Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
This was said approximately 2000 years or so ago and it's still very revelant to us all today. In our flesh dwells nothing good. Our flesh is weak and corrupted by years of sin. Only Christ overcame the flesh and it's through Christ we overcome. Does this mean we get some magical power that does away with our flesh desires? No. Many, many men and women of God get caught up in the trap of begin supposedly able to overcome their sins and they feel good when that happens. It might last for one, two, ten years but more often than not there are set backs and slips into that same sin and it becomes depressing to succumb to something you thought you'd overcome. The key there are the words - you'd overcome. We get to this place where we believe we are doing the necessary overcoming and we begin to rely on ourselves for that overcoming.
I've never been in a 12 step program but what I know of it from tv and whatnot I think a person is taught to take one day at a time and the famous serenity prayer is recited-
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr
The first part of that is known more widely than the rest but read the rest...
Living one day at a time.
Enjoying one moment at a time.
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace.
Taking, as HE did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that HE will make all things right
if I SURRENDER to HIS will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
Now while I agree with most of this prayer the bit about being reasonably happy in this life is a fallacy. We can't even expect that as much as we might want to.
We do have to surrender to God's will. We do have to trust that God will make all things right. We can't believe in ourselves or our own goodness, we have to trust in God fully. When we start to believe we are good in and of ourselves we start to get caught in a trap of Satan's making. We need to have Christ before us always. We need to fall at His feet in surrender. It's not pitiful to surrender, to admit our weakness in the face of God's strength. Yes, we to believe this--
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
And to understand this--
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
And believe this--
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.
We have to thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord that we can serve the law of God, we can. Trusting in Him fully that HE overcame the flesh and we through Him will overcome. Our hope is in Him and Him alone.
May God help us to place our trust fully in Christ now and forever. Life will give to us through Satan any and all challenges to snare us and we have to trust solely in Christ, not even in ourselves.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord, our Savior, may we hold fast to Him now and forever, trusting in His ability to overcome the flesh.
In Him always.
Amen.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God
Deu 8:11 Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments...
We aren't raised to worship. We aren't. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say that most of us aren't raised to worship God. I must had God because we are raised to worship at the alter of self-serving. Worship as I was growing up meant getting dressed in my Sunday best and going off to Sunday school for an hour and then to Sunday service for another hour and then once I returned home off came the Sunday best and it was put away until the next week. Two hours with a little extra for travel thrown in, so let's round it off to three hours and then worshipping God was all over. The rest of the day wasn't a normal day though, not really. It was the day to get in all the fun we could because the next day was a school day and everyone knew that school interfered with having fun. At worst, the rest of the day meant cramming in the free time fun and possibly a few hours of homework study before school came all too fast the next day. We were taught to compartmentalize God into that two hours and into before dinner prayers, and a quick learned by rote night time prayer. God was in our lives just put into little time slots.
A day of restful worship of God wasn't always a day of restful worship but rather a few hours of rest in worship and then back into the grind of things. Even my father used that day for yard working and my mother for preparing nice meals- work. A day of worship didn't mean a full day of worship and so the reality of God setting aside an entire 24 hour period seems almost ludicrous. 24 hours spent worshipping God? But how? What happens after the two hours of worship with others (if that is what one does in light of all the knowledge out there)?
Why am I dwelling on this one commandment when Deuteronomy 8:11 says - 'Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments...'
I think I'm dwelling on the fourth commandment because it's the only one prefaced with the word- REMEMBER.
We do forget the Lord our God. We do it all the time. We compartmentalize Him and His place in our lives. If you have 24 hours in which to worship Him it's very hard to forget Him during that time whether or not you are worshipping Him *rightly* so to speak.
Set aside the Sabbath day- sundown Friday to sundown Saturday and use it only for the glory of God. You'll realize quickly how much of your life is centered around yourself and your own devices and not God. How do you worship for 24 hours? It's easy to worship ourselves all the time we just have to sit back and do whatever it is we want to do for whatever reason we want to do it. Yes, we have to work, but after work is over it's play time, or free time, even if it's just to rest for ourselves, take a nap, read a book, take a long hot bath. We've perfected the art of self-worship. Is it different for those raised to worship God for a full day? Or do they tend to fall into the same trap in a different way? Do they get bogged down into a lifeless routine?
There is danger of forgetting God in many, many ways. People live their entire lives without thinking of God or caring to remember anything He might have had to say let only keeping His commandments.
There is a danger in forgetting God, in forgetting His commandments, His ways. If we forget God we will be forgotten by Him. It's a sad, sad situation that we will be in because the pain and heartache of this world is all we truly have here mingled with a few ups that lull us into believing that it's a good enough life that we don't need God in it to mess things up. A life devoted to God is a life of extra hardship but it's reward far outweighs anything even remotely satisfying to us on earth now.
May God bless us and help us to learn to worship Him as He commands, a worship that is filled with rewards for us if only we'd truly see it that way. Let us not forget the LORD our God.
By the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever.
Amen.
We aren't raised to worship. We aren't. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say that most of us aren't raised to worship God. I must had God because we are raised to worship at the alter of self-serving. Worship as I was growing up meant getting dressed in my Sunday best and going off to Sunday school for an hour and then to Sunday service for another hour and then once I returned home off came the Sunday best and it was put away until the next week. Two hours with a little extra for travel thrown in, so let's round it off to three hours and then worshipping God was all over. The rest of the day wasn't a normal day though, not really. It was the day to get in all the fun we could because the next day was a school day and everyone knew that school interfered with having fun. At worst, the rest of the day meant cramming in the free time fun and possibly a few hours of homework study before school came all too fast the next day. We were taught to compartmentalize God into that two hours and into before dinner prayers, and a quick learned by rote night time prayer. God was in our lives just put into little time slots.
A day of restful worship of God wasn't always a day of restful worship but rather a few hours of rest in worship and then back into the grind of things. Even my father used that day for yard working and my mother for preparing nice meals- work. A day of worship didn't mean a full day of worship and so the reality of God setting aside an entire 24 hour period seems almost ludicrous. 24 hours spent worshipping God? But how? What happens after the two hours of worship with others (if that is what one does in light of all the knowledge out there)?
Why am I dwelling on this one commandment when Deuteronomy 8:11 says - 'Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments...'
I think I'm dwelling on the fourth commandment because it's the only one prefaced with the word- REMEMBER.
We do forget the Lord our God. We do it all the time. We compartmentalize Him and His place in our lives. If you have 24 hours in which to worship Him it's very hard to forget Him during that time whether or not you are worshipping Him *rightly* so to speak.
Set aside the Sabbath day- sundown Friday to sundown Saturday and use it only for the glory of God. You'll realize quickly how much of your life is centered around yourself and your own devices and not God. How do you worship for 24 hours? It's easy to worship ourselves all the time we just have to sit back and do whatever it is we want to do for whatever reason we want to do it. Yes, we have to work, but after work is over it's play time, or free time, even if it's just to rest for ourselves, take a nap, read a book, take a long hot bath. We've perfected the art of self-worship. Is it different for those raised to worship God for a full day? Or do they tend to fall into the same trap in a different way? Do they get bogged down into a lifeless routine?
There is danger of forgetting God in many, many ways. People live their entire lives without thinking of God or caring to remember anything He might have had to say let only keeping His commandments.
There is a danger in forgetting God, in forgetting His commandments, His ways. If we forget God we will be forgotten by Him. It's a sad, sad situation that we will be in because the pain and heartache of this world is all we truly have here mingled with a few ups that lull us into believing that it's a good enough life that we don't need God in it to mess things up. A life devoted to God is a life of extra hardship but it's reward far outweighs anything even remotely satisfying to us on earth now.
May God bless us and help us to learn to worship Him as He commands, a worship that is filled with rewards for us if only we'd truly see it that way. Let us not forget the LORD our God.
By the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever.
Amen.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Angels Among Us
The other day we talked about angels, Jesus didn't take on their nature. To us angels are somewhat fantasy because they aren't something we see and touch, something we interact with day in and day out on a knowing basis. Yes, they are all around us, helping us, God's angels at least. In the little daily Bible reading booklet I have that same day was a little bit about angels.
God created angels-
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Angels give God worship-
Neh 9:6 Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
Angels minister to those who are God's-
Heb 1:13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Angels rejoice-
Luk 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
Luk 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
Angels are a mystery to us. There are stories about them, movies on them. Just recently I watched a movie called 'Legion' and in the movie the main characters were angels. Apparently ((((and don't read further if you don't want it spoiled for you))) God decided that humanity wasn't worth saving any more and the angel Michael disagreed with Him and came to earth to save mankind. Another angel came to stop Michael and have mankind end with the death of a child. There was a huge fight, in fact most of the movie was about the fighting, in the end Michael was killed and evil seemed to be prevailing but then just when you thought all was lost, Michael returns- God having brought Him back to life. The other angel that killed Michael said he wouldn't have spared his life, like Michael was sparing his, and Michael said that's why God spared Him. The whole point being that compassion and love is the main thing, self-sacrifice is very important, all important. These angels were warring on the movie screen and it makes you wonder what they must think about how they are depicited by man. This wasn't the first movie about angels - there is a whole series- the Prophecy movies- that deal with angels as well. There are many movies with angels in them and a lot of people believe they are more fiction than fact and maybe the movie theme is but the reality of angels is fact.
We can't see them as a rule, even when they interact with us we don't know they are angels. That they exist is a wonderful marvel of God's. Angels aren't subject to death like we are. The very angels that witness the creation of Adam and Eve are alive today witnesses the birth of babies. Angels are wonderful mysteries and we are blessed when they minister to us. Thank God for His mercy and love, thank God for allowing the angels to live among us. We thank each other for the kindnesses we do, and we can thank God for His ministering angels. While we cannot worship any but God, giving thanks isn't worshipping and we can thank the angels who by God's grace live and act in our lives unseen. One day I hope and pray we can know all that the angels did for us and thank them in person and by the grace and mercy of our Lord, through His loving kindness we shall. By the forgiveness of our Lord, our Savior we will live in harmony with God, with His Son, with the Holy Spirit, with all the beings created by Him, hopefully one day very soon.
In the love of Jesus Christ now and forever.
Amen.
God created angels-
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Angels give God worship-
Neh 9:6 Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
Angels minister to those who are God's-
Heb 1:13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Angels rejoice-
Luk 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
Luk 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
Angels are a mystery to us. There are stories about them, movies on them. Just recently I watched a movie called 'Legion' and in the movie the main characters were angels. Apparently ((((and don't read further if you don't want it spoiled for you))) God decided that humanity wasn't worth saving any more and the angel Michael disagreed with Him and came to earth to save mankind. Another angel came to stop Michael and have mankind end with the death of a child. There was a huge fight, in fact most of the movie was about the fighting, in the end Michael was killed and evil seemed to be prevailing but then just when you thought all was lost, Michael returns- God having brought Him back to life. The other angel that killed Michael said he wouldn't have spared his life, like Michael was sparing his, and Michael said that's why God spared Him. The whole point being that compassion and love is the main thing, self-sacrifice is very important, all important. These angels were warring on the movie screen and it makes you wonder what they must think about how they are depicited by man. This wasn't the first movie about angels - there is a whole series- the Prophecy movies- that deal with angels as well. There are many movies with angels in them and a lot of people believe they are more fiction than fact and maybe the movie theme is but the reality of angels is fact.
We can't see them as a rule, even when they interact with us we don't know they are angels. That they exist is a wonderful marvel of God's. Angels aren't subject to death like we are. The very angels that witness the creation of Adam and Eve are alive today witnesses the birth of babies. Angels are wonderful mysteries and we are blessed when they minister to us. Thank God for His mercy and love, thank God for allowing the angels to live among us. We thank each other for the kindnesses we do, and we can thank God for His ministering angels. While we cannot worship any but God, giving thanks isn't worshipping and we can thank the angels who by God's grace live and act in our lives unseen. One day I hope and pray we can know all that the angels did for us and thank them in person and by the grace and mercy of our Lord, through His loving kindness we shall. By the forgiveness of our Lord, our Savior we will live in harmony with God, with His Son, with the Holy Spirit, with all the beings created by Him, hopefully one day very soon.
In the love of Jesus Christ now and forever.
Amen.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
He took not on him the nature of angels
Heb 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
The nature of angels- spirit.
Psa 104:4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire
Heb 1:7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
Jesus did not take on the nature of a spirit. Jesus took on the nature of the seed of Abraham which was human nature. Some want to believe Jesus didn't really take on the nature of a human being, that He didn't face any of the temptations we do, not really. He some how had this special ability to resist that we in no way can possibily ever possess. Were we born like Him? No. We in no way can even think for a flicker of a heartbeat that we were born of God as He was born of God without a human father. But Jesus took on humanity, He took on the flesh and the Bible is clear when it tells us that ... 'he himself hath suffered being tempted'. If Jesus had some special ability that enabled Him to resist temptation then He wouldn't have suffered. He suffered though. He suffered through the temptations that came His way and He relied upon His Father to keep Him and His Father did. Jesus had to surrender Himself fully to the Father as a human being, the nature that was prone to sin had to be surrendered to God the Father because God the Son chose to give up His eternal spirit self and merge it with flesh forever.
Jesus wanted to be made like us. Jesus wanted to know what it meant to be a human being born into a sin-filled world. Jesus wanted to save us, to be merciful and to be our high priest forever with God. Jesus wanted to reconcile us to to God and the only way He could to that was to die for our sins. We have a Creator that stepped down from a very lofty height and chose to become created in flesh. In the womb of Mary He was formed slowly, cell by cell, bit by bit just as all babies are formed. He wasn't instantly in Mary's belly ready to be birthed. She had to carry Him for nine months as He grew within her. He literally took on flesh in a miraculous way without human seed. The Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary, the Holy Spirit formed the spirit seed of God that united with Mary's human egg, human and God united to form the Son of God in flesh. The Spirit of God that was Jesus along with the Spirit Father God in the beginning created heaven and earth and the Spirit of God that took on flesh became Jesus, Son of God forever in flesh. The mystery of it all is something we live with and by faith we believe. Jesus overcame so we could overcome through His righteousness. He came and saved us, doing for us what we can never do for ourselves. When we are tempted we must cling to Jesus. When we fall we must cling to the forgiveness He offers us and live in His righteousness.
Jesus wasn't an angel. Jesus was uniquely God and human combined. Jesus set aside His divinity to overcome the weakness of the flesh in humanity and prevailed though Satan threw everything imaginable at Him to tempt Him to sin. Praise God for the victory of Christ our only hope. The love of God is beyond our full comprehension but we understand enough to know we must believe in that love. We are blessed so very blessed.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, our Creator and Redeemer, Jesus Christ now and forever.
Amen.
Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
The nature of angels- spirit.
Psa 104:4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire
Heb 1:7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
Jesus did not take on the nature of a spirit. Jesus took on the nature of the seed of Abraham which was human nature. Some want to believe Jesus didn't really take on the nature of a human being, that He didn't face any of the temptations we do, not really. He some how had this special ability to resist that we in no way can possibily ever possess. Were we born like Him? No. We in no way can even think for a flicker of a heartbeat that we were born of God as He was born of God without a human father. But Jesus took on humanity, He took on the flesh and the Bible is clear when it tells us that ... 'he himself hath suffered being tempted'. If Jesus had some special ability that enabled Him to resist temptation then He wouldn't have suffered. He suffered though. He suffered through the temptations that came His way and He relied upon His Father to keep Him and His Father did. Jesus had to surrender Himself fully to the Father as a human being, the nature that was prone to sin had to be surrendered to God the Father because God the Son chose to give up His eternal spirit self and merge it with flesh forever.
Jesus wanted to be made like us. Jesus wanted to know what it meant to be a human being born into a sin-filled world. Jesus wanted to save us, to be merciful and to be our high priest forever with God. Jesus wanted to reconcile us to to God and the only way He could to that was to die for our sins. We have a Creator that stepped down from a very lofty height and chose to become created in flesh. In the womb of Mary He was formed slowly, cell by cell, bit by bit just as all babies are formed. He wasn't instantly in Mary's belly ready to be birthed. She had to carry Him for nine months as He grew within her. He literally took on flesh in a miraculous way without human seed. The Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary, the Holy Spirit formed the spirit seed of God that united with Mary's human egg, human and God united to form the Son of God in flesh. The Spirit of God that was Jesus along with the Spirit Father God in the beginning created heaven and earth and the Spirit of God that took on flesh became Jesus, Son of God forever in flesh. The mystery of it all is something we live with and by faith we believe. Jesus overcame so we could overcome through His righteousness. He came and saved us, doing for us what we can never do for ourselves. When we are tempted we must cling to Jesus. When we fall we must cling to the forgiveness He offers us and live in His righteousness.
Jesus wasn't an angel. Jesus was uniquely God and human combined. Jesus set aside His divinity to overcome the weakness of the flesh in humanity and prevailed though Satan threw everything imaginable at Him to tempt Him to sin. Praise God for the victory of Christ our only hope. The love of God is beyond our full comprehension but we understand enough to know we must believe in that love. We are blessed so very blessed.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, our Creator and Redeemer, Jesus Christ now and forever.
Amen.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Ye do err...
Mat 22:29 '...Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.'
How many of us can say we know the scriptures and the power of God? Seriously? I know very few scriptures compared to the many that make up the Bible, and even the Old Testament on it's own. We are to know the word of God but how many of us study to know the word? The power of God, do you know the power of God? These are good questions and questions we need to ask ourselves. Jesus told those He was speaking to that they erred because they didn't know the scriptures nor the power of God. We can err a lot when we rely on things other than the scripture and when we reduce God to the power of a human being. We do that all too often. We take God's power from Him imagining things that are impossible to Him. We speak of a miracle and equate it to God's power, but many slice and dice it until it was only accomplished through scientific means. Stripping away the power of God from the act of a miracle. With medical miracles we can see doctors scratching their heads not quite understanding things, but then chalking it up not to God but to just one of those quirks in life that happen. Quirks. Miracles are quirks. I'm not saying I know the power of God, but I do know the Bible tells me this...
Mar 10:27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
With man there are many impossibilities, things that defy logic and reason and men won't even pretend to be able to do because they know they are impossible. With God nothing is impossible but this doesn't mean God will do something senselessly just to prove He can do the impossible. So many in Jesus' time didn't comprehend that God could allow His Son to become a human being, to be born of a woman into a common mostly unremarkable early life. People were looking for a Messiah, a Promised One but they didn't want the Messiah to be someone like Jesus they wanted a kingly man full of self-importance ready and willing to wrest into submission all who would not follow God. Miracle after miracle was performed by Jesus and that was great but they wanted more, they wanted to be herald into a new age where the Jewish people were no longer oppressed in any way. They wanted self-importance for themselves and their race as the promised of God. They were blinded because self was in the way. They had their ideas of how things should be. A messiah should arrive and bring glory to them not help the poor and forgive sinners. They couldn't understand the workings of God, not His power nor the scriptures. We need to know the scriptures and the power of God if we're not to err.
I'm sure some in those days could quote the scriptures backwards and forewards knowing them word for word and yet still they lost the real knowledge the scriptures were to impart to them. We have that danger today as well. We need the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to all the truth in the scriptures as we seek to know the scriptures- God's word to us.
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
1Th 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God.
You do err, not knowing the scriptures.
For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power.
Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Please Lord help us to know the scriptures as You would have us know them so that we do not err. Please Lord help us to know the power of God so that we don't err. We need You Lord, we need the Holy Spirit to open our hearts, our minds, to You and all you would have us know. We can't believe that we can ignore your Holy Word, Your Word given to us by Your inspiration, and hope to know You, and Your power. Please help us as we study- help us understand fully Your inspired word which is... profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
By the love and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, now and forever.
Amen.
How many of us can say we know the scriptures and the power of God? Seriously? I know very few scriptures compared to the many that make up the Bible, and even the Old Testament on it's own. We are to know the word of God but how many of us study to know the word? The power of God, do you know the power of God? These are good questions and questions we need to ask ourselves. Jesus told those He was speaking to that they erred because they didn't know the scriptures nor the power of God. We can err a lot when we rely on things other than the scripture and when we reduce God to the power of a human being. We do that all too often. We take God's power from Him imagining things that are impossible to Him. We speak of a miracle and equate it to God's power, but many slice and dice it until it was only accomplished through scientific means. Stripping away the power of God from the act of a miracle. With medical miracles we can see doctors scratching their heads not quite understanding things, but then chalking it up not to God but to just one of those quirks in life that happen. Quirks. Miracles are quirks. I'm not saying I know the power of God, but I do know the Bible tells me this...
Mar 10:27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
With man there are many impossibilities, things that defy logic and reason and men won't even pretend to be able to do because they know they are impossible. With God nothing is impossible but this doesn't mean God will do something senselessly just to prove He can do the impossible. So many in Jesus' time didn't comprehend that God could allow His Son to become a human being, to be born of a woman into a common mostly unremarkable early life. People were looking for a Messiah, a Promised One but they didn't want the Messiah to be someone like Jesus they wanted a kingly man full of self-importance ready and willing to wrest into submission all who would not follow God. Miracle after miracle was performed by Jesus and that was great but they wanted more, they wanted to be herald into a new age where the Jewish people were no longer oppressed in any way. They wanted self-importance for themselves and their race as the promised of God. They were blinded because self was in the way. They had their ideas of how things should be. A messiah should arrive and bring glory to them not help the poor and forgive sinners. They couldn't understand the workings of God, not His power nor the scriptures. We need to know the scriptures and the power of God if we're not to err.
I'm sure some in those days could quote the scriptures backwards and forewards knowing them word for word and yet still they lost the real knowledge the scriptures were to impart to them. We have that danger today as well. We need the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to all the truth in the scriptures as we seek to know the scriptures- God's word to us.
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
1Th 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God.
You do err, not knowing the scriptures.
For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power.
Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Please Lord help us to know the scriptures as You would have us know them so that we do not err. Please Lord help us to know the power of God so that we don't err. We need You Lord, we need the Holy Spirit to open our hearts, our minds, to You and all you would have us know. We can't believe that we can ignore your Holy Word, Your Word given to us by Your inspiration, and hope to know You, and Your power. Please help us as we study- help us understand fully Your inspired word which is... profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
By the love and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, now and forever.
Amen.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Strangers- No Halos, No Wings
Mat 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Mat 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Mat 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
Mat 25:43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Mat 25:44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Mat 25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
Mat 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
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.
Love thy neighbor as thyself.
If you hunger, you wish to be fed.
If you thirst, you wish to drink.
If you lack clothing, you wish to be clothed.
If you're sick, you wish to be nurtured.
If you lack a place to live, you wish to have a home.
If you are imprisoned, you wish to know outside someone cares.
If you are the stranger don't you wish to be helped?
What do we do to help others? What do we do? People are in need all around us. Who do we help?
A stranger came to my door yesterday and I feared him and just wanted him to leave, leery of him and his being around my house. My first thought was that maybe he was one of those thieves who case the house before they do anything. Later that day it hit me, he was a stranger and I didn't welcome Him. I told myself that it was the way things are, society is different now. How can I trust strangers that come to my door not to hurt me, or want to hurt me? Today another stranger came to the door and my son answered it, it was a man selling meat out of his truck. My son told him we weren't interested, and we're really not because who wants meat from an unknown source? But immediately I told him and my daughter about the stranger the day before and now today and how we are supposed to help strangers, they could be angels even. And my daughter said, but yesterday that guy looked like he was trouble, and I said how are strangers supposed to look? Are they supposed to have a halo, wings, look nice? This all has me really thinking about things and I believe God wants me to learn something here, I only hope and pray that I do learn. I need to get over my fear, I need to help strangers. I need to do as God would have me to do. I need Him to teach me, help me because I am so weak. I don't want to be among those who don't help strangers, who don't love my neighbors. I need to do more some how, some way. I want to be among the sheep on God's right hand. May God help me.
By the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior.
In His love.
Amen.
Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Mat 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Mat 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
Mat 25:43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Mat 25:44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Mat 25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
Mat 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
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.
Love thy neighbor as thyself.
If you hunger, you wish to be fed.
If you thirst, you wish to drink.
If you lack clothing, you wish to be clothed.
If you're sick, you wish to be nurtured.
If you lack a place to live, you wish to have a home.
If you are imprisoned, you wish to know outside someone cares.
If you are the stranger don't you wish to be helped?
What do we do to help others? What do we do? People are in need all around us. Who do we help?
A stranger came to my door yesterday and I feared him and just wanted him to leave, leery of him and his being around my house. My first thought was that maybe he was one of those thieves who case the house before they do anything. Later that day it hit me, he was a stranger and I didn't welcome Him. I told myself that it was the way things are, society is different now. How can I trust strangers that come to my door not to hurt me, or want to hurt me? Today another stranger came to the door and my son answered it, it was a man selling meat out of his truck. My son told him we weren't interested, and we're really not because who wants meat from an unknown source? But immediately I told him and my daughter about the stranger the day before and now today and how we are supposed to help strangers, they could be angels even. And my daughter said, but yesterday that guy looked like he was trouble, and I said how are strangers supposed to look? Are they supposed to have a halo, wings, look nice? This all has me really thinking about things and I believe God wants me to learn something here, I only hope and pray that I do learn. I need to get over my fear, I need to help strangers. I need to do as God would have me to do. I need Him to teach me, help me because I am so weak. I don't want to be among those who don't help strangers, who don't love my neighbors. I need to do more some how, some way. I want to be among the sheep on God's right hand. May God help me.
By the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior.
In His love.
Amen.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Who Shall Separate Us From the Love of Christ
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
If we believe in God, truly believe we have to believe God will NEVER leave us, and that NOTHING can ever separate us from the love of Christ, NOTHING.
Tribulation- Great affliction, trial, or distress; suffering: the tribulations of the persecuted.
Distress- To cause strain, anxiety, or suffering to. To constrain or overcome by harassment.
Persecution- To oppress or harass with ill-treatment. To annoy persistently; bother.
Famine- Severe hunger; starvation
Nakedness- Having no clothing on the body; nude.
Peril- Imminent danger. b. Exposure to the risk of harm or loss. Something that endangers or involves risk.
Sword- An instrument of death or destruction
Reading through this list of things that could possibly come our way reveals how horrible it can be to live a life in Christ and STILL NOT be separated from Christ's love. Yet why do we get it in our heads that if we love God we won't suffer, or shouldn't suffer. That if God loves us then we won't have to go through any pain, horrific pain. Read that list again:
Tribulation- suffering. Distress- anxiety, suffering, harassment. Persecution- oppressed, annoyed, bothered. Famine- starvation. Nakedness- no clothes. Peril- danger, harm, loss, risk. Sword- death, destruction.
We don't believe any of that should happen to us if we love God, that we have the right to question God's love for us if we are called to go through severe suffering. We can let all that or any bit of it separate us from Christ, that's what Satan wants and any who try to convince you that Satan is just a made us boogy man, I say that you can't believe in God and not believe in Satan, the Bible is clear on the matter of His existence- the father of lies, the prince of this world, the dragon- he is very real and while you might think that the common person isn't of interest to Him that would be a mistake. Every human being is of interest to him. He would have each and every one of us on His side and separated from God and he will do everything he can to separate us, he will use EVERYTHING at his disposal. I've had some tell me that Satan is just an illusion and people use the idea of him to get away with their own evil. He's not an illusion. He is among the principalities, the powers, the creatures that will try to separate us from the love of Christ.
We have to cling to Christ through it all. We have to realize that life is like a rubber raft trip down a river. You're going to have calm traveling but you're also going to encounter amazing rapids such that threaten to toss you from the raft and separate you from it so that you drown. Christ is that raft and we have to cling to Him at all times. We have to hold on to Him in the calm and in the raging river. We are on that 'white water rafting trip' for life. We will only reach the shore when Christ returns or the sleep of death claims us and we sleep in Christ until He returns. It's a lifetime trip without any separation from that raft. If we think we can reach land and tie up the raft and go off exploring we are wrong. When we leave the raft we leave our protection, our source of eternal life. People think they can leave the raft, they believe they can go off without Christ in their lives and still have eternal life in Him. As long as we love God and have faith and hope in Him we can survive anything in Him without being separated from Him. When we lose hope and lose faith in Christ we are in danger of separating ourselves from Christ. Christ doesn't leave us when we go through trials and tribulations, we leave Him, we question Him, our faith crumbles.
I don't know when the next tribulation will hit me, but I know it will. It might be something outrageous or it could be something small and unassuming yet still a trial that will come trying to separate me from Christ, but I pray that my faith and hope remain by the grace of Christ, through the Holy Spirit.
Read this again...
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
May this be our belief, our heart felt belief that nothing separates us Christ's love, nothing! By the grace of God, through His righteousness, His love now and forever, by His forgiveness.
Amen.
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
If we believe in God, truly believe we have to believe God will NEVER leave us, and that NOTHING can ever separate us from the love of Christ, NOTHING.
Tribulation- Great affliction, trial, or distress; suffering: the tribulations of the persecuted.
Distress- To cause strain, anxiety, or suffering to. To constrain or overcome by harassment.
Persecution- To oppress or harass with ill-treatment. To annoy persistently; bother.
Famine- Severe hunger; starvation
Nakedness- Having no clothing on the body; nude.
Peril- Imminent danger. b. Exposure to the risk of harm or loss. Something that endangers or involves risk.
Sword- An instrument of death or destruction
Reading through this list of things that could possibly come our way reveals how horrible it can be to live a life in Christ and STILL NOT be separated from Christ's love. Yet why do we get it in our heads that if we love God we won't suffer, or shouldn't suffer. That if God loves us then we won't have to go through any pain, horrific pain. Read that list again:
Tribulation- suffering. Distress- anxiety, suffering, harassment. Persecution- oppressed, annoyed, bothered. Famine- starvation. Nakedness- no clothes. Peril- danger, harm, loss, risk. Sword- death, destruction.
We don't believe any of that should happen to us if we love God, that we have the right to question God's love for us if we are called to go through severe suffering. We can let all that or any bit of it separate us from Christ, that's what Satan wants and any who try to convince you that Satan is just a made us boogy man, I say that you can't believe in God and not believe in Satan, the Bible is clear on the matter of His existence- the father of lies, the prince of this world, the dragon- he is very real and while you might think that the common person isn't of interest to Him that would be a mistake. Every human being is of interest to him. He would have each and every one of us on His side and separated from God and he will do everything he can to separate us, he will use EVERYTHING at his disposal. I've had some tell me that Satan is just an illusion and people use the idea of him to get away with their own evil. He's not an illusion. He is among the principalities, the powers, the creatures that will try to separate us from the love of Christ.
We have to cling to Christ through it all. We have to realize that life is like a rubber raft trip down a river. You're going to have calm traveling but you're also going to encounter amazing rapids such that threaten to toss you from the raft and separate you from it so that you drown. Christ is that raft and we have to cling to Him at all times. We have to hold on to Him in the calm and in the raging river. We are on that 'white water rafting trip' for life. We will only reach the shore when Christ returns or the sleep of death claims us and we sleep in Christ until He returns. It's a lifetime trip without any separation from that raft. If we think we can reach land and tie up the raft and go off exploring we are wrong. When we leave the raft we leave our protection, our source of eternal life. People think they can leave the raft, they believe they can go off without Christ in their lives and still have eternal life in Him. As long as we love God and have faith and hope in Him we can survive anything in Him without being separated from Him. When we lose hope and lose faith in Christ we are in danger of separating ourselves from Christ. Christ doesn't leave us when we go through trials and tribulations, we leave Him, we question Him, our faith crumbles.
I don't know when the next tribulation will hit me, but I know it will. It might be something outrageous or it could be something small and unassuming yet still a trial that will come trying to separate me from Christ, but I pray that my faith and hope remain by the grace of Christ, through the Holy Spirit.
Read this again...
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
May this be our belief, our heart felt belief that nothing separates us Christ's love, nothing! By the grace of God, through His righteousness, His love now and forever, by His forgiveness.
Amen.
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