That is true of so many. Now look at this, Luke 15:1-7 says, "Tax collectors and sinners were all crowding around to listen to Jesus. So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses started grumbling, 'This man is friendly with sinners. He even eats with them.' Then Jesus told them this story: If any of you has 100 sheep, and one of them gets lost, what will you do? Won't you leave the 99 in the field and go look for the lost sheep until you find it? And when you find it, you will put it on your shoulder and carry it home. Then you will call in your friends and neighbors and say, 'Let's celebrate! I've found my lost sheep.' Jesus said, 'In the same way there is mo...

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Todays Beginning

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