1Jn 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
We perceive the love of God…our perception of how God loves us is knowing that He laid down His life for us. We hear of people who in trying to help others lose their lives and we call them heroes. We know in history of people who voluntarily die so others don't have to. Again we call them heroes and in truth their actions are heroic. Giving up your life voluntarily isn't something many would do.
In our day and age we find it hard to put our selves out on little things, and we try and console our conscience with the belief that if we REALLY had to we could lay down our lives for our fellowman.
Sure, I might count it a burden to be asked to do something for you (especially if I'm in the middle of doing something I want to do, or have to do), but ask me to die for you and I'm right on it. Is that logical? Is it self-deception? If we can't be kind to our brethren in small things why do we delude ourselves into believing we'll be able to do something much more spectacular later on if needed? The whole - I'll be there when you REALLY need me, but not in all these little things can be explained away. We see it in movies and read it in books don't we? The grumpy ol' guy ending up being the sweet, caring man because of some big life transforming would be tragedy he found in his heart to avert at the very last moment. It's the Grinch Who Stole Christmas story told in a thousand ways so it's no wonder people believe that when it really matters they'll be able to come through. Do people ever stop to ask themselves what if there is no grand finale? What if their life is wholly made up of countless opportunities to show love in the small things? I'm not saying that we shouldn't be ready to 'lay down our lives for the brethren.' We should, but read on...
1Jn 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
God's love cannot dwell in us if we don't have compassion for others in all things, in little things, when they are in need. How compassionate are we? In a world where we have supposedly comedic television shows recording people humiliating others, watching others humiliate themselves, and we know someone is behind that camera showing NO compassion at all, it makes me sick to my stomach. People are enjoying the misfortune of others, using them for their amusement, to make money. No, the entire world doesn't lack compassion- we have other shows televising special concerts and such to raise money to help the needy. There is a lot of compassion, but there is also a huge lack of compassion. We have to answer to God only for ourselves and our own actions. Do we lack compassion? Have we hardened our hearts to others wanting them to fend for themselves just like we have to? How far does our compassion extend- does it reach to the completely undeserving? Do we try and determine who really deserves our compassion? Does the abusive drug addict deserve our compassion? Do we give money to a homeless person who is shaking from withdrawal? Do we only let our compassion go so far as to help as we believe help should be given- do we hand them a sandwich and a bottle of water rather than money because we don't want our money to support their drug habit? Yet what if unbeknown to us the person suffers from a disease that causes the shaking? What if the sandwich and water won't buy the medicine they need? Do we judge based on our perceptions? Do we believe that if only we knew we would have reacted differently? Our compassion has to go beyond our perception. Our compassion has to result in seeing a need and meeting it even if that means taking the time to figure out a need rather than assuming one. What about the person we believe might be lying to us? We don't want to be duped, right? Giving money to a person who isn't poor at all, but rather makes a living seeking money from strangers. Does our compassion extend to those who lie to us? It has to doesn't it? We can't *play* God, that's God's job, not ours. The lies of others are on their own conscience, our ability to be compassionate to any in need is on ours.
1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
Too many love in word-- letting their tongues run wild. Too many seem loving and very compassionate on the outside by the things they say. We need to love in deed- in action- and in truth. God knows how truthful we are…do we?
1Jn 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
1Jn 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
1Jn 3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
When we love in deed and in truth we know we are of truth and we can assure our hearts before God.
Our hearts will condemn us but praise to our loving God He is greater than our hearts and KNOWS ALL things. We can have confidence towards God- if our hearts don't condemn us.
Does your heart condemn you? Are you not loving in deed and truth? We can plead for forgiveness and begin anew seeking to love in deed and in truth. We can pray for a loving heart filled with compassion in all things, not just in things we choose. I know I'm not nearly as compassionate as I need to be especially to those closest to me. It's too easy to take advantage of those who are close to us expecting they'll forgive us, or feeling we are more put out by them. Sometimes it's easier to have compassion on strangers and we need to pray to our Lord and Savior to have compassion on all- as He would, as He has, as He does.
'let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.'
Remember…
Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men
By His amazing love, by His grace and mercy! Through His righteousness! All glory, praise, and honor to our Savior now and forever!!!
Amen.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Ask for the old paths....
Jer 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
Stand ye in the ways
See and ask for the OLD paths - where is the good way
Walk therein
Find rest for your souls
This is very applicable to us today. We're like a bunch of chickens running around with our heads cut off. We are going in all directions at once. We are trying to find our way in a world piled thick and deep in sin so vile it's been called good and acceptable. We are fighting against raging rapids. We are in the midst of the worst part of a hurricane, caught up in a tornado, drowning in a flood, facing searing flames…we really are and the sad part about it is while we are immersed in these many spiritual tempests we think we are safe and secure and have peace. We've become so conditioned to live in the worst of the worst of sin-filled ways that we think it's normal. We've stopped crying at tragedies. We've laid down in the bed of false solace covering ourselves with a thick, soft down comforter of ignorance, our heads resting on the most relaxing pillow of peace in existence and shut out the horrors of our lives because to dwell on our wretched state only upsets us.
Harsh words.
Harsh reality.
We want soothing words, a gentle reality.
The fact is we are living in a battlefield. When we are living in a battlefield we should be aware of our surroundings. A soldier living in a battlefield who goes about in a daze, in a pretend state of contentment will eventually find himself dead. When we stop crying over the horrors of sin we risk cloaking the truth and that is something that should NEVER be cloaked.
We are to stand in the ways.
We are to see and ASK for the old paths- where is the good way and walk therein if we are to find rest for our souls. If we don't look for God's ways of old, if we don't trust and follow our Lord as He's wanted us to do from the beginning, any supposed rest we have will be a false one. Are we following the Lord as we should be? Are we following the Lord as He commands? Are there things in our lives troubling us terribly that threaten to pull us from the path altogether?
We need rest for our souls but ONLY if we are on the right path, only if we are in the good way. We should never seek rest outside of our Lord and Savior, He is the way even the way of old. Let us cry bitter tears for the state of our world, let us grieve for the world overflowing in sin and degradation, and pray to be shown the right way-- always, daily, hourly, minutely. Let us be shown the right way and by the grace and mercy of our Lord let us live in that way.
'But they say we will not walk therein'. People don't want to walk in the old way, people don't want to walk in God's way. People don't want to see and ask for the old path- people want to walk in their own way- an easier way- down a WIDE path that offers much comfort, much temporary soothing, much… death.
We know this…
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.
That old path is very narrow, but a few WILL find it.
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Praise God we will be among the few, by His righteousness, through His grace and mercy, all stemming from His LOVE.
Amen.
Stand ye in the ways
See and ask for the OLD paths - where is the good way
Walk therein
Find rest for your souls
This is very applicable to us today. We're like a bunch of chickens running around with our heads cut off. We are going in all directions at once. We are trying to find our way in a world piled thick and deep in sin so vile it's been called good and acceptable. We are fighting against raging rapids. We are in the midst of the worst part of a hurricane, caught up in a tornado, drowning in a flood, facing searing flames…we really are and the sad part about it is while we are immersed in these many spiritual tempests we think we are safe and secure and have peace. We've become so conditioned to live in the worst of the worst of sin-filled ways that we think it's normal. We've stopped crying at tragedies. We've laid down in the bed of false solace covering ourselves with a thick, soft down comforter of ignorance, our heads resting on the most relaxing pillow of peace in existence and shut out the horrors of our lives because to dwell on our wretched state only upsets us.
Harsh words.
Harsh reality.
We want soothing words, a gentle reality.
The fact is we are living in a battlefield. When we are living in a battlefield we should be aware of our surroundings. A soldier living in a battlefield who goes about in a daze, in a pretend state of contentment will eventually find himself dead. When we stop crying over the horrors of sin we risk cloaking the truth and that is something that should NEVER be cloaked.
We are to stand in the ways.
We are to see and ASK for the old paths- where is the good way and walk therein if we are to find rest for our souls. If we don't look for God's ways of old, if we don't trust and follow our Lord as He's wanted us to do from the beginning, any supposed rest we have will be a false one. Are we following the Lord as we should be? Are we following the Lord as He commands? Are there things in our lives troubling us terribly that threaten to pull us from the path altogether?
We need rest for our souls but ONLY if we are on the right path, only if we are in the good way. We should never seek rest outside of our Lord and Savior, He is the way even the way of old. Let us cry bitter tears for the state of our world, let us grieve for the world overflowing in sin and degradation, and pray to be shown the right way-- always, daily, hourly, minutely. Let us be shown the right way and by the grace and mercy of our Lord let us live in that way.
'But they say we will not walk therein'. People don't want to walk in the old way, people don't want to walk in God's way. People don't want to see and ask for the old path- people want to walk in their own way- an easier way- down a WIDE path that offers much comfort, much temporary soothing, much… death.
We know this…
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.
That old path is very narrow, but a few WILL find it.
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Praise God we will be among the few, by His righteousness, through His grace and mercy, all stemming from His LOVE.
Amen.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Whatsoever ye do...
Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men
This is a verse that really deserves a lot of consideration… a lot.
It doesn't say whatsoever you do SOMETIMES.
It doesn't say when you do a few things.
It doesn't say pick and choose things to do heartily - as to the Lord.
It says…
WHATSOEVER. That word is all encompassing, isn't it? It means no matter what you do. It means in all you do. We can't leave the Lord out of ANYTHING we do. We can't set the Lord aside for awhile and do things then pick Him back up. We can't treat the Lord like we treat people in our lives. We are seldom EVER with any one person at all times, yet we are to be with the Lord always in all we do. If we are going places and doing things where we have to keep the Lord out, we aren't fully accepting of Christ in our lives.
Yes, this verse talks about our actions towards others too. We are to do all we do as if we were doing it to the Lord NOT men. This is how we are to treat one another! Think about it! Seriously. If we were treating everyone as we would treat our Lord then we'd probably be treating them a lot differently wouldn't we? Everyone, every man…as the Lord. All our actions should be done with the thought in mind that Jesus would have us treat all others just as we'd treat Him. The next time we're fighting with someone we need to ask if we'd fight with our Lord this way. We are to do unto others as we'd want to be done to, we want to be treated with respect, with love, with kindness and if we want that we have to give that.
All our actions should be done as if the they were being done for the Lord.
We really, really need to pray for this to be true in our lives. We are so far from where we should be. It's so amazingly hard, yet the victory will be found in Christ and ONLY in Christ. We can't find the victory in ourselves, of our own selves.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior may we be transformed by Him into what He'd have us to be. May we be the people He wants us to be for Him, not because we deserve it but because He died to save us.
In His love!
Amen.
This is a verse that really deserves a lot of consideration… a lot.
It doesn't say whatsoever you do SOMETIMES.
It doesn't say when you do a few things.
It doesn't say pick and choose things to do heartily - as to the Lord.
It says…
WHATSOEVER. That word is all encompassing, isn't it? It means no matter what you do. It means in all you do. We can't leave the Lord out of ANYTHING we do. We can't set the Lord aside for awhile and do things then pick Him back up. We can't treat the Lord like we treat people in our lives. We are seldom EVER with any one person at all times, yet we are to be with the Lord always in all we do. If we are going places and doing things where we have to keep the Lord out, we aren't fully accepting of Christ in our lives.
Yes, this verse talks about our actions towards others too. We are to do all we do as if we were doing it to the Lord NOT men. This is how we are to treat one another! Think about it! Seriously. If we were treating everyone as we would treat our Lord then we'd probably be treating them a lot differently wouldn't we? Everyone, every man…as the Lord. All our actions should be done with the thought in mind that Jesus would have us treat all others just as we'd treat Him. The next time we're fighting with someone we need to ask if we'd fight with our Lord this way. We are to do unto others as we'd want to be done to, we want to be treated with respect, with love, with kindness and if we want that we have to give that.
All our actions should be done as if the they were being done for the Lord.
We really, really need to pray for this to be true in our lives. We are so far from where we should be. It's so amazingly hard, yet the victory will be found in Christ and ONLY in Christ. We can't find the victory in ourselves, of our own selves.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior may we be transformed by Him into what He'd have us to be. May we be the people He wants us to be for Him, not because we deserve it but because He died to save us.
In His love!
Amen.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Why call ye me, Lord, Lord...
Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
You don't listen to me so why bother calling me your Lord? Seriously, we have to LISTEN to our Lord or He's NOT our Lord. It's really that simple, but we want to make it all complicated. We want to twist things so that people get all confused. There are thousands of religions and more and more growing each day, I'm not kidding. People who don't believe what the *big* churches are saying are branching off into their own little groups forming their own little churches with their own beliefs. What the bottom line really is, we have to listen to our Lord. We have to be followers of our Lord, true followers.
A true follower of someone believes in them, has faith in them, and will do what they say to do. We like to call that brain washing today don't we? We don't like people *following* people, or ideas that aren't mainstream. Every four years we have a presidential election and people choose to follow the candidate for president they like best and then begin to support them, even if it's with a single vote on election day, they are showing their support of that person- doing what that person wants them to do- vote for them. When a person follows something they are labeled. When a whole lot of people follow something it becomes acceptable. When a few people follow something it's more cultish and less acceptable.
Our Lord wants us to do the things He says- then we can call Him Lord, Lord.
We can find out what the Lord wants us to do by reading His word. We won't get a daily memo, we won't get a chore list, we won't get a telephone call, we're not going to be tweeted by the Lord. The Lord will not show up on facebook and post a personal message for you. We have to seek HIM.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
We have to ask to know the will of the Lord. We have to seek to know the will of the Lord. Our heart's desire has to be to know the will of the Lord and when we know it, follow it.
Many people already know what the Lord would have them do.
Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Most people know what Jesus means when He says this… 'and do not the things which I say'. Most people know what those *things* are. We can't lie and say we don't know. We know. We've read about them. Pick up Your Bible and read one of the Gospels and you'll know. So if we do know, why don't we do the things Jesus says to do? Why?
Self often gets in the way of selflessness and therein lies a big part of our problem.
A lot of time, simply because I cannot say all the time, but a lot of time it's that simple to understand. Self gets in the way of selflessness and Jesus is selfless and wants us to be selfless. We are not selfless. One of our BIGGEST problems is selfishness, the world revolves around selfishness and it's often disguised as benevolence. A show of selflessness, but that's all it really is. We can deceive ourselves as well, many will be deceived. Many who think they are followers of our Lord really aren't followers at all. I know I talk about this a lot, but it must be something close to my heart- the fear of being among those who call out Lord, Lord and He turns to them and tells them He never knew them. God please forbid that from happening to me. I want to know my Lord! I want my Lord to know me! I want to be a true follower of my Lord and do as He says.
By His grace, by His love, through His mercy!!!! In HIS righteousness, now and forever!
Amen.
You don't listen to me so why bother calling me your Lord? Seriously, we have to LISTEN to our Lord or He's NOT our Lord. It's really that simple, but we want to make it all complicated. We want to twist things so that people get all confused. There are thousands of religions and more and more growing each day, I'm not kidding. People who don't believe what the *big* churches are saying are branching off into their own little groups forming their own little churches with their own beliefs. What the bottom line really is, we have to listen to our Lord. We have to be followers of our Lord, true followers.
A true follower of someone believes in them, has faith in them, and will do what they say to do. We like to call that brain washing today don't we? We don't like people *following* people, or ideas that aren't mainstream. Every four years we have a presidential election and people choose to follow the candidate for president they like best and then begin to support them, even if it's with a single vote on election day, they are showing their support of that person- doing what that person wants them to do- vote for them. When a person follows something they are labeled. When a whole lot of people follow something it becomes acceptable. When a few people follow something it's more cultish and less acceptable.
Our Lord wants us to do the things He says- then we can call Him Lord, Lord.
We can find out what the Lord wants us to do by reading His word. We won't get a daily memo, we won't get a chore list, we won't get a telephone call, we're not going to be tweeted by the Lord. The Lord will not show up on facebook and post a personal message for you. We have to seek HIM.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
We have to ask to know the will of the Lord. We have to seek to know the will of the Lord. Our heart's desire has to be to know the will of the Lord and when we know it, follow it.
Many people already know what the Lord would have them do.
Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Most people know what Jesus means when He says this… 'and do not the things which I say'. Most people know what those *things* are. We can't lie and say we don't know. We know. We've read about them. Pick up Your Bible and read one of the Gospels and you'll know. So if we do know, why don't we do the things Jesus says to do? Why?
Self often gets in the way of selflessness and therein lies a big part of our problem.
A lot of time, simply because I cannot say all the time, but a lot of time it's that simple to understand. Self gets in the way of selflessness and Jesus is selfless and wants us to be selfless. We are not selfless. One of our BIGGEST problems is selfishness, the world revolves around selfishness and it's often disguised as benevolence. A show of selflessness, but that's all it really is. We can deceive ourselves as well, many will be deceived. Many who think they are followers of our Lord really aren't followers at all. I know I talk about this a lot, but it must be something close to my heart- the fear of being among those who call out Lord, Lord and He turns to them and tells them He never knew them. God please forbid that from happening to me. I want to know my Lord! I want my Lord to know me! I want to be a true follower of my Lord and do as He says.
By His grace, by His love, through His mercy!!!! In HIS righteousness, now and forever!
Amen.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Feareth Alway
Pro 28:14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.
Happy is the man that feareth alway…
We are told not to fear but this isn't the fear of being frightened of something but rather fear of God - reverencing Him, respecting His power as our Creator, our Sustainer, our Redeemer. Standing in awe of God.
Do we do this? How do we do this? We come before God and when we do it's in our thoughts, in our mind, it's spiritually- not physically. We don't stand in the presence of God as we would stand in the presence of an earthly king. How many people have stood in the presence of someone and been awed by it, awed by another human being? I can well imagine the star struck feel that awe of being in the presence of someone important, someone popular, someone in demand, how that can make a person feel. You see it all the time on television, you hear about it in the papers, on the news online, it's everywhere. Opportunities to meet your favorite person. You're considered a VIP when you get to meet a famous person face to face, you are given an honor and you acknowledge that honor in various ways, even if one of those ways is by standing there completely speechless. People have various reactions to meeting people they consider famous. Some people faint, some cry, some scream, some jump up and down, others just can't stop smiling, some bow down, some immediately feel the power of the other person and in response feel subservient to that powerful being. The reactions vary but there is no denying that when you hold someone in awe you react when meeting them with that awestruck sense of wonder. You might even have tough guys joking about it as if it doesn't faze them at all, but you can tell it really does by the way they brag about the encounter.
We are told that we are happy if we fear always. Happy if we forever hold God in awe before us. Happy if we forever respect the power of the Lord. We can't allow ourselves to become *used* to God in such a way that we lose that sense of awe for Him. He is our friend, yes, but He is our King, He is our Creator, He is our Savior and deserving more of aw e than any other living thing in existence. He is our Heavenly Father, and is it no wonder the Bible in one of the sacred commandments states we are to honor our mother and father? Respect, honor, awe, reverence-- fear. So many people think it's wonderful when adult children and even younger children get on so well with their parents they're more like friends than ….parents. No matter our ages we should NEVER lose the sense of honor and respect due to our fathers, never! We should never revel in the fact we are friends with our parents over the fact that we should be honoring them and thinking of them more highly than ourselves. Our Heavenly Father will forever and ever be deserving of our fear, forever! Even though we are adopted and beloved as children of His, that does not negate the respect, the reverence due to Him.
Pro 28:14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.
When we harden our hearts we become immune to that sense of awe. When we close our hearts off and stop believing that God deserves our reverence, our awe. When we adopt the attitude that there is no reason to reverence our Heavenly Father we will fall in mischief. When we no longer feel the need to honor God with our lives- our lives become pointless, meaningless and anything goes. When we stop reverencing God the Devil steps right in and begins His work on us- mischief and all it's many wiles takes over.
Once we lose respect for God it's very hard to regain it again. While some parents with their many evils and faults may seemingly lose their right to being respected, God will NEVER lose His right for our respect, never. I could argue no parent will either, but I know many people have grown up being abused mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically- and they would probably disagree with me no matter what my argument might be. Some people might believe God has abused them as well, in fact many do blame Him for all sorts of things and they fully believe they are justified in their accusations of Him. Satan uses any and ALL means to keep us from the love of God, we have to step out on faith and believe in God fully, reverencing Him always!
May God bless us and keep us in fear of Him always and forever! May we never come to a place where we believe God no longer deserves to be reverenced, never! By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, by the righteousness of our Redeemer, in His all encompassing Love now and forever!
Amen.
Happy is the man that feareth alway…
We are told not to fear but this isn't the fear of being frightened of something but rather fear of God - reverencing Him, respecting His power as our Creator, our Sustainer, our Redeemer. Standing in awe of God.
Do we do this? How do we do this? We come before God and when we do it's in our thoughts, in our mind, it's spiritually- not physically. We don't stand in the presence of God as we would stand in the presence of an earthly king. How many people have stood in the presence of someone and been awed by it, awed by another human being? I can well imagine the star struck feel that awe of being in the presence of someone important, someone popular, someone in demand, how that can make a person feel. You see it all the time on television, you hear about it in the papers, on the news online, it's everywhere. Opportunities to meet your favorite person. You're considered a VIP when you get to meet a famous person face to face, you are given an honor and you acknowledge that honor in various ways, even if one of those ways is by standing there completely speechless. People have various reactions to meeting people they consider famous. Some people faint, some cry, some scream, some jump up and down, others just can't stop smiling, some bow down, some immediately feel the power of the other person and in response feel subservient to that powerful being. The reactions vary but there is no denying that when you hold someone in awe you react when meeting them with that awestruck sense of wonder. You might even have tough guys joking about it as if it doesn't faze them at all, but you can tell it really does by the way they brag about the encounter.
We are told that we are happy if we fear always. Happy if we forever hold God in awe before us. Happy if we forever respect the power of the Lord. We can't allow ourselves to become *used* to God in such a way that we lose that sense of awe for Him. He is our friend, yes, but He is our King, He is our Creator, He is our Savior and deserving more of aw e than any other living thing in existence. He is our Heavenly Father, and is it no wonder the Bible in one of the sacred commandments states we are to honor our mother and father? Respect, honor, awe, reverence-- fear. So many people think it's wonderful when adult children and even younger children get on so well with their parents they're more like friends than ….parents. No matter our ages we should NEVER lose the sense of honor and respect due to our fathers, never! We should never revel in the fact we are friends with our parents over the fact that we should be honoring them and thinking of them more highly than ourselves. Our Heavenly Father will forever and ever be deserving of our fear, forever! Even though we are adopted and beloved as children of His, that does not negate the respect, the reverence due to Him.
Pro 28:14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.
When we harden our hearts we become immune to that sense of awe. When we close our hearts off and stop believing that God deserves our reverence, our awe. When we adopt the attitude that there is no reason to reverence our Heavenly Father we will fall in mischief. When we no longer feel the need to honor God with our lives- our lives become pointless, meaningless and anything goes. When we stop reverencing God the Devil steps right in and begins His work on us- mischief and all it's many wiles takes over.
Once we lose respect for God it's very hard to regain it again. While some parents with their many evils and faults may seemingly lose their right to being respected, God will NEVER lose His right for our respect, never. I could argue no parent will either, but I know many people have grown up being abused mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically- and they would probably disagree with me no matter what my argument might be. Some people might believe God has abused them as well, in fact many do blame Him for all sorts of things and they fully believe they are justified in their accusations of Him. Satan uses any and ALL means to keep us from the love of God, we have to step out on faith and believe in God fully, reverencing Him always!
May God bless us and keep us in fear of Him always and forever! May we never come to a place where we believe God no longer deserves to be reverenced, never! By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, by the righteousness of our Redeemer, in His all encompassing Love now and forever!
Amen.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Reproof
Reproof
Let's study reproof for a bit. The meaning of reproof is …
re·proof
[ri-proof]
Show IPA
–noun
1.
the act of reproving, censuring, or rebuking.
2.
an expression of censure or rebuke.
Pasted from
The Bible has this to say about reproof…
Pro 1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my REPROOF
Pro 1:30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my REPROOF
Pro 5:12 And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised REPROOF
Pro 10:17 He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth REPROOF erreth.
Pro 12:1 Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth REPROOF is brutish
Pro 13:18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth REPROOF shall be honoured.
Pro 15:5 A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth REPROOF is prudent.
Pro 15:10 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth REPROOF shall die.
Pro 15:31 The ear that heareth the REPROOF of life abideth among the wise.
Pro 15:32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth REPROOF getteth understanding.
Pro 17:10 A REPROOF entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
Pro 29:15 The rod and REPROOF give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for REPROOF, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
Clearly the Bible promotes reproof, especially the reproof of God towards His children as He tries to teach them the way to live. We are erring children and when we err God is eager to show us where we've gone wrong. God doesn't leave us to wonder where we've erred. The Bible doesn't hold back when it talks of how we should be as God's children. There are many instructions in the Bible, the Ten Commandments most notably in both the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament declared the Ten Commandments and the New Testament reestablished them in our Savior.
Let's read something I found very interesting...
'The rebellion in Heaven was prompted by the same spirit which inspires rebellion on earth.
Satan has continued with men the same policy which he pursued with the angels.
His spirit now reigns in the children of disobedience.
There is a constant hatred of reproof, and a disposition to rebel against it.
When God sends to wrong-doers a message of warning or correction, Satan leads them to justify
themselves, and to seek the sympathy of others.
Instead of changing their wrong course, they manifest great indignation against the reprover, as if he were the sole cause of difficulty.
From the days of righteous Abel to our own time, such is the spirit which has been displayed toward those who dare to condemn sin.'
GC - E.G.W. pg 281
There truly is a constant hatred of reproof. Do you like to be reproved? Seriously? The last time someone reproved you, were you grateful? Maybe you were, but I know I wasn't. To me being reproved for something means I was wrong about something and I don't like being wrong about things. Am I saying that I'm delusional and think I'm never going to be wrong? No! I just don't like being wrong and when I am I don't enjoy having it pointed out to me. Maybe if it were God Himself reproving me I'd feel differently, but that's not how it's always done. Sure we can find a lot to reprove us in God's word but that isn't nearly as bad as having another person tell us where we've gone wrong. Whose business is it of theirs? Do they think they're perfect? They have no right to point out my faults that's between me and God. Of course that kind of thinking goes against God's will for us. We are to accept reproof and learn from it. The source of that reproof shouldn't matter! Neither should the way the reproof is given to us matter. When we are reproved-
re·prove
[ri-proov]
Show IPA verb, -proved, -prov·ing.
–verb (used with object)
1.
to criticize or correct, esp. gently: to reprove a pupil for making a mistake.
2.
to disapprove of strongly; censure: to reprove a bad decision.
3.
Obsolete . to disprove or refute.
Pasted from
When we are reproved we are corrected, we are criticized, we are disapproved of strongly, we are censured. When our wrong doing is revealed we have to take stock in what is being said. Is the one reproving us speaking the truth? Is pride in the way of us truly seeing the truth? Do we instantly go on the defensive when rebuked? What happens if the one reproving us is wrong? What then? Satan likes nothing better than disputing- setting people at odds with one another. So what if the one reproving you is wrong, the Bible tells us to turn the other cheek, right? The Bible tells us we will be despised and accused falsely. The thing here is to really listen to what's being said and instead of outright dismissing the reproof, give it consideration. The person giving the reproof - even if they are not one we'd considered godly- might be a vessel being used of God to give us a message, to wake us up to an undesirable state we might be in. Even Judas was given power to heal. Read Matthew 10:1-4
'When God sends to wrong-doers a message of warning or correction, Satan leads them to justify
themselves, and to seek the sympathy of others. '
We do that… the try to justify ourselves it's almost instinctive, but what I'm saying is 'almost instinctive' is in fact Satan's handiwork being revealed. He's ingrained in us so much through the many, many years of sin and He starts at us when we are very young so that we'll grow up with many cherished defects he hopes we'll never surrender to Christ.
That bit about seeking the sympathy of others is true as well. We go to other people and can't wait to tell them the awful stuff that was said to us so that we can be reassured that we're just fine and the one reproving us was at fault and clearly very wrong. We get our sympathy and it helps us along to ignore the reproof.
Yes, instead of changing our wrong ways we do get indignant at those pointing them out. We know we have faults but there is NO reason to point them out, right? Yes, there is a reason, a big reason especially if God is trying to open our eyes to things that we need to pray about and seek the victory over.
From the days of ABEL till now, it's the same way. Sin is sin is sin is sin! We can't justify sin. We can't hide sin. We can't make sin good. We can try to call evil good and we are told many will do just that, but evil is evil is evil and bottom line there is no changing sin. We can be forgiven sin, but we won't ever be told it's okay to sin…not ever! We will never be told sin is not evil, not and be told the truth.
*******
Here's a snippet from C.S. Lewis--
'There is either a warning or an encouragement here for every one of us. If you are a nice person-if virtue comes easily to you beware! Much is expected from those to whom much is given. If you mistake for your own merits what are really God's gifts to you through nature, and if you are
contented with simply being nice, you are still a rebel: and all those gifts will only make your fall more terrible, your corruption more complicated, your bad example more disastrous. The Devil was an archangel once; his natural gifts were as far above yours as yours are above those of a
chimpanzee.
But if you are a poor creature-poisoned by a wretched upbringing in some house full of vulgar jealousies and senseless quarrels-saddled, by no choice of your own, with some loathsome sexual perversion-nagged day in and day out by an inferiority complex that makes you snap at your best
friends-do not despair. He knows all about it. You are one of the poor whom He blessed. He knows what a wretched machine you are trying to drive. Keep on. Do what you can. One day (perhaps in another world, but perhaps far sooner than that) he will fling it on the scrap-heap and give you a new one.
And then you may astonish us all-not least yourself: for you have learned your driving in a hard school. (Some of the last will be first and some of the first will be last.)'
Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis
How does that fit into the message of reproof? Well, Jesus does know what a 'wretched machine' we are trying to drive. Jesus knows that we often forget where anything good in us comes from. We are known for what we are. We can't ever get to a place that we believe we are undeserving of reproof- whether we are at our best or at our worst. God sees every defect in our characters, every single one. God knows us better than we'll ever know ourselves and we have to trust in Him to give us the reproof we need and by His grace and mercy we'll accept that reproof and go to Him begging forgiveness and seeking a clean heart.
The next time someone reproves you try not to react on the offensive, try to react as if they might be truly trying to help with their rebuking even if it's hurtful in its delivery. We are told this…
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
If God's word is that powerful, it stands to reason His reproof of us will be powerful and painful.
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Chastened and scourged-- Pain!
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Rebuked and chastened-- Pain!
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Grievious--Pain!
We won't like the chastening, we won't like the reproof, we won't be joyous during our learning but by the grace of God may we learn and afterward have the peaceable fruit of Christ's righteousness.
In His love! In His mercy! By His grace! All honor and praise to our wonderful Creator and Redeemer now and forever!
Amen.
Let's study reproof for a bit. The meaning of reproof is …
re·proof
[ri-proof]
Show IPA
–noun
1.
the act of reproving, censuring, or rebuking.
2.
an expression of censure or rebuke.
Pasted from
The Bible has this to say about reproof…
Pro 1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my REPROOF
Pro 1:30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my REPROOF
Pro 5:12 And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised REPROOF
Pro 10:17 He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth REPROOF erreth.
Pro 12:1 Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth REPROOF is brutish
Pro 13:18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth REPROOF shall be honoured.
Pro 15:5 A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth REPROOF is prudent.
Pro 15:10 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth REPROOF shall die.
Pro 15:31 The ear that heareth the REPROOF of life abideth among the wise.
Pro 15:32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth REPROOF getteth understanding.
Pro 17:10 A REPROOF entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
Pro 29:15 The rod and REPROOF give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for REPROOF, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
Clearly the Bible promotes reproof, especially the reproof of God towards His children as He tries to teach them the way to live. We are erring children and when we err God is eager to show us where we've gone wrong. God doesn't leave us to wonder where we've erred. The Bible doesn't hold back when it talks of how we should be as God's children. There are many instructions in the Bible, the Ten Commandments most notably in both the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament declared the Ten Commandments and the New Testament reestablished them in our Savior.
Let's read something I found very interesting...
'The rebellion in Heaven was prompted by the same spirit which inspires rebellion on earth.
Satan has continued with men the same policy which he pursued with the angels.
His spirit now reigns in the children of disobedience.
There is a constant hatred of reproof, and a disposition to rebel against it.
When God sends to wrong-doers a message of warning or correction, Satan leads them to justify
themselves, and to seek the sympathy of others.
Instead of changing their wrong course, they manifest great indignation against the reprover, as if he were the sole cause of difficulty.
From the days of righteous Abel to our own time, such is the spirit which has been displayed toward those who dare to condemn sin.'
GC - E.G.W. pg 281
There truly is a constant hatred of reproof. Do you like to be reproved? Seriously? The last time someone reproved you, were you grateful? Maybe you were, but I know I wasn't. To me being reproved for something means I was wrong about something and I don't like being wrong about things. Am I saying that I'm delusional and think I'm never going to be wrong? No! I just don't like being wrong and when I am I don't enjoy having it pointed out to me. Maybe if it were God Himself reproving me I'd feel differently, but that's not how it's always done. Sure we can find a lot to reprove us in God's word but that isn't nearly as bad as having another person tell us where we've gone wrong. Whose business is it of theirs? Do they think they're perfect? They have no right to point out my faults that's between me and God. Of course that kind of thinking goes against God's will for us. We are to accept reproof and learn from it. The source of that reproof shouldn't matter! Neither should the way the reproof is given to us matter. When we are reproved-
re·prove
[ri-proov]
Show IPA verb, -proved, -prov·ing.
–verb (used with object)
1.
to criticize or correct, esp. gently: to reprove a pupil for making a mistake.
2.
to disapprove of strongly; censure: to reprove a bad decision.
3.
Obsolete . to disprove or refute.
Pasted from
When we are reproved we are corrected, we are criticized, we are disapproved of strongly, we are censured. When our wrong doing is revealed we have to take stock in what is being said. Is the one reproving us speaking the truth? Is pride in the way of us truly seeing the truth? Do we instantly go on the defensive when rebuked? What happens if the one reproving us is wrong? What then? Satan likes nothing better than disputing- setting people at odds with one another. So what if the one reproving you is wrong, the Bible tells us to turn the other cheek, right? The Bible tells us we will be despised and accused falsely. The thing here is to really listen to what's being said and instead of outright dismissing the reproof, give it consideration. The person giving the reproof - even if they are not one we'd considered godly- might be a vessel being used of God to give us a message, to wake us up to an undesirable state we might be in. Even Judas was given power to heal. Read Matthew 10:1-4
'When God sends to wrong-doers a message of warning or correction, Satan leads them to justify
themselves, and to seek the sympathy of others. '
We do that… the try to justify ourselves it's almost instinctive, but what I'm saying is 'almost instinctive' is in fact Satan's handiwork being revealed. He's ingrained in us so much through the many, many years of sin and He starts at us when we are very young so that we'll grow up with many cherished defects he hopes we'll never surrender to Christ.
That bit about seeking the sympathy of others is true as well. We go to other people and can't wait to tell them the awful stuff that was said to us so that we can be reassured that we're just fine and the one reproving us was at fault and clearly very wrong. We get our sympathy and it helps us along to ignore the reproof.
Yes, instead of changing our wrong ways we do get indignant at those pointing them out. We know we have faults but there is NO reason to point them out, right? Yes, there is a reason, a big reason especially if God is trying to open our eyes to things that we need to pray about and seek the victory over.
From the days of ABEL till now, it's the same way. Sin is sin is sin is sin! We can't justify sin. We can't hide sin. We can't make sin good. We can try to call evil good and we are told many will do just that, but evil is evil is evil and bottom line there is no changing sin. We can be forgiven sin, but we won't ever be told it's okay to sin…not ever! We will never be told sin is not evil, not and be told the truth.
*******
Here's a snippet from C.S. Lewis--
'There is either a warning or an encouragement here for every one of us. If you are a nice person-if virtue comes easily to you beware! Much is expected from those to whom much is given. If you mistake for your own merits what are really God's gifts to you through nature, and if you are
contented with simply being nice, you are still a rebel: and all those gifts will only make your fall more terrible, your corruption more complicated, your bad example more disastrous. The Devil was an archangel once; his natural gifts were as far above yours as yours are above those of a
chimpanzee.
But if you are a poor creature-poisoned by a wretched upbringing in some house full of vulgar jealousies and senseless quarrels-saddled, by no choice of your own, with some loathsome sexual perversion-nagged day in and day out by an inferiority complex that makes you snap at your best
friends-do not despair. He knows all about it. You are one of the poor whom He blessed. He knows what a wretched machine you are trying to drive. Keep on. Do what you can. One day (perhaps in another world, but perhaps far sooner than that) he will fling it on the scrap-heap and give you a new one.
And then you may astonish us all-not least yourself: for you have learned your driving in a hard school. (Some of the last will be first and some of the first will be last.)'
Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis
How does that fit into the message of reproof? Well, Jesus does know what a 'wretched machine' we are trying to drive. Jesus knows that we often forget where anything good in us comes from. We are known for what we are. We can't ever get to a place that we believe we are undeserving of reproof- whether we are at our best or at our worst. God sees every defect in our characters, every single one. God knows us better than we'll ever know ourselves and we have to trust in Him to give us the reproof we need and by His grace and mercy we'll accept that reproof and go to Him begging forgiveness and seeking a clean heart.
The next time someone reproves you try not to react on the offensive, try to react as if they might be truly trying to help with their rebuking even if it's hurtful in its delivery. We are told this…
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
If God's word is that powerful, it stands to reason His reproof of us will be powerful and painful.
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Chastened and scourged-- Pain!
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Rebuked and chastened-- Pain!
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Grievious--Pain!
We won't like the chastening, we won't like the reproof, we won't be joyous during our learning but by the grace of God may we learn and afterward have the peaceable fruit of Christ's righteousness.
In His love! In His mercy! By His grace! All honor and praise to our wonderful Creator and Redeemer now and forever!
Amen.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Hear Counsel
Pro 19:20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
Pro 19:21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
The counsel of the Lord shall stand.
Counsel - Hebrew definition--
H6098
???
?e^tsa^h
ay-tsaw'
From H3289; advice; by implication plan; also prudence: - advice, advisement, counsel ([-lor]), purpose.
Listen to the Lord. If we receive instruction and counsel from the Lord we will be wise in our latter end. Advice from the Lord. The Bible offers us God's advice, God's counsel. The purpose of the Lord is revealed in His word. We know that God created man in His own image. We know that God is Love. We know that God's mercy has kept us alive, God's grace has made it so we can be as we were intended without sin's corruption in us. When the Bible tells us there are many devices in a man's heart it is sooooo true! We have so many things going on in our heart of hearts, things we don't even like take place. We can clearly see our own wickedness.
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
How sad a state we can find ourselves in when our own heart seems to betray us. We know what we SHOULD be about, but our hearts betray us by leading us elsewhere. There are MANY devices in a man's heart- NEVERTHELESS the counsel of the Lord …that SHALL STAND. We can't know our own hearts, but we can know they are wicked. What we can know is that God' s counsels will stand true and we can trust in God's counsels, not our own. God is true even when we are not. Is it that we don't want to be true? No, because sometimes we desperately want to be true to God, but what we want isn't what we do. We have to trust in God fully leaving no room for doubt at all. If we think we can stand on our own we have already fallen and are only deluded into thinking we are still standing. We have to hear the counsels of the Lord. We have to search His word daily for those counsels. Will searching save us? No. Only Christ can save us. We have to place ourselves where God can reach us, where He can teach us, where He can speak to us. If we wish to be counseled by the Lord we have to go to where the counsel is given. The living word of God will counsel us. The living word of God will be a sword for us and why do we need swords? To protect ourselves from that which would kill us. The sword of the Spirit of the Word of God kills anything that would destroy us spiritually. We have to have the Word of God in our hearts.
Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Pro 19:20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
Pro 19:21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
The counsel of the LORD that shall stand! Anything we devise will falter, but the Lord's counsels will stand. May we seek the counsel of the Lord now and always so that we may be protected even from our own hearts. God's will be done in us by His grace, through His mercy, in the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever!
Amen.
Pro 19:21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
The counsel of the Lord shall stand.
Counsel - Hebrew definition--
H6098
???
?e^tsa^h
ay-tsaw'
From H3289; advice; by implication plan; also prudence: - advice, advisement, counsel ([-lor]), purpose.
Listen to the Lord. If we receive instruction and counsel from the Lord we will be wise in our latter end. Advice from the Lord. The Bible offers us God's advice, God's counsel. The purpose of the Lord is revealed in His word. We know that God created man in His own image. We know that God is Love. We know that God's mercy has kept us alive, God's grace has made it so we can be as we were intended without sin's corruption in us. When the Bible tells us there are many devices in a man's heart it is sooooo true! We have so many things going on in our heart of hearts, things we don't even like take place. We can clearly see our own wickedness.
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
How sad a state we can find ourselves in when our own heart seems to betray us. We know what we SHOULD be about, but our hearts betray us by leading us elsewhere. There are MANY devices in a man's heart- NEVERTHELESS the counsel of the Lord …that SHALL STAND. We can't know our own hearts, but we can know they are wicked. What we can know is that God' s counsels will stand true and we can trust in God's counsels, not our own. God is true even when we are not. Is it that we don't want to be true? No, because sometimes we desperately want to be true to God, but what we want isn't what we do. We have to trust in God fully leaving no room for doubt at all. If we think we can stand on our own we have already fallen and are only deluded into thinking we are still standing. We have to hear the counsels of the Lord. We have to search His word daily for those counsels. Will searching save us? No. Only Christ can save us. We have to place ourselves where God can reach us, where He can teach us, where He can speak to us. If we wish to be counseled by the Lord we have to go to where the counsel is given. The living word of God will counsel us. The living word of God will be a sword for us and why do we need swords? To protect ourselves from that which would kill us. The sword of the Spirit of the Word of God kills anything that would destroy us spiritually. We have to have the Word of God in our hearts.
Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Pro 19:20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
Pro 19:21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
The counsel of the LORD that shall stand! Anything we devise will falter, but the Lord's counsels will stand. May we seek the counsel of the Lord now and always so that we may be protected even from our own hearts. God's will be done in us by His grace, through His mercy, in the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever!
Amen.
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