Job 23:12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
God's commandments, God's words mean more than NECESSARY food. To honor God, to obey God is true life. Our life here and now is sustained physically by food, but what good is our physical life if we don't have the love God and the desire to live for God in our hearts? Are the words of God more important to you than life here and now?
Psa 17:1 A Prayer of David. Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.
How can our lips be feigned? We can speak all we want of God's love but if it's not real in our lives, if it's not real in our hearts then all we say and do is false and God's knows. People know too don't they? I mean really. People can look at 'so called' Christians and laugh, knowing that they profess something they don't truly live. The excuse of being human - you know the one- I'm only human so of course I'll still act ungodly and blame it on my humanity, that excuse people see through as well. Yes, that saying- 'Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven' is another excuse. It's true, but it's an excuse at the same time. There is a marked difference in those who follow God and those who follow the world. Instead of making any excuses a sinful Christian will seek to repent, to ask for forgiveness not try to lessen the blame of their actions. Our lips can be feigned and God knows the truth of all we say and do. We want God to hear us and He will, He does, and He knows the truth.
Psa 63:3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Better than life is God's lovingkindness and we need to praise Him more with that realization. We are so quick to blame God, to question God as life's problems surmount, but the truth is God's lovingkindness is better than life- the life we seem to think should be easy and without problems. We want our life and the lives of others to be endurable on a human level of what we consider relatively problem free. We place such great store on our lives and in doing so we often hold it higher than God. God's love is everything, God's lovingkindness is better than our life. Our lives are temporary here on earth and then temporarily in death's sleep in the grave until Christ returns. These temporary lives of ours are nothing compared to the love of God which lasts forever and is from forever. If anyone asks you what is better than life we can honestly answer- God's lovingkindness is better than life- all praise and glory to Him!
Psa 119:72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.
Psa 119:131 I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.
The law of GOD'S mouth…. better than great amounts of gold and silver. Again, it is God who is important, all important, not anything material in our lives. We have to think about what we really believe is important in life- is it life itself or the way it's lived? Would we be willing to lose all things and still love God? Or would we rather keep all things and lose God? Ultimately God is everything, everything of God is important. To esteem God's word better than any riches at all you could ever possess is a good thing. To LONG for God's word, to PANT for God's commands to us shows a great desperation for the things of God. Do we have this desperation for the things of God? Is God truly THAT important to us? We have to question ourselves, we know we have to examine ourselves we have to answer for our lives and the way we live and the choices we make. The more we examine our lives the greater the realization our need of a Savior is revealed. The need for the grace of God is all encompassing. The understanding that it is only through the righteousness of Christ we truly live by His grace is so important.
Obviously I've been doing just a short study on the 'mouth and lips' and it's a study that can be undertaken in depth there is so much to learn. It is my prayer that God bless us with understanding, opening our hearts and minds to Him fully. May we be convicted of the importance of placing God first and foremost in our lives- even above our lives for He is all in all.
By His Grace.
Amen.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Surrendering Evil
Act 19:20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
Paul stayed in Asia continuing to preach the Word of God. Many were converted, many burned their evil books and changed their lives so that Christ was first and foremost. They believed in those books and the sorcery within them. The books were expensive unlike our paperback books we can get for a dime a dozen at a garage sale. They had no printing press back then. These books were valuable and they burned them signifying the change in their lives. The heart change.
Not all were willing to change... Read on...
Act 19:21 After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.
Act 19:22 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
Act 19:23 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.
Act 19:24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
Act 19:25 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
Act 19:26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
Act 19:27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
Act 19:28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Act 19:29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
Act 19:30 And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
Act 19:31 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.
Act 19:32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
Act 19:33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.
Act 19:34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Act 19:35 And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?
Act 19:36 Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
Act 19:37 For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
Act 19:38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.
Act 19:39 But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
Act 19:40 For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
Act 19:41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
Act 20:1 And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.
This whole city was filled with confusion. The merchants didn't want anyone preaching about the one true God who didn't need any shrines, idols, or any sort of images crafted; this was how they made their money off the worship of the goddess Diana. If the One true God were worshipped they'd lose their coveted livelihood and not even eternal life was worth that to them.
How would you react to a similar situation? Think about it. How do you make a living? How do you survive in our world? Where does your livelihood come from? What if you had to suddenly choose between your way of making a living and God. We want to be able to say we'd give up everything and anything for God but do we really mean it? Seriously, do we? Chances are your way of making a living won't interfere with your ability to worship God, but what if you found out it did? These men couldn't imagine anything worth taking away their livelihood and more than likely they perished without accepting the Lord as their Savior and they won't have eternal life. Are there things in our lives we cling to rather than give up for God? Maybe it's not as challenging as being asked to give up your entire way of life, but we really need to examine our lives and question whether or not we do anything that we wouldn't want to do with God. Salvation through Christ is a gift, an amazing, wondrous gift. Yet we know that God will have us have...NO other gods before Him. Back in the days of the Apostles people were convicted to give up the wrongs in their lives, to give up the evil that surrounded them, we are asked to give up no less. We might not worship the goddess Diane, we might not have books full of curious arts- sorcery, but we can be sure there are things today comparable to the evils of the past and we must surrender them just as they did long ago.
May God bless us and convict us of the evil in our lives so that we may give it up and live in Him fully. By His righteousness, in His grace through His mercy and love now and forever!
Amen.
Paul stayed in Asia continuing to preach the Word of God. Many were converted, many burned their evil books and changed their lives so that Christ was first and foremost. They believed in those books and the sorcery within them. The books were expensive unlike our paperback books we can get for a dime a dozen at a garage sale. They had no printing press back then. These books were valuable and they burned them signifying the change in their lives. The heart change.
Not all were willing to change... Read on...
Act 19:21 After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.
Act 19:22 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
Act 19:23 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.
Act 19:24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
Act 19:25 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
Act 19:26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
Act 19:27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
Act 19:28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Act 19:29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
Act 19:30 And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
Act 19:31 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.
Act 19:32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
Act 19:33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.
Act 19:34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Act 19:35 And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?
Act 19:36 Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
Act 19:37 For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
Act 19:38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.
Act 19:39 But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
Act 19:40 For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
Act 19:41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
Act 20:1 And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.
This whole city was filled with confusion. The merchants didn't want anyone preaching about the one true God who didn't need any shrines, idols, or any sort of images crafted; this was how they made their money off the worship of the goddess Diana. If the One true God were worshipped they'd lose their coveted livelihood and not even eternal life was worth that to them.
How would you react to a similar situation? Think about it. How do you make a living? How do you survive in our world? Where does your livelihood come from? What if you had to suddenly choose between your way of making a living and God. We want to be able to say we'd give up everything and anything for God but do we really mean it? Seriously, do we? Chances are your way of making a living won't interfere with your ability to worship God, but what if you found out it did? These men couldn't imagine anything worth taking away their livelihood and more than likely they perished without accepting the Lord as their Savior and they won't have eternal life. Are there things in our lives we cling to rather than give up for God? Maybe it's not as challenging as being asked to give up your entire way of life, but we really need to examine our lives and question whether or not we do anything that we wouldn't want to do with God. Salvation through Christ is a gift, an amazing, wondrous gift. Yet we know that God will have us have...NO other gods before Him. Back in the days of the Apostles people were convicted to give up the wrongs in their lives, to give up the evil that surrounded them, we are asked to give up no less. We might not worship the goddess Diane, we might not have books full of curious arts- sorcery, but we can be sure there are things today comparable to the evils of the past and we must surrender them just as they did long ago.
May God bless us and convict us of the evil in our lives so that we may give it up and live in Him fully. By His righteousness, in His grace through His mercy and love now and forever!
Amen.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Word of God Prevails
Yesterday we touched on the fact that there is power in the name of Jesus and those who falsely attempt to use the name of Jesus have none of that power. Evil is real, evil spirits are real and they know Jesus and His true followers. We read from Acts 19: 13-16 and learned that certain 'vagabond jews', 'exorcists' who tried to cast out an evil spirit were beaten by the evil spirit instead. Picking up from there we read...
Acts 19:17 'And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.'
Fear fell on the people. They knew that Paul could cast out evil spirits in the name of Jesus, yet others couldn't cast them out because they didn't have that true love of Jesus. Jesus' name was 'magnified'. The power of Jesus was realized by others and this was a very, very good thing.
Acts 19:18,19 'And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.'
We talk about book burnings and today we cry out how wrong it is to burn books, it's limiting our freedom to have knowledge about all things. Book bans, book burnings, seem to be so archaic to us in our society. Yet these people who were compelled to learn of Jesus and live for Him 'confessed and shewed their deeds' burning their book.
The deeds of these many were 'curious arts'... witchcraft, the occult.
(ISV) Acts 19:19 'Moreover, many people who had practiced occult arts gathered their books and burned them in front of everybody. They estimated the price of them and found they were worth 50,000 silver coins.'
The occult, witchcraft and the like. It was a real practice, just as real then as it is today even though many today consider it harmless and silly. These people had books for their occult practicing, books worth 50,000 silver coins! They realized how wrong their witchcraft was and burned their occult books signaling their change of heart. Costly books were destroyed as an outward display of new faith was shown.
When people come to know their Lord and Savior they realize the wrong things in their lives and as the light reveals the dark parts in their lives they are compelled to change. Conversion often brings a marked changed in a person's life. But today in Christianity here in America, here in the world I live in, people seem more accepting of the darkness excusing the wrong things and readily saying 'God understands'. God does understand, people don't seem to though. Darkness cannot be made light, darkness cannot be made acceptable just because we want to be excused for the things in our lives we don't want to, or find hard to, give up. Sin is sin and no amount of desire to excuse that sin will change it to sinlessness. Just as those newly converted to the love of Christ realize how evil their lives have been and repent of that evil, we need to daily examine our lives and seek to repent of the things in our lives we are convicted are sin. We need to burn the books in our lives so to speak, we need to give up the practices we know are not of God. These people who were practicing 'curious arts' burned their costly books and...
'So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.'
The word of God grew!
The word of God prevailed!
This means the love of God was filling the hearts of many. Today the love of God needs to fill our hearts with a genuine love, a real conversion, a continued love, a continued conversion. The love of God doesn't convict and then wax cold, not if we keep it a live in our hearts. As the love of God convicts we need to react to the convicting as He would have us react. May the love of God continue to grow and prevail, may His word ever prevail and continue to grow now and forever!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior! In Him now and always! Through the righteousness of Christ!
Amen.
Acts 19:17 'And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.'
Fear fell on the people. They knew that Paul could cast out evil spirits in the name of Jesus, yet others couldn't cast them out because they didn't have that true love of Jesus. Jesus' name was 'magnified'. The power of Jesus was realized by others and this was a very, very good thing.
Acts 19:18,19 'And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.'
We talk about book burnings and today we cry out how wrong it is to burn books, it's limiting our freedom to have knowledge about all things. Book bans, book burnings, seem to be so archaic to us in our society. Yet these people who were compelled to learn of Jesus and live for Him 'confessed and shewed their deeds' burning their book.
The deeds of these many were 'curious arts'... witchcraft, the occult.
(ISV) Acts 19:19 'Moreover, many people who had practiced occult arts gathered their books and burned them in front of everybody. They estimated the price of them and found they were worth 50,000 silver coins.'
The occult, witchcraft and the like. It was a real practice, just as real then as it is today even though many today consider it harmless and silly. These people had books for their occult practicing, books worth 50,000 silver coins! They realized how wrong their witchcraft was and burned their occult books signaling their change of heart. Costly books were destroyed as an outward display of new faith was shown.
When people come to know their Lord and Savior they realize the wrong things in their lives and as the light reveals the dark parts in their lives they are compelled to change. Conversion often brings a marked changed in a person's life. But today in Christianity here in America, here in the world I live in, people seem more accepting of the darkness excusing the wrong things and readily saying 'God understands'. God does understand, people don't seem to though. Darkness cannot be made light, darkness cannot be made acceptable just because we want to be excused for the things in our lives we don't want to, or find hard to, give up. Sin is sin and no amount of desire to excuse that sin will change it to sinlessness. Just as those newly converted to the love of Christ realize how evil their lives have been and repent of that evil, we need to daily examine our lives and seek to repent of the things in our lives we are convicted are sin. We need to burn the books in our lives so to speak, we need to give up the practices we know are not of God. These people who were practicing 'curious arts' burned their costly books and...
'So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.'
The word of God grew!
The word of God prevailed!
This means the love of God was filling the hearts of many. Today the love of God needs to fill our hearts with a genuine love, a real conversion, a continued love, a continued conversion. The love of God doesn't convict and then wax cold, not if we keep it a live in our hearts. As the love of God convicts we need to react to the convicting as He would have us react. May the love of God continue to grow and prevail, may His word ever prevail and continue to grow now and forever!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior! In Him now and always! Through the righteousness of Christ!
Amen.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
The Name of Jesus
Act 19:13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
Act 19:14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
Act 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
Act 19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Act 19:17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
There is power in the name of Jesus, power we can call on but not falsely. We have to have a real relationship with Jesus, a true relationship with our Lord and Savior. Simply using His name isn't enough.
Devil's believe and they tremble. Devil's know Jesus and His true followers. Those who don't have a living, breathing, relationship with God, with their Savior, can't expect the mere mention of the Lord's name to work for them as they want it to work. These men- these vagabond Jews, these exorcists, wanted to rid a man of an evil spirit. These men knew Jesus truly cast out evil spirits. These men knew that Paul, an apostle of Jesus, cast out evil spirits in the name of the Lord. These men had the idea that if they used the name of the Lord they could cast out evil spirits too. The Holy Spirit wasn't in these men and the evil spirit knew that these were men who were not in any way connected to Jesus. There was no love of Jesus, no love of God in these men and the evil spirit knew they had no power to destroy and was free to attack them which it did with a vengeance.
We can't imagine evil spirits in this way, and we can't imagine true exorcism. This sort of thing might have happened in Jesus' day but not in our day. So where have all the evil spirits gone? I'm not saying I want to confront an evil spirit, far from it!!! I hope never to encounter one, never! I hope and pray that my relationship with my Savior is a pure and strong relationship, a just and true relationship so that if ever I'm in such a situation and I can call upon the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that the Holy Spirit will dwell in me and the power of the Lord will be revealed. No glory, no honor to me, but all glory and honor to God. May we all seek to have a true relationship with our Lord, may we all be found in Him so that if we ever are in any situation that will test our faith, our faith will remain firm in Him.
By His grace and mercy, through His righteousness, in His amazing love now and forever, all glory and honor to Him!
Amen.
Act 19:14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
Act 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
Act 19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Act 19:17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
There is power in the name of Jesus, power we can call on but not falsely. We have to have a real relationship with Jesus, a true relationship with our Lord and Savior. Simply using His name isn't enough.
Devil's believe and they tremble. Devil's know Jesus and His true followers. Those who don't have a living, breathing, relationship with God, with their Savior, can't expect the mere mention of the Lord's name to work for them as they want it to work. These men- these vagabond Jews, these exorcists, wanted to rid a man of an evil spirit. These men knew Jesus truly cast out evil spirits. These men knew that Paul, an apostle of Jesus, cast out evil spirits in the name of the Lord. These men had the idea that if they used the name of the Lord they could cast out evil spirits too. The Holy Spirit wasn't in these men and the evil spirit knew that these were men who were not in any way connected to Jesus. There was no love of Jesus, no love of God in these men and the evil spirit knew they had no power to destroy and was free to attack them which it did with a vengeance.
We can't imagine evil spirits in this way, and we can't imagine true exorcism. This sort of thing might have happened in Jesus' day but not in our day. So where have all the evil spirits gone? I'm not saying I want to confront an evil spirit, far from it!!! I hope never to encounter one, never! I hope and pray that my relationship with my Savior is a pure and strong relationship, a just and true relationship so that if ever I'm in such a situation and I can call upon the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that the Holy Spirit will dwell in me and the power of the Lord will be revealed. No glory, no honor to me, but all glory and honor to God. May we all seek to have a true relationship with our Lord, may we all be found in Him so that if we ever are in any situation that will test our faith, our faith will remain firm in Him.
By His grace and mercy, through His righteousness, in His amazing love now and forever, all glory and honor to Him!
Amen.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Ambassadors For Christ
2Co 5:20,21 6:1-10
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ
as though God did beseech you by us
we pray you in Christ's stead
be ye reconciled to God.
For he hath made him to be sin for us
who knew no sin
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
We then, as workers together with him
beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
(For he saith,
I have heard thee in a time accepted,
and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee:
behold, now is the accepted time
behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Giving no offence in any thing,
that the ministry be not blamed:
But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God,
in much patience,
in afflictions
in necessities
in distresses
In stripes
in imprisonments
in tumults
in labours
in watchings
in fastings
By pureness
by knowledge
by longsuffering
by kindness
by the Holy Ghost
by love unfeigned,
By the word of truth,
by the power of God
by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
By honour and dishonour
by evil report and good report
as deceivers, and yet true
As unknown and yet well known
as dying, and, behold, we live
as chastened, and not killed;
As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing
as poor, yet making many rich
as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ
as though God did beseech you by us
we pray you in Christ's stead
be ye reconciled to God.
For he hath made him to be sin for us
who knew no sin
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
We then, as workers together with him
beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
(For he saith,
I have heard thee in a time accepted,
and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee:
behold, now is the accepted time
behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Giving no offence in any thing,
that the ministry be not blamed:
But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God,
in much patience,
in afflictions
in necessities
in distresses
In stripes
in imprisonments
in tumults
in labours
in watchings
in fastings
By pureness
by knowledge
by longsuffering
by kindness
by the Holy Ghost
by love unfeigned,
By the word of truth,
by the power of God
by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
By honour and dishonour
by evil report and good report
as deceivers, and yet true
As unknown and yet well known
as dying, and, behold, we live
as chastened, and not killed;
As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing
as poor, yet making many rich
as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Riches and Poor Pride
Jas 1:10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
Jas 1:11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
No matter our financial situation in the end we all have the same fate and there is no getting out of that. All the money in the world does not buy life. Some would beg to differ stating money gets you better, more quality medical care and there is no disputing that. But money cannot keep illness away. You could live in an entirely sterile environment and become ill. There is NO escaping time. No matter the money you have you have to live, you have to die. Some argue that they'd rather be rich living than poor and that's a given. But being rich is not the answer to life. Being rich comes with a tremendous responsibility a lot of rich people don't want to think about. The responsibility to use the riches in a Godly way, meaning using the money they have in a way God would approve of.
We really do want to believe money will solve most of our problems. I know I think money would transform my life in many ways and I'd be this very giving person using my wealth as God would want me to do, and yet in the end would I? Money can corrupt and does so very easily. I know it's my prayer that God only allow me the wealth that will not corrupt me and turn me from Him in any way. If being poor is my lot then so be it. By the grace of God may all those who are rich keep from corruption knowing that ...'as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.'
Also... please Lord humble me in all my ways. The poor can be proud and sometimes even more proud than the rich wearing their poverty as a badge of godliness.
Pro 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Life is filled with many, many obstacles and we just really need to seek the Lord in all we do. We need to go to His word for direction a lot more than we do.
Rich or poor we need the Lord equally. We all have the same fate - living and dying - with all that comes in between and by the grace of God will we live IN HIM always.
Amen.
Jas 1:11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
No matter our financial situation in the end we all have the same fate and there is no getting out of that. All the money in the world does not buy life. Some would beg to differ stating money gets you better, more quality medical care and there is no disputing that. But money cannot keep illness away. You could live in an entirely sterile environment and become ill. There is NO escaping time. No matter the money you have you have to live, you have to die. Some argue that they'd rather be rich living than poor and that's a given. But being rich is not the answer to life. Being rich comes with a tremendous responsibility a lot of rich people don't want to think about. The responsibility to use the riches in a Godly way, meaning using the money they have in a way God would approve of.
We really do want to believe money will solve most of our problems. I know I think money would transform my life in many ways and I'd be this very giving person using my wealth as God would want me to do, and yet in the end would I? Money can corrupt and does so very easily. I know it's my prayer that God only allow me the wealth that will not corrupt me and turn me from Him in any way. If being poor is my lot then so be it. By the grace of God may all those who are rich keep from corruption knowing that ...'as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.'
Also... please Lord humble me in all my ways. The poor can be proud and sometimes even more proud than the rich wearing their poverty as a badge of godliness.
Pro 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Life is filled with many, many obstacles and we just really need to seek the Lord in all we do. We need to go to His word for direction a lot more than we do.
Rich or poor we need the Lord equally. We all have the same fate - living and dying - with all that comes in between and by the grace of God will we live IN HIM always.
Amen.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Keep the door to my lips
Psa 141:3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
This is my prayer! Please Lord, please set a watch before my mouth! Keep the door of my lips!
How often words I never mean to say escape me before I have sense enough to keep from saying them. How often my mouth gets me into trouble, not only with words but with eating. Truly my mouth is wicked, just as the tongue is wicked.
Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
No man can tame the tongue but God isn't a man.
Please Lord, set a watch before my mouth! Keep the door of my lips!
Speaking is a blessing and a curse, not many can deny that.
Jas 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
Pro 21:23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
Pro 15:4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
Pro 15:2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
Please Lord! Set a watch before my mouth! Keep the door of my lips! This is my prayer Lord. May Your love fill me, by Your grace, Your mercy, Your lovingkindness, through your righteousness now and forever!
Amen
This is my prayer! Please Lord, please set a watch before my mouth! Keep the door of my lips!
How often words I never mean to say escape me before I have sense enough to keep from saying them. How often my mouth gets me into trouble, not only with words but with eating. Truly my mouth is wicked, just as the tongue is wicked.
Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
No man can tame the tongue but God isn't a man.
Please Lord, set a watch before my mouth! Keep the door of my lips!
Speaking is a blessing and a curse, not many can deny that.
Jas 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
Pro 21:23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
Pro 15:4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
Pro 15:2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
Please Lord! Set a watch before my mouth! Keep the door of my lips! This is my prayer Lord. May Your love fill me, by Your grace, Your mercy, Your lovingkindness, through your righteousness now and forever!
Amen
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Powers of Heaven
Luk 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Powers….
G1411
d?´?aµ??
dunamis
doo'-nam-is
From G1410; force (literally or figuratively); specifically miraculous power (usually by implication a miracle itself): - ability, abundance, meaning, might (-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle (-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work.
The miraculous power of God is every where. To imagine the powers of heaven being shaken is something amazing. I can fully understand 'men's hearts failing them for fear' when we delve into the mighty power of God unleashed in the heavens. We think about storms we've experienced and we talk about nature going wild unleashing it's powers and we tremble, really we do, not that many will admit to it until they've gone through a tornado, hurricane, flood, fire, lightening strike, torrential downpours, and so on. In the aftermath of such things having witnessed the power of *nature* we realize just how out of control of our own lives we really are. Compared to the powers of nature we have little if non-existent power to combat it face to face. We can hide from nature's assaults, we can run, we can do all we know how to protect ourselves and a lot of times we are left unharmed, but that still doesn't keep us from witnessing the power of the force at hand. People sometimes blame God for allowing things to happen, but in truth all destruction stems from Satan and the fact our first parents succumbed to His evil. God allows, but God is not the reason. We have disaster movies depicting end of the world scenarios with all of natures power unleashed destroying the earth and truly our fear would mimic the fear of the people in those movies only ours would be real fear.
Not only do we think of the 'powers of heaven shall be shaken' as a worldly upset, but in truth the power of heaven shaken in the realization of the end of mankind as we know will be at hand. The power of God will be fully realized by everyone for better or worse for them and we can only hope and pray it's for the better for us by the grace and mercy of our Savior through HIS righteousness in love.
Power-- God's is the power!
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Luk 4:36 And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.
Luk 5:17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
1Th 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake
Powers….
G1411
d?´?aµ??
dunamis
doo'-nam-is
From G1410; force (literally or figuratively); specifically miraculous power (usually by implication a miracle itself): - ability, abundance, meaning, might (-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle (-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work.
The miraculous power of God is every where. To imagine the powers of heaven being shaken is something amazing. I can fully understand 'men's hearts failing them for fear' when we delve into the mighty power of God unleashed in the heavens. We think about storms we've experienced and we talk about nature going wild unleashing it's powers and we tremble, really we do, not that many will admit to it until they've gone through a tornado, hurricane, flood, fire, lightening strike, torrential downpours, and so on. In the aftermath of such things having witnessed the power of *nature* we realize just how out of control of our own lives we really are. Compared to the powers of nature we have little if non-existent power to combat it face to face. We can hide from nature's assaults, we can run, we can do all we know how to protect ourselves and a lot of times we are left unharmed, but that still doesn't keep us from witnessing the power of the force at hand. People sometimes blame God for allowing things to happen, but in truth all destruction stems from Satan and the fact our first parents succumbed to His evil. God allows, but God is not the reason. We have disaster movies depicting end of the world scenarios with all of natures power unleashed destroying the earth and truly our fear would mimic the fear of the people in those movies only ours would be real fear.
Not only do we think of the 'powers of heaven shall be shaken' as a worldly upset, but in truth the power of heaven shaken in the realization of the end of mankind as we know will be at hand. The power of God will be fully realized by everyone for better or worse for them and we can only hope and pray it's for the better for us by the grace and mercy of our Savior through HIS righteousness in love.
Power-- God's is the power!
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Luk 4:36 And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.
Luk 5:17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
1Th 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake
Monday, June 21, 2010
Little faith makes us fearful
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
Gen 26:24 And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.
Deu 20:3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them
Deu 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Isa 41:13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
Isa 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
Luk 8:50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole
Luk 12:7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Luk 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Rev 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last
Fear not...
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
God doesn't give us a spirit of fear.
When we're fearful it doesn't come from God.
Satan wants us to fear. Satan wants to use fear to overwhelm us, to get us to lose our faith and trust in God. Satan would have fear over take us in any way he can use it. Fear of the future, fear of dying, fear of living, fear in any form is useful to Satan. We need to trust in God, knowing that God would have us trust in Him completely so that fear has no place in our lives.
Mat 8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
Luk 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Little faith makes us fearful. Those who have little faith will have their hearts failing them for fear.
May God bless us and keep us from all fear. It's so easy to let Satan bring fear into our lives in one way or another. Let's recognize the fear for what it is - not from God, and let us draw ever closer to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
Gen 26:24 And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.
Deu 20:3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them
Deu 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Isa 41:13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
Isa 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
Luk 8:50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole
Luk 12:7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Luk 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Rev 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last
Fear not...
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
God doesn't give us a spirit of fear.
When we're fearful it doesn't come from God.
Satan wants us to fear. Satan wants to use fear to overwhelm us, to get us to lose our faith and trust in God. Satan would have fear over take us in any way he can use it. Fear of the future, fear of dying, fear of living, fear in any form is useful to Satan. We need to trust in God, knowing that God would have us trust in Him completely so that fear has no place in our lives.
Mat 8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
Luk 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Little faith makes us fearful. Those who have little faith will have their hearts failing them for fear.
May God bless us and keep us from all fear. It's so easy to let Satan bring fear into our lives in one way or another. Let's recognize the fear for what it is - not from God, and let us draw ever closer to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Answers
Seriously, do you know your Bible? If any situation in life arises can you bring a scripture to mind to guide you? One Scripture?
Sometimes all people have is a single verse they cling to as a talisman of hope through life and that single verse taken to heart is more powerful than a person can imagine.
Instinctively we should call on God when we are in need or joyful, God should be first in our thoughts. God Doesn't answer, people reply, so why call on Him or speak to Him at all? God does answer. God's ways are beyond our imagination.
If we look at the Bible as a normal book and it will fail us. The Bible is the Word of God and ALL the word of God is powerful.
Hebrews 4:12- For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Powerful!
Christ is the living Word of God. Christ used the scriptures to combat Satan! God's word is not stagnant, it's alive!
When we read the Bible we are reading the living testimony of our Lord and Savior.
The Bible is a weapon--
The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Eph. 6:17
So I ask again, do you know your Bible? Do you use your Bible? The Bible is meant to be used, not simply read but used as a real entity, the treasure of the Bible is immeasurable! The riches in the word of God uncountable.
If we used our Bibles as being a real, living, breathing message of God our lives would be so much different. If we search our Bible as we would search for hidden treasure we would be rich in the way of eternity.
Ps. 119:11-18
Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psa 119:12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
Psa 119:13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
Psa 119:14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
Psa 119:15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
Psa 119:16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Psa 119:17 GIMEL. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.
Psa 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy la
Pro. 2:1-5
Pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
The word of God is powerful and for us to use.
God speaks to us through His word. Life is filled with many obstacles and if we search God's word to guide us through life we'd be doing His will. When we have problems do we go to God's Word? We might pray to God but do we seek His guidance in His word?
Do we really believe God's word holds answers? Do we really believe God's word has power? If someone handed you a book and said all the answers you'll ever need in life are in there would you take the book? Suppose they said that you ask the book a question and open it and the answer would be you'd want that book wouldn't you? At least until it started giving you answers you didn't like.
There's our problem in a nutshell. The Bible has a lot of answers to our problems- yes- even our modern problems but we don't like the answers. We don't like the idea of being given answers that might mean we need to pray for changes in our lives. Perhaps the Bible's answer is that we are too selfish and need to be more giving, more loving. We might be inclined to say, no, I'm not that selfish I give all the time. The answers aren't what we want so we'd rather not go to the source of the help only to be shown we are the problem and need to pray for changes.
We want answers that please us, not answer that require us to do things we aren't inclined to do.
The Bible tells us men love darkness more than light because darkness hides their evil ways. If we close ourselves off from God's work from the answer He provides us because we'd rather keep on in our evil ways then we can pray all we want but rejecting the light keeps our heart in darkness and we cannot expect God to guide us, answer us, be with us if we reject His light.
People are starved for the word of God. People know their lives are missing something but they turn to man-made cures rather than Godly. People feel lost, bored, anxious and they want something to take that away but what they want is anything other than the word of God.
God doesn't offer worldly pleasure & past times and that's what most seek- happiness in the worldly way. They want the emptiness in their lives to be filled with worldly things.
We are blessed to be able to feel the emptiness because that is a cry for our spirit wanting to be filled with God.
Self will always fall short of satisfying. Temporary fixes. Some people live their entire lives on temporary fixes not seeking to find a permanent source of solace in Christ and His ways.
Sometimes all people have is a single verse they cling to as a talisman of hope through life and that single verse taken to heart is more powerful than a person can imagine.
Instinctively we should call on God when we are in need or joyful, God should be first in our thoughts. God Doesn't answer, people reply, so why call on Him or speak to Him at all? God does answer. God's ways are beyond our imagination.
If we look at the Bible as a normal book and it will fail us. The Bible is the Word of God and ALL the word of God is powerful.
Hebrews 4:12- For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Powerful!
Christ is the living Word of God. Christ used the scriptures to combat Satan! God's word is not stagnant, it's alive!
When we read the Bible we are reading the living testimony of our Lord and Savior.
The Bible is a weapon--
The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Eph. 6:17
So I ask again, do you know your Bible? Do you use your Bible? The Bible is meant to be used, not simply read but used as a real entity, the treasure of the Bible is immeasurable! The riches in the word of God uncountable.
If we used our Bibles as being a real, living, breathing message of God our lives would be so much different. If we search our Bible as we would search for hidden treasure we would be rich in the way of eternity.
Ps. 119:11-18
Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psa 119:12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
Psa 119:13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
Psa 119:14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
Psa 119:15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
Psa 119:16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Psa 119:17 GIMEL. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.
Psa 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy la
Pro. 2:1-5
Pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
The word of God is powerful and for us to use.
God speaks to us through His word. Life is filled with many obstacles and if we search God's word to guide us through life we'd be doing His will. When we have problems do we go to God's Word? We might pray to God but do we seek His guidance in His word?
Do we really believe God's word holds answers? Do we really believe God's word has power? If someone handed you a book and said all the answers you'll ever need in life are in there would you take the book? Suppose they said that you ask the book a question and open it and the answer would be you'd want that book wouldn't you? At least until it started giving you answers you didn't like.
There's our problem in a nutshell. The Bible has a lot of answers to our problems- yes- even our modern problems but we don't like the answers. We don't like the idea of being given answers that might mean we need to pray for changes in our lives. Perhaps the Bible's answer is that we are too selfish and need to be more giving, more loving. We might be inclined to say, no, I'm not that selfish I give all the time. The answers aren't what we want so we'd rather not go to the source of the help only to be shown we are the problem and need to pray for changes.
We want answers that please us, not answer that require us to do things we aren't inclined to do.
The Bible tells us men love darkness more than light because darkness hides their evil ways. If we close ourselves off from God's work from the answer He provides us because we'd rather keep on in our evil ways then we can pray all we want but rejecting the light keeps our heart in darkness and we cannot expect God to guide us, answer us, be with us if we reject His light.
People are starved for the word of God. People know their lives are missing something but they turn to man-made cures rather than Godly. People feel lost, bored, anxious and they want something to take that away but what they want is anything other than the word of God.
God doesn't offer worldly pleasure & past times and that's what most seek- happiness in the worldly way. They want the emptiness in their lives to be filled with worldly things.
We are blessed to be able to feel the emptiness because that is a cry for our spirit wanting to be filled with God.
Self will always fall short of satisfying. Temporary fixes. Some people live their entire lives on temporary fixes not seeking to find a permanent source of solace in Christ and His ways.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes
Isa 5:21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Wise in their own eyes. Conceited? Arrogant?
We know it's a good thing to be wise. Solomon prayed for wisdom instead of riches and was granted to be the wisest man in the world. We are told to seek wisdom.
Pro 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
Pro 1:3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
Pro 1:4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
Pro 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
Pro 1:6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
Pro 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Pro 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
Pro 2:8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
Pro 2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
Pro 2:10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Pro 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee
Pro 3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
Pro 3:14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
Pro 3:15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Wisdom and being WISE in thine own eyes are two different things aren't they.
A wise man would know that considering himself wise wasn't very prudent. A wise man would know that there truly is no time that arrogance and conceit are wise. To be wise in the wisdom from God is desired, to be wise in your own wisdom is a reason for great concern. We don't manufacture wisdom. We don't create wisdom. God's wisdom, wisdom from God these are to be desired more than any riches more than any single occurance of self-congratulation. All honor and glory is to be God's, all praise to our Lord and King. We aren't to consider ourselves wise and prudent but rather consider God the wise and prudent One and by His grace He gifts us with His wisdom.
May the Lord grant us wisdom, may we find wisdom in Him and get understanding from Him. May God's words and commandment be with us. May we fear the Lord and find in Him all things...ALL things.
Jesus said this...
Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me
May we through the mercy of our Savior, through the righteousness of Christ our Lord, seek the will of the Father in our lives now and forever. If Jesus of His own self could do nothing how arrogant and foolish are we to think we can do anything of our own selves.
God's will now and forever!
Amen.
Wise in their own eyes. Conceited? Arrogant?
We know it's a good thing to be wise. Solomon prayed for wisdom instead of riches and was granted to be the wisest man in the world. We are told to seek wisdom.
Pro 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
Pro 1:3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
Pro 1:4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
Pro 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
Pro 1:6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
Pro 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Pro 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
Pro 2:8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
Pro 2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
Pro 2:10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Pro 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee
Pro 3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
Pro 3:14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
Pro 3:15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Wisdom and being WISE in thine own eyes are two different things aren't they.
A wise man would know that considering himself wise wasn't very prudent. A wise man would know that there truly is no time that arrogance and conceit are wise. To be wise in the wisdom from God is desired, to be wise in your own wisdom is a reason for great concern. We don't manufacture wisdom. We don't create wisdom. God's wisdom, wisdom from God these are to be desired more than any riches more than any single occurance of self-congratulation. All honor and glory is to be God's, all praise to our Lord and King. We aren't to consider ourselves wise and prudent but rather consider God the wise and prudent One and by His grace He gifts us with His wisdom.
May the Lord grant us wisdom, may we find wisdom in Him and get understanding from Him. May God's words and commandment be with us. May we fear the Lord and find in Him all things...ALL things.
Jesus said this...
Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me
May we through the mercy of our Savior, through the righteousness of Christ our Lord, seek the will of the Father in our lives now and forever. If Jesus of His own self could do nothing how arrogant and foolish are we to think we can do anything of our own selves.
God's will now and forever!
Amen.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Meekness Longsuffering Forbearing
Psa 133:1 ...Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Psa 133:2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
Psa 133:3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
Eph 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Is it disagreeable to be meek?
Is it disagreeable to be longsuffering, to be forbearing?
Many would argue that meekness, longsuffering, and forbearing are undesireable traits because in our society the meek get trampled on, the longsuffering are taken advantage of, the forbearing are fools. God knows that the the world views His ways of love as being subservient and subservience as being some how degrading and lessening the value of a person. Servants are considered lower class, servants are to be ignored and put in their place by those who are above them- this is how society views servants and some would say they do so instinctively but there is nothing instinctive about treating a fellow human being as someone contemptible. In our society women in the role of serving their husbands is considered wrong. Letting a husband rule over the wife is considered old fashioned and unfair.
Meekness
Longsuffering
Forbearing
These are all the things Jesus was and that Jesus wants for His followers. It is by following the example of our Savior that there can be a unity of peace. It's not a bad thing at all to be meek or to suffer long and forbear all things, it's really, really not. We need to believe this and by the grace of God through the power of the Holy Spirit live our lives as Jesus did not caring what man may think of our ways, as long as they are the ways of our Lord.
Amen.
Psa 133:2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
Psa 133:3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
Eph 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Is it disagreeable to be meek?
Is it disagreeable to be longsuffering, to be forbearing?
Many would argue that meekness, longsuffering, and forbearing are undesireable traits because in our society the meek get trampled on, the longsuffering are taken advantage of, the forbearing are fools. God knows that the the world views His ways of love as being subservient and subservience as being some how degrading and lessening the value of a person. Servants are considered lower class, servants are to be ignored and put in their place by those who are above them- this is how society views servants and some would say they do so instinctively but there is nothing instinctive about treating a fellow human being as someone contemptible. In our society women in the role of serving their husbands is considered wrong. Letting a husband rule over the wife is considered old fashioned and unfair.
Meekness
Longsuffering
Forbearing
These are all the things Jesus was and that Jesus wants for His followers. It is by following the example of our Savior that there can be a unity of peace. It's not a bad thing at all to be meek or to suffer long and forbear all things, it's really, really not. We need to believe this and by the grace of God through the power of the Holy Spirit live our lives as Jesus did not caring what man may think of our ways, as long as they are the ways of our Lord.
Amen.
Monday, June 14, 2010
The Night is Far Spent
Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Put on the armor of light.
The night is far spent....
The day is at hand...
Cast off the works of darkness...
Works of darkness- rioting, drunkeness, wantoness, strife, envying, lusts of the flesh. We know what the works of darkness are and if we know what the works of darkness are then we know what the armor of light is. The armor of light is what we are left with when we are no longer consumed by the works of darkness. When you're caught up in drunkeness you're not dealing with reality you're escaping from life. When you're embracing rioting you've lost patience and violence is what you're condoning. Covered in strife, in envying, letting your base desires overcome any maturity you may possess, you are not covered in the armor of light. We need to live without the angst, without the darkness ruling us. There are movies and books without number pitting evil against good and it's anyone's guess any more which win. So many revel in the thought of evil sneakily winning even when it appears good may have conquered...that last bit where you question whether good really wins is the surprise ending. Evil against good and sometimes promoting evil- making it appear good- is a big thing as well. Disguising evil under a cloak of goodness is so popular. Things aren't that bad, evil isn't that bad, we make excuses for evil. Do we cast off the works of darkness? Do we cast off the works of evil? Do we know what evil is any longer? We're so busy turning evil into good, or disguising it and pretending the armor we wear is of light that we don't realize how much darkness we are covered in.
Let us walk honestly.
Put on the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
May God help us really see ourselves for what we are. May the Holy Spirit convict us of the darkness in our lives so that we may know to cast it off with His help and may the armor of light be upon us fully- May we have Christ our Lord and Savior in us now and forever! Please Lord let us recognize the evil we've disguised as light for what it really is, we want to be found in Your light by Your mercy and Your grace, through Your love!
Amen.
Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Put on the armor of light.
The night is far spent....
The day is at hand...
Cast off the works of darkness...
Works of darkness- rioting, drunkeness, wantoness, strife, envying, lusts of the flesh. We know what the works of darkness are and if we know what the works of darkness are then we know what the armor of light is. The armor of light is what we are left with when we are no longer consumed by the works of darkness. When you're caught up in drunkeness you're not dealing with reality you're escaping from life. When you're embracing rioting you've lost patience and violence is what you're condoning. Covered in strife, in envying, letting your base desires overcome any maturity you may possess, you are not covered in the armor of light. We need to live without the angst, without the darkness ruling us. There are movies and books without number pitting evil against good and it's anyone's guess any more which win. So many revel in the thought of evil sneakily winning even when it appears good may have conquered...that last bit where you question whether good really wins is the surprise ending. Evil against good and sometimes promoting evil- making it appear good- is a big thing as well. Disguising evil under a cloak of goodness is so popular. Things aren't that bad, evil isn't that bad, we make excuses for evil. Do we cast off the works of darkness? Do we cast off the works of evil? Do we know what evil is any longer? We're so busy turning evil into good, or disguising it and pretending the armor we wear is of light that we don't realize how much darkness we are covered in.
Let us walk honestly.
Put on the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
May God help us really see ourselves for what we are. May the Holy Spirit convict us of the darkness in our lives so that we may know to cast it off with His help and may the armor of light be upon us fully- May we have Christ our Lord and Savior in us now and forever! Please Lord let us recognize the evil we've disguised as light for what it really is, we want to be found in Your light by Your mercy and Your grace, through Your love!
Amen.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
For David is not ascended into the heavens
Act 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
Act 2:35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Psa 110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
'The LORD said unto my Lord'
Who was to sit at God's right hand?
Mar 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Act 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God
Act 7:56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God
Heb 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.
1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
Act 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens
David, King David, David who had been dead for many, many, many years was NOT IN HEAVEN according to this verse. Yet people insist upon believing the dead go directly to heaven. Some argue well...since Jesus died people go to heaven right when they died. Those people are wrong. Jesus was dead and risen when this verse was spoken. 'David is not ascended into the heavens.'
Act 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
Dead and buried, not risen. Yet Christ a descendant of David's did die and was raised from the grave. Christ's flesh saw no corruption. David prophesized of Christ. David foresaw that One would come who would sit at the right hand of God. Jesus, our Lord, our Savior, our Messiah was to sit at the right hand of God in heaven.
The Scriptures do not support immediate transition from death to life, if it did the fact Jesus rose from the dead would be so much more less powerful. If all people transition immediately as their breath of life is taken and their heart stops beating the fact that our Lord did the same only waited a few days to have His physical form raised with Him is the important factor here. Conquering death and keeping His physical form is that really what His sacrifice was for? So we could keep our physical forms after death? Think about it. If a transition from death to life is automatic then having the forgiveness of our Lord, accepting a new life in our Savior just makes us assured of a quick and easy transition straight from death to spirit life in Christ. But wait... for thousands of years before Christ people died, their breaths returned to God who gave it, and they look forward to the coming Messiah but Christ hadn't come yet, Christ hadn't lived in the flesh of a man and died, only to raise up in that uncorrupted flesh after death. David, a beloved of God...
1Ki 2:10 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
David, a beloved of God slept with his fathers.
Death is a sleep not instantaneous transitioning from life to new life as a knowledgable spirit form flying about to heaven. It's important to realize this on many levels because Satan would diminish Christ and His amazing sacrifice, His miraculous life after death, in any way He can. By believing their is instant life after death we believe Satan's first lie to Eve... 'thou shalt not surely die'. We need to believe that when we die, when our loved ones die, we are all sleeping in death and the next thing we will know will be our resurrection to new life in Christ- our bodies will be changed from corruptible to incorruptible in a twinkling of an eye as we are raised from death to meet Christ in the air. This is new life in Christ, not some disembodied spirit knowing all that takes place. We will be raised as Christ was raised, we will be raised by Christ at His triumphant return to once and for all do away with death's sleeping hold over those that are His.
Some argue that Christ told the thief on the cross he'd be with him in heaven that day... well, Christ wasn't in heaven that day was He? He was in the grave in death's sleep. Christ did tell the thief THAT day, that he would be in heaven with Him. Just like I could tell you today that I'll be in heaven with Christ- does it mean that I'll be there right then, that day, or is the fact I'm telling you 'today' the point, not the fact that today I'll be there. A simple comma can change the meaning of a group of words so much.
Satan will stop at nothing to deceive people and this is one of his greatest deceptions- immediate life upon death. He uses it all the time to deceive the most loving people into believe their loved ones can talk with them, communicate with them in some way. Harmless you have been led to believe, but it's far from harmless to be deceived.
The people that hear Christ say to them- 'I never knew you, depart from me'
Mat 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?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 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.
The people that hear those words from Christ will be shocked because they've been deceived into believing they really are following Christ, that they are doing the will of the Father, but it's not the will of the Father to follow deception- to close our hearts and minds to truth so that we may comfort ourselves in false beliefs holding fast to them because they are familair to us and the thought of giving them up appalls us. People want to believe it's harmless to hold fast to beliefs because God knows and understands. What God knows and understands is that those who truly love Him will walk in His truths and not cling to cherished fantasies, traditions of lies, allowing themselves to however sincerely be deceived by Satan. Once light shines upon a path we are accountable to walk in that light not turn it off and pretend we never saw light there. Satan has many great deceptions and he'll use them in every way he can to deceive as many as he can especially as His time grows shorter and shorter. May our prayer be that God opens our hearts and minds to ALL truth and that we through the power of the Holy Spirit accept that truth and walk in that truth no matter how difficult it may be.
By the grace!
By the mercy!
By the LOVE of our Savior!
In HIS righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
Act 2:35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Psa 110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
'The LORD said unto my Lord'
Who was to sit at God's right hand?
Mar 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Act 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God
Act 7:56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God
Heb 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.
1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
Act 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens
David, King David, David who had been dead for many, many, many years was NOT IN HEAVEN according to this verse. Yet people insist upon believing the dead go directly to heaven. Some argue well...since Jesus died people go to heaven right when they died. Those people are wrong. Jesus was dead and risen when this verse was spoken. 'David is not ascended into the heavens.'
Act 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
Dead and buried, not risen. Yet Christ a descendant of David's did die and was raised from the grave. Christ's flesh saw no corruption. David prophesized of Christ. David foresaw that One would come who would sit at the right hand of God. Jesus, our Lord, our Savior, our Messiah was to sit at the right hand of God in heaven.
The Scriptures do not support immediate transition from death to life, if it did the fact Jesus rose from the dead would be so much more less powerful. If all people transition immediately as their breath of life is taken and their heart stops beating the fact that our Lord did the same only waited a few days to have His physical form raised with Him is the important factor here. Conquering death and keeping His physical form is that really what His sacrifice was for? So we could keep our physical forms after death? Think about it. If a transition from death to life is automatic then having the forgiveness of our Lord, accepting a new life in our Savior just makes us assured of a quick and easy transition straight from death to spirit life in Christ. But wait... for thousands of years before Christ people died, their breaths returned to God who gave it, and they look forward to the coming Messiah but Christ hadn't come yet, Christ hadn't lived in the flesh of a man and died, only to raise up in that uncorrupted flesh after death. David, a beloved of God...
1Ki 2:10 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
David, a beloved of God slept with his fathers.
Death is a sleep not instantaneous transitioning from life to new life as a knowledgable spirit form flying about to heaven. It's important to realize this on many levels because Satan would diminish Christ and His amazing sacrifice, His miraculous life after death, in any way He can. By believing their is instant life after death we believe Satan's first lie to Eve... 'thou shalt not surely die'. We need to believe that when we die, when our loved ones die, we are all sleeping in death and the next thing we will know will be our resurrection to new life in Christ- our bodies will be changed from corruptible to incorruptible in a twinkling of an eye as we are raised from death to meet Christ in the air. This is new life in Christ, not some disembodied spirit knowing all that takes place. We will be raised as Christ was raised, we will be raised by Christ at His triumphant return to once and for all do away with death's sleeping hold over those that are His.
Some argue that Christ told the thief on the cross he'd be with him in heaven that day... well, Christ wasn't in heaven that day was He? He was in the grave in death's sleep. Christ did tell the thief THAT day, that he would be in heaven with Him. Just like I could tell you today that I'll be in heaven with Christ- does it mean that I'll be there right then, that day, or is the fact I'm telling you 'today' the point, not the fact that today I'll be there. A simple comma can change the meaning of a group of words so much.
Satan will stop at nothing to deceive people and this is one of his greatest deceptions- immediate life upon death. He uses it all the time to deceive the most loving people into believe their loved ones can talk with them, communicate with them in some way. Harmless you have been led to believe, but it's far from harmless to be deceived.
The people that hear Christ say to them- 'I never knew you, depart from me'
Mat 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?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 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.
The people that hear those words from Christ will be shocked because they've been deceived into believing they really are following Christ, that they are doing the will of the Father, but it's not the will of the Father to follow deception- to close our hearts and minds to truth so that we may comfort ourselves in false beliefs holding fast to them because they are familair to us and the thought of giving them up appalls us. People want to believe it's harmless to hold fast to beliefs because God knows and understands. What God knows and understands is that those who truly love Him will walk in His truths and not cling to cherished fantasies, traditions of lies, allowing themselves to however sincerely be deceived by Satan. Once light shines upon a path we are accountable to walk in that light not turn it off and pretend we never saw light there. Satan has many great deceptions and he'll use them in every way he can to deceive as many as he can especially as His time grows shorter and shorter. May our prayer be that God opens our hearts and minds to ALL truth and that we through the power of the Holy Spirit accept that truth and walk in that truth no matter how difficult it may be.
By the grace!
By the mercy!
By the LOVE of our Savior!
In HIS righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Psa 130:1 'Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.
Psa 130:2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
Psa 130:3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Psa 130:4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
Psa 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
Psa 130:6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.'
No one could stand if our sins were marked by the Lord and never forgiven...no one could stand, not a single person who lives or ever lived. Yes, God has His beloved, His chosen yet even they would not be able to stand if the Lord did not forgive their sins. The chosen of God didn't have a free pass over life's temptations. Putting the chosen on pedestals isn't what God would want. God wants us to understand that He is a forgiving God, a loving God, a God that is exacting in that He will never condone sin, but He will forgive our weakness, our failings, our sins. God wants us to trust Him, not to trust in ourselves. God wants us to acknowledge Him as Lord of our lives, as our Creator, our Redeemer. Every breath we breathe is because God allows us to do so. We are not our own. Even when we show the greatest weakness and overcome that weakness we can't claim victory- it's God's victory. God has to really live in us.
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
Christ in us- the HOPE of glory!
1Jn 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
GREATER is HE that is in you!
1Jn 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
LET that therefore abide in you--- which ye have heard from the beginning.
If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you...
ye shall continue IN THE SON and IN THE FATHER!
Phm 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
Every good thing which is IN YOU IN CHRIST JESUS!
Psa 130:3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Psa 130:4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
There is forgiveness with God, and God will be revered for He and He alone offers forgiveness of our sins not marking them to hold them against us but forgiving us as we repent and ask for forgiveness letting the blood of Christ cover our sins and finally blotting them out altogether.
By the grace and mercy of God let us be found fully in Him and He in us as we claim His righteousness, His forgiveness, His love and don't rely on ourselves. Everything in God! All praise and honor, all glory to God now and forever!!!
Amen.
Psa 130:2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
Psa 130:3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Psa 130:4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
Psa 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
Psa 130:6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.'
No one could stand if our sins were marked by the Lord and never forgiven...no one could stand, not a single person who lives or ever lived. Yes, God has His beloved, His chosen yet even they would not be able to stand if the Lord did not forgive their sins. The chosen of God didn't have a free pass over life's temptations. Putting the chosen on pedestals isn't what God would want. God wants us to understand that He is a forgiving God, a loving God, a God that is exacting in that He will never condone sin, but He will forgive our weakness, our failings, our sins. God wants us to trust Him, not to trust in ourselves. God wants us to acknowledge Him as Lord of our lives, as our Creator, our Redeemer. Every breath we breathe is because God allows us to do so. We are not our own. Even when we show the greatest weakness and overcome that weakness we can't claim victory- it's God's victory. God has to really live in us.
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
Christ in us- the HOPE of glory!
1Jn 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
GREATER is HE that is in you!
1Jn 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
LET that therefore abide in you--- which ye have heard from the beginning.
If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you...
ye shall continue IN THE SON and IN THE FATHER!
Phm 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
Every good thing which is IN YOU IN CHRIST JESUS!
Psa 130:3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Psa 130:4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
There is forgiveness with God, and God will be revered for He and He alone offers forgiveness of our sins not marking them to hold them against us but forgiving us as we repent and ask for forgiveness letting the blood of Christ cover our sins and finally blotting them out altogether.
By the grace and mercy of God let us be found fully in Him and He in us as we claim His righteousness, His forgiveness, His love and don't rely on ourselves. Everything in God! All praise and honor, all glory to God now and forever!!!
Amen.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Jesus is with me always- even to the end of the world
Mat 28:20 '...and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.'
Heb 13:5 '...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.'
Tonight at Bible Study we were talking about how the Word of God has been profound in our lives. Those two verses above have meaning to me in a profound way because they bring to mind the day of my Baptism by immersion. Are you painfully shy? Do you know of anyone who you'd consider painfully shy? Well I was (still am to some degree) painfully shy. The thought of being baptized in front of the entire church, entering the baptismal pool with all eyes upon me, was terrifying. I desperately wanted to be baptized but the terror was very real. The contradiction being that God should take away that fear- or what sort of Christian was I, right? What kind of faith did I have if I was going to let the terror of my shyness overwhelm me. Believe me I was all too aware of my short comings in the faith area and yet I was aware also of the fact Satan likes to assail God's people with doubt and confusion. With the war going on within I did pray and pray hard and as I was praying a still small voice whispered in my thoughts- 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. I am with you always even unto the end of the world.' I immediately felt at peace and praised God. I can't say I wasn't at all nervous as the day drew on and my baptism neared but I've never forgotten that special whisper of peace, never. The words came from God's Word, from two verses in the Bible.
Jesus is with me always- even to the end of the world and He will never leave me or forsake me, never.
All praise and glory to our Lord and Savior now and forever!
Amen.
Heb 13:5 '...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.'
Tonight at Bible Study we were talking about how the Word of God has been profound in our lives. Those two verses above have meaning to me in a profound way because they bring to mind the day of my Baptism by immersion. Are you painfully shy? Do you know of anyone who you'd consider painfully shy? Well I was (still am to some degree) painfully shy. The thought of being baptized in front of the entire church, entering the baptismal pool with all eyes upon me, was terrifying. I desperately wanted to be baptized but the terror was very real. The contradiction being that God should take away that fear- or what sort of Christian was I, right? What kind of faith did I have if I was going to let the terror of my shyness overwhelm me. Believe me I was all too aware of my short comings in the faith area and yet I was aware also of the fact Satan likes to assail God's people with doubt and confusion. With the war going on within I did pray and pray hard and as I was praying a still small voice whispered in my thoughts- 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. I am with you always even unto the end of the world.' I immediately felt at peace and praised God. I can't say I wasn't at all nervous as the day drew on and my baptism neared but I've never forgotten that special whisper of peace, never. The words came from God's Word, from two verses in the Bible.
Jesus is with me always- even to the end of the world and He will never leave me or forsake me, never.
All praise and glory to our Lord and Savior now and forever!
Amen.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Awake to Righteousness
1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not...
Awake to righteousness and sin not.
We believe we awake to righteousness and yet we sin. People like to spout they will sin always, they will never cease from sin. Is there a difference between unrighteousness and sin? Awake to righteousness and sin not. When we are awake to righteousness we are enlightened as to what is right and good. When we are awake to what is right and good we see our sins more clearly. As we see our sins we need to...sin not.
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Striving against sin.
1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous
That ye sin not.
1Jn 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
This answers the earlier question about a difference between unrighteousness and sin. ALL unrighteousness IS sin.
Awake to righteousness and sin not.
If any man sin... we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. We do sin but to excuse sin is not allowed. We cannot accept sin as being a normal part of life. We cannot become complacent in our sinning. We have to AWAKE to righteousness and sin not. We have to strive against sin. Jesus Christ is the only true Righteous One, our Advocate with the Father, we need to go to Him always as our Advocate even as we strive against sin- even as we continue to allow ourselves to be awakened and don't prefer the darkness. Awake we can see our unrighteousness, asleep we cannot see our sin so that we can sin not. Don't condone sin, recognize the evil it is and never forget the evil of sin. Awake to righteousness.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we AWAKE to righteousness preferring light to darkness, preferring truth to lies, preferring righteousness to unrighteousnes, preferring not sinning to sinning, all through our Savior!
Amen.
Awake to righteousness and sin not.
We believe we awake to righteousness and yet we sin. People like to spout they will sin always, they will never cease from sin. Is there a difference between unrighteousness and sin? Awake to righteousness and sin not. When we are awake to righteousness we are enlightened as to what is right and good. When we are awake to what is right and good we see our sins more clearly. As we see our sins we need to...sin not.
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Striving against sin.
1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous
That ye sin not.
1Jn 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
This answers the earlier question about a difference between unrighteousness and sin. ALL unrighteousness IS sin.
Awake to righteousness and sin not.
If any man sin... we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. We do sin but to excuse sin is not allowed. We cannot accept sin as being a normal part of life. We cannot become complacent in our sinning. We have to AWAKE to righteousness and sin not. We have to strive against sin. Jesus Christ is the only true Righteous One, our Advocate with the Father, we need to go to Him always as our Advocate even as we strive against sin- even as we continue to allow ourselves to be awakened and don't prefer the darkness. Awake we can see our unrighteousness, asleep we cannot see our sin so that we can sin not. Don't condone sin, recognize the evil it is and never forget the evil of sin. Awake to righteousness.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we AWAKE to righteousness preferring light to darkness, preferring truth to lies, preferring righteousness to unrighteousnes, preferring not sinning to sinning, all through our Savior!
Amen.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
The Last Trump
Psa 6:5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
No memory of God in death.
No giving of thanks to God in death.
How can it be if upon dying a new life is entered upon? What sort of life would it be?
David, a beloved of God knew that in death he would not remember God, He would not think of God.
David knew that once in the grave there is no longer a chance to thank the Lord.
All communication with God ceases upon death regardless of the lies that have been told since the beginning by Satan- 'thou shalt not surely die' Gen. 3:4 The great deceiving lie and Satan has used it since that time long, long ago to keep people questioning God, to keep people in confusion about life and how it should be lived here and now. Like Eve who knew instantly that death wasn't given for biting into the fruit, people believe they have a second chance. As soon as the fruit was bitten the slow progress towards eventual death had begun in Eve even if she didn't understand.
No memory of God in death.
No giving thanks to God in death.
Death is a sleep no chance to earn salvation after death claims you for the grave.
Too many would have a person believe in chances after death- a mysterious realm where you can walk the earth invisible making things right. Or you can go somewhere and suffer until you are made right with God. Or nothing you do on earth matters and upon death you instantly go to that white light of everlasting joy and happiness.
Not true.
For every person who has had their brain deprived of oxygen and they've claimed to see a light and loved ones, there are many, many more that will attest to seeing absolutely nothing. To many people who have seemingly floated free of their bodies and listened as they were feverishly worked on to be brought back to life, the claim of many more worked on just the same has no such act of the brain in a twilight sleep of delusion.
Satan has many, many ways of deceiving us-- yes, even using our own senses to do so and telling us to rely on our senses over the true and sure word of God.
No memory of God in death.
No giving of thanks to God in death.
Death is a sleep until Christ's return and then we are called from our graves to be with Him.
1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
The dead in Christ shall rise first.
Such comfort, such hope.
Be not deceived.
1Co 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
1Co 15:35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
1Co 15:36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
1Co 15:37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
1Co 15:38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
1Co 15:39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
1Co 15:40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
1Co 15:41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
1Co 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
1Co 15:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1Co 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1Co 15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
At the last trump... the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Praise the Lord! Praise our all merciful God! All thanks and glory unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever! May we be changed to incorruption when He returns, when that last trump sounds!
In the mercy and by the grace of our Savior!
Amen.
No memory of God in death.
No giving of thanks to God in death.
How can it be if upon dying a new life is entered upon? What sort of life would it be?
David, a beloved of God knew that in death he would not remember God, He would not think of God.
David knew that once in the grave there is no longer a chance to thank the Lord.
All communication with God ceases upon death regardless of the lies that have been told since the beginning by Satan- 'thou shalt not surely die' Gen. 3:4 The great deceiving lie and Satan has used it since that time long, long ago to keep people questioning God, to keep people in confusion about life and how it should be lived here and now. Like Eve who knew instantly that death wasn't given for biting into the fruit, people believe they have a second chance. As soon as the fruit was bitten the slow progress towards eventual death had begun in Eve even if she didn't understand.
No memory of God in death.
No giving thanks to God in death.
Death is a sleep no chance to earn salvation after death claims you for the grave.
Too many would have a person believe in chances after death- a mysterious realm where you can walk the earth invisible making things right. Or you can go somewhere and suffer until you are made right with God. Or nothing you do on earth matters and upon death you instantly go to that white light of everlasting joy and happiness.
Not true.
For every person who has had their brain deprived of oxygen and they've claimed to see a light and loved ones, there are many, many more that will attest to seeing absolutely nothing. To many people who have seemingly floated free of their bodies and listened as they were feverishly worked on to be brought back to life, the claim of many more worked on just the same has no such act of the brain in a twilight sleep of delusion.
Satan has many, many ways of deceiving us-- yes, even using our own senses to do so and telling us to rely on our senses over the true and sure word of God.
No memory of God in death.
No giving of thanks to God in death.
Death is a sleep until Christ's return and then we are called from our graves to be with Him.
1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
The dead in Christ shall rise first.
Such comfort, such hope.
Be not deceived.
1Co 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
1Co 15:35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
1Co 15:36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
1Co 15:37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
1Co 15:38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
1Co 15:39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
1Co 15:40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
1Co 15:41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
1Co 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
1Co 15:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1Co 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1Co 15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
At the last trump... the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Praise the Lord! Praise our all merciful God! All thanks and glory unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever! May we be changed to incorruption when He returns, when that last trump sounds!
In the mercy and by the grace of our Savior!
Amen.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Savior Manifest Yourself to Us!
Joh 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Joh 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Joh 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
The power of Jesus was His Father's power.
Joh 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
The words I speak unto you I speak NOT of myself but the FATHER that dwelleth in me, HE DOETH THE WORKS.
To see God has been something many throughout time have wanted to do. Knowing the INVISIBLE God exists, knowing the UNKNOWN God exists is factual. God wasn't a created thing and all the other gods worshipped by people, even those who worshipped the sun - they worshipped a created thing- the sun itself was created by God and not deserving of worship. The gods of the moon, the gods of the plants, the gods of the stars, they had gods for everything and they worshipped the gods of these things ignoring the fact the God of all created all things was the only God deserving of worship.
Jesus was a god in spirit form until the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and in that miraculous act that spirit god became flesh, became human. The god in human flesh divested himself of the spirit divinity he had to become human. As 'God with Us' Immanuel, he relied on His Father in heaven, he relied on the God invisible for all things. They wanted to see the Father even when they had God the Son with them because God the Son looked and seemed to be too much like them- human. How could they be sure this human was who He said He was? The very words coming from Him portrayed His uncreated side. No one locked Jesus up for being a mad, raving lunatic with delusions as many have since been locked up in madness of believing they are Him. The words coming from the divine human were from God the Father, the miracles of which there were too many to account fully of them all- were all from the power of God the Father- HE DOETH THE WORKS.
Joh 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
Jesus told them...BELIEVE ME FOR THE VERY WORKS' SAKE. Believe that the Father was working through Him, believe that He was connected with the FATHER. BELIEVE and if you can't believe on just His word then believe because ACTIONS speak louder than words and the actions- the works He performed- were NO ordinary works but miracles of the like NO ONE else could perform. No one before Him had performed such miracles and if they were miracles they weren't commonplace but deserving of special notice. Jesus didn't want the glory for them, He wanted the glory to go to God the Father. Jesus was the divine vessel God was working through on earth. While God could have taken any ordinary man and given them the power, no ordinary man was sinless and in such connection with Him as was Jesus- sinless in His divine self, sinless in His humanity. The bond between the Father and between the God become flesh, had never been severed by a single sin. Jesus portrayed humanity connected to God fully without sin separating Him from God the Father. He wanted His followers to experience this connection by grace through Him, through His sacrifice of His spirit form of divinity making Himself subject to death.
Joh 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Joh 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Joh 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Savior manifest yourself to us! By Your mercy, by Your grace, by Your love, by the love of the Father, manifest Yourself to us, love us now and always!
Amen.
Joh 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Joh 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
The power of Jesus was His Father's power.
Joh 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
The words I speak unto you I speak NOT of myself but the FATHER that dwelleth in me, HE DOETH THE WORKS.
To see God has been something many throughout time have wanted to do. Knowing the INVISIBLE God exists, knowing the UNKNOWN God exists is factual. God wasn't a created thing and all the other gods worshipped by people, even those who worshipped the sun - they worshipped a created thing- the sun itself was created by God and not deserving of worship. The gods of the moon, the gods of the plants, the gods of the stars, they had gods for everything and they worshipped the gods of these things ignoring the fact the God of all created all things was the only God deserving of worship.
Jesus was a god in spirit form until the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and in that miraculous act that spirit god became flesh, became human. The god in human flesh divested himself of the spirit divinity he had to become human. As 'God with Us' Immanuel, he relied on His Father in heaven, he relied on the God invisible for all things. They wanted to see the Father even when they had God the Son with them because God the Son looked and seemed to be too much like them- human. How could they be sure this human was who He said He was? The very words coming from Him portrayed His uncreated side. No one locked Jesus up for being a mad, raving lunatic with delusions as many have since been locked up in madness of believing they are Him. The words coming from the divine human were from God the Father, the miracles of which there were too many to account fully of them all- were all from the power of God the Father- HE DOETH THE WORKS.
Joh 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
Jesus told them...BELIEVE ME FOR THE VERY WORKS' SAKE. Believe that the Father was working through Him, believe that He was connected with the FATHER. BELIEVE and if you can't believe on just His word then believe because ACTIONS speak louder than words and the actions- the works He performed- were NO ordinary works but miracles of the like NO ONE else could perform. No one before Him had performed such miracles and if they were miracles they weren't commonplace but deserving of special notice. Jesus didn't want the glory for them, He wanted the glory to go to God the Father. Jesus was the divine vessel God was working through on earth. While God could have taken any ordinary man and given them the power, no ordinary man was sinless and in such connection with Him as was Jesus- sinless in His divine self, sinless in His humanity. The bond between the Father and between the God become flesh, had never been severed by a single sin. Jesus portrayed humanity connected to God fully without sin separating Him from God the Father. He wanted His followers to experience this connection by grace through Him, through His sacrifice of His spirit form of divinity making Himself subject to death.
Joh 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Joh 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Joh 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Savior manifest yourself to us! By Your mercy, by Your grace, by Your love, by the love of the Father, manifest Yourself to us, love us now and always!
Amen.
Monday, June 7, 2010
The Way
Pro 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Pro 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
A way--
H1870
derek
deh'-rek
From H1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively a course of life or mode of action
Right--
H3477
ya?sha?r
yaw-shawr'
From H3474; straight (literally or figuratively): - convenient, equity, Jasher, just, meet (-est), + pleased well right (-eous), straight, (most) upright (-ly, -ness).
Death--
H4194
ma?veth
maw'-veth
From H4191; death (natural or violent); concretely the dead, their place or state (hades); figuratively pestilence, ruin: - (be) dead ([-ly]), death, die (-d).
There is a way of life in which people believe they are doing the right thing, that their path in life is righteous, that they are upright. Unfortunately that path leads them to eternal death. Seriously, there is a deception in life that people have to be wary of realizing that maybe just maybe they are the ones being deceived. It's frightening to realize there is a way of life we can take in which we believe we are right but end up being completely wrong, wrong to the point it costs us salvation. Sure people will blow it off and say God knows my intentions were good and if He's like that I don't want any part of Him. If God is a God who will trick His people into thinking they are on the right road only to have them die eternally, well He's not much of a God. Do you understand that blaming God is of Satan? If people are living in an upright way they believe will give them eternal life they have the Word of God to measure their life against. We are given the Bible. We are given instructions, reproofs, encouragements in the Word of God. We can't for one moment be satisfied that we are righteous, that our path is righteous--
Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
We have to cling to Christ and Christ's way, not our way. We have to have faith and hope in His way of life, in His righteousness.
Does this mean we should be evil and not walk upright, believing there is no hope in ourselves? Absolutely not. Our trust in Christ will prick our conscience often and we need to heed that nudging whenever it comes to us - right from wrong is revealed- choosing wrong over right is dangerous and deadly. If we're caught up in a very sinful way of life and I'm not just talking blatently sinful, but if we're caught up in a sinfilled way of life we need to throw ourselves constantly at the feet of Jesus praying for a way out through Him.
Yes, there is a way that seems right to man, we can't trust in our own ways. We need to trust solely in Christ's way.
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Pro 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
A way--
H1870
derek
deh'-rek
From H1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively a course of life or mode of action
Right--
H3477
ya?sha?r
yaw-shawr'
From H3474; straight (literally or figuratively): - convenient, equity, Jasher, just, meet (-est), + pleased well right (-eous), straight, (most) upright (-ly, -ness).
Death--
H4194
ma?veth
maw'-veth
From H4191; death (natural or violent); concretely the dead, their place or state (hades); figuratively pestilence, ruin: - (be) dead ([-ly]), death, die (-d).
There is a way of life in which people believe they are doing the right thing, that their path in life is righteous, that they are upright. Unfortunately that path leads them to eternal death. Seriously, there is a deception in life that people have to be wary of realizing that maybe just maybe they are the ones being deceived. It's frightening to realize there is a way of life we can take in which we believe we are right but end up being completely wrong, wrong to the point it costs us salvation. Sure people will blow it off and say God knows my intentions were good and if He's like that I don't want any part of Him. If God is a God who will trick His people into thinking they are on the right road only to have them die eternally, well He's not much of a God. Do you understand that blaming God is of Satan? If people are living in an upright way they believe will give them eternal life they have the Word of God to measure their life against. We are given the Bible. We are given instructions, reproofs, encouragements in the Word of God. We can't for one moment be satisfied that we are righteous, that our path is righteous--
Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
We have to cling to Christ and Christ's way, not our way. We have to have faith and hope in His way of life, in His righteousness.
Does this mean we should be evil and not walk upright, believing there is no hope in ourselves? Absolutely not. Our trust in Christ will prick our conscience often and we need to heed that nudging whenever it comes to us - right from wrong is revealed- choosing wrong over right is dangerous and deadly. If we're caught up in a very sinful way of life and I'm not just talking blatently sinful, but if we're caught up in a sinfilled way of life we need to throw ourselves constantly at the feet of Jesus praying for a way out through Him.
Yes, there is a way that seems right to man, we can't trust in our own ways. We need to trust solely in Christ's way.
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Sleep in the dust of the earth...
Dan 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Dan 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Dan 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Sleep in the dust of the earth... what does it mean to sleep in the dust of the earth? Think about it for a moment. If a person is awake after they die they're no longer sleeping, right? Why would the dead need to sleep anyway, they aren't alive needing the basics of life- sleep, food, air, water. Yes read that again-
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.
The only time a person sleeps in the dust of the earth is when they are dead. Dust returning to dust. Many shall awake when Christ returns to deliver His people. However of those many awaking not all are going to wake up to everlasting life but rather everlasting shame and contempt.
The Bible tells us the dead in Christ shall rise...
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Some wake to life in Christ, others wake to destruction.
2Th 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
2Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2Th 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power
Every eye shall see Him!
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Life and death, life after death and death after death. People don't like to think about death after death. People don't like to contemplate not existing in one form or another. People believe foolishly that no matter what they will be saved, they will be written in the Book of Life. People delude themselves and allow themselves to be deluded by others into believing that death is just merely a stepping stone to a new and better life. Those that believe in hell as pictured in many movies, books, televison shows etc, even then don't seem all that concerned about it being real or not being real.
Everlasting shame and contempt. Shame and contempt that will last until non-existence takes over in the very end of all sin, the end of all evil.
Dan 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Dan 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Dan 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
There will be a time of trouble right before the people of God are delivered, the people who have died in Christ and live in Christ will go with Him when He returns. That time of trouble isn't far off and we really need to place our faith in Jesus, our hope in Jesus, our lives in Jesus hands claiming His righteousness knowing that in Him is LIFE and life is found in no other.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior now and forever and ever!
Amen.
Dan 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Dan 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Sleep in the dust of the earth... what does it mean to sleep in the dust of the earth? Think about it for a moment. If a person is awake after they die they're no longer sleeping, right? Why would the dead need to sleep anyway, they aren't alive needing the basics of life- sleep, food, air, water. Yes read that again-
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.
The only time a person sleeps in the dust of the earth is when they are dead. Dust returning to dust. Many shall awake when Christ returns to deliver His people. However of those many awaking not all are going to wake up to everlasting life but rather everlasting shame and contempt.
The Bible tells us the dead in Christ shall rise...
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Some wake to life in Christ, others wake to destruction.
2Th 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
2Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2Th 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power
Every eye shall see Him!
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Life and death, life after death and death after death. People don't like to think about death after death. People don't like to contemplate not existing in one form or another. People believe foolishly that no matter what they will be saved, they will be written in the Book of Life. People delude themselves and allow themselves to be deluded by others into believing that death is just merely a stepping stone to a new and better life. Those that believe in hell as pictured in many movies, books, televison shows etc, even then don't seem all that concerned about it being real or not being real.
Everlasting shame and contempt. Shame and contempt that will last until non-existence takes over in the very end of all sin, the end of all evil.
Dan 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Dan 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Dan 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
There will be a time of trouble right before the people of God are delivered, the people who have died in Christ and live in Christ will go with Him when He returns. That time of trouble isn't far off and we really need to place our faith in Jesus, our hope in Jesus, our lives in Jesus hands claiming His righteousness knowing that in Him is LIFE and life is found in no other.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior now and forever and ever!
Amen.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Living Faith- Wise Unto Salvation
2Ti 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Why do people believe there is salvation outside of the holy scriptures? Why do people insist they can understand all that is needed to be understood by listening to someone else preach the scripture one day a week? Salvation is found in Jesus alone this is true, but... the scriptures make us WISE unto salvation through FAITH with is in Christ Jesus. We believe once we've obtained knowledge that it, that's all there is. However very few of us can read something one time and retain knowledge of it forever, able to recall any part of what we've read at any time without ever having to reread that something again. I could read a whole book and out of that book maybe be able to recall bits and pieces of it, and very few part would be read exactly as they were written- if any. I could give you the jist of the story or maybe if it really fascinated me I could remember a bit more, but most certainly I would not remember the majority. When people are in school they are given memorization exercises and then tested on their memory. Spelling exercises, vocabulary exercises, and before a test is due people study for that test. The point I'm trying to make here is that we need to study the scriptures.
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
We need to know the holy scriptures, especially those of us who haven't learned them from childhood. We know the scriptures can make us WISE unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus and in knowing that we need to learn the scriptures. The only way we're going to truly learn the scriptures is through study, not a weekly study but a daily searching. The daily searching of the scriptures doesn't have to be hours and hours and hours long, it can be ten minutes, five minutes but to open the Word of God and read just a bit from it and study that bit allowing that bit to inspire thought towards salvation, toward Jesus Christ, this is what is important.
If someone handed you a bottle of pills and said take one every day and you'll be wise to salvation though Christ Jesus, you'd pop that pill without fail wouldn't you? If someone told you where you could find a special juice that if you drank a small glass every day you'd be wise to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, you'd gladly drink and make sure you had a lifetime supply. We want things to be easy, we want things to require no or very little effort on our part. We don't want to put forth too much effort unless we have a tangible result. Sure you'd work very hard tilling that ground, planting those seedlings, watering and weeding that garden patch because you know the end result will be a grand sight, satisfying to you because of how hard you worked to bring it forth. Yes, you'd scrub the house from top to bottom and bask in the results of the cleaning. You'd go to a thankless job day after day knowing it will result in money for your living expenses. The hard work is necessary for most people, very few among the majority have things just given to them without working hard. We don't want to work at all for salvation- the Bible even says this -
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
So why should we have to study at all? Studying is work, right?
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Our faith results in the works of God as a natural recourse. To claim you have faith and yet remain unwilling to live as Jesus gave us an example to live, as Jesus told us we should live is faithless faith and YES there is such a thing. A hollow faith. An empty faith. Faith that is spouted but NOT lived. We need a LIVING faith, as our Lord lives.
Will works save us? NO. Will faith save us? Yes. Living faith, not dead faith.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we have a living faith and may we search the scriptures which are able to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus.
Amen.
Why do people believe there is salvation outside of the holy scriptures? Why do people insist they can understand all that is needed to be understood by listening to someone else preach the scripture one day a week? Salvation is found in Jesus alone this is true, but... the scriptures make us WISE unto salvation through FAITH with is in Christ Jesus. We believe once we've obtained knowledge that it, that's all there is. However very few of us can read something one time and retain knowledge of it forever, able to recall any part of what we've read at any time without ever having to reread that something again. I could read a whole book and out of that book maybe be able to recall bits and pieces of it, and very few part would be read exactly as they were written- if any. I could give you the jist of the story or maybe if it really fascinated me I could remember a bit more, but most certainly I would not remember the majority. When people are in school they are given memorization exercises and then tested on their memory. Spelling exercises, vocabulary exercises, and before a test is due people study for that test. The point I'm trying to make here is that we need to study the scriptures.
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
We need to know the holy scriptures, especially those of us who haven't learned them from childhood. We know the scriptures can make us WISE unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus and in knowing that we need to learn the scriptures. The only way we're going to truly learn the scriptures is through study, not a weekly study but a daily searching. The daily searching of the scriptures doesn't have to be hours and hours and hours long, it can be ten minutes, five minutes but to open the Word of God and read just a bit from it and study that bit allowing that bit to inspire thought towards salvation, toward Jesus Christ, this is what is important.
If someone handed you a bottle of pills and said take one every day and you'll be wise to salvation though Christ Jesus, you'd pop that pill without fail wouldn't you? If someone told you where you could find a special juice that if you drank a small glass every day you'd be wise to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, you'd gladly drink and make sure you had a lifetime supply. We want things to be easy, we want things to require no or very little effort on our part. We don't want to put forth too much effort unless we have a tangible result. Sure you'd work very hard tilling that ground, planting those seedlings, watering and weeding that garden patch because you know the end result will be a grand sight, satisfying to you because of how hard you worked to bring it forth. Yes, you'd scrub the house from top to bottom and bask in the results of the cleaning. You'd go to a thankless job day after day knowing it will result in money for your living expenses. The hard work is necessary for most people, very few among the majority have things just given to them without working hard. We don't want to work at all for salvation- the Bible even says this -
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
So why should we have to study at all? Studying is work, right?
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Our faith results in the works of God as a natural recourse. To claim you have faith and yet remain unwilling to live as Jesus gave us an example to live, as Jesus told us we should live is faithless faith and YES there is such a thing. A hollow faith. An empty faith. Faith that is spouted but NOT lived. We need a LIVING faith, as our Lord lives.
Will works save us? NO. Will faith save us? Yes. Living faith, not dead faith.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we have a living faith and may we search the scriptures which are able to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus.
Amen.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Our soul waiteth for the LORD
Wait upon the Lord.
The everlasting God.
The Lord.
The Creator of the ends of the earth.
The Holy One.
Isa 40:28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
Isa 40:29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Isa 40:30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
Isa 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isa 40:25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.
Isa 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
Psa 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Psa 28:8 The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.
Psa 33:20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.
The everlasting God.
The Lord.
The Creator of the ends of the earth.
The Holy One.
Isa 40:28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
Isa 40:29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Isa 40:30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
Isa 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isa 40:25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.
Isa 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
Psa 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Psa 28:8 The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.
Psa 33:20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.
Unworthy but Hopeful
Psa 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.
Job 36:3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
Pro 22:2 The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.
Isa 17:7 At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.
Isa 45:9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
Shall the clay say to him that fashioned it... what makest thou?
I love that example of maker and made. We tend to forget we are made that we have a maker. We don't forget we have parents as a rule and most people respect their parents and most parents are worthy of respect. God is forever worthy of our respect, God is our maker over and above our parents.
Psa 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
God truly knows us as no other can know us.
May God bless us and in knowing us, know that we know how truely wicked we are and how undeserving of His love and mercy we are. We are creatures that have rebelled on our Creator, we are creatures that need to realize our creature status. Our only hope is to throw ourselves at our Father's feet and beg forgiveness having faith in the love of our Father to forgive us through the sacrifice of His all loving Son. Unworthy but hopeful in Christ. The righteousness is in my Maker. No matter who we are the Lord is the maker of all of us.
Amen
Job 36:3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
Pro 22:2 The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.
Isa 17:7 At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.
Isa 45:9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
Shall the clay say to him that fashioned it... what makest thou?
I love that example of maker and made. We tend to forget we are made that we have a maker. We don't forget we have parents as a rule and most people respect their parents and most parents are worthy of respect. God is forever worthy of our respect, God is our maker over and above our parents.
Psa 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
God truly knows us as no other can know us.
May God bless us and in knowing us, know that we know how truely wicked we are and how undeserving of His love and mercy we are. We are creatures that have rebelled on our Creator, we are creatures that need to realize our creature status. Our only hope is to throw ourselves at our Father's feet and beg forgiveness having faith in the love of our Father to forgive us through the sacrifice of His all loving Son. Unworthy but hopeful in Christ. The righteousness is in my Maker. No matter who we are the Lord is the maker of all of us.
Amen
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Incredibly Blessed
Zec 1:7 '...came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet,...
Zec 1:9 Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.
The word of the Lord came to His prophets. We know that God spoke to various prophets throughout time and that word often came by angels.
'...and the angel that talked with me said...'
It's amazing to think about angels talking to people like you and I in the respect that those people were human just as you and I are human. God chose these men and women for His purposes and not all of them were willing to just go off and prophesize for Him- remember Jonah? The men and women God chose to speak to His people for Him were blessed but they suffered in that blessing as so often happens with men and women chosen by God. We want God to use us, to accept us, and His using us sometimes translates to us as His acceptance. God has many people who love Him and are willing to be used by Him, or at least we like to believe He does. What sacrifices are we willing to make for God? Who among us would be willing to speak the words given to us by God through an angel? Most would shout yes, they'd be willing and not hesitate, right? I mean an angel of God speaking to us, speaking in such a way that you could converse back and forth with the angel, that is just something so utterly amazing it boggles the mind. God speaks to us through His word. The word He's given to men, men inspired by the Holy Spirit, men, some of whom spoke with angels of God. We don't have all the answers to the questions raised and faith has to play a HUGE part in our belief. We need to believe that God does speak to us through His word. He's given us His word, the Words of His Son, He's given us so much and we need to realize how blessed we are to have these words. We can't lament the desire to be a prophet and have that direct communication with God through His angels when we have so much of His word that many years and years ago never ever had. Just realizing that we are so incredibly blessed is important and we need to listen...really listen to God speak to us through His word, through His prophets... through His love.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord now and forever.
Amen.
Zec 1:9 Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.
The word of the Lord came to His prophets. We know that God spoke to various prophets throughout time and that word often came by angels.
'...and the angel that talked with me said...'
It's amazing to think about angels talking to people like you and I in the respect that those people were human just as you and I are human. God chose these men and women for His purposes and not all of them were willing to just go off and prophesize for Him- remember Jonah? The men and women God chose to speak to His people for Him were blessed but they suffered in that blessing as so often happens with men and women chosen by God. We want God to use us, to accept us, and His using us sometimes translates to us as His acceptance. God has many people who love Him and are willing to be used by Him, or at least we like to believe He does. What sacrifices are we willing to make for God? Who among us would be willing to speak the words given to us by God through an angel? Most would shout yes, they'd be willing and not hesitate, right? I mean an angel of God speaking to us, speaking in such a way that you could converse back and forth with the angel, that is just something so utterly amazing it boggles the mind. God speaks to us through His word. The word He's given to men, men inspired by the Holy Spirit, men, some of whom spoke with angels of God. We don't have all the answers to the questions raised and faith has to play a HUGE part in our belief. We need to believe that God does speak to us through His word. He's given us His word, the Words of His Son, He's given us so much and we need to realize how blessed we are to have these words. We can't lament the desire to be a prophet and have that direct communication with God through His angels when we have so much of His word that many years and years ago never ever had. Just realizing that we are so incredibly blessed is important and we need to listen...really listen to God speak to us through His word, through His prophets... through His love.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord now and forever.
Amen.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Froward Generation
Deu 32:20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.
Children in whom is no faith.
Today people lack faith, real faith. The hope they have they place not in God but in mankind to prevail for them. They worry about things that are God's and believe they can cause to live or destroy the future of mankind. Placing their hopes in facts and solid, tangible things that they can see and touch, leaving no room for faith. If they do claim to have faith they claim it for themselves. They have faith in mankind. Truly even now here in the end days this generation is just as froward, just as faithless. Some people will shout that this isn't a faithless generation that there is a lot of faith, and compared to the worldly belief the true faith is very small. The faith people possess isn't in the One True God. Very few could deny we live in a VERY FROWARD GENERATION. Froward meaning--Stubbornly contrary and disobedient; obstinate. (dict) Very few could deny that each subsequent generation has deteriorated from the last. Very few could deny that faith in God has declined.
Deu 32:29 O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!
Truth here...if people were wise and understood they would consider their latter end.
People don't consider their latter end, people don't want to consider their latter end. There are many people who don't want to consider anything that has to do with their own mortality let alone their eternal mortality. We need to consider our latter end, we ALL need to consider our latter end. We need to seek the Lord and all truth in Him. We need to believe in the righteousness of Christ to be our righteousness. We need to have faith in God, faith that life is only true life when we do have faith in God and not in ourselves or this world we live in.
By the grace of God we will have faith. May we consider our latter end, our eternal end, and in light of our eternal end may we live with our hope in life eternal with Christ, our treasures truly in heaven and not here on earth.
Amen.
Children in whom is no faith.
Today people lack faith, real faith. The hope they have they place not in God but in mankind to prevail for them. They worry about things that are God's and believe they can cause to live or destroy the future of mankind. Placing their hopes in facts and solid, tangible things that they can see and touch, leaving no room for faith. If they do claim to have faith they claim it for themselves. They have faith in mankind. Truly even now here in the end days this generation is just as froward, just as faithless. Some people will shout that this isn't a faithless generation that there is a lot of faith, and compared to the worldly belief the true faith is very small. The faith people possess isn't in the One True God. Very few could deny we live in a VERY FROWARD GENERATION. Froward meaning--Stubbornly contrary and disobedient; obstinate. (dict) Very few could deny that each subsequent generation has deteriorated from the last. Very few could deny that faith in God has declined.
Deu 32:29 O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!
Truth here...if people were wise and understood they would consider their latter end.
People don't consider their latter end, people don't want to consider their latter end. There are many people who don't want to consider anything that has to do with their own mortality let alone their eternal mortality. We need to consider our latter end, we ALL need to consider our latter end. We need to seek the Lord and all truth in Him. We need to believe in the righteousness of Christ to be our righteousness. We need to have faith in God, faith that life is only true life when we do have faith in God and not in ourselves or this world we live in.
By the grace of God we will have faith. May we consider our latter end, our eternal end, and in light of our eternal end may we live with our hope in life eternal with Christ, our treasures truly in heaven and not here on earth.
Amen.
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