*******
Repent. When was the last time you repented? This one verse says sooooo much…
Luk 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he REPENT, forgive him.
Luk 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I REPENT; thou shalt forgive him.
IF he repent forgive him.
IF he commits the same offense over and over… and he REPENTS forgive him.
This says so much to us.
God forgives us as we forgive others.
Over and over and over again. Several times in one day. Repenting we need to truly repent not just assume we are forgiven without repenting. Not just ask for forgiveness without feeling the sorrow for our wrong. Not just ask for forgiveness because we KNOW what we've done is wrong. People know all the time what they do is wrong but they still do it without feeling any remorse at all whatsoever. We can't get to that place where we sin and stop feeling the remorse - if we do then we can't repent of that sin. It's better to live in sorrow for sin than to live in acceptance of sin. Better to feel the pain of sin than to cherish the relief of a painless existence and not repent, we can't be forgiven if we don't repent. Sometimes we feel as if we could live in pain forever our sinning is so great, but better to live in that pain and understand the transgressions, right? People want to have a happy, happy life. Anything for happiness. People will tell you that the Bible says we are suppose to live in joy… 'count it all joy' and that's true as well, but not joy in sin. We are to joy in Christ, in the forgiveness that Christ gives to us, in the life Christ offers us, the hope we find in Christ. We can't be happy in our own selves, but only in Christ and we need to learn that. We can repent and we can be forgiven and we can glory in Christ's unending grace but never believe that any sin we commit is acceptable and not worth repenting of.
May God open our hearts and our eyes to our sins so we can ask for the forgiveness we need to ask for, so that we can repent of those sins.
Maybe we'll keep sinning but that's no excuse to accept the sins, not ever. We have to fight the good fight against sin by seeking forgiveness and repenting always…always!
Please Lord bless us, keep us, help us, save us.
In Your love, through Your grace, by Your righteousness now and forever.
Amen.
*******
Job 42:6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and REPENT in dust and ashes.
Eze 14:6 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; REPENT, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
Mat 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
Mat 3:2 And saying, REPENT ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Mat 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, REPENTt: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Luk 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye REPENT, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luk 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he REPENT, forgive him.
Luk 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I REPENT; thou shalt forgive him.
Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, REPENT, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 3:19 REPENT ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Act 8:22 REPENT therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
Act 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to REPENT
Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and REPENT, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou REPENT.
Rev 2:16 REPENT; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
Rev 2:21 And I gave her space to REPENT of her fornication; and she REPENTED not.
Rev 2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they REPENT of their deeds.
Rev 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and REPENT.
*******
Repent
RE'PENT, a. [L. repo, to creep.] Creeping; as a repent root.
REPENT', v.i. [L. re and paeniteo, from paena, pain. Gr. See Paint.]
1. To feel pain, sorrow or regret for something done or spoken; as, to repent that we have lost much time in idleness or sensual pleasure; to repent that we have injured or wounded the feelings of a friend. A person repents only of what he himself has done or said.
2. To express sorrow for something past.
3. To change the mind in consequence of the inconvenience or injury done by past conduct.
Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return. Exo 13.
4. Applied to the Supreme Being, to change the course of providential dealings. Gen 6. Psa 106.
5. In theology, to sorrow or be pained for sin, as a violation of God's holy law, a dishonor to his character and government, and the foulest ingratitude to a Being of infinite benevolence.
Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 13. Acts 3.
REPENT', v.t
1. To remember with sorrow; as, to repent rash words; to repent an injury done to a neighbor; to repent follies and vices. [See Repentance.]
G3340
µeta??e´?
metanoeo¯
met-an-o-eh'-o
From G3326 and G3539; to think differently or afterwards, that is, reconsider (morally to feel compunction): - repent.
G3338
µetaµe´???µa?
metamellomai
met-am-el'-lom-ahee
From G3326 and the middle of G3199; to care afterwards, that is, regret: - repent (self).
H5162
???
na^cham
naw-kham'
A primitive root; properly to sigh, that is, breathe strongly; by implication to be sorry, that is, (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself): - comfort (self), ease [one’s self], repent (-er, -ing, self).
H7725
?????
shu^b
shoob
A primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbially again: - ([break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep]) X again, (cause to) answer (+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call [to mind], carry again (back), cease, X certainly, come again (back) X consider, + continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back, fetch home again, X fro, get [oneself] (back) again, X give (again), go again (back, home), [go] out, hinder, let, [see] more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), X repent, requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, + say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, X surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.
Repenting-
To be sorry.
To remember with sorrow.
To morally feel compunction.
Compunction--
1.
a feeling of uneasiness or anxiety of the conscience caused by regret for doing wrong or causing pain; contrition; remorse.
2.
any uneasiness or hesitation about the rightness of an action.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Study to Be Quiet
1Th 4:11 '...study to be quiet'
Study-
G5389
f???t?µe´?µa?
philotimeomai
fil-ot-im-eh'-om-ahee
Middle voice from a compound of G5384 and G5092; to be fond of honor, that is, emulous (eager or earnest to do somethng.): - labour, strive, study.
Quiet-
G2270
??s??a´??
he¯suchazo¯
hay-soo-khad'-zo
From the same as G2272; to keep still (intransitively), that is, refrain from labor, meddlesomeness or speech: - cease, hold peace, be quiet, rest.
*******
We don't often hear exhortations like that do we? Study to be quiet.
Looking at the Greek definition of the words 'study' and 'quiet' we could also say… strive to rest, labour to hold peace, study to refrain from being meddlesome, strive not to talk.
Still in all, being told to 'study to be quiet' tells us something doesn't it? We are noisy, restless people who don't often find being quiet very easy. Some of us are chatterboxes and we laugh as we tell others how we love to talk and talk. We make light of it because-well- that's just how we are. How easy is it for us to jump into conversations that others might be having without us but we over hear the talking and have our opinion to share. For some, as soon as the thoughts form in their minds they are spouting them out without taking time to think. Have you ever had your mind going a mile a minute with one thought after another? Have you ever been bursting at the seams to just spill out the thoughts you're thinking? Do you find yourself saying 'excuse me' just so you can jump into a conversation, or maybe you don't even ask to be excuse you just start to interject something because you feel what you have to say is relevant. That's it, isn't it? We like to talk because we believe we have something to say others NEED to hear, or WANT to hear. If you didn't think others needed or wanted to hear what you had to say would you still be talking at them, wasting your breath as their eyes glaze over and you get the non-committal nod of half-listening but mostly not? Or perhaps you've been the victim of the angry growl- 'It's none of your business so stay out of it'.
When we talk do we need to be aware of the value of our words? We all know how easy words can turn a happy time into an awful time. We know that truly the tongue is a fire... 'Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity'. With this knowledge in mind, with this fire brand in our mouths ready to strike out and burn any and all around us we don't fully believe in it as something equated with a 'world of iniquity', if we did wouldn't we make a concerted effort to not 'flame' at others, not to let the wicked, sin-filled tongue in our mouths strike out?
Study to be quiet. Strive to be quiet. Labor to be quiet. This is telling us to WORK at being quiet that being quiet might not come quite so natural to us.
I've heard people say they follow of ten second rule, meaning that before they respond to ANYTHING even remotely controversial they'll silently count to ten while thinking about the consequences of the response they might make. That's a good rule, but maybe ten seconds isn't long enough in every situation. At other times as a red-faced, fuming, antagonizing person stands there waiting for a response- ten seconds might seem like five minutes. Giving instantaneous retorts is expected, you might even hear the words - 'Are you going to let them get away with saying that?', if not from others you might hear that from the little sneaky voice inside your head. How often do we respond to stuff harshly because we feel as if our pride has been wounded? We've been hurt by the fiery tongue of another so we feel justified in lashing right back to save our dignity, to preserve our honor, to uphold our selfish idea of the type of person we are and how we deserve to be treated.
Study to be quiet.
You've all heard the saying- 'Think before you speak.' If we 'think' before we speak we are taking time to contemplate the affect our words will have on the situation at hand.
If we are to 'study' to be quiet, we need to truly make an effort to be quiet, don't we?
I read this--
Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Jas 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Every beast, bird, serpent, things of the sea are tamed… true? We wouldn't agree by our definition of tamed but if you think about it NO other creatures have tongues that speak, none! They are tamed by the definition they don't speak and cannot reason as mankind. Our tongues are untamed- no man can tame the tongue- at best we can 'study to be quiet', right?
Jas 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
Meekness of wisdom. Again, we equate being meek as being somehow inferior to being bold and outspoken and in our day and age we prize those who aren't afraid to stand up for themselves, we award those who debate successfully, we extol the virtues of not being meek but rather being bold. The meek get walked on, the meek are dominated, and yet… 'blessed are the meek'.
Our world is twisted and has raised up likewise twisted people. Ungodly, calling the virtues not truly acceptable by God, acceptable. Telling people to empower themselves- this world is so caught up in the devil's snares they think they are following God, if they would only bow down before our Creator, our Redeemer, and beg for forgiveness seeking to have their hearts and minds opened by the Holy Spirit to understand what God desires not what they desire, they would have hope. You can twist the truth until it fits like a square peg in a round hole by wearing down the sides of the square and forcing it to fit, but it won't ever be the peg that was supposed to fit into that hole, it will be a counterfeit that many will be deceived into believing is the true.
May God help us to 'study to be quiet', to be as He would have us be and not as we think we should be, or as the world tells us is acceptable to be. We need to be acceptable to God through the blood of Jesus Christ, through the righteousness of our Savior. We need to live in Him as He would have us live, not as we would naturally desire to live. We need to take up our crosses, we need to strive against sin, we need to cling to Christ and place all our hope, all our faith in Him fully.
By the grace and through the love of our Savior now and forever!
Amen.
Study-
G5389
f???t?µe´?µa?
philotimeomai
fil-ot-im-eh'-om-ahee
Middle voice from a compound of G5384 and G5092; to be fond of honor, that is, emulous (eager or earnest to do somethng.): - labour, strive, study.
Quiet-
G2270
??s??a´??
he¯suchazo¯
hay-soo-khad'-zo
From the same as G2272; to keep still (intransitively), that is, refrain from labor, meddlesomeness or speech: - cease, hold peace, be quiet, rest.
*******
We don't often hear exhortations like that do we? Study to be quiet.
Looking at the Greek definition of the words 'study' and 'quiet' we could also say… strive to rest, labour to hold peace, study to refrain from being meddlesome, strive not to talk.
Still in all, being told to 'study to be quiet' tells us something doesn't it? We are noisy, restless people who don't often find being quiet very easy. Some of us are chatterboxes and we laugh as we tell others how we love to talk and talk. We make light of it because-well- that's just how we are. How easy is it for us to jump into conversations that others might be having without us but we over hear the talking and have our opinion to share. For some, as soon as the thoughts form in their minds they are spouting them out without taking time to think. Have you ever had your mind going a mile a minute with one thought after another? Have you ever been bursting at the seams to just spill out the thoughts you're thinking? Do you find yourself saying 'excuse me' just so you can jump into a conversation, or maybe you don't even ask to be excuse you just start to interject something because you feel what you have to say is relevant. That's it, isn't it? We like to talk because we believe we have something to say others NEED to hear, or WANT to hear. If you didn't think others needed or wanted to hear what you had to say would you still be talking at them, wasting your breath as their eyes glaze over and you get the non-committal nod of half-listening but mostly not? Or perhaps you've been the victim of the angry growl- 'It's none of your business so stay out of it'.
When we talk do we need to be aware of the value of our words? We all know how easy words can turn a happy time into an awful time. We know that truly the tongue is a fire... 'Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity'. With this knowledge in mind, with this fire brand in our mouths ready to strike out and burn any and all around us we don't fully believe in it as something equated with a 'world of iniquity', if we did wouldn't we make a concerted effort to not 'flame' at others, not to let the wicked, sin-filled tongue in our mouths strike out?
Study to be quiet. Strive to be quiet. Labor to be quiet. This is telling us to WORK at being quiet that being quiet might not come quite so natural to us.
I've heard people say they follow of ten second rule, meaning that before they respond to ANYTHING even remotely controversial they'll silently count to ten while thinking about the consequences of the response they might make. That's a good rule, but maybe ten seconds isn't long enough in every situation. At other times as a red-faced, fuming, antagonizing person stands there waiting for a response- ten seconds might seem like five minutes. Giving instantaneous retorts is expected, you might even hear the words - 'Are you going to let them get away with saying that?', if not from others you might hear that from the little sneaky voice inside your head. How often do we respond to stuff harshly because we feel as if our pride has been wounded? We've been hurt by the fiery tongue of another so we feel justified in lashing right back to save our dignity, to preserve our honor, to uphold our selfish idea of the type of person we are and how we deserve to be treated.
Study to be quiet.
You've all heard the saying- 'Think before you speak.' If we 'think' before we speak we are taking time to contemplate the affect our words will have on the situation at hand.
If we are to 'study' to be quiet, we need to truly make an effort to be quiet, don't we?
I read this--
Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Jas 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Every beast, bird, serpent, things of the sea are tamed… true? We wouldn't agree by our definition of tamed but if you think about it NO other creatures have tongues that speak, none! They are tamed by the definition they don't speak and cannot reason as mankind. Our tongues are untamed- no man can tame the tongue- at best we can 'study to be quiet', right?
Jas 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
Meekness of wisdom. Again, we equate being meek as being somehow inferior to being bold and outspoken and in our day and age we prize those who aren't afraid to stand up for themselves, we award those who debate successfully, we extol the virtues of not being meek but rather being bold. The meek get walked on, the meek are dominated, and yet… 'blessed are the meek'.
Our world is twisted and has raised up likewise twisted people. Ungodly, calling the virtues not truly acceptable by God, acceptable. Telling people to empower themselves- this world is so caught up in the devil's snares they think they are following God, if they would only bow down before our Creator, our Redeemer, and beg for forgiveness seeking to have their hearts and minds opened by the Holy Spirit to understand what God desires not what they desire, they would have hope. You can twist the truth until it fits like a square peg in a round hole by wearing down the sides of the square and forcing it to fit, but it won't ever be the peg that was supposed to fit into that hole, it will be a counterfeit that many will be deceived into believing is the true.
May God help us to 'study to be quiet', to be as He would have us be and not as we think we should be, or as the world tells us is acceptable to be. We need to be acceptable to God through the blood of Jesus Christ, through the righteousness of our Savior. We need to live in Him as He would have us live, not as we would naturally desire to live. We need to take up our crosses, we need to strive against sin, we need to cling to Christ and place all our hope, all our faith in Him fully.
By the grace and through the love of our Savior now and forever!
Amen.
Friday, July 2, 2010
'Alive to You, and Dead to Me'
******* (Song)
My Eyes Are Dry
By Keith Green
My eyes are dry, my faith is old,
My heart is hard, my prayers are cold,
And I know how I ought to be,
Alive to you, and dead to me.
Oh what can be done, for an old heart like mine,
Soften it up, with oil and wine.
The oil is You, Your Spirit of love,
Please wash me anew, in the wine of Your blood.
My eyes are dry, my faith is old,
My heart is hard, my prayers are cold,
And I know how I ought to be,
Alive to you, and dead to me.
Oh what can be done, for an old heart like mine,
Soften it up, with oil and wine.
The oil is You, Your Spirit of love,
Please wash me anew, in the wine of Your blood.
*******
That song really touches a place in my heart. The truth is we need to be alive to Christ and dead to ourselves. Alive to the will of God and dead to the will of self.
Jesus said… 'Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. '
Jesus was seeking NOT His own will.
Jesus was seeking the will of His FATHER.
We must seek the will of the Father as well. How can we seek the will of God?
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.
The conclusion of the whole matter…. God's Will.
Fear God. God's Will.
Keep God's commandments. God's Will.
Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
The will of God… hearing Jesus, believing in God.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
The will of God- non-conformity to the world, this selfish, selfish world.
The will of God- transformation by the renewing of our minds.
Eph 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart
Eph 6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men
The will of God- servants of Christ from the heart.
The will of God- doing service as to the LORD…. not to self, NOT doing service for the praise of our fellow man, taking NO glory upon ourselves! All glory to God!
1Th 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
1Th 4:2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
1Th 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
1Th 4:5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
Fornication-
G4202
p???e?´a
porneia
por-ni'-ah
From G4203; harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively idolatry: - fornication.
Concupiscence-
G1939
e?p???µ?´a
epithumia
ep-ee-thoo-mee'-ah
From G1937; a longing (especially for what is forbidden): - concupiscence, desire, lust (after).
The will of God- abstain from idolatry, from lusts of the flesh, not desiring things of the worldly, not desiring things the ungodly desire.
We know that self is held up as the great standard for the world.
Self gain
Self glory
Self satisfaction
Self love,
Self knowledge
Self achievement
Self understanding
Self glorification
Self pleasure
Self rights
Self preservation
Self…self… self…SELF! The majority of evil committed in our world stems from self. The majority of sin is committed because of self.
The SABBATH is a unique opportunity to die to self. I'm being convicted in this more and more. The Sabbath was made for us. The Sabbath, a weekly reminder of God and not self, God's will, not our will, God's desires, not our desires. Some say it's contradictory - that if the Sabbath was made for us we ought to be able to all things pleasing to ourselves , God would want us to have all the fun we can because we are told there are six other days to work in and work isn't fun (for the majority anyway). God would have us turn from selfish gain and seek Him fully on the Sabbath without any distractions. God would have us worship Him on the Sabbath knowing that it is only by the grace of God that we live.
As the song above says…
'I know how I ought to be… alive to You and dead to me'
God please bless us this Sabbath as we seek to be alive to YOU and dead to self. Setting aside all that would keep our minds stayed upon ourselves. May all we do be for Your glory, Your honor, Your worship, Your praise. As the blessings of life surround us- and maybe that blessing is solely found in the promise of You and eternal life with You and not anything of this world- as the blessings surround us let us thank You for Your unfathomable love for us.
By Your mercy and grace in the righteousness of our Savior, all glory to You God, all glory to You!
Amen
My Eyes Are Dry
By Keith Green
My eyes are dry, my faith is old,
My heart is hard, my prayers are cold,
And I know how I ought to be,
Alive to you, and dead to me.
Oh what can be done, for an old heart like mine,
Soften it up, with oil and wine.
The oil is You, Your Spirit of love,
Please wash me anew, in the wine of Your blood.
My eyes are dry, my faith is old,
My heart is hard, my prayers are cold,
And I know how I ought to be,
Alive to you, and dead to me.
Oh what can be done, for an old heart like mine,
Soften it up, with oil and wine.
The oil is You, Your Spirit of love,
Please wash me anew, in the wine of Your blood.
*******
That song really touches a place in my heart. The truth is we need to be alive to Christ and dead to ourselves. Alive to the will of God and dead to the will of self.
Jesus said… 'Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. '
Jesus was seeking NOT His own will.
Jesus was seeking the will of His FATHER.
We must seek the will of the Father as well. How can we seek the will of God?
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.
The conclusion of the whole matter…. God's Will.
Fear God. God's Will.
Keep God's commandments. God's Will.
Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
The will of God… hearing Jesus, believing in God.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
The will of God- non-conformity to the world, this selfish, selfish world.
The will of God- transformation by the renewing of our minds.
Eph 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart
Eph 6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men
The will of God- servants of Christ from the heart.
The will of God- doing service as to the LORD…. not to self, NOT doing service for the praise of our fellow man, taking NO glory upon ourselves! All glory to God!
1Th 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
1Th 4:2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
1Th 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
1Th 4:5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
Fornication-
G4202
p???e?´a
porneia
por-ni'-ah
From G4203; harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively idolatry: - fornication.
Concupiscence-
G1939
e?p???µ?´a
epithumia
ep-ee-thoo-mee'-ah
From G1937; a longing (especially for what is forbidden): - concupiscence, desire, lust (after).
The will of God- abstain from idolatry, from lusts of the flesh, not desiring things of the worldly, not desiring things the ungodly desire.
We know that self is held up as the great standard for the world.
Self gain
Self glory
Self satisfaction
Self love,
Self knowledge
Self achievement
Self understanding
Self glorification
Self pleasure
Self rights
Self preservation
Self…self… self…SELF! The majority of evil committed in our world stems from self. The majority of sin is committed because of self.
The SABBATH is a unique opportunity to die to self. I'm being convicted in this more and more. The Sabbath was made for us. The Sabbath, a weekly reminder of God and not self, God's will, not our will, God's desires, not our desires. Some say it's contradictory - that if the Sabbath was made for us we ought to be able to all things pleasing to ourselves , God would want us to have all the fun we can because we are told there are six other days to work in and work isn't fun (for the majority anyway). God would have us turn from selfish gain and seek Him fully on the Sabbath without any distractions. God would have us worship Him on the Sabbath knowing that it is only by the grace of God that we live.
As the song above says…
'I know how I ought to be… alive to You and dead to me'
God please bless us this Sabbath as we seek to be alive to YOU and dead to self. Setting aside all that would keep our minds stayed upon ourselves. May all we do be for Your glory, Your honor, Your worship, Your praise. As the blessings of life surround us- and maybe that blessing is solely found in the promise of You and eternal life with You and not anything of this world- as the blessings surround us let us thank You for Your unfathomable love for us.
By Your mercy and grace in the righteousness of our Savior, all glory to You God, all glory to You!
Amen
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Paths of the Destroyer
Psa 17:4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
Psa 17:5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
We desperately need God to hold up our goings in His paths… that our feet don't slip off that path. It's sooooo easy to be caught up in the works of men. They surround us, the worldly ways, the works of men. There is a HUGE difference between the works of men and the works of God, the ways of men and the ways of God. Jesus was in the world but not OF the world. We are called to be IN the world but not OF the world. We really need to differentiate between the two ways of life and if you think it's easy, it isn't.
Most of us are brought up in the ways of the world, the ways of men. We are blessed and born again unto God and His ways through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as adults or teenagers.
Though some are brought up in Christian families - this is my experience, my family were Sunday and Holiday- Church Christians with Vacation Bible School thrown in but there was no day to day worship other than memorized prayers at meal times and bedtime. I was luckier than a lot of children who grow up without any knowledge of God at all. However, I still believe I grew up in the ways of Men, in the paths of the world. God as being the most important thing in life was not something I grew up believing and I'm NOT going to blame my parents, they were very loving and kind parents (not perfect but no one is) they raised me to the best of their ability.
The point being is our connection to the world. Most of us grow up in the ways of the world not the ways of God. Because we are brought up in the ways of the world later on it is often hard to separate all the ways of the world from the ways of God. You'd think it'd be fairly easy but it really isn't.
You look at certain religions- Quakers and the Amish come to mind and they have their own communities geared towards their religion and their children are brought up in those ways. I'm not saying those are great religions or even going to pretend I know much about them, I don't. What I do know is their children at a certain age are allowed to go out into the world to experience it and decide which way they want to follow and...
"Most (some 85-90%) successfully negotiate this "causal time" of their lives and return to the fold."
Pasted from
We read this…
Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Jesus doesn't pray that we are taken OUT of the world-- but boy wouldn't it be great to be taken out of the worldly ways? To live in a community of Christian believers sharing the same beliefs and honoring God? I know, I know, immediately the idea of CULTS come to mind, and I don't support cult living. In fact from those verses above we know we aren't to be taken out of the world but to be kept from evil.
Most of us don't have the opportunity to live OUT of the world. The worldly ways are all around us, even for those who do livei n the mountains and such. Worldly ways some how seem to creep into our lives in ways we don't suspect or even want to suspect.
Psa 17:4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
Psa 17:5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
Concerning the works of men
By the word of God's lips
I have kept me
From the paths of the destroyer
We need to keep ourselves from the paths of the destroyer found in the works of men.
We need to keep ourselves from being destroyed.
We need God to hold up our goings in HIS paths so we don't slip off HIS path.
This should be our prayer. We aren't to be taken out of the world but we will be kept from evil but ONLY through God, through the righteousness of our Lord and Savior.
Let us examine our paths. Let us pay attention to our lives and ask ourselves if our ways are God's ways and if they are not- rather than get bogged down in discouragement over how worldly we really are- pray. Pray to be kept from evil. Pray to have our goings in God's path, and that our feet don't slip. Pray and as convictions enter our hearts pray harder to be able to surrender the evils we cherish to God. Above all do NOT let Satan convince you that you'll never be right with God, that you can't follow His path. Pray and surrender to Christ, repent, ask for forgiveness over and over and over again if you have to. Trust in Christ for the victory found ONLY in Him, through HIM and His love and mercy.
By the grace and all consuming love, through the righteousness of our Lord and Savior now and forever, all glory and honor, all praise to Him!
Amen
Psa 17:5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
We desperately need God to hold up our goings in His paths… that our feet don't slip off that path. It's sooooo easy to be caught up in the works of men. They surround us, the worldly ways, the works of men. There is a HUGE difference between the works of men and the works of God, the ways of men and the ways of God. Jesus was in the world but not OF the world. We are called to be IN the world but not OF the world. We really need to differentiate between the two ways of life and if you think it's easy, it isn't.
Most of us are brought up in the ways of the world, the ways of men. We are blessed and born again unto God and His ways through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as adults or teenagers.
Though some are brought up in Christian families - this is my experience, my family were Sunday and Holiday- Church Christians with Vacation Bible School thrown in but there was no day to day worship other than memorized prayers at meal times and bedtime. I was luckier than a lot of children who grow up without any knowledge of God at all. However, I still believe I grew up in the ways of Men, in the paths of the world. God as being the most important thing in life was not something I grew up believing and I'm NOT going to blame my parents, they were very loving and kind parents (not perfect but no one is) they raised me to the best of their ability.
The point being is our connection to the world. Most of us grow up in the ways of the world not the ways of God. Because we are brought up in the ways of the world later on it is often hard to separate all the ways of the world from the ways of God. You'd think it'd be fairly easy but it really isn't.
You look at certain religions- Quakers and the Amish come to mind and they have their own communities geared towards their religion and their children are brought up in those ways. I'm not saying those are great religions or even going to pretend I know much about them, I don't. What I do know is their children at a certain age are allowed to go out into the world to experience it and decide which way they want to follow and...
"Most (some 85-90%) successfully negotiate this "causal time" of their lives and return to the fold."
Pasted from
We read this…
Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Jesus doesn't pray that we are taken OUT of the world-- but boy wouldn't it be great to be taken out of the worldly ways? To live in a community of Christian believers sharing the same beliefs and honoring God? I know, I know, immediately the idea of CULTS come to mind, and I don't support cult living. In fact from those verses above we know we aren't to be taken out of the world but to be kept from evil.
Most of us don't have the opportunity to live OUT of the world. The worldly ways are all around us, even for those who do livei n the mountains and such. Worldly ways some how seem to creep into our lives in ways we don't suspect or even want to suspect.
Psa 17:4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
Psa 17:5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
Concerning the works of men
By the word of God's lips
I have kept me
From the paths of the destroyer
We need to keep ourselves from the paths of the destroyer found in the works of men.
We need to keep ourselves from being destroyed.
We need God to hold up our goings in HIS paths so we don't slip off HIS path.
This should be our prayer. We aren't to be taken out of the world but we will be kept from evil but ONLY through God, through the righteousness of our Lord and Savior.
Let us examine our paths. Let us pay attention to our lives and ask ourselves if our ways are God's ways and if they are not- rather than get bogged down in discouragement over how worldly we really are- pray. Pray to be kept from evil. Pray to have our goings in God's path, and that our feet don't slip. Pray and as convictions enter our hearts pray harder to be able to surrender the evils we cherish to God. Above all do NOT let Satan convince you that you'll never be right with God, that you can't follow His path. Pray and surrender to Christ, repent, ask for forgiveness over and over and over again if you have to. Trust in Christ for the victory found ONLY in Him, through HIM and His love and mercy.
By the grace and all consuming love, through the righteousness of our Lord and Savior now and forever, all glory and honor, all praise to Him!
Amen
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Better than Life
Job 23:12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
God's commandments, God's words mean more than NECESSARY food. To honor God, to obey God is true life. Our life here and now is sustained physically by food, but what good is our physical life if we don't have the love God and the desire to live for God in our hearts? Are the words of God more important to you than life here and now?
Psa 17:1 A Prayer of David. Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.
How can our lips be feigned? We can speak all we want of God's love but if it's not real in our lives, if it's not real in our hearts then all we say and do is false and God's knows. People know too don't they? I mean really. People can look at 'so called' Christians and laugh, knowing that they profess something they don't truly live. The excuse of being human - you know the one- I'm only human so of course I'll still act ungodly and blame it on my humanity, that excuse people see through as well. Yes, that saying- 'Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven' is another excuse. It's true, but it's an excuse at the same time. There is a marked difference in those who follow God and those who follow the world. Instead of making any excuses a sinful Christian will seek to repent, to ask for forgiveness not try to lessen the blame of their actions. Our lips can be feigned and God knows the truth of all we say and do. We want God to hear us and He will, He does, and He knows the truth.
Psa 63:3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Better than life is God's lovingkindness and we need to praise Him more with that realization. We are so quick to blame God, to question God as life's problems surmount, but the truth is God's lovingkindness is better than life- the life we seem to think should be easy and without problems. We want our life and the lives of others to be endurable on a human level of what we consider relatively problem free. We place such great store on our lives and in doing so we often hold it higher than God. God's love is everything, God's lovingkindness is better than our life. Our lives are temporary here on earth and then temporarily in death's sleep in the grave until Christ returns. These temporary lives of ours are nothing compared to the love of God which lasts forever and is from forever. If anyone asks you what is better than life we can honestly answer- God's lovingkindness is better than life- all praise and glory to Him!
Psa 119:72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.
Psa 119:131 I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.
The law of GOD'S mouth…. better than great amounts of gold and silver. Again, it is God who is important, all important, not anything material in our lives. We have to think about what we really believe is important in life- is it life itself or the way it's lived? Would we be willing to lose all things and still love God? Or would we rather keep all things and lose God? Ultimately God is everything, everything of God is important. To esteem God's word better than any riches at all you could ever possess is a good thing. To LONG for God's word, to PANT for God's commands to us shows a great desperation for the things of God. Do we have this desperation for the things of God? Is God truly THAT important to us? We have to question ourselves, we know we have to examine ourselves we have to answer for our lives and the way we live and the choices we make. The more we examine our lives the greater the realization our need of a Savior is revealed. The need for the grace of God is all encompassing. The understanding that it is only through the righteousness of Christ we truly live by His grace is so important.
Obviously I've been doing just a short study on the 'mouth and lips' and it's a study that can be undertaken in depth there is so much to learn. It is my prayer that God bless us with understanding, opening our hearts and minds to Him fully. May we be convicted of the importance of placing God first and foremost in our lives- even above our lives for He is all in all.
By His Grace.
Amen.
God's commandments, God's words mean more than NECESSARY food. To honor God, to obey God is true life. Our life here and now is sustained physically by food, but what good is our physical life if we don't have the love God and the desire to live for God in our hearts? Are the words of God more important to you than life here and now?
Psa 17:1 A Prayer of David. Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.
How can our lips be feigned? We can speak all we want of God's love but if it's not real in our lives, if it's not real in our hearts then all we say and do is false and God's knows. People know too don't they? I mean really. People can look at 'so called' Christians and laugh, knowing that they profess something they don't truly live. The excuse of being human - you know the one- I'm only human so of course I'll still act ungodly and blame it on my humanity, that excuse people see through as well. Yes, that saying- 'Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven' is another excuse. It's true, but it's an excuse at the same time. There is a marked difference in those who follow God and those who follow the world. Instead of making any excuses a sinful Christian will seek to repent, to ask for forgiveness not try to lessen the blame of their actions. Our lips can be feigned and God knows the truth of all we say and do. We want God to hear us and He will, He does, and He knows the truth.
Psa 63:3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Better than life is God's lovingkindness and we need to praise Him more with that realization. We are so quick to blame God, to question God as life's problems surmount, but the truth is God's lovingkindness is better than life- the life we seem to think should be easy and without problems. We want our life and the lives of others to be endurable on a human level of what we consider relatively problem free. We place such great store on our lives and in doing so we often hold it higher than God. God's love is everything, God's lovingkindness is better than our life. Our lives are temporary here on earth and then temporarily in death's sleep in the grave until Christ returns. These temporary lives of ours are nothing compared to the love of God which lasts forever and is from forever. If anyone asks you what is better than life we can honestly answer- God's lovingkindness is better than life- all praise and glory to Him!
Psa 119:72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.
Psa 119:131 I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.
The law of GOD'S mouth…. better than great amounts of gold and silver. Again, it is God who is important, all important, not anything material in our lives. We have to think about what we really believe is important in life- is it life itself or the way it's lived? Would we be willing to lose all things and still love God? Or would we rather keep all things and lose God? Ultimately God is everything, everything of God is important. To esteem God's word better than any riches at all you could ever possess is a good thing. To LONG for God's word, to PANT for God's commands to us shows a great desperation for the things of God. Do we have this desperation for the things of God? Is God truly THAT important to us? We have to question ourselves, we know we have to examine ourselves we have to answer for our lives and the way we live and the choices we make. The more we examine our lives the greater the realization our need of a Savior is revealed. The need for the grace of God is all encompassing. The understanding that it is only through the righteousness of Christ we truly live by His grace is so important.
Obviously I've been doing just a short study on the 'mouth and lips' and it's a study that can be undertaken in depth there is so much to learn. It is my prayer that God bless us with understanding, opening our hearts and minds to Him fully. May we be convicted of the importance of placing God first and foremost in our lives- even above our lives for He is all in all.
By His Grace.
Amen.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Surrendering Evil
Act 19:20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
Paul stayed in Asia continuing to preach the Word of God. Many were converted, many burned their evil books and changed their lives so that Christ was first and foremost. They believed in those books and the sorcery within them. The books were expensive unlike our paperback books we can get for a dime a dozen at a garage sale. They had no printing press back then. These books were valuable and they burned them signifying the change in their lives. The heart change.
Not all were willing to change... Read on...
Act 19:21 After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.
Act 19:22 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
Act 19:23 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.
Act 19:24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
Act 19:25 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
Act 19:26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
Act 19:27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
Act 19:28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Act 19:29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
Act 19:30 And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
Act 19:31 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.
Act 19:32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
Act 19:33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.
Act 19:34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Act 19:35 And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?
Act 19:36 Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
Act 19:37 For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
Act 19:38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.
Act 19:39 But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
Act 19:40 For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
Act 19:41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
Act 20:1 And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.
This whole city was filled with confusion. The merchants didn't want anyone preaching about the one true God who didn't need any shrines, idols, or any sort of images crafted; this was how they made their money off the worship of the goddess Diana. If the One true God were worshipped they'd lose their coveted livelihood and not even eternal life was worth that to them.
How would you react to a similar situation? Think about it. How do you make a living? How do you survive in our world? Where does your livelihood come from? What if you had to suddenly choose between your way of making a living and God. We want to be able to say we'd give up everything and anything for God but do we really mean it? Seriously, do we? Chances are your way of making a living won't interfere with your ability to worship God, but what if you found out it did? These men couldn't imagine anything worth taking away their livelihood and more than likely they perished without accepting the Lord as their Savior and they won't have eternal life. Are there things in our lives we cling to rather than give up for God? Maybe it's not as challenging as being asked to give up your entire way of life, but we really need to examine our lives and question whether or not we do anything that we wouldn't want to do with God. Salvation through Christ is a gift, an amazing, wondrous gift. Yet we know that God will have us have...NO other gods before Him. Back in the days of the Apostles people were convicted to give up the wrongs in their lives, to give up the evil that surrounded them, we are asked to give up no less. We might not worship the goddess Diane, we might not have books full of curious arts- sorcery, but we can be sure there are things today comparable to the evils of the past and we must surrender them just as they did long ago.
May God bless us and convict us of the evil in our lives so that we may give it up and live in Him fully. By His righteousness, in His grace through His mercy and love now and forever!
Amen.
Paul stayed in Asia continuing to preach the Word of God. Many were converted, many burned their evil books and changed their lives so that Christ was first and foremost. They believed in those books and the sorcery within them. The books were expensive unlike our paperback books we can get for a dime a dozen at a garage sale. They had no printing press back then. These books were valuable and they burned them signifying the change in their lives. The heart change.
Not all were willing to change... Read on...
Act 19:21 After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.
Act 19:22 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
Act 19:23 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.
Act 19:24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
Act 19:25 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
Act 19:26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
Act 19:27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
Act 19:28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Act 19:29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
Act 19:30 And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
Act 19:31 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.
Act 19:32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
Act 19:33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.
Act 19:34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Act 19:35 And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?
Act 19:36 Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
Act 19:37 For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
Act 19:38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.
Act 19:39 But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
Act 19:40 For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
Act 19:41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
Act 20:1 And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.
This whole city was filled with confusion. The merchants didn't want anyone preaching about the one true God who didn't need any shrines, idols, or any sort of images crafted; this was how they made their money off the worship of the goddess Diana. If the One true God were worshipped they'd lose their coveted livelihood and not even eternal life was worth that to them.
How would you react to a similar situation? Think about it. How do you make a living? How do you survive in our world? Where does your livelihood come from? What if you had to suddenly choose between your way of making a living and God. We want to be able to say we'd give up everything and anything for God but do we really mean it? Seriously, do we? Chances are your way of making a living won't interfere with your ability to worship God, but what if you found out it did? These men couldn't imagine anything worth taking away their livelihood and more than likely they perished without accepting the Lord as their Savior and they won't have eternal life. Are there things in our lives we cling to rather than give up for God? Maybe it's not as challenging as being asked to give up your entire way of life, but we really need to examine our lives and question whether or not we do anything that we wouldn't want to do with God. Salvation through Christ is a gift, an amazing, wondrous gift. Yet we know that God will have us have...NO other gods before Him. Back in the days of the Apostles people were convicted to give up the wrongs in their lives, to give up the evil that surrounded them, we are asked to give up no less. We might not worship the goddess Diane, we might not have books full of curious arts- sorcery, but we can be sure there are things today comparable to the evils of the past and we must surrender them just as they did long ago.
May God bless us and convict us of the evil in our lives so that we may give it up and live in Him fully. By His righteousness, in His grace through His mercy and love now and forever!
Amen.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Word of God Prevails
Yesterday we touched on the fact that there is power in the name of Jesus and those who falsely attempt to use the name of Jesus have none of that power. Evil is real, evil spirits are real and they know Jesus and His true followers. We read from Acts 19: 13-16 and learned that certain 'vagabond jews', 'exorcists' who tried to cast out an evil spirit were beaten by the evil spirit instead. Picking up from there we read...
Acts 19:17 'And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.'
Fear fell on the people. They knew that Paul could cast out evil spirits in the name of Jesus, yet others couldn't cast them out because they didn't have that true love of Jesus. Jesus' name was 'magnified'. The power of Jesus was realized by others and this was a very, very good thing.
Acts 19:18,19 'And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.'
We talk about book burnings and today we cry out how wrong it is to burn books, it's limiting our freedom to have knowledge about all things. Book bans, book burnings, seem to be so archaic to us in our society. Yet these people who were compelled to learn of Jesus and live for Him 'confessed and shewed their deeds' burning their book.
The deeds of these many were 'curious arts'... witchcraft, the occult.
(ISV) Acts 19:19 'Moreover, many people who had practiced occult arts gathered their books and burned them in front of everybody. They estimated the price of them and found they were worth 50,000 silver coins.'
The occult, witchcraft and the like. It was a real practice, just as real then as it is today even though many today consider it harmless and silly. These people had books for their occult practicing, books worth 50,000 silver coins! They realized how wrong their witchcraft was and burned their occult books signaling their change of heart. Costly books were destroyed as an outward display of new faith was shown.
When people come to know their Lord and Savior they realize the wrong things in their lives and as the light reveals the dark parts in their lives they are compelled to change. Conversion often brings a marked changed in a person's life. But today in Christianity here in America, here in the world I live in, people seem more accepting of the darkness excusing the wrong things and readily saying 'God understands'. God does understand, people don't seem to though. Darkness cannot be made light, darkness cannot be made acceptable just because we want to be excused for the things in our lives we don't want to, or find hard to, give up. Sin is sin and no amount of desire to excuse that sin will change it to sinlessness. Just as those newly converted to the love of Christ realize how evil their lives have been and repent of that evil, we need to daily examine our lives and seek to repent of the things in our lives we are convicted are sin. We need to burn the books in our lives so to speak, we need to give up the practices we know are not of God. These people who were practicing 'curious arts' burned their costly books and...
'So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.'
The word of God grew!
The word of God prevailed!
This means the love of God was filling the hearts of many. Today the love of God needs to fill our hearts with a genuine love, a real conversion, a continued love, a continued conversion. The love of God doesn't convict and then wax cold, not if we keep it a live in our hearts. As the love of God convicts we need to react to the convicting as He would have us react. May the love of God continue to grow and prevail, may His word ever prevail and continue to grow now and forever!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior! In Him now and always! Through the righteousness of Christ!
Amen.
Acts 19:17 'And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.'
Fear fell on the people. They knew that Paul could cast out evil spirits in the name of Jesus, yet others couldn't cast them out because they didn't have that true love of Jesus. Jesus' name was 'magnified'. The power of Jesus was realized by others and this was a very, very good thing.
Acts 19:18,19 'And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.'
We talk about book burnings and today we cry out how wrong it is to burn books, it's limiting our freedom to have knowledge about all things. Book bans, book burnings, seem to be so archaic to us in our society. Yet these people who were compelled to learn of Jesus and live for Him 'confessed and shewed their deeds' burning their book.
The deeds of these many were 'curious arts'... witchcraft, the occult.
(ISV) Acts 19:19 'Moreover, many people who had practiced occult arts gathered their books and burned them in front of everybody. They estimated the price of them and found they were worth 50,000 silver coins.'
The occult, witchcraft and the like. It was a real practice, just as real then as it is today even though many today consider it harmless and silly. These people had books for their occult practicing, books worth 50,000 silver coins! They realized how wrong their witchcraft was and burned their occult books signaling their change of heart. Costly books were destroyed as an outward display of new faith was shown.
When people come to know their Lord and Savior they realize the wrong things in their lives and as the light reveals the dark parts in their lives they are compelled to change. Conversion often brings a marked changed in a person's life. But today in Christianity here in America, here in the world I live in, people seem more accepting of the darkness excusing the wrong things and readily saying 'God understands'. God does understand, people don't seem to though. Darkness cannot be made light, darkness cannot be made acceptable just because we want to be excused for the things in our lives we don't want to, or find hard to, give up. Sin is sin and no amount of desire to excuse that sin will change it to sinlessness. Just as those newly converted to the love of Christ realize how evil their lives have been and repent of that evil, we need to daily examine our lives and seek to repent of the things in our lives we are convicted are sin. We need to burn the books in our lives so to speak, we need to give up the practices we know are not of God. These people who were practicing 'curious arts' burned their costly books and...
'So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.'
The word of God grew!
The word of God prevailed!
This means the love of God was filling the hearts of many. Today the love of God needs to fill our hearts with a genuine love, a real conversion, a continued love, a continued conversion. The love of God doesn't convict and then wax cold, not if we keep it a live in our hearts. As the love of God convicts we need to react to the convicting as He would have us react. May the love of God continue to grow and prevail, may His word ever prevail and continue to grow now and forever!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior! In Him now and always! Through the righteousness of Christ!
Amen.
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