Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Pure water.
We cannot enter into the kingdom of God if we are impure. We must be cleansed. Baptism- being immersed in water from head to toe, totally submerged we are completely covered in water. Baptism signifies the washing away of our old lives, the lives we lived before we came to know Jesus. Baptism signifies that we want our old lives to die so that we can rise anew into a life with Christ as our Savior. Repenting of our unsaved life, repenting of the sins that have covered us we are seeking to be cleansed when we are baptized. Baptism is an outward, public symbol of our desire to be God's. Except we are born of the water… except we are baptized… we cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
The realization of our filthy state, the realization of our need for cleansing is a must. You cannot enter the kingdom of God filthy it's not possible. You cannot enter the kingdom of God unclean. The kingdom of God is pure and holy and all that is clean and anything unclean is immediately rejected. Is it any wonder we have to symbolically show our willingness to be cleansed?
John the Baptist went about baptizing many - baptizing the one who was pure and in need of NO cleansing. Jesus was our example in all things and Jesus was immersed in water- symbolizing cleansing, symbolizing becoming pure. He allowed this act which began His ministry so that we would realize its importance.
Priests were to be clean. Purification acts of cleansing were necessary. These acts didn't clean the heart but they symbolically represented the NEED to be clean. We need to be born of the water, we need to be clean, we need to recognize our NEED to be clean, and in recognizing the need to be clean we must understand that we are dirty.
Baptism alone isn't enough, the symbolic cleansing isn't enough, we must be born of the Spirit as well.
Only the Holy Spirit can truly cleanse the spirit within us. We could wash our outwards selves until our flesh is raw. We could bathe endlessly. We could submit to a purification of the likes contaminated scientists undergo, or wash our entire bodies as a performing surgeon washes his hands and arms, we could go to any lengths to clean our bodies of every contaminant but we cannot cleanse our spirit. You could even clean the inside of your body with fasts and such, but you cannot TOUCH your spirit to clean it. Only the Holy Spirit can cleanse the spirit. We can symbolically show our willingness to be clean for our Savior, which reveals our willingness to have the Holy Spirit cleanse our spirit self. Being born of the Spirit is as necessary as being born of the water to enter the kingdom of God.
Purity is heavenly- pure water.
Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
The water of life the purest water. We will partake of this purest of waters one day when we inherit the kingdom of God.
Pure. Clean. Cleansed. Spotless. WE are made pure by our Savior. We are washed clean in His blood.
Is it any wonder we are to partake of the SYMBOLIC act of eating and drinking of Christ's body and blood? Christ is pure, Christ is the only one who could cleanse us by HIS sacrifice. As baptism is symbolic of cleansing our bodies, our eternal cleansing is symbolically shown through the bread and wine taken into our bodies. The Holy Spirit with both cleansing acts is the power of God acting within us, transforming us in ways we could NEVER clean ourselves, never. We cannot save ourselves but submit to being saved by our LORD, choose to be saved by our LORD.
Born of the water, born of the Spirit only then do we have hope of entering the kingdom of God.
All glory, all praise, all honor to our King and Savior!
Amen.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Win Christ!
Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ
*******
Count ALL things loss but for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.
All things are DUNG, other then then knowledge of our Savior.
Not some things. Not just a few things. BUT all things mean NOTHING other than the knowledge of Christ.
We could have everything this world calls good. We could have everything our worldly heart desires. We could have just ONE cherished possession, or perhaps a few. Maybe we want to hold on to just one earthly treasure in the form of heirloom, or a priceless personal gift that would mean nothing to anyone but you. All is counted loss but the knowledge of our Savior.
We need to realize just how little everything in our lives means outside of having the knowledge of our Lord. Does this include people? What good does it do to cling to a loved one if there is no knowledge of Christ? Seriously. It sounds horrifically callous but it's the truth. Christ is ALL things, knowledge of Christ is ALL, leaving no room for anything else to enter in. Am I saying we shouldn't CARE and LOVE others? NO, no, no! But I am saying knowledge of our Savior MUST come before anything else or all our loving, all our caring will mean nothing at all.
We want to be naturally loving, naturally like Jesus, and when we fail to be Christ-like in our lives we chastise ourselves and start to believe that we will never be as Christ would have us be. It WON'T come naturally! It WON'T come easy because our natural self WARS against our Spiritual self. Our natural self clings to THINGS other than the knowledge of our Savior. Our natural self is an excellent excuse maker, an amazing conscience soother, a marvelous deal broker- our natural self wars with our spirit self and all this takes place within us. Our natural self will mock our spirit self with a determination to get our spirit self to just give up. It's horrible to imagine this, let alone believe it. We don't want to be a Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde- that's a fictional character in a fictional book and nothing more. We hate to believe that we possess split personalities- and in the medical sense we don't but in the spiritual realm we ALL possess split personalities, ALL humans but our Savior have these split personalities but few want to believe it's a reality. This is crazy people talk, and I can understand how some might believe that to be true. Split personalities, heh, that's nonsense. But it's not nonsense, it wasn't nonsense to the Apostle Paul.
Read this and tell me there isn't a split SPIRITUAL personality situation going on here-
Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Rom 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Rom 7:16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
We all have bodies of death, every single one of us. We all are in this spiritual fight. If we don't care about our spiritual life- if we don't care about worshipping and honoring our Creator - this war within is seemingly won by the carnal side and often that carnal side will subdue the spiritual side and all will appear normal. No more spiritual fighting, no more spiritual angst, no more spiritual upsets, no more spiritual warring- this carnal victor is more than willing to help you enjoy it's victory over the spiritual.
Going back to counting ALL loss but the knowledge of our Savior, it's the truth. Yet our carnal side will have us believe that our spiritual side matters little and the earthly life that surrounds us now means everything. If you want to believe that you should NATURALLY be able to count all loss but your Savior it's not going to happen. It's a fight! It's a war! You're in a battle for your spiritual life! You have to choose DAILY, choose often during the day, choose always to be Christ's to seek knowledge of Him. You have to ask God to show you always when and where the battle lines are being drawn so you know when and where the fight is. When we recognize our battles we can recognize the need to fight with the armor of God, fight with our Savior as our King, submit to our Lord. Wouldn't you much rather be at war taking part in the spiritual battle than having surrendered to the carnal nature? The chaos we feel inside ourselves is to be embraced as the knowledge of the war. We have to stop trying to be naturally good, thinking that we should be naturally good and then flailing about when we are naturally bad. We have to seek the kingdom of God, we have to seek all knowledge, an excellent knowledge of our Savior and we have to do this ACTIVELY, not half-heartedly or passively when the mood strikes. This is our duty, to know God, to love God. When the naturally bad stuff creeps up as it will we have to fall to our knees seeking forgiveness, repenting of our bad acts even bad thoughts. We have to run to Christ not run from Christ thinking we are too evil to go before Him. Satan will DO everything He can to get us to run from Christ, to look to ourselves for our salvation, for our hope but our HOPE is NOT in us at all… PRAISE GOD! Our hope is in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior! Let us WIN Christ! Let us count all around us as dung but the knowledge of Christ. Let Christ matter MOST. Please Lord… by YOUR GRACE!
Amen.
Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ
*******
Count ALL things loss but for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.
All things are DUNG, other then then knowledge of our Savior.
Not some things. Not just a few things. BUT all things mean NOTHING other than the knowledge of Christ.
We could have everything this world calls good. We could have everything our worldly heart desires. We could have just ONE cherished possession, or perhaps a few. Maybe we want to hold on to just one earthly treasure in the form of heirloom, or a priceless personal gift that would mean nothing to anyone but you. All is counted loss but the knowledge of our Savior.
We need to realize just how little everything in our lives means outside of having the knowledge of our Lord. Does this include people? What good does it do to cling to a loved one if there is no knowledge of Christ? Seriously. It sounds horrifically callous but it's the truth. Christ is ALL things, knowledge of Christ is ALL, leaving no room for anything else to enter in. Am I saying we shouldn't CARE and LOVE others? NO, no, no! But I am saying knowledge of our Savior MUST come before anything else or all our loving, all our caring will mean nothing at all.
We want to be naturally loving, naturally like Jesus, and when we fail to be Christ-like in our lives we chastise ourselves and start to believe that we will never be as Christ would have us be. It WON'T come naturally! It WON'T come easy because our natural self WARS against our Spiritual self. Our natural self clings to THINGS other than the knowledge of our Savior. Our natural self is an excellent excuse maker, an amazing conscience soother, a marvelous deal broker- our natural self wars with our spirit self and all this takes place within us. Our natural self will mock our spirit self with a determination to get our spirit self to just give up. It's horrible to imagine this, let alone believe it. We don't want to be a Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde- that's a fictional character in a fictional book and nothing more. We hate to believe that we possess split personalities- and in the medical sense we don't but in the spiritual realm we ALL possess split personalities, ALL humans but our Savior have these split personalities but few want to believe it's a reality. This is crazy people talk, and I can understand how some might believe that to be true. Split personalities, heh, that's nonsense. But it's not nonsense, it wasn't nonsense to the Apostle Paul.
Read this and tell me there isn't a split SPIRITUAL personality situation going on here-
Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Rom 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Rom 7:16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
We all have bodies of death, every single one of us. We all are in this spiritual fight. If we don't care about our spiritual life- if we don't care about worshipping and honoring our Creator - this war within is seemingly won by the carnal side and often that carnal side will subdue the spiritual side and all will appear normal. No more spiritual fighting, no more spiritual angst, no more spiritual upsets, no more spiritual warring- this carnal victor is more than willing to help you enjoy it's victory over the spiritual.
Going back to counting ALL loss but the knowledge of our Savior, it's the truth. Yet our carnal side will have us believe that our spiritual side matters little and the earthly life that surrounds us now means everything. If you want to believe that you should NATURALLY be able to count all loss but your Savior it's not going to happen. It's a fight! It's a war! You're in a battle for your spiritual life! You have to choose DAILY, choose often during the day, choose always to be Christ's to seek knowledge of Him. You have to ask God to show you always when and where the battle lines are being drawn so you know when and where the fight is. When we recognize our battles we can recognize the need to fight with the armor of God, fight with our Savior as our King, submit to our Lord. Wouldn't you much rather be at war taking part in the spiritual battle than having surrendered to the carnal nature? The chaos we feel inside ourselves is to be embraced as the knowledge of the war. We have to stop trying to be naturally good, thinking that we should be naturally good and then flailing about when we are naturally bad. We have to seek the kingdom of God, we have to seek all knowledge, an excellent knowledge of our Savior and we have to do this ACTIVELY, not half-heartedly or passively when the mood strikes. This is our duty, to know God, to love God. When the naturally bad stuff creeps up as it will we have to fall to our knees seeking forgiveness, repenting of our bad acts even bad thoughts. We have to run to Christ not run from Christ thinking we are too evil to go before Him. Satan will DO everything He can to get us to run from Christ, to look to ourselves for our salvation, for our hope but our HOPE is NOT in us at all… PRAISE GOD! Our hope is in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior! Let us WIN Christ! Let us count all around us as dung but the knowledge of Christ. Let Christ matter MOST. Please Lord… by YOUR GRACE!
Amen.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Celebrating and Sinning
Job 1:5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
Some say the Book of Job was written long before its place in the Bible, in fact they say the Book of Job has no date of origin- others have speculated that the book was actually the first book written. I'm not even going to play scholar, I will not try to date the book. However, I have to agree with this statement--
'Job's sacrifices were according to the patriarchal pattern, with Job acting as the priest for his household.'
Job's seven sons and three daughters were feasting-
Job 1:4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
The feasted at least for seven days- seven days, every one his day. Job knew of this feasting they were undertaking and he was worried their feasting had them sinning. So as the patriarch of the family he rose up early AFTER their feasting days were over and sent for them, needing to sanctify them. To do this Job needed to offer a burnt offering sacrifice for each of them to rid them of any feasting sins they may have committed during that time. Job says - 'It MAY be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.' Job didn't know for certain that His sons were sinning and cursing God but He wasn't about to let that stop Him from making sacrifices for them. Job wanted his family right with God. Regardless of whether or not they were going to stop sinning, Job wanted to keep His family on the right track. It says- 'Thus did Job continually.' Job's children would party and Job would pray and offer sacrifices for them to keep them sanctified before God.
During our days of feasting- our celebrating - how easy is it to get caught up in things ungodly especially when you add alcohol and drugs to the mix. As soon as you add those elements you strip away the natural inhibitions we possess and we are no longer in our right minds- right?
Eli to Hannah-
1Sa 1:14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.
Hannah wasn't drunk, but the point being drunk people act much differently than those who aren't influenced by alcohol. Depending upon the severity of the drunkenness the actions match that severity. We all know, we've all seen it, watched it in movies, or even experienced it in friends and family members, or perhaps even in ourselves. The advisement of Eli to Hannah to put away her wine, was an advisement against her supposed drunkenness.
2Sa 11:12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.
2Sa 11:13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.
David wanted to get Uriah drunk enough to let go of his inhibition to abstain from being with his wife as a matter of honor, so that Uriah would be with Bathsheba and the child she carried could be called his- not David's conceived through adultery. It didn't work. Uriah was able to keep to his conviction even though David and made him drunk. The hope however had been to lessen Uriah's conviction through alcohol- the knowledge that getting drunk has bad connotations is a given.
1Ki 16:8 In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.
1Ki 16:9 And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah.
1Ki 16:10 And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead.
Drinking himself drunk- because Elah drank himself drunk it made it very easy to kill him.
Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Eph 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord
Be NOT drunk with wine- wherein is excess. That excess being profligacy which means- 'A profligate or very vicious course of life; a state of being abandoned in moral principle and in vice.' A state of being abandoned in moral principle and in vice, these are far from good things. But getting drunk does that- moral principles are abandoned, actions are made that would NEVER be made without the drunkenness.
Gen 19:31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:
Gen 19:32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
Gen 19:33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
Two daughters made their father drunk, so drunk that he wasn't even aware of what was going on when they seduced him! Without the drunkenness there would have been no seducing going on whatsoever.
Lev 10:9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:
Lev 10:10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;
Lev 10:11 And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.
Do NOT drink wine nor strong drink- this is a admonition to the Levite priests. When you are drunk you are undiscerning and you don't care about what is holy and unholy, clean and unclean. You lose your sense of purpose, you lose your ability to recognize right from wrong and you surely can't teach others if you are drunk.
We know this don't we? The Bible speaks of it and we know it as well. There was a time in our country we tried to prohibit alcohol consumption because of the evils associated with it, yet that didn't last. People will drink and they will drink to get drunk for many, many reasons. Some do it just because they call it a 'good time', 'loosening up', 'relaxing'. Some do it to give themselves an excuse to forget about life's hardships, allowing the drug that alcohol is to numb them temporarily.
There are many reasons why people drink and what happens when they drink is something they don't concern themselves with.
So, going back to Job- it was logical for Job to want to have his children sinless before God, to have them forgiven of their sins, to sanctify them. Job didn't know for sure that the feasting had them sinning but it was a good bet that it did. The dangers of alcohol go far beyond the worldly dangers and into the spiritual dangers. Alcohol endangers spiritual lives- alcohol can turn an otherwise innocently festive experience into one that is not quite so innocent. Sin-- cursing God in the heart-- and truly sin IS a cursing of God in the heart, it's breaking God's commands of love.
Job knew as we too should know- that feasting - celebrating- getting drunk or even not getting drunk but allowing the festivities themselves lead us to ungodly behavior- is something we need to ask forgiveness for if we get caught up in it. Prayerfully we won't get entrapped by any behavior that would lead us away from God. Prayerfully we will fall to our knees and plead for forgiveness claiming the offering of God's only Son as our Sacrifice, if we do find ourselves trapped.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, may we NOT be caught up in the feasting, festivities, and celebrations and lose sight of our God, our Savior, our Lord, our King! Please God hear this prayer!
Amen.
Some say the Book of Job was written long before its place in the Bible, in fact they say the Book of Job has no date of origin- others have speculated that the book was actually the first book written. I'm not even going to play scholar, I will not try to date the book. However, I have to agree with this statement--
'Job's sacrifices were according to the patriarchal pattern, with Job acting as the priest for his household.'
Job's seven sons and three daughters were feasting-
Job 1:4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
The feasted at least for seven days- seven days, every one his day. Job knew of this feasting they were undertaking and he was worried their feasting had them sinning. So as the patriarch of the family he rose up early AFTER their feasting days were over and sent for them, needing to sanctify them. To do this Job needed to offer a burnt offering sacrifice for each of them to rid them of any feasting sins they may have committed during that time. Job says - 'It MAY be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.' Job didn't know for certain that His sons were sinning and cursing God but He wasn't about to let that stop Him from making sacrifices for them. Job wanted his family right with God. Regardless of whether or not they were going to stop sinning, Job wanted to keep His family on the right track. It says- 'Thus did Job continually.' Job's children would party and Job would pray and offer sacrifices for them to keep them sanctified before God.
During our days of feasting- our celebrating - how easy is it to get caught up in things ungodly especially when you add alcohol and drugs to the mix. As soon as you add those elements you strip away the natural inhibitions we possess and we are no longer in our right minds- right?
Eli to Hannah-
1Sa 1:14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.
Hannah wasn't drunk, but the point being drunk people act much differently than those who aren't influenced by alcohol. Depending upon the severity of the drunkenness the actions match that severity. We all know, we've all seen it, watched it in movies, or even experienced it in friends and family members, or perhaps even in ourselves. The advisement of Eli to Hannah to put away her wine, was an advisement against her supposed drunkenness.
2Sa 11:12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.
2Sa 11:13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.
David wanted to get Uriah drunk enough to let go of his inhibition to abstain from being with his wife as a matter of honor, so that Uriah would be with Bathsheba and the child she carried could be called his- not David's conceived through adultery. It didn't work. Uriah was able to keep to his conviction even though David and made him drunk. The hope however had been to lessen Uriah's conviction through alcohol- the knowledge that getting drunk has bad connotations is a given.
1Ki 16:8 In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.
1Ki 16:9 And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah.
1Ki 16:10 And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead.
Drinking himself drunk- because Elah drank himself drunk it made it very easy to kill him.
Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Eph 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord
Be NOT drunk with wine- wherein is excess. That excess being profligacy which means- 'A profligate or very vicious course of life; a state of being abandoned in moral principle and in vice.' A state of being abandoned in moral principle and in vice, these are far from good things. But getting drunk does that- moral principles are abandoned, actions are made that would NEVER be made without the drunkenness.
Gen 19:31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:
Gen 19:32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
Gen 19:33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
Two daughters made their father drunk, so drunk that he wasn't even aware of what was going on when they seduced him! Without the drunkenness there would have been no seducing going on whatsoever.
Lev 10:9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:
Lev 10:10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;
Lev 10:11 And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.
Do NOT drink wine nor strong drink- this is a admonition to the Levite priests. When you are drunk you are undiscerning and you don't care about what is holy and unholy, clean and unclean. You lose your sense of purpose, you lose your ability to recognize right from wrong and you surely can't teach others if you are drunk.
We know this don't we? The Bible speaks of it and we know it as well. There was a time in our country we tried to prohibit alcohol consumption because of the evils associated with it, yet that didn't last. People will drink and they will drink to get drunk for many, many reasons. Some do it just because they call it a 'good time', 'loosening up', 'relaxing'. Some do it to give themselves an excuse to forget about life's hardships, allowing the drug that alcohol is to numb them temporarily.
There are many reasons why people drink and what happens when they drink is something they don't concern themselves with.
So, going back to Job- it was logical for Job to want to have his children sinless before God, to have them forgiven of their sins, to sanctify them. Job didn't know for sure that the feasting had them sinning but it was a good bet that it did. The dangers of alcohol go far beyond the worldly dangers and into the spiritual dangers. Alcohol endangers spiritual lives- alcohol can turn an otherwise innocently festive experience into one that is not quite so innocent. Sin-- cursing God in the heart-- and truly sin IS a cursing of God in the heart, it's breaking God's commands of love.
Job knew as we too should know- that feasting - celebrating- getting drunk or even not getting drunk but allowing the festivities themselves lead us to ungodly behavior- is something we need to ask forgiveness for if we get caught up in it. Prayerfully we won't get entrapped by any behavior that would lead us away from God. Prayerfully we will fall to our knees and plead for forgiveness claiming the offering of God's only Son as our Sacrifice, if we do find ourselves trapped.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, may we NOT be caught up in the feasting, festivities, and celebrations and lose sight of our God, our Savior, our Lord, our King! Please God hear this prayer!
Amen.
Friday, December 24, 2010
In the World, Not Of the World
1Jn 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Ye are of God
Little children
And have overcome them
Because greater is he that is in you
Than he that is in the world
We want to be OF God don't we? I know I want to be OF God. Because the only other alternative is being of the world and we know who rules this world- the world Jesus was not OF. If we are with Jesus we are NOT Of this world. We CAN'T be of this world if we are with God. We can be IN this world, but we can't be OF this world.
This point keeps popping up lately, over and over for me as if there is something I need to learn, something I'm missing, or neglecting. Perhaps it's the season right now where the world is celebrating Christmas. I grew up celebrating Christmas. I grew up with family traditions associated with Christmas. We get together and celebrate the birth of Christ. Yes, I know that Christ was not born on Christmas day. Yes, I know that the celebration stems from pagan origins. Yes, I understand all this and at the same time I don't want to give up the family get together. Tonight at our annual Christmas Eve get together it was especially hard because it's the Sabbath as well. It is GOD'S holy day, GOD'S sanctified day, GOD'S blessed day, it's the day God made for us to draw closer to Him - in His rest. Glaringly throughout the night over and over and over again it was clear that this family get together was filled with worldliness, filled with things that aren't of God no matter how much I don't want to admit it to myself let alone anyone else. I want to convince myself that it's harmless teasing, harmless joking, harmless disobedience- but what it all really is - is worldliness- it's being part of the WORLD, not being of God. My sister did her best to make it geared towards God- with it being the Sabbath and all, and through NO fault of her own it was twisted into worldliness at every possible turn.
I absolutely cringe at the mere thought of not attending a family get together because of my principles because it comes across as my being HOLIER than thou and nothing more. It doesn't endear any of the family to me. For me to NOT attend would be angst-filled and cause all sorts of hurt feelings all the way around. The thought of being estranged from my family is awful to me and yet we know that many will choose family over God. Many would rather suffered eternal death than give up their loved ones here and now. I don't want to be one of them.
What are we to do? Or rather I suppose I want to know what I should do. Am I willing to lose all here and now for eternal life with my Savior? Do I need to separate myself or do I need to 'stay in the world' but 'be kept from evil'?
That was Jesus' prayer for us- part of it.
Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
If we take ourselves OUT of the world- we aren't really doing as Jesus would have us do, are we? If we take ourselves out of all interaction with the world because the world and the majority of the people inhabiting it are Satan's, are we actually contradicting God's will. Jesus prayed that we DON'T get taken out of the world. Jesus wants us IN the world we are NOT to be a part of. Jesus wants us KEPT from evil not by taking ourselves OUT of the world and secluding ourselves, associating only with like believers - because truly even like believers can be of the world. We are all called to Christ uniquely in our own ways. My walk with Christ is not a single other person's walk with Christ and vice versa.
Are you thinking I'm trying to justify my family get togethers? Maybe I am but I'm trying to understand what it is God wants from me personally in my walk with Him. I just can't believe God wants us to make ourselves hermits. I fully believe that God can and has used people in the world surrounded by those who are of the world to let their lives be a living testimony to others.
No, we are NOT to join in the idolatry, the blasphemy, the God mocking, the unseemly acts that are of the world. We have to stand against them.
There are so many ways to view this and it's a matter very close to my heart, obviously.
Any of you reading this, do you ever find yourselves faced with this sort of situation? How do you view the fact we are to be in the world, but not of the world?
Luk 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
THEY shall separate you from their company.
2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
COME OUT from among them and be ye separate.
They will separate you AND be ye separate.
The danger of association arises when we are tempted to take part in the sinning. The danger of association comes when we become part OF the worldly we are around. If we are easily swayed we senselessly place ourselves in temptations way.
I know I need to do A LOT more praying and studying on this subject for many personal reasons, but enough for now.
May God open my eyes and lead me in the way everlasting through His glorious LOVE.
By Your grace Lord, by Your grace.
Amen.
Ye are of God
Little children
And have overcome them
Because greater is he that is in you
Than he that is in the world
We want to be OF God don't we? I know I want to be OF God. Because the only other alternative is being of the world and we know who rules this world- the world Jesus was not OF. If we are with Jesus we are NOT Of this world. We CAN'T be of this world if we are with God. We can be IN this world, but we can't be OF this world.
This point keeps popping up lately, over and over for me as if there is something I need to learn, something I'm missing, or neglecting. Perhaps it's the season right now where the world is celebrating Christmas. I grew up celebrating Christmas. I grew up with family traditions associated with Christmas. We get together and celebrate the birth of Christ. Yes, I know that Christ was not born on Christmas day. Yes, I know that the celebration stems from pagan origins. Yes, I understand all this and at the same time I don't want to give up the family get together. Tonight at our annual Christmas Eve get together it was especially hard because it's the Sabbath as well. It is GOD'S holy day, GOD'S sanctified day, GOD'S blessed day, it's the day God made for us to draw closer to Him - in His rest. Glaringly throughout the night over and over and over again it was clear that this family get together was filled with worldliness, filled with things that aren't of God no matter how much I don't want to admit it to myself let alone anyone else. I want to convince myself that it's harmless teasing, harmless joking, harmless disobedience- but what it all really is - is worldliness- it's being part of the WORLD, not being of God. My sister did her best to make it geared towards God- with it being the Sabbath and all, and through NO fault of her own it was twisted into worldliness at every possible turn.
I absolutely cringe at the mere thought of not attending a family get together because of my principles because it comes across as my being HOLIER than thou and nothing more. It doesn't endear any of the family to me. For me to NOT attend would be angst-filled and cause all sorts of hurt feelings all the way around. The thought of being estranged from my family is awful to me and yet we know that many will choose family over God. Many would rather suffered eternal death than give up their loved ones here and now. I don't want to be one of them.
What are we to do? Or rather I suppose I want to know what I should do. Am I willing to lose all here and now for eternal life with my Savior? Do I need to separate myself or do I need to 'stay in the world' but 'be kept from evil'?
That was Jesus' prayer for us- part of it.
Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
If we take ourselves OUT of the world- we aren't really doing as Jesus would have us do, are we? If we take ourselves out of all interaction with the world because the world and the majority of the people inhabiting it are Satan's, are we actually contradicting God's will. Jesus prayed that we DON'T get taken out of the world. Jesus wants us IN the world we are NOT to be a part of. Jesus wants us KEPT from evil not by taking ourselves OUT of the world and secluding ourselves, associating only with like believers - because truly even like believers can be of the world. We are all called to Christ uniquely in our own ways. My walk with Christ is not a single other person's walk with Christ and vice versa.
Are you thinking I'm trying to justify my family get togethers? Maybe I am but I'm trying to understand what it is God wants from me personally in my walk with Him. I just can't believe God wants us to make ourselves hermits. I fully believe that God can and has used people in the world surrounded by those who are of the world to let their lives be a living testimony to others.
No, we are NOT to join in the idolatry, the blasphemy, the God mocking, the unseemly acts that are of the world. We have to stand against them.
There are so many ways to view this and it's a matter very close to my heart, obviously.
Any of you reading this, do you ever find yourselves faced with this sort of situation? How do you view the fact we are to be in the world, but not of the world?
Luk 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
THEY shall separate you from their company.
2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
COME OUT from among them and be ye separate.
They will separate you AND be ye separate.
The danger of association arises when we are tempted to take part in the sinning. The danger of association comes when we become part OF the worldly we are around. If we are easily swayed we senselessly place ourselves in temptations way.
I know I need to do A LOT more praying and studying on this subject for many personal reasons, but enough for now.
May God open my eyes and lead me in the way everlasting through His glorious LOVE.
By Your grace Lord, by Your grace.
Amen.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
God- forethought or afterthought
Pro 1:20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:
Pro 1:21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,
Pro 1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
Pro 1:23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
Pro 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
Pro 1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
Pro 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
Pro 1:27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
Pro 1:28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
Pro 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
Pro 1:30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
Pro 1:31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
Wisdom cries out to be heard.
God would have us be wise.
Pro 8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
Pro 19:20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
Pro 23:19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
Dan 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
1Co 3:18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
We must be wise in the ways of the Lord. We must love knowledge of the Lord. We must choose the Lord in all our ways. We must be willing to take counsel from the Lord and to learn from the reproof given to us. God's way is being wise in knowledge of Him and that knowledge bring Salvation because it's only through knowledge of our Savior that we are saved. Through learning of His grace we are saved.
Make no mistake though… the people who do NOT listen, the people who do not seek God's wisdom, those who don't look to God will one day face desolation and destruction of the likes they can't even imagine in their worse nightmares. And then, when they realize they should have sought God it will be too late. They might even be able to recall every single missed opportunity to come to the knowledge of the Lord and know they had the chance and refused. They turned their back on salvation. They wouldn't listen to the wisdom of God but rather chose the wisdom of man over God's. The wisdom of man is pure foolishness to God. None of us should seek to be considered wise in man's ways and if we find ourselves longing to be touted as a wise person, let us seek forgiveness and choose only to long for the wisdom of God.
Destruction will come.
Desolation will come.
Anguish will come.
Agony will come.
Eternal death will come.
If you are not wise unto God, you will face terror unlike anything you've ever experienced. This is the truth and as much as people would love to believe that everyone in the world is automatically guaranteed eternal life, they're wrong.
People cannot deny their Creator and Redeemer then expect to be saved by Him.
People cannot reject their Creator and their Redeemer and expect to be accepted by Him.
I'm not talking about people who have denied and rejected God only to repent of their actions, but those who do not repent, those who never repent.
Too many people want to believe that God and His ways, God and His love, don't really matter beyond perhaps a half-hearted belief. Too many people do NOT have God as an integral part of their lives. God is an afterthought, not a forethought to way too many people. God is fit into a schedule rather than a schedule fit around God.
Where does God rank in your life? In your EVERYDAY life? Does God only rank in your weekly thoughts? Your monthly thought? Your yearly consideration? Is God REAL to you? If He isn't a real force in your life then it's truly time you get down on your knees - even if it's only mentally you are on those knees- and pray to God that He becomes real to you and then take steps to ensure He's there in your life by daily reading, daily studying, daily praying, daily praising, daily thanking your Lord and Savior, your God, your Creator. Left to our own devices we will not automatically choose to follow our Savior, why? Because of sin. We have to choose to follow God and choose daily to do so, not hope that automatically we will be His. God will NOT force us. God will NOT coerce us. God will wait for us. God will open His arms to us. God is there always for us to choose but He will not make the choice for us.
This is real, very, very real.
People will be saved and people will be lost. We choose our eternal destination it is NOT chosen for us.
May God help us to be wise unto salvation through our Lord and Savior. May we be among those who listen to the wisdom of God in reproofs, in chastisements, in any and all ways God chooses to open our eyes and our hearts to Him and His amazing LOVE.
Amen.
Pro 1:21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,
Pro 1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
Pro 1:23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
Pro 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
Pro 1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
Pro 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
Pro 1:27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
Pro 1:28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
Pro 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
Pro 1:30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
Pro 1:31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
Wisdom cries out to be heard.
God would have us be wise.
Pro 8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
Pro 19:20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
Pro 23:19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
Dan 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
1Co 3:18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
We must be wise in the ways of the Lord. We must love knowledge of the Lord. We must choose the Lord in all our ways. We must be willing to take counsel from the Lord and to learn from the reproof given to us. God's way is being wise in knowledge of Him and that knowledge bring Salvation because it's only through knowledge of our Savior that we are saved. Through learning of His grace we are saved.
Make no mistake though… the people who do NOT listen, the people who do not seek God's wisdom, those who don't look to God will one day face desolation and destruction of the likes they can't even imagine in their worse nightmares. And then, when they realize they should have sought God it will be too late. They might even be able to recall every single missed opportunity to come to the knowledge of the Lord and know they had the chance and refused. They turned their back on salvation. They wouldn't listen to the wisdom of God but rather chose the wisdom of man over God's. The wisdom of man is pure foolishness to God. None of us should seek to be considered wise in man's ways and if we find ourselves longing to be touted as a wise person, let us seek forgiveness and choose only to long for the wisdom of God.
Destruction will come.
Desolation will come.
Anguish will come.
Agony will come.
Eternal death will come.
If you are not wise unto God, you will face terror unlike anything you've ever experienced. This is the truth and as much as people would love to believe that everyone in the world is automatically guaranteed eternal life, they're wrong.
People cannot deny their Creator and Redeemer then expect to be saved by Him.
People cannot reject their Creator and their Redeemer and expect to be accepted by Him.
I'm not talking about people who have denied and rejected God only to repent of their actions, but those who do not repent, those who never repent.
Too many people want to believe that God and His ways, God and His love, don't really matter beyond perhaps a half-hearted belief. Too many people do NOT have God as an integral part of their lives. God is an afterthought, not a forethought to way too many people. God is fit into a schedule rather than a schedule fit around God.
Where does God rank in your life? In your EVERYDAY life? Does God only rank in your weekly thoughts? Your monthly thought? Your yearly consideration? Is God REAL to you? If He isn't a real force in your life then it's truly time you get down on your knees - even if it's only mentally you are on those knees- and pray to God that He becomes real to you and then take steps to ensure He's there in your life by daily reading, daily studying, daily praying, daily praising, daily thanking your Lord and Savior, your God, your Creator. Left to our own devices we will not automatically choose to follow our Savior, why? Because of sin. We have to choose to follow God and choose daily to do so, not hope that automatically we will be His. God will NOT force us. God will NOT coerce us. God will wait for us. God will open His arms to us. God is there always for us to choose but He will not make the choice for us.
This is real, very, very real.
People will be saved and people will be lost. We choose our eternal destination it is NOT chosen for us.
May God help us to be wise unto salvation through our Lord and Savior. May we be among those who listen to the wisdom of God in reproofs, in chastisements, in any and all ways God chooses to open our eyes and our hearts to Him and His amazing LOVE.
Amen.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Placating our conscience
1Jn 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
The world knoweth us not.
This is such a very important statement.
The world didn't know Jesus. The world as a WHOLE did NOT know Jesus, they did not recognize Him for who He was. Did some know Jesus and believe in Him as the Son of God? Yes. Were they few in number? Yes.
Remember when Jesus fed five thousand with fish and loaves? How many of those He fed, how many of those that followed Him that day and listened to Him speak continued on with Him?
Read the whole story in John. Here is just a bit.
Joh 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Joh 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
Many of his disciples went back and walked NO MORE with Him. Over 5000 men, women, and children were fed just the day before and they followed Jesus from one place to another, across a sea. They saw Him perform MIRACLES, they ate of a miracle. Bread and fish they took into their mouths was brought into existence supernaturally. And yet when it came right down to the nitty gritty, whether or not they truly believed Jesus was God's Son, sent from the Father God they worshipped, they folded. They were all set to accept Jesus as a man just like themselves with special powers- a magician of sorts but as the true Son of God- this they couldn't accept. Unable to accept Jesus for who He really was they left, all but the 12 disciples left Him and He asked them if they were going to go away too.
Today MANY follow Jesus but how many people truly, truly love Him. How many will keep following Him when that LAST spiritual call is made separating true disciples from false? We know the Lord will say to MANY the day of His return- 'I never knew you, get away from me.' And that MANY truly believe they are His followers, His disciples.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Not every one that says, Lord, Lord will be saved.
5000 people and none but the 12 disciples remained with Jesus.
The world didn't know Jesus.
The world won't know US who are the sons of God either.
1Jn 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
If the world knows you, if you are understood by the world, if you mesh with the world you might just want to ask yourself why. If you care more for the world and life here and now, if you care more for yourself than any other, you have to ask yourself if you truly know Jesus, if you truly believe in Him and all He stands for. We are good at fooling ourselves. We are masters of placating our conscience. We love the darkness enveloping us because it hides our sins from us. We don't want to see our filthiness, we'd much rather pretend we are wearing pure white garments unspotted from any stain of sin. As long as we continue to keep the spiritual blinders on our eyes we can count ourselves among those who believe we are Jesus' and will cry out Lord, Lord, only to have Him tell us He never knew us. If we strip off the spiritual blinders and understand that this world and its sinfulness is not something we want to know us, we just might be able to see our sin-filled state and truly understand our need to be saved by the grace of our Lord.
The world knoweth us not--
-- because it knew Him not.
By the grace of my Savior may I NOT be known by the world, may I not be numbered with the world, may I not be among those who believe they know You, but don't. I long to be Yours, to be a 'son' of God, known of God. Please Lord… save me.
Amen.
The world knoweth us not.
This is such a very important statement.
The world didn't know Jesus. The world as a WHOLE did NOT know Jesus, they did not recognize Him for who He was. Did some know Jesus and believe in Him as the Son of God? Yes. Were they few in number? Yes.
Remember when Jesus fed five thousand with fish and loaves? How many of those He fed, how many of those that followed Him that day and listened to Him speak continued on with Him?
Read the whole story in John. Here is just a bit.
Joh 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Joh 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
Many of his disciples went back and walked NO MORE with Him. Over 5000 men, women, and children were fed just the day before and they followed Jesus from one place to another, across a sea. They saw Him perform MIRACLES, they ate of a miracle. Bread and fish they took into their mouths was brought into existence supernaturally. And yet when it came right down to the nitty gritty, whether or not they truly believed Jesus was God's Son, sent from the Father God they worshipped, they folded. They were all set to accept Jesus as a man just like themselves with special powers- a magician of sorts but as the true Son of God- this they couldn't accept. Unable to accept Jesus for who He really was they left, all but the 12 disciples left Him and He asked them if they were going to go away too.
Today MANY follow Jesus but how many people truly, truly love Him. How many will keep following Him when that LAST spiritual call is made separating true disciples from false? We know the Lord will say to MANY the day of His return- 'I never knew you, get away from me.' And that MANY truly believe they are His followers, His disciples.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Not every one that says, Lord, Lord will be saved.
5000 people and none but the 12 disciples remained with Jesus.
The world didn't know Jesus.
The world won't know US who are the sons of God either.
1Jn 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
If the world knows you, if you are understood by the world, if you mesh with the world you might just want to ask yourself why. If you care more for the world and life here and now, if you care more for yourself than any other, you have to ask yourself if you truly know Jesus, if you truly believe in Him and all He stands for. We are good at fooling ourselves. We are masters of placating our conscience. We love the darkness enveloping us because it hides our sins from us. We don't want to see our filthiness, we'd much rather pretend we are wearing pure white garments unspotted from any stain of sin. As long as we continue to keep the spiritual blinders on our eyes we can count ourselves among those who believe we are Jesus' and will cry out Lord, Lord, only to have Him tell us He never knew us. If we strip off the spiritual blinders and understand that this world and its sinfulness is not something we want to know us, we just might be able to see our sin-filled state and truly understand our need to be saved by the grace of our Lord.
The world knoweth us not--
-- because it knew Him not.
By the grace of my Savior may I NOT be known by the world, may I not be numbered with the world, may I not be among those who believe they know You, but don't. I long to be Yours, to be a 'son' of God, known of God. Please Lord… save me.
Amen.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
The Way Everlasting
Psa 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
Psa 139:24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Search me, O God
Know my heart.
Try me.
Know my thoughts.
See if there be ANY wicked way in me.
Lead me in the way everlasting.
This is my prayer! This is my plea!
Search me God!
If there is any wickedness in me- lead me in the way everlasting!!!
The way everlasting.
We might have wickedness in us, in fact it's almost guaranteed that we do have wickedness in us. If we didn't have any wickedness we'd be claiming perfection and while the Bible says in- Mat 5:48 'Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.' The only way to that perfection is through our Savior- not through out own righteousness, not through any perfection in ourselves. The wickedness in us must be conquered as we are led in the way everlasting; that 'WAY' everlasting is our being conquerors through Christ our Lord and Savior.
The way everlasting--
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
1Jn 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
1Jn 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
1Jn 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.
1Jn 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
1Jn 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
There is so much hatred in the world.
There is so much self-serving.
We use the word hate and apply it to the infamously vile.
I still hear the voice of my mother saying- 'Never say you hate someone. Hate is a terrible word.'
My mother was right, hate is a terrible word and our world is full of haters. That's become a common word now, used as slang. The saying- 'They're just haters.' Meaning there are people who are jealous, people who don't like what you want to be acceptable. You're a hater if you disagree with someone's opinion, you're a hater if you say something contrary, you're a hater if you don't like someone.
We equate hating with not being loving, right? And as long as we DISLIKE and don't truly HATE, we don't classify ourselves among those who beyond the slang meaning, really hate other people. We pride ourselves on being able to say we DON'T hate anyone. A quick pat on our backs for our being able to keep from hating others feels good, doesn't it? Yet even as we take pride in our non-hating selves we are guilty of self-serving in that pride. And there is more hatred in selfishness than anywhere else. Sin entered Satan through selfishness.
Count the 'I's' in these verses--
Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isa 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Five 'I's', FIVE!
Satan in pure selfishness wanted to ascend into heaven, he wanted to exalt his throne above the angels of God, he wanted to sit on God's mountain, he wanted to be above the clouds, and MOST selfishly- Satan wanted to be like the MOST HIGH!
Satan's self serving, Satan's selfishness brought sin into existence. Not being loving, but hating, is pure selfishness.
Pure wickedness - is pure selfishness.
Christ's way, the WAY everlasting is pure unselfishness!
God is love and over and over it is emphasized that love is selfless and we too need to have that selfless love- by the grace and mercy of our Savior may we follow the WAY everlasting and become selfless as He is selfless.
Amen!
Psa 139:24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Search me, O God
Know my heart.
Try me.
Know my thoughts.
See if there be ANY wicked way in me.
Lead me in the way everlasting.
This is my prayer! This is my plea!
Search me God!
If there is any wickedness in me- lead me in the way everlasting!!!
The way everlasting.
We might have wickedness in us, in fact it's almost guaranteed that we do have wickedness in us. If we didn't have any wickedness we'd be claiming perfection and while the Bible says in- Mat 5:48 'Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.' The only way to that perfection is through our Savior- not through out own righteousness, not through any perfection in ourselves. The wickedness in us must be conquered as we are led in the way everlasting; that 'WAY' everlasting is our being conquerors through Christ our Lord and Savior.
The way everlasting--
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
1Jn 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
1Jn 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
1Jn 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.
1Jn 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
1Jn 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
There is so much hatred in the world.
There is so much self-serving.
We use the word hate and apply it to the infamously vile.
I still hear the voice of my mother saying- 'Never say you hate someone. Hate is a terrible word.'
My mother was right, hate is a terrible word and our world is full of haters. That's become a common word now, used as slang. The saying- 'They're just haters.' Meaning there are people who are jealous, people who don't like what you want to be acceptable. You're a hater if you disagree with someone's opinion, you're a hater if you say something contrary, you're a hater if you don't like someone.
We equate hating with not being loving, right? And as long as we DISLIKE and don't truly HATE, we don't classify ourselves among those who beyond the slang meaning, really hate other people. We pride ourselves on being able to say we DON'T hate anyone. A quick pat on our backs for our being able to keep from hating others feels good, doesn't it? Yet even as we take pride in our non-hating selves we are guilty of self-serving in that pride. And there is more hatred in selfishness than anywhere else. Sin entered Satan through selfishness.
Count the 'I's' in these verses--
Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isa 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Five 'I's', FIVE!
Satan in pure selfishness wanted to ascend into heaven, he wanted to exalt his throne above the angels of God, he wanted to sit on God's mountain, he wanted to be above the clouds, and MOST selfishly- Satan wanted to be like the MOST HIGH!
Satan's self serving, Satan's selfishness brought sin into existence. Not being loving, but hating, is pure selfishness.
Pure wickedness - is pure selfishness.
Christ's way, the WAY everlasting is pure unselfishness!
God is love and over and over it is emphasized that love is selfless and we too need to have that selfless love- by the grace and mercy of our Savior may we follow the WAY everlasting and become selfless as He is selfless.
Amen!
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