Have you ever set up a fresh water aquarium? I've set up a few over the years and recently I was blessed with a large aquarium so I could get my 3 large fish out of a smaller tank and into a bigger one. The process isn't a difficult, but one thing which occurs when setting up the tanks is the crystal clear water grows cloudy, very cloudy as the tank is transitioning, getting it's balance of good bacteria to grow. I'm not going to go into details of the whys and wherefores about it all but I'll tell you one thing-- I dislike the cloudy water immensely when it's going through that transitioning. The murky water is ugly making the entire tank look unsightly, not to mention how obscure the fish inside the tank become. Not only is it difficult for me to see the fish, the fish themselves aren't seeing all that well either. My three fish are very shy fish but when the water is murky they appear more outgoing, the reason being they can't see us so clearly- just like we can't see them easily. This new tank transitioning took about a month and a half this last time and I kept hoping it'd be quicker. Daily walking by the tank which is centrally located in the house and very hard to miss, just made me cringe. I wanted to hurry the process, I wanted that water clear! My beautiful fish tank was an eyesore and driving me crazy. The fish store has a lot of products out there to help you with cloudy water as well as numerous test kits to test your water to get it just right for the fish, however using them won't make that transition any easier and some say they even make it take longer for it to happen.
What's the point my relating all this to you? Well, we are all in a state of transitioning. We live in a filthy, cloudy, ugly world and it's only through Christ that we'll make the full transition to clarity and come out of this dark world we are born into. All around us are endless reminders of the decay in our world, contrary to that we also get endless reminders of the beauty that is in store for us in the perfect world. Just like a newly set up tank and it's crystal clear water, the beauty of the tank is seen but it's only temporary and the tank begins its transition. The hope of the beauty's return is there, the knowledge that it will be beautiful again exists, but for a period of time the tank seems hopeless, just one big mess. This world is a big mess but there is hope for the beauty of a new world one day. As long as we hold fast to our Lord and Savior no matter how murky life's waters get around us, no matter how much the ugliness tries obscure any and all beauty, we will prevail in Him.
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.
Our only hope is in Christ, there is no hope in us, no salvation in us, no righteousness in us, and people who try to get you to focus on yourself rather than pointing you to the only source of our righteousness are only hindering you. We have to rely on Christ so fully, so completely that we are living our lives continuously connected to our source of life. We can't just grab God on the go and get a God fix when needed. We are in constant need of God, an unending need. We can't live in Christ if we set Him aside until our night time devotion, or our morning prayer. No, I'm not saying night time devotions and morning prayers are wrong, no, no, no. What I'm saying is this… our night time devotions shouldn't be like a reunion with one we've not seen all day but rather a special cuddling time with one you've worked side-by-side with all day long. Living in this murky sin-filled world we need Christ by us always in all we do if we're to get through our transition period, going from a sin-filled world to our eventual sin-less world. Unlike my fish tank when there was nothing I could do but wait as the natural process unfolded, we have Christ to cling to and He's seen through all the murky waters to the crystal clear water. We have to hold fast, trusting in Him as the answer to all of life's murkiness.
Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
By the grace and mercy of our loving Savior, in Him ALWAYS!
Amen.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Compassion
1Jn 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
We perceive the love of God…our perception of how God loves us is knowing that He laid down His life for us. We hear of people who in trying to help others lose their lives and we call them heroes. We know in history of people who voluntarily die so others don't have to. Again we call them heroes and in truth their actions are heroic. Giving up your life voluntarily isn't something many would do.
In our day and age we find it hard to put our selves out on little things, and we try and console our conscience with the belief that if we REALLY had to we could lay down our lives for our fellowman.
Sure, I might count it a burden to be asked to do something for you (especially if I'm in the middle of doing something I want to do, or have to do), but ask me to die for you and I'm right on it. Is that logical? Is it self-deception? If we can't be kind to our brethren in small things why do we delude ourselves into believing we'll be able to do something much more spectacular later on if needed? The whole - I'll be there when you REALLY need me, but not in all these little things can be explained away. We see it in movies and read it in books don't we? The grumpy ol' guy ending up being the sweet, caring man because of some big life transforming would be tragedy he found in his heart to avert at the very last moment. It's the Grinch Who Stole Christmas story told in a thousand ways so it's no wonder people believe that when it really matters they'll be able to come through. Do people ever stop to ask themselves what if there is no grand finale? What if their life is wholly made up of countless opportunities to show love in the small things? I'm not saying that we shouldn't be ready to 'lay down our lives for the brethren.' We should, but read on...
1Jn 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
God's love cannot dwell in us if we don't have compassion for others in all things, in little things, when they are in need. How compassionate are we? In a world where we have supposedly comedic television shows recording people humiliating others, watching others humiliate themselves, and we know someone is behind that camera showing NO compassion at all, it makes me sick to my stomach. People are enjoying the misfortune of others, using them for their amusement, to make money. No, the entire world doesn't lack compassion- we have other shows televising special concerts and such to raise money to help the needy. There is a lot of compassion, but there is also a huge lack of compassion. We have to answer to God only for ourselves and our own actions. Do we lack compassion? Have we hardened our hearts to others wanting them to fend for themselves just like we have to? How far does our compassion extend- does it reach to the completely undeserving? Do we try and determine who really deserves our compassion? Does the abusive drug addict deserve our compassion? Do we give money to a homeless person who is shaking from withdrawal? Do we only let our compassion go so far as to help as we believe help should be given- do we hand them a sandwich and a bottle of water rather than money because we don't want our money to support their drug habit? Yet what if unbeknown to us the person suffers from a disease that causes the shaking? What if the sandwich and water won't buy the medicine they need? Do we judge based on our perceptions? Do we believe that if only we knew we would have reacted differently? Our compassion has to go beyond our perception. Our compassion has to result in seeing a need and meeting it even if that means taking the time to figure out a need rather than assuming one. What about the person we believe might be lying to us? We don't want to be duped, right? Giving money to a person who isn't poor at all, but rather makes a living seeking money from strangers. Does our compassion extend to those who lie to us? It has to doesn't it? We can't *play* God, that's God's job, not ours. The lies of others are on their own conscience, our ability to be compassionate to any in need is on ours.
1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
Too many love in word-- letting their tongues run wild. Too many seem loving and very compassionate on the outside by the things they say. We need to love in deed- in action- and in truth. God knows how truthful we are…do we?
1Jn 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
1Jn 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
1Jn 3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
When we love in deed and in truth we know we are of truth and we can assure our hearts before God.
Our hearts will condemn us but praise to our loving God He is greater than our hearts and KNOWS ALL things. We can have confidence towards God- if our hearts don't condemn us.
Does your heart condemn you? Are you not loving in deed and truth? We can plead for forgiveness and begin anew seeking to love in deed and in truth. We can pray for a loving heart filled with compassion in all things, not just in things we choose. I know I'm not nearly as compassionate as I need to be especially to those closest to me. It's too easy to take advantage of those who are close to us expecting they'll forgive us, or feeling we are more put out by them. Sometimes it's easier to have compassion on strangers and we need to pray to our Lord and Savior to have compassion on all- as He would, as He has, as He does.
'let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.'
Remember…
Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men
By His amazing love, by His grace and mercy! Through His righteousness! All glory, praise, and honor to our Savior now and forever!!!
Amen.
We perceive the love of God…our perception of how God loves us is knowing that He laid down His life for us. We hear of people who in trying to help others lose their lives and we call them heroes. We know in history of people who voluntarily die so others don't have to. Again we call them heroes and in truth their actions are heroic. Giving up your life voluntarily isn't something many would do.
In our day and age we find it hard to put our selves out on little things, and we try and console our conscience with the belief that if we REALLY had to we could lay down our lives for our fellowman.
Sure, I might count it a burden to be asked to do something for you (especially if I'm in the middle of doing something I want to do, or have to do), but ask me to die for you and I'm right on it. Is that logical? Is it self-deception? If we can't be kind to our brethren in small things why do we delude ourselves into believing we'll be able to do something much more spectacular later on if needed? The whole - I'll be there when you REALLY need me, but not in all these little things can be explained away. We see it in movies and read it in books don't we? The grumpy ol' guy ending up being the sweet, caring man because of some big life transforming would be tragedy he found in his heart to avert at the very last moment. It's the Grinch Who Stole Christmas story told in a thousand ways so it's no wonder people believe that when it really matters they'll be able to come through. Do people ever stop to ask themselves what if there is no grand finale? What if their life is wholly made up of countless opportunities to show love in the small things? I'm not saying that we shouldn't be ready to 'lay down our lives for the brethren.' We should, but read on...
1Jn 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
God's love cannot dwell in us if we don't have compassion for others in all things, in little things, when they are in need. How compassionate are we? In a world where we have supposedly comedic television shows recording people humiliating others, watching others humiliate themselves, and we know someone is behind that camera showing NO compassion at all, it makes me sick to my stomach. People are enjoying the misfortune of others, using them for their amusement, to make money. No, the entire world doesn't lack compassion- we have other shows televising special concerts and such to raise money to help the needy. There is a lot of compassion, but there is also a huge lack of compassion. We have to answer to God only for ourselves and our own actions. Do we lack compassion? Have we hardened our hearts to others wanting them to fend for themselves just like we have to? How far does our compassion extend- does it reach to the completely undeserving? Do we try and determine who really deserves our compassion? Does the abusive drug addict deserve our compassion? Do we give money to a homeless person who is shaking from withdrawal? Do we only let our compassion go so far as to help as we believe help should be given- do we hand them a sandwich and a bottle of water rather than money because we don't want our money to support their drug habit? Yet what if unbeknown to us the person suffers from a disease that causes the shaking? What if the sandwich and water won't buy the medicine they need? Do we judge based on our perceptions? Do we believe that if only we knew we would have reacted differently? Our compassion has to go beyond our perception. Our compassion has to result in seeing a need and meeting it even if that means taking the time to figure out a need rather than assuming one. What about the person we believe might be lying to us? We don't want to be duped, right? Giving money to a person who isn't poor at all, but rather makes a living seeking money from strangers. Does our compassion extend to those who lie to us? It has to doesn't it? We can't *play* God, that's God's job, not ours. The lies of others are on their own conscience, our ability to be compassionate to any in need is on ours.
1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
Too many love in word-- letting their tongues run wild. Too many seem loving and very compassionate on the outside by the things they say. We need to love in deed- in action- and in truth. God knows how truthful we are…do we?
1Jn 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
1Jn 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
1Jn 3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
When we love in deed and in truth we know we are of truth and we can assure our hearts before God.
Our hearts will condemn us but praise to our loving God He is greater than our hearts and KNOWS ALL things. We can have confidence towards God- if our hearts don't condemn us.
Does your heart condemn you? Are you not loving in deed and truth? We can plead for forgiveness and begin anew seeking to love in deed and in truth. We can pray for a loving heart filled with compassion in all things, not just in things we choose. I know I'm not nearly as compassionate as I need to be especially to those closest to me. It's too easy to take advantage of those who are close to us expecting they'll forgive us, or feeling we are more put out by them. Sometimes it's easier to have compassion on strangers and we need to pray to our Lord and Savior to have compassion on all- as He would, as He has, as He does.
'let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.'
Remember…
Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men
By His amazing love, by His grace and mercy! Through His righteousness! All glory, praise, and honor to our Savior now and forever!!!
Amen.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Ask for the old paths....
Jer 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
Stand ye in the ways
See and ask for the OLD paths - where is the good way
Walk therein
Find rest for your souls
This is very applicable to us today. We're like a bunch of chickens running around with our heads cut off. We are going in all directions at once. We are trying to find our way in a world piled thick and deep in sin so vile it's been called good and acceptable. We are fighting against raging rapids. We are in the midst of the worst part of a hurricane, caught up in a tornado, drowning in a flood, facing searing flames…we really are and the sad part about it is while we are immersed in these many spiritual tempests we think we are safe and secure and have peace. We've become so conditioned to live in the worst of the worst of sin-filled ways that we think it's normal. We've stopped crying at tragedies. We've laid down in the bed of false solace covering ourselves with a thick, soft down comforter of ignorance, our heads resting on the most relaxing pillow of peace in existence and shut out the horrors of our lives because to dwell on our wretched state only upsets us.
Harsh words.
Harsh reality.
We want soothing words, a gentle reality.
The fact is we are living in a battlefield. When we are living in a battlefield we should be aware of our surroundings. A soldier living in a battlefield who goes about in a daze, in a pretend state of contentment will eventually find himself dead. When we stop crying over the horrors of sin we risk cloaking the truth and that is something that should NEVER be cloaked.
We are to stand in the ways.
We are to see and ASK for the old paths- where is the good way and walk therein if we are to find rest for our souls. If we don't look for God's ways of old, if we don't trust and follow our Lord as He's wanted us to do from the beginning, any supposed rest we have will be a false one. Are we following the Lord as we should be? Are we following the Lord as He commands? Are there things in our lives troubling us terribly that threaten to pull us from the path altogether?
We need rest for our souls but ONLY if we are on the right path, only if we are in the good way. We should never seek rest outside of our Lord and Savior, He is the way even the way of old. Let us cry bitter tears for the state of our world, let us grieve for the world overflowing in sin and degradation, and pray to be shown the right way-- always, daily, hourly, minutely. Let us be shown the right way and by the grace and mercy of our Lord let us live in that way.
'But they say we will not walk therein'. People don't want to walk in the old way, people don't want to walk in God's way. People don't want to see and ask for the old path- people want to walk in their own way- an easier way- down a WIDE path that offers much comfort, much temporary soothing, much… death.
We know this…
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.
That old path is very narrow, but a few WILL find it.
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Praise God we will be among the few, by His righteousness, through His grace and mercy, all stemming from His LOVE.
Amen.
Stand ye in the ways
See and ask for the OLD paths - where is the good way
Walk therein
Find rest for your souls
This is very applicable to us today. We're like a bunch of chickens running around with our heads cut off. We are going in all directions at once. We are trying to find our way in a world piled thick and deep in sin so vile it's been called good and acceptable. We are fighting against raging rapids. We are in the midst of the worst part of a hurricane, caught up in a tornado, drowning in a flood, facing searing flames…we really are and the sad part about it is while we are immersed in these many spiritual tempests we think we are safe and secure and have peace. We've become so conditioned to live in the worst of the worst of sin-filled ways that we think it's normal. We've stopped crying at tragedies. We've laid down in the bed of false solace covering ourselves with a thick, soft down comforter of ignorance, our heads resting on the most relaxing pillow of peace in existence and shut out the horrors of our lives because to dwell on our wretched state only upsets us.
Harsh words.
Harsh reality.
We want soothing words, a gentle reality.
The fact is we are living in a battlefield. When we are living in a battlefield we should be aware of our surroundings. A soldier living in a battlefield who goes about in a daze, in a pretend state of contentment will eventually find himself dead. When we stop crying over the horrors of sin we risk cloaking the truth and that is something that should NEVER be cloaked.
We are to stand in the ways.
We are to see and ASK for the old paths- where is the good way and walk therein if we are to find rest for our souls. If we don't look for God's ways of old, if we don't trust and follow our Lord as He's wanted us to do from the beginning, any supposed rest we have will be a false one. Are we following the Lord as we should be? Are we following the Lord as He commands? Are there things in our lives troubling us terribly that threaten to pull us from the path altogether?
We need rest for our souls but ONLY if we are on the right path, only if we are in the good way. We should never seek rest outside of our Lord and Savior, He is the way even the way of old. Let us cry bitter tears for the state of our world, let us grieve for the world overflowing in sin and degradation, and pray to be shown the right way-- always, daily, hourly, minutely. Let us be shown the right way and by the grace and mercy of our Lord let us live in that way.
'But they say we will not walk therein'. People don't want to walk in the old way, people don't want to walk in God's way. People don't want to see and ask for the old path- people want to walk in their own way- an easier way- down a WIDE path that offers much comfort, much temporary soothing, much… death.
We know this…
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.
That old path is very narrow, but a few WILL find it.
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Praise God we will be among the few, by His righteousness, through His grace and mercy, all stemming from His LOVE.
Amen.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Whatsoever ye do...
Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men
This is a verse that really deserves a lot of consideration… a lot.
It doesn't say whatsoever you do SOMETIMES.
It doesn't say when you do a few things.
It doesn't say pick and choose things to do heartily - as to the Lord.
It says…
WHATSOEVER. That word is all encompassing, isn't it? It means no matter what you do. It means in all you do. We can't leave the Lord out of ANYTHING we do. We can't set the Lord aside for awhile and do things then pick Him back up. We can't treat the Lord like we treat people in our lives. We are seldom EVER with any one person at all times, yet we are to be with the Lord always in all we do. If we are going places and doing things where we have to keep the Lord out, we aren't fully accepting of Christ in our lives.
Yes, this verse talks about our actions towards others too. We are to do all we do as if we were doing it to the Lord NOT men. This is how we are to treat one another! Think about it! Seriously. If we were treating everyone as we would treat our Lord then we'd probably be treating them a lot differently wouldn't we? Everyone, every man…as the Lord. All our actions should be done with the thought in mind that Jesus would have us treat all others just as we'd treat Him. The next time we're fighting with someone we need to ask if we'd fight with our Lord this way. We are to do unto others as we'd want to be done to, we want to be treated with respect, with love, with kindness and if we want that we have to give that.
All our actions should be done as if the they were being done for the Lord.
We really, really need to pray for this to be true in our lives. We are so far from where we should be. It's so amazingly hard, yet the victory will be found in Christ and ONLY in Christ. We can't find the victory in ourselves, of our own selves.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior may we be transformed by Him into what He'd have us to be. May we be the people He wants us to be for Him, not because we deserve it but because He died to save us.
In His love!
Amen.
This is a verse that really deserves a lot of consideration… a lot.
It doesn't say whatsoever you do SOMETIMES.
It doesn't say when you do a few things.
It doesn't say pick and choose things to do heartily - as to the Lord.
It says…
WHATSOEVER. That word is all encompassing, isn't it? It means no matter what you do. It means in all you do. We can't leave the Lord out of ANYTHING we do. We can't set the Lord aside for awhile and do things then pick Him back up. We can't treat the Lord like we treat people in our lives. We are seldom EVER with any one person at all times, yet we are to be with the Lord always in all we do. If we are going places and doing things where we have to keep the Lord out, we aren't fully accepting of Christ in our lives.
Yes, this verse talks about our actions towards others too. We are to do all we do as if we were doing it to the Lord NOT men. This is how we are to treat one another! Think about it! Seriously. If we were treating everyone as we would treat our Lord then we'd probably be treating them a lot differently wouldn't we? Everyone, every man…as the Lord. All our actions should be done with the thought in mind that Jesus would have us treat all others just as we'd treat Him. The next time we're fighting with someone we need to ask if we'd fight with our Lord this way. We are to do unto others as we'd want to be done to, we want to be treated with respect, with love, with kindness and if we want that we have to give that.
All our actions should be done as if the they were being done for the Lord.
We really, really need to pray for this to be true in our lives. We are so far from where we should be. It's so amazingly hard, yet the victory will be found in Christ and ONLY in Christ. We can't find the victory in ourselves, of our own selves.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior may we be transformed by Him into what He'd have us to be. May we be the people He wants us to be for Him, not because we deserve it but because He died to save us.
In His love!
Amen.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Why call ye me, Lord, Lord...
Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
You don't listen to me so why bother calling me your Lord? Seriously, we have to LISTEN to our Lord or He's NOT our Lord. It's really that simple, but we want to make it all complicated. We want to twist things so that people get all confused. There are thousands of religions and more and more growing each day, I'm not kidding. People who don't believe what the *big* churches are saying are branching off into their own little groups forming their own little churches with their own beliefs. What the bottom line really is, we have to listen to our Lord. We have to be followers of our Lord, true followers.
A true follower of someone believes in them, has faith in them, and will do what they say to do. We like to call that brain washing today don't we? We don't like people *following* people, or ideas that aren't mainstream. Every four years we have a presidential election and people choose to follow the candidate for president they like best and then begin to support them, even if it's with a single vote on election day, they are showing their support of that person- doing what that person wants them to do- vote for them. When a person follows something they are labeled. When a whole lot of people follow something it becomes acceptable. When a few people follow something it's more cultish and less acceptable.
Our Lord wants us to do the things He says- then we can call Him Lord, Lord.
We can find out what the Lord wants us to do by reading His word. We won't get a daily memo, we won't get a chore list, we won't get a telephone call, we're not going to be tweeted by the Lord. The Lord will not show up on facebook and post a personal message for you. We have to seek HIM.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
We have to ask to know the will of the Lord. We have to seek to know the will of the Lord. Our heart's desire has to be to know the will of the Lord and when we know it, follow it.
Many people already know what the Lord would have them do.
Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Most people know what Jesus means when He says this… 'and do not the things which I say'. Most people know what those *things* are. We can't lie and say we don't know. We know. We've read about them. Pick up Your Bible and read one of the Gospels and you'll know. So if we do know, why don't we do the things Jesus says to do? Why?
Self often gets in the way of selflessness and therein lies a big part of our problem.
A lot of time, simply because I cannot say all the time, but a lot of time it's that simple to understand. Self gets in the way of selflessness and Jesus is selfless and wants us to be selfless. We are not selfless. One of our BIGGEST problems is selfishness, the world revolves around selfishness and it's often disguised as benevolence. A show of selflessness, but that's all it really is. We can deceive ourselves as well, many will be deceived. Many who think they are followers of our Lord really aren't followers at all. I know I talk about this a lot, but it must be something close to my heart- the fear of being among those who call out Lord, Lord and He turns to them and tells them He never knew them. God please forbid that from happening to me. I want to know my Lord! I want my Lord to know me! I want to be a true follower of my Lord and do as He says.
By His grace, by His love, through His mercy!!!! In HIS righteousness, now and forever!
Amen.
You don't listen to me so why bother calling me your Lord? Seriously, we have to LISTEN to our Lord or He's NOT our Lord. It's really that simple, but we want to make it all complicated. We want to twist things so that people get all confused. There are thousands of religions and more and more growing each day, I'm not kidding. People who don't believe what the *big* churches are saying are branching off into their own little groups forming their own little churches with their own beliefs. What the bottom line really is, we have to listen to our Lord. We have to be followers of our Lord, true followers.
A true follower of someone believes in them, has faith in them, and will do what they say to do. We like to call that brain washing today don't we? We don't like people *following* people, or ideas that aren't mainstream. Every four years we have a presidential election and people choose to follow the candidate for president they like best and then begin to support them, even if it's with a single vote on election day, they are showing their support of that person- doing what that person wants them to do- vote for them. When a person follows something they are labeled. When a whole lot of people follow something it becomes acceptable. When a few people follow something it's more cultish and less acceptable.
Our Lord wants us to do the things He says- then we can call Him Lord, Lord.
We can find out what the Lord wants us to do by reading His word. We won't get a daily memo, we won't get a chore list, we won't get a telephone call, we're not going to be tweeted by the Lord. The Lord will not show up on facebook and post a personal message for you. We have to seek HIM.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
We have to ask to know the will of the Lord. We have to seek to know the will of the Lord. Our heart's desire has to be to know the will of the Lord and when we know it, follow it.
Many people already know what the Lord would have them do.
Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Most people know what Jesus means when He says this… 'and do not the things which I say'. Most people know what those *things* are. We can't lie and say we don't know. We know. We've read about them. Pick up Your Bible and read one of the Gospels and you'll know. So if we do know, why don't we do the things Jesus says to do? Why?
Self often gets in the way of selflessness and therein lies a big part of our problem.
A lot of time, simply because I cannot say all the time, but a lot of time it's that simple to understand. Self gets in the way of selflessness and Jesus is selfless and wants us to be selfless. We are not selfless. One of our BIGGEST problems is selfishness, the world revolves around selfishness and it's often disguised as benevolence. A show of selflessness, but that's all it really is. We can deceive ourselves as well, many will be deceived. Many who think they are followers of our Lord really aren't followers at all. I know I talk about this a lot, but it must be something close to my heart- the fear of being among those who call out Lord, Lord and He turns to them and tells them He never knew them. God please forbid that from happening to me. I want to know my Lord! I want my Lord to know me! I want to be a true follower of my Lord and do as He says.
By His grace, by His love, through His mercy!!!! In HIS righteousness, now and forever!
Amen.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Feareth Alway
Pro 28:14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.
Happy is the man that feareth alway…
We are told not to fear but this isn't the fear of being frightened of something but rather fear of God - reverencing Him, respecting His power as our Creator, our Sustainer, our Redeemer. Standing in awe of God.
Do we do this? How do we do this? We come before God and when we do it's in our thoughts, in our mind, it's spiritually- not physically. We don't stand in the presence of God as we would stand in the presence of an earthly king. How many people have stood in the presence of someone and been awed by it, awed by another human being? I can well imagine the star struck feel that awe of being in the presence of someone important, someone popular, someone in demand, how that can make a person feel. You see it all the time on television, you hear about it in the papers, on the news online, it's everywhere. Opportunities to meet your favorite person. You're considered a VIP when you get to meet a famous person face to face, you are given an honor and you acknowledge that honor in various ways, even if one of those ways is by standing there completely speechless. People have various reactions to meeting people they consider famous. Some people faint, some cry, some scream, some jump up and down, others just can't stop smiling, some bow down, some immediately feel the power of the other person and in response feel subservient to that powerful being. The reactions vary but there is no denying that when you hold someone in awe you react when meeting them with that awestruck sense of wonder. You might even have tough guys joking about it as if it doesn't faze them at all, but you can tell it really does by the way they brag about the encounter.
We are told that we are happy if we fear always. Happy if we forever hold God in awe before us. Happy if we forever respect the power of the Lord. We can't allow ourselves to become *used* to God in such a way that we lose that sense of awe for Him. He is our friend, yes, but He is our King, He is our Creator, He is our Savior and deserving more of aw e than any other living thing in existence. He is our Heavenly Father, and is it no wonder the Bible in one of the sacred commandments states we are to honor our mother and father? Respect, honor, awe, reverence-- fear. So many people think it's wonderful when adult children and even younger children get on so well with their parents they're more like friends than ….parents. No matter our ages we should NEVER lose the sense of honor and respect due to our fathers, never! We should never revel in the fact we are friends with our parents over the fact that we should be honoring them and thinking of them more highly than ourselves. Our Heavenly Father will forever and ever be deserving of our fear, forever! Even though we are adopted and beloved as children of His, that does not negate the respect, the reverence due to Him.
Pro 28:14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.
When we harden our hearts we become immune to that sense of awe. When we close our hearts off and stop believing that God deserves our reverence, our awe. When we adopt the attitude that there is no reason to reverence our Heavenly Father we will fall in mischief. When we no longer feel the need to honor God with our lives- our lives become pointless, meaningless and anything goes. When we stop reverencing God the Devil steps right in and begins His work on us- mischief and all it's many wiles takes over.
Once we lose respect for God it's very hard to regain it again. While some parents with their many evils and faults may seemingly lose their right to being respected, God will NEVER lose His right for our respect, never. I could argue no parent will either, but I know many people have grown up being abused mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically- and they would probably disagree with me no matter what my argument might be. Some people might believe God has abused them as well, in fact many do blame Him for all sorts of things and they fully believe they are justified in their accusations of Him. Satan uses any and ALL means to keep us from the love of God, we have to step out on faith and believe in God fully, reverencing Him always!
May God bless us and keep us in fear of Him always and forever! May we never come to a place where we believe God no longer deserves to be reverenced, never! By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, by the righteousness of our Redeemer, in His all encompassing Love now and forever!
Amen.
Happy is the man that feareth alway…
We are told not to fear but this isn't the fear of being frightened of something but rather fear of God - reverencing Him, respecting His power as our Creator, our Sustainer, our Redeemer. Standing in awe of God.
Do we do this? How do we do this? We come before God and when we do it's in our thoughts, in our mind, it's spiritually- not physically. We don't stand in the presence of God as we would stand in the presence of an earthly king. How many people have stood in the presence of someone and been awed by it, awed by another human being? I can well imagine the star struck feel that awe of being in the presence of someone important, someone popular, someone in demand, how that can make a person feel. You see it all the time on television, you hear about it in the papers, on the news online, it's everywhere. Opportunities to meet your favorite person. You're considered a VIP when you get to meet a famous person face to face, you are given an honor and you acknowledge that honor in various ways, even if one of those ways is by standing there completely speechless. People have various reactions to meeting people they consider famous. Some people faint, some cry, some scream, some jump up and down, others just can't stop smiling, some bow down, some immediately feel the power of the other person and in response feel subservient to that powerful being. The reactions vary but there is no denying that when you hold someone in awe you react when meeting them with that awestruck sense of wonder. You might even have tough guys joking about it as if it doesn't faze them at all, but you can tell it really does by the way they brag about the encounter.
We are told that we are happy if we fear always. Happy if we forever hold God in awe before us. Happy if we forever respect the power of the Lord. We can't allow ourselves to become *used* to God in such a way that we lose that sense of awe for Him. He is our friend, yes, but He is our King, He is our Creator, He is our Savior and deserving more of aw e than any other living thing in existence. He is our Heavenly Father, and is it no wonder the Bible in one of the sacred commandments states we are to honor our mother and father? Respect, honor, awe, reverence-- fear. So many people think it's wonderful when adult children and even younger children get on so well with their parents they're more like friends than ….parents. No matter our ages we should NEVER lose the sense of honor and respect due to our fathers, never! We should never revel in the fact we are friends with our parents over the fact that we should be honoring them and thinking of them more highly than ourselves. Our Heavenly Father will forever and ever be deserving of our fear, forever! Even though we are adopted and beloved as children of His, that does not negate the respect, the reverence due to Him.
Pro 28:14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.
When we harden our hearts we become immune to that sense of awe. When we close our hearts off and stop believing that God deserves our reverence, our awe. When we adopt the attitude that there is no reason to reverence our Heavenly Father we will fall in mischief. When we no longer feel the need to honor God with our lives- our lives become pointless, meaningless and anything goes. When we stop reverencing God the Devil steps right in and begins His work on us- mischief and all it's many wiles takes over.
Once we lose respect for God it's very hard to regain it again. While some parents with their many evils and faults may seemingly lose their right to being respected, God will NEVER lose His right for our respect, never. I could argue no parent will either, but I know many people have grown up being abused mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically- and they would probably disagree with me no matter what my argument might be. Some people might believe God has abused them as well, in fact many do blame Him for all sorts of things and they fully believe they are justified in their accusations of Him. Satan uses any and ALL means to keep us from the love of God, we have to step out on faith and believe in God fully, reverencing Him always!
May God bless us and keep us in fear of Him always and forever! May we never come to a place where we believe God no longer deserves to be reverenced, never! By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, by the righteousness of our Redeemer, in His all encompassing Love now and forever!
Amen.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Reproof
Reproof
Let's study reproof for a bit. The meaning of reproof is …
re·proof
[ri-proof]
Show IPA
–noun
1.
the act of reproving, censuring, or rebuking.
2.
an expression of censure or rebuke.
Pasted from
The Bible has this to say about reproof…
Pro 1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my REPROOF
Pro 1:30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my REPROOF
Pro 5:12 And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised REPROOF
Pro 10:17 He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth REPROOF erreth.
Pro 12:1 Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth REPROOF is brutish
Pro 13:18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth REPROOF shall be honoured.
Pro 15:5 A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth REPROOF is prudent.
Pro 15:10 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth REPROOF shall die.
Pro 15:31 The ear that heareth the REPROOF of life abideth among the wise.
Pro 15:32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth REPROOF getteth understanding.
Pro 17:10 A REPROOF entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
Pro 29:15 The rod and REPROOF give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for REPROOF, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
Clearly the Bible promotes reproof, especially the reproof of God towards His children as He tries to teach them the way to live. We are erring children and when we err God is eager to show us where we've gone wrong. God doesn't leave us to wonder where we've erred. The Bible doesn't hold back when it talks of how we should be as God's children. There are many instructions in the Bible, the Ten Commandments most notably in both the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament declared the Ten Commandments and the New Testament reestablished them in our Savior.
Let's read something I found very interesting...
'The rebellion in Heaven was prompted by the same spirit which inspires rebellion on earth.
Satan has continued with men the same policy which he pursued with the angels.
His spirit now reigns in the children of disobedience.
There is a constant hatred of reproof, and a disposition to rebel against it.
When God sends to wrong-doers a message of warning or correction, Satan leads them to justify
themselves, and to seek the sympathy of others.
Instead of changing their wrong course, they manifest great indignation against the reprover, as if he were the sole cause of difficulty.
From the days of righteous Abel to our own time, such is the spirit which has been displayed toward those who dare to condemn sin.'
GC - E.G.W. pg 281
There truly is a constant hatred of reproof. Do you like to be reproved? Seriously? The last time someone reproved you, were you grateful? Maybe you were, but I know I wasn't. To me being reproved for something means I was wrong about something and I don't like being wrong about things. Am I saying that I'm delusional and think I'm never going to be wrong? No! I just don't like being wrong and when I am I don't enjoy having it pointed out to me. Maybe if it were God Himself reproving me I'd feel differently, but that's not how it's always done. Sure we can find a lot to reprove us in God's word but that isn't nearly as bad as having another person tell us where we've gone wrong. Whose business is it of theirs? Do they think they're perfect? They have no right to point out my faults that's between me and God. Of course that kind of thinking goes against God's will for us. We are to accept reproof and learn from it. The source of that reproof shouldn't matter! Neither should the way the reproof is given to us matter. When we are reproved-
re·prove
[ri-proov]
Show IPA verb, -proved, -prov·ing.
–verb (used with object)
1.
to criticize or correct, esp. gently: to reprove a pupil for making a mistake.
2.
to disapprove of strongly; censure: to reprove a bad decision.
3.
Obsolete . to disprove or refute.
Pasted from
When we are reproved we are corrected, we are criticized, we are disapproved of strongly, we are censured. When our wrong doing is revealed we have to take stock in what is being said. Is the one reproving us speaking the truth? Is pride in the way of us truly seeing the truth? Do we instantly go on the defensive when rebuked? What happens if the one reproving us is wrong? What then? Satan likes nothing better than disputing- setting people at odds with one another. So what if the one reproving you is wrong, the Bible tells us to turn the other cheek, right? The Bible tells us we will be despised and accused falsely. The thing here is to really listen to what's being said and instead of outright dismissing the reproof, give it consideration. The person giving the reproof - even if they are not one we'd considered godly- might be a vessel being used of God to give us a message, to wake us up to an undesirable state we might be in. Even Judas was given power to heal. Read Matthew 10:1-4
'When God sends to wrong-doers a message of warning or correction, Satan leads them to justify
themselves, and to seek the sympathy of others. '
We do that… the try to justify ourselves it's almost instinctive, but what I'm saying is 'almost instinctive' is in fact Satan's handiwork being revealed. He's ingrained in us so much through the many, many years of sin and He starts at us when we are very young so that we'll grow up with many cherished defects he hopes we'll never surrender to Christ.
That bit about seeking the sympathy of others is true as well. We go to other people and can't wait to tell them the awful stuff that was said to us so that we can be reassured that we're just fine and the one reproving us was at fault and clearly very wrong. We get our sympathy and it helps us along to ignore the reproof.
Yes, instead of changing our wrong ways we do get indignant at those pointing them out. We know we have faults but there is NO reason to point them out, right? Yes, there is a reason, a big reason especially if God is trying to open our eyes to things that we need to pray about and seek the victory over.
From the days of ABEL till now, it's the same way. Sin is sin is sin is sin! We can't justify sin. We can't hide sin. We can't make sin good. We can try to call evil good and we are told many will do just that, but evil is evil is evil and bottom line there is no changing sin. We can be forgiven sin, but we won't ever be told it's okay to sin…not ever! We will never be told sin is not evil, not and be told the truth.
*******
Here's a snippet from C.S. Lewis--
'There is either a warning or an encouragement here for every one of us. If you are a nice person-if virtue comes easily to you beware! Much is expected from those to whom much is given. If you mistake for your own merits what are really God's gifts to you through nature, and if you are
contented with simply being nice, you are still a rebel: and all those gifts will only make your fall more terrible, your corruption more complicated, your bad example more disastrous. The Devil was an archangel once; his natural gifts were as far above yours as yours are above those of a
chimpanzee.
But if you are a poor creature-poisoned by a wretched upbringing in some house full of vulgar jealousies and senseless quarrels-saddled, by no choice of your own, with some loathsome sexual perversion-nagged day in and day out by an inferiority complex that makes you snap at your best
friends-do not despair. He knows all about it. You are one of the poor whom He blessed. He knows what a wretched machine you are trying to drive. Keep on. Do what you can. One day (perhaps in another world, but perhaps far sooner than that) he will fling it on the scrap-heap and give you a new one.
And then you may astonish us all-not least yourself: for you have learned your driving in a hard school. (Some of the last will be first and some of the first will be last.)'
Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis
How does that fit into the message of reproof? Well, Jesus does know what a 'wretched machine' we are trying to drive. Jesus knows that we often forget where anything good in us comes from. We are known for what we are. We can't ever get to a place that we believe we are undeserving of reproof- whether we are at our best or at our worst. God sees every defect in our characters, every single one. God knows us better than we'll ever know ourselves and we have to trust in Him to give us the reproof we need and by His grace and mercy we'll accept that reproof and go to Him begging forgiveness and seeking a clean heart.
The next time someone reproves you try not to react on the offensive, try to react as if they might be truly trying to help with their rebuking even if it's hurtful in its delivery. We are told this…
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
If God's word is that powerful, it stands to reason His reproof of us will be powerful and painful.
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Chastened and scourged-- Pain!
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Rebuked and chastened-- Pain!
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Grievious--Pain!
We won't like the chastening, we won't like the reproof, we won't be joyous during our learning but by the grace of God may we learn and afterward have the peaceable fruit of Christ's righteousness.
In His love! In His mercy! By His grace! All honor and praise to our wonderful Creator and Redeemer now and forever!
Amen.
Let's study reproof for a bit. The meaning of reproof is …
re·proof
[ri-proof]
Show IPA
–noun
1.
the act of reproving, censuring, or rebuking.
2.
an expression of censure or rebuke.
Pasted from
The Bible has this to say about reproof…
Pro 1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my REPROOF
Pro 1:30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my REPROOF
Pro 5:12 And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised REPROOF
Pro 10:17 He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth REPROOF erreth.
Pro 12:1 Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth REPROOF is brutish
Pro 13:18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth REPROOF shall be honoured.
Pro 15:5 A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth REPROOF is prudent.
Pro 15:10 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth REPROOF shall die.
Pro 15:31 The ear that heareth the REPROOF of life abideth among the wise.
Pro 15:32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth REPROOF getteth understanding.
Pro 17:10 A REPROOF entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
Pro 29:15 The rod and REPROOF give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for REPROOF, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
Clearly the Bible promotes reproof, especially the reproof of God towards His children as He tries to teach them the way to live. We are erring children and when we err God is eager to show us where we've gone wrong. God doesn't leave us to wonder where we've erred. The Bible doesn't hold back when it talks of how we should be as God's children. There are many instructions in the Bible, the Ten Commandments most notably in both the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament declared the Ten Commandments and the New Testament reestablished them in our Savior.
Let's read something I found very interesting...
'The rebellion in Heaven was prompted by the same spirit which inspires rebellion on earth.
Satan has continued with men the same policy which he pursued with the angels.
His spirit now reigns in the children of disobedience.
There is a constant hatred of reproof, and a disposition to rebel against it.
When God sends to wrong-doers a message of warning or correction, Satan leads them to justify
themselves, and to seek the sympathy of others.
Instead of changing their wrong course, they manifest great indignation against the reprover, as if he were the sole cause of difficulty.
From the days of righteous Abel to our own time, such is the spirit which has been displayed toward those who dare to condemn sin.'
GC - E.G.W. pg 281
There truly is a constant hatred of reproof. Do you like to be reproved? Seriously? The last time someone reproved you, were you grateful? Maybe you were, but I know I wasn't. To me being reproved for something means I was wrong about something and I don't like being wrong about things. Am I saying that I'm delusional and think I'm never going to be wrong? No! I just don't like being wrong and when I am I don't enjoy having it pointed out to me. Maybe if it were God Himself reproving me I'd feel differently, but that's not how it's always done. Sure we can find a lot to reprove us in God's word but that isn't nearly as bad as having another person tell us where we've gone wrong. Whose business is it of theirs? Do they think they're perfect? They have no right to point out my faults that's between me and God. Of course that kind of thinking goes against God's will for us. We are to accept reproof and learn from it. The source of that reproof shouldn't matter! Neither should the way the reproof is given to us matter. When we are reproved-
re·prove
[ri-proov]
Show IPA verb, -proved, -prov·ing.
–verb (used with object)
1.
to criticize or correct, esp. gently: to reprove a pupil for making a mistake.
2.
to disapprove of strongly; censure: to reprove a bad decision.
3.
Obsolete . to disprove or refute.
Pasted from
When we are reproved we are corrected, we are criticized, we are disapproved of strongly, we are censured. When our wrong doing is revealed we have to take stock in what is being said. Is the one reproving us speaking the truth? Is pride in the way of us truly seeing the truth? Do we instantly go on the defensive when rebuked? What happens if the one reproving us is wrong? What then? Satan likes nothing better than disputing- setting people at odds with one another. So what if the one reproving you is wrong, the Bible tells us to turn the other cheek, right? The Bible tells us we will be despised and accused falsely. The thing here is to really listen to what's being said and instead of outright dismissing the reproof, give it consideration. The person giving the reproof - even if they are not one we'd considered godly- might be a vessel being used of God to give us a message, to wake us up to an undesirable state we might be in. Even Judas was given power to heal. Read Matthew 10:1-4
'When God sends to wrong-doers a message of warning or correction, Satan leads them to justify
themselves, and to seek the sympathy of others. '
We do that… the try to justify ourselves it's almost instinctive, but what I'm saying is 'almost instinctive' is in fact Satan's handiwork being revealed. He's ingrained in us so much through the many, many years of sin and He starts at us when we are very young so that we'll grow up with many cherished defects he hopes we'll never surrender to Christ.
That bit about seeking the sympathy of others is true as well. We go to other people and can't wait to tell them the awful stuff that was said to us so that we can be reassured that we're just fine and the one reproving us was at fault and clearly very wrong. We get our sympathy and it helps us along to ignore the reproof.
Yes, instead of changing our wrong ways we do get indignant at those pointing them out. We know we have faults but there is NO reason to point them out, right? Yes, there is a reason, a big reason especially if God is trying to open our eyes to things that we need to pray about and seek the victory over.
From the days of ABEL till now, it's the same way. Sin is sin is sin is sin! We can't justify sin. We can't hide sin. We can't make sin good. We can try to call evil good and we are told many will do just that, but evil is evil is evil and bottom line there is no changing sin. We can be forgiven sin, but we won't ever be told it's okay to sin…not ever! We will never be told sin is not evil, not and be told the truth.
*******
Here's a snippet from C.S. Lewis--
'There is either a warning or an encouragement here for every one of us. If you are a nice person-if virtue comes easily to you beware! Much is expected from those to whom much is given. If you mistake for your own merits what are really God's gifts to you through nature, and if you are
contented with simply being nice, you are still a rebel: and all those gifts will only make your fall more terrible, your corruption more complicated, your bad example more disastrous. The Devil was an archangel once; his natural gifts were as far above yours as yours are above those of a
chimpanzee.
But if you are a poor creature-poisoned by a wretched upbringing in some house full of vulgar jealousies and senseless quarrels-saddled, by no choice of your own, with some loathsome sexual perversion-nagged day in and day out by an inferiority complex that makes you snap at your best
friends-do not despair. He knows all about it. You are one of the poor whom He blessed. He knows what a wretched machine you are trying to drive. Keep on. Do what you can. One day (perhaps in another world, but perhaps far sooner than that) he will fling it on the scrap-heap and give you a new one.
And then you may astonish us all-not least yourself: for you have learned your driving in a hard school. (Some of the last will be first and some of the first will be last.)'
Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis
How does that fit into the message of reproof? Well, Jesus does know what a 'wretched machine' we are trying to drive. Jesus knows that we often forget where anything good in us comes from. We are known for what we are. We can't ever get to a place that we believe we are undeserving of reproof- whether we are at our best or at our worst. God sees every defect in our characters, every single one. God knows us better than we'll ever know ourselves and we have to trust in Him to give us the reproof we need and by His grace and mercy we'll accept that reproof and go to Him begging forgiveness and seeking a clean heart.
The next time someone reproves you try not to react on the offensive, try to react as if they might be truly trying to help with their rebuking even if it's hurtful in its delivery. We are told this…
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
If God's word is that powerful, it stands to reason His reproof of us will be powerful and painful.
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Chastened and scourged-- Pain!
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Rebuked and chastened-- Pain!
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Grievious--Pain!
We won't like the chastening, we won't like the reproof, we won't be joyous during our learning but by the grace of God may we learn and afterward have the peaceable fruit of Christ's righteousness.
In His love! In His mercy! By His grace! All honor and praise to our wonderful Creator and Redeemer now and forever!
Amen.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Hear Counsel
Pro 19:20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
Pro 19:21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
The counsel of the Lord shall stand.
Counsel - Hebrew definition--
H6098
???
?e^tsa^h
ay-tsaw'
From H3289; advice; by implication plan; also prudence: - advice, advisement, counsel ([-lor]), purpose.
Listen to the Lord. If we receive instruction and counsel from the Lord we will be wise in our latter end. Advice from the Lord. The Bible offers us God's advice, God's counsel. The purpose of the Lord is revealed in His word. We know that God created man in His own image. We know that God is Love. We know that God's mercy has kept us alive, God's grace has made it so we can be as we were intended without sin's corruption in us. When the Bible tells us there are many devices in a man's heart it is sooooo true! We have so many things going on in our heart of hearts, things we don't even like take place. We can clearly see our own wickedness.
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
How sad a state we can find ourselves in when our own heart seems to betray us. We know what we SHOULD be about, but our hearts betray us by leading us elsewhere. There are MANY devices in a man's heart- NEVERTHELESS the counsel of the Lord …that SHALL STAND. We can't know our own hearts, but we can know they are wicked. What we can know is that God' s counsels will stand true and we can trust in God's counsels, not our own. God is true even when we are not. Is it that we don't want to be true? No, because sometimes we desperately want to be true to God, but what we want isn't what we do. We have to trust in God fully leaving no room for doubt at all. If we think we can stand on our own we have already fallen and are only deluded into thinking we are still standing. We have to hear the counsels of the Lord. We have to search His word daily for those counsels. Will searching save us? No. Only Christ can save us. We have to place ourselves where God can reach us, where He can teach us, where He can speak to us. If we wish to be counseled by the Lord we have to go to where the counsel is given. The living word of God will counsel us. The living word of God will be a sword for us and why do we need swords? To protect ourselves from that which would kill us. The sword of the Spirit of the Word of God kills anything that would destroy us spiritually. We have to have the Word of God in our hearts.
Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Pro 19:20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
Pro 19:21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
The counsel of the LORD that shall stand! Anything we devise will falter, but the Lord's counsels will stand. May we seek the counsel of the Lord now and always so that we may be protected even from our own hearts. God's will be done in us by His grace, through His mercy, in the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever!
Amen.
Pro 19:21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
The counsel of the Lord shall stand.
Counsel - Hebrew definition--
H6098
???
?e^tsa^h
ay-tsaw'
From H3289; advice; by implication plan; also prudence: - advice, advisement, counsel ([-lor]), purpose.
Listen to the Lord. If we receive instruction and counsel from the Lord we will be wise in our latter end. Advice from the Lord. The Bible offers us God's advice, God's counsel. The purpose of the Lord is revealed in His word. We know that God created man in His own image. We know that God is Love. We know that God's mercy has kept us alive, God's grace has made it so we can be as we were intended without sin's corruption in us. When the Bible tells us there are many devices in a man's heart it is sooooo true! We have so many things going on in our heart of hearts, things we don't even like take place. We can clearly see our own wickedness.
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
How sad a state we can find ourselves in when our own heart seems to betray us. We know what we SHOULD be about, but our hearts betray us by leading us elsewhere. There are MANY devices in a man's heart- NEVERTHELESS the counsel of the Lord …that SHALL STAND. We can't know our own hearts, but we can know they are wicked. What we can know is that God' s counsels will stand true and we can trust in God's counsels, not our own. God is true even when we are not. Is it that we don't want to be true? No, because sometimes we desperately want to be true to God, but what we want isn't what we do. We have to trust in God fully leaving no room for doubt at all. If we think we can stand on our own we have already fallen and are only deluded into thinking we are still standing. We have to hear the counsels of the Lord. We have to search His word daily for those counsels. Will searching save us? No. Only Christ can save us. We have to place ourselves where God can reach us, where He can teach us, where He can speak to us. If we wish to be counseled by the Lord we have to go to where the counsel is given. The living word of God will counsel us. The living word of God will be a sword for us and why do we need swords? To protect ourselves from that which would kill us. The sword of the Spirit of the Word of God kills anything that would destroy us spiritually. We have to have the Word of God in our hearts.
Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Pro 19:20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
Pro 19:21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
The counsel of the LORD that shall stand! Anything we devise will falter, but the Lord's counsels will stand. May we seek the counsel of the Lord now and always so that we may be protected even from our own hearts. God's will be done in us by His grace, through His mercy, in the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever!
Amen.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Mind Repair
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
And be not conformed to this world
con·form
[kuhn-fawrm]
Show IPA
–verb (used without object)
1.
to act in accordance or harmony; comply
2.
to act in accord with the prevailing standards, attitudes, practices, etc., of society or a group
3.
to be or become similar in form, nature, or character.
We are not to be conformed- we are not to be in harmony, we are not to be in accord, we are not to be similar, we are not to be conformed to THIS world.
Do we really realize the significance of what this is telling us? When we grow up being told to conform every step of the way or else face ridicule and worse, do we really understand? Conform-- be like others, fit in, don't make a spectacle of yourself, behave, act normal. Most people conform so they don't stand out in a crowd. Fitting in is something we take pride in. Those who fit in are considered normal, those who don't are abnormal. Those who don't fit in are rebellious, oddballs, strange.
And be not conformed to this world
If we fit in this world, if we are not square pegs trying to fit in round holes, perhaps we need to look long and hard at ourselves. Alarm bells may be sounding already, those internal bells warning you that not fitting in is wrong. Being rebellious is wrong, right? Rebellion isn't proper. Did Jesus rebel? Did Jesus conform? Did Jesus act in harmony with society? Did Jesus become similar to those of His day in form, nature, or character? The answer to the first is yes, Jesus did rebel according to those in authority in His day. Jesus didn't conform to those wanting Him to conform. Jesus didn't act in harmony with society, but the thing here to really note is Jesus for the most part didn't use violence in his non-conformity. Jesus used love. Jesus wasn't similar to those in His day- He was amazingly different, He was unique, He was our great EXAMPLE.
1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps
Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Rom 15:7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God
Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Transformed! We are to be transformed! We are not to be part of this world, but we are to be transformed and in being transformed our minds are renewed and that will prove what is good, what is acceptable and perfect…. WILL OF GOD! It is the will of God that we be transformed and not conformed.
Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
The renewing of our minds.
The renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Renewing--
G342
a??a?a?´??s??
anakaino¯sis
an-ak-ah'ee-no-sis
From G341; renovation: - renewing.
Renovate--
ren·o·vate
[ren-uh-veyt]
Show IPA verb, -vat·ed, -vat·ing, adjective
–verb (used with object)
1.
to restore to good condition; make new or as if new again; repair.
2.
to reinvigorate; refresh; revive.
Pasted from
Transformed by the renovation of our minds- transformed by the restoration of our minds, our minds made new, our minds repaired.
Oh to have my mind repaired! It is only through such renewing our transformation will take place and we will not be conformed to this world. By the grace and mercy of our wonderful Lord and Savior may we be renewed! His WILL be done!
In His love now and forever! All praise and glory to our Creator and Redeemer!
Amen.
And be not conformed to this world
con·form
[kuhn-fawrm]
Show IPA
–verb (used without object)
1.
to act in accordance or harmony; comply
2.
to act in accord with the prevailing standards, attitudes, practices, etc., of society or a group
3.
to be or become similar in form, nature, or character.
We are not to be conformed- we are not to be in harmony, we are not to be in accord, we are not to be similar, we are not to be conformed to THIS world.
Do we really realize the significance of what this is telling us? When we grow up being told to conform every step of the way or else face ridicule and worse, do we really understand? Conform-- be like others, fit in, don't make a spectacle of yourself, behave, act normal. Most people conform so they don't stand out in a crowd. Fitting in is something we take pride in. Those who fit in are considered normal, those who don't are abnormal. Those who don't fit in are rebellious, oddballs, strange.
And be not conformed to this world
If we fit in this world, if we are not square pegs trying to fit in round holes, perhaps we need to look long and hard at ourselves. Alarm bells may be sounding already, those internal bells warning you that not fitting in is wrong. Being rebellious is wrong, right? Rebellion isn't proper. Did Jesus rebel? Did Jesus conform? Did Jesus act in harmony with society? Did Jesus become similar to those of His day in form, nature, or character? The answer to the first is yes, Jesus did rebel according to those in authority in His day. Jesus didn't conform to those wanting Him to conform. Jesus didn't act in harmony with society, but the thing here to really note is Jesus for the most part didn't use violence in his non-conformity. Jesus used love. Jesus wasn't similar to those in His day- He was amazingly different, He was unique, He was our great EXAMPLE.
1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps
Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Rom 15:7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God
Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Transformed! We are to be transformed! We are not to be part of this world, but we are to be transformed and in being transformed our minds are renewed and that will prove what is good, what is acceptable and perfect…. WILL OF GOD! It is the will of God that we be transformed and not conformed.
Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
The renewing of our minds.
The renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Renewing--
G342
a??a?a?´??s??
anakaino¯sis
an-ak-ah'ee-no-sis
From G341; renovation: - renewing.
Renovate--
ren·o·vate
[ren-uh-veyt]
Show IPA verb, -vat·ed, -vat·ing, adjective
–verb (used with object)
1.
to restore to good condition; make new or as if new again; repair.
2.
to reinvigorate; refresh; revive.
Pasted from
Transformed by the renovation of our minds- transformed by the restoration of our minds, our minds made new, our minds repaired.
Oh to have my mind repaired! It is only through such renewing our transformation will take place and we will not be conformed to this world. By the grace and mercy of our wonderful Lord and Savior may we be renewed! His WILL be done!
In His love now and forever! All praise and glory to our Creator and Redeemer!
Amen.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
We Will Remember the Name of the LORD
Psa 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
This is so true. We trust in THINGS. People trust in things and people feel betrayed with things fail them, sometimes they take it as a personal affront. Things. Chariots…cars. Horses…cars. Think about it. If you're trusting in your chariot and your horses in David's day you were trusting in the things that transported you from place to place. Trusting in the thing not trusting in the name of the Lord. Whether it's a horse or a car, no matter the object if we place our trust in things we will ALWAYS end up disappointed sooner or later. Even the most reliable thing can fail us eventually, but God never ever fails us.
Oh yes, you'll have people who say that God lets us down more than any thing ever could but those people don't know God the way they should. Those people want a fairy god father not God our Heavenly Father.
We need to trust in the name of the LORD our God. When our trust is solely in God we will understand that things can fail us and will fail us, but never God, never.
May the name of the LORD our God be forever before us as we remember that He is trustworthy beyond all else! Many things in our lives will fail us, but not God. As our cars break down, as our houses show their age, as even our own bodies fail us in various ways, we need to remember that God will forever be One to trust. Failing things exists all around us and by the grace of God may we see their failure and use them as a reminder of God's unfailing love.
By the mercy of our Lord, in His righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
This is so true. We trust in THINGS. People trust in things and people feel betrayed with things fail them, sometimes they take it as a personal affront. Things. Chariots…cars. Horses…cars. Think about it. If you're trusting in your chariot and your horses in David's day you were trusting in the things that transported you from place to place. Trusting in the thing not trusting in the name of the Lord. Whether it's a horse or a car, no matter the object if we place our trust in things we will ALWAYS end up disappointed sooner or later. Even the most reliable thing can fail us eventually, but God never ever fails us.
Oh yes, you'll have people who say that God lets us down more than any thing ever could but those people don't know God the way they should. Those people want a fairy god father not God our Heavenly Father.
We need to trust in the name of the LORD our God. When our trust is solely in God we will understand that things can fail us and will fail us, but never God, never.
May the name of the LORD our God be forever before us as we remember that He is trustworthy beyond all else! Many things in our lives will fail us, but not God. As our cars break down, as our houses show their age, as even our own bodies fail us in various ways, we need to remember that God will forever be One to trust. Failing things exists all around us and by the grace of God may we see their failure and use them as a reminder of God's unfailing love.
By the mercy of our Lord, in His righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Beautiful Judgments!
Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
How beautiful. There can be a conversion of the soul, the simple can be made wise. These are beautiful things, these things offer hope to us, great hope. To know that the law of the Lord is perfect is amazing. So many try to do away with the law as if it's something defective, something archaic. How can something that is declared perfect then be turned into something imperfect?
Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Perfect. I don't know about any one else but I want my soul to be converted, I want my simple-ness to be wise for the Lord.
Psa 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Truth! The statutes of the Lord are right- rejoicing the heart!
The commandment of the Lord is pure- enlightening the eyes!
We can find so much in the law of the Lord, so much beauty. Where people see only restrictions there is pure love of God for His people.
Psa 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
Psa 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Psa 19:11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
Beautiful judgments! Wonderful judgments! We are so caught up in dreading judgments that we forget their wonder, and we certainly forget that we are to desire more than gold, fine gold and that they're sweeter than honey AND the honeycomb. We've been trained to fear, to reject, to want to hide or run from judgments. We don't want to be judge. We want to be forgiven. Yet to be forgiven we have to be determined in need of forgiveness. To be in need of forgiveness we have to be judged to be in need.
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous!
Psa 19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Psa 19:13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Psa 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins… let them not have dominion over me then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Oh such words!!!! Take them to heart! We really need to take them to heart. LORD, please please keep thy servant from PRESUMPTUOUS sins! We sin so much, and we try to excuse our sinning but there is NO excuse for it, none. Please Lord keep us from presumptuous sins don't let them rule over us please! We need so much to be innocent from the great transgression.
Please we pray to you oh Lord, please, let our words, let our hearts be acceptable to You. You are our strength, you are our Redeemer!
By Your grace oh Lord! By Your mercy! Through Your love, Your righteousness now and forever!!!!
Amen.
How beautiful. There can be a conversion of the soul, the simple can be made wise. These are beautiful things, these things offer hope to us, great hope. To know that the law of the Lord is perfect is amazing. So many try to do away with the law as if it's something defective, something archaic. How can something that is declared perfect then be turned into something imperfect?
Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Perfect. I don't know about any one else but I want my soul to be converted, I want my simple-ness to be wise for the Lord.
Psa 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Truth! The statutes of the Lord are right- rejoicing the heart!
The commandment of the Lord is pure- enlightening the eyes!
We can find so much in the law of the Lord, so much beauty. Where people see only restrictions there is pure love of God for His people.
Psa 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
Psa 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Psa 19:11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
Beautiful judgments! Wonderful judgments! We are so caught up in dreading judgments that we forget their wonder, and we certainly forget that we are to desire more than gold, fine gold and that they're sweeter than honey AND the honeycomb. We've been trained to fear, to reject, to want to hide or run from judgments. We don't want to be judge. We want to be forgiven. Yet to be forgiven we have to be determined in need of forgiveness. To be in need of forgiveness we have to be judged to be in need.
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous!
Psa 19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Psa 19:13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Psa 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins… let them not have dominion over me then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Oh such words!!!! Take them to heart! We really need to take them to heart. LORD, please please keep thy servant from PRESUMPTUOUS sins! We sin so much, and we try to excuse our sinning but there is NO excuse for it, none. Please Lord keep us from presumptuous sins don't let them rule over us please! We need so much to be innocent from the great transgression.
Please we pray to you oh Lord, please, let our words, let our hearts be acceptable to You. You are our strength, you are our Redeemer!
By Your grace oh Lord! By Your mercy! Through Your love, Your righteousness now and forever!!!!
Amen.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Hast thou not known....
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.
God is beyond anything we can fully comprehend. God truly does watch over us all the time and yes, that is everyone, and yes, that is all the time. People like to jump in just about now and go on about how horrible a God He must be to watch all the pain and suffering and do nothing. They like to imagine that if THEY were God they wouldn't have any pain or suffering going on at all, they'd be the best god ever. Of course to do that they'd have to become a dictator god doing away with free will, because to get everyone in order, especially after people chose to sin, would mean taking away that free will and getting a bunch of automatons in return. People that choose to do no harm, people that are all loving all the time because they were forced to be, they would be the result of any of us trying to play god.
There will be a day when life is without pain and fear. Only that beautiful day will be that way because of free will, because of choices made willingly for people to live that way- in the love of God. Through God's love, by His love, choosing love over all else, understanding that LOVE IS GOD and to take it outside of God destroys it completely warping it into something we imagine to be love, but is not really love at all.
We can't search God's understanding, it's beyond our comprehension. Until Christ returns and sin is destroyed once and forever we will live with limited understanding. Faith has to come in, faith in the belief that there is something much better, faith that there is more, that this is NOT the world we are supposed to be in, that there is a better world for us all.
Hast thou not known?
Hast thou not heard?
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.
God was, God is, God will always be.
We get to choose whether or not we will believe in God, if we will have faith in God. We are all free to choose and may God have mercy upon us as we fall before Him seeking the grace of our Savior living in His righteousness now and forever.
In the love of our God.
Amen.
God is beyond anything we can fully comprehend. God truly does watch over us all the time and yes, that is everyone, and yes, that is all the time. People like to jump in just about now and go on about how horrible a God He must be to watch all the pain and suffering and do nothing. They like to imagine that if THEY were God they wouldn't have any pain or suffering going on at all, they'd be the best god ever. Of course to do that they'd have to become a dictator god doing away with free will, because to get everyone in order, especially after people chose to sin, would mean taking away that free will and getting a bunch of automatons in return. People that choose to do no harm, people that are all loving all the time because they were forced to be, they would be the result of any of us trying to play god.
There will be a day when life is without pain and fear. Only that beautiful day will be that way because of free will, because of choices made willingly for people to live that way- in the love of God. Through God's love, by His love, choosing love over all else, understanding that LOVE IS GOD and to take it outside of God destroys it completely warping it into something we imagine to be love, but is not really love at all.
We can't search God's understanding, it's beyond our comprehension. Until Christ returns and sin is destroyed once and forever we will live with limited understanding. Faith has to come in, faith in the belief that there is something much better, faith that there is more, that this is NOT the world we are supposed to be in, that there is a better world for us all.
Hast thou not known?
Hast thou not heard?
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.
God was, God is, God will always be.
We get to choose whether or not we will believe in God, if we will have faith in God. We are all free to choose and may God have mercy upon us as we fall before Him seeking the grace of our Savior living in His righteousness now and forever.
In the love of our God.
Amen.
Monday, July 19, 2010
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.
The FOOL hath said in his heart THERE IS NO GOD.
Psa 14:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psa 14:2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
Psa 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Hebrew word - Fool--
H5036
???
na^ba^l
naw-bawl'
From H5034; stupid; wicked (especially impious): - fool (-ish, -ish man, -ish woman), vile person.
The stupid person.
The wicked person (especially impious)
Dictionary… Impious--
im·pi·ous
[im-pee-uhs, im-pahy-]
Show IPA
–adjective
1.
not pious or religious; lacking reverence for god, religious practices, etc.; irreligious; ungodly.
2.
disrespectful.
Pasted from
The fool.
When we think of a fool we immediately can substitute that word for stupid, or we combine them to say stupid fool. We don't immediately think wicked when we think of fool, or impious, and fools in our minds are always considered vile people. Yet here we have this verse--
The FOOL hath said in his heart THERE IS NO GOD.
-- and this word fool goes beyond the way we normally interpret it. The wicked person, the vile person is more like it. The ungodly, the irreligious person will say in their hearts there is no God.
Do you know anyone that says there is no God? Do you know anyone that doesn't believe in God? Or maybe you know people who believe in God but just not the fact that He has any power at all. Some treat God as a huge joke. In our world anything goes. The rich and powerful, those considered highly intelligent, genius even, these people men and women alike, all fools.
Believing in their hearts that there is no God. Could this also include those who pretend to love God? There are a lot of people who say they believe in God but they don't, not really, not with a living faith. How many pretenders are there? More than we probably care to think about. Jesus will say to many that He never knew them. Why wouldn't He know them? Because they don't have a real faith, a real belief in God. Jesus will never say He never knew one that believes in Him fully in all faith, in all hope, trusting in Him for Salvation. The liar He won't admit to knowing, the fool He won't admit to knowing.
Could it be true that there might be some who say they don't believe in God, yet in their hearts they do?
Saying something in our hearts doesn't mean we always reveal it to others.
This verse goes on to say-- They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Whether blatantly or secretly- people can be corrupt, they can have works that are abominable, they can do no good. Some people don't hide their evil works, others hide them completely. God knows our hearts. God knows how we believe. God knows our faith, nothing is hidden from God, nothing.
God is alive!
God is real!
God is a living faith!
God is more real than any other!
If we live our lives believing God is far away and not aware of all our goings on, God is not real to us. If we live our lives believing God only sees us when we want Him to, God is not real. If God exists in our lives ONLY when we worship Him for an hour a week, or a day a week, or when we say grace before a meal or before sleeping… He's not real. God is always with us, always knowing. God is REAL.
Even the brightest person can be a fool. Even the kindest person can be a fool. We can't judge who is and isn't a fool- not always. Some are outright fools boasting there is no God, yet in the end we can't know even their hearts. May God bless us and keep us in Him, may we NEVER be fools, may we always believe that God is real with a very living faith and belief in His reality. Even at our darkest, even IN our darkest hours may our faith hold firm and unwavering.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, now and forever!!! In His righteousness! In His LOVE always!
Amen.
Psa 14:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psa 14:2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
Psa 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Hebrew word - Fool--
H5036
???
na^ba^l
naw-bawl'
From H5034; stupid; wicked (especially impious): - fool (-ish, -ish man, -ish woman), vile person.
The stupid person.
The wicked person (especially impious)
Dictionary… Impious--
im·pi·ous
[im-pee-uhs, im-pahy-]
Show IPA
–adjective
1.
not pious or religious; lacking reverence for god, religious practices, etc.; irreligious; ungodly.
2.
disrespectful.
Pasted from
The fool.
When we think of a fool we immediately can substitute that word for stupid, or we combine them to say stupid fool. We don't immediately think wicked when we think of fool, or impious, and fools in our minds are always considered vile people. Yet here we have this verse--
The FOOL hath said in his heart THERE IS NO GOD.
-- and this word fool goes beyond the way we normally interpret it. The wicked person, the vile person is more like it. The ungodly, the irreligious person will say in their hearts there is no God.
Do you know anyone that says there is no God? Do you know anyone that doesn't believe in God? Or maybe you know people who believe in God but just not the fact that He has any power at all. Some treat God as a huge joke. In our world anything goes. The rich and powerful, those considered highly intelligent, genius even, these people men and women alike, all fools.
Believing in their hearts that there is no God. Could this also include those who pretend to love God? There are a lot of people who say they believe in God but they don't, not really, not with a living faith. How many pretenders are there? More than we probably care to think about. Jesus will say to many that He never knew them. Why wouldn't He know them? Because they don't have a real faith, a real belief in God. Jesus will never say He never knew one that believes in Him fully in all faith, in all hope, trusting in Him for Salvation. The liar He won't admit to knowing, the fool He won't admit to knowing.
Could it be true that there might be some who say they don't believe in God, yet in their hearts they do?
Saying something in our hearts doesn't mean we always reveal it to others.
This verse goes on to say-- They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Whether blatantly or secretly- people can be corrupt, they can have works that are abominable, they can do no good. Some people don't hide their evil works, others hide them completely. God knows our hearts. God knows how we believe. God knows our faith, nothing is hidden from God, nothing.
God is alive!
God is real!
God is a living faith!
God is more real than any other!
If we live our lives believing God is far away and not aware of all our goings on, God is not real to us. If we live our lives believing God only sees us when we want Him to, God is not real. If God exists in our lives ONLY when we worship Him for an hour a week, or a day a week, or when we say grace before a meal or before sleeping… He's not real. God is always with us, always knowing. God is REAL.
Even the brightest person can be a fool. Even the kindest person can be a fool. We can't judge who is and isn't a fool- not always. Some are outright fools boasting there is no God, yet in the end we can't know even their hearts. May God bless us and keep us in Him, may we NEVER be fools, may we always believe that God is real with a very living faith and belief in His reality. Even at our darkest, even IN our darkest hours may our faith hold firm and unwavering.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, now and forever!!! In His righteousness! In His LOVE always!
Amen.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Secret Faults
Psa 19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Secret faults.
If something is a secret then it's hidden. Our secret faults are hidden from who? Certainly not God. Could it be that some of our faults are hidden from ourselves? People fool themselves all the time don't they? You wouldn't think a person could deceive themselves but they do it all the time. We do it ALL the time. Sometimes we're not aware of our negative traits until another points them out to us and then we often go on the defensive when we're made aware of them. We don't like to have faults, why would we, and we certainly don't like people noting our faults. Before God nothing is hidden, nothing is secret. God knows every single fault we have.
Can we understand our errors? We have them, lots of them. We need to realize that we have errors in our lives, that we have secret faults and we need cleansing from those faults. We are not perfect. We will never be faultless, only Christ is faultless. We need to be cleansed from not only faults we are aware of, but faults we are not aware of. We need to ask God to cleanse us because ONLY God can cleanse us from faults we aren't even aware of. It sounds as if that's a bit too much, but it's not if you really think about it. People aren't blameless just because they are unaware. We like to think we are blameless if we 'just didn't know' something. We feel helpless and confused if we are called out on something because of our lack of knowledge. I can't count the number of times I've used the excuse myself, saying, I didn't know. How can we be accountable for not knowing? Perhaps because there is or was an opportunity for us to know and we missed it? I'm not sure, but we are accountable for missed opportunities, aren't we?
Accountability is something we all have. We will account to God for our lives. We will be judged for our lives. It's no wonder we should ask God to cleanse us of our secret faults. Cleanse us. Make us clean through the blood of the Lamb. Cleanse us Lord we are filthy in ways we know and ways we don't know.
By Your grace and mercy Lord be our all in all, may Your righteousness be ours through your sacrifice.
In You now and forever!
Amen.
Secret faults.
If something is a secret then it's hidden. Our secret faults are hidden from who? Certainly not God. Could it be that some of our faults are hidden from ourselves? People fool themselves all the time don't they? You wouldn't think a person could deceive themselves but they do it all the time. We do it ALL the time. Sometimes we're not aware of our negative traits until another points them out to us and then we often go on the defensive when we're made aware of them. We don't like to have faults, why would we, and we certainly don't like people noting our faults. Before God nothing is hidden, nothing is secret. God knows every single fault we have.
Can we understand our errors? We have them, lots of them. We need to realize that we have errors in our lives, that we have secret faults and we need cleansing from those faults. We are not perfect. We will never be faultless, only Christ is faultless. We need to be cleansed from not only faults we are aware of, but faults we are not aware of. We need to ask God to cleanse us because ONLY God can cleanse us from faults we aren't even aware of. It sounds as if that's a bit too much, but it's not if you really think about it. People aren't blameless just because they are unaware. We like to think we are blameless if we 'just didn't know' something. We feel helpless and confused if we are called out on something because of our lack of knowledge. I can't count the number of times I've used the excuse myself, saying, I didn't know. How can we be accountable for not knowing? Perhaps because there is or was an opportunity for us to know and we missed it? I'm not sure, but we are accountable for missed opportunities, aren't we?
Accountability is something we all have. We will account to God for our lives. We will be judged for our lives. It's no wonder we should ask God to cleanse us of our secret faults. Cleanse us. Make us clean through the blood of the Lamb. Cleanse us Lord we are filthy in ways we know and ways we don't know.
By Your grace and mercy Lord be our all in all, may Your righteousness be ours through your sacrifice.
In You now and forever!
Amen.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Ever Learning- Never Knowing
2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2Ti 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Ever learning.
Never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Imagine it. It'd be like running a race never to see the finish line. Like searching and never finding.
How can someone be ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth? People study all the time on subjects that they find fascinating. There are many subjects that contain such a wealth of knowledge it'd be impossible to learn it all and yet people study. If you had a goal in mind when you were studying, something particular you want to learn, you study until you've exhausted every possible means of finding your answer. If I want to bake the best possible cake in the world I might study recipes and techniques of famous cake bakers. If I want to plant the best rose garden I possibly can I might study gardening and famous gardeners and their techniques. If I want to learn of the truth as it is in Jesus I will study His word and I will find that truth. The Bible speaks plainly enough, it's not crouched in some cryptic message that needs deciphering by the most famous Hebrew and Greek scholars. So how is it that someone can learn and continue to learn but never come to know what they are trying to learn? Is their desire sincere? That has to be the first question asked. People study for all sorts of reasons and not all of them reasons conducive to learning the truth. Another question might be is the one professing to want to learn really seeking truth or are they learning for other purposes? Is the truth to them all fact with no spirit? How can one be ever learning and read this…
'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. '
…and not realize that Jesus is the truth? They might have a head knowledge, but not a heart knowledge and they might learn but never fully comprehend, never fully discern what those words mean.
In the last day there will be many who are 'ever learning' but 'never able to come to the knowledge of truth.'
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Joh 1:15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
Joh 1:16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
Joh 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Grace and truth come by Jesus Christ. The law revealed the need for a Savior and Jesus is that Savior. Grace come through Jesus, the truth comes through Jesus.
Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Joh 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Ever learning… yet they live in darkness, preferring darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil… everyone that doeth evil hateth light…never able to come to the knowledge of truth.
Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth
We must worship God in spirit and in truth. God cannot be worshipped by those who have no knowledge of the truth. God cannot be worshipped by those who will not worship Him in spirit.
Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
We are made free through the truth and that truth is in Jesus' word. You can learn all you want of the Bible, learn all you want of the factual existence of Jesus but if you don't continue in Jesus' word, if you don't follow and believe in the words of Jesus you will never know the truth, never. You may be learned, but lost.
Joh 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Joh 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
Joh 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
Joh 8:47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
They could physically HEAR Jesus' words, but they couldn't comprehend what they were hearing, they couldn't understand His speech. Why? Why is it we can be learners and never know the truth? Because we can be of the devil. It's a hard fact, a true fact. Satan is the father of lies and there is NO truth in satan, none!
We can only know the truth if we are God's. If we cannot understand the truth of Jesus and His love it's because we are not of God, we are of the Devil. Make no mistake. There is no candy-coated truth here, just plain unadulterated truth. If you don't have the truth you are of Satan. You might not believe you are of Satan because you are a good person and don't worship Satan as one caught up in Devil worshipping, but you are of Satan just the same without all the pomp and circumstance of being a Devil worshipper. It's a fact that many don't want to consider, yet Jesus had NO trouble telling the truth of the matter to those that needed to hear it.
We cannot ever know the truth no matter how much we learn if we are not God's. We have to be God's and we can know the truth and that truth will set us free in Christ.
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.
The Spirit of truth.
The world will NOT receive the Spirit of truth.
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Joh 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Joh 16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Joh 16:16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.
We will be guided into ALL truth by the Spirit of truth.
Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Joh 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
Joh 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
Sanctified through the truth!
Ever learning and never knowing the truth- the god-less! Those that God's are sanctified through the truth!
May we be God's fully, wholly God's! May we learn of the truth through the Spirit of truth. May we ever grow in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now and forever by His amazing love, through His righteousness, through His grace.
Make no mistake, the last days will be very perilous and Satan will stop at NOTHING to deceive all the people he can. We have to cling to Christ, our living Savior ever learning of Him in all truth, in the spirit by the Spirit of truth!
In Christ now and forever!
Amen.
2Ti 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Ever learning.
Never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Imagine it. It'd be like running a race never to see the finish line. Like searching and never finding.
How can someone be ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth? People study all the time on subjects that they find fascinating. There are many subjects that contain such a wealth of knowledge it'd be impossible to learn it all and yet people study. If you had a goal in mind when you were studying, something particular you want to learn, you study until you've exhausted every possible means of finding your answer. If I want to bake the best possible cake in the world I might study recipes and techniques of famous cake bakers. If I want to plant the best rose garden I possibly can I might study gardening and famous gardeners and their techniques. If I want to learn of the truth as it is in Jesus I will study His word and I will find that truth. The Bible speaks plainly enough, it's not crouched in some cryptic message that needs deciphering by the most famous Hebrew and Greek scholars. So how is it that someone can learn and continue to learn but never come to know what they are trying to learn? Is their desire sincere? That has to be the first question asked. People study for all sorts of reasons and not all of them reasons conducive to learning the truth. Another question might be is the one professing to want to learn really seeking truth or are they learning for other purposes? Is the truth to them all fact with no spirit? How can one be ever learning and read this…
'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. '
…and not realize that Jesus is the truth? They might have a head knowledge, but not a heart knowledge and they might learn but never fully comprehend, never fully discern what those words mean.
In the last day there will be many who are 'ever learning' but 'never able to come to the knowledge of truth.'
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Joh 1:15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
Joh 1:16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
Joh 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Grace and truth come by Jesus Christ. The law revealed the need for a Savior and Jesus is that Savior. Grace come through Jesus, the truth comes through Jesus.
Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Joh 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Ever learning… yet they live in darkness, preferring darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil… everyone that doeth evil hateth light…never able to come to the knowledge of truth.
Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth
We must worship God in spirit and in truth. God cannot be worshipped by those who have no knowledge of the truth. God cannot be worshipped by those who will not worship Him in spirit.
Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
We are made free through the truth and that truth is in Jesus' word. You can learn all you want of the Bible, learn all you want of the factual existence of Jesus but if you don't continue in Jesus' word, if you don't follow and believe in the words of Jesus you will never know the truth, never. You may be learned, but lost.
Joh 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Joh 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
Joh 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
Joh 8:47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
They could physically HEAR Jesus' words, but they couldn't comprehend what they were hearing, they couldn't understand His speech. Why? Why is it we can be learners and never know the truth? Because we can be of the devil. It's a hard fact, a true fact. Satan is the father of lies and there is NO truth in satan, none!
We can only know the truth if we are God's. If we cannot understand the truth of Jesus and His love it's because we are not of God, we are of the Devil. Make no mistake. There is no candy-coated truth here, just plain unadulterated truth. If you don't have the truth you are of Satan. You might not believe you are of Satan because you are a good person and don't worship Satan as one caught up in Devil worshipping, but you are of Satan just the same without all the pomp and circumstance of being a Devil worshipper. It's a fact that many don't want to consider, yet Jesus had NO trouble telling the truth of the matter to those that needed to hear it.
We cannot ever know the truth no matter how much we learn if we are not God's. We have to be God's and we can know the truth and that truth will set us free in Christ.
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.
The Spirit of truth.
The world will NOT receive the Spirit of truth.
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Joh 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Joh 16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Joh 16:16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.
We will be guided into ALL truth by the Spirit of truth.
Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Joh 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
Joh 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
Sanctified through the truth!
Ever learning and never knowing the truth- the god-less! Those that God's are sanctified through the truth!
May we be God's fully, wholly God's! May we learn of the truth through the Spirit of truth. May we ever grow in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now and forever by His amazing love, through His righteousness, through His grace.
Make no mistake, the last days will be very perilous and Satan will stop at NOTHING to deceive all the people he can. We have to cling to Christ, our living Savior ever learning of Him in all truth, in the spirit by the Spirit of truth!
In Christ now and forever!
Amen.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Ye think not
Mat 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Be ready.
We are taught as children to be ready to act in cases of emergency. Our schools have fire drills, and we're asked to go back to our homes and together with our family prepare an emergency plan should something happen. In hospitals they have fire drills, in many buildings they have emergency exercises and they conduct these drills and exercises to prepare people to on how they should react during an emergency-- they are taught how to be ready for the unexpected.
Christ's return for us isn't unexpected BUT… 'in such an hour as ye think NOT… the Son of man cometh.'
I don't know about you but I've heard more than once that the Bible is a bunch of nonsense and people who are waiting for Christ to return are delusional fools looking for a way to escape real life because they can't handle the pressure. Are those people who believe that way towards Christians (because ALL who are Christians are expecting Christ to return- other wise they're NOT Christians at all) are those people thinking about Christ's return? No. Christians have to be expecting Christ to return. To be a follower of Christ you have to believe in Him and all He said and He told us He would return someday. If you have any contact with any professed Christians who don't believe in Christ's return then you have to conclude they aren't really followers of Christ.
As followers of Christ we are waiting for Christ to return. Our thoughts are constantly on the fact our Savior will return to wipe evil away. We live among evil, it surrounds us. However, there are a lot of people who do this…
Isa 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Those who call evil good don't necessarily believe the world is all that bad and in need of a Savior. As Christians we KNOW that the world is evil and in desperate need of a Savior and our Savior's return to do away with evil forever. We are expecting Christ to return, hoping for His second coming. Yet the Bible tells us that… ' in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh'.
We have to watch for Him always! We have to never believe there is a time He won't come to take us home with Him. I'm not talking we have to be ready for some secret rapture. The Bible tells us EVERY eye shall see Him, that He'll come as lightening shining from East to West, so obviously His return for us will be very visible. We have to watch, but even for those watching, even for those who are ready Christ's return will be at a time when we aren't expecting. Seems kind of contradictory doesn't it? Be expecting Him always and yet He will return ' in an hour as ye think not'. All will be asleep yet some wake up and are ready because they've prepared for Him before sleeping. Remember that parable? Matthew 25:1-13. All sleep. The difference is in the preparation. We won't expect Christ to come when He does, even if we are expecting His return. We need to be ready though, yes, we need to be ready at ALL times. Even if we're sleeping we need to be ready. Just as emergency plans are taught to us so we're ready at any time, we must be ready for Christ's return at any time. If a fire breaks out in your house in the middle of the night and you wake up to the smoke alarm- because you've planned what to do ahead of time you can spring into action. When we are woken up from our slumber when Christ returns we will go to meet Him with oil in our lamps, our lamps burning brightly because we know to have them ready, we know to be prepared for His return.
No, we can't know the hour of Christ's return, and when we might be lulled into believing His return is not just yet, we can still be ready for Him, ever ready for Him.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, by His love and through His righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
Be ready.
We are taught as children to be ready to act in cases of emergency. Our schools have fire drills, and we're asked to go back to our homes and together with our family prepare an emergency plan should something happen. In hospitals they have fire drills, in many buildings they have emergency exercises and they conduct these drills and exercises to prepare people to on how they should react during an emergency-- they are taught how to be ready for the unexpected.
Christ's return for us isn't unexpected BUT… 'in such an hour as ye think NOT… the Son of man cometh.'
I don't know about you but I've heard more than once that the Bible is a bunch of nonsense and people who are waiting for Christ to return are delusional fools looking for a way to escape real life because they can't handle the pressure. Are those people who believe that way towards Christians (because ALL who are Christians are expecting Christ to return- other wise they're NOT Christians at all) are those people thinking about Christ's return? No. Christians have to be expecting Christ to return. To be a follower of Christ you have to believe in Him and all He said and He told us He would return someday. If you have any contact with any professed Christians who don't believe in Christ's return then you have to conclude they aren't really followers of Christ.
As followers of Christ we are waiting for Christ to return. Our thoughts are constantly on the fact our Savior will return to wipe evil away. We live among evil, it surrounds us. However, there are a lot of people who do this…
Isa 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Those who call evil good don't necessarily believe the world is all that bad and in need of a Savior. As Christians we KNOW that the world is evil and in desperate need of a Savior and our Savior's return to do away with evil forever. We are expecting Christ to return, hoping for His second coming. Yet the Bible tells us that… ' in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh'.
We have to watch for Him always! We have to never believe there is a time He won't come to take us home with Him. I'm not talking we have to be ready for some secret rapture. The Bible tells us EVERY eye shall see Him, that He'll come as lightening shining from East to West, so obviously His return for us will be very visible. We have to watch, but even for those watching, even for those who are ready Christ's return will be at a time when we aren't expecting. Seems kind of contradictory doesn't it? Be expecting Him always and yet He will return ' in an hour as ye think not'. All will be asleep yet some wake up and are ready because they've prepared for Him before sleeping. Remember that parable? Matthew 25:1-13. All sleep. The difference is in the preparation. We won't expect Christ to come when He does, even if we are expecting His return. We need to be ready though, yes, we need to be ready at ALL times. Even if we're sleeping we need to be ready. Just as emergency plans are taught to us so we're ready at any time, we must be ready for Christ's return at any time. If a fire breaks out in your house in the middle of the night and you wake up to the smoke alarm- because you've planned what to do ahead of time you can spring into action. When we are woken up from our slumber when Christ returns we will go to meet Him with oil in our lamps, our lamps burning brightly because we know to have them ready, we know to be prepared for His return.
No, we can't know the hour of Christ's return, and when we might be lulled into believing His return is not just yet, we can still be ready for Him, ever ready for Him.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, by His love and through His righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Love Grows Cold
Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Just to touch on something more concerning the last days let's really examine this verse.
And BECAUSE…. We have a cause here.
And because iniquity… another word for sin.
And because iniquity shall abound…
Dictionary definition for 'abound'
a·bound
[uh-bound]
Show IPA
–verb (used without object)
1.
to occur or exist in great quantities or numbers: a stream in which trout abound.
2.
to be rich or well supplied (usually fol. by in ): The region abounds in coal.
3.
to be filled; teem (usually fol. by with ): The ship abounds with rats.
Pasted from
And because iniquity shall abound… be found in GREAT quantities.
And because iniquity shall abound, the love… the genuine source of true caring for the welfare of others.
And because iniquity shall abound the love of many… many as compared to few.
And because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax… shall grow.
And because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold…
COLD - Dictionary Definition--
4.
lacking in passion, emotion, enthusiasm, ardor, etc.; dispassionate: cold reason.
5.
not affectionate, cordial, or friendly; unresponsive: a cold reply; a cold reception.
Pasted from
And because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall….be passionless, unfriendly.
Yesterday we briefly touched upon allowing ourselves to become desensitized to the horrors of our world. When we no longer feel the pain of others, when we no longer see the horrors of sin in all their ugliness, when we become immune to the tragedies of life that have made our God weep, we are in grave danger of falling into a trap of Satan's to snare us in such a way we are caught up in His world and lost to God's. Think about it. We may call it growing a hard shell just to protect our own emotional sanity but that hard shell is Satan's doing causing our love to grow cold and if our love grows cold it dies and if we don't have love… we don't have God.
Satan would blind us to His ways. Satan would have us kept in the dark and bound as his. Many will be bound to Satan by UNSEEN ties, they won't even know those ties are there! In fact, many will insist right up to the end that they are with Jesus, but they won't be. In the end they will see all the ties of Satan wrapped around them to their horror all because they aren't followers of the one, true Savior.
A song I like called- 'My Jesus' sung by Todd Agnew, talks about 'His' Jesus and how he perceives 'His' Jesus to be- unlike the Jesus many others imagine- this song really touches my heart because it's raw truth. Satan has taken Jesus and impersonated Him, making Him out to be something He is not for many to believe in and many do believe in the impersonated Jesus, unsuspectingly. The Bible tells us about Jesus and how He lived His life and it wasn't with ANY self-righteousness at all and frankly that's where a lot of us are caught up- believing in a Jesus that would approve of our patting ourselves on the backs for our good works, for our charity, for our ability to rise above sin that easily besets others. Jesus' love was pure and He revealed His love to us in all its amazing glory. Jesus didn't set up a 'New' temple for people to worship in after He prophesized of the earthly temple being destroyed.
Mat 24:2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Jesus did tell us not to forsake gathering ourselves together, Jesus did tell us to help one another and to help others. People have tried for many, many years to put Jesus into a box and label that box their 'religion'. We've hundreds of religions but all Jesus asks of us is to believe in Him, follow Him and His ways. Simply belonging to a 'religion', joining a 'denomination', will never make one a true follower of our true God, Jesus. Finding a group of followers in a world that has waxed cold because of sin won't be easy and we are to seek Jesus first, not fellow believers. Satan has his snares everywhere, we just need to place our hope fully in Christ revealed in His word and nothing else. We need to be dressed in the armor He provides and pray always. May God keep us from being deceived , may God open our hearts and minds and keep our love on fire in Him. As sin abounds and love grows cold all around us, please Lord let us cling to You and find a burning love and all that entails even if it makes us strangers to this world and its ways. Bless and keep us loving Savior, by Your mercy, through Your grace, in Your righteousness now and FOREVER!
Amen.
Just to touch on something more concerning the last days let's really examine this verse.
And BECAUSE…. We have a cause here.
And because iniquity… another word for sin.
And because iniquity shall abound…
Dictionary definition for 'abound'
a·bound
[uh-bound]
Show IPA
–verb (used without object)
1.
to occur or exist in great quantities or numbers: a stream in which trout abound.
2.
to be rich or well supplied (usually fol. by in ): The region abounds in coal.
3.
to be filled; teem (usually fol. by with ): The ship abounds with rats.
Pasted from
And because iniquity shall abound… be found in GREAT quantities.
And because iniquity shall abound, the love… the genuine source of true caring for the welfare of others.
And because iniquity shall abound the love of many… many as compared to few.
And because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax… shall grow.
And because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold…
COLD - Dictionary Definition--
4.
lacking in passion, emotion, enthusiasm, ardor, etc.; dispassionate: cold reason.
5.
not affectionate, cordial, or friendly; unresponsive: a cold reply; a cold reception.
Pasted from
And because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall….be passionless, unfriendly.
Yesterday we briefly touched upon allowing ourselves to become desensitized to the horrors of our world. When we no longer feel the pain of others, when we no longer see the horrors of sin in all their ugliness, when we become immune to the tragedies of life that have made our God weep, we are in grave danger of falling into a trap of Satan's to snare us in such a way we are caught up in His world and lost to God's. Think about it. We may call it growing a hard shell just to protect our own emotional sanity but that hard shell is Satan's doing causing our love to grow cold and if our love grows cold it dies and if we don't have love… we don't have God.
Satan would blind us to His ways. Satan would have us kept in the dark and bound as his. Many will be bound to Satan by UNSEEN ties, they won't even know those ties are there! In fact, many will insist right up to the end that they are with Jesus, but they won't be. In the end they will see all the ties of Satan wrapped around them to their horror all because they aren't followers of the one, true Savior.
A song I like called- 'My Jesus' sung by Todd Agnew, talks about 'His' Jesus and how he perceives 'His' Jesus to be- unlike the Jesus many others imagine- this song really touches my heart because it's raw truth. Satan has taken Jesus and impersonated Him, making Him out to be something He is not for many to believe in and many do believe in the impersonated Jesus, unsuspectingly. The Bible tells us about Jesus and how He lived His life and it wasn't with ANY self-righteousness at all and frankly that's where a lot of us are caught up- believing in a Jesus that would approve of our patting ourselves on the backs for our good works, for our charity, for our ability to rise above sin that easily besets others. Jesus' love was pure and He revealed His love to us in all its amazing glory. Jesus didn't set up a 'New' temple for people to worship in after He prophesized of the earthly temple being destroyed.
Mat 24:2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Jesus did tell us not to forsake gathering ourselves together, Jesus did tell us to help one another and to help others. People have tried for many, many years to put Jesus into a box and label that box their 'religion'. We've hundreds of religions but all Jesus asks of us is to believe in Him, follow Him and His ways. Simply belonging to a 'religion', joining a 'denomination', will never make one a true follower of our true God, Jesus. Finding a group of followers in a world that has waxed cold because of sin won't be easy and we are to seek Jesus first, not fellow believers. Satan has his snares everywhere, we just need to place our hope fully in Christ revealed in His word and nothing else. We need to be dressed in the armor He provides and pray always. May God keep us from being deceived , may God open our hearts and minds and keep our love on fire in Him. As sin abounds and love grows cold all around us, please Lord let us cling to You and find a burning love and all that entails even if it makes us strangers to this world and its ways. Bless and keep us loving Savior, by Your mercy, through Your grace, in Your righteousness now and FOREVER!
Amen.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
In the day's before Christ's return...
Mat 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Mat 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Mat 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
In the days before Christ returns we will be…
Eating
Drinking
Marrying
Giving in marriage
It's safe to say we'll also be…
Watching television
Going to work
Playing golf
Using a computer
Talking on a cellphone
Attending school
Life will be going on as normal.
Now let's catch a picture of all this. Noah was building an ark. The ark wasn't built overnight. The Bible isn't specific on how long it took to build the ark but we know it was after Noah was 500 years old and before 600. Given the tools of the time and the size of the job it's a fair assumption that it took a long time to build the ark, right? So here we are, Noah begins working on the ark and that garners some attention from people. At first they're curious and as time goes on and this ark keeps getting bigger again it's a fair assumption that he became something of a laughing stock. Today if someone were building something on the same scale-- let's say they're building another ark but this one is for time travel-- it's huge, it's being built because this guy thinks that in time the power will come from somewhere that will enable this huge time machine to work. At first we'd see this guy and his work in progress on the news, and on our computers, there would be talk of him on twitter and pictures of him on cellphones. People would visit him out of curiosity and for the fun of it and yes, he'd be made fun of and probably called a lunatic. As time passed we'd keep an eye on Him, the crowds wouldn't be as thick any longer but there would still be visitors and maybe a weekly update on his progress on the Tonight Show. You understand what I'm trying to do here, I'm trying to make a comparison to Noah's day and Our day-- but I'm also trying to create the image of Noah's day and how things might have been. People would go about their day to day business after the novelty of the Noah's building an ark had worn off.
Jesus is going to return-- that's a fact.
People go about their every day lives and will continue to do so until Jesus returns.
So many people are expecting a period of time to get ready. So many people are expecting a warning that they cannot ignore- such as an end of the world scenario. They want there to be such a crisis that it can't be anything but the end of the world and of course Jesus comes before the end of the world sooooo…. I mean during our natural disasters you hear of people talking about thinking the world was coming to an end because that's what it felt like to them. Has the world ended…no. Also, the trouble today is we're being conditioned with every earthquake, every destructive hurricane, every season of raging wild fires, tornados, floods, etc. to think of them more and more as commonplace and less and less as warnings of any sort. Wars, natural disasters, countries in peril, local, state, providence murders, thefts, criminal activity of all kinds, we are becoming desensitized to it all. Is it no wonder at all that when Jesus returns people will be going about their business as usual, that the warnings will not be heeded?
We have to live with the expectation of Jesus returning at any time! We cannot rely on any great flash of a warning sign showing up in our heads driving us crazy until we pay attention. We cannot wait until we're done sowing our oats of sin. We cannot wait to get *things* out of our system before expecting our Savior.
We NEED to live every day expecting Jesus to return.
We NEED to live every day with that hope in our hearts.
We NEED to live ready to spend eternity with our loving Savior at every moment.
May God bless us and help us to live in expectation of our Savior's return now and always. As we live our lives in what we deem a normal way let Him forever be before us in our spirit, our thoughts, our hearts. It's too easy to become desensitized to life's tragedies but rather than be desensitized may the Holy Spirit convict our hearts to feel the pain of all the horrors we live with so that we may never be accepting of the sin that caused it all. Let our tears be shed now knowing some day they will be all wiped away.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior now and forever in HIS righteousness through His love.
Amen.
Mat 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Mat 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
In the days before Christ returns we will be…
Eating
Drinking
Marrying
Giving in marriage
It's safe to say we'll also be…
Watching television
Going to work
Playing golf
Using a computer
Talking on a cellphone
Attending school
Life will be going on as normal.
Now let's catch a picture of all this. Noah was building an ark. The ark wasn't built overnight. The Bible isn't specific on how long it took to build the ark but we know it was after Noah was 500 years old and before 600. Given the tools of the time and the size of the job it's a fair assumption that it took a long time to build the ark, right? So here we are, Noah begins working on the ark and that garners some attention from people. At first they're curious and as time goes on and this ark keeps getting bigger again it's a fair assumption that he became something of a laughing stock. Today if someone were building something on the same scale-- let's say they're building another ark but this one is for time travel-- it's huge, it's being built because this guy thinks that in time the power will come from somewhere that will enable this huge time machine to work. At first we'd see this guy and his work in progress on the news, and on our computers, there would be talk of him on twitter and pictures of him on cellphones. People would visit him out of curiosity and for the fun of it and yes, he'd be made fun of and probably called a lunatic. As time passed we'd keep an eye on Him, the crowds wouldn't be as thick any longer but there would still be visitors and maybe a weekly update on his progress on the Tonight Show. You understand what I'm trying to do here, I'm trying to make a comparison to Noah's day and Our day-- but I'm also trying to create the image of Noah's day and how things might have been. People would go about their day to day business after the novelty of the Noah's building an ark had worn off.
Jesus is going to return-- that's a fact.
People go about their every day lives and will continue to do so until Jesus returns.
So many people are expecting a period of time to get ready. So many people are expecting a warning that they cannot ignore- such as an end of the world scenario. They want there to be such a crisis that it can't be anything but the end of the world and of course Jesus comes before the end of the world sooooo…. I mean during our natural disasters you hear of people talking about thinking the world was coming to an end because that's what it felt like to them. Has the world ended…no. Also, the trouble today is we're being conditioned with every earthquake, every destructive hurricane, every season of raging wild fires, tornados, floods, etc. to think of them more and more as commonplace and less and less as warnings of any sort. Wars, natural disasters, countries in peril, local, state, providence murders, thefts, criminal activity of all kinds, we are becoming desensitized to it all. Is it no wonder at all that when Jesus returns people will be going about their business as usual, that the warnings will not be heeded?
We have to live with the expectation of Jesus returning at any time! We cannot rely on any great flash of a warning sign showing up in our heads driving us crazy until we pay attention. We cannot wait until we're done sowing our oats of sin. We cannot wait to get *things* out of our system before expecting our Savior.
We NEED to live every day expecting Jesus to return.
We NEED to live every day with that hope in our hearts.
We NEED to live ready to spend eternity with our loving Savior at every moment.
May God bless us and help us to live in expectation of our Savior's return now and always. As we live our lives in what we deem a normal way let Him forever be before us in our spirit, our thoughts, our hearts. It's too easy to become desensitized to life's tragedies but rather than be desensitized may the Holy Spirit convict our hearts to feel the pain of all the horrors we live with so that we may never be accepting of the sin that caused it all. Let our tears be shed now knowing some day they will be all wiped away.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior now and forever in HIS righteousness through His love.
Amen.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Teaching and Admonishing
Col 3:16 LET the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Teaching.
Admonishing.
When we think of teaching we don't necessarily think of harshness, not that some teachers don't use harsh teaching methods to instruct their students. When we think of admonishing someone we almost definitely think of harshness. If I'm admonished by someone what comes to mind is a certain sternness. Yes, you can admonish someone nicely, it's done all the time, but a lot of time most admonishing results in hurt feelings. We take offense over a lot of admonishing because it makes us feel stupid. Don't tell me that! I know that already, what do you think I am, stupid? Sound familiar? Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. Maybe the thoughts against being admonished are silent ones.
ad·mon·ish
[ad-mon-ish]
Show IPA
–verb (used with object)
1.
to caution, advise, or counsel against something.
2.
to reprove or scold, esp. in a mild and good-willed manner: The teacher admonished him about excessive noise.
3.
to urge to a duty; remind: to admonish them about their obligations.
Pasted from
Bottom line most people I know do not like to be admonished, I'm one of them.
I read this verse…
Col 3:16 LET the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
…and I have to take a second to really think about what it is saying. Is the word of God really telling us to TEACH and ADMONISH each other in POETRY and SINGING????
Uhn?
We don't exist in a 'musical'. I really like musicals, a lot of them actually and I'm a singing type person. I'll sing at the drop of a hat. I've often found myself singing low even in stores, or at family functions as I'm cleaning up etc (this comes to mind because my niece grinned at me at a recent family function and said, "I remember that song." I wasn't singing loudly, or even in my normal tone of voice, just a low humming singing but that's me. The kids will say something and their words will jog a memory of a song and there I go singing that part o the song. I'm mentioning all this because I have asked the question a time or two to my children, 'Wouldn't it be nice to live life as a musical?' Of course that brought snickers even though both my children do enjoy musicals.
This verse tells us to teach and admonish in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Just think of what that might be like.
Clears throat gently… hums a few notes… looks at my daughter and breaks out into song…."Youuuuuuu need to fold those clothessssss or wrinkly they will beeeeeee....not only that....they look so messsssssssyyyyyy."
Yes, I'm being silly, but seriously, think about it.
The word of God tells us …
Col 3:16 LET the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Do you think that maybe, just maybe if we had to admonish someone in a song we'd take time to think about what we were going to sing to them? Would having to sing, or write a psalm, or a hymn give us cause to really think about what we were going to say giving us less of a chance to just go off half-cocked spouting out things we might regret? Especially if we are to teach and admonish with GRACE in our hearts to the Lord.
It's something to really think about. Not that I believe we are suddenly going to start singing out what we want to teach and most assuredly we are not going to sing out our admonishing to one another, but…. what if we kept this in mind and seriously considered what we would sing to someone. Let's try to do this just to see what life might be like. The next time you go to admonish someone try to imagine doing it in song with grace in your heart to the Lord.
May the word of Christ dwell in us richly in all wisdom! May we teach and admonish one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs…singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, in His amazing miraculous love and righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
Teaching.
Admonishing.
When we think of teaching we don't necessarily think of harshness, not that some teachers don't use harsh teaching methods to instruct their students. When we think of admonishing someone we almost definitely think of harshness. If I'm admonished by someone what comes to mind is a certain sternness. Yes, you can admonish someone nicely, it's done all the time, but a lot of time most admonishing results in hurt feelings. We take offense over a lot of admonishing because it makes us feel stupid. Don't tell me that! I know that already, what do you think I am, stupid? Sound familiar? Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. Maybe the thoughts against being admonished are silent ones.
ad·mon·ish
[ad-mon-ish]
Show IPA
–verb (used with object)
1.
to caution, advise, or counsel against something.
2.
to reprove or scold, esp. in a mild and good-willed manner: The teacher admonished him about excessive noise.
3.
to urge to a duty; remind: to admonish them about their obligations.
Pasted from
Bottom line most people I know do not like to be admonished, I'm one of them.
I read this verse…
Col 3:16 LET the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
…and I have to take a second to really think about what it is saying. Is the word of God really telling us to TEACH and ADMONISH each other in POETRY and SINGING????
Uhn?
We don't exist in a 'musical'. I really like musicals, a lot of them actually and I'm a singing type person. I'll sing at the drop of a hat. I've often found myself singing low even in stores, or at family functions as I'm cleaning up etc (this comes to mind because my niece grinned at me at a recent family function and said, "I remember that song." I wasn't singing loudly, or even in my normal tone of voice, just a low humming singing but that's me. The kids will say something and their words will jog a memory of a song and there I go singing that part o the song. I'm mentioning all this because I have asked the question a time or two to my children, 'Wouldn't it be nice to live life as a musical?' Of course that brought snickers even though both my children do enjoy musicals.
This verse tells us to teach and admonish in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Just think of what that might be like.
Clears throat gently… hums a few notes… looks at my daughter and breaks out into song…."Youuuuuuu need to fold those clothessssss or wrinkly they will beeeeeee....not only that....they look so messsssssssyyyyyy."
Yes, I'm being silly, but seriously, think about it.
The word of God tells us …
Col 3:16 LET the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Do you think that maybe, just maybe if we had to admonish someone in a song we'd take time to think about what we were going to sing to them? Would having to sing, or write a psalm, or a hymn give us cause to really think about what we were going to say giving us less of a chance to just go off half-cocked spouting out things we might regret? Especially if we are to teach and admonish with GRACE in our hearts to the Lord.
It's something to really think about. Not that I believe we are suddenly going to start singing out what we want to teach and most assuredly we are not going to sing out our admonishing to one another, but…. what if we kept this in mind and seriously considered what we would sing to someone. Let's try to do this just to see what life might be like. The next time you go to admonish someone try to imagine doing it in song with grace in your heart to the Lord.
May the word of Christ dwell in us richly in all wisdom! May we teach and admonish one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs…singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, in His amazing miraculous love and righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Beware.
Col 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
Col 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
BEWARE. We know what this means- watch out, be careful. We have to beware of what? MAN. We have to beware of other people spoiling us. Not spoiling us in the way of giving us too much, but rather spoiling us for Christ, making us no good as followers of Christ. And others can spoil us through their PHILOSOPHIES, and through their VAIN DECEITS. Philosophies.
phi·los·o·phy
[fi-los-uh-fee]
Show IPA
–noun, plural -phies.
1.
the rational investigation of the truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct.
2.
any of the three branches, namely natural philosophy, moral philosophy, and metaphysical philosophy, that are accepted as composing this study.
3.
a system of philosophical doctrine: the philosophy of Spinoza.
4.
the critical study of the basic principles and concepts of a particular branch of knowledge, esp. with a view to improving or reconstituting them: the philosophy of science.
5.
a system of principles for guidance in practical affairs.
6.
a philosophical attitude, as one of composure and calm in the presence of troubles or annoyances.
Men's philosophies - Men's truths, men's principles, men's knowledge, men's conduct.
vain
[veyn]
Show IPA
–adjective, -er, -est.
1.
excessively proud of or concerned about one's own appearance, qualities, achievements, etc.; conceited: a vain dandy.
2.
proceeding from or showing personal vanity: vain remarks.
3.
ineffectual or unsuccessful; futile: a vain effort.
4.
without real significance, value, or importance; baseless or worthless: vain pageantry; vain display.
5.
Archaic . senseless or foolish.
—Idiom
6.
in vain,
a.
without effect or avail; to no purpose: to apologize in vain.
b.
in an improper or irreverent manner: to take God's name in vain.
Pasted from
de·ceit
[dih-seet]
Show IPA
–noun
1.
the act or practice of deceiving; concealment or distortion of the truth for the purpose of misleading; duplicity; fraud; cheating: Once she exposed their deceit, no one ever trusted them again.
2.
an act or device intended to deceive; trick; stratagem.
3.
the quality of being deceitful; duplicity; falseness: a man full of deceit.
Pasted from
Men's foolish duplicity. Men's foolish trickery.
Col 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
Col 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Beware of others- beware of their traditions, their philosophies, their falseness, their tricks. People get so puffed up with their own ideas about things. They interpret things one way and insist it's the right way. They get their minds clouded with so much that has nothing to do with our Savior. We have to be very careful of others leading us down their road of deceit. The thing is, they won't even realize they are being deceitful most times. People will get caught up in their own *beliefs* and forget that it's God's beliefs we are to adhere to, not anyone else's. People will say everything is interpreted differently and yet God will not contradict Himself.
As we receive Jesus we have to WALK in Him.
We have to be ROOTED and BUILT up in Him.
We have to be STABLISHED in the FAITH.
We have to abound with THANKSGIVING!
Only when we are walking, rooted, built, stablished in the faith and giving thanks all in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior are we safe. We have to LOOK to HIM and ONLY HIM! We can help each other but we can't look to each other, walking in the faith of one another. Men throughout time have gone astray when they look to other men for the answers. The answers are found in Christ and a personal relationship with Him. If we don't have a personal walk with Christ then we will be deceived. Make no mistake right now there are many people who want followers, many people who want you to join their organizations, many people who like nothing better than to have a fellow believer in THEIR beliefs. Our standard has to be God's Word and God's Word only and no other.
May the grace of God cover us all. May we walk in Him and only in Him. Thank you Lord for the blessing of You, of Your love, Your sacrifice. By Your mercy, through Your righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
Col 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
BEWARE. We know what this means- watch out, be careful. We have to beware of what? MAN. We have to beware of other people spoiling us. Not spoiling us in the way of giving us too much, but rather spoiling us for Christ, making us no good as followers of Christ. And others can spoil us through their PHILOSOPHIES, and through their VAIN DECEITS. Philosophies.
phi·los·o·phy
[fi-los-uh-fee]
Show IPA
–noun, plural -phies.
1.
the rational investigation of the truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct.
2.
any of the three branches, namely natural philosophy, moral philosophy, and metaphysical philosophy, that are accepted as composing this study.
3.
a system of philosophical doctrine: the philosophy of Spinoza.
4.
the critical study of the basic principles and concepts of a particular branch of knowledge, esp. with a view to improving or reconstituting them: the philosophy of science.
5.
a system of principles for guidance in practical affairs.
6.
a philosophical attitude, as one of composure and calm in the presence of troubles or annoyances.
Men's philosophies - Men's truths, men's principles, men's knowledge, men's conduct.
vain
[veyn]
Show IPA
–adjective, -er, -est.
1.
excessively proud of or concerned about one's own appearance, qualities, achievements, etc.; conceited: a vain dandy.
2.
proceeding from or showing personal vanity: vain remarks.
3.
ineffectual or unsuccessful; futile: a vain effort.
4.
without real significance, value, or importance; baseless or worthless: vain pageantry; vain display.
5.
Archaic . senseless or foolish.
—Idiom
6.
in vain,
a.
without effect or avail; to no purpose: to apologize in vain.
b.
in an improper or irreverent manner: to take God's name in vain.
Pasted from
de·ceit
[dih-seet]
Show IPA
–noun
1.
the act or practice of deceiving; concealment or distortion of the truth for the purpose of misleading; duplicity; fraud; cheating: Once she exposed their deceit, no one ever trusted them again.
2.
an act or device intended to deceive; trick; stratagem.
3.
the quality of being deceitful; duplicity; falseness: a man full of deceit.
Pasted from
Men's foolish duplicity. Men's foolish trickery.
Col 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
Col 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Beware of others- beware of their traditions, their philosophies, their falseness, their tricks. People get so puffed up with their own ideas about things. They interpret things one way and insist it's the right way. They get their minds clouded with so much that has nothing to do with our Savior. We have to be very careful of others leading us down their road of deceit. The thing is, they won't even realize they are being deceitful most times. People will get caught up in their own *beliefs* and forget that it's God's beliefs we are to adhere to, not anyone else's. People will say everything is interpreted differently and yet God will not contradict Himself.
As we receive Jesus we have to WALK in Him.
We have to be ROOTED and BUILT up in Him.
We have to be STABLISHED in the FAITH.
We have to abound with THANKSGIVING!
Only when we are walking, rooted, built, stablished in the faith and giving thanks all in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior are we safe. We have to LOOK to HIM and ONLY HIM! We can help each other but we can't look to each other, walking in the faith of one another. Men throughout time have gone astray when they look to other men for the answers. The answers are found in Christ and a personal relationship with Him. If we don't have a personal walk with Christ then we will be deceived. Make no mistake right now there are many people who want followers, many people who want you to join their organizations, many people who like nothing better than to have a fellow believer in THEIR beliefs. Our standard has to be God's Word and God's Word only and no other.
May the grace of God cover us all. May we walk in Him and only in Him. Thank you Lord for the blessing of You, of Your love, Your sacrifice. By Your mercy, through Your righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
We Will All Be Changed
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.
Yes, it was written… Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul
Until God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life… man was NOT a living soul.
Jesus was a spirit brought to life in a human form.
We think about how humans reproduce and know that Jesus had NO human male seed to create Him. His creation was spiritual. A spiritual seed quickened in the body of a woman.
Both Adam and Christ were uniquely brought into existence.
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.
Flesh and blood CANNOT inherit the kingdom of God. We are flesh and blood. We know that certain of God's chosen have been translated in their flesh and blood body to the kingdom of God. But what we might not realize is those translated were probably CHANGED. Just as Jesus when He rose from the tomb told others not to touch Him because He hadn't yet ascended to His Father. Perhaps that CHANGE that needs to take place in all who possess flesh and blood had not yet been made in Him. When He later showed Himself to Thomas and told Him to touch Him- He had a body and YET we know He was changed, He was spirit as well. Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus remember….
Mat 17:3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
They had a form of human beings to be seen as they were, and yet they were from Heaven.
Remember this…
Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man
Angels- spirit beings that can take on human likeness and yet remain spirit beings.
We are not able to be spirit beings without our flesh and blood. Our flesh and blood, our earthy self is mixed with our spirit self the two are inseparable until we are changed in the day of Christ's return.
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.
All glory and praise, all honor and thanksgiving to God!
The mystery of life eternal in Christ.
We will be changed. All glory to God!
The flesh and blood we possess, death that is our inheritance as human beings can be defeated in Christ! We lay up our treasures in heaven. When we inherit heaven we will inherit it with bodies that are not flesh and blood, but bodies changed into the mysterious spirit form that can take the shape of who we are and yet no longer are subject to death. Praise God for salvation in Christ! Praise God for the sacrifice He made to save us.
By the grace, by the mercy, through the righteousness of our Savior now and forever!
Amen.
Yes, it was written… Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul
Until God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life… man was NOT a living soul.
Jesus was a spirit brought to life in a human form.
We think about how humans reproduce and know that Jesus had NO human male seed to create Him. His creation was spiritual. A spiritual seed quickened in the body of a woman.
Both Adam and Christ were uniquely brought into existence.
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.
Flesh and blood CANNOT inherit the kingdom of God. We are flesh and blood. We know that certain of God's chosen have been translated in their flesh and blood body to the kingdom of God. But what we might not realize is those translated were probably CHANGED. Just as Jesus when He rose from the tomb told others not to touch Him because He hadn't yet ascended to His Father. Perhaps that CHANGE that needs to take place in all who possess flesh and blood had not yet been made in Him. When He later showed Himself to Thomas and told Him to touch Him- He had a body and YET we know He was changed, He was spirit as well. Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus remember….
Mat 17:3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
They had a form of human beings to be seen as they were, and yet they were from Heaven.
Remember this…
Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man
Angels- spirit beings that can take on human likeness and yet remain spirit beings.
We are not able to be spirit beings without our flesh and blood. Our flesh and blood, our earthy self is mixed with our spirit self the two are inseparable until we are changed in the day of Christ's return.
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.
All glory and praise, all honor and thanksgiving to God!
The mystery of life eternal in Christ.
We will be changed. All glory to God!
The flesh and blood we possess, death that is our inheritance as human beings can be defeated in Christ! We lay up our treasures in heaven. When we inherit heaven we will inherit it with bodies that are not flesh and blood, but bodies changed into the mysterious spirit form that can take the shape of who we are and yet no longer are subject to death. Praise God for salvation in Christ! Praise God for the sacrifice He made to save us.
By the grace, by the mercy, through the righteousness of our Savior now and forever!
Amen.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Idols of the Heart
Eze 14:3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
Setting up idols in our hearts.
Putting stumblingblocks of sin before our faces.
Do we do this? We all know what idols are, right? Let's take a look at the dictionary definition just to be sure…
Idol
I'DOL, n. [L. idolum; Gr. form or to see.]
1. An image, form or representation, usually of a man or other animal, consecrated as an object of worship; a pagan deity. Idols are usually statues or images, carved out of wood or stone, or formed of metals, particularly silver or gold.
The gods of the nations are idols. Psa 96.
2. An image.
Nor ever idol seemed so much alive.
3. A person loved and honored to adoration. The prince was the idol of the people.
4. Any thing on which we set our affections; that to which we indulge an excessive and sinful attachment.
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 John 5.
An idol is any thing which usurps the place of God in the hearts of his rational creatures.
5. A representation. [Not in use.]
*******
So, ANYTHING which usurps the place of God in our hearts. Technically that means we can be our own idols doesn't it? Our loved ones can be our idols, the television can be our idol, our cellphone, our computer, our animals, our jobs, our past times -- you name it, if it takes the place of God in our hearts, if we set our affections and have an excessive attachment to ANYTHING other than God we may be guilty of setting up idols in our hearts. Notice I said MAY BE, I hesitated. In truth it should read… if we set our affections and have an excessive attachment to ANYTHING other than God we ARE guilty of setting up idols in our hearts.
We ARE guilty.
Let's take a look at this next word…
Stumbling-block
STUMBLING-BLOCK, STUMBLING-STONE, n. [stumble and block or stone.] Any cause of stumbling; that which causes to err.
Any cause of stumbling, anything that causes us to err.
Putting stumblingblocks of sin before our faces.
Do we do this? Do we PUT things in our lives that cause us to sin?
We are estranged from God through our idols. We need to repent and turn from those idols. We need to turn our faces from ALL our abominations.
We are accountable for our lives make no mistake about it. We are accountable for cherishing sin. We are accountable for the idols we choose to worship.
'the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols'
Eze 14:4 Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols
Answered according to the MULTITUDE of our idols!
We don't like to think about these things. We'd rather hear about the compassion of a forgiving Savior than hear about our idols and the need to turn from them. So many people believe that Jesus will save us no matter what sins we cherish and cling to.
It was Jesus who said this--
'Joh 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. '
Joh 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
SIN NO MORE.
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us
Easier said than done, I know… I know.
Perhaps examining our lives is a first step. Recognizing the idols in our hearts, noting the stumblingblocks of sin we've erected in our lives. Instead of calling sin something else, note it for what it is. There is no pretending with God. There is no deceiving God. We can deceive ourselves into believing anything, but God will not be deceived.
Our hope is in Christ now and always!
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.
Col 3:2 SET your affection on things ABOVE, not on things on the earth.
Col 3:3 FOR YE ARE DEAD, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Col 3:5 MORTIFY therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Col 3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Col 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
Col 3:8 But now ye also PUT OFF ALL these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Col 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have PUT OFF THE OLD MAN WITH HIS DEEDS;
Col 3:10 And have PUT ON THE NEW MAN, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Col 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but CHRIST IS ALL, AND IN ALL.
Col 3:12 PUT ON therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, BOWELS OF MERCIES, KINDNESS, HUMBLENESS OF MIND, MEEKNESS, LONGSUFFERING;
Col 3:13 FORBEARING ONE ANOTHER, and FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col 3:14 And above all these things PUT ON CHARITY, which is the bond of perfectness.
Col 3:15 And LET THE PEACE OF GOD RULE IN YOUR HEARTS, to the which also ye are called in one body; and BE YE THANKFUL.
Col 3:16 LET the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Col 3:17 And WHATSOEVER ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the LORD JESUS, GIVING thanks to God and the Father by him.
Col 3:18 Wives, SUBMIT yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
Col 3:19 Husbands, LOVE your wives, and be not bitter against them.
Col 3:20 Children, OBEY your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
Col 3:21 Fathers, PROVOKE NOT your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
Col 3:22 Servants, OBEY in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, FEARING GOD:
Col 3:23 And WHATSOEVER ye do, do it heartily, as TO THE LORD, and not unto men;
Col 3:24 KNOWING that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for YE SERVE THE LORD CHRIST.
Col 3:25 BUT HE THAT DOETH WRONG SHALL RECEIVE FOR THE WRONG WHICH HE HATH DONE: AND THERE IS NO RESPECT OF PERSONS.
Col 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him
We receive our Savior, how?
Mat 19:25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
Mat 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Act 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Joh 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Joh 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Joh 3:9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Joh 3:10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Joh 3:11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
Joh 3:12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
Joh 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Joh 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Act 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Act 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
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.
We are save by the grace of our Lord and Savior and only by His grace. Believing in the Lord and His grace in all truth is transforming. While we might look at our lives and cringe with a sense of hopelessness trying to creep in believing that we'll never be free of our sins, or the idols of our hearts, we have to look to Christ and hope in Him! We must 'die daily'. TRULY WE MUST DIE DAILY trusting in our Savior for His righteousness, His love, His forgiveness- something we'll NEVER be able to earn, something we'll never deserve. Hope is in Christ and ONLY in Christ!
In His amazing love!
Amen.
Setting up idols in our hearts.
Putting stumblingblocks of sin before our faces.
Do we do this? We all know what idols are, right? Let's take a look at the dictionary definition just to be sure…
Idol
I'DOL, n. [L. idolum; Gr. form or to see.]
1. An image, form or representation, usually of a man or other animal, consecrated as an object of worship; a pagan deity. Idols are usually statues or images, carved out of wood or stone, or formed of metals, particularly silver or gold.
The gods of the nations are idols. Psa 96.
2. An image.
Nor ever idol seemed so much alive.
3. A person loved and honored to adoration. The prince was the idol of the people.
4. Any thing on which we set our affections; that to which we indulge an excessive and sinful attachment.
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 John 5.
An idol is any thing which usurps the place of God in the hearts of his rational creatures.
5. A representation. [Not in use.]
*******
So, ANYTHING which usurps the place of God in our hearts. Technically that means we can be our own idols doesn't it? Our loved ones can be our idols, the television can be our idol, our cellphone, our computer, our animals, our jobs, our past times -- you name it, if it takes the place of God in our hearts, if we set our affections and have an excessive attachment to ANYTHING other than God we may be guilty of setting up idols in our hearts. Notice I said MAY BE, I hesitated. In truth it should read… if we set our affections and have an excessive attachment to ANYTHING other than God we ARE guilty of setting up idols in our hearts.
We ARE guilty.
Let's take a look at this next word…
Stumbling-block
STUMBLING-BLOCK, STUMBLING-STONE, n. [stumble and block or stone.] Any cause of stumbling; that which causes to err.
Any cause of stumbling, anything that causes us to err.
Putting stumblingblocks of sin before our faces.
Do we do this? Do we PUT things in our lives that cause us to sin?
We are estranged from God through our idols. We need to repent and turn from those idols. We need to turn our faces from ALL our abominations.
We are accountable for our lives make no mistake about it. We are accountable for cherishing sin. We are accountable for the idols we choose to worship.
'the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols'
Eze 14:4 Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols
Answered according to the MULTITUDE of our idols!
We don't like to think about these things. We'd rather hear about the compassion of a forgiving Savior than hear about our idols and the need to turn from them. So many people believe that Jesus will save us no matter what sins we cherish and cling to.
It was Jesus who said this--
'Joh 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. '
Joh 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
SIN NO MORE.
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us
Easier said than done, I know… I know.
Perhaps examining our lives is a first step. Recognizing the idols in our hearts, noting the stumblingblocks of sin we've erected in our lives. Instead of calling sin something else, note it for what it is. There is no pretending with God. There is no deceiving God. We can deceive ourselves into believing anything, but God will not be deceived.
Our hope is in Christ now and always!
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.
Col 3:2 SET your affection on things ABOVE, not on things on the earth.
Col 3:3 FOR YE ARE DEAD, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Col 3:5 MORTIFY therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Col 3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Col 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
Col 3:8 But now ye also PUT OFF ALL these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Col 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have PUT OFF THE OLD MAN WITH HIS DEEDS;
Col 3:10 And have PUT ON THE NEW MAN, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Col 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but CHRIST IS ALL, AND IN ALL.
Col 3:12 PUT ON therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, BOWELS OF MERCIES, KINDNESS, HUMBLENESS OF MIND, MEEKNESS, LONGSUFFERING;
Col 3:13 FORBEARING ONE ANOTHER, and FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col 3:14 And above all these things PUT ON CHARITY, which is the bond of perfectness.
Col 3:15 And LET THE PEACE OF GOD RULE IN YOUR HEARTS, to the which also ye are called in one body; and BE YE THANKFUL.
Col 3:16 LET the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Col 3:17 And WHATSOEVER ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the LORD JESUS, GIVING thanks to God and the Father by him.
Col 3:18 Wives, SUBMIT yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
Col 3:19 Husbands, LOVE your wives, and be not bitter against them.
Col 3:20 Children, OBEY your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
Col 3:21 Fathers, PROVOKE NOT your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
Col 3:22 Servants, OBEY in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, FEARING GOD:
Col 3:23 And WHATSOEVER ye do, do it heartily, as TO THE LORD, and not unto men;
Col 3:24 KNOWING that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for YE SERVE THE LORD CHRIST.
Col 3:25 BUT HE THAT DOETH WRONG SHALL RECEIVE FOR THE WRONG WHICH HE HATH DONE: AND THERE IS NO RESPECT OF PERSONS.
Col 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him
We receive our Savior, how?
Mat 19:25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
Mat 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Act 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Joh 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Joh 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Joh 3:9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Joh 3:10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Joh 3:11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
Joh 3:12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
Joh 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Joh 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Act 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Act 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
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.
We are save by the grace of our Lord and Savior and only by His grace. Believing in the Lord and His grace in all truth is transforming. While we might look at our lives and cringe with a sense of hopelessness trying to creep in believing that we'll never be free of our sins, or the idols of our hearts, we have to look to Christ and hope in Him! We must 'die daily'. TRULY WE MUST DIE DAILY trusting in our Savior for His righteousness, His love, His forgiveness- something we'll NEVER be able to earn, something we'll never deserve. Hope is in Christ and ONLY in Christ!
In His amazing love!
Amen.
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