A Life Of Dead Rituals! by Myra Boozer

God is telling us something...He cares! He really cares for everything that concerns us. The Lord gave me this early one morning after I had been so sick. I got up out of bed three times as the Lord was impressing me to write. I am only sharing part. "Don't let your life become a routine of dead rituals. You will drown in a sea of dead deeds with no life and no resurrection. The living must live in the ‘now experience’ of Jesus Christ, with daily submission to His will for their lives. Arise from sleep and stand on the Banks of Resurrection, where there is life, freedom, and hope as fresh and new as the living waters that flow in the stream of your salvation. The dead are dead, but the living are alive in Him. No more rituals. No more going through the motions. Rejoice in your new Freedom. Sing and be Glad!" Read it again and again because we must understand. Our salvation is new every morning. Jesus is calling us to awake from our FORM of godliness, from our cold and unfruitful life, from our downtrodden life, and be whole and complete in Him. HE IS LIFE!

Colossians 2:6, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:" This is the only way to be complete. All the searching and wandering will NEVER end in the desired result until one receives Christ and follows HIM. Following Jesus is never dull or boring. He is very much alive, refreshing, and revitalizing (meaning to breathe new life into).

Don't get caught up in a list of traditional "must-do's" to be a Christian. Remember, you can drown in the routine of dead rituals. True Repentance will make you alive in Christ Jesus. When you experience this radical change in your life, you will rejoice in your Freedom from sin and the bondage it had you in. You will want to tell someone, so tell them! You will want to read and study the Word, so take time for it. You will want to pray for others, not because it is your duty but because you have great compassion for them. You will want to worship, so put your worship music on and spend time in the presence of the Lord. During this time, pour out your heart to Him. You don't have to be in church to worship. Worship is a matter of the heart. Never allow your love for God to grow cold. Remember, live in the "now experience" of Jesus Christ. Keep Your worship on! It is a great way to pray and praise the ONE you love, Jesus Christ! 

Getting Ready To Leave? Or, Getting Ready To Stay? Conclusion

(For part 2 see 8/8/26)

Back to chapter 16:20, “And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores...” Now we see the other side of the coin. Lazarus was laid at the rich man’s porch or front gate every day. The need was obvious. There was no avoiding the dilemma of this poor man. He was really sick with sores all over his body (probably leprosy). He had to be carried, not being able to walk alone. He was probably poor because he was sick. His sickness led to his total deprivation. So, why was he sick? Could it be so that God might touch the lives of the people around him? Could it be so that God might challenge every person that crossed his path? Here was a hungry, homeless, sick brother, and how many people stopped to give him aid?

Then comes the final hour! Luke 16:21, “And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” Lazarus died and was carried by angels to Heaven. The rich man died, but his outcome was much different. “And in hell...” (Hades-Greek) Parallels with the Hebrew Sheol, both meaning “realm of the dead.” The implication is the eternally dead are without hope or deliverance.

The two people in this parable represent two different lives, two different deaths, and two different eternities. Both individuals had a choice. Though Lazarus had a life of struggle, he chose to believe in his creator. The rich man, however, chose to follow his own selfish desires, avoiding the needs of those around him. Lazarus sacrificed his mortal life to inherit his eternal life with Christ. The rich man sacrificed his eternal life with Christ for his mortal life. What will be your choice? Only you can determine your destiny!

Hebrews 9:26, “...but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Getting Ready To Leave? Or, Getting Ready To Stay? 

Are You Willing To Pay The Cost? Conclusion by Myra Boozer

(For part 1 see 8/7/26)

Living for Christ is not about all my wants and desires being fulfilled. It isn't about never having an enemy or ever being bullied. It is a struggle some days. It costs something to be a real Christian according to the standard of the Bible. There are enemies to overcome, battles to be fought, sacrifices to be made, an Egypt to be forsaken, a wilderness to pass through, a race to run, and a cross to carry.

Actually, it is the beginning of a mighty conflict in which Satan will try to steal everything God has done for you. You will have to fight with the Sword of God's Word. It will be the beginning of a mighty conflict in which you will have to stand strong in the Lord by trusting, obeying, sacrificing, and dying (to self) daily. Yes, it costs to be a real Christian, but you will not regret your decision because the love of God is greater than anything this world has to offer.

It takes a made-up mind to do anything these days, and serving the LORD is no different. The rewards are many, and the Peace He brings is the envy of all who are searching. Yes, it costs something to be a Real Christian. Are You Willing To Pay The Cost? 

Getting Ready To Leave? Or, Getting Ready To Stay? Part 2

(For part 1 see 8/7/26)

God will put people of like character into the same lot and bring them into judgment. In Luke’s version of Jesus’ ministry, he accounts for numerous parables that Jesus used to illustrate Divine principles. It is interesting how Jesus used the parable of the rich man and Lazarus to characterize the life of a believer and an unbeliever.

Luke 16:19, “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day...”

The rich man represents an unbeliever. Not that a person has to be poor or lack possessions and money to be a believer, but that the rich man allowed his possessions to stand between himself and God. The rich man had fine things, i.e., purple and fine linen, and had a lavish lifestyle (fared sumptuously). However, it was not the things that he possessed that hindered his relationship with God but the mindset that possessed him. For him, life was one continual party, and evidently he gave no thought to the needs of others.

What is the mindset of a rich man? Jesus gives us an example in Luke 12:16, “And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Life, at its best, is short. Our focus should be on completing the assignment God has given to us as His servants. (continued) 

Are You Willing To Pay The Cost? by Myra Boozer

Matthew 16:24, "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

There may be those who want to claim Christianity without making a lifetime commitment and completely selling out to this world. But that is what it will take to become a follower of Christ. Jesus tells us in His Word to take up our cross and follow Him. That means the same to any and all of us. The plan is the same for all. "Follow Me!" Jesus' own words cry out to us daily.

To make a start for Christ is very personal and life-changing. But it isn't just a one-time deal and back to the same old life. It is a complete turnaround with everything that touches our life. I will say it is not a bed of roses, although the Rose of Sharon, Jesus Christ, will be your personal coach, your encourager, and your ever-constant friend.

When you are convicted of your sin, you realize that the only one who can help you with its weight and penalty is Jesus Christ. You have come to the most important realization known to mankind. You are brought to a place of humility and submission, a place of surrender not just for the moment but for the rest of your life. You come to understand what a great price Jesus paid on the cross of Calvary, and you’re willing to become His servant, not for a day or a week but forever. (continued)

Getting Ready To Leave? Or, Getting Ready To Stay?

Hebrews 11:8, “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

Your answer to this question will determine your eternal destiny. Will you assimilate into a world system governed by carnal man, or will you be a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven governed by God? The two are as different as light and darkness. Man’s ways are not God’s ways and God’s ways are not man’s ways.

In recent years we have heard many world leaders speak of the globalization of systems and nations. Globalization appears to be the dominant worldview. It simply means the development of an integrated global economy marked by free trade, free flow of capital, and tapping into cheaper foreign labor markets. Finance is the driving force behind most organizational entities in all the world. Money is power and power is money! However, there is much more at stake here than money. To be a world player, one must be prepared to make concessions. You cannot expect to hold one hundred percent to your ideals and values and still participate successfully in the global economy. Presently, the powers that be are colluding together, and many are bowing to the promise of financial power.

As children of God, we are not citizens of this world! We were not created to function in this environment that engulfs all of mankind. We are created for a better world and for much greater purpose than what this world can offer. We were made to walk with God in the midst of His creation in the cool of the day. We were made to share in intimate relationship with God, to share with Him in intimate communion all the days of our lives. We were made to be free from all the human encumbrances that sin has brought upon this world.

We are not citizens of this world! We are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, we must be separate from the worldliness that seeks daily to invade our lives. Manipulation is of the devil. A spirit of control is orchestrated by Satan. People in leadership roles must beware lest they be influenced by the desire to control the outcome. God is the only true standard, and His Will is the only blessed outcome! (continued) 

Come Up Higher! by Myra Boozer

Lord Jesus, push back the darkness that is coming against every child of God. Lord, please help us to delight in your Light and your never-ending Love. Set our feet on a clear path and give our minds and hearts a deep understanding of who you are, our Creator and the Father of all mankind! You love like no other. You are our constant friend who will stand by us when the whole world is sound asleep. You are never far but always near. You come, and call us to come up higher, high above the sad and the gloom that tries to hide your love from us.

You call for us all to open our eyes and see all your beauty. You call us to know you by name, and recognize your loving voice. You call us to hold your hand, and know that you are our Protector. You pick us up, and carry us when we can no longer walk on our own. You are the one who rescues us when the winds of evil blow across our path. You wipe our tears and wash our face. You reassure us of who we are, and who YOU are, Our Loving Father. You will never leave us, nor forsake us, as You invite us to Come Up Higher!