Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Mat 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Mat 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Mat 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Mat 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Mat 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Blessed are they that do his commandments.
And Jesus says--
Blessed are the poor in spirit
Blessed are they that mourn
Blessed are the meek
Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness
Blessed are the merciful
Blessed are the pure in heart
Blessed are the peacemakers
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake
Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you false for my sake.
Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven.
Poor in spirit, mourning, meekness, hunger and thirst for what is good, persecuted, reviled, accused falsely- these are blessed. A total contradiction to how we envision life. We are told to be anything but meek, to have our spirits lifted up and, to leave off mourning, to do what we want as long as we don't hurt anyone- but by all means don't deprive ourselves of any desire. We are taught to detest any sort of persecution and to fight tooth and nail for our right not to be persecuted and to have any persecutors prosecuted by the law. We are raised to HATE the things that Christ says we are blessed by experiencing. We are taught to live for the here and now not for some fictitious, highly unlikely reward that may or may not be in heaven for us.
People want to say that Satan doesn't rule, they want to say that mankind hasn't allowed itself to be corrupted by Satan, they want Satan out of the picture altogether as fictitious as the mythical heaven. It is Satan, the father of lies that has infilterated the hearts and souls of people corrupting them fully until all that is truly blessed and good is made to seem hateful.
Truthfully, Jesus couldn't have LIKED being persecuted, and can't like to have those who love Him and seek His righteousness persecuted. Liking it isn't the issue, realizing that it will exist for as long as the battle between good and evil goes on is important. Understanding the facts of what we face is very important. With our tendencies to fight back and give as good as we are given, to be hateful to those that are hateful to us, with this sort of response praised and exalted it won't be easy at all to love the way Jesus would have us love, to love as He loved.
Christ allowed Himself to be tortured and killed when He could have fought back. He was righteouse, He was sinless, He was innocent of any crime and yet He did not call witnesses to come to His defense, He did not bring out the facts, He did not flaunt the miracles He performed. Jesus had EVERY right to fight- He had innocence on His side- yet He chose not to fight. We call that being a coward and a fool, we call people cowards and fools who allow themselves to be mistreated and walked all over. Christ was not a coward or a fool.
Our mentalities have been twisted and looking at ourselves and demanding we be treated right, with respect due to us, we forget all about Christ.
Love, truth, righteousness, faith these are God, these are Jesus, these are the things we long for and are offered by the Holy Spirit, the comforter sent to us by Christ.
There is a reward in heaven, it is real. You can't believe in God and not believe in Satan. You can't believe in God and not believe in heaven. You can't believe in God and not believe in love.
May God grant us His mercy and His righteousness by the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Son of God, now and forever in Him.
Amen.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Cling to Christ
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
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.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Rev 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Buy- faith
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
Buy- white raiment
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.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints
Buy- eye salve
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints
Act 28:27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. ''
Act 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
1Jn 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him
1Jn 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
*******
We are often rebuke, often chastened and it's out of love. Does it always feel as if it's out of love? No. When we're rebuked the first instinct is to justify ourselves, our actions. When we are chastened it feels uncomfortable to say the least. No one likes to be wrong, to be found in need of rebuking and chastening. Yet out of love we are rebuked, we are chastened. Our lives are not such that any of us can escape the rebuking and chastening of God. Those who believe that they have such perfection in their lives need the chastening and rebuking even more. It is Christ who is perfect and Christ we need to rely on.
God is love, and we have to believe God is- that love is. We have to have faith in God, it's impossible to please Him without faith in Him, without believing in Him, which is believing in love.
We are counseled to buy faith, Christ's righteousness, and understanding. To seek these things surrounds us in the love of God. Too many want to believe that Satan has no power, but he has great power to deceive. We need our eyes opened- Act 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God. We need God, we need love, the two are impossible to separate- and we need to believe in the truth of Jesus' love and mercy, His grace given to us out of love. We need to believe. Without believing we can never please God- because without believing in God, which is believing in love, there is nothing. Many today don't believe, they choose not to believe and they are lost to Satan and his deceptiveness - living a life that is filled with the false love Satan encourages- passing it off as true love. What good is a counterfiet if it doesn't mimic the true so closely only those expert in the true can spy it? We have this warning that we should all heed--
Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Let us hold fast to our faith in God, in love which is God. Let us cling to the righteousness of our Savior's love for us, for it is truth.
By His mercy and grace we are saved.
Amen.
Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
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.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Rev 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Buy- faith
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
Buy- white raiment
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.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints
Buy- eye salve
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints
Act 28:27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. ''
Act 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
1Jn 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him
1Jn 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
*******
We are often rebuke, often chastened and it's out of love. Does it always feel as if it's out of love? No. When we're rebuked the first instinct is to justify ourselves, our actions. When we are chastened it feels uncomfortable to say the least. No one likes to be wrong, to be found in need of rebuking and chastening. Yet out of love we are rebuked, we are chastened. Our lives are not such that any of us can escape the rebuking and chastening of God. Those who believe that they have such perfection in their lives need the chastening and rebuking even more. It is Christ who is perfect and Christ we need to rely on.
God is love, and we have to believe God is- that love is. We have to have faith in God, it's impossible to please Him without faith in Him, without believing in Him, which is believing in love.
We are counseled to buy faith, Christ's righteousness, and understanding. To seek these things surrounds us in the love of God. Too many want to believe that Satan has no power, but he has great power to deceive. We need our eyes opened- Act 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God. We need God, we need love, the two are impossible to separate- and we need to believe in the truth of Jesus' love and mercy, His grace given to us out of love. We need to believe. Without believing we can never please God- because without believing in God, which is believing in love, there is nothing. Many today don't believe, they choose not to believe and they are lost to Satan and his deceptiveness - living a life that is filled with the false love Satan encourages- passing it off as true love. What good is a counterfiet if it doesn't mimic the true so closely only those expert in the true can spy it? We have this warning that we should all heed--
Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Let us hold fast to our faith in God, in love which is God. Let us cling to the righteousness of our Savior's love for us, for it is truth.
By His mercy and grace we are saved.
Amen.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Faith in Adversity
Rev 22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
Faithful and true.
The two things we need - faith and truth.
Believing in things unseen, believing in God even when we do not understand a single thing we have faith. Believing in the truth and what is the truth, Jesus is the truth.
In all our lives there can be so much confusion, so much controversy and things we don't understand at all whatsoever but by faith we can please God. Trusting in God, trusting in all that God is. Having faith in God beyond all understanding. Knowing the truth is found in Christ.
All else will fail. It will. Make no mistake. A mistake lies in thinking that things won't fail here and now on earth. The mistake lies in believing that life should some how be fair, that because we believe in God we should have it just a little bit easier now. The truth is that Christ suffered and we should expect nothing more. Seriously. People talk of prosperity and such and say if only you believe, and to trust in God things will get better, but if we are going to trust in God we have to expect that our road we have to walk here and now will not be easy, will not be better. The only thing we can hope to get better is our faith. The only thing we can strive for is a strengthening of our faith through each trial and not a weakening of it as Satan seeks. Every single trial thrown at us whether it's a trial that lasts a single day or one that last years, is set up to either weaken or strengthen us. We cry no fair, God shouldn't allow this to happen and as soon as that thought crosses our mind we are allowing the trial to weaken us, we are allowing Satan to slip in with the doubts about the love of God. When he slips that in the door is open for it to grow.
Faith beyond any doubt no matter what happens. May God grant us this faith and help us to find a growing faith through every trial big or small so that we may live in the truth of Jesus, of Christ's righteousness and not our own. Through Him, in Him, now and forever. By the grace and mercy of our Lord!
Amen.
Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
Faithful and true.
The two things we need - faith and truth.
Believing in things unseen, believing in God even when we do not understand a single thing we have faith. Believing in the truth and what is the truth, Jesus is the truth.
In all our lives there can be so much confusion, so much controversy and things we don't understand at all whatsoever but by faith we can please God. Trusting in God, trusting in all that God is. Having faith in God beyond all understanding. Knowing the truth is found in Christ.
All else will fail. It will. Make no mistake. A mistake lies in thinking that things won't fail here and now on earth. The mistake lies in believing that life should some how be fair, that because we believe in God we should have it just a little bit easier now. The truth is that Christ suffered and we should expect nothing more. Seriously. People talk of prosperity and such and say if only you believe, and to trust in God things will get better, but if we are going to trust in God we have to expect that our road we have to walk here and now will not be easy, will not be better. The only thing we can hope to get better is our faith. The only thing we can strive for is a strengthening of our faith through each trial and not a weakening of it as Satan seeks. Every single trial thrown at us whether it's a trial that lasts a single day or one that last years, is set up to either weaken or strengthen us. We cry no fair, God shouldn't allow this to happen and as soon as that thought crosses our mind we are allowing the trial to weaken us, we are allowing Satan to slip in with the doubts about the love of God. When he slips that in the door is open for it to grow.
Faith beyond any doubt no matter what happens. May God grant us this faith and help us to find a growing faith through every trial big or small so that we may live in the truth of Jesus, of Christ's righteousness and not our own. Through Him, in Him, now and forever. By the grace and mercy of our Lord!
Amen.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Hold Fast
Pro 4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
1Th 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
2Ti 1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Rev 2:25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
Rev 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
*******
Hold fast.
Hang on.
Wait.
Be patience.
Rev.2:25
Hold Fast--
G2902 (Thayer's Greek Lexicon)
krateo?
krat-eh'-o
From G2904; to use strength, that is, seize or retain (literally or figuratively): - hold (by, fast), keep, lay hand (hold) on, obtain, retain, take (by).
Obtain, retain, keep.
Rev. 3:3
G5083 (Thayer's Greek Lexicon)
te?reo?
tay-reh'-o
From ?????? teros (a watch; perhaps akin to G2334); to guard (from loss or injury, properly by keeping the eye upon; and thus differing from G5442, which is properly to prevent escaping; and from G2892, which implies a fortress or full military lines of apparatus), that is, to note (a prophecy; figuratively to fulfil a command); by implication to detain (in custody; figuratively to maintain); by extension to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively to keep unmarried): - hold fast, keep (-er), (ob-, pre-, re) serve, watch.
Guard, watch so it doesn't escape, hold in custody, maintain, keep, serve, watch.
If you're asked to hold fast to something what comes to mind? Someone wants you to keep hold of something so it doesn't get away, so you don't lose it, it's valuable. There are certain documents in life people are told to hold on to, not to lose because they're important. Yes, you could get replacements and some people do just that but it's a bothersome process. Sometimes there just are no replacements to something important given to you. A love letter from your wife or husband from years ago holding precious memories. You might say that's not important but the value is placed on it by the ones who gave it and keep it, right?
We are told to hold fast until Jesus comes. We are told to hold fast to what we've received through Jesus, to repent. We are told to hold fast and let no man take our crown. Hold fast to Jesus and all that is Jesus. Hold fast to Him, not to ourselves. Hold fast to Jesus' righteousness counting ours as filthy rags. We have to keep Jesus alive and real in our hearts, glorying and living in Him always even when our lives are a mess and they can be very, very, messy. Smile when your heart is breaking? Smile when the whole world hates you? Smile when you are dying? Smile when you live a life of pure misery? Smile? The smile only means that through the tears you can't help but shed you know this world is not the final world for you. You know this life is not the only life there is to look forward to. You know that the pain now is nothing compared to the glory in Christ that awaits and all this pain and agony is only temporary. Easy to say, hard to do. Only by the grace of God can we do it, can we live in Him as He will and when we try to stand by ourselves and claim victory of our own we will find it is a false victory, hollow and empty and it will crumble. The only hope of holding fast is in Christ, all for Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior now and forever.
Amen.
1Th 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
2Ti 1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Rev 2:25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
Rev 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
*******
Hold fast.
Hang on.
Wait.
Be patience.
Rev.2:25
Hold Fast--
G2902 (Thayer's Greek Lexicon)
krateo?
krat-eh'-o
From G2904; to use strength, that is, seize or retain (literally or figuratively): - hold (by, fast), keep, lay hand (hold) on, obtain, retain, take (by).
Obtain, retain, keep.
Rev. 3:3
G5083 (Thayer's Greek Lexicon)
te?reo?
tay-reh'-o
From ?????? teros (a watch; perhaps akin to G2334); to guard (from loss or injury, properly by keeping the eye upon; and thus differing from G5442, which is properly to prevent escaping; and from G2892, which implies a fortress or full military lines of apparatus), that is, to note (a prophecy; figuratively to fulfil a command); by implication to detain (in custody; figuratively to maintain); by extension to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively to keep unmarried): - hold fast, keep (-er), (ob-, pre-, re) serve, watch.
Guard, watch so it doesn't escape, hold in custody, maintain, keep, serve, watch.
If you're asked to hold fast to something what comes to mind? Someone wants you to keep hold of something so it doesn't get away, so you don't lose it, it's valuable. There are certain documents in life people are told to hold on to, not to lose because they're important. Yes, you could get replacements and some people do just that but it's a bothersome process. Sometimes there just are no replacements to something important given to you. A love letter from your wife or husband from years ago holding precious memories. You might say that's not important but the value is placed on it by the ones who gave it and keep it, right?
We are told to hold fast until Jesus comes. We are told to hold fast to what we've received through Jesus, to repent. We are told to hold fast and let no man take our crown. Hold fast to Jesus and all that is Jesus. Hold fast to Him, not to ourselves. Hold fast to Jesus' righteousness counting ours as filthy rags. We have to keep Jesus alive and real in our hearts, glorying and living in Him always even when our lives are a mess and they can be very, very, messy. Smile when your heart is breaking? Smile when the whole world hates you? Smile when you are dying? Smile when you live a life of pure misery? Smile? The smile only means that through the tears you can't help but shed you know this world is not the final world for you. You know this life is not the only life there is to look forward to. You know that the pain now is nothing compared to the glory in Christ that awaits and all this pain and agony is only temporary. Easy to say, hard to do. Only by the grace of God can we do it, can we live in Him as He will and when we try to stand by ourselves and claim victory of our own we will find it is a false victory, hollow and empty and it will crumble. The only hope of holding fast is in Christ, all for Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior now and forever.
Amen.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Keep His Works
Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
overcometh- prevails, conquers
keepeth- guards, holdfast
works- deeds, labour, acts
How do we guard Christ's deeds?
How do we holdfast to Christ's labours, His acts?
Seriously? How? If we're to prevail in this life and keep Christ's works to the end, what are we doing? What action? Guarding, holding fast, keeping the works of Christ.
If we're busy doing this guarding, this keeping we are occupied with doing so. Being a Christian isn't a check box we mark on a form that asks us if we have a religious preference. Being Christian isn't something we are one day a week, it's a way of life. Jesus' way of life. It's something that incorporates all that we are and all that we do. We can't separate our lives into little compartments and say this one is my work self, this is my home self, this is my public self, this is my private self, this is my religious self, this is my worldly self, this is my evil self, this is my relative self, this is my close friend self and yet don't we often find ourselves adjusting to various situations accordingly? Such as behaving one way in public and another in private. Allowing more leniency in behavior when no one is watching. It's natural isn't it? Natural for us to show our anger more to those close to us than those who aren't. Natural for us to bring home our upsets and sadness than to weep in public. We learn early on what sort of behavior is accepted where. We learn by the examples of our parents, by the various situations we see whether in real life or fictional on television, maybe even in school. We learn that in church you are to be reverent because in that building God is somehow closer to us, but once we step out the door we leave that behind and so things are back to every day life- actions and reactions without much consideration for God being close to us.
People like to compartmentalize their lives and yet if we are to truly keep the works of Jesus we can't compartmentalize Him. He is a way of life, not one compartment in many. He is life.
The devil would have us treat Jesus and our walk with Him as something that only happens every now and again, once a week, once a day, three times a week, three times a day, four...five. He would have us put our Christianity into points of time rather than having our Christianity timeless and forever in us.
We need to follow Christ fully and perhaps you're saying that you can't really think about God while you're sitting at a desk under the grind of paper work, or while you're out there banging away at a hammer constructing a house it's not good to be distracted by anything when you're busy concentrating on what you're doing for your job whatever it may be, even if it's putting together a recipe for dinner that night.
No one is saying that to be fully Christ's you have to stop doing your job. Christ was a carpenter and for years He concentrated on doing His job while being prepared for His ministry. While He planed that wood was His mind not on the correct way of doing it, of taking off just the right amount of wood to complete what He was doing? No, Christ concentrated on His work as well, but He was forever God's. He consecrated Himself to God in all that He did.
Christ didn't want us to stop working, but in all that we do, we do it to the glory of God.
1Cor 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
For our lives to be Christ's, for us to keep His works our lives must be consecrated to Him and all we do must be done to the glory of God. Can you dig a ditch to the glory of God? Yes. Can you sweep a floor to the glory of God? Yes. You can live and do all to the glory of God if He is truly alive and real in our lives and not put into a compartment to pull open as desired.
May God help us all as we seek Him in all that we do. If we are having trouble giving glory to God in something we do, may we ask for His mercy and grace, His help in our time of need to overcome whatever may be hindering our walk with Christ. Only by His righteousness do we have hope, by faith in His ability to overcome and save us through His grace.
By His mercy and love, in Him now and forever.
Amen.
overcometh- prevails, conquers
keepeth- guards, holdfast
works- deeds, labour, acts
How do we guard Christ's deeds?
How do we holdfast to Christ's labours, His acts?
Seriously? How? If we're to prevail in this life and keep Christ's works to the end, what are we doing? What action? Guarding, holding fast, keeping the works of Christ.
If we're busy doing this guarding, this keeping we are occupied with doing so. Being a Christian isn't a check box we mark on a form that asks us if we have a religious preference. Being Christian isn't something we are one day a week, it's a way of life. Jesus' way of life. It's something that incorporates all that we are and all that we do. We can't separate our lives into little compartments and say this one is my work self, this is my home self, this is my public self, this is my private self, this is my religious self, this is my worldly self, this is my evil self, this is my relative self, this is my close friend self and yet don't we often find ourselves adjusting to various situations accordingly? Such as behaving one way in public and another in private. Allowing more leniency in behavior when no one is watching. It's natural isn't it? Natural for us to show our anger more to those close to us than those who aren't. Natural for us to bring home our upsets and sadness than to weep in public. We learn early on what sort of behavior is accepted where. We learn by the examples of our parents, by the various situations we see whether in real life or fictional on television, maybe even in school. We learn that in church you are to be reverent because in that building God is somehow closer to us, but once we step out the door we leave that behind and so things are back to every day life- actions and reactions without much consideration for God being close to us.
People like to compartmentalize their lives and yet if we are to truly keep the works of Jesus we can't compartmentalize Him. He is a way of life, not one compartment in many. He is life.
The devil would have us treat Jesus and our walk with Him as something that only happens every now and again, once a week, once a day, three times a week, three times a day, four...five. He would have us put our Christianity into points of time rather than having our Christianity timeless and forever in us.
We need to follow Christ fully and perhaps you're saying that you can't really think about God while you're sitting at a desk under the grind of paper work, or while you're out there banging away at a hammer constructing a house it's not good to be distracted by anything when you're busy concentrating on what you're doing for your job whatever it may be, even if it's putting together a recipe for dinner that night.
No one is saying that to be fully Christ's you have to stop doing your job. Christ was a carpenter and for years He concentrated on doing His job while being prepared for His ministry. While He planed that wood was His mind not on the correct way of doing it, of taking off just the right amount of wood to complete what He was doing? No, Christ concentrated on His work as well, but He was forever God's. He consecrated Himself to God in all that He did.
Christ didn't want us to stop working, but in all that we do, we do it to the glory of God.
1Cor 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
For our lives to be Christ's, for us to keep His works our lives must be consecrated to Him and all we do must be done to the glory of God. Can you dig a ditch to the glory of God? Yes. Can you sweep a floor to the glory of God? Yes. You can live and do all to the glory of God if He is truly alive and real in our lives and not put into a compartment to pull open as desired.
May God help us all as we seek Him in all that we do. If we are having trouble giving glory to God in something we do, may we ask for His mercy and grace, His help in our time of need to overcome whatever may be hindering our walk with Christ. Only by His righteousness do we have hope, by faith in His ability to overcome and save us through His grace.
By His mercy and love, in Him now and forever.
Amen.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Blessed is he that keepeth...
Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
quickly- shortly, soon (by surprise), suddenly, readily
blessed- extremely fortunate, well-off, happy
keepeth - to watch, to guard, hold fast, keep, serve.
sayings- what is said, what is meant, doctrine, preached
prophecy- prediction
book- writing
Look, I come suddenly: happy is he that holds fast the doctrines of the predictions of this writing.
We need to study the doctrines, the predictions in this book of Revelation. It is a book that reveals and we are blessed by the revelations as long as we keep them, guard them, hold fast to them.
Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Rev 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
Rev 22:9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
quickly- shortly, soon (by surprise), suddenly, readily
blessed- extremely fortunate, well-off, happy
keepeth - to watch, to guard, hold fast, keep, serve.
sayings- what is said, what is meant, doctrine, preached
prophecy- prediction
book- writing
Look, I come suddenly: happy is he that holds fast the doctrines of the predictions of this writing.
We need to study the doctrines, the predictions in this book of Revelation. It is a book that reveals and we are blessed by the revelations as long as we keep them, guard them, hold fast to them.
Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Rev 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
Rev 22:9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Everlasting Life- For You?
Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
Rev 1:2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Rev 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Rev 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Rev 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
When you take away from the words of a book you are doing what? With any book what happens when you take parts out? Books are edited by editors before being published. This book was edited by God and deemed to be appropriate in all that was written there. Appropriate and important, vital to us. So vital there is a warning given-
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Our names are to be taken OUT of the book of life. Names that are written in the book, names of those to live forever, are to be taken out! So grievous is the crime of altering this book of Revelation it warrants removal from eternal life. Great caution has to be taken that nothing is altered, that nothing is taken away from these words of prophecy. How amazingly important these words have to be for such an eternal punishment to be given. Why such a punishment? Because by taking away from these words we take away the understanding people need to claim Jesus as their Savior. The everlasting gospel, the choice of either receiving the mark of the beast or not, knowing that God's people are to be those who keep His commandments and have the faith of Jesus. Without the knowlege, without giving this knowlege to others in its fulness the responsibility for their lack of salvation rests upon the shoulders of those who understand. To take away the knowledge warrants eternal death.
This all sounds like something from a fantasy movie, Satan would have us believe its just that, not real. If he can get us to marginalize everything, to fictionalize the truth he has us as His fully.
How many people long for adventure, for an amazing life such as those pictured in movies and described in books little realizing they live daily the adventure that will decide their eternal life in a battle, a warfare that has everlasting consequences for them. Taught to believe their lives have little meaning beyond the daily grind, that their lives are so banal they could do whatever they want and nothing matters. Taught that to reject fantasies that hint at reality as being beyond their intelligence, people are trapped by their own limited beliefs and need to realize that their lives are amazingly important and the gift of that life to be lived in Christ has a reward unimaginable in its fulness to anything we can think of.
Truly this is our prayer...
Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Rev 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Rev 1:2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Rev 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Rev 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Rev 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
When you take away from the words of a book you are doing what? With any book what happens when you take parts out? Books are edited by editors before being published. This book was edited by God and deemed to be appropriate in all that was written there. Appropriate and important, vital to us. So vital there is a warning given-
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Our names are to be taken OUT of the book of life. Names that are written in the book, names of those to live forever, are to be taken out! So grievous is the crime of altering this book of Revelation it warrants removal from eternal life. Great caution has to be taken that nothing is altered, that nothing is taken away from these words of prophecy. How amazingly important these words have to be for such an eternal punishment to be given. Why such a punishment? Because by taking away from these words we take away the understanding people need to claim Jesus as their Savior. The everlasting gospel, the choice of either receiving the mark of the beast or not, knowing that God's people are to be those who keep His commandments and have the faith of Jesus. Without the knowlege, without giving this knowlege to others in its fulness the responsibility for their lack of salvation rests upon the shoulders of those who understand. To take away the knowledge warrants eternal death.
This all sounds like something from a fantasy movie, Satan would have us believe its just that, not real. If he can get us to marginalize everything, to fictionalize the truth he has us as His fully.
How many people long for adventure, for an amazing life such as those pictured in movies and described in books little realizing they live daily the adventure that will decide their eternal life in a battle, a warfare that has everlasting consequences for them. Taught to believe their lives have little meaning beyond the daily grind, that their lives are so banal they could do whatever they want and nothing matters. Taught that to reject fantasies that hint at reality as being beyond their intelligence, people are trapped by their own limited beliefs and need to realize that their lives are amazingly important and the gift of that life to be lived in Christ has a reward unimaginable in its fulness to anything we can think of.
Truly this is our prayer...
Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Rev 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
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