Mat 7:13,14
Enter ye in at the strait gate
for wide is the gate
and broad is the way
that leadeth to destruction
and many there be which go in thereat
Because strait is the gate
and narrow is the way
which leadeth unto life
and few there be that find it.
The straight and narrow. You hear that saying from time to time and this is where is comes from. When you're on the straight and narrow it means you are behaving, you're not involved in anything corrupt. You're playing it honestly and above board, not deceptively and underhanded.
Everyone should want to enter in at that strait gate, yes? The strait gate leads to LIFE, the wide broad gate that isn't strait leads to DESTRUCTION.
Where will most people go though? Through the wide gate and they'll do so knowing it leads to destruction. These are NOT gates that are impossible to find, perhaps hard to find because life will throw at you all sorts of enticements towards the wide gate, but NOT impossible.
The metaphorical gates are the way we conduct our lives from day to day, everyday. The gates lead to the path we are on and we know the path of the world, the path of the flesh, the path of Satan is the one MOST take. It's the EASY path the wide gate offers us. The very hard path is offered only through the narrow gate.
Why do you suppose Jesus is telling us all this? Seriously, why? Our Savior isn't sugar-coating the life of one who chooses to follow Him. Our Savior isn't painting the picture of a carefree, easy existence if we day after day decide to be His. We are NOT offered ANY worldly pleasure. We are NOT offered ANY worldly gain. We are NOT offered an easy life at all in any way. We are not promised smiles. We are NOT promised a life of ease free of situations that can bring us anxiety, worry, stress, pain, anguish, heartache, desperation, mental exhaustion, depression. We are promised a FIREY refining furnace.
Zec 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.
Mal 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Psa 66:10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
Psa 66:11 Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.
Psa 66:12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ
A fiery furnace.
Life spent in a fiery furnace. Just imagine it…living life in the fire of one trial after another. We really DON'T have to really imagine it do we? We live it, it's called life and though even those on the wide, broad path leading to destruction suffer along with us and are ready to jump up and say they suffer too, there is a big difference in the suffering. Some suffer and use the suffering to promote self. Some suffer and use the suffering to bemoan their fates. Some suffer and let it harden them. Some suffer and it causes them to become more unrefined. One who is being refined by Christ allows the suffering to reshape them, to purify them. We make choices all the time, every single day we are making new choices, following old choices, but we are constantly in a state of choosing. It's true. Constantly in a state of choice. We are be given choices all day long even on our days off, in fact probably more so then. We usually make the choice, do the choosing without even thinking too overly much about it. Then there are things we agonize over deciding. It's the all day long choosing that makes up our lives and a Christ follower will strive to make their choices based on what they believe is God's will. They'll read the Bible- God's word, they'll pray, they'll try to live their lives in a way pleasing to God- as much as any human being can. Those following Christ will hold onto Him tightly knowing it is HIS righteousness that saves them as they live in the fiery furnace.
The narrow way, the straight way that only a few are going to find is all Christ's way. The self-sacrifice we must possess by His grace and power is the only way we will find that narrow path. Clinging to Christ during all facets of our life is a must, He'll bring us through the strait gate.
Read this again--
1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
Every single day we face adversities- even on our best days. Some of our best days bring with them the toughest choices, the furnace can be burning hotly right around the corner from the happiest days we experience. Choices… we choose which gate to enter. And we Have to remember the widest, easiest, gate is that of destruction so YES we should rejoice as we suffer- if only we can truly remember during that suffering that we should rejoice in Christ, not in ourselves or our seeming ability to survive the trial on our own, but rejoice in Christ for all the strength to endure we know He alone can give us.
Trials will come and go.
Choices will constantly be made.
Living for the glory of Christ our Savior is all we can seek to do.
In His love!
Amen.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another
Mat 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Whatsoever you want others to do to you…do to them.
We hear this all the time don’t we? The saying- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It's a good saying, it's a very good saying and a good creed to live by, isn't it? You wouldn't hurt someone - mentally, emotionally, or physically if you knew you would be hurt that way in return, would you? So many people do hurt others and not just in tiny ways, but in huge ways. No matter that hurt it's senseless pain. Sure there might be those out there that believe in hurting those who hurt you. There might be those who believe in doling out pain to punish someone. There are even those who like to live by the old- hurt them before they hurt me, regardless of whether or not they were ever going to hurt you at all. Some will go so far as to say that some people hurt others because it's the only way they can show they love them. I just have to shake my head at that, I really do.
If ALL people treated others as they want to be treated what sort of world would we be living in?
Strangely enough just recently I've been catching myself (by the grace of God of course) feeling anger at other drivers around me. It's nothing new of course but lately what is new is the thought that comes immediately after I catch myself- 'what if that was me'.
What if it were me there slowing down looking for something?
What if it were me there needing to back out suddenly?
What if it were me there waiting for the light to change and confused over who is going to go first?
I have done all those things and yes, I could console myself by saying 'well the people around me had a right to be mad at me', but that's a cop out, right?
Do we have a right to that road rage, or if not rage, road ire? Anyone would have it, right? It's instinctive, reflexive, it's normal, it's … wrong. Yes, it may be all those things but it doesn't make it right. Our flesh nature is instinctive towards anger, towards evil and it's the flesh nature we have to deny, that we have to surrender to our Savior so that the spiritual nature in us can dominate.
Lashing out at someone has become reflex for so many. They get irritated and this they believe gives them the right to act on that irritation and lash out. We are going to be irritated. Too many believe that they are not right in their relationship with our Savior when they even get irritated. Too many wish to believe they can transcend all the irritation, all the angst of life and this would prove they are truly Christ's. All that proves is they've succeeded in fooling themselves that they are a *GOOD* person. We can't concern ourselves with *being good to be God's*. Yes, we must shun all evil, we must live in Christ with Him as our example, but we have to let our righteousness be Christ's righteousness. He has to live in us and His righteousness must come through, nothing that we can call OUR righteousness, OUR goodness. We have to accept that we are being tried in fire, we are being refined constantly and that refining is never easy. We need to ALWAYS do unto others as we WANT them to do to us, whether that is excuse our mistakes as we're driving, or forgive our forgetfulness, or be understanding as we fumble with our notes, have patience towards us when we mess up our pin number at the atm and hold up the line, even be forgiving when we have to take a cellphone call and our hushed conversation is bothering you. It doesn't matter what it is WE need to treat others as WE want to be treated when we are in their shoes. When we anger them we want them to be understanding. When they anger us we NEED to be understanding. When they slap us we need to realize that we didn't like being slapped and we shouldn't slap back. When they revile us it's hurtful and if we revile them back we are giving hurt back, we are giving something WE wouldn't want to have- if we had the choice. It's not easy, no one said it was.
Mat 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
We should do what we want done to us. We have to put ourselves in the shoes of others at all times not just when it's convenient for us to do so.
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Thou shalt LOVE they neighbor as thyself.
This is one of the COMMANDMENTS!
A COMMAND for us to follow, not for us to ignore, not for us to sometimes follow, not for us to disregard as we do sooooooooooo often! We do it all the time! We've STOPPED loving our neighbor. We've stopped and we've done so for many, many reasons and not all of those reasons are horrific to us. We stop because we are scared for our safety. We stop because we just live in our own little safe sphere of influence and to step outside it makes us feel vulnerable in many ways.
Next time you step outside of your house and spy a stranger- ask yourself if you love them. Seriously, ask yourself if you love them. Love isn't that sentimental business we call it, love is caring above and beyond yourself for another, undeservedly. We don't wait for the strangers to become our friends then become our close friends until we decide we love them. We must love our neighbors, we must love all those around us as our God would love them and does love them.
Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Gal 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
By the grace of God my we learn this, may this become part of our lives through our Savior. Help us God to love as you would have us love, as You love.
By Your LOVE, Your mercy and grace, Your righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
Whatsoever you want others to do to you…do to them.
We hear this all the time don’t we? The saying- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It's a good saying, it's a very good saying and a good creed to live by, isn't it? You wouldn't hurt someone - mentally, emotionally, or physically if you knew you would be hurt that way in return, would you? So many people do hurt others and not just in tiny ways, but in huge ways. No matter that hurt it's senseless pain. Sure there might be those out there that believe in hurting those who hurt you. There might be those who believe in doling out pain to punish someone. There are even those who like to live by the old- hurt them before they hurt me, regardless of whether or not they were ever going to hurt you at all. Some will go so far as to say that some people hurt others because it's the only way they can show they love them. I just have to shake my head at that, I really do.
If ALL people treated others as they want to be treated what sort of world would we be living in?
Strangely enough just recently I've been catching myself (by the grace of God of course) feeling anger at other drivers around me. It's nothing new of course but lately what is new is the thought that comes immediately after I catch myself- 'what if that was me'.
What if it were me there slowing down looking for something?
What if it were me there needing to back out suddenly?
What if it were me there waiting for the light to change and confused over who is going to go first?
I have done all those things and yes, I could console myself by saying 'well the people around me had a right to be mad at me', but that's a cop out, right?
Do we have a right to that road rage, or if not rage, road ire? Anyone would have it, right? It's instinctive, reflexive, it's normal, it's … wrong. Yes, it may be all those things but it doesn't make it right. Our flesh nature is instinctive towards anger, towards evil and it's the flesh nature we have to deny, that we have to surrender to our Savior so that the spiritual nature in us can dominate.
Lashing out at someone has become reflex for so many. They get irritated and this they believe gives them the right to act on that irritation and lash out. We are going to be irritated. Too many believe that they are not right in their relationship with our Savior when they even get irritated. Too many wish to believe they can transcend all the irritation, all the angst of life and this would prove they are truly Christ's. All that proves is they've succeeded in fooling themselves that they are a *GOOD* person. We can't concern ourselves with *being good to be God's*. Yes, we must shun all evil, we must live in Christ with Him as our example, but we have to let our righteousness be Christ's righteousness. He has to live in us and His righteousness must come through, nothing that we can call OUR righteousness, OUR goodness. We have to accept that we are being tried in fire, we are being refined constantly and that refining is never easy. We need to ALWAYS do unto others as we WANT them to do to us, whether that is excuse our mistakes as we're driving, or forgive our forgetfulness, or be understanding as we fumble with our notes, have patience towards us when we mess up our pin number at the atm and hold up the line, even be forgiving when we have to take a cellphone call and our hushed conversation is bothering you. It doesn't matter what it is WE need to treat others as WE want to be treated when we are in their shoes. When we anger them we want them to be understanding. When they anger us we NEED to be understanding. When they slap us we need to realize that we didn't like being slapped and we shouldn't slap back. When they revile us it's hurtful and if we revile them back we are giving hurt back, we are giving something WE wouldn't want to have- if we had the choice. It's not easy, no one said it was.
Mat 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
We should do what we want done to us. We have to put ourselves in the shoes of others at all times not just when it's convenient for us to do so.
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Thou shalt LOVE they neighbor as thyself.
This is one of the COMMANDMENTS!
A COMMAND for us to follow, not for us to ignore, not for us to sometimes follow, not for us to disregard as we do sooooooooooo often! We do it all the time! We've STOPPED loving our neighbor. We've stopped and we've done so for many, many reasons and not all of those reasons are horrific to us. We stop because we are scared for our safety. We stop because we just live in our own little safe sphere of influence and to step outside it makes us feel vulnerable in many ways.
Next time you step outside of your house and spy a stranger- ask yourself if you love them. Seriously, ask yourself if you love them. Love isn't that sentimental business we call it, love is caring above and beyond yourself for another, undeservedly. We don't wait for the strangers to become our friends then become our close friends until we decide we love them. We must love our neighbors, we must love all those around us as our God would love them and does love them.
Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Gal 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
By the grace of God my we learn this, may this become part of our lives through our Savior. Help us God to love as you would have us love, as You love.
By Your LOVE, Your mercy and grace, Your righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
The Lord will not hear me
Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me
Why doesn't God hear us? If we regard iniquity in our hearts. If we keep sin in our lives why should we expect God to hear us? Why? It is true that our Savior came to save the sinners (which is all of us) but even He told one man He healed--
Joh 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
And a woman accused--
Joh 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Sin no more. Jesus knew all about our propensity towards sin and He did not say this-- 'go and TRY to sin no more' . He plainly stated, 'Sin no more'.
When we purposely sin we are shutting ourselves off from God. Every sin we commit estranges us from our God. Sin brings up a barrier between us and God as sure as a thick prison wall slamming down between us, no bars to see through, no windows, completely cut off. It's true. If it weren't true we would have had NO need of a Savior.
Sin was not eradicated when our Savior came and died for us. Sin in a person's life wasn't forever taken away after they were healed, or forgiven. They were told to sin no more. There would be future choices they'd have to make, they weren't inoculated against sin. Opportunities to sin would come again and again and again- and they'd have to choose whether or not to succumb to the sin each time. Just as we who have accepted our Savior can still choose sin. When we do sin the same thing happens that happens every time any one sins… we cut ourselves off from God and until we seek forgiveness, repenting of that sin, we are cut off.
If we regard sin in our hearts, if we hold onto our sins cherishing them, God cannot hear us. I'm not saying God isn't ready and willing to forgive us of our sins, He is! But as long as we love the sin in our lives, as long as we cling to our sin and refuse to repent of it there is no reason for God to hear us. He hears the cry of the repentant, but not that of the unrepentant.
Make no mistake, God knows our hearts. He knows.
1Jn 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
1Jn 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
1Jn 3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
God is GREATER than our heart and knoweth all things.
Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me
Can we assure our hearts before God if they are filled with sin? No. Not if the sin is not repented of.
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
If our heart is not contrite but regarding iniquity, we CANNOT expect God to hear us. We tell people to confess and repent of their sins, accepting Jesus as their sacrifice, accepting Jesus' forgiveness, but we can never tell a person to keep on sinning and Jesus will forgive you, we just can't. People will jump up and accuse us of making it a salvation by works when we say stuff like that, but it's true. Jesus preached this message of repentance and forgiveness. We can tell someone caught up in sin's evil grip to repent and forsake the sin and to do so every day, every hour, every minute if need be as they seek forgiveness through our Savior.
God knows our hearts and He is GREATER than our hearts. God will forgive knowing the heart of each and every one of us. God knows that the genuine cry of a sinner is much different from the cry coming from one who cherishes the sin in their hearts. Is it any wonder we must pray--
Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
As long as we keep from surrendering ourselves fully to God, giving up the selfishness inside us, we can't expect God to hear us.
When Jesus told those whose lives He touched with His miracles to go and sin no more, He was telling them that sinning isn't something they should do. Just as we can sit here and say sin no more- that sinning has a consequence. Jesus wasn't telling them to sin no more on a whim. Jesus wasn't telling them to sin no more in a half-hearted manner. Jesus wasn't saying to sin no more just to hear Himself speak. These were important words, very important words.
Sin separates us from God. The first sin committed by a human begin separated us from God. When we stop trusting God in all things, when we look to ourselves for salvation we will NEVER find it. We only save ourselves by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior, constantly.
Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me
If we cling to sin not repenting of it, not seeking the victory over it through our Savior, if we knowingly hold onto anything that would separate us from God - we can't expect Him to hear us.
If someone you love does something to hurt you, you expect them to stop doing that thing and to apologize in order to keep peace between you. If that person you love keeps doing that thing that hurts you and is unapologetic do you really believe they love you? Many abuse victims will stay in an abusive relationship because the abuser apologizes over and over and promises not to do it again, not to hurt them again. Often the abuser is very apologetic and sincerely so, not wanting to hurt but seemingly unable to keep from doing so. When there is very little or no repentance on the abuser's part they can of course use other things to get their victim to stay with them- emotional, mental torture. However, a lot of times that abuse causes a separation between the two. When a spouse cheats there is often a separation after that abuse. Divorce between a man and woman happens for many reasons, but we can look at those reasons and sin is at the root of them. Even when someone says they divorce because they *grew apart*, the sin lies in the neglect that caused that to happen. When a person is separated from God it is because they are regarding sin in their heart. When that separation occurs God will not hear us, not until we've genuinely repented of that sin and found forgiveness in our Savior.
We can believe God when we are told that He will take care of us. We can believe God when we are told to ask and we will receive. What we can't believe is that sin doesn't matter. Our Savior died for us because of sin- sin matters. We live in a world that will try and convince you at every turn that sin doesn't matter. Sins have become acceptable. We call darkness - light. Sin isn't acceptable and we really need to examine our lives to find out where we might have conformed to the world because as long as we are conformed to the world we are NOT with God. And yes, the world has convinced millions that they can be conformed to the world and still be saved- that's a deception Satan has excelled at.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord may we be wholly His! May we not be conformed to the world! May we not accept sin just because the world has!
By His love may we NEVER regard sin in our hearts and may He always hear us!
Amen.
Why doesn't God hear us? If we regard iniquity in our hearts. If we keep sin in our lives why should we expect God to hear us? Why? It is true that our Savior came to save the sinners (which is all of us) but even He told one man He healed--
Joh 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
And a woman accused--
Joh 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Sin no more. Jesus knew all about our propensity towards sin and He did not say this-- 'go and TRY to sin no more' . He plainly stated, 'Sin no more'.
When we purposely sin we are shutting ourselves off from God. Every sin we commit estranges us from our God. Sin brings up a barrier between us and God as sure as a thick prison wall slamming down between us, no bars to see through, no windows, completely cut off. It's true. If it weren't true we would have had NO need of a Savior.
Sin was not eradicated when our Savior came and died for us. Sin in a person's life wasn't forever taken away after they were healed, or forgiven. They were told to sin no more. There would be future choices they'd have to make, they weren't inoculated against sin. Opportunities to sin would come again and again and again- and they'd have to choose whether or not to succumb to the sin each time. Just as we who have accepted our Savior can still choose sin. When we do sin the same thing happens that happens every time any one sins… we cut ourselves off from God and until we seek forgiveness, repenting of that sin, we are cut off.
If we regard sin in our hearts, if we hold onto our sins cherishing them, God cannot hear us. I'm not saying God isn't ready and willing to forgive us of our sins, He is! But as long as we love the sin in our lives, as long as we cling to our sin and refuse to repent of it there is no reason for God to hear us. He hears the cry of the repentant, but not that of the unrepentant.
Make no mistake, God knows our hearts. He knows.
1Jn 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
1Jn 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
1Jn 3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
God is GREATER than our heart and knoweth all things.
Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me
Can we assure our hearts before God if they are filled with sin? No. Not if the sin is not repented of.
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
If our heart is not contrite but regarding iniquity, we CANNOT expect God to hear us. We tell people to confess and repent of their sins, accepting Jesus as their sacrifice, accepting Jesus' forgiveness, but we can never tell a person to keep on sinning and Jesus will forgive you, we just can't. People will jump up and accuse us of making it a salvation by works when we say stuff like that, but it's true. Jesus preached this message of repentance and forgiveness. We can tell someone caught up in sin's evil grip to repent and forsake the sin and to do so every day, every hour, every minute if need be as they seek forgiveness through our Savior.
God knows our hearts and He is GREATER than our hearts. God will forgive knowing the heart of each and every one of us. God knows that the genuine cry of a sinner is much different from the cry coming from one who cherishes the sin in their hearts. Is it any wonder we must pray--
Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
As long as we keep from surrendering ourselves fully to God, giving up the selfishness inside us, we can't expect God to hear us.
When Jesus told those whose lives He touched with His miracles to go and sin no more, He was telling them that sinning isn't something they should do. Just as we can sit here and say sin no more- that sinning has a consequence. Jesus wasn't telling them to sin no more on a whim. Jesus wasn't telling them to sin no more in a half-hearted manner. Jesus wasn't saying to sin no more just to hear Himself speak. These were important words, very important words.
Sin separates us from God. The first sin committed by a human begin separated us from God. When we stop trusting God in all things, when we look to ourselves for salvation we will NEVER find it. We only save ourselves by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior, constantly.
Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me
If we cling to sin not repenting of it, not seeking the victory over it through our Savior, if we knowingly hold onto anything that would separate us from God - we can't expect Him to hear us.
If someone you love does something to hurt you, you expect them to stop doing that thing and to apologize in order to keep peace between you. If that person you love keeps doing that thing that hurts you and is unapologetic do you really believe they love you? Many abuse victims will stay in an abusive relationship because the abuser apologizes over and over and promises not to do it again, not to hurt them again. Often the abuser is very apologetic and sincerely so, not wanting to hurt but seemingly unable to keep from doing so. When there is very little or no repentance on the abuser's part they can of course use other things to get their victim to stay with them- emotional, mental torture. However, a lot of times that abuse causes a separation between the two. When a spouse cheats there is often a separation after that abuse. Divorce between a man and woman happens for many reasons, but we can look at those reasons and sin is at the root of them. Even when someone says they divorce because they *grew apart*, the sin lies in the neglect that caused that to happen. When a person is separated from God it is because they are regarding sin in their heart. When that separation occurs God will not hear us, not until we've genuinely repented of that sin and found forgiveness in our Savior.
We can believe God when we are told that He will take care of us. We can believe God when we are told to ask and we will receive. What we can't believe is that sin doesn't matter. Our Savior died for us because of sin- sin matters. We live in a world that will try and convince you at every turn that sin doesn't matter. Sins have become acceptable. We call darkness - light. Sin isn't acceptable and we really need to examine our lives to find out where we might have conformed to the world because as long as we are conformed to the world we are NOT with God. And yes, the world has convinced millions that they can be conformed to the world and still be saved- that's a deception Satan has excelled at.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord may we be wholly His! May we not be conformed to the world! May we not accept sin just because the world has!
By His love may we NEVER regard sin in our hearts and may He always hear us!
Amen.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss
Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
We ask but we don't receive. Remember talking about asking for *good things*? People do it all the time, yes? We ask for good things like healing for a sick friend, that's a good thing to pray for, isn't it? We do it all the time, don't we? I see it on facebook often… various people fall ill or have loved ones who fall ill, or friends, and even friends of friends asking for others to pray for them and this is good, yes? Recognizing that God is the giver of life, the giver of healing, that God has this power that we lack. Is there anything wrong in asking God to bring healing to someone? Not if we are praying for His will to be done, right? Is it possible that STOP praying for God's will and start praying for our will to be done? We might not actually say those words, in fact we might mouth the word's 'Thy will be done', but are they sincere? We HAVE to ask ourselves these questions, we really do. We are told plainly-
Ye receive NOT because ye ask amiss and you're asking amiss because you want to consume the answered prayer upon your lust. Your lust being your selfish purpose.
Do you suppose a person can pray selfishly for another person to be healed? I do. I believe that a person can want to claim glory for the mere fact they prayed and THEIR prayer was answered. All glory is to go to GOD, none to ourselves. Yet we all too often take glory to ourselves.
I also believe a person can want another to be healed because selfishly they can't imagine life without that person.
We want people to be healed because not to want them healed means we want them to suffer and if we want someone to suffer that would just plain be cruel, and wrong.
There ARE good reasons to want people healed, there really are. Jesus went about healing thousands with many miracles. Jesus healed and these miracles made those healed, and those witnessing the healing much more receptive to the message our Savior had to give them. The hearts of many were softened by the healing touch and many accepted the Savior - the way, the truth, and the life- the bringer of eternal salvation. To want healing for others or even for ourselves is not wrong, but we can want healing for others selfishly and anything done from selfishness is never a good thing.
Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
God knows our hearts and He know when we ask something amiss, we can't fool God. Seriously, we can't fool Him.
Our Savior was God become man all because He needed to do so in order to bring us salvation in Him so that we may one day live with Him eternally in love. This is why our Savior lived. So if our Savior lived to save us, we too need to live in order to point the way to our Savior and salvation in Him. This is why we live.
We were created for GOD'S glory.
Isa 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
We were created for our LORD'S pleasure- For our Lord's will, for our Lord's desire- for this we were created.
Rev 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created
We are given to Christ who wills that we be with Him.
Joh 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
We live, but the selfish part of us does NOT live when Christ lives in us!
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Our LUSTS are crucified if we are Christ's.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
If we live for Christ, if we live with Christ in us, if we live for what Christ lived for- eternal life IN HIM- then ALL we pray for will be centered solely around Him, for Him, for all that He is- HIS WILL.
Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
We receive not from God when we ask selfishly.
When a loved one dies after being ill when we've been praying for God's healing it is very easy for us to believe God did NOT answer our prayer. And we ONLY believe that way when we are being selfish, right? Seriously. Selfishly we refuse to believe that God's will could be anything other than ours- that the person be healed. We don't like to imagine it is God's will that a person we love- die. Remember it was the Father's will that Christ die for us. We think of death as something horrible, something to be shunned at all costs, something to dread, and fear. Very few of us believe death is something to welcome because that sounds very morbid and really it is, unless you are suffering horrifically and then death is a welcomed reprieve from the pain. We are not to SEEK death, but at the same time we are not to FEAR death either. And when death enters our lives - and it does in many ways- we need to understand that God who sees far beyond our mortal sight allows death and will continue to allow death until it is swallowed up in the victory of Christ- at the last trump- at Christ's return.
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
Death is allowed and all we can do is pray that God's will be done in our lives and in the lives of those we pray for and before death takes any of those we love, before death takes any we pray for, that they die as Christ's so they will rise again from the dead when Christ returns.
When we 'ask amiss' we are asking for our will, our selfish will to be done. This is true not only when praying for the ill, the dying, but in all we pray for. This doesn't mean we are not to ask for things, we are but ALWAYS with God's will first and foremost in mind. Do you want to pray for a safe journey? Do you believe God wants you to be safe- it's hard to believe otherwise, right? But when the car breaks down, or you're caught in a traffic jam, or you're in a car accident it's NOT because God didn't want you to be safe. It is ALLOWED to happen ultimately for our good when we believe God is in control of our lives. We can't understand why bad things happen, but we have to trust God even in our darkest hours and if you haven't had any darkest hours yet, you most likely will eventually, very few are spared them.
Every single prayer we pray is answered, every single prayer we pray is heard by God when He is our Lord of Lords. The answers we receive might not always be what we desire and we need to do some self-reflection when that happens. Are we asking 'amiss'? Are we praying selfishly? If we fully believe we are not praying selfishly, that we are not asking 'amiss', then we must leave it all in God's hand for Him to work out according to His will in the ways He knows are best.
By His Grace!
Amen.
We ask but we don't receive. Remember talking about asking for *good things*? People do it all the time, yes? We ask for good things like healing for a sick friend, that's a good thing to pray for, isn't it? We do it all the time, don't we? I see it on facebook often… various people fall ill or have loved ones who fall ill, or friends, and even friends of friends asking for others to pray for them and this is good, yes? Recognizing that God is the giver of life, the giver of healing, that God has this power that we lack. Is there anything wrong in asking God to bring healing to someone? Not if we are praying for His will to be done, right? Is it possible that STOP praying for God's will and start praying for our will to be done? We might not actually say those words, in fact we might mouth the word's 'Thy will be done', but are they sincere? We HAVE to ask ourselves these questions, we really do. We are told plainly-
Ye receive NOT because ye ask amiss and you're asking amiss because you want to consume the answered prayer upon your lust. Your lust being your selfish purpose.
Do you suppose a person can pray selfishly for another person to be healed? I do. I believe that a person can want to claim glory for the mere fact they prayed and THEIR prayer was answered. All glory is to go to GOD, none to ourselves. Yet we all too often take glory to ourselves.
I also believe a person can want another to be healed because selfishly they can't imagine life without that person.
We want people to be healed because not to want them healed means we want them to suffer and if we want someone to suffer that would just plain be cruel, and wrong.
There ARE good reasons to want people healed, there really are. Jesus went about healing thousands with many miracles. Jesus healed and these miracles made those healed, and those witnessing the healing much more receptive to the message our Savior had to give them. The hearts of many were softened by the healing touch and many accepted the Savior - the way, the truth, and the life- the bringer of eternal salvation. To want healing for others or even for ourselves is not wrong, but we can want healing for others selfishly and anything done from selfishness is never a good thing.
Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
God knows our hearts and He know when we ask something amiss, we can't fool God. Seriously, we can't fool Him.
Our Savior was God become man all because He needed to do so in order to bring us salvation in Him so that we may one day live with Him eternally in love. This is why our Savior lived. So if our Savior lived to save us, we too need to live in order to point the way to our Savior and salvation in Him. This is why we live.
We were created for GOD'S glory.
Isa 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
We were created for our LORD'S pleasure- For our Lord's will, for our Lord's desire- for this we were created.
Rev 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created
We are given to Christ who wills that we be with Him.
Joh 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
We live, but the selfish part of us does NOT live when Christ lives in us!
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Our LUSTS are crucified if we are Christ's.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
If we live for Christ, if we live with Christ in us, if we live for what Christ lived for- eternal life IN HIM- then ALL we pray for will be centered solely around Him, for Him, for all that He is- HIS WILL.
Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
We receive not from God when we ask selfishly.
When a loved one dies after being ill when we've been praying for God's healing it is very easy for us to believe God did NOT answer our prayer. And we ONLY believe that way when we are being selfish, right? Seriously. Selfishly we refuse to believe that God's will could be anything other than ours- that the person be healed. We don't like to imagine it is God's will that a person we love- die. Remember it was the Father's will that Christ die for us. We think of death as something horrible, something to be shunned at all costs, something to dread, and fear. Very few of us believe death is something to welcome because that sounds very morbid and really it is, unless you are suffering horrifically and then death is a welcomed reprieve from the pain. We are not to SEEK death, but at the same time we are not to FEAR death either. And when death enters our lives - and it does in many ways- we need to understand that God who sees far beyond our mortal sight allows death and will continue to allow death until it is swallowed up in the victory of Christ- at the last trump- at Christ's return.
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
Death is allowed and all we can do is pray that God's will be done in our lives and in the lives of those we pray for and before death takes any of those we love, before death takes any we pray for, that they die as Christ's so they will rise again from the dead when Christ returns.
When we 'ask amiss' we are asking for our will, our selfish will to be done. This is true not only when praying for the ill, the dying, but in all we pray for. This doesn't mean we are not to ask for things, we are but ALWAYS with God's will first and foremost in mind. Do you want to pray for a safe journey? Do you believe God wants you to be safe- it's hard to believe otherwise, right? But when the car breaks down, or you're caught in a traffic jam, or you're in a car accident it's NOT because God didn't want you to be safe. It is ALLOWED to happen ultimately for our good when we believe God is in control of our lives. We can't understand why bad things happen, but we have to trust God even in our darkest hours and if you haven't had any darkest hours yet, you most likely will eventually, very few are spared them.
Every single prayer we pray is answered, every single prayer we pray is heard by God when He is our Lord of Lords. The answers we receive might not always be what we desire and we need to do some self-reflection when that happens. Are we asking 'amiss'? Are we praying selfishly? If we fully believe we are not praying selfishly, that we are not asking 'amiss', then we must leave it all in God's hand for Him to work out according to His will in the ways He knows are best.
By His Grace!
Amen.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
We know not that we are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. We believe we are rich and have all we need. This is the state of so many people in regards to their spiritual life. They need nothing, they need no more, they have all they'll ever need and yet… they have nothing. This is akin to our Savior saying to a people in the day He returns for us--
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.
We wonder how anyone could believe they are Christ's, don't we? We should KNOW whether or not we are Christ's, shouldn't we? Yet there are a whole slew of people who don't know. These people are completely oblivious to their true state, this ought to frighten us, shouldn't it? The people just don't know! They believe they are but they aren't and they just don't realize it. How can we know? How?
We read this…
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing
…and don't we know? Rich and have need of nothing. Rich spiritually rich, needing nothing. Yet anyone who is TRULY Christ's knows that they NEED Christ's righteousness. Anyone who is truly Christ's knows they need so much and they need it constantly, never endingly. We can never use these words… I am without adding… with Christ by His grace. When we take any glory to ourselves we are stealing it from our Savior who deserves ALL the glory, ALL the glory!
We are NOT rich! We are NOT increased with goods. We DO NEED so much!
It's no wonder there will be many in the day Christ comes that THINK they are His but they are not, He doesn't know them, how can He know them? They are too busy caught up in themselves to really know Him.
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Knowest not that thou art- wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
We are wretched
We are miserable
We are poor
We are blind
We are naked…without Christ.
With Christ we can be rich in faith, clothed in His righteousness, and filled with the sight of Holy Spirit.
Only through Christ are we anything at all. Christ will know us because we live through HIM. When we aren't living on our own we have Christ living in us filling us with Himself, His righteousness, His grace, His love, His life. Is it any wonder He knows those who are His?!
By His grace and mercy may we be wholly His! Fully surrendered to Him, rich through Him, clothed by Him, filled with sight by Him, all to His glory!
Amen.
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
We know not that we are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. We believe we are rich and have all we need. This is the state of so many people in regards to their spiritual life. They need nothing, they need no more, they have all they'll ever need and yet… they have nothing. This is akin to our Savior saying to a people in the day He returns for us--
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.
We wonder how anyone could believe they are Christ's, don't we? We should KNOW whether or not we are Christ's, shouldn't we? Yet there are a whole slew of people who don't know. These people are completely oblivious to their true state, this ought to frighten us, shouldn't it? The people just don't know! They believe they are but they aren't and they just don't realize it. How can we know? How?
We read this…
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing
…and don't we know? Rich and have need of nothing. Rich spiritually rich, needing nothing. Yet anyone who is TRULY Christ's knows that they NEED Christ's righteousness. Anyone who is truly Christ's knows they need so much and they need it constantly, never endingly. We can never use these words… I am without adding… with Christ by His grace. When we take any glory to ourselves we are stealing it from our Savior who deserves ALL the glory, ALL the glory!
We are NOT rich! We are NOT increased with goods. We DO NEED so much!
It's no wonder there will be many in the day Christ comes that THINK they are His but they are not, He doesn't know them, how can He know them? They are too busy caught up in themselves to really know Him.
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Knowest not that thou art- wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
We are wretched
We are miserable
We are poor
We are blind
We are naked…without Christ.
With Christ we can be rich in faith, clothed in His righteousness, and filled with the sight of Holy Spirit.
Only through Christ are we anything at all. Christ will know us because we live through HIM. When we aren't living on our own we have Christ living in us filling us with Himself, His righteousness, His grace, His love, His life. Is it any wonder He knows those who are His?!
By His grace and mercy may we be wholly His! Fully surrendered to Him, rich through Him, clothed by Him, filled with sight by Him, all to His glory!
Amen.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Selfless
1Jn 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
If we KNOW that He hears us- WHATSOEVER we ask, we KNOW that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
We know because we are asking ACCORDING to HIS WILL. As long as we ask according to HIS will He hears us and will grant our petitions.
Yes, yes, and yes, this has been my focus lately but I think it needs to be. When we pray we have to pray according to God's will, not our will. CAN we do this? Seriously, can we do this? We get so caught up in our own will we scarcely can pray for God's will. We are so incredibly self-centered that whenever we pray we put self into it to the point we are asking God to do our will. Answer our prayers, which in truth are HIS prayer if it is for HIS will, yes?
God's will and our will, this is what it's all about-- bending our will to God's, submitting our will to God's, surrendering our will to God's will, giving up self to God. Can we do this? Can we? We who are so incredibly wrapped up in our selves, can we give that up to God? It's easy to say yes, but so very hard to do. In fact it's impossible for us to do, and only possible for our Savior to do for us.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever
The Comforter abiding with US forever.
Mar 13:11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
It is NOT ye that speak BUT the Holy Ghost!
We will need to speak, we will be required to speak and when that day comes we won't be the one speaking, why? We won't be the one speaking because the HOLY GHOST will be speaking THROUGH us. God will be speaking through us. For it is NOT YE that speak. We will be a vessel to be used by God. This is a moment of complete self-surrender. God speaking through us, not us speaking- no self involved whatsoever, us being used by God. So amazing! So wondrous!
Is it any wonder that over and over Jesus' example is one of serving others? He spent all of His ministry preaching the gospel of the kingdom of heaven while healing multitudes, tending to all those around Him. Jesus didn't stay in one place but journeyed to bring His message to many. The healing and preaching went hand in hand. The giving was a CONSTANT message to us. The Son of God was NOT selfish. Every time He healed someone that was time He gave to them, His time, His love. We must remember Jesus was human- Jesus became tired and hungry just as we do. The work He was called on to do wasn't easy. Just imagine how much energy it took from Him to be so in demand working so incredibly hard. It's too easy for us to believe that He had endless stores of energy, but He had our FLESH, and any one with our flesh body has the same needs we have. Seriously, this is something we don't consider enough. Our Savior was our example in all things and He knew when He needed to rest, He knew when He needed to eat, He knew when He thirsted, He knew when He needed to be alone to pray. Jesus had physical LIMITATIONS! Too many shake their heads to that, believing that because He was a God He didn't have to feel things the way we feel things- they're wrong! Jesus EMPTIED Himself and became HUMAN. Jesus relied upon His Father just as WE have to rely upon our Heavenly Father.
The example of our Lord is something we need to hold up every single day. Our Savior's selflessness, pure selflessness!
By His grace may we become selfless, through Him may we become selfless, so selfless that the Holy Spirit will be able to completely use us, speaking through us when that day comes.
In His LOVE!
Amen.
1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
If we KNOW that He hears us- WHATSOEVER we ask, we KNOW that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
We know because we are asking ACCORDING to HIS WILL. As long as we ask according to HIS will He hears us and will grant our petitions.
Yes, yes, and yes, this has been my focus lately but I think it needs to be. When we pray we have to pray according to God's will, not our will. CAN we do this? Seriously, can we do this? We get so caught up in our own will we scarcely can pray for God's will. We are so incredibly self-centered that whenever we pray we put self into it to the point we are asking God to do our will. Answer our prayers, which in truth are HIS prayer if it is for HIS will, yes?
God's will and our will, this is what it's all about-- bending our will to God's, submitting our will to God's, surrendering our will to God's will, giving up self to God. Can we do this? Can we? We who are so incredibly wrapped up in our selves, can we give that up to God? It's easy to say yes, but so very hard to do. In fact it's impossible for us to do, and only possible for our Savior to do for us.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever
The Comforter abiding with US forever.
Mar 13:11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
It is NOT ye that speak BUT the Holy Ghost!
We will need to speak, we will be required to speak and when that day comes we won't be the one speaking, why? We won't be the one speaking because the HOLY GHOST will be speaking THROUGH us. God will be speaking through us. For it is NOT YE that speak. We will be a vessel to be used by God. This is a moment of complete self-surrender. God speaking through us, not us speaking- no self involved whatsoever, us being used by God. So amazing! So wondrous!
Is it any wonder that over and over Jesus' example is one of serving others? He spent all of His ministry preaching the gospel of the kingdom of heaven while healing multitudes, tending to all those around Him. Jesus didn't stay in one place but journeyed to bring His message to many. The healing and preaching went hand in hand. The giving was a CONSTANT message to us. The Son of God was NOT selfish. Every time He healed someone that was time He gave to them, His time, His love. We must remember Jesus was human- Jesus became tired and hungry just as we do. The work He was called on to do wasn't easy. Just imagine how much energy it took from Him to be so in demand working so incredibly hard. It's too easy for us to believe that He had endless stores of energy, but He had our FLESH, and any one with our flesh body has the same needs we have. Seriously, this is something we don't consider enough. Our Savior was our example in all things and He knew when He needed to rest, He knew when He needed to eat, He knew when He thirsted, He knew when He needed to be alone to pray. Jesus had physical LIMITATIONS! Too many shake their heads to that, believing that because He was a God He didn't have to feel things the way we feel things- they're wrong! Jesus EMPTIED Himself and became HUMAN. Jesus relied upon His Father just as WE have to rely upon our Heavenly Father.
The example of our Lord is something we need to hold up every single day. Our Savior's selflessness, pure selflessness!
By His grace may we become selfless, through Him may we become selfless, so selfless that the Holy Spirit will be able to completely use us, speaking through us when that day comes.
In His LOVE!
Amen.
Whatsoever we ask...
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
Whatsoever we ask-we receive of HIM- BECAUSE we keep HIS commandments and DO those things that ARE pleasing in HIS sight.
We talk much about keeping HIS commandments but right now we need to talk about DOING those things that ARE PLEASING in HIS sight.
What sort of things do you believe are pleasing in our Savior's sight?
Joh 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
Jesus ALWAYS did things pleasing to the Father.
We know what Jesus did, we have a record of His life, of His ministry, of the Gospel message He came to give to mankind. When we look to Jesus and know that all He did was pleasing to God then we know that if we are to please Him we must do all He did, all that we are able to do through HIS grace and righteousness.
It's silly for us to try and please our Savior and not keep his commandments. It'd be like a child trying to please his parents and not following the rules the parent set up for the child to keep. Why do we believe that we can act in any manner we choose and please God? A spoiled child believes that way. A spoiled child will easily disobey their parent and expect that parent to overlook their petulant, selfish actions. Why? Because a parent might just do that. But God… God can't overlook our selfish behavior. God cannot lie. God cannot lie, period, meaning God will not lie even to Himself and that's what parents do when they decide to overlook a child's selfish behavior and give into a child's petulant ways. A parent makes the choice to allow a child to disobey, they lie to the child because they generally will not tell the child they are choosing to overlook their bad behavior, instead they just overlook it and allow the child to believe they've gotten away with their bad behavior.
To please God, to please our Savior, we obey Him.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
When we obey our Savior we are doing that which is pleasing in His sight.
In obeying our Savior we can truly ask Him anything and we WILL receive what we ask for because we wouldn't dare ask Him for anything that wouldn't please Him. And what pleases Him most-- our believing in Him enough to wholly want His will done in our lives. How beautiful this message is.
Selflessness.
God paramount in our lives.
The giving up of self for God.
Living for God's will.
This is what God wants of us and this is our duty to 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.
Reverence God- keep His commandments.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
God's will now and forever!
Amen!
Whatsoever we ask-we receive of HIM- BECAUSE we keep HIS commandments and DO those things that ARE pleasing in HIS sight.
We talk much about keeping HIS commandments but right now we need to talk about DOING those things that ARE PLEASING in HIS sight.
What sort of things do you believe are pleasing in our Savior's sight?
Joh 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
Jesus ALWAYS did things pleasing to the Father.
We know what Jesus did, we have a record of His life, of His ministry, of the Gospel message He came to give to mankind. When we look to Jesus and know that all He did was pleasing to God then we know that if we are to please Him we must do all He did, all that we are able to do through HIS grace and righteousness.
It's silly for us to try and please our Savior and not keep his commandments. It'd be like a child trying to please his parents and not following the rules the parent set up for the child to keep. Why do we believe that we can act in any manner we choose and please God? A spoiled child believes that way. A spoiled child will easily disobey their parent and expect that parent to overlook their petulant, selfish actions. Why? Because a parent might just do that. But God… God can't overlook our selfish behavior. God cannot lie. God cannot lie, period, meaning God will not lie even to Himself and that's what parents do when they decide to overlook a child's selfish behavior and give into a child's petulant ways. A parent makes the choice to allow a child to disobey, they lie to the child because they generally will not tell the child they are choosing to overlook their bad behavior, instead they just overlook it and allow the child to believe they've gotten away with their bad behavior.
To please God, to please our Savior, we obey Him.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
When we obey our Savior we are doing that which is pleasing in His sight.
In obeying our Savior we can truly ask Him anything and we WILL receive what we ask for because we wouldn't dare ask Him for anything that wouldn't please Him. And what pleases Him most-- our believing in Him enough to wholly want His will done in our lives. How beautiful this message is.
Selflessness.
God paramount in our lives.
The giving up of self for God.
Living for God's will.
This is what God wants of us and this is our duty to 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.
Reverence God- keep His commandments.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
God's will now and forever!
Amen!
Monday, May 16, 2011
If you love me...
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever
Have you ever said these words to someone- 'If you love me…' If is the key word here, right? It really is because it puts a condition upon the love. IF you LOVE me… you will… you would…you'd do…you wouldn't do…ask me to…don't ask me to…give me…don't give me…take this…don't take that… on and on and on we can go, but the whole thing revolves around IF you LOVE someone then your actions will reveal that love. Most of us have uttered those words- If you love me, and when we do that we aren't necessarily doing it because we want to get our own way selfishly with something or other. Sometimes when we say those words to someone we are dead serious about what we are talking about and we are telling someone that IF they LOVE us then something about them in some way would reveal that love. It's easy to believe that someone doesn't love you when they do all sorts of things to hurt you, or they ignore you. And it's easy to believe someone does love you when they don't hurt you and they don't ignore you.
If I went up to a stranger on the street as asked them if they loved me, what do you want to bet they'd get that 'you're nuts' look in their eyes before telling me outright, no. They might believe I was on drugs, or drunk, or just crazy to be asking them- a complete stranger- if they love me. We associate loving someone with knowing someone, right? How can we love a complete stranger if we don't know them? The definition of what love is has become very selfish. We can love if we know someone and they deserve our love, but to love regardless of whether or not we know someone, or they deserve our love is a whole other story.
We are told to love our neighbors and then told our neighbors include complete strangers- yet so few of us actually LOVE our neighbors. So few of us actually love each other indiscriminately. While some might argue that God wouldn't want us to love satan worshippers, I'd beg to differ. We are to love them- and that doesn't mean becoming like them, it doesn't mean believing in all they believe, it doesn't mean telling them that sin is good in any way, shape, or form. Loving someone means regardless of every single external bit of their lives we care for them as one that deserves to know the saving power of our Savior, a Savior who loves us and forgives us our sins when we repent and seek His forgiveness. We need to love others indiscriminately because that is how we are loved, that is how we are forgiven. Are there conditions put upon the love our Savior gives us?
Did He say- 'If ye love me…'
Yes, He did say those words. 'If ye love me, keep my commandments.'
Those commandments are to love. If we love Him, out of that love for Him we will love.
Out of love for Him we love.
We are supposed to love complete strangers.
We are supposed to love those we don't know.
We are supposed to love those who hate us.
We are supposed to love… and if we love we are not selfish in that love, we are not discriminating in who we love.
All deserve to know the love of God and the way we reveal that love is by asking our Savior to send us another Comforter to abide in us forever. Through that Comforter we live our lives as a testament to our Savior, ever pointing the way to eternal life in Him, ever preaching the kingdom of God, ever living our lives not with tomorrow worries in mind, but with the hope of heaven with our loving King.
We will love God.
We will love our fellowman.
And when we love, our Savior is praying to the Father for us to have the Comforter with us forever.
Yesterday we discussed praying in Jesus' name, asking anything in His name, all to the glory of God. Today we are talking about loving Jesus, keeping His commandments, and receiving the Comforter. All of this goes hand in hand. Living our lives for our Savior, living for the coming kingdom, NOT living to selfishly have anything at all whatsoever. Not loving selfishly. Not loving few, but loving many, loving all.
We cannot love like this without our Savior- it impossible. Only through our God can we ever hope to love, can we ever hope to keep His commandments. Let it be our will to love Him as He would have us love, now and forever and ever.
By His GRACE!
By His LOVE!
Amen.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever
Have you ever said these words to someone- 'If you love me…' If is the key word here, right? It really is because it puts a condition upon the love. IF you LOVE me… you will… you would…you'd do…you wouldn't do…ask me to…don't ask me to…give me…don't give me…take this…don't take that… on and on and on we can go, but the whole thing revolves around IF you LOVE someone then your actions will reveal that love. Most of us have uttered those words- If you love me, and when we do that we aren't necessarily doing it because we want to get our own way selfishly with something or other. Sometimes when we say those words to someone we are dead serious about what we are talking about and we are telling someone that IF they LOVE us then something about them in some way would reveal that love. It's easy to believe that someone doesn't love you when they do all sorts of things to hurt you, or they ignore you. And it's easy to believe someone does love you when they don't hurt you and they don't ignore you.
If I went up to a stranger on the street as asked them if they loved me, what do you want to bet they'd get that 'you're nuts' look in their eyes before telling me outright, no. They might believe I was on drugs, or drunk, or just crazy to be asking them- a complete stranger- if they love me. We associate loving someone with knowing someone, right? How can we love a complete stranger if we don't know them? The definition of what love is has become very selfish. We can love if we know someone and they deserve our love, but to love regardless of whether or not we know someone, or they deserve our love is a whole other story.
We are told to love our neighbors and then told our neighbors include complete strangers- yet so few of us actually LOVE our neighbors. So few of us actually love each other indiscriminately. While some might argue that God wouldn't want us to love satan worshippers, I'd beg to differ. We are to love them- and that doesn't mean becoming like them, it doesn't mean believing in all they believe, it doesn't mean telling them that sin is good in any way, shape, or form. Loving someone means regardless of every single external bit of their lives we care for them as one that deserves to know the saving power of our Savior, a Savior who loves us and forgives us our sins when we repent and seek His forgiveness. We need to love others indiscriminately because that is how we are loved, that is how we are forgiven. Are there conditions put upon the love our Savior gives us?
Did He say- 'If ye love me…'
Yes, He did say those words. 'If ye love me, keep my commandments.'
Those commandments are to love. If we love Him, out of that love for Him we will love.
Out of love for Him we love.
We are supposed to love complete strangers.
We are supposed to love those we don't know.
We are supposed to love those who hate us.
We are supposed to love… and if we love we are not selfish in that love, we are not discriminating in who we love.
All deserve to know the love of God and the way we reveal that love is by asking our Savior to send us another Comforter to abide in us forever. Through that Comforter we live our lives as a testament to our Savior, ever pointing the way to eternal life in Him, ever preaching the kingdom of God, ever living our lives not with tomorrow worries in mind, but with the hope of heaven with our loving King.
We will love God.
We will love our fellowman.
And when we love, our Savior is praying to the Father for us to have the Comforter with us forever.
Yesterday we discussed praying in Jesus' name, asking anything in His name, all to the glory of God. Today we are talking about loving Jesus, keeping His commandments, and receiving the Comforter. All of this goes hand in hand. Living our lives for our Savior, living for the coming kingdom, NOT living to selfishly have anything at all whatsoever. Not loving selfishly. Not loving few, but loving many, loving all.
We cannot love like this without our Savior- it impossible. Only through our God can we ever hope to love, can we ever hope to keep His commandments. Let it be our will to love Him as He would have us love, now and forever and ever.
By His GRACE!
By His LOVE!
Amen.
Whatsoever ye shall ask
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
No, these are NOT magic words. This is not a magic formula. This was not Jesus saying that he will do anything for us no matter it is. When we ask for something in HIS name, we are asking for something HE would approve of, something we KNOW He would desire for us. All too often we ask for things that we *THINK* Jesus wants for us, or should want for us, but the truth is (and this is the a BIG truth) that all we should really want- is God's will to be done.
Yes, I've been writing about this for a long time now, but everything just keeps pointing back that way and for a good reason- it's truth and a truth we need to comprehend fully not just partially.
Asking in Jesus' name.
If we ask in someone's name what exactly are we hoping for?
If I ask my sister for something in my mother's name, for example, if I ask my sister for a loan in my mother's name, what am I doing? I'm asking her to look at my mother and what she stands for and by my mother's good grace, through my mother's merits I want her to grant me this loan. Now if my mother was against loaning out money for whatever reason and my sister knew this she might just decide that because it's against my mother's will as she's known it that it's not a good idea to give me that loan. My sister might also decide that because she knows I want the loan for something that isn't exactly going to help me in the long run so she denies me the loan. However, my sister might realize it is in my best interest regardless of how my mother felt about loans, and she might think that my mother would have given it to me under my circumstances and with all that in mind I would get the loan from her. Do you see the poor analogy I'm trying to make here?
Jesus will do nothing for us if we ask in His name for something that would be against God's will.
Jesus will do everything for us if we ask for God's will to be done and believe that the answer we receive is God's will.
So when we read these words of our Savior--
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Whatsoever ye shall ask IN MY NAME, THAT will I do- we have to remember we are asking in the name of our Savior and in His name we it will be the will of the Father that will be done just as it always was in His life.
When we read… if ye shall ask ANYTHING in MY NAME, I will do it… we MUST understand without any question that the ANYTHING is ALWAYS part of God's will. Jesus would do nothing without it being God's will, absolutely NOTHING. So when we dare to ask for something in Jesus' name we need to do it asking wholeheartedly for God's will, not ours.
Does is hurt to ask for frivolous things? Does it hurt to ask for say a million dollars? Most of genuinely would love the security that a million dollars could give us. Security to keep a roof over our heads, a working car on the road, food in our bellies, health care. I'm not talking about asking for a million dollars to spend wildly on anything we have a whim for. Most of us would use it resourcefully, so is it wrong to ask for it? I don't think it is… as long as we are asking that it be according to God's will, not ours. As long as we aren't turning around and chastising God for not hearing us, for not answering us in a way we desire. God knows much more than we can ever, ever hope to know and we are SAFE in Him. And when I say SAFE in Him I mean our ETERNAL life is SAFE in Him. Our life here and now, this flesh life we were brought into the world in, is not the life we will one day have by the grace and mercy of our Savior. We need to live for eternity- beyond the here and now. All the suffering we are called to endure in whatever form it takes- is only temporary.
By His amazing grace and in Jesus' name may His will be done, may the Father's will be done, in our lives now and forever.
Amen.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
No, these are NOT magic words. This is not a magic formula. This was not Jesus saying that he will do anything for us no matter it is. When we ask for something in HIS name, we are asking for something HE would approve of, something we KNOW He would desire for us. All too often we ask for things that we *THINK* Jesus wants for us, or should want for us, but the truth is (and this is the a BIG truth) that all we should really want- is God's will to be done.
Yes, I've been writing about this for a long time now, but everything just keeps pointing back that way and for a good reason- it's truth and a truth we need to comprehend fully not just partially.
Asking in Jesus' name.
If we ask in someone's name what exactly are we hoping for?
If I ask my sister for something in my mother's name, for example, if I ask my sister for a loan in my mother's name, what am I doing? I'm asking her to look at my mother and what she stands for and by my mother's good grace, through my mother's merits I want her to grant me this loan. Now if my mother was against loaning out money for whatever reason and my sister knew this she might just decide that because it's against my mother's will as she's known it that it's not a good idea to give me that loan. My sister might also decide that because she knows I want the loan for something that isn't exactly going to help me in the long run so she denies me the loan. However, my sister might realize it is in my best interest regardless of how my mother felt about loans, and she might think that my mother would have given it to me under my circumstances and with all that in mind I would get the loan from her. Do you see the poor analogy I'm trying to make here?
Jesus will do nothing for us if we ask in His name for something that would be against God's will.
Jesus will do everything for us if we ask for God's will to be done and believe that the answer we receive is God's will.
So when we read these words of our Savior--
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Whatsoever ye shall ask IN MY NAME, THAT will I do- we have to remember we are asking in the name of our Savior and in His name we it will be the will of the Father that will be done just as it always was in His life.
When we read… if ye shall ask ANYTHING in MY NAME, I will do it… we MUST understand without any question that the ANYTHING is ALWAYS part of God's will. Jesus would do nothing without it being God's will, absolutely NOTHING. So when we dare to ask for something in Jesus' name we need to do it asking wholeheartedly for God's will, not ours.
Does is hurt to ask for frivolous things? Does it hurt to ask for say a million dollars? Most of genuinely would love the security that a million dollars could give us. Security to keep a roof over our heads, a working car on the road, food in our bellies, health care. I'm not talking about asking for a million dollars to spend wildly on anything we have a whim for. Most of us would use it resourcefully, so is it wrong to ask for it? I don't think it is… as long as we are asking that it be according to God's will, not ours. As long as we aren't turning around and chastising God for not hearing us, for not answering us in a way we desire. God knows much more than we can ever, ever hope to know and we are SAFE in Him. And when I say SAFE in Him I mean our ETERNAL life is SAFE in Him. Our life here and now, this flesh life we were brought into the world in, is not the life we will one day have by the grace and mercy of our Savior. We need to live for eternity- beyond the here and now. All the suffering we are called to endure in whatever form it takes- is only temporary.
By His amazing grace and in Jesus' name may His will be done, may the Father's will be done, in our lives now and forever.
Amen.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
We find God when our heart belongs to Him.
Jer 29:12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Search for me with all your heart.
We know all about searching don't we? Every single one of us at one time or another has searched for something. Even if our search was simply in a text book at school looking for an elusive bit of information to answer a homework question. Or perhaps we've only searched a telephone book for a phone number- that analogy too out dated? Maybe it's only been a search in our smartphone, as we look for a phone number. Searching takes on many forms- we search for so many things. You've searched the laundry for a favorite shirt, right? You've searched the dryer for a sock match that just seems to have disappeared, yes? Suffice it to say we've ALL searched for one thing or another in our lifetime however short or long the searching. Yes, babies even search for a bottle or breast to suckle on to get nourishment. Toddlers search for toys- not always happy with a toy they are offered but preferring a favorite.
We search, we are searchers. If we aren't searching for something tangible we are searching for something intellectual- knowledge of some sort. The fact is we really are on a constant search throughout our lives, perhaps for a good meal, or something to wet our whistle, or a good nights sleep. We want these things and we live in hope of having things. Many search for love, yes? Wanting someone they're compatible with to give them love- to care about them. Others search for someone they can care for, not necessarily fall in love with, but they have a need to be giving. There are so very many ways we search throughout our entire lives. This isn't to say that some people don't give up on searching, they do. The world unfortunately has many people who would rather die by their own hands than keep living- which means keep searching for the many elusive things they need to give them the will to live. We have a daily quest for whatever drives us for whatever it is that keeps us holding onto life. There are many very sick people who cling to life searching for a little more time- holding onto life just because to be without it seems impossible.
While we search on many levels throughout our lives, how often do we search for something with ALL OUR HEART? You mean you did search for that lost ring with all your heart, giving it everything you had to find it? But there came a point didn't there, when it became futile to continue searching? You exhausted every possible avenue of search, turned everything upside-down and inside-out. You looked high and low even in the impossible places- just in case. Then finally you gave up the search. Inevitably we do get to a point when searching for something constantly begins to wear on us and hopelessness can set in. We might buy *another* if it's something that we can buy another of, hoping the replacement will do. Not everything has a replacement though. When we can't replace something we've lost and give up searching for it there is an emptiness where that something used to be. Time usually eases the pain of losing something we cherish and cannot replace, but sometimes there's always a little ache for that loss. Time might ease the pain of the lost thing or lost love, but it never fully fills in that spot where the loss occurred.
So as we go through life, is it safe to say some people search for happiness and they try to find it in many, many things and ways? Is it equally safe to say that we are all searchers even those most content in their lots in life? Even the most content might have to search for something to eat, yes? The search being they desire something and go to retrieve it. I'm not saying the search has to be for something impossible to find. We search a newspaper for information on current events. We search online search engines for answers to questions- again, wanting knowledge. We look for jobs, we look for a good place to see a movie, we search for a nice restaurant. Searching is something we are endlessly involved in. Even when we watch a movie on television aren't we searching for entertainment? Many search for good recipes, yes? Content, able to have others search for us, even then we are searching for their success at finding what we desire them to find. Some searches are much more active than others. Some searches require very little effort so we barely call it searching at all, but ultimately we search for much more than we care to realize.
Do you think God would tell us to search for something that is impossible to find? I don't.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
So, if God isn't asking the impossible, just how do we seek Him, how do we search for Him with all our heart?
*******
Deu 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Deu 4:30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
Deu 4:31 (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.
Turn to the Lord and be OBEDIENT unto His voice.
To find God as we search for Him with all our heart we must be OBEDIENT to His will. Does that seem contrary, it's not. We must believe God IS in order to search for Him otherwise we are searching for nothing. Those who search for Bigfoot, the Yeti, the Lochness Monster, the Abominable Snowman all believe these creatures EXIST. If they didn't believe they existed they'd be searching for nothing. You might laugh and say that's exactly what their doing, but the point is THEY BELIEVE in them. When we search for God with all our heart we believe that He is. By faith we believe in all He's done through the men moved by the Holy Spirit to write down His words. We know from the Word we read that our God would have us be OBEDIENT to Him. In searching for God we need to be obedient to Him- choosing to believe the commandments He's set forth for us. If we choose NOT to be obedient to the Lord then our heart is NOT fully believing in Him, we are NOT seeking Him when we choose to disregard His word. In fact we are searching for reasons NOT to believe, rather than searching with all our heart and soul to believe.
*******
Deu 30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
Jer 4:4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ
The LORD our God will circumcise our hearts- cutting off all that would keep us from Him.
Circumcising ourselves to the Lord- we open our hearts to our God's will.
Circumcised in spirit, made acceptable to God.
Circumcised without hands- cutting sin from our lives through Christ!
We find the Lord when we allow ourselves to be circumcised of all that would prevent us from finding Him. We can choose to keep sin in our lives, we can choose to accept sin, embrace sin and let it be a part of our lives- this is the choice we make. We can choose to not believe. We can choose not to accept Christ's sacrifice. We can choose to ignore all thoughts of God. But if we are truly desiring to search for the Lord with all our heart and soul then we will purge all that we can from our lives that we know is unacceptable to Him. We will give ourselves to Him and allow Him to purge us from all that is unacceptable through His power, we will trust that He will prepare us, that He will do all for us that we cannot do.
*******
Deu 30:10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
Deu 30:11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
Deu 30:12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Deu 30:13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Deu 30:14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
Deu 30:15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
Deu 30:16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
Deu 30:17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
Deu 30:18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Deu 30:20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
We MUST listen to God! He speaks to us and we MUST listen! Too many believe in God in a very abstract many. He's there but as a silent being who requires nothing of us. Like a genie in a bottle we just rub a little prayer and He'll listen and because He's a finicky genie He'll only answer when He feels like it. This idea of God is a false belief. God speaks to us through His Word and He has a lot to say to us. He'll put His word right in our hearts if we allow Him to, but we MUST listen to Him.
*******
Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Listen to HIM! Forsake the evil thoughts and ways!
*******
Jer 3:10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.
Truly seek the LORD with your WHOLE heart!
*******
2Ch 31:21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.
Psa 119:2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
Psa 119:10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psa 119:145 KOPH. I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes.
Joe 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning
Act 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Act 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
Act 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Psa 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts
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.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
The CONCLUSION of the WHOLE MATTER!
Fear God and keep His commandments!
When we seek to do this from the heart we are doing so with a singleness of purpose, using our whole heart not just a tiny part of it, not just half of it, not even three-quarters but our WHOLE entire heart must be seeking God. He must be our all in all even in a world crammed full of people. When HE is our all in all, then others are precious to us for HIM, not for our selfish purposes. All those that live around us that are a part of our lives are precious to us because they are precious to Him and have the potential to fully give their whole heart to Him as well. He loves us and because He loves will love through Him! Is it no wonder Jesus could tell us to love our enemies… He could do that because it is HIS love we are loving them with, not our own. Our love comes from Him. And if He can love us- the sinners that we are- we must love others with His love.
Yes, we are to FEAR GOD and KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS- everything else comes as a result of this obedience, of this faith in God.
Our searching for God must be a real and constant seeking, a believing, a living breathing believing that affects our entire lives. We find God when our heart belongs to HIM.
By His grace! By His mercy! By His righteousness! All through His love!
Amen.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Search for me with all your heart.
We know all about searching don't we? Every single one of us at one time or another has searched for something. Even if our search was simply in a text book at school looking for an elusive bit of information to answer a homework question. Or perhaps we've only searched a telephone book for a phone number- that analogy too out dated? Maybe it's only been a search in our smartphone, as we look for a phone number. Searching takes on many forms- we search for so many things. You've searched the laundry for a favorite shirt, right? You've searched the dryer for a sock match that just seems to have disappeared, yes? Suffice it to say we've ALL searched for one thing or another in our lifetime however short or long the searching. Yes, babies even search for a bottle or breast to suckle on to get nourishment. Toddlers search for toys- not always happy with a toy they are offered but preferring a favorite.
We search, we are searchers. If we aren't searching for something tangible we are searching for something intellectual- knowledge of some sort. The fact is we really are on a constant search throughout our lives, perhaps for a good meal, or something to wet our whistle, or a good nights sleep. We want these things and we live in hope of having things. Many search for love, yes? Wanting someone they're compatible with to give them love- to care about them. Others search for someone they can care for, not necessarily fall in love with, but they have a need to be giving. There are so very many ways we search throughout our entire lives. This isn't to say that some people don't give up on searching, they do. The world unfortunately has many people who would rather die by their own hands than keep living- which means keep searching for the many elusive things they need to give them the will to live. We have a daily quest for whatever drives us for whatever it is that keeps us holding onto life. There are many very sick people who cling to life searching for a little more time- holding onto life just because to be without it seems impossible.
While we search on many levels throughout our lives, how often do we search for something with ALL OUR HEART? You mean you did search for that lost ring with all your heart, giving it everything you had to find it? But there came a point didn't there, when it became futile to continue searching? You exhausted every possible avenue of search, turned everything upside-down and inside-out. You looked high and low even in the impossible places- just in case. Then finally you gave up the search. Inevitably we do get to a point when searching for something constantly begins to wear on us and hopelessness can set in. We might buy *another* if it's something that we can buy another of, hoping the replacement will do. Not everything has a replacement though. When we can't replace something we've lost and give up searching for it there is an emptiness where that something used to be. Time usually eases the pain of losing something we cherish and cannot replace, but sometimes there's always a little ache for that loss. Time might ease the pain of the lost thing or lost love, but it never fully fills in that spot where the loss occurred.
So as we go through life, is it safe to say some people search for happiness and they try to find it in many, many things and ways? Is it equally safe to say that we are all searchers even those most content in their lots in life? Even the most content might have to search for something to eat, yes? The search being they desire something and go to retrieve it. I'm not saying the search has to be for something impossible to find. We search a newspaper for information on current events. We search online search engines for answers to questions- again, wanting knowledge. We look for jobs, we look for a good place to see a movie, we search for a nice restaurant. Searching is something we are endlessly involved in. Even when we watch a movie on television aren't we searching for entertainment? Many search for good recipes, yes? Content, able to have others search for us, even then we are searching for their success at finding what we desire them to find. Some searches are much more active than others. Some searches require very little effort so we barely call it searching at all, but ultimately we search for much more than we care to realize.
Do you think God would tell us to search for something that is impossible to find? I don't.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
So, if God isn't asking the impossible, just how do we seek Him, how do we search for Him with all our heart?
*******
Deu 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Deu 4:30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
Deu 4:31 (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.
Turn to the Lord and be OBEDIENT unto His voice.
To find God as we search for Him with all our heart we must be OBEDIENT to His will. Does that seem contrary, it's not. We must believe God IS in order to search for Him otherwise we are searching for nothing. Those who search for Bigfoot, the Yeti, the Lochness Monster, the Abominable Snowman all believe these creatures EXIST. If they didn't believe they existed they'd be searching for nothing. You might laugh and say that's exactly what their doing, but the point is THEY BELIEVE in them. When we search for God with all our heart we believe that He is. By faith we believe in all He's done through the men moved by the Holy Spirit to write down His words. We know from the Word we read that our God would have us be OBEDIENT to Him. In searching for God we need to be obedient to Him- choosing to believe the commandments He's set forth for us. If we choose NOT to be obedient to the Lord then our heart is NOT fully believing in Him, we are NOT seeking Him when we choose to disregard His word. In fact we are searching for reasons NOT to believe, rather than searching with all our heart and soul to believe.
*******
Deu 30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
Jer 4:4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ
The LORD our God will circumcise our hearts- cutting off all that would keep us from Him.
Circumcising ourselves to the Lord- we open our hearts to our God's will.
Circumcised in spirit, made acceptable to God.
Circumcised without hands- cutting sin from our lives through Christ!
We find the Lord when we allow ourselves to be circumcised of all that would prevent us from finding Him. We can choose to keep sin in our lives, we can choose to accept sin, embrace sin and let it be a part of our lives- this is the choice we make. We can choose to not believe. We can choose not to accept Christ's sacrifice. We can choose to ignore all thoughts of God. But if we are truly desiring to search for the Lord with all our heart and soul then we will purge all that we can from our lives that we know is unacceptable to Him. We will give ourselves to Him and allow Him to purge us from all that is unacceptable through His power, we will trust that He will prepare us, that He will do all for us that we cannot do.
*******
Deu 30:10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
Deu 30:11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
Deu 30:12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Deu 30:13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Deu 30:14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
Deu 30:15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
Deu 30:16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
Deu 30:17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
Deu 30:18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Deu 30:20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
We MUST listen to God! He speaks to us and we MUST listen! Too many believe in God in a very abstract many. He's there but as a silent being who requires nothing of us. Like a genie in a bottle we just rub a little prayer and He'll listen and because He's a finicky genie He'll only answer when He feels like it. This idea of God is a false belief. God speaks to us through His Word and He has a lot to say to us. He'll put His word right in our hearts if we allow Him to, but we MUST listen to Him.
*******
Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Listen to HIM! Forsake the evil thoughts and ways!
*******
Jer 3:10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.
Truly seek the LORD with your WHOLE heart!
*******
2Ch 31:21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.
Psa 119:2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
Psa 119:10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psa 119:145 KOPH. I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes.
Joe 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning
Act 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Act 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
Act 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Psa 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts
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.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
The CONCLUSION of the WHOLE MATTER!
Fear God and keep His commandments!
When we seek to do this from the heart we are doing so with a singleness of purpose, using our whole heart not just a tiny part of it, not just half of it, not even three-quarters but our WHOLE entire heart must be seeking God. He must be our all in all even in a world crammed full of people. When HE is our all in all, then others are precious to us for HIM, not for our selfish purposes. All those that live around us that are a part of our lives are precious to us because they are precious to Him and have the potential to fully give their whole heart to Him as well. He loves us and because He loves will love through Him! Is it no wonder Jesus could tell us to love our enemies… He could do that because it is HIS love we are loving them with, not our own. Our love comes from Him. And if He can love us- the sinners that we are- we must love others with His love.
Yes, we are to FEAR GOD and KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS- everything else comes as a result of this obedience, of this faith in God.
Our searching for God must be a real and constant seeking, a believing, a living breathing believing that affects our entire lives. We find God when our heart belongs to HIM.
By His grace! By His mercy! By His righteousness! All through His love!
Amen.
Friday, May 13, 2011
He WILL shut the door
Dan 12:1-3
And at that time shall Michael stand up
the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people
Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Heb 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God
Christ sat down and Christ will stand up.
When Christ sat down at the right hand of the Father He did so with the hope His sacrifice would be accepted by the people He made the sacrifice for.
As with any sacrifice to God- it was made to bridge that gap sin created between God and man. It wasn't a mistake that God gave a sacrificial service to those who lived before Christ died. God wanted people to understand that this ULTIMATE sacrifice- not of a perfect lamb without blemish, not a perfect bullock, not a perfect animal of any sort- but rather the sinless, perfect Lamb of God- was there to step in and do what none of the animal sacrifices could ever do.
Sacrificed once- Christ as the ultimate Sacrifice uses the blood of that Most Holy Sacrifice to atone for our sins. Just as on the yearly DAY of Atonement, there was an end to the sacrificial ceremony performed- there will also be an end to the Atonement Christ died to make for us. The end of the Atonement is when Christ finishes the work He began so long ago and the very last person that will accept His sacrifice, accepts it, and there are no more. Then Christ will stand up. Those who accepted His sacrifice will be at-one- with God once more as mankind was intended to be. Those who chose not to accept His sacrifice will be kept out of the kingdom of heaven. Those who chose not to accept His sacrifice will face eternal death and eventually will cease to exist altogether.
There will come a day whether we want to believe it or not, when it will all be finished. If we believe Christ will come a second time to take us with Him to heaven then we HAVE to believe there will be an end. There will have to be a moment in time when it is decided that ALL has been done that could be done for mankind. Probation for mankind will be over. Time will be up.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Our names in the book of life. At some point all the names that will ever be in that book will have been written in there. All that needed to be blotted out will have been blotted out and Christ will come!
Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Do we really understand that there ISN'T a forever probation. Life will not continue always as it does now. There is no instantaneous life right after our body dies which gives people the illusion that they live forever, merely exchanging one existence for another. Our Savior will return and those who have died and have their names in the Book of Life will rise up from their graves and meet Him in the air.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
God's word- not mine. God's truth- not mine. Truth that we need to believe. Christ will stand up. Probation will end.
And at that time shall Michael stand up
the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people
and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered,
every one that shall be found written in the book.
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
some to everlasting life,
and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament
and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Luk 13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
Luk 13:26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
Luk 13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
He will RISE UP.
He will SHUT the door.
People will knock at that shut door thinking they have every right to enter, but He won't let them in because He knows they are workers of iniquity. Apparently they don't believe they are workers of iniquity, but they are. By the grace of God may we NOT be found among them! By the righteousness of our Savior may be where He is at and not left without Him.
Amen.
And at that time shall Michael stand up
the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people
Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Heb 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God
Christ sat down and Christ will stand up.
When Christ sat down at the right hand of the Father He did so with the hope His sacrifice would be accepted by the people He made the sacrifice for.
As with any sacrifice to God- it was made to bridge that gap sin created between God and man. It wasn't a mistake that God gave a sacrificial service to those who lived before Christ died. God wanted people to understand that this ULTIMATE sacrifice- not of a perfect lamb without blemish, not a perfect bullock, not a perfect animal of any sort- but rather the sinless, perfect Lamb of God- was there to step in and do what none of the animal sacrifices could ever do.
Sacrificed once- Christ as the ultimate Sacrifice uses the blood of that Most Holy Sacrifice to atone for our sins. Just as on the yearly DAY of Atonement, there was an end to the sacrificial ceremony performed- there will also be an end to the Atonement Christ died to make for us. The end of the Atonement is when Christ finishes the work He began so long ago and the very last person that will accept His sacrifice, accepts it, and there are no more. Then Christ will stand up. Those who accepted His sacrifice will be at-one- with God once more as mankind was intended to be. Those who chose not to accept His sacrifice will be kept out of the kingdom of heaven. Those who chose not to accept His sacrifice will face eternal death and eventually will cease to exist altogether.
There will come a day whether we want to believe it or not, when it will all be finished. If we believe Christ will come a second time to take us with Him to heaven then we HAVE to believe there will be an end. There will have to be a moment in time when it is decided that ALL has been done that could be done for mankind. Probation for mankind will be over. Time will be up.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Our names in the book of life. At some point all the names that will ever be in that book will have been written in there. All that needed to be blotted out will have been blotted out and Christ will come!
Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Do we really understand that there ISN'T a forever probation. Life will not continue always as it does now. There is no instantaneous life right after our body dies which gives people the illusion that they live forever, merely exchanging one existence for another. Our Savior will return and those who have died and have their names in the Book of Life will rise up from their graves and meet Him in the air.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
God's word- not mine. God's truth- not mine. Truth that we need to believe. Christ will stand up. Probation will end.
And at that time shall Michael stand up
the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people
and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered,
every one that shall be found written in the book.
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
some to everlasting life,
and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament
and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Luk 13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
Luk 13:26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
Luk 13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
He will RISE UP.
He will SHUT the door.
People will knock at that shut door thinking they have every right to enter, but He won't let them in because He knows they are workers of iniquity. Apparently they don't believe they are workers of iniquity, but they are. By the grace of God may we NOT be found among them! By the righteousness of our Savior may be where He is at and not left without Him.
Amen.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Believing ye shall receive
Mat 21:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Is this the truth? It has to be true there is no doubt about it whatsoever. So, why haven't mountains been moved- cast right into the sea? Are there NONE who have faith? Our Lord speaks so much in parables and we know this to be true don't we? We have to know this. Jesus didn't expect all his Apostles, and disciples then and now to test their faith by pushing mountains into the sea. If this was what was meant then there would at least have been several mountains pushed into the sea and I have a feeling we would have heard something written about that by the disciples. The point here is Jesus revealed power, Jesus gave a lesson. The fig tree was unproductive. There was an expectation of produce on that tree and none was found. The tree didn't produce and Jesus desires production, Jesus desires fruit to be produced not only in trees but in all of us. So what did Jesus mean by telling the apostles they could do the same? They could take something unproductive and rebuke it, cause it to wither? The power was there to reveal the truth of a matter. Couldn't Jesus have just as readily caused the tree to produce figs? Yes. The point our Savior wanted to make was that WHATSOEVER we SHALL ASK in prayer, BELIEVING, we will receive.
If ALL is to the glory of God then what we ask will be for HIS will to be done, not ours and if we believe that His will- will be done- it will be done.
That's why we cannot pray for OUR will to be done. We can't pray selfishly, we have to pray for God and His will and when we ask anything according to HIS will and believe, then it will be done.
If it is God's will that a mountain be removed into the sea, then it will be done.
Do we need a mountain to move into the sea? I know I don't right now but if someday I do, I know that if I pray for God's will to be done that a mountain be moved into the sea and it really is GOD'S will for this- it WILL happen! We get into so much trouble when we want our own will to be done. We pray for things we will and expect them to be answered because God said they would be if we believe.
People love to throw this up into the faces of Christians, this verse…
Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Saying- didn't we ask for such and such to be healed? Didn't we believe? Didn't we have faith? Obviously we didn't have the faith we needed, or… God's word isn't true. This is how some people believe and they would have us doubt ourselves and God because what we want, and what we really pray for believing, doesn't happen.
Ultimately it has to be God's will we pray for and believe in Him knowing that HE sees the eternal picture. He knows whether or not healing someone we love will be best in the grand scheme of eternal life. I've said it before and I'm going to keep on saying it because it's pure TRUTH in our Savior.
When we read these verses…
Mat 21:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
We do so knowing that He's already taught us to pray- 'Thy will be done'.
Jesus even prayed that way…
Luk 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Jesus wanted the cup He had to drink from to be removed- the cup being His brutalization and death at the hands of His accusers. He wanted not to have to endure torture and a horrific death but did His Father will that? No. Why? Because God the Father KNEW that the sacrifice had to be made, God knew this was the plan of salvation that had to be followed, a plan that the WORD who became flesh agreed upon before the world began should man sin… and man sinned. This was the way things had to be. God's will had to be done then and it has to be done NOW, and it must be done FOREVER.
So when Jesus told us that we could move mountains if we believe, that whatsoever we asked in prayer and believe we would receive, it was with the understanding that in prayer we would ask for God's will to be done, NOT OURS! We have to ask and believe that God's will IS being done even when what we *want* isn't done, but God's will *IS* done- it's this we must believe - fully, wholly in God!
When we are in doubt, when we pray for someone we love to be healed, to live, to feel no pain, to stay safe, to find love, to find happiness…all these things no matter what they may be and no matter HOW pure and righteous our request may seem… have to be prayed first and foremost that God's will be done. We have to believe in God, not our ability to pray so wonderfully, so beautifully that God can't help but hear and answer us. Our faith has to be IN God and God alone! Jesus wants us to pray, Jesus wants us to ask for things so we can receive them as God's will now and throughout our lives here and forever.
God's will now and always!!!
In His LOVE!
Amen.
Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Is this the truth? It has to be true there is no doubt about it whatsoever. So, why haven't mountains been moved- cast right into the sea? Are there NONE who have faith? Our Lord speaks so much in parables and we know this to be true don't we? We have to know this. Jesus didn't expect all his Apostles, and disciples then and now to test their faith by pushing mountains into the sea. If this was what was meant then there would at least have been several mountains pushed into the sea and I have a feeling we would have heard something written about that by the disciples. The point here is Jesus revealed power, Jesus gave a lesson. The fig tree was unproductive. There was an expectation of produce on that tree and none was found. The tree didn't produce and Jesus desires production, Jesus desires fruit to be produced not only in trees but in all of us. So what did Jesus mean by telling the apostles they could do the same? They could take something unproductive and rebuke it, cause it to wither? The power was there to reveal the truth of a matter. Couldn't Jesus have just as readily caused the tree to produce figs? Yes. The point our Savior wanted to make was that WHATSOEVER we SHALL ASK in prayer, BELIEVING, we will receive.
If ALL is to the glory of God then what we ask will be for HIS will to be done, not ours and if we believe that His will- will be done- it will be done.
That's why we cannot pray for OUR will to be done. We can't pray selfishly, we have to pray for God and His will and when we ask anything according to HIS will and believe, then it will be done.
If it is God's will that a mountain be removed into the sea, then it will be done.
Do we need a mountain to move into the sea? I know I don't right now but if someday I do, I know that if I pray for God's will to be done that a mountain be moved into the sea and it really is GOD'S will for this- it WILL happen! We get into so much trouble when we want our own will to be done. We pray for things we will and expect them to be answered because God said they would be if we believe.
People love to throw this up into the faces of Christians, this verse…
Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Saying- didn't we ask for such and such to be healed? Didn't we believe? Didn't we have faith? Obviously we didn't have the faith we needed, or… God's word isn't true. This is how some people believe and they would have us doubt ourselves and God because what we want, and what we really pray for believing, doesn't happen.
Ultimately it has to be God's will we pray for and believe in Him knowing that HE sees the eternal picture. He knows whether or not healing someone we love will be best in the grand scheme of eternal life. I've said it before and I'm going to keep on saying it because it's pure TRUTH in our Savior.
When we read these verses…
Mat 21:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
We do so knowing that He's already taught us to pray- 'Thy will be done'.
Jesus even prayed that way…
Luk 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Jesus wanted the cup He had to drink from to be removed- the cup being His brutalization and death at the hands of His accusers. He wanted not to have to endure torture and a horrific death but did His Father will that? No. Why? Because God the Father KNEW that the sacrifice had to be made, God knew this was the plan of salvation that had to be followed, a plan that the WORD who became flesh agreed upon before the world began should man sin… and man sinned. This was the way things had to be. God's will had to be done then and it has to be done NOW, and it must be done FOREVER.
So when Jesus told us that we could move mountains if we believe, that whatsoever we asked in prayer and believe we would receive, it was with the understanding that in prayer we would ask for God's will to be done, NOT OURS! We have to ask and believe that God's will IS being done even when what we *want* isn't done, but God's will *IS* done- it's this we must believe - fully, wholly in God!
When we are in doubt, when we pray for someone we love to be healed, to live, to feel no pain, to stay safe, to find love, to find happiness…all these things no matter what they may be and no matter HOW pure and righteous our request may seem… have to be prayed first and foremost that God's will be done. We have to believe in God, not our ability to pray so wonderfully, so beautifully that God can't help but hear and answer us. Our faith has to be IN God and God alone! Jesus wants us to pray, Jesus wants us to ask for things so we can receive them as God's will now and throughout our lives here and forever.
God's will now and always!!!
In His LOVE!
Amen.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Ask Seek Knock
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
How simple that sounds, doesn't it? Seriously, it sounds amazingly simple. Ask and receive. Seek and find. Knock and the door is open. Simple.
Ask and it SHALL be given you.
Seek and ye SHALL find.
Knock and it SHALL be opened unto you.
And everyone that does this will have the same results. It doesn't get more simple than that, right?
How lovely it would be if all life was this way- if all that we asked for we received, if all we sought we found, and every time we knocked the door was opened. But I don't believe there is a single person who hasn't experienced asking and not receiving, seeking and not finding, knocking and not getting that door to open. We live with this throughout our lives. So what exactly does Jesus mean by telling us that everyone who asks, everyone who seeks, everyone who knocks- SHALL get what they 're wanting to get?
We need to remember what Jesus' message is for us-- preaching the Kingdom of Heaven.
What is Jesus teaching us?
How to receive the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus' life was all about this message, the gospel, salvation in Him, salvation from evil and reward in eternity. This is what Jesus was all about and NOTHING else! This is the love of our God, saving us. There is NO greater love, none! Being saved when we do not deserve saving- this is LOVE! If anyone tries to tell you differently they'd be steering you in the wrong direction.
Knowing this, we have to read this teaching message of our Savior with His message, His mission, in mind.
For seekers of Eternal Life in Jesus Christ-
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Ask- acknowledge that you need to ask.
Seek-acknowledge that you need to seek.
Knock- acknowledge that you need to knock.
We are NOT given eternal life automatically.
We ARE given the choice to choose eternal life or not choose it.
We must ASK to be forgiven, we must ASK to be saved. We need to seek God, we need to seek life in Christ, we need to seek a relationship with our God. We need to knock and knocking is requesting entrance and we need to request entrance into the kingdom of heaven through our Savior, it is our Savior who OPENS that door we are knocking on.
This message to us is incredibly important, more than a simple directive. More than using this as a formula to try and wheedle our desires from God. So much more than us begging for material things in our lives, or our desires. It's a lot more than praying for things even very important things to us. There is nothing more genuine than a person praying for a sick loved one whether that loved one is a newborn babe or an elderly parent, and even this is more important than those genuine hearts desires. Nothing is more important than loving our God because it is FROM Him we have any ability to love whatsoever. Without God we do not have a real love to give others, it's just not possible. The love we might think we possess isn't the love that is true and pure because that love can ONLY come from God. It is by the grace of our Savior we can have this love through HIM.
It is NO mistake, no slip of our Savior's tongue when He told us this--
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Not a mistake at all! This is life advice, eternal life advice, the advice of love unfathomable love!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord may we come to understand this message fully all in Him!
Amen.
Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
How simple that sounds, doesn't it? Seriously, it sounds amazingly simple. Ask and receive. Seek and find. Knock and the door is open. Simple.
Ask and it SHALL be given you.
Seek and ye SHALL find.
Knock and it SHALL be opened unto you.
And everyone that does this will have the same results. It doesn't get more simple than that, right?
How lovely it would be if all life was this way- if all that we asked for we received, if all we sought we found, and every time we knocked the door was opened. But I don't believe there is a single person who hasn't experienced asking and not receiving, seeking and not finding, knocking and not getting that door to open. We live with this throughout our lives. So what exactly does Jesus mean by telling us that everyone who asks, everyone who seeks, everyone who knocks- SHALL get what they 're wanting to get?
We need to remember what Jesus' message is for us-- preaching the Kingdom of Heaven.
What is Jesus teaching us?
How to receive the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus' life was all about this message, the gospel, salvation in Him, salvation from evil and reward in eternity. This is what Jesus was all about and NOTHING else! This is the love of our God, saving us. There is NO greater love, none! Being saved when we do not deserve saving- this is LOVE! If anyone tries to tell you differently they'd be steering you in the wrong direction.
Knowing this, we have to read this teaching message of our Savior with His message, His mission, in mind.
For seekers of Eternal Life in Jesus Christ-
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Ask- acknowledge that you need to ask.
Seek-acknowledge that you need to seek.
Knock- acknowledge that you need to knock.
We are NOT given eternal life automatically.
We ARE given the choice to choose eternal life or not choose it.
We must ASK to be forgiven, we must ASK to be saved. We need to seek God, we need to seek life in Christ, we need to seek a relationship with our God. We need to knock and knocking is requesting entrance and we need to request entrance into the kingdom of heaven through our Savior, it is our Savior who OPENS that door we are knocking on.
This message to us is incredibly important, more than a simple directive. More than using this as a formula to try and wheedle our desires from God. So much more than us begging for material things in our lives, or our desires. It's a lot more than praying for things even very important things to us. There is nothing more genuine than a person praying for a sick loved one whether that loved one is a newborn babe or an elderly parent, and even this is more important than those genuine hearts desires. Nothing is more important than loving our God because it is FROM Him we have any ability to love whatsoever. Without God we do not have a real love to give others, it's just not possible. The love we might think we possess isn't the love that is true and pure because that love can ONLY come from God. It is by the grace of our Savior we can have this love through HIM.
It is NO mistake, no slip of our Savior's tongue when He told us this--
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Not a mistake at all! This is life advice, eternal life advice, the advice of love unfathomable love!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord may we come to understand this message fully all in Him!
Amen.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Dogs and Swine
Mat 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Let's look at a few other verses on dogs-
Php 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
We are not being told to beware of CANINES, but of men who are likened unto dogs- evil workers. Dogs as a creature beneath a human being, a lower creature.
Rev 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Dogs-sorcerers-whoremongers-murderers-idolaters, all of which are HUMAN being references, not canine. A human creature that acts more like an animal than a human.
2Pe 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
A dog's behavior is far below that of a human being's behavior. A dog will eat it's own vomit, but a human would not. A freshly cleaned pig would just as soon be dirty- not having the intelligence to desire cleanliness over dirtiness.
We read these references and we have to use them to help us understand--
Mat 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
What do dogs do to people? Not all dogs, but wild dogs and sadly some tame dogs who go feral for one reason or another. They attack people. You can train a dog to attack people. I've seen shows on television that have trained attack dogs go after people dressed up in protective gear and those dogs can be vicious. It's not unheard of for dogs to kill people. More recently Pit Bulls and Rottweilers have received a reputation for being attack dogs brutally attacking and yes, sometimes killing people. Wild dogs that run in packs are very ferocious, and when you hear of them attacking and rending a person into pieces you know exactly how to visualize it. Dogs as our pets don't seem to be dangerous at all, but underneath all their docile ways there is an animal that can bite and do so to inflict great harm, even death.
This verse here is talking about people. People who act like untamed, uncontrolled animals who are letting their base nature take over and not at all encouraging their spiritual connections with God. These people have actually severed themselves from God, choosing to deny Him, choosing to debase Him, choosing to let their flesh nature have full control and we know who is really in control when we choose not to accept God as our Lord and Savior. Satan will take control and when he is in control men begin to act like animals in many, many ways.
We are not to give that which is holy unto dogs- lest they turn again and rend us.
Dogs- those who are completely unreceptive to our Lord and His word, His message of the Kingdom, are not going to listen. How do we tell when someone is unreceptive? I'm sure most of you reading this have had an opportunity to want to share the good news of salvation with others and have faced opposition. Maybe you haven't been ridiculed, or bodily harmed, but even having someone tell you they don't want to hear it is opposition. When opposition is encountered we are NOT to ever force ourselves, our message on others, not ever! Jesus never, not once forced His message on anyone at all whatsoever. Time and time again He riled up a crowd full of opposition and He left, He didn't fight them, he didn't force His will on any. Why people sometimes think they need to try and force their message on people is something I cannot fathom. Forcing ANYONE to listen under any sort of duress is wrong on many levels. The history of Christianity is filled with crusades and campaigns, tortures and inquisitions all in the name of God as people fought against non-Christians wanting them to become Christians as they are Christians. Jesus would be the LAST to approve of any sort of torture in His name! Jesus would be the LAST to advocate any sort of forced message. The choice that needs to be made needs to be made freely without any coercion whatsoever. So when we face *dogs* we cannot force the holy message of the Kingdom of Heaven upon them. Yes, it's awful to imagine people as *dogs*. We don't want to think of family members and friends as *dogs*. Calling someone a dog is very derogatory. No one likes to be called or thought of as a dog. When we call someone a dog we aren't calling them a fluffy, friendly pet. We are calling them a dog in a term that is most offensive.
This isn't about calling anyone a dog though, this is about how we are to react to dogs. Even as I write I don't like to think about people as dogs, it goes against everything I was raised to believe and that is to NOT believe the worst of people, not to judge them. Remember that bit about not judging? Well, we HAVE to be able to judge situations and this is one of those situations.
We are not to give that which is holy unto dogs- lest they turn again and rend us.
We are not to cast our pearls before swine- lest they trample us underfoot.
Wild swine, like wild dogs are both very dangerous and can inflict great harm upon human beings, even death- this is something that is undisputable.
Neither dogs nor swine are worthy of the message of the kingdom, especially when the dogs and swine CHOOSE to be dogs and swine. Unlike the animals- dogs and swine, people who are dogs and swine were at least at one time able to choose between right and wrong. I word it that way because sometimes when we make the choice to be blind we can no longer see. Not everyone is given chance after chance because they've hardened their hearts, they refuse to see, in their heart of hearts they reject salvation from God. It seems impossible to me, but people reject salvation, they do.
Can we really judge who is a dog or a pig? We have to be able to judge when NOT to give that which is holy to them. We have to be able to judge when NOT to cast our pearls before swine. You see the danger is… being HURT by them if we don't listen to our Savior. These are our Savior's words! We can be HURT by these people. We're not invincible. Our spiritual lives can be in danger as well and Jesus wants to protect our spiritual lives more than anything, right? Our bodies can be forfeit for Christ but our spiritual life is never forfeit, never. Our Savior wants to protect our spiritual lives and He is teaching us to do this. We put ourselves in DANGER when we choose to try and give the message of the kingdom of heaven to those who do not want to hear it. Those who are not receptive to the gospel of Christ are likely to turn around and try to destroy our belief in our Savior. They will! Don't for one moment think that the *dogs* and the *swine* won't try, they will trample and rend us every opportunity they get because they are being controlled by Satan.
This isn't an idle half-hearted message given to us by Christ, it's much, much more and we need to take it to heart.
By the grace of our Savior we will be able to tell the dogs and the swine from those who genuinely need and want to hear His word. While we cannot judge any person's eternal life ever, we have to be able to judge actions and by judging actions we can judge responses. When we judge responses we need to pray that the Holy Spirit guides us to discern when we are to speak and when we are not to speak, keeping us protected by His love, His grace, His mercy, His righteousness.
Amen.
Let's look at a few other verses on dogs-
Php 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
We are not being told to beware of CANINES, but of men who are likened unto dogs- evil workers. Dogs as a creature beneath a human being, a lower creature.
Rev 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Dogs-sorcerers-whoremongers-murderers-idolaters, all of which are HUMAN being references, not canine. A human creature that acts more like an animal than a human.
2Pe 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
A dog's behavior is far below that of a human being's behavior. A dog will eat it's own vomit, but a human would not. A freshly cleaned pig would just as soon be dirty- not having the intelligence to desire cleanliness over dirtiness.
We read these references and we have to use them to help us understand--
Mat 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
What do dogs do to people? Not all dogs, but wild dogs and sadly some tame dogs who go feral for one reason or another. They attack people. You can train a dog to attack people. I've seen shows on television that have trained attack dogs go after people dressed up in protective gear and those dogs can be vicious. It's not unheard of for dogs to kill people. More recently Pit Bulls and Rottweilers have received a reputation for being attack dogs brutally attacking and yes, sometimes killing people. Wild dogs that run in packs are very ferocious, and when you hear of them attacking and rending a person into pieces you know exactly how to visualize it. Dogs as our pets don't seem to be dangerous at all, but underneath all their docile ways there is an animal that can bite and do so to inflict great harm, even death.
This verse here is talking about people. People who act like untamed, uncontrolled animals who are letting their base nature take over and not at all encouraging their spiritual connections with God. These people have actually severed themselves from God, choosing to deny Him, choosing to debase Him, choosing to let their flesh nature have full control and we know who is really in control when we choose not to accept God as our Lord and Savior. Satan will take control and when he is in control men begin to act like animals in many, many ways.
We are not to give that which is holy unto dogs- lest they turn again and rend us.
Dogs- those who are completely unreceptive to our Lord and His word, His message of the Kingdom, are not going to listen. How do we tell when someone is unreceptive? I'm sure most of you reading this have had an opportunity to want to share the good news of salvation with others and have faced opposition. Maybe you haven't been ridiculed, or bodily harmed, but even having someone tell you they don't want to hear it is opposition. When opposition is encountered we are NOT to ever force ourselves, our message on others, not ever! Jesus never, not once forced His message on anyone at all whatsoever. Time and time again He riled up a crowd full of opposition and He left, He didn't fight them, he didn't force His will on any. Why people sometimes think they need to try and force their message on people is something I cannot fathom. Forcing ANYONE to listen under any sort of duress is wrong on many levels. The history of Christianity is filled with crusades and campaigns, tortures and inquisitions all in the name of God as people fought against non-Christians wanting them to become Christians as they are Christians. Jesus would be the LAST to approve of any sort of torture in His name! Jesus would be the LAST to advocate any sort of forced message. The choice that needs to be made needs to be made freely without any coercion whatsoever. So when we face *dogs* we cannot force the holy message of the Kingdom of Heaven upon them. Yes, it's awful to imagine people as *dogs*. We don't want to think of family members and friends as *dogs*. Calling someone a dog is very derogatory. No one likes to be called or thought of as a dog. When we call someone a dog we aren't calling them a fluffy, friendly pet. We are calling them a dog in a term that is most offensive.
This isn't about calling anyone a dog though, this is about how we are to react to dogs. Even as I write I don't like to think about people as dogs, it goes against everything I was raised to believe and that is to NOT believe the worst of people, not to judge them. Remember that bit about not judging? Well, we HAVE to be able to judge situations and this is one of those situations.
We are not to give that which is holy unto dogs- lest they turn again and rend us.
We are not to cast our pearls before swine- lest they trample us underfoot.
Wild swine, like wild dogs are both very dangerous and can inflict great harm upon human beings, even death- this is something that is undisputable.
Neither dogs nor swine are worthy of the message of the kingdom, especially when the dogs and swine CHOOSE to be dogs and swine. Unlike the animals- dogs and swine, people who are dogs and swine were at least at one time able to choose between right and wrong. I word it that way because sometimes when we make the choice to be blind we can no longer see. Not everyone is given chance after chance because they've hardened their hearts, they refuse to see, in their heart of hearts they reject salvation from God. It seems impossible to me, but people reject salvation, they do.
Can we really judge who is a dog or a pig? We have to be able to judge when NOT to give that which is holy to them. We have to be able to judge when NOT to cast our pearls before swine. You see the danger is… being HURT by them if we don't listen to our Savior. These are our Savior's words! We can be HURT by these people. We're not invincible. Our spiritual lives can be in danger as well and Jesus wants to protect our spiritual lives more than anything, right? Our bodies can be forfeit for Christ but our spiritual life is never forfeit, never. Our Savior wants to protect our spiritual lives and He is teaching us to do this. We put ourselves in DANGER when we choose to try and give the message of the kingdom of heaven to those who do not want to hear it. Those who are not receptive to the gospel of Christ are likely to turn around and try to destroy our belief in our Savior. They will! Don't for one moment think that the *dogs* and the *swine* won't try, they will trample and rend us every opportunity they get because they are being controlled by Satan.
This isn't an idle half-hearted message given to us by Christ, it's much, much more and we need to take it to heart.
By the grace of our Savior we will be able to tell the dogs and the swine from those who genuinely need and want to hear His word. While we cannot judge any person's eternal life ever, we have to be able to judge actions and by judging actions we can judge responses. When we judge responses we need to pray that the Holy Spirit guides us to discern when we are to speak and when we are not to speak, keeping us protected by His love, His grace, His mercy, His righteousness.
Amen.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Clear Eyes
Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Seeing the faults in others is easy, isn't it? We are so full of self that we can't help but look at others through our own selfish eyes. They are selfish eyes, aren't they? Or maybe it's just me who has selfish eyes, but somehow I doubt it. Do I like having selfish eyes? God forbid! I pray that all my selfishness is refined in the Holy Fire of the Holy Spirit so that I'm purged of it all. I need to have my eyes opened to see the beam in my own eyes. It's so easy to close our eyes to our own failings. Of course, there are those who love to dwell on their own failings, but they do so ironically enough, selfishly. There is a line and I'm not sure how fine a line it is, between realizing our selfish faults and dwelling on our selfish faults making that in itself a fault. Only by the grace of God can we ever hope to be saved and this is the most important lesson we have to learn. Recognizing our selfishness and all the faults that stem from that is important to realizing our dependence upon God.
Is it any wonder that we are told to stop looking for the FAULTS in others and start looking at the FAULTS in ourselves? How dare we presume to *FIX* others. Seriously. We think we are being helpful when we reveal to others where we think they could improve but it's more counterproductive than anything else. UNLESS a person is seeking help, UNLESS a person is receptive to being helped- when we presume to help them all they see is our arrogance. Come on, you know what I'm talking about. Surely you've been in the situation before- someone offering to *help* you and you resent it. If you've not been in that situation you're a better person than I am by far. Also, I've been in the opposite situation. I've tried to help and been unable to help, and even if I say the words that I think people believe are almost magical, 'I'm only trying to help.' I could tell there was resentment there for my trying to help. I've had it thrown in my face on several occasions that 'just because I'm perfect…' which you know right away that the help is being resented and any help will do no good. Of course I'd counter with I'm not perfect, but that does about as much good as 'I'm only trying to help.' does.
Is there a conundrum then? Wanting to help but unable to help? I believe we should forever be *ready* to help anyone in anyway we can, but at the same time know better than to try and force our help upon anyone. We really HAVE to be humble and genuinely humble, not forced humble, not falsely humble. Christ has to be working in us, all glory has to go to God.
Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
First we HAVE to look to ourselves but NOT selfishly, but to NOTE our selfishness, to note our intentions, to note that we are fully dependent upon our Savior. What good would it do for us take any beams or motes out of anyone's eyes if our own are filled with them? We need to see clearly, we need to see selflessly if we want to help anyone else. As long as we have our eyes filled- clouded by the faults we possess- we cannot help anyone. No, this doesn't mean when we are called on to help someone we shouldn't do so, but we need to do so praying for the grace of God to help us help only in ways that will be for His glory and in no other way. We can't actively strive to help another imposingly, ever.
By the grace of God may we do His will and only His will, not our own! May we be filled with the Holy Spirit able to get the beams out of our eyes so that we may help others as He wills.
In His love always!
Amen.
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Seeing the faults in others is easy, isn't it? We are so full of self that we can't help but look at others through our own selfish eyes. They are selfish eyes, aren't they? Or maybe it's just me who has selfish eyes, but somehow I doubt it. Do I like having selfish eyes? God forbid! I pray that all my selfishness is refined in the Holy Fire of the Holy Spirit so that I'm purged of it all. I need to have my eyes opened to see the beam in my own eyes. It's so easy to close our eyes to our own failings. Of course, there are those who love to dwell on their own failings, but they do so ironically enough, selfishly. There is a line and I'm not sure how fine a line it is, between realizing our selfish faults and dwelling on our selfish faults making that in itself a fault. Only by the grace of God can we ever hope to be saved and this is the most important lesson we have to learn. Recognizing our selfishness and all the faults that stem from that is important to realizing our dependence upon God.
Is it any wonder that we are told to stop looking for the FAULTS in others and start looking at the FAULTS in ourselves? How dare we presume to *FIX* others. Seriously. We think we are being helpful when we reveal to others where we think they could improve but it's more counterproductive than anything else. UNLESS a person is seeking help, UNLESS a person is receptive to being helped- when we presume to help them all they see is our arrogance. Come on, you know what I'm talking about. Surely you've been in the situation before- someone offering to *help* you and you resent it. If you've not been in that situation you're a better person than I am by far. Also, I've been in the opposite situation. I've tried to help and been unable to help, and even if I say the words that I think people believe are almost magical, 'I'm only trying to help.' I could tell there was resentment there for my trying to help. I've had it thrown in my face on several occasions that 'just because I'm perfect…' which you know right away that the help is being resented and any help will do no good. Of course I'd counter with I'm not perfect, but that does about as much good as 'I'm only trying to help.' does.
Is there a conundrum then? Wanting to help but unable to help? I believe we should forever be *ready* to help anyone in anyway we can, but at the same time know better than to try and force our help upon anyone. We really HAVE to be humble and genuinely humble, not forced humble, not falsely humble. Christ has to be working in us, all glory has to go to God.
Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
First we HAVE to look to ourselves but NOT selfishly, but to NOTE our selfishness, to note our intentions, to note that we are fully dependent upon our Savior. What good would it do for us take any beams or motes out of anyone's eyes if our own are filled with them? We need to see clearly, we need to see selflessly if we want to help anyone else. As long as we have our eyes filled- clouded by the faults we possess- we cannot help anyone. No, this doesn't mean when we are called on to help someone we shouldn't do so, but we need to do so praying for the grace of God to help us help only in ways that will be for His glory and in no other way. We can't actively strive to help another imposingly, ever.
By the grace of God may we do His will and only His will, not our own! May we be filled with the Holy Spirit able to get the beams out of our eyes so that we may help others as He wills.
In His love always!
Amen.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Judge not
Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again
Judge-
G2919
κρίνω
krinō
kree'-no
Properly to distinguish, that is, decide (mentally or judicially); by implication to try, condemn, punish: - avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem, judge, go to (sue at the) law, ordain, call in question, sentence to, think.
Condemn not. Punish not. Avenge not. Conclude not. Damn not. Decree not. Determine not. Esteem not. Sue not. Ordain not. Question not. Sentence not. Think not.
We are to judge not, why? So that we are not judged.
Too many people assess themselves with higher praise than they dare give another. Judging others is something we are brought up doing. We judge when we determine a person is beneath us. We judge when we determine a person is above us. We judge when we choose to over look undesirable sorts and take up with those who conform more closely to our own selves. We call this HUMAN nature- this sort of judging. Even as children we begin this sort of behavior- sensing something just isn't quite right about a peer and thus begins the quest to keep away from the one that isn't quite right and not only that, the distinguishing between what is perceived right and not quite right is begun. The not quite right will fall into a few categories- those who are just a little off, and those who are a bit more off, and those who are way off. While a child might shun one who is a little off, and another who is a bit more off, they very seldom shun those who are way off- these become the targets of ridicule which takes on many forms. The purpose of that ridicule is for the child who perceives himself as being 'right' to elevate and secure that position for himself while assuring the way off child who is perceived to be far from right is kept in that position which then only makes the right child feel even more right about themselves.
No, this isn't a sociology lecture- far from it. We talk about judging and might be quick to say we don't 'judge' but the truth is we 'judge' a lot! It's just not called judging. We condemn others all the time and in many ways. Again, I can hear the echo of 'it's just human nature'. Yes, sinful human nature, not the nature God would have us embrace and promote.
Children will learn judging from their parents and from each other in an endless cycle of human nature.
When we judge we are setting ourselves up to be judged by the same measure we are judging.
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again
If we are quick to judge, we will be quick to be judged. If we judge harshly we will be judged harshly. We can't escape this though many believe they do.
As children groups are formed and labeled.
There is the 'IN' crowd, the 'NOT SO IN' crowd, and there is the 'OUT' crowd. The in crowd is usually made up of very harsh judges who determine where the others fit in. The not so in crowd are left neither harshly judged nor completely free from judgment. The out crowd are judged very harshly. You know what I'm talking about and we can run it around in our heads forever and make a million excuses for the position of certain people but NONE of it makes it right.
Jesus wasn't part of the 'IN' crowd. The 'IN' crowd was made up of the Pharisees and Sadducees, the Priests, the workers in the temple. For awhile it looked as if Jesus were ushering in a NEW in crowd, but the current in crowd didn't allow that to happen.
Jesus advocated for those in the out crowds as He revealed why they more than any others needed kindness, not condemnation. While Jesus associated with those sinners in the out crowd He was doing so to reveal to us that we are NOT to play judge! We take a great risk when we make decisions regarding who is worthy of us. ALL are worthy of us, just as all are worthy to receive Jesus. The WORST of sinners is worthy to receive Jesus' love, Jesus' forgiveness. We have NO right whatsoever to condemn those that Jesus would never condemn.
I've written before on the difference between judging eternal life and judging right from wrong and it still holds true. We can judge NO ONE's eternal life no matter how horrific they might be. We can judge that the actions they are committing are wrong, and therefore we can choose not to participate in them, but we can't judge the outcome of those actions on an eternal level. As soon as we judge another we are being judge by the same measure we are judging. We lose the right to a compassionate judge when we judge without compassion.
It goes along the same lines as forgiving others as we want to be forgiven. In this case we judge as we want to be judged. And if we're smart we'll recognize that we need to be judged by One filled with compassion and ready to forgive us our sinful ways-- every little tiny sinful way. We don’t have to be HUGE sinners to warrant condemnation, and this is something people love to forget about or choose to never really contemplate.
Those children growing up- you know the ones in the in, not so in, and out crowds- they all become adults and often as adults the mindset will continue. The child who learned to judge other children harshly will become adults judging harshly and so on. Does this happen ALL the time? No. We grow up and some who are out now make it their goal to become IN, and once they are in some will choose to forget what it was like to be in the out crowd and they'll go along with the adult IN crowd against the adult out crowd. Do you really think that all that judging simply disappears as we grow up? I used to think so. Many people love to tell children who are in the out crowd that it won't always be that way, things will be different when they're older. Yes, sometimes that's true, but often we escape one setting for another. The outside of things might have changed but the underlying process of HUMAN nature is still at play on another level. Not to be unfair, some of those who are in will become out and sometimes they'll get a taste of being judged with the same judgment they judged- hopefully it's enough for them to repent and take up the words of our Savior to--
Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
By the grace of God we need to live this temporary life as one truly seeking life eternal with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. When we live understanding just how temporary this life is, judging others takes on a whole new context. We don't have to worry about being 'IN', not in this life not ever because the only One who is truly 'IN' is our Savior and it's Him we must live for- not for others and not for ourselves, but for HIM. Everything else is counted as loss when we live for a better life promised to us.
We will ALL be judged and at that time our Judge will know how we have judged.
By the grace of God may we leave the judging up to Him as we seek to only reveal the love of Christ to ALL others.
Amen.
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again
Judge-
G2919
κρίνω
krinō
kree'-no
Properly to distinguish, that is, decide (mentally or judicially); by implication to try, condemn, punish: - avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem, judge, go to (sue at the) law, ordain, call in question, sentence to, think.
Condemn not. Punish not. Avenge not. Conclude not. Damn not. Decree not. Determine not. Esteem not. Sue not. Ordain not. Question not. Sentence not. Think not.
We are to judge not, why? So that we are not judged.
Too many people assess themselves with higher praise than they dare give another. Judging others is something we are brought up doing. We judge when we determine a person is beneath us. We judge when we determine a person is above us. We judge when we choose to over look undesirable sorts and take up with those who conform more closely to our own selves. We call this HUMAN nature- this sort of judging. Even as children we begin this sort of behavior- sensing something just isn't quite right about a peer and thus begins the quest to keep away from the one that isn't quite right and not only that, the distinguishing between what is perceived right and not quite right is begun. The not quite right will fall into a few categories- those who are just a little off, and those who are a bit more off, and those who are way off. While a child might shun one who is a little off, and another who is a bit more off, they very seldom shun those who are way off- these become the targets of ridicule which takes on many forms. The purpose of that ridicule is for the child who perceives himself as being 'right' to elevate and secure that position for himself while assuring the way off child who is perceived to be far from right is kept in that position which then only makes the right child feel even more right about themselves.
No, this isn't a sociology lecture- far from it. We talk about judging and might be quick to say we don't 'judge' but the truth is we 'judge' a lot! It's just not called judging. We condemn others all the time and in many ways. Again, I can hear the echo of 'it's just human nature'. Yes, sinful human nature, not the nature God would have us embrace and promote.
Children will learn judging from their parents and from each other in an endless cycle of human nature.
When we judge we are setting ourselves up to be judged by the same measure we are judging.
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again
If we are quick to judge, we will be quick to be judged. If we judge harshly we will be judged harshly. We can't escape this though many believe they do.
As children groups are formed and labeled.
There is the 'IN' crowd, the 'NOT SO IN' crowd, and there is the 'OUT' crowd. The in crowd is usually made up of very harsh judges who determine where the others fit in. The not so in crowd are left neither harshly judged nor completely free from judgment. The out crowd are judged very harshly. You know what I'm talking about and we can run it around in our heads forever and make a million excuses for the position of certain people but NONE of it makes it right.
Jesus wasn't part of the 'IN' crowd. The 'IN' crowd was made up of the Pharisees and Sadducees, the Priests, the workers in the temple. For awhile it looked as if Jesus were ushering in a NEW in crowd, but the current in crowd didn't allow that to happen.
Jesus advocated for those in the out crowds as He revealed why they more than any others needed kindness, not condemnation. While Jesus associated with those sinners in the out crowd He was doing so to reveal to us that we are NOT to play judge! We take a great risk when we make decisions regarding who is worthy of us. ALL are worthy of us, just as all are worthy to receive Jesus. The WORST of sinners is worthy to receive Jesus' love, Jesus' forgiveness. We have NO right whatsoever to condemn those that Jesus would never condemn.
I've written before on the difference between judging eternal life and judging right from wrong and it still holds true. We can judge NO ONE's eternal life no matter how horrific they might be. We can judge that the actions they are committing are wrong, and therefore we can choose not to participate in them, but we can't judge the outcome of those actions on an eternal level. As soon as we judge another we are being judge by the same measure we are judging. We lose the right to a compassionate judge when we judge without compassion.
It goes along the same lines as forgiving others as we want to be forgiven. In this case we judge as we want to be judged. And if we're smart we'll recognize that we need to be judged by One filled with compassion and ready to forgive us our sinful ways-- every little tiny sinful way. We don’t have to be HUGE sinners to warrant condemnation, and this is something people love to forget about or choose to never really contemplate.
Those children growing up- you know the ones in the in, not so in, and out crowds- they all become adults and often as adults the mindset will continue. The child who learned to judge other children harshly will become adults judging harshly and so on. Does this happen ALL the time? No. We grow up and some who are out now make it their goal to become IN, and once they are in some will choose to forget what it was like to be in the out crowd and they'll go along with the adult IN crowd against the adult out crowd. Do you really think that all that judging simply disappears as we grow up? I used to think so. Many people love to tell children who are in the out crowd that it won't always be that way, things will be different when they're older. Yes, sometimes that's true, but often we escape one setting for another. The outside of things might have changed but the underlying process of HUMAN nature is still at play on another level. Not to be unfair, some of those who are in will become out and sometimes they'll get a taste of being judged with the same judgment they judged- hopefully it's enough for them to repent and take up the words of our Savior to--
Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
By the grace of God we need to live this temporary life as one truly seeking life eternal with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. When we live understanding just how temporary this life is, judging others takes on a whole new context. We don't have to worry about being 'IN', not in this life not ever because the only One who is truly 'IN' is our Savior and it's Him we must live for- not for others and not for ourselves, but for HIM. Everything else is counted as loss when we live for a better life promised to us.
We will ALL be judged and at that time our Judge will know how we have judged.
By the grace of God may we leave the judging up to Him as we seek to only reveal the love of Christ to ALL others.
Amen.
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