Here is a passage from the book- Prophets and Kings that I found very interesting.
'The time is at hand when there will be sorrow in the world that no human balm can heal. The Spirit of God is being withdrawn. Disasters by sea and by land follow one another in quick succession. How frequently we hear of earthquakes and tornadoes, of destruction by fire and flood, with great loss of life and property! Apparently these calamities are capricious outbreaks of disorganized, unregulated forces
of nature, wholly beyond the control of man; but in them all, God's purpose may be read. They are among the agencies by which He seeks to arouse men and women to a sense of their danger.'
Throughout history God prevailed. Time after time people turned from God and His ways and they were punished for turning away from Him. If man won't seek the only connection that is vital to His salvation then God would do many things to let them realize He is God, the one and only true God. People long ago sought other gods to guide them, and people today do the same. We disguise it as self-discovery, as nature's forces, and yet instead of believing in the ONE true God and worshipping Him people worship their own self realizations, their self-empowerment. Satan is ready, willing, and very able to help those who would seek a false experience with so called enlightenment he'd do anything to keep people from worshipping God. Tapping into our OWN powers is something that is sweeping the world. The power in positive thinking is being touted as a saving grace, a life changing belief. Remember, Satan will stop at nothing to get people away from realizing the power of God.
For many, many years God had prophets walking the earth warning kings and peoples to turn from their wicked ways. Punishments were given, punishments were stayed depending on the response of the people. Christ Jesus, God on Earth came to give His warnings as well and we all know how well He was received by the masses. We know that Christ was rejected and crucified- God's Son. We know that Jesus' ministry was pointing the way to God, to life in God. People don't want to walk that walk because it is a less popular walk and it calls for self sacrifice, not self-empowerment. People don't want to place their lives in the hands of God fully because they believe they should have a hand in things. People will not flock to walk the narrow road fraught with trials and tribulations. People want to believe only in themselves and any power they can seemingly find within, not without.
More and more severe weather is playing its role in our lives. Lately year after recent year we are hearing of the worst this or that in so many years. God is trying to rouse people to understand that He is in control and that there is danger in not seeking Him. But instead our minds are turned to where-- self. Global warming- man made catastrophes. If we would only stop doing things the weather itself would alter and things will be fine. So much for people looking to God. Satan doesn't want ANYONE looking to God and He's very nearly succeeded in getting mankind as a whole to think only of themselves.
Read the story of Jonah- read how God wanted Him to warn the people of Nineveh. The same God that was in control then is in control now.
Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
We don't worship an inconsistent God. God has a plan and that plan is unfolded in His word and in our lives. We choose to either worship God or worship others - even self. Once all the deciding is done, once all have had the chance and no more will turn to God no matter what is done- then the end will come. God, the same God who told Abraham that He'd spare Sodom and Gomorrah if there were ten righteous people there, is the same God today that will know when all is decided. We fool ourselves when we refuse to believe that God is in control. We might not like the things Satan has brought into play in our lives and the lives around us, but we can take solace in the knowledge he has but a limited time to work.
May the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior be with each of us as we seek to be His fully by the righteousness of Christ, not of ourselves. May we determine to worship God and only God and no other.
By His love.
Amen.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
Chastened
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Heb 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
When we read of the patriarchs and prophets, men of God through the Bible we read of trials they endured. Were they chastened by the Lord? Yes. It's easy to see where by their example we are to follow and not to follow. Were most of these men perfect in all their ways? No. But most of them repented of their wrongs and returned to the way of the Lord.
'Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.'
Job 5:17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty
Pro 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction
We can't forget the exhortation. When we forget exhortations God gives to us we we risk our eternal lives. Read through this slowly--
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Heb 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure;
I'll be the first to jump up and say I, as a mother, don't enjoy chastening my children. However, and it's something to think about, a lot of times we consider our children reflections of ourselves and as such we want to mold them to be children that we can be proud of so when we chasten our children we are in some small ways selfishly doing so. Yes, we want what's best for them, we do, but our children are our heirs their children are our heirs. We want our heirs to carry on our names remembering us and yes, being people we can be proud of. It all comes back to us and our pleasure- to be proud of your children brings pleasure to us. I'm not saying we shouldn't desire to be proud of our children but this passage in the Bible is so true, we do punish our children and it's not entirely without selfishness.
God punishes, God chastens and He does so because He wants us to be partakers of His holiness. He wants us to be His heirs, His children, His sons and daughters.
We want life to be easy but it's not and it never will be.
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Chastening is grievous. God's chastening will bring us righteousness. We are chastened over and over again to have no other God before God, to turn from our selfish ways and to turn to Christ. When we fully accept Christ and yield to Him it is HIS righteousness that becomes ours through His sacrifice.
Heb 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Make straight paths for our feet- the striaight paths will give us healing any other way will result in our eternal deaths. We all need the healing of Christ and by His grace we will live.
May God bless us and keep us on the straight paths. May we resist our temptations unto blood. May the Lord God chasten us so that we may be healed and find righteousness in His son, keeping us from being self-absorbed, choosing God first always!
By His will, in love.
Amen.
Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Heb 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
When we read of the patriarchs and prophets, men of God through the Bible we read of trials they endured. Were they chastened by the Lord? Yes. It's easy to see where by their example we are to follow and not to follow. Were most of these men perfect in all their ways? No. But most of them repented of their wrongs and returned to the way of the Lord.
'Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.'
Job 5:17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty
Pro 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction
We can't forget the exhortation. When we forget exhortations God gives to us we we risk our eternal lives. Read through this slowly--
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Heb 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure;
I'll be the first to jump up and say I, as a mother, don't enjoy chastening my children. However, and it's something to think about, a lot of times we consider our children reflections of ourselves and as such we want to mold them to be children that we can be proud of so when we chasten our children we are in some small ways selfishly doing so. Yes, we want what's best for them, we do, but our children are our heirs their children are our heirs. We want our heirs to carry on our names remembering us and yes, being people we can be proud of. It all comes back to us and our pleasure- to be proud of your children brings pleasure to us. I'm not saying we shouldn't desire to be proud of our children but this passage in the Bible is so true, we do punish our children and it's not entirely without selfishness.
God punishes, God chastens and He does so because He wants us to be partakers of His holiness. He wants us to be His heirs, His children, His sons and daughters.
We want life to be easy but it's not and it never will be.
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Chastening is grievous. God's chastening will bring us righteousness. We are chastened over and over again to have no other God before God, to turn from our selfish ways and to turn to Christ. When we fully accept Christ and yield to Him it is HIS righteousness that becomes ours through His sacrifice.
Heb 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Make straight paths for our feet- the striaight paths will give us healing any other way will result in our eternal deaths. We all need the healing of Christ and by His grace we will live.
May God bless us and keep us on the straight paths. May we resist our temptations unto blood. May the Lord God chasten us so that we may be healed and find righteousness in His son, keeping us from being self-absorbed, choosing God first always!
By His will, in love.
Amen.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Faith, Hope, Love
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Jas 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him
1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
1Jn 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
2Th 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
Can you have faith in God without love? Or love of God without faith? Seriously, can you? I know that we can love a person without fully trusting them, having faith in them, but that's with our very imperfect love. Some would say that's a warped love, being able to love someone whom you can't have faith in. We do it all the time as parents don't we? Our children do things that hurt us as they grow up and yet the love doesn't stop. But... is the love still there because we are trying to have faith in them, that they'll be better? The same with spouses that cheat, or do other things that are detrimental to the relationship. We love them, the love doesn't stop just because we are hurt by them and we want to give them another chance don't we? We want to believe they won't hurt us again. That's faith isn't it? Believing in something unseen, hoping in something. And love, we give part of ourselves to those we love don't we? We invest part of ourselves. We care for them and don't want to see them hurt.
Can we have faith in someone without love? Yes, I don't have to love my neighbor do I, in order to trust them. Or is that a love of fellowman that I have for them? I certainly can't hate my neighbor and have faith in them could I? Faith seems to disappear when hate enters in. Can we have love without faith? No. Because love automatically has us hoping in the best even if we think the worst. I may think the worst of a lying, cheating, abusing husband but the part of me that still loves him would have hope that the lying, cheating, and abusing would end. Part of me would hope that there are good reasons for all of it if it doesn't end.
Faith and love are all intertwined aren't they? It's no wonder that without faith it's impossible to please God. We have to believe in God and have a certain measure of love towards God and others. I say a certain measure because I'm beginning to believe that it's very true, we have to love God and love our fellowman- these are the two greatest commandments that all the rest hang on. It's not the overwhelming gooshy love but a love filled with hope, a love believing in the best of each other even in the face of the worst. A love hoping when there is little tangible reason to hope.
Jesus died to give us hope. We have to have patience, our faith has to remain to the end, we have to love each other- hope in each other. We have to have faith, hope, and love... and yes the greatest is love because it encompasses faith and hope. It's determining to love when there is no outward reason to hope or have faith.
Faith without works is dead. We cannot truly have faith without works. The faith in God will result in a life full of decisions based upon that faith and our lives are made up daily of the works we do, the actions we take.
May the Lord God Almighty look down upon us and bless us with the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. May the Holy Spirit live in us, all by the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May our faith grow now and always in Him and our works, our lives be a reflection of that faith. Please Lord, hear us and help us.
Amen.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Jas 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him
1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
1Jn 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
2Th 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
Can you have faith in God without love? Or love of God without faith? Seriously, can you? I know that we can love a person without fully trusting them, having faith in them, but that's with our very imperfect love. Some would say that's a warped love, being able to love someone whom you can't have faith in. We do it all the time as parents don't we? Our children do things that hurt us as they grow up and yet the love doesn't stop. But... is the love still there because we are trying to have faith in them, that they'll be better? The same with spouses that cheat, or do other things that are detrimental to the relationship. We love them, the love doesn't stop just because we are hurt by them and we want to give them another chance don't we? We want to believe they won't hurt us again. That's faith isn't it? Believing in something unseen, hoping in something. And love, we give part of ourselves to those we love don't we? We invest part of ourselves. We care for them and don't want to see them hurt.
Can we have faith in someone without love? Yes, I don't have to love my neighbor do I, in order to trust them. Or is that a love of fellowman that I have for them? I certainly can't hate my neighbor and have faith in them could I? Faith seems to disappear when hate enters in. Can we have love without faith? No. Because love automatically has us hoping in the best even if we think the worst. I may think the worst of a lying, cheating, abusing husband but the part of me that still loves him would have hope that the lying, cheating, and abusing would end. Part of me would hope that there are good reasons for all of it if it doesn't end.
Faith and love are all intertwined aren't they? It's no wonder that without faith it's impossible to please God. We have to believe in God and have a certain measure of love towards God and others. I say a certain measure because I'm beginning to believe that it's very true, we have to love God and love our fellowman- these are the two greatest commandments that all the rest hang on. It's not the overwhelming gooshy love but a love filled with hope, a love believing in the best of each other even in the face of the worst. A love hoping when there is little tangible reason to hope.
Jesus died to give us hope. We have to have patience, our faith has to remain to the end, we have to love each other- hope in each other. We have to have faith, hope, and love... and yes the greatest is love because it encompasses faith and hope. It's determining to love when there is no outward reason to hope or have faith.
Faith without works is dead. We cannot truly have faith without works. The faith in God will result in a life full of decisions based upon that faith and our lives are made up daily of the works we do, the actions we take.
May the Lord God Almighty look down upon us and bless us with the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. May the Holy Spirit live in us, all by the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May our faith grow now and always in Him and our works, our lives be a reflection of that faith. Please Lord, hear us and help us.
Amen.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Love is...
Mat 22:35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Love is... having no other gods before God.
Love is... not making any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth, not bowing down thyself to them, nor serving them.
Love is... not taking the name of the LORD thy God in vain.
Love is... Remembering the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work. But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Love is... Honouring thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Love is... Not killing.
Love is... Not committing adultery.
Love is... Not stealing.
Love is... Not bearing false witness against thy neighbour.
Love is... Not coveting thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
Most of us will recognize the following.
Charity is... suffering long
Charity is... kind
Charity is... envying not
Charity is... vaunting not itself
Charity is... not puffed up
Charity is... not behaving itself unseemly
Charity is... seeking not her own
Charity is... not easily provoked
Charity is... thinking no evil
Charity is... rejoicing not in iniquity, but rejoicing in the truth
Charity is... bearing all things
Charity is... believing all things
Charity is... hoping all things
Charity is... enduring all things
Charity is... never failing
We know for a fact that loving someone is not harming them in any way. We know for a fact when we love we look out for the others best interests no matter what that entails. That old saying if you love something set it free, love automatically allows for freedom because it's not imprisoning in any way. Children believe their parents don't love them when they put up restrictions, but the parents know it is because they do love them they erect the restrictions to protect their children.
God would have us know Him and in knowing Him we learn love. God didn't leave us without instructions, but over and over reveals His love to us. Some would say God has only reveals His wrath, His ability to spread suffering and heartache, but that isn't true at all. We are given examples all through life of God's love and Satan's evil. Satan would have us believe that when God allows the evil to reign that it's a sign of His own evil, not love. God allows the evil to exist, but it will only exist for a short while compared to eternity without any evil at all. We can't know the ways of God- our finite minds can't comprehend fully.
Job 11:7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?
We have to believe in God.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
In believing we come to know the love of God and our lives reflect that love. If our lives fail to reflect that love something isn't right- because believing alone is not enough. Devils believe.
Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we believe and live in Him, for Him, all in love for God is love.
Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Love is... having no other gods before God.
Love is... not making any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth, not bowing down thyself to them, nor serving them.
Love is... not taking the name of the LORD thy God in vain.
Love is... Remembering the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work. But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Love is... Honouring thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Love is... Not killing.
Love is... Not committing adultery.
Love is... Not stealing.
Love is... Not bearing false witness against thy neighbour.
Love is... Not coveting thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
Most of us will recognize the following.
Charity is... suffering long
Charity is... kind
Charity is... envying not
Charity is... vaunting not itself
Charity is... not puffed up
Charity is... not behaving itself unseemly
Charity is... seeking not her own
Charity is... not easily provoked
Charity is... thinking no evil
Charity is... rejoicing not in iniquity, but rejoicing in the truth
Charity is... bearing all things
Charity is... believing all things
Charity is... hoping all things
Charity is... enduring all things
Charity is... never failing
We know for a fact that loving someone is not harming them in any way. We know for a fact when we love we look out for the others best interests no matter what that entails. That old saying if you love something set it free, love automatically allows for freedom because it's not imprisoning in any way. Children believe their parents don't love them when they put up restrictions, but the parents know it is because they do love them they erect the restrictions to protect their children.
God would have us know Him and in knowing Him we learn love. God didn't leave us without instructions, but over and over reveals His love to us. Some would say God has only reveals His wrath, His ability to spread suffering and heartache, but that isn't true at all. We are given examples all through life of God's love and Satan's evil. Satan would have us believe that when God allows the evil to reign that it's a sign of His own evil, not love. God allows the evil to exist, but it will only exist for a short while compared to eternity without any evil at all. We can't know the ways of God- our finite minds can't comprehend fully.
Job 11:7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?
We have to believe in God.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
In believing we come to know the love of God and our lives reflect that love. If our lives fail to reflect that love something isn't right- because believing alone is not enough. Devils believe.
Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we believe and live in Him, for Him, all in love for God is love.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Sin is the Will to Destroy God
Listening to a Bible lecture the other day I came across this -
'When you sin what are you saying?
I don't want to do His will, His law.
But the law is the basis of His government.
The sinning is trying to pull down the government of God. Right?
Sin is trying to destroy, pull down the government God has set up.
Sin is the will to destroy God.'
We don't like to think about sin that way. We think of it more as a harmless little hurt, a pinprick that God barely feels. He's God, right? Nothing can hurt Him. Nothing can destroy Him. When I sin I don't imagine I'm trying to destroy God that's just ludicrous. Why is sin so abhorrent to God then? In our own lives we sometimes acquire enemies. No, not everyone can say they have someone out there wanting to destroy them, but most people do find people in their lives that are less than happy to watch them succeed. As children it's very common to get on the wrong side of a school yard bully- it could be something as simple as a cross-eyed look at a bully and you're in their sites. When we're young it doesn't seem to matter what might set things off so much. Once a bully gets you in their sites they want to push you about, call you names, take you to the school yard and put you in your place. As we grow up sometimes that sort of thing continues on into high school but not so often as the childishness of things begins to give way to adulthood. The destroying of another that we perceive as a threat when we're older comes about in other ways. We use the law sometimes, other times we break the law to get back at another. Mostly we just learn to live with someone were not fond of and merely talk badly about them to prove to others how bad that person is so they don't befriend them. In some circles someone business men are at each others throats corporately trying to tear one another down in order to succeed. Corporate spies are common place and they're set in motion to gain information that can be used to hurt a company while benefitting another. Not all of the will to destroy another is fictional, though we do see some of it glorified in movies and books. Even on a grand scale- nation against nation - there is the *good guys* and the *bad guys* and of course it depends on which side you're on as to who is who. Certainly to our perceived bad guys we are the bad ones. We have wars going on right now and yes, killing going on right now, as we try to destroy an enemies whose values or lack there of are detrimental to ours. Kill or be killed they say. Destroy or be destroyed.
How many people out there actively try to destroy God? Impossible you say, He's not a *REAL* person. No one can point a gun at God and end His life. You're right and yet people actively hurt God more often than they even realize because they don't equate their actions with anything to do with God. Yet God is our creator and has an active interest in all we do, good or bad.
God is a spirit incapable of dying. Angels are spirits that under normal circumstance do not die, yet can be killed by God in the long run as a result of their rebellion. Satan is one such angel who has led a multitude of angels to defy God, to turn from God's ways seeking to destroy God and all He stands for.
We DON'T want to make that a reality in our minds, in our lives. We want that to be a fictional story. As long as God and Satan and the war between them is a fiction tale then we don't have to realize our own part in it all. When we realize that it isn't a tall tale but real life we have to realize that it is because of Satan seducing Eve into sin that we are all a part of this battle between God and Satan. We know who has won, but that doesn't stop the loser from wanting to take as many of us down with Him as He can- hurting God until the very last moment it's possible for Him to do so. God on the other hand is long suffering wanting as many as will to come to Him. He's set a time in the grand scale of things when it will all be decided one way or another and when that time comes we will either be on God's side or Satan's. So you see, it's very, very important for us to realize that our sins are our futile attempt to destroy God, to defy Him, to make His government, His laws, His ways of none effect. OUR SINS. Is it no wonder our sins caused the death of God's Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus became lowly human flesh in order to save us- proving once and for all that God's law, God's government, God's ways on earth are just.
'Sin is the will to destroy God.' Again, I have to emphasize, we don't believe that our sins, our petty little wrong doings and such are truly us trying to destroy God. Sin is the transgression of God's law. When we sin we are hurting God, we are hurting our fellow man and God's law says to honor and worship Him and to have respect to our fellow man- love God and love man- this is the whole law.
Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Our sins great or small break one of these two laws, or both. We don't want to believe that but it's true. We call our sins harmless and yet isn't that just what Satan wants? As long as we believe our sins are harmless and hurt no one, least of all God then we're fine.
We have to wake up and realize before it's too late that it is our sins that if left un-confessed and un-repented of that will ultimately kill us eternally. That it is our sins that are an admission of being in defiance of God. We can proclaim our Christianity until the day we die, but unless we realize that on a personal level each sin we commit is a strike against God, we are only fooling ourselves and letting ourselves be lulled into a false sense of security.
May God open our hearts and minds to the truth of His word. May we seek to understand and believe the truth that our sins are hurtful to God - big or small. By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior may we seek forgiveness so that we may be at one with God through Him and not fighting against Him and His love.
Amen.
'When you sin what are you saying?
I don't want to do His will, His law.
But the law is the basis of His government.
The sinning is trying to pull down the government of God. Right?
Sin is trying to destroy, pull down the government God has set up.
Sin is the will to destroy God.'
We don't like to think about sin that way. We think of it more as a harmless little hurt, a pinprick that God barely feels. He's God, right? Nothing can hurt Him. Nothing can destroy Him. When I sin I don't imagine I'm trying to destroy God that's just ludicrous. Why is sin so abhorrent to God then? In our own lives we sometimes acquire enemies. No, not everyone can say they have someone out there wanting to destroy them, but most people do find people in their lives that are less than happy to watch them succeed. As children it's very common to get on the wrong side of a school yard bully- it could be something as simple as a cross-eyed look at a bully and you're in their sites. When we're young it doesn't seem to matter what might set things off so much. Once a bully gets you in their sites they want to push you about, call you names, take you to the school yard and put you in your place. As we grow up sometimes that sort of thing continues on into high school but not so often as the childishness of things begins to give way to adulthood. The destroying of another that we perceive as a threat when we're older comes about in other ways. We use the law sometimes, other times we break the law to get back at another. Mostly we just learn to live with someone were not fond of and merely talk badly about them to prove to others how bad that person is so they don't befriend them. In some circles someone business men are at each others throats corporately trying to tear one another down in order to succeed. Corporate spies are common place and they're set in motion to gain information that can be used to hurt a company while benefitting another. Not all of the will to destroy another is fictional, though we do see some of it glorified in movies and books. Even on a grand scale- nation against nation - there is the *good guys* and the *bad guys* and of course it depends on which side you're on as to who is who. Certainly to our perceived bad guys we are the bad ones. We have wars going on right now and yes, killing going on right now, as we try to destroy an enemies whose values or lack there of are detrimental to ours. Kill or be killed they say. Destroy or be destroyed.
How many people out there actively try to destroy God? Impossible you say, He's not a *REAL* person. No one can point a gun at God and end His life. You're right and yet people actively hurt God more often than they even realize because they don't equate their actions with anything to do with God. Yet God is our creator and has an active interest in all we do, good or bad.
God is a spirit incapable of dying. Angels are spirits that under normal circumstance do not die, yet can be killed by God in the long run as a result of their rebellion. Satan is one such angel who has led a multitude of angels to defy God, to turn from God's ways seeking to destroy God and all He stands for.
We DON'T want to make that a reality in our minds, in our lives. We want that to be a fictional story. As long as God and Satan and the war between them is a fiction tale then we don't have to realize our own part in it all. When we realize that it isn't a tall tale but real life we have to realize that it is because of Satan seducing Eve into sin that we are all a part of this battle between God and Satan. We know who has won, but that doesn't stop the loser from wanting to take as many of us down with Him as He can- hurting God until the very last moment it's possible for Him to do so. God on the other hand is long suffering wanting as many as will to come to Him. He's set a time in the grand scale of things when it will all be decided one way or another and when that time comes we will either be on God's side or Satan's. So you see, it's very, very important for us to realize that our sins are our futile attempt to destroy God, to defy Him, to make His government, His laws, His ways of none effect. OUR SINS. Is it no wonder our sins caused the death of God's Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus became lowly human flesh in order to save us- proving once and for all that God's law, God's government, God's ways on earth are just.
'Sin is the will to destroy God.' Again, I have to emphasize, we don't believe that our sins, our petty little wrong doings and such are truly us trying to destroy God. Sin is the transgression of God's law. When we sin we are hurting God, we are hurting our fellow man and God's law says to honor and worship Him and to have respect to our fellow man- love God and love man- this is the whole law.
Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Our sins great or small break one of these two laws, or both. We don't want to believe that but it's true. We call our sins harmless and yet isn't that just what Satan wants? As long as we believe our sins are harmless and hurt no one, least of all God then we're fine.
We have to wake up and realize before it's too late that it is our sins that if left un-confessed and un-repented of that will ultimately kill us eternally. That it is our sins that are an admission of being in defiance of God. We can proclaim our Christianity until the day we die, but unless we realize that on a personal level each sin we commit is a strike against God, we are only fooling ourselves and letting ourselves be lulled into a false sense of security.
May God open our hearts and minds to the truth of His word. May we seek to understand and believe the truth that our sins are hurtful to God - big or small. By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior may we seek forgiveness so that we may be at one with God through Him and not fighting against Him and His love.
Amen.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Obeying the Truth Through the Spirit
1Pe 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1Pe 1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
1Pe 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
1Pe 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
*
1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
What is a man's work? Is it what he does as a job? Or is it the whole of his life's actions?
The word 'work' -
ergon
er'-gon
From ?????? ergo? (a primary but obsolete word; to work); toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication an act: - deed, doing, labour, work.
'by implication an act- deed, doing, labour.'
Our lives are judged, our actions are judged and that includes our jobs- our occupational work. Without any respect to who it is, God will judge all by the same criteria. All of us will be judged by our actions. The most important action being what? Believing in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior and loving Him with all our hearts and minds. From there all the rest of our actions in life are judged. Do we live in accordance to God's will? Is it important to us to put God first? To worship God? People stomp their feet and cry out Jesus did away with all that stuff, we are only to love! But do we love? Even Jesus commended the rich young ruler when he said that he followed the law of God. Wouldn't have Jesus taken that prime opportunity to tell the young man that he no longer had to follow the laws if that's what He intended of us? Loving God and loving our fellowman this our duty.
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
In those commandments our love is manifested, God's love is manifested.
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.
Being judged by our actions is necessary because it is an action- a work- to believe, to have faith, to worship God first and foremost.
1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
We do sojourn here on earth don't we? This isn't our final home and it wasn't intended to be, not this sin-filled, corrupted world. Jesus said in His Father's house are many mansions. Jesus also spoke of coming again to bring us to Him incorruptible, immortal. There was talk of a new heaven and a new earth. This isn't our final home and truly we only sojourn here for however long our lives may be it is only temporary that we dwell on this earth this way. So being told 'pass the time of your sojourning here in fear' it is a wise saying isn't it? We need to have a healthy fear of losing our eternal life because we holdfast to things that are corruptible, because we worship things and each other more than God.
1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot
We're not redeemed from this life, from earth by things that are corruptible themselves. Money won't save us, traditions won't save us, only the precious blood of Christ- a pure, unblemished sacrifical lamb- saves us. Our lives, our works, our actions are to believe in the saving grace of Christ and the blood He shed for us and to love Him with all our hearts.
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
1Pe 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
Purified your souls in OBEYING THE TRUTH THROUGH THE SPIRIT UNTO UNFEIGNED LOVE...
BORN AGAIN....BY THE WORD OF GOD
We have to believe and out of our beliefs we live, our actions are committed. We have to purify our souls by obeying the truth through the Spirit and in that we will have the unfeigned love for God and others that we need. We have to be born again through God, by the Word of God.
Living in a world that is so fully corrupted that everywhere we turn the corruption is widespread, it isn't easy to hold fast to the love of God, the truth of God. When so many things cry out to be worshipped by us over any worship of God, it's hard to truly believe the truth. Solomon talked of 'all' being vanity and he wasn't far off was He? We focus on ourselves first so much. Even in giving of ourselves we focus on the fact we give as if that is a gold star in our favor- vanity. By the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit may we find the truth in the Word of God and live in truth, in love now and forever.
Amen.
1Pe 1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
1Pe 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
1Pe 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
*
1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
What is a man's work? Is it what he does as a job? Or is it the whole of his life's actions?
The word 'work' -
ergon
er'-gon
From ?????? ergo? (a primary but obsolete word; to work); toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication an act: - deed, doing, labour, work.
'by implication an act- deed, doing, labour.'
Our lives are judged, our actions are judged and that includes our jobs- our occupational work. Without any respect to who it is, God will judge all by the same criteria. All of us will be judged by our actions. The most important action being what? Believing in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior and loving Him with all our hearts and minds. From there all the rest of our actions in life are judged. Do we live in accordance to God's will? Is it important to us to put God first? To worship God? People stomp their feet and cry out Jesus did away with all that stuff, we are only to love! But do we love? Even Jesus commended the rich young ruler when he said that he followed the law of God. Wouldn't have Jesus taken that prime opportunity to tell the young man that he no longer had to follow the laws if that's what He intended of us? Loving God and loving our fellowman this our duty.
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
In those commandments our love is manifested, God's love is manifested.
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.
Being judged by our actions is necessary because it is an action- a work- to believe, to have faith, to worship God first and foremost.
1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
We do sojourn here on earth don't we? This isn't our final home and it wasn't intended to be, not this sin-filled, corrupted world. Jesus said in His Father's house are many mansions. Jesus also spoke of coming again to bring us to Him incorruptible, immortal. There was talk of a new heaven and a new earth. This isn't our final home and truly we only sojourn here for however long our lives may be it is only temporary that we dwell on this earth this way. So being told 'pass the time of your sojourning here in fear' it is a wise saying isn't it? We need to have a healthy fear of losing our eternal life because we holdfast to things that are corruptible, because we worship things and each other more than God.
1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot
We're not redeemed from this life, from earth by things that are corruptible themselves. Money won't save us, traditions won't save us, only the precious blood of Christ- a pure, unblemished sacrifical lamb- saves us. Our lives, our works, our actions are to believe in the saving grace of Christ and the blood He shed for us and to love Him with all our hearts.
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
1Pe 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
Purified your souls in OBEYING THE TRUTH THROUGH THE SPIRIT UNTO UNFEIGNED LOVE...
BORN AGAIN....BY THE WORD OF GOD
We have to believe and out of our beliefs we live, our actions are committed. We have to purify our souls by obeying the truth through the Spirit and in that we will have the unfeigned love for God and others that we need. We have to be born again through God, by the Word of God.
Living in a world that is so fully corrupted that everywhere we turn the corruption is widespread, it isn't easy to hold fast to the love of God, the truth of God. When so many things cry out to be worshipped by us over any worship of God, it's hard to truly believe the truth. Solomon talked of 'all' being vanity and he wasn't far off was He? We focus on ourselves first so much. Even in giving of ourselves we focus on the fact we give as if that is a gold star in our favor- vanity. By the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit may we find the truth in the Word of God and live in truth, in love now and forever.
Amen.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Obedient Children of God
1Pe 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1Pe 1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance
Our thoughts can run wild can't they? I know mine have run wild on me but you know what we control our thoughts don't we? We might think something but we control whether we keep thinking on it for the most part.
Things might be hard to get out of our thoughts too. If you've a sick loved one it's hard not to think about them isn't it?
We have thoughts and those thoughts control our feelings don't they? If we have good thoughts we are generally in a good mood. If we have bad thoughts we can easily be in a foul mood.
Thoughts can spiral out of control at times.
Could it be as well that sometimes how we feel influences are thoughts?
It's easy to meet yourself coming and going when thinking about all this but we do have to think about all this because we are told to 'gird up the loins of our mind' our thoughts produce things- actions. We do very few things without first thinking about them. We think about the sin we commit even if it's just a split second or two before we commit it, it goes through our mind before it becomes an action. If we gird up the loins of our minds we are watching over the things we allow ourselves to think- if a bad thought enters our mind we choose whether or not to dwell on that thought. If we're girding up the loins of our minds we're choosing not to entertain those thoughts that lead us to sin. We are called to be sober in our minds, in our thoughts to realize that it is the ungirded loins of our minds that lead us into sin. We need to hope for grace, and hope for it right to the end. Grace will be given to us when Jesus Christ is revealed fully to us at His return. Let us be obedient children of God, not continuing to live as we once lived when we didn't realize the grace of Jesus Christ in our lives.
By His mercy and through His love, in the grace of Jesus Christ we can't fashion ourselves according to former lusts when we didn't know the love, the grace of Jesus.
Obedient children of God will gird up the loins of their mind and be sober and hope to the end for grace through Jesus Christ.
1Pe 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Lev 20:7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.
Lev 20:8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.
Girding up the loins of our mind, it sounds like it should be easy but it really isn't. Our thoughts are constantly influenced by so many things around us. May God help us and through His grace and mercy may we be saved in Him, in His love, now and forever.
Amen.
1Pe 1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance
Our thoughts can run wild can't they? I know mine have run wild on me but you know what we control our thoughts don't we? We might think something but we control whether we keep thinking on it for the most part.
Things might be hard to get out of our thoughts too. If you've a sick loved one it's hard not to think about them isn't it?
We have thoughts and those thoughts control our feelings don't they? If we have good thoughts we are generally in a good mood. If we have bad thoughts we can easily be in a foul mood.
Thoughts can spiral out of control at times.
Could it be as well that sometimes how we feel influences are thoughts?
It's easy to meet yourself coming and going when thinking about all this but we do have to think about all this because we are told to 'gird up the loins of our mind' our thoughts produce things- actions. We do very few things without first thinking about them. We think about the sin we commit even if it's just a split second or two before we commit it, it goes through our mind before it becomes an action. If we gird up the loins of our minds we are watching over the things we allow ourselves to think- if a bad thought enters our mind we choose whether or not to dwell on that thought. If we're girding up the loins of our minds we're choosing not to entertain those thoughts that lead us to sin. We are called to be sober in our minds, in our thoughts to realize that it is the ungirded loins of our minds that lead us into sin. We need to hope for grace, and hope for it right to the end. Grace will be given to us when Jesus Christ is revealed fully to us at His return. Let us be obedient children of God, not continuing to live as we once lived when we didn't realize the grace of Jesus Christ in our lives.
By His mercy and through His love, in the grace of Jesus Christ we can't fashion ourselves according to former lusts when we didn't know the love, the grace of Jesus.
Obedient children of God will gird up the loins of their mind and be sober and hope to the end for grace through Jesus Christ.
1Pe 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Lev 20:7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.
Lev 20:8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.
Girding up the loins of our mind, it sounds like it should be easy but it really isn't. Our thoughts are constantly influenced by so many things around us. May God help us and through His grace and mercy may we be saved in Him, in His love, now and forever.
Amen.
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