Speaking out against the majority
Standing up for what seems wrong.
Being placed in the midst of those who hate you because you are out numbered, unfavored, reviled, and ridiculed.
The time is fast approaching and so very few will be standing.
The trials will be of the sort that those who are seemingly of fable, those of legend, and yet are very real, endured.
Will you stand?
The pressure to give in will be tremendous. You will seem wrong. You will seem crazy. You will seem to be against all that is good and right. How will you react?
This is something you need to think about. Or maybe you don't need to, maybe it's something you are of the opinion that you'll face when and if it happens to you, no planning needed.
Do you have an answer for your faith, for your hope?
******
1 Peter {3:13} And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
We like to imgaine that none will harm those who are followers of good, right? We're sickened when we read of abuse against those only seeking to help others. It's an atrocity to us when the good are targeted for harm, when the innocent are stricken purposely. Who harms those who only do good? Who? We want to believe only sick, twisted people but that's not always true in the sense they are noticeably aberrant people. A shock comes to many when they find out some seemingly wonderful people are the very ones harming others. Regardless of who they are the fact remains there are those who do harm followers of good.
1 Peter {3:14} But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled.
Suffering for righteousness sake.
The good that are harmed are suffering for righteousness sake aren't they? If those good people weren't so good maybe they wouldn't have suffered. If the good were inclined to give up their goodness so they wouldn't be harmed maybe things would go easier. No one wants to suffer and yet ... 'But and if...ye suffer for righteousness' sake...' it's better to suffer for righteousness than to give into evil, right? If we do suffer then we are told not to be 'afraid of their terror, neither be trouble'.
Afraid of their terror.
If we're not to be afraid of something that is ready to inflict terror upon us then what in the world are we to be afraid of?
It's normal to be afraid of someone or something that is terrorizing us, right? And yet we are told not to be afraid. In fact we're not only told *not* to be afraid we're told *not* to be troubled.
Righteousness stands on its own so to speak. Righteousness backs itself up. Being on the side of the righteous leaves no real cause for fear or worry. The unrighteous are those that will inflict terror and trouble upon the righteous. As long as the righteousness remains in us, that righteousness being Christ's Righteousness, then we truly have nothing to fear because nothing done to us can take that from us and the greatest loss comes if we lose our Righteousness which is Christ in us. We can't let fear strip us of that love of Christ's. We truly cannot allow ourselves to be afraid.
We are told to...
1 Peter {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
Sanctify the Lord God in our hearts.
God has to fill our hearts, God has to live in our hearts. God has to be the reason we do live, the reason for the life in us, the hope in us. Jesus has to be so real to us that we couldn't imagine living without the hope of God in us. The thought of living without the hope of God in us has to be what terrifies us, nothing else. That hope when it is alive and real in our hearts gives us the very life we live. We have to sanctify-- make holy -- the Lord God in our hearts! We have to...
1 Peter {3:15} ...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
Be ready always!!!! How long? Always. Does always include right this moment? Does it include tomorrow? What about a year or two from now? Yes, yes, yes, always means just that. We have to be ready at all times to give an answer to every man. How many men? How many people? Every man, every one, we have to be ready always to answer any one who asks why we have any hope in us and we have to answer humbly...meekly... with fear...with meekness and awe, not the fear in the sense we're scared to answer. In meekness and awe, humbly, quietly, reverently reveal why we have hope in our hearts. Why we can be abused physically, or mentally, maybe emotionally or possibly all three or any combination, why we can be harmed and yet still hope and not give up that hope in us. To give up that hope is to give up Jesus Himself.
People will want to beat that hope out of us. They'll want us to cry uncle. They'll want to hear us renounce the hope in us. But if the hope in our hearts is our very life we know that to renounce it means death and not from those that harm us but from the Eternal One.
We have to be ready always to give an answer to anyone who asks us why we have the hope in us that we do.
Do you know why you have that hope in you? Could you tell someone meekly, reverently why you have hope in your heart? What keeps you going, why aren't you succumbing to the abuse, even under the threat of death?
Could you?
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Campaign for Jesus
1 Cor. {15:10} But by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain.
The grace of God.
What is the grace of God? We know that if you're given a grace period for something you've bought it usually means that for that period of time you don't have to pay interest on a debt. If you're given a grace period for six months or so on your insurance that means for those six months you haven't been able to pay but the grace is extended to you until you can pay again. If that grace period runs out they you have to start paying interest on your loan, or you have to start making payments on a bill or risk losing all insurance coverage. There are many different ways to get across what a grace period is but that's not the grace of God. The grace of God is something much more special and everlasting.
The grace of God is giving us undeserved mercy that through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ we are given grace that allows us to claim eternal life so that we will not suffer the penalty for our sins- the penalty being eternal death.
You can see how much more God's grace is that a little grace people might show to one another.
By the grace of God, Paul says he is what he is and that God's grace which was bestowed on him wasn't in vain.
Is the grace of God bestowed upon us in vain?
Are we true laborers of Christ, living members of the body of Christ working together to bring Christ's message of salvation to all those we can?
To be a Christian means that we are Christ-followers. If we follow Christ we need to be bringing His message to all we can. A follower of someone is a supporter of that someone. If you support a certain politician you might go about campaigning for that politican in various way. Are you as a Christian campaigning for Christ? Are you ready to answer anyone for the reason of hope in you? The hope being the message of salvation given us through Jesus' sacrifice.
When you support a politican you might be asked what things that politican stands for, what are that politician's policies, what sorts of things that politician will hope to accomplish if elected and so on. Having just recently been through a presidential year unlike any other most people know what I'm talking about. However, if you don't know what your politician stands for are you really a true follower of them? You might give that politician your vote but what substance the politician holds is lost to you.
There are many professed Christians, many, many, and yes, many! Yet they follow along blindly. They call themselves Christians but aren't even fully aware of who Christ really is beyond God's Son who died and rose again. Do Christians need to know more than that? I say no, not if their knowing that is known with a conviction of heart making it a truth they cannot keep to themselves but need to share.
To nonchalantly say you're a Christian... is that something Jesus wanted, something Jesus promoted? Can God's grace be given in vain?
1 Cor. {15:10} But by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain.
I believe it can be. God's grace is something so amazing and so special, so real and so alive that it's something we shouldn't be able to hide or deny. Being saved from eternal death, being given eternal life to fully realize the love of God through Jesus Christ our Savior is something we need to be in awe of and not take for granted.
No, we're not all preachers, prophets, teachers and so on, but the lives we lead need to be such that we are professing Christ and His gift of Salvation.
May the Lord help us all be true campaign workers for Him and that the grace bestowed upon us, not a single bit of it, is in vain.
By His love and mercy!
Amen.
The grace of God.
What is the grace of God? We know that if you're given a grace period for something you've bought it usually means that for that period of time you don't have to pay interest on a debt. If you're given a grace period for six months or so on your insurance that means for those six months you haven't been able to pay but the grace is extended to you until you can pay again. If that grace period runs out they you have to start paying interest on your loan, or you have to start making payments on a bill or risk losing all insurance coverage. There are many different ways to get across what a grace period is but that's not the grace of God. The grace of God is something much more special and everlasting.
The grace of God is giving us undeserved mercy that through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ we are given grace that allows us to claim eternal life so that we will not suffer the penalty for our sins- the penalty being eternal death.
You can see how much more God's grace is that a little grace people might show to one another.
By the grace of God, Paul says he is what he is and that God's grace which was bestowed on him wasn't in vain.
Is the grace of God bestowed upon us in vain?
Are we true laborers of Christ, living members of the body of Christ working together to bring Christ's message of salvation to all those we can?
To be a Christian means that we are Christ-followers. If we follow Christ we need to be bringing His message to all we can. A follower of someone is a supporter of that someone. If you support a certain politician you might go about campaigning for that politican in various way. Are you as a Christian campaigning for Christ? Are you ready to answer anyone for the reason of hope in you? The hope being the message of salvation given us through Jesus' sacrifice.
When you support a politican you might be asked what things that politican stands for, what are that politician's policies, what sorts of things that politician will hope to accomplish if elected and so on. Having just recently been through a presidential year unlike any other most people know what I'm talking about. However, if you don't know what your politician stands for are you really a true follower of them? You might give that politician your vote but what substance the politician holds is lost to you.
There are many professed Christians, many, many, and yes, many! Yet they follow along blindly. They call themselves Christians but aren't even fully aware of who Christ really is beyond God's Son who died and rose again. Do Christians need to know more than that? I say no, not if their knowing that is known with a conviction of heart making it a truth they cannot keep to themselves but need to share.
To nonchalantly say you're a Christian... is that something Jesus wanted, something Jesus promoted? Can God's grace be given in vain?
1 Cor. {15:10} But by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain.
I believe it can be. God's grace is something so amazing and so special, so real and so alive that it's something we shouldn't be able to hide or deny. Being saved from eternal death, being given eternal life to fully realize the love of God through Jesus Christ our Savior is something we need to be in awe of and not take for granted.
No, we're not all preachers, prophets, teachers and so on, but the lives we lead need to be such that we are professing Christ and His gift of Salvation.
May the Lord help us all be true campaign workers for Him and that the grace bestowed upon us, not a single bit of it, is in vain.
By His love and mercy!
Amen.
Friday, May 8, 2009
By the grace and mercy of Jesus may we be prepared.
John
{1:32} And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
{1:33} And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
{1:34} And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
God sent John to baptize with water.
God told John that the Spirit would descend and remain on the one which would baptize with the Holy Ghost.
Picture it...
God called John to baptize with water. To make way the coming of the Lord. He called to repentance.
Matt.
{3:1} In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea
{3:2} And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
John was preparing people telling them something was coming, something was happening and they needed to be ready for it. All their lives they lived with the need to repent of their sins, they were raised with the sacrifical services part of their every day life. But now they were being told something more was happening. They knew their sacrifical service was pointing to something else. They knew a Messiah was to come.
Hope was revived with John preaching in the wilderness. Hope was come to them that the Messiah was indeed on His way. Hope was to be realized and people needed to be ready. They needed to realize their sinfulness, to understand that the Messiah was coming and they needed to be ready.
John did what he was told to do and then one day as he was baptizing people what he was told would happened- happened.
The Spirit descended and remained upon Jesus, upon the Son of God.
Can you imagine the awe! The wonder as John saw what he'd been told come to pass? It's amazing when predictions come to pass, amazing and awe inspiring. God's wonder is amazing, His love for us is unbelievable.
Jesus Himself told us He would come again for us and He will. The people of Israel had to wait thousands of years to see the realization of the Messiah's coming. The people of the world over have been waiting for thousands of years to see the realization of Jesus' return. God's promises are realized. We must believe, we must have faith, we must have hope.
By the grace and mercy of Jesus may we be prepared.
Amen.
{1:32} And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
{1:33} And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
{1:34} And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
God sent John to baptize with water.
God told John that the Spirit would descend and remain on the one which would baptize with the Holy Ghost.
Picture it...
God called John to baptize with water. To make way the coming of the Lord. He called to repentance.
Matt.
{3:1} In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea
{3:2} And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
John was preparing people telling them something was coming, something was happening and they needed to be ready for it. All their lives they lived with the need to repent of their sins, they were raised with the sacrifical services part of their every day life. But now they were being told something more was happening. They knew their sacrifical service was pointing to something else. They knew a Messiah was to come.
Hope was revived with John preaching in the wilderness. Hope was come to them that the Messiah was indeed on His way. Hope was to be realized and people needed to be ready. They needed to realize their sinfulness, to understand that the Messiah was coming and they needed to be ready.
John did what he was told to do and then one day as he was baptizing people what he was told would happened- happened.
The Spirit descended and remained upon Jesus, upon the Son of God.
Can you imagine the awe! The wonder as John saw what he'd been told come to pass? It's amazing when predictions come to pass, amazing and awe inspiring. God's wonder is amazing, His love for us is unbelievable.
Jesus Himself told us He would come again for us and He will. The people of Israel had to wait thousands of years to see the realization of the Messiah's coming. The people of the world over have been waiting for thousands of years to see the realization of Jesus' return. God's promises are realized. We must believe, we must have faith, we must have hope.
By the grace and mercy of Jesus may we be prepared.
Amen.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
The Lamb of God
John {1:29} The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
*******
The Lamb of God.
Throughout the Bible a lamb is referenced as one kind of animal acceptable as a sacrificial offering to God. Why did God require animal sacrifices? Because sin is worthy of death and in place of men dying for their every sin an animal was used in place of man. A man was required to bring the lamb to be offered as a sacrifice and he would place his hands upon the animal symbolically transferring his sins to the innocent animal; the animal would then be slain. Sin warrants death. We often treat sin as of no consequence. We hardly call sin- sin any longer but rather just man's natural state of being and normal. To say something is sin we have to believe that it was a wrong committed against someone. If I steal from someone I've sinned against them. If I murder someone then I've sinned against them. A lot of sins are things we have in our society as wrongs- as things that are against our law. When someone transgresses that law then they have to pay a penalty for it. These are man's laws requiring penalties- God's laws are greater. The wages of sin are...
Ro. {6:23} 'For the wages of sin is death...'
Transgression of God's law is...
1 John '...for sin is the transgression of the law...'
Sin is transgressing the law- we have no qualms understanding this when we put it to our societies laws and yet we won't necessary say this or that person sinned, we simply say they broke the law. We don't like using the word sin. It's a biblical word, a word mostly reserved for those who believe in religion. Sure you might hear someone say... 'Oh, that's such a sin." When something bad happens. People will use it as slang, but the word sin means transgression of God's law, so it's easy to see why it's held in religious connotations even if the same law that a man breaks is one of God's law, such as stealing. While our courts may sentence a man to a year in jail, or give them probation, or perhaps a harsher sentence depending on the way the stealing took place, they won't tell a man he sinned. People have deluded themselves into believing that God isn't real, God doesn't matter, God is a figment, a fable, a non-entity, a fairy tale and then they pat themselves on the back for not being duped. Sin doesn't exist. Eternal life doesn't matter. God doesn't matter and they're all wrong.
God does matter. There is a moral standard that we can all generally adhere to and this moral standard exists in most human beings in a natural manner- it's not something that has to be taught to them. This isn't to say there aren't deviants from the norm, but the majority of the population world-wide adhere to certain standards and these standards exist not haphazardly but they were given us by a power much greater than we are, the same power that created us- created us with those standards. An animal hasn't these standards and everyone knows that tame pets can become feral once more under the right circumstances, either become feral of die in the whole survival of the fittest scenario that rules animal kind. We humans were created with morals, a gift from our creator.
The Creator gives man choices and if a man chooses to sin he chooses to break a law of his Creator.
There is a penalty for this choice.
Death.
Not wanting humans to be destroyed death was still necessary as a penalty for sin. God allowed the sin to be transferred to animal sacrifices and a true repented man could kill the animal instead of suffering death himself. This sacrificial system was in place and pointing to the ultimate sacrifice- the Lamb of God.
John {1:29} The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
The Lamb of God.
God provided the Lamb that could restore mankind to sinlessness. No animal sacrifice could do that, only God's Lamb, only God's offering to the world.
God provided the Lamb to be slain for all mankind. God provided the only man that could be slain as a sacrifice for sin, a sinless man. God stripped His Son of His divinity and His Son took on humanity, tempted in all ways as sinfilled man is tempted. Remaining sinless through manifold temptations the sinless sacrifice so much greater than any animal sacrifice could ever possibly be, was slain for us, to redeem us to God. The price was paid and we need to believe that through that amazing, undeserving sacrifice of the Son of God, the Lamb of God, we can become sons of God as well, adopted into His family.
May the Lord bless and keep us all. By the amazing love that goes beyond our comprehension may we lay hold of the grace and mercy offered freely to us and cling to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God slain for us.
Amen.
*******
The Lamb of God.
Throughout the Bible a lamb is referenced as one kind of animal acceptable as a sacrificial offering to God. Why did God require animal sacrifices? Because sin is worthy of death and in place of men dying for their every sin an animal was used in place of man. A man was required to bring the lamb to be offered as a sacrifice and he would place his hands upon the animal symbolically transferring his sins to the innocent animal; the animal would then be slain. Sin warrants death. We often treat sin as of no consequence. We hardly call sin- sin any longer but rather just man's natural state of being and normal. To say something is sin we have to believe that it was a wrong committed against someone. If I steal from someone I've sinned against them. If I murder someone then I've sinned against them. A lot of sins are things we have in our society as wrongs- as things that are against our law. When someone transgresses that law then they have to pay a penalty for it. These are man's laws requiring penalties- God's laws are greater. The wages of sin are...
Ro. {6:23} 'For the wages of sin is death...'
Transgression of God's law is...
1 John '...for sin is the transgression of the law...'
Sin is transgressing the law- we have no qualms understanding this when we put it to our societies laws and yet we won't necessary say this or that person sinned, we simply say they broke the law. We don't like using the word sin. It's a biblical word, a word mostly reserved for those who believe in religion. Sure you might hear someone say... 'Oh, that's such a sin." When something bad happens. People will use it as slang, but the word sin means transgression of God's law, so it's easy to see why it's held in religious connotations even if the same law that a man breaks is one of God's law, such as stealing. While our courts may sentence a man to a year in jail, or give them probation, or perhaps a harsher sentence depending on the way the stealing took place, they won't tell a man he sinned. People have deluded themselves into believing that God isn't real, God doesn't matter, God is a figment, a fable, a non-entity, a fairy tale and then they pat themselves on the back for not being duped. Sin doesn't exist. Eternal life doesn't matter. God doesn't matter and they're all wrong.
God does matter. There is a moral standard that we can all generally adhere to and this moral standard exists in most human beings in a natural manner- it's not something that has to be taught to them. This isn't to say there aren't deviants from the norm, but the majority of the population world-wide adhere to certain standards and these standards exist not haphazardly but they were given us by a power much greater than we are, the same power that created us- created us with those standards. An animal hasn't these standards and everyone knows that tame pets can become feral once more under the right circumstances, either become feral of die in the whole survival of the fittest scenario that rules animal kind. We humans were created with morals, a gift from our creator.
The Creator gives man choices and if a man chooses to sin he chooses to break a law of his Creator.
There is a penalty for this choice.
Death.
Not wanting humans to be destroyed death was still necessary as a penalty for sin. God allowed the sin to be transferred to animal sacrifices and a true repented man could kill the animal instead of suffering death himself. This sacrificial system was in place and pointing to the ultimate sacrifice- the Lamb of God.
John {1:29} The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
The Lamb of God.
God provided the Lamb that could restore mankind to sinlessness. No animal sacrifice could do that, only God's Lamb, only God's offering to the world.
God provided the Lamb to be slain for all mankind. God provided the only man that could be slain as a sacrifice for sin, a sinless man. God stripped His Son of His divinity and His Son took on humanity, tempted in all ways as sinfilled man is tempted. Remaining sinless through manifold temptations the sinless sacrifice so much greater than any animal sacrifice could ever possibly be, was slain for us, to redeem us to God. The price was paid and we need to believe that through that amazing, undeserving sacrifice of the Son of God, the Lamb of God, we can become sons of God as well, adopted into His family.
May the Lord bless and keep us all. By the amazing love that goes beyond our comprehension may we lay hold of the grace and mercy offered freely to us and cling to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God slain for us.
Amen.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The way has been prepared.
John {1:26} John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; {1:27} He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
**
Conviction. John the baptist had conviction.
Mark {1:1} The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; {1:2} As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. {1:3} The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. {1:4} John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
Malachai {3:1} Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
**
John prepared the way of Jesus. Do you think Jesus needed the way prepared? Seriously, do you think He needed someone to precede Him? Wouldn't His majesty, His miracles, His amazing truth be enough without any preparation? Why then was there a need for John to 'prepare' the way?
In fact couldn't Jesus have just arrived on the scene and in great fanfare start whipping out miracle after miracle wowing crowd after crowd? Couldn't Jesus have been much more flamboyent and showy?
In truth, Jesus could have been many things and yet in the end what He is, is love true love.
All through our lives we are prepared for things aren't we? Oh not everything by far, but for a lot of things we hold great store in the preparation. We are prepared for kindergarten by preschool, we are prepared for college by high school and tests, visits to the colleges. We prepare for long term relationships by dating, we prepare for tests by studying, we prepare for work by garnering lots of information and knowing what sort of job we're taking on. The better prepared you are the better things generally go. Preparing for the worst. Preparing for the best. Preparation, very few if any are unfamiliar with the necessity of preparation in life. Sure you'll get some that like to pride themselves on being ready no matter what, on being brilliant and not needing to study or any such thing. You'll get those that like to say they live on the edge and it's true and some are like that but they're not the majority.
Preparation is something that alerts people to something that is going to happen. John was preparing the way of the Lord not because Jesus needed fanfare but because people needed to wake up out of their stupor to realize that something was coming, something was happening, something big, something very worthy of preparation.
John knew his role as preparer and it was an important role but he was taking no fanfare to himself but giving it all to Jesus whom he knew was coming but wasn't there just yet.
Jesus came to prepare us for His second coming, Jesus came to prepare us for eternal life, to give us eternal life, life that we can have that will last forever. Jesus offers it to us all and He promised there would come a time when He'd come again and eternal life would be realized fully. Yes, we can know we have eternal life- the Bible tells us that- '1 John {5:13} These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.'
We can know we have eternal life but it won't be fully realized until Jesus returns.
Jesus is returning.
The way has been prepared.
May God help us all. By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior may we fully realize life eternal, love eternal in Him now and forever!
Amen.
**
Conviction. John the baptist had conviction.
Mark {1:1} The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; {1:2} As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. {1:3} The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. {1:4} John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
Malachai {3:1} Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
**
John prepared the way of Jesus. Do you think Jesus needed the way prepared? Seriously, do you think He needed someone to precede Him? Wouldn't His majesty, His miracles, His amazing truth be enough without any preparation? Why then was there a need for John to 'prepare' the way?
In fact couldn't Jesus have just arrived on the scene and in great fanfare start whipping out miracle after miracle wowing crowd after crowd? Couldn't Jesus have been much more flamboyent and showy?
In truth, Jesus could have been many things and yet in the end what He is, is love true love.
All through our lives we are prepared for things aren't we? Oh not everything by far, but for a lot of things we hold great store in the preparation. We are prepared for kindergarten by preschool, we are prepared for college by high school and tests, visits to the colleges. We prepare for long term relationships by dating, we prepare for tests by studying, we prepare for work by garnering lots of information and knowing what sort of job we're taking on. The better prepared you are the better things generally go. Preparing for the worst. Preparing for the best. Preparation, very few if any are unfamiliar with the necessity of preparation in life. Sure you'll get some that like to pride themselves on being ready no matter what, on being brilliant and not needing to study or any such thing. You'll get those that like to say they live on the edge and it's true and some are like that but they're not the majority.
Preparation is something that alerts people to something that is going to happen. John was preparing the way of the Lord not because Jesus needed fanfare but because people needed to wake up out of their stupor to realize that something was coming, something was happening, something big, something very worthy of preparation.
John knew his role as preparer and it was an important role but he was taking no fanfare to himself but giving it all to Jesus whom he knew was coming but wasn't there just yet.
Jesus came to prepare us for His second coming, Jesus came to prepare us for eternal life, to give us eternal life, life that we can have that will last forever. Jesus offers it to us all and He promised there would come a time when He'd come again and eternal life would be realized fully. Yes, we can know we have eternal life- the Bible tells us that- '1 John {5:13} These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.'
We can know we have eternal life but it won't be fully realized until Jesus returns.
Jesus is returning.
The way has been prepared.
May God help us all. By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior may we fully realize life eternal, love eternal in Him now and forever!
Amen.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Salvation complete.
John {1:15} '...For the law was given by Moses, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.'
Salvation complete.
Moses introduced the law that God gave to His people.
The law reveals sin.
Sin once revealed needs sacrifice for forgiveness.
The ceremonial law was enacted.
The ceremonial law pointing to the Lamb of God who would need to be slain to bring salvation to sinners.
Moses brought the revelation of sin and the consequence of sinning along with an imperfect forgiveness and cleansing of sin and Jesus brought grace and truth.
Grace gives all us sinners forgiveness that is undeserved, truth revals that grace is found only in Jesus.
Salvation complete.
So many want to believe that Jesus abolished Moses' law. They want to believe that with the law gone they're no longer accountable for the sins they commit. Still others believe that with the law of Moses gone they are held to a higher standard of love and not released from the burden of Moses' law at all. In truth, the law reveals sin and sin doesn't change. How can sin suddenly not be sin? Could murder ever be considered not sin? I'm not talking killing, I'm talking murder. Could stealing ever be considered not sin? You want to believe there are circumstances that make it sinless. Can coveting? Can dishonoring your parents? Again people want to make various excuses for things to be not sin when you clip on the excuses for it and I am NOT saying that there aren't abusive parents that don't deserve honor and such, but the law is the law. And to say that suddenly the laws don't matter is saying what? They were wrong? They were for that time and not relevant for today? Modern people don't need those laws they need modern laws. Some people even say Jesus did just that, He upgraded the whole system and showed that things were just wrong before. Love matters more than law. You've heard the saying/song all we need is love and it's true. If there were true love from all- the law would be automatically kept. Did you read that? Love automatically keeps the law. Seriously. What law wouldn't be kept if love were the law?
Stealing?
Murder?
False Witness?
Worshipping statues?
Taking God's name in vain?
Which one? Out of love you couldn't get rid of a single one, whether it's out of love for God or your fellow man.
The truth is, Jesus didn't come to do away with any law, but to show how out of love they are all kept. Out of love Jesus committed no sin.
Love embodies the law and vice versa, the two are together forever and trying to separate them is trying to destroy what God has created, what Jesus created.
Through grace and truth brought by Jesus may we be filled with love, accepting the forgiveness He brings, that He died to give us.
Amen.
Salvation complete.
Moses introduced the law that God gave to His people.
The law reveals sin.
Sin once revealed needs sacrifice for forgiveness.
The ceremonial law was enacted.
The ceremonial law pointing to the Lamb of God who would need to be slain to bring salvation to sinners.
Moses brought the revelation of sin and the consequence of sinning along with an imperfect forgiveness and cleansing of sin and Jesus brought grace and truth.
Grace gives all us sinners forgiveness that is undeserved, truth revals that grace is found only in Jesus.
Salvation complete.
So many want to believe that Jesus abolished Moses' law. They want to believe that with the law gone they're no longer accountable for the sins they commit. Still others believe that with the law of Moses gone they are held to a higher standard of love and not released from the burden of Moses' law at all. In truth, the law reveals sin and sin doesn't change. How can sin suddenly not be sin? Could murder ever be considered not sin? I'm not talking killing, I'm talking murder. Could stealing ever be considered not sin? You want to believe there are circumstances that make it sinless. Can coveting? Can dishonoring your parents? Again people want to make various excuses for things to be not sin when you clip on the excuses for it and I am NOT saying that there aren't abusive parents that don't deserve honor and such, but the law is the law. And to say that suddenly the laws don't matter is saying what? They were wrong? They were for that time and not relevant for today? Modern people don't need those laws they need modern laws. Some people even say Jesus did just that, He upgraded the whole system and showed that things were just wrong before. Love matters more than law. You've heard the saying/song all we need is love and it's true. If there were true love from all- the law would be automatically kept. Did you read that? Love automatically keeps the law. Seriously. What law wouldn't be kept if love were the law?
Stealing?
Murder?
False Witness?
Worshipping statues?
Taking God's name in vain?
Which one? Out of love you couldn't get rid of a single one, whether it's out of love for God or your fellow man.
The truth is, Jesus didn't come to do away with any law, but to show how out of love they are all kept. Out of love Jesus committed no sin.
Love embodies the law and vice versa, the two are together forever and trying to separate them is trying to destroy what God has created, what Jesus created.
Through grace and truth brought by Jesus may we be filled with love, accepting the forgiveness He brings, that He died to give us.
Amen.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Partakers of the heavenly
John
{1:6} There was a man sent from God, whose name [was] John.
{1:7} The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all [men] through him might believe.
{1:8} He was not that Light, but [was sent] to bear witness of that Light.
{1:9} [That] was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
{1:10} He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
{1:11} He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
{1:12} But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name
{1:13} Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
{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.
The true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
Every man! Not a light that lights up a couple of special people, but a light offered to all mankind. There isn't a person born who lives without essential bits and pieces that make us up as human beings. Flesh, no human being is born without flesh. Blood, no human being is born without blood. Can we even imagine such a thing? What would contain the insides of our bodies if we were born without flesh? What would keep it all from just falling apart, from being prone to disease and infection? Fleshless. No, we can't imagine being a creature without flesh- even those that have flesh-eating diseases are living a life that isn't pleasant in any way, shape, or form. As for having no blood. Without blood we wouldn't live so to be born without blood would mean to be born dead. No one lives without blood. People who are fatally cut can bleed out in minutes. Their blood leaves their bodies and they die. Vital bits and pieces necessary to call us living we can't imagine not having and being called human. Every single one of us humans have these vital bits- a heart, lungs, flesh, blood and there isn't one of us born alive without the vital bits. Another vital bit is the spiritual part of us that separates us from all other living creatures. This spiritual part of us receives the Light of Jesus. The Light that is allowed to shine on every man that cometh into the world, this Light touches all of us- none of us can escape from the Light.
Like it says in verse 10 above, He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not. Also verse 11, He came unto His own and His own received Him not.
The Light comes to all but that doesn't mean those it shines upon will accept the Light. The Light can be rejected, it can be ignored, but the Light comes to all. The Spiritual Light of Jesus' love touches all, there isn't one human being it won't shine upon but just because the Light shines for all doesn't mean all will rejoice in the Light.
Unlike flesh and blood along with our vital organs, people can live a half-life without the Light that is offered to them. They can exist but they will not become a son of God. They will live out their lives as human beings but then it is over. If they never receive the Light of Jesus Christ and accept His sacrifice for them they can never bridge that gap between humanity and spirituality, or rather they can never allow the bridge to be built for them by Jesus Himself.
We are all born with the potential to become a Son of God, partakers of the heavenly, and yet not all of us will be so. Most people will reject the Light because it isn't forced upon them. There is a choice to be made, a choice to align ourselves with God and His will through the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ and the choice has to be made. We have to accept the Light, believe, have faith.
Jesus is full of grace and truth. Jesus the only begotten of the Father. Jesus the Light that Lights every man. Jesus who lives so that we may become partakers of heaven, that we may become a son of God. Our spiritual life illuminated by the greatest Light of all.
By His mercy, by His grace now and forever light our lives sweet, wonderful Jesus.
Amen.
{1:6} There was a man sent from God, whose name [was] John.
{1:7} The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all [men] through him might believe.
{1:8} He was not that Light, but [was sent] to bear witness of that Light.
{1:9} [That] was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
{1:10} He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
{1:11} He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
{1:12} But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name
{1:13} Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
{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.
The true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
Every man! Not a light that lights up a couple of special people, but a light offered to all mankind. There isn't a person born who lives without essential bits and pieces that make us up as human beings. Flesh, no human being is born without flesh. Blood, no human being is born without blood. Can we even imagine such a thing? What would contain the insides of our bodies if we were born without flesh? What would keep it all from just falling apart, from being prone to disease and infection? Fleshless. No, we can't imagine being a creature without flesh- even those that have flesh-eating diseases are living a life that isn't pleasant in any way, shape, or form. As for having no blood. Without blood we wouldn't live so to be born without blood would mean to be born dead. No one lives without blood. People who are fatally cut can bleed out in minutes. Their blood leaves their bodies and they die. Vital bits and pieces necessary to call us living we can't imagine not having and being called human. Every single one of us humans have these vital bits- a heart, lungs, flesh, blood and there isn't one of us born alive without the vital bits. Another vital bit is the spiritual part of us that separates us from all other living creatures. This spiritual part of us receives the Light of Jesus. The Light that is allowed to shine on every man that cometh into the world, this Light touches all of us- none of us can escape from the Light.
Like it says in verse 10 above, He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not. Also verse 11, He came unto His own and His own received Him not.
The Light comes to all but that doesn't mean those it shines upon will accept the Light. The Light can be rejected, it can be ignored, but the Light comes to all. The Spiritual Light of Jesus' love touches all, there isn't one human being it won't shine upon but just because the Light shines for all doesn't mean all will rejoice in the Light.
Unlike flesh and blood along with our vital organs, people can live a half-life without the Light that is offered to them. They can exist but they will not become a son of God. They will live out their lives as human beings but then it is over. If they never receive the Light of Jesus Christ and accept His sacrifice for them they can never bridge that gap between humanity and spirituality, or rather they can never allow the bridge to be built for them by Jesus Himself.
We are all born with the potential to become a Son of God, partakers of the heavenly, and yet not all of us will be so. Most people will reject the Light because it isn't forced upon them. There is a choice to be made, a choice to align ourselves with God and His will through the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ and the choice has to be made. We have to accept the Light, believe, have faith.
Jesus is full of grace and truth. Jesus the only begotten of the Father. Jesus the Light that Lights every man. Jesus who lives so that we may become partakers of heaven, that we may become a son of God. Our spiritual life illuminated by the greatest Light of all.
By His mercy, by His grace now and forever light our lives sweet, wonderful Jesus.
Amen.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The darkness comprehended it not
John
{1:1} In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
{1:2} The same was in the beginning with God.
{1:3} All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
{1:4} In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
{1:5} And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
**
The Word was with God.
In him was life.
The life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness.
And the darkness comprehended it not.
*
Only through Jesus is eternal life given to mankind. Jesus is our only hope, our only light in a world of darkness and eternal darkness. Jesus has done all He can to bring this light to the darkness, to dispel the dark, to show mankind that there is light only in Him. The darkness comprehended it not. The darkness that invades us is deceptive, in fact the darkness is so deceptive it has people fooled into thinking they live in light when they don't. The light that surrounds us without Jesus is nothing compared to the true light that He brings. The world we live in without Jesus is completely made up of artifical light giving false hope that will fool many. The darkness comprehended it not.
We need Jesus. We need the light of men. We need life. We need to comprehend and not be lost in the darkness.
May God help us, giving us light dispelling the darkness in our lives. We need light, we need life, we need Jesus.
By His grace and mercy.
Amen.
{1:1} In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
{1:2} The same was in the beginning with God.
{1:3} All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
{1:4} In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
{1:5} And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
**
The Word was with God.
In him was life.
The life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness.
And the darkness comprehended it not.
*
Only through Jesus is eternal life given to mankind. Jesus is our only hope, our only light in a world of darkness and eternal darkness. Jesus has done all He can to bring this light to the darkness, to dispel the dark, to show mankind that there is light only in Him. The darkness comprehended it not. The darkness that invades us is deceptive, in fact the darkness is so deceptive it has people fooled into thinking they live in light when they don't. The light that surrounds us without Jesus is nothing compared to the true light that He brings. The world we live in without Jesus is completely made up of artifical light giving false hope that will fool many. The darkness comprehended it not.
We need Jesus. We need the light of men. We need life. We need to comprehend and not be lost in the darkness.
May God help us, giving us light dispelling the darkness in our lives. We need light, we need life, we need Jesus.
By His grace and mercy.
Amen.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Either God is in control or we think we are.
Either God is in control or we think we are. If God is in control then we bow to His will, not ours. If we are in control then we do whatever we feel like doing or not doing. Is it God or is it us? If God then we must obey God not doing our will. Is it God's will be done or our will be done or ours? We don't have to understand to obey, we obey and hope for understanding.
Exodus {19:5} Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine
Obey God's voice.
Deut. {13:3}...for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. {13:4} Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
Walk after the Lord your God...obey his voice.
Deut. {27:9} And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God. {27:10} Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day
Obey the voice of the LORD thy God.
Deut. {30:2} And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul
Obey his voice.
Deut. {30:20} That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, [and] that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he [is] thy life, and the length of thy days
Obey his voice.
1 Sam. {12:14} If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then
shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God
Obey his voice.
1 Sam. {15:22} And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams.
Obeying the voice of the Lord. Obeying better than sacrifice.
Jere. {7:23} But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all
the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
Obey my (God's) voice.
Jere. {11:3} And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed [be] the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant, {11:4} Which I commanded your fathers in the day [that] I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God
Obey my (God's) voice.
Jere. {11:7} For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day [that] I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, [even] unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice. {11:8} Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart...
Obey my (God's) voice. Yet they obeyed not... everyone walked in the imagination of their evil heart. Obey God, His will be done, not ours.
Jere. {26:13} Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you
Obey the voice of the LORD your God.
Jere. {42:6} Whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.
Obey the voice of the LORD our God.
Daniel {7:27} And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Obey him.
Daniel. {9:10} Neither have we obeyed the oice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. {9:11} Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that [is] written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
Obey him.
Zech. {6:15} And they [that are] far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And [this] shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.
Diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.
Acts {5:29} Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Obey God rather than men.
Romans {6:16} Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
His servants you are to whom you obey.
1 Pet. {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? {4:18} And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? {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.
Obey the gospel God.
Obey...
obey (o-bâ´) verb
obeyed, obeying, obeys verb, transitive
1.To carry out or fulfill the command, order, or instruction of.
2.To carry out or comply with (a command, for example).
verb, intransitive
To behave obediently.
[Middle English obeien, from Old French obeir, from Latin oboedìre, to listen to : ob-, to. See ob- + audìre, to hear.]
- obey´er noun
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
From Latin-- to listen, to hear.
Noah Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language
1. (v. t.) To give ear to; to execute the commands of; to yield submission to; to comply with the orders of.
2. (v. t.) To submit to the authority of; to be ruled by.
3. (v. t.) To yield to the impulse, power, or operation of; as, a ship obeys her helm.
4. (v. i.) To give obedience.
Noah Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language
1. (n.) The act of obeying, or the state of being obedient; compliance with that which is required by authority; subjection to rightful restraint or control.
2. (n.) Words or actions denoting submission to authority; dutifulness.
Submitting ourselves to God.
Subject to God's rule.
Listening, hearing, yielding to God.
Executing the commands of God.
Submission to, complying with God's orders.
Ruled by God.
Only good comes from obeying the voice of God, of harkening to His commands. Only good. Ultimate good, not earthly good necessarily. Jesus obeyed the voice of His father implicitly. There wasn't a single command of God's that Jesus broke, not one. Jesus died. Jesus' death was for us. Jesus said...
Luke {22:42} Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Nevertheless not my will but thine be done.
Jesus gave His life obeying the will of His Father. Obeying the voice of the LORD God.
Jesus is our example and we must obey the voice of the LORD our God. Not our will, but God's.
Do we have to understand? No. We are called to obey, not obey after we've picked apart everything and find it to our liking, discarding it if we don't. It's not our liking that matters, it's obeying our Creator, our Heavenly Father, the LORD God.
Ro. {5:21} That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Not our will but thine oh Lord!
Help us to obey the voice of the LORD God, through Your righteousness, by Your grace and mercy now and always.
Amen.
Exodus {19:5} Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine
Obey God's voice.
Deut. {13:3}...for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. {13:4} Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
Walk after the Lord your God...obey his voice.
Deut. {27:9} And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God. {27:10} Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day
Obey the voice of the LORD thy God.
Deut. {30:2} And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul
Obey his voice.
Deut. {30:20} That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, [and] that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he [is] thy life, and the length of thy days
Obey his voice.
1 Sam. {12:14} If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then
shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God
Obey his voice.
1 Sam. {15:22} And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams.
Obeying the voice of the Lord. Obeying better than sacrifice.
Jere. {7:23} But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all
the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
Obey my (God's) voice.
Jere. {11:3} And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed [be] the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant, {11:4} Which I commanded your fathers in the day [that] I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God
Obey my (God's) voice.
Jere. {11:7} For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day [that] I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, [even] unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice. {11:8} Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart...
Obey my (God's) voice. Yet they obeyed not... everyone walked in the imagination of their evil heart. Obey God, His will be done, not ours.
Jere. {26:13} Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you
Obey the voice of the LORD your God.
Jere. {42:6} Whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.
Obey the voice of the LORD our God.
Daniel {7:27} And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Obey him.
Daniel. {9:10} Neither have we obeyed the oice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. {9:11} Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that [is] written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
Obey him.
Zech. {6:15} And they [that are] far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And [this] shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.
Diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.
Acts {5:29} Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Obey God rather than men.
Romans {6:16} Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
His servants you are to whom you obey.
1 Pet. {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? {4:18} And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? {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.
Obey the gospel God.
Obey...
obey (o-bâ´) verb
obeyed, obeying, obeys verb, transitive
1.To carry out or fulfill the command, order, or instruction of.
2.To carry out or comply with (a command, for example).
verb, intransitive
To behave obediently.
[Middle English obeien, from Old French obeir, from Latin oboedìre, to listen to : ob-, to. See ob- + audìre, to hear.]
- obey´er noun
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
From Latin-- to listen, to hear.
Noah Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language
1. (v. t.) To give ear to; to execute the commands of; to yield submission to; to comply with the orders of.
2. (v. t.) To submit to the authority of; to be ruled by.
3. (v. t.) To yield to the impulse, power, or operation of; as, a ship obeys her helm.
4. (v. i.) To give obedience.
Noah Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language
1. (n.) The act of obeying, or the state of being obedient; compliance with that which is required by authority; subjection to rightful restraint or control.
2. (n.) Words or actions denoting submission to authority; dutifulness.
Submitting ourselves to God.
Subject to God's rule.
Listening, hearing, yielding to God.
Executing the commands of God.
Submission to, complying with God's orders.
Ruled by God.
Only good comes from obeying the voice of God, of harkening to His commands. Only good. Ultimate good, not earthly good necessarily. Jesus obeyed the voice of His father implicitly. There wasn't a single command of God's that Jesus broke, not one. Jesus died. Jesus' death was for us. Jesus said...
Luke {22:42} Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Nevertheless not my will but thine be done.
Jesus gave His life obeying the will of His Father. Obeying the voice of the LORD God.
Jesus is our example and we must obey the voice of the LORD our God. Not our will, but God's.
Do we have to understand? No. We are called to obey, not obey after we've picked apart everything and find it to our liking, discarding it if we don't. It's not our liking that matters, it's obeying our Creator, our Heavenly Father, the LORD God.
Ro. {5:21} That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Not our will but thine oh Lord!
Help us to obey the voice of the LORD God, through Your righteousness, by Your grace and mercy now and always.
Amen.
Friday, May 1, 2009
We have to ask of Him before we can receive.
Rev. {3:14} And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; {3:15} I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. {3:16} So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. {3:17} Because thou sayest, I am rich, and
increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: {3:18} I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
***
I know thy works
that thou art neither cold nor hot
I would thou wert cold or hot
So then because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot
I will spue thee out of my mouth
Because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing
and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked
How can someone believe they are rich and have need of nothing yet be wretched and miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
Self delusion. Do we do that? Really? Do we claim riches and have need of nothing and yet really be in horrific condition? What kind of fool claims such a thing? A proud person?
Yes, a very proud person. A proud country?
Look at our country today and how miserable, poor, blind, and naked a condition it is in. They claimed riches for so long when in truth they had none.
People do it all the time. Claim one thing but reality is a whole other story.
We have to look at ourselves honestly with all the trappings gone and see what we really are made of, what our lives are comprised of. A long honest, hard look at ourselves.
Are we hot or cold? Are we lukewarm?
Let's read it all...
Rev.
{3:14} And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God
{3:15} I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
{3:16} So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
{3:17} Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked
{3:18} I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
We are counseled to buy gold tried in fire...if we want real riches. We are told to buy white raiment so we maybe be truly clothed, and to buy salve and put it on our eyes so that we can see.
This was said to the angel of the church of Laodiceans-- the last church.
God's church in the last days. God's people.
The church isn't a building it is a people- God's people. To God's people this message was given. To God's people. A message from God to His people. He knows His people. He know the works of His poeple. He knows that we live in a world that celebrates being neither cold nor hot and that we too would get caught up in that way of life. Getting by, not making waves, lukewarm in life, lukewarm in our religion. God doesn't want His people to be lukewarm. If we are determined to get by on a mediocre spiritual life, thinking we're giving just enough to get by, or thinking we do this and that so it's enough, if we live our spiritual lives with set parameters can it ever change? Can it grow? Can it change from lukewarm to hot? Can we ever be truly clothed in white raiment and not be naked? Can we ever hope to see spiritually if we're content to remain blinded by our lukewarm existence. If we refuse to see because we believe we are rich enough and need nothing, that we have enough spirituality, we are truly going to be spued from the Lord's mouth.
Beware of settling, for thinking we have enough. Let our eyes and hearts be opened so that we may see our need. That the comfortable existence we are in is a trap and we need to be hot...not lukewarm.
Let us buy of Jesus all that we need and let us go to Him daily for our passion, for our clothing, for our very sight into all things spiritual, into all things that matter to eternity. He wants us to go to Him, He counsels us to buy from Him, He won't force us to come to Him, He waits at the door, He knocks, we have to open...we have to buy, we have to ask of Him before we can receive.
By the grace of God, by the mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.
increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: {3:18} I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
***
I know thy works
that thou art neither cold nor hot
I would thou wert cold or hot
So then because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot
I will spue thee out of my mouth
Because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing
and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked
How can someone believe they are rich and have need of nothing yet be wretched and miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
Self delusion. Do we do that? Really? Do we claim riches and have need of nothing and yet really be in horrific condition? What kind of fool claims such a thing? A proud person?
Yes, a very proud person. A proud country?
Look at our country today and how miserable, poor, blind, and naked a condition it is in. They claimed riches for so long when in truth they had none.
People do it all the time. Claim one thing but reality is a whole other story.
We have to look at ourselves honestly with all the trappings gone and see what we really are made of, what our lives are comprised of. A long honest, hard look at ourselves.
Are we hot or cold? Are we lukewarm?
Let's read it all...
Rev.
{3:14} And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God
{3:15} I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
{3:16} So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
{3:17} Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked
{3:18} I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
We are counseled to buy gold tried in fire...if we want real riches. We are told to buy white raiment so we maybe be truly clothed, and to buy salve and put it on our eyes so that we can see.
This was said to the angel of the church of Laodiceans-- the last church.
God's church in the last days. God's people.
The church isn't a building it is a people- God's people. To God's people this message was given. To God's people. A message from God to His people. He knows His people. He know the works of His poeple. He knows that we live in a world that celebrates being neither cold nor hot and that we too would get caught up in that way of life. Getting by, not making waves, lukewarm in life, lukewarm in our religion. God doesn't want His people to be lukewarm. If we are determined to get by on a mediocre spiritual life, thinking we're giving just enough to get by, or thinking we do this and that so it's enough, if we live our spiritual lives with set parameters can it ever change? Can it grow? Can it change from lukewarm to hot? Can we ever be truly clothed in white raiment and not be naked? Can we ever hope to see spiritually if we're content to remain blinded by our lukewarm existence. If we refuse to see because we believe we are rich enough and need nothing, that we have enough spirituality, we are truly going to be spued from the Lord's mouth.
Beware of settling, for thinking we have enough. Let our eyes and hearts be opened so that we may see our need. That the comfortable existence we are in is a trap and we need to be hot...not lukewarm.
Let us buy of Jesus all that we need and let us go to Him daily for our passion, for our clothing, for our very sight into all things spiritual, into all things that matter to eternity. He wants us to go to Him, He counsels us to buy from Him, He won't force us to come to Him, He waits at the door, He knocks, we have to open...we have to buy, we have to ask of Him before we can receive.
By the grace of God, by the mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Envious at the foolish
Ps. {73:3} For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked
Ps. {73:17} Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
**
We do envy the wicked don't we?
Trouble is we are mixed up in our head as to what wicked is any longer. We call a wicked person one who tortures and kills someone, we call thieving from the poor wicked, we call a lot of things wicked but there are a lot of things that were once considered wicked that aren't any longer and as a result we run in circles chasing our own tails about this because we are taught not to label the wicked wicked because then we are judging people and judging people is wrong we're told. In truth we have to know what is wicked don't we? We have to know what acts are wicked and then we have to judge the acts people commit- without ultimately condemning their eternal life- something we can never do.
wicked (adjective)
wicked, virtueless, unvirtuous, immoral
amoral, amoralistic, indifferent
lax, unprincipled, unscrupulous, conscienceless, dishonest
unblushing, hardened, callous, shameless, brazen, flaunting
ungodly, irreligious, profane, impious
iniquitous, unrighteous, unjust
evil, bad
evil-minded, bad-hearted, black-hearted, malevolent
evil-doing, maleficent
misbehaving, bad, naughty, disobedient
weak (see frail)
peccant, erring, sinning, transgressing
sinful, full of sin, guilty
unworthy, undeserving, unmeritorious
graceless, not in a state of grace, reprobate
hopeless, incorrigible, irreclaimable, unredeemed, irredeemable
accursed, godforsaken
That about covers things doesn't it? Wicked.
The wicked seem to have a good time being wicked. The wicked seem to prosper. The wicked seem to lead lives honest men and women can't seem to. It's the old why do things bad for you have to be so tempting. So many believe it's easier to be wicked than to be honest and they're right if by easy they mean have more temporal enjoyment and losing eternal life.
Choices. Right or wrong. Life or death. Jesus or satan. Good or evil.
Ps. {73:3} For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked
Ps. {73:17} Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
When we truly understand the end of the wicked envying them is foolish really. Yet to understand their end, we have to go into the sanctuary of God. In the sanctuary of God we find the entire plan of salvation. In the sanctuary of God we find Jesus.
While we hesitate to look at anyone and judge them- we have to look at ourselves and judge our own actions. We know in our heart of hearts when we commit good an when we commit evil. We need to ask God to open our eyes and our hearts to our own ways so that we may discern in our lives all we do. Jesus wants to know us and He can know us if we spend time with Him. When we choose to be wicked and our hearts aren't pricked in the least by remorse we need to ask God to fill our hearts with the repentance we need, the knowledge we need to feel the remorse and the need to ask for forgiveness.
Yes we get willfully caught up in sinning, we feel despair over not being able to keep from sinning, and we also feel apathy. We believe we won't ever stop and sometimes we just don't want to stop. Sin is insidious by its very nature and the only power we have over it is Jesus. The only power we have over sin is the love of Jesus. Knowing our sins killed the sinless Son of God, knowing our sins go against our very Creator. While we might not care, or say we don't, by the grace of God may there still be the voice of the Holy Spirit convicting us in our hearts and by the mercy of our Lord may we come to a place before Him, choosing the way of the Sanctuary and not the way of the wicked.
All glory and praise to our God. All mercy and grace from our Lord Jesus Christ...now and forever.
Amen.
Ps. {73:17} Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
**
We do envy the wicked don't we?
Trouble is we are mixed up in our head as to what wicked is any longer. We call a wicked person one who tortures and kills someone, we call thieving from the poor wicked, we call a lot of things wicked but there are a lot of things that were once considered wicked that aren't any longer and as a result we run in circles chasing our own tails about this because we are taught not to label the wicked wicked because then we are judging people and judging people is wrong we're told. In truth we have to know what is wicked don't we? We have to know what acts are wicked and then we have to judge the acts people commit- without ultimately condemning their eternal life- something we can never do.
wicked (adjective)
wicked, virtueless, unvirtuous, immoral
amoral, amoralistic, indifferent
lax, unprincipled, unscrupulous, conscienceless, dishonest
unblushing, hardened, callous, shameless, brazen, flaunting
ungodly, irreligious, profane, impious
iniquitous, unrighteous, unjust
evil, bad
evil-minded, bad-hearted, black-hearted, malevolent
evil-doing, maleficent
misbehaving, bad, naughty, disobedient
weak (see frail)
peccant, erring, sinning, transgressing
sinful, full of sin, guilty
unworthy, undeserving, unmeritorious
graceless, not in a state of grace, reprobate
hopeless, incorrigible, irreclaimable, unredeemed, irredeemable
accursed, godforsaken
That about covers things doesn't it? Wicked.
The wicked seem to have a good time being wicked. The wicked seem to prosper. The wicked seem to lead lives honest men and women can't seem to. It's the old why do things bad for you have to be so tempting. So many believe it's easier to be wicked than to be honest and they're right if by easy they mean have more temporal enjoyment and losing eternal life.
Choices. Right or wrong. Life or death. Jesus or satan. Good or evil.
Ps. {73:3} For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked
Ps. {73:17} Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
When we truly understand the end of the wicked envying them is foolish really. Yet to understand their end, we have to go into the sanctuary of God. In the sanctuary of God we find the entire plan of salvation. In the sanctuary of God we find Jesus.
While we hesitate to look at anyone and judge them- we have to look at ourselves and judge our own actions. We know in our heart of hearts when we commit good an when we commit evil. We need to ask God to open our eyes and our hearts to our own ways so that we may discern in our lives all we do. Jesus wants to know us and He can know us if we spend time with Him. When we choose to be wicked and our hearts aren't pricked in the least by remorse we need to ask God to fill our hearts with the repentance we need, the knowledge we need to feel the remorse and the need to ask for forgiveness.
Yes we get willfully caught up in sinning, we feel despair over not being able to keep from sinning, and we also feel apathy. We believe we won't ever stop and sometimes we just don't want to stop. Sin is insidious by its very nature and the only power we have over it is Jesus. The only power we have over sin is the love of Jesus. Knowing our sins killed the sinless Son of God, knowing our sins go against our very Creator. While we might not care, or say we don't, by the grace of God may there still be the voice of the Holy Spirit convicting us in our hearts and by the mercy of our Lord may we come to a place before Him, choosing the way of the Sanctuary and not the way of the wicked.
All glory and praise to our God. All mercy and grace from our Lord Jesus Christ...now and forever.
Amen.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
Daniel {7:18} But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
Possess the kingdom forever.
We sit at home, we walk the streets, we rest upon the cot at a shelter, we recover on a bed in a hospital, we sit in the gutter, we troll the streets with hands outstretched, the dirt streaked across our cheeks the last shower the night we made it to the shelter and found a spot free. We live in our tents, we make the back seat of our car our home, we wander about from room to room in our mansions and each one of us no matter where we live seeks something more.
The king in his earthly kingdom searches for treasures money can't buy when he realizes that the treasures most dear cost nothing and yet elude him. The pauper wanders the street seeking a treasure of wealth believing that most of their problems will be solved if only that two dollar lottery ticket would pay off in the millions. It's hard to say who has it worse really- the rich man realizing his money is worthless yet loathed to give up any of the earthly comforts he possesses, or the poor man always thinking money is the answer and therefore never stopping to believe the answer could be anything more. Those inbetween the two- rich and poor- those two might have it the easiest in realization. They're poor enough to want more money but do realize the money they have can't bring them complete happiness, and rich enough to be grateful for having at least something.
Honestly there are so many variables and in the end it comes down to realizing that this world doesn't have the kingdom we are meant to possess unless we are looking to Jesus, the Savior of all mankind through whom the kingdom is realized. Jesus brought the kingdom to earth when He took on humanity and made that kingdom available to all who would believe in Him.
Rich or poor, and all the varying states inbetween the two, no earthly kingdom will satisfy. Some may argue at least they'll be comfortable until they go to their everlasting punishment as reward, and that may be true but they're sacrificing much more than they realize.
We live for but a moment in time to all history. Our lives of 70 or so years are a drop in an ocean of water to all the lives in all the time that have existed. We can have eternity. We are made with the desire to want to live healthily and for as long as possible in a happy, peaceful, content existence that eludes us.
Daniel {7:18} But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
We shall take a kingdom and possess that kingdom forever and ever and ever.
We who are the saints of the Most High.
We who accept Christ as our righteousness.
All glory be to God! All honor and praise to our heavenly Father!
By the grace of Jesus Christ our Savior now and forever.
Amen.
Possess the kingdom forever.
We sit at home, we walk the streets, we rest upon the cot at a shelter, we recover on a bed in a hospital, we sit in the gutter, we troll the streets with hands outstretched, the dirt streaked across our cheeks the last shower the night we made it to the shelter and found a spot free. We live in our tents, we make the back seat of our car our home, we wander about from room to room in our mansions and each one of us no matter where we live seeks something more.
The king in his earthly kingdom searches for treasures money can't buy when he realizes that the treasures most dear cost nothing and yet elude him. The pauper wanders the street seeking a treasure of wealth believing that most of their problems will be solved if only that two dollar lottery ticket would pay off in the millions. It's hard to say who has it worse really- the rich man realizing his money is worthless yet loathed to give up any of the earthly comforts he possesses, or the poor man always thinking money is the answer and therefore never stopping to believe the answer could be anything more. Those inbetween the two- rich and poor- those two might have it the easiest in realization. They're poor enough to want more money but do realize the money they have can't bring them complete happiness, and rich enough to be grateful for having at least something.
Honestly there are so many variables and in the end it comes down to realizing that this world doesn't have the kingdom we are meant to possess unless we are looking to Jesus, the Savior of all mankind through whom the kingdom is realized. Jesus brought the kingdom to earth when He took on humanity and made that kingdom available to all who would believe in Him.
Rich or poor, and all the varying states inbetween the two, no earthly kingdom will satisfy. Some may argue at least they'll be comfortable until they go to their everlasting punishment as reward, and that may be true but they're sacrificing much more than they realize.
We live for but a moment in time to all history. Our lives of 70 or so years are a drop in an ocean of water to all the lives in all the time that have existed. We can have eternity. We are made with the desire to want to live healthily and for as long as possible in a happy, peaceful, content existence that eludes us.
Daniel {7:18} But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
We shall take a kingdom and possess that kingdom forever and ever and ever.
We who are the saints of the Most High.
We who accept Christ as our righteousness.
All glory be to God! All honor and praise to our heavenly Father!
By the grace of Jesus Christ our Savior now and forever.
Amen.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Righteousness- laying claim to our own will always fail us
Matthew {4:23} And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their
synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and
healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease
among the people.
{5:3} Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven
{5:10} Blessed
are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven
{5:17} Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the
prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. {5:18} For
verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or
one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be
fulfilled. {5:19} Whosoever therefore shall break one of
these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall
be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever
shall do and teach [them,] the same shall be called great in
the kingdom of heaven. {5:20} For I say unto you, That
except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness]
of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into
the kingdom of heaven.
Following Jesus wherever He leads us is important isn't it? We think that when we say we no longer want God in our lives that He leaves just like that. Can you even imagine what life would be like if God left us based on our emotions, based on our suppositions? We are engulfed in the purest form of what we call living hell and cry out God has forsaken us, and yet, He hasn't. That isn't a barometer of our walk with Christ and yet people want to believe it is! People look at others and sometimes they say they deserve that misfortune for being so horrible, other times they say the poor dears, what'd they ever do to deserve that? We are so incredibly caught up in the blame game, the reasons for this and that, and we truly believe we have the power to control heavenly things by our actions without stopping to truly look at the whole picture.
Some of the sweetest people have the worst luck, and yes, I'm calling it luck. What exactly luck is I don't know other than either favorable or unfavorable circumstances and happenstances. Some people seemed to be born with a silver spoon meaning their luck is good seemingly no matter what. Some of the least moral people have the greatest luck.
And who do we blame for it all? God. We say God's looking out for that one, or God's turned His back on that one. What's the truth? The truth is found in Jesus. The truth is only found in Jesus. Our lives here - all the fortune and misfortune - all of it will not destroy the truth.
The truth stays the same no matter what happens to us, no matter what we do, no matter if we even turn our back on God, the truth remains.
The truth NEVER abandons us. We can turn our back on the truth, we can ignore the truth, we can accept the truth, we can embrace it and make it part of our lives no matter what the circumstances, easy or difficult. There is NO excuse for not accepting the truth. We can't say that if only this didn't happen, or if that didn't happen things would be different and I'd have the truth in my life. We can't say that because the truth is the truth, we can change the truth won't. When bad things happen to us it isn't God wagging His finger at us and saying- 'See if you weren't so bad this wouldn't have happened.' When we are rewarded with good things God isn't saying- 'See how good you are, let's give you a reward.' Life doesn't work that way, not in the day to day aspect of it all.
Yes, God punishes and God rewards I'll never say He doesn't, but it's not on the same basis as we think in rewards and punishment. We can't say, God didn't I do this.. and didn't I do that, so why are you making my life worse. If we get caught up in anything at all like that then we're lost because we are basing our walk with God on rewards, on the give and take. And we'll forever come up thinking that we are rather good so we should have a life of ease and goodness. Or we'll believe that we've repented and asked for forgiveness so we now deserve the good things.
Ultimately no matter how horrible or how wonderful our lives are, we have a choice to make and that choice is whether to believe in the truth, accepting the truth, living the truth in Jesus. If we choose not to live in the truth we may still have what we call a wonderful life. If we choose to live in the truth we may also have a wonderful life. And on the flip side if we choose not to live in the truth we may have a horrible life and if we choose to live in the truth we may still have a horrible life. It isn't a game of works. It isn't contingent upon circumstances though we often want to believe it is because it gives us someone to blame when things go bad, with the whole WHY ME syndrome. Or we get caught up in the I'm so good that's why I'm blessed, which is just as dangerous.
Whether you live a life in the worst or the best of circumstances the trap of believing God is with you or against you based on those circumstances is wrong.
Knowing, believing, that God is with you always no matter your circumstances is the truth if you accept it as such. Holding fast to the righteousness of God is the truth. Looking for our own righteousness isn't the truth. Waiting for ourselves to be righteous isn't the truth. The truth is Jesus and His righteousness, it is only Jesus and His righteousness that means anything at all. We can lay claim to Christ's righteousness only, laying claim to our own will always fail us.
synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and
healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease
among the people.
{5:3} Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven
{5:10} Blessed
are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven
{5:17} Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the
prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. {5:18} For
verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or
one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be
fulfilled. {5:19} Whosoever therefore shall break one of
these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall
be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever
shall do and teach [them,] the same shall be called great in
the kingdom of heaven. {5:20} For I say unto you, That
except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness]
of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into
the kingdom of heaven.
Following Jesus wherever He leads us is important isn't it? We think that when we say we no longer want God in our lives that He leaves just like that. Can you even imagine what life would be like if God left us based on our emotions, based on our suppositions? We are engulfed in the purest form of what we call living hell and cry out God has forsaken us, and yet, He hasn't. That isn't a barometer of our walk with Christ and yet people want to believe it is! People look at others and sometimes they say they deserve that misfortune for being so horrible, other times they say the poor dears, what'd they ever do to deserve that? We are so incredibly caught up in the blame game, the reasons for this and that, and we truly believe we have the power to control heavenly things by our actions without stopping to truly look at the whole picture.
Some of the sweetest people have the worst luck, and yes, I'm calling it luck. What exactly luck is I don't know other than either favorable or unfavorable circumstances and happenstances. Some people seemed to be born with a silver spoon meaning their luck is good seemingly no matter what. Some of the least moral people have the greatest luck.
And who do we blame for it all? God. We say God's looking out for that one, or God's turned His back on that one. What's the truth? The truth is found in Jesus. The truth is only found in Jesus. Our lives here - all the fortune and misfortune - all of it will not destroy the truth.
The truth stays the same no matter what happens to us, no matter what we do, no matter if we even turn our back on God, the truth remains.
The truth NEVER abandons us. We can turn our back on the truth, we can ignore the truth, we can accept the truth, we can embrace it and make it part of our lives no matter what the circumstances, easy or difficult. There is NO excuse for not accepting the truth. We can't say that if only this didn't happen, or if that didn't happen things would be different and I'd have the truth in my life. We can't say that because the truth is the truth, we can change the truth won't. When bad things happen to us it isn't God wagging His finger at us and saying- 'See if you weren't so bad this wouldn't have happened.' When we are rewarded with good things God isn't saying- 'See how good you are, let's give you a reward.' Life doesn't work that way, not in the day to day aspect of it all.
Yes, God punishes and God rewards I'll never say He doesn't, but it's not on the same basis as we think in rewards and punishment. We can't say, God didn't I do this.. and didn't I do that, so why are you making my life worse. If we get caught up in anything at all like that then we're lost because we are basing our walk with God on rewards, on the give and take. And we'll forever come up thinking that we are rather good so we should have a life of ease and goodness. Or we'll believe that we've repented and asked for forgiveness so we now deserve the good things.
Ultimately no matter how horrible or how wonderful our lives are, we have a choice to make and that choice is whether to believe in the truth, accepting the truth, living the truth in Jesus. If we choose not to live in the truth we may still have what we call a wonderful life. If we choose to live in the truth we may also have a wonderful life. And on the flip side if we choose not to live in the truth we may have a horrible life and if we choose to live in the truth we may still have a horrible life. It isn't a game of works. It isn't contingent upon circumstances though we often want to believe it is because it gives us someone to blame when things go bad, with the whole WHY ME syndrome. Or we get caught up in the I'm so good that's why I'm blessed, which is just as dangerous.
Whether you live a life in the worst or the best of circumstances the trap of believing God is with you or against you based on those circumstances is wrong.
Knowing, believing, that God is with you always no matter your circumstances is the truth if you accept it as such. Holding fast to the righteousness of God is the truth. Looking for our own righteousness isn't the truth. Waiting for ourselves to be righteous isn't the truth. The truth is Jesus and His righteousness, it is only Jesus and His righteousness that means anything at all. We can lay claim to Christ's righteousness only, laying claim to our own will always fail us.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Seek ye the kingdom of God
Luke
Jesus said-
{12:31} But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Luke
Jesus said-
{11:20} But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
Luke
Jesus said-
{11:2} And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Luke
Jesus said-
{10:9} And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. {10:10} But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, {10:11} Even the very dust of your city, which
cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
{12:32} Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
SEEK the the kingdom of God.
Jesus is the kingdom of God.
We need to seek Jesus and if we seek Jesus, if we truly seek Jesus all things will be added unto us, things that matter to enternity not this life.
Seeking Jesus.
If we've lost something we search for it.
If we are seeking knowledge we study for it.
If we seek to find something precious to us don't we sometimes even tear the house apart to find it?
Don't some people go to rack and ruin trying to search for things- buried treasures? Archeology is a whole field of searching for things buried in the past. Researchers seek answers to whatever their research may be. We have scientist searching for cures to diseases. The list of those who seek is really endless.
We seek our pleasure, our contentment. When we are young we often are thrill seekers looking for the next bit of pleasure life can give us. The youthful are prone to experimenting with all sorts of things to find their treasures of pleasure. As they mature most find that having contentment is more important than thrills.
We seek to find contentment, we seek to find self-peace. A lot of what we do is geared for just getting by without anything rocking our boats.
We need to SEEK the kingdom of God.
We need to Seek Jesus.
Jesus is not a person we can find and say, 'Here He is! Found Him, time to stop looking.'
Like a knowledge seeker, people who seek Jesus will never get to a point they know all there is to know and there is no more to learn. When someone seeking knowledge on a particular subject searches and searches and perhaps exhausts all written media, all visual media, all auditory media they can find on that subject they'll often be able to branch off from that subject to another and then it starts all over again constant searching.
This is a way of life and this is something that fulfills the need people have or can have as they find a satisfaction in the searching and finding. We need to seek the kingdom of God, we need to seek Jesus. We can't find Jesus in the same way would could find another person, we need to seek Jesus and God, we need to seek the kingdom and it's a seeking we need to begin knowing that it will go on right into eternity.
By the grace of God, by the mercy of Jesus Christ we can seek the kingdom, seek the knowledge of life everlasting through Jesus, by the will of our God we seek to know Love and the author, the Creator of life, of love.
Amen.
Jesus said-
{12:31} But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Luke
Jesus said-
{11:20} But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
Luke
Jesus said-
{11:2} And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Luke
Jesus said-
{10:9} And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. {10:10} But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, {10:11} Even the very dust of your city, which
cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
{12:32} Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
SEEK the the kingdom of God.
Jesus is the kingdom of God.
We need to seek Jesus and if we seek Jesus, if we truly seek Jesus all things will be added unto us, things that matter to enternity not this life.
Seeking Jesus.
If we've lost something we search for it.
If we are seeking knowledge we study for it.
If we seek to find something precious to us don't we sometimes even tear the house apart to find it?
Don't some people go to rack and ruin trying to search for things- buried treasures? Archeology is a whole field of searching for things buried in the past. Researchers seek answers to whatever their research may be. We have scientist searching for cures to diseases. The list of those who seek is really endless.
We seek our pleasure, our contentment. When we are young we often are thrill seekers looking for the next bit of pleasure life can give us. The youthful are prone to experimenting with all sorts of things to find their treasures of pleasure. As they mature most find that having contentment is more important than thrills.
We seek to find contentment, we seek to find self-peace. A lot of what we do is geared for just getting by without anything rocking our boats.
We need to SEEK the kingdom of God.
We need to Seek Jesus.
Jesus is not a person we can find and say, 'Here He is! Found Him, time to stop looking.'
Like a knowledge seeker, people who seek Jesus will never get to a point they know all there is to know and there is no more to learn. When someone seeking knowledge on a particular subject searches and searches and perhaps exhausts all written media, all visual media, all auditory media they can find on that subject they'll often be able to branch off from that subject to another and then it starts all over again constant searching.
This is a way of life and this is something that fulfills the need people have or can have as they find a satisfaction in the searching and finding. We need to seek the kingdom of God, we need to seek Jesus. We can't find Jesus in the same way would could find another person, we need to seek Jesus and God, we need to seek the kingdom and it's a seeking we need to begin knowing that it will go on right into eternity.
By the grace of God, by the mercy of Jesus Christ we can seek the kingdom, seek the knowledge of life everlasting through Jesus, by the will of our God we seek to know Love and the author, the Creator of life, of love.
Amen.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
By the grace of God may we choose holiness
1 Thess. {4:7} For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness{4:8} He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.
Is it true? Can it be true? Do we despise God? I think it is true. I think we sometimes rail against God in many ways. We rebel against Him, we reject Him and why? Really, why do we despise God? Do we blame Him for getting us into this fix that we call life? It's easy to do, blame God for everything and you know He is the Creator so who better to despise, right? If you were never created you would never be in the situation you are in now and therefore never have to despise God. So, yes you could despise God for all and even in despising man you are despising what God has created.
God has given to us his holy Spirit. God has given us all we need to be holy, sanctified made holy for Him. We are called to be holy. We have to make every conscious effort to do that which Jesus would have us to do, to do any less would mean we aren't living up to our potential. And before you get all up in arms about that statement, only God knows what that potential is and I don't presume to know what it is at all. I only know that God knows and if crying out to Him for help is the limit of your potential while you consistently backslide into sin then He knows that too. We can't hold ones potential up for another, we each have our own and God alone can help us, and keep us in Him, sanctifying us to His holiness. All holiness and all sanctification comes through the grace and mercy of our Savior Jesus Christ.
God has called us to holiness. We despise God and yet God has given us His Holy Spirit, God has given us every gift, every help we need to be His should we choose to be His.
By the grace of God may we choose holiness, not despising God, accepting His Holy Spirit now and forever.
All Glory to God!
Amen.
Is it true? Can it be true? Do we despise God? I think it is true. I think we sometimes rail against God in many ways. We rebel against Him, we reject Him and why? Really, why do we despise God? Do we blame Him for getting us into this fix that we call life? It's easy to do, blame God for everything and you know He is the Creator so who better to despise, right? If you were never created you would never be in the situation you are in now and therefore never have to despise God. So, yes you could despise God for all and even in despising man you are despising what God has created.
God has given to us his holy Spirit. God has given us all we need to be holy, sanctified made holy for Him. We are called to be holy. We have to make every conscious effort to do that which Jesus would have us to do, to do any less would mean we aren't living up to our potential. And before you get all up in arms about that statement, only God knows what that potential is and I don't presume to know what it is at all. I only know that God knows and if crying out to Him for help is the limit of your potential while you consistently backslide into sin then He knows that too. We can't hold ones potential up for another, we each have our own and God alone can help us, and keep us in Him, sanctifying us to His holiness. All holiness and all sanctification comes through the grace and mercy of our Savior Jesus Christ.
God has called us to holiness. We despise God and yet God has given us His Holy Spirit, God has given us every gift, every help we need to be His should we choose to be His.
By the grace of God may we choose holiness, not despising God, accepting His Holy Spirit now and forever.
All Glory to God!
Amen.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands
Isa. {49:1} Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. {49:2} And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; {49:3} And said unto me, Thou [art] my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. {49:4} Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: [yet] surely my judgment [is] with the LORD, and my work with my God. {49:5} And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb [to be] his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
'Listen...'
'The Lord hath called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.'
Do we have any doubt really that from the moment of conception there is a living being inside a woman? Really? Any doubt at all? We shouldn't.
'And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant...'
'The Lord that formed me from the womb.'
Who form him from the womb? The Lord.
Ps. {22:9} But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. {22:10} I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.
'THOU ART MY GOD FROM MY MOTHER'S BELLY'
Ps. {71:4} Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. {71:5} For thou [art] my hope, O Lord GOD: [thou art] my trust from my youth. {71:6} By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise [shall be] continually of thee. {71:7} I am as a wonder unto many; but thou [art] my strong refuge. {71:8} Let my mouth be filled [with] thy praise [and with] thy honour all the day. {71:9} Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth. {71:10} For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together.
'By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise [shall be] continually of thee'
'BY THEE HAVE I BEEN HOLDEN UP FROM THE WOMB'
Ps. {139:13} For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. {139:14} I will praise thee; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvellous [are] thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well. {139:15} My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, [and] curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. {139:16} Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all [my members] were written, [which] in continuance were fashioned, when [as yet there was] none of them.
{139:17} How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! {139:18} [If] I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
'THOU HAST COVERED ME IN MY MOTHER'S WOMB'
'MY SUBSTANCE WAS NOT HID FROM THEE WHEN I WAS MADE IN SECRET'
'THINE EYES DID SEE MY SUBSTANCE YET BEING UNPERFECT AND IN THY BOOK ALL MY MEMBERS WERE WRITTEN WHICH IN CONTINUANCE WERE FASHIONED WHEN AS YET THERE WAS NONE OF THEM.'
Eccl. {11:5} As thou knowest not what [is] the way of the spirit, [nor] how the bones [do grow] in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
'HOW THE BONES DO GROW IN THE WOMB OF HER THAT IS WITH CHILD EVEN SO THOU KNOWEST NOT THE WORKS OF GOD WHO MAKETH ALL'
Isa. {44:1} Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen: {44:2} Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, [which] will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
'THUS SAITH THE LORD THAT MADE THEE AND FORMED THEE FROM THE WOMB'
Isa. {44:24} Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I [am] the LORD that maketh all [things;] that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself
Isa. {46:3} Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne [by me] from the belly, which are carried from the womb: {46:4} And [even] to [your] old age I [am] he; and [even] to hoar hairs will I carry [you:] I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver [you.
Isa. {49:15} Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. {49:16} Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of [my] hands; thy walls [are] continually before me.
Can a woman forget her sucking child? Yes, unfortunately, yes.
Can a woman not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, they forget all the time.
We may forget, God will NEVER forget us. He has graven us on the palms of his hands.
GOD WILL NEVER FORGET US HE HAD GRAVEN US UPON THE PALMS OF HIS HANDS.
He forms us in the womb and we are never far from His thoughts, never. We can forget Him, He'll never forget us.
All glory and praise, all honor and worship unto our God, unto our Creator, our Savior, our Redeemer! By His mercy and His grace now and forever and ever!
AMEN.
'Listen...'
'The Lord hath called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.'
Do we have any doubt really that from the moment of conception there is a living being inside a woman? Really? Any doubt at all? We shouldn't.
'And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant...'
'The Lord that formed me from the womb.'
Who form him from the womb? The Lord.
Ps. {22:9} But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. {22:10} I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.
'THOU ART MY GOD FROM MY MOTHER'S BELLY'
Ps. {71:4} Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. {71:5} For thou [art] my hope, O Lord GOD: [thou art] my trust from my youth. {71:6} By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise [shall be] continually of thee. {71:7} I am as a wonder unto many; but thou [art] my strong refuge. {71:8} Let my mouth be filled [with] thy praise [and with] thy honour all the day. {71:9} Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth. {71:10} For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together.
'By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise [shall be] continually of thee'
'BY THEE HAVE I BEEN HOLDEN UP FROM THE WOMB'
Ps. {139:13} For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. {139:14} I will praise thee; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvellous [are] thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well. {139:15} My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, [and] curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. {139:16} Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all [my members] were written, [which] in continuance were fashioned, when [as yet there was] none of them.
{139:17} How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! {139:18} [If] I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
'THOU HAST COVERED ME IN MY MOTHER'S WOMB'
'MY SUBSTANCE WAS NOT HID FROM THEE WHEN I WAS MADE IN SECRET'
'THINE EYES DID SEE MY SUBSTANCE YET BEING UNPERFECT AND IN THY BOOK ALL MY MEMBERS WERE WRITTEN WHICH IN CONTINUANCE WERE FASHIONED WHEN AS YET THERE WAS NONE OF THEM.'
Eccl. {11:5} As thou knowest not what [is] the way of the spirit, [nor] how the bones [do grow] in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
'HOW THE BONES DO GROW IN THE WOMB OF HER THAT IS WITH CHILD EVEN SO THOU KNOWEST NOT THE WORKS OF GOD WHO MAKETH ALL'
Isa. {44:1} Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen: {44:2} Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, [which] will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
'THUS SAITH THE LORD THAT MADE THEE AND FORMED THEE FROM THE WOMB'
Isa. {44:24} Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I [am] the LORD that maketh all [things;] that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself
Isa. {46:3} Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne [by me] from the belly, which are carried from the womb: {46:4} And [even] to [your] old age I [am] he; and [even] to hoar hairs will I carry [you:] I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver [you.
Isa. {49:15} Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. {49:16} Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of [my] hands; thy walls [are] continually before me.
Can a woman forget her sucking child? Yes, unfortunately, yes.
Can a woman not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, they forget all the time.
We may forget, God will NEVER forget us. He has graven us on the palms of his hands.
GOD WILL NEVER FORGET US HE HAD GRAVEN US UPON THE PALMS OF HIS HANDS.
He forms us in the womb and we are never far from His thoughts, never. We can forget Him, He'll never forget us.
All glory and praise, all honor and worship unto our God, unto our Creator, our Savior, our Redeemer! By His mercy and His grace now and forever and ever!
AMEN.
Friday, April 24, 2009
When We Pray
Matt. {6:7} But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. {6:8} Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Praying just to pray is in vain.
Having a set prayer is not good. Maybe a set prayer time is all fine and good, the Israelites would have morning and evening prayers, others were known to pray three times a day. Some were praying often. We are even told to pray always.
Eph. {6:18} Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints
The times of praying can be set without consequence I believe, but having a formal set prayer you pray over and over and over by rote we are told isn't good.
'But when ye pray, use NOT vain repetitions as the heathen do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.'
Much speaking, if you speak long enough you'll be heard isn't true. A whispered prayer spoken once can be heard sooner than a prayer that is spoken loudly over and over. God knows our needs, and it's not that we don't have to pray and ask Him for things, petition Him as it were, but He knows our needs and no amount of pleading and begging, no amount of repetition will matter.
Either by praying by rote - which is something done and not felt, or praying and asking something over and over - being annoying and showing lack of faith, neither one of them are much good and if we get caught up in the trap thinking that we are pious by our much praying and repetitive praying we're not praying as God would have us pray.
Jesus says do not use vain repetitions, do not believe that such praying is the answer. We don't have a deaf God like all the heathen do. We have a living God and He hears us, He knows us. Our God, our Heavenly Father knows us and what we need. We are praying to a living God, the one and only true God. Our prayers must come from the heart.
Jesus goes on to tell us how to pray-- read the Lord's prayer, it's a famous prayer in fact it's one we learn by heart and pray as a prayer just in the manner Jesus tells us not to. 'But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions.' That doesn't just mean saying the same thing over and over and over, it means praying without making that connection we need to make to our living God, the connection that tells us that He hears us, He knows us, He loves us.
No, I'm not saying we shouldn't say the Lord's Prayer, it was given us for an example and as such we should pray it, use it to guide us, but above all- not use it in vain repetition.
May the Lord bless us and keep us, helping us to seek Him as He would be sought. By His will, by the grace and mercy of our Lord and our Savior now and forever.
Amen.
Praying just to pray is in vain.
Having a set prayer is not good. Maybe a set prayer time is all fine and good, the Israelites would have morning and evening prayers, others were known to pray three times a day. Some were praying often. We are even told to pray always.
Eph. {6:18} Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints
The times of praying can be set without consequence I believe, but having a formal set prayer you pray over and over and over by rote we are told isn't good.
'But when ye pray, use NOT vain repetitions as the heathen do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.'
Much speaking, if you speak long enough you'll be heard isn't true. A whispered prayer spoken once can be heard sooner than a prayer that is spoken loudly over and over. God knows our needs, and it's not that we don't have to pray and ask Him for things, petition Him as it were, but He knows our needs and no amount of pleading and begging, no amount of repetition will matter.
Either by praying by rote - which is something done and not felt, or praying and asking something over and over - being annoying and showing lack of faith, neither one of them are much good and if we get caught up in the trap thinking that we are pious by our much praying and repetitive praying we're not praying as God would have us pray.
Jesus says do not use vain repetitions, do not believe that such praying is the answer. We don't have a deaf God like all the heathen do. We have a living God and He hears us, He knows us. Our God, our Heavenly Father knows us and what we need. We are praying to a living God, the one and only true God. Our prayers must come from the heart.
Jesus goes on to tell us how to pray-- read the Lord's prayer, it's a famous prayer in fact it's one we learn by heart and pray as a prayer just in the manner Jesus tells us not to. 'But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions.' That doesn't just mean saying the same thing over and over and over, it means praying without making that connection we need to make to our living God, the connection that tells us that He hears us, He knows us, He loves us.
No, I'm not saying we shouldn't say the Lord's Prayer, it was given us for an example and as such we should pray it, use it to guide us, but above all- not use it in vain repetition.
May the Lord bless us and keep us, helping us to seek Him as He would be sought. By His will, by the grace and mercy of our Lord and our Savior now and forever.
Amen.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
'Whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom'
Proerbs {2:10} When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; {2:11} Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: {2:12} To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things.
Job {28:12} But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? {28:13} Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
Job {28:20} Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? {28:21} Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
Job {28:23} God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. {28:24} For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven.
Job {28:28} And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
Prov. {1:7} The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Prov. {2:6} For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
We need to understand, we need knowledge more now than ever before, we need to fear the Lord.
Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary describes fear this way- 'Fear- a feeling of reverance, awe, and respect, or an unpleasant emotion caused by a sense of danger. (page 379)
To Fear the Lord we should show reverance, awe, and respect to God.
Nelson's Dictionary again to show the meaning of 'Reverance'- a feeling of profound awe and respect. Because of His majesty and holiness, God arouses a feeling of reverance in those who worship and serve Him.' (page 916)
Heb. {12:28} Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
**
James {1:5} If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. {1:6} But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Exodus {28:1} And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. {28:2} And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. {28:3} And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
'Whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom'
Please Lord... fill me with the spirit of wisdom. Please Lord, I'm asking in faith- believing and trusting in you to help my unbelief.
By Your Mercy.
Amen.
Job {28:12} But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? {28:13} Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
Job {28:20} Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? {28:21} Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
Job {28:23} God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. {28:24} For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven.
Job {28:28} And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
Prov. {1:7} The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Prov. {2:6} For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
We need to understand, we need knowledge more now than ever before, we need to fear the Lord.
Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary describes fear this way- 'Fear- a feeling of reverance, awe, and respect, or an unpleasant emotion caused by a sense of danger. (page 379)
To Fear the Lord we should show reverance, awe, and respect to God.
Nelson's Dictionary again to show the meaning of 'Reverance'- a feeling of profound awe and respect. Because of His majesty and holiness, God arouses a feeling of reverance in those who worship and serve Him.' (page 916)
Heb. {12:28} Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
**
James {1:5} If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. {1:6} But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Exodus {28:1} And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. {28:2} And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. {28:3} And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
'Whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom'
Please Lord... fill me with the spirit of wisdom. Please Lord, I'm asking in faith- believing and trusting in you to help my unbelief.
By Your Mercy.
Amen.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Thy Will Be Done
Ps. {40:8} I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law [is] within my heart.
Ps. {143:10} Teach me to do thy will; for thou [art] my God: thy spirit [is] good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
Matt. {6:10} Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven
Matt. {26:42} He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
Luke {11:2} And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Heb. {10:5} Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: {10:6} In burnt offerings and [sacrifices] for sin thou hast had no pleasure. {10:7} Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. {10:8} Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and [offering] for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure [therein;] which are offered by the law; {10:9} Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. {10:10} By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all. ]
*******
I delight to do thy will oh my God, yea thy law is withing my heart.
Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God they spirit is good lead me into the land of the uprightness.
He went away again the second time and prayed saying oh my Father if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it, thy will be done.
When ye pray...Our Father which art in heave hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come, thy will be done, as in heaven so in earth.
Jesus came to do God's will, delighting in His Father's will.
Jesus became the sacrifice for us so that we would no longer have to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.
The greatest sacrifice of all was made and nothing could compare to the ultimate sacrifice.
Every single sacrifice made was pointing to the ultimate sacrifice. When a person sinned and brought an offering to be sacrificed, a death to be made on their behalf it was of an animal and symbolic of the fact sinning warrants death and there is no getting around that, none. You sin, you deserve death unless you confess and repent offering a death in your place. The offering of an animal's death was sufficent only because God accepted it but it wasn't enough, it represented the ultimate sacrifice He made when His son took on humanity and offered himself, His death was made for all of us.
Maybe we'd think twice before sinning if we had to kill an animal. Or maybe it would be just a way of life to us so that the animal's death wouldn't be so bad- not like we might consider it today, or some of us. There are hunters today that think nothing of killing rabbit, deer, quail, duck, squirrels etc. It's sport to them. Then there are butchers who slaughter animals for us to eat, there are farmers who grow livestock knowing it's all for food. More animal death that means little, it's done as a matter of fact and an every day occurance. So maybe if someone told those who have no ick factor in killing animals that all they had to do was kill an animal every time they sinned and confess their sins, repenting, it wouldn't be all that hard for them to do. But for a lot of us it wouldn't be a way of life and we might realize more the weight of our sin causing death.
Now while a lot of various people in various professions and hobbies kill animals it's safe to say the majority do not kill people.
Those who do kill people are those in the army on active duty, police officers in the line of duty, murderers, and all those who accidentally kill another. Of all those only the murderers do so without the remorse, or at least we'd like to think that. Not that we want those who kill in the line of duty to be consumed by guilt, but it's nice to at least believe there is a twinge of remorse for their hands being forced into killing in the line of duty.
Sinning warrants sacrifice.
Sinners were given the greatest sacrifice in Jesus. Jesus wouldn't have had to die if we didn't sin. We killed Him. Our sin killed Him.
If we had to nail Jesus to the cross ourselves would we feel the true weight of our sins?
If we had to look upon His broken and bruised, His bloody body, witness to His agony and then add to that pain until He was killed by us, would it make a difference?
God's will be done.
Our will is so caught up in selfishness, by the very words- our will - we esteem ourselves, our finite, sin-filled selves to have a will greater than God's.
In all our lives it must be prayed, and it must be believed- 'Thy will be done.' It must be prayed and without clauses such as, Thy will be done but let me understand how Your will works, why this, that, and the other thing has to be so Your will is done. We can't expect to understand but we have to take that leap of faith and believe that God's will is truly best and beyond our comprehension.
God- Thy will be done now and forever and any tears I cry because I cannot understand the will of Yours that allows for so much pain please Lord they are not shed because I don't want Your will to be done, but simply because the pain now even temporarily is so real. You see the end from the beginning and I place my trust in You Lord because I see only now, I live only now with hopes for life eternal in You. In an existence that has expelled sin from the world and there is no more pain- physical, mental, or emotional.
Thy will be done.
By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, forgive me.
Amen.
Ps. {143:10} Teach me to do thy will; for thou [art] my God: thy spirit [is] good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
Matt. {6:10} Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven
Matt. {26:42} He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
Luke {11:2} And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Heb. {10:5} Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: {10:6} In burnt offerings and [sacrifices] for sin thou hast had no pleasure. {10:7} Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. {10:8} Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and [offering] for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure [therein;] which are offered by the law; {10:9} Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. {10:10} By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all. ]
*******
I delight to do thy will oh my God, yea thy law is withing my heart.
Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God they spirit is good lead me into the land of the uprightness.
He went away again the second time and prayed saying oh my Father if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it, thy will be done.
When ye pray...Our Father which art in heave hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come, thy will be done, as in heaven so in earth.
Jesus came to do God's will, delighting in His Father's will.
Jesus became the sacrifice for us so that we would no longer have to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.
The greatest sacrifice of all was made and nothing could compare to the ultimate sacrifice.
Every single sacrifice made was pointing to the ultimate sacrifice. When a person sinned and brought an offering to be sacrificed, a death to be made on their behalf it was of an animal and symbolic of the fact sinning warrants death and there is no getting around that, none. You sin, you deserve death unless you confess and repent offering a death in your place. The offering of an animal's death was sufficent only because God accepted it but it wasn't enough, it represented the ultimate sacrifice He made when His son took on humanity and offered himself, His death was made for all of us.
Maybe we'd think twice before sinning if we had to kill an animal. Or maybe it would be just a way of life to us so that the animal's death wouldn't be so bad- not like we might consider it today, or some of us. There are hunters today that think nothing of killing rabbit, deer, quail, duck, squirrels etc. It's sport to them. Then there are butchers who slaughter animals for us to eat, there are farmers who grow livestock knowing it's all for food. More animal death that means little, it's done as a matter of fact and an every day occurance. So maybe if someone told those who have no ick factor in killing animals that all they had to do was kill an animal every time they sinned and confess their sins, repenting, it wouldn't be all that hard for them to do. But for a lot of us it wouldn't be a way of life and we might realize more the weight of our sin causing death.
Now while a lot of various people in various professions and hobbies kill animals it's safe to say the majority do not kill people.
Those who do kill people are those in the army on active duty, police officers in the line of duty, murderers, and all those who accidentally kill another. Of all those only the murderers do so without the remorse, or at least we'd like to think that. Not that we want those who kill in the line of duty to be consumed by guilt, but it's nice to at least believe there is a twinge of remorse for their hands being forced into killing in the line of duty.
Sinning warrants sacrifice.
Sinners were given the greatest sacrifice in Jesus. Jesus wouldn't have had to die if we didn't sin. We killed Him. Our sin killed Him.
If we had to nail Jesus to the cross ourselves would we feel the true weight of our sins?
If we had to look upon His broken and bruised, His bloody body, witness to His agony and then add to that pain until He was killed by us, would it make a difference?
God's will be done.
Our will is so caught up in selfishness, by the very words- our will - we esteem ourselves, our finite, sin-filled selves to have a will greater than God's.
In all our lives it must be prayed, and it must be believed- 'Thy will be done.' It must be prayed and without clauses such as, Thy will be done but let me understand how Your will works, why this, that, and the other thing has to be so Your will is done. We can't expect to understand but we have to take that leap of faith and believe that God's will is truly best and beyond our comprehension.
God- Thy will be done now and forever and any tears I cry because I cannot understand the will of Yours that allows for so much pain please Lord they are not shed because I don't want Your will to be done, but simply because the pain now even temporarily is so real. You see the end from the beginning and I place my trust in You Lord because I see only now, I live only now with hopes for life eternal in You. In an existence that has expelled sin from the world and there is no more pain- physical, mental, or emotional.
Thy will be done.
By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, forgive me.
Amen.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
A man should rejoice in his own works
Eccl. {3:22} Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better,
than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is
his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be
after him?
Rejoicing in your work.
Solomon, the wisest of the wise professed that there is nothing better than rejoicing in your own works. No wonder so many people aren't very happy. How many have jobs they can rejoice in? Or is it being able to rejoice no matter what that work is? And even if we aren't talking strictly about what we consider work these days, the 8 hour, 5 days a week position we are in to earn money to afford to live, but rather our lives in general. Our day to day existence is what we have, it's all we have, it is our portion. We won't see what is to come after us. We can't worry about tomorrow so to speak. We have to rejoice in the here and now. We have to rejoice in the life we have. If we sit about wishing we were in a different life- constantly wishing for things to be different in such a way that they are impossible to change, what good is there in that? If you can change something in your life to make it better, do it. If you can't you need to learn to rejoice in what you do have in your life. To do otherwise, to not rejoice in your portion, your works is to live unhappily and that's not good for anyone.
'Nothing better than a man should rejoice in his own works for that is his portion.'
We all have our portion in life. Some have longer portions, some have portions we perceive are much better than our own, and still others have portions that are much worse. Regardless of what anyone else has, we all have our own existence. We don't know what sort of lives our furture generations will have. If we're lucky we watch our children grow up and lead happy lives. We might see our grandchildren do the same and then we might even get to see our great grandchildren begin their own lives of happiness but seldom does it stretch far beyond that for any of us, not that it can't but it grows more rare as time passes that you will see your great, great grandchildren become adults, and even less so great, great, great grandchildren. So while you might get to see glimpses of the future generations, there comes a time in every person's life without exception where death will be their portion. Death- a return to the dust we've come from as God takes back the breath He gave to us. Death, not another life to sit back and watch all that goes on with the living. Death, not an existence that gives us a whole new portion to rejoice in. No. Death isn't another form of life in any way at all. Death is a sleep as Lazarus- one brought back from the dead knew. Death is a sleep from which there is no waking until Christ returns. If people live their lives now not rejoicing in their works, in their portion given to them and pin their hopes on life after death, there is no real hope at all. Life is just that... life. And death is just that...death.
We need to live and rejoice now as we place our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to raise us from the death sleep when He returns and we are changed and brought to live new lives without any sort of pain and heartache, grief and sorrow this life affords us stealing the rejoicing from us that there is nothing better than a man doing.
Contentment in our lives, rejoicing in the portion given to us. May God help us find this place that Solomon speaks of, may we cling to Jesus Christ our Savior and place our hope in Him as we live today as He would have us live.
In His ever merciful name.
Amen.
than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is
his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be
after him?
Rejoicing in your work.
Solomon, the wisest of the wise professed that there is nothing better than rejoicing in your own works. No wonder so many people aren't very happy. How many have jobs they can rejoice in? Or is it being able to rejoice no matter what that work is? And even if we aren't talking strictly about what we consider work these days, the 8 hour, 5 days a week position we are in to earn money to afford to live, but rather our lives in general. Our day to day existence is what we have, it's all we have, it is our portion. We won't see what is to come after us. We can't worry about tomorrow so to speak. We have to rejoice in the here and now. We have to rejoice in the life we have. If we sit about wishing we were in a different life- constantly wishing for things to be different in such a way that they are impossible to change, what good is there in that? If you can change something in your life to make it better, do it. If you can't you need to learn to rejoice in what you do have in your life. To do otherwise, to not rejoice in your portion, your works is to live unhappily and that's not good for anyone.
'Nothing better than a man should rejoice in his own works for that is his portion.'
We all have our portion in life. Some have longer portions, some have portions we perceive are much better than our own, and still others have portions that are much worse. Regardless of what anyone else has, we all have our own existence. We don't know what sort of lives our furture generations will have. If we're lucky we watch our children grow up and lead happy lives. We might see our grandchildren do the same and then we might even get to see our great grandchildren begin their own lives of happiness but seldom does it stretch far beyond that for any of us, not that it can't but it grows more rare as time passes that you will see your great, great grandchildren become adults, and even less so great, great, great grandchildren. So while you might get to see glimpses of the future generations, there comes a time in every person's life without exception where death will be their portion. Death- a return to the dust we've come from as God takes back the breath He gave to us. Death, not another life to sit back and watch all that goes on with the living. Death, not an existence that gives us a whole new portion to rejoice in. No. Death isn't another form of life in any way at all. Death is a sleep as Lazarus- one brought back from the dead knew. Death is a sleep from which there is no waking until Christ returns. If people live their lives now not rejoicing in their works, in their portion given to them and pin their hopes on life after death, there is no real hope at all. Life is just that... life. And death is just that...death.
We need to live and rejoice now as we place our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to raise us from the death sleep when He returns and we are changed and brought to live new lives without any sort of pain and heartache, grief and sorrow this life affords us stealing the rejoicing from us that there is nothing better than a man doing.
Contentment in our lives, rejoicing in the portion given to us. May God help us find this place that Solomon speaks of, may we cling to Jesus Christ our Savior and place our hope in Him as we live today as He would have us live.
In His ever merciful name.
Amen.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Freedom's Servant
1 Corinthians {9:19} For though I be
free from all yet have I made myself servant unto all,
that I might gain the more.
*******
Though I be free from all.
Being free is not being enslaved, not being in debt to anyone. As a slave to another we are compelled by that slavery to serve another or many others. We are forced to do so by circumstances. When we are forced into doing something that is one thing provoking us into action. Voluntarily acting without being forced is a whole new matter. A Christian is any person that takes on Christ's life as their own, Christ's words live in them, in their hearts. Christ was the greatest servant of all and He was the One who least had to be. As God on earth He could have demanded worship and He demanded nothing. He served all and the love He received in return was all He needed. We who claim to follow Christ must also be servants of all, freely giving of ourselves without thought to ourselves and whatever we may gain from any good we do. If we do good for gain we in reality gain nothing, if we are truly servants of all we gain more than we can imagine.
*
John {8:33} They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and
were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye
shall be made free? {8:34} Jesus answered them, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the
servant of sin. {8:35} And the servant abideth not in the
house for ever: [but] the Son abideth ever. {8:36} If the Son
therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
*******
If Jesus makes us free we are free indeed. Only through Jesus do we find freedom. Any other freedom is a falsehood. Self deception is something we commit all the time, in fact whenever we feel any self-worth outside of the love of Jesus we are deceived. Only through the grace and mercy of Jesus can we be free of the shakles of sin that weight us down and keep us deceived. God first always. God's will be done, not our will. Easy to say, hard to do and yet it is surrendering our will to His that only makes all things possible. Freedom lies within our service to God, to others. When we seek self less we find so much more than we could ever imagine.
*
Matt. {15:7} [Ye] hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you,
saying, {15:8} This people draweth nigh unto me with their
mouth, and honoureth me with [their] lips; but their heart is
far from me. {15:9} But in vain they do worship me,
teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.
*******
Eloquence is overrated isn't it? The smooth talkers deceive so many with words so pretty and deceptive. Too numerous to count are those who have been seduced by someone who could speak in such a way that they compel the hearer to do as they willed. Those who compel others to believe in their beliefs rather than God are guilty, they sin against God. They may say wonderful things but their hearts are filled with self and only self, not with God at all. Only God should fill our hearts. It's better if we do not speak at all than to speak with cold, empty hearts. God knows our hearts, he knows when we speak sincerely.
By the grace of God may we keep Him forever before us, forever in our hearts and may we speak out of a heart of love finding freedom in Him and only in Him, servant to all.
All glory and praise to God in heaven. By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Savior now and forever!
Amen!
free from all yet have I made myself servant unto all,
that I might gain the more.
*******
Though I be free from all.
Being free is not being enslaved, not being in debt to anyone. As a slave to another we are compelled by that slavery to serve another or many others. We are forced to do so by circumstances. When we are forced into doing something that is one thing provoking us into action. Voluntarily acting without being forced is a whole new matter. A Christian is any person that takes on Christ's life as their own, Christ's words live in them, in their hearts. Christ was the greatest servant of all and He was the One who least had to be. As God on earth He could have demanded worship and He demanded nothing. He served all and the love He received in return was all He needed. We who claim to follow Christ must also be servants of all, freely giving of ourselves without thought to ourselves and whatever we may gain from any good we do. If we do good for gain we in reality gain nothing, if we are truly servants of all we gain more than we can imagine.
*
John {8:33} They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and
were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye
shall be made free? {8:34} Jesus answered them, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the
servant of sin. {8:35} And the servant abideth not in the
house for ever: [but] the Son abideth ever. {8:36} If the Son
therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
*******
If Jesus makes us free we are free indeed. Only through Jesus do we find freedom. Any other freedom is a falsehood. Self deception is something we commit all the time, in fact whenever we feel any self-worth outside of the love of Jesus we are deceived. Only through the grace and mercy of Jesus can we be free of the shakles of sin that weight us down and keep us deceived. God first always. God's will be done, not our will. Easy to say, hard to do and yet it is surrendering our will to His that only makes all things possible. Freedom lies within our service to God, to others. When we seek self less we find so much more than we could ever imagine.
*
Matt. {15:7} [Ye] hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you,
saying, {15:8} This people draweth nigh unto me with their
mouth, and honoureth me with [their] lips; but their heart is
far from me. {15:9} But in vain they do worship me,
teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.
*******
Eloquence is overrated isn't it? The smooth talkers deceive so many with words so pretty and deceptive. Too numerous to count are those who have been seduced by someone who could speak in such a way that they compel the hearer to do as they willed. Those who compel others to believe in their beliefs rather than God are guilty, they sin against God. They may say wonderful things but their hearts are filled with self and only self, not with God at all. Only God should fill our hearts. It's better if we do not speak at all than to speak with cold, empty hearts. God knows our hearts, he knows when we speak sincerely.
By the grace of God may we keep Him forever before us, forever in our hearts and may we speak out of a heart of love finding freedom in Him and only in Him, servant to all.
All glory and praise to God in heaven. By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Savior now and forever!
Amen!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Dust to Dust - A Change Will Come
Job {12:10} In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
Job {13:15} Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
Job {14:7} For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
Job {14:12} So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
{14:13} Oh that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! {14:14} If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
*******
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?
Who brings to life all that there is? Who created the creatures of the earth? Who gave them breath? Was man even alive before God breathed into him the breath of life? No. Man was a mere shell formed of the dust of the ground. Man returns to dust upon death, the breath God gives goes back to Him.
Eccl. {12:7} Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
We can witness this everytime someone or something dies. We can witness the decay of it and into what it eventually becomes. The process isn't instantaneous but it is inevitable if left untampered with by chemicals and processes and such created to keep the flesh from returning to dust. Was there hope in the Egyptians of defying death if their bodies weren't allowed to decay? That some how they lived on until they were actually dust once more? Did they seek to mummify their dead because it was a way to prolong life to them. Not life as we know it but not death as we are told we would be- dust to dust.
Eccl. {3:20} All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again
Gen. {18:27} And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes
Only by the grace of God do we have breath of life in us and when it is taken from us it goes back to Him that gave it and we become dust and ashes once more. There is no living on without the breath of life within us. The body can be preserved for thousands of years and it will be lifeless, a husk, and empty shell. And even so, a mummified body is only that way by extenuating circumstances- skill, nature of ice, tar and such. Once the breath is gone what gave man life is gone.
Job {14:12} So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
The beauty of death lies in this passage. Job longing for this sleep, this rest to rid himself of the agony of life and yet he knew his life was in God's hand and he could not take the breath from himself and still claim to be God's. The breath of life is God's to give and to take and we can't presume to do His will for Him, to know God.
People talk about others on respirators keeping them alive, giving them breath and there is nothing wrong with that because it has been proven time and time again that eventually for one reason or another they will still stop living and the false breath that keeps their bodies taking in air can no more keep them alive. No one put on a respirator has lived forever. No one. They may have lived for years and years beyond what they normally would have, but they did not and have not, and will not ever live forever.
When the heavens are no more, then our change will come. In a moment, in a twinkling of an eye those who are dead in Christ will rise and be changed, those who are alive at this time will be lifted up and changed.
1 Cor. 15, 1 Thess. 4
A change will come to us then, but until that day we live by the will of God and we die by the will of God, and we trust that He knows all and while our understanding is very limited, His is all powerful and even without any understanding we believe and we say-- God's will be done.
All praise and glory to our Lord and Savior, by His grace and mercy we have hope, we have life.
Amen.
Job
{12:1} And Job answered and said,
{12:2} No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
{12:3} But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
{12:4} I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.
{12:5} He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
{12:6} The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.
{12:7} But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:
{12:8} Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
{12:9} Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
{12:10} In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
{12:11} Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?
{12:12} With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
{12:13} With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
{12:14} Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
{12:15} Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
{12:16} With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
{12:17} He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
{12:18} He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
{12:19} He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
{12:20} He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
{12:21} He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
{12:22} He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
{12:23} He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.
{12:24} He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
{12:25} They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
{13:1} Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.
{13:2} What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.
{13:3} Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
{13:4} But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
{13:5} Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.
{13:6} Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
{13:7} Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
{13:8} Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
{13:9} Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?
{13:10} He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
{13:11} Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?
{13:12} Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.
{13:13} Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.
{13:14} Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
{13:15} Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
{13:16} He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.
{13:17} Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.
{13:18} Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.
{13:19} Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.
{13:20} Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.
{13:21} Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.
{13:22} Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.
{13:23} How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.
{13:24} Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?
{13:25} Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
{13:26} For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.
{13:27} Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet. {13:28} And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.
{14:1} Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
{14:2} He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
{14:3} And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?
{14:4} Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
{14:5} Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
{14:6} Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.
{14:7} For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
{14:8} Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
{14:9} Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
{14:10} But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
{14:11} As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
{14:12} So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
{14:13} Oh that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
{14:14} If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
{14:15} Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.
{14:16} For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
{14:17} My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.
{14:18} And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.
{14:19} The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
{14:20} Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
{14:21} His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.
{14:22} But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.
Job {13:15} Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
Job {14:7} For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
Job {14:12} So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
{14:13} Oh that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! {14:14} If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
*******
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?
Who brings to life all that there is? Who created the creatures of the earth? Who gave them breath? Was man even alive before God breathed into him the breath of life? No. Man was a mere shell formed of the dust of the ground. Man returns to dust upon death, the breath God gives goes back to Him.
Eccl. {12:7} Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
We can witness this everytime someone or something dies. We can witness the decay of it and into what it eventually becomes. The process isn't instantaneous but it is inevitable if left untampered with by chemicals and processes and such created to keep the flesh from returning to dust. Was there hope in the Egyptians of defying death if their bodies weren't allowed to decay? That some how they lived on until they were actually dust once more? Did they seek to mummify their dead because it was a way to prolong life to them. Not life as we know it but not death as we are told we would be- dust to dust.
Eccl. {3:20} All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again
Gen. {18:27} And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes
Only by the grace of God do we have breath of life in us and when it is taken from us it goes back to Him that gave it and we become dust and ashes once more. There is no living on without the breath of life within us. The body can be preserved for thousands of years and it will be lifeless, a husk, and empty shell. And even so, a mummified body is only that way by extenuating circumstances- skill, nature of ice, tar and such. Once the breath is gone what gave man life is gone.
Job {14:12} So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
The beauty of death lies in this passage. Job longing for this sleep, this rest to rid himself of the agony of life and yet he knew his life was in God's hand and he could not take the breath from himself and still claim to be God's. The breath of life is God's to give and to take and we can't presume to do His will for Him, to know God.
People talk about others on respirators keeping them alive, giving them breath and there is nothing wrong with that because it has been proven time and time again that eventually for one reason or another they will still stop living and the false breath that keeps their bodies taking in air can no more keep them alive. No one put on a respirator has lived forever. No one. They may have lived for years and years beyond what they normally would have, but they did not and have not, and will not ever live forever.
When the heavens are no more, then our change will come. In a moment, in a twinkling of an eye those who are dead in Christ will rise and be changed, those who are alive at this time will be lifted up and changed.
1 Cor. 15, 1 Thess. 4
A change will come to us then, but until that day we live by the will of God and we die by the will of God, and we trust that He knows all and while our understanding is very limited, His is all powerful and even without any understanding we believe and we say-- God's will be done.
All praise and glory to our Lord and Savior, by His grace and mercy we have hope, we have life.
Amen.
Job
{12:1} And Job answered and said,
{12:2} No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
{12:3} But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
{12:4} I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.
{12:5} He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
{12:6} The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.
{12:7} But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:
{12:8} Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
{12:9} Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
{12:10} In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
{12:11} Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?
{12:12} With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
{12:13} With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
{12:14} Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
{12:15} Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
{12:16} With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
{12:17} He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
{12:18} He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
{12:19} He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
{12:20} He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
{12:21} He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
{12:22} He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
{12:23} He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.
{12:24} He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
{12:25} They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
{13:1} Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.
{13:2} What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.
{13:3} Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
{13:4} But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
{13:5} Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.
{13:6} Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
{13:7} Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
{13:8} Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
{13:9} Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?
{13:10} He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
{13:11} Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?
{13:12} Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.
{13:13} Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.
{13:14} Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
{13:15} Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
{13:16} He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.
{13:17} Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.
{13:18} Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.
{13:19} Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.
{13:20} Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.
{13:21} Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.
{13:22} Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.
{13:23} How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.
{13:24} Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?
{13:25} Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
{13:26} For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.
{13:27} Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet. {13:28} And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.
{14:1} Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
{14:2} He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
{14:3} And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?
{14:4} Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
{14:5} Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
{14:6} Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.
{14:7} For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
{14:8} Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
{14:9} Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
{14:10} But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
{14:11} As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
{14:12} So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
{14:13} Oh that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
{14:14} If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
{14:15} Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.
{14:16} For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
{14:17} My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.
{14:18} And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.
{14:19} The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
{14:20} Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
{14:21} His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.
{14:22} But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.
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