He is a gentleman

Something you will never believe, is the definition of a gentleman. It does not resound with societies' notion of the term, but here goes Wiki

The term gentleman (from Latin  gentilis, belonging to a race or gens , and man, the Italian  gentil uomo or gentiluomo and the Protuguese gentil-homem), in its original and strict signification, denoted a man of the lowest rank of the English gentry, standing below an esquire and above a yeoman . While you ponder on that let me hit you with this-

He will never force anything (ever) down your throat, let’s go back, way back, back to the beginning of  Adam and Eve.

He had created them from dust: so He could have set a chip trying to say program in their heads to comply with everything He had instructed (He could have), yes He could. But He did not.  He said which tree not to eat from and gave them the results of what would happen-“you will die”  . He then left the decision up to them....... 

1. not to eat =alive

2. eat =death

The rest we all know; the snake, the lies, whatever. You can read Genesis and it will give the whole story.

To my point ; He gave them a choice , He could have, might as well plucked up the tree and planted it in another planet or garden, no not our God He allows you to make the decision and allows you to suffer the consequences.

I will jump a little further ahead to the time of Job. I am talking to those who know who this guy was, if you don’t know you need to go back to Pre School because I have no time to get you up to speed. But as the story goes the devil as the other angels were presenting themselves before God so did him(devil) do. He (the devil) was going on and on that Job was only faithful to God because God had blessed him with a lot of money and wealth and good health, and that was the only reason he (Job) adored Him (God) and that God should release His hand over Job and let him lose all his wealth and see if Job would not Curse God. God was all like is that right? , ok if you think that is the case then go and do your worst but don’t touch his health ………… those who don’t know the story from here sorry, that is not in my prescription to narrate.

Can we focus here, what do we learn from the story of Job? –The devil had to go to God and ask that he be allowed to go and tempt Job.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her: “How could God let something like this happen?” (regarding Hurricane Katrina).

Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said: “I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out.

How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?”  -direct q

In Revelations 3:20 He says I am at the door and I knock whoever hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and will stay there with Him. Our great and most powerful God in all His glory must ask before He can be a part of you- meaning that the decision for Him to be in your life lies squarely with you, He does not force Himself into your life like some demon possession or other stories and examples we hear.

Was watching a Taylor Perry show where it was all about family and church and drama didn’t have anything else to watch but I got something from in between the drooling and sleeping. In a home if the family if full of prayer and exaltation to the most high i.e let in the master of light in the master of darkness has no room or power within that  house hold . The reverse is also true. .If the home has no time for prayer for coming together all in His name then The prince of darkness has full dominion over that house hold and no matter how powerful our heavenly master is He will not reign there and His angels can only look from the fence.

Just think about it we call Him a gentle man because yes He possesses all the power for pits sakes He created the Devil but this tag of being a gentleman is that YOU will always have the choice .If you let Him in He will burst in guns blazing incinerating all the demons and evil dominion over you and the barbed wire they came with, but if you wish not to invite Him, he can only stand and watch hence a *GENTLEMAN*

I Love Simple

I love simple. Everything I own fits in the back of a small U-Haul truck with plenty of space left over. Still, about twice a year, I go through my apartment just looking for things to throw away to keep life simple and clutter free.
When I was a kid I loved Taco Bell. Back then they had 7 items on the menu board, and that was all I needed. I would choose the bean burrito. Today I walk into a Taco Bell, and their menu board is all cluttered, and confusing with so many new items offered. I still choose the bean burrito. I love simple.
I recently switched my homepage to Google. It is simple and not too busy like the other search engines. I love simple. Having a complicated life is not a status symbol to me and does not allure me.
Understanding how I love simple, you will understand how delighted I was when I discovered a concept I read in John 15:5. In the NIV I read, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit…” . Actually what delighted me is what I did not discover.  Jesus was not telling me that I needed a complicated, long planned out program and agenda in order to bear much fruit. It was really quite simple actually. I just need to live with Jesus and I will automatically bear fruit. Wow. What a concept!
It reminded me of when I came home from College in the Spring of 1985. One Friday evening a friend from church called, and told me a couple of other friends were meeting at one of their homes to study the Sabbath School lesson, and asked me to join them. One of them brought their sister, who was not a baptized Adventist. There was no agenda or schedule set in stone for our small study group. It was not even an “official” small study group. We just hung out together and studied the lesson, socialized, and even started hanging out on Saturday nights with a pizza, and/or movie or bowling. A few months later my friend’s sister was baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist church. It wasn’t complicated. All we needed was to be living in Christ, in His word, and we bore fruit.
We don’t need a lot of complicated man-made programs when “Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, “Follow Me.”  (Ellen White, Gospel Workers, p. 363) How simple!
Simple does not mean there is no plan or method. It simply means the plan and method is simple.

“There is need of coming close to the people by personal effort. If less time were given to sermonizing, and more time were spent in personal ministry, greater results would be seen. The poor are to be relieved, the sick cared for, the sorrowing and the bereaved comforted, the ignorant instructed, the inexperienced counseled. We are to weep with those that weep, and rejoice with those that rejoice. Accompanied by the power of persuasion, the power of prayer, the power of the love of God, this work will not, cannot, be without fruit.” (Ellen White, Gospel Workers, p. 363)

Here I would like to add another word to “Simple.” Practical. Jesus’ method was simple and practical. When I go to Taco Bell, I don’t need a mumbo jumbo burrito with a million toppings on it. It just isn’t practical. A simple bean burrito is practical for me. Jesus spent most of His time, simply meeting the needs of the people. Most of His ministry was spent in simple one-on-one impromptu encounters like the woman at the well or the woman taken adultery. Whenever He did preach a sermon it was not a deep theological dissertation. It was simple and practical, and also brief.
I love the simplicity of Jesus in John 15:5, “He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit.” One morning when I awoke, I picked up my Bible to read and spend time with Jesus. As soon as I started reading, I began to think to myself, “How can you just sit here and read when you need to see that church member in the hospital, and follow up on these leads for Bible studies, and plan that seminar that is coming up.” I could barely relax and read my Bible, thinking of all the things I needed to do, but I knew it was important to spend time with Jesus so I made myself do it. I wanted to abide in Him. Later when I got to the hospital, I prayed with the lady I had come to see, and as I left, the lady in the next bed, asked me to pray with her too. I prayed with her, and shared a verse and some comforting words God gave me to share with her. I gave her my number if she needed anything else and invited her to my church when she got out. Impromtu and simple, yet fruitful.
I love simple!

The Three Business Managers

Power Text
“His master replied,’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful
with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your
master’s happiness!’” (Matthew 25:21, NIV).
Key Texts and References
Matthew 25:14-28; Luke 19:11-27; Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 325-365; student
story on page 16 of this guide.
Objectives
we will:
Know that God gives them talents to develop and use in His service.
Feel excited about discovering, developing, and using their talents.
Respond by using their talents in specific, intentional ways to share God’s love
with others.
Power Point
We can use our talents to share God’s love with others

The Bible Lesson at a Glance
One of the parables Jesus tells is about
a businessman going into a far country.
He leaves different amounts of money
with three servants. When he returns he
rewards each one according to what they
have done with the money while he is
gone. This parable of the talents is not
just about money. It is also about being
responsible with the talents and gifts God
has given us.
This is a lesson about service.
God invested the talents of heaven
when He sent Jesus to die for our sins.
He also gives us talents and gifts so we
can work for Him, telling others about
His great gift of love. The more we use
our talents for His service, the more He
entrusts us with, and the more effective
we become in serving others. Others are
blessed and so are we.
Getting Ready to Teach

HAVE A LITTLE TALK WITH JESUS

I once was lost in sin but Jesus took me in
And then a little light from heaven filled my soul
It bathed my heart in love and it wrote my name above
And just a little talk with my Jesus made me whole
Have a little talk with Jesus tell him all about our troubles
Hear our fainted cry answer by and by
Feel a little prayer wheel turning know a little fire is burning
Find a little talk with Jesus makes it right
Sometimes my path grows drear without a ray of cheer
And then a cloud of doubt may hide the day
The mists of sin may rise and hide the starry skies
But just a little talk with Jesus clears the way
Have a little talk with Jesus...
I may have doubts and fears my eyes be filled with tears
But Jesus is a friend who watches day and night
I go to him in prayer he knows my every care
And just a little talk with my Jesus makes it right
Have a little talk with Jesus...
Find a little talk with Jesus makes it right

Fundamental Belief(3. Father:

God the eternal Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation. He is just and holy, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. The qualities and powers exhibited in the Son and the Holy Spirit are also revelations of the Father. (Gen. 1:1; Rev. 4:11; 1 Cor. 15:28; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8; 1 Tim. 1:17; Ex. 34:6, 7; John 14:9.)

Fundamental Belief(2. Trinity:

There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons. God is immortal, all-powerful, all-knowing, above all, and ever present. He is infinite and beyond human comprehension, yet known through His self-revelation. He is forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service by the whole creation. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Tim. 1:17; Rev. 14:7.)

Fundamental Belief(1. Holy Scriptures:

he Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration through holy men of God who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In this Word, God has committed to man the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience, the authoritative revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of God's acts in history. (2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Ps. 119:105; Prov. 30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 4:12.)