Protecting Our Eternal Life.

A Christ Follower Endures--

2Co 11:23  Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 

2Co 11:24  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 

2Co 11:25  Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 

2Co 11:26  In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 

2Co 11:27  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 

2Co 11:28  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 

2Co 11:29  Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? 

2Co 11:30  If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. 

2Co 11:31  The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. 

Glorying in infirmities.

2Co 12:5  Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 

2Co 12:6  For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. 

2Co 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 

2Co 12:8  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Thorn in the flesh- lest I should be exalted.

How easy it is to become exalted.

What grounds us in God? Left to our own devices we easily fall far short of living in the space God has provided for those who love Him. I almost said, for those He loves, but truthfully, He offers His love to all and everyone chooses either to love Him or not to love Him. When we choose to love Him, God will give us all we need to be His and that doesn't mean our lives will be easy- in fact it means the opposite. If all we are interested in is having an easy life then choosing to follow our Savior is not what we're looking for. Too many believe following Christ should be easy, that we should have a special protection that keeps us from harm in all its many forms. What we are guaranteed when we accept Christ is our ETERNAL reward, not earthly treasures. When we ask our Savior to be His, we will need to remember He will protect in ways that will care for our eternal life even if that means we suffer horrifically here and now.

Keep in Memory.

1Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 

1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 

1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 

1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures

Keep in memory.

Memory. Having witnessed the memory riddled by disease slipping away into virtual nothingness, this hits home a bit. Watching the grasping for knowledge you once possess and possess no more is awful. That's not what these verses are about though. Paul is talking about how he's declared the gospel that he preached and people received. The gospel which bring salvation. We CAN'T forget the gospel! If we forget what saves us, our belief is in vain. It just ISN'T once saved always saved. Paul's words- 'By which also ye are saved IF ye keep in memory what I preached unto you.'  Saved-if. 

Saved- IF.

All our believing is in vain if we forget that CHRIST died for our sins according to the scriptures, that Christ was buried and rose again on the third day according to the scriptures.  We cannot forget!

Sickness can steal a memory, accidents can destroy memories but if we have no sickness or accidents preventing us from remembering we truly need to remember the gospel by which we are saved.

Christ's death, Christ's resurrection all according to scripture- this is what we can never forget.  Please, Lord, help us to NEVER forget. We long to be Yours, saved by Your grace- Your death and resurrection.

  

So let us walk...

1Co 7:17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk

1Co 7:7  For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. 

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 

Rom 12:4  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 

Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 

Rom 12:6  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 

Rom 12:7  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 

Rom 12:8  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

All of us have gifts from God, from the greatest to the least. What man may perceive and being the greatest gift, isn't necessarily what God perceives to be the greatest. Jesus said this--

Mat 23:11  But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 

Mat 23:12  And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. 

Jesus talked of people here- people who want to be in the position of being great thinking they are above others. Truthfully it is those who serve, those who aren't striving for greatness who are Christ's. We shouldn't strive to have the greatest gifts, but strive to be as God would have us be in the capacity He has supplied for us.

1Co 7:17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk

We cannot look at any other and believe we should be like they are, do the things they do, live as they live. We cannot judge others according to their walk with the Lord.  We are called to be the LORD's and EVERY MAN is distributed certain ways of walking with the LORD. We are not all given the same walk, we are given our individual walks. God does not want us walking another's walk. God wants us to accept what He has given to us. If you're called to be a pastor, a teacher, a prophet, or a loving mother, a caring father, a good tent maker, a wonderful laborer, whatever your walk- walk in the LORD, loving the LORD. May God help us all walk as He has called us to walk.

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever!

Comfort One Another With These Words

Pro_22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

My mom did that for her children, for me.

My mom taught us the love of God in her everyday life.

My mom loved Jesus with all her heart and was never ashamed of Him.
My mom was the most gentle person I've ever known.

My mom sleeps now, and Jesus will keep her safe until His return.
My mom will rise up when Jesus calls her forth from the grave.

My mom will meet Jesus in the air and be with Him forever more.

My mom is filled with Jesus' love and she shared it with all she came in contact with.

My mom will forever have that love in her and one day by the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I will be reunited with my mom and her amazing love.

My mom, sleep now, rest from all your labors, you will never be forgotten, you will always be cherished, forever loved.

1Th 4:18 Wherefore COMFORT one another with these words.

1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 

1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 

1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

'Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life…' Daniel 12:2

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Broken Prayers

Broken Prayers.

Clearly from the majority of the following verses we have to admit the truth- that just because someone prays (asks God) it doesn't mean they will be heard by God, answered by God, their petitions will not be granted by God. With this in mind, we have to know that just because a person prays to God it doesn't mean they are of God.

We want to believe that God will hear every prayer and grant the requests made, the supplications entreated. The truth not only is- God doesn't always answer for His reasons beyond our comprehension, God doesn't always listen. Someone might tell you God ill always listen but that's not the truth found in His word.

Jas_4:3  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Jas_4:4 …know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Jas 1:6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 

Jas 1:7  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 

Job 27:8  For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? 

Job 27:9  Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? 

Job 27:10  Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God? 

Job 35:12  There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men. 

Job 35:13  Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it. 

Psa 18:41  They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not. 

Psa 66:18  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: 

Psa 66:19  But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. 

Pro 1:28  Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 

Pro 1:29  For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD

Pro 15:8  The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight. 

Pro 21:13  Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. 

Isa 1:15  And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. 

Isa 1:16  Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil

Jer 11:14  Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble. 

Jer 14:12  When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence. 

Mic 3:4  Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.

Zec 7:13  Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts

Mat 20:22  But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.

1Jn 3:22  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 

1Jn 5:14  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us

Jas 4:1  From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 

Whatever we ask-

We receive-

Because we keep his commandments.

Because we do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

God will not give to those who are not truly His and according to His word the majority of the world will not be His- not in truth.  They may fool themselves that they are His, but their delusions will be revealed in the last day. May God keep us from the evil of self-deceit. May we be HIS in all truth- nothing wavering!

Praying Correctly.

Mat_6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Thy kingdom come.

We pray, and when we pray we have to pray correctly.  I know a lot of you right now are furrowing your brows, maybe nursing a little bit of confusion and a touch of ire.  Pray correctly? Isn't any prayer acceptable? Who am I to say we have to pray correctly?

If it didn't matter how we prayed- why would the disciples ask Jesus about prayer?

Luk 11:1  And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

Have you been taught to pray?

My mother had me praying as a child every night and before dinner. My mother taught me how to pray and she did that to the best of her ability. I was taken to church as a child all the way up until I was about fourteen years old. During that time I'm sure I was taught more about prayer, in fact we were asked to memorize the Lord's Prayer as so many are taught. So clearly I was taught to pray what more is there to praying?

Somewhere along the line, don't ask me how because I don't know, prayer started to turn into a list of requests, of things I thought I needed or others needed- some legitimate, others probably not. Sure there was the perfunctory thank you and praising, but prayer became something to do when in need. NOT that we shouldn't pray when in need-

Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

We need to make our requests known to God, but prayer isn't solely about our requests especially if we ask 'amiss'.

Jas_4:3  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

When we pray we can ask amiss.  This is something we can't ignore.  Do we know when we ask amiss? Do we recognize when our sincere desires become lusts? Do we assume that we never have lusts because we think of lust as being something completely sexual and not other things as well?

We need to study this more, we really do. May our Holy heavenly Father bless us as we seek His kingdom to come, and His will to be done always, all through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever!

Endureth unto everlasting life.

'Thy Kingdom Come'

We want God's kingdom to come don't we? But what is God's kingdom? Clearly the world we live in now is not the kingdom we want, right? People talk all the time about making the world a better place. People have been trying to do this since recorded history, but they keep failing. Mankind cannot make this world into the place our hearts truly long for. People have deluded themselves into believing things of the world can somehow make this world better. They really believe in their own ability to make this world better- yet why haven't they been able to do it in thousands and thousands of years, why? What prevents this world from being harmonious in a non-dictator way? What stops us all from getting along like we really all want deep down inside?

I don't have all the answers but I do know that until God's kingdom comes there will not be anything remotely like world-wide peace.

We need God's kingdom to come.

Mat_8:11  And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus' words.

Mat_9:35  And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Preaching the GOSPEL of the KINGDOM.

Joh_18:36  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Rom_14:17  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

1Co_4:20  For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

The kingdom of GOD.

1Co 15:21  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 

1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 

1Co 15:24  Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 

1Co 15:25  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 

1Co 15:26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 

1Co 15:27  For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 

1Co 15:28  And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. 

The Kingdom to God.

Thy kingdom come…

Truly we want the kingdom to come, God's kingdom to come and we have to think of THIS every single time we pray- don't we?  We must think of our Heavenly Father, whose name is holy, His kingdom come, His will….be done.

We can't ignore the kingdom come, we just can't!  Jesus PREACHED the kingdom come! The apostles preached the kingdom come!

The kingdom. God's kingdom.

We must seek the kingdom of God.

Mat_6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Joh 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.