I should have made mention of this blog's purpose from the beginning.

I had very little desire to begin a blog or to even write. I don't know if I have anything that is new to write or worthy to be read.  

This blog is practice for me to grow and learn in writing.  I hope to better my grammar and confidence in writing through the use of this blog. 

IF there is ever anyone encouraged by the words I write then praise God, but know that I have so many people in my life that have taught and continue to teach me so much concerning our faith and life. 

THANKS BE TO GOD! 

This is just a short comment that grew out of our study on Sunday Nights from looking at the men and women of faith in Hebrews 11.  One aspect of this study is to elucidate who God is as seen by these "witnesses." 

Last Sunday night we have noticed ways in which Noah's actions were affected by his faith in God.

I could not help to be reminded of the various properties of water as I thought of the flood incident. 

WATER

Is the only substance on earth that exists in all three phases: solid, liquid, and gaseous.

has a large range of temperature (0-100 C) making it available anywhere on earth.

possesses an incredible property that is shared by very few other substances; it is less dense in its solid state than it is in its liquid, allowing ice to float.  Otherwise, the oceans, lakes, and ponds would freeze from the bottom up and destroy all aquatic life. I could go into the way the molecular structure allows for this to happen, but I am sure many of you would be bored or could care less.

has an incredible high heat capacity that is second to mercury.  This is best for buffering the earth's climate from high temperature fluctuations.

It is essential to the life of all living organisms.

Maybe this is why Jesus is referred to as the living water!

It is exciting to see the design of our Creator and GOD in this universe.  The details of the water molecule help us to see God as our Creator!

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.  The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. - Theodore Roosevelt

This was a portion of a speech given by Roosevelt in 1910 at the Sorbonne in Paris, France. He was speaking about citizenship in a republic, but I can’t help to apply this to our lives as citizens of another kingdom.   

In 2 Corinthians 5:11-21, Paul is encouraging (vs. 6) the church to see ourselves as a "new creation."  Paul not only impresses upon us our identity as a new creation, but he gives us a purpose. That purpose is the "ministry of reconciliation", our purpose is to invite the world to come to know God.  We are ambassadors; we are God's voice to the lost, and we are the "righteousness of God in Him." We are to not critique those “in the arena,” but to get dirty and sweaty, to “strive valiantly” even if it appears that our work is in vain.

God, the Creator of the Universe, gave us this ministry. It is in verse 18 that I was encouraged by this message-"Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation….” What an awesome gift, a purpose, that we are looked at by God, not as we look at each other by the flesh, but as His new creation (vs. 16) who have been charged with the “valiant work” of fulfilling His will, in this desperate and lost world. 

We now look at each other as citizens of the kingdom of God. We do not look at each other according to the flesh; that is we do not care about educational, financial, or familial standings. We look at each other as brothers and sisters of our Father; we look at each other as the righteousness of God.  WOW. How much will that changed perspective affect the body?  How many sins are covered up in love (1 Peter 4:8)?  

If we saw our work as God’s work, if we “strived to do great deeds” for God, rather than for ourselves; if we spent our lives in “great devotion” to each other’s good. What might be accomplished? 

We not only look at one another differently; we look at the world through the eyes of God - LOST!  And we ache and run "daring greatly" to reconcile them to the Lord! 

In Christian Love   Mike Soto

The Kingdom

After a reading of Luke chapter 8, it strikes me that the thorns are very much the luxuries that we see day to day here in our country.  These "thorns" are choking us, we need to cut them down so that we are able to get through to the world and present that there is a God who wants them to return to their Father.

I enjoyed looking at the ministry of Christ throughout the gospels, and I noticed that there is an overwhelming amount (108) of references by Christ about the Kingdom. What is it to live in this Kingdom?