Please God, and Others, Not Self.

We think pleasing ourselves is our ultimate goal in our lives. We believe that being pleased- content, happy, satisfied, glad- is something we are to strive for. Truly we are NOT to please ourselves, this ISN'T our life's objective! To say I'm happy, to say I'm content, to say I'm satisfied, this is NOT what I should be desiring- not above others. MY pleasure should be secondary to helping others yet I am so incredibly SELFISH that I somehow believe that I should be first! That I shouldn't have to be unhappy, dissatisfied, not content, and surely not glad.  I'm not saying I need to be depressed, sad, angry, there is a place between our being pleased and our being unpleased. It is in this place between we are to LIVE for Christ and be HIS people here and now that MINISTER to each other revealing His love in everything we do for others. This is where we NEED to be! This is where we are to teach our children to be, not to seek their own pleasure, their own pleasing. 

We are to PLEASE others at the expense of NOT pleasing ourselves! We are to BEAR the infirmities of the weak if we are strong.

Christ did NOT please himself. Christ did NOT seek to please himself at all.  Pleasure may have come through bringing His light and life to others, but He did not purposefully commit a single action to please Himself.

Rom 15:1  We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 

Rom 15:2  Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. 

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

Psa 89:50  Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people; 

Psa 89:51  Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O LORD; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed. 

Christ suffered.

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.

Mat 26:42  He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 

Joh 4:34  Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

Joh 5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Joh 6:38  For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 

Joh 8:29  And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. 

Joh 12:27  Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 

Joh 12:28  Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. 

Php 2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 

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: 

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

Christ did NOT live to please Himself, but to please God, His Father, are we to do ANY LESS?

STOP TRYING TO PLEASE YOURSELF (yes, I'm talking to myself too).

Please, Lord, PLEASE help us to seek to please YOU, and others, over and above ourselves.  All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever, amen!

No Stumbling Blocks.

We are not to put a stumbling block in anyone's way as they seek to walk in the truth with Christ.

If they are persuaded of a truth you do not hold, to judge their walk to be false and interfere in it, you are in truth causing them to stumble.

We have to fully comprehend that we all must follow in faith the truth as the Holy Spirit reveals it to us, and convicts us. We can present our truths to those who inquire after them, but to try and force our truths on someone will forever be wrong.

If we look around at others who don't follow our particular revealed truths and judge that they can't possibly know Jesus or be known of Him, then we are truly lost because we have no power to discern their hearts, or their futures.

We are to live our truths and reveal them as prompted by the Holy Spirit. We aren't to take it upon ourselves to shove our truths down anyone's throat.

Right now there is not a single person being forced to read this, not one, at least not by me. For all I know- no one reads these little studies and that's all well and good. God knows and that's all that matters, and all that will ever matter. If but one person seeks the truth in Christ Jesus and is helped in any way by these writings all I can do is praise God, because it will be through Him it transpires. I have no power of my own to compel anyone.

If what I write does cause someone to stumble it's not because I've singled them out and am personally striving to do something to cause that to happen. God forbid I harm anyone's walk with Christ!

Truly, we are to love- not to judge. God has the power to convict and to know the proper time to do so, not us.  May God help us all to live the truth of Christ without causing any other to stumble.

And how appropriate that this particular song come on the playlist as I finish--

Jesus, Friend of Sinners

Casting Crowns

Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away

We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing

Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth's become so hard to see

The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over me

Always looking around but never looking up I'm so double minded

A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners

Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers

Let our hearts be led by mercy

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

Yeah

Jesus, friend of sinners, the one who's writing in the sand

Make the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands

Help us to remember we are all the least of these

Let the memory of Your mercy bring Your people to their knees

No one knows what we're for only against when we judge the wounded

What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and loved like You did

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners

Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers

Let our hearts be led by mercy

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast

For the leper and the lame; they're the reason that You came

Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast

But you died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

'Cause You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners

Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers

Let our hearts be led by mercy

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks Yours

And I was the lost 'cause and I was the outcast

Yeah

You died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

From <https://www.google.com/search?q=jesus+friend+of+sinners+lyrics&oq=jesus+friend+of+sinners+lyrics&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.9492j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8>

*******

Rom 14:13  Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. 

Rom 14:14  I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 

Rom 14:15  But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. 

Rom 14:16  Let not then your good be evil spoken of: 

Rom 14:17  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 

Rom 14:18  For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. 

Rom 14:19  Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. 

Rom 14:20  For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. 

Rom 14:21  It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. 

Rom 14:22  Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. 

Rom 14:23  And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. 

Why do you judge others?

We will ALL stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Every one of us will give account of ourselves to God.

Do you think you are exempt because you choose not to believe in God? You aren't.  Do you think you'll escape standing before the judgment seat because you have other gods you worship? You won't. Whatever you believe, whatever you worship, whatever your life is… you WILL stand before the judgment seat of Christ. You don't have to believe what I'm saying, but it's the truth.

There are a lot of people, the majority in fact, who do not believe in God's truth as it is found in Jesus Christ our Lord.

There is despair of finding any faith on earth when Christ returns-

Luk_18:8… Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Yet people are quick to point out that there are MILLIONS who follow Christianity. Millions and millions, yet here we have the LORD Himself saying….'shall he find faith on the earth?'

Christ also said this--

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 

So, I say again, there are millions and millions of Christians in the world- however, the majority of those Christians are not Christ followers in truth. 

Getting back to the judgment-- not everyone believes there will be a judgment but that belief won't stop it from taking place. You can go before the Lord, and when you are placed before the judgment seat of Christ you will have no doubt to its reality. You will then give an account to God, again there will be no exemptions from this, not a single one.

We are NOT to play judge though, not against another's eternal life. I cannot judge anyone's eternal life. They could tell me straight to my face that they hate God and do not believe in Jesus Christ, and I can mourn their beliefs at that moment, but it will still be UP TO GOD, not me, to judge their eternal life.

I can judge the right or wrong of someone's actions in relation to my own beliefs, but not condemn those I believe are wrong- not eternally.

Each person stands or falls all on his own before his master- God.

If God wills that a person I don't believe is following the truth found in our Savior, is to be saved then God knows that person's heart, the depths of his truest beliefs more than I ever could. I am accountable for my judging.  And God would have us leave the judging to Him.

By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, may we be fully His in all His truth and be judged worthy by Him, through Him. May we be kept from judging others in ways we were never meant to judge each other.

All through our SAVIOR, now and forever!

Rom 14:4  Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. 

Rom 14:5  One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 

Rom 14:6  He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

Rom 14:7  For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 

Rom 14:8  For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. 

Rom 14:9  For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 

Rom 14:10  But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 

Rom 14:11  For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 

Rom 14:12  So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 

Weak in Faith, Judge Not.

Rom 14:1  Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 

Rom 14:2  For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 

Rom 14:3  Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 

Weak in the faith, we can still be received, as long as it's not to bring doubt and disputations. If our faith is weak we need reaffirmation, not disputing, not doubt.

We aren't to despise one another for the variances in our beliefs. The moral law is our standard, accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior, this is our faith, our belief. Jesus came to preach the gospel of salvation through HIM, and this is our hope.

People will often nitpick their religion, making statements of belief down to the clothing, the food, the associations we have and so much more. Yet God's word, while giving us varying ideas, the ultimate truth is loving God, loving each other, believing on the Son of God, the only declared begotten of the Father.  I'm not saying there aren't other standards, other points made, other encouragements, other orders. We are given a lot of instructions by the various writers inspired by the Holy Spirit. We are also told the above-

The following-

Rom 14:1  Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 

Rom 14:2  For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 

Rom 14:3  Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 

One believes he may eat all things.
Another believes he can eat only herbs.

Neither is right, neither is wrong-- God received them both.

We have to remember this as well-

Luk 6:37  Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven

And this-

Mat 7:3  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 

Mat 7:4  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 

Mat 7:5  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. 

We are too quick to judge and to look at others faults and not our own. We need to love as God and Jesus Christ our Savior command us to love, all through the Holy Spirit.

Wake Up.

Rom 13:11  And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 

Knowing the time.

Isa 21:11  The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? 

Isa 21:12  The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come. 

Mat 16:3  And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? 

Mat 24:42  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 

Mat 24:43  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 

Mat 24:44  Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 

1Th 5:1  But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 

1Th 5:2  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 

1Th 5:3  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 

Do we know the time? Are we watchmen? Are we hypocrites, able to read the sky but not the signs? Are we watching for our Lord to return? Are we ready for the Lord, or are we not watching at all? Do we comprehend that  the Lord's return will surprise most? The world will hear 'peace and safety' but it won't be peace and safety coming from the Lord. There will be destruction, because this world is NOT our home, it wasn't Jesus' home and it won't be ours not until after it is made new by Christ and there is an outline for that, a time table many simply ignore. 

READ ALL OF THE FOLLOWING- KNOW WHAT WILL TRANSPIRE.

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and tHEY LIVED AND REIGNED WITH CHRIST A THOUSAND YEARS. 

Rev 20:5  BUT THE REST OF THE DEAD LIVED NOT AGAIN UNTIL THE THOUSAND YEARS WERE FINISHED. This is the first resurrection. 

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, AND SHALL REIGN WITH HIM A THOUSAND YEARS. 

Rev 20:7  And when THE THOUSAND YEARS ARE EXPIRED, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 

Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 

Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 

Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 

Judgment Before the Great White Throne

Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 

Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 

Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 

Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 

Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. 

Rev 21:1  And I SAW A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH: FOR THE FIRST HEAVEN AND THE FIRST EARTH WERE PASSED AWAY; and there was no more sea. 

Rev 21:2  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 

Rev 21:3  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 

Rev 21:4  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 

Rev 21:5  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 

*******

Do you see now? This world will NOT have the peace of God upon it, a NEW HEAVEN and a NEW EARTH will be made! The new heaven and new earth will be made AFTER we who are Christ's live with Him in heaven for a 1000 years! The Bible tells us truth, we just need to read and pray, and let the Holy Spirit open our hearts and minds to comprehend.

Do we know the signs? We need to know the signs of our Savior's return.

Rom 13:11  And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 

WAKE UP!

All by the GRACE and MERCY of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!!!!!!!

Abide by the law, and love.

Love fulfils the law, and by fulfil, I mean love encompasses the law- not that the law is fulfilled as in over and done.

The moral law will never be completed warranting its dismissal. The moral law is love, it stems from the love we have towards God and others. To do away with the moral law is to do away with love. People may contest this and say they get along just fine without any law at all, but honestly they are getting along because they are living the law without recognizing what they are doing. They believe in treating others with kindness and that is love, it is what the law demands of us. What they may not being doing is proclaiming Christ as their Savior and that is their prerogative, as is it for all of us. Salvation can only be found in Christ, this is truth. People can live their whole lives being decent, loving people and choose not to be Christ's, there is no harm in this save the loss of eternal life. Eternal life is not forced on any one at all.

Truthfully, we do the law when we love each other. 

Rom 13:8  Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 

Rom 13:9  For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 

Rom 13:10  Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Love will NOT commit hatefulness towards others.

Abide by the law, and LOVE. 

Loving Our Enemies.

Rom 12:18  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 

Rom 12:19  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 

Rom 12:20  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 

Rom 12:21  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. 

We are not to exact vengeance when we are wronged. Our enemies, those who do not like us, those who possibly want to hurt us, those who abuse us physically, mentally, emotionally, cyberly, or offline- we are NOT supposed to get revenge for any wrong they do to us. In fact we are to FEED them if they are hungry. We are to give them something to DRINK if they are thirsty. We are to do to them what is right, what we would do to them if they were not our enemies- this is what Christ would have us do.

We can't worry about whether or not someone pays for the hurt they cause us. We can't worry about our getting taken advantage of. We have to live for CHRIST and He would have us leave any vengeance to Him.

Truly we can either be overcome by evil- which we are when we react in ways of evil, or we can overcome evil with good.

It's much harder in the world we are living in to overcome evil with good, than to use evil against evil. May God help us to be used of Him, to be His , to seek to follow His will - not our own.

Truly we are to love our enemies.

Mat_5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you

The words of our SAVIOR.

So how much more are we to love those we -- love. Seriously. We fight with our loved ones don't we? Yet, if we are to love our enemies by- blessing  them, praying for them, feeding them and giving them drink- how much more are we to truly give of ourselves to our loved ones. They say you hurt the ones you love and unfortunately that seems to be true all too often. May we give to those we love so much more than we do. And if our loved ones are our enemies, let us love them all the more as God wills.

All in His name, the precious name of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior NOW and forever!