Greatly disturbed by the truth

People disturbed by the preaching of Jesus and His gospel of the kingdom- the resurrection from the dead.

Throughout time you've had people disturbed by the message of salvation through Jesus Christ--

Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.  (Act_4:1-2)

No one should FORCE anyone to listen to someone preach. Everyone should have the ability to either leave the place where someone is preaching, or simply ignore someone who is preaching if they can't leave.  God does NOT force His message on anyone and those who believe in forcing people to listen to them are doing God a grave disservice.

I believe in getting the amazing truth out there for all who want that truth. We will ALWAYS have those whose hearts are hardened to the truth, whose minds are closes, whose eyes will not see and ears will not hear.  But for all that there are in the majority those who do not want the TRUTH- the REAL TRUTH- there are those who do want to hear.  We must make the truth available whenever possible, but never forced.

If I put a sign on my lawn I am NOT forcing any one to read that sign, they can ignore it.  If I write a blog, again, I'm NOT forcing anyone to read it, they can ignore it easily. If I start preaching on the corner, again, NO ONE has to listen to me!  We have the ability to ignore a lot of things, yet people will often get in an uproar over preaching, why? Because people are DISTURBED by the message of truth. 

I know a few atheists who get incensed over things they read and hear, yet no one FORCES them to read or listen to these things. If a Christian does force them, they aren't truly a Christian.  Satan has many pretenders throughout those claiming Christianity, and he has them there because they can destroy so much with their false claims to the truth.

That saying- "Don't let a few bad apples spoil the whole bunch." Is how this should be viewed by those who are truly seeking truth and not their own private agendas.  Instead of labeling all Christians and Christianity itself as something to be shunned based upon the actions of even the majority of Christians, is wrong.  If you choose not to believe based on your own understanding that's one thing, but to hold up "bad" Christians as your basis not to believe is sadly deceptive and ultimately eternally deadly.

God help us to preach and teach the truth of Jesus Christ and the salvation He offers, the resurrection from the eternal death to all that would hear. Keep us in You as we live among many who are disturbed by the truth. Let us always remain steadfast in the Savior, by the power of the Holy Spirit, all through our Savior's amazing LOVE!

Amen.

Making Excuses

Making excuses.

We all do it, and we are all accountable for doing it. We make excuses for our behavior. Even those who say they have no one to answer to and therefore make no excuses are making the excuse of having no one to answer to. 

Luk 14:16  Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

Luk 14:17  And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

Luk 14:18  And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

Luk 14:19  And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.

Luk 14:20  And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

Excuses.

What WE desire to do is more important to us than what Christ would have us do.  We put our own needs before His needs, and what His needs are consist of our loving Him and loving Others.

SELF LAST- this is a lesson that takes a lifetime to learn, this is a lesson that is impossible for us to learn on our own. It is ONLY through the Holy Spirit we have any hope of being able to subdue the self in us.  Denying ourselves-  do we, should we?

Mat_16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Mar_8:34  And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

We are invited to the great wedding feast  between Christ and His Church(His people),all of us are invited to be a part of that Church, to be Christ's Bride- there is no wedding feast without the bride after all.  Yet, so many of us will choose not to go to the wedding feast, to not be Christ's bride.  So many of us will come up with excuses. Only when our Savior returns and we long to go with Him it is then He will tell us that He doesn't know us and we will realize all at once just how we filled our lives with excuses not to live for Christ.  Every single excuse we make will flash before our eyes, we will KNOW why Christ doesn't know us, because WE are the ones choosing not to know CHRIST!

Excuses, we are filled with excuses. God forgive us, we love our excuses.

Will we use our jobs? Will we use our possessions? Will we use our loved ones?  Or maybe we'll use all of those and many more.  God HELP us not use any excuses to not live for Christ, to not love as He would have us love, to not give ourselves to Him fully.

Please, Father, HELP US! SAVE US from ourselves and all our stupid excuses!

In the name of our SAVIOR Jesus Christ our LORD, now and forever, amen!

Recognize and Repent

Continue in sin?  Once you KNOW something is sinful- a thing that if committed will separate you from God, and you knowingly separate yourself from God by continuing to sin, how can grace abound?

Truthfully I feel as if my entire existence is filled with sin. From the moment I wake up until the moment I fall asleep I recognize just how far from being sinless I am. Just in my thoughts alone I feel as if I'm constantly separating myself from God through my selfishness, my self serving ways.  Is it this point we NEED to attain to comprehend how fully we have to recognize that Christ and Christ alone saves us and nothing we do saves us?  Once that comprehension begins to dawn, we know still that we cannot simply resign ourselves to being sinful willfully.

Rom 6:1  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

Rom 6:2  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

The WAR we are living in hasn't a single furlough, leave, discharge, there is really no going awol with this war because it's a spiritual war which will be waged until Christ returns. The only time we have a brief reprieve truly is when we enter death's temporary sleep and wait in that sleep for our Savior's return.

We KNOW we are sinners.

We KNOW we cannot seem to stop sinning.

We KNOW that we need to seek forgiveness when we sin- ALWAYS. There isn't a single sin that isn't in need of forgiveness.

If we need to live in a constant state of seeking forgiveness, knowing that we are constantly relying upon our Savior's grace, then that is what we do, yes?  But, we do NOT excuse or accept sin, we RECOGNIZE and REPENT.  The SPECIAL Treasure we have in heaven, the Treasure we are to store up there, where our thoughts and hearts must be, is CHRIST Himself, the Author of our forgiveness, our grace.

We need to take our minds OFF ourselves and put them on CHRIST, having HIS mind in us, to think of OTHERS, to think of GOD first- to think of THEM MORE than ourselves.  Focusing on ourselves leads to even more self absorption.  Recognize, repent, refocus, yes?  Ask ourselves in that refocusing whether we aare thinking on the things our Lord would have us think on, or thinking on things that just keep up the vicious cycle of self serving.

Php_4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

By His grace, His mercy, His power, through the Holy Spirit, all because our Savior died for us, may we live recognizing, repenting, refocusing, renewing… in CHRIST.

Amen.

Whose mind do you have?

Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

Christ's mind.

Php 2:4  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Christ's mind- NOT looking on his own things, but the things of other.  Christ obviously deemed OTHERS more important than Himself.  His entire ministry all the way to His ultimate death and resurrection was filled with His putting OTHERS before Himself.

Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men

Christ did NOT make of Himself any reputation at all. He didn't want any GLORY. He did not tell people to give Him their best seats, their best food, their best clothes, to pay Him for all He did for them. Christ didn't want to be made their earthly king, Christ was their heavenly king!  We are NOT supposed to want glory, not ANY glory! We are to put others FIRST in all things. To do these things, this is what it means for us to have the mind of Christ.  Christ was a servant, Christ had the MIND of a SERVANT! We need to be servants, true servants!

The things Christ did, the things Christ would do, these are the things WE ARE TO DO.

Mat 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Meek and lowly in heart.

Mat 20:26  But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

Mat 20:27  And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

Mat 20:28  Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Minister to others.

Luk 22:27  For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

Serve.

Joh 13:14  If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

Joh 13:15  For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

Serve.

Act 10:38  How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Do good.

Rom 15:3  For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

Please NOT ourselves.

1Co 10:33  Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

The profit of others.

Eph 5:2  And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Walk in love. Give of ourselves- all of ourselves.

1Pe 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps

Suffer, as Christ suffered.

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.

Suffer in our flesh.

No longer live to the lusts of our flesh.

Live to the will of God.

All, by the grace of GOD.

What do you live for?

Things Above.

Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Christ is ABOVE.

Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Christ is NOT on the earth.

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

The kingdom of God is CHRIST and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Luk 12:33  Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

Luk 12:34  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Christ is our TREASURE and Christ is in heaven.

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Christ is spiritually MINDED.

Php 3:20  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

Php 3:21  Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Our conversation is on CHRIST, and CHRIST is in heaven above.

Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Heb 11:14  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

Heb 11:15  And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

Heb 11:16  But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

A better country- HEAVENLY country where CHRIST is ABOVE!

If OUR lives REVOLVE around CHRIST as they SHOULD, then automatically we are doing all the above mentioned things. We are seeking things above, we are setting our affections on things above, we are seeking first the kingdom of God, we are putting our treasure in heaven, we are spiritually minded, we are also looking for the better country to belong to, not this worldly country- we are truly pilgrims and strangers here upon earth.

We find there is often a fierce loyalty attached to our country of birth and we don't want anyone putting it down, even if we ourselves can trash talk it. When push comes to shove so to speak we want to believe that we are loyal to the country we live in. Obviously not EVERYONE feels this way. There are traitors, defectors, people who simply decide there is a better country to live in that meets their desires more than the country they are in. Some people loath their countries and long for another one.  The truth is, NO matter what country we are born into, reside in, or long for, if it is not the heavenly country then we should NOT feel inclined to hold a fierce loyalty to any country.  No, I'm not saying we should HURT our country or ANY country that is totally contrary to how I believe God would have us live. But our true loyalty must be HIS above all others.  If faced with the decision to swear allegiance to a country before swearing allegiance to God, we need to choose God first!

Right now, this very day, there are people who are being tortured and killed because they will not denounce God, they will not denounce God's only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.  These people are given a choice. They are told to convert to another's belief and live, it's that simple, just give up their loyalty to Jesus, but they DON'T do that! Instead these people choose death over living with the fact they denied Jesus.  How many of us could do that? How many of us would convince ourselves that God would understand, that Jesus would understand? That we can secretly keep loyal to Jesus while outwardly betraying Him.  We want to convince ourselves this is possible and I'm NOT saying in no uncertain terms that there aren't situations this is okay, because I am not the judge of the hearts of those making the decisions. I sit on the sidelines and talk about what we possibly should or shouldn't do, but I'm not face to face with the choice.  I am, however face to face with the choice to either live right now for Jesus or to live for earthly things.

Earthly things such as SELF. My carnal nature is an earthly thing. Earthly things such as everything upon earth- all material things. Yes, ALL material things even those things I often call necessities. Am I living for "THINGS"?  WHAT DO I LIVE FOR!? What do YOU live for!?

We need to very somberly ask ourselves this question and pay real close attention to our answers because they matter- eternally they matter. 

Please Father in heaven, we would live for YOU! Bless us in YOU! By the mercy and grace, the sacrifice of Your Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!

Amen.

Where are your affections?!

Seek those things which are above.

Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

What things? Seriously. What things? We spend so much time seeking things that are NOT above I don't think we can comprehend fully even how to seek things that are above.  Our focus has been earthbound for so long we are clueless as to exactly what it means to seek those things which are above.  We are clueless as well as to how we lay our treasures up in heaven.  We are so lost when it comes to things heavenly because we are so incredibly earthly.

Seek those things which are above.

Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Affections NOT SET ON EARTH.

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

SEEK FIRST the kingdom of GOD.

Luk 12:33  Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

Luk 12:34  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

TREASURE in HEAVEN.

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

SPIRITUALLY MINDED.

2Co 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

THINGS NOT SEEN ARE ETERNAL.

Php 3:20  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

Php 3:21  Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

CONVERSATION IS IN HEAVEN.

Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Heb 11:14  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

Heb 11:15  And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

Heb 11:16  But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

STRANGERS and PILGRMS ON THE EARTH. A BETTER COUNTRY- HEAVENLY.

Over and over again we are admonished to SEEK the eternal, to SEEK the heavenly.  Set our affections on things above. Where are you affections?  Seriously, WHERE ARE YOUR AFFECTIONS?! 

The dictionary definition of affection is- 'a gentle feeling of fondness or liking.'

Where are your gentle feelings of fondness? Where are your gentle feelings of liking? Seriously, WHERE ARE YOUR AFFECTIONS!

More tomorrow by the GRACE and MERCY, the LOVE of our Savior, JESUS CHRIST our LORD.

Amen!

Seek those things which are above

Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

We ARE risen with Christ, yes?

Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Rom 6:5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection

We are risen with CHRIST!

And if we are TRULY risen with Christ we have to SEEK the things which are ABOVE!  We have to seek HEAVENLY things! Why don't we do this?! Why do we insist on living for things here and now? Why are we so incredibly caught up in the things of this world? Why do things that are truly TEMPORARY occupy our thoughts so much?  We worry SO much about TEMPORARY things.  Yes, people say we're crazy when we say things like - "Don't worry about that huge problem you're having, it'll work out somehow."  They insist on worrying because to NOT worry seems incredibly stupid, it makes it seem as if they don't care if they don't worry. 

Where is that fine line - the one that makes it appear as if you don't care because you've given your worries over to God? 

This world and ALL its problems, ALL our problems large or small will try to consume us and keep us planted firmly on earthly thinking only earthly things, not heavenly.

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Do we believe this? How can we not believe this if we believe in our Savior, Jesus Christ?

Do we believe we shouldn't LOVE this world?

Do we believe we shouldn't LOVE the things that are in this world?

God tells us, God commands us to LOVE Him and LOVE Others, and we have to realize HE is not of this world- He is the CREATOR of the world but He no longer rules this world we gave it over to Satan when we obeyed HIM, and NOT God. And OTHERS, are they of this world? We can say yes, and it might be true, but if We are not supposed to be OF this world, then how can we believe ANY others are supposed to be OF this world? They like us, are NOT supposed to be OF this world, but risen with CHRIST!  Dead in the water buried with Christ, Risen as we rise from the baptismal water and alive in  Christ evermore!  We are NOT supposed to be OF this world! So when we are told to LOVE not this world, we are not being told to love others amiss because they are not supposed to be of this world but of Christ's world, the heavenly world. 

Yes, we are to LOVE others for they are ALL possibly heaven bound as we are! And we cannot judge their heaven bound intentions. We must LOVE them and LOVE God, NOT THIS WORLD!