We talk about works and a lot of people think they don't matter at all and in truth you don't get salvation by works, it is a gift, but that doesn't mean all works stop.
If you truly love someone you act certain ways towards them. I'm not saying all mushy and doe-eyed that equivalent of a new love not yet broken in. If you love someone fully you respect them and there are things you know they don't like and you don't do them, things you know they like and you do them out of that love. Many people say that loving someone is accepting them the way they are without trying to change them, learning to live with the faults that present themselves. However if someone loves someone and they see that loved one doing things that are harmful to themselves they want them to stop so they don't get hurt. Their love for them aches as they watch them hurt themselves. They might offer their loved one ways to stop harming themselves, out of love. There are degrees of this and if the loved one were involved in something extremely harmful, leaving them after you try to help them is one option. Watching a loved one hurt themselves over and over is hard. All this is on a HUMAN level. God is on a whole other level. God offers us salvation freely out of love and when we accept salvation we are accepting Him and all that entails. We join with Him and desire to live for Him. Our sinning nature will war against this, Satan will pull out all stops to get us to sin in one way or another. Temptations will become more frequent and stronger and when we slip and fall, sinning, we are led to despair that we'll ever be as God would have us be.
In Revelation the first few chapters we are told this over and over.
'I know thy works'
Jesus knows our works. If works are so unimportant why does it matter? Yet over and over Jesus speaks to the seven churches and to each church He tells them 'I know thy works.' He knows our hearts, He know our lives, He know how we work in all that we do and it does matter. We can't just say we love Him and that's all there is. We can't say we follow Him and in reality we follow our own lusts without any compunction. Jesus knows our works and to each church He reaffirms this. He knows their actions, He knows our actions. We can leave our first love, we can worship *others*, we can blasphemy, we can be seduced away by counterfeits, we can lose faith, we can become defiled, we can become immune, numb to truth, not caring to foster a true love of Christ but rather become content in the slipcover Christianity we profess. We can shout to the hilltops, shout in the streets, blog to the world that we believe in God but our actions speak louder than all the professing we do. To say our actions mean nothing is to be deceived. Accepting Christ, accepting forgiveness, showing true repentance and giving our lives to Christ result in our lives reflecting that love. If our lives do NOT reflect that love because we believe our *works* don't matter we are only allowing ourselves to be deceived.
God loves us and sees the dangers we are in. God loves us and knows the harm that will befall us when we let sin reign.
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
WE HAVE NOT YET RESISTED UNTO BLOOD STRIVING AGAINST SIN!
Instead we've soothed ourselves, stroked our weaknesses and mollify ourselves by saying God understands. Yes, God does understand. He has always been about love and out of love our actions are made. Turning from God has consequences, shunning the love of God, betraying the love of God all matters but we live in a world that wants to just ease our minds not trouble ourselves with anything. People stress God is love, and all the good things, while forgetting God wrote the Ten Commandments that Jesus reaffirmed. Commandments that tell us how to live. When we don't live in harmony with God's commands all the soothing and mollifying in the world is pure deception. Whole churches exist to mollify people. Whole churches are lukewarm and will be spewed out by Christ. People are going to cry out when Christ returns and rejects them that they knew Him! That they did many wonderful things in His name and He's going to say get away, He doesn't know them at all. They'll be deceived into believing they are Christ's and living as Christ would have them live. ALL BUT THE VERY ELECT will be deceived.
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.
We cry out with Paul, wanting God to hear us- Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Jesus Christ has to be everything to us. Our lives have to be filled with striving against sin...we haven't resisted unto blood in our striving have we? Have you? Have I? What true striving against sin do we do? We can't count the number of times we've succumbed to sin, but can we count the number we've strived against it? Resisted unto blood? We tell ourselves we aren't suppose to strive, that we aren't supposed to *WORK* because it will void Salvation being a gift, but that's not true at all.
Someone gives us a gift we don't deserve and we instantly feel as if we have to repay them in kind with a gift for them, but maybe it's completely IMPOSSIBLE for us to repay them. We are left feeling as if we don't deserve the gift but obviously the person giving it feels as though we do in some way warrant it, even if it's just out of their love for us. Part of us instantly wants to be nicer to that person, doesn't it? No, this can't compare to the gift of salvation, but we have to realize that out of love we must strive against sin because sin will separate us from God and to be separated from God is to no longer live in Him- now and forever- and the tragedy of that is unfathomable.
May God help us by the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Help us Lord to live as you would have us live in You. Knowing You and being known by You. Create in us clean hearts, renew right spirits within us. May we serve Christ, the law of God, knowing we are wretched in and of ourselves, our righteousness as filthy rags. Help us Lord to resist unto blood as we strive against sin.
In Your Love!
Amen.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Surrender All - Live By His Will
Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was
**
Jesus spoke those words- 'I can of mine own self do nothing.' He'd taken on humanity and left His divinity in the process. He made Him self human which is lower than that angels. He made Himself subject unto death- something an un-glorified divine being cannot do - die. Sounds awful doesn't it? Yet, Jesus was a man and purposely became a man. He was born of the Spirit yet born a human baby in human flesh. He was born a Jew and as the custom was He was circumcised. His divine flesh was cut, it bled. Outwardly He looked no different than any other human baby, human child, human man. He could live among humans and pass for a human because He gave up the divinity and became human to allow Himself to be tempted in all ways- JUST AS WE ARE. He lived connected to the Heavenly Father not through any divine power but through the same power we possess, through the spirit. He prayed to God, He studied the Word of God even though He knew it so well because He was and is the Word. He used the power of the scriptures and admonished us to do the same.
IF Jesus hadn't become human just like you and I, able to be tempted just like you and I in all our weakness, His death would be pointless because all it would reveal to us is that it takes being a God to overcome sin- something we are not. What it takes is being connected to God spiritually, not being a God ourselves. And Jesus was connected to God fully.
He said- I can of mine own self do nothing - and He wasn't just saying that, He meant it. He continued saying - as I hear I judge and my judgment is just because I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
More proof that He gave up His divinity to become human- He said- And now O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
Jesus had given up His unique glory- a glory He had before the world was. Why before the world was and not just before He became human? Because before God made the world and made humans He had it all thought out a plan was put in place much like we make contingency plans. Not that the plans have to be put in place, but that they are there just in case they are needed. More often than not contingency plans become obsolete upon a successful endeavor, but they are there to be used in an emergency and the human emergency came about and the contingency plan was enacted, a plan set up before the world was made, before mankind was created. If angels could fall and separate themselves from God through sin it stands to reason that any creature given the power of choice could fall as well. There is no one to save the angels- non-procreating beings, perhaps God knowing that in making man in His image would need to provide a way for them to connect to Him once again if the connection was broken. The angels eventually all made a choice for good or evil and we too make that choice by either believing in Christ or not. Believing that it takes us being connected through Christ to God, that Christ was born and lived, then died to reveal that it was entirely possible for mankind to live sinless and through Him we can live sinless. Through Him we can have our sins washed away. Christ of His own self could do nothing. We of our own selves can do nothing, we must live through the will of the Father by the grace of Jesus Christ.
It's not easy trying to believe fully in Christ. It's easy to superficially say we do, but to LIVE our lives as we believe, that's not easy at all. Surrendering our will to God's- it's more that just words to say, it a way of life.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ may we surrender all to God and live by His will.
Amen.
Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was
**
Jesus spoke those words- 'I can of mine own self do nothing.' He'd taken on humanity and left His divinity in the process. He made Him self human which is lower than that angels. He made Himself subject unto death- something an un-glorified divine being cannot do - die. Sounds awful doesn't it? Yet, Jesus was a man and purposely became a man. He was born of the Spirit yet born a human baby in human flesh. He was born a Jew and as the custom was He was circumcised. His divine flesh was cut, it bled. Outwardly He looked no different than any other human baby, human child, human man. He could live among humans and pass for a human because He gave up the divinity and became human to allow Himself to be tempted in all ways- JUST AS WE ARE. He lived connected to the Heavenly Father not through any divine power but through the same power we possess, through the spirit. He prayed to God, He studied the Word of God even though He knew it so well because He was and is the Word. He used the power of the scriptures and admonished us to do the same.
IF Jesus hadn't become human just like you and I, able to be tempted just like you and I in all our weakness, His death would be pointless because all it would reveal to us is that it takes being a God to overcome sin- something we are not. What it takes is being connected to God spiritually, not being a God ourselves. And Jesus was connected to God fully.
He said- I can of mine own self do nothing - and He wasn't just saying that, He meant it. He continued saying - as I hear I judge and my judgment is just because I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
More proof that He gave up His divinity to become human- He said- And now O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
Jesus had given up His unique glory- a glory He had before the world was. Why before the world was and not just before He became human? Because before God made the world and made humans He had it all thought out a plan was put in place much like we make contingency plans. Not that the plans have to be put in place, but that they are there just in case they are needed. More often than not contingency plans become obsolete upon a successful endeavor, but they are there to be used in an emergency and the human emergency came about and the contingency plan was enacted, a plan set up before the world was made, before mankind was created. If angels could fall and separate themselves from God through sin it stands to reason that any creature given the power of choice could fall as well. There is no one to save the angels- non-procreating beings, perhaps God knowing that in making man in His image would need to provide a way for them to connect to Him once again if the connection was broken. The angels eventually all made a choice for good or evil and we too make that choice by either believing in Christ or not. Believing that it takes us being connected through Christ to God, that Christ was born and lived, then died to reveal that it was entirely possible for mankind to live sinless and through Him we can live sinless. Through Him we can have our sins washed away. Christ of His own self could do nothing. We of our own selves can do nothing, we must live through the will of the Father by the grace of Jesus Christ.
It's not easy trying to believe fully in Christ. It's easy to superficially say we do, but to LIVE our lives as we believe, that's not easy at all. Surrendering our will to God's- it's more that just words to say, it a way of life.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ may we surrender all to God and live by His will.
Amen.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
True Security
Security. What does that word mean to you?
Let's see how the dictionary defines the word-
security (sî-ky¢r´î-tê) noun
plural securities
Abbr. sec.
1. Freedom from risk or danger; safety.
2. Freedom from doubt, anxiety, or fear; confidence.
3. Something that gives or assures safety, as:. a. A group or department of private guards: Call building security if a visitor acts suspicious. b. Measures adopted by a government to prevent espionage, sabotage, or attack. c. Measures adopted, as by a business or homeowner, to prevent a crime such as burglary or assault: Security was lax at the firm's smaller plant. d. Measures adopted to prevent escape: Security in the prison is very tight.
4. Computer Science. a. The level to which a program or device is safe from unauthorized use. b. Prevention of unauthorized use of a program or device.
5. Something deposited or given as assurance of the fulfillment of an obligation; a pledge.
6. One who undertakes to fulfill the obligation of another; a surety.
7. A document indicating ownership or creditorship; a stock certificate or bond.
***
Very few people deny they would like security in their lives. Most people believe there is security in accumlating great wealth and keeping that wealth. Wealth means security from poverty and all that entails. Wealth does not offer security from health issues. Wealth is no security against accidents and injury. Wealth can not secure for you life everlasting.
Some think it's enough to have security here and now because the future is unknown fully. Ask a lot of people what they fear the most and they'll tell you something that has to do with losing security in some way.
It's not easy to trust to the point of losing all fear, is it? So many believe God has let them down, that He's let the whole world down, but they look only to the small picture painted with temporal paints. The overall plan for mankind is not one of a mere human life span, but of eternity. If a thousand years is as a single day to God what does that tell us? How many human life times in our time right now would it take to span a thousand years? Let's be generous and give 100 years as the average life span (we haven't quite reached there yet but for the sake of rounding off generously...) that's ten lifetimes, ten! That's you, your mother, your grandmother, your great grandmother, your great great grandmother, all the way up to your great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandmother. Very few people know who their 7 'greats' grandmother was- that was a 1000 years ago! Now think about it... ONE single day. We all know what that is, how short a time one single day is and yet a 1000 years is as a single day to God, ten of our generations is as a single day to God. He lives in eternity and He asks us to trust Him, to believe in Him, to find hope and forgiveness in Jesus Christ, the Son of God slain for us to have that opportunity. He's asking us to live our mere 100 years (if that) and live it in Him with the promise of eternity. How can the God of eternity be considered as one who let His creatures down when He offers us so much. While our suffering here is tremendous, for some more than others, in the long run that suffering will be nothing. No, it doesn't seem that way in the throes of agony- physically, mentally, emotionally- the pain is all consuming the tragedies of life all encompassing; yet all that is temporal.
The problem is we don't tend to look beyond the temporal. You've heard people tell you when you're having a rough time to just tell yourself it'll pass. I've done it more than once. I've even offered that advice. It will pass, and the majority of time it does pass doesn't it. The agony subsides, life goes on and we are left scarred by the tragedies that make up our lives. Scars we can trace to count out our years in existence, scars intermingled with the smooth, clear, unblemish flesh of happy moments, or at the least moments less traumatic. The good or the bad it doesn't matter, time marches on slowing down for no one. Our lives are blips on the screen of eternity, and that's how most people live their lives- believing that once their life ends that's it, that's all she wrote. The thing is, are we going to be blips that remain on the last radar circuit never to leave the radar screen but become a permanant fixture in eternity or will we be blips that vanish as though we've never been because we don't choose to let Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior exist in our lives as a living, breathing, life-saving, life-changing, life-guiding enitity. Make no mistake, we do the choosing but Satan would have us believe that all is decided long before we were born and we have no choices to make, we just have to go with the flow and hope for the best.
We can be rational human beings, some of us (though I'm not included) can even have super high IQ's and still believe in God and the way of salvation, the way to take life from a meaningless 100 painful years and change it to a painless eternity. Knowing that the eternity will be ruled in pure love, an existence of pure love in all ways does away with the warped belief of someone saying that no, they don't want to live forever not in all this strife.
There are so many misconceptions out there but the Bible holds the truth. Some will say that everyone can interpret the Bible differently but the Bible really interprets itself. We need to pray that we come to all truth in Jesus, even if it's not a truth we want to believe. We need to prayer for the truth and the ability to follow the truth when it is presented to us, all through the power of the Holy Spirit who is willing to guide us, to teach us, to offer us comfort and a joy that is unique and special from Him to us. No, we're not going to suddenly be guaranteed painfree lives- in fact our lives might become more painful because Satan will try harder to get us. We are promised life being the pain even if we suffer unto death we know we will wake at Christ's second coming to life eternal in Him. Jesus suffered unto death, suffered tremendous pain, we can expect no less suffering but in suffering we can have real hope.
The Bible tells us this about security- safety, confidence, surety.
***
Psa 4:8 In peace will I both lay me down and sleep; For thou, Jehovah, alone makest me dwell in safety.
Psa 65:5 By terrible things thou wilt answer us in righteousness, Oh God of our salvation, Thou that art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, And of them that are afar off upon the sea:
Psa 118:8 It is better to take refuge in Jehovah Than to put confidence in man.
2Co 3:3 being made manifest that ye are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in tables that are hearts of flesh.
2Co 3:4 And such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward:
2Co 3:5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God
Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Eph 3:9 and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God who created all things;
Eph 3:10 to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God,
Eph 3:11 according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
Eph 3:12 in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him.
Eph 3:13 Wherefore I ask that ye may not faint at my tribulations for you, which are your glory.
Eph 3:14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father,
Eph 3:15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
Eph 3:16 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man;
Eph 3:17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph 3:18 may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
Eph 3:19 and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God.
Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Eph 3:21 unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen.
Heb 3:14 for we are become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end
Isa 38:14 Like a swallow or a crane, so did I chatter; I did moan as a dove; mine eyes fail with looking upward: O Lord, I am oppressed, be thou my surety.
Heb 7:22 by so much also hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant.
*******
Our security, real security, the ONLY security we have is found in God, not mankind or anything mankind can offer or possess. Heavenly treasures are the only treasures that mean a single thing. All our earthly treasures exist for only a short while for us- though they mostly live on after us in the hands of others very seldom do others hold our temporal treasures in their hands and cherish them the way we did. Leaving the gift of a life's memory pointing to heavenly treasures is more valuable by far than leaving a multitude of things to someone but in our day and age, in our sin-twisted way we find that hard to believe. May God help us all.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior, now and forever in Him.
Amen.
Let's see how the dictionary defines the word-
security (sî-ky¢r´î-tê) noun
plural securities
Abbr. sec.
1. Freedom from risk or danger; safety.
2. Freedom from doubt, anxiety, or fear; confidence.
3. Something that gives or assures safety, as:. a. A group or department of private guards: Call building security if a visitor acts suspicious. b. Measures adopted by a government to prevent espionage, sabotage, or attack. c. Measures adopted, as by a business or homeowner, to prevent a crime such as burglary or assault: Security was lax at the firm's smaller plant. d. Measures adopted to prevent escape: Security in the prison is very tight.
4. Computer Science. a. The level to which a program or device is safe from unauthorized use. b. Prevention of unauthorized use of a program or device.
5. Something deposited or given as assurance of the fulfillment of an obligation; a pledge.
6. One who undertakes to fulfill the obligation of another; a surety.
7. A document indicating ownership or creditorship; a stock certificate or bond.
***
Very few people deny they would like security in their lives. Most people believe there is security in accumlating great wealth and keeping that wealth. Wealth means security from poverty and all that entails. Wealth does not offer security from health issues. Wealth is no security against accidents and injury. Wealth can not secure for you life everlasting.
Some think it's enough to have security here and now because the future is unknown fully. Ask a lot of people what they fear the most and they'll tell you something that has to do with losing security in some way.
It's not easy to trust to the point of losing all fear, is it? So many believe God has let them down, that He's let the whole world down, but they look only to the small picture painted with temporal paints. The overall plan for mankind is not one of a mere human life span, but of eternity. If a thousand years is as a single day to God what does that tell us? How many human life times in our time right now would it take to span a thousand years? Let's be generous and give 100 years as the average life span (we haven't quite reached there yet but for the sake of rounding off generously...) that's ten lifetimes, ten! That's you, your mother, your grandmother, your great grandmother, your great great grandmother, all the way up to your great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandmother. Very few people know who their 7 'greats' grandmother was- that was a 1000 years ago! Now think about it... ONE single day. We all know what that is, how short a time one single day is and yet a 1000 years is as a single day to God, ten of our generations is as a single day to God. He lives in eternity and He asks us to trust Him, to believe in Him, to find hope and forgiveness in Jesus Christ, the Son of God slain for us to have that opportunity. He's asking us to live our mere 100 years (if that) and live it in Him with the promise of eternity. How can the God of eternity be considered as one who let His creatures down when He offers us so much. While our suffering here is tremendous, for some more than others, in the long run that suffering will be nothing. No, it doesn't seem that way in the throes of agony- physically, mentally, emotionally- the pain is all consuming the tragedies of life all encompassing; yet all that is temporal.
The problem is we don't tend to look beyond the temporal. You've heard people tell you when you're having a rough time to just tell yourself it'll pass. I've done it more than once. I've even offered that advice. It will pass, and the majority of time it does pass doesn't it. The agony subsides, life goes on and we are left scarred by the tragedies that make up our lives. Scars we can trace to count out our years in existence, scars intermingled with the smooth, clear, unblemish flesh of happy moments, or at the least moments less traumatic. The good or the bad it doesn't matter, time marches on slowing down for no one. Our lives are blips on the screen of eternity, and that's how most people live their lives- believing that once their life ends that's it, that's all she wrote. The thing is, are we going to be blips that remain on the last radar circuit never to leave the radar screen but become a permanant fixture in eternity or will we be blips that vanish as though we've never been because we don't choose to let Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior exist in our lives as a living, breathing, life-saving, life-changing, life-guiding enitity. Make no mistake, we do the choosing but Satan would have us believe that all is decided long before we were born and we have no choices to make, we just have to go with the flow and hope for the best.
We can be rational human beings, some of us (though I'm not included) can even have super high IQ's and still believe in God and the way of salvation, the way to take life from a meaningless 100 painful years and change it to a painless eternity. Knowing that the eternity will be ruled in pure love, an existence of pure love in all ways does away with the warped belief of someone saying that no, they don't want to live forever not in all this strife.
There are so many misconceptions out there but the Bible holds the truth. Some will say that everyone can interpret the Bible differently but the Bible really interprets itself. We need to pray that we come to all truth in Jesus, even if it's not a truth we want to believe. We need to prayer for the truth and the ability to follow the truth when it is presented to us, all through the power of the Holy Spirit who is willing to guide us, to teach us, to offer us comfort and a joy that is unique and special from Him to us. No, we're not going to suddenly be guaranteed painfree lives- in fact our lives might become more painful because Satan will try harder to get us. We are promised life being the pain even if we suffer unto death we know we will wake at Christ's second coming to life eternal in Him. Jesus suffered unto death, suffered tremendous pain, we can expect no less suffering but in suffering we can have real hope.
The Bible tells us this about security- safety, confidence, surety.
***
Psa 4:8 In peace will I both lay me down and sleep; For thou, Jehovah, alone makest me dwell in safety.
Psa 65:5 By terrible things thou wilt answer us in righteousness, Oh God of our salvation, Thou that art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, And of them that are afar off upon the sea:
Psa 118:8 It is better to take refuge in Jehovah Than to put confidence in man.
2Co 3:3 being made manifest that ye are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in tables that are hearts of flesh.
2Co 3:4 And such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward:
2Co 3:5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God
Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Eph 3:9 and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God who created all things;
Eph 3:10 to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God,
Eph 3:11 according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
Eph 3:12 in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him.
Eph 3:13 Wherefore I ask that ye may not faint at my tribulations for you, which are your glory.
Eph 3:14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father,
Eph 3:15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
Eph 3:16 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man;
Eph 3:17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph 3:18 may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
Eph 3:19 and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God.
Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Eph 3:21 unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen.
Heb 3:14 for we are become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end
Isa 38:14 Like a swallow or a crane, so did I chatter; I did moan as a dove; mine eyes fail with looking upward: O Lord, I am oppressed, be thou my surety.
Heb 7:22 by so much also hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant.
*******
Our security, real security, the ONLY security we have is found in God, not mankind or anything mankind can offer or possess. Heavenly treasures are the only treasures that mean a single thing. All our earthly treasures exist for only a short while for us- though they mostly live on after us in the hands of others very seldom do others hold our temporal treasures in their hands and cherish them the way we did. Leaving the gift of a life's memory pointing to heavenly treasures is more valuable by far than leaving a multitude of things to someone but in our day and age, in our sin-twisted way we find that hard to believe. May God help us all.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior, now and forever in Him.
Amen.
Friday, December 18, 2009
In Need of a Shepherd
Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Joh 10:12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
Joh 10:13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
Joh 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Joh 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Joh 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
Jesus is the good shepherd. We don't have many shepherds around us do we? Not as a rule any way. It's a good guess some people probably don't even know what a shepherd is.
shepherd (shèp´erd) noun
1. One who herds, guards, and tends sheep.
2. One who cares for and guides a group of people, as a minister or teacher.
Guards and tends to. I don't have a shepherd, a physical one. Could we consider parents shepherds? The tend and guard their children. What about teachers, are they symbolic of shepherds? The tend and guard our children. Caregivers watch over adult people in need of supervision. Prison guards are responsible for their prisoners and in a way they do tend and guard them to a certain extent. Do you have a shepherd? Do you have anyone who tends to you and guards you? There are those that do have body guards but the average person walks about daily unguarded, untended by anyone, they are on their own even if they have family members and such it doesn't necessarily mean the other members of the family are guarding or tending to them. We are raised to be independent. In fact I've often said that if I could raise my kids to be independent, able to take care of themselves then I would consider my parenting a success. We strive for independence, to not need anyone for anything, able to do for ourselves. Get a job, provide a service for someone and get paid for it and use that income to buy any and all necessities we might have to live. When someone can't provide for themselves we believe they've become a burden to someone- family, friends, society. In years past women were provided for and men happily provided for them- considering it a source of pride to be able to support his family. Nowadays women or men it doesn't matter each should be able to provide for themselves - no exceptions. Our world today wants us to rely on ourselves- stressing that the weak and the losers are those who don't. Being guarded, being tended to, having a caregiver, a shepherd isn't something that is promoted at all- we should be able to do everything on our own, needing no one.
It's easy to understand that the sheep a shepherd guards do what they're supposed to do. The sheep who are injured or sick are given extra care, but overall the sheep do what they were created to do. Left on their own they would still do what they were created to do, but a shepherd protects them and makes it easier for them to do what they were created to do. A shepherd keeps the sheep safe something the sheep aren't if they are left all alone.
In a world of stressing self-reliance it's not easy for people to get to a place where they understand their need of a shepherd, they're too busy believing they have to do everything on their own.
Just today I was watching tv and a person on a comedy show said to a group of children he was reading a story to- 'Hope is something people believe in when they can't deal with reality.' Or something to that effect. It's a fact that many people claim that people who believe in God are deluded and can't deal with the reality that this is all life is take it or leave it. For people to believe they have a need of a shepherd somehow detracts from them, it makes them vulnerable and weak, unable to live on their own.
Satan wants us to believe that hope is a delusion, that God is a fantasy, that needing a Savior is silly. He wants us to believe that we are weak and losers if we admit we can't live on our own.
How many people truly rely on Christ for life? How many people truly acknowledge the very breath they take is a gift from God?
Christ said He is the Good Shepherd and a Good Shepherd will lay His life down for His sheep. Christ laid His life down for all of us who will acknowledge that we are His to tend to, to guide, to protect. We have to believe in Him and in believing admit that we can't live our lives on our own. We need a Spiritual caregiver, a Spiritual tender, a Spiritual guard and we need to follow our Spiritual Shepherd every single day. Our Spiritual Shepherd protected our Spiritual lives with by giving up His own life. He protected our right to eternal life by defeating all the spiritual forces that would take that right from us. He laid down His life and took it up again- for us.
May we follow our Good Shepherd knowing that our lives no matter how successful or unsuccessful by worldly standards, belong to Him. By the grace of God we live, by the mercy and sacrifice of our Lord and Savior we can claim a future life, an eternal life in Him. Our Good Shepherd will forever protect our eternal lives, our Spiritual lives if we let Him by following Him, listening to Him, admitting we have need of Him now and forever.
Amen.
Joh 10:12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
Joh 10:13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
Joh 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Joh 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Joh 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
Jesus is the good shepherd. We don't have many shepherds around us do we? Not as a rule any way. It's a good guess some people probably don't even know what a shepherd is.
shepherd (shèp´erd) noun
1. One who herds, guards, and tends sheep.
2. One who cares for and guides a group of people, as a minister or teacher.
Guards and tends to. I don't have a shepherd, a physical one. Could we consider parents shepherds? The tend and guard their children. What about teachers, are they symbolic of shepherds? The tend and guard our children. Caregivers watch over adult people in need of supervision. Prison guards are responsible for their prisoners and in a way they do tend and guard them to a certain extent. Do you have a shepherd? Do you have anyone who tends to you and guards you? There are those that do have body guards but the average person walks about daily unguarded, untended by anyone, they are on their own even if they have family members and such it doesn't necessarily mean the other members of the family are guarding or tending to them. We are raised to be independent. In fact I've often said that if I could raise my kids to be independent, able to take care of themselves then I would consider my parenting a success. We strive for independence, to not need anyone for anything, able to do for ourselves. Get a job, provide a service for someone and get paid for it and use that income to buy any and all necessities we might have to live. When someone can't provide for themselves we believe they've become a burden to someone- family, friends, society. In years past women were provided for and men happily provided for them- considering it a source of pride to be able to support his family. Nowadays women or men it doesn't matter each should be able to provide for themselves - no exceptions. Our world today wants us to rely on ourselves- stressing that the weak and the losers are those who don't. Being guarded, being tended to, having a caregiver, a shepherd isn't something that is promoted at all- we should be able to do everything on our own, needing no one.
It's easy to understand that the sheep a shepherd guards do what they're supposed to do. The sheep who are injured or sick are given extra care, but overall the sheep do what they were created to do. Left on their own they would still do what they were created to do, but a shepherd protects them and makes it easier for them to do what they were created to do. A shepherd keeps the sheep safe something the sheep aren't if they are left all alone.
In a world of stressing self-reliance it's not easy for people to get to a place where they understand their need of a shepherd, they're too busy believing they have to do everything on their own.
Just today I was watching tv and a person on a comedy show said to a group of children he was reading a story to- 'Hope is something people believe in when they can't deal with reality.' Or something to that effect. It's a fact that many people claim that people who believe in God are deluded and can't deal with the reality that this is all life is take it or leave it. For people to believe they have a need of a shepherd somehow detracts from them, it makes them vulnerable and weak, unable to live on their own.
Satan wants us to believe that hope is a delusion, that God is a fantasy, that needing a Savior is silly. He wants us to believe that we are weak and losers if we admit we can't live on our own.
How many people truly rely on Christ for life? How many people truly acknowledge the very breath they take is a gift from God?
Christ said He is the Good Shepherd and a Good Shepherd will lay His life down for His sheep. Christ laid His life down for all of us who will acknowledge that we are His to tend to, to guide, to protect. We have to believe in Him and in believing admit that we can't live our lives on our own. We need a Spiritual caregiver, a Spiritual tender, a Spiritual guard and we need to follow our Spiritual Shepherd every single day. Our Spiritual Shepherd protected our Spiritual lives with by giving up His own life. He protected our right to eternal life by defeating all the spiritual forces that would take that right from us. He laid down His life and took it up again- for us.
May we follow our Good Shepherd knowing that our lives no matter how successful or unsuccessful by worldly standards, belong to Him. By the grace of God we live, by the mercy and sacrifice of our Lord and Savior we can claim a future life, an eternal life in Him. Our Good Shepherd will forever protect our eternal lives, our Spiritual lives if we let Him by following Him, listening to Him, admitting we have need of Him now and forever.
Amen.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Repentance and Love
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
A broken and contrite heart- Repentance?
What is repentance- the Greek definition is...
metanoeo
met-an-o-eh'-o
From G3326 and G3539; to think differently or afterwards, that is, reconsider (morally to feel compunction): - repent.
Which leads us to ask, what is compunction- (sure we might know but it bears getting an official answer right?)
compunction
compunction (kem-pùngk´shen) noun
1. A strong uneasiness caused by a sense of guilt.
2. A sting of conscience or a pang of doubt aroused by wrongdoing or the prospect of wrongdoing.
When David wrote 'The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.' he knew that ultimately God didn't desire burnt offerings and such as a sacrifice. The burnt offerings were symbolic and meant to get His people to realize that God is worthy and the only God to worship, as well as realizing without God we have no hope. God alone can forgive our sins, and it's to Him we must go. To go to God with a broken spirit and a contrite heart is to recognize that He alone reigns and we need to place ourselves completely in His hands. We need to realize that only IN Him do we truly live. We only flounder when we are not in God's hands. Does that mean we'll have no problems once we place ourselves in God's hands? NOoooooooooooo, those who believe that are setting themselves up to fall. It means we have a surety, a hope beyond our lives here and now. God is our Creator, and our Redeemer. The redemption will be fully experienced when Christ comes again and not before. It is the HOPE of life with Christ that we put before us, it is the prize at the end of the race we are running. We have to expect that the race will be a treacherous one filled with many, many obstacles. We also have to know that God wants true repentance. God wants us to realize our guilt and to turn from it. God wants us to repent and recognize our need.
Here's what Jesus had to say-
Mar 12:28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
Mar 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Mar 12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
Mar 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
More than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifice God would have us love, know love, know Him, to understand our need of Him in all we do. To love God and to love others this is truly what God wills. Maybe people think it silly - the old 60's peace movement, the Beatles song - 'All You Need Is Love', but honestly there was a bit of truth buried beneath the free and easy sex and drugs. Peace and love, we are more used to arguing and proving ourselves right and someone else wrong, standing up for ourselves which we call number one and so on. True love, God's love, the love we are to have for God and others is what it's truly all about.
God is love.
1Jn 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love.
With our broken and contrite spirits, realizing how far we are from being what God would have us to be, let us seek forgiveness and repent. Let us turn from our sins and turn to God, finding in Him all we need in life. May the love of God fill us and by the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior may we love.
In Christ, now and forever.
Amen
A broken and contrite heart- Repentance?
What is repentance- the Greek definition is...
metanoeo
met-an-o-eh'-o
From G3326 and G3539; to think differently or afterwards, that is, reconsider (morally to feel compunction): - repent.
Which leads us to ask, what is compunction- (sure we might know but it bears getting an official answer right?)
compunction
compunction (kem-pùngk´shen) noun
1. A strong uneasiness caused by a sense of guilt.
2. A sting of conscience or a pang of doubt aroused by wrongdoing or the prospect of wrongdoing.
When David wrote 'The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.' he knew that ultimately God didn't desire burnt offerings and such as a sacrifice. The burnt offerings were symbolic and meant to get His people to realize that God is worthy and the only God to worship, as well as realizing without God we have no hope. God alone can forgive our sins, and it's to Him we must go. To go to God with a broken spirit and a contrite heart is to recognize that He alone reigns and we need to place ourselves completely in His hands. We need to realize that only IN Him do we truly live. We only flounder when we are not in God's hands. Does that mean we'll have no problems once we place ourselves in God's hands? NOoooooooooooo, those who believe that are setting themselves up to fall. It means we have a surety, a hope beyond our lives here and now. God is our Creator, and our Redeemer. The redemption will be fully experienced when Christ comes again and not before. It is the HOPE of life with Christ that we put before us, it is the prize at the end of the race we are running. We have to expect that the race will be a treacherous one filled with many, many obstacles. We also have to know that God wants true repentance. God wants us to realize our guilt and to turn from it. God wants us to repent and recognize our need.
Here's what Jesus had to say-
Mar 12:28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
Mar 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Mar 12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
Mar 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
More than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifice God would have us love, know love, know Him, to understand our need of Him in all we do. To love God and to love others this is truly what God wills. Maybe people think it silly - the old 60's peace movement, the Beatles song - 'All You Need Is Love', but honestly there was a bit of truth buried beneath the free and easy sex and drugs. Peace and love, we are more used to arguing and proving ourselves right and someone else wrong, standing up for ourselves which we call number one and so on. True love, God's love, the love we are to have for God and others is what it's truly all about.
God is love.
1Jn 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love.
With our broken and contrite spirits, realizing how far we are from being what God would have us to be, let us seek forgiveness and repent. Let us turn from our sins and turn to God, finding in Him all we need in life. May the love of God fill us and by the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior may we love.
In Christ, now and forever.
Amen
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Listen to Jesus Speak
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
ergon
er'-gon
(a primary but obsolete word; to work); toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication an act: - deed, doing, labour, work.
My reward is with me to give every man according to his work (deed, doing, labour, acts, efforts) shall be.
It's easy to consider yourself condemned instantly based upon this isn't it? Rewarded according to our works, our efforts, our acts. We know how far short we fall. Maybe you're counting all your good acts right now, patting yourself on the back for all the good things you do and congratulating yourself for living a life filled with good works. It's possible, people do a lot of good things. If you're not one of those do-gooders you know a few of them don't you? Sometimes you wish if circumstances were different you'd be a do-gooder too, and well, you do the best you can. Isn't that something we console ourselves with? Telling ourselves we do the best we can. But do we? People don't like to believe they have to do anything more than accept Christ and that's it, they've got their first class ticket to eternal life. I'll be the first to stand up and scream we are saved by grace not of works, my Bible tells me so! I'll also stand up and add to that the fact Christ was a living example to us as to how we should lead our lives. He told us how to live and to live any differently is not following Him. If you accept Christ you follow Him. No, we can't become His disciples in the literal sense of following His around here on earth as they did before His crucifixtion, but we can become His disciples in following the principles He left behind for us. He didn't leave us to flounder wondering what now, He told us.
Mat 5:2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
TAUGHT THEM! Taught us, this is a huge lesson for us too. So sit back and imagine yourself living back then and having front row seats to this lesson brought to us by the greatest Professor that ever lived. Maybe you'll start reading this and then stop, thinking it's too long, too much to read, but honestly Jesus taught this -ALL- of this and the people hung on His every word so why don't we make the time to read through it ALL, yes, all 3 chapters. We'll get a good idea of what Jesus wanted us to learn about life and living. Remember, He didn't leave us without instructions and it's true we are only saved by grace, and it is true our works won't save us, but our lives which are comprised of our works reveal our hearts. And don't despair if you think your heart is all wrong, we can pray just like David prayed- Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Sit back, make sure you're comfy and listen to Jesus speak to you...
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.
Mat 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
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 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
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 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
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.
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 5:26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
Mat 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
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 5:31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
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 5:33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
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.
Mat 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Mat 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Mat 5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
Mat 5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Mat 5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Mat 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
Mat 5:47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Mat 6:1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Mat 6:2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
Mat 6:4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
Mat 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Mat 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Mat 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Mat 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Mat 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Mat 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
Mat 6:18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Mat 6:22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
Mat 6:23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Mat 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Mat 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Mat 6:27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
Mat 6:28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
Mat 6:29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Mat 6:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Mat 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
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.
Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Mat 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Mat 7:9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
Mat 7:10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
Mat 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Mat 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Mat 7:28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
Mat 7:29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ may we listen and learn from Him and live in Him as He wills us to live.
Amen.
ergon
er'-gon
(a primary but obsolete word; to work); toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication an act: - deed, doing, labour, work.
My reward is with me to give every man according to his work (deed, doing, labour, acts, efforts) shall be.
It's easy to consider yourself condemned instantly based upon this isn't it? Rewarded according to our works, our efforts, our acts. We know how far short we fall. Maybe you're counting all your good acts right now, patting yourself on the back for all the good things you do and congratulating yourself for living a life filled with good works. It's possible, people do a lot of good things. If you're not one of those do-gooders you know a few of them don't you? Sometimes you wish if circumstances were different you'd be a do-gooder too, and well, you do the best you can. Isn't that something we console ourselves with? Telling ourselves we do the best we can. But do we? People don't like to believe they have to do anything more than accept Christ and that's it, they've got their first class ticket to eternal life. I'll be the first to stand up and scream we are saved by grace not of works, my Bible tells me so! I'll also stand up and add to that the fact Christ was a living example to us as to how we should lead our lives. He told us how to live and to live any differently is not following Him. If you accept Christ you follow Him. No, we can't become His disciples in the literal sense of following His around here on earth as they did before His crucifixtion, but we can become His disciples in following the principles He left behind for us. He didn't leave us to flounder wondering what now, He told us.
Mat 5:2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
TAUGHT THEM! Taught us, this is a huge lesson for us too. So sit back and imagine yourself living back then and having front row seats to this lesson brought to us by the greatest Professor that ever lived. Maybe you'll start reading this and then stop, thinking it's too long, too much to read, but honestly Jesus taught this -ALL- of this and the people hung on His every word so why don't we make the time to read through it ALL, yes, all 3 chapters. We'll get a good idea of what Jesus wanted us to learn about life and living. Remember, He didn't leave us without instructions and it's true we are only saved by grace, and it is true our works won't save us, but our lives which are comprised of our works reveal our hearts. And don't despair if you think your heart is all wrong, we can pray just like David prayed- Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Sit back, make sure you're comfy and listen to Jesus speak to you...
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.
Mat 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
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 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
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 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
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.
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 5:26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
Mat 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
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 5:31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
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 5:33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
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.
Mat 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Mat 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Mat 5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
Mat 5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Mat 5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Mat 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
Mat 5:47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Mat 6:1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Mat 6:2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
Mat 6:4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
Mat 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Mat 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Mat 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Mat 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Mat 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Mat 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
Mat 6:18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Mat 6:22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
Mat 6:23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Mat 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Mat 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Mat 6:27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
Mat 6:28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
Mat 6:29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Mat 6:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Mat 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
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.
Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Mat 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Mat 7:9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
Mat 7:10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
Mat 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Mat 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Mat 7:28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
Mat 7:29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ may we listen and learn from Him and live in Him as He wills us to live.
Amen.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Joy in Temptation
Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
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.
How often do you find yourself counting it joy when you fall into temptation? Seriously. I know personally when I'm tempted and often fall to the temptation I'm not counting it joy at all. Perhaps we need to learn to look at temptation itself differently- not the falling to temptation but the bit before the fall. Still misery? It really is, isn't it. Take a dieter for example who is tempted to eat from a table filled with sweets. Walking passed that table is it something that will have the dieter smiling? There they are looking at the food, their mouths watering perhaps and that desire rises up hard and fast to take that chocolate covered eclair, or that chocolate covered cream-filled donut, or perhaps that delicious looking piece of apple pie, maybe it's the cookies that get your sweet tooth aching whatever it is can you imagine the situation? It's not fun, it's not joy, in fact it's a certain sort of agony that comes with being tempted- with the wanting, with the desire. Alcoholics, drug addicts, food addicts (yes, this is real), smokers, gamblers, you name the sin and the need to abstain from it and you'll have temptation to give in to it. Maybe the sin you fight is less tangible and more to do with your temper, or your selfishness, or your lack of compassion, your greed, your road rage, it doesn't matter because any sin will come with a temptation to commit the sin. There is a period of time there whether it's a second or an hour, a full day or who knows a week or more. That *hour* of temptation can be fierce and there is an internal warring going on whether to commit the act or not to commit it. You know what I'm talking about I'm sure of it. Now here we have this verse, this Bible verse, the Holy Word of God, and it says 'count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.' Count it joy when you're experiencing this awful battle? This is part of war you know- that war between good and evil, God and Satan. There we are underfire, being assaulted to commit sin and we are to count it joy. JOY. JOY!
How are we to count it joy, we're suffering aren't we? Most addicts can tell you that there is pain going through withdrawal, and even pain in temptation. We are sin addicts, we are. We're addicted to various sins and there is help in Christ and Christ only to overcome the sins.
That verse goes on to say, 'Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.'
We are to count it joy when we are tempted, why? Because we know that the temptation is a trying of our faith in God and the trying of our faith will work patience in us. Again a lot of people who acknowledge their addictions and strive to overcome them are told that time will make things easier and for a lot of people that's true, for others it isn't. A food addict can't steer themselves away from all food, a greedy person will have to deal with money, and so on and it's not so easy being in the battle day after day, but that's exactly what life is for us all.
Some might choose not to fight in the battle but rather just that's not possible. We're all in the battle, everyone of us. We choose all the time one side or the other and we fight for either God or Satan. No, we're not perfect and we do stumble and fall but we have Christ there ready to pick us up and help us - yes, day after day. If we given into temptation to sin and don't even care about any of it so that it's not temptation to us but our life we are choosing the wrong side in the war, but it's a choice only we can make.
May God Bless us all and help us to recognize that temptation is going to exist for us every single day of our lives and as we experience the agony of temptation may God help us to count it joy as we suffer, holding fast, and by His grace not succumb to the temptation.
All glory and praise to God! In Christ Jesus our Savior now and forever.
Amen.
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.
How often do you find yourself counting it joy when you fall into temptation? Seriously. I know personally when I'm tempted and often fall to the temptation I'm not counting it joy at all. Perhaps we need to learn to look at temptation itself differently- not the falling to temptation but the bit before the fall. Still misery? It really is, isn't it. Take a dieter for example who is tempted to eat from a table filled with sweets. Walking passed that table is it something that will have the dieter smiling? There they are looking at the food, their mouths watering perhaps and that desire rises up hard and fast to take that chocolate covered eclair, or that chocolate covered cream-filled donut, or perhaps that delicious looking piece of apple pie, maybe it's the cookies that get your sweet tooth aching whatever it is can you imagine the situation? It's not fun, it's not joy, in fact it's a certain sort of agony that comes with being tempted- with the wanting, with the desire. Alcoholics, drug addicts, food addicts (yes, this is real), smokers, gamblers, you name the sin and the need to abstain from it and you'll have temptation to give in to it. Maybe the sin you fight is less tangible and more to do with your temper, or your selfishness, or your lack of compassion, your greed, your road rage, it doesn't matter because any sin will come with a temptation to commit the sin. There is a period of time there whether it's a second or an hour, a full day or who knows a week or more. That *hour* of temptation can be fierce and there is an internal warring going on whether to commit the act or not to commit it. You know what I'm talking about I'm sure of it. Now here we have this verse, this Bible verse, the Holy Word of God, and it says 'count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.' Count it joy when you're experiencing this awful battle? This is part of war you know- that war between good and evil, God and Satan. There we are underfire, being assaulted to commit sin and we are to count it joy. JOY. JOY!
How are we to count it joy, we're suffering aren't we? Most addicts can tell you that there is pain going through withdrawal, and even pain in temptation. We are sin addicts, we are. We're addicted to various sins and there is help in Christ and Christ only to overcome the sins.
That verse goes on to say, 'Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.'
We are to count it joy when we are tempted, why? Because we know that the temptation is a trying of our faith in God and the trying of our faith will work patience in us. Again a lot of people who acknowledge their addictions and strive to overcome them are told that time will make things easier and for a lot of people that's true, for others it isn't. A food addict can't steer themselves away from all food, a greedy person will have to deal with money, and so on and it's not so easy being in the battle day after day, but that's exactly what life is for us all.
Some might choose not to fight in the battle but rather just that's not possible. We're all in the battle, everyone of us. We choose all the time one side or the other and we fight for either God or Satan. No, we're not perfect and we do stumble and fall but we have Christ there ready to pick us up and help us - yes, day after day. If we given into temptation to sin and don't even care about any of it so that it's not temptation to us but our life we are choosing the wrong side in the war, but it's a choice only we can make.
May God Bless us all and help us to recognize that temptation is going to exist for us every single day of our lives and as we experience the agony of temptation may God help us to count it joy as we suffer, holding fast, and by His grace not succumb to the temptation.
All glory and praise to God! In Christ Jesus our Savior now and forever.
Amen.
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