450

"Jesus Christ is the strongest, grandest, most fascinating personality to ever grace the earth, but a careless messenger with a wrong method, can reduce all His Magnificance to sheer boredom...and, it's a sin to bore a kid with the Gospel..." from Jim Rayburn's Diaries of Jim Rayburn

449

But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses you would believe in me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say? - John 5:45-47

What do you set your hopes on?

What you set your hopes on accuses you. It condemns you and will only give you what it can but nothing more and therefore will leave you empty, hollow, unfulfilled and insecure.

448

Just reading John 7 this morning. It's a scene straight out of your book. Jesus displays shrewdness at its best..."the right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right." It takes his time then shows up, avoids those planning to kill him, and furthers his Father's purpose.

Thanks for the insight, Rick. Wouldn't have seen it without your book. 

ned

and check out "Shrewd" by Rick Lawrence

447

John 5:39-40 "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life."

There is a quantum leap between knowing about Jesus and placing your life in his hands.

446

John 5:21 "The Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it."

If you read these words to say - the Son only gives life to those that please him - then there may not be a more depressing verse in Scripture...

BUT, if these words are not saying that - they are saying this: it gives the Son pleasure to give us life - it is for this reason he came - to give life...and there is nothing holding him back from this desire - in fact, it is his royal pleasure!

445

John 5:19 "Whatever the Father does the Son also does, for the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does."

By the Son we know the Father.
- the Father gives life.
- the Son gives life.
- the Father does not judge.
- He has entrusted all judgement to the Son.
- the Father is to be honored.
- the Son is to be honored and will glorify the Father.

444

I love this...

In the dream I was being pulled down a whitewater rapid that was a thrashing and torrential river. I was thinking, I am going to die.  I was aware of being full of fear. In my thrashing about, trying to stay afloat, my wrist hit something.... I assumed it was a branch in the water. I grabbed it. It turned out to be a "pool ladder" handle sticking way out into the river from the bank. I pulled myself in, exhausted. I looked back at the river thinking,That was lucky - for sure I would have died. Then I woke up. Adrenalin was pulsing through me, and my heart was literally pounding. So I just for up (three thirty in the morning) and came to church to "keep the Lord company." While I was thinking about this dream I heard, by faith, "What did you think of the dream?" I thought, It was fortunate that the ladder handle was there and I was able to get out and save my life. The Lord said, by faith, "What if I told you the river was Me?" That stunned me at first. Then I said, "I am willing, and will, jump back in... willingly and gladly... Bring it on. If it's You, I want all of You that You will give me. I trust You for wherever you take me. I'm going to trust and enjoy the ride." And I jumped back into the River. 

- bob krulish

excerpt taken from Shrewd by Rick Lawrence