2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord
Grace and peace- THROUGH the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
Knowledge comes to us how? Can you do nothing and gain knowledge? As a rule- no. How can you learn to read if you are not taught? If you don't have to be taught then how do we have people who do not know how to read? So much in our lives does NOT come to us automatically. We are taught a lot. Even by our parents as babes we are learning constantly. People can learn a lot through watching others and whatnot, but some things must be deliberately taught to us. When we find something we desire to learn we can go to a lot of sources and from those sources we will gain the knowledge we want to have. Yes, you can force someone to learn. Ask the majority of kids in school and they'll tell you they believe they are forced to go to school, forced to learn. But learning something from a desire to know more is a lot better than feeling as if you are being forced to learn.
We- who desire so much to have the grace and peace of God and Jesus our Lord- will find learning of them desirable, yes? Grace and peace multiplied through knowledge- we must constantly seek to learn more of our God, of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Exceeding GREAT and PRECIOUS PROMISES.
Do you know of the promises that are so great and precious?
The promise of salvation, the promise of no more tears, no more pain, there are a lot of promises we are given and we must know them, learn them. We are made PARTAKERS of the DIVINE NATURE by these promises. By these promises we can ESCAPE the corruption that exists in our world through lust!
We can escape!
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Precious Faith
2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ
Like PRECIOUS FAITH with us THROUGH the RIGHTEOUSNESS of GOD and our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.
We have no faith outside of the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Is it any wonder Jesus could say this--
Mat 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
He could say this because it's the quality of faith that matters far above quantity. The tiniest bit of faith if it is pure is a very, very powerful thing.
The tiniest bit of pure faith could move a mountain.
The tiniest bit of pure faith makes NOTHING impossible to us.
Pure faith is complete belief in the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Many will say they have no problem at all believing that God and His Son are righteous. We have to APPLY that righteousness to ourselves, it's there where people falter and it's no wonder- we are so incredibly far from being righteous the idea that our Savior, that our God would see us as righteous is mind blowing. We have to accept Christ's righteousness as ours, and again our filth tells us that we do not deserve that righteousness. That to be touched by the righteousness would mean our death because we are so repugnant, so repulsive, so offensive to all that is good and right. Our Savior DIED to make the gift possible, the UNDESERVED gift of HIMSELF, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Satan would have us NOT accept Christ's righteousness. Satan would have us believe that we are too filthy to ever be cleaned.
Precious faith- through the righteousness of GOD and our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST- that's the only way we can truly have faith at all. We have to STOP focusing on our righteousness of the idea that we must obtain our OWN righteousness because that is a devil trap. We have to focus on our Savior's righteousness, His purity, His goodness, His sinlessness!
He SAVES us- we MUST believe in HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS that HE wants to cover us with.
Faith.
Faith not in ourselves, but in God and Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, always!
Like PRECIOUS FAITH with us THROUGH the RIGHTEOUSNESS of GOD and our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.
We have no faith outside of the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Is it any wonder Jesus could say this--
Mat 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
He could say this because it's the quality of faith that matters far above quantity. The tiniest bit of faith if it is pure is a very, very powerful thing.
The tiniest bit of pure faith could move a mountain.
The tiniest bit of pure faith makes NOTHING impossible to us.
Pure faith is complete belief in the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Many will say they have no problem at all believing that God and His Son are righteous. We have to APPLY that righteousness to ourselves, it's there where people falter and it's no wonder- we are so incredibly far from being righteous the idea that our Savior, that our God would see us as righteous is mind blowing. We have to accept Christ's righteousness as ours, and again our filth tells us that we do not deserve that righteousness. That to be touched by the righteousness would mean our death because we are so repugnant, so repulsive, so offensive to all that is good and right. Our Savior DIED to make the gift possible, the UNDESERVED gift of HIMSELF, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Satan would have us NOT accept Christ's righteousness. Satan would have us believe that we are too filthy to ever be cleaned.
Precious faith- through the righteousness of GOD and our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST- that's the only way we can truly have faith at all. We have to STOP focusing on our righteousness of the idea that we must obtain our OWN righteousness because that is a devil trap. We have to focus on our Savior's righteousness, His purity, His goodness, His sinlessness!
He SAVES us- we MUST believe in HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS that HE wants to cover us with.
Faith.
Faith not in ourselves, but in God and Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, always!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
How many cares do we cast upon our God?
ALL.
All our cares need to be cast upon God. We need to give them to Him. We need to pray to our God, talk to Him, tell our God what our cares are - He WANTS to hear them. He needs for us to trust that HE does care for us. We might not comprehend how our Lord works. We might not comprehend how things are meant to work out. We might not comprehend how seemingly bad things are for our good, especially the horrific things we might have to face, but we need to even in that time of horror to give our cares to our God and trust that He cares for us and no matter what we are facing He will ultimately work things for our good- we who TRUST in Him. Remember this verse--
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
~
1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour
Our ADVERSARY the DEVIL! We can NEVER let ourselves forget that Satan is working against our relationship with our Savior at every opportunity. Satan as a ROARING LION. Satan walking about! Satan seeking to devour us!
We don't want to believe this is REAL. We'd rather just shove all that off as being fictional. We'd rather just not believe that there is an enemy out there after us. We love to have people liking us, not hating us, so to realize that there is a BEING, a powerful BEING out there who wants us destroyed, who wants to devour us is something we'd rather not imagine at all, let alone think there might be some truth to the devil.
Devoured.
When you devour something what are you doing? You're snatching it up and eating it as fast as you possibly can. You're destroying what you devour, aren't you? It's gone forever never to return.
Satan wants to devour us just like that.
Okay, I'm not talking about a monster eating us up physically but spiritually if we are devoured, if the spiritual being in us is devoured then we are spiritually dead and if we die spiritually we have no life eternal, none.
We cannot let Satan get to us and destroy our faith.
We have to be SOBER- not drunken in that way that keeps us from having our wits about us.
We have to be vigilant- not laid back and uncaring, not lazy.
We must be aware, awake, we have to believe in these truths!
1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
We have to RESIST the devil!
We have to be stedfast in the FAITH.
We have to comprehend that every trial we face there are others facing them as well. We might not see them face the same trials but they are! We have to comprehend that we are NOT alone, we are going to face so many, many trials, and God will see us through, HE WILL and there is where our faith must be stedfast!
1Pe 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
1Pe 5:11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
All praise to our GOD!
Please LORD, please keep us IN YOU always and forever!
By YOUR grace!
Amen.
How many cares do we cast upon our God?
ALL.
All our cares need to be cast upon God. We need to give them to Him. We need to pray to our God, talk to Him, tell our God what our cares are - He WANTS to hear them. He needs for us to trust that HE does care for us. We might not comprehend how our Lord works. We might not comprehend how things are meant to work out. We might not comprehend how seemingly bad things are for our good, especially the horrific things we might have to face, but we need to even in that time of horror to give our cares to our God and trust that He cares for us and no matter what we are facing He will ultimately work things for our good- we who TRUST in Him. Remember this verse--
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
~
1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour
Our ADVERSARY the DEVIL! We can NEVER let ourselves forget that Satan is working against our relationship with our Savior at every opportunity. Satan as a ROARING LION. Satan walking about! Satan seeking to devour us!
We don't want to believe this is REAL. We'd rather just shove all that off as being fictional. We'd rather just not believe that there is an enemy out there after us. We love to have people liking us, not hating us, so to realize that there is a BEING, a powerful BEING out there who wants us destroyed, who wants to devour us is something we'd rather not imagine at all, let alone think there might be some truth to the devil.
Devoured.
When you devour something what are you doing? You're snatching it up and eating it as fast as you possibly can. You're destroying what you devour, aren't you? It's gone forever never to return.
Satan wants to devour us just like that.
Okay, I'm not talking about a monster eating us up physically but spiritually if we are devoured, if the spiritual being in us is devoured then we are spiritually dead and if we die spiritually we have no life eternal, none.
We cannot let Satan get to us and destroy our faith.
We have to be SOBER- not drunken in that way that keeps us from having our wits about us.
We have to be vigilant- not laid back and uncaring, not lazy.
We must be aware, awake, we have to believe in these truths!
1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
We have to RESIST the devil!
We have to be stedfast in the FAITH.
We have to comprehend that every trial we face there are others facing them as well. We might not see them face the same trials but they are! We have to comprehend that we are NOT alone, we are going to face so many, many trials, and God will see us through, HE WILL and there is where our faith must be stedfast!
1Pe 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
1Pe 5:11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
All praise to our GOD!
Please LORD, please keep us IN YOU always and forever!
By YOUR grace!
Amen.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Humble Ourselves
1Pe 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time
It's not enough for the younger to submit to the elder. To say that is to give the elder a self-righteous temptation that because of their age they are automatically superior to those younger than they are. The word doesn't stop there- it immediately follows with- 'ALL of you be subject one to another'. The elders included. Being older does not mean that only the younger are to be subject to the elders, but ALL are subject one to another because our Savior would have us all love one another equally.
Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Love does not entail unjust oppression one over another. I say unjust oppression because if you asked a lot of children they'll tell you they feel they are oppressed by their parents, and that is not a case of unjust oppression. Undue oppression is far from the love Jesus would have us exhibit towards each other.
It's is AWFULLY hard to show humility when you are busy acting superior to others, isn't it? It just doesn't get pulled off very easily and not at all under the eyes of the Lord.
God RESISTS the proud.
Being proud is taking on an unjust belief that you in and of yourself have a superiority, yes? Is it any wonder God resists the proud. God knows that man is a creature- created by Him and NO OTHER. Satan try as he might to seduce people to his side can never lay claim to their creation, NEVER. Of course he might try and has tried hasn't he- in his own way. Evolution- the belief that man has descended from apes and before that from some sludge in an ocean slithering out of the water. Such a glorious beginning, not. Satan wants us believing in evolution because then we are not believing in the Creator. Anything to get us to not belief, to keep us from the Love of God.
I read something yesterday about some guy who was supposed to be this famous atheists how he claims NOT to be an atheists but rather and agnostic. He said he cannot prove with all absolute authority that God does NOT exist, that there is a tiny percentage that leaves a itty bit of possibility, very tiny on his part of belief. He also said most agnostics will say there is a 50/50 chance that God does exists, he thinks in his own personal belief it's much smaller than that, but that it does exist and therefore he cannot call himself an atheist.
So many people have been blinded by satan to believe God doesn't exist, it's perfect for Him. Satan was proud-
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.
Satan's pride was his failing. Satan nurtured that pride he found in himself.
God resists the proud.
Every single person that is filled with the pride of their own existence not giving glory to their Creator, believing they had NO Creator, believing the have no NEED of a Creator, believing that they are their own person simply because they exist, every single one will be lost to God, lost by their own pride.
1Pe 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time
God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.
God gives grace to those who understand their need, their indebtness, their creature status. When we understand our need, when we understand that we owe God our very existence we cannot help but be humbled by that knowledge. All glory goes to HIM who created us!
We have to humble ourselves under the MIGHTY HAND OF GOD! And let God exalt us in time, trust God to be all things for us.
Humbling ourselves- constantly recognizing our Creator as all things!
Humbling ourselves- constantly recognizing our dependency on God!
Humbling ourselves constantly recognizing our every good work that we have a tendency to want to take pride is- is only possibly through God!
If we think for one moment that we can claim any glory for ourselves we are so totally wrong! People want us to. People love when we take pride in ourselves, we like it too when we and our accomplishments are praised it gives us a warm fuzzy feeling doesn't it, a special little glow inside to think we have some worth. That's it isn't it? Pride makes us feel worth- SELFworth, worth outside of God. Our self worth should be zilch, we are worthy ONLY in God!
People cringe upon hearing that because we live in a society that wants us to feel great self worth. When we learn of someone who thinks they are nothing, we immediately feel inclined to jump to their defense and tell them they have a lot of worth. The truth of the matter really is that our own worth comes from God. God who created us, God who sent His only begotten Son- God taking on frail, human flesh for us because He found worth in our existence.
We are only worthy in God and no other way whatsoever.
1Pe 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time
May God help us to humble ourselves so that HE may exalt us at His discretion.
All glory to God now and forever!
Amen
1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time
It's not enough for the younger to submit to the elder. To say that is to give the elder a self-righteous temptation that because of their age they are automatically superior to those younger than they are. The word doesn't stop there- it immediately follows with- 'ALL of you be subject one to another'. The elders included. Being older does not mean that only the younger are to be subject to the elders, but ALL are subject one to another because our Savior would have us all love one another equally.
Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Love does not entail unjust oppression one over another. I say unjust oppression because if you asked a lot of children they'll tell you they feel they are oppressed by their parents, and that is not a case of unjust oppression. Undue oppression is far from the love Jesus would have us exhibit towards each other.
It's is AWFULLY hard to show humility when you are busy acting superior to others, isn't it? It just doesn't get pulled off very easily and not at all under the eyes of the Lord.
God RESISTS the proud.
Being proud is taking on an unjust belief that you in and of yourself have a superiority, yes? Is it any wonder God resists the proud. God knows that man is a creature- created by Him and NO OTHER. Satan try as he might to seduce people to his side can never lay claim to their creation, NEVER. Of course he might try and has tried hasn't he- in his own way. Evolution- the belief that man has descended from apes and before that from some sludge in an ocean slithering out of the water. Such a glorious beginning, not. Satan wants us believing in evolution because then we are not believing in the Creator. Anything to get us to not belief, to keep us from the Love of God.
I read something yesterday about some guy who was supposed to be this famous atheists how he claims NOT to be an atheists but rather and agnostic. He said he cannot prove with all absolute authority that God does NOT exist, that there is a tiny percentage that leaves a itty bit of possibility, very tiny on his part of belief. He also said most agnostics will say there is a 50/50 chance that God does exists, he thinks in his own personal belief it's much smaller than that, but that it does exist and therefore he cannot call himself an atheist.
So many people have been blinded by satan to believe God doesn't exist, it's perfect for Him. Satan was proud-
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.
Satan's pride was his failing. Satan nurtured that pride he found in himself.
God resists the proud.
Every single person that is filled with the pride of their own existence not giving glory to their Creator, believing they had NO Creator, believing the have no NEED of a Creator, believing that they are their own person simply because they exist, every single one will be lost to God, lost by their own pride.
1Pe 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time
God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.
God gives grace to those who understand their need, their indebtness, their creature status. When we understand our need, when we understand that we owe God our very existence we cannot help but be humbled by that knowledge. All glory goes to HIM who created us!
We have to humble ourselves under the MIGHTY HAND OF GOD! And let God exalt us in time, trust God to be all things for us.
Humbling ourselves- constantly recognizing our Creator as all things!
Humbling ourselves- constantly recognizing our dependency on God!
Humbling ourselves constantly recognizing our every good work that we have a tendency to want to take pride is- is only possibly through God!
If we think for one moment that we can claim any glory for ourselves we are so totally wrong! People want us to. People love when we take pride in ourselves, we like it too when we and our accomplishments are praised it gives us a warm fuzzy feeling doesn't it, a special little glow inside to think we have some worth. That's it isn't it? Pride makes us feel worth- SELFworth, worth outside of God. Our self worth should be zilch, we are worthy ONLY in God!
People cringe upon hearing that because we live in a society that wants us to feel great self worth. When we learn of someone who thinks they are nothing, we immediately feel inclined to jump to their defense and tell them they have a lot of worth. The truth of the matter really is that our own worth comes from God. God who created us, God who sent His only begotten Son- God taking on frail, human flesh for us because He found worth in our existence.
We are only worthy in God and no other way whatsoever.
1Pe 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time
May God help us to humble ourselves so that HE may exalt us at His discretion.
All glory to God now and forever!
Amen
Friday, February 24, 2012
May we follow our greatest Example
1Pe 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
1Pe 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
1Pe 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Over and over again it is revealed that God did not man to think of himself greater than any other man. Over and over an equality is stressed. No man was to think of himself as better than another. Remember this…
Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
And this…
Mat 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And this…
Mat 23:11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
And this…
Mar 9:33 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
Mar 9:34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.
Mar 9:35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
1Pe 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
Examples to the flock, not LORDS over.
Men of God, witnessing of God, desiring to reveal the love of God to others so that they too would desire to know the love of God must LIVE the love of God. We can't TELL of the love and expect people to believe. We have to LIVE the love. Our mouths can flap all day long and it won't matter a single bit. It's what people witness in US that reveals the love of God. We are to be EXAMPLES of God's love, not hold the position of authority over others demanding they love God.
Jesus was our GREATEST example, never did He LORD over others oppressively. Never did He assert His authority needlessly. Jesus always treated others as HE would want them to treat Him, always!
We must live as Jesus lived. When our base flesh nature would have us ruling over others with unnecessary oppression, when we are ruling over them as masters thinking we are in someway superior to others then we fail miserably.
The greatest are the least of all, not those that our sinfilled society deems great for whatever reason.
Many people who hear about Christians hear that they are a people who believe they are better than everyone else, and that is a very, very sad way to be spoken and thought of by others.
Christians are NOT better than anyone. They are the least of all! It is only Christ who is better than all, only Christ. We don't become better than others when we accept Christ, that's not what it's about at all. IF anything our filthy faults are revealed, our state of horrifying sinfulness is made so much more apparent. We are far from superior human beings because we claim to follow Christ. He will forever be the ONLY ONE who is superior to all humanity, always only -the only one!
May we be the examples to others that God would have us be, never, ever putting on airs, never lording over others- never.
All by HIS GRACE!
1Pe 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
1Pe 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Over and over again it is revealed that God did not man to think of himself greater than any other man. Over and over an equality is stressed. No man was to think of himself as better than another. Remember this…
Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
And this…
Mat 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And this…
Mat 23:11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
And this…
Mar 9:33 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
Mar 9:34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.
Mar 9:35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
1Pe 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
Examples to the flock, not LORDS over.
Men of God, witnessing of God, desiring to reveal the love of God to others so that they too would desire to know the love of God must LIVE the love of God. We can't TELL of the love and expect people to believe. We have to LIVE the love. Our mouths can flap all day long and it won't matter a single bit. It's what people witness in US that reveals the love of God. We are to be EXAMPLES of God's love, not hold the position of authority over others demanding they love God.
Jesus was our GREATEST example, never did He LORD over others oppressively. Never did He assert His authority needlessly. Jesus always treated others as HE would want them to treat Him, always!
We must live as Jesus lived. When our base flesh nature would have us ruling over others with unnecessary oppression, when we are ruling over them as masters thinking we are in someway superior to others then we fail miserably.
The greatest are the least of all, not those that our sinfilled society deems great for whatever reason.
Many people who hear about Christians hear that they are a people who believe they are better than everyone else, and that is a very, very sad way to be spoken and thought of by others.
Christians are NOT better than anyone. They are the least of all! It is only Christ who is better than all, only Christ. We don't become better than others when we accept Christ, that's not what it's about at all. IF anything our filthy faults are revealed, our state of horrifying sinfulness is made so much more apparent. We are far from superior human beings because we claim to follow Christ. He will forever be the ONLY ONE who is superior to all humanity, always only -the only one!
May we be the examples to others that God would have us be, never, ever putting on airs, never lording over others- never.
All by HIS GRACE!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
The righteous can scarcely be saved
1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
If the righteous SCARCELY be saved.
We don't like to think about that do we? We are brought up to believe that we are ALL saved, end of story. We all go to heaven. We all have that tiny bit of goodness in us that God must forgive us of our horrific wrongs. Even those who we believe must be suffering in hell (because so many believe this way though it's not Biblical at all), even those people we believe have to be the worst of the worst of the worst still have a chance, right? Maybe the worst of the worst don't but surely most of us will be saved because we aren't among the worst of the worst.
Yet here we hear these words-
'If the righteous SCARCELY be saved- where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?'
Scarcely means scarcely- there is NO changing the meaning of that word.
If the righteous scarcely be saved.
We have to believe this! We cannot shy away from this fact. We cannot believe that everyone will be saved, that everyone will go to heaven. ONLY by the GRACE of GOD can we be saved, that we can have HOPE in HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, because we have none!
Read the rest of this --
1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Commit the keeping of our souls to God in WELL DOING- as UNTO a FAITHFUL CREATOR!
Our God will keep us with HIM, but we have to do our part in living as God would have us live. When we fall short of that and we WILL fall short, we have to ask for forgiveness from our Lord and Savior! He will forgive us, He will.
We must fight the flesh urge inside us that wants us to live selfishly and not even care about well doing. We have to fight the part inside of us that tells us that if we do good that we are trying to work our way into heaven. We have to fight ALL that would keep us from living as our Savior wants us to! We have to ask the Holy Spirit to silence those parts of us that would keep us from living in the spirit.
Please Lord, please help us!
We are so unworthy.
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
If the righteous SCARCELY be saved.
We don't like to think about that do we? We are brought up to believe that we are ALL saved, end of story. We all go to heaven. We all have that tiny bit of goodness in us that God must forgive us of our horrific wrongs. Even those who we believe must be suffering in hell (because so many believe this way though it's not Biblical at all), even those people we believe have to be the worst of the worst of the worst still have a chance, right? Maybe the worst of the worst don't but surely most of us will be saved because we aren't among the worst of the worst.
Yet here we hear these words-
'If the righteous SCARCELY be saved- where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?'
Scarcely means scarcely- there is NO changing the meaning of that word.
If the righteous scarcely be saved.
We have to believe this! We cannot shy away from this fact. We cannot believe that everyone will be saved, that everyone will go to heaven. ONLY by the GRACE of GOD can we be saved, that we can have HOPE in HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, because we have none!
Read the rest of this --
1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Commit the keeping of our souls to God in WELL DOING- as UNTO a FAITHFUL CREATOR!
Our God will keep us with HIM, but we have to do our part in living as God would have us live. When we fall short of that and we WILL fall short, we have to ask for forgiveness from our Lord and Savior! He will forgive us, He will.
We must fight the flesh urge inside us that wants us to live selfishly and not even care about well doing. We have to fight the part inside of us that tells us that if we do good that we are trying to work our way into heaven. We have to fight ALL that would keep us from living as our Savior wants us to! We have to ask the Holy Spirit to silence those parts of us that would keep us from living in the spirit.
Please Lord, please help us!
We are so unworthy.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Suffering as a Christian
1Pe 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
1Pe 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
Suffering as a Christian.
In our world today there are MANY Christian's suffering in ways we don't want to imagine. Each week we read more and more how Christians are being persecuted. Even in our own country- the US. People try to claim that we have freedom of religion here and then in the next breath tell us we are not allowed to pray, that we are not allowed to say Jesus' name, that we have to keep our religion private and not allow others to witness it.
Christianity isn't contagious- no religion is. We can view all religions and in the US we are supposed to be able to do that, yet persecution persists. They say if we take ALL religion out of our secular lives then it's fair, and yet they hold their own unbelief as their religious view.
Atheists want the right to be free of ALL religious connotations in their life and yet that very stance screams religious repression. To have the freedom to worship, to live your choice of religion you have to be allowed to do so as it dictates to you. If your religion tells you that you must pray before you eat a meal- then NO ONE should be allowed to stop you- You are hurting NO ONE. The people in your vicinity can close their eyes, they can turn away from you, they even have the freedom to denounce what you've done but they aren't allowed to stop you.
Suffer as a Christian.
Yes, those who choose to follow Christ as He desires them to follow will face trials- it's impossible for them not too because living the life of a Christ follower calls for us to be opposed to the world around us. We are opposed to the teachings of this world, we are opposed to living for this world, we are against the evil that fills this world - controlling it in so many ways.
Suffering as a Christian.
Yes, we are to suffer as being a Christian- but we are NOT to be murderers, thieves, evildoers, busybodies in the business of other people. People have made their living off these very things, and we applaud a lot of them- we do.
To be different from the world is to set yourself up as a target for the world to abuse and we are to understand that our suffering is expected and yes, even welcomed because if we simply conform to the world so we do not stand out as Christians we are denying our Lord, our Savior, our amazing God.
1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
We are NOT to be ashamed.
We are to GLORIFY GOD on His behalf.
In our suffering we are to glorify God.
Can we do this? Only by the grace of our LORD.
In HIS LOVE!
1Pe 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
Suffering as a Christian.
In our world today there are MANY Christian's suffering in ways we don't want to imagine. Each week we read more and more how Christians are being persecuted. Even in our own country- the US. People try to claim that we have freedom of religion here and then in the next breath tell us we are not allowed to pray, that we are not allowed to say Jesus' name, that we have to keep our religion private and not allow others to witness it.
Christianity isn't contagious- no religion is. We can view all religions and in the US we are supposed to be able to do that, yet persecution persists. They say if we take ALL religion out of our secular lives then it's fair, and yet they hold their own unbelief as their religious view.
Atheists want the right to be free of ALL religious connotations in their life and yet that very stance screams religious repression. To have the freedom to worship, to live your choice of religion you have to be allowed to do so as it dictates to you. If your religion tells you that you must pray before you eat a meal- then NO ONE should be allowed to stop you- You are hurting NO ONE. The people in your vicinity can close their eyes, they can turn away from you, they even have the freedom to denounce what you've done but they aren't allowed to stop you.
Suffer as a Christian.
Yes, those who choose to follow Christ as He desires them to follow will face trials- it's impossible for them not too because living the life of a Christ follower calls for us to be opposed to the world around us. We are opposed to the teachings of this world, we are opposed to living for this world, we are against the evil that fills this world - controlling it in so many ways.
Suffering as a Christian.
Yes, we are to suffer as being a Christian- but we are NOT to be murderers, thieves, evildoers, busybodies in the business of other people. People have made their living off these very things, and we applaud a lot of them- we do.
To be different from the world is to set yourself up as a target for the world to abuse and we are to understand that our suffering is expected and yes, even welcomed because if we simply conform to the world so we do not stand out as Christians we are denying our Lord, our Savior, our amazing God.
1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
We are NOT to be ashamed.
We are to GLORIFY GOD on His behalf.
In our suffering we are to glorify God.
Can we do this? Only by the grace of our LORD.
In HIS LOVE!
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