Isaiah 7:15
15Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.
Isaiah 7:22
22And it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk that they shall give he shall eat butter: for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land.
Psalms 119:103
103How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
**
I was fascinated by this verse- 'Butter and honey shall he eat-- that he may know to refuse the evil and choose the good.'
We read of God having Moses lead the children of Israel through the wilderness to the promised land flowing with milk and honey.
Milk and honey signifying what exactly?
Think about it a moment.
If someone promised to take you to a land flowing with milk and honey you'd most likely look at them as if they were screwy. Why would you want to go to a land flowing with milk and honey? You might not even like milk or honey all that much, then again you could love them both. Even if you did love them do you imagine yourself in a land flowing with milk and honey? Yet, this was the promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey. Surely it signifies something a bit more doesn't it?
A land where there is no hunger.
Not only is there no hunger the food is sweet and rich.
Surely back then milk and honey were reserved for the wealthy Egyptians, with the Israelites subsisting on foods much less rich and sweet. Throughout time slaves were given nothing like those of their masters. Slaves were given just what they needed to survive and nothing overly good, nothing overly special. I'm talking about the majority of slaves, not a miniority that might have been treated differently.
Being enslaved leaves you at the mercy of your masters and very few masters wanted their slaves to exist on the same level as they did. Slaves were beneath their masters and the quality of living reflected this fact.
Promised a land flowing in milk and honey.
Maybe that doesn't exactly excite your thoughts, what about a promise land of endless wealth? Got your attention now? Not surprising.
The promise of a land flowing in milk and honey was the promise of a land where the Israelites could live free of enslavement and in comfort. Did that mean they no longer had to work? No. But it meant they were working for themselves and their families in a land that would bring forth abundantly as opposed to being enslaved and working so another reaped the wealth of your labor while leaving you virtually nothing but what was necessary to survive.
Milk and honey, butter and honey. Good things, wonderful things.
Isaiah 7:15
15Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.
Wouldn't it be amazing if we were simply to eat butter and honey and then we'd know to refuse evil and choose good? I'd run out and buy a ton of butter and honey if that were the case and that's all I'd eat.
What made it so that 'he' may know to refuse the evil and choose the good?
Perhaps knowing the good was enough to know that evil was bad?
Knowing the sweetness and tastiness of butter and honey surely made a striking contrast to anything bitter and distasteful.
When you have the good why would you seek the bad?
Be content with the good knowing it's good rather than go to anything that might be evil.
Choose the good, knowing good.
Refuse the evil, because if you have the good already you need nothing else, nothing.
It's not necessary to seek the good if you have it already, right?
How much evil in our lives comes about when we're not at all content with the good we know to be good, but rather we seek something more...something better than good.
What allure do mind altering drugs and excess of alcohol hold for people?
The promise of something special? A feeling that will supercede all others? And yet, think about it for a moment. Drugs and alcohol offer that feeling at a cost don't they? When something comes with a cost- taking from us, giving us a price to pay for those fleeting moments of illusory special feelings- is it really good? When we're ripped of our ability to reason is this a good thing, really?
Evil offers an illusion of goodness and makes you pay in the end.
Goodness will not cost you a thing. Goodness will not exact from you a price. Goodness is pure and not chock full of regret. Anything that has the potential to cause endless regret- can it be a good thing? I suppose some might argue that you can come to regret doing good things and it's true but usually when sin is hounding you, pounding at you relentlessly trying to drag you back down into the depths of despair.
To be content with goodness, learning of the good things early on teaches us that choosing good is right, and refusing the evil necessary.
Read this--
Isaiah-
{7:14} Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall
call his name Immanuel. {7:15} Butter and honey shall he
eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the
good.
Truely, if (and I'm no Biblical scholar in any way, shape, or form) these verses meld together and it is the child Jesus eating butter and honey so that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good, well, we really need to think about this a little bit and contemplate the meaning, don't we?
I could be way off on my interpretation, but God willing, not too far.
May our hearts and minds be open to the Holy Spirit guiding us into all truth, all by the mercy and grace of our Lord and our Savior, Jesus Christ God's only Son! Forgive us Jesus and open our hearts and mind to you now and always.
By His grace!
Amen.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Here am I send me
Isa. {6:5} Then said I, Woe [is] me! for I am undone; because
I [am] a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a
people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King,
the LORD of hosts. {6:6} Then flew one of the seraphims
unto me, having a live coal in his hand, [which] he had
taken with the tongs from off the altar: {6:7} And he laid
[it] upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips;
and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. {6:8}
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I
send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here [am] I; send
me.
Aren't we all people with unclean lips?
Don't we all dwell with people of unclean lips?
Are any of us clean?
We desire to be the Lord's even as sin reigns in and around us.
We fight against the sin in ourselves striving to resist the devil so he'll flee from us.
We cling to Jesus and beg for His mercy, His grace.
We long to be made clean by our Lord and Savior.
Isaiah knew his unclean state, knew he was not fit to be the Lord's.
One of God's angels plucked a live coal from the altar and touched Isaiah's lips with it.
Then the angel said-
'Lo, this hath touched thy lips- and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is purged.'
The coal from the altar touched his lips.
Isaiah was lamenting the fact he was a man of unclean lips living among those with unclean lips.
He was a sinner among sinners.
His sin was taken away by the Lord's messenger with a live coal.
Purged, burned away, the unclean made cleaned.
We all need to be made clean, every one of us.
May the Lord's mercy rain down upon us. May our lips be touched by a live coal from God.
May we hear the call of the Lord and reply-- Here we are Lord, send us.
Only by the grace and mercy of the Lord can we be saved, can we be made clean.
Lord, hear our prayer as we cry out to be made clean, to be used by you.
By the mercy and grace of Jesus.
**
A song based on this verse in Isaiah--
Kutless
Take me in
Take me past the outer courts
Into the Holy place
Past the brazen altar
Lord I want to see Your face
Pass me by the crowds of people
The priests who sing Your praise
I hunger and thirst for Your righteousness
But it's only found one place
Take me in to the Holy of Holies
Take me in by the blood of the Lamb
Take me in to the Holy of Holies
Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am
Take me past the outer courts
Into the Holy place
Past the brazen altar
Lord I want to see Your face
Pass me by the crowds of people
The priests who sing Your praise
I hunger and thirst for Your righteousness
But it's only found one place
Take me past the outer courts
Into the Holy place
Past the brazen altar
Lord I want to see Your face
Pass me by the crowds of people
The priests who sing Your praise
I hunger and thirst for Your righteousness
But it's only found one place
Take me in to the Holy of Holies
Take me in by the blood of the Lamb
Take me in to the Holy of Holies
Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am
Take me in to the Holy of Holies
Take me in by the blood of the Lamb
Take me in to the Holy of Holies
Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am
Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am
I [am] a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a
people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King,
the LORD of hosts. {6:6} Then flew one of the seraphims
unto me, having a live coal in his hand, [which] he had
taken with the tongs from off the altar: {6:7} And he laid
[it] upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips;
and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. {6:8}
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I
send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here [am] I; send
me.
Aren't we all people with unclean lips?
Don't we all dwell with people of unclean lips?
Are any of us clean?
We desire to be the Lord's even as sin reigns in and around us.
We fight against the sin in ourselves striving to resist the devil so he'll flee from us.
We cling to Jesus and beg for His mercy, His grace.
We long to be made clean by our Lord and Savior.
Isaiah knew his unclean state, knew he was not fit to be the Lord's.
One of God's angels plucked a live coal from the altar and touched Isaiah's lips with it.
Then the angel said-
'Lo, this hath touched thy lips- and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is purged.'
The coal from the altar touched his lips.
Isaiah was lamenting the fact he was a man of unclean lips living among those with unclean lips.
He was a sinner among sinners.
His sin was taken away by the Lord's messenger with a live coal.
Purged, burned away, the unclean made cleaned.
We all need to be made clean, every one of us.
May the Lord's mercy rain down upon us. May our lips be touched by a live coal from God.
May we hear the call of the Lord and reply-- Here we are Lord, send us.
Only by the grace and mercy of the Lord can we be saved, can we be made clean.
Lord, hear our prayer as we cry out to be made clean, to be used by you.
By the mercy and grace of Jesus.
**
A song based on this verse in Isaiah--
Kutless
Take me in
Take me past the outer courts
Into the Holy place
Past the brazen altar
Lord I want to see Your face
Pass me by the crowds of people
The priests who sing Your praise
I hunger and thirst for Your righteousness
But it's only found one place
Take me in to the Holy of Holies
Take me in by the blood of the Lamb
Take me in to the Holy of Holies
Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am
Take me past the outer courts
Into the Holy place
Past the brazen altar
Lord I want to see Your face
Pass me by the crowds of people
The priests who sing Your praise
I hunger and thirst for Your righteousness
But it's only found one place
Take me past the outer courts
Into the Holy place
Past the brazen altar
Lord I want to see Your face
Pass me by the crowds of people
The priests who sing Your praise
I hunger and thirst for Your righteousness
But it's only found one place
Take me in to the Holy of Holies
Take me in by the blood of the Lamb
Take me in to the Holy of Holies
Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am
Take me in to the Holy of Holies
Take me in by the blood of the Lamb
Take me in to the Holy of Holies
Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am
Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am
Thursday, February 26, 2009
The Gardener
Isaiah
{5:1} Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill
{5:2} And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
{5:3} And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.
{5:4} What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?
{5:5} And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; [and] break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down
{5:6} And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
{5:7} For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts [is] the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
Imagine a loving person creating a beautiful vineyard, in a beautiful location. There He is putting up a protective wall around the vineyard to keep it safe. Then as any good gardener He prepares the soil by getting all the rocks out of the ground. Only when the ground is prepared does He plant the best plants He possibly can. With great hopes for His vineyard He builds a wonderful tower in the garden as the plants are growing, He even builds a winepress as He anticipates creating the best wine ever.
Then...as the time approaches to examine the grapes coming forth what does He see!? Wild grapes! He hadn't planted wild grapes, but there they are. His garden, His vineyard are ruined.
The gardener asks all those around who had been watching Him create this wonderful vineyard what He could have done more for the vineyard, didn't He do all He could to make it the most wonderful vineyard ever?
He has no choice, He has to do something with this horrible mess of a vineyard.
So He takes away the protective wall about it, it's a slow process as He lays waste to what was once was supposed to be wonderful.
The Gardener will no longer prune the vines, no longer dig at the soil to loosen it up to keep it so the water can get to the roots. He will no longer pull the weeds, the thorns, the briers. In fact there is no longer reason to water the plants they are wild and can no longer be pure and good.
What's all this mean?
As an analogy it means God lovingly created a people whom He nourished and gave all the advantages He could so that His people would flourish and become wonderful, happy, content, beautiful people. Instead, even after having all the advantages His people turn out to be spiteful, unhappy, bad. God did ALL He could do for His people. God did not leave a single thing undone and still His people turned from Him.
No true judgment but oppression.
No righteousness but a cry.
God did and does all He could and can for His people.
Free will.
The ability to choose to count on self over God.
Free will.
The ability to believe that by self you can exist and live happily, contentedly, forever.
Free will.
The ability to cut loose from the Creator and strike out on your own.
Free will.
Mankind chose to strike out on their own and as a result all they believe they can do of themselves are lies.
Man cannot save themselves. Mankind cannot live on their own- they die. A life meant to live forever was cut short because mankind with the beguiling of Satan (who had already given himself over to self) chose to live on their own power, their own steam. It's impossible for man to stay alive. From the moment of birth people are on the road to death. No one alive has ever been born, who on their own has lived forever. God's only Son became one of us, a person born to die. On His own He would be dead still. Only God's love does Jesus live. God, because His Son sacrificed Himself to save mankind- because He proved that a human being can live connected to God as intended.
We need to cling to God, He is our only hope. By the grace and mercy of Jesus alone we can do this, we can live connected to God.
It's my prayer that we grasp hold of Jesus, accept the sacrifice He's made for us; that we receive the power of the Holy Spirit sent to us so that we can be connected with God and live as God would have us live fully dependent upon Him for life.
Please Lord, hear our prayer as we cry out to You to send Your Holy Spirit to us, to guide us in Your path, to lead us in the way everlasting, in You now and forever.
Amen.
{5:1} Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill
{5:2} And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
{5:3} And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.
{5:4} What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?
{5:5} And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; [and] break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down
{5:6} And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
{5:7} For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts [is] the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
Imagine a loving person creating a beautiful vineyard, in a beautiful location. There He is putting up a protective wall around the vineyard to keep it safe. Then as any good gardener He prepares the soil by getting all the rocks out of the ground. Only when the ground is prepared does He plant the best plants He possibly can. With great hopes for His vineyard He builds a wonderful tower in the garden as the plants are growing, He even builds a winepress as He anticipates creating the best wine ever.
Then...as the time approaches to examine the grapes coming forth what does He see!? Wild grapes! He hadn't planted wild grapes, but there they are. His garden, His vineyard are ruined.
The gardener asks all those around who had been watching Him create this wonderful vineyard what He could have done more for the vineyard, didn't He do all He could to make it the most wonderful vineyard ever?
He has no choice, He has to do something with this horrible mess of a vineyard.
So He takes away the protective wall about it, it's a slow process as He lays waste to what was once was supposed to be wonderful.
The Gardener will no longer prune the vines, no longer dig at the soil to loosen it up to keep it so the water can get to the roots. He will no longer pull the weeds, the thorns, the briers. In fact there is no longer reason to water the plants they are wild and can no longer be pure and good.
What's all this mean?
As an analogy it means God lovingly created a people whom He nourished and gave all the advantages He could so that His people would flourish and become wonderful, happy, content, beautiful people. Instead, even after having all the advantages His people turn out to be spiteful, unhappy, bad. God did ALL He could do for His people. God did not leave a single thing undone and still His people turned from Him.
No true judgment but oppression.
No righteousness but a cry.
God did and does all He could and can for His people.
Free will.
The ability to choose to count on self over God.
Free will.
The ability to believe that by self you can exist and live happily, contentedly, forever.
Free will.
The ability to cut loose from the Creator and strike out on your own.
Free will.
Mankind chose to strike out on their own and as a result all they believe they can do of themselves are lies.
Man cannot save themselves. Mankind cannot live on their own- they die. A life meant to live forever was cut short because mankind with the beguiling of Satan (who had already given himself over to self) chose to live on their own power, their own steam. It's impossible for man to stay alive. From the moment of birth people are on the road to death. No one alive has ever been born, who on their own has lived forever. God's only Son became one of us, a person born to die. On His own He would be dead still. Only God's love does Jesus live. God, because His Son sacrificed Himself to save mankind- because He proved that a human being can live connected to God as intended.
We need to cling to God, He is our only hope. By the grace and mercy of Jesus alone we can do this, we can live connected to God.
It's my prayer that we grasp hold of Jesus, accept the sacrifice He's made for us; that we receive the power of the Holy Spirit sent to us so that we can be connected with God and live as God would have us live fully dependent upon Him for life.
Please Lord, hear our prayer as we cry out to You to send Your Holy Spirit to us, to guide us in Your path, to lead us in the way everlasting, in You now and forever.
Amen.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Woe unto them
Isaiah {5:20} Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil;
that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put
bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! {5:21} Woe unto
[them that are] wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their
own sight! {5:22} Woe unto [them that are] mighty to drink
wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: {5:23}
Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the
righteousness of the righteous from him! {5:24} Therefore
as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth
the chaff, [so] their root shall be as rottenness, and their
blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away
the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the
Holy One of Israel. {5:25} Therefore is the anger of the
LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched
forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the
hills did tremble, and their carcases [were] torn in the midst
of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but
his hand [is] stretched out still.
Sound familiar?
Call evil good.
Call good evil.
Darkness light.
Light darkness.
Bitter for sweet.
Sweet for bitter.
Once we begin changing the meaning of something it alters so much.
Once upon a time swearing was a bad thing.
Now it's so common place you can scarcely turn on a tv show or watch a movie without swearing in it.
Already upon reading that how many of you thought- swearing? So. What's the big deal about swearing? They're just words they hurt nothing.
Why do most people teach their children not to swear?
Why do teachers frown upon children who swear?
Employers wouldn't like their employees swearing to their customers, would they?
And yet we've taken the standard of swearing and broken down so many barriers with it that children to do swear, people expect their children to swear- why not they grew up learning it from their parents. People are willing to bend their sensibilities in many ways, changing wrong to make it right.
Swearing is just a small example.
What about pregnancy before marriage? Acceptable. Has is always been so?
Sexual freedom- mulitple partners, sex in any way, shape, or form. Accepted. Has it always been so?
Lying. Accepted. Expected.
People might say that these things are *normal* and have been around since man, and I wouldn't disagree fully.
What hasn't been around since man is the acceptance of them to completely.
What hasn't been around is the mindset that not accepting these things is wrong.
Even now people are called strange, old-fashioned, unenlightened, odd, when they don't readily accept the way things are. Voicing the opinion against those who are supposedly trying to bring freedoms to people is called suppression. Change is herald loudly and those who don't go with the changes become those in the wrong.
Call evil good.
Call good evil.
Darkness light.
Light darkness.
Bitter for sweet.
Sweet for bitter.
Woe unto them.
God has been very clear in His Righteous path for mankind, very clear.
No wonder fewer and fewer people are believing in God, or changing God and His ways until they suit them.
No wonder God can scarcely find a true people on earth.
May God help us. May the blinders be stripped from our eyes so we may see His truth, His ways in their purity and follow them, follow Him, believe in Him and His ways.
May the Holy Spirit guide our understanding so that we don't call evil good, or good evil, that we don't claim darkness for light or light for darkness, so that we may know without doubt that bitter isn't sweet, and sweet isn't bitter.
We need the Lord. We need the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We need the blinders off our eyes so that only the truth in Christ remains.
By the mercy and grace of our Savior Jesus Christ our Lord now and forever.
Amen.
that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put
bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! {5:21} Woe unto
[them that are] wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their
own sight! {5:22} Woe unto [them that are] mighty to drink
wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: {5:23}
Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the
righteousness of the righteous from him! {5:24} Therefore
as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth
the chaff, [so] their root shall be as rottenness, and their
blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away
the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the
Holy One of Israel. {5:25} Therefore is the anger of the
LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched
forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the
hills did tremble, and their carcases [were] torn in the midst
of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but
his hand [is] stretched out still.
Sound familiar?
Call evil good.
Call good evil.
Darkness light.
Light darkness.
Bitter for sweet.
Sweet for bitter.
Once we begin changing the meaning of something it alters so much.
Once upon a time swearing was a bad thing.
Now it's so common place you can scarcely turn on a tv show or watch a movie without swearing in it.
Already upon reading that how many of you thought- swearing? So. What's the big deal about swearing? They're just words they hurt nothing.
Why do most people teach their children not to swear?
Why do teachers frown upon children who swear?
Employers wouldn't like their employees swearing to their customers, would they?
And yet we've taken the standard of swearing and broken down so many barriers with it that children to do swear, people expect their children to swear- why not they grew up learning it from their parents. People are willing to bend their sensibilities in many ways, changing wrong to make it right.
Swearing is just a small example.
What about pregnancy before marriage? Acceptable. Has is always been so?
Sexual freedom- mulitple partners, sex in any way, shape, or form. Accepted. Has it always been so?
Lying. Accepted. Expected.
People might say that these things are *normal* and have been around since man, and I wouldn't disagree fully.
What hasn't been around since man is the acceptance of them to completely.
What hasn't been around is the mindset that not accepting these things is wrong.
Even now people are called strange, old-fashioned, unenlightened, odd, when they don't readily accept the way things are. Voicing the opinion against those who are supposedly trying to bring freedoms to people is called suppression. Change is herald loudly and those who don't go with the changes become those in the wrong.
Call evil good.
Call good evil.
Darkness light.
Light darkness.
Bitter for sweet.
Sweet for bitter.
Woe unto them.
God has been very clear in His Righteous path for mankind, very clear.
No wonder fewer and fewer people are believing in God, or changing God and His ways until they suit them.
No wonder God can scarcely find a true people on earth.
May God help us. May the blinders be stripped from our eyes so we may see His truth, His ways in their purity and follow them, follow Him, believe in Him and His ways.
May the Holy Spirit guide our understanding so that we don't call evil good, or good evil, that we don't claim darkness for light or light for darkness, so that we may know without doubt that bitter isn't sweet, and sweet isn't bitter.
We need the Lord. We need the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We need the blinders off our eyes so that only the truth in Christ remains.
By the mercy and grace of our Savior Jesus Christ our Lord now and forever.
Amen.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Isaiah 3:12-15
Isaiah
{3:12} [As for] my people, children [are] their oppressors,
and women rule over them.
Have we ever lived in a society that disrespects the elderly, or even adults, more? Have we?
Think about it carefully. We've had many, many different kinds of situations in the world where people will say oh it's always been this way, just not so noticeable. But let history speak for itself. Children oppressing those who have rule over them by sheer age and maturity, no, I've personally never heard of it being something pronounced outside of the occasional prominent spoiled rotten brat.
I suppose I've heard often enough from my mother how things weren't just like this in her day. Children didn't dream of talking back to parents and teachers, and if they did they were the rarity and punished severely.
Today the rarity is more the child who doesn't talk back and act out either at home, school, or both.
Today the child who doesn't oppress authority figures is rare.
A large percentage of elderly live in fear and with good reason.
'Children are their oppressors and women rule over them'
Alarm bells sound once more for all the feminists, but before they ring too long or loud we know factually that Biblically there have been many women in prominent positions, women that God has used for His purposes. God is not anti-feminist. God does not want women oppressed. God doesn't want anyone oppressed. In God's eyes love is what matters over all and love isn't domineering it's sharing equally, it's helping unconditionally.
When children and women are ruling over man, when they are domineering an oppressive to man they are stripping him of his God given right to be treated with respect.
Why can I just imagine all the uproar over the years of oppression men and parents have dealt their wives, their children? Because in this sinfilled world men have abused their position, parents have abused their children. The abuse goes on and on and revenge takes over and people shout it's good because the revenge means justice is being served, but it's not justice, revenge is not justice. The abused becoming the abuser is not a good thing contrary to the underdog coming out on top mentality.
Back to the disrespect multiplying throughout our society. It's not something we can overlook as unimportant. It's a symptom of the world's degradation down into sin's evil depths. It's one more sign of the times and we can't ignore them. We can't excuse them. We have to see them and understand that God allows the signs so that we know the times and the times are fast coming to a close.
Isaiah
{3:12} [As for] my people, children [are] their oppressors,
and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead
thee cause [thee] to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.
{3:13} The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to
judge the people. {3:14} The LORD will enter into
judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes
thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the
poor [is] in your houses. {3:15} What mean ye [that] ye
beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor?
saith the LORD GOD of hosts.
They which lead thee cause thee to err and destroy the way of thy paths.
The corruption in our society is completey.
We are no longer outraged by scandels involving our leaders whether they're secular or religious. We barely bat an eye at the newest scandel of indecency, corruption, murder. We've become desensitized because of familiarity. Our leaders have led us down a road that glorifies the sinner, the sin, the sinning. People are hungry and thirsting for the next scandel to feast on. We no longer expect our leaders in anything to be truly outstanding and honest, upright and such. We want them to be, but we don't delude ourselves into believing they are so when their evil comes to light we aren't surprised...
...it didn't use to be this way.
This is our world today and it's only getting worse and worse, it will never get better, not really. The only 'better' it will get might be under the guise of even more evil.
May the Lord bless us by the mercy and grace of our Savior. May our eyes be open, our hearts be open, our spirits be revived so that we may see and know the truth in the world, that we may know that Christ is coming and see the signs around us, understanding them as they are revealed to us.
Bless us Lord, have mercy upon us all now and forever!
In Christ.
Amen.
{3:12} [As for] my people, children [are] their oppressors,
and women rule over them.
Have we ever lived in a society that disrespects the elderly, or even adults, more? Have we?
Think about it carefully. We've had many, many different kinds of situations in the world where people will say oh it's always been this way, just not so noticeable. But let history speak for itself. Children oppressing those who have rule over them by sheer age and maturity, no, I've personally never heard of it being something pronounced outside of the occasional prominent spoiled rotten brat.
I suppose I've heard often enough from my mother how things weren't just like this in her day. Children didn't dream of talking back to parents and teachers, and if they did they were the rarity and punished severely.
Today the rarity is more the child who doesn't talk back and act out either at home, school, or both.
Today the child who doesn't oppress authority figures is rare.
A large percentage of elderly live in fear and with good reason.
'Children are their oppressors and women rule over them'
Alarm bells sound once more for all the feminists, but before they ring too long or loud we know factually that Biblically there have been many women in prominent positions, women that God has used for His purposes. God is not anti-feminist. God does not want women oppressed. God doesn't want anyone oppressed. In God's eyes love is what matters over all and love isn't domineering it's sharing equally, it's helping unconditionally.
When children and women are ruling over man, when they are domineering an oppressive to man they are stripping him of his God given right to be treated with respect.
Why can I just imagine all the uproar over the years of oppression men and parents have dealt their wives, their children? Because in this sinfilled world men have abused their position, parents have abused their children. The abuse goes on and on and revenge takes over and people shout it's good because the revenge means justice is being served, but it's not justice, revenge is not justice. The abused becoming the abuser is not a good thing contrary to the underdog coming out on top mentality.
Back to the disrespect multiplying throughout our society. It's not something we can overlook as unimportant. It's a symptom of the world's degradation down into sin's evil depths. It's one more sign of the times and we can't ignore them. We can't excuse them. We have to see them and understand that God allows the signs so that we know the times and the times are fast coming to a close.
Isaiah
{3:12} [As for] my people, children [are] their oppressors,
and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead
thee cause [thee] to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.
{3:13} The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to
judge the people. {3:14} The LORD will enter into
judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes
thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the
poor [is] in your houses. {3:15} What mean ye [that] ye
beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor?
saith the LORD GOD of hosts.
They which lead thee cause thee to err and destroy the way of thy paths.
The corruption in our society is completey.
We are no longer outraged by scandels involving our leaders whether they're secular or religious. We barely bat an eye at the newest scandel of indecency, corruption, murder. We've become desensitized because of familiarity. Our leaders have led us down a road that glorifies the sinner, the sin, the sinning. People are hungry and thirsting for the next scandel to feast on. We no longer expect our leaders in anything to be truly outstanding and honest, upright and such. We want them to be, but we don't delude ourselves into believing they are so when their evil comes to light we aren't surprised...
...it didn't use to be this way.
This is our world today and it's only getting worse and worse, it will never get better, not really. The only 'better' it will get might be under the guise of even more evil.
May the Lord bless us by the mercy and grace of our Savior. May our eyes be open, our hearts be open, our spirits be revived so that we may see and know the truth in the world, that we may know that Christ is coming and see the signs around us, understanding them as they are revealed to us.
Bless us Lord, have mercy upon us all now and forever!
In Christ.
Amen.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Isa. 3:9-11 Woe to the Wicked
Isa. {3:9} The shew of their countenance doth witness against
them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide [it] not.
Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto
themselves. {3:10} Say ye to the righteous, that [it shall be]
well [with him:] for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
{3:11} Woe unto the wicked! [it shall be] ill [with him:] for
the reward of his hands shall be given him.
They declare their sin as Sodom...they hide it not.
How true is this for our day.
So many sins are acceptable today that never were before. Sin is no longer called sin.
Adultery, fornication, selfishness, thievery, murder... yes, even murder we make excuses for, we feel less emotion for.
It's common place to hear of murder, rape, lying, stealing...common.
They declare their sin as Sodom they hide it not.
Sin isn't hidden anymore is it? It's glorified in so much we do, so much we enjoy, so much we call entertainment and fun.
We declare our sin as Sodom, we don't hide it.
The result...
'Woe unto their soul! For they have rewarded evil unto themselves.'
We do it to ourselves.
The righteous shall be well they'll eat the fruit of their doings, this is a good thing. The fruit of the righteous can only be good fruit. The fruit of the wicked is deadly.
Woe to the wicked- for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
Woe to the wicked, woe to their soul.
Do you see the big trap we've made for ourselves?
When sin is no longer called sin the complacency we are lulled into is deadly.
Woe to us.
Woe to the wicked.
As Sodom declared its sin and didn't try to hide it our world mimics Sodom.
People raise their voices to shout out their sins and call it progress, call it enlightenment, and freedom when in truth it's all death and destruction and very few will understand or see this because sin is now acceptable and those who don't accept it are the ones in the wrong. Yes, just like Sodom.
Sodom where not even 10 righteous people lived before it was destroyed.
Our generation is the same only it's not one city, it's the world.
May God have mercy on our souls and may our hearts be turned from sin and made clean by the blood of our Lord and Savior before it's too late.
By His grace, by His love, now and forever...
Amen.
them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide [it] not.
Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto
themselves. {3:10} Say ye to the righteous, that [it shall be]
well [with him:] for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
{3:11} Woe unto the wicked! [it shall be] ill [with him:] for
the reward of his hands shall be given him.
They declare their sin as Sodom...they hide it not.
How true is this for our day.
So many sins are acceptable today that never were before. Sin is no longer called sin.
Adultery, fornication, selfishness, thievery, murder... yes, even murder we make excuses for, we feel less emotion for.
It's common place to hear of murder, rape, lying, stealing...common.
They declare their sin as Sodom they hide it not.
Sin isn't hidden anymore is it? It's glorified in so much we do, so much we enjoy, so much we call entertainment and fun.
We declare our sin as Sodom, we don't hide it.
The result...
'Woe unto their soul! For they have rewarded evil unto themselves.'
We do it to ourselves.
The righteous shall be well they'll eat the fruit of their doings, this is a good thing. The fruit of the righteous can only be good fruit. The fruit of the wicked is deadly.
Woe to the wicked- for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
Woe to the wicked, woe to their soul.
Do you see the big trap we've made for ourselves?
When sin is no longer called sin the complacency we are lulled into is deadly.
Woe to us.
Woe to the wicked.
As Sodom declared its sin and didn't try to hide it our world mimics Sodom.
People raise their voices to shout out their sins and call it progress, call it enlightenment, and freedom when in truth it's all death and destruction and very few will understand or see this because sin is now acceptable and those who don't accept it are the ones in the wrong. Yes, just like Sodom.
Sodom where not even 10 righteous people lived before it was destroyed.
Our generation is the same only it's not one city, it's the world.
May God have mercy on our souls and may our hearts be turned from sin and made clean by the blood of our Lord and Savior before it's too late.
By His grace, by His love, now and forever...
Amen.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Cry Mercy!
Isa. {2:5} O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the
light of the LORD.
1 John {1:5} This then is the message which we have heard of
him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is
no darkness at all. {1:6} If we say that we have fellowship
with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
{1:7} But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we
have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus
Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. {1:8} If we say that
we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in
us. {1:9} If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. {1:10} If we say that we have not sinned,
we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Micah ]{4:5} For all people will walk every one in the name of his
god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God
for ever and ever. {4:6} In that day, saith the LORD, will I
assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven
out, and her that I have afflicted; {4:7} And I will make her
that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong
nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion
from henceforth, even for ever.
Gal. {5:16} [This] I say
then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the
flesh. {5:17} For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the
Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the
other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Rev. {21:22} And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God
Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. {21:23} And
the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to
shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb
[is] the light thereof. {21:24} And the nations of them
which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of
the earth do bring their glory and honour into it
Gal {5:24}
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the
affections and lusts. {5:25} If we live in the Spirit, let us
also walk in the Spirit. {5:26} Let us not be desirous of vain
glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Walk in the light of the Lord.
Walk in the Spirit.
Walk the name of the Lord.
Walking in the light of the Lord God and the Lamb.
Walk in the Spirit-live in the Spirit.
Romans {12:1} I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies
of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.
{12:2} And be not conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may
prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of
God.
Be not conformed to this world.
Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Psalms {51:10} Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit
within me.
By the mercy of God.
God have mercy on us all.
Mercy.
Pro. {3:5} Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not
unto thine own understanding. {3:6} In all thy ways
acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths
Have mercy on us oh God, have mercy on us please!
By the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord, we cry for mercy. Show us how to walk in the light of the Lord. Teach us to walk in the Spirit, to live in the Spirit. Renew our minds. Create in us clean hearts! Please Lord, renew our spirits.
We cry mercy...mercy.
light of the LORD.
1 John {1:5} This then is the message which we have heard of
him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is
no darkness at all. {1:6} If we say that we have fellowship
with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
{1:7} But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we
have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus
Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. {1:8} If we say that
we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in
us. {1:9} If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. {1:10} If we say that we have not sinned,
we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Micah ]{4:5} For all people will walk every one in the name of his
god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God
for ever and ever. {4:6} In that day, saith the LORD, will I
assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven
out, and her that I have afflicted; {4:7} And I will make her
that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong
nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion
from henceforth, even for ever.
Gal. {5:16} [This] I say
then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the
flesh. {5:17} For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the
Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the
other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Rev. {21:22} And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God
Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. {21:23} And
the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to
shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb
[is] the light thereof. {21:24} And the nations of them
which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of
the earth do bring their glory and honour into it
Gal {5:24}
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the
affections and lusts. {5:25} If we live in the Spirit, let us
also walk in the Spirit. {5:26} Let us not be desirous of vain
glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Walk in the light of the Lord.
Walk in the Spirit.
Walk the name of the Lord.
Walking in the light of the Lord God and the Lamb.
Walk in the Spirit-live in the Spirit.
Romans {12:1} I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies
of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.
{12:2} And be not conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may
prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of
God.
Be not conformed to this world.
Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Psalms {51:10} Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit
within me.
By the mercy of God.
God have mercy on us all.
Mercy.
Pro. {3:5} Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not
unto thine own understanding. {3:6} In all thy ways
acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths
Have mercy on us oh God, have mercy on us please!
By the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord, we cry for mercy. Show us how to walk in the light of the Lord. Teach us to walk in the Spirit, to live in the Spirit. Renew our minds. Create in us clean hearts! Please Lord, renew our spirits.
We cry mercy...mercy.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Think on these things...
Philippians
{4:6} Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
{4:7} And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
{4:8} Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
{4:9} Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Think on what is...
True
Honest
Just
Pure
Lovely
Good report
Virtue
Praise
truth (tr¡th) noun
plural truths (tr¡thz, tr¡ths)
1. Conformity to fact or actuality.
2. A statement proven to be or accepted as true.
3. Sincerity; integrity.
4. Fidelity to an original or a standard.
5. Reality; actuality.
6. Truth (tr¡th). Christian Science. God.
honest (òn´îst) adjective
1. Marked by or displaying integrity; upright: an honest lawyer.
2. Not deceptive or fraudulent; genuine: honest weight.
3. Equitable; fair: honest wages for an honest day's work.
4. a. Characterized by truth; not false: honest reporting. b. Sincere; frank: an honest critique.
5. a. Of good repute; respectable. b. Without affectation; plain: honest folk.
6. Virtuous; chaste.
just (jùst) adjective
1. Honorable and fair in one's dealings and actions: a just ruler. See synonyms at fair1.
2. Consistent with what is morally right; righteous: a just cause.
3. Properly due or merited: just deserts.
4. Law. Valid within the law; lawful: just claims.
5. Suitable or proper in nature; fitting: a just touch of solemnity.
6. Based on fact or sound reason; well-founded: a just appraisal.
pure (py¢r) adjective
purer, purest
1. Having a homogeneous or uniform composition; not mixed: pure oxygen.
2. Free from adulterants or impurities: pure chocolate.
3. Free of dirt, defilement, or pollution: "A memory without blot or contamination must be . . . an inexhaustible source of pure refreshment" (Charlotte Brontë).
4. Free of foreign elements.
5. Containing nothing inappropriate or extraneous: a pure literary style.
6. Complete; utter: pure folly.
7. Having no faults; sinless: "I felt pure and sweet as a new baby" (Sylvia Plath).
8. Chaste; virgin.
9. Of unmixed blood or ancestry.
10. Genetics. Produced by self-fertilization or continual inbreeding; homozygous: a pure line.
11. Music. Free from discordant qualities: pure tones.
12. Linguistics. Articulated with a single unchanging speech sound; monophthongal: a pure vowel.
13. Theoretical: pure science.
14. Philosophy. Free of empirical elements: pure reason.
lovely (lùv´lê) adjective
lovelier, loveliest
1. Full of love; loving.
2. Inspiring love or affection.
3. Having beauty that appeals to the emotions as well as to the eye. See synonyms at beautiful.
4. Enjoyable; delightful.
good report (noun)
repute: report, good report
repute
repute (rî-py¡t´) verb, transitive
reputed, reputing, reputes
1.To ascribe a particular fact or characteristic to.
2.To consider; suppose.
noun
1.Reputation.
2.A good reputation.
virtue (vûr´ch¡) noun
1. a. Moral excellence and righteousness; goodness. b. An example or kind of moral excellence: the virtue of patience.
2. Chastity, especially in a girl or woman.
3. A particularly efficacious, good, or beneficial quality; advantage: a plan with the virtue of being practical.
4. Effective force or power: believed in the virtue of prayer.
5. virtues. Theology. The fifth of the nine orders of angels.
6. Obsolete. Manly courage; valor.
praise (prâz) noun
1. Expression of approval, commendation, or admiration.
2. The extolling or exaltation of a deity, ruler, or hero.
3. Archaic. A reason for praise; merit.
verb, transitive
praised, praising, praises
1. To express warm approbation of, commendation for, or admiration for.
2. To extol or exalt; worship.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
If we are to think on these things--
True
Honest
Just
Pure
Lovely
Good report
Virtue
Praise
It stands to reason we are not to think on other things- their opposites perhaps.
Lies
Dishonesty
Unjust
Unpure
Unlovely
Bad report
Unvirtuous
Unpraiseworthy
Is it possible that when we do think on things that upset us, thoughts we know are at odds with the Word of God, that it is our duty to call upon Christ in prayer and to counter those thoughts with their opposite?
Think about it for a moment.
A thought slips into your mind about someone that isn't all that pleasant. You start thinking about how *they* think they're so much better than you, or you even start thinking that they're better and a seed of jealousy, of coveting start pricking at you. You know those thoughts are wrong, you recognize it's wrong, you ask for forgiveness and help to stop thinking that way but just looking at them, talking to them, the thoughts return. It's so easy to get caught in despair, so easy for the trap of Satan to rise up around us ensaring us in that old scenario of hopelessness. We have to be evil to think such things, there is no hope for us ever. Of course we know our hope lies in Christ and Christ alone and we should pray each and every time the thought sin arises in our lives. And because our Bibles tell us to, we need to think on good things. So we need to direct our thoughts to good things. Maybe we look at someone and think - if only I had their money, their skill, their appearance- as soon as we recognize the coveting nature of such thoughts we need to ask for forgiveness and clinging to Christ ask for help to think on things that aren't covetous. So instead of coveting their money, perhaps we need to counter it by asking ourselves would we covet their debt? Instead of coveting their skills we need to think on the fact that the only skill necessary for salvation is a contrite heart--
Ps. {51:17} The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a
contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
All the amazing skill any one can possess mean nothing if they're not used for the glory of God. And if it's coveting someone's skill who is glorifying God we have to realize that as long as we seek the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior and cling to Him we are doing all we need to do. We're not all going to have amazing skills, it's just not going to possible.
Eph. {4:11}
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers
While we might want and covet another's skill we have to be content within ourselves knowing that skill doesn't guarantee salvation, God will not just save those who have amazing skills.
Col. {4:10} But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the
last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were
also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. {4:11} Not that I
speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever
state I am, therewith to be content. {4:12} I know both
how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where
and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be
hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. {4:13} I can do
all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Heb. 13:5} Let
your conversation be without covetousness; and be
content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will
never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
So when we start coveting no matter what it is we need to try and look at the big picture! Jesus.
A pretty voice, a pretty face, those things don't matter they are nice but they don't hold the promise of salvation, salvation does not lie within a pretty face or voice.
Eph. {2:8} For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not
of yourselves: it is the gift of God: {2:9} Not of works,
lest any man should boast. {2:10} For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in
them.
The bigger picture demands we look from things temporal to things eternal. Think on those things, not temporary earthy things.
If you think you want to hurt someone, with the help of the Holy Spirit start thinking on helping someone instead.
If you think about anything you know in your heart is wrong, pray for the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts to whatever maybe good, think away from the evil to the good. And if the thoughts continue to plague you, increasing, keep praying and counteracting them with the instruction we find in God's Holy Word- think on...
Philippians
{4:6} Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
{4:7} And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
{4:8} Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
{4:9} Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Think on what is...
True
Honest
Just
Pure
Lovely
Good report
Virtue
Praise
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and our Savior now and forever! In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
{4:6} Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
{4:7} And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
{4:8} Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
{4:9} Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Think on what is...
True
Honest
Just
Pure
Lovely
Good report
Virtue
Praise
truth (tr¡th) noun
plural truths (tr¡thz, tr¡ths)
1. Conformity to fact or actuality.
2. A statement proven to be or accepted as true.
3. Sincerity; integrity.
4. Fidelity to an original or a standard.
5. Reality; actuality.
6. Truth (tr¡th). Christian Science. God.
honest (òn´îst) adjective
1. Marked by or displaying integrity; upright: an honest lawyer.
2. Not deceptive or fraudulent; genuine: honest weight.
3. Equitable; fair: honest wages for an honest day's work.
4. a. Characterized by truth; not false: honest reporting. b. Sincere; frank: an honest critique.
5. a. Of good repute; respectable. b. Without affectation; plain: honest folk.
6. Virtuous; chaste.
just (jùst) adjective
1. Honorable and fair in one's dealings and actions: a just ruler. See synonyms at fair1.
2. Consistent with what is morally right; righteous: a just cause.
3. Properly due or merited: just deserts.
4. Law. Valid within the law; lawful: just claims.
5. Suitable or proper in nature; fitting: a just touch of solemnity.
6. Based on fact or sound reason; well-founded: a just appraisal.
pure (py¢r) adjective
purer, purest
1. Having a homogeneous or uniform composition; not mixed: pure oxygen.
2. Free from adulterants or impurities: pure chocolate.
3. Free of dirt, defilement, or pollution: "A memory without blot or contamination must be . . . an inexhaustible source of pure refreshment" (Charlotte Brontë).
4. Free of foreign elements.
5. Containing nothing inappropriate or extraneous: a pure literary style.
6. Complete; utter: pure folly.
7. Having no faults; sinless: "I felt pure and sweet as a new baby" (Sylvia Plath).
8. Chaste; virgin.
9. Of unmixed blood or ancestry.
10. Genetics. Produced by self-fertilization or continual inbreeding; homozygous: a pure line.
11. Music. Free from discordant qualities: pure tones.
12. Linguistics. Articulated with a single unchanging speech sound; monophthongal: a pure vowel.
13. Theoretical: pure science.
14. Philosophy. Free of empirical elements: pure reason.
lovely (lùv´lê) adjective
lovelier, loveliest
1. Full of love; loving.
2. Inspiring love or affection.
3. Having beauty that appeals to the emotions as well as to the eye. See synonyms at beautiful.
4. Enjoyable; delightful.
good report (noun)
repute: report, good report
repute
repute (rî-py¡t´) verb, transitive
reputed, reputing, reputes
1.To ascribe a particular fact or characteristic to.
2.To consider; suppose.
noun
1.Reputation.
2.A good reputation.
virtue (vûr´ch¡) noun
1. a. Moral excellence and righteousness; goodness. b. An example or kind of moral excellence: the virtue of patience.
2. Chastity, especially in a girl or woman.
3. A particularly efficacious, good, or beneficial quality; advantage: a plan with the virtue of being practical.
4. Effective force or power: believed in the virtue of prayer.
5. virtues. Theology. The fifth of the nine orders of angels.
6. Obsolete. Manly courage; valor.
praise (prâz) noun
1. Expression of approval, commendation, or admiration.
2. The extolling or exaltation of a deity, ruler, or hero.
3. Archaic. A reason for praise; merit.
verb, transitive
praised, praising, praises
1. To express warm approbation of, commendation for, or admiration for.
2. To extol or exalt; worship.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
If we are to think on these things--
True
Honest
Just
Pure
Lovely
Good report
Virtue
Praise
It stands to reason we are not to think on other things- their opposites perhaps.
Lies
Dishonesty
Unjust
Unpure
Unlovely
Bad report
Unvirtuous
Unpraiseworthy
Is it possible that when we do think on things that upset us, thoughts we know are at odds with the Word of God, that it is our duty to call upon Christ in prayer and to counter those thoughts with their opposite?
Think about it for a moment.
A thought slips into your mind about someone that isn't all that pleasant. You start thinking about how *they* think they're so much better than you, or you even start thinking that they're better and a seed of jealousy, of coveting start pricking at you. You know those thoughts are wrong, you recognize it's wrong, you ask for forgiveness and help to stop thinking that way but just looking at them, talking to them, the thoughts return. It's so easy to get caught in despair, so easy for the trap of Satan to rise up around us ensaring us in that old scenario of hopelessness. We have to be evil to think such things, there is no hope for us ever. Of course we know our hope lies in Christ and Christ alone and we should pray each and every time the thought sin arises in our lives. And because our Bibles tell us to, we need to think on good things. So we need to direct our thoughts to good things. Maybe we look at someone and think - if only I had their money, their skill, their appearance- as soon as we recognize the coveting nature of such thoughts we need to ask for forgiveness and clinging to Christ ask for help to think on things that aren't covetous. So instead of coveting their money, perhaps we need to counter it by asking ourselves would we covet their debt? Instead of coveting their skills we need to think on the fact that the only skill necessary for salvation is a contrite heart--
Ps. {51:17} The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a
contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
All the amazing skill any one can possess mean nothing if they're not used for the glory of God. And if it's coveting someone's skill who is glorifying God we have to realize that as long as we seek the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior and cling to Him we are doing all we need to do. We're not all going to have amazing skills, it's just not going to possible.
Eph. {4:11}
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers
While we might want and covet another's skill we have to be content within ourselves knowing that skill doesn't guarantee salvation, God will not just save those who have amazing skills.
Col. {4:10} But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the
last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were
also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. {4:11} Not that I
speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever
state I am, therewith to be content. {4:12} I know both
how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where
and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be
hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. {4:13} I can do
all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Heb. 13:5} Let
your conversation be without covetousness; and be
content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will
never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
So when we start coveting no matter what it is we need to try and look at the big picture! Jesus.
A pretty voice, a pretty face, those things don't matter they are nice but they don't hold the promise of salvation, salvation does not lie within a pretty face or voice.
Eph. {2:8} For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not
of yourselves: it is the gift of God: {2:9} Not of works,
lest any man should boast. {2:10} For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in
them.
The bigger picture demands we look from things temporal to things eternal. Think on those things, not temporary earthy things.
If you think you want to hurt someone, with the help of the Holy Spirit start thinking on helping someone instead.
If you think about anything you know in your heart is wrong, pray for the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts to whatever maybe good, think away from the evil to the good. And if the thoughts continue to plague you, increasing, keep praying and counteracting them with the instruction we find in God's Holy Word- think on...
Philippians
{4:6} Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
{4:7} And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
{4:8} Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
{4:9} Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Think on what is...
True
Honest
Just
Pure
Lovely
Good report
Virtue
Praise
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and our Savior now and forever! In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Isaiah 1:4 Sinful People
Isa. {1:4} Ah sinful nation, a people
laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are
corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have
provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone
away backward.
*
Sounds like people today doesn't it? Sounds like the world today.
What nation can't fit into this? Is there one?
A sinful nation.
A people laden with iniquity.
A seed of evildoers.
Children that are corrupters.
Forsaken the Lord.
Provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger.
Gone backwards.
It's safe to say that there isn't a nation today that doesn't fit the bill.
The corruption is so great it can't even be hidden any longer.
I was thinking about that earlier. Some people will say that it was always like it is now, only hidden.
I don't believe that.
Oh, I believe that there has always been evil, I just don't believe that it's always been as pronounced as it is now. I could be wrong, I'm no authority.
I just know that before perhaps people kept their compulsions under control more than they do now, they had to or when I was growing up we would have been just as afraid to allow our children out to play as we are now. We didn't have to worry there was a sexual predator on our street, on the street over, several of them all around the neighborhood. Today you have to worry about it, flyers go out announcing the newest sexual offender to the neighborhood. You can look up online and find out just how many sexual predators live around you. Now is it because we have a different technology? No. Because you can go back and get records and they weren't just hiding the sexual offenders from people and now they're not. There weren't as many, they weren't as prevelant.
As it was in the days of Noah.
Some might argue that it's been like it was in the days of Noah forever, but I can't agree.
Seriously.
The thought crossed my mind that if things were always as bad and just hiddened, then wouldn't we have a lot more abused people in the world? Or maybe we do or have, and everyone's always kept it hidden. I don't know.
What I do know is just in my own lifetime of 45 years, almost 46, things seems so much worse in so many ways.
We're a sinful nation.
We're corrupt.
We're evildoers.
We've forsaken the Lord.
We've provoked the Holy One of Israel.
Perhaps from generation to generation it's all the same to some degree.
Is it worse?
Yes.
Does it grow worse and worse?
Yes.
Will it continue on the trend until it can get no worse?
Yes, yes...yes.
We are children of our Heavenly Father and so many of us have forsaken Him, denied Him, refuse to listen to Him, shun His amazing love.
May God help us all!
By the grace and mercy of His Son, sacrificed for us, may we seek and find Him, may we grab hold and never let go.
In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior this is my prayer.
Amen.
laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are
corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have
provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone
away backward.
*
Sounds like people today doesn't it? Sounds like the world today.
What nation can't fit into this? Is there one?
A sinful nation.
A people laden with iniquity.
A seed of evildoers.
Children that are corrupters.
Forsaken the Lord.
Provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger.
Gone backwards.
It's safe to say that there isn't a nation today that doesn't fit the bill.
The corruption is so great it can't even be hidden any longer.
I was thinking about that earlier. Some people will say that it was always like it is now, only hidden.
I don't believe that.
Oh, I believe that there has always been evil, I just don't believe that it's always been as pronounced as it is now. I could be wrong, I'm no authority.
I just know that before perhaps people kept their compulsions under control more than they do now, they had to or when I was growing up we would have been just as afraid to allow our children out to play as we are now. We didn't have to worry there was a sexual predator on our street, on the street over, several of them all around the neighborhood. Today you have to worry about it, flyers go out announcing the newest sexual offender to the neighborhood. You can look up online and find out just how many sexual predators live around you. Now is it because we have a different technology? No. Because you can go back and get records and they weren't just hiding the sexual offenders from people and now they're not. There weren't as many, they weren't as prevelant.
As it was in the days of Noah.
Some might argue that it's been like it was in the days of Noah forever, but I can't agree.
Seriously.
The thought crossed my mind that if things were always as bad and just hiddened, then wouldn't we have a lot more abused people in the world? Or maybe we do or have, and everyone's always kept it hidden. I don't know.
What I do know is just in my own lifetime of 45 years, almost 46, things seems so much worse in so many ways.
We're a sinful nation.
We're corrupt.
We're evildoers.
We've forsaken the Lord.
We've provoked the Holy One of Israel.
Perhaps from generation to generation it's all the same to some degree.
Is it worse?
Yes.
Does it grow worse and worse?
Yes.
Will it continue on the trend until it can get no worse?
Yes, yes...yes.
We are children of our Heavenly Father and so many of us have forsaken Him, denied Him, refuse to listen to Him, shun His amazing love.
May God help us all!
By the grace and mercy of His Son, sacrificed for us, may we seek and find Him, may we grab hold and never let go.
In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior this is my prayer.
Amen.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Isaiah 1
Isaiah
{1:2} Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
{1:3} The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: [but] Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
{1:4} Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
The ox knoweth his owner...
The ass his master's crib...
We could say the dog knows his owner and the horse his stall. Right? We understand that don't we? Having pets we understand their devotion. Are animals instinctively geared to follow their owners, their keepers?
We're not animals, but we are given every reason to follow our own Creator, our Father, our caregiver.
If we don't want to equate ourselves with animals- if we want to believe we are better, well, it's true. We were created much higher than the animals, animals were to be subject under us. But...where man errs is thinking that he is greater than his Creator, more important than his Maker.
The Lord hath spoken-- I have nourished and brought up children.
We are God's children. Without God we wouldn't exist at all whatsoever but so many don't believe that. They believe that we are responisible for our own existence. That somehow mysteriously we just were without any real logic as to how we did that- sure there are a lot of strange, unbelievable theories but that's just what they are theories. Nothing could truly explain our existence other than our being created. We were created and our Creator, our Heavenly Father didn't leave us on our own to flounder He brought us up, He raised us with the knowledge of Him and the way of life that would be best for us.
What did His children do as He sought to nourish them and bring them up in the best way? They rebelled against Him.
The arrogance of man is unbelievable. Self is predominent and what we call independance, wanting to do for ourselves, is truly like a young child wanting to feed themselves, wanting to make their own way. A young child needs a caregiver. A young child might think they know what's best for them, but in truth they don't. A young child will jump into deep water not even realizing they can't swim and they drown. A young child will reach into the pretty fire not realize it will burn them. We are children of God and our wisdom, our knowledge is nothing compared to that of our Heavenly Father and yet we want to think we know it all.
We rebel.
We sin.
We turn to ourselves and our evil ways, our corrupt ways.
We forsake the Lord, we anger Him, we go backwards not forwards.
Seriously.
Today people are no different than the people of thousands of year ago. If anything even more so, people try to use science and popular theory to explain our existent, they don't want to answer to a Creator, to a Heavenly Father. They are rebellious.
It is my prayer that we all understand that we are children of the Lord. Children! We do have a heavenly Father we have to answer to. A heavenly Father who cares for us, His children and love us as only a parent can love a child.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and our Savior may our hearts be made clean in Him, may our lives become lives of obedience to the Heavenly Father whose love for us knows no bounds.
Amen.
{1:2} Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
{1:3} The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: [but] Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
{1:4} Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
The ox knoweth his owner...
The ass his master's crib...
We could say the dog knows his owner and the horse his stall. Right? We understand that don't we? Having pets we understand their devotion. Are animals instinctively geared to follow their owners, their keepers?
We're not animals, but we are given every reason to follow our own Creator, our Father, our caregiver.
If we don't want to equate ourselves with animals- if we want to believe we are better, well, it's true. We were created much higher than the animals, animals were to be subject under us. But...where man errs is thinking that he is greater than his Creator, more important than his Maker.
The Lord hath spoken-- I have nourished and brought up children.
We are God's children. Without God we wouldn't exist at all whatsoever but so many don't believe that. They believe that we are responisible for our own existence. That somehow mysteriously we just were without any real logic as to how we did that- sure there are a lot of strange, unbelievable theories but that's just what they are theories. Nothing could truly explain our existence other than our being created. We were created and our Creator, our Heavenly Father didn't leave us on our own to flounder He brought us up, He raised us with the knowledge of Him and the way of life that would be best for us.
What did His children do as He sought to nourish them and bring them up in the best way? They rebelled against Him.
The arrogance of man is unbelievable. Self is predominent and what we call independance, wanting to do for ourselves, is truly like a young child wanting to feed themselves, wanting to make their own way. A young child needs a caregiver. A young child might think they know what's best for them, but in truth they don't. A young child will jump into deep water not even realizing they can't swim and they drown. A young child will reach into the pretty fire not realize it will burn them. We are children of God and our wisdom, our knowledge is nothing compared to that of our Heavenly Father and yet we want to think we know it all.
We rebel.
We sin.
We turn to ourselves and our evil ways, our corrupt ways.
We forsake the Lord, we anger Him, we go backwards not forwards.
Seriously.
Today people are no different than the people of thousands of year ago. If anything even more so, people try to use science and popular theory to explain our existent, they don't want to answer to a Creator, to a Heavenly Father. They are rebellious.
It is my prayer that we all understand that we are children of the Lord. Children! We do have a heavenly Father we have to answer to. A heavenly Father who cares for us, His children and love us as only a parent can love a child.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and our Savior may our hearts be made clean in Him, may our lives become lives of obedience to the Heavenly Father whose love for us knows no bounds.
Amen.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Hebrews 13
{13:1} Let brotherly love continue.
{13:2} Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
{13:3} Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; [and] them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
{13:4} Marriage [is] honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
{13:5} [Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
{13:6} So that we may boldly say, The Lord [is] my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
{13:7} Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of [their] conversation.
{13:8} Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
{13:9} Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For [it is] a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
{13:10} We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.
{13:11} For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.
{13:12} Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
{13:13} Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
{13:14} For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
{13:15} By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his name.
{13:16} But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
{13:17} Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that [is] unprofitable for you.
{13:18} Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
{13:19} But I beseech [you] the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
{13:20} Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting
covenant
{13:21} Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.
{13:22} And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.
{13:23} Know ye that [our] brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.
{13:24} Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you.
Brotherly love.
Entertain strangers.
Remember them in bonds.
Without covetousness.
Be content.
Never leave nor forsake us.
The Lord is our helper.
Not fear what man shall do.
Remember those who know more, who have spoken the word of God.
Follow faith.
Listen to what they say.
Don't be carried away with strange doctrines.
Hearts established with grace.
Go with Jesus.
We seek a city to come.
Offer praise to God continually.
Give thanks to His name.
Do good.
Communicate.
Forget not.
Obey them that rule over you.
Submit yourself.
Pray.
Have a good conscience.
Live honestly.
God of peace, the great shepherd, blood of the everlasting covenant.
Made perfect in every good work.
Do His will.
Through Jesus.
Suffer the word of exhortation.
If you think as Christians we are to do nothing...read the Bible.
Study the word of God.
The word of God is filled with exhortations for us as followers of Christ to do things.
People get frustrated because the why do live as Jesus would have them live and yet they do none of the things He tells them they should do, why is that?
We need our hearts established with grace.
We need to offer praise to God continually.
We need to give thanks to God.
Live honestly.
We need the God of peace in our lives.
We need to do His will- not ours.
Yes, it may mean suffering but if it does we know this- 'For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come'.
May God be with us, in our lives now and forever and ever.
If our lives seem empty we can fill them with the things Jesus would have us to do. Things we are exhorted to do.
Because we are saved by the grace and mercy, the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior we can live for Him. We mustn't forget the living for Him part once we are saved and continually seek forgiveness from our Savior. Our lives have to be wrapped up in His. We need to know Him and He needs to know us.
By the will of our Lord now and forever.
Amen.
{13:2} Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
{13:3} Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; [and] them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
{13:4} Marriage [is] honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
{13:5} [Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
{13:6} So that we may boldly say, The Lord [is] my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
{13:7} Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of [their] conversation.
{13:8} Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
{13:9} Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For [it is] a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
{13:10} We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.
{13:11} For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.
{13:12} Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
{13:13} Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
{13:14} For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
{13:15} By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his name.
{13:16} But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
{13:17} Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that [is] unprofitable for you.
{13:18} Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
{13:19} But I beseech [you] the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
{13:20} Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting
covenant
{13:21} Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.
{13:22} And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.
{13:23} Know ye that [our] brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.
{13:24} Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you.
Brotherly love.
Entertain strangers.
Remember them in bonds.
Without covetousness.
Be content.
Never leave nor forsake us.
The Lord is our helper.
Not fear what man shall do.
Remember those who know more, who have spoken the word of God.
Follow faith.
Listen to what they say.
Don't be carried away with strange doctrines.
Hearts established with grace.
Go with Jesus.
We seek a city to come.
Offer praise to God continually.
Give thanks to His name.
Do good.
Communicate.
Forget not.
Obey them that rule over you.
Submit yourself.
Pray.
Have a good conscience.
Live honestly.
God of peace, the great shepherd, blood of the everlasting covenant.
Made perfect in every good work.
Do His will.
Through Jesus.
Suffer the word of exhortation.
If you think as Christians we are to do nothing...read the Bible.
Study the word of God.
The word of God is filled with exhortations for us as followers of Christ to do things.
People get frustrated because the why do live as Jesus would have them live and yet they do none of the things He tells them they should do, why is that?
We need our hearts established with grace.
We need to offer praise to God continually.
We need to give thanks to God.
Live honestly.
We need the God of peace in our lives.
We need to do His will- not ours.
Yes, it may mean suffering but if it does we know this- 'For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come'.
May God be with us, in our lives now and forever and ever.
If our lives seem empty we can fill them with the things Jesus would have us to do. Things we are exhorted to do.
Because we are saved by the grace and mercy, the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior we can live for Him. We mustn't forget the living for Him part once we are saved and continually seek forgiveness from our Savior. Our lives have to be wrapped up in His. We need to know Him and He needs to know us.
By the will of our Lord now and forever.
Amen.
Hebrews 13
{13:1} Let brotherly love continue.
{13:2} Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
{13:3} Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; [and] them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
{13:4} Marriage [is] honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
{13:5} [Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
{13:6} So that we may boldly say, The Lord [is] my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
{13:7} Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of [their] conversation.
{13:8} Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
{13:9} Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For [it is] a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
{13:10} We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.
{13:11} For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.
{13:12} Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
{13:13} Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
{13:14} For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
{13:15} By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his name.
{13:16} But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
{13:17} Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that [is] unprofitable for you.
{13:18} Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
{13:19} But I beseech [you] the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
{13:20} Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting
covenant
{13:21} Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.
{13:22} And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.
{13:23} Know ye that [our] brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.
{13:24} Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you.
Brotherly love.
Entertain strangers.
Remember them in bonds.
Without covetousness.
Be content.
Never leave nor forsake us.
The Lord is our helper.
Not fear what man shall do.
Remember those who know more, who have spoken the word of God.
Follow faith.
Listen to what they say.
Don't be carried away with strange doctrines.
Hearts established with grace.
Go with Jesus.
We seek a city to come.
Offer praise to God continually.
Give thanks to His name.
Do good.
Communicate.
Forget not.
Obey them that rule over you.
Submit yourself.
Pray.
Have a good conscience.
Live honestly.
God of peace, the great shepherd, blood of the everlasting covenant.
Made perfect in every good work.
Do His will.
Through Jesus.
Suffer the word of exhortation.
If you think as Christians we are to do nothing...read the Bible.
Study the word of God.
The word of God is filled with exhortations for us as followers of Christ to do things.
People get frustrated because the why do live as Jesus would have them live and yet they do none of the things He tells them they should do, why is that?
We need our hearts established with grace.
We need to offer praise to God continually.
We need to give thanks to God.
Live honestly.
We need the God of peace in our lives.
We need to do His will- not ours.
Yes, it may mean suffering but if it does we know this- 'For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come'.
May God be with us, in our lives now and forever and ever.
If our lives seem empty we can fill them with the things Jesus would have us to do. Things we are exhorted to do.
Because we are saved by the grace and mercy, the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior we can live for Him. We mustn't forget the living for Him part once we are saved and continually seek forgiveness from our Savior. Our lives have to be wrapped up in His. We need to know Him and He needs to know us.
By the will of our Lord now and forever.
Amen.
{13:2} Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
{13:3} Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; [and] them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
{13:4} Marriage [is] honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
{13:5} [Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
{13:6} So that we may boldly say, The Lord [is] my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
{13:7} Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of [their] conversation.
{13:8} Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
{13:9} Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For [it is] a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
{13:10} We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.
{13:11} For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.
{13:12} Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
{13:13} Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
{13:14} For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
{13:15} By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his name.
{13:16} But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
{13:17} Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that [is] unprofitable for you.
{13:18} Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
{13:19} But I beseech [you] the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
{13:20} Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting
covenant
{13:21} Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.
{13:22} And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.
{13:23} Know ye that [our] brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.
{13:24} Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you.
Brotherly love.
Entertain strangers.
Remember them in bonds.
Without covetousness.
Be content.
Never leave nor forsake us.
The Lord is our helper.
Not fear what man shall do.
Remember those who know more, who have spoken the word of God.
Follow faith.
Listen to what they say.
Don't be carried away with strange doctrines.
Hearts established with grace.
Go with Jesus.
We seek a city to come.
Offer praise to God continually.
Give thanks to His name.
Do good.
Communicate.
Forget not.
Obey them that rule over you.
Submit yourself.
Pray.
Have a good conscience.
Live honestly.
God of peace, the great shepherd, blood of the everlasting covenant.
Made perfect in every good work.
Do His will.
Through Jesus.
Suffer the word of exhortation.
If you think as Christians we are to do nothing...read the Bible.
Study the word of God.
The word of God is filled with exhortations for us as followers of Christ to do things.
People get frustrated because the why do live as Jesus would have them live and yet they do none of the things He tells them they should do, why is that?
We need our hearts established with grace.
We need to offer praise to God continually.
We need to give thanks to God.
Live honestly.
We need the God of peace in our lives.
We need to do His will- not ours.
Yes, it may mean suffering but if it does we know this- 'For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come'.
May God be with us, in our lives now and forever and ever.
If our lives seem empty we can fill them with the things Jesus would have us to do. Things we are exhorted to do.
Because we are saved by the grace and mercy, the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior we can live for Him. We mustn't forget the living for Him part once we are saved and continually seek forgiveness from our Savior. Our lives have to be wrapped up in His. We need to know Him and He needs to know us.
By the will of our Lord now and forever.
Amen.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Hebrews 12 C
{12:12} Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees
{12:13} And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
{12:14} Follow peace with all [men,] and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord
{12:15} Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
{12:16} Lest there [be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
{12:17} For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
{12:18} For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest
{12:19} And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; [which] voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: {12:20} (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart
{12:21} And so terrible was the sight, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
{12:22} But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels
{12:23} To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, {12:24} And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel.
{12:25} See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape,] if we turn away from him that [speaketh] from heaven
{12:26} Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
{12:27} And this [word,] Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
{12:28} Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: {12:29} For our God [is] a consuming fire.
*
Hebrews
{12:15} Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled
Failing of the grace of God.
But... haven't we been told that it is by grace we are saved through faith?
Don't we believe that it is by grace alone we are saved?
Haven't we been taught that we have grace just by saying we have grace, believing we have the grace of Jesus?
How can we 'fail of the grace of God'?
Surely we need to understand this because we don't want to 'fail of the grace of God'. Isn't that like hearing Jesus say in that day- get away from me, I never knew you? Even though people are crying out to Him as if they honestly believe they are His?
Matthew {7:21} Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall
enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will
of my Father which is in heaven. {7:22} Many will say to
me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy
name done many wonderful works? {7:23} And then will I
profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye
that work iniquity.
Certainly if we fail of the grace of God we'd be among those wouldn't we? Simply because we are taught that it's impossible to fail of the grace of God. Taught falsely that our actions mean nothing. Taught that if we have any action of our own and think we are saved by it we are wrong. Over and over in the Bible people are told of God's covenant and how they should obey it to be God's people. Obeying is an action that results in God's favor, disobeying His disfavor. Jesus doesn't do away with the fact we need to obey God, He even says he didn't come to do away, but to fulfill. If Jesus would have us live with Him as our example then we will obey. The only way it's possible is by His grace. He makes it possible through His mercy. His mercy doesn't absolve us of consequences of our actions. If we're taught that no matter how we live- even if we live in complete and utter sinfilled ways- that we can obtain grace while we continue living that way not availing ourselves of the mercy of Christ to walk in His way, then we won't have the grace of God- we will fail of the grace of God, we will be among those who cry out to Jesus and we will hear Him say- 'I never knew you depart from me ye that work sin'.
Hebrews
{12:15} Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled
Dict.bitter (bît´er) adjective
bitterer, bitterest
1. Having or being a taste that is sharp, acrid, and unpleasant.
2. Causing a sharply unpleasant, painful, or stinging sensation; harsh: enveloped in bitter cold; a bitter wind.
3. Difficult or distasteful to accept, admit, or bear: the bitter truth; bitter sorrow.
4. Proceeding from or exhibiting strong animosity: a bitter struggle; bitter foes.
5. Resulting from or expressive of severe grief, anguish, or disappointment: cried bitter tears.
6. Marked by resentment or cynicism
Excerpted from The American Heritage Dictionary
Duet.
{29:18} Lest there should be among
you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth
away this day from the LORD our God, to go [and] serve
the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a
root that beareth gall and wormwood;
A root brings forth life in tiny shoots. A root bears those shoots, without the root the shoots would not grow. Root of bitterness, root that beareth gall and wormwood.
Are we the root and our actions the tiny shoots?
Duet. {29:18} Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go [and] serve
the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; {29:19} And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: {29:20} The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.
Actions such as ... doing as we please regardless of how we are taught in Christ and believing we are still with Christ.
Hebrews {12:12} Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees
{12:13} And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
{12:14} Follow peace with all [men,] and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord
{12:15} Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
{12:16} Lest there [be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
{12:17} For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
Lift up our hands and knees- make straight paths for our feet- be healed.
Follow peace with ALL men.
Holiness with ALL men.
Without this peace and holiness we will NOT see the Lord.
Looking diligently!
Watching out for anything that will hinder our walks with Christ!
Matthew {26:41}
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit
indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.
Mark {13:33} Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye
know not when the time is.
We have to look diligently lest we fail of the grace of God.
We have to examine our lives and see if we are defiled by the actions of our heart. Truly if our heart is the root and our lives the shoot that springs up, we need to look diligently at our lives- our actions that make up our lives and pray that anything we do that would defile us, any sin that we cherish, any action that we know Jesus would not have us commit is done away with. If we holdfast to our sinfilled ways choosing like Esau to live for the moment of pleasure and self-satisfaction, we too will be seeking repentance with tears and we won't find it- we too will fail of the grace of God.
Follow peace with all and holiness.
Peace and holiness found in Christ Jesus and necessary to us because without the peace and holiness of Chirst in us, living is us and controlling our actions, we will not the Lord.
Where do our actions stem from?
Where do our lives get the motives for those actions?
Oh wretched man that I am...who will deliver me... Christ Jesus.
Deliver us Jesus. Deliver us from the insidious evil that would have us live our lives with excuse after excuse for our ungodly behavior. Deliver us from the root of bitterness.
We don't want to fail you, we don't want to fail of the grace of God.
Have mercy on us Lord.
Through the mercy and grace of the Sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now and forever.
Amen.
{12:13} And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
{12:14} Follow peace with all [men,] and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord
{12:15} Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
{12:16} Lest there [be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
{12:17} For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
{12:18} For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest
{12:19} And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; [which] voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: {12:20} (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart
{12:21} And so terrible was the sight, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
{12:22} But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels
{12:23} To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, {12:24} And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel.
{12:25} See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape,] if we turn away from him that [speaketh] from heaven
{12:26} Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
{12:27} And this [word,] Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
{12:28} Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: {12:29} For our God [is] a consuming fire.
*
Hebrews
{12:15} Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled
Failing of the grace of God.
But... haven't we been told that it is by grace we are saved through faith?
Don't we believe that it is by grace alone we are saved?
Haven't we been taught that we have grace just by saying we have grace, believing we have the grace of Jesus?
How can we 'fail of the grace of God'?
Surely we need to understand this because we don't want to 'fail of the grace of God'. Isn't that like hearing Jesus say in that day- get away from me, I never knew you? Even though people are crying out to Him as if they honestly believe they are His?
Matthew {7:21} Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall
enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will
of my Father which is in heaven. {7:22} Many will say to
me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy
name done many wonderful works? {7:23} And then will I
profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye
that work iniquity.
Certainly if we fail of the grace of God we'd be among those wouldn't we? Simply because we are taught that it's impossible to fail of the grace of God. Taught falsely that our actions mean nothing. Taught that if we have any action of our own and think we are saved by it we are wrong. Over and over in the Bible people are told of God's covenant and how they should obey it to be God's people. Obeying is an action that results in God's favor, disobeying His disfavor. Jesus doesn't do away with the fact we need to obey God, He even says he didn't come to do away, but to fulfill. If Jesus would have us live with Him as our example then we will obey. The only way it's possible is by His grace. He makes it possible through His mercy. His mercy doesn't absolve us of consequences of our actions. If we're taught that no matter how we live- even if we live in complete and utter sinfilled ways- that we can obtain grace while we continue living that way not availing ourselves of the mercy of Christ to walk in His way, then we won't have the grace of God- we will fail of the grace of God, we will be among those who cry out to Jesus and we will hear Him say- 'I never knew you depart from me ye that work sin'.
Hebrews
{12:15} Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled
Dict.bitter (bît´er) adjective
bitterer, bitterest
1. Having or being a taste that is sharp, acrid, and unpleasant.
2. Causing a sharply unpleasant, painful, or stinging sensation; harsh: enveloped in bitter cold; a bitter wind.
3. Difficult or distasteful to accept, admit, or bear: the bitter truth; bitter sorrow.
4. Proceeding from or exhibiting strong animosity: a bitter struggle; bitter foes.
5. Resulting from or expressive of severe grief, anguish, or disappointment: cried bitter tears.
6. Marked by resentment or cynicism
Excerpted from The American Heritage Dictionary
Duet.
{29:18} Lest there should be among
you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth
away this day from the LORD our God, to go [and] serve
the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a
root that beareth gall and wormwood;
A root brings forth life in tiny shoots. A root bears those shoots, without the root the shoots would not grow. Root of bitterness, root that beareth gall and wormwood.
Are we the root and our actions the tiny shoots?
Duet. {29:18} Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go [and] serve
the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; {29:19} And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: {29:20} The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.
Actions such as ... doing as we please regardless of how we are taught in Christ and believing we are still with Christ.
Hebrews {12:12} Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees
{12:13} And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
{12:14} Follow peace with all [men,] and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord
{12:15} Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
{12:16} Lest there [be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
{12:17} For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
Lift up our hands and knees- make straight paths for our feet- be healed.
Follow peace with ALL men.
Holiness with ALL men.
Without this peace and holiness we will NOT see the Lord.
Looking diligently!
Watching out for anything that will hinder our walks with Christ!
Matthew {26:41}
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit
indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.
Mark {13:33} Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye
know not when the time is.
We have to look diligently lest we fail of the grace of God.
We have to examine our lives and see if we are defiled by the actions of our heart. Truly if our heart is the root and our lives the shoot that springs up, we need to look diligently at our lives- our actions that make up our lives and pray that anything we do that would defile us, any sin that we cherish, any action that we know Jesus would not have us commit is done away with. If we holdfast to our sinfilled ways choosing like Esau to live for the moment of pleasure and self-satisfaction, we too will be seeking repentance with tears and we won't find it- we too will fail of the grace of God.
Follow peace with all and holiness.
Peace and holiness found in Christ Jesus and necessary to us because without the peace and holiness of Chirst in us, living is us and controlling our actions, we will not the Lord.
Where do our actions stem from?
Where do our lives get the motives for those actions?
Oh wretched man that I am...who will deliver me... Christ Jesus.
Deliver us Jesus. Deliver us from the insidious evil that would have us live our lives with excuse after excuse for our ungodly behavior. Deliver us from the root of bitterness.
We don't want to fail you, we don't want to fail of the grace of God.
Have mercy on us Lord.
Through the mercy and grace of the Sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now and forever.
Amen.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Hebrews 12 B
{12:5} And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the
chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him
{12:6} For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
{12:7} If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
{12:8} But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
{12:9} Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us,] and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not
much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
{12:10} For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be
partakers of his holiness. {12:11} Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless
afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
For whom the Lord loveth he—
Chastens and Scourges.
EVERY son he receives.
Dict. chasten (châ´sen) verb, transitive
chastened, chastening, chastens
1. To correct by punishment or reproof; take to task.
2. To restrain; subdue: chasten a proud spirit.
3. To rid of excess; refine or purify
scourge (skûrj) noun
1. A source of widespread, dreadful affliction and devastation such as that caused by pestilence or war.
2. A means of inflicting severe suffering, vengeance, or punishment.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
*
If you feel as if you're being knocked about by life, when you want to cry out-- why God, why me, why this, haven't
I endured enough, I can't take it any more, don't be surprised.
Every son of God's is chastened and scourged, every son. You can't get away from it.
People go to God for comfort- God will help you, comfort you, ease you. It's this image of God as all loving that
leads us to forget that a Father, a good Father chastens his children. We are forever God's children and we will need
chastening. We need to realize that our sins need to be forsaken- we need to resist unto blood- that's a lot of resisting.
We have to realize that while resisting our sins unto blood will not save us, that only the grace and mercy of God
saves us, we have to set aside those sins that beset us and we are chastened to do so.
No one will ever obtain a stature, a position in life, that will allow them to do as they please without consequences.
You might think oh- kings, queens, rulers, dictators, so on and so forth but that's not true- every person has to answer
for their actions. Some might think they don't, they'll live their lives as if they don't, but they do. If we have to answer
to each other for our actions how much more do we answer to our Creator and Savior?
Once we are convicted of something we are accountable for that something. People who are given titles such as
doctor, lawyer, teacher, are very excited upon receiving their degrees- their titles. Does receiving that title change
anything? Are they no longer accountable to know how to heal, to defend, to teach? No, they are expected to know
exactly what their title claims. They are expected to be well learned doctors, lawyers, and teachers. They are expected
to keep up with the advances in society in order to remain well learned and to live up to their titles.
Why is it then that when some Christians accept Christ and are 'saved', do they believe they are no longer
accountable for their actions? That automatically they are forgiven whatever they do? Yes, we are forgiven is we ask
for forgiveness, but being a Christian isn't a license to sin. It isn't a get in free card that you flash each time you sin
and go on to the next sin happily because you can flash that card. If anything being a Christian and knowing that we
are forgiven because of Christ's sacrifice, that He suffered for our sins, should have us striving not to sin- not because
it will save us, but because sin separates us from God and the last thing any Christian should want is to be separated
from the God who can save them, who loves them with a love beyond our comprehension.
Don't get caught in the trap that you don't have to resist sin unto blood- that you don't have be chastened and shown
your wrong ways, that you won't be scourged or punished in various ways throughout your life. Don't believe that
God has left you when you are suffering at your worst, don't believe that this world will be all fun and games, all light
and happiness, it's not. Only our life in Christ can bring us happiness and NOTHING can take Christ from us unless
we allow it to happen, nothing.
Remember--
{12:5} And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the
chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him
{12:6} For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
{12:7} If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
{12:8} But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
{12:9} Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us,] and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not
much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
{12:10} For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be
partakers of his holiness. {12:11} Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless
afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
By His mercy and grace now and forever in Jesus we ask that we remember and take heart, that we can endure till
the end in His righteousness.
Amen.
chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him
{12:6} For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
{12:7} If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
{12:8} But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
{12:9} Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us,] and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not
much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
{12:10} For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be
partakers of his holiness. {12:11} Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless
afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
For whom the Lord loveth he—
Chastens and Scourges.
EVERY son he receives.
Dict. chasten (châ´sen) verb, transitive
chastened, chastening, chastens
1. To correct by punishment or reproof; take to task.
2. To restrain; subdue: chasten a proud spirit.
3. To rid of excess; refine or purify
scourge (skûrj) noun
1. A source of widespread, dreadful affliction and devastation such as that caused by pestilence or war.
2. A means of inflicting severe suffering, vengeance, or punishment.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
*
If you feel as if you're being knocked about by life, when you want to cry out-- why God, why me, why this, haven't
I endured enough, I can't take it any more, don't be surprised.
Every son of God's is chastened and scourged, every son. You can't get away from it.
People go to God for comfort- God will help you, comfort you, ease you. It's this image of God as all loving that
leads us to forget that a Father, a good Father chastens his children. We are forever God's children and we will need
chastening. We need to realize that our sins need to be forsaken- we need to resist unto blood- that's a lot of resisting.
We have to realize that while resisting our sins unto blood will not save us, that only the grace and mercy of God
saves us, we have to set aside those sins that beset us and we are chastened to do so.
No one will ever obtain a stature, a position in life, that will allow them to do as they please without consequences.
You might think oh- kings, queens, rulers, dictators, so on and so forth but that's not true- every person has to answer
for their actions. Some might think they don't, they'll live their lives as if they don't, but they do. If we have to answer
to each other for our actions how much more do we answer to our Creator and Savior?
Once we are convicted of something we are accountable for that something. People who are given titles such as
doctor, lawyer, teacher, are very excited upon receiving their degrees- their titles. Does receiving that title change
anything? Are they no longer accountable to know how to heal, to defend, to teach? No, they are expected to know
exactly what their title claims. They are expected to be well learned doctors, lawyers, and teachers. They are expected
to keep up with the advances in society in order to remain well learned and to live up to their titles.
Why is it then that when some Christians accept Christ and are 'saved', do they believe they are no longer
accountable for their actions? That automatically they are forgiven whatever they do? Yes, we are forgiven is we ask
for forgiveness, but being a Christian isn't a license to sin. It isn't a get in free card that you flash each time you sin
and go on to the next sin happily because you can flash that card. If anything being a Christian and knowing that we
are forgiven because of Christ's sacrifice, that He suffered for our sins, should have us striving not to sin- not because
it will save us, but because sin separates us from God and the last thing any Christian should want is to be separated
from the God who can save them, who loves them with a love beyond our comprehension.
Don't get caught in the trap that you don't have to resist sin unto blood- that you don't have be chastened and shown
your wrong ways, that you won't be scourged or punished in various ways throughout your life. Don't believe that
God has left you when you are suffering at your worst, don't believe that this world will be all fun and games, all light
and happiness, it's not. Only our life in Christ can bring us happiness and NOTHING can take Christ from us unless
we allow it to happen, nothing.
Remember--
{12:5} And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the
chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him
{12:6} For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
{12:7} If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
{12:8} But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
{12:9} Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us,] and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not
much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
{12:10} For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be
partakers of his holiness. {12:11} Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless
afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
By His mercy and grace now and forever in Jesus we ask that we remember and take heart, that we can endure till
the end in His righteousness.
Amen.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Hebrews 12 A
Hebrews
{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.
{12:3} For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
{12:4} Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Jesus is our example.
Jesus is the author and the finisher of our faith.
Jesus is our High Priest.
Jesus is our advocate.
Jesus endured so much when He didn't have to endure anything at all. No one forced Him.
Jesus suffered.
Why do we think we shouldn't have to suffer?
Why?
We do think that. We do.
We hate suffering and would do anything to not suffer. We sell our souls so to speak so we don't suffer.
Anything we cry out, anything so the pain goes away.
The trouble is that anything so we don't have to suffer is often too much and because we'd rather not suffer at all.
Christ didn't want to suffer, but he chose to because it was the only way He could obtain salvation for us.
If He being innocent suffered so much greater than we ever could even in the most horrific of ways, we who are guilty at least deserve our punishments, our suffering. Even if we think we don't, even if we think we are *good* people, undeserving of any suffering, in truth we're not. We're guilty sinners and we need to recognize that and understand that any suffering we are asked to endure now is nothing compared to the suffering of the Innocent One.
If our Savior suffered, we will suffer.
Sin, any sin we cherish we will have to suffer to lay aside and if we think for some unknown reason that we don't have to suffer, that we shouldn't have to give up any sins, well, just read this again--
Hebrews
{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.
{12:3} For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
{12:4} Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
May the Lord bless and keep us by His mercy and grace, helping us to realize that we need to set aside ANYTHING that would keep us from following Him, anything.
In His Name now and forever.
Amen.
{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.
{12:3} For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
{12:4} Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Jesus is our example.
Jesus is the author and the finisher of our faith.
Jesus is our High Priest.
Jesus is our advocate.
Jesus endured so much when He didn't have to endure anything at all. No one forced Him.
Jesus suffered.
Why do we think we shouldn't have to suffer?
Why?
We do think that. We do.
We hate suffering and would do anything to not suffer. We sell our souls so to speak so we don't suffer.
Anything we cry out, anything so the pain goes away.
The trouble is that anything so we don't have to suffer is often too much and because we'd rather not suffer at all.
Christ didn't want to suffer, but he chose to because it was the only way He could obtain salvation for us.
If He being innocent suffered so much greater than we ever could even in the most horrific of ways, we who are guilty at least deserve our punishments, our suffering. Even if we think we don't, even if we think we are *good* people, undeserving of any suffering, in truth we're not. We're guilty sinners and we need to recognize that and understand that any suffering we are asked to endure now is nothing compared to the suffering of the Innocent One.
If our Savior suffered, we will suffer.
Sin, any sin we cherish we will have to suffer to lay aside and if we think for some unknown reason that we don't have to suffer, that we shouldn't have to give up any sins, well, just read this again--
Hebrews
{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.
{12:3} For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
{12:4} Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
May the Lord bless and keep us by His mercy and grace, helping us to realize that we need to set aside ANYTHING that would keep us from following Him, anything.
In His Name now and forever.
Amen.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Dearly Departed
Blessed be the name of the Lord now and forever.
Last night something quite extraordinary happened, at least in my mind.
For sometime now I've known that my sister's deceased husband Ben was the catalyst to my renewed walk with Christ. In fact it was his death that made it ultimately possible.
For a long time the Lord had been touching my heart through my children and their wanting me to stop the radio station in the car on various Christian songs they liked. The songs began to touch my heart and I began accumulating them on my computer to play, and soon it was all I was listening to. While this was taking place my brother in law was growing more and more ill.
As is the way of things we don't know what's going to happen or why, it's just impossible for us to predict things. We don't hold thoughts of God in our own minds. We can't figure God out, His ways are so far above our own. If anything it is more likely we'll look back and see things in the perspective that allows us to catch glimpses of God's infinitely superior ways.
For my sister Debbie the loss of her husband was most devastating, rocking the foundation she'd rested upon in her own walk with Christ. Daily prayers, numerous prayers, a life of prayer for others was thrown into confusion.
How could she feel the same towards God when He had the power to heal her husband and chose to let him die?
It's not unusual to blame God when we lose a loved one, not at all.
Logically we know that God's ways are above our own and that the evil in the world stems from Satan, but we do also know God has amazing powers and where He wills they are used. When they're not used in situations we believe they should be our faith is tested and tried, because God's ways are beyond our understanding and we want to understand.
So here my sister's whole life was going through a powerful transition and her pain, her agony, her fears were drawing people to her to help her. I was one of those people and because of her fear I (one of several who would take turns) would go over and stay with her at night. During these nights we'd talk and talk and talk and God was leading me closer and closer to Him right to the point that Debbie and I asked our other sisters and mother if they wanted to study with us.
The rest, as they say, is history. We've been getting together to worship God and study, watching current events, fellowshipping ever since.
If my sister's husband hadn't died none of that would have happened.
Well, last night as we were studying once again it came up. My sister Debbie lamenting the fact her own life was so changed from how it used to be, how she's drifted from her prayers which were at one time such an important part of her life. Tracing it all back to her anger towards God for taking her husband from her.
And then...well, the God did something shedding enlightenment upon us.
Her husband's death was necessary.
And her husband in the day of Christ's return, when He and Debbie are reunited once more will be thrilled to know that his death wasn't in vain. That through his death others were brought back to the place of salvation. What wonder, what joy to have that knowledge. We all hope to impact others so they'll find the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior that they'll turn to Him through faith and accept His sacrifice, accept the salvation He alone provides. My brother in law Ben will have this amazing, truly amazing joy to realize what a catalyst He's been, even after death. I can imagine him smiling, imagine him with that twinkle in his eyes as he humbly acknowledges his own happiness that his death wasn't in vain but used for something so amazing.
God wasn't done with His amazing revelations to us though.
My sister Debbie mentioned the year of our conversion long ago, the beginning of our walk into the light and truth, saying when was it...1982 or 83, we discussed it a bit and decided yes 82 or 83. Then my other sister Diane mentioned the date of her own conversion as being 1985 and a chill ran down my spine. My father's death.
My father died in 1985 and as a result I moved to Texas and by God's grace that resulted in my sister Diane finding her way to the Lord. Without my father's death that wouldn't have happened.
Two men that never even met both part of our family, both in the hands of God used even in death to guide others to the Lord. Jewels for their crowns, praise the Lord.
Timothy {4:8} 'Henceforth there is
laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me
only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.'
James {1:12} 'Blessed is the man that endureth
temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown
of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him'
Rev. {2:10} '...be thou faithful unto death, and I will
give thee a crown of life.'
1 Pet. {5:4} 'And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye
shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.'
Yes, we shall receive crowns and the jewels in those crowns will be there.
How amazing to be given the revelation of the joy those truly, dearly departed, will have in the day of Christ's return as they're raised up from the grave to meet the Lord in the air.
All glory and praise unto our Lord and Savior whose wisdom far surpasses anything we can even begin to imagine.
While we might want to cling to the pain of the passing of our loved ones, we can allow ourselves the joy of their future joy as well.
By the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Last night something quite extraordinary happened, at least in my mind.
For sometime now I've known that my sister's deceased husband Ben was the catalyst to my renewed walk with Christ. In fact it was his death that made it ultimately possible.
For a long time the Lord had been touching my heart through my children and their wanting me to stop the radio station in the car on various Christian songs they liked. The songs began to touch my heart and I began accumulating them on my computer to play, and soon it was all I was listening to. While this was taking place my brother in law was growing more and more ill.
As is the way of things we don't know what's going to happen or why, it's just impossible for us to predict things. We don't hold thoughts of God in our own minds. We can't figure God out, His ways are so far above our own. If anything it is more likely we'll look back and see things in the perspective that allows us to catch glimpses of God's infinitely superior ways.
For my sister Debbie the loss of her husband was most devastating, rocking the foundation she'd rested upon in her own walk with Christ. Daily prayers, numerous prayers, a life of prayer for others was thrown into confusion.
How could she feel the same towards God when He had the power to heal her husband and chose to let him die?
It's not unusual to blame God when we lose a loved one, not at all.
Logically we know that God's ways are above our own and that the evil in the world stems from Satan, but we do also know God has amazing powers and where He wills they are used. When they're not used in situations we believe they should be our faith is tested and tried, because God's ways are beyond our understanding and we want to understand.
So here my sister's whole life was going through a powerful transition and her pain, her agony, her fears were drawing people to her to help her. I was one of those people and because of her fear I (one of several who would take turns) would go over and stay with her at night. During these nights we'd talk and talk and talk and God was leading me closer and closer to Him right to the point that Debbie and I asked our other sisters and mother if they wanted to study with us.
The rest, as they say, is history. We've been getting together to worship God and study, watching current events, fellowshipping ever since.
If my sister's husband hadn't died none of that would have happened.
Well, last night as we were studying once again it came up. My sister Debbie lamenting the fact her own life was so changed from how it used to be, how she's drifted from her prayers which were at one time such an important part of her life. Tracing it all back to her anger towards God for taking her husband from her.
And then...well, the God did something shedding enlightenment upon us.
Her husband's death was necessary.
And her husband in the day of Christ's return, when He and Debbie are reunited once more will be thrilled to know that his death wasn't in vain. That through his death others were brought back to the place of salvation. What wonder, what joy to have that knowledge. We all hope to impact others so they'll find the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior that they'll turn to Him through faith and accept His sacrifice, accept the salvation He alone provides. My brother in law Ben will have this amazing, truly amazing joy to realize what a catalyst He's been, even after death. I can imagine him smiling, imagine him with that twinkle in his eyes as he humbly acknowledges his own happiness that his death wasn't in vain but used for something so amazing.
God wasn't done with His amazing revelations to us though.
My sister Debbie mentioned the year of our conversion long ago, the beginning of our walk into the light and truth, saying when was it...1982 or 83, we discussed it a bit and decided yes 82 or 83. Then my other sister Diane mentioned the date of her own conversion as being 1985 and a chill ran down my spine. My father's death.
My father died in 1985 and as a result I moved to Texas and by God's grace that resulted in my sister Diane finding her way to the Lord. Without my father's death that wouldn't have happened.
Two men that never even met both part of our family, both in the hands of God used even in death to guide others to the Lord. Jewels for their crowns, praise the Lord.
Timothy {4:8} 'Henceforth there is
laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me
only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.'
James {1:12} 'Blessed is the man that endureth
temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown
of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him'
Rev. {2:10} '...be thou faithful unto death, and I will
give thee a crown of life.'
1 Pet. {5:4} 'And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye
shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.'
Yes, we shall receive crowns and the jewels in those crowns will be there.
How amazing to be given the revelation of the joy those truly, dearly departed, will have in the day of Christ's return as they're raised up from the grave to meet the Lord in the air.
All glory and praise unto our Lord and Savior whose wisdom far surpasses anything we can even begin to imagine.
While we might want to cling to the pain of the passing of our loved ones, we can allow ourselves the joy of their future joy as well.
By the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Hebrews 11 H Perfect in Faith
{11:30} By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
By faith the walls of a city fell down! City walls don't just fall down, they don't. Seriously, do walls just fall down out of the blue? No. By faith these walls were brought down. By faith.
{11:31} By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
A part of a group of unbelievers a prostitute didn't die with them...why? Because by faith she took in the spies of God and did so with peace. Even in a group of unbelievers there can be found faith and that is a saving faith.
{11:32} And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and [of] Barak, and [of] Samson, and [of] Jephthae; [of] David also, and Samuel, and [of] the prophets{11:33} Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions{11:34} Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. {11:35} Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection{11:36} And others had trial of [cruel] mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment{11:37} They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented{11:38} (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and [in] mountains, and [in] dens and caves of the earth. {11:39} And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise{11:40} God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not bemade perfect.
These amazing people of faith. Their lives were lives of pain, agony, death. These people, people like you and I, by faith did so much. Or rather, God did so much through them by faith. Kingdoms were subdued, they obtained promises, stopped the lions mouths, stopped fires, the dead were raised to life. Great feats of faith and great rewards of torture and pain.
Every single person that walked by faith did so living out their lives without ever seeing the promise made to them of life eternal.
Why?
Read that last verse again-
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not bemade perfect.
Those great men and women of faith would not be made perfect without us!
This huge wonderful family of God needs all its members to be perfect before the promise is fulfilled.
We ask ourselves why God waits, why does the suffering go on and on.
I say we need to wait for all things to be fulfilled that were prophesized. God couldn't end things without the fulness of time and all things being complete because it's intricatedly tied to the overall plan. The plan that includes all who have faith being saved by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ so that without every last person of faith the body of Christ, the church of Christ would not be complete!
The wait is necessary, the wait full of suffering and yet the promise reward worth it all.
The reward of eternity has no price.
The reward of a life with our Lord and Savior, with the purest love ever is our hope, to be a part of the family of God, the children of God.
May we through grace obtain the faith of all those who before us and complete the family.
By the will and mercy of our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
By faith the walls of a city fell down! City walls don't just fall down, they don't. Seriously, do walls just fall down out of the blue? No. By faith these walls were brought down. By faith.
{11:31} By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
A part of a group of unbelievers a prostitute didn't die with them...why? Because by faith she took in the spies of God and did so with peace. Even in a group of unbelievers there can be found faith and that is a saving faith.
{11:32} And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and [of] Barak, and [of] Samson, and [of] Jephthae; [of] David also, and Samuel, and [of] the prophets{11:33} Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions{11:34} Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. {11:35} Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection{11:36} And others had trial of [cruel] mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment{11:37} They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented{11:38} (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and [in] mountains, and [in] dens and caves of the earth. {11:39} And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise{11:40} God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not bemade perfect.
These amazing people of faith. Their lives were lives of pain, agony, death. These people, people like you and I, by faith did so much. Or rather, God did so much through them by faith. Kingdoms were subdued, they obtained promises, stopped the lions mouths, stopped fires, the dead were raised to life. Great feats of faith and great rewards of torture and pain.
Every single person that walked by faith did so living out their lives without ever seeing the promise made to them of life eternal.
Why?
Read that last verse again-
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not bemade perfect.
Those great men and women of faith would not be made perfect without us!
This huge wonderful family of God needs all its members to be perfect before the promise is fulfilled.
We ask ourselves why God waits, why does the suffering go on and on.
I say we need to wait for all things to be fulfilled that were prophesized. God couldn't end things without the fulness of time and all things being complete because it's intricatedly tied to the overall plan. The plan that includes all who have faith being saved by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ so that without every last person of faith the body of Christ, the church of Christ would not be complete!
The wait is necessary, the wait full of suffering and yet the promise reward worth it all.
The reward of eternity has no price.
The reward of a life with our Lord and Savior, with the purest love ever is our hope, to be a part of the family of God, the children of God.
May we through grace obtain the faith of all those who before us and complete the family.
By the will and mercy of our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Hebrews 11 G
{11:24} By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter{11:25} Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season{11:26} Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
The reproach or Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt and WE know that Egypt had great, great treasures. People have been hunting for those treasures for thousands of years. The wealth of kings at your fingertips and for Moses it might as well have been nothing more than dust. Christ meant more to Moses than all those treasures.
{11:27} By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
By choosing to leave Pharoah and follow the people of God, Moses made a choice to give up riches and a life of ease. By forsaking Egypt, Moses did not let the wrath of the King shake his faith, he endured why.... seeing him who is invisible! Seeing God.
{11:28} Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
Through faith he listened to God and put the blood on the mantle of the house so the firstborn of Egypt wouldn't be destroyed.
{11:29} By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry [land:] which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
Through faith he passed through the Red Sea, the same Red Sea that killed the Eygptians.
Moses' walk by faith is amazing! We need to study that walk. We need faith in the invisible! Faith in God! Faith. We need it so desperately. We need to live beyond this world. We need to grab hold of God by faith and not let go. We will be tried. People will tell us we're fools. People will say there is no God. People will say that it's foolish to believe in the unseen without any proof. We will be mocked. We will be ridiculed. Doubt will be thrown at us all the time... all the time. We will be assailed on every side. People will throw logic at us, they'll try to get us to doubt our believe. Satan- an unseen enemy will do the same without all his angels helping him. We aren't safe on our own. By faith we need to cling to the cross and walk with Christ now and always!
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now and forever. Amen.
The reproach or Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt and WE know that Egypt had great, great treasures. People have been hunting for those treasures for thousands of years. The wealth of kings at your fingertips and for Moses it might as well have been nothing more than dust. Christ meant more to Moses than all those treasures.
{11:27} By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
By choosing to leave Pharoah and follow the people of God, Moses made a choice to give up riches and a life of ease. By forsaking Egypt, Moses did not let the wrath of the King shake his faith, he endured why.... seeing him who is invisible! Seeing God.
{11:28} Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
Through faith he listened to God and put the blood on the mantle of the house so the firstborn of Egypt wouldn't be destroyed.
{11:29} By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry [land:] which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
Through faith he passed through the Red Sea, the same Red Sea that killed the Eygptians.
Moses' walk by faith is amazing! We need to study that walk. We need faith in the invisible! Faith in God! Faith. We need it so desperately. We need to live beyond this world. We need to grab hold of God by faith and not let go. We will be tried. People will tell us we're fools. People will say there is no God. People will say that it's foolish to believe in the unseen without any proof. We will be mocked. We will be ridiculed. Doubt will be thrown at us all the time... all the time. We will be assailed on every side. People will throw logic at us, they'll try to get us to doubt our believe. Satan- an unseen enemy will do the same without all his angels helping him. We aren't safe on our own. By faith we need to cling to the cross and walk with Christ now and always!
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now and forever. Amen.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Hebrews 11 F Suffer Affliction
{11:20} By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. {11:21} By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, [leaning] upon the top of his staff.{11:22} By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. {11:23} By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw [he was] a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. {11:24} By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter{11:25} Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season
Choosing.
Making a choice.
To chose.
This act of choice is voluntary. You pick one way or another. You can't NOT pick.
There is one way or there is another way.
Here the choice for Moses was to stay living a life of pure ease under the Egyptian rule as an Egyptian prince or...Choose to live as a slave and suffer as all the other children of God were.
Did he enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season?
We all know what the pleasures of sin are don't we? Or maybe our senses are so warped we no longer call sin, sin. Maybe our pleasure is something we consider our right and how could something that is our right to have be sin?We were made to feel pleasure and so it stands to reason that we would seek pleasure but at what price? Is pleasure our right just because we can feel it? We are creatures with the ability to choose and make choices and we can make selfish choices or unselfish choices.When our choices are based upon our own pleasure, when they are based upon ourselves we call it our right, our due, in fact we call it our God given due just because we are made to feel pleasure. Selfishness. Thinking of our selves first is never good and yet more and more we are encouraged to do that. To take care of ourselves first and then bother about others. Moses chose to suffer rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.We need to determine what pleasures are sinful and then determined not to enjoy those sins for a season no matter how much pleasure we get from them. Sacrificing self is necessary we can't get around it not if we want to stand with the people of God.
By grace we are saved through faith.
Our lives should be lived by faith.
Lived by faith.
It's through faith that we are saved by grace. It stands to reason we should live by faith, our daily lives lived by faith. Faith that we are saved by grace through Jesus Christ our Lord now and forever.
We need to choose just as Moses chose, to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.
**
A small excerpt from Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis-
'Once a man is united to God, how could he not live forever?Once a man is separated from God, what can he do but wither and die?'
Choosing.
Making a choice.
To chose.
This act of choice is voluntary. You pick one way or another. You can't NOT pick.
There is one way or there is another way.
Here the choice for Moses was to stay living a life of pure ease under the Egyptian rule as an Egyptian prince or...Choose to live as a slave and suffer as all the other children of God were.
Did he enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season?
We all know what the pleasures of sin are don't we? Or maybe our senses are so warped we no longer call sin, sin. Maybe our pleasure is something we consider our right and how could something that is our right to have be sin?We were made to feel pleasure and so it stands to reason that we would seek pleasure but at what price? Is pleasure our right just because we can feel it? We are creatures with the ability to choose and make choices and we can make selfish choices or unselfish choices.When our choices are based upon our own pleasure, when they are based upon ourselves we call it our right, our due, in fact we call it our God given due just because we are made to feel pleasure. Selfishness. Thinking of our selves first is never good and yet more and more we are encouraged to do that. To take care of ourselves first and then bother about others. Moses chose to suffer rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.We need to determine what pleasures are sinful and then determined not to enjoy those sins for a season no matter how much pleasure we get from them. Sacrificing self is necessary we can't get around it not if we want to stand with the people of God.
By grace we are saved through faith.
Our lives should be lived by faith.
Lived by faith.
It's through faith that we are saved by grace. It stands to reason we should live by faith, our daily lives lived by faith. Faith that we are saved by grace through Jesus Christ our Lord now and forever.
We need to choose just as Moses chose, to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.
**
A small excerpt from Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis-
'Once a man is united to God, how could he not live forever?Once a man is separated from God, what can he do but wither and die?'
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Hebrews 11 E The Faith of Abraham
Hebrews {11:17} By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten [son,]{11:18} Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: {11:19} Accounting that God [was] able to raise [him] up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
Abraham didn't flinch from God's command, why? Because he had faith. He had faith that God would even bring his son back from the dead. He didn't hesitate he knew that God had promised him a whole nation through his son Isaac so the idea that He would ask him to kill that promise wasn't believable. He knew that God had His reasons, reasons beyond his own understanding. He had to obey because he had faith. Or rather, he chose to obey. He didn't have to obey, it was a choice he made. His faith was so great that he went through with it... wait, you think he didn't because Isaac wasn't actually sacrificed? In Abraham's mind he was going to do it. He reached for the knife ready to use it, to slit his son's throat...he reached for the knife.
Gen. {22:10} AndAbraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slayhis son.
The intent to follow through was there. No hesitation, no drawing back. He would have done it had an angel not intervened.
Gen. {22:11} And the angel of the LORD called untohim out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and hesaid, Here [am] I. {22:12} And he said, Lay not thine handupon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now Iknow that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheldthy son, thine only [son] from me.
Willing to give his son.Willing to trust that God would raise his son from the dead if he were to actually sacrfice him- this is faith. This is pure faith.
May God grant us the faith of Abraham.
By His will, by the mercy and grace of his son, now and forever.
Amen.
Abraham didn't flinch from God's command, why? Because he had faith. He had faith that God would even bring his son back from the dead. He didn't hesitate he knew that God had promised him a whole nation through his son Isaac so the idea that He would ask him to kill that promise wasn't believable. He knew that God had His reasons, reasons beyond his own understanding. He had to obey because he had faith. Or rather, he chose to obey. He didn't have to obey, it was a choice he made. His faith was so great that he went through with it... wait, you think he didn't because Isaac wasn't actually sacrificed? In Abraham's mind he was going to do it. He reached for the knife ready to use it, to slit his son's throat...he reached for the knife.
Gen. {22:10} AndAbraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slayhis son.
The intent to follow through was there. No hesitation, no drawing back. He would have done it had an angel not intervened.
Gen. {22:11} And the angel of the LORD called untohim out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and hesaid, Here [am] I. {22:12} And he said, Lay not thine handupon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now Iknow that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheldthy son, thine only [son] from me.
Willing to give his son.Willing to trust that God would raise his son from the dead if he were to actually sacrfice him- this is faith. This is pure faith.
May God grant us the faith of Abraham.
By His will, by the mercy and grace of his son, now and forever.
Amen.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Hebrews 11 D Without faith we can't believe in salvation
Hebrews
{11:17} By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaacand he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son{11:18} Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called
By faith- Abraham was tried and by faith he came through the trying. Tried to the uttermost.
We can't fathom that sort of faith because when we face little trials we're ready to stop and say, 'Hold on! No way! God wouldn't ask this of me! It's too hard,it's too much!' We've formed a picture of God as being beyond trying us becausewe've come to a point in society where we've blamed a lot of the past on parentsthat were too hard, on a society that was too exacting and stifling. We'repast all that now. We have freedom to act any way we please and as long as we don't hurt anyone (where any can find out) then hey it's all good, right?
WRONG!
Our entire society has gone from being one of overt respect to one another to overtdisrespect and we call it progress. When a parent can't even punish their childwithout fear of being hauled away as a child abuser, is it no wonder when God triesus that we fail miserably time and again? No parent and especially not a heavenlyparent would put us through tests and trials, no way. A loving parent wouldn't do that, they just wouldn't. They'd nurture us and walk us through things step bystep holding our hands along the way, picking us up and brushing the dirt off our bottoms as we walk along.
Our very idea of a loving God goes against a God that would ask any father to sacrifice his only son, a son of promise, a son long waited for, a son that was tobe the fulfilment of a covenant. No God would do that, no loving God, therefore theGod of the Bible is not loving and contradicts all that is said of Him being love.
Hogwash! Yes, I said hogwash and I meant it. God is love and all He's done has beendone out of love it would be impossible for it to be any other way. It's our ownnotion of what love is that has altered. We think it unloving to have our faith tried. Unloving to be put to the test. Unloving because God forbid that we should have to be put through any hardship. But God doesn't forbid. God tells us we'll betried and tested. Jesus tells us that in this world we will have heartache andpain.
A very loving God, in fact a God that is pure love tested Abraham's faith and Abraham didn't waver. Abraham didn't try to talk God out of the test. Abrahman didn't shake his head and say no way, you're not the God I want to follow if you ask such things of me. Abraham didn't tell God it was too hard, too much, thathe couldn't do it and hey God, you understand don't you... don't you?
We want to keep hold of our own lack of faith to stand up to anything that might be too hard and just cling to a false conception that God understands, thatHe knows.
Yes, He does understand and He does know. But what He knows is that we lack the faith necessary to get through our own personal trials. We shun Him and say thatHe understands and therefore He'll excuse us this time and just overlook ourlack of faith. The devil loves our misconceptions. He loves when we fall short and then blame God, and deceive ourselves into believing that God undrestands andwill overlook our failings.
As long as we're not asked anything equivlent to what God asked of Abraham we'llbe okay, right?
Wrong.
Each day we're put to the test in many ways and it's not because God wants to tripus up and kick us out and away from Him. Our faith needs to grow, our faith needsto increase. We need to have the faith of Abraham in our lives to strengthen us because without faith it is impossible to please God. Without faith it's impossibleto believe that He exists and will reward us. Without faith we have no grasp ofChrist's righteousness. Without faith there is no hope and what our lives are todayis what they'll always be, a mere time period between birth and death, with nothingmore.
Without faith we are blinded to the love of God. Without faith we can't believe that God, our loving Heavenly Father sent His only Son to earth to live among us, as one ofus and to die for all of us. Without faith we can't believe in salvation. Faith.
Let's stop making excuses for ourselves. Let's throw ourselves at the foot of thecross and cling to Jesus begging Him to forgive us our lack of faith, to help our lack of faith. Let us realize that our faith will be tested out of love and thoughwhat seems like an impossible test now will only prove to be to our benefit later.
We need to trust in God with all our heart.
May the Grace and Mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with us now andforever. May our faith be tested and tried and be found true through the strengthand mercy of our Lord Jesus. We are weak...He is strong and we must cling to Him.
In His most holy and wonderful, all merciful name.
Amen.
{11:17} By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaacand he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son{11:18} Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called
By faith- Abraham was tried and by faith he came through the trying. Tried to the uttermost.
We can't fathom that sort of faith because when we face little trials we're ready to stop and say, 'Hold on! No way! God wouldn't ask this of me! It's too hard,it's too much!' We've formed a picture of God as being beyond trying us becausewe've come to a point in society where we've blamed a lot of the past on parentsthat were too hard, on a society that was too exacting and stifling. We'repast all that now. We have freedom to act any way we please and as long as we don't hurt anyone (where any can find out) then hey it's all good, right?
WRONG!
Our entire society has gone from being one of overt respect to one another to overtdisrespect and we call it progress. When a parent can't even punish their childwithout fear of being hauled away as a child abuser, is it no wonder when God triesus that we fail miserably time and again? No parent and especially not a heavenlyparent would put us through tests and trials, no way. A loving parent wouldn't do that, they just wouldn't. They'd nurture us and walk us through things step bystep holding our hands along the way, picking us up and brushing the dirt off our bottoms as we walk along.
Our very idea of a loving God goes against a God that would ask any father to sacrifice his only son, a son of promise, a son long waited for, a son that was tobe the fulfilment of a covenant. No God would do that, no loving God, therefore theGod of the Bible is not loving and contradicts all that is said of Him being love.
Hogwash! Yes, I said hogwash and I meant it. God is love and all He's done has beendone out of love it would be impossible for it to be any other way. It's our ownnotion of what love is that has altered. We think it unloving to have our faith tried. Unloving to be put to the test. Unloving because God forbid that we should have to be put through any hardship. But God doesn't forbid. God tells us we'll betried and tested. Jesus tells us that in this world we will have heartache andpain.
A very loving God, in fact a God that is pure love tested Abraham's faith and Abraham didn't waver. Abraham didn't try to talk God out of the test. Abrahman didn't shake his head and say no way, you're not the God I want to follow if you ask such things of me. Abraham didn't tell God it was too hard, too much, thathe couldn't do it and hey God, you understand don't you... don't you?
We want to keep hold of our own lack of faith to stand up to anything that might be too hard and just cling to a false conception that God understands, thatHe knows.
Yes, He does understand and He does know. But what He knows is that we lack the faith necessary to get through our own personal trials. We shun Him and say thatHe understands and therefore He'll excuse us this time and just overlook ourlack of faith. The devil loves our misconceptions. He loves when we fall short and then blame God, and deceive ourselves into believing that God undrestands andwill overlook our failings.
As long as we're not asked anything equivlent to what God asked of Abraham we'llbe okay, right?
Wrong.
Each day we're put to the test in many ways and it's not because God wants to tripus up and kick us out and away from Him. Our faith needs to grow, our faith needsto increase. We need to have the faith of Abraham in our lives to strengthen us because without faith it is impossible to please God. Without faith it's impossibleto believe that He exists and will reward us. Without faith we have no grasp ofChrist's righteousness. Without faith there is no hope and what our lives are todayis what they'll always be, a mere time period between birth and death, with nothingmore.
Without faith we are blinded to the love of God. Without faith we can't believe that God, our loving Heavenly Father sent His only Son to earth to live among us, as one ofus and to die for all of us. Without faith we can't believe in salvation. Faith.
Let's stop making excuses for ourselves. Let's throw ourselves at the foot of thecross and cling to Jesus begging Him to forgive us our lack of faith, to help our lack of faith. Let us realize that our faith will be tested out of love and thoughwhat seems like an impossible test now will only prove to be to our benefit later.
We need to trust in God with all our heart.
May the Grace and Mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with us now andforever. May our faith be tested and tried and be found true through the strengthand mercy of our Lord Jesus. We are weak...He is strong and we must cling to Him.
In His most holy and wonderful, all merciful name.
Amen.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Hebrews 11 C
Hebrews
{11:7} By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
What faith! God warned Noah and Noah acted out of faith. Noah became an heir of RIGHTEOUSNESS by FAITH.
{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. {11:9} 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: {11:10} For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God.
Abraham looked for a city with a foundation whose builder and maker is God!
Do we look for such a city? By faith he lived with promises.
{11:11} Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
All physical fact made it IMPOSSIBLE for Sarah to conceive a child, Impossible, not just unlikely but Impossible! Faith gave Sara strength and she conceived and delivered a baby past the age of being able to do so. Faith.
{11:12} Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, [so many] as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
The child born by faith was the continuation of a nation of people, a whole nation born by faith, a nation that wouldn't have existed without faith. How special is that?
{11:13} These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them,] and embraced [them,] and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
If you were promised to be a father of a nation and only saw a few generations out from your own would you believe there could be a nation from those few generations? As a rule, no. Who foresees a whole nation from their own offspring? Yes, there is generation after generation after generation. I've gone back through my family tree on my father's side and yes, I can see how extensively it branches out to the point you almost feel as if you could be related to just about anyone. A nation. Yes, a nation for God. The promise given, the promise believed, the promise realized even when you don't live to see it.
{11:14} For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. {11:15} And truly, if they had been mindful of that [country] from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. {11:16} But now they desire a better [country,] that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Amazing! Desiring a better country, a heavenly home prepared by God. They knew this earth was just a temporary dwelling place that one day they would be heirs to the city made by God Himself, faith gives them and us the promise of the city.
Faith.
They didn't see the city yet they believed.By faith we live.Faith the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith gives us the hope we need to see that city made by God. Faith.
May our faith increase always. May our lack of faith be helped as we seek our Savior the only One that can help us.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.
{11:7} By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
What faith! God warned Noah and Noah acted out of faith. Noah became an heir of RIGHTEOUSNESS by FAITH.
{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. {11:9} 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: {11:10} For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God.
Abraham looked for a city with a foundation whose builder and maker is God!
Do we look for such a city? By faith he lived with promises.
{11:11} Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
All physical fact made it IMPOSSIBLE for Sarah to conceive a child, Impossible, not just unlikely but Impossible! Faith gave Sara strength and she conceived and delivered a baby past the age of being able to do so. Faith.
{11:12} Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, [so many] as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
The child born by faith was the continuation of a nation of people, a whole nation born by faith, a nation that wouldn't have existed without faith. How special is that?
{11:13} These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them,] and embraced [them,] and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
If you were promised to be a father of a nation and only saw a few generations out from your own would you believe there could be a nation from those few generations? As a rule, no. Who foresees a whole nation from their own offspring? Yes, there is generation after generation after generation. I've gone back through my family tree on my father's side and yes, I can see how extensively it branches out to the point you almost feel as if you could be related to just about anyone. A nation. Yes, a nation for God. The promise given, the promise believed, the promise realized even when you don't live to see it.
{11:14} For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. {11:15} And truly, if they had been mindful of that [country] from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. {11:16} But now they desire a better [country,] that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Amazing! Desiring a better country, a heavenly home prepared by God. They knew this earth was just a temporary dwelling place that one day they would be heirs to the city made by God Himself, faith gives them and us the promise of the city.
Faith.
They didn't see the city yet they believed.By faith we live.Faith the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith gives us the hope we need to see that city made by God. Faith.
May our faith increase always. May our lack of faith be helped as we seek our Savior the only One that can help us.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)