Rev 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
Let's get a dictionary look at what guile is. Obviously it's something we shouldn't be found with so we can be without fault before the throne of God so it's really something we should be aware of in ourselves.
*******
Greek- Guile
dolos
dol'-os
dello (an obsolete primary probably meaning to decoy; compare G1185); a trick (bait), that is, (figuratively) wile: - craft, deceit, guile, subtilty.
*******
guile (gìl) noun
1.Treacherous cunning; skillful deceit.
2.Obsolete. A trick or stratagem.
verb, transitive
guiled, guiling, guiles
Archaic.
To beguile; deceive.
*******
God would not have us deceitful, He would not have us using trickery, or treacherous cunning - these are not God's ways. To have no guile would mean that we don't resort to being wily, crafty, deceitful that we're upstanding, forthright, and honest in our ways. It's no wonder that those who stand before God will have no guile in their mouths- no deceit before the throne of God.
There is no misleading, no tricking, no lying in all they do. We need this in our lives and before any one jumps up and says they have no guile we need to really look at our lives in all we do and see if there isn't something in them that we judge acceptable because we deem it harmless deception. I read the other day in Reader's Digest one of those little sections of information where it was stated that most people lie 6 times a day at least. Can you imagine!? Can you? And they say the lie most often told is this... When asked how they are they say, fine. We do it don't we? We tell others we're fine, we're okay. Have a great day. When in truth things might not be so fine at all, and having a great day is the last thing you're concerned about another doing. We call it politeness and you know I've raised my kids to be liars that way-- haven't we all? If not by outright telling them to lie we tell them to act certain ways in public, to do what is proper and keep private things private and so on and so forth. Sure people say it's harmless to say you're fine to a stranger because you're not going to tell them your life story which might be full of woe, but in truth and that's what this is all about-- in truth -- isn't it better to say something along the lines of - Oh, I'm hanging in there, and that would be the truth. You're not offering a tale of woe but at the same time you're not lying either. We really don't like to think about the little ways we tell untruths (lies) because they are so ingrained in us. Let's take time to notice though, shall we? Just out of curiosity to gauge the guile within. We are to have NO guile at all before God.
Psa 34:13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Psa 32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
Joh 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
1Pe 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings
1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
1Pe 2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
1Pe 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1Pe 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile
***
Lying, cheating, deceiving, we know all these things are contrary to good things- pure things, righteous things. By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Saviour may we be found without guile before God now and forever.
Amen.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Book of Life
Rev 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Rev 13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
Rev 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
All that dwell on the earth will worship the beast/dragon - one who is blaspheming God! It sounds shocking doesn't it? That ALL that dwell on the earth will be caught up in this horror. All but... those who have their names written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
What?! Wait... the Lamb slain from when? The foundation of the world. That's before sin entered isn't it? The world had to be created, the creatures placed up on it and the choice to be made to follow God out of love or look to self and sin. The foundation of the world, the founding of the world. In making this world the provision was made. In making human beings- creatures a little lower than the angels, creatures made in God's own image- a provision was needed. The what if this happens provision. Christ was the provision. God made of Spirit willing to be made into flesh forever. Christ willing to die for us. God's Son willing to be slain, knowing the price that would have to be paid should man sin before the foundation of the world was even created. This Lamb of God has a book of life for all those who He claims as His. If our names are not in that book we will be among all the others on the earth worshipping the devil through his various devices and deceptions.
By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior may we have our names in His book of life. This world is not our final home. This life is not how life for us was intended to be. We are here but a short while suffering through many trials and tribulations and then by the grace of God will will go to Him when Christ returns, or sleep and be woken when the glorious day arrives.
Amen.
Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Rev 13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
Rev 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
All that dwell on the earth will worship the beast/dragon - one who is blaspheming God! It sounds shocking doesn't it? That ALL that dwell on the earth will be caught up in this horror. All but... those who have their names written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
What?! Wait... the Lamb slain from when? The foundation of the world. That's before sin entered isn't it? The world had to be created, the creatures placed up on it and the choice to be made to follow God out of love or look to self and sin. The foundation of the world, the founding of the world. In making this world the provision was made. In making human beings- creatures a little lower than the angels, creatures made in God's own image- a provision was needed. The what if this happens provision. Christ was the provision. God made of Spirit willing to be made into flesh forever. Christ willing to die for us. God's Son willing to be slain, knowing the price that would have to be paid should man sin before the foundation of the world was even created. This Lamb of God has a book of life for all those who He claims as His. If our names are not in that book we will be among all the others on the earth worshipping the devil through his various devices and deceptions.
By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior may we have our names in His book of life. This world is not our final home. This life is not how life for us was intended to be. We are here but a short while suffering through many trials and tribulations and then by the grace of God will will go to Him when Christ returns, or sleep and be woken when the glorious day arrives.
Amen.
Monday, November 23, 2009
For Thy Pleasure
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.
Rev 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
For God's pleasure we were created. Some might start up instantly saying, see God's just toying with us as if we were nothing but play toys. God gets His amusement from our pain. Untrue. God is forever, for eternity and God lives in eternity while we live in finite time. Our days are numbered in this life of agony and yes, for many it is agony. In fact for all of us it is agony in some degree, on some level emotionally, mentally, or physically, possibly all three. We have heartache, we have pain, we have tears, we live in a world where things are imperfect from our beginnings. We live in a world where all our far ancestors no longer exist and all we have is the knowledge that they had to exist so we could be where we are now. We live in a world where we produce more of us to live on after us and this is what we call eternity- living through our future generations. God lives in eternity always and He knows that our finite lives are temporary because of things gone wrong. The future we are told by God, won't have any agony to be endured. We are and were created for God's pleasure and it is His pleasure that we exist at all as His creations. It is His pleasure just as it is a parent's pleasure to behold their own children and hope for the brightest of futures for their children. God knows that we have the potential to be the creatures He wants us to be and the day will come that the creatures He has created for His pleasure will be as He intended them to be and then for all eternity.
How foolish is it for the creature to question the Creator? Without the Creator there would be no creation to question. Our very existence we owe to God and it's an existence with the possibility for a future of perfection in Him.
We are redeemed to God by the Blood of the Lamb. God paid a price for us and it was no small price when the Word became Flesh- when Spirit took on Flesh, when eternity became finite with the possibility of remaining so forever, but by the grace and mercy of our Lord eternity was restored to God made flesh as Jesus lived and died for us, only to live again to redeem us to Him.
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
They loved not their lives unto death.
We can't love our lives not in the sense that this life is all there is and we get so caught up in it that nothing else matters. We truly need to live as if Heaven is a reality, that Jesus' second coming is a reality, that life eternal is found in Jesus and the life we have here is temporary and not something we should love in and of itself but love God and trust in Him for everlasting life in Jesus.
May God bless and keep us in Him by His mercy and grace now and forever!
Amen.
Rev 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
For God's pleasure we were created. Some might start up instantly saying, see God's just toying with us as if we were nothing but play toys. God gets His amusement from our pain. Untrue. God is forever, for eternity and God lives in eternity while we live in finite time. Our days are numbered in this life of agony and yes, for many it is agony. In fact for all of us it is agony in some degree, on some level emotionally, mentally, or physically, possibly all three. We have heartache, we have pain, we have tears, we live in a world where things are imperfect from our beginnings. We live in a world where all our far ancestors no longer exist and all we have is the knowledge that they had to exist so we could be where we are now. We live in a world where we produce more of us to live on after us and this is what we call eternity- living through our future generations. God lives in eternity always and He knows that our finite lives are temporary because of things gone wrong. The future we are told by God, won't have any agony to be endured. We are and were created for God's pleasure and it is His pleasure that we exist at all as His creations. It is His pleasure just as it is a parent's pleasure to behold their own children and hope for the brightest of futures for their children. God knows that we have the potential to be the creatures He wants us to be and the day will come that the creatures He has created for His pleasure will be as He intended them to be and then for all eternity.
How foolish is it for the creature to question the Creator? Without the Creator there would be no creation to question. Our very existence we owe to God and it's an existence with the possibility for a future of perfection in Him.
We are redeemed to God by the Blood of the Lamb. God paid a price for us and it was no small price when the Word became Flesh- when Spirit took on Flesh, when eternity became finite with the possibility of remaining so forever, but by the grace and mercy of our Lord eternity was restored to God made flesh as Jesus lived and died for us, only to live again to redeem us to Him.
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
They loved not their lives unto death.
We can't love our lives not in the sense that this life is all there is and we get so caught up in it that nothing else matters. We truly need to live as if Heaven is a reality, that Jesus' second coming is a reality, that life eternal is found in Jesus and the life we have here is temporary and not something we should love in and of itself but love God and trust in Him for everlasting life in Jesus.
May God bless and keep us in Him by His mercy and grace now and forever!
Amen.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Kept from the hour of temptation...
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
Patience--
hupomone
hoop-om-on-ay'
From G5278; cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy: - enduring, patience, patient continuance (waiting).
patience (pâ´shens) noun
1. The capacity, quality, or fact of being patient.
patient (pâ´shent) adjective
1. Bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance with calmness.
2. Marked by or exhibiting calm endurance of pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance.
3. Tolerant; understanding: an unfailingly patient leader and guide.
4. Persevering; constant: With patient industry, she revived the failing business and made it thrive.
5. Capable of calmly awaiting an outcome or a result; not hasty or impulsive.
6. Capable of bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance: "My uncle Toby was a man patient of injuries" (Laurence Sterne).
Keeping the word of someone's patience means what? If someone keeps your word what is your word about? It's your beliefs right? When you speak and give someone your words you are telling them things that you believe, in Jesus' case He is giving the truth to us through His words. The words of Jesus give life.
Luk 11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
1Jn 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life
The Word of life, the word of Jesus' patience. The word, Jesus' words are life to us and the word of His patience is what? What does Jesus have to say about patience?
Luk 8:15 ... having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
Luk 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
And here's what the Word of God has to say further --
Rom 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience
Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Rom 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
2Co 6:4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
2Co 12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
Col 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness
1Th 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
2Th 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure
1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
2Ti 3:10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
Heb 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Heb 10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Jas 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Jas 5:10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
Jas 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
Rev 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ
Apparantly there is a lot to say about patience, a lot! No wonder this is said--
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
We need to endure and keep the word of Christ's patience, we need to be kept from the hour of temptation but we can't keep ourselves from temptation Christ will have to keep us from that hour of temptation, an hour that will come upon ALL the world. We need to be patience through Christ, in Christ, for Christ. By the grace of God may we keep the word of Christ's patience.
Amen.
Patience--
hupomone
hoop-om-on-ay'
From G5278; cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy: - enduring, patience, patient continuance (waiting).
patience (pâ´shens) noun
1. The capacity, quality, or fact of being patient.
patient (pâ´shent) adjective
1. Bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance with calmness.
2. Marked by or exhibiting calm endurance of pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance.
3. Tolerant; understanding: an unfailingly patient leader and guide.
4. Persevering; constant: With patient industry, she revived the failing business and made it thrive.
5. Capable of calmly awaiting an outcome or a result; not hasty or impulsive.
6. Capable of bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance: "My uncle Toby was a man patient of injuries" (Laurence Sterne).
Keeping the word of someone's patience means what? If someone keeps your word what is your word about? It's your beliefs right? When you speak and give someone your words you are telling them things that you believe, in Jesus' case He is giving the truth to us through His words. The words of Jesus give life.
Luk 11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
1Jn 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life
The Word of life, the word of Jesus' patience. The word, Jesus' words are life to us and the word of His patience is what? What does Jesus have to say about patience?
Luk 8:15 ... having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
Luk 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
And here's what the Word of God has to say further --
Rom 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience
Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Rom 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
2Co 6:4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
2Co 12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
Col 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness
1Th 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
2Th 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure
1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
2Ti 3:10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
Heb 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Heb 10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Jas 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Jas 5:10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
Jas 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
Rev 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ
Apparantly there is a lot to say about patience, a lot! No wonder this is said--
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
We need to endure and keep the word of Christ's patience, we need to be kept from the hour of temptation but we can't keep ourselves from temptation Christ will have to keep us from that hour of temptation, an hour that will come upon ALL the world. We need to be patience through Christ, in Christ, for Christ. By the grace of God may we keep the word of Christ's patience.
Amen.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Jesus, Please Save Me from Myself!
You saved me from myself- lyrics from a song I heard that stood out to me. We need Jesus to save us from ourselves don't we?
Self gets in the way of so much.
What's this mean-- Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
We understand what following someone means- to us it's not truly literal we don't have Jesus walking about to follow physically in that respect, we have to follow His teachings, His ways. But what about that denying self. These are Jesus' words. If ANY man will come after Him they must deny themselves. What are we to deny ourselves?
Strong's Lexicon: Deny - ap-ar-neh'-om-ahee - To deny utterly, that is, disown, abstain: - deny.
Disown, abstain self. We can insert lots and lots of *things*, we can say oh that means to deny ourselves alcohol, food, sex, friendship with the world, deny ourselves worldly pleasures but is that what it's saying? Did Jesus say that if any man will come after him they had to deny themselves things? Do you think it's implied? In the context of the reading Peter was rebuking Jesus after Jesus began to tell the disciples about what He was going to suffer soon. Peter couldn't fathom the things Jesus was saying would come to pass. He didn't want to believe that Jesus, the Messiah, would suffer. The Messiah was to come and save His people, to be exalted, full of power and greatness, not be hurt, ridiculed, and killed. Jesus told Peter this-- and it's a very STRONG counter rebuke.
Mat 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
Peter was savoring the things that weren't of God, worldly things like glory, power, exaltation of the world; Peter wanted Jesus to come into His own to be famous and recognized by the world as the Son of God, the King of Kings. What was the response of Jesus? He called Him Satan! Could there be any stronger rebuke? He called one of His disciples Satan because he wasn't focused on God, and God's plan for men here and now on earth. He was focused on the world then and there and what it had to offer. Aren't we the same? Don't we pray to God to make our lives here and now simpler, easier, richer. We look at the lowest of the low on our earth today and how they live in deep poverty we can't imagine and we don't want to live anything like that and we think Jesus should keep us from being the lowest of the low and even Jesus said the poor would be with you always. That's fine isn't it? As long as we're not among the poor. Seriously. He told the rich young ruler what?
Mat 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Mat 19:22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Sell that thou hast and give to the poor- thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come follow me. The very idea of selling all that he had and giving the money to the poor was appalling to the man, why? Because he had GREAT POSSESSIONS. He wasn't being asked to give up something meager, but he was being asked to give up GREAT POSSESSIONS. He wanted to know what he needed to do to have eternal life and he was already following the commandments but he was doing so in the comfort of great possessions- those possession meant more to him than eternal life. Do you think it'd be the same if eternal life was a reality to Him? Seriously? It's possible isn't it? We believe in eternal life but we tell ourselves that we have to live for here and now. We gather our great possessions and they ARE great when we compare them to the poor and their possessions. We gather our great possessions and we comfort ourselves by saying God understands. When hardships come and our possessions become endangered we feel as if we've gained God's disfavor some how and we're being punished, he's allowing Satan to hurt us. Do we stop and think for a moment that maybe God is trying to strip away things in our lives that are meaningless in comparison to eternal life in Christ? To be poor, to be without a home, without the ability to pay the bills for our cars, our entertainment, our abiity to communicate through phone and internet, to have things taken away makes us want to cry in fear for our losses and we agonize over what we're going to do without the ability to have these things because we just can't imagine our lives destitute of them- we'd be failures, we'd have failed to live as we believe we need to live not to be filthy rich or successful but in our minds to just get by with a few comforts. It's a terrifying thought to be without our great possessions, we've found security in them. It's even more terrifying to imagine losing out on eternal life because we are so wrapped up in ourselves we can't even contemplate giving up anything, denying ourselves anything. We pat ourselves on the back and think of all the things we want and deny ourselves already and we say that's enough denying. We tell ourselves God doesn't REALLY want us to deny ourselves things, that's foolish cultish talk.
Christ tells us this--
Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Deny himself- take up his cross- follow me.
What does it mean 'take up his cross'? Strong's has this to say--
A stake or post (as set upright), that is, (specifically) a pole or cross (as an instrument of capital punishment); figuratively exposure to death, that is, self denial; by implication the atonement of Christ: - cross.
Figuratively exposure to death- that is SELF DENIAL.
Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mat 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Mat 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Mat 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
As long as SELF rules us and our lives we are in danger. Those words from the song are so true....
You saved me from myself.
We need to be saved from ourselves. Self has to die and Christ has to live. Today if Christ asked you to sell all that you had and give it to the poor and follow Him, what would you tell Him? God help us, please help us, because we might just find ourselves with the young man in sorrow who couldn't fathom selling His great possessions not even for eternal life.
We need to take up our cross and even if we can't imagine giving up our possessions meager or otherwise, we need to take up the cross, denying ourselves- our selfish wants and desires, our selfish need to put our supposedly deserved needs before those of others because we work so hard, we do so much already. It's not easy to do away with self and only by the grace and mercy of Christ will we be able to do it at all. While Satan has our minds wrapped up in some sins of ours we are finding hard to give up he's keeping us caught up tight in the bindings of selfishness, of self-first, of self so much we think it's normal to consider our selfish needs first and foremost.
Please LORD, please! Save me from myself!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, please save us from ourselves.
Amen.
Self gets in the way of so much.
What's this mean-- Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
We understand what following someone means- to us it's not truly literal we don't have Jesus walking about to follow physically in that respect, we have to follow His teachings, His ways. But what about that denying self. These are Jesus' words. If ANY man will come after Him they must deny themselves. What are we to deny ourselves?
Strong's Lexicon: Deny - ap-ar-neh'-om-ahee - To deny utterly, that is, disown, abstain: - deny.
Disown, abstain self. We can insert lots and lots of *things*, we can say oh that means to deny ourselves alcohol, food, sex, friendship with the world, deny ourselves worldly pleasures but is that what it's saying? Did Jesus say that if any man will come after him they had to deny themselves things? Do you think it's implied? In the context of the reading Peter was rebuking Jesus after Jesus began to tell the disciples about what He was going to suffer soon. Peter couldn't fathom the things Jesus was saying would come to pass. He didn't want to believe that Jesus, the Messiah, would suffer. The Messiah was to come and save His people, to be exalted, full of power and greatness, not be hurt, ridiculed, and killed. Jesus told Peter this-- and it's a very STRONG counter rebuke.
Mat 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
Peter was savoring the things that weren't of God, worldly things like glory, power, exaltation of the world; Peter wanted Jesus to come into His own to be famous and recognized by the world as the Son of God, the King of Kings. What was the response of Jesus? He called Him Satan! Could there be any stronger rebuke? He called one of His disciples Satan because he wasn't focused on God, and God's plan for men here and now on earth. He was focused on the world then and there and what it had to offer. Aren't we the same? Don't we pray to God to make our lives here and now simpler, easier, richer. We look at the lowest of the low on our earth today and how they live in deep poverty we can't imagine and we don't want to live anything like that and we think Jesus should keep us from being the lowest of the low and even Jesus said the poor would be with you always. That's fine isn't it? As long as we're not among the poor. Seriously. He told the rich young ruler what?
Mat 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Mat 19:22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Sell that thou hast and give to the poor- thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come follow me. The very idea of selling all that he had and giving the money to the poor was appalling to the man, why? Because he had GREAT POSSESSIONS. He wasn't being asked to give up something meager, but he was being asked to give up GREAT POSSESSIONS. He wanted to know what he needed to do to have eternal life and he was already following the commandments but he was doing so in the comfort of great possessions- those possession meant more to him than eternal life. Do you think it'd be the same if eternal life was a reality to Him? Seriously? It's possible isn't it? We believe in eternal life but we tell ourselves that we have to live for here and now. We gather our great possessions and they ARE great when we compare them to the poor and their possessions. We gather our great possessions and we comfort ourselves by saying God understands. When hardships come and our possessions become endangered we feel as if we've gained God's disfavor some how and we're being punished, he's allowing Satan to hurt us. Do we stop and think for a moment that maybe God is trying to strip away things in our lives that are meaningless in comparison to eternal life in Christ? To be poor, to be without a home, without the ability to pay the bills for our cars, our entertainment, our abiity to communicate through phone and internet, to have things taken away makes us want to cry in fear for our losses and we agonize over what we're going to do without the ability to have these things because we just can't imagine our lives destitute of them- we'd be failures, we'd have failed to live as we believe we need to live not to be filthy rich or successful but in our minds to just get by with a few comforts. It's a terrifying thought to be without our great possessions, we've found security in them. It's even more terrifying to imagine losing out on eternal life because we are so wrapped up in ourselves we can't even contemplate giving up anything, denying ourselves anything. We pat ourselves on the back and think of all the things we want and deny ourselves already and we say that's enough denying. We tell ourselves God doesn't REALLY want us to deny ourselves things, that's foolish cultish talk.
Christ tells us this--
Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Deny himself- take up his cross- follow me.
What does it mean 'take up his cross'? Strong's has this to say--
A stake or post (as set upright), that is, (specifically) a pole or cross (as an instrument of capital punishment); figuratively exposure to death, that is, self denial; by implication the atonement of Christ: - cross.
Figuratively exposure to death- that is SELF DENIAL.
Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mat 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Mat 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Mat 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
As long as SELF rules us and our lives we are in danger. Those words from the song are so true....
You saved me from myself.
We need to be saved from ourselves. Self has to die and Christ has to live. Today if Christ asked you to sell all that you had and give it to the poor and follow Him, what would you tell Him? God help us, please help us, because we might just find ourselves with the young man in sorrow who couldn't fathom selling His great possessions not even for eternal life.
We need to take up our cross and even if we can't imagine giving up our possessions meager or otherwise, we need to take up the cross, denying ourselves- our selfish wants and desires, our selfish need to put our supposedly deserved needs before those of others because we work so hard, we do so much already. It's not easy to do away with self and only by the grace and mercy of Christ will we be able to do it at all. While Satan has our minds wrapped up in some sins of ours we are finding hard to give up he's keeping us caught up tight in the bindings of selfishness, of self-first, of self so much we think it's normal to consider our selfish needs first and foremost.
Please LORD, please! Save me from myself!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, please save us from ourselves.
Amen.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Be Watchful
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
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.
Be watchful. What's it mean to be watchful?
watchful (wòch´fel) adjective
1. Closely observant or alert; vigilant: kept a watchful eye on the clock. See synonyms at aware, careful.
2. Archaic. Not sleeping; awake.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
Be awake, be aware, alert, vigilent, observant, careful. Christ tells us to follow Him and His way to eternal life. Remember--
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.
We are blessed by reading, by hearing, by keeping what we are told to and Christ would have us be watchful. It's so easy to become complacent in our walks with Christ. So easy to fall into a routine of praying, studying, praising God. Routines aren't so bad but if we're not careful they lose their honestly and what was once done out of a heartfelt love and joy can be done by habit. We need to be careful that we don't focus on our selves which is all too easy to do. We don't feel like doing this or that, or we feel like doing that but not this. We have to realize what we have in our relationship to Christ is special and like any relationship it needs to be nurtured. There are all sorts of relationships even those which grow stale, you hear tell of couples drifting apart after the years and often they drift so far apart they find other relationships. This is the sort of thing that needs to be guarded against. We have to be watchful- awake to our personal, spiritual walk with Christ. Am I advocating that there must be a giddy sense of happy, happy all the time or something is wrong? No. It's not the emotional high that is sought. What is needed is the deep abiding realness of the relationship we have as Christ's followers and a daily life that reflects that relationship.
We need to often remember how we first came to Christ- the real knowledge of Him as our personal Savior. We need to repent when we lose sight of our Lord as a real, living part of us. Regulating God to a corner of our lives that does not impact our daily existence yet we call ourselves Christians means that we've lost that newness, that first real knowledge and acceptance of Christ's grace, the forgiveness He offers to each of us, cleansing us from sin and bringing us up to new life in Him. We can never forget that we are sinners in need of the grace of God, never. We can never forget that without Christ we are nothing.
Life is going to be hard, and there will be many tears and much tribulation but Christ will see us through it all if we hold fast to Him.
May the grace and mercy of Christ be a reality to us as we live each day in His amazing love.
Amen.
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.
Be watchful. What's it mean to be watchful?
watchful (wòch´fel) adjective
1. Closely observant or alert; vigilant: kept a watchful eye on the clock. See synonyms at aware, careful.
2. Archaic. Not sleeping; awake.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
Be awake, be aware, alert, vigilent, observant, careful. Christ tells us to follow Him and His way to eternal life. Remember--
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.
We are blessed by reading, by hearing, by keeping what we are told to and Christ would have us be watchful. It's so easy to become complacent in our walks with Christ. So easy to fall into a routine of praying, studying, praising God. Routines aren't so bad but if we're not careful they lose their honestly and what was once done out of a heartfelt love and joy can be done by habit. We need to be careful that we don't focus on our selves which is all too easy to do. We don't feel like doing this or that, or we feel like doing that but not this. We have to realize what we have in our relationship to Christ is special and like any relationship it needs to be nurtured. There are all sorts of relationships even those which grow stale, you hear tell of couples drifting apart after the years and often they drift so far apart they find other relationships. This is the sort of thing that needs to be guarded against. We have to be watchful- awake to our personal, spiritual walk with Christ. Am I advocating that there must be a giddy sense of happy, happy all the time or something is wrong? No. It's not the emotional high that is sought. What is needed is the deep abiding realness of the relationship we have as Christ's followers and a daily life that reflects that relationship.
We need to often remember how we first came to Christ- the real knowledge of Him as our personal Savior. We need to repent when we lose sight of our Lord as a real, living part of us. Regulating God to a corner of our lives that does not impact our daily existence yet we call ourselves Christians means that we've lost that newness, that first real knowledge and acceptance of Christ's grace, the forgiveness He offers to each of us, cleansing us from sin and bringing us up to new life in Him. We can never forget that we are sinners in need of the grace of God, never. We can never forget that without Christ we are nothing.
Life is going to be hard, and there will be many tears and much tribulation but Christ will see us through it all if we hold fast to Him.
May the grace and mercy of Christ be a reality to us as we live each day in His amazing love.
Amen.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
He That Overcomes
Rev 2:19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
Rev 2:25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations
Charity, service, faith, patience and works.
Jesus says these are all good things- these works. Doing good. We all know what it means to do good and to do evil, and the many areas in between. People believe all sorts of things. Some believe doing good will earn them grace. Others believe doing good means living a life as Jesus would want them to live it, yet grace comes from God alone. And still others believe that good or bad, anything they do matters not because words won't earn you grace.
Jesus says these are good things- the works. Jesus says those who keep HIS works till the end will have power over the nations, meaning they will be in the minority among the few that are saved compared to the many who aren't.
When we live in Christ our good works are His works they're not our own, He works through us and all glory goes to Him. We have to hold fast, we have to overcome through Christ. We need to being loving, giving, believing all with patience.
May God bless us with these gifts and forgive us our selfishness which results in so much wrong doing in the little and big things. By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior may we find life in Him and overcome as He would have us to overcome through Him, keeping His works until the end.
Amen.
Rev 2:25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations
Charity, service, faith, patience and works.
Jesus says these are all good things- these works. Doing good. We all know what it means to do good and to do evil, and the many areas in between. People believe all sorts of things. Some believe doing good will earn them grace. Others believe doing good means living a life as Jesus would want them to live it, yet grace comes from God alone. And still others believe that good or bad, anything they do matters not because words won't earn you grace.
Jesus says these are good things- the works. Jesus says those who keep HIS works till the end will have power over the nations, meaning they will be in the minority among the few that are saved compared to the many who aren't.
When we live in Christ our good works are His works they're not our own, He works through us and all glory goes to Him. We have to hold fast, we have to overcome through Christ. We need to being loving, giving, believing all with patience.
May God bless us with these gifts and forgive us our selfishness which results in so much wrong doing in the little and big things. By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior may we find life in Him and overcome as He would have us to overcome through Him, keeping His works until the end.
Amen.
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