I don't know what it is, but sometimes we are led by the Spirit by being shown things repetitively, at least that's been my personal experience. Recently one message keeps being highlighted for me and that is the power in the tongue, in the mouth, in the lips.
Pro 18:21 'Death and life are in the power of the tongue…'
Death and life power exists in the tongue.
Rather than risk death how much better it would be not to speak at all, right? Or maybe not, think about it. The tongue can confess the name of Jesus and bring life, yes? With the tongue we can cry out for forgiveness. With the tongue we can preach Christ to others. Yet the tongue can also condemn us.
Are you someone, or do you know someone, who is notorious for speaking before they think? I think even if you're not someone who does this all the time, that at least you've been guilty of it a time or two in your life, right? When we speak before we take time to think our mouths will often get us into a world of trouble. How chagrined we are when we realized we took something someone else said to us all wrong because we didn't take time to really listen to them or hear them out fully and we went off running our mouths because we thought we understood and truly didn't take any time to think at all.
Instant response. We live in a world where want instant everything. It's no wonder we instantly respond during our conversations- some might even say it'd be rude to do otherwise. In fact you've probably heard this before- 'Well, answer me! I'm talking to you! Say something!' People might not want to hear the response- 'I'm just pondering what you said.' No, they want to know immediately what you're thinking. If we could crawl into another person's head at times we'd gladly do so, just to know what they REALLY think. Of course, the other side of that is NOT really wanting to know the truth of another's thoughts. Too many self-righteously blunt people hold up their banner waving it around saying they have the right to tell you like it is and who cares if you get hurt, they're only speaking what everybody is thinking.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue.
It's a scary thing to really consider.
The balance of your life hanging in the power of your tongue.
1Jn 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Rom 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Luk 12:8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God
Every tongue shall confess to God. EVERY tongue. Not some tongues….EVERY tongue…yours, mine, your friends and families, the strangers we see.
If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God raised Him from the dead….THOU SHALT BE SAVED! Being saved mean life eternal. The tongue - death and life are in the power of the tongue.
Confess Jesus before men!
So what about those who are mute- by sickness, or accident, or however it happens, they can't speak? God knows their hearts and actions are a confession as well. Most people however, can speak. Most people have a tongue.
I have to confess…tonight I made someone cry. Have you ever made someone cry with your words? It's painful, especially when you're talking and talking and they're crying and you just keep on talking! How horrible the tongue can be even if the intentions of it are good. The tongue is wicked. Did I mean to make someone cry? NO! NOOOOOOOOooooo! But my well-meaning words just spewed out of my mouth and didn't stop. Of course…. words of apology came as well by that same tongue. What I can't get out of my head is how powerful the tongue is. We can respond to others and be hurtful, we are a heartbeat away from saying hurtful things to others-- sometimes we do, sometimes we don't --by the grace of God. I think sometimes we feel that it's torture to hold our tongues, to NOT speak and respond as we want to. Yet how much peace could be garnered from holding our tongues? Others DON'T have to always hear what we want to tell them. The debates don't always need to be won. Our point of view won't fester in our mouths because we choose not to speak it because it's more LOVING not to speak it than to do so. We are sooooo incredibly selfish- wanting people to see things OUR way all the time. God's ways aren't OUR selfish, hurtful ways. God is love. And YES, I agree there are plenty of examples of an irate Biblical figure- justified in their ire. But the difference between them and us is that we are so quick to give responses that we aren't praying for God's words to be spoken through us, but we are pushing our thoughts out regardless of whether it's God' s will that we speak. Am I saying it's always wrong to hurt others with our words? No. I'm saying it's wrong to not have God guiding our mouths, because if God is guiding our words and they cause someone to cry then YOU know that it's out of the purest form of love, completely unselfish.
We really do need God to guide our mouths. I did a short study on our lips a week or so ago (not sure when) with this verse in mind --
Psa 141:3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
Knowing how powerful the tongue is we need this to be our prayer don't we? I know I sure do!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord, by the love of our Savior, may the door to our lips be kept by HIM now and always! May life be found in our tongues, not death. Through the righteousness of Jesus Christ the Son of God!
Amen.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Unto them that look for Him!
Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
'Unto them that LOOK for him'
Time and again it strikes me how often we forget to 'look' for Christ's second coming. How many days can go be without a thought about Jesus returning to save us? It's easy to forget because we get so caught up in other things- life- as we call it, as if looking for the return of our Savior isn't 'life'. In fact, looking for the return of our Savior is MORE life than any other life we may have.
Think about how often you look forward to things, things that don't have a set date but rather you know are going to come just because of what time of year it is. Think about a visit with family or friends you're expecting. You can even think about scheduled appointments in your future. There is a certain amount of anticipation for the future events, not necessarily good anticipation for some it's more like looking with trepidation for what's going to take place. We look for things all the time because we KNOW they'll happen. We HAVE to look for Christ's return the SAME way. We have to look for it, not just keep it as an afterthought on a back burner in our minds. It needs to be on the front burner of our brains. The more we keep the fact of Christ's second coming on our mind the more it will keep us grounded in reality. The reality being that EVERYTHING here and now is but a moment in eternity. The good times will pass just as assuredly as the bad times, but Christ is forever!
Unto THEM … who???? THEM that LOOK FOR HIM! Christ will appear a second time without sin unto salvation!!! Sin will be a thing of the past! Sin will be overcome! Sinning will be NO MORE! We will have no more sin in us! Christ's righteousness will prevail over us. No more sin! Imagine… just imagine that.
We have to LOOK for Christ. Yes, we know He is and we know what He can do and has done, but we have to keep LOOKING, never stop looking! If we ever stop looking for our Savior's return we will be in danger and we can't afford to be in danger.
Looking for Christ's second coming is a beautiful thing- not a creepy, cultish thing. People would have you believe only fools will go about talking of Jesus' second coming. Well all I have to say is let me be the biggest fool there is then.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, our beautiful Redeemer, in Him, in His righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
'Unto them that LOOK for him'
Time and again it strikes me how often we forget to 'look' for Christ's second coming. How many days can go be without a thought about Jesus returning to save us? It's easy to forget because we get so caught up in other things- life- as we call it, as if looking for the return of our Savior isn't 'life'. In fact, looking for the return of our Savior is MORE life than any other life we may have.
Think about how often you look forward to things, things that don't have a set date but rather you know are going to come just because of what time of year it is. Think about a visit with family or friends you're expecting. You can even think about scheduled appointments in your future. There is a certain amount of anticipation for the future events, not necessarily good anticipation for some it's more like looking with trepidation for what's going to take place. We look for things all the time because we KNOW they'll happen. We HAVE to look for Christ's return the SAME way. We have to look for it, not just keep it as an afterthought on a back burner in our minds. It needs to be on the front burner of our brains. The more we keep the fact of Christ's second coming on our mind the more it will keep us grounded in reality. The reality being that EVERYTHING here and now is but a moment in eternity. The good times will pass just as assuredly as the bad times, but Christ is forever!
Unto THEM … who???? THEM that LOOK FOR HIM! Christ will appear a second time without sin unto salvation!!! Sin will be a thing of the past! Sin will be overcome! Sinning will be NO MORE! We will have no more sin in us! Christ's righteousness will prevail over us. No more sin! Imagine… just imagine that.
We have to LOOK for Christ. Yes, we know He is and we know what He can do and has done, but we have to keep LOOKING, never stop looking! If we ever stop looking for our Savior's return we will be in danger and we can't afford to be in danger.
Looking for Christ's second coming is a beautiful thing- not a creepy, cultish thing. People would have you believe only fools will go about talking of Jesus' second coming. Well all I have to say is let me be the biggest fool there is then.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, our beautiful Redeemer, in Him, in His righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Warn the Wicked
Eze 33:8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Eze 33:9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
Warnings. We all know what warnings are. We start out learning about warnings when are growing up. Our first warnings probably come from our mother or father. We won't remember that first warning but we'll recall later ones. As parents we might remember giving warnings. In fact we might have heard or have been given a warning just today.
Don't do that…or…
If you do that…this will happen…
You better watch out or…
You understand what I'm saying. We aren't unfamiliar with warnings we live with them. We have warnings on packages, warnings on signs, warning lights on cars, when we drive we see warning lights on the road, we live with warnings. Even our bodies give us warning signals, a slight pain here warning of something more serious. A rash heralding an underlying disease, a persistent headache warning of a brain anomaly, you know what I mean.
Warnings.
'If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand'
Warn the wicked from their ways.
People don't like to be warned by others do they? Do you like to get warnings? Being told we're doing something wrong is NEVER fun.
It's not bad enough that we have to worry about our own eternal life we have an obligation to warn others about theirs. People who do this are liable to face a lot of ridicule, a lot of hassle because NO ONE wants to be told their eternal life is in jeopardy. No one wants to be judged and in reality we have no right to judge any one's eternal life, but we have to be able to judge actions don't we? If we didn't judge actions we wouldn't know right from wrong.
So yes, we have to warn the wicked from their wicked ways… we have to preach Jesus and salvation, right from wrong. And you know what, others might be preaching to us and we need to listen too. We can NEVER be holier than thou, NEVER. If our faults are made known to us we are obligated to fall to our knees and pray for forgiveness, repenting. Sometimes we are so caught up in looking at our own faults we don't take the time to warn others. It's not FUN to warn others. It's actually dangerous to warn others. We need to pray, to seek our Lord and Savior and ask for His loving guidance in our lives.
We want to be used of the Lord, we are accountable for ourselves to the Lord. By the grace of God may we be compelled to warn others as He would, not as we would, whether His way is more direct or less direct, let HIS will be done not ours. We just need to be aware that we are guilty of not warning others- even if the warning is the knowledge of Christ's soon coming and their need to prepare. While we don't want to be called fanatics you know what… a lot of Christ's followers are considered fanatics, troublemakers, rabble rousers, dissidents, crazies, freaks, abnormal. The Apostles were chased out of cities for their preaching, they were killed for their beliefs. We worry way too much about what others think of us when the only one that matters is God and what HE thinks of us.
Please Lord show us how to live for You. If there are those that need warning let us have the courage and faith in You to warn as You would have us do in Your way, not our way. Bless us Lord, keep us Lord, help us Lord. By Your grace, Your mercy, Your love now and forever!
Amen.
Eze 33:9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
Warnings. We all know what warnings are. We start out learning about warnings when are growing up. Our first warnings probably come from our mother or father. We won't remember that first warning but we'll recall later ones. As parents we might remember giving warnings. In fact we might have heard or have been given a warning just today.
Don't do that…or…
If you do that…this will happen…
You better watch out or…
You understand what I'm saying. We aren't unfamiliar with warnings we live with them. We have warnings on packages, warnings on signs, warning lights on cars, when we drive we see warning lights on the road, we live with warnings. Even our bodies give us warning signals, a slight pain here warning of something more serious. A rash heralding an underlying disease, a persistent headache warning of a brain anomaly, you know what I mean.
Warnings.
'If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand'
Warn the wicked from their ways.
People don't like to be warned by others do they? Do you like to get warnings? Being told we're doing something wrong is NEVER fun.
It's not bad enough that we have to worry about our own eternal life we have an obligation to warn others about theirs. People who do this are liable to face a lot of ridicule, a lot of hassle because NO ONE wants to be told their eternal life is in jeopardy. No one wants to be judged and in reality we have no right to judge any one's eternal life, but we have to be able to judge actions don't we? If we didn't judge actions we wouldn't know right from wrong.
So yes, we have to warn the wicked from their wicked ways… we have to preach Jesus and salvation, right from wrong. And you know what, others might be preaching to us and we need to listen too. We can NEVER be holier than thou, NEVER. If our faults are made known to us we are obligated to fall to our knees and pray for forgiveness, repenting. Sometimes we are so caught up in looking at our own faults we don't take the time to warn others. It's not FUN to warn others. It's actually dangerous to warn others. We need to pray, to seek our Lord and Savior and ask for His loving guidance in our lives.
We want to be used of the Lord, we are accountable for ourselves to the Lord. By the grace of God may we be compelled to warn others as He would, not as we would, whether His way is more direct or less direct, let HIS will be done not ours. We just need to be aware that we are guilty of not warning others- even if the warning is the knowledge of Christ's soon coming and their need to prepare. While we don't want to be called fanatics you know what… a lot of Christ's followers are considered fanatics, troublemakers, rabble rousers, dissidents, crazies, freaks, abnormal. The Apostles were chased out of cities for their preaching, they were killed for their beliefs. We worry way too much about what others think of us when the only one that matters is God and what HE thinks of us.
Please Lord show us how to live for You. If there are those that need warning let us have the courage and faith in You to warn as You would have us do in Your way, not our way. Bless us Lord, keep us Lord, help us Lord. By Your grace, Your mercy, Your love now and forever!
Amen.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
The Spirit of A Man...
Pro 18:14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
When I read this I was instantly struck by it's truth.
Why do some people overcome when others succumb to all trying situations in life? People will tell you it's the difference between their attitudes. They'll go further and say how courageous a dead person was because of their attitude as they dealt with their terminal illness. They'll say that Soandso died valiantly, fighting the good fight. However not everyone fights that good fight courageously. Some go kicking and screaming, miserable and totally wretched as they move through life's upsets - large and small, serious and non-serious, life-threatening and non-life-threatening.
Attitude- spirit of a man.
The spirit of a man can thrive or be wounded. You know what I'm talking about. We see wounded spirits all the time, we might even have a wounded spirit ourselves. It's the aching of the soul that feels the depth of pain physically or emotionally either, and despair sets in. Depression overtakes the spirit dragging it down into darkness not wanting any light to shine upon it because the despair shouts out the pain to everyone searching endlessly for sympathy, for understanding.
Now lest someone say that I don't understand at all, that depression is an illness that a person can't help, let me reply that I know that the complexity of the brain and it's chemical make-up are astounding and confounding and yes, depression can be an illness. That's what I'm talking about really- illnesses whether chronic or not, whether life-threatening or not, the spirit of a man plays a part in it all. A spirit can be wounded without any fault of a person, or through plenty of fault.
'A wounded spirit who can bear?' I feel for those who suffer medical depression because their wounded spirit is that much more in pain. Truly clinging by faith to our Lord's promise of life everlasting in Him is the saving grace when a wounded spirit is so crushed the infirmities of life seem overwhelming. To those whose spirit sustains them, how marvelous! Their attitude - their outlook on life- their ability to see beyond their infirmity is amazing and a blessing.
There are numerous sayings people hear all the time about life and the attitude we should possess throughout it.
Buck up.
Stick it out.
Be strong.
Chin up.
Look on the bright side.
You can add a lot to those few and yes, they are good advice that would be nice to be able to follow but sometimes we get discouraged and our spirit is wounded.
Is a wounded spirit good for us? NO. Not a single person will try to say depression or a damaged spirit is a good thing. More people are proven to heal better with a positive spirit, with a healthy, unwounded spirit.
When our spirit is wounded it needs to be repair by the greatest physician of all, God. He is the only one who can heal our wounded spirits and we need to cling to Him and find all our hope in HIM. Maybe our lives are falling apart with illness, finances, family, all of those, one of those and we're guaranteed not to get through life without things falling apart sooner or later, but we need to cling to the promise of a new life without all the anguish. Easy to say… I know.
I find it very interesting to read this though--
Pro 18:14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
We can be sustained through our infirmities. We can be. The spirit in us the is the spirit part of us that connects with our Savior and through His strength we can be made strong through our infirmities. If our spirit is wounded we need to pray, pray, pray to be healed in spirit and then we will be able to endure our infirmities no matter the form they take.
May God bless us and keep us in Him, our spirits in Him now and always. By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior now and forever. Amen.
When I read this I was instantly struck by it's truth.
Why do some people overcome when others succumb to all trying situations in life? People will tell you it's the difference between their attitudes. They'll go further and say how courageous a dead person was because of their attitude as they dealt with their terminal illness. They'll say that Soandso died valiantly, fighting the good fight. However not everyone fights that good fight courageously. Some go kicking and screaming, miserable and totally wretched as they move through life's upsets - large and small, serious and non-serious, life-threatening and non-life-threatening.
Attitude- spirit of a man.
The spirit of a man can thrive or be wounded. You know what I'm talking about. We see wounded spirits all the time, we might even have a wounded spirit ourselves. It's the aching of the soul that feels the depth of pain physically or emotionally either, and despair sets in. Depression overtakes the spirit dragging it down into darkness not wanting any light to shine upon it because the despair shouts out the pain to everyone searching endlessly for sympathy, for understanding.
Now lest someone say that I don't understand at all, that depression is an illness that a person can't help, let me reply that I know that the complexity of the brain and it's chemical make-up are astounding and confounding and yes, depression can be an illness. That's what I'm talking about really- illnesses whether chronic or not, whether life-threatening or not, the spirit of a man plays a part in it all. A spirit can be wounded without any fault of a person, or through plenty of fault.
'A wounded spirit who can bear?' I feel for those who suffer medical depression because their wounded spirit is that much more in pain. Truly clinging by faith to our Lord's promise of life everlasting in Him is the saving grace when a wounded spirit is so crushed the infirmities of life seem overwhelming. To those whose spirit sustains them, how marvelous! Their attitude - their outlook on life- their ability to see beyond their infirmity is amazing and a blessing.
There are numerous sayings people hear all the time about life and the attitude we should possess throughout it.
Buck up.
Stick it out.
Be strong.
Chin up.
Look on the bright side.
You can add a lot to those few and yes, they are good advice that would be nice to be able to follow but sometimes we get discouraged and our spirit is wounded.
Is a wounded spirit good for us? NO. Not a single person will try to say depression or a damaged spirit is a good thing. More people are proven to heal better with a positive spirit, with a healthy, unwounded spirit.
When our spirit is wounded it needs to be repair by the greatest physician of all, God. He is the only one who can heal our wounded spirits and we need to cling to Him and find all our hope in HIM. Maybe our lives are falling apart with illness, finances, family, all of those, one of those and we're guaranteed not to get through life without things falling apart sooner or later, but we need to cling to the promise of a new life without all the anguish. Easy to say… I know.
I find it very interesting to read this though--
Pro 18:14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
We can be sustained through our infirmities. We can be. The spirit in us the is the spirit part of us that connects with our Savior and through His strength we can be made strong through our infirmities. If our spirit is wounded we need to pray, pray, pray to be healed in spirit and then we will be able to endure our infirmities no matter the form they take.
May God bless us and keep us in Him, our spirits in Him now and always. By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior now and forever. Amen.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Repent
*******
Repent. When was the last time you repented? This one verse says sooooo much…
Luk 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he REPENT, forgive him.
Luk 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I REPENT; thou shalt forgive him.
IF he repent forgive him.
IF he commits the same offense over and over… and he REPENTS forgive him.
This says so much to us.
God forgives us as we forgive others.
Over and over and over again. Several times in one day. Repenting we need to truly repent not just assume we are forgiven without repenting. Not just ask for forgiveness without feeling the sorrow for our wrong. Not just ask for forgiveness because we KNOW what we've done is wrong. People know all the time what they do is wrong but they still do it without feeling any remorse at all whatsoever. We can't get to that place where we sin and stop feeling the remorse - if we do then we can't repent of that sin. It's better to live in sorrow for sin than to live in acceptance of sin. Better to feel the pain of sin than to cherish the relief of a painless existence and not repent, we can't be forgiven if we don't repent. Sometimes we feel as if we could live in pain forever our sinning is so great, but better to live in that pain and understand the transgressions, right? People want to have a happy, happy life. Anything for happiness. People will tell you that the Bible says we are suppose to live in joy… 'count it all joy' and that's true as well, but not joy in sin. We are to joy in Christ, in the forgiveness that Christ gives to us, in the life Christ offers us, the hope we find in Christ. We can't be happy in our own selves, but only in Christ and we need to learn that. We can repent and we can be forgiven and we can glory in Christ's unending grace but never believe that any sin we commit is acceptable and not worth repenting of.
May God open our hearts and our eyes to our sins so we can ask for the forgiveness we need to ask for, so that we can repent of those sins.
Maybe we'll keep sinning but that's no excuse to accept the sins, not ever. We have to fight the good fight against sin by seeking forgiveness and repenting always…always!
Please Lord bless us, keep us, help us, save us.
In Your love, through Your grace, by Your righteousness now and forever.
Amen.
*******
Job 42:6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and REPENT in dust and ashes.
Eze 14:6 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; REPENT, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
Mat 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
Mat 3:2 And saying, REPENT ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Mat 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, REPENTt: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Luk 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye REPENT, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luk 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he REPENT, forgive him.
Luk 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I REPENT; thou shalt forgive him.
Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, REPENT, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 3:19 REPENT ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Act 8:22 REPENT therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
Act 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to REPENT
Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and REPENT, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou REPENT.
Rev 2:16 REPENT; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
Rev 2:21 And I gave her space to REPENT of her fornication; and she REPENTED not.
Rev 2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they REPENT of their deeds.
Rev 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and REPENT.
*******
Repent
RE'PENT, a. [L. repo, to creep.] Creeping; as a repent root.
REPENT', v.i. [L. re and paeniteo, from paena, pain. Gr. See Paint.]
1. To feel pain, sorrow or regret for something done or spoken; as, to repent that we have lost much time in idleness or sensual pleasure; to repent that we have injured or wounded the feelings of a friend. A person repents only of what he himself has done or said.
2. To express sorrow for something past.
3. To change the mind in consequence of the inconvenience or injury done by past conduct.
Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return. Exo 13.
4. Applied to the Supreme Being, to change the course of providential dealings. Gen 6. Psa 106.
5. In theology, to sorrow or be pained for sin, as a violation of God's holy law, a dishonor to his character and government, and the foulest ingratitude to a Being of infinite benevolence.
Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 13. Acts 3.
REPENT', v.t
1. To remember with sorrow; as, to repent rash words; to repent an injury done to a neighbor; to repent follies and vices. [See Repentance.]
G3340
µeta??e´?
metanoeo¯
met-an-o-eh'-o
From G3326 and G3539; to think differently or afterwards, that is, reconsider (morally to feel compunction): - repent.
G3338
µetaµe´???µa?
metamellomai
met-am-el'-lom-ahee
From G3326 and the middle of G3199; to care afterwards, that is, regret: - repent (self).
H5162
???
na^cham
naw-kham'
A primitive root; properly to sigh, that is, breathe strongly; by implication to be sorry, that is, (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself): - comfort (self), ease [one’s self], repent (-er, -ing, self).
H7725
?????
shu^b
shoob
A primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbially again: - ([break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep]) X again, (cause to) answer (+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call [to mind], carry again (back), cease, X certainly, come again (back) X consider, + continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back, fetch home again, X fro, get [oneself] (back) again, X give (again), go again (back, home), [go] out, hinder, let, [see] more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), X repent, requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, + say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, X surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.
Repenting-
To be sorry.
To remember with sorrow.
To morally feel compunction.
Compunction--
1.
a feeling of uneasiness or anxiety of the conscience caused by regret for doing wrong or causing pain; contrition; remorse.
2.
any uneasiness or hesitation about the rightness of an action.
Repent. When was the last time you repented? This one verse says sooooo much…
Luk 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he REPENT, forgive him.
Luk 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I REPENT; thou shalt forgive him.
IF he repent forgive him.
IF he commits the same offense over and over… and he REPENTS forgive him.
This says so much to us.
God forgives us as we forgive others.
Over and over and over again. Several times in one day. Repenting we need to truly repent not just assume we are forgiven without repenting. Not just ask for forgiveness without feeling the sorrow for our wrong. Not just ask for forgiveness because we KNOW what we've done is wrong. People know all the time what they do is wrong but they still do it without feeling any remorse at all whatsoever. We can't get to that place where we sin and stop feeling the remorse - if we do then we can't repent of that sin. It's better to live in sorrow for sin than to live in acceptance of sin. Better to feel the pain of sin than to cherish the relief of a painless existence and not repent, we can't be forgiven if we don't repent. Sometimes we feel as if we could live in pain forever our sinning is so great, but better to live in that pain and understand the transgressions, right? People want to have a happy, happy life. Anything for happiness. People will tell you that the Bible says we are suppose to live in joy… 'count it all joy' and that's true as well, but not joy in sin. We are to joy in Christ, in the forgiveness that Christ gives to us, in the life Christ offers us, the hope we find in Christ. We can't be happy in our own selves, but only in Christ and we need to learn that. We can repent and we can be forgiven and we can glory in Christ's unending grace but never believe that any sin we commit is acceptable and not worth repenting of.
May God open our hearts and our eyes to our sins so we can ask for the forgiveness we need to ask for, so that we can repent of those sins.
Maybe we'll keep sinning but that's no excuse to accept the sins, not ever. We have to fight the good fight against sin by seeking forgiveness and repenting always…always!
Please Lord bless us, keep us, help us, save us.
In Your love, through Your grace, by Your righteousness now and forever.
Amen.
*******
Job 42:6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and REPENT in dust and ashes.
Eze 14:6 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; REPENT, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
Mat 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
Mat 3:2 And saying, REPENT ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Mat 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, REPENTt: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Luk 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye REPENT, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luk 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he REPENT, forgive him.
Luk 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I REPENT; thou shalt forgive him.
Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, REPENT, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 3:19 REPENT ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Act 8:22 REPENT therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
Act 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to REPENT
Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and REPENT, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou REPENT.
Rev 2:16 REPENT; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
Rev 2:21 And I gave her space to REPENT of her fornication; and she REPENTED not.
Rev 2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they REPENT of their deeds.
Rev 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and REPENT.
*******
Repent
RE'PENT, a. [L. repo, to creep.] Creeping; as a repent root.
REPENT', v.i. [L. re and paeniteo, from paena, pain. Gr. See Paint.]
1. To feel pain, sorrow or regret for something done or spoken; as, to repent that we have lost much time in idleness or sensual pleasure; to repent that we have injured or wounded the feelings of a friend. A person repents only of what he himself has done or said.
2. To express sorrow for something past.
3. To change the mind in consequence of the inconvenience or injury done by past conduct.
Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return. Exo 13.
4. Applied to the Supreme Being, to change the course of providential dealings. Gen 6. Psa 106.
5. In theology, to sorrow or be pained for sin, as a violation of God's holy law, a dishonor to his character and government, and the foulest ingratitude to a Being of infinite benevolence.
Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 13. Acts 3.
REPENT', v.t
1. To remember with sorrow; as, to repent rash words; to repent an injury done to a neighbor; to repent follies and vices. [See Repentance.]
G3340
µeta??e´?
metanoeo¯
met-an-o-eh'-o
From G3326 and G3539; to think differently or afterwards, that is, reconsider (morally to feel compunction): - repent.
G3338
µetaµe´???µa?
metamellomai
met-am-el'-lom-ahee
From G3326 and the middle of G3199; to care afterwards, that is, regret: - repent (self).
H5162
???
na^cham
naw-kham'
A primitive root; properly to sigh, that is, breathe strongly; by implication to be sorry, that is, (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself): - comfort (self), ease [one’s self], repent (-er, -ing, self).
H7725
?????
shu^b
shoob
A primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbially again: - ([break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep]) X again, (cause to) answer (+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call [to mind], carry again (back), cease, X certainly, come again (back) X consider, + continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back, fetch home again, X fro, get [oneself] (back) again, X give (again), go again (back, home), [go] out, hinder, let, [see] more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), X repent, requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, + say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, X surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.
Repenting-
To be sorry.
To remember with sorrow.
To morally feel compunction.
Compunction--
1.
a feeling of uneasiness or anxiety of the conscience caused by regret for doing wrong or causing pain; contrition; remorse.
2.
any uneasiness or hesitation about the rightness of an action.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Study to Be Quiet
1Th 4:11 '...study to be quiet'
Study-
G5389
f???t?µe´?µa?
philotimeomai
fil-ot-im-eh'-om-ahee
Middle voice from a compound of G5384 and G5092; to be fond of honor, that is, emulous (eager or earnest to do somethng.): - labour, strive, study.
Quiet-
G2270
??s??a´??
he¯suchazo¯
hay-soo-khad'-zo
From the same as G2272; to keep still (intransitively), that is, refrain from labor, meddlesomeness or speech: - cease, hold peace, be quiet, rest.
*******
We don't often hear exhortations like that do we? Study to be quiet.
Looking at the Greek definition of the words 'study' and 'quiet' we could also say… strive to rest, labour to hold peace, study to refrain from being meddlesome, strive not to talk.
Still in all, being told to 'study to be quiet' tells us something doesn't it? We are noisy, restless people who don't often find being quiet very easy. Some of us are chatterboxes and we laugh as we tell others how we love to talk and talk. We make light of it because-well- that's just how we are. How easy is it for us to jump into conversations that others might be having without us but we over hear the talking and have our opinion to share. For some, as soon as the thoughts form in their minds they are spouting them out without taking time to think. Have you ever had your mind going a mile a minute with one thought after another? Have you ever been bursting at the seams to just spill out the thoughts you're thinking? Do you find yourself saying 'excuse me' just so you can jump into a conversation, or maybe you don't even ask to be excuse you just start to interject something because you feel what you have to say is relevant. That's it, isn't it? We like to talk because we believe we have something to say others NEED to hear, or WANT to hear. If you didn't think others needed or wanted to hear what you had to say would you still be talking at them, wasting your breath as their eyes glaze over and you get the non-committal nod of half-listening but mostly not? Or perhaps you've been the victim of the angry growl- 'It's none of your business so stay out of it'.
When we talk do we need to be aware of the value of our words? We all know how easy words can turn a happy time into an awful time. We know that truly the tongue is a fire... 'Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity'. With this knowledge in mind, with this fire brand in our mouths ready to strike out and burn any and all around us we don't fully believe in it as something equated with a 'world of iniquity', if we did wouldn't we make a concerted effort to not 'flame' at others, not to let the wicked, sin-filled tongue in our mouths strike out?
Study to be quiet. Strive to be quiet. Labor to be quiet. This is telling us to WORK at being quiet that being quiet might not come quite so natural to us.
I've heard people say they follow of ten second rule, meaning that before they respond to ANYTHING even remotely controversial they'll silently count to ten while thinking about the consequences of the response they might make. That's a good rule, but maybe ten seconds isn't long enough in every situation. At other times as a red-faced, fuming, antagonizing person stands there waiting for a response- ten seconds might seem like five minutes. Giving instantaneous retorts is expected, you might even hear the words - 'Are you going to let them get away with saying that?', if not from others you might hear that from the little sneaky voice inside your head. How often do we respond to stuff harshly because we feel as if our pride has been wounded? We've been hurt by the fiery tongue of another so we feel justified in lashing right back to save our dignity, to preserve our honor, to uphold our selfish idea of the type of person we are and how we deserve to be treated.
Study to be quiet.
You've all heard the saying- 'Think before you speak.' If we 'think' before we speak we are taking time to contemplate the affect our words will have on the situation at hand.
If we are to 'study' to be quiet, we need to truly make an effort to be quiet, don't we?
I read this--
Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Jas 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Every beast, bird, serpent, things of the sea are tamed… true? We wouldn't agree by our definition of tamed but if you think about it NO other creatures have tongues that speak, none! They are tamed by the definition they don't speak and cannot reason as mankind. Our tongues are untamed- no man can tame the tongue- at best we can 'study to be quiet', right?
Jas 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
Meekness of wisdom. Again, we equate being meek as being somehow inferior to being bold and outspoken and in our day and age we prize those who aren't afraid to stand up for themselves, we award those who debate successfully, we extol the virtues of not being meek but rather being bold. The meek get walked on, the meek are dominated, and yet… 'blessed are the meek'.
Our world is twisted and has raised up likewise twisted people. Ungodly, calling the virtues not truly acceptable by God, acceptable. Telling people to empower themselves- this world is so caught up in the devil's snares they think they are following God, if they would only bow down before our Creator, our Redeemer, and beg for forgiveness seeking to have their hearts and minds opened by the Holy Spirit to understand what God desires not what they desire, they would have hope. You can twist the truth until it fits like a square peg in a round hole by wearing down the sides of the square and forcing it to fit, but it won't ever be the peg that was supposed to fit into that hole, it will be a counterfeit that many will be deceived into believing is the true.
May God help us to 'study to be quiet', to be as He would have us be and not as we think we should be, or as the world tells us is acceptable to be. We need to be acceptable to God through the blood of Jesus Christ, through the righteousness of our Savior. We need to live in Him as He would have us live, not as we would naturally desire to live. We need to take up our crosses, we need to strive against sin, we need to cling to Christ and place all our hope, all our faith in Him fully.
By the grace and through the love of our Savior now and forever!
Amen.
Study-
G5389
f???t?µe´?µa?
philotimeomai
fil-ot-im-eh'-om-ahee
Middle voice from a compound of G5384 and G5092; to be fond of honor, that is, emulous (eager or earnest to do somethng.): - labour, strive, study.
Quiet-
G2270
??s??a´??
he¯suchazo¯
hay-soo-khad'-zo
From the same as G2272; to keep still (intransitively), that is, refrain from labor, meddlesomeness or speech: - cease, hold peace, be quiet, rest.
*******
We don't often hear exhortations like that do we? Study to be quiet.
Looking at the Greek definition of the words 'study' and 'quiet' we could also say… strive to rest, labour to hold peace, study to refrain from being meddlesome, strive not to talk.
Still in all, being told to 'study to be quiet' tells us something doesn't it? We are noisy, restless people who don't often find being quiet very easy. Some of us are chatterboxes and we laugh as we tell others how we love to talk and talk. We make light of it because-well- that's just how we are. How easy is it for us to jump into conversations that others might be having without us but we over hear the talking and have our opinion to share. For some, as soon as the thoughts form in their minds they are spouting them out without taking time to think. Have you ever had your mind going a mile a minute with one thought after another? Have you ever been bursting at the seams to just spill out the thoughts you're thinking? Do you find yourself saying 'excuse me' just so you can jump into a conversation, or maybe you don't even ask to be excuse you just start to interject something because you feel what you have to say is relevant. That's it, isn't it? We like to talk because we believe we have something to say others NEED to hear, or WANT to hear. If you didn't think others needed or wanted to hear what you had to say would you still be talking at them, wasting your breath as their eyes glaze over and you get the non-committal nod of half-listening but mostly not? Or perhaps you've been the victim of the angry growl- 'It's none of your business so stay out of it'.
When we talk do we need to be aware of the value of our words? We all know how easy words can turn a happy time into an awful time. We know that truly the tongue is a fire... 'Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity'. With this knowledge in mind, with this fire brand in our mouths ready to strike out and burn any and all around us we don't fully believe in it as something equated with a 'world of iniquity', if we did wouldn't we make a concerted effort to not 'flame' at others, not to let the wicked, sin-filled tongue in our mouths strike out?
Study to be quiet. Strive to be quiet. Labor to be quiet. This is telling us to WORK at being quiet that being quiet might not come quite so natural to us.
I've heard people say they follow of ten second rule, meaning that before they respond to ANYTHING even remotely controversial they'll silently count to ten while thinking about the consequences of the response they might make. That's a good rule, but maybe ten seconds isn't long enough in every situation. At other times as a red-faced, fuming, antagonizing person stands there waiting for a response- ten seconds might seem like five minutes. Giving instantaneous retorts is expected, you might even hear the words - 'Are you going to let them get away with saying that?', if not from others you might hear that from the little sneaky voice inside your head. How often do we respond to stuff harshly because we feel as if our pride has been wounded? We've been hurt by the fiery tongue of another so we feel justified in lashing right back to save our dignity, to preserve our honor, to uphold our selfish idea of the type of person we are and how we deserve to be treated.
Study to be quiet.
You've all heard the saying- 'Think before you speak.' If we 'think' before we speak we are taking time to contemplate the affect our words will have on the situation at hand.
If we are to 'study' to be quiet, we need to truly make an effort to be quiet, don't we?
I read this--
Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Jas 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Every beast, bird, serpent, things of the sea are tamed… true? We wouldn't agree by our definition of tamed but if you think about it NO other creatures have tongues that speak, none! They are tamed by the definition they don't speak and cannot reason as mankind. Our tongues are untamed- no man can tame the tongue- at best we can 'study to be quiet', right?
Jas 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
Meekness of wisdom. Again, we equate being meek as being somehow inferior to being bold and outspoken and in our day and age we prize those who aren't afraid to stand up for themselves, we award those who debate successfully, we extol the virtues of not being meek but rather being bold. The meek get walked on, the meek are dominated, and yet… 'blessed are the meek'.
Our world is twisted and has raised up likewise twisted people. Ungodly, calling the virtues not truly acceptable by God, acceptable. Telling people to empower themselves- this world is so caught up in the devil's snares they think they are following God, if they would only bow down before our Creator, our Redeemer, and beg for forgiveness seeking to have their hearts and minds opened by the Holy Spirit to understand what God desires not what they desire, they would have hope. You can twist the truth until it fits like a square peg in a round hole by wearing down the sides of the square and forcing it to fit, but it won't ever be the peg that was supposed to fit into that hole, it will be a counterfeit that many will be deceived into believing is the true.
May God help us to 'study to be quiet', to be as He would have us be and not as we think we should be, or as the world tells us is acceptable to be. We need to be acceptable to God through the blood of Jesus Christ, through the righteousness of our Savior. We need to live in Him as He would have us live, not as we would naturally desire to live. We need to take up our crosses, we need to strive against sin, we need to cling to Christ and place all our hope, all our faith in Him fully.
By the grace and through the love of our Savior now and forever!
Amen.
Friday, July 2, 2010
'Alive to You, and Dead to Me'
******* (Song)
My Eyes Are Dry
By Keith Green
My eyes are dry, my faith is old,
My heart is hard, my prayers are cold,
And I know how I ought to be,
Alive to you, and dead to me.
Oh what can be done, for an old heart like mine,
Soften it up, with oil and wine.
The oil is You, Your Spirit of love,
Please wash me anew, in the wine of Your blood.
My eyes are dry, my faith is old,
My heart is hard, my prayers are cold,
And I know how I ought to be,
Alive to you, and dead to me.
Oh what can be done, for an old heart like mine,
Soften it up, with oil and wine.
The oil is You, Your Spirit of love,
Please wash me anew, in the wine of Your blood.
*******
That song really touches a place in my heart. The truth is we need to be alive to Christ and dead to ourselves. Alive to the will of God and dead to the will of self.
Jesus said… 'Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. '
Jesus was seeking NOT His own will.
Jesus was seeking the will of His FATHER.
We must seek the will of the Father as well. How can we seek the will of God?
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
The conclusion of the whole matter…. God's Will.
Fear God. God's Will.
Keep God's commandments. God's Will.
Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
The will of God… hearing Jesus, believing in God.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
The will of God- non-conformity to the world, this selfish, selfish world.
The will of God- transformation by the renewing of our minds.
Eph 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart
Eph 6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men
The will of God- servants of Christ from the heart.
The will of God- doing service as to the LORD…. not to self, NOT doing service for the praise of our fellow man, taking NO glory upon ourselves! All glory to God!
1Th 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
1Th 4:2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
1Th 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
1Th 4:5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
Fornication-
G4202
p???e?´a
porneia
por-ni'-ah
From G4203; harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively idolatry: - fornication.
Concupiscence-
G1939
e?p???µ?´a
epithumia
ep-ee-thoo-mee'-ah
From G1937; a longing (especially for what is forbidden): - concupiscence, desire, lust (after).
The will of God- abstain from idolatry, from lusts of the flesh, not desiring things of the worldly, not desiring things the ungodly desire.
We know that self is held up as the great standard for the world.
Self gain
Self glory
Self satisfaction
Self love,
Self knowledge
Self achievement
Self understanding
Self glorification
Self pleasure
Self rights
Self preservation
Self…self… self…SELF! The majority of evil committed in our world stems from self. The majority of sin is committed because of self.
The SABBATH is a unique opportunity to die to self. I'm being convicted in this more and more. The Sabbath was made for us. The Sabbath, a weekly reminder of God and not self, God's will, not our will, God's desires, not our desires. Some say it's contradictory - that if the Sabbath was made for us we ought to be able to all things pleasing to ourselves , God would want us to have all the fun we can because we are told there are six other days to work in and work isn't fun (for the majority anyway). God would have us turn from selfish gain and seek Him fully on the Sabbath without any distractions. God would have us worship Him on the Sabbath knowing that it is only by the grace of God that we live.
As the song above says…
'I know how I ought to be… alive to You and dead to me'
God please bless us this Sabbath as we seek to be alive to YOU and dead to self. Setting aside all that would keep our minds stayed upon ourselves. May all we do be for Your glory, Your honor, Your worship, Your praise. As the blessings of life surround us- and maybe that blessing is solely found in the promise of You and eternal life with You and not anything of this world- as the blessings surround us let us thank You for Your unfathomable love for us.
By Your mercy and grace in the righteousness of our Savior, all glory to You God, all glory to You!
Amen
My Eyes Are Dry
By Keith Green
My eyes are dry, my faith is old,
My heart is hard, my prayers are cold,
And I know how I ought to be,
Alive to you, and dead to me.
Oh what can be done, for an old heart like mine,
Soften it up, with oil and wine.
The oil is You, Your Spirit of love,
Please wash me anew, in the wine of Your blood.
My eyes are dry, my faith is old,
My heart is hard, my prayers are cold,
And I know how I ought to be,
Alive to you, and dead to me.
Oh what can be done, for an old heart like mine,
Soften it up, with oil and wine.
The oil is You, Your Spirit of love,
Please wash me anew, in the wine of Your blood.
*******
That song really touches a place in my heart. The truth is we need to be alive to Christ and dead to ourselves. Alive to the will of God and dead to the will of self.
Jesus said… 'Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. '
Jesus was seeking NOT His own will.
Jesus was seeking the will of His FATHER.
We must seek the will of the Father as well. How can we seek the will of God?
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
The conclusion of the whole matter…. God's Will.
Fear God. God's Will.
Keep God's commandments. God's Will.
Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
The will of God… hearing Jesus, believing in God.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
The will of God- non-conformity to the world, this selfish, selfish world.
The will of God- transformation by the renewing of our minds.
Eph 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart
Eph 6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men
The will of God- servants of Christ from the heart.
The will of God- doing service as to the LORD…. not to self, NOT doing service for the praise of our fellow man, taking NO glory upon ourselves! All glory to God!
1Th 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
1Th 4:2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
1Th 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
1Th 4:5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
Fornication-
G4202
p???e?´a
porneia
por-ni'-ah
From G4203; harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively idolatry: - fornication.
Concupiscence-
G1939
e?p???µ?´a
epithumia
ep-ee-thoo-mee'-ah
From G1937; a longing (especially for what is forbidden): - concupiscence, desire, lust (after).
The will of God- abstain from idolatry, from lusts of the flesh, not desiring things of the worldly, not desiring things the ungodly desire.
We know that self is held up as the great standard for the world.
Self gain
Self glory
Self satisfaction
Self love,
Self knowledge
Self achievement
Self understanding
Self glorification
Self pleasure
Self rights
Self preservation
Self…self… self…SELF! The majority of evil committed in our world stems from self. The majority of sin is committed because of self.
The SABBATH is a unique opportunity to die to self. I'm being convicted in this more and more. The Sabbath was made for us. The Sabbath, a weekly reminder of God and not self, God's will, not our will, God's desires, not our desires. Some say it's contradictory - that if the Sabbath was made for us we ought to be able to all things pleasing to ourselves , God would want us to have all the fun we can because we are told there are six other days to work in and work isn't fun (for the majority anyway). God would have us turn from selfish gain and seek Him fully on the Sabbath without any distractions. God would have us worship Him on the Sabbath knowing that it is only by the grace of God that we live.
As the song above says…
'I know how I ought to be… alive to You and dead to me'
God please bless us this Sabbath as we seek to be alive to YOU and dead to self. Setting aside all that would keep our minds stayed upon ourselves. May all we do be for Your glory, Your honor, Your worship, Your praise. As the blessings of life surround us- and maybe that blessing is solely found in the promise of You and eternal life with You and not anything of this world- as the blessings surround us let us thank You for Your unfathomable love for us.
By Your mercy and grace in the righteousness of our Savior, all glory to You God, all glory to You!
Amen
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Paths of the Destroyer
Psa 17:4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
Psa 17:5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
We desperately need God to hold up our goings in His paths… that our feet don't slip off that path. It's sooooo easy to be caught up in the works of men. They surround us, the worldly ways, the works of men. There is a HUGE difference between the works of men and the works of God, the ways of men and the ways of God. Jesus was in the world but not OF the world. We are called to be IN the world but not OF the world. We really need to differentiate between the two ways of life and if you think it's easy, it isn't.
Most of us are brought up in the ways of the world, the ways of men. We are blessed and born again unto God and His ways through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as adults or teenagers.
Though some are brought up in Christian families - this is my experience, my family were Sunday and Holiday- Church Christians with Vacation Bible School thrown in but there was no day to day worship other than memorized prayers at meal times and bedtime. I was luckier than a lot of children who grow up without any knowledge of God at all. However, I still believe I grew up in the ways of Men, in the paths of the world. God as being the most important thing in life was not something I grew up believing and I'm NOT going to blame my parents, they were very loving and kind parents (not perfect but no one is) they raised me to the best of their ability.
The point being is our connection to the world. Most of us grow up in the ways of the world not the ways of God. Because we are brought up in the ways of the world later on it is often hard to separate all the ways of the world from the ways of God. You'd think it'd be fairly easy but it really isn't.
You look at certain religions- Quakers and the Amish come to mind and they have their own communities geared towards their religion and their children are brought up in those ways. I'm not saying those are great religions or even going to pretend I know much about them, I don't. What I do know is their children at a certain age are allowed to go out into the world to experience it and decide which way they want to follow and...
"Most (some 85-90%) successfully negotiate this "causal time" of their lives and return to the fold."
Pasted from
We read this…
Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Jesus doesn't pray that we are taken OUT of the world-- but boy wouldn't it be great to be taken out of the worldly ways? To live in a community of Christian believers sharing the same beliefs and honoring God? I know, I know, immediately the idea of CULTS come to mind, and I don't support cult living. In fact from those verses above we know we aren't to be taken out of the world but to be kept from evil.
Most of us don't have the opportunity to live OUT of the world. The worldly ways are all around us, even for those who do livei n the mountains and such. Worldly ways some how seem to creep into our lives in ways we don't suspect or even want to suspect.
Psa 17:4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
Psa 17:5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
Concerning the works of men
By the word of God's lips
I have kept me
From the paths of the destroyer
We need to keep ourselves from the paths of the destroyer found in the works of men.
We need to keep ourselves from being destroyed.
We need God to hold up our goings in HIS paths so we don't slip off HIS path.
This should be our prayer. We aren't to be taken out of the world but we will be kept from evil but ONLY through God, through the righteousness of our Lord and Savior.
Let us examine our paths. Let us pay attention to our lives and ask ourselves if our ways are God's ways and if they are not- rather than get bogged down in discouragement over how worldly we really are- pray. Pray to be kept from evil. Pray to have our goings in God's path, and that our feet don't slip. Pray and as convictions enter our hearts pray harder to be able to surrender the evils we cherish to God. Above all do NOT let Satan convince you that you'll never be right with God, that you can't follow His path. Pray and surrender to Christ, repent, ask for forgiveness over and over and over again if you have to. Trust in Christ for the victory found ONLY in Him, through HIM and His love and mercy.
By the grace and all consuming love, through the righteousness of our Lord and Savior now and forever, all glory and honor, all praise to Him!
Amen
Psa 17:5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
We desperately need God to hold up our goings in His paths… that our feet don't slip off that path. It's sooooo easy to be caught up in the works of men. They surround us, the worldly ways, the works of men. There is a HUGE difference between the works of men and the works of God, the ways of men and the ways of God. Jesus was in the world but not OF the world. We are called to be IN the world but not OF the world. We really need to differentiate between the two ways of life and if you think it's easy, it isn't.
Most of us are brought up in the ways of the world, the ways of men. We are blessed and born again unto God and His ways through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as adults or teenagers.
Though some are brought up in Christian families - this is my experience, my family were Sunday and Holiday- Church Christians with Vacation Bible School thrown in but there was no day to day worship other than memorized prayers at meal times and bedtime. I was luckier than a lot of children who grow up without any knowledge of God at all. However, I still believe I grew up in the ways of Men, in the paths of the world. God as being the most important thing in life was not something I grew up believing and I'm NOT going to blame my parents, they were very loving and kind parents (not perfect but no one is) they raised me to the best of their ability.
The point being is our connection to the world. Most of us grow up in the ways of the world not the ways of God. Because we are brought up in the ways of the world later on it is often hard to separate all the ways of the world from the ways of God. You'd think it'd be fairly easy but it really isn't.
You look at certain religions- Quakers and the Amish come to mind and they have their own communities geared towards their religion and their children are brought up in those ways. I'm not saying those are great religions or even going to pretend I know much about them, I don't. What I do know is their children at a certain age are allowed to go out into the world to experience it and decide which way they want to follow and...
"Most (some 85-90%) successfully negotiate this "causal time" of their lives and return to the fold."
Pasted from
We read this…
Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Jesus doesn't pray that we are taken OUT of the world-- but boy wouldn't it be great to be taken out of the worldly ways? To live in a community of Christian believers sharing the same beliefs and honoring God? I know, I know, immediately the idea of CULTS come to mind, and I don't support cult living. In fact from those verses above we know we aren't to be taken out of the world but to be kept from evil.
Most of us don't have the opportunity to live OUT of the world. The worldly ways are all around us, even for those who do livei n the mountains and such. Worldly ways some how seem to creep into our lives in ways we don't suspect or even want to suspect.
Psa 17:4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
Psa 17:5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
Concerning the works of men
By the word of God's lips
I have kept me
From the paths of the destroyer
We need to keep ourselves from the paths of the destroyer found in the works of men.
We need to keep ourselves from being destroyed.
We need God to hold up our goings in HIS paths so we don't slip off HIS path.
This should be our prayer. We aren't to be taken out of the world but we will be kept from evil but ONLY through God, through the righteousness of our Lord and Savior.
Let us examine our paths. Let us pay attention to our lives and ask ourselves if our ways are God's ways and if they are not- rather than get bogged down in discouragement over how worldly we really are- pray. Pray to be kept from evil. Pray to have our goings in God's path, and that our feet don't slip. Pray and as convictions enter our hearts pray harder to be able to surrender the evils we cherish to God. Above all do NOT let Satan convince you that you'll never be right with God, that you can't follow His path. Pray and surrender to Christ, repent, ask for forgiveness over and over and over again if you have to. Trust in Christ for the victory found ONLY in Him, through HIM and His love and mercy.
By the grace and all consuming love, through the righteousness of our Lord and Savior now and forever, all glory and honor, all praise to Him!
Amen
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Better than Life
Job 23:12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
God's commandments, God's words mean more than NECESSARY food. To honor God, to obey God is true life. Our life here and now is sustained physically by food, but what good is our physical life if we don't have the love God and the desire to live for God in our hearts? Are the words of God more important to you than life here and now?
Psa 17:1 A Prayer of David. Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.
How can our lips be feigned? We can speak all we want of God's love but if it's not real in our lives, if it's not real in our hearts then all we say and do is false and God's knows. People know too don't they? I mean really. People can look at 'so called' Christians and laugh, knowing that they profess something they don't truly live. The excuse of being human - you know the one- I'm only human so of course I'll still act ungodly and blame it on my humanity, that excuse people see through as well. Yes, that saying- 'Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven' is another excuse. It's true, but it's an excuse at the same time. There is a marked difference in those who follow God and those who follow the world. Instead of making any excuses a sinful Christian will seek to repent, to ask for forgiveness not try to lessen the blame of their actions. Our lips can be feigned and God knows the truth of all we say and do. We want God to hear us and He will, He does, and He knows the truth.
Psa 63:3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Better than life is God's lovingkindness and we need to praise Him more with that realization. We are so quick to blame God, to question God as life's problems surmount, but the truth is God's lovingkindness is better than life- the life we seem to think should be easy and without problems. We want our life and the lives of others to be endurable on a human level of what we consider relatively problem free. We place such great store on our lives and in doing so we often hold it higher than God. God's love is everything, God's lovingkindness is better than our life. Our lives are temporary here on earth and then temporarily in death's sleep in the grave until Christ returns. These temporary lives of ours are nothing compared to the love of God which lasts forever and is from forever. If anyone asks you what is better than life we can honestly answer- God's lovingkindness is better than life- all praise and glory to Him!
Psa 119:72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.
Psa 119:131 I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.
The law of GOD'S mouth…. better than great amounts of gold and silver. Again, it is God who is important, all important, not anything material in our lives. We have to think about what we really believe is important in life- is it life itself or the way it's lived? Would we be willing to lose all things and still love God? Or would we rather keep all things and lose God? Ultimately God is everything, everything of God is important. To esteem God's word better than any riches at all you could ever possess is a good thing. To LONG for God's word, to PANT for God's commands to us shows a great desperation for the things of God. Do we have this desperation for the things of God? Is God truly THAT important to us? We have to question ourselves, we know we have to examine ourselves we have to answer for our lives and the way we live and the choices we make. The more we examine our lives the greater the realization our need of a Savior is revealed. The need for the grace of God is all encompassing. The understanding that it is only through the righteousness of Christ we truly live by His grace is so important.
Obviously I've been doing just a short study on the 'mouth and lips' and it's a study that can be undertaken in depth there is so much to learn. It is my prayer that God bless us with understanding, opening our hearts and minds to Him fully. May we be convicted of the importance of placing God first and foremost in our lives- even above our lives for He is all in all.
By His Grace.
Amen.
God's commandments, God's words mean more than NECESSARY food. To honor God, to obey God is true life. Our life here and now is sustained physically by food, but what good is our physical life if we don't have the love God and the desire to live for God in our hearts? Are the words of God more important to you than life here and now?
Psa 17:1 A Prayer of David. Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.
How can our lips be feigned? We can speak all we want of God's love but if it's not real in our lives, if it's not real in our hearts then all we say and do is false and God's knows. People know too don't they? I mean really. People can look at 'so called' Christians and laugh, knowing that they profess something they don't truly live. The excuse of being human - you know the one- I'm only human so of course I'll still act ungodly and blame it on my humanity, that excuse people see through as well. Yes, that saying- 'Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven' is another excuse. It's true, but it's an excuse at the same time. There is a marked difference in those who follow God and those who follow the world. Instead of making any excuses a sinful Christian will seek to repent, to ask for forgiveness not try to lessen the blame of their actions. Our lips can be feigned and God knows the truth of all we say and do. We want God to hear us and He will, He does, and He knows the truth.
Psa 63:3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Better than life is God's lovingkindness and we need to praise Him more with that realization. We are so quick to blame God, to question God as life's problems surmount, but the truth is God's lovingkindness is better than life- the life we seem to think should be easy and without problems. We want our life and the lives of others to be endurable on a human level of what we consider relatively problem free. We place such great store on our lives and in doing so we often hold it higher than God. God's love is everything, God's lovingkindness is better than our life. Our lives are temporary here on earth and then temporarily in death's sleep in the grave until Christ returns. These temporary lives of ours are nothing compared to the love of God which lasts forever and is from forever. If anyone asks you what is better than life we can honestly answer- God's lovingkindness is better than life- all praise and glory to Him!
Psa 119:72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.
Psa 119:131 I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.
The law of GOD'S mouth…. better than great amounts of gold and silver. Again, it is God who is important, all important, not anything material in our lives. We have to think about what we really believe is important in life- is it life itself or the way it's lived? Would we be willing to lose all things and still love God? Or would we rather keep all things and lose God? Ultimately God is everything, everything of God is important. To esteem God's word better than any riches at all you could ever possess is a good thing. To LONG for God's word, to PANT for God's commands to us shows a great desperation for the things of God. Do we have this desperation for the things of God? Is God truly THAT important to us? We have to question ourselves, we know we have to examine ourselves we have to answer for our lives and the way we live and the choices we make. The more we examine our lives the greater the realization our need of a Savior is revealed. The need for the grace of God is all encompassing. The understanding that it is only through the righteousness of Christ we truly live by His grace is so important.
Obviously I've been doing just a short study on the 'mouth and lips' and it's a study that can be undertaken in depth there is so much to learn. It is my prayer that God bless us with understanding, opening our hearts and minds to Him fully. May we be convicted of the importance of placing God first and foremost in our lives- even above our lives for He is all in all.
By His Grace.
Amen.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Surrendering Evil
Act 19:20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
Paul stayed in Asia continuing to preach the Word of God. Many were converted, many burned their evil books and changed their lives so that Christ was first and foremost. They believed in those books and the sorcery within them. The books were expensive unlike our paperback books we can get for a dime a dozen at a garage sale. They had no printing press back then. These books were valuable and they burned them signifying the change in their lives. The heart change.
Not all were willing to change... Read on...
Act 19:21 After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.
Act 19:22 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
Act 19:23 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.
Act 19:24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
Act 19:25 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
Act 19:26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
Act 19:27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
Act 19:28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Act 19:29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
Act 19:30 And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
Act 19:31 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.
Act 19:32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
Act 19:33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.
Act 19:34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Act 19:35 And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?
Act 19:36 Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
Act 19:37 For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
Act 19:38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.
Act 19:39 But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
Act 19:40 For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
Act 19:41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
Act 20:1 And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.
This whole city was filled with confusion. The merchants didn't want anyone preaching about the one true God who didn't need any shrines, idols, or any sort of images crafted; this was how they made their money off the worship of the goddess Diana. If the One true God were worshipped they'd lose their coveted livelihood and not even eternal life was worth that to them.
How would you react to a similar situation? Think about it. How do you make a living? How do you survive in our world? Where does your livelihood come from? What if you had to suddenly choose between your way of making a living and God. We want to be able to say we'd give up everything and anything for God but do we really mean it? Seriously, do we? Chances are your way of making a living won't interfere with your ability to worship God, but what if you found out it did? These men couldn't imagine anything worth taking away their livelihood and more than likely they perished without accepting the Lord as their Savior and they won't have eternal life. Are there things in our lives we cling to rather than give up for God? Maybe it's not as challenging as being asked to give up your entire way of life, but we really need to examine our lives and question whether or not we do anything that we wouldn't want to do with God. Salvation through Christ is a gift, an amazing, wondrous gift. Yet we know that God will have us have...NO other gods before Him. Back in the days of the Apostles people were convicted to give up the wrongs in their lives, to give up the evil that surrounded them, we are asked to give up no less. We might not worship the goddess Diane, we might not have books full of curious arts- sorcery, but we can be sure there are things today comparable to the evils of the past and we must surrender them just as they did long ago.
May God bless us and convict us of the evil in our lives so that we may give it up and live in Him fully. By His righteousness, in His grace through His mercy and love now and forever!
Amen.
Paul stayed in Asia continuing to preach the Word of God. Many were converted, many burned their evil books and changed their lives so that Christ was first and foremost. They believed in those books and the sorcery within them. The books were expensive unlike our paperback books we can get for a dime a dozen at a garage sale. They had no printing press back then. These books were valuable and they burned them signifying the change in their lives. The heart change.
Not all were willing to change... Read on...
Act 19:21 After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.
Act 19:22 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
Act 19:23 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.
Act 19:24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
Act 19:25 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
Act 19:26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
Act 19:27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
Act 19:28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Act 19:29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
Act 19:30 And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
Act 19:31 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.
Act 19:32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
Act 19:33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.
Act 19:34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Act 19:35 And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?
Act 19:36 Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
Act 19:37 For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
Act 19:38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.
Act 19:39 But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
Act 19:40 For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
Act 19:41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
Act 20:1 And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.
This whole city was filled with confusion. The merchants didn't want anyone preaching about the one true God who didn't need any shrines, idols, or any sort of images crafted; this was how they made their money off the worship of the goddess Diana. If the One true God were worshipped they'd lose their coveted livelihood and not even eternal life was worth that to them.
How would you react to a similar situation? Think about it. How do you make a living? How do you survive in our world? Where does your livelihood come from? What if you had to suddenly choose between your way of making a living and God. We want to be able to say we'd give up everything and anything for God but do we really mean it? Seriously, do we? Chances are your way of making a living won't interfere with your ability to worship God, but what if you found out it did? These men couldn't imagine anything worth taking away their livelihood and more than likely they perished without accepting the Lord as their Savior and they won't have eternal life. Are there things in our lives we cling to rather than give up for God? Maybe it's not as challenging as being asked to give up your entire way of life, but we really need to examine our lives and question whether or not we do anything that we wouldn't want to do with God. Salvation through Christ is a gift, an amazing, wondrous gift. Yet we know that God will have us have...NO other gods before Him. Back in the days of the Apostles people were convicted to give up the wrongs in their lives, to give up the evil that surrounded them, we are asked to give up no less. We might not worship the goddess Diane, we might not have books full of curious arts- sorcery, but we can be sure there are things today comparable to the evils of the past and we must surrender them just as they did long ago.
May God bless us and convict us of the evil in our lives so that we may give it up and live in Him fully. By His righteousness, in His grace through His mercy and love now and forever!
Amen.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Word of God Prevails
Yesterday we touched on the fact that there is power in the name of Jesus and those who falsely attempt to use the name of Jesus have none of that power. Evil is real, evil spirits are real and they know Jesus and His true followers. We read from Acts 19: 13-16 and learned that certain 'vagabond jews', 'exorcists' who tried to cast out an evil spirit were beaten by the evil spirit instead. Picking up from there we read...
Acts 19:17 'And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.'
Fear fell on the people. They knew that Paul could cast out evil spirits in the name of Jesus, yet others couldn't cast them out because they didn't have that true love of Jesus. Jesus' name was 'magnified'. The power of Jesus was realized by others and this was a very, very good thing.
Acts 19:18,19 'And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.'
We talk about book burnings and today we cry out how wrong it is to burn books, it's limiting our freedom to have knowledge about all things. Book bans, book burnings, seem to be so archaic to us in our society. Yet these people who were compelled to learn of Jesus and live for Him 'confessed and shewed their deeds' burning their book.
The deeds of these many were 'curious arts'... witchcraft, the occult.
(ISV) Acts 19:19 'Moreover, many people who had practiced occult arts gathered their books and burned them in front of everybody. They estimated the price of them and found they were worth 50,000 silver coins.'
The occult, witchcraft and the like. It was a real practice, just as real then as it is today even though many today consider it harmless and silly. These people had books for their occult practicing, books worth 50,000 silver coins! They realized how wrong their witchcraft was and burned their occult books signaling their change of heart. Costly books were destroyed as an outward display of new faith was shown.
When people come to know their Lord and Savior they realize the wrong things in their lives and as the light reveals the dark parts in their lives they are compelled to change. Conversion often brings a marked changed in a person's life. But today in Christianity here in America, here in the world I live in, people seem more accepting of the darkness excusing the wrong things and readily saying 'God understands'. God does understand, people don't seem to though. Darkness cannot be made light, darkness cannot be made acceptable just because we want to be excused for the things in our lives we don't want to, or find hard to, give up. Sin is sin and no amount of desire to excuse that sin will change it to sinlessness. Just as those newly converted to the love of Christ realize how evil their lives have been and repent of that evil, we need to daily examine our lives and seek to repent of the things in our lives we are convicted are sin. We need to burn the books in our lives so to speak, we need to give up the practices we know are not of God. These people who were practicing 'curious arts' burned their costly books and...
'So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.'
The word of God grew!
The word of God prevailed!
This means the love of God was filling the hearts of many. Today the love of God needs to fill our hearts with a genuine love, a real conversion, a continued love, a continued conversion. The love of God doesn't convict and then wax cold, not if we keep it a live in our hearts. As the love of God convicts we need to react to the convicting as He would have us react. May the love of God continue to grow and prevail, may His word ever prevail and continue to grow now and forever!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior! In Him now and always! Through the righteousness of Christ!
Amen.
Acts 19:17 'And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.'
Fear fell on the people. They knew that Paul could cast out evil spirits in the name of Jesus, yet others couldn't cast them out because they didn't have that true love of Jesus. Jesus' name was 'magnified'. The power of Jesus was realized by others and this was a very, very good thing.
Acts 19:18,19 'And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.'
We talk about book burnings and today we cry out how wrong it is to burn books, it's limiting our freedom to have knowledge about all things. Book bans, book burnings, seem to be so archaic to us in our society. Yet these people who were compelled to learn of Jesus and live for Him 'confessed and shewed their deeds' burning their book.
The deeds of these many were 'curious arts'... witchcraft, the occult.
(ISV) Acts 19:19 'Moreover, many people who had practiced occult arts gathered their books and burned them in front of everybody. They estimated the price of them and found they were worth 50,000 silver coins.'
The occult, witchcraft and the like. It was a real practice, just as real then as it is today even though many today consider it harmless and silly. These people had books for their occult practicing, books worth 50,000 silver coins! They realized how wrong their witchcraft was and burned their occult books signaling their change of heart. Costly books were destroyed as an outward display of new faith was shown.
When people come to know their Lord and Savior they realize the wrong things in their lives and as the light reveals the dark parts in their lives they are compelled to change. Conversion often brings a marked changed in a person's life. But today in Christianity here in America, here in the world I live in, people seem more accepting of the darkness excusing the wrong things and readily saying 'God understands'. God does understand, people don't seem to though. Darkness cannot be made light, darkness cannot be made acceptable just because we want to be excused for the things in our lives we don't want to, or find hard to, give up. Sin is sin and no amount of desire to excuse that sin will change it to sinlessness. Just as those newly converted to the love of Christ realize how evil their lives have been and repent of that evil, we need to daily examine our lives and seek to repent of the things in our lives we are convicted are sin. We need to burn the books in our lives so to speak, we need to give up the practices we know are not of God. These people who were practicing 'curious arts' burned their costly books and...
'So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.'
The word of God grew!
The word of God prevailed!
This means the love of God was filling the hearts of many. Today the love of God needs to fill our hearts with a genuine love, a real conversion, a continued love, a continued conversion. The love of God doesn't convict and then wax cold, not if we keep it a live in our hearts. As the love of God convicts we need to react to the convicting as He would have us react. May the love of God continue to grow and prevail, may His word ever prevail and continue to grow now and forever!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior! In Him now and always! Through the righteousness of Christ!
Amen.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
The Name of Jesus
Act 19:13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
Act 19:14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
Act 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
Act 19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Act 19:17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
There is power in the name of Jesus, power we can call on but not falsely. We have to have a real relationship with Jesus, a true relationship with our Lord and Savior. Simply using His name isn't enough.
Devil's believe and they tremble. Devil's know Jesus and His true followers. Those who don't have a living, breathing, relationship with God, with their Savior, can't expect the mere mention of the Lord's name to work for them as they want it to work. These men- these vagabond Jews, these exorcists, wanted to rid a man of an evil spirit. These men knew Jesus truly cast out evil spirits. These men knew that Paul, an apostle of Jesus, cast out evil spirits in the name of the Lord. These men had the idea that if they used the name of the Lord they could cast out evil spirits too. The Holy Spirit wasn't in these men and the evil spirit knew that these were men who were not in any way connected to Jesus. There was no love of Jesus, no love of God in these men and the evil spirit knew they had no power to destroy and was free to attack them which it did with a vengeance.
We can't imagine evil spirits in this way, and we can't imagine true exorcism. This sort of thing might have happened in Jesus' day but not in our day. So where have all the evil spirits gone? I'm not saying I want to confront an evil spirit, far from it!!! I hope never to encounter one, never! I hope and pray that my relationship with my Savior is a pure and strong relationship, a just and true relationship so that if ever I'm in such a situation and I can call upon the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that the Holy Spirit will dwell in me and the power of the Lord will be revealed. No glory, no honor to me, but all glory and honor to God. May we all seek to have a true relationship with our Lord, may we all be found in Him so that if we ever are in any situation that will test our faith, our faith will remain firm in Him.
By His grace and mercy, through His righteousness, in His amazing love now and forever, all glory and honor to Him!
Amen.
Act 19:14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
Act 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
Act 19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Act 19:17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
There is power in the name of Jesus, power we can call on but not falsely. We have to have a real relationship with Jesus, a true relationship with our Lord and Savior. Simply using His name isn't enough.
Devil's believe and they tremble. Devil's know Jesus and His true followers. Those who don't have a living, breathing, relationship with God, with their Savior, can't expect the mere mention of the Lord's name to work for them as they want it to work. These men- these vagabond Jews, these exorcists, wanted to rid a man of an evil spirit. These men knew Jesus truly cast out evil spirits. These men knew that Paul, an apostle of Jesus, cast out evil spirits in the name of the Lord. These men had the idea that if they used the name of the Lord they could cast out evil spirits too. The Holy Spirit wasn't in these men and the evil spirit knew that these were men who were not in any way connected to Jesus. There was no love of Jesus, no love of God in these men and the evil spirit knew they had no power to destroy and was free to attack them which it did with a vengeance.
We can't imagine evil spirits in this way, and we can't imagine true exorcism. This sort of thing might have happened in Jesus' day but not in our day. So where have all the evil spirits gone? I'm not saying I want to confront an evil spirit, far from it!!! I hope never to encounter one, never! I hope and pray that my relationship with my Savior is a pure and strong relationship, a just and true relationship so that if ever I'm in such a situation and I can call upon the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that the Holy Spirit will dwell in me and the power of the Lord will be revealed. No glory, no honor to me, but all glory and honor to God. May we all seek to have a true relationship with our Lord, may we all be found in Him so that if we ever are in any situation that will test our faith, our faith will remain firm in Him.
By His grace and mercy, through His righteousness, in His amazing love now and forever, all glory and honor to Him!
Amen.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Ambassadors For Christ
2Co 5:20,21 6:1-10
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ
as though God did beseech you by us
we pray you in Christ's stead
be ye reconciled to God.
For he hath made him to be sin for us
who knew no sin
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
We then, as workers together with him
beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
(For he saith,
I have heard thee in a time accepted,
and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee:
behold, now is the accepted time
behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Giving no offence in any thing,
that the ministry be not blamed:
But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God,
in much patience,
in afflictions
in necessities
in distresses
In stripes
in imprisonments
in tumults
in labours
in watchings
in fastings
By pureness
by knowledge
by longsuffering
by kindness
by the Holy Ghost
by love unfeigned,
By the word of truth,
by the power of God
by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
By honour and dishonour
by evil report and good report
as deceivers, and yet true
As unknown and yet well known
as dying, and, behold, we live
as chastened, and not killed;
As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing
as poor, yet making many rich
as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ
as though God did beseech you by us
we pray you in Christ's stead
be ye reconciled to God.
For he hath made him to be sin for us
who knew no sin
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
We then, as workers together with him
beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
(For he saith,
I have heard thee in a time accepted,
and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee:
behold, now is the accepted time
behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Giving no offence in any thing,
that the ministry be not blamed:
But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God,
in much patience,
in afflictions
in necessities
in distresses
In stripes
in imprisonments
in tumults
in labours
in watchings
in fastings
By pureness
by knowledge
by longsuffering
by kindness
by the Holy Ghost
by love unfeigned,
By the word of truth,
by the power of God
by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
By honour and dishonour
by evil report and good report
as deceivers, and yet true
As unknown and yet well known
as dying, and, behold, we live
as chastened, and not killed;
As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing
as poor, yet making many rich
as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Riches and Poor Pride
Jas 1:10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
Jas 1:11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
No matter our financial situation in the end we all have the same fate and there is no getting out of that. All the money in the world does not buy life. Some would beg to differ stating money gets you better, more quality medical care and there is no disputing that. But money cannot keep illness away. You could live in an entirely sterile environment and become ill. There is NO escaping time. No matter the money you have you have to live, you have to die. Some argue that they'd rather be rich living than poor and that's a given. But being rich is not the answer to life. Being rich comes with a tremendous responsibility a lot of rich people don't want to think about. The responsibility to use the riches in a Godly way, meaning using the money they have in a way God would approve of.
We really do want to believe money will solve most of our problems. I know I think money would transform my life in many ways and I'd be this very giving person using my wealth as God would want me to do, and yet in the end would I? Money can corrupt and does so very easily. I know it's my prayer that God only allow me the wealth that will not corrupt me and turn me from Him in any way. If being poor is my lot then so be it. By the grace of God may all those who are rich keep from corruption knowing that ...'as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.'
Also... please Lord humble me in all my ways. The poor can be proud and sometimes even more proud than the rich wearing their poverty as a badge of godliness.
Pro 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Life is filled with many, many obstacles and we just really need to seek the Lord in all we do. We need to go to His word for direction a lot more than we do.
Rich or poor we need the Lord equally. We all have the same fate - living and dying - with all that comes in between and by the grace of God will we live IN HIM always.
Amen.
Jas 1:11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
No matter our financial situation in the end we all have the same fate and there is no getting out of that. All the money in the world does not buy life. Some would beg to differ stating money gets you better, more quality medical care and there is no disputing that. But money cannot keep illness away. You could live in an entirely sterile environment and become ill. There is NO escaping time. No matter the money you have you have to live, you have to die. Some argue that they'd rather be rich living than poor and that's a given. But being rich is not the answer to life. Being rich comes with a tremendous responsibility a lot of rich people don't want to think about. The responsibility to use the riches in a Godly way, meaning using the money they have in a way God would approve of.
We really do want to believe money will solve most of our problems. I know I think money would transform my life in many ways and I'd be this very giving person using my wealth as God would want me to do, and yet in the end would I? Money can corrupt and does so very easily. I know it's my prayer that God only allow me the wealth that will not corrupt me and turn me from Him in any way. If being poor is my lot then so be it. By the grace of God may all those who are rich keep from corruption knowing that ...'as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.'
Also... please Lord humble me in all my ways. The poor can be proud and sometimes even more proud than the rich wearing their poverty as a badge of godliness.
Pro 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Life is filled with many, many obstacles and we just really need to seek the Lord in all we do. We need to go to His word for direction a lot more than we do.
Rich or poor we need the Lord equally. We all have the same fate - living and dying - with all that comes in between and by the grace of God will we live IN HIM always.
Amen.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Keep the door to my lips
Psa 141:3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
This is my prayer! Please Lord, please set a watch before my mouth! Keep the door of my lips!
How often words I never mean to say escape me before I have sense enough to keep from saying them. How often my mouth gets me into trouble, not only with words but with eating. Truly my mouth is wicked, just as the tongue is wicked.
Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
No man can tame the tongue but God isn't a man.
Please Lord, set a watch before my mouth! Keep the door of my lips!
Speaking is a blessing and a curse, not many can deny that.
Jas 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
Pro 21:23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
Pro 15:4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
Pro 15:2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
Please Lord! Set a watch before my mouth! Keep the door of my lips! This is my prayer Lord. May Your love fill me, by Your grace, Your mercy, Your lovingkindness, through your righteousness now and forever!
Amen
This is my prayer! Please Lord, please set a watch before my mouth! Keep the door of my lips!
How often words I never mean to say escape me before I have sense enough to keep from saying them. How often my mouth gets me into trouble, not only with words but with eating. Truly my mouth is wicked, just as the tongue is wicked.
Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
No man can tame the tongue but God isn't a man.
Please Lord, set a watch before my mouth! Keep the door of my lips!
Speaking is a blessing and a curse, not many can deny that.
Jas 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
Pro 21:23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
Pro 15:4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
Pro 15:2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
Please Lord! Set a watch before my mouth! Keep the door of my lips! This is my prayer Lord. May Your love fill me, by Your grace, Your mercy, Your lovingkindness, through your righteousness now and forever!
Amen
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Powers of Heaven
Luk 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Powers….
G1411
d?´?aµ??
dunamis
doo'-nam-is
From G1410; force (literally or figuratively); specifically miraculous power (usually by implication a miracle itself): - ability, abundance, meaning, might (-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle (-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work.
The miraculous power of God is every where. To imagine the powers of heaven being shaken is something amazing. I can fully understand 'men's hearts failing them for fear' when we delve into the mighty power of God unleashed in the heavens. We think about storms we've experienced and we talk about nature going wild unleashing it's powers and we tremble, really we do, not that many will admit to it until they've gone through a tornado, hurricane, flood, fire, lightening strike, torrential downpours, and so on. In the aftermath of such things having witnessed the power of *nature* we realize just how out of control of our own lives we really are. Compared to the powers of nature we have little if non-existent power to combat it face to face. We can hide from nature's assaults, we can run, we can do all we know how to protect ourselves and a lot of times we are left unharmed, but that still doesn't keep us from witnessing the power of the force at hand. People sometimes blame God for allowing things to happen, but in truth all destruction stems from Satan and the fact our first parents succumbed to His evil. God allows, but God is not the reason. We have disaster movies depicting end of the world scenarios with all of natures power unleashed destroying the earth and truly our fear would mimic the fear of the people in those movies only ours would be real fear.
Not only do we think of the 'powers of heaven shall be shaken' as a worldly upset, but in truth the power of heaven shaken in the realization of the end of mankind as we know will be at hand. The power of God will be fully realized by everyone for better or worse for them and we can only hope and pray it's for the better for us by the grace and mercy of our Savior through HIS righteousness in love.
Power-- God's is the power!
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Luk 4:36 And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.
Luk 5:17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
1Th 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake
Powers….
G1411
d?´?aµ??
dunamis
doo'-nam-is
From G1410; force (literally or figuratively); specifically miraculous power (usually by implication a miracle itself): - ability, abundance, meaning, might (-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle (-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work.
The miraculous power of God is every where. To imagine the powers of heaven being shaken is something amazing. I can fully understand 'men's hearts failing them for fear' when we delve into the mighty power of God unleashed in the heavens. We think about storms we've experienced and we talk about nature going wild unleashing it's powers and we tremble, really we do, not that many will admit to it until they've gone through a tornado, hurricane, flood, fire, lightening strike, torrential downpours, and so on. In the aftermath of such things having witnessed the power of *nature* we realize just how out of control of our own lives we really are. Compared to the powers of nature we have little if non-existent power to combat it face to face. We can hide from nature's assaults, we can run, we can do all we know how to protect ourselves and a lot of times we are left unharmed, but that still doesn't keep us from witnessing the power of the force at hand. People sometimes blame God for allowing things to happen, but in truth all destruction stems from Satan and the fact our first parents succumbed to His evil. God allows, but God is not the reason. We have disaster movies depicting end of the world scenarios with all of natures power unleashed destroying the earth and truly our fear would mimic the fear of the people in those movies only ours would be real fear.
Not only do we think of the 'powers of heaven shall be shaken' as a worldly upset, but in truth the power of heaven shaken in the realization of the end of mankind as we know will be at hand. The power of God will be fully realized by everyone for better or worse for them and we can only hope and pray it's for the better for us by the grace and mercy of our Savior through HIS righteousness in love.
Power-- God's is the power!
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Luk 4:36 And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.
Luk 5:17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
1Th 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake
Monday, June 21, 2010
Little faith makes us fearful
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
Gen 26:24 And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.
Deu 20:3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them
Deu 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Isa 41:13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
Isa 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
Luk 8:50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole
Luk 12:7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Luk 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Rev 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last
Fear not...
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
God doesn't give us a spirit of fear.
When we're fearful it doesn't come from God.
Satan wants us to fear. Satan wants to use fear to overwhelm us, to get us to lose our faith and trust in God. Satan would have fear over take us in any way he can use it. Fear of the future, fear of dying, fear of living, fear in any form is useful to Satan. We need to trust in God, knowing that God would have us trust in Him completely so that fear has no place in our lives.
Mat 8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
Luk 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Little faith makes us fearful. Those who have little faith will have their hearts failing them for fear.
May God bless us and keep us from all fear. It's so easy to let Satan bring fear into our lives in one way or another. Let's recognize the fear for what it is - not from God, and let us draw ever closer to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
Gen 26:24 And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.
Deu 20:3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them
Deu 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Isa 41:13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
Isa 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
Luk 8:50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole
Luk 12:7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Luk 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Rev 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last
Fear not...
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
God doesn't give us a spirit of fear.
When we're fearful it doesn't come from God.
Satan wants us to fear. Satan wants to use fear to overwhelm us, to get us to lose our faith and trust in God. Satan would have fear over take us in any way he can use it. Fear of the future, fear of dying, fear of living, fear in any form is useful to Satan. We need to trust in God, knowing that God would have us trust in Him completely so that fear has no place in our lives.
Mat 8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
Luk 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Little faith makes us fearful. Those who have little faith will have their hearts failing them for fear.
May God bless us and keep us from all fear. It's so easy to let Satan bring fear into our lives in one way or another. Let's recognize the fear for what it is - not from God, and let us draw ever closer to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Answers
Seriously, do you know your Bible? If any situation in life arises can you bring a scripture to mind to guide you? One Scripture?
Sometimes all people have is a single verse they cling to as a talisman of hope through life and that single verse taken to heart is more powerful than a person can imagine.
Instinctively we should call on God when we are in need or joyful, God should be first in our thoughts. God Doesn't answer, people reply, so why call on Him or speak to Him at all? God does answer. God's ways are beyond our imagination.
If we look at the Bible as a normal book and it will fail us. The Bible is the Word of God and ALL the word of God is powerful.
Hebrews 4:12- For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Powerful!
Christ is the living Word of God. Christ used the scriptures to combat Satan! God's word is not stagnant, it's alive!
When we read the Bible we are reading the living testimony of our Lord and Savior.
The Bible is a weapon--
The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Eph. 6:17
So I ask again, do you know your Bible? Do you use your Bible? The Bible is meant to be used, not simply read but used as a real entity, the treasure of the Bible is immeasurable! The riches in the word of God uncountable.
If we used our Bibles as being a real, living, breathing message of God our lives would be so much different. If we search our Bible as we would search for hidden treasure we would be rich in the way of eternity.
Ps. 119:11-18
Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psa 119:12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
Psa 119:13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
Psa 119:14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
Psa 119:15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
Psa 119:16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Psa 119:17 GIMEL. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.
Psa 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy la
Pro. 2:1-5
Pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
The word of God is powerful and for us to use.
God speaks to us through His word. Life is filled with many obstacles and if we search God's word to guide us through life we'd be doing His will. When we have problems do we go to God's Word? We might pray to God but do we seek His guidance in His word?
Do we really believe God's word holds answers? Do we really believe God's word has power? If someone handed you a book and said all the answers you'll ever need in life are in there would you take the book? Suppose they said that you ask the book a question and open it and the answer would be you'd want that book wouldn't you? At least until it started giving you answers you didn't like.
There's our problem in a nutshell. The Bible has a lot of answers to our problems- yes- even our modern problems but we don't like the answers. We don't like the idea of being given answers that might mean we need to pray for changes in our lives. Perhaps the Bible's answer is that we are too selfish and need to be more giving, more loving. We might be inclined to say, no, I'm not that selfish I give all the time. The answers aren't what we want so we'd rather not go to the source of the help only to be shown we are the problem and need to pray for changes.
We want answers that please us, not answer that require us to do things we aren't inclined to do.
The Bible tells us men love darkness more than light because darkness hides their evil ways. If we close ourselves off from God's work from the answer He provides us because we'd rather keep on in our evil ways then we can pray all we want but rejecting the light keeps our heart in darkness and we cannot expect God to guide us, answer us, be with us if we reject His light.
People are starved for the word of God. People know their lives are missing something but they turn to man-made cures rather than Godly. People feel lost, bored, anxious and they want something to take that away but what they want is anything other than the word of God.
God doesn't offer worldly pleasure & past times and that's what most seek- happiness in the worldly way. They want the emptiness in their lives to be filled with worldly things.
We are blessed to be able to feel the emptiness because that is a cry for our spirit wanting to be filled with God.
Self will always fall short of satisfying. Temporary fixes. Some people live their entire lives on temporary fixes not seeking to find a permanent source of solace in Christ and His ways.
Sometimes all people have is a single verse they cling to as a talisman of hope through life and that single verse taken to heart is more powerful than a person can imagine.
Instinctively we should call on God when we are in need or joyful, God should be first in our thoughts. God Doesn't answer, people reply, so why call on Him or speak to Him at all? God does answer. God's ways are beyond our imagination.
If we look at the Bible as a normal book and it will fail us. The Bible is the Word of God and ALL the word of God is powerful.
Hebrews 4:12- For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Powerful!
Christ is the living Word of God. Christ used the scriptures to combat Satan! God's word is not stagnant, it's alive!
When we read the Bible we are reading the living testimony of our Lord and Savior.
The Bible is a weapon--
The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Eph. 6:17
So I ask again, do you know your Bible? Do you use your Bible? The Bible is meant to be used, not simply read but used as a real entity, the treasure of the Bible is immeasurable! The riches in the word of God uncountable.
If we used our Bibles as being a real, living, breathing message of God our lives would be so much different. If we search our Bible as we would search for hidden treasure we would be rich in the way of eternity.
Ps. 119:11-18
Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psa 119:12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
Psa 119:13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
Psa 119:14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
Psa 119:15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
Psa 119:16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Psa 119:17 GIMEL. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.
Psa 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy la
Pro. 2:1-5
Pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
The word of God is powerful and for us to use.
God speaks to us through His word. Life is filled with many obstacles and if we search God's word to guide us through life we'd be doing His will. When we have problems do we go to God's Word? We might pray to God but do we seek His guidance in His word?
Do we really believe God's word holds answers? Do we really believe God's word has power? If someone handed you a book and said all the answers you'll ever need in life are in there would you take the book? Suppose they said that you ask the book a question and open it and the answer would be you'd want that book wouldn't you? At least until it started giving you answers you didn't like.
There's our problem in a nutshell. The Bible has a lot of answers to our problems- yes- even our modern problems but we don't like the answers. We don't like the idea of being given answers that might mean we need to pray for changes in our lives. Perhaps the Bible's answer is that we are too selfish and need to be more giving, more loving. We might be inclined to say, no, I'm not that selfish I give all the time. The answers aren't what we want so we'd rather not go to the source of the help only to be shown we are the problem and need to pray for changes.
We want answers that please us, not answer that require us to do things we aren't inclined to do.
The Bible tells us men love darkness more than light because darkness hides their evil ways. If we close ourselves off from God's work from the answer He provides us because we'd rather keep on in our evil ways then we can pray all we want but rejecting the light keeps our heart in darkness and we cannot expect God to guide us, answer us, be with us if we reject His light.
People are starved for the word of God. People know their lives are missing something but they turn to man-made cures rather than Godly. People feel lost, bored, anxious and they want something to take that away but what they want is anything other than the word of God.
God doesn't offer worldly pleasure & past times and that's what most seek- happiness in the worldly way. They want the emptiness in their lives to be filled with worldly things.
We are blessed to be able to feel the emptiness because that is a cry for our spirit wanting to be filled with God.
Self will always fall short of satisfying. Temporary fixes. Some people live their entire lives on temporary fixes not seeking to find a permanent source of solace in Christ and His ways.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes
Isa 5:21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Wise in their own eyes. Conceited? Arrogant?
We know it's a good thing to be wise. Solomon prayed for wisdom instead of riches and was granted to be the wisest man in the world. We are told to seek wisdom.
Pro 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
Pro 1:3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
Pro 1:4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
Pro 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
Pro 1:6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
Pro 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Pro 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
Pro 2:8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
Pro 2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
Pro 2:10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Pro 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee
Pro 3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
Pro 3:14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
Pro 3:15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Wisdom and being WISE in thine own eyes are two different things aren't they.
A wise man would know that considering himself wise wasn't very prudent. A wise man would know that there truly is no time that arrogance and conceit are wise. To be wise in the wisdom from God is desired, to be wise in your own wisdom is a reason for great concern. We don't manufacture wisdom. We don't create wisdom. God's wisdom, wisdom from God these are to be desired more than any riches more than any single occurance of self-congratulation. All honor and glory is to be God's, all praise to our Lord and King. We aren't to consider ourselves wise and prudent but rather consider God the wise and prudent One and by His grace He gifts us with His wisdom.
May the Lord grant us wisdom, may we find wisdom in Him and get understanding from Him. May God's words and commandment be with us. May we fear the Lord and find in Him all things...ALL things.
Jesus said this...
Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me
May we through the mercy of our Savior, through the righteousness of Christ our Lord, seek the will of the Father in our lives now and forever. If Jesus of His own self could do nothing how arrogant and foolish are we to think we can do anything of our own selves.
God's will now and forever!
Amen.
Wise in their own eyes. Conceited? Arrogant?
We know it's a good thing to be wise. Solomon prayed for wisdom instead of riches and was granted to be the wisest man in the world. We are told to seek wisdom.
Pro 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
Pro 1:3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
Pro 1:4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
Pro 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
Pro 1:6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
Pro 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Pro 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
Pro 2:8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
Pro 2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
Pro 2:10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Pro 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee
Pro 3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
Pro 3:14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
Pro 3:15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Wisdom and being WISE in thine own eyes are two different things aren't they.
A wise man would know that considering himself wise wasn't very prudent. A wise man would know that there truly is no time that arrogance and conceit are wise. To be wise in the wisdom from God is desired, to be wise in your own wisdom is a reason for great concern. We don't manufacture wisdom. We don't create wisdom. God's wisdom, wisdom from God these are to be desired more than any riches more than any single occurance of self-congratulation. All honor and glory is to be God's, all praise to our Lord and King. We aren't to consider ourselves wise and prudent but rather consider God the wise and prudent One and by His grace He gifts us with His wisdom.
May the Lord grant us wisdom, may we find wisdom in Him and get understanding from Him. May God's words and commandment be with us. May we fear the Lord and find in Him all things...ALL things.
Jesus said this...
Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me
May we through the mercy of our Savior, through the righteousness of Christ our Lord, seek the will of the Father in our lives now and forever. If Jesus of His own self could do nothing how arrogant and foolish are we to think we can do anything of our own selves.
God's will now and forever!
Amen.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Meekness Longsuffering Forbearing
Psa 133:1 ...Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Psa 133:2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
Psa 133:3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
Eph 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Is it disagreeable to be meek?
Is it disagreeable to be longsuffering, to be forbearing?
Many would argue that meekness, longsuffering, and forbearing are undesireable traits because in our society the meek get trampled on, the longsuffering are taken advantage of, the forbearing are fools. God knows that the the world views His ways of love as being subservient and subservience as being some how degrading and lessening the value of a person. Servants are considered lower class, servants are to be ignored and put in their place by those who are above them- this is how society views servants and some would say they do so instinctively but there is nothing instinctive about treating a fellow human being as someone contemptible. In our society women in the role of serving their husbands is considered wrong. Letting a husband rule over the wife is considered old fashioned and unfair.
Meekness
Longsuffering
Forbearing
These are all the things Jesus was and that Jesus wants for His followers. It is by following the example of our Savior that there can be a unity of peace. It's not a bad thing at all to be meek or to suffer long and forbear all things, it's really, really not. We need to believe this and by the grace of God through the power of the Holy Spirit live our lives as Jesus did not caring what man may think of our ways, as long as they are the ways of our Lord.
Amen.
Psa 133:2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
Psa 133:3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
Eph 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Is it disagreeable to be meek?
Is it disagreeable to be longsuffering, to be forbearing?
Many would argue that meekness, longsuffering, and forbearing are undesireable traits because in our society the meek get trampled on, the longsuffering are taken advantage of, the forbearing are fools. God knows that the the world views His ways of love as being subservient and subservience as being some how degrading and lessening the value of a person. Servants are considered lower class, servants are to be ignored and put in their place by those who are above them- this is how society views servants and some would say they do so instinctively but there is nothing instinctive about treating a fellow human being as someone contemptible. In our society women in the role of serving their husbands is considered wrong. Letting a husband rule over the wife is considered old fashioned and unfair.
Meekness
Longsuffering
Forbearing
These are all the things Jesus was and that Jesus wants for His followers. It is by following the example of our Savior that there can be a unity of peace. It's not a bad thing at all to be meek or to suffer long and forbear all things, it's really, really not. We need to believe this and by the grace of God through the power of the Holy Spirit live our lives as Jesus did not caring what man may think of our ways, as long as they are the ways of our Lord.
Amen.
Monday, June 14, 2010
The Night is Far Spent
Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Put on the armor of light.
The night is far spent....
The day is at hand...
Cast off the works of darkness...
Works of darkness- rioting, drunkeness, wantoness, strife, envying, lusts of the flesh. We know what the works of darkness are and if we know what the works of darkness are then we know what the armor of light is. The armor of light is what we are left with when we are no longer consumed by the works of darkness. When you're caught up in drunkeness you're not dealing with reality you're escaping from life. When you're embracing rioting you've lost patience and violence is what you're condoning. Covered in strife, in envying, letting your base desires overcome any maturity you may possess, you are not covered in the armor of light. We need to live without the angst, without the darkness ruling us. There are movies and books without number pitting evil against good and it's anyone's guess any more which win. So many revel in the thought of evil sneakily winning even when it appears good may have conquered...that last bit where you question whether good really wins is the surprise ending. Evil against good and sometimes promoting evil- making it appear good- is a big thing as well. Disguising evil under a cloak of goodness is so popular. Things aren't that bad, evil isn't that bad, we make excuses for evil. Do we cast off the works of darkness? Do we cast off the works of evil? Do we know what evil is any longer? We're so busy turning evil into good, or disguising it and pretending the armor we wear is of light that we don't realize how much darkness we are covered in.
Let us walk honestly.
Put on the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
May God help us really see ourselves for what we are. May the Holy Spirit convict us of the darkness in our lives so that we may know to cast it off with His help and may the armor of light be upon us fully- May we have Christ our Lord and Savior in us now and forever! Please Lord let us recognize the evil we've disguised as light for what it really is, we want to be found in Your light by Your mercy and Your grace, through Your love!
Amen.
Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Put on the armor of light.
The night is far spent....
The day is at hand...
Cast off the works of darkness...
Works of darkness- rioting, drunkeness, wantoness, strife, envying, lusts of the flesh. We know what the works of darkness are and if we know what the works of darkness are then we know what the armor of light is. The armor of light is what we are left with when we are no longer consumed by the works of darkness. When you're caught up in drunkeness you're not dealing with reality you're escaping from life. When you're embracing rioting you've lost patience and violence is what you're condoning. Covered in strife, in envying, letting your base desires overcome any maturity you may possess, you are not covered in the armor of light. We need to live without the angst, without the darkness ruling us. There are movies and books without number pitting evil against good and it's anyone's guess any more which win. So many revel in the thought of evil sneakily winning even when it appears good may have conquered...that last bit where you question whether good really wins is the surprise ending. Evil against good and sometimes promoting evil- making it appear good- is a big thing as well. Disguising evil under a cloak of goodness is so popular. Things aren't that bad, evil isn't that bad, we make excuses for evil. Do we cast off the works of darkness? Do we cast off the works of evil? Do we know what evil is any longer? We're so busy turning evil into good, or disguising it and pretending the armor we wear is of light that we don't realize how much darkness we are covered in.
Let us walk honestly.
Put on the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
May God help us really see ourselves for what we are. May the Holy Spirit convict us of the darkness in our lives so that we may know to cast it off with His help and may the armor of light be upon us fully- May we have Christ our Lord and Savior in us now and forever! Please Lord let us recognize the evil we've disguised as light for what it really is, we want to be found in Your light by Your mercy and Your grace, through Your love!
Amen.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
For David is not ascended into the heavens
Act 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
Act 2:35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Psa 110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
'The LORD said unto my Lord'
Who was to sit at God's right hand?
Mar 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Act 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God
Act 7:56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
Act 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens
David, King David, David who had been dead for many, many, many years was NOT IN HEAVEN according to this verse. Yet people insist upon believing the dead go directly to heaven. Some argue well...since Jesus died people go to heaven right when they died. Those people are wrong. Jesus was dead and risen when this verse was spoken. 'David is not ascended into the heavens.'
Act 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
Dead and buried, not risen. Yet Christ a descendant of David's did die and was raised from the grave. Christ's flesh saw no corruption. David prophesized of Christ. David foresaw that One would come who would sit at the right hand of God. Jesus, our Lord, our Savior, our Messiah was to sit at the right hand of God in heaven.
The Scriptures do not support immediate transition from death to life, if it did the fact Jesus rose from the dead would be so much more less powerful. If all people transition immediately as their breath of life is taken and their heart stops beating the fact that our Lord did the same only waited a few days to have His physical form raised with Him is the important factor here. Conquering death and keeping His physical form is that really what His sacrifice was for? So we could keep our physical forms after death? Think about it. If a transition from death to life is automatic then having the forgiveness of our Lord, accepting a new life in our Savior just makes us assured of a quick and easy transition straight from death to spirit life in Christ. But wait... for thousands of years before Christ people died, their breaths returned to God who gave it, and they look forward to the coming Messiah but Christ hadn't come yet, Christ hadn't lived in the flesh of a man and died, only to raise up in that uncorrupted flesh after death. David, a beloved of God...
1Ki 2:10 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
David, a beloved of God slept with his fathers.
Death is a sleep not instantaneous transitioning from life to new life as a knowledgable spirit form flying about to heaven. It's important to realize this on many levels because Satan would diminish Christ and His amazing sacrifice, His miraculous life after death, in any way He can. By believing their is instant life after death we believe Satan's first lie to Eve... 'thou shalt not surely die'. We need to believe that when we die, when our loved ones die, we are all sleeping in death and the next thing we will know will be our resurrection to new life in Christ- our bodies will be changed from corruptible to incorruptible in a twinkling of an eye as we are raised from death to meet Christ in the air. This is new life in Christ, not some disembodied spirit knowing all that takes place. We will be raised as Christ was raised, we will be raised by Christ at His triumphant return to once and for all do away with death's sleeping hold over those that are His.
Some argue that Christ told the thief on the cross he'd be with him in heaven that day... well, Christ wasn't in heaven that day was He? He was in the grave in death's sleep. Christ did tell the thief THAT day, that he would be in heaven with Him. Just like I could tell you today that I'll be in heaven with Christ- does it mean that I'll be there right then, that day, or is the fact I'm telling you 'today' the point, not the fact that today I'll be there. A simple comma can change the meaning of a group of words so much.
Satan will stop at nothing to deceive people and this is one of his greatest deceptions- immediate life upon death. He uses it all the time to deceive the most loving people into believe their loved ones can talk with them, communicate with them in some way. Harmless you have been led to believe, but it's far from harmless to be deceived.
The people that hear Christ say to them- 'I never knew you, depart from me'
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
The people that hear those words from Christ will be shocked because they've been deceived into believing they really are following Christ, that they are doing the will of the Father, but it's not the will of the Father to follow deception- to close our hearts and minds to truth so that we may comfort ourselves in false beliefs holding fast to them because they are familair to us and the thought of giving them up appalls us. People want to believe it's harmless to hold fast to beliefs because God knows and understands. What God knows and understands is that those who truly love Him will walk in His truths and not cling to cherished fantasies, traditions of lies, allowing themselves to however sincerely be deceived by Satan. Once light shines upon a path we are accountable to walk in that light not turn it off and pretend we never saw light there. Satan has many great deceptions and he'll use them in every way he can to deceive as many as he can especially as His time grows shorter and shorter. May our prayer be that God opens our hearts and minds to ALL truth and that we through the power of the Holy Spirit accept that truth and walk in that truth no matter how difficult it may be.
By the grace!
By the mercy!
By the LOVE of our Savior!
In HIS righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
Act 2:35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Psa 110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
'The LORD said unto my Lord'
Who was to sit at God's right hand?
Mar 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Act 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God
Act 7:56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
Act 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens
David, King David, David who had been dead for many, many, many years was NOT IN HEAVEN according to this verse. Yet people insist upon believing the dead go directly to heaven. Some argue well...since Jesus died people go to heaven right when they died. Those people are wrong. Jesus was dead and risen when this verse was spoken. 'David is not ascended into the heavens.'
Act 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
Dead and buried, not risen. Yet Christ a descendant of David's did die and was raised from the grave. Christ's flesh saw no corruption. David prophesized of Christ. David foresaw that One would come who would sit at the right hand of God. Jesus, our Lord, our Savior, our Messiah was to sit at the right hand of God in heaven.
The Scriptures do not support immediate transition from death to life, if it did the fact Jesus rose from the dead would be so much more less powerful. If all people transition immediately as their breath of life is taken and their heart stops beating the fact that our Lord did the same only waited a few days to have His physical form raised with Him is the important factor here. Conquering death and keeping His physical form is that really what His sacrifice was for? So we could keep our physical forms after death? Think about it. If a transition from death to life is automatic then having the forgiveness of our Lord, accepting a new life in our Savior just makes us assured of a quick and easy transition straight from death to spirit life in Christ. But wait... for thousands of years before Christ people died, their breaths returned to God who gave it, and they look forward to the coming Messiah but Christ hadn't come yet, Christ hadn't lived in the flesh of a man and died, only to raise up in that uncorrupted flesh after death. David, a beloved of God...
1Ki 2:10 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
David, a beloved of God slept with his fathers.
Death is a sleep not instantaneous transitioning from life to new life as a knowledgable spirit form flying about to heaven. It's important to realize this on many levels because Satan would diminish Christ and His amazing sacrifice, His miraculous life after death, in any way He can. By believing their is instant life after death we believe Satan's first lie to Eve... 'thou shalt not surely die'. We need to believe that when we die, when our loved ones die, we are all sleeping in death and the next thing we will know will be our resurrection to new life in Christ- our bodies will be changed from corruptible to incorruptible in a twinkling of an eye as we are raised from death to meet Christ in the air. This is new life in Christ, not some disembodied spirit knowing all that takes place. We will be raised as Christ was raised, we will be raised by Christ at His triumphant return to once and for all do away with death's sleeping hold over those that are His.
Some argue that Christ told the thief on the cross he'd be with him in heaven that day... well, Christ wasn't in heaven that day was He? He was in the grave in death's sleep. Christ did tell the thief THAT day, that he would be in heaven with Him. Just like I could tell you today that I'll be in heaven with Christ- does it mean that I'll be there right then, that day, or is the fact I'm telling you 'today' the point, not the fact that today I'll be there. A simple comma can change the meaning of a group of words so much.
Satan will stop at nothing to deceive people and this is one of his greatest deceptions- immediate life upon death. He uses it all the time to deceive the most loving people into believe their loved ones can talk with them, communicate with them in some way. Harmless you have been led to believe, but it's far from harmless to be deceived.
The people that hear Christ say to them- 'I never knew you, depart from me'
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
The people that hear those words from Christ will be shocked because they've been deceived into believing they really are following Christ, that they are doing the will of the Father, but it's not the will of the Father to follow deception- to close our hearts and minds to truth so that we may comfort ourselves in false beliefs holding fast to them because they are familair to us and the thought of giving them up appalls us. People want to believe it's harmless to hold fast to beliefs because God knows and understands. What God knows and understands is that those who truly love Him will walk in His truths and not cling to cherished fantasies, traditions of lies, allowing themselves to however sincerely be deceived by Satan. Once light shines upon a path we are accountable to walk in that light not turn it off and pretend we never saw light there. Satan has many great deceptions and he'll use them in every way he can to deceive as many as he can especially as His time grows shorter and shorter. May our prayer be that God opens our hearts and minds to ALL truth and that we through the power of the Holy Spirit accept that truth and walk in that truth no matter how difficult it may be.
By the grace!
By the mercy!
By the LOVE of our Savior!
In HIS righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Psa 130:1 'Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.
Psa 130:2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
Psa 130:3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Psa 130:4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
Psa 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
Psa 130:6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.'
No one could stand if our sins were marked by the Lord and never forgiven...no one could stand, not a single person who lives or ever lived. Yes, God has His beloved, His chosen yet even they would not be able to stand if the Lord did not forgive their sins. The chosen of God didn't have a free pass over life's temptations. Putting the chosen on pedestals isn't what God would want. God wants us to understand that He is a forgiving God, a loving God, a God that is exacting in that He will never condone sin, but He will forgive our weakness, our failings, our sins. God wants us to trust Him, not to trust in ourselves. God wants us to acknowledge Him as Lord of our lives, as our Creator, our Redeemer. Every breath we breathe is because God allows us to do so. We are not our own. Even when we show the greatest weakness and overcome that weakness we can't claim victory- it's God's victory. God has to really live in us.
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
Christ in us- the HOPE of glory!
1Jn 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
GREATER is HE that is in you!
1Jn 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
LET that therefore abide in you--- which ye have heard from the beginning.
If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you...
ye shall continue IN THE SON and IN THE FATHER!
Phm 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
Every good thing which is IN YOU IN CHRIST JESUS!
Psa 130:3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Psa 130:4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
There is forgiveness with God, and God will be revered for He and He alone offers forgiveness of our sins not marking them to hold them against us but forgiving us as we repent and ask for forgiveness letting the blood of Christ cover our sins and finally blotting them out altogether.
By the grace and mercy of God let us be found fully in Him and He in us as we claim His righteousness, His forgiveness, His love and don't rely on ourselves. Everything in God! All praise and honor, all glory to God now and forever!!!
Amen.
Psa 130:2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
Psa 130:3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Psa 130:4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
Psa 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
Psa 130:6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.'
No one could stand if our sins were marked by the Lord and never forgiven...no one could stand, not a single person who lives or ever lived. Yes, God has His beloved, His chosen yet even they would not be able to stand if the Lord did not forgive their sins. The chosen of God didn't have a free pass over life's temptations. Putting the chosen on pedestals isn't what God would want. God wants us to understand that He is a forgiving God, a loving God, a God that is exacting in that He will never condone sin, but He will forgive our weakness, our failings, our sins. God wants us to trust Him, not to trust in ourselves. God wants us to acknowledge Him as Lord of our lives, as our Creator, our Redeemer. Every breath we breathe is because God allows us to do so. We are not our own. Even when we show the greatest weakness and overcome that weakness we can't claim victory- it's God's victory. God has to really live in us.
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
Christ in us- the HOPE of glory!
1Jn 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
GREATER is HE that is in you!
1Jn 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
LET that therefore abide in you--- which ye have heard from the beginning.
If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you...
ye shall continue IN THE SON and IN THE FATHER!
Phm 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
Every good thing which is IN YOU IN CHRIST JESUS!
Psa 130:3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Psa 130:4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
There is forgiveness with God, and God will be revered for He and He alone offers forgiveness of our sins not marking them to hold them against us but forgiving us as we repent and ask for forgiveness letting the blood of Christ cover our sins and finally blotting them out altogether.
By the grace and mercy of God let us be found fully in Him and He in us as we claim His righteousness, His forgiveness, His love and don't rely on ourselves. Everything in God! All praise and honor, all glory to God now and forever!!!
Amen.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Jesus is with me always- even to the end of the world
Mat 28:20 '...and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.'
Heb 13:5 '...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.'
Tonight at Bible Study we were talking about how the Word of God has been profound in our lives. Those two verses above have meaning to me in a profound way because they bring to mind the day of my Baptism by immersion. Are you painfully shy? Do you know of anyone who you'd consider painfully shy? Well I was (still am to some degree) painfully shy. The thought of being baptized in front of the entire church, entering the baptismal pool with all eyes upon me, was terrifying. I desperately wanted to be baptized but the terror was very real. The contradiction being that God should take away that fear- or what sort of Christian was I, right? What kind of faith did I have if I was going to let the terror of my shyness overwhelm me. Believe me I was all too aware of my short comings in the faith area and yet I was aware also of the fact Satan likes to assail God's people with doubt and confusion. With the war going on within I did pray and pray hard and as I was praying a still small voice whispered in my thoughts- 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. I am with you always even unto the end of the world.' I immediately felt at peace and praised God. I can't say I wasn't at all nervous as the day drew on and my baptism neared but I've never forgotten that special whisper of peace, never. The words came from God's Word, from two verses in the Bible.
Jesus is with me always- even to the end of the world and He will never leave me or forsake me, never.
All praise and glory to our Lord and Savior now and forever!
Amen.
Heb 13:5 '...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.'
Tonight at Bible Study we were talking about how the Word of God has been profound in our lives. Those two verses above have meaning to me in a profound way because they bring to mind the day of my Baptism by immersion. Are you painfully shy? Do you know of anyone who you'd consider painfully shy? Well I was (still am to some degree) painfully shy. The thought of being baptized in front of the entire church, entering the baptismal pool with all eyes upon me, was terrifying. I desperately wanted to be baptized but the terror was very real. The contradiction being that God should take away that fear- or what sort of Christian was I, right? What kind of faith did I have if I was going to let the terror of my shyness overwhelm me. Believe me I was all too aware of my short comings in the faith area and yet I was aware also of the fact Satan likes to assail God's people with doubt and confusion. With the war going on within I did pray and pray hard and as I was praying a still small voice whispered in my thoughts- 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. I am with you always even unto the end of the world.' I immediately felt at peace and praised God. I can't say I wasn't at all nervous as the day drew on and my baptism neared but I've never forgotten that special whisper of peace, never. The words came from God's Word, from two verses in the Bible.
Jesus is with me always- even to the end of the world and He will never leave me or forsake me, never.
All praise and glory to our Lord and Savior now and forever!
Amen.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Awake to Righteousness
1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not...
Awake to righteousness and sin not.
We believe we awake to righteousness and yet we sin. People like to spout they will sin always, they will never cease from sin. Is there a difference between unrighteousness and sin? Awake to righteousness and sin not. When we are awake to righteousness we are enlightened as to what is right and good. When we are awake to what is right and good we see our sins more clearly. As we see our sins we need to...sin not.
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Striving against sin.
1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous
That ye sin not.
1Jn 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
This answers the earlier question about a difference between unrighteousness and sin. ALL unrighteousness IS sin.
Awake to righteousness and sin not.
If any man sin... we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. We do sin but to excuse sin is not allowed. We cannot accept sin as being a normal part of life. We cannot become complacent in our sinning. We have to AWAKE to righteousness and sin not. We have to strive against sin. Jesus Christ is the only true Righteous One, our Advocate with the Father, we need to go to Him always as our Advocate even as we strive against sin- even as we continue to allow ourselves to be awakened and don't prefer the darkness. Awake we can see our unrighteousness, asleep we cannot see our sin so that we can sin not. Don't condone sin, recognize the evil it is and never forget the evil of sin. Awake to righteousness.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we AWAKE to righteousness preferring light to darkness, preferring truth to lies, preferring righteousness to unrighteousnes, preferring not sinning to sinning, all through our Savior!
Amen.
Awake to righteousness and sin not.
We believe we awake to righteousness and yet we sin. People like to spout they will sin always, they will never cease from sin. Is there a difference between unrighteousness and sin? Awake to righteousness and sin not. When we are awake to righteousness we are enlightened as to what is right and good. When we are awake to what is right and good we see our sins more clearly. As we see our sins we need to...sin not.
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Striving against sin.
1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous
That ye sin not.
1Jn 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
This answers the earlier question about a difference between unrighteousness and sin. ALL unrighteousness IS sin.
Awake to righteousness and sin not.
If any man sin... we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. We do sin but to excuse sin is not allowed. We cannot accept sin as being a normal part of life. We cannot become complacent in our sinning. We have to AWAKE to righteousness and sin not. We have to strive against sin. Jesus Christ is the only true Righteous One, our Advocate with the Father, we need to go to Him always as our Advocate even as we strive against sin- even as we continue to allow ourselves to be awakened and don't prefer the darkness. Awake we can see our unrighteousness, asleep we cannot see our sin so that we can sin not. Don't condone sin, recognize the evil it is and never forget the evil of sin. Awake to righteousness.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we AWAKE to righteousness preferring light to darkness, preferring truth to lies, preferring righteousness to unrighteousnes, preferring not sinning to sinning, all through our Savior!
Amen.
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