2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
ALL diligence- all attention, all detail, do we do this are we really diligent in our pursuit of a life following our Savior? We are to ADD to our faith- VIRTUE.
Virtue- moral excellence; goodness; righteousness. (dictionary definition)
Add to our FAITH- moral excellence, goodness, righteousness!
In this society when having very little virtue and moral excellence is commended especially among our youth, our young adults who are fed a steady stream of moral-less programs on television and movies, adding VIRTUE to faith is rare. While it is rare we must diligently add this to our faith. We don't stop at faith, we CAN'T stop at faith, we have to ADD to it. And ADDing to it means living our lives with the things we are adding. What good is our faith if we choose to live without any moral excellence- seriously! Is it any wonder people could careless if we love God, if we love Jesus , if we have all the faith in the world as long as our lives seem no different than any others? We MUST add to our faith moral excellence-virtue.
We must add to that virtue- knowledge. We cannot ever be content with the knowledge we possess but forever seek to learn more, so much more.
To that knowledge we need to add- temperance.
Temperance- moderation or self-restraint in action, statement, etc.; self-control. (dictionary definition)
We have to have self-restraint! We have to have self-control! We have to deny OURSELVES! Do we? We need to because if we give into our every desire, our every fleshy lust we are not living in the spirit at all, we are living in the flesh and that flesh will lead us into sin because it is so very, very selfish, so self-centered.
To that self-control we have to add patience. Our entire lives demand patience because this life as a Christian is a long, long journey we are undertaking. We are living our lives as pilgrims, true strangers in this strange land and whenever anyone undertakes a long, long journey they must have patience or else that journey will be incredibly difficult, if not impossible.
To patience we have to add godliness.
Conforming to the laws and wishes of God; devout; pious. (dictionary def)
Without this conformity to God's laws we follow NOTHING! Seriously. What's it mean to follow someone without any principles, without any moral standards? God is far from moral-less. God has LAWS. The moral law of God is something we ALL must follow. When we fail to follow the moral law of our God then we are NOT living with godliness in our lives, and if we are not living with godliness then we are living godlessly.
To godliness we must add brotherly kindness. Being kind is something many have forgotten. Simple kindnesses are all too often dismissed in favor of selfishness, self-absorption. We think more of our own selves, our feelings in the moment, our desires in the moment than we do another's. THIS is a sickness that has infected our world on so many, many levels and unfortunately it has NOT spared those who claim to be God's.
To brotherly kindness we have to add charity.
Love. Love. Without love we are truly NOT following our Savior and to think we are well, we're deluding ourselves.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
BLIND.
CANNOT SEE AFAR OFF.
FORGOTTEN WE'VE BEEN PURGED FROM OUR OLD SINS.
How true.
If we forget that we've had our old sins purged what happens? Those sins remain, they return, and if our old sins return the repentance we sought for them is no longer there. We have to repent again! We have to seek forgiveness all over again. If we follow the word of God as given to us here then we will NOT forget we were purged from our former sins. If we DO NOT follow the word of God we will forget and our old sins will over take us again.
BY THE GRACE OF GOD, we will FOLLOW the WORD of God.
More tomorrow on this all by the grace of our Lord and Savior!
Please LORD, please help us.
In YOUR love!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord
2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord
Grace and peace- THROUGH the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
Knowledge comes to us how? Can you do nothing and gain knowledge? As a rule- no. How can you learn to read if you are not taught? If you don't have to be taught then how do we have people who do not know how to read? So much in our lives does NOT come to us automatically. We are taught a lot. Even by our parents as babes we are learning constantly. People can learn a lot through watching others and whatnot, but some things must be deliberately taught to us. When we find something we desire to learn we can go to a lot of sources and from those sources we will gain the knowledge we want to have. Yes, you can force someone to learn. Ask the majority of kids in school and they'll tell you they believe they are forced to go to school, forced to learn. But learning something from a desire to know more is a lot better than feeling as if you are being forced to learn.
We- who desire so much to have the grace and peace of God and Jesus our Lord- will find learning of them desirable, yes? Grace and peace multiplied through knowledge- we must constantly seek to learn more of our God, of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Exceeding GREAT and PRECIOUS PROMISES.
Do you know of the promises that are so great and precious?
The promise of salvation, the promise of no more tears, no more pain, there are a lot of promises we are given and we must know them, learn them. We are made PARTAKERS of the DIVINE NATURE by these promises. By these promises we can ESCAPE the corruption that exists in our world through lust!
We can escape!
Grace and peace- THROUGH the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
Knowledge comes to us how? Can you do nothing and gain knowledge? As a rule- no. How can you learn to read if you are not taught? If you don't have to be taught then how do we have people who do not know how to read? So much in our lives does NOT come to us automatically. We are taught a lot. Even by our parents as babes we are learning constantly. People can learn a lot through watching others and whatnot, but some things must be deliberately taught to us. When we find something we desire to learn we can go to a lot of sources and from those sources we will gain the knowledge we want to have. Yes, you can force someone to learn. Ask the majority of kids in school and they'll tell you they believe they are forced to go to school, forced to learn. But learning something from a desire to know more is a lot better than feeling as if you are being forced to learn.
We- who desire so much to have the grace and peace of God and Jesus our Lord- will find learning of them desirable, yes? Grace and peace multiplied through knowledge- we must constantly seek to learn more of our God, of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Exceeding GREAT and PRECIOUS PROMISES.
Do you know of the promises that are so great and precious?
The promise of salvation, the promise of no more tears, no more pain, there are a lot of promises we are given and we must know them, learn them. We are made PARTAKERS of the DIVINE NATURE by these promises. By these promises we can ESCAPE the corruption that exists in our world through lust!
We can escape!
Monday, February 27, 2012
Precious Faith
2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ
Like PRECIOUS FAITH with us THROUGH the RIGHTEOUSNESS of GOD and our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.
We have no faith outside of the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Is it any wonder Jesus could say this--
Mat 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
He could say this because it's the quality of faith that matters far above quantity. The tiniest bit of faith if it is pure is a very, very powerful thing.
The tiniest bit of pure faith could move a mountain.
The tiniest bit of pure faith makes NOTHING impossible to us.
Pure faith is complete belief in the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Many will say they have no problem at all believing that God and His Son are righteous. We have to APPLY that righteousness to ourselves, it's there where people falter and it's no wonder- we are so incredibly far from being righteous the idea that our Savior, that our God would see us as righteous is mind blowing. We have to accept Christ's righteousness as ours, and again our filth tells us that we do not deserve that righteousness. That to be touched by the righteousness would mean our death because we are so repugnant, so repulsive, so offensive to all that is good and right. Our Savior DIED to make the gift possible, the UNDESERVED gift of HIMSELF, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Satan would have us NOT accept Christ's righteousness. Satan would have us believe that we are too filthy to ever be cleaned.
Precious faith- through the righteousness of GOD and our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST- that's the only way we can truly have faith at all. We have to STOP focusing on our righteousness of the idea that we must obtain our OWN righteousness because that is a devil trap. We have to focus on our Savior's righteousness, His purity, His goodness, His sinlessness!
He SAVES us- we MUST believe in HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS that HE wants to cover us with.
Faith.
Faith not in ourselves, but in God and Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, always!
Like PRECIOUS FAITH with us THROUGH the RIGHTEOUSNESS of GOD and our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.
We have no faith outside of the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Is it any wonder Jesus could say this--
Mat 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
He could say this because it's the quality of faith that matters far above quantity. The tiniest bit of faith if it is pure is a very, very powerful thing.
The tiniest bit of pure faith could move a mountain.
The tiniest bit of pure faith makes NOTHING impossible to us.
Pure faith is complete belief in the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Many will say they have no problem at all believing that God and His Son are righteous. We have to APPLY that righteousness to ourselves, it's there where people falter and it's no wonder- we are so incredibly far from being righteous the idea that our Savior, that our God would see us as righteous is mind blowing. We have to accept Christ's righteousness as ours, and again our filth tells us that we do not deserve that righteousness. That to be touched by the righteousness would mean our death because we are so repugnant, so repulsive, so offensive to all that is good and right. Our Savior DIED to make the gift possible, the UNDESERVED gift of HIMSELF, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Satan would have us NOT accept Christ's righteousness. Satan would have us believe that we are too filthy to ever be cleaned.
Precious faith- through the righteousness of GOD and our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST- that's the only way we can truly have faith at all. We have to STOP focusing on our righteousness of the idea that we must obtain our OWN righteousness because that is a devil trap. We have to focus on our Savior's righteousness, His purity, His goodness, His sinlessness!
He SAVES us- we MUST believe in HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS that HE wants to cover us with.
Faith.
Faith not in ourselves, but in God and Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, always!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
How many cares do we cast upon our God?
ALL.
All our cares need to be cast upon God. We need to give them to Him. We need to pray to our God, talk to Him, tell our God what our cares are - He WANTS to hear them. He needs for us to trust that HE does care for us. We might not comprehend how our Lord works. We might not comprehend how things are meant to work out. We might not comprehend how seemingly bad things are for our good, especially the horrific things we might have to face, but we need to even in that time of horror to give our cares to our God and trust that He cares for us and no matter what we are facing He will ultimately work things for our good- we who TRUST in Him. Remember this verse--
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
~
1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour
Our ADVERSARY the DEVIL! We can NEVER let ourselves forget that Satan is working against our relationship with our Savior at every opportunity. Satan as a ROARING LION. Satan walking about! Satan seeking to devour us!
We don't want to believe this is REAL. We'd rather just shove all that off as being fictional. We'd rather just not believe that there is an enemy out there after us. We love to have people liking us, not hating us, so to realize that there is a BEING, a powerful BEING out there who wants us destroyed, who wants to devour us is something we'd rather not imagine at all, let alone think there might be some truth to the devil.
Devoured.
When you devour something what are you doing? You're snatching it up and eating it as fast as you possibly can. You're destroying what you devour, aren't you? It's gone forever never to return.
Satan wants to devour us just like that.
Okay, I'm not talking about a monster eating us up physically but spiritually if we are devoured, if the spiritual being in us is devoured then we are spiritually dead and if we die spiritually we have no life eternal, none.
We cannot let Satan get to us and destroy our faith.
We have to be SOBER- not drunken in that way that keeps us from having our wits about us.
We have to be vigilant- not laid back and uncaring, not lazy.
We must be aware, awake, we have to believe in these truths!
1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
We have to RESIST the devil!
We have to be stedfast in the FAITH.
We have to comprehend that every trial we face there are others facing them as well. We might not see them face the same trials but they are! We have to comprehend that we are NOT alone, we are going to face so many, many trials, and God will see us through, HE WILL and there is where our faith must be stedfast!
1Pe 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
1Pe 5:11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
All praise to our GOD!
Please LORD, please keep us IN YOU always and forever!
By YOUR grace!
Amen.
How many cares do we cast upon our God?
ALL.
All our cares need to be cast upon God. We need to give them to Him. We need to pray to our God, talk to Him, tell our God what our cares are - He WANTS to hear them. He needs for us to trust that HE does care for us. We might not comprehend how our Lord works. We might not comprehend how things are meant to work out. We might not comprehend how seemingly bad things are for our good, especially the horrific things we might have to face, but we need to even in that time of horror to give our cares to our God and trust that He cares for us and no matter what we are facing He will ultimately work things for our good- we who TRUST in Him. Remember this verse--
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
~
1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour
Our ADVERSARY the DEVIL! We can NEVER let ourselves forget that Satan is working against our relationship with our Savior at every opportunity. Satan as a ROARING LION. Satan walking about! Satan seeking to devour us!
We don't want to believe this is REAL. We'd rather just shove all that off as being fictional. We'd rather just not believe that there is an enemy out there after us. We love to have people liking us, not hating us, so to realize that there is a BEING, a powerful BEING out there who wants us destroyed, who wants to devour us is something we'd rather not imagine at all, let alone think there might be some truth to the devil.
Devoured.
When you devour something what are you doing? You're snatching it up and eating it as fast as you possibly can. You're destroying what you devour, aren't you? It's gone forever never to return.
Satan wants to devour us just like that.
Okay, I'm not talking about a monster eating us up physically but spiritually if we are devoured, if the spiritual being in us is devoured then we are spiritually dead and if we die spiritually we have no life eternal, none.
We cannot let Satan get to us and destroy our faith.
We have to be SOBER- not drunken in that way that keeps us from having our wits about us.
We have to be vigilant- not laid back and uncaring, not lazy.
We must be aware, awake, we have to believe in these truths!
1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
We have to RESIST the devil!
We have to be stedfast in the FAITH.
We have to comprehend that every trial we face there are others facing them as well. We might not see them face the same trials but they are! We have to comprehend that we are NOT alone, we are going to face so many, many trials, and God will see us through, HE WILL and there is where our faith must be stedfast!
1Pe 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
1Pe 5:11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
All praise to our GOD!
Please LORD, please keep us IN YOU always and forever!
By YOUR grace!
Amen.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Humble Ourselves
1Pe 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time
It's not enough for the younger to submit to the elder. To say that is to give the elder a self-righteous temptation that because of their age they are automatically superior to those younger than they are. The word doesn't stop there- it immediately follows with- 'ALL of you be subject one to another'. The elders included. Being older does not mean that only the younger are to be subject to the elders, but ALL are subject one to another because our Savior would have us all love one another equally.
Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Love does not entail unjust oppression one over another. I say unjust oppression because if you asked a lot of children they'll tell you they feel they are oppressed by their parents, and that is not a case of unjust oppression. Undue oppression is far from the love Jesus would have us exhibit towards each other.
It's is AWFULLY hard to show humility when you are busy acting superior to others, isn't it? It just doesn't get pulled off very easily and not at all under the eyes of the Lord.
God RESISTS the proud.
Being proud is taking on an unjust belief that you in and of yourself have a superiority, yes? Is it any wonder God resists the proud. God knows that man is a creature- created by Him and NO OTHER. Satan try as he might to seduce people to his side can never lay claim to their creation, NEVER. Of course he might try and has tried hasn't he- in his own way. Evolution- the belief that man has descended from apes and before that from some sludge in an ocean slithering out of the water. Such a glorious beginning, not. Satan wants us believing in evolution because then we are not believing in the Creator. Anything to get us to not belief, to keep us from the Love of God.
I read something yesterday about some guy who was supposed to be this famous atheists how he claims NOT to be an atheists but rather and agnostic. He said he cannot prove with all absolute authority that God does NOT exist, that there is a tiny percentage that leaves a itty bit of possibility, very tiny on his part of belief. He also said most agnostics will say there is a 50/50 chance that God does exists, he thinks in his own personal belief it's much smaller than that, but that it does exist and therefore he cannot call himself an atheist.
So many people have been blinded by satan to believe God doesn't exist, it's perfect for Him. Satan was proud-
Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Satan's pride was his failing. Satan nurtured that pride he found in himself.
God resists the proud.
Every single person that is filled with the pride of their own existence not giving glory to their Creator, believing they had NO Creator, believing the have no NEED of a Creator, believing that they are their own person simply because they exist, every single one will be lost to God, lost by their own pride.
1Pe 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time
God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.
God gives grace to those who understand their need, their indebtness, their creature status. When we understand our need, when we understand that we owe God our very existence we cannot help but be humbled by that knowledge. All glory goes to HIM who created us!
We have to humble ourselves under the MIGHTY HAND OF GOD! And let God exalt us in time, trust God to be all things for us.
Humbling ourselves- constantly recognizing our Creator as all things!
Humbling ourselves- constantly recognizing our dependency on God!
Humbling ourselves constantly recognizing our every good work that we have a tendency to want to take pride is- is only possibly through God!
If we think for one moment that we can claim any glory for ourselves we are so totally wrong! People want us to. People love when we take pride in ourselves, we like it too when we and our accomplishments are praised it gives us a warm fuzzy feeling doesn't it, a special little glow inside to think we have some worth. That's it isn't it? Pride makes us feel worth- SELFworth, worth outside of God. Our self worth should be zilch, we are worthy ONLY in God!
People cringe upon hearing that because we live in a society that wants us to feel great self worth. When we learn of someone who thinks they are nothing, we immediately feel inclined to jump to their defense and tell them they have a lot of worth. The truth of the matter really is that our own worth comes from God. God who created us, God who sent His only begotten Son- God taking on frail, human flesh for us because He found worth in our existence.
We are only worthy in God and no other way whatsoever.
1Pe 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time
May God help us to humble ourselves so that HE may exalt us at His discretion.
All glory to God now and forever!
Amen
1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time
It's not enough for the younger to submit to the elder. To say that is to give the elder a self-righteous temptation that because of their age they are automatically superior to those younger than they are. The word doesn't stop there- it immediately follows with- 'ALL of you be subject one to another'. The elders included. Being older does not mean that only the younger are to be subject to the elders, but ALL are subject one to another because our Savior would have us all love one another equally.
Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Love does not entail unjust oppression one over another. I say unjust oppression because if you asked a lot of children they'll tell you they feel they are oppressed by their parents, and that is not a case of unjust oppression. Undue oppression is far from the love Jesus would have us exhibit towards each other.
It's is AWFULLY hard to show humility when you are busy acting superior to others, isn't it? It just doesn't get pulled off very easily and not at all under the eyes of the Lord.
God RESISTS the proud.
Being proud is taking on an unjust belief that you in and of yourself have a superiority, yes? Is it any wonder God resists the proud. God knows that man is a creature- created by Him and NO OTHER. Satan try as he might to seduce people to his side can never lay claim to their creation, NEVER. Of course he might try and has tried hasn't he- in his own way. Evolution- the belief that man has descended from apes and before that from some sludge in an ocean slithering out of the water. Such a glorious beginning, not. Satan wants us believing in evolution because then we are not believing in the Creator. Anything to get us to not belief, to keep us from the Love of God.
I read something yesterday about some guy who was supposed to be this famous atheists how he claims NOT to be an atheists but rather and agnostic. He said he cannot prove with all absolute authority that God does NOT exist, that there is a tiny percentage that leaves a itty bit of possibility, very tiny on his part of belief. He also said most agnostics will say there is a 50/50 chance that God does exists, he thinks in his own personal belief it's much smaller than that, but that it does exist and therefore he cannot call himself an atheist.
So many people have been blinded by satan to believe God doesn't exist, it's perfect for Him. Satan was proud-
Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Satan's pride was his failing. Satan nurtured that pride he found in himself.
God resists the proud.
Every single person that is filled with the pride of their own existence not giving glory to their Creator, believing they had NO Creator, believing the have no NEED of a Creator, believing that they are their own person simply because they exist, every single one will be lost to God, lost by their own pride.
1Pe 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time
God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.
God gives grace to those who understand their need, their indebtness, their creature status. When we understand our need, when we understand that we owe God our very existence we cannot help but be humbled by that knowledge. All glory goes to HIM who created us!
We have to humble ourselves under the MIGHTY HAND OF GOD! And let God exalt us in time, trust God to be all things for us.
Humbling ourselves- constantly recognizing our Creator as all things!
Humbling ourselves- constantly recognizing our dependency on God!
Humbling ourselves constantly recognizing our every good work that we have a tendency to want to take pride is- is only possibly through God!
If we think for one moment that we can claim any glory for ourselves we are so totally wrong! People want us to. People love when we take pride in ourselves, we like it too when we and our accomplishments are praised it gives us a warm fuzzy feeling doesn't it, a special little glow inside to think we have some worth. That's it isn't it? Pride makes us feel worth- SELFworth, worth outside of God. Our self worth should be zilch, we are worthy ONLY in God!
People cringe upon hearing that because we live in a society that wants us to feel great self worth. When we learn of someone who thinks they are nothing, we immediately feel inclined to jump to their defense and tell them they have a lot of worth. The truth of the matter really is that our own worth comes from God. God who created us, God who sent His only begotten Son- God taking on frail, human flesh for us because He found worth in our existence.
We are only worthy in God and no other way whatsoever.
1Pe 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time
May God help us to humble ourselves so that HE may exalt us at His discretion.
All glory to God now and forever!
Amen
Friday, February 24, 2012
May we follow our greatest Example
1Pe 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
1Pe 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
1Pe 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Over and over again it is revealed that God did not man to think of himself greater than any other man. Over and over an equality is stressed. No man was to think of himself as better than another. Remember this…
Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
And this…
Mat 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And this…
Mat 23:11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
And this…
Mar 9:33 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
Mar 9:34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.
Mar 9:35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
1Pe 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
Examples to the flock, not LORDS over.
Men of God, witnessing of God, desiring to reveal the love of God to others so that they too would desire to know the love of God must LIVE the love of God. We can't TELL of the love and expect people to believe. We have to LIVE the love. Our mouths can flap all day long and it won't matter a single bit. It's what people witness in US that reveals the love of God. We are to be EXAMPLES of God's love, not hold the position of authority over others demanding they love God.
Jesus was our GREATEST example, never did He LORD over others oppressively. Never did He assert His authority needlessly. Jesus always treated others as HE would want them to treat Him, always!
We must live as Jesus lived. When our base flesh nature would have us ruling over others with unnecessary oppression, when we are ruling over them as masters thinking we are in someway superior to others then we fail miserably.
The greatest are the least of all, not those that our sinfilled society deems great for whatever reason.
Many people who hear about Christians hear that they are a people who believe they are better than everyone else, and that is a very, very sad way to be spoken and thought of by others.
Christians are NOT better than anyone. They are the least of all! It is only Christ who is better than all, only Christ. We don't become better than others when we accept Christ, that's not what it's about at all. IF anything our filthy faults are revealed, our state of horrifying sinfulness is made so much more apparent. We are far from superior human beings because we claim to follow Christ. He will forever be the ONLY ONE who is superior to all humanity, always only -the only one!
May we be the examples to others that God would have us be, never, ever putting on airs, never lording over others- never.
All by HIS GRACE!
1Pe 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
1Pe 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Over and over again it is revealed that God did not man to think of himself greater than any other man. Over and over an equality is stressed. No man was to think of himself as better than another. Remember this…
Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
And this…
Mat 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And this…
Mat 23:11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
And this…
Mar 9:33 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
Mar 9:34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.
Mar 9:35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
1Pe 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
Examples to the flock, not LORDS over.
Men of God, witnessing of God, desiring to reveal the love of God to others so that they too would desire to know the love of God must LIVE the love of God. We can't TELL of the love and expect people to believe. We have to LIVE the love. Our mouths can flap all day long and it won't matter a single bit. It's what people witness in US that reveals the love of God. We are to be EXAMPLES of God's love, not hold the position of authority over others demanding they love God.
Jesus was our GREATEST example, never did He LORD over others oppressively. Never did He assert His authority needlessly. Jesus always treated others as HE would want them to treat Him, always!
We must live as Jesus lived. When our base flesh nature would have us ruling over others with unnecessary oppression, when we are ruling over them as masters thinking we are in someway superior to others then we fail miserably.
The greatest are the least of all, not those that our sinfilled society deems great for whatever reason.
Many people who hear about Christians hear that they are a people who believe they are better than everyone else, and that is a very, very sad way to be spoken and thought of by others.
Christians are NOT better than anyone. They are the least of all! It is only Christ who is better than all, only Christ. We don't become better than others when we accept Christ, that's not what it's about at all. IF anything our filthy faults are revealed, our state of horrifying sinfulness is made so much more apparent. We are far from superior human beings because we claim to follow Christ. He will forever be the ONLY ONE who is superior to all humanity, always only -the only one!
May we be the examples to others that God would have us be, never, ever putting on airs, never lording over others- never.
All by HIS GRACE!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
The righteous can scarcely be saved
1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
If the righteous SCARCELY be saved.
We don't like to think about that do we? We are brought up to believe that we are ALL saved, end of story. We all go to heaven. We all have that tiny bit of goodness in us that God must forgive us of our horrific wrongs. Even those who we believe must be suffering in hell (because so many believe this way though it's not Biblical at all), even those people we believe have to be the worst of the worst of the worst still have a chance, right? Maybe the worst of the worst don't but surely most of us will be saved because we aren't among the worst of the worst.
Yet here we hear these words-
'If the righteous SCARCELY be saved- where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?'
Scarcely means scarcely- there is NO changing the meaning of that word.
If the righteous scarcely be saved.
We have to believe this! We cannot shy away from this fact. We cannot believe that everyone will be saved, that everyone will go to heaven. ONLY by the GRACE of GOD can we be saved, that we can have HOPE in HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, because we have none!
Read the rest of this --
1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Commit the keeping of our souls to God in WELL DOING- as UNTO a FAITHFUL CREATOR!
Our God will keep us with HIM, but we have to do our part in living as God would have us live. When we fall short of that and we WILL fall short, we have to ask for forgiveness from our Lord and Savior! He will forgive us, He will.
We must fight the flesh urge inside us that wants us to live selfishly and not even care about well doing. We have to fight the part inside of us that tells us that if we do good that we are trying to work our way into heaven. We have to fight ALL that would keep us from living as our Savior wants us to! We have to ask the Holy Spirit to silence those parts of us that would keep us from living in the spirit.
Please Lord, please help us!
We are so unworthy.
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
If the righteous SCARCELY be saved.
We don't like to think about that do we? We are brought up to believe that we are ALL saved, end of story. We all go to heaven. We all have that tiny bit of goodness in us that God must forgive us of our horrific wrongs. Even those who we believe must be suffering in hell (because so many believe this way though it's not Biblical at all), even those people we believe have to be the worst of the worst of the worst still have a chance, right? Maybe the worst of the worst don't but surely most of us will be saved because we aren't among the worst of the worst.
Yet here we hear these words-
'If the righteous SCARCELY be saved- where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?'
Scarcely means scarcely- there is NO changing the meaning of that word.
If the righteous scarcely be saved.
We have to believe this! We cannot shy away from this fact. We cannot believe that everyone will be saved, that everyone will go to heaven. ONLY by the GRACE of GOD can we be saved, that we can have HOPE in HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, because we have none!
Read the rest of this --
1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Commit the keeping of our souls to God in WELL DOING- as UNTO a FAITHFUL CREATOR!
Our God will keep us with HIM, but we have to do our part in living as God would have us live. When we fall short of that and we WILL fall short, we have to ask for forgiveness from our Lord and Savior! He will forgive us, He will.
We must fight the flesh urge inside us that wants us to live selfishly and not even care about well doing. We have to fight the part inside of us that tells us that if we do good that we are trying to work our way into heaven. We have to fight ALL that would keep us from living as our Savior wants us to! We have to ask the Holy Spirit to silence those parts of us that would keep us from living in the spirit.
Please Lord, please help us!
We are so unworthy.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Suffering as a Christian
1Pe 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
1Pe 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
Suffering as a Christian.
In our world today there are MANY Christian's suffering in ways we don't want to imagine. Each week we read more and more how Christians are being persecuted. Even in our own country- the US. People try to claim that we have freedom of religion here and then in the next breath tell us we are not allowed to pray, that we are not allowed to say Jesus' name, that we have to keep our religion private and not allow others to witness it.
Christianity isn't contagious- no religion is. We can view all religions and in the US we are supposed to be able to do that, yet persecution persists. They say if we take ALL religion out of our secular lives then it's fair, and yet they hold their own unbelief as their religious view.
Atheists want the right to be free of ALL religious connotations in their life and yet that very stance screams religious repression. To have the freedom to worship, to live your choice of religion you have to be allowed to do so as it dictates to you. If your religion tells you that you must pray before you eat a meal- then NO ONE should be allowed to stop you- You are hurting NO ONE. The people in your vicinity can close their eyes, they can turn away from you, they even have the freedom to denounce what you've done but they aren't allowed to stop you.
Suffer as a Christian.
Yes, those who choose to follow Christ as He desires them to follow will face trials- it's impossible for them not too because living the life of a Christ follower calls for us to be opposed to the world around us. We are opposed to the teachings of this world, we are opposed to living for this world, we are against the evil that fills this world - controlling it in so many ways.
Suffering as a Christian.
Yes, we are to suffer as being a Christian- but we are NOT to be murderers, thieves, evildoers, busybodies in the business of other people. People have made their living off these very things, and we applaud a lot of them- we do.
To be different from the world is to set yourself up as a target for the world to abuse and we are to understand that our suffering is expected and yes, even welcomed because if we simply conform to the world so we do not stand out as Christians we are denying our Lord, our Savior, our amazing God.
1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
We are NOT to be ashamed.
We are to GLORIFY GOD on His behalf.
In our suffering we are to glorify God.
Can we do this? Only by the grace of our LORD.
In HIS LOVE!
1Pe 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
Suffering as a Christian.
In our world today there are MANY Christian's suffering in ways we don't want to imagine. Each week we read more and more how Christians are being persecuted. Even in our own country- the US. People try to claim that we have freedom of religion here and then in the next breath tell us we are not allowed to pray, that we are not allowed to say Jesus' name, that we have to keep our religion private and not allow others to witness it.
Christianity isn't contagious- no religion is. We can view all religions and in the US we are supposed to be able to do that, yet persecution persists. They say if we take ALL religion out of our secular lives then it's fair, and yet they hold their own unbelief as their religious view.
Atheists want the right to be free of ALL religious connotations in their life and yet that very stance screams religious repression. To have the freedom to worship, to live your choice of religion you have to be allowed to do so as it dictates to you. If your religion tells you that you must pray before you eat a meal- then NO ONE should be allowed to stop you- You are hurting NO ONE. The people in your vicinity can close their eyes, they can turn away from you, they even have the freedom to denounce what you've done but they aren't allowed to stop you.
Suffer as a Christian.
Yes, those who choose to follow Christ as He desires them to follow will face trials- it's impossible for them not too because living the life of a Christ follower calls for us to be opposed to the world around us. We are opposed to the teachings of this world, we are opposed to living for this world, we are against the evil that fills this world - controlling it in so many ways.
Suffering as a Christian.
Yes, we are to suffer as being a Christian- but we are NOT to be murderers, thieves, evildoers, busybodies in the business of other people. People have made their living off these very things, and we applaud a lot of them- we do.
To be different from the world is to set yourself up as a target for the world to abuse and we are to understand that our suffering is expected and yes, even welcomed because if we simply conform to the world so we do not stand out as Christians we are denying our Lord, our Savior, our amazing God.
1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
We are NOT to be ashamed.
We are to GLORIFY GOD on His behalf.
In our suffering we are to glorify God.
Can we do this? Only by the grace of our LORD.
In HIS LOVE!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Fiery trials- not strange
1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you
Why are we shocked when fall on exceedingly hard times?
We are, aren't we?
We quickly begin to bemoan our situation, a knee jerk reaction we make when we are placed under a lot of stress, a reaction we've learned from our youth.
If we think of our pioneer days here in the U.S. can you imagine people moaning about things as much as we do today? Seriously? We have life so easy compared to years ago but our problems are relevant to our life today right? Years ago they didn't have to worry about gas for a car, but feed for a horse.
Each successive generation seems to have the prior generation complaining about their lack of gratitude , their lack of knowledge of 'real' hard work, of a hard life. Every generation's parents seems to have their own tale about walking through the snow five miles to school uphill.
We ALL face fiery trials, every single one of us.
When we are being tried we tend to call it strange because we don't want to be tried, we want our lives to go easy, to have smooth sailing with as few problems as possible. It's normal to want to live problem free- just not realistic.
We are told NOT to think it is strange when we are in fiery trials…trials that will TRY us, try our faith, because it won't be strange to go through them.
It's NOT strange to have our faith tried but it is painful, very, very painful. No one can deny the pain, the horrible emotional pain that we are called to endure. Even the physical pain we experience it induces a lot of emotional, a lot of mental anguish in us. WE suffer, we really do suffer but then again- we are CALLED to suffer living in a world that is over run by sin as we fight to live for a God who abhors all things sinful.
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
We suffer- and from that suffering we must rejoice knowing Christ suffered as well. The glory will be revealed one day and then we will have joy unimaginable for us today.
Please Lord, please help us to endure the trying of our faith that must come to all of us. Help us Lord, help us because in our suffering we become so tempted to lose faith. Keep us in You Lord, keep us strong in faith in YOU, in Your love always!
Thank you Lord, thank you!
All glory, all praise, all honor to You!
Amen.
Why are we shocked when fall on exceedingly hard times?
We are, aren't we?
We quickly begin to bemoan our situation, a knee jerk reaction we make when we are placed under a lot of stress, a reaction we've learned from our youth.
If we think of our pioneer days here in the U.S. can you imagine people moaning about things as much as we do today? Seriously? We have life so easy compared to years ago but our problems are relevant to our life today right? Years ago they didn't have to worry about gas for a car, but feed for a horse.
Each successive generation seems to have the prior generation complaining about their lack of gratitude , their lack of knowledge of 'real' hard work, of a hard life. Every generation's parents seems to have their own tale about walking through the snow five miles to school uphill.
We ALL face fiery trials, every single one of us.
When we are being tried we tend to call it strange because we don't want to be tried, we want our lives to go easy, to have smooth sailing with as few problems as possible. It's normal to want to live problem free- just not realistic.
We are told NOT to think it is strange when we are in fiery trials…trials that will TRY us, try our faith, because it won't be strange to go through them.
It's NOT strange to have our faith tried but it is painful, very, very painful. No one can deny the pain, the horrible emotional pain that we are called to endure. Even the physical pain we experience it induces a lot of emotional, a lot of mental anguish in us. WE suffer, we really do suffer but then again- we are CALLED to suffer living in a world that is over run by sin as we fight to live for a God who abhors all things sinful.
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
We suffer- and from that suffering we must rejoice knowing Christ suffered as well. The glory will be revealed one day and then we will have joy unimaginable for us today.
Please Lord, please help us to endure the trying of our faith that must come to all of us. Help us Lord, help us because in our suffering we become so tempted to lose faith. Keep us in You Lord, keep us strong in faith in YOU, in Your love always!
Thank you Lord, thank you!
All glory, all praise, all honor to You!
Amen.
Monday, February 20, 2012
God in all things may be glorified
1Pe 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
1Pe 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
That God in ALL things may be glorified.
Is God glorified in all we do? Seriously. Stop what you're doing and rethink your entire day. Was God glorified throughout the day by you? Do you think He should be?
We work so many different jobs and in all of them can we glorify God? Driving a refuse truck? As a fireman? An office worker? A shelf stocker? A Cashier? A truck driver? On and on we could list numerous professions and we know that while the job itself may NOT be a religious job- they are not evangelizing, some might have no one to witness to- not everyone works with other people, they are not in a position of preaching. The thing is God is glorified when we USE the abilities HE gives to us and the opportunities we are afforded.
We don't have to be preachers, teachers, evangelists, etc, we just have to use the gifts God gave us and use them to GLORIFY HIM!
All glory to God that we are able to perform even the most mundane of jobs, the most menial of tasks, the drudge work that we might be called to do.
If we do speak- we must speak of GOD because God is our life, we LIVE for God, not ourselves!
Do others know this? Or are we keeping it a secret of sorts?
Please Lord we would be your ministers, we would speak of You to others as You would have us do. Please Lord help us to give as we receive.
Please Lord by Your grace may we glorify Your in ALL things, help us! We are so thankless, we are so quick to believe we deserve what we are given and that we don't need to thank anyone for anything. We don't need to give the glory to anyone because we believe we are the authors of our own good deeds. We fail to realize You give us life, You give us the ability to do any good that we might think to do. YOU are all things, YOU are everything!
Bless us Lord, please, we are so far beneath Your worth.
Give us the ability to glorify You in all things, please Lord, please.
Teach us, help us, guide us.
We are so sinful, so prone to sinning, keep us from evil Lord, please keep us from evil.
All in YOUR love by YOUR grace and mercy!
Please.
1Pe 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
That God in ALL things may be glorified.
Is God glorified in all we do? Seriously. Stop what you're doing and rethink your entire day. Was God glorified throughout the day by you? Do you think He should be?
We work so many different jobs and in all of them can we glorify God? Driving a refuse truck? As a fireman? An office worker? A shelf stocker? A Cashier? A truck driver? On and on we could list numerous professions and we know that while the job itself may NOT be a religious job- they are not evangelizing, some might have no one to witness to- not everyone works with other people, they are not in a position of preaching. The thing is God is glorified when we USE the abilities HE gives to us and the opportunities we are afforded.
We don't have to be preachers, teachers, evangelists, etc, we just have to use the gifts God gave us and use them to GLORIFY HIM!
All glory to God that we are able to perform even the most mundane of jobs, the most menial of tasks, the drudge work that we might be called to do.
If we do speak- we must speak of GOD because God is our life, we LIVE for God, not ourselves!
Do others know this? Or are we keeping it a secret of sorts?
Please Lord we would be your ministers, we would speak of You to others as You would have us do. Please Lord help us to give as we receive.
Please Lord by Your grace may we glorify Your in ALL things, help us! We are so thankless, we are so quick to believe we deserve what we are given and that we don't need to thank anyone for anything. We don't need to give the glory to anyone because we believe we are the authors of our own good deeds. We fail to realize You give us life, You give us the ability to do any good that we might think to do. YOU are all things, YOU are everything!
Bless us Lord, please, we are so far beneath Your worth.
Give us the ability to glorify You in all things, please Lord, please.
Teach us, help us, guide us.
We are so sinful, so prone to sinning, keep us from evil Lord, please keep us from evil.
All in YOUR love by YOUR grace and mercy!
Please.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Fervent Love
1Pe 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
1Pe 4:9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
Love.
Fervent love.
Not just have love above all things, but FERVENT love. This is an amazing love and it's something we NEED.
We need our sins covered by the blood of the Lamb and our Savior will do this for us purely out of LOVE for us. There is NO other motivator for our God. There is no hidden reward for Him, there is no subterfuge going on. God does NOT get a prize for saving us. God will save us only out of LOVE. Love is so incredibly important and as the end grows closer and closer, love will grow colder and colder. People are losing the ability to love, and to love truly, to love fervently. Is it any wonder there will be few saved when our Lord returns? There will be very little love left in the world. Before anyone says that's impossible there is a lot of love in the world, think about it, really, really think. True love is rare, not common. Fervent love is so hard to find. A SELFLESS love is the love we need. A selfless love will cover a multitude of sins. It is love that saves, it is love that made salvation possible.
We are to have FERVENT love.
We are to have HOSPITALITY one to another- WITHOUT grudging. Did you read that… WITHOUT GRUDGING. All too often we have hospitality but it's not given without grudging. We resent having to do for others sooooo much! We don't like the imposition. We don't want to be bothered. We don't want to take time and effort from ourselves, from our own pursuits. To give of ourselves without resentment is something we need to do, to pray to God that we can do this. We've become so incredibly self-centered that to give hospitality as we need to will be rare as well, very rare. Love, hospitality- rarities.
Please Lord we need to LOVE, we need to reveal this love in our actions, in our lives!
From Your amazing love, a love we cannot fully fathom, please Lord help us to live, to love as YOU would have us love, please LORD. Only through You are we able to love, only by You are we capable of Loving. All through YOU and ONLY YOU.
Your love makes this all possible.
In YOUR love always.
1Pe 4:9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
Love.
Fervent love.
Not just have love above all things, but FERVENT love. This is an amazing love and it's something we NEED.
We need our sins covered by the blood of the Lamb and our Savior will do this for us purely out of LOVE for us. There is NO other motivator for our God. There is no hidden reward for Him, there is no subterfuge going on. God does NOT get a prize for saving us. God will save us only out of LOVE. Love is so incredibly important and as the end grows closer and closer, love will grow colder and colder. People are losing the ability to love, and to love truly, to love fervently. Is it any wonder there will be few saved when our Lord returns? There will be very little love left in the world. Before anyone says that's impossible there is a lot of love in the world, think about it, really, really think. True love is rare, not common. Fervent love is so hard to find. A SELFLESS love is the love we need. A selfless love will cover a multitude of sins. It is love that saves, it is love that made salvation possible.
We are to have FERVENT love.
We are to have HOSPITALITY one to another- WITHOUT grudging. Did you read that… WITHOUT GRUDGING. All too often we have hospitality but it's not given without grudging. We resent having to do for others sooooo much! We don't like the imposition. We don't want to be bothered. We don't want to take time and effort from ourselves, from our own pursuits. To give of ourselves without resentment is something we need to do, to pray to God that we can do this. We've become so incredibly self-centered that to give hospitality as we need to will be rare as well, very rare. Love, hospitality- rarities.
Please Lord we need to LOVE, we need to reveal this love in our actions, in our lives!
From Your amazing love, a love we cannot fully fathom, please Lord help us to live, to love as YOU would have us love, please LORD. Only through You are we able to love, only by You are we capable of Loving. All through YOU and ONLY YOU.
Your love makes this all possible.
In YOUR love always.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Living to the will of God
1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
Live to the lusts of men.
Live to the will of God.
One or the other, not both.
1Pe 4:3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
1Pe 4:4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you
Lusts of men- lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, abominable idolatries.
Lusts of men- selfish pursuits. Lusts of men- fulfilling desires temporarily. Lusts of men- a constant seeking of self contentment outside of communion with God. Lusts of men- seeking to be happy by their own power, in themselves alone.
The Will of God- to live connected to Him as our source of life. The Will of God- living for Him our Creator as Creatures meant to be connected to Him. The Will of God- accepting the Way of reconciliation to Him. The Will of God- love.
Do people find it strange when you do not run in their circles of pleasure seeking, and self-fulfillment? Those who are caught up in lusts often can't imagine others not wanting to be caught up in them as well. Those pursuits have given them a temporary pleasure that rivals their mundane life outside of them and they just can't imagine that other people do not want a break from their own mundane lives to experience the sensations of fulfilling lustful desires. Seeking a permanent unselfish pleasure is foreign to those who live for self gratification. Seeking a reward that is far off when temporary rewards are plentiful all around, is crazy to self-seekers.
This is truth.
1Pe 4:5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
1Pe 4:6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
1Pe 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
We all have to give an account of our choices to our Savior- who judges the living and the dead. The wonderful gospel is preached to those who are on that path of everlasting death as all men are until they accept the sacrifice of our Savior, and then and only then are we able to live according to God in the Spirit.
Our flesh selves must die.
1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
Living to the will of God- by the grace of God!
Living with God as the center of our lives and not with ourselves as that center. Living as a creature, not as a creator.
All by HIS LOVE!
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
Live to the lusts of men.
Live to the will of God.
One or the other, not both.
1Pe 4:3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
1Pe 4:4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you
Lusts of men- lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, abominable idolatries.
Lusts of men- selfish pursuits. Lusts of men- fulfilling desires temporarily. Lusts of men- a constant seeking of self contentment outside of communion with God. Lusts of men- seeking to be happy by their own power, in themselves alone.
The Will of God- to live connected to Him as our source of life. The Will of God- living for Him our Creator as Creatures meant to be connected to Him. The Will of God- accepting the Way of reconciliation to Him. The Will of God- love.
Do people find it strange when you do not run in their circles of pleasure seeking, and self-fulfillment? Those who are caught up in lusts often can't imagine others not wanting to be caught up in them as well. Those pursuits have given them a temporary pleasure that rivals their mundane life outside of them and they just can't imagine that other people do not want a break from their own mundane lives to experience the sensations of fulfilling lustful desires. Seeking a permanent unselfish pleasure is foreign to those who live for self gratification. Seeking a reward that is far off when temporary rewards are plentiful all around, is crazy to self-seekers.
This is truth.
1Pe 4:5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
1Pe 4:6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
1Pe 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
We all have to give an account of our choices to our Savior- who judges the living and the dead. The wonderful gospel is preached to those who are on that path of everlasting death as all men are until they accept the sacrifice of our Savior, and then and only then are we able to live according to God in the Spirit.
Our flesh selves must die.
1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
Living to the will of God- by the grace of God!
Living with God as the center of our lives and not with ourselves as that center. Living as a creature, not as a creator.
All by HIS LOVE!
Friday, February 17, 2012
Arm yourselves...with the same mind
1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind…
Christ suffered in the flesh- for us.
Why do believe we shouldn't have to suffer? Seriously?
More and more it seems people love to use the argument that a loving God wouldn't allow such suffering as what exists in our world. They argue that a loving God would only ever make everything wonderful, pain free, suffering free. They don't want to worship a God that allows pain. So they believe if they don't worship God then somehow that makes it like He doesn't exist at all. Then you'll have others who are okay with the idea of a purposeful God who sees the greater picture and has to allow suffering because He's allowed free will. Those same people will quickly change their tune when the suffering hits them and their loved ones. They'll rear up as an indignant bear ready to attack and lash out at God- how dare He allow them to suffer so senselessly when HE could have prevented it and He chose not to. There are many slippery slopes as we seek to truly follow God and Satan will present more of them every day.
I write this now and some people will want to cry out at me that I don't know what I'm talking about, that if I were in their shoes I'd truly understand but because I'm not in the throes of agonizing suffering I can't possible understand. If God stripped me of my livelihood, my loved ones, my health then I'd know and I'd denounce God. This sounds so much like the Book of Job doesn't it?
It's not strange that we need to revisit that book over and over, is it? Talk about a blueprint for life and loving God. Will we all have to face the horrors that Job faced to be counted as God's? Most likely not or at least not in exactly the same manner He was tried and tested. Job isn't our only example- our Savior is our example.
1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind
Arm ourselves with the same mind.
How did Christ suffer? That's an easy one to answer, right? He was brutalized and put to death on the cross, if that's not suffering what is, right? If we dig deeper can we note Christ suffering in any other manner?
Joh 11:35 Jesus wept.
We are usually suffering in some manner when we weep, aren't we?
Oh yes, there are happy tears but this wasn’t one of those occasions for our Savior.
Joh 11:32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
Joh 11:33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
Joh 11:34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
Suffering.
Why? Why if He knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead? Why was He groaning in spirit and troubled? Why did He cry?
We can theorize as many have but the bottom line is that HE SUFFERED- for whatever reason- He was suffering.
Mat 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Suffering.
Mat 21:12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
Mat 21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Suffering.
Mat 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
Mat 26:39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Suffering.
Mat 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Suffering.
1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind...
Christ suffered in the flesh. Christ was tempted in the flesh.
Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
He Himself suffered - being tempted.
We suffer- being tempted.
We have to arm ourselves as Christ armed Himself, with the same mind as Christ. His mind was on the Father's will being done in ALL things and it was the Father's will that He preach repentance and forgiveness- Salvation found in Jesus Christ alone.
Arm ourselves as Christ- with the same mind.
We aren't to arm ourselves with our own mind, yet all too often we try to live on our own without Christ. All too often we live for our own lofty ideas of how things should be. We get caught up in our own thoughts and forget there is a mind we are to arm ourselves with- Christ's mind. When we count on our own mind we aren't armed at all but very, very vulnerable.
Christ lived wanting God's will to be done.
We must live wanting God's will to be done.
When we live wanting God's will then we set aside self, don't we?
Christ suffered life in the flesh- He who lived as God without flesh- took on flesh for us.
1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
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.
And in that flesh He suffered.
We too must suffer and as Jesus knew that this world and all its sin was NOT His home, we too must know it's not our home either- we are strangers here, pilgrims. And we suffer as those who long for their home. We suffer in the flesh.
May God bless us and help us to be armed as our Savior was armed, with the same mind.
All through His mercy, His love, His grace!
Christ suffered in the flesh- for us.
Why do believe we shouldn't have to suffer? Seriously?
More and more it seems people love to use the argument that a loving God wouldn't allow such suffering as what exists in our world. They argue that a loving God would only ever make everything wonderful, pain free, suffering free. They don't want to worship a God that allows pain. So they believe if they don't worship God then somehow that makes it like He doesn't exist at all. Then you'll have others who are okay with the idea of a purposeful God who sees the greater picture and has to allow suffering because He's allowed free will. Those same people will quickly change their tune when the suffering hits them and their loved ones. They'll rear up as an indignant bear ready to attack and lash out at God- how dare He allow them to suffer so senselessly when HE could have prevented it and He chose not to. There are many slippery slopes as we seek to truly follow God and Satan will present more of them every day.
I write this now and some people will want to cry out at me that I don't know what I'm talking about, that if I were in their shoes I'd truly understand but because I'm not in the throes of agonizing suffering I can't possible understand. If God stripped me of my livelihood, my loved ones, my health then I'd know and I'd denounce God. This sounds so much like the Book of Job doesn't it?
It's not strange that we need to revisit that book over and over, is it? Talk about a blueprint for life and loving God. Will we all have to face the horrors that Job faced to be counted as God's? Most likely not or at least not in exactly the same manner He was tried and tested. Job isn't our only example- our Savior is our example.
1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind
Arm ourselves with the same mind.
How did Christ suffer? That's an easy one to answer, right? He was brutalized and put to death on the cross, if that's not suffering what is, right? If we dig deeper can we note Christ suffering in any other manner?
Joh 11:35 Jesus wept.
We are usually suffering in some manner when we weep, aren't we?
Oh yes, there are happy tears but this wasn’t one of those occasions for our Savior.
Joh 11:32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
Joh 11:33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
Joh 11:34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
Suffering.
Why? Why if He knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead? Why was He groaning in spirit and troubled? Why did He cry?
We can theorize as many have but the bottom line is that HE SUFFERED- for whatever reason- He was suffering.
Mat 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Suffering.
Mat 21:12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
Mat 21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Suffering.
Mat 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
Mat 26:39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Suffering.
Mat 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Suffering.
1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind...
Christ suffered in the flesh. Christ was tempted in the flesh.
Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
He Himself suffered - being tempted.
We suffer- being tempted.
We have to arm ourselves as Christ armed Himself, with the same mind as Christ. His mind was on the Father's will being done in ALL things and it was the Father's will that He preach repentance and forgiveness- Salvation found in Jesus Christ alone.
Arm ourselves as Christ- with the same mind.
We aren't to arm ourselves with our own mind, yet all too often we try to live on our own without Christ. All too often we live for our own lofty ideas of how things should be. We get caught up in our own thoughts and forget there is a mind we are to arm ourselves with- Christ's mind. When we count on our own mind we aren't armed at all but very, very vulnerable.
Christ lived wanting God's will to be done.
We must live wanting God's will to be done.
When we live wanting God's will then we set aside self, don't we?
Christ suffered life in the flesh- He who lived as God without flesh- took on flesh for us.
1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
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.
And in that flesh He suffered.
We too must suffer and as Jesus knew that this world and all its sin was NOT His home, we too must know it's not our home either- we are strangers here, pilgrims. And we suffer as those who long for their home. We suffer in the flesh.
May God bless us and help us to be armed as our Savior was armed, with the same mind.
All through His mercy, His love, His grace!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
A good conscience toward God
1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
The Just (CHRIST) for the Unjust (US).
Why?
That he (CHRIST) might bring us to God.
Christ put to death in the flesh.
Christ brought to life by the Holy Spirit.
Christ alive to preach to those in captivity.
Luk 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
People- disobedient - then and now.
Longsuffering towards the disobedient- God WAITED in the days of Noah as the ark was being built.
God WAITED and only a FEW- only EIGHT people were saved.
Now we are offered BAPTISM-a NEW life in Christ. A repentance, an asking for forgiveness, a dying to the old life and living to the new life in CHRIST. BUT…
NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh. Did you read that? NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh.
BUT the answer of a good conscience towards God- by the RESURRECTION of JESUS CHRIST our LORD, our SAVIOR, who is in heaven at the right hand of GOD, ANGELS, AUTHORITIES, POWERS- being made subject unto HIM.
We have to ANSWER to God in ALL good conscience- by Jesus.
We can put away all the filth we have in our flesh- we can but that WILL NOT make us have a good conscience towards God. We might mistake having a good conscience towards ourselves for having a good conscience towards God. We might put our good works down to an achievement that makes us believe we are right with our Savior. We can't do this! We cannot get caught up in what we perceive is our righteousness when what we really, really need is GOD'S righteousness.
People look at others and call them flesh filthy- okay, maybe they aren't doing that because so few even think in terms of the flesh and spirit, but people love to label others by their own perceived accepted beliefs, their own interpretations of truths. People love to say the truths are black and white and yet when the chosen men of God dragged the adulterous woman before Jesus as their established law dictated did Jesus pick up the first stone and throw it at her? It was black and white, it was CLEARLY established, the law was the law and meant to be kept. No one could tell any of them that there were extenuating circumstances- the law was the law! But Jesus didn't pick up that first stone, right? Jesus left all the stones on the ground and didn't make even the slightest gesture of trying to pick one up. They wanted Jesus to pick up the stone, they wanted Jesus to tell them that they were doing right by the law they were following, a law that they'd been given long, long ago and kept to the letter. They wanted their truth and the way they perceived their truth to be verified by this man who was claiming to be God's Son- or who others were saying He was. This Messiah had to uphold the law- right? If He were really God's Son He had to uphold God's laws- it was black and white- or so they thought. They really wanted to trap Jesus though, they wanted Him to NOT uphold the law so they could accuse Him of NOT upholding the law and punish Him, reveal Him as not being a man of God, of NOT being the Messiah, the Son of God.
Jesus didn't pick up the stone instead He spoke these words--
Joh 8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
Joh 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
HE that is WITHOUT sin among you, let HIM first cast a stone at her.
Black and white was suddenly turned into gray.
They left without throwing a single stone.
Was she less guilty of adultery? No.
Did she deserve punishment? Yes.
Did she receive punishment? No.
She was forgiven.
While we look at others who seem to break all the laws of God and then some, living horrifically sinfilled lives we CANNOT judge their eternal lives, we just can't! We can judge that the actions that are sinful and know that we are not to commit them, but we have to pray and hope that God will save us ALL from those sins. The greatest sinner still has a chance for salvation through our Savior and we cannot believe otherwise. We CAN say that if a sinner goes on without ever repenting that their rewards will be death eternal, but we cannot ultimately judge a person- God alone is the judge.
We have to trust in our Savior and His righteousness and not our own righteous acts. Yes, live as we believe in the truth of the word of God revealed to us, but do so out of love for God, not out of hope for righteousness through our good works.
Please Lord help us, save us!
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Let us have a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST!
Please Lord, help us, save us!
In the love of our amazing God!
All praise, glory, and honor to HIM!
Amen.
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
The Just (CHRIST) for the Unjust (US).
Why?
That he (CHRIST) might bring us to God.
Christ put to death in the flesh.
Christ brought to life by the Holy Spirit.
Christ alive to preach to those in captivity.
Luk 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
People- disobedient - then and now.
Longsuffering towards the disobedient- God WAITED in the days of Noah as the ark was being built.
God WAITED and only a FEW- only EIGHT people were saved.
Now we are offered BAPTISM-a NEW life in Christ. A repentance, an asking for forgiveness, a dying to the old life and living to the new life in CHRIST. BUT…
NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh. Did you read that? NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh.
BUT the answer of a good conscience towards God- by the RESURRECTION of JESUS CHRIST our LORD, our SAVIOR, who is in heaven at the right hand of GOD, ANGELS, AUTHORITIES, POWERS- being made subject unto HIM.
We have to ANSWER to God in ALL good conscience- by Jesus.
We can put away all the filth we have in our flesh- we can but that WILL NOT make us have a good conscience towards God. We might mistake having a good conscience towards ourselves for having a good conscience towards God. We might put our good works down to an achievement that makes us believe we are right with our Savior. We can't do this! We cannot get caught up in what we perceive is our righteousness when what we really, really need is GOD'S righteousness.
People look at others and call them flesh filthy- okay, maybe they aren't doing that because so few even think in terms of the flesh and spirit, but people love to label others by their own perceived accepted beliefs, their own interpretations of truths. People love to say the truths are black and white and yet when the chosen men of God dragged the adulterous woman before Jesus as their established law dictated did Jesus pick up the first stone and throw it at her? It was black and white, it was CLEARLY established, the law was the law and meant to be kept. No one could tell any of them that there were extenuating circumstances- the law was the law! But Jesus didn't pick up that first stone, right? Jesus left all the stones on the ground and didn't make even the slightest gesture of trying to pick one up. They wanted Jesus to pick up the stone, they wanted Jesus to tell them that they were doing right by the law they were following, a law that they'd been given long, long ago and kept to the letter. They wanted their truth and the way they perceived their truth to be verified by this man who was claiming to be God's Son- or who others were saying He was. This Messiah had to uphold the law- right? If He were really God's Son He had to uphold God's laws- it was black and white- or so they thought. They really wanted to trap Jesus though, they wanted Him to NOT uphold the law so they could accuse Him of NOT upholding the law and punish Him, reveal Him as not being a man of God, of NOT being the Messiah, the Son of God.
Jesus didn't pick up the stone instead He spoke these words--
Joh 8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
Joh 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
HE that is WITHOUT sin among you, let HIM first cast a stone at her.
Black and white was suddenly turned into gray.
They left without throwing a single stone.
Was she less guilty of adultery? No.
Did she deserve punishment? Yes.
Did she receive punishment? No.
She was forgiven.
While we look at others who seem to break all the laws of God and then some, living horrifically sinfilled lives we CANNOT judge their eternal lives, we just can't! We can judge that the actions that are sinful and know that we are not to commit them, but we have to pray and hope that God will save us ALL from those sins. The greatest sinner still has a chance for salvation through our Savior and we cannot believe otherwise. We CAN say that if a sinner goes on without ever repenting that their rewards will be death eternal, but we cannot ultimately judge a person- God alone is the judge.
We have to trust in our Savior and His righteousness and not our own righteous acts. Yes, live as we believe in the truth of the word of God revealed to us, but do so out of love for God, not out of hope for righteousness through our good works.
Please Lord help us, save us!
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Let us have a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST!
Please Lord, help us, save us!
In the love of our amazing God!
All praise, glory, and honor to HIM!
Amen.
A good conscience toward God
1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
The Just (CHRIST) for the Unjust (US).
Why?
That he (CHRIST) might bring us to God.
Christ put to death in the flesh.
Christ brought to life by the Holy Spirit.
Christ alive to preach to those in captivity.
Luk 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
People- disobedient - then and now.
Longsuffering towards the disobedient- God WAITED in the days of Noah as the ark was being built.
God WAITED and only a FEW- only EIGHT people were saved.
Now we are offered BAPTISM-a NEW life in Christ. A repentance, an asking for forgiveness, a dying to the old life and living to the new life in CHRIST. BUT…
NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh. Did you read that? NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh.
BUT the answer of a good conscience towards God- by the RESURRECTION of JESUS CHRIST our LORD, our SAVIOR, who is in heaven at the right hand of GOD, ANGELS, AUTHORITIES, POWERS- being made subject unto HIM.
We have to ANSWER to God in ALL good conscience- by Jesus.
We can put away all the filth we have in our flesh- we can but that WILL NOT make us have a good conscience towards God. We might mistake having a good conscience towards ourselves for having a good conscience towards God. We might put our good works down to an achievement that makes us believe we are right with our Savior. We can't do this! We cannot get caught up in what we perceive is our righteousness when what we really, really need is GOD'S righteousness.
People look at others and call them flesh filthy- okay, maybe they aren't doing that because so few even think in terms of the flesh and spirit, but people love to label others by their own perceived accepted beliefs, their own interpretations of truths. People love to say the truths are black and white and yet when the chosen men of God dragged the adulterous woman before Jesus as their established law dictated did Jesus pick up the first stone and throw it at her? It was black and white, it was CLEARLY established, the law was the law and meant to be kept. No one could tell any of them that there were extenuating circumstances- the law was the law! But Jesus didn't pick up that first stone, right? Jesus left all the stones on the ground and didn't make even the slightest gesture of trying to pick one up. They wanted Jesus to pick up the stone, they wanted Jesus to tell them that they were doing right by the law they were following, a law that they'd been given long, long ago and kept to the letter. They wanted their truth and the way they perceived their truth to be verified by this man who was claiming to be God's Son- or who others were saying He was. This Messiah had to uphold the law- right? If He were really God's Son He had to uphold God's laws- it was black and white- or so they thought. They really wanted to trap Jesus though, they wanted Him to NOT uphold the law so they could accuse Him of NOT upholding the law and punish Him, reveal Him as not being a man of God, of NOT being the Messiah, the Son of God.
Jesus didn't pick up the stone instead He spoke these words--
Joh 8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
Joh 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
HE that is WITHOUT sin among you, let HIM first cast a stone at her.
Black and white was suddenly turned into gray.
They left without throwing a single stone.
Was she less guilty of adultery? No.
Did she deserve punishment? Yes.
Did she receive punishment? No.
She was forgiven.
While we look at others who seem to break all the laws of God and then some, living horrifically sinfilled lives we CANNOT judge their eternal lives, we just can't! We can judge that the actions that are sinful and know that we are not to commit them, but we have to pray and hope that God will save us ALL from those sins. The greatest sinner still has a chance for salvation through our Savior and we cannot believe otherwise. We CAN say that if a sinner goes on without ever repenting that their rewards will be death eternal, but we cannot ultimately judge a person- God alone is the judge.
We have to trust in our Savior and His righteousness and not our own righteous acts. Yes, live as we believe in the truth of the word of God revealed to us, but do so out of love for God, not out of hope for righteousness through our good works.
Please Lord help us, save us!
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Let us have a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST!
Please Lord, help us, save us!
In the love of our amazing God!
All praise, glory, and honor to HIM!
Amen.
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
The Just (CHRIST) for the Unjust (US).
Why?
That he (CHRIST) might bring us to God.
Christ put to death in the flesh.
Christ brought to life by the Holy Spirit.
Christ alive to preach to those in captivity.
Luk 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
People- disobedient - then and now.
Longsuffering towards the disobedient- God WAITED in the days of Noah as the ark was being built.
God WAITED and only a FEW- only EIGHT people were saved.
Now we are offered BAPTISM-a NEW life in Christ. A repentance, an asking for forgiveness, a dying to the old life and living to the new life in CHRIST. BUT…
NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh. Did you read that? NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh.
BUT the answer of a good conscience towards God- by the RESURRECTION of JESUS CHRIST our LORD, our SAVIOR, who is in heaven at the right hand of GOD, ANGELS, AUTHORITIES, POWERS- being made subject unto HIM.
We have to ANSWER to God in ALL good conscience- by Jesus.
We can put away all the filth we have in our flesh- we can but that WILL NOT make us have a good conscience towards God. We might mistake having a good conscience towards ourselves for having a good conscience towards God. We might put our good works down to an achievement that makes us believe we are right with our Savior. We can't do this! We cannot get caught up in what we perceive is our righteousness when what we really, really need is GOD'S righteousness.
People look at others and call them flesh filthy- okay, maybe they aren't doing that because so few even think in terms of the flesh and spirit, but people love to label others by their own perceived accepted beliefs, their own interpretations of truths. People love to say the truths are black and white and yet when the chosen men of God dragged the adulterous woman before Jesus as their established law dictated did Jesus pick up the first stone and throw it at her? It was black and white, it was CLEARLY established, the law was the law and meant to be kept. No one could tell any of them that there were extenuating circumstances- the law was the law! But Jesus didn't pick up that first stone, right? Jesus left all the stones on the ground and didn't make even the slightest gesture of trying to pick one up. They wanted Jesus to pick up the stone, they wanted Jesus to tell them that they were doing right by the law they were following, a law that they'd been given long, long ago and kept to the letter. They wanted their truth and the way they perceived their truth to be verified by this man who was claiming to be God's Son- or who others were saying He was. This Messiah had to uphold the law- right? If He were really God's Son He had to uphold God's laws- it was black and white- or so they thought. They really wanted to trap Jesus though, they wanted Him to NOT uphold the law so they could accuse Him of NOT upholding the law and punish Him, reveal Him as not being a man of God, of NOT being the Messiah, the Son of God.
Jesus didn't pick up the stone instead He spoke these words--
Joh 8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
Joh 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
HE that is WITHOUT sin among you, let HIM first cast a stone at her.
Black and white was suddenly turned into gray.
They left without throwing a single stone.
Was she less guilty of adultery? No.
Did she deserve punishment? Yes.
Did she receive punishment? No.
She was forgiven.
While we look at others who seem to break all the laws of God and then some, living horrifically sinfilled lives we CANNOT judge their eternal lives, we just can't! We can judge that the actions that are sinful and know that we are not to commit them, but we have to pray and hope that God will save us ALL from those sins. The greatest sinner still has a chance for salvation through our Savior and we cannot believe otherwise. We CAN say that if a sinner goes on without ever repenting that their rewards will be death eternal, but we cannot ultimately judge a person- God alone is the judge.
We have to trust in our Savior and His righteousness and not our own righteous acts. Yes, live as we believe in the truth of the word of God revealed to us, but do so out of love for God, not out of hope for righteousness through our good works.
Please Lord help us, save us!
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Let us have a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST!
Please Lord, help us, save us!
In the love of our amazing God!
All praise, glory, and honor to HIM!
Amen.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Suffer for well doing
1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
1Pe 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
1Pe 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
1Pe 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
Suffering is inevitable.
We suffer so much in our life for many, many reasons and the 'eyes of the LORD are over the righteous' even in their suffering. 'His ears are open unto their prayers', even in their suffering.
We suffer and it is BETTER to suffer for well doing than for evil doing.
If a person believes they will not suffer if they are God's then they do not understand God at all. His Son suffered more than we ever could and He did so because it was the 'cup' He had to drink from. Each of us has our own walk with God. Are they perfect walks? No, none of us can lay claim to a perfect walk with Christ, we can only claim to fall at the feet of our Savior and beg for forgiveness, repenting of our wrong doing, our many, many imperfections.
We have to SANCTIFY the Lord God in our hearts.
We have to be READY to give an answer to EVERY MAN that ASKS us the REASON of the HOPE that is in US and we have to do this with MEEKNESS and FEAR.
My hope is in God, my hope is in my Savior and HIS righteousness, not any righteousness any may think I possess or don't possess.
What do we worship?
What makes up our lives?
Do we seek our Savior?
Is God a REAL part of our lives?
Do we live for ungodliness?
Do we worship ungodliness?
So many people hold so many beliefs and they don't hesitate to share them explaining them according to their belief in the Word of God, and yet their beliefs can be contrary to others.
I have a website I share with my sisters entitled - 'Who's to Say We're Right?'
We are NOT here to give the reason for our HOPE in anything but CHRIST!
As we live we can hope only in CHRIST'S righteousness, not our own in any way whatsoever.
People can keep the law to the letter. People can follow every statute they believe is meant to be kept and yet they will find NO righteousness in any of it, because the righteousness we have, the hope we have is ONLY in Christ.
We love Christ and depend wholly on Him for salvation, not on ourselves, our hope is NOT in ourselves, it can't be because we will fail miserably if we place any hope in our own actions.
By the grace of God we will follow Him and worship Him, Love HIM, live for HIM as HE wills us to do all by the mercy of our Savior.
There is a group of people who believe that we cannot say the name Jesus without invoking the false God Zeus, that those who speak the name Jesus are deceived and are going to be lead astray because they are not using the original Hebrew, the original Greek language. There are people who refuse to call their weekdays by the worldwide known Sunday, Monday, etc because these titles have origins contrary to the language of God and are from false Gods and such. There are people who live simply and hold no real ritualized Biblical practices and they are told their love of God is false when they love God more fully than those who have every 'i' dotted and every 't' crossed, they love our Savior more than those who don't ever say the name Jesus for fear they are invoking a pagan god and not the Son of God, the Son of the Father in Heaven. It is the LOVE that matters above so much that man believes matters, without the LOVE there is absolutely nothing. If those who believe they cannot say Jesus but must rather use the Hebrew language LOVE, truly LOVE Jesus they are following their hearts and their convictions and ultimately it is GOD who will judge, Jesus who will know if they are HIS or not. May we all be HIS, known by HIM!
Unfortunately here are so many whose hope is found not in Jesus, but rather in themselves and their own knowledge and these people will have to answer to God as EVERY man does, and explain to our Savior that they were wrong in NOT placing their hope in Him.
Are we perfect? NO MAN IS. We can only fall down on our knees and beg our Savior to lead us in HIS way ever lasting, in HIS LOVE.
Will we suffer? Yes. Christ suffered under the very people God had chosen to be His, they'd gone astray- losing all their true LOVE of God and yet they held their facts perfectly, rigidly. Will we suffer? YES! We will suffer, those who LOVE our Lord more than life itself, those of us who suffer living in this world longing for Jesus will be told we are not God's, by those who believe they are God's and we will suffer…suffer…suffer.
We must believe this--
1Pe 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
1Pe 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
Let us, let all of us who love the Lord, love one another- truly- love one another and pray for the love of Jesus to be found in us.
Help us LORD, helps us to be YOURS, fully YOURS guiding all who would be YOURS to the truth and helping us to walk in the truth through YOUR love, YOUR amazing, amazing LOVE.
Let us read these verses again--
1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
1Pe 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
1Pe 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
1Pe 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
The righteous- those who live in Christ's righteousness.
Them that do evil- those who live in their own righteousness.
Followers of that which is good- followers of our Savior.
Suffering for righteousness- for being Christ's.
Be not afraid of their terror- and oh how the evil will terrorize those who are Christ's!
Neither be troubled- yes, those who are not Christ's will try and trouble you over and over yet we must keep our HOPE in Christ!
The LORD GOD made HOLY in our hearts!
Ready to answer every man that ask-- the REASON of the HOPE in us! All in meekness and fear!
Having a GOOD conscience- they that speak evil-as evildoers- may be ashamed because they are FALSELY accusing our good conversation in CHRIST!
God's will is BEST!
If we suffer for well doing- it is better than suffering for evil doing.
By the grace of God may we suffer for well doing- for loving HIM fully and not for doing any evil.
Please Lord…please help us to be fully YOURS in all ways.
Forgive us when we fall short.
Help us to find our way all in YOU and ONLY in YOU and NO other!
All by YOUR LOVE!
Amen.
1Pe 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
1Pe 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
1Pe 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
Suffering is inevitable.
We suffer so much in our life for many, many reasons and the 'eyes of the LORD are over the righteous' even in their suffering. 'His ears are open unto their prayers', even in their suffering.
We suffer and it is BETTER to suffer for well doing than for evil doing.
If a person believes they will not suffer if they are God's then they do not understand God at all. His Son suffered more than we ever could and He did so because it was the 'cup' He had to drink from. Each of us has our own walk with God. Are they perfect walks? No, none of us can lay claim to a perfect walk with Christ, we can only claim to fall at the feet of our Savior and beg for forgiveness, repenting of our wrong doing, our many, many imperfections.
We have to SANCTIFY the Lord God in our hearts.
We have to be READY to give an answer to EVERY MAN that ASKS us the REASON of the HOPE that is in US and we have to do this with MEEKNESS and FEAR.
My hope is in God, my hope is in my Savior and HIS righteousness, not any righteousness any may think I possess or don't possess.
What do we worship?
What makes up our lives?
Do we seek our Savior?
Is God a REAL part of our lives?
Do we live for ungodliness?
Do we worship ungodliness?
So many people hold so many beliefs and they don't hesitate to share them explaining them according to their belief in the Word of God, and yet their beliefs can be contrary to others.
I have a website I share with my sisters entitled - 'Who's to Say We're Right?'
We are NOT here to give the reason for our HOPE in anything but CHRIST!
As we live we can hope only in CHRIST'S righteousness, not our own in any way whatsoever.
People can keep the law to the letter. People can follow every statute they believe is meant to be kept and yet they will find NO righteousness in any of it, because the righteousness we have, the hope we have is ONLY in Christ.
We love Christ and depend wholly on Him for salvation, not on ourselves, our hope is NOT in ourselves, it can't be because we will fail miserably if we place any hope in our own actions.
By the grace of God we will follow Him and worship Him, Love HIM, live for HIM as HE wills us to do all by the mercy of our Savior.
There is a group of people who believe that we cannot say the name Jesus without invoking the false God Zeus, that those who speak the name Jesus are deceived and are going to be lead astray because they are not using the original Hebrew, the original Greek language. There are people who refuse to call their weekdays by the worldwide known Sunday, Monday, etc because these titles have origins contrary to the language of God and are from false Gods and such. There are people who live simply and hold no real ritualized Biblical practices and they are told their love of God is false when they love God more fully than those who have every 'i' dotted and every 't' crossed, they love our Savior more than those who don't ever say the name Jesus for fear they are invoking a pagan god and not the Son of God, the Son of the Father in Heaven. It is the LOVE that matters above so much that man believes matters, without the LOVE there is absolutely nothing. If those who believe they cannot say Jesus but must rather use the Hebrew language LOVE, truly LOVE Jesus they are following their hearts and their convictions and ultimately it is GOD who will judge, Jesus who will know if they are HIS or not. May we all be HIS, known by HIM!
Unfortunately here are so many whose hope is found not in Jesus, but rather in themselves and their own knowledge and these people will have to answer to God as EVERY man does, and explain to our Savior that they were wrong in NOT placing their hope in Him.
Are we perfect? NO MAN IS. We can only fall down on our knees and beg our Savior to lead us in HIS way ever lasting, in HIS LOVE.
Will we suffer? Yes. Christ suffered under the very people God had chosen to be His, they'd gone astray- losing all their true LOVE of God and yet they held their facts perfectly, rigidly. Will we suffer? YES! We will suffer, those who LOVE our Lord more than life itself, those of us who suffer living in this world longing for Jesus will be told we are not God's, by those who believe they are God's and we will suffer…suffer…suffer.
We must believe this--
1Pe 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
1Pe 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
Let us, let all of us who love the Lord, love one another- truly- love one another and pray for the love of Jesus to be found in us.
Help us LORD, helps us to be YOURS, fully YOURS guiding all who would be YOURS to the truth and helping us to walk in the truth through YOUR love, YOUR amazing, amazing LOVE.
Let us read these verses again--
1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
1Pe 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
1Pe 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
1Pe 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
The righteous- those who live in Christ's righteousness.
Them that do evil- those who live in their own righteousness.
Followers of that which is good- followers of our Savior.
Suffering for righteousness- for being Christ's.
Be not afraid of their terror- and oh how the evil will terrorize those who are Christ's!
Neither be troubled- yes, those who are not Christ's will try and trouble you over and over yet we must keep our HOPE in Christ!
The LORD GOD made HOLY in our hearts!
Ready to answer every man that ask-- the REASON of the HOPE in us! All in meekness and fear!
Having a GOOD conscience- they that speak evil-as evildoers- may be ashamed because they are FALSELY accusing our good conversation in CHRIST!
God's will is BEST!
If we suffer for well doing- it is better than suffering for evil doing.
By the grace of God may we suffer for well doing- for loving HIM fully and not for doing any evil.
Please Lord…please help us to be fully YOURS in all ways.
Forgive us when we fall short.
Help us to find our way all in YOU and ONLY in YOU and NO other!
All by YOUR LOVE!
Amen.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Heirs together
1Pe 3:5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
1Pe 3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
1Pe 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
As long as we do well and are not afraid with any amazement.
1Pe 3:6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose children you became, doing good, and fearing no terror. (LITV)
1Pe 3:6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose children ye now are, if ye do well, and are not put in fear by any terror. (RV)
As long as we do well and are not - put in fear- not fearing - not afraid-- of terror, alarm.
We face terror all the time, people will deny it but it's true. We've numbed ourselves and call it good and yet we are filled with so much anxiety it's not funny. When we read something like this, that if we do well and are not alarmed by fear, or fearful of alarming situations then we are like Sara was with Abraham.
Imagine Sarah's life with Abraham. She obeyed Him, believing in him when so much around her had to tell her to do otherwise. Her life couldn't have been an easy one. There was great reason for her to be fearful she left her homeland and journeyed away with Abraham and came face to face with those who would challenge them. She faced hunger, thirst. She faced deception and the wrath of a pharaoh, her life was filled with challenges. She had no children for Abraham and yet was assured by him that she would. She doubted, yes, but deep down she also believed. She had the necessary faith, the necessary belief in her husband, a trust that even though everything seemed to be unfolding contrary to plans that it would work out. Sarah did NOT let fear fill her up as it can so easily do when we are depending upon our husbands.
In today's world where a lot of times it's the woman who supplies the main source of income things have taken a turn for the worse. Yell at me for saying that if you want to, but it's true. Our men have been stripped of so much of their God-given right, need, to lead their families, the women and the children that it's amazing that things haven't deteriorated even faster than they have in our society. People think it's crazy to believe that way because it's male chauvinism and denying women equal rights etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. But truthfully God was NOT downgrading and debasing women when He created families as He did. God was giving us an example of our relationship with HIM. A living example that would be perpetual as long as mankind existed. Yet so many of God's examples to us are perverted and this was another one. Satan has done a really, really good job of working subtly through the years to twist things so that men have either abused their rights with caring for women or women have abused their rights in regards to men. In America today the women's rights movement has really taken a toll on the fabric of our society, in Saudi Arabia and other middle eastern countries women are abused senselessly for the most minor infractions- Satan has worked it so that it is all perverted and he loves it that way.
So when we read about Sara, about women needing to obey their husbands it's not a concept that is God's injustice at work, NOT at all, it's God's LOVE.
1Pe 3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
1Pe 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
Men and women- husbands and wives. God would have us be His, all of us be His all for our good, for our benefit. Loving us and us loving
By HIS Grace we can be the men and women He wants us to be, living in HIM now and always, all through HIM.
In His love!
1Pe 3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
1Pe 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
As long as we do well and are not afraid with any amazement.
1Pe 3:6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose children you became, doing good, and fearing no terror. (LITV)
1Pe 3:6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose children ye now are, if ye do well, and are not put in fear by any terror. (RV)
As long as we do well and are not - put in fear- not fearing - not afraid-- of terror, alarm.
We face terror all the time, people will deny it but it's true. We've numbed ourselves and call it good and yet we are filled with so much anxiety it's not funny. When we read something like this, that if we do well and are not alarmed by fear, or fearful of alarming situations then we are like Sara was with Abraham.
Imagine Sarah's life with Abraham. She obeyed Him, believing in him when so much around her had to tell her to do otherwise. Her life couldn't have been an easy one. There was great reason for her to be fearful she left her homeland and journeyed away with Abraham and came face to face with those who would challenge them. She faced hunger, thirst. She faced deception and the wrath of a pharaoh, her life was filled with challenges. She had no children for Abraham and yet was assured by him that she would. She doubted, yes, but deep down she also believed. She had the necessary faith, the necessary belief in her husband, a trust that even though everything seemed to be unfolding contrary to plans that it would work out. Sarah did NOT let fear fill her up as it can so easily do when we are depending upon our husbands.
In today's world where a lot of times it's the woman who supplies the main source of income things have taken a turn for the worse. Yell at me for saying that if you want to, but it's true. Our men have been stripped of so much of their God-given right, need, to lead their families, the women and the children that it's amazing that things haven't deteriorated even faster than they have in our society. People think it's crazy to believe that way because it's male chauvinism and denying women equal rights etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. But truthfully God was NOT downgrading and debasing women when He created families as He did. God was giving us an example of our relationship with HIM. A living example that would be perpetual as long as mankind existed. Yet so many of God's examples to us are perverted and this was another one. Satan has done a really, really good job of working subtly through the years to twist things so that men have either abused their rights with caring for women or women have abused their rights in regards to men. In America today the women's rights movement has really taken a toll on the fabric of our society, in Saudi Arabia and other middle eastern countries women are abused senselessly for the most minor infractions- Satan has worked it so that it is all perverted and he loves it that way.
So when we read about Sara, about women needing to obey their husbands it's not a concept that is God's injustice at work, NOT at all, it's God's LOVE.
1Pe 3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
1Pe 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
Men and women- husbands and wives. God would have us be His, all of us be His all for our good, for our benefit. Loving us and us loving
By HIS Grace we can be the men and women He wants us to be, living in HIM now and always, all through HIM.
In His love!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Hidden man of the heart
1Pe 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
1Pe 3:2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
1Pe 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
1Pe 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
Our adorning is to be that of the HIDDEN man of the HEART.
The hidden man of the heart that IS NOT corruptible.
A MEEK and QUIET spirit.
How many of us possess such a spirit? Meek and quiet? People call them timid and in need of coming out of their shells. People want these meek and quiet ones to stand up for themselves, to NOT take any and everything from others. They want them to grow a backbone, to 'man up', to get a spine, and so on. To be meek and quiet is not something that is acceptable for the most part. Those who are domineering like to stomp on those who are meek and quiet. They like to make them their 'subjects' in a manner of speaking.
We are to adorn ourselves with the ornament of meekness, the ornament of a quiet spirit.
Meekness-
Definition 1. mildness of disposition, gentleness of spirit, meekness. Meekness toward God is that disposition of spirit in which we accept his dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting. In the OT, the meek are those wholly relying on God rather than their own strength to defend them against injustice. Thus, meekness toward evil people means knowing God is permitting the injuries they inflict, that he is using them to purify his elect, and that he will deliver his elect in his time. (Isa_41:17, Luk_18:1-14)
Amazing and wonderful isn't it? Meekness is our disposition being one that accepts God's dealing with us NO MATTER what- no resisting, no disputing, no questioning God and His plans.
This part- 'meekness towards evil people knowing God is permitting the injuries they inflict- that HE is using them to PURIFY his elect, AND that HE will deliver HIS elect in HIS time.' It's amazing isn't it? The MEEK, the QUIET in spirit KNOW this and BELIEVE this. The meek and quiet live knowing that God's will in all things is best even when we suffer horrifically.
If we live adorning our spirit rather than our bodies, if we live adorning our spirit rather than our flesh selves- then we are truly living for God and His love.
There is truly something to be said for those monks and such who take vows of meekness, of self-sacrifice, of silence, of deprivation of the flesh needs, the carnal desires. Seriously, there is something to be said for them. Those who have abandoned the materialistic way of life and live simply. Those who live off the land through hard work and much sacrifice. Those who devote themselves to God fully, wholly. Yet the majority of us don't do that, do we? We don't feel we can and maybe we can't. Maybe our walk with God, our path is to travel down a road that isn't one like that but rather to be in and among the world knowing the world and STILL being God's, is that possible? To be meek among the world, to be quiet among the awful, loud noise of the world. Rather than all of us having to take ourselves out of the world to the quietness, perhaps some have to stay in the world and live in the noise and be quite.
'...if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
1Pe 3:2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.'
Being won by God because of the witness of the meekness, the chasteness, the quietness. Rather than conform to the loudness, the outgoingness, the vulgar reality of our world remaining God's through the fear, the knowledge, the chasteness, quiet, and meekness. By the grace of God we need to be HIS fully, knowing whatever walk we are called to that we CAN be His and HIS alone. We can't be afraid to be meek and quiet, we can't be conformed to the world. By HIS GRACE!
1Pe 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
Hidden man of the heart.
Not corruptible.
A meek and quiet spirit.
Which is in the sight of GOD of great price.
God does not wish blood sacrifice, God does not wish us to put on an outward show with rituals and such. God would have us meek and quiet in spirit - this is what God wants of us. He wants us trusting wholly in Him no matter what…no…matter…what.
By HIS grace!
His LOVE!
Amen.
1Pe 3:2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
1Pe 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
1Pe 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
Our adorning is to be that of the HIDDEN man of the HEART.
The hidden man of the heart that IS NOT corruptible.
A MEEK and QUIET spirit.
How many of us possess such a spirit? Meek and quiet? People call them timid and in need of coming out of their shells. People want these meek and quiet ones to stand up for themselves, to NOT take any and everything from others. They want them to grow a backbone, to 'man up', to get a spine, and so on. To be meek and quiet is not something that is acceptable for the most part. Those who are domineering like to stomp on those who are meek and quiet. They like to make them their 'subjects' in a manner of speaking.
We are to adorn ourselves with the ornament of meekness, the ornament of a quiet spirit.
Meekness-
Definition 1. mildness of disposition, gentleness of spirit, meekness. Meekness toward God is that disposition of spirit in which we accept his dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting. In the OT, the meek are those wholly relying on God rather than their own strength to defend them against injustice. Thus, meekness toward evil people means knowing God is permitting the injuries they inflict, that he is using them to purify his elect, and that he will deliver his elect in his time. (Isa_41:17, Luk_18:1-14)
Amazing and wonderful isn't it? Meekness is our disposition being one that accepts God's dealing with us NO MATTER what- no resisting, no disputing, no questioning God and His plans.
This part- 'meekness towards evil people knowing God is permitting the injuries they inflict- that HE is using them to PURIFY his elect, AND that HE will deliver HIS elect in HIS time.' It's amazing isn't it? The MEEK, the QUIET in spirit KNOW this and BELIEVE this. The meek and quiet live knowing that God's will in all things is best even when we suffer horrifically.
If we live adorning our spirit rather than our bodies, if we live adorning our spirit rather than our flesh selves- then we are truly living for God and His love.
There is truly something to be said for those monks and such who take vows of meekness, of self-sacrifice, of silence, of deprivation of the flesh needs, the carnal desires. Seriously, there is something to be said for them. Those who have abandoned the materialistic way of life and live simply. Those who live off the land through hard work and much sacrifice. Those who devote themselves to God fully, wholly. Yet the majority of us don't do that, do we? We don't feel we can and maybe we can't. Maybe our walk with God, our path is to travel down a road that isn't one like that but rather to be in and among the world knowing the world and STILL being God's, is that possible? To be meek among the world, to be quiet among the awful, loud noise of the world. Rather than all of us having to take ourselves out of the world to the quietness, perhaps some have to stay in the world and live in the noise and be quite.
'...if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
1Pe 3:2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.'
Being won by God because of the witness of the meekness, the chasteness, the quietness. Rather than conform to the loudness, the outgoingness, the vulgar reality of our world remaining God's through the fear, the knowledge, the chasteness, quiet, and meekness. By the grace of God we need to be HIS fully, knowing whatever walk we are called to that we CAN be His and HIS alone. We can't be afraid to be meek and quiet, we can't be conformed to the world. By HIS GRACE!
1Pe 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
Hidden man of the heart.
Not corruptible.
A meek and quiet spirit.
Which is in the sight of GOD of great price.
God does not wish blood sacrifice, God does not wish us to put on an outward show with rituals and such. God would have us meek and quiet in spirit - this is what God wants of us. He wants us trusting wholly in Him no matter what…no…matter…what.
By HIS grace!
His LOVE!
Amen.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
When he sufferened he threatened not
1Pe 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
1Pe 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
1Pe 2:18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
1Pe 2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
1Pe 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
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:
1Pe 2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
1Pe 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1Pe 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
…If a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully
So many people are grieving, so many people are suffering wrongfully and in their grief and suffering they lash out- NOT enduring it patiently. We are raised to fight against injustices, but aren't raised realizing that injustices are going to be plentiful in this world dominated by Satan. We are called weak when we bow to injustice. We are called spineless when we refuse to fight against those who have wronged us. Yet our GREATEST example in all the world's history did NOT fight against the injustices committed against Him, did He? He bore ALL the indignities heaped upon Himself very patiently.
So why do we want to fight against all the wrongs done to us without cause? Is it part of the pride inside us that determines we don't deserve to be treated wrongly? No one likes being wronged or to grieve do they? Did Jesus 'like' it? I can't imagine He did at all. He knew the cup waiting for Him and asked that it be taken away. Liking something and enduring something patiently are two different things entirely. We are not told to enjoy being wronged, we are not told to enjoy grieving, to enjoy suffering. We are told we should endure it with patience just as Jesus endured.
Our example--
1Pe 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
Our example- Jesus Christ- committed HIMSELF to GOD the Father who judges righteously.
Not a single wrong will go unpunished, not a single one, and we have to trust that God will judge all righteously. When we commit ourselves to God, we are asking for HIS righteous judgment unfold NOT our faulty judgment. Remember we are judged how we judge so is it any wonder we are to leave our judging in the hands of God, who alone can judge righteously. If we do the judging then we are asking to be judged by faulty judgment.
We MUST commit ourselves to God's judgment and NOT seek to judge and condemn others ourselves, even if that means enduring horrible wrongs, horrible grief, awful injustices, terrible suffering that we did NOTHING to deserve.
1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1Pe 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
We ONLY live righteously in our Savior!
We are only dead to sins by living in our Savior!
We are HEALED by our Savior's suffering!
We are only able to come to our Savior by His grace!
Truly we are as sheep gone astray needing our GREAT SHEPHERD to rescue us!
Praise God!
1Pe 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
1Pe 2:18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
1Pe 2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
1Pe 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
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:
1Pe 2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
1Pe 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1Pe 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
…If a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully
So many people are grieving, so many people are suffering wrongfully and in their grief and suffering they lash out- NOT enduring it patiently. We are raised to fight against injustices, but aren't raised realizing that injustices are going to be plentiful in this world dominated by Satan. We are called weak when we bow to injustice. We are called spineless when we refuse to fight against those who have wronged us. Yet our GREATEST example in all the world's history did NOT fight against the injustices committed against Him, did He? He bore ALL the indignities heaped upon Himself very patiently.
So why do we want to fight against all the wrongs done to us without cause? Is it part of the pride inside us that determines we don't deserve to be treated wrongly? No one likes being wronged or to grieve do they? Did Jesus 'like' it? I can't imagine He did at all. He knew the cup waiting for Him and asked that it be taken away. Liking something and enduring something patiently are two different things entirely. We are not told to enjoy being wronged, we are not told to enjoy grieving, to enjoy suffering. We are told we should endure it with patience just as Jesus endured.
Our example--
1Pe 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
Our example- Jesus Christ- committed HIMSELF to GOD the Father who judges righteously.
Not a single wrong will go unpunished, not a single one, and we have to trust that God will judge all righteously. When we commit ourselves to God, we are asking for HIS righteous judgment unfold NOT our faulty judgment. Remember we are judged how we judge so is it any wonder we are to leave our judging in the hands of God, who alone can judge righteously. If we do the judging then we are asking to be judged by faulty judgment.
We MUST commit ourselves to God's judgment and NOT seek to judge and condemn others ourselves, even if that means enduring horrible wrongs, horrible grief, awful injustices, terrible suffering that we did NOTHING to deserve.
1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1Pe 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
We ONLY live righteously in our Savior!
We are only dead to sins by living in our Savior!
We are HEALED by our Savior's suffering!
We are only able to come to our Savior by His grace!
Truly we are as sheep gone astray needing our GREAT SHEPHERD to rescue us!
Praise God!
Friday, February 10, 2012
Honesty, good works, submission, well-doing
1Pe 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
They speak against you- as evildoers.
We remain HONEST.
Because we do not succumb to evil they'll know one day and comprehend God and glorify Him.
By OUR good works- by OUR godly lives which they will see, this is what they behold in us and they will glorify God. We might not think it's important how others see us but the truth is others will look to find faults and even falsely accuse those who call themselves God's. They want to believe we are evil because they don't comprehend God in our lives.
We need to be honest in all our conversations, we need to be honest and from that honesty our good works will be revealed all to the glory of GOD, not to our glory but to God's glory.
1Pe 2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
1Pe 2:14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
1Pe 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men
That with WELL DOING we may put to SILENCE the ignorance of FOOLISH MEN.
By submitting ourselves to obedience of those in authority over us we reveal the will of God in that we are as servants, as the least of them, not presuming to possess a greater personage than any other.
For the LORD'S SAKE we submit. Not because we want to submit, more often than not we might desire to disobey the government, and those with power over our lives, but we submit rather than resist. Jesus submitted remember this…
Mat 26:51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.
Mat 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Mat 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
Mat 26:54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
Mat 26:55 In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.
Mat 26:56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
And this…
Luk 22:41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
Luk 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Luk 22:43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
Luk 22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Jesus submitted, sweating great drops of blood, in agony, praying to His Father, He submitted.
We are to submit. God's will must be done and we aren't called to comprehend all the workings of our God. We must trust that even in the bitterest moments, even when those in authority abuse us our God's will is being done - ultimately there will be comprehension but more often than not there is not even the least bit of understanding as we struggle under the oppression of others.
It is true that with well doing we can put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, but that doesn't mean they'll be silent immediately. You might be years and years in well doing before there is silence for that ignorance.
It is God's will we submit. It is God's will we don't give up in well doing no matter the circumstances.
Only through the grace and mercy of God will this be accomplished, not by any righteousness of our own. Any good that comes from us, come from us through HIM.
ALL GLORY TO GOD!
They speak against you- as evildoers.
We remain HONEST.
Because we do not succumb to evil they'll know one day and comprehend God and glorify Him.
By OUR good works- by OUR godly lives which they will see, this is what they behold in us and they will glorify God. We might not think it's important how others see us but the truth is others will look to find faults and even falsely accuse those who call themselves God's. They want to believe we are evil because they don't comprehend God in our lives.
We need to be honest in all our conversations, we need to be honest and from that honesty our good works will be revealed all to the glory of GOD, not to our glory but to God's glory.
1Pe 2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
1Pe 2:14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
1Pe 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men
That with WELL DOING we may put to SILENCE the ignorance of FOOLISH MEN.
By submitting ourselves to obedience of those in authority over us we reveal the will of God in that we are as servants, as the least of them, not presuming to possess a greater personage than any other.
For the LORD'S SAKE we submit. Not because we want to submit, more often than not we might desire to disobey the government, and those with power over our lives, but we submit rather than resist. Jesus submitted remember this…
Mat 26:51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.
Mat 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Mat 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
Mat 26:54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
Mat 26:55 In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.
Mat 26:56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
And this…
Luk 22:41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
Luk 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Luk 22:43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
Luk 22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Jesus submitted, sweating great drops of blood, in agony, praying to His Father, He submitted.
We are to submit. God's will must be done and we aren't called to comprehend all the workings of our God. We must trust that even in the bitterest moments, even when those in authority abuse us our God's will is being done - ultimately there will be comprehension but more often than not there is not even the least bit of understanding as we struggle under the oppression of others.
It is true that with well doing we can put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, but that doesn't mean they'll be silent immediately. You might be years and years in well doing before there is silence for that ignorance.
It is God's will we submit. It is God's will we don't give up in well doing no matter the circumstances.
Only through the grace and mercy of God will this be accomplished, not by any righteousness of our own. Any good that comes from us, come from us through HIM.
ALL GLORY TO GOD!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Abstain
1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul
As strangers.
As pilgrims.
We are strangers and pilgrims- why?
Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Who were 'these' that died in faith?
Abel
Enoch
Noah
Abraham
Isaac
Jacob
Sara
We know these people- these Biblically historical people. They were ALL STRANGERS and PILGRIMS on earth- just as WE are supposed to be. Why? Because we seek ANOTHER COUNTRY. This earth is NOT our home.
As those who are also strangers and pilgrims we are all who claim this status to abstain from fleshly lusts, why? Because fleshly lusts WAR against us. Our flesh lusts war against us dragging us down. When we indulge our ungodly lusts we are damaging ourselves. Those lusts hurt us in many ways, they keep us from God they separate us from God. When we choose not to abstain from those lusts we are actually choosing to separate ourselves from God.
There is a war and those lusts are going to war with us. We are going to war with ourselves, our flesh selves.
Why don't we understand this fully? Why can't we make this really real to ourselves? Why is it so hard to imagine that we are in a war and that war is against our own flesh nature, a nature Satan will encourage in us and strive to get us to indulge.
1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul
Abstain. DO NOT DO these things. STOP doing these things. Stop indulging fleshly lusts!
People think those who abstain, those who deny themselves are oddballs. Truly those who do abstain from lusts that are being indulged freely by so many do appear to be odd. Fleshly lust rule our world. Fleshly lusts have become our norms in society. Take ONE night and watch several modern tv sitcoms, do it and you'll know without any doubt that fleshly lusts are very, very acceptable today. People watch these shows and so many emulate them. People get their standards from these shows. People are molded by these shows. When we think about this and realize that the Bible tells us to ABSTAIN from the lusts that are so prevalent in our world is it any wonder those who chose a life of abstaining are considered strange?
Abstain.
People indulge their desires all the time, to their own detriment.
How do we stop? Where do we find the power to deny ourselves? The only way is through Jesus, that is the ONLY way, by His grace and mercy, His power.
Please Lord, please help us to abstain from our fleshly lusts that would keep us from You. We need you so desperately.
Please help us.
As strangers.
As pilgrims.
We are strangers and pilgrims- why?
Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Who were 'these' that died in faith?
Abel
Enoch
Noah
Abraham
Isaac
Jacob
Sara
We know these people- these Biblically historical people. They were ALL STRANGERS and PILGRIMS on earth- just as WE are supposed to be. Why? Because we seek ANOTHER COUNTRY. This earth is NOT our home.
As those who are also strangers and pilgrims we are all who claim this status to abstain from fleshly lusts, why? Because fleshly lusts WAR against us. Our flesh lusts war against us dragging us down. When we indulge our ungodly lusts we are damaging ourselves. Those lusts hurt us in many ways, they keep us from God they separate us from God. When we choose not to abstain from those lusts we are actually choosing to separate ourselves from God.
There is a war and those lusts are going to war with us. We are going to war with ourselves, our flesh selves.
Why don't we understand this fully? Why can't we make this really real to ourselves? Why is it so hard to imagine that we are in a war and that war is against our own flesh nature, a nature Satan will encourage in us and strive to get us to indulge.
1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul
Abstain. DO NOT DO these things. STOP doing these things. Stop indulging fleshly lusts!
People think those who abstain, those who deny themselves are oddballs. Truly those who do abstain from lusts that are being indulged freely by so many do appear to be odd. Fleshly lust rule our world. Fleshly lusts have become our norms in society. Take ONE night and watch several modern tv sitcoms, do it and you'll know without any doubt that fleshly lusts are very, very acceptable today. People watch these shows and so many emulate them. People get their standards from these shows. People are molded by these shows. When we think about this and realize that the Bible tells us to ABSTAIN from the lusts that are so prevalent in our world is it any wonder those who chose a life of abstaining are considered strange?
Abstain.
People indulge their desires all the time, to their own detriment.
How do we stop? Where do we find the power to deny ourselves? The only way is through Jesus, that is the ONLY way, by His grace and mercy, His power.
Please Lord, please help us to abstain from our fleshly lusts that would keep us from You. We need you so desperately.
Please help us.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
The Lord is Gracious
1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
1Pe 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
If we taste the sincere milk of the word we KNOW the Lord is gracious.
It's the sincere milk of the WORD that helps us grow as newborn Christians.
How could God not be gracious in that He offers us eternal life through His Son, us who do NOT deserve eternal life at all whatsoever. We do NOT deserve salvation! We are sinners born with flesh desires that we nurture throughout our lives by yielding to temptations, by sinning, by living contrary to God's will, against the laws of God.
The laws- LOVE GOD.
The laws- LOVE EACH OTHER.
We seldom do either of these because we are so incredibly self centered.
The LORD is gracious! We are offered this sincere milk all by His mercy, His grace!
1Pe 2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1Pe 2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
1Pe 2:7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
1Pe 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
There is great beauty in these words- a living stone.
Rocks are symbols of solidness, yes? A living rock, a living symbol of solidness- of truth, pure truth. Chosen of God, precious. We are also supposed to be lively stones- living stones- why? How? Because we are a part of the living rock, the living stone - JESUS. The spiritual house is the house of our LORD. The holy priesthood is JESUS' holy priesthood- He is OUR HIGH PRIEST! We are His priests.
Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
The Spiritual House- the Holy Priesthood.
We do offer up spiritual sacrifices - not physical, fleshy sacrifices but spiritual sacrifices and these sacrifices are ACCEPTABLE to God by Jesus Christ!
Our Lord is the CHIEF CORNERSTONE. We know this, we know that our Savior is our all in all, He is EVERYTHING!
We who believe understand this, we who believe KNOW this, but those who do not believe can't understand.
To those who do not know Jesus - He is a STONE of stumbling. He is a ROCK of offence. They cannot understand, they don't want to understand that He is a living stone, the He is a ROCK, a LIVING ROCK of life to all who believe.
Our Lord is gracious beyond our comprehension. We need to cling to Him, to cling to His love, His amazing, amazing love.
Too many people stumble at the word of God- too many people are disobedient. We need to fall at the feet of Christ and beg forgiveness, repenting of our sins. He is pure LOVE in a way we scarcely can begin to comprehend. He is the purest love that exists and we need to cling to that pure love seeking to love as He loves all through HIS Holy Spirit sent to us. Of our own we are helpless, it is ONLY in Christ we are anything at all.
All through HIS love!
All through HIS mercy!
Please Lord, please… have mercy on us, forgive us, love us!
All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior the Son of God.
Amen.
1Pe 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
If we taste the sincere milk of the word we KNOW the Lord is gracious.
It's the sincere milk of the WORD that helps us grow as newborn Christians.
How could God not be gracious in that He offers us eternal life through His Son, us who do NOT deserve eternal life at all whatsoever. We do NOT deserve salvation! We are sinners born with flesh desires that we nurture throughout our lives by yielding to temptations, by sinning, by living contrary to God's will, against the laws of God.
The laws- LOVE GOD.
The laws- LOVE EACH OTHER.
We seldom do either of these because we are so incredibly self centered.
The LORD is gracious! We are offered this sincere milk all by His mercy, His grace!
1Pe 2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1Pe 2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
1Pe 2:7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
1Pe 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
There is great beauty in these words- a living stone.
Rocks are symbols of solidness, yes? A living rock, a living symbol of solidness- of truth, pure truth. Chosen of God, precious. We are also supposed to be lively stones- living stones- why? How? Because we are a part of the living rock, the living stone - JESUS. The spiritual house is the house of our LORD. The holy priesthood is JESUS' holy priesthood- He is OUR HIGH PRIEST! We are His priests.
Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
The Spiritual House- the Holy Priesthood.
We do offer up spiritual sacrifices - not physical, fleshy sacrifices but spiritual sacrifices and these sacrifices are ACCEPTABLE to God by Jesus Christ!
Our Lord is the CHIEF CORNERSTONE. We know this, we know that our Savior is our all in all, He is EVERYTHING!
We who believe understand this, we who believe KNOW this, but those who do not believe can't understand.
To those who do not know Jesus - He is a STONE of stumbling. He is a ROCK of offence. They cannot understand, they don't want to understand that He is a living stone, the He is a ROCK, a LIVING ROCK of life to all who believe.
Our Lord is gracious beyond our comprehension. We need to cling to Him, to cling to His love, His amazing, amazing love.
Too many people stumble at the word of God- too many people are disobedient. We need to fall at the feet of Christ and beg forgiveness, repenting of our sins. He is pure LOVE in a way we scarcely can begin to comprehend. He is the purest love that exists and we need to cling to that pure love seeking to love as He loves all through HIS Holy Spirit sent to us. Of our own we are helpless, it is ONLY in Christ we are anything at all.
All through HIS love!
All through HIS mercy!
Please Lord, please… have mercy on us, forgive us, love us!
All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior the Son of God.
Amen.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Laying aside all -- evil.
1Pe 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby
*******
Malice- desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness: the malice and spite of a lifelong enemy.
Pasted from
Guile- insidious cunning in attaining a goal; crafty or artful deception; duplicity.
Pasted from
Hypocrisies- The practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; falseness.
Pasted from
Envies- a feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another's advantages, success, possessions
Pasted from
Evil speaking- speaking ill of others; calumny;
censoriousness.
Pasted from
*******
Lay aside ALL desire to hurt someone, to cause someone suffering. Lay aside ALL insidious cunning, ALL deception, ALL duplicity. Lay aside ALL lying. Lay aside ALL discontent. Lay aside ALL covetousness. Lay aside ALL evil speaking.
What does it mean to lay aside all these bad parts of ourselves?
It means to get rid of them, doesn't it? These things can't be a part of our lives- not willingly- not without the very real desire to live without them. When we enjoy evil what's that say about us? Something isn't right with us, in fact something is very, very wrong. By the grace of God we will NOT embrace evil but shun it!
When a person does commit evil we are quick to notice and note that it's wrong. We've prisons filled with people who have chosen evil, people who have been overcome by committing evil. We've mental hospitals filled with people who have brain malfunctions that cause them to commit evil. Evil is a huge part of our every day lives because it's all around us. Is it any wonder we are told to lay aside all that evil? That we HAVE to be told to lay it aside.
Bits and pieces of that evil creep into our lives in so many ways. We don't have to be the biggest hypocrite to be a hypocrite. We don't have to be huge liars to be a liar. We don't have to be the greatest deceivers to be a deceiver. Do you see, we ALL have to lay aside the evil in our lives. This isn't a message for the *big* sinners, this is a message for all of us, for all sinners. This is a message for all of us who would be God's.
1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby
We have to lay aside all that evil and then, and ONLY then as NEWBORN BABES we have to desire the sincere milk of the word.
I speak from firsthand very, very recent experience when I say that newborn babes desire that milk often! They desire that milk more than most anything else. They do desire to be changed, and they do desire to be cuddled and loved, but their most basic need is to feed on the milk that they NEED to live, to grow.
We need to lay aside all that would keep us from desiring God and the Word of Life more than anything else. As a babe wanting milk we have to want God! Do we? Seriously, do we? Do we want God in that big of a part of our lives, taking up that much time? Newborn babes constantly eat, sleep, mess their diapers- this is their life. We have to want to eat that much- we have to want God that much in our lives. He needs to be our ALL in ALL, our source of LIFE. But for Him to be that big a part of our lives we have to lay aside all the things that would keep us from that life with God.
We have to CHOOSE to lay aside the things that would keep us from our Savior.
By the GRACE of God may we do this, may we choose to live for God fully, desiring Him in our lives more than anything else.
All through HIM and HIS LOVE!
By HIS SPIRIT!
Amen.
1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby
*******
Malice- desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness: the malice and spite of a lifelong enemy.
Pasted from
Guile- insidious cunning in attaining a goal; crafty or artful deception; duplicity.
Pasted from
Hypocrisies- The practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; falseness.
Pasted from
Envies- a feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another's advantages, success, possessions
Pasted from
Evil speaking- speaking ill of others; calumny;
censoriousness.
Pasted from
*******
Lay aside ALL desire to hurt someone, to cause someone suffering. Lay aside ALL insidious cunning, ALL deception, ALL duplicity. Lay aside ALL lying. Lay aside ALL discontent. Lay aside ALL covetousness. Lay aside ALL evil speaking.
What does it mean to lay aside all these bad parts of ourselves?
It means to get rid of them, doesn't it? These things can't be a part of our lives- not willingly- not without the very real desire to live without them. When we enjoy evil what's that say about us? Something isn't right with us, in fact something is very, very wrong. By the grace of God we will NOT embrace evil but shun it!
When a person does commit evil we are quick to notice and note that it's wrong. We've prisons filled with people who have chosen evil, people who have been overcome by committing evil. We've mental hospitals filled with people who have brain malfunctions that cause them to commit evil. Evil is a huge part of our every day lives because it's all around us. Is it any wonder we are told to lay aside all that evil? That we HAVE to be told to lay it aside.
Bits and pieces of that evil creep into our lives in so many ways. We don't have to be the biggest hypocrite to be a hypocrite. We don't have to be huge liars to be a liar. We don't have to be the greatest deceivers to be a deceiver. Do you see, we ALL have to lay aside the evil in our lives. This isn't a message for the *big* sinners, this is a message for all of us, for all sinners. This is a message for all of us who would be God's.
1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby
We have to lay aside all that evil and then, and ONLY then as NEWBORN BABES we have to desire the sincere milk of the word.
I speak from firsthand very, very recent experience when I say that newborn babes desire that milk often! They desire that milk more than most anything else. They do desire to be changed, and they do desire to be cuddled and loved, but their most basic need is to feed on the milk that they NEED to live, to grow.
We need to lay aside all that would keep us from desiring God and the Word of Life more than anything else. As a babe wanting milk we have to want God! Do we? Seriously, do we? Do we want God in that big of a part of our lives, taking up that much time? Newborn babes constantly eat, sleep, mess their diapers- this is their life. We have to want to eat that much- we have to want God that much in our lives. He needs to be our ALL in ALL, our source of LIFE. But for Him to be that big a part of our lives we have to lay aside all the things that would keep us from that life with God.
We have to CHOOSE to lay aside the things that would keep us from our Savior.
By the GRACE of God may we do this, may we choose to live for God fully, desiring Him in our lives more than anything else.
All through HIM and HIS LOVE!
By HIS SPIRIT!
Amen.
Monday, February 6, 2012
The word of the Lord endures forever!
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Born again.
What do these words bring to mind? Born again. We are born once and that birth stems from a mother and father. Nicodemus asked this--
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?
A very logical question, yes?
And here is Jesus' answer--
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.
When we are born again- it's to a spiritual life, a spiritual birth that is truly incorruptible because our spiritual life will remain with us forever. After the grave if we are called to sleep the sleep of the first death- we will be raised with incorruptible bodies to match our incorruptible spirit that will rise together to meet our Lord in the air. The spiritual part of us is not subject to corruption-decaying- it is what makes us who we are. Our spiritual connection to God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior will endure through all eternity. When we are born again we are accepting Jesus as our Savior, we are open to His Spirit, allowing the Holy Spirit to touch our lives.
Just as we are to die daily- we are to be born again daily.
1Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
1Pe 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
ALL GLORY TO GOD!
The word of the LORD endureth for ever!
Our Savior endures forever!
All flesh is like the grass.
All that a man is, is like a flower.
Grass withers.
Flowers fall.
Man dies just the same.
We cannot pretend death does not exist- it's a foolish thing to imagine. Death is all around us on a daily basis on various levels. From the insect that is buzzing about one moment and squashed to nothingness the next, to the blade of grass plucked from the ground, from the food you choose to consume there are remnants and reminders of death everywhere in our lives and if we ignore them we ignore our own inevitability. We need to understand that death is a very real part of our lives and know that once death puts us in the grave we no longer have breath to praise God, we no longer have a chance to be born again. We need to be spiritually born now- today and everyday- born to live in the Spirit and not solely in the flesh- all by the GRACE and MERCY of our God!
Born again.
What do these words bring to mind? Born again. We are born once and that birth stems from a mother and father. Nicodemus asked this--
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?
A very logical question, yes?
And here is Jesus' answer--
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.
When we are born again- it's to a spiritual life, a spiritual birth that is truly incorruptible because our spiritual life will remain with us forever. After the grave if we are called to sleep the sleep of the first death- we will be raised with incorruptible bodies to match our incorruptible spirit that will rise together to meet our Lord in the air. The spiritual part of us is not subject to corruption-decaying- it is what makes us who we are. Our spiritual connection to God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior will endure through all eternity. When we are born again we are accepting Jesus as our Savior, we are open to His Spirit, allowing the Holy Spirit to touch our lives.
Just as we are to die daily- we are to be born again daily.
1Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
1Pe 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
ALL GLORY TO GOD!
The word of the LORD endureth for ever!
Our Savior endures forever!
All flesh is like the grass.
All that a man is, is like a flower.
Grass withers.
Flowers fall.
Man dies just the same.
We cannot pretend death does not exist- it's a foolish thing to imagine. Death is all around us on a daily basis on various levels. From the insect that is buzzing about one moment and squashed to nothingness the next, to the blade of grass plucked from the ground, from the food you choose to consume there are remnants and reminders of death everywhere in our lives and if we ignore them we ignore our own inevitability. We need to understand that death is a very real part of our lives and know that once death puts us in the grave we no longer have breath to praise God, we no longer have a chance to be born again. We need to be spiritually born now- today and everyday- born to live in the Spirit and not solely in the flesh- all by the GRACE and MERCY of our God!
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