OntheROAD

  GO WITH ME - THE GREAT COMMISSION   We often look at “THE GREAT COMMISSION” as a command to go DO SOMETHING . " GO into all the world and PREACH the gospel to every creature.” (Mk16:15NKJV) And… isolating that verse from the rest of the final discourse Jesus gave… it would appear that way.   However, looking at the context of both places “THE GREAT COMMISSION” occurs… in Mk16:14-18 AND in Mtt28:16-20… we see an underlying emphasis by Jesus Christ that this is not something YOU DO … ALONE .   This was an exit strategy… with an assurance: Mtt28:20NKJV “…lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”   “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” ⁠ (Heb13:5NKJV)   “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you the Holy Spirit of Truth that He… ·          may abide with you forever ·          will never leave you. ·    ...

JONAH - NOT JUST ANOTHER FISH TALE     Prophets have always been known to do off the wall, strange stuff… even things considered to be crazy by the people of the day and age in which they lived.   ·          Isaiah walked around naked and barefoot for 3 years as a sign  (Isa20:1-6) ·          Ezekiel lay on his left side for 390 days straight and was instructed by God to cook his food using human dung as fuel (Eze4:1-5) ·          Elijah ate food provided to him by ravens (1Ki17:1-5) ·          Hosea married a prostitute and named his children “Unloved” and “Not my people” (Hos1) ·          Jeremiah wore a wooden ox-yoke on his neck to warn the kings and people to submit to Babylonian captivity rather than resist . (Jer27)   …and that is just a few of them!!! ...

  FORGIVENESS - TO INFINITY AND BEYOND   We have been taught so much over the years about FORGIVENESS that we have become almost numb to the concept of ACTUALLY DOING IT. We feel we have the right to NOT FORGIVE someone who has horribly wronged us… and by holding onto that resentment it somehow righteously punishes them, because “If you FORGIVE the sins of any, they are FORGIVEN them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (Jn20:23NKJV)   Yes, we know Jesus stated, “ FORGIVE , and you will be FORGIVEN …. …For with the SAME MEASURE that you use, it will be MEASURED BACK to you." (Lk6:37-38NKJV) AND… Mtt6:14-15NKJV "For if you FORGIVE men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also FORGIVE you. But if you do not FORGIVE men their trespasses, neither will your Father FORGIVE your trespasses.”   BUT… …THAT person doesn't deserve FORGIVENESS !   WELL… …neither did we…   YET… “…while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom5:8N...

  WHY THE STORMS?     It seems as though there are a lot of people just “going through stuff” right now... TRIALS, TRIBULATIONS, TROUBLES … whether financial, physical health, jobs, interpersonal relationships… whatever the case may be… they are finding themselves in the midst of a STRUGGLE … so caught up in survival that they never really step back and ask, WHY THE STORMS?     Jas1:2-4NKJV gives some indication on WHY THE STORMS come and how to handle them: “ My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various TRIALS , knowing that the TESTING of YOUR FAITH produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”   The “ TESTING” (dokimion) used here is a Greek noun which points NOT to the test itself, but rather what is found   approved   (genuine) AFTER TESTING … focusing on the inevitable   results .     “Whatever THE STORM is”, c...