Day 58, I John 4-5

Good Morning! My name is Debbie Payne and I was asked to give you a devotional thought from the book of 1 John chapters 4-5.

Key Verse:

4:10-11 Herein is love, not that we loved, God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Reflections:

Wow! I didn’t feel worthy enough to write a devotion to my VBC family.  I asked God to help me and help He did.  He wanted ME to do this exact devotion because He was answering my prayers.  He wanted me to read and reread these verses over and over and over.  As I began, I seemed to be engrossed in the Word and when I finished there was a stream of tears running down my face.  I have been trying for the longest time to get over some hurts and betrayals, without much luck.  More recently, I have begun talking to God about helping me to move on.  I KNOW that it is God that has gotten me through the last five years not because I loved Him but because He loved me.  He wants all of us to have a joyful life that comes from loving each other as He loves us.   

Application:

We as Christians need to use each day to let the light of Jesus Christ shine through us for others to see the love that God has given to us and continues to give to us.  With God, all things are possible!

Thank you for being a part of the 100-Day Challenge. Thanks for reading, and you have a blessed day!

In Christ, Debbie

Name:  Debbie Payne

Saved:  1966   Rededication: 2007

Family: Shannan, Garrett, Kyle, Tyler, Dylen, Ryley, and Cayleb Sharp; and Courtney, Marc, Sara, Miranda, and Helena Trevino

Occupation:  PACS Coordinator

Hobbies:  Sewing, quilting, crocheting, knitting, scrap booking and reading.

Areas of ministry at VBC:  Nursery, Glory Girls and Operation Christmas Child

Favorite Book in the Bible:  John

DAY 57, I John 1-3

Good Morning! My name is Jane Barrick and I was asked to give a devotional thought from the book of 1 John chapters 1-3.

KEY VERSE:

1 John 2:17 And the world is passing away, and also its lust; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.

1 John 3:24 And the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And we know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

REFLECTIONS:

I am continually blessed by church hymns written by God’s saints.  They are filled with scriptural truths.  He abides, He abides, Hallelujah He abides with me…(Herbert Buffum)  Chapters 1-3 are filled with basic truths and wisdom. I could linger here for weeks, but as I read the scriptures there was one word that continued to jump off the page, “abides.”  The dictionary states that “to abide” is to wait for, to endure without yielding, to stand with, to bear patiently, to accept without objection, to remain stable or fixed in a state, and to continue in a place.  We abide in Him, He abides in us.  This world will pass but God abides forever!  Wow, what a promise to stand on!  What a firm foundation God has provided for His children.  I was impressed to pay attention to the fact that the message states, God abides and we also must abide. I was reminded of the words of a retired Pastor who instructed me to think of my relationship with God as a contract.  Each party makes a promise to fulfill their given responsibility.  We fulfill our part; God fulfills His part.  This is the ultimate “win, win” situation.  These verses reinforce God’s love for me.  He not only saves my soul and prepares a place in Heaven for me, but He sustains my walk while living in this world.

APPLICATION:

The outcome:  Abiding in Christ and growing in Grace.  The darkness decreases as the light increases.  He abides, He abides, Hallelujah He abides with me!  “The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” 1 John 2:6.

Thank you for being a part of the 100-Day Challenge.  Thanks for reading, and you have a blessed day!

In Christ,

Jane

NAME:  Jane C. Barrick

SAVED:  age 10

FAVORITE BIBLE CHARACTER:  David

FAMILY:  Spouse: Bill, Sons: Matt, Henry (wife Amber), Wilbur, and Steve in Heaven

OCCUPATION:  Author, Poet, Life Coach, retired Health Care Professional

HOBBIES:  Writing, singing, collecting basic truths and words of wisdom

AREAS OF MINISTRY:  Encouragement, singing, teaching

FAVORITE BOOK IN BIBLE:  Isaiah 

Introduction to 1 John

WRITER: The Apostle John, as unbroken tradition affirms, and as internal evidence and comparison with the Gospel of John prove.

DATE: Probably A.D. 90

THEME: First John is a family letter from the Father to His "little children" who are in the world. With the possible exception of the Song of Solomon, it is the most intimate of the inspired writings. The world is viewed as without. The sin of a believer is treated as a child's offence against his Father, and is dealt with as a family matter ( 1 John 1:9 ; 2:1 ). The moral government of the universe is not in question. The child's sin as an offence against the law had been met in the Cross, and "Jesus Christ the righteous" is now his "Advocate with the Father." John's Gospel leads across the threshold of the Father's house; his first Epistle makes us at home there. A tender word is used for "children," teknia, "born ones," or "bairns." Paul is occupied with our public position as sons; John with our nearness as born-ones of the Father.

First John is in two principal divisions.

1. The family with the Father, 1:1-3:24.
2. The family and the world, 4:1-5:21.

There is a secondary analysis in each division of which occurs the phrase, "My little children," as follows:

1. Introductory, the incarnation, 1:1,2.
2. The little children and fellowship1:3-2:14
3. The little children and secular and "religious" world2:15-28.
4. How the little children may know each other, 2:29-3:10
5. How the little children must live together, 3:11-24.
6. Parenthetic: How the little children may know false teachers, 4:1-6.
7. The little children assured and warned, 4:7-5:21.

C. I. Scofield

DAY 56, II Peter 1-3

Good Morning, my name is Debbie Wilbur, and I was asked to give you a devotional from II Peter 1-3.

Key Verses - II Pet. 1:14, 2:9a, 3:14

1:14 – Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me…

2:9a – The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations…

3:14 – Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

Reflections:

I heard a preacher say many years ago, to pray that you finish well.  Peter finished well and is exhorting us to do the same.  He knew his time on earth was coming to an end, 1:14 Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle...  Peter made mistakes in his life that brought great embarrassment and remorse to him.  However, he was not a prisoner of his past, and he finished very well.  Peter is writing to Christians, and warning them of the apostasy that is coming, 2:9a The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations...  We need to stay very close to Christ.  Reading the Bible, praying, coming to church, etc. will encourage us so we don't follow false teaching, or give up and fall into sinful habits.  He also wants us to be holy, 3:14 …be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless.  We can only do that through Christ.

Application:

Since I heard that preacher many years ago, I have prayed continually that I would finish well.  I am like everyone else; I am sometimes afraid of the future, but my one great desire is that I won't cause disgrace to the name of Jesus.  I encourage you to also pray that you will finish well.

Thank you for being a part of the 100-Day Challenge.  Thanks for reading, and you have a blessed day!

In Christ,

Debbie Wilbur

Saved – September 10, 1973

Favorite Bible character – Esther

Family – 3 children and 6 grandchildren

Occupation – Southwest Airlines

Hobbies – Sewing, needlework, reading,

Area of ministry at church – Glory Girls

Favorite book in the Bible – Proverbs

Introduction to 2 Peter

WRITER: The Apostle Peter ( 2 Peter 1:1 )

DATE: Probably A.D. 66

THEME: Second Peter and Second Timothy have much in common. In both, the writers are aware that martyrdom is near ( 2 Timothy 4:6 ; 2 Peter 1:14 with ; John 21:18John 21:19 ); both are singularly sustained and joyful; both foresee the apostasy in which the history of the professing church will end. Paul finds that apostasy in its last stage when the so-called laity (See Scofield "Revelation 2:6") , have become infected ( 2 Timothy 3:1-5 ; 2 Timothy 4:32 Timothy 4:4 ); Peter traces the origin of the apostasy to false teachers ( 2 Peter 2:1-32 Peter 2:15-19 ). In Peter the false teachers deny redemption truth ( 2 Peter 2:1 ); we shall find in First John a deeper depth--denial of the truth concerning Christ's person ( 1 John 4:1-5 ). In Jude all phases of the apostasy are seen. But in none of these Epistles is the tone one of dejection or pessimism. God and His promises are still the resource of the believer.

The Epistle is in four divisions:

1. The great Christian virtues, 1:1-14
2. The Scriptures exalted, 1:15-21
3. Warnings concerning apostate teachers, 2:1-22
4. The second coming of Christ and the day of Jehovah, 3:1-18

C. I. Scofield

DAY 55, I Peter 4-5

Good morning, my name is Mike Cantrell and I was asked to give you a devotional thought from I Peter 4-5.

KEY VERSE:

5:5-7 – Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder.  Yea all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility:  for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.  Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.

REFLECTIONS:

In chapter 4, Peter is encouraging believers to remember that if we suffer for the sake of our faith, God will be glorified and we will be blessed.  Later on in verses 5-7 of chapter 5, he tells us to be humble and to hand over our cares to God.  I know in my own little world I’ve had to learn to swallow my pride (and my tongue!) when my peers make fun of how I try to live and what I believe.  I need to remember that Peter and the other disciples faced real persecution and eventually death for their faith, so the minor abuse I receive pales in comparison!

APPLICATION: 

Let’s try to live in line with what we believe no matter what trials come our way and in spite of what the world may say!

Thank you for being a part of the 100-Day Challenge.  Thanks for reading, and you have a blessed day!

In Christ,

Mike Cantrell

DAY 54, I PETER 1-3

Good morning! My name is Dana Rance and I was asked to give you a devotional thought from the book of 1 Peter 1-3.

KEY VERSES:

1 Peter 1:6-7 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

REFLECTIONS:

I read this first in my King James Bible and the verse popped out at me.  I wanted to get a better understanding, so I read it in a NIV Bible.  The interesting thing was the King James used the word temptations while the NIV used trials.  That led me in a new direction and got me thinking.

If you look temptations up in the dictionary, it says "something that entices". The definition of trials is "process of trying, or testing".  It took me a while to figure out why two totally different words would be substituted for each other.  I believe that during trials you are tempted to let your faith waiver.

We've all had trials and we've asked God "why me?"  1 Peter 6-7 pretty much sums it up for us.  God gives us trials for different reasons.  Sometimes He wants to see if we're tempted to turn from Him, or if we will turn to Him.  Often times He wants us to learn something like patience, or understanding.  Only God knows His reasons.

It's very difficult when we're going through a trial to think along these lines: but if we slow down and ask What is God trying to teach me?, we will be blessed with His wisdom.  When we turn to Him, we are blessed with His comfort.  We never realize it during the trial, but blessings often come from trials and temptations.  It's these blessings of His comfort and knowing that His love is unconditional that are our rewards for the trials we went through.

When we make it through our trial or temptation, we praise God and thank Him for helping us through it.  We know that all the glory and honor is His.  We know we couldn't have made it through without God's help.

APPLICATION:

Let's together try to remember when we go through trials and temptations, to put our faith and trust in God so that when we get through the trial, all praise, honor and glory will be given to God who helped us.

Thank you for being a part of the 100-Day Challenge. Thanks for reading, and have a blessed day!

In Christ,

Dana Rance

Name:  Dana Rance

Saved:  At age 10, and rededicated my life to Christ around 8 years ago.
Favorite Bible Character:  Paul
Family:  Husband James, "fur kids" (AKA dogs) Sweet Pea and Sallie
Occupation:  Cat Scan Tech
Hobbies:  Reading, crocheting, being with my family
Your ministry at church:  Teach 2-3s and King's Kids 3-5
Favorite Book in Bible:  The entire New Testament!

Introduction to 1 Peter

WRITER: The Apostle Peter ( 1 Peter 1:1 )

DATE: Probably A.D. 60. That "Babylon" refers to the former city on the Euphrates, or to Rome, cannot be inferred from 1 Peter 5:13 . The text is obscure.

THEME: While Peter undoubtedly has scattered Jewish believers in mind, his Epistles comprehend Gentile believers also ( 1 Peter 2:10 ). The present Epistle, written from a church on Gentile ground ( 1 Peter 5:13 ), presents all the foundational truths of the Christian faith, with special emphasis on the atonement. The distinctive note of First Peter is preparation for victory over suffering. The last-name word occurs about fifteen times, and is the key-word to the Epistle.

The Epistle is in three parts:

1. Christian suffering and conduct in the light of full salvation, 1:1-2:8
2. The believer's life in view of his sevenfold position, and of the vicarious suffering of Christ, 2:9-4:19
3. Christian service in the light of the coming of the Chief Shepherd, 5:1-14

C. I. Scofield

DAY 53, JAMES 4-5

Good Morning. My name is Bill Barrick and I was asked to give you a devotional thought from the book of James chapters 4 and 5.

KEY VERSES:

James 4:17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

REFLECTIONS:

My dad coached all the baseball teams I was on up through high school.  I played shortstop one summer, and during a stretch of games it seemed that every ball hit to me I wound up flinging wildly over the first baseman’s head or into the dirt for an error.  I got so bad that when I went out into the field to my shortstop position all I could think about was NOT MAKING AN ERROR. “Please don’t hit the ball to me,” I’d think before every pitch.

All my well-meaning teammates had plenty of advice about what I was doing wrong:  ”Don’t do this or don’t do that.”  I was totally focused on what NOT TO DO AND WHAT I WAS DOING WRONG.  No amount of avoiding the wrong seemed to help.  It was hopeless!  Seeing my frustration and the games we were losing, Dad took me aside and simply said, “Don’t focus on what you are doing wrong…keep concentrating on the good things you’re doing for the team like hitting and running the bases and encouraging the other guys on the team.”

APPLICATION:

In my own Christian life I’ve expended so much energy and prayer trying to avoid sin and things that displease God that, too often I’m not focused on doing the “right thing.”  James 4:7 says “…resist the devil and he will flee from you.”  Rather than resisting the devil by focusing only on what not to do, I’ve learned that “doing the good I know I should do” puts me on the offensive when battling Satan’s evil darts.  Now I’m praying more that God shows me the good things I should be doing rather than only resisting the wrong things.

Thank you for being a part of the 100-Day Challenge. Let’s resist the devil by doing the good we know we should.

In Christ,

Bill Barrick

Bill Barrick

SAVED:  September, 1971
FAVORITE BIBLE CHARACTER:  Noah
FAMILY:  Wife, Jane; Sons, Wilbur, Hank, Matt, Steve (in Heaven)
OCCUPATION:  Graphic Artist and Teacher
HOBBIES:  Piano, Travel, Keeping our roof repaired
AREA OF MINISTRY:  Encouraging
FAVORITE BOOK IN BIBLE:  Genesis

DAY 52, James 1-3

Good Morning!  My name is Marge Jackson (Sr.) and I was asked to give you a devotional thought from the book of James, chapters 1-3.

KEY VERSE:   3:5   Even so the tongue is a little member and boasteth great things.  Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth.
REFLECTIONS:

I am once again reminded how I need to watch my tongue.  I need God’s wisdom each day that my conversation is pleasing unto him.  I marvel at the patience of God with me.  A favorite verse of mine is Psalm 19:14, Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

APPLICATION:  

Let us seek to apply Colossians 4:6 to our lives:  Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Thank you for being a part of the 100-Day Challenge.  Thanks for reading, and you have a blessed day!

In Christ,

Marge Jackson
NAME:  Marge Jackson

SAVED:  age 10

FAVORITE BIBLE CHARACTER:  David

FAMILY:  Children Mary Ellen (Barry), Barb (Terry), Bob (Margie); husband Bob Sr. and daughter Janice in Heaven

OCCUPATION: Mother, grandmother, great-grandmother

FAVORITE BOOK IN BIBLE:  Psalms

HOBBIES:  Reading

INTRODUCTION TO JAMES

 WRITER: James (See Scofield "Matthew 4:21"), called "the Just,” mentioned by Paul with Cephas and John as "pillars" in the church at Jerusalem Galatians 2:9. He seems to have been, as a religious man, austere, legal, ceremonial Acts 21:18-24 .

DATE: Tradition fixes the martyrdom of James in the year 62, but his Epistle shows no trace of the larger revelations concerning the church and the distinctive doctrines of grace made through the Apostle Paul, nor even of the discussion concerning the relation of Gentile converts to the law of Moses, which culminated in the first council (Ac 15.), over which James presided. This presumes the very early date of James, which may confidently be set down as "the first Epistle to Christians."--Weston.

THEME: By "the twelve tribes scattered abroad" we are to understand, not Jews, but Christian Jews of the Dispersion. The church began with such, Acts 2:5-11, and James, who seems not to have left Jerusalem, would feel a particular pastoral responsibility for these scattered sheep. They still resorted to the synagogues, or called their own assemblies by that name, James 2:2, where "assembly" is "synagogue" in the Gr.). It appears from James 2:1-8 that they still held the synagogue courts for the trial of causes arising amongst themselves. The Epistle, then, is elementary in the extreme. To suppose that James 2:14-26 is a polemic against Paul's doctrine of justification is absurd. Neither Galatians nor Romans was yet written.

James' theme, then, is "religion" (Gr., threskeia, "outward religious service") as the expression and proof of faith. He does not exalt works as against faith, but faith as producing works. His style is that of the Wisdom-books of the O.T.

The divisions are five:

1. The testing of faith1:1-2:26
2. The reality of faith tested by the tongue, 3:1-18
3. The rebuke of worldliness, 4:1-17
4. The rich warned
5. Hortatory [exhorting, encouraging]

DAY 51, HEBREWS 12 AND 13

Good morning my name is Linda Wallace and I was asked to give you a devotional thought from the book of Hebrews, chapters 12 and 13.

KEY VERSES:

12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

12:2  Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God

REFLECTION:

The key word I’m going to focus on is ENDURE (12:2), which is translated “patience.” The word means “to bear up under trial, to continue when the going gets tough.”  So Paul reminds us of three encouragements.

1.      The example of the Son of God – 12:1-4

We must keep our eyes on Christ as the goal!

2.      The assurance of the love of God – 12:5-13

Chastening literally means “child-training, discipline,” the best proof that He does love us!

3.      The power of the grace of God – 12: 14-29

The “THE NEW COVENANT OF GRACE” was brought to us by the shed blood of Jesus Christ!

APPLICATION:

Therefore, let us serve God with reverence.  Let us heed His Word and not refuse to listen; for in His Word is grace and life that we need.

Thank you for being a part of the 100-Day challenge. Thanks for reading, and have a BLESSED day!!!

Linda Wallace

SAVED:  1973

FAVORITE BIBLE CHARACTER:  King Solomon

FAMILY:  Husband Pat, three children, 9 grandchildren

OCCUPATION:  Insurance Agent

HOBBIES:  Watching my grandchildren grow up in the Lord; horses; fishing

FAVORITE BOOK IN THE BIBLE:  Ephesians

AREA OF MINISTRY AT VBC:  Prayer, especially if I see someone at church who seems sad

Day 50, Hebrews 9-11

Hi, our names are Mark and Jennifer Ritter, and we were asked to give a devotion from Hebrews 9-11.

Key verses:

Hebrews 9:12  “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

Hebrews 9:22b  “….and without shedding of blood is no remission.”

Hebrews 10:23  “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”

Reflection:  As blood gives and sustains physical life, so Christ’s shed blood gives and sustains spiritual life.  After Adam’s sin and fall in the Garden of Eden, God immediately set His wonderful plan of salvation in motion.  Genesis 3:15 declares, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”  In other words, Jesus Christ would be crucified, but Satan, the serpent, would be eternally defeated, hence, victory over sin and death.  All through the Old Testament we see the repetitive sacrifice of animals as a foreshadowing of the ultimate and final sacrifice of the Lamb of God – Jesus Christ.  Animal sacrifices were only able to cover sin, whereas Christ’s sacrifice took away sin, once and for all – forever.  “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”  (Hebrews 9:12)  The only way that mankind can have access to a Holy God is through the Intercessor, Jesus Christ.  We have free and open access to the heavenly Holy of Holies, if you will, the presence of God the Father Himself, because of what Christ has done for us.  There truly is power, power, wonder-working power in the precious blood of the Lamb, in that His blood is more than powerful enough to save and keep us, and to “… present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:” (Colossians 1:22).  The reality of the new covenant provided through Christ’s blood should encourage us to hold fast to our profession of faith without wavering, for we know that He who promised is faithful!  We can rest assured of our hope in His promises and certain of what we, as of now, cannot see!

Application:  As Christians we should rejoice in the fact that “our sins are all pardoned, our guilt is all gone!”, and live wholeheartedly for Him because of the surety of His precious blood that provides a faith that is unshakeable.

 

Thank you for being a part of the 100-Day Challenge.  Thanks for reading, and you have a blessed day!

In Christ,  Mark and Jennifer

NAME:  Mark and Jennifer Ritter
FAMILY:  Children -- Anthony, Austin and Ashley (Rickie)
OCCUPATION:  Mark -- doctor; Jennifer - full-time wife and mother

DAY 49, Hebrews 7-8

Good Morning! My name is Jeff Tanner and I was asked to give you a devotional thought from the book of Hebrews, chapters 7 and 8.

KEY VERSE:

7:22   By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

7:26  For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.

8:1  Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.

8:6  But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

8:12  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

REFLECTIONS:

Webster defines "King" as the male monarch of a major geographic territory; also, one that holds a preeminent position.  In the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments speak of "Earthly Kings."  Some ruled their people well, being truly concerned about their followers.  Others ruled thinking of only one person:  themselves, having no thought or concern for what was best for their followers.  Let's think about the King that we serve.  He's the King of Kings and The Lord of Lords.  Our King's work on the Cross provides for us a benefit that no earthly king could ever provide:  ETERNAL LIFE.  This is a promise from God Himself.  Whose life can be touched by that promise?  God says that He is able to save the "uttermost" of people; that means He can reach to the "guttermost."  When we are in life's gutter, Christ can change our situation.  He is God's Son that WILLINGLY left his Father's side, and became man, yet at the same time remained sin-free.  He endured a human death so that we could enjoy eternal life with Him.  As such, He is our High Priest, now back at his Father's side just waiting for mankind to call on His name.  He provides a better covenant for us, a covenant based on His Grace poured out freely on us.  This Grace provides mercy to those that don't deserve it:  all of us.   His Grace covers our sins.  Satan tries to remind us of our failings; Christ remembers them no more.

APPLICATION:   Heaven – We humans want to earn it, deserve it, work for it.  We want to be involved in our salvation process.   We're pretty good at providing the sinner.  Thank God He provides the Saviour!!!  He must be in our Heart if we want an eternity in Heaven.  Christ left Heaven, became 100% man AND 100% God, loves us when we're un-lovable, heals us, provides for us, gives us all we need and some of what we want.  He forgave the people that crucified Him before they even understood their actions.  He's who we must place our faith in – not our works but His.  It doesn't seem natural.....because it's SUPERNATURAL.

Thank you for being a part of the 100-Day Challenge.  Thanks for reading, and you have a blessed day!

In Christ, Jeff 

NAME: Jeff Tanner

SAVED: July 1975, age 10

FAVORITE BIBLE CHARACTER:  Paul

FAMILY:  Wife Nancy

OCCUPATION: Branch Manager, All-Phase Electric Supply

FAVORITE BOOK IN BIBLE:  Romans

HOBBIES: Muscle/Sports Cars, RC Airplanes/Helicopters

MINISTRY INVOLVEMENT AT VBC: New Member.....Whatever God leads to.