1Pe 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
1Pe 4:9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
Love.
Fervent love.
Not just have love above all things, but FERVENT love. This is an amazing love and it's something we NEED.
We need our sins covered by the blood of the Lamb and our Savior will do this for us purely out of LOVE for us. There is NO other motivator for our God. There is no hidden reward for Him, there is no subterfuge going on. God does NOT get a prize for saving us. God will save us only out of LOVE. Love is so incredibly important and as the end grows closer and closer, love will grow colder and colder. People are losing the ability to love, and to love truly, to love fervently. Is it any wonder there will be few saved when our Lord returns? There will be very little love left in the world. Before anyone says that's impossible there is a lot of love in the world, think about it, really, really think. True love is rare, not common. Fervent love is so hard to find. A SELFLESS love is the love we need. A selfless love will cover a multitude of sins. It is love that saves, it is love that made salvation possible.
We are to have FERVENT love.
We are to have HOSPITALITY one to another- WITHOUT grudging. Did you read that… WITHOUT GRUDGING. All too often we have hospitality but it's not given without grudging. We resent having to do for others sooooo much! We don't like the imposition. We don't want to be bothered. We don't want to take time and effort from ourselves, from our own pursuits. To give of ourselves without resentment is something we need to do, to pray to God that we can do this. We've become so incredibly self-centered that to give hospitality as we need to will be rare as well, very rare. Love, hospitality- rarities.
Please Lord we need to LOVE, we need to reveal this love in our actions, in our lives!
From Your amazing love, a love we cannot fully fathom, please Lord help us to live, to love as YOU would have us love, please LORD. Only through You are we able to love, only by You are we capable of Loving. All through YOU and ONLY YOU.
Your love makes this all possible.
In YOUR love always.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Living to the will of God
1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
Live to the lusts of men.
Live to the will of God.
One or the other, not both.
1Pe 4:3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
1Pe 4:4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you
Lusts of men- lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, abominable idolatries.
Lusts of men- selfish pursuits. Lusts of men- fulfilling desires temporarily. Lusts of men- a constant seeking of self contentment outside of communion with God. Lusts of men- seeking to be happy by their own power, in themselves alone.
The Will of God- to live connected to Him as our source of life. The Will of God- living for Him our Creator as Creatures meant to be connected to Him. The Will of God- accepting the Way of reconciliation to Him. The Will of God- love.
Do people find it strange when you do not run in their circles of pleasure seeking, and self-fulfillment? Those who are caught up in lusts often can't imagine others not wanting to be caught up in them as well. Those pursuits have given them a temporary pleasure that rivals their mundane life outside of them and they just can't imagine that other people do not want a break from their own mundane lives to experience the sensations of fulfilling lustful desires. Seeking a permanent unselfish pleasure is foreign to those who live for self gratification. Seeking a reward that is far off when temporary rewards are plentiful all around, is crazy to self-seekers.
This is truth.
1Pe 4:5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
1Pe 4:6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
1Pe 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
We all have to give an account of our choices to our Savior- who judges the living and the dead. The wonderful gospel is preached to those who are on that path of everlasting death as all men are until they accept the sacrifice of our Savior, and then and only then are we able to live according to God in the Spirit.
Our flesh selves must die.
1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
Living to the will of God- by the grace of God!
Living with God as the center of our lives and not with ourselves as that center. Living as a creature, not as a creator.
All by HIS LOVE!
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
Live to the lusts of men.
Live to the will of God.
One or the other, not both.
1Pe 4:3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
1Pe 4:4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you
Lusts of men- lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, abominable idolatries.
Lusts of men- selfish pursuits. Lusts of men- fulfilling desires temporarily. Lusts of men- a constant seeking of self contentment outside of communion with God. Lusts of men- seeking to be happy by their own power, in themselves alone.
The Will of God- to live connected to Him as our source of life. The Will of God- living for Him our Creator as Creatures meant to be connected to Him. The Will of God- accepting the Way of reconciliation to Him. The Will of God- love.
Do people find it strange when you do not run in their circles of pleasure seeking, and self-fulfillment? Those who are caught up in lusts often can't imagine others not wanting to be caught up in them as well. Those pursuits have given them a temporary pleasure that rivals their mundane life outside of them and they just can't imagine that other people do not want a break from their own mundane lives to experience the sensations of fulfilling lustful desires. Seeking a permanent unselfish pleasure is foreign to those who live for self gratification. Seeking a reward that is far off when temporary rewards are plentiful all around, is crazy to self-seekers.
This is truth.
1Pe 4:5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
1Pe 4:6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
1Pe 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
We all have to give an account of our choices to our Savior- who judges the living and the dead. The wonderful gospel is preached to those who are on that path of everlasting death as all men are until they accept the sacrifice of our Savior, and then and only then are we able to live according to God in the Spirit.
Our flesh selves must die.
1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
Living to the will of God- by the grace of God!
Living with God as the center of our lives and not with ourselves as that center. Living as a creature, not as a creator.
All by HIS LOVE!
Friday, February 17, 2012
Arm yourselves...with the same mind
1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind…
Christ suffered in the flesh- for us.
Why do believe we shouldn't have to suffer? Seriously?
More and more it seems people love to use the argument that a loving God wouldn't allow such suffering as what exists in our world. They argue that a loving God would only ever make everything wonderful, pain free, suffering free. They don't want to worship a God that allows pain. So they believe if they don't worship God then somehow that makes it like He doesn't exist at all. Then you'll have others who are okay with the idea of a purposeful God who sees the greater picture and has to allow suffering because He's allowed free will. Those same people will quickly change their tune when the suffering hits them and their loved ones. They'll rear up as an indignant bear ready to attack and lash out at God- how dare He allow them to suffer so senselessly when HE could have prevented it and He chose not to. There are many slippery slopes as we seek to truly follow God and Satan will present more of them every day.
I write this now and some people will want to cry out at me that I don't know what I'm talking about, that if I were in their shoes I'd truly understand but because I'm not in the throes of agonizing suffering I can't possible understand. If God stripped me of my livelihood, my loved ones, my health then I'd know and I'd denounce God. This sounds so much like the Book of Job doesn't it?
It's not strange that we need to revisit that book over and over, is it? Talk about a blueprint for life and loving God. Will we all have to face the horrors that Job faced to be counted as God's? Most likely not or at least not in exactly the same manner He was tried and tested. Job isn't our only example- our Savior is our example.
1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind
Arm ourselves with the same mind.
How did Christ suffer? That's an easy one to answer, right? He was brutalized and put to death on the cross, if that's not suffering what is, right? If we dig deeper can we note Christ suffering in any other manner?
Joh 11:35 Jesus wept.
We are usually suffering in some manner when we weep, aren't we?
Oh yes, there are happy tears but this wasn’t one of those occasions for our Savior.
Joh 11:32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
Joh 11:33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
Joh 11:34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
Suffering.
Why? Why if He knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead? Why was He groaning in spirit and troubled? Why did He cry?
We can theorize as many have but the bottom line is that HE SUFFERED- for whatever reason- He was suffering.
Mat 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Suffering.
Mat 21:12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
Mat 21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Suffering.
Mat 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
Mat 26:39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Suffering.
Mat 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Suffering.
1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind...
Christ suffered in the flesh. Christ was tempted in the flesh.
Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
He Himself suffered - being tempted.
We suffer- being tempted.
We have to arm ourselves as Christ armed Himself, with the same mind as Christ. His mind was on the Father's will being done in ALL things and it was the Father's will that He preach repentance and forgiveness- Salvation found in Jesus Christ alone.
Arm ourselves as Christ- with the same mind.
We aren't to arm ourselves with our own mind, yet all too often we try to live on our own without Christ. All too often we live for our own lofty ideas of how things should be. We get caught up in our own thoughts and forget there is a mind we are to arm ourselves with- Christ's mind. When we count on our own mind we aren't armed at all but very, very vulnerable.
Christ lived wanting God's will to be done.
We must live wanting God's will to be done.
When we live wanting God's will then we set aside self, don't we?
Christ suffered life in the flesh- He who lived as God without flesh- took on flesh for us.
1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
And in that flesh He suffered.
We too must suffer and as Jesus knew that this world and all its sin was NOT His home, we too must know it's not our home either- we are strangers here, pilgrims. And we suffer as those who long for their home. We suffer in the flesh.
May God bless us and help us to be armed as our Savior was armed, with the same mind.
All through His mercy, His love, His grace!
Christ suffered in the flesh- for us.
Why do believe we shouldn't have to suffer? Seriously?
More and more it seems people love to use the argument that a loving God wouldn't allow such suffering as what exists in our world. They argue that a loving God would only ever make everything wonderful, pain free, suffering free. They don't want to worship a God that allows pain. So they believe if they don't worship God then somehow that makes it like He doesn't exist at all. Then you'll have others who are okay with the idea of a purposeful God who sees the greater picture and has to allow suffering because He's allowed free will. Those same people will quickly change their tune when the suffering hits them and their loved ones. They'll rear up as an indignant bear ready to attack and lash out at God- how dare He allow them to suffer so senselessly when HE could have prevented it and He chose not to. There are many slippery slopes as we seek to truly follow God and Satan will present more of them every day.
I write this now and some people will want to cry out at me that I don't know what I'm talking about, that if I were in their shoes I'd truly understand but because I'm not in the throes of agonizing suffering I can't possible understand. If God stripped me of my livelihood, my loved ones, my health then I'd know and I'd denounce God. This sounds so much like the Book of Job doesn't it?
It's not strange that we need to revisit that book over and over, is it? Talk about a blueprint for life and loving God. Will we all have to face the horrors that Job faced to be counted as God's? Most likely not or at least not in exactly the same manner He was tried and tested. Job isn't our only example- our Savior is our example.
1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind
Arm ourselves with the same mind.
How did Christ suffer? That's an easy one to answer, right? He was brutalized and put to death on the cross, if that's not suffering what is, right? If we dig deeper can we note Christ suffering in any other manner?
Joh 11:35 Jesus wept.
We are usually suffering in some manner when we weep, aren't we?
Oh yes, there are happy tears but this wasn’t one of those occasions for our Savior.
Joh 11:32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
Joh 11:33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
Joh 11:34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
Suffering.
Why? Why if He knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead? Why was He groaning in spirit and troubled? Why did He cry?
We can theorize as many have but the bottom line is that HE SUFFERED- for whatever reason- He was suffering.
Mat 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Suffering.
Mat 21:12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
Mat 21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Suffering.
Mat 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
Mat 26:39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Suffering.
Mat 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Suffering.
1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind...
Christ suffered in the flesh. Christ was tempted in the flesh.
Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
He Himself suffered - being tempted.
We suffer- being tempted.
We have to arm ourselves as Christ armed Himself, with the same mind as Christ. His mind was on the Father's will being done in ALL things and it was the Father's will that He preach repentance and forgiveness- Salvation found in Jesus Christ alone.
Arm ourselves as Christ- with the same mind.
We aren't to arm ourselves with our own mind, yet all too often we try to live on our own without Christ. All too often we live for our own lofty ideas of how things should be. We get caught up in our own thoughts and forget there is a mind we are to arm ourselves with- Christ's mind. When we count on our own mind we aren't armed at all but very, very vulnerable.
Christ lived wanting God's will to be done.
We must live wanting God's will to be done.
When we live wanting God's will then we set aside self, don't we?
Christ suffered life in the flesh- He who lived as God without flesh- took on flesh for us.
1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
And in that flesh He suffered.
We too must suffer and as Jesus knew that this world and all its sin was NOT His home, we too must know it's not our home either- we are strangers here, pilgrims. And we suffer as those who long for their home. We suffer in the flesh.
May God bless us and help us to be armed as our Savior was armed, with the same mind.
All through His mercy, His love, His grace!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
A good conscience toward God
1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
The Just (CHRIST) for the Unjust (US).
Why?
That he (CHRIST) might bring us to God.
Christ put to death in the flesh.
Christ brought to life by the Holy Spirit.
Christ alive to preach to those in captivity.
Luk 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
People- disobedient - then and now.
Longsuffering towards the disobedient- God WAITED in the days of Noah as the ark was being built.
God WAITED and only a FEW- only EIGHT people were saved.
Now we are offered BAPTISM-a NEW life in Christ. A repentance, an asking for forgiveness, a dying to the old life and living to the new life in CHRIST. BUT…
NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh. Did you read that? NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh.
BUT the answer of a good conscience towards God- by the RESURRECTION of JESUS CHRIST our LORD, our SAVIOR, who is in heaven at the right hand of GOD, ANGELS, AUTHORITIES, POWERS- being made subject unto HIM.
We have to ANSWER to God in ALL good conscience- by Jesus.
We can put away all the filth we have in our flesh- we can but that WILL NOT make us have a good conscience towards God. We might mistake having a good conscience towards ourselves for having a good conscience towards God. We might put our good works down to an achievement that makes us believe we are right with our Savior. We can't do this! We cannot get caught up in what we perceive is our righteousness when what we really, really need is GOD'S righteousness.
People look at others and call them flesh filthy- okay, maybe they aren't doing that because so few even think in terms of the flesh and spirit, but people love to label others by their own perceived accepted beliefs, their own interpretations of truths. People love to say the truths are black and white and yet when the chosen men of God dragged the adulterous woman before Jesus as their established law dictated did Jesus pick up the first stone and throw it at her? It was black and white, it was CLEARLY established, the law was the law and meant to be kept. No one could tell any of them that there were extenuating circumstances- the law was the law! But Jesus didn't pick up that first stone, right? Jesus left all the stones on the ground and didn't make even the slightest gesture of trying to pick one up. They wanted Jesus to pick up the stone, they wanted Jesus to tell them that they were doing right by the law they were following, a law that they'd been given long, long ago and kept to the letter. They wanted their truth and the way they perceived their truth to be verified by this man who was claiming to be God's Son- or who others were saying He was. This Messiah had to uphold the law- right? If He were really God's Son He had to uphold God's laws- it was black and white- or so they thought. They really wanted to trap Jesus though, they wanted Him to NOT uphold the law so they could accuse Him of NOT upholding the law and punish Him, reveal Him as not being a man of God, of NOT being the Messiah, the Son of God.
Jesus didn't pick up the stone instead He spoke these words--
Joh 8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
Joh 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
HE that is WITHOUT sin among you, let HIM first cast a stone at her.
Black and white was suddenly turned into gray.
They left without throwing a single stone.
Was she less guilty of adultery? No.
Did she deserve punishment? Yes.
Did she receive punishment? No.
She was forgiven.
While we look at others who seem to break all the laws of God and then some, living horrifically sinfilled lives we CANNOT judge their eternal lives, we just can't! We can judge that the actions that are sinful and know that we are not to commit them, but we have to pray and hope that God will save us ALL from those sins. The greatest sinner still has a chance for salvation through our Savior and we cannot believe otherwise. We CAN say that if a sinner goes on without ever repenting that their rewards will be death eternal, but we cannot ultimately judge a person- God alone is the judge.
We have to trust in our Savior and His righteousness and not our own righteous acts. Yes, live as we believe in the truth of the word of God revealed to us, but do so out of love for God, not out of hope for righteousness through our good works.
Please Lord help us, save us!
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Let us have a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST!
Please Lord, help us, save us!
In the love of our amazing God!
All praise, glory, and honor to HIM!
Amen.
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
The Just (CHRIST) for the Unjust (US).
Why?
That he (CHRIST) might bring us to God.
Christ put to death in the flesh.
Christ brought to life by the Holy Spirit.
Christ alive to preach to those in captivity.
Luk 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
People- disobedient - then and now.
Longsuffering towards the disobedient- God WAITED in the days of Noah as the ark was being built.
God WAITED and only a FEW- only EIGHT people were saved.
Now we are offered BAPTISM-a NEW life in Christ. A repentance, an asking for forgiveness, a dying to the old life and living to the new life in CHRIST. BUT…
NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh. Did you read that? NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh.
BUT the answer of a good conscience towards God- by the RESURRECTION of JESUS CHRIST our LORD, our SAVIOR, who is in heaven at the right hand of GOD, ANGELS, AUTHORITIES, POWERS- being made subject unto HIM.
We have to ANSWER to God in ALL good conscience- by Jesus.
We can put away all the filth we have in our flesh- we can but that WILL NOT make us have a good conscience towards God. We might mistake having a good conscience towards ourselves for having a good conscience towards God. We might put our good works down to an achievement that makes us believe we are right with our Savior. We can't do this! We cannot get caught up in what we perceive is our righteousness when what we really, really need is GOD'S righteousness.
People look at others and call them flesh filthy- okay, maybe they aren't doing that because so few even think in terms of the flesh and spirit, but people love to label others by their own perceived accepted beliefs, their own interpretations of truths. People love to say the truths are black and white and yet when the chosen men of God dragged the adulterous woman before Jesus as their established law dictated did Jesus pick up the first stone and throw it at her? It was black and white, it was CLEARLY established, the law was the law and meant to be kept. No one could tell any of them that there were extenuating circumstances- the law was the law! But Jesus didn't pick up that first stone, right? Jesus left all the stones on the ground and didn't make even the slightest gesture of trying to pick one up. They wanted Jesus to pick up the stone, they wanted Jesus to tell them that they were doing right by the law they were following, a law that they'd been given long, long ago and kept to the letter. They wanted their truth and the way they perceived their truth to be verified by this man who was claiming to be God's Son- or who others were saying He was. This Messiah had to uphold the law- right? If He were really God's Son He had to uphold God's laws- it was black and white- or so they thought. They really wanted to trap Jesus though, they wanted Him to NOT uphold the law so they could accuse Him of NOT upholding the law and punish Him, reveal Him as not being a man of God, of NOT being the Messiah, the Son of God.
Jesus didn't pick up the stone instead He spoke these words--
Joh 8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
Joh 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
HE that is WITHOUT sin among you, let HIM first cast a stone at her.
Black and white was suddenly turned into gray.
They left without throwing a single stone.
Was she less guilty of adultery? No.
Did she deserve punishment? Yes.
Did she receive punishment? No.
She was forgiven.
While we look at others who seem to break all the laws of God and then some, living horrifically sinfilled lives we CANNOT judge their eternal lives, we just can't! We can judge that the actions that are sinful and know that we are not to commit them, but we have to pray and hope that God will save us ALL from those sins. The greatest sinner still has a chance for salvation through our Savior and we cannot believe otherwise. We CAN say that if a sinner goes on without ever repenting that their rewards will be death eternal, but we cannot ultimately judge a person- God alone is the judge.
We have to trust in our Savior and His righteousness and not our own righteous acts. Yes, live as we believe in the truth of the word of God revealed to us, but do so out of love for God, not out of hope for righteousness through our good works.
Please Lord help us, save us!
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Let us have a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST!
Please Lord, help us, save us!
In the love of our amazing God!
All praise, glory, and honor to HIM!
Amen.
A good conscience toward God
1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
The Just (CHRIST) for the Unjust (US).
Why?
That he (CHRIST) might bring us to God.
Christ put to death in the flesh.
Christ brought to life by the Holy Spirit.
Christ alive to preach to those in captivity.
Luk 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
People- disobedient - then and now.
Longsuffering towards the disobedient- God WAITED in the days of Noah as the ark was being built.
God WAITED and only a FEW- only EIGHT people were saved.
Now we are offered BAPTISM-a NEW life in Christ. A repentance, an asking for forgiveness, a dying to the old life and living to the new life in CHRIST. BUT…
NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh. Did you read that? NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh.
BUT the answer of a good conscience towards God- by the RESURRECTION of JESUS CHRIST our LORD, our SAVIOR, who is in heaven at the right hand of GOD, ANGELS, AUTHORITIES, POWERS- being made subject unto HIM.
We have to ANSWER to God in ALL good conscience- by Jesus.
We can put away all the filth we have in our flesh- we can but that WILL NOT make us have a good conscience towards God. We might mistake having a good conscience towards ourselves for having a good conscience towards God. We might put our good works down to an achievement that makes us believe we are right with our Savior. We can't do this! We cannot get caught up in what we perceive is our righteousness when what we really, really need is GOD'S righteousness.
People look at others and call them flesh filthy- okay, maybe they aren't doing that because so few even think in terms of the flesh and spirit, but people love to label others by their own perceived accepted beliefs, their own interpretations of truths. People love to say the truths are black and white and yet when the chosen men of God dragged the adulterous woman before Jesus as their established law dictated did Jesus pick up the first stone and throw it at her? It was black and white, it was CLEARLY established, the law was the law and meant to be kept. No one could tell any of them that there were extenuating circumstances- the law was the law! But Jesus didn't pick up that first stone, right? Jesus left all the stones on the ground and didn't make even the slightest gesture of trying to pick one up. They wanted Jesus to pick up the stone, they wanted Jesus to tell them that they were doing right by the law they were following, a law that they'd been given long, long ago and kept to the letter. They wanted their truth and the way they perceived their truth to be verified by this man who was claiming to be God's Son- or who others were saying He was. This Messiah had to uphold the law- right? If He were really God's Son He had to uphold God's laws- it was black and white- or so they thought. They really wanted to trap Jesus though, they wanted Him to NOT uphold the law so they could accuse Him of NOT upholding the law and punish Him, reveal Him as not being a man of God, of NOT being the Messiah, the Son of God.
Jesus didn't pick up the stone instead He spoke these words--
Joh 8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
Joh 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
HE that is WITHOUT sin among you, let HIM first cast a stone at her.
Black and white was suddenly turned into gray.
They left without throwing a single stone.
Was she less guilty of adultery? No.
Did she deserve punishment? Yes.
Did she receive punishment? No.
She was forgiven.
While we look at others who seem to break all the laws of God and then some, living horrifically sinfilled lives we CANNOT judge their eternal lives, we just can't! We can judge that the actions that are sinful and know that we are not to commit them, but we have to pray and hope that God will save us ALL from those sins. The greatest sinner still has a chance for salvation through our Savior and we cannot believe otherwise. We CAN say that if a sinner goes on without ever repenting that their rewards will be death eternal, but we cannot ultimately judge a person- God alone is the judge.
We have to trust in our Savior and His righteousness and not our own righteous acts. Yes, live as we believe in the truth of the word of God revealed to us, but do so out of love for God, not out of hope for righteousness through our good works.
Please Lord help us, save us!
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Let us have a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST!
Please Lord, help us, save us!
In the love of our amazing God!
All praise, glory, and honor to HIM!
Amen.
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
The Just (CHRIST) for the Unjust (US).
Why?
That he (CHRIST) might bring us to God.
Christ put to death in the flesh.
Christ brought to life by the Holy Spirit.
Christ alive to preach to those in captivity.
Luk 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
People- disobedient - then and now.
Longsuffering towards the disobedient- God WAITED in the days of Noah as the ark was being built.
God WAITED and only a FEW- only EIGHT people were saved.
Now we are offered BAPTISM-a NEW life in Christ. A repentance, an asking for forgiveness, a dying to the old life and living to the new life in CHRIST. BUT…
NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh. Did you read that? NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh.
BUT the answer of a good conscience towards God- by the RESURRECTION of JESUS CHRIST our LORD, our SAVIOR, who is in heaven at the right hand of GOD, ANGELS, AUTHORITIES, POWERS- being made subject unto HIM.
We have to ANSWER to God in ALL good conscience- by Jesus.
We can put away all the filth we have in our flesh- we can but that WILL NOT make us have a good conscience towards God. We might mistake having a good conscience towards ourselves for having a good conscience towards God. We might put our good works down to an achievement that makes us believe we are right with our Savior. We can't do this! We cannot get caught up in what we perceive is our righteousness when what we really, really need is GOD'S righteousness.
People look at others and call them flesh filthy- okay, maybe they aren't doing that because so few even think in terms of the flesh and spirit, but people love to label others by their own perceived accepted beliefs, their own interpretations of truths. People love to say the truths are black and white and yet when the chosen men of God dragged the adulterous woman before Jesus as their established law dictated did Jesus pick up the first stone and throw it at her? It was black and white, it was CLEARLY established, the law was the law and meant to be kept. No one could tell any of them that there were extenuating circumstances- the law was the law! But Jesus didn't pick up that first stone, right? Jesus left all the stones on the ground and didn't make even the slightest gesture of trying to pick one up. They wanted Jesus to pick up the stone, they wanted Jesus to tell them that they were doing right by the law they were following, a law that they'd been given long, long ago and kept to the letter. They wanted their truth and the way they perceived their truth to be verified by this man who was claiming to be God's Son- or who others were saying He was. This Messiah had to uphold the law- right? If He were really God's Son He had to uphold God's laws- it was black and white- or so they thought. They really wanted to trap Jesus though, they wanted Him to NOT uphold the law so they could accuse Him of NOT upholding the law and punish Him, reveal Him as not being a man of God, of NOT being the Messiah, the Son of God.
Jesus didn't pick up the stone instead He spoke these words--
Joh 8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
Joh 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
HE that is WITHOUT sin among you, let HIM first cast a stone at her.
Black and white was suddenly turned into gray.
They left without throwing a single stone.
Was she less guilty of adultery? No.
Did she deserve punishment? Yes.
Did she receive punishment? No.
She was forgiven.
While we look at others who seem to break all the laws of God and then some, living horrifically sinfilled lives we CANNOT judge their eternal lives, we just can't! We can judge that the actions that are sinful and know that we are not to commit them, but we have to pray and hope that God will save us ALL from those sins. The greatest sinner still has a chance for salvation through our Savior and we cannot believe otherwise. We CAN say that if a sinner goes on without ever repenting that their rewards will be death eternal, but we cannot ultimately judge a person- God alone is the judge.
We have to trust in our Savior and His righteousness and not our own righteous acts. Yes, live as we believe in the truth of the word of God revealed to us, but do so out of love for God, not out of hope for righteousness through our good works.
Please Lord help us, save us!
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Let us have a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST!
Please Lord, help us, save us!
In the love of our amazing God!
All praise, glory, and honor to HIM!
Amen.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Suffer for well doing
1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
1Pe 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
1Pe 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
1Pe 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
Suffering is inevitable.
We suffer so much in our life for many, many reasons and the 'eyes of the LORD are over the righteous' even in their suffering. 'His ears are open unto their prayers', even in their suffering.
We suffer and it is BETTER to suffer for well doing than for evil doing.
If a person believes they will not suffer if they are God's then they do not understand God at all. His Son suffered more than we ever could and He did so because it was the 'cup' He had to drink from. Each of us has our own walk with God. Are they perfect walks? No, none of us can lay claim to a perfect walk with Christ, we can only claim to fall at the feet of our Savior and beg for forgiveness, repenting of our wrong doing, our many, many imperfections.
We have to SANCTIFY the Lord God in our hearts.
We have to be READY to give an answer to EVERY MAN that ASKS us the REASON of the HOPE that is in US and we have to do this with MEEKNESS and FEAR.
My hope is in God, my hope is in my Savior and HIS righteousness, not any righteousness any may think I possess or don't possess.
What do we worship?
What makes up our lives?
Do we seek our Savior?
Is God a REAL part of our lives?
Do we live for ungodliness?
Do we worship ungodliness?
So many people hold so many beliefs and they don't hesitate to share them explaining them according to their belief in the Word of God, and yet their beliefs can be contrary to others.
I have a website I share with my sisters entitled - 'Who's to Say We're Right?'
We are NOT here to give the reason for our HOPE in anything but CHRIST!
As we live we can hope only in CHRIST'S righteousness, not our own in any way whatsoever.
People can keep the law to the letter. People can follow every statute they believe is meant to be kept and yet they will find NO righteousness in any of it, because the righteousness we have, the hope we have is ONLY in Christ.
We love Christ and depend wholly on Him for salvation, not on ourselves, our hope is NOT in ourselves, it can't be because we will fail miserably if we place any hope in our own actions.
By the grace of God we will follow Him and worship Him, Love HIM, live for HIM as HE wills us to do all by the mercy of our Savior.
There is a group of people who believe that we cannot say the name Jesus without invoking the false God Zeus, that those who speak the name Jesus are deceived and are going to be lead astray because they are not using the original Hebrew, the original Greek language. There are people who refuse to call their weekdays by the worldwide known Sunday, Monday, etc because these titles have origins contrary to the language of God and are from false Gods and such. There are people who live simply and hold no real ritualized Biblical practices and they are told their love of God is false when they love God more fully than those who have every 'i' dotted and every 't' crossed, they love our Savior more than those who don't ever say the name Jesus for fear they are invoking a pagan god and not the Son of God, the Son of the Father in Heaven. It is the LOVE that matters above so much that man believes matters, without the LOVE there is absolutely nothing. If those who believe they cannot say Jesus but must rather use the Hebrew language LOVE, truly LOVE Jesus they are following their hearts and their convictions and ultimately it is GOD who will judge, Jesus who will know if they are HIS or not. May we all be HIS, known by HIM!
Unfortunately here are so many whose hope is found not in Jesus, but rather in themselves and their own knowledge and these people will have to answer to God as EVERY man does, and explain to our Savior that they were wrong in NOT placing their hope in Him.
Are we perfect? NO MAN IS. We can only fall down on our knees and beg our Savior to lead us in HIS way ever lasting, in HIS LOVE.
Will we suffer? Yes. Christ suffered under the very people God had chosen to be His, they'd gone astray- losing all their true LOVE of God and yet they held their facts perfectly, rigidly. Will we suffer? YES! We will suffer, those who LOVE our Lord more than life itself, those of us who suffer living in this world longing for Jesus will be told we are not God's, by those who believe they are God's and we will suffer…suffer…suffer.
We must believe this--
1Pe 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
1Pe 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
Let us, let all of us who love the Lord, love one another- truly- love one another and pray for the love of Jesus to be found in us.
Help us LORD, helps us to be YOURS, fully YOURS guiding all who would be YOURS to the truth and helping us to walk in the truth through YOUR love, YOUR amazing, amazing LOVE.
Let us read these verses again--
1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
1Pe 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
1Pe 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
1Pe 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
The righteous- those who live in Christ's righteousness.
Them that do evil- those who live in their own righteousness.
Followers of that which is good- followers of our Savior.
Suffering for righteousness- for being Christ's.
Be not afraid of their terror- and oh how the evil will terrorize those who are Christ's!
Neither be troubled- yes, those who are not Christ's will try and trouble you over and over yet we must keep our HOPE in Christ!
The LORD GOD made HOLY in our hearts!
Ready to answer every man that ask-- the REASON of the HOPE in us! All in meekness and fear!
Having a GOOD conscience- they that speak evil-as evildoers- may be ashamed because they are FALSELY accusing our good conversation in CHRIST!
God's will is BEST!
If we suffer for well doing- it is better than suffering for evil doing.
By the grace of God may we suffer for well doing- for loving HIM fully and not for doing any evil.
Please Lord…please help us to be fully YOURS in all ways.
Forgive us when we fall short.
Help us to find our way all in YOU and ONLY in YOU and NO other!
All by YOUR LOVE!
Amen.
1Pe 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
1Pe 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
1Pe 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
Suffering is inevitable.
We suffer so much in our life for many, many reasons and the 'eyes of the LORD are over the righteous' even in their suffering. 'His ears are open unto their prayers', even in their suffering.
We suffer and it is BETTER to suffer for well doing than for evil doing.
If a person believes they will not suffer if they are God's then they do not understand God at all. His Son suffered more than we ever could and He did so because it was the 'cup' He had to drink from. Each of us has our own walk with God. Are they perfect walks? No, none of us can lay claim to a perfect walk with Christ, we can only claim to fall at the feet of our Savior and beg for forgiveness, repenting of our wrong doing, our many, many imperfections.
We have to SANCTIFY the Lord God in our hearts.
We have to be READY to give an answer to EVERY MAN that ASKS us the REASON of the HOPE that is in US and we have to do this with MEEKNESS and FEAR.
My hope is in God, my hope is in my Savior and HIS righteousness, not any righteousness any may think I possess or don't possess.
What do we worship?
What makes up our lives?
Do we seek our Savior?
Is God a REAL part of our lives?
Do we live for ungodliness?
Do we worship ungodliness?
So many people hold so many beliefs and they don't hesitate to share them explaining them according to their belief in the Word of God, and yet their beliefs can be contrary to others.
I have a website I share with my sisters entitled - 'Who's to Say We're Right?'
We are NOT here to give the reason for our HOPE in anything but CHRIST!
As we live we can hope only in CHRIST'S righteousness, not our own in any way whatsoever.
People can keep the law to the letter. People can follow every statute they believe is meant to be kept and yet they will find NO righteousness in any of it, because the righteousness we have, the hope we have is ONLY in Christ.
We love Christ and depend wholly on Him for salvation, not on ourselves, our hope is NOT in ourselves, it can't be because we will fail miserably if we place any hope in our own actions.
By the grace of God we will follow Him and worship Him, Love HIM, live for HIM as HE wills us to do all by the mercy of our Savior.
There is a group of people who believe that we cannot say the name Jesus without invoking the false God Zeus, that those who speak the name Jesus are deceived and are going to be lead astray because they are not using the original Hebrew, the original Greek language. There are people who refuse to call their weekdays by the worldwide known Sunday, Monday, etc because these titles have origins contrary to the language of God and are from false Gods and such. There are people who live simply and hold no real ritualized Biblical practices and they are told their love of God is false when they love God more fully than those who have every 'i' dotted and every 't' crossed, they love our Savior more than those who don't ever say the name Jesus for fear they are invoking a pagan god and not the Son of God, the Son of the Father in Heaven. It is the LOVE that matters above so much that man believes matters, without the LOVE there is absolutely nothing. If those who believe they cannot say Jesus but must rather use the Hebrew language LOVE, truly LOVE Jesus they are following their hearts and their convictions and ultimately it is GOD who will judge, Jesus who will know if they are HIS or not. May we all be HIS, known by HIM!
Unfortunately here are so many whose hope is found not in Jesus, but rather in themselves and their own knowledge and these people will have to answer to God as EVERY man does, and explain to our Savior that they were wrong in NOT placing their hope in Him.
Are we perfect? NO MAN IS. We can only fall down on our knees and beg our Savior to lead us in HIS way ever lasting, in HIS LOVE.
Will we suffer? Yes. Christ suffered under the very people God had chosen to be His, they'd gone astray- losing all their true LOVE of God and yet they held their facts perfectly, rigidly. Will we suffer? YES! We will suffer, those who LOVE our Lord more than life itself, those of us who suffer living in this world longing for Jesus will be told we are not God's, by those who believe they are God's and we will suffer…suffer…suffer.
We must believe this--
1Pe 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
1Pe 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
Let us, let all of us who love the Lord, love one another- truly- love one another and pray for the love of Jesus to be found in us.
Help us LORD, helps us to be YOURS, fully YOURS guiding all who would be YOURS to the truth and helping us to walk in the truth through YOUR love, YOUR amazing, amazing LOVE.
Let us read these verses again--
1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
1Pe 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
1Pe 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
1Pe 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
The righteous- those who live in Christ's righteousness.
Them that do evil- those who live in their own righteousness.
Followers of that which is good- followers of our Savior.
Suffering for righteousness- for being Christ's.
Be not afraid of their terror- and oh how the evil will terrorize those who are Christ's!
Neither be troubled- yes, those who are not Christ's will try and trouble you over and over yet we must keep our HOPE in Christ!
The LORD GOD made HOLY in our hearts!
Ready to answer every man that ask-- the REASON of the HOPE in us! All in meekness and fear!
Having a GOOD conscience- they that speak evil-as evildoers- may be ashamed because they are FALSELY accusing our good conversation in CHRIST!
God's will is BEST!
If we suffer for well doing- it is better than suffering for evil doing.
By the grace of God may we suffer for well doing- for loving HIM fully and not for doing any evil.
Please Lord…please help us to be fully YOURS in all ways.
Forgive us when we fall short.
Help us to find our way all in YOU and ONLY in YOU and NO other!
All by YOUR LOVE!
Amen.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Heirs together
1Pe 3:5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
1Pe 3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
1Pe 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
As long as we do well and are not afraid with any amazement.
1Pe 3:6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose children you became, doing good, and fearing no terror. (LITV)
1Pe 3:6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose children ye now are, if ye do well, and are not put in fear by any terror. (RV)
As long as we do well and are not - put in fear- not fearing - not afraid-- of terror, alarm.
We face terror all the time, people will deny it but it's true. We've numbed ourselves and call it good and yet we are filled with so much anxiety it's not funny. When we read something like this, that if we do well and are not alarmed by fear, or fearful of alarming situations then we are like Sara was with Abraham.
Imagine Sarah's life with Abraham. She obeyed Him, believing in him when so much around her had to tell her to do otherwise. Her life couldn't have been an easy one. There was great reason for her to be fearful she left her homeland and journeyed away with Abraham and came face to face with those who would challenge them. She faced hunger, thirst. She faced deception and the wrath of a pharaoh, her life was filled with challenges. She had no children for Abraham and yet was assured by him that she would. She doubted, yes, but deep down she also believed. She had the necessary faith, the necessary belief in her husband, a trust that even though everything seemed to be unfolding contrary to plans that it would work out. Sarah did NOT let fear fill her up as it can so easily do when we are depending upon our husbands.
In today's world where a lot of times it's the woman who supplies the main source of income things have taken a turn for the worse. Yell at me for saying that if you want to, but it's true. Our men have been stripped of so much of their God-given right, need, to lead their families, the women and the children that it's amazing that things haven't deteriorated even faster than they have in our society. People think it's crazy to believe that way because it's male chauvinism and denying women equal rights etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. But truthfully God was NOT downgrading and debasing women when He created families as He did. God was giving us an example of our relationship with HIM. A living example that would be perpetual as long as mankind existed. Yet so many of God's examples to us are perverted and this was another one. Satan has done a really, really good job of working subtly through the years to twist things so that men have either abused their rights with caring for women or women have abused their rights in regards to men. In America today the women's rights movement has really taken a toll on the fabric of our society, in Saudi Arabia and other middle eastern countries women are abused senselessly for the most minor infractions- Satan has worked it so that it is all perverted and he loves it that way.
So when we read about Sara, about women needing to obey their husbands it's not a concept that is God's injustice at work, NOT at all, it's God's LOVE.
1Pe 3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
1Pe 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
Men and women- husbands and wives. God would have us be His, all of us be His all for our good, for our benefit. Loving us and us loving
By HIS Grace we can be the men and women He wants us to be, living in HIM now and always, all through HIM.
In His love!
1Pe 3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
1Pe 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
As long as we do well and are not afraid with any amazement.
1Pe 3:6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose children you became, doing good, and fearing no terror. (LITV)
1Pe 3:6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose children ye now are, if ye do well, and are not put in fear by any terror. (RV)
As long as we do well and are not - put in fear- not fearing - not afraid-- of terror, alarm.
We face terror all the time, people will deny it but it's true. We've numbed ourselves and call it good and yet we are filled with so much anxiety it's not funny. When we read something like this, that if we do well and are not alarmed by fear, or fearful of alarming situations then we are like Sara was with Abraham.
Imagine Sarah's life with Abraham. She obeyed Him, believing in him when so much around her had to tell her to do otherwise. Her life couldn't have been an easy one. There was great reason for her to be fearful she left her homeland and journeyed away with Abraham and came face to face with those who would challenge them. She faced hunger, thirst. She faced deception and the wrath of a pharaoh, her life was filled with challenges. She had no children for Abraham and yet was assured by him that she would. She doubted, yes, but deep down she also believed. She had the necessary faith, the necessary belief in her husband, a trust that even though everything seemed to be unfolding contrary to plans that it would work out. Sarah did NOT let fear fill her up as it can so easily do when we are depending upon our husbands.
In today's world where a lot of times it's the woman who supplies the main source of income things have taken a turn for the worse. Yell at me for saying that if you want to, but it's true. Our men have been stripped of so much of their God-given right, need, to lead their families, the women and the children that it's amazing that things haven't deteriorated even faster than they have in our society. People think it's crazy to believe that way because it's male chauvinism and denying women equal rights etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. But truthfully God was NOT downgrading and debasing women when He created families as He did. God was giving us an example of our relationship with HIM. A living example that would be perpetual as long as mankind existed. Yet so many of God's examples to us are perverted and this was another one. Satan has done a really, really good job of working subtly through the years to twist things so that men have either abused their rights with caring for women or women have abused their rights in regards to men. In America today the women's rights movement has really taken a toll on the fabric of our society, in Saudi Arabia and other middle eastern countries women are abused senselessly for the most minor infractions- Satan has worked it so that it is all perverted and he loves it that way.
So when we read about Sara, about women needing to obey their husbands it's not a concept that is God's injustice at work, NOT at all, it's God's LOVE.
1Pe 3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
1Pe 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
Men and women- husbands and wives. God would have us be His, all of us be His all for our good, for our benefit. Loving us and us loving
By HIS Grace we can be the men and women He wants us to be, living in HIM now and always, all through HIM.
In His love!
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