Rev 2:16 Repent
metanoeo
met-an-o-eh'-o
From G3326 and G3539; to think differently or afterwards, that is, reconsider (morally to feel compunction): - repent.
compunction (kem-pùngk´shen) noun
1. A strong uneasiness caused by a sense of guilt. See synonyms at penitence.
2. A sting of conscience or a pang of doubt aroused by wrongdoing or the prospect of wrongdoing. See synonyms at qualm.
repent (rî-pènt´) verb
repented, repenting, repents verb, intransitive
1. To feel remorse, contrition, or self-reproach for what one has done or failed to do; be contrite.
2. To feel such regret for past conduct as to change one's mind regarding it: repented of intemperate behavior.
3. To make a change for the better as a result of remorse or contrition for one's sins.
We are told to repent- and repentence is to think differently- to feel a sense of guilt, to understand our wrong doing and our need of Christ's forgiveness for the wrongs we commit against Him.
God is love, out of love God gave us life and a chance to keep the life He's given us but only through His Son. God claimed a people as His and offered them life through Christ, revealing to them what life in Him and in His Son is all about. The love that He is, is revealed in His laws which only have what is just and good in them. The basis of that law is to love Him and love each other. When we sin we are transgressing the law- we are ceasing in some way to love Him or each other. We are told to repent... to think differently. To understand our need of God fully in that repenting. Admitting that to think only of ourselves, to live selfishly, is wrong.
Repent. Feel remorse for the wrongs we've committed. Repent. Asking God to forgive us for our wrongs and seeking Him fully through His mercy and grace, now and forever.
Repent.
Repenting allows us to recognize our need of God, the unrepentent feel no need of God. Repenting admits to our unworthiness, not repenting admits to no need of understanding our unworthiness. We need to recognize that Christ is all, that without Him we are nothing. Without the connection of God and man together we are left to flounder helplessly on our own filled with a false sense of self-sufficiency. Yet of our own selves we cannot rid the world of sin. We try to contain those who commit sins we find detrimental to our society in our prisons, yet even that does nothing to rid the world of sin, we've just taken the society sinful and caged them without ridding the world of anything. To think that a world filled with sin is acceptable and all there is, is to deny God and what He intends for the world. Only through God will a world without sin ever be realized, a world with true love for God and each other.
May God help us all to feel the intense need to repent, to admit to our need, to think differently setting aside our self and seeking God.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, now and forever!
Amen.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Perfect Love
Rev 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer
Tribulation-poverty-hardships of any sort
We can't let fear rule us.
Perfect love casts out fear.
1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
Fear hath torment- so true. No fear is good fear. People say fear has it's place and it does in the sense of being caution more than fear. Anyone that has been afraid - truly afraid understands the way it makes a person feel. That feeling is unpleasant to say the least. To hold onto fear is to deny that God is more powerful than what is causing that fear.
Perfect love, God's love does cast out fear. God casts out fear.
Faith in God, belief in His love.
May God grant me the faith I need in Him so that the fear that threatens to overwhelm me is cast away under His almighty, eternal love.
By His Grace and Mercy, in Christ now and always.
Amen.
Tribulation-poverty-hardships of any sort
We can't let fear rule us.
Perfect love casts out fear.
1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
Fear hath torment- so true. No fear is good fear. People say fear has it's place and it does in the sense of being caution more than fear. Anyone that has been afraid - truly afraid understands the way it makes a person feel. That feeling is unpleasant to say the least. To hold onto fear is to deny that God is more powerful than what is causing that fear.
Perfect love, God's love does cast out fear. God casts out fear.
Faith in God, belief in His love.
May God grant me the faith I need in Him so that the fear that threatens to overwhelm me is cast away under His almighty, eternal love.
By His Grace and Mercy, in Christ now and always.
Amen.
Monday, November 16, 2009
First Love
Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
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.
Keepeth the sayings-- readeth, hear, keep.
Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
We must remember the newness of our walk with Christ. We all have it, or most do. The moment in time when the revelation of Christ's love and forgiveness became a very personal connection. When we forget the realness of that moment and allow it to be overcome by time and various tribulations great and small, then we forget the power of the cross in a personal way. We can't let ourselves forget the truth as it was discovered by us. When we do find ourselves forgetting we need to repent, to remember and recapture the zeal, the truth in our hearts and lives. When we forget the love of Christ and the results of that love on a personal level then we forget Jesus and when we forget our Savior, we are lost. We must ever look to the One who saves us.
By His Grace and Mercy now and FOREVER!
In Christ's Amazing Love.
Amen.
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.
Keepeth the sayings-- readeth, hear, keep.
Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
We must remember the newness of our walk with Christ. We all have it, or most do. The moment in time when the revelation of Christ's love and forgiveness became a very personal connection. When we forget the realness of that moment and allow it to be overcome by time and various tribulations great and small, then we forget the power of the cross in a personal way. We can't let ourselves forget the truth as it was discovered by us. When we do find ourselves forgetting we need to repent, to remember and recapture the zeal, the truth in our hearts and lives. When we forget the love of Christ and the results of that love on a personal level then we forget Jesus and when we forget our Savior, we are lost. We must ever look to the One who saves us.
By His Grace and Mercy now and FOREVER!
In Christ's Amazing Love.
Amen.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Servant of God
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.
The angel said to John that the things that had been said to him were to be believed and trustworthy. The Lord God of the holy prophets- all the prophets throughout all time, the Lord God of those holy prophets sent his angel to John to reveal to God's servants, those who claim God as their Master, the events that would happen in due time, their appointed time.
Are you a servant of God?
Mat 20:26 ...but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
Mat 20:27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Joh 13:12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
Joh 13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
Joh 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
Joh 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Joh 13:16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
Joh 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
God is love and in that love He is all that we can imagine love to be, the perfect love in pure unselfishness. Jesus, sent of God, His Father, came and ministered unto us. Jesus, Lord of Lords; King of Kings, our perfect Savior took on the role of a servant and ministered to His disciples.
So often we see in life the *boss* being catered to. We don't have servants like they did a 100 years ago, where one in every 12 or so households had at least one domestic servant. Only the very rich have servants and they're called hired help, maids and such, rarely servants. Servant has is a term that is used to reveal a lower status to a master, you can't have a servant unless you have a master- right? And in our very imperfect, sin-filled world throughout time servants have been the lower class, used and abused, though not always abused. Servants by virtue of their servitude were beneath their masters, meant to cater to their needs. Slaves were the same yet without the liberty to leave their master at the end of a period of servitude. Slaves were property kept indefinitely as such. Throughout time it has been this way and the very idea of a master serving the servant is ludicrous. It totally twists the whole grand design of what's what. It's like the boss telling a worker to sit in their chair while they go do the worker's work. It's something that is hard to comprehend.
God is our Master, we are his servants and yet Jesus, Himself, God's Son made Himself a servant and told us to do likewise. Meaning what? What message was Jesus trying to give to us? That we are here to serve one another, not better one another. That we are to give rather than receive. That we are to not esteem ourselves greater than any other. Serving one another reveals the life of Christ who came to serve, to reveal the true self-lessness of LOVE. He lay down His life for us.
We are the servants of God, He is our Master. To serve Him we must emmulate Him as He has asked us to do.
By His grace and mercy, may we truly be the servants of God, allowing Him to reveal Himself to others through us. May we take on the role of a servant of God, allowing our Master to guide our lives in all things.
Amen.
The angel said to John that the things that had been said to him were to be believed and trustworthy. The Lord God of the holy prophets- all the prophets throughout all time, the Lord God of those holy prophets sent his angel to John to reveal to God's servants, those who claim God as their Master, the events that would happen in due time, their appointed time.
Are you a servant of God?
Mat 20:26 ...but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
Mat 20:27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Joh 13:12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
Joh 13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
Joh 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
Joh 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Joh 13:16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
Joh 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
God is love and in that love He is all that we can imagine love to be, the perfect love in pure unselfishness. Jesus, sent of God, His Father, came and ministered unto us. Jesus, Lord of Lords; King of Kings, our perfect Savior took on the role of a servant and ministered to His disciples.
So often we see in life the *boss* being catered to. We don't have servants like they did a 100 years ago, where one in every 12 or so households had at least one domestic servant. Only the very rich have servants and they're called hired help, maids and such, rarely servants. Servant has is a term that is used to reveal a lower status to a master, you can't have a servant unless you have a master- right? And in our very imperfect, sin-filled world throughout time servants have been the lower class, used and abused, though not always abused. Servants by virtue of their servitude were beneath their masters, meant to cater to their needs. Slaves were the same yet without the liberty to leave their master at the end of a period of servitude. Slaves were property kept indefinitely as such. Throughout time it has been this way and the very idea of a master serving the servant is ludicrous. It totally twists the whole grand design of what's what. It's like the boss telling a worker to sit in their chair while they go do the worker's work. It's something that is hard to comprehend.
God is our Master, we are his servants and yet Jesus, Himself, God's Son made Himself a servant and told us to do likewise. Meaning what? What message was Jesus trying to give to us? That we are here to serve one another, not better one another. That we are to give rather than receive. That we are to not esteem ourselves greater than any other. Serving one another reveals the life of Christ who came to serve, to reveal the true self-lessness of LOVE. He lay down His life for us.
We are the servants of God, He is our Master. To serve Him we must emmulate Him as He has asked us to do.
By His grace and mercy, may we truly be the servants of God, allowing Him to reveal Himself to others through us. May we take on the role of a servant of God, allowing our Master to guide our lives in all things.
Amen.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Judge not, that ye be not judged
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 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
When we judge people we tend to judge them pessimistically don't we? Our judging leads more to condemnation than compassion. Why do you suppose that is? Why do people like scandals? Why do people inwardly cheer at the misfortune of others? You don't? They don't? On national television- on a very popular show millions of people watch a man once looked at someone who seemed to be genuinely nice and wish well for the competitors they were up against and this man seemed amused and slightly disbelieving of the nice person. Asking with that amused incrediblity if that person really, really were being sincere the man went on to say that it's just not done that way- people don't just wish for the best for others but rather are more cutthroat wanting their competitors to falter and fail so they win.
It's sad isn't it? That a lot of us are taught from a young age to be competitive about life and most aspects of it. As soon as we realize that those who excel at things- sports, academics, appearance, etc- are commended and rewarded we strive towards those things and if we fail through our own faults or no fault of our own, we feel substandard and this feeling creates a long to succeed and if another falters or fails then all the better because that means that maybe, just maybe we might have a chance to succeed or in the least it means they might get a taste of a loser's life by experiencing some of the pain failing brings.
Judge not that ye be not judged. When we stop judging others- searching for the faults, pointing out failures, when we stop exalting ourselves at the expense of others, when we just cease to look at others with a judgemental attitude we have to realize that we will be judged the same. Do we really want to be judged as we are judging?
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.
When we can claim perfection (which will not happen as long as we are living in this sin-filled world) we can judge others but until then we can't worry about others- judging them. Our plates are filled to the brim with the many beams in our own eyes needing to be cast out.
May God help us to recognize our judgmental moments and help us to turn that judgment on to ourselves realizing that another's failing will never in anyway somehow make us and better and vice versa, another's success does not mean we are failures.
We are all sinners needing the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior and that is the bottom line. No matter what kind of life we lead- successful or not in the world's eyes-- we don't stand before the world to be judge we stand before God and by the grace of Jesus Christ may He stand in our place as we cling to Him and trust in His redemption for us.
Amen.
*
Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
When we judge people we tend to judge them pessimistically don't we? Our judging leads more to condemnation than compassion. Why do you suppose that is? Why do people like scandals? Why do people inwardly cheer at the misfortune of others? You don't? They don't? On national television- on a very popular show millions of people watch a man once looked at someone who seemed to be genuinely nice and wish well for the competitors they were up against and this man seemed amused and slightly disbelieving of the nice person. Asking with that amused incrediblity if that person really, really were being sincere the man went on to say that it's just not done that way- people don't just wish for the best for others but rather are more cutthroat wanting their competitors to falter and fail so they win.
It's sad isn't it? That a lot of us are taught from a young age to be competitive about life and most aspects of it. As soon as we realize that those who excel at things- sports, academics, appearance, etc- are commended and rewarded we strive towards those things and if we fail through our own faults or no fault of our own, we feel substandard and this feeling creates a long to succeed and if another falters or fails then all the better because that means that maybe, just maybe we might have a chance to succeed or in the least it means they might get a taste of a loser's life by experiencing some of the pain failing brings.
Judge not that ye be not judged. When we stop judging others- searching for the faults, pointing out failures, when we stop exalting ourselves at the expense of others, when we just cease to look at others with a judgemental attitude we have to realize that we will be judged the same. Do we really want to be judged as we are judging?
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.
When we can claim perfection (which will not happen as long as we are living in this sin-filled world) we can judge others but until then we can't worry about others- judging them. Our plates are filled to the brim with the many beams in our own eyes needing to be cast out.
May God help us to recognize our judgmental moments and help us to turn that judgment on to ourselves realizing that another's failing will never in anyway somehow make us and better and vice versa, another's success does not mean we are failures.
We are all sinners needing the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior and that is the bottom line. No matter what kind of life we lead- successful or not in the world's eyes-- we don't stand before the world to be judge we stand before God and by the grace of Jesus Christ may He stand in our place as we cling to Him and trust in His redemption for us.
Amen.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Don't borrow trouble.
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Don't borrow trouble.
By the grace of God may we heed this command.
Don't borrow trouble.
By the grace of God may we heed this command.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Commanded to Love
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.
Jesus' commandments--
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Note- Raca- worthless one - vilification.
Mat 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Mat 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Mat 5:25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Mat 5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Mat 5:30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Mat 5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
Mat 5:34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:
Mat 5:35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
Mat 5:36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
Mat 5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil
To say that Jesus had no commands for us would be false. Jesus had a lot of commands that some like to call advice so that they can either choose to follow the advice or not without too much of a consequence. A command, an order, sounds so much more demanding doesn't it? To say you're given advice automatically leaves room to choose one way or another because it's just advice. Given a command is an order you must follow or there will be consquences. We don't like to have consequences based upon our actions. We like to have leeway. If we make a mistake we want someone there to say it was an honest mistake. If we don't take advice, well it was an honest mistake not to. Consequences. We live in a society that doesn't want any of those. We want mollification, we want to be coddled and reassured that we're good no matter what bad we might do. This isn't to say that there aren't those who truly make *honest* mistakes, but in truth many mistakes could be avoided if the advice was followed, right? Commands. Somehow that sounds better than Commandments. Commandments sounds so demanding and permanent, a command sounds a bit less rigid and something much more temporary. A command seems like it could be given once and commandments seem more like something meant to be followed endlessly.
Jesus gives us plenty of commandments to follow an ultimately they all revolve around two central commandments-
Love God.
Love Man.
Seriously. There isn't a single commandment from Jesus that doesn't revolve either around loving God or loving our fellow man. There's no wonder about that really though is there? Because God is...LOVE. We're the ones that have warped love into something almost unthinkable unless it's total SELF love which even then isn't really love because selfishness isn't loving yourself. You actually love yourself more when you love God and others. Selfishness, self-love in that respect is the fartherest thing from real love as you can get.
May God grant us the wisdom and understanding to realize that all that He asks of us is out of love, not to restrict us from things that are good for us. May the love of God be realized in us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, by His grace and mercy towards us sinners who while striving to do all that He asks, realizes it's only through Him that any of it really matters.
Amen.
Jesus' commandments--
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Note- Raca- worthless one - vilification.
Mat 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Mat 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Mat 5:25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Mat 5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Mat 5:30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Mat 5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
Mat 5:34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:
Mat 5:35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
Mat 5:36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
Mat 5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil
To say that Jesus had no commands for us would be false. Jesus had a lot of commands that some like to call advice so that they can either choose to follow the advice or not without too much of a consequence. A command, an order, sounds so much more demanding doesn't it? To say you're given advice automatically leaves room to choose one way or another because it's just advice. Given a command is an order you must follow or there will be consquences. We don't like to have consequences based upon our actions. We like to have leeway. If we make a mistake we want someone there to say it was an honest mistake. If we don't take advice, well it was an honest mistake not to. Consequences. We live in a society that doesn't want any of those. We want mollification, we want to be coddled and reassured that we're good no matter what bad we might do. This isn't to say that there aren't those who truly make *honest* mistakes, but in truth many mistakes could be avoided if the advice was followed, right? Commands. Somehow that sounds better than Commandments. Commandments sounds so demanding and permanent, a command sounds a bit less rigid and something much more temporary. A command seems like it could be given once and commandments seem more like something meant to be followed endlessly.
Jesus gives us plenty of commandments to follow an ultimately they all revolve around two central commandments-
Love God.
Love Man.
Seriously. There isn't a single commandment from Jesus that doesn't revolve either around loving God or loving our fellow man. There's no wonder about that really though is there? Because God is...LOVE. We're the ones that have warped love into something almost unthinkable unless it's total SELF love which even then isn't really love because selfishness isn't loving yourself. You actually love yourself more when you love God and others. Selfishness, self-love in that respect is the fartherest thing from real love as you can get.
May God grant us the wisdom and understanding to realize that all that He asks of us is out of love, not to restrict us from things that are good for us. May the love of God be realized in us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, by His grace and mercy towards us sinners who while striving to do all that He asks, realizes it's only through Him that any of it really matters.
Amen.
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