GRACE TO YOU

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IF IT QUACKS IT IS NOT NECESSARILY A DUCK

BY PASTOR JOE SANTOS

I BEGINNING TO WONDER IF THEY, AT CMC ,MY OLD WORK PLACE HAVE IT IN FOR ME. (only kidding) LAST MONTH I WROTE TO YOU IN MY DIARY DEVOTION WERE I WAS ASKED IF I WAS SCHEDULED FOR A MAMMOGRAM. THIS WEEK I WENT TO VISIT SOMEONE WHO WAS JUST OPERATED ON. AS I MADE MY WAY TO HIS ROOM I WAS STOPPED BY A NURSE I KNEW WHO SAID, I NEEDED TO PROTECT THE PATIENT FROM INFECTION. I NEVER HAD ANYONE TELL ME THAT SO I ASKED HER WHAT I NEEDED TO DO, SINCE I WANTED THE BEST FOR MY FRIEND. SHE SAID I WOULD HAVE TO PUT ON A GOWN, SOME RUBBER GLOVES ,AND SOMETHING TO COVER MY HEAD. WELL LET ME TELL YOU THE GOWN SHE GAVE ME TO PUT ON WAS AS BRIGHT A YELLOW COLOR AS I HAVE EVER SEEN. THE GLOVES WERE THIN AND BLUE, THE HAIRNET WAS LARGE AND BUSHY. IT WAS ALSO BLUE ALTHOUGH OF A DIFFERENT SHADE THEN THE GLOVES. REALLY WHEN I GOT FINISHED DRESSING I LOOKED LIKE AN OVERGROWN YELLOW PEACOCK. WHEN MY FRIEND SAW ME HE SAID IN A LOUD VOICE IF I WAS HALLOWEENING. I TRIED NOT TO PAY HEED TO THAT REMARK, BUT HE WAS CORRECT. THE FEW PEOPLE WHO WALKED BY HIS ROOM AND SAW ME DID A DOUBLE TAKE. I DIDN'T KNOW IF THEY WANTED TO PUT ME IN A CAGE, OR TO OPEN THE WINDOW AND LET ME FLY OUT TO THE ADJACENT PARK. ANYWAY LET US GET TO THE SPIRITUAL APPLICATION BEFORE I LOSE YOU. WHEN I SAW THE GOWN THAT I WAS DRAPED WITH I THOUGHT OF OUR WONDERFUL LORD WHO HAS DRAPED ME WITH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. THE THEOLOGICAL TERM IS IMPUTATION. WHAT LOVE HE HAS FOR US. HE HAS TAKEN THE INDESCRIBABLE FILTHINESS OF OUR SIN AND PAID THE PRICE FOR US GIVING US THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. THIS IS SOMETHING WE WILL ALWAYS BE DRAPED WITH. THE GOWN THEY PUT ON ME WAS, AS I LEFT THE ROOM, PLACED IN A RED BOX TO BE BURNED IN THE INCINERATOR. BUT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST IS WITH HIS CHILDREN FOR ETERNITY AND THAT BODY WILL NEVER BE BURNED. DO WE REALIZE THIS LOVE BELOVED. THIS GIFT OF GIFTS. IMAGINE WE GAVE HIM OUR SINS AND HE TOOK THEM AND GAVE US HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. WHEN THE FATHER LOOKS AT HIS CHILDREN HE SEES HIS SON'S RIGHTEOUSNESS IN US. THIS PLEASES HIM. MANY TIME WE FORGET THIS GRACE AND WE ALLOW THE DRAPES OF SIN TO MOTIVATE US AND WE BECOME LIKE I DID, THAT IS LOOKING LIKE A DUMB BIRD. THOSE GOWNS OF FLESH HAS BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST ON THE CROSS. WHY PUT IT BACK ON. IT ONLY GRIEVES THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US. THE BIBLE TELLS US TO CONSIDER THAT WE ARE ALSO DEAD TO THE FLESH BUT ALIVE TO CHRIST. YES, THE YELLOW GOWN COULD NOT HIDE CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS AND AS I PRAYED FOR MY FRIEND I KNEW MY LORD HEARD MY PLEA. MY ABBA IS ALWAYS THERE WITH ME AND NOTHING CAN HIDE HIS LOVE FOR ME FOR HE IS IN ME. HE BELONGS TO ME, AS I BELONG TO HIM. AND NOTHING, NOT A YELLOW GOWN, OR BLUE HAIRNET, CAN DIMINISH THAT DEVINE GLOW. HOW MUCH WE HAVE TO PRAISE HIM. SURELY I LOOKED PECULIAR IN THAT GARB WHICH IN REALITY PROTECTED MY FRIEND FROM INFECTION BUT IS THAT NOT WHAT CHRISTIANS ARE CALLED? YES WE ARE A PECULIAR PEOPLE BUT BLESSED INDEED. WE MAY BE MALIGNED FOR OUR CHRISTIAN WALK BUT THE WORD OF GOD IS ALL POWERFUL NOTHING CAN DIMINISH IT NOR KILL IT. I LIKE HAVING THIS POWER AVAILABLE EVEN IF I LOOK PECULIAR AS A PEACOCK.

HOW HARSH IS HARSH WHEN WE WITNESS?

BY PASTOR JOE SANTOS

YOU NEVER KNOW HOW A CHILD WILL REACT TO SOMETHING YOU TELL HIM OR HER. ONE THING WE CAN BE SURE OF IS THAT WHEN WE TELL THEM GOD'S WORD IT WILL NOT RETURN TO GOD VOID. IN MY YEARS AT BETHEL IN THE YOUTH GROUP I WONDERED ABOUT THIS. I THOUGHT ABOUT IT AS I DID THE BURIAL CEREMONY FOR ONE OF THESE LADS WHO DIED AT 39 YEARS OLD. DID GOD'S WORD TOUCH HIS VERY SOUL? THIS WAS MY QUESTION, A QUESTION I HAD NO BUSINESS ASKING GOD ABOUT, FOR AGAIN I SAY, IT IS TRUE FOR ADULT OR CHILD WE CAN NEVER FAIL WHEN WE WITNESS THE WORD OF GOD, WHICH CONTAINS HIS POWER UNTO SALVATION. LET ME SHARE WITH YOU SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK. MY GRANDSON, WHO IS 12 YEARS OLD, HAD TOLD ME ABOUT A FRIEND WHO ATE LUNCH WITH HIM AT SCHOOL AND CONTINUED TO AGGRAVATE NICHOLAS HAS HE BRAGGED ABOUT HIS STRONG BELIEF THAT THERE IS NOT REALLY A GOD. NICK TOLD ME HE WAS ANGRY THAT THIS BOY WOULD CONTINUE TO SPEAK THESE WORDS OF UNBELIEF. SO THIS WEEK NICK TOLD HIM STRAIGHT THAT IF THIS BOY DID NOT BELIEVE IN GOD HE WOULD END UP IN HELL. WELL, WORD GOT BACK TO THE PRINCIPLE AND NICK WAS GIVEN DETENTION. NOT ONLY FOR HIS WITNESS OF HELL FOR THOSE WHO WILL NOT BELIEVE, BUT THAT HOMOSEXUALS, A TERM HE USED FOR THIS BOY HE WITNESSED TO, WOULD EXPERIENCE THE FIRES OF HELL. NOW WHEN I HEARD OF ALL THIS I SPOKE TO MY GRANDSON, AND EXPRESSED MY SATISFACTION OF HIM WITNESSING TO HIS HIS CLASSMATE, BUT I WENT ON TO TELL HIM WHEN EVER YOU SPEAK TO ANOTHER ABOUT THE SALVATION OF HIS OR HER SOUL IT IS NOT THE EFFECTS WE ARE ADDRESSING, BUT THE CAUSE WHICH IS THE SIN OF ADAM. A SIN WE ALL HAVE INHERITED FROM ADAM. THIS IS WHY PEOPLE SIN AND THIS ORIGINAL SIN MUST BE DEATH WITH BY THE ATONING BLOOD OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS. I GUESS CHILDREN TODAY LIKE TO TELL IT LIKE IT IS BUT TO WITNESS IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL IS FROWNED UPON. FOR THEY WILL LOOK AT IT AS A HATE CRIME. THIS IS WHY IN SOME PLACES A MINISTER CANNOT SPEAK OF HOMOSEXUALITY FOR IT PUTS PEOPLE IN DANGER. BUT AGAIN I SAY TO ALL OF US, AND I WOULD LIKE YOUR COMMENTS ,REMEMBER IT IS THE CAUSE, THE SOURCE ,WE ARE ADDRESSING TO IN OUR WITNESS AND NOT THE EFFECTS. A DOCTOR DOES NOT CHIDE A PATIENT WHO HAS CANCEROUS LUMPS ON HIS OR HER BODY. NO, HE GOES AFTER THE CAUSE WHICH IS THE CANCER. AND SO MUST WE. YES, SIN IS THE PROBLEM BUT IT IS NOT SINS, BUT SIN. ADAMS SIN WHICH MAN HAS INHERITED. I HOPE MY GRANDSON WILL ALWAYS BE UPFRONT IN HIS WITNESS. I KNOW THIS PUNISHMENT IS A LITTLE PUZZLING TO HIM, BUT IN REALITY IT IS MINOR COMPARED TO WHAT CHRISTIANS SUFFERED FOR THEIR TESTIMONY AND WHAT THEY WILL IN THE FUTURE. JESUS BELOVED CAME NOT TO SAVE THE RIGHTEOUS BUT SINNERS. HE ATTACHED HIMSELF TO PROSTITUTES DRUNKARDS LEPERS AND HATED TAX TAX COLLECTORS TO WITNESS TO THEM IN LOVE IN A BURDEN FOR THEIR SOULS. MAY WE DO THE SAME.

NO WRONG DIRECTIONS
FROM OUR LORD"
BY PASTOR JOE SANTOS

THIS WEEK MY DIARY DEVOTION HAS TO DO WITH A TRIP TO WAL-MART IN DICKSON CITY. I HAPPENED TO BE STANDING AT THE ENTRANCE WAY FOR MY WIFE TO COME IN. WHILE I LOOKED OUT FOR HER A MAN CAME UP TO ME, AND HE HAD A PACKAGE IN HIS HAND. HE BEGAN TO TELL ME HOW THE PRODUCT HE PURCHASED WAS DEFECTIVE, AND ON AND ON HE WENT, GOING OVER EVERY DETAIL. I DID SYMPATHIZE WITH HIM I SAID I WAS SORRY FOR HIS TROUBLE. HE THEN LOOKED AT ME, AND SAID WELL, I WANT YOU TO MAKE IT RIGHT. HOW CAN I DO THAT I REPLIED .HE SAID, WELL GIVE ME BACK THE REFUND. AT THAT POINT I REALIZED HE WAS SPEAKING TO THE WRONG PERSON SO I TOLD HIM I DID NOT WORK HERE. HE WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE MAN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR WHO WORKED FOR WAL-MART. HE LOOKED A LITTLE EMBARRASSED AS HE WENT ON HIS WAY. AS HE WENT I ASKED HIM, IN A JOKING WAY ,IF HE WOULD PUT A WORD IN FOR ME FOR A JOB AT WAL-MART. HE LAUGHED AS HE WENT ON HIS WAY. WELL, WHAT SPIRITUAL LESSON CAN WE OBTAIN FROM THIS ? ONE THING IT IS THIS. WHEN WE ASK IN A WRONG WAY TO OUR LORD WE ARE BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE, JUST AS THIS GENTLEMEN DID, FOR THEIR IS ONLY ONE REASON FOR OUR PRAYER REQUESTS .IT IS NOT TO FULFILL SOME DESIRE WE HAVE, OR WISH. IT IS FOR ONE REASON WHY WE PRAY, AND THAT IS FOR GOD'S WILL TO BE DONE ON EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. OUR LORD TAUGHT US THIS. HE WOULD CRY OUT TO HIS FATHER IN THE GARDEN, AS HIS CRUCIFIXION WAS NEAR AT HAND . HE SAID: FATHER TAKE THIS CUP OF SORROW FROM ME BUT NOT MY WILL BUT THINE BE DONE. SO BELOVED I ASK, DOES GOD GIVE US THE DESIRES OF OUR HEARTS ? ABSOLUTELY, BUT THEY WILL ALWAYS BE ACCORDING TO HIS DETERMINATE WILL. GOD IS NOT, AS I WAS ,IN THE WRONG PLACE. NO HE IS ALWAYS WHERE HE SHOULD BE ,AND THAT IS AT HIS THRONE OF GRACE TO DO WHAT IS THE VERY BEST FOR ALL HIS CHILDREN. MANY TIMES WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE WHYS, OR WHEREFORES WHY OUR REQUESTS WERE ANSWERED IN THE WAY HE DID THEM, BUT AFTER ALL HIS WAYS ARE HIGHER THEN OURS AS THE HEAVENS ARE FROM THE EARTH. HE KNOWS WHAT IS BEST FOR US AND HE IS WORKING OUT ALL THESE THINGS FOR OUR GOOD. HE IS AN ETERNAL GOD, WE ARE TIME LIMITED CREATURES .SO WHENEVER WE OBTAIN THE ANSWERS TO OUR PRAYERS WE MUST FOCUSED ON THEM 0N THE ETERNAL, NOT IN THIS LIMITED TIME FRAME WE EXPERIENCE ON THIS SIDE OF GLORY. ONE OTHER THING WE MUST TAKE AWAY FROM THIS WAL-MART EXPERIENCE I HAD. IT IS THAT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS THERE ALWAYS FOR US. WE DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY THAT OUR PETITIONS ARE BOUNCING OFF THE CEILING. HE IS ALWAYS THERE TO HEAR US, AND TO RESPOND TO OUR REQUESTS. WE IN RESPONSE TO THIS ARE TO TRUST HIM, AND TO NEVER CHALLENGE HIS DETERMINATION AND HIS ANSWERS. FOR HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US. WHAT A PRIVILEGE AND POWER THERE IS IN PRAYER. AMEN?

GRACE TO YOU

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