CRYSTAL COAST FRIENDS
I hope to be near Bogue Sound for a few days in the near future, as I take steps to set up a fishing camp in that area this coming year (the Lord willing). I don't have any definite plans, but the general area could be somewhere near Morehead, or Swansboro, or Newport. I already have a couple of families that are interested in being part of the fishing camp, once we get started.
Anyway, I just thought some of you might find this interesting and I would appreciate those who are already fishing that area to keep us in your prayers.
If you have questions or ideas, PLEASE MESSAGE ME, since I don't have any specifics at this time. Once I firm up some plans I will let everyone know.
Saturday, January 23, 2016
ROUGH STUFF OR FUN RUN
ROUGH STUFF OR FUN RUN
Pssst, don't tell anyone, but sometimes God takes us through the rough stuff rather than the fun run. We should no more resist the rough stuff than we do the fun run. If we struggle over which path to take, (or worse) if we choose the "fun run" over the rough stuff, we have a heart problem that needs to be taken care of through death to self.
Fear not. The self life is futile anyway, and the Christ life is the only real life.
Matthew 16:24-26
(24) Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
(25) For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it.
(26) For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?
Pssst, don't tell anyone, but sometimes God takes us through the rough stuff rather than the fun run. We should no more resist the rough stuff than we do the fun run. If we struggle over which path to take, (or worse) if we choose the "fun run" over the rough stuff, we have a heart problem that needs to be taken care of through death to self.
Fear not. The self life is futile anyway, and the Christ life is the only real life.
Matthew 16:24-26
(24) Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
(25) For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it.
(26) For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?
DON'T TAKE IT LIGHTLY
DON'T TAKE IT LIGHTLY
Did you ever miss an opportunity, or an exit, or the ferry boat, because you took a wrong turn or because you were not paying attention or because you got caught up in something else?
Results can range from, "No biggie" to "Oh No."
Sometimes the results have lifelong or eternal consequences.
Your Own Personal Shepherd
This is why I am here. "I," being (if I am) your pastor or one of your spiritual counselors. As your shepherd, trained for many years in the word of God, and trained through experiences and observations (good and bad), trained by the leading of the Holy Spirit, as well as being gifted and led by God to lead God's people, I know the perils of life, the paths of righteousness, the plight of the negligent and disobedient, and the promise for the faithful. We will not live this life without problems or failures, but we can avoid most, if not all of the traps that are set for believers, as we follow the Holy Spirit and we take wise counsel.
Do It For The Children
One of the major areas of concern is getting the right information and taking the right steps in raising our children. We don't get a second chance. Each failure robs them. This is why constant vigilance and right decisions are essential as a parent.
As a parent who has made good and bad decisions, I am here to help you do the best job you can do.
Remember, not all losses in life are the same. Don't lose when it comes to the essentials of life. Get God's leading and obey His will.
Did you ever miss an opportunity, or an exit, or the ferry boat, because you took a wrong turn or because you were not paying attention or because you got caught up in something else?
Results can range from, "No biggie" to "Oh No."
Sometimes the results have lifelong or eternal consequences.
Your Own Personal Shepherd
This is why I am here. "I," being (if I am) your pastor or one of your spiritual counselors. As your shepherd, trained for many years in the word of God, and trained through experiences and observations (good and bad), trained by the leading of the Holy Spirit, as well as being gifted and led by God to lead God's people, I know the perils of life, the paths of righteousness, the plight of the negligent and disobedient, and the promise for the faithful. We will not live this life without problems or failures, but we can avoid most, if not all of the traps that are set for believers, as we follow the Holy Spirit and we take wise counsel.
Do It For The Children
One of the major areas of concern is getting the right information and taking the right steps in raising our children. We don't get a second chance. Each failure robs them. This is why constant vigilance and right decisions are essential as a parent.
As a parent who has made good and bad decisions, I am here to help you do the best job you can do.
Remember, not all losses in life are the same. Don't lose when it comes to the essentials of life. Get God's leading and obey His will.
Friday, January 22, 2016
DOES YOUR PASTOR TELL YOU THIS?
DOES YOUR PASTOR TELL YOU THIS?
Did you notice the Hebrews passage in my previous post?
Hebrews 12:14-15
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
The Sanctification
The Greek actually says that we are to follow after, "the sanctification." There is a specific sanctification, purification, cleansing, setting apart, which Christians are expected to pursue and obtain. This particular sanctification is mandatory, essential, obligatory to a right relationship with God.
Essential
Think about it. Has your pastor ever told you that there is a specific holiness, a specific cleansing available to believers, which is attainable and obtainable, by the grace of God, which you should follow after in this life if you want to spend eternity with God? If no one has told you about this, then you better find someone who believes it, lives it and can communicate it to you, because, without it you will not see God, that is, you will be denied access to His presence.
Fail Of Grace
Also notice, that it is possible for believers to fail the grace of God, to fall short of the grace of God. It is not that the grace of God fails Christians, but those who do not search for, find and obtain God's peculiar purity of heart and life, will fail the grace of God, will come short of the presence of God.
Root Of Bitterness Defiles
Failing the grace of God allows the root of bitterness to spring up in our heart and life, and that corruption crowds us, disturbs us, annoys us, to the point that we become a stumbling block to others, causing them to be defiled.
It is not enough that God can and will sanctify us completely, we must keep ourselves in that grace by following Him fully. If we go backwards, from our relationship with God, we will be defiled and the cause of other people being defiled also.
Did you notice the Hebrews passage in my previous post?
Hebrews 12:14-15
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
The Sanctification
The Greek actually says that we are to follow after, "the sanctification." There is a specific sanctification, purification, cleansing, setting apart, which Christians are expected to pursue and obtain. This particular sanctification is mandatory, essential, obligatory to a right relationship with God.
Essential
Think about it. Has your pastor ever told you that there is a specific holiness, a specific cleansing available to believers, which is attainable and obtainable, by the grace of God, which you should follow after in this life if you want to spend eternity with God? If no one has told you about this, then you better find someone who believes it, lives it and can communicate it to you, because, without it you will not see God, that is, you will be denied access to His presence.
Fail Of Grace
Also notice, that it is possible for believers to fail the grace of God, to fall short of the grace of God. It is not that the grace of God fails Christians, but those who do not search for, find and obtain God's peculiar purity of heart and life, will fail the grace of God, will come short of the presence of God.
Root Of Bitterness Defiles
Failing the grace of God allows the root of bitterness to spring up in our heart and life, and that corruption crowds us, disturbs us, annoys us, to the point that we become a stumbling block to others, causing them to be defiled.
It is not enough that God can and will sanctify us completely, we must keep ourselves in that grace by following Him fully. If we go backwards, from our relationship with God, we will be defiled and the cause of other people being defiled also.
PURITY OF HEART
PURITY OF HEART
There is a difference in saying something that comes across as unkind or unclean and saying something intentionally that is unkind or unclean because it was the disposition of the heart.
Christians, even vigilant Christians, are able to go for a while without their inner corruption rising up and spewing out, but until they die to self and surrender completely to the purifying work of the Holy Spirit, they will be plagued from time to time with unkind or an unclean urge.
Satan, sinning religion, and society wants us to believe that such leanings are normal because "we are only human" or because we have not matured.
Actually the problem comes from the sinful nature, rather than the human nature. Therefore "being human" is just an excuse for a sinful urge. Also, the problem is not because we lack maturity but because we lack purity.
This is where the lie of "progressive sanctification" rears its ugly head. Christians acknowledge that there is a spiritual cleansing and renewing at the time of conversion, and they will also acknowledge that there is a life long growth in grace that takes place after conversion, but they often deny the very truth that they need to accept. There is an entire sanctification that delivers Christians from the uncontrolled inward tyranny that rises up from time to time. This attitude of resistance is the Old Man, the carnal mind, the evil heart of unbelief. It is not just an inconvenience or a disturbance, it is a corruption, which cannot be subjugated, and it will lead a Christian away from God.
When those moments of un-Christian attitude eruptions pollute your thoughts, desires, conversation and actions, remember, God can and will deliver you, if you come to Him by faith.
1 Thessalonians 4:7
7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
Hebrews 12:14-15
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
1 John 3:2-3
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
There is a difference in saying something that comes across as unkind or unclean and saying something intentionally that is unkind or unclean because it was the disposition of the heart.
Christians, even vigilant Christians, are able to go for a while without their inner corruption rising up and spewing out, but until they die to self and surrender completely to the purifying work of the Holy Spirit, they will be plagued from time to time with unkind or an unclean urge.
Satan, sinning religion, and society wants us to believe that such leanings are normal because "we are only human" or because we have not matured.
Actually the problem comes from the sinful nature, rather than the human nature. Therefore "being human" is just an excuse for a sinful urge. Also, the problem is not because we lack maturity but because we lack purity.
This is where the lie of "progressive sanctification" rears its ugly head. Christians acknowledge that there is a spiritual cleansing and renewing at the time of conversion, and they will also acknowledge that there is a life long growth in grace that takes place after conversion, but they often deny the very truth that they need to accept. There is an entire sanctification that delivers Christians from the uncontrolled inward tyranny that rises up from time to time. This attitude of resistance is the Old Man, the carnal mind, the evil heart of unbelief. It is not just an inconvenience or a disturbance, it is a corruption, which cannot be subjugated, and it will lead a Christian away from God.
When those moments of un-Christian attitude eruptions pollute your thoughts, desires, conversation and actions, remember, God can and will deliver you, if you come to Him by faith.
1 Thessalonians 4:7
7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
Hebrews 12:14-15
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
1 John 3:2-3
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
THE REDEMPTIVE LIFE CYCLE OF A HUMAN BEING
THE REDEMPTIVE LIFE CYCLE OF A HUMAN BEING
CONCEPTION AND BIRTH
* We are conceived and born with a natural tendency toward selfishness, which is called the sinful nature, which we inherited from the father of the human race, Adam.
* We are not accountable to God for either our actions or our sinful disposition until we reach an age that God deems appropriate.
* Though we are born with an inner corruption, we are covered by the redeeming work of Christ on the cross.
DEVELOPMENT AS A SINNER
* We develop as children, with a personality and temperament that is peculiar to ourselves, but it is formed by both our nature and our nurture.
* We each disobey God's laws deliberately, in our own way.
* Disobedience to God's laws separates us from God.
* We either hear and heed the message of forgiveness and new beginning through Christ or we don't.
* If we hear the good news and trust Christ, we get a new start in life.
A NEW START
* At our new birth we are forgiven of every sin we have ever committed, up to that time.
* We are not forgiven of future sins, because we cannot repent of sin until we have committed sin, since repenting involves, "turning around."
* God empowers us to live a new life that is pleasing to Him.
* God imparts His Holy Spirit to us so that we will be led away from sin and we will resist sin and we will overcome temptation.
DEVELOPMENT AS A BELIEVER
* We submit to the Lordship of Christ.
* We fellowship and learn from other believers that have been following God.
* We learn God's word.
* We bring our lives and out thoughts into subjection to Christ.
* We sense an inward struggle of our sinful nature with the new nature, which is created in righteousness and true holiness.
* We love God, but not with a perfect love; we keep God's law, but we have an inner battle as we do.
* When (and if) we fail God, we then seek God and His mercy to forgive and restore us to a right relationship with God.
TOTAL SURRENDER
* We realize our inner tendency to rebel.
* We realize God's will and ability to purify our hearts COMPLETELY.
* We trust Christ alone for our entire cleanings and the endument of power from the Holy Spirit.
* We continue to walk in love, truth, light, obedience to God, and we continue to grow in grace an knowledge.
* If we fail, we repent and trust Christ and then we move on in the power of the Holy Spirit.
SOMETHING TO NOTICE
THE BEST YOU CAN DO before you get saved is not as good as
THE BEST YOU CAN DO after you get saved by the miraculous saving power of God;
which is not as good as
THE BEST YOU CAN DO when you are cleansed from the Old Man and filled with the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
CONCEPTION AND BIRTH
* We are conceived and born with a natural tendency toward selfishness, which is called the sinful nature, which we inherited from the father of the human race, Adam.
* We are not accountable to God for either our actions or our sinful disposition until we reach an age that God deems appropriate.
* Though we are born with an inner corruption, we are covered by the redeeming work of Christ on the cross.
DEVELOPMENT AS A SINNER
* We develop as children, with a personality and temperament that is peculiar to ourselves, but it is formed by both our nature and our nurture.
* We each disobey God's laws deliberately, in our own way.
* Disobedience to God's laws separates us from God.
* We either hear and heed the message of forgiveness and new beginning through Christ or we don't.
* If we hear the good news and trust Christ, we get a new start in life.
A NEW START
* At our new birth we are forgiven of every sin we have ever committed, up to that time.
* We are not forgiven of future sins, because we cannot repent of sin until we have committed sin, since repenting involves, "turning around."
* God empowers us to live a new life that is pleasing to Him.
* God imparts His Holy Spirit to us so that we will be led away from sin and we will resist sin and we will overcome temptation.
DEVELOPMENT AS A BELIEVER
* We submit to the Lordship of Christ.
* We fellowship and learn from other believers that have been following God.
* We learn God's word.
* We bring our lives and out thoughts into subjection to Christ.
* We sense an inward struggle of our sinful nature with the new nature, which is created in righteousness and true holiness.
* We love God, but not with a perfect love; we keep God's law, but we have an inner battle as we do.
* When (and if) we fail God, we then seek God and His mercy to forgive and restore us to a right relationship with God.
TOTAL SURRENDER
* We realize our inner tendency to rebel.
* We realize God's will and ability to purify our hearts COMPLETELY.
* We trust Christ alone for our entire cleanings and the endument of power from the Holy Spirit.
* We continue to walk in love, truth, light, obedience to God, and we continue to grow in grace an knowledge.
* If we fail, we repent and trust Christ and then we move on in the power of the Holy Spirit.
SOMETHING TO NOTICE
THE BEST YOU CAN DO before you get saved is not as good as
THE BEST YOU CAN DO after you get saved by the miraculous saving power of God;
which is not as good as
THE BEST YOU CAN DO when you are cleansed from the Old Man and filled with the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
MOLECH WORSHIP MAKES YOU MAD
MOLECH WORSHIP MAKES YOU MAD
(worship of a false god, who encourages the murder of children)
There is no greater absurdity or idiocy than saying,
"I am pro woman and pro baby killing."
Okay, Okay, they clean it up, and hope that we are not paying attention when they say,
"I am pro woman and pro choice."
TWO INSTANCES OF IDIOCY
1. That a person thinks we are so stupid that we do not know that, "pro choice" is a euphemism for abortion, which is a euphemism for, "baby killing."
2. That a person thinks that being pro woman includes baby killing.
(Liberal thinking is neither liberal or thinking)
I know, this is crazy, isn't it!
I am not being unkind, by calling them names. I am offering them hope, because there is help for them. It is called salvation. If they let Jesus into their hearts, their minds, their lives, they will be delivered from the demonic lunacy of Molech worship, and they will be in their right minds.
We see this principle in action when Jesus cast the demons out of the demoniac.
Luke 8:35-37
(35) People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
(36) Those who saw it told them how he who had been possessed by demons was healed.
(37) All the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them, for they were very much afraid. He entered into the boat, and returned.
Notice,
* The people would rather see a violent mad man than a saved man.
* The people would rather get rid of Jesus than the blood thirsty demons.
The delivered man wanted to follow Jesus. Most people would rather follow the killers of babies. In fact, they would vote him in to be President, for a third term, if they could.
(worship of a false god, who encourages the murder of children)
There is no greater absurdity or idiocy than saying,
"I am pro woman and pro baby killing."
Okay, Okay, they clean it up, and hope that we are not paying attention when they say,
"I am pro woman and pro choice."
TWO INSTANCES OF IDIOCY
1. That a person thinks we are so stupid that we do not know that, "pro choice" is a euphemism for abortion, which is a euphemism for, "baby killing."
2. That a person thinks that being pro woman includes baby killing.
(Liberal thinking is neither liberal or thinking)
I know, this is crazy, isn't it!
I am not being unkind, by calling them names. I am offering them hope, because there is help for them. It is called salvation. If they let Jesus into their hearts, their minds, their lives, they will be delivered from the demonic lunacy of Molech worship, and they will be in their right minds.
We see this principle in action when Jesus cast the demons out of the demoniac.
Luke 8:35-37
(35) People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
(36) Those who saw it told them how he who had been possessed by demons was healed.
(37) All the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them, for they were very much afraid. He entered into the boat, and returned.
Notice,
* The people would rather see a violent mad man than a saved man.
* The people would rather get rid of Jesus than the blood thirsty demons.
The delivered man wanted to follow Jesus. Most people would rather follow the killers of babies. In fact, they would vote him in to be President, for a third term, if they could.
A Quick Observation
A Quick Observation
* It use to be that all patriotic Americans were anti-Socialism.
* As the years went by, the Democratic party became more openly friendly to Socialism.
* Recently Hillary Clinton, along with Debbie Wasserman Schultz of the Democratic party could not draw a distinction between the Democratic Party and Socialism.
* Also recently, some of my Democratic friends have boldly stood in line with Socialism, as they follow their duplicitous leaders into Socialism.
* HOWEVER, now that the openly professed Socialist, Bernie Sanders is a threat to Hillary Clinton, the Democrats are beginning to bad mouth Socialism.
It is time to come back to sanity, and to resist and reject all movements contrary to the Holy Bible and the Lordship of Christ over our lives.
* It use to be that all patriotic Americans were anti-Socialism.
* As the years went by, the Democratic party became more openly friendly to Socialism.
* Recently Hillary Clinton, along with Debbie Wasserman Schultz of the Democratic party could not draw a distinction between the Democratic Party and Socialism.
* Also recently, some of my Democratic friends have boldly stood in line with Socialism, as they follow their duplicitous leaders into Socialism.
* HOWEVER, now that the openly professed Socialist, Bernie Sanders is a threat to Hillary Clinton, the Democrats are beginning to bad mouth Socialism.
It is time to come back to sanity, and to resist and reject all movements contrary to the Holy Bible and the Lordship of Christ over our lives.
DO NOT BE KNOTTY
DO NOT BE KNOTTY
Concerning the substantive issues, such as, life, truth or reality, there are only two sides: God's side and the other side. This puts the Nation of Islam (The Black Muslims) and the KKK (though there are shades of difference between them) on the same side, which is opposition to the rule of Christ.
In the subsidiary areas of life there are many different "brands," which are neither good nor evil, in themselves. However, the subsidiaries of life must be subject to the rule of Christ, or they too become aligned with the enemies of Christ.
Remember Two Things Here
* God is absolute and perfect and unchanging (such as, in His truth, holiness, justice).
* The world system ("this present age," worldliness) contradicts itself, but it always resists the rule of God.
The Bible Tells Us not to put our hands on any man quickly (give our approval on someone without sound reasoning). This is also true when in comes to the "brands," or parties, or movements of men. Those brands change with time and leadership and social pressures.
1 Timothy 5:20-22 (WEB)
(20) Those who sin, reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.
(21) I command you in the sight of God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the chosen angels, that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing by partiality.
(22) Lay hands hastily on no one, neither be a participant in other people’s sins. Keep yourself pure.
Let Your Yes Be Yes...
Most people do not realize that a pledge of allegiance or a vow of loyalty is a promise of unwavering obedience. Like it or not, there is not anything or anyone, to whom we should promise our absolute loyalty. (Concerning our relationship with any nation, we should obey its laws, contribute to its well being and be good citizens, but only as it is consistent with the word of God). I can commit myself to an issue or organization, as God wills. As a Christian, I can only give unreserved, unrestrained allegiance to God.
When we align ourselves with other people, parties or platforms, it should be with the caveat that we will not violate the will and the rule of God.
This world is in a knotted mess because the devil has found so many different ways to entangle us. The tangle and the knot are getting bigger and tighter as time goes bye. God is the knot remover. We will either let Him untangle us, or He will eventually have to cut us out. Do not fight against God by getting entangled with anything contrary to the Lordship of Christ in your life.
Concerning the substantive issues, such as, life, truth or reality, there are only two sides: God's side and the other side. This puts the Nation of Islam (The Black Muslims) and the KKK (though there are shades of difference between them) on the same side, which is opposition to the rule of Christ.
In the subsidiary areas of life there are many different "brands," which are neither good nor evil, in themselves. However, the subsidiaries of life must be subject to the rule of Christ, or they too become aligned with the enemies of Christ.
Remember Two Things Here
* God is absolute and perfect and unchanging (such as, in His truth, holiness, justice).
* The world system ("this present age," worldliness) contradicts itself, but it always resists the rule of God.
The Bible Tells Us not to put our hands on any man quickly (give our approval on someone without sound reasoning). This is also true when in comes to the "brands," or parties, or movements of men. Those brands change with time and leadership and social pressures.
1 Timothy 5:20-22 (WEB)
(20) Those who sin, reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.
(21) I command you in the sight of God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the chosen angels, that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing by partiality.
(22) Lay hands hastily on no one, neither be a participant in other people’s sins. Keep yourself pure.
Let Your Yes Be Yes...
Most people do not realize that a pledge of allegiance or a vow of loyalty is a promise of unwavering obedience. Like it or not, there is not anything or anyone, to whom we should promise our absolute loyalty. (Concerning our relationship with any nation, we should obey its laws, contribute to its well being and be good citizens, but only as it is consistent with the word of God). I can commit myself to an issue or organization, as God wills. As a Christian, I can only give unreserved, unrestrained allegiance to God.
Matthew 5:33-37 (WEB)
(33) “Again you have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your vows,’
(34) but I tell you, don’t swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God;
(35) nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
(36) Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can’t make one hair white or black.
(37) But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.
James 5:12 (WEB)
(12) But above all things, my brothers, don’t swear— not by heaven, or by the earth, or by any other oath; but let your “yes” be “yes”, and your “no”, “no”; so that you don’t fall into hypocrisy.
This world is in a knotted mess because the devil has found so many different ways to entangle us. The tangle and the knot are getting bigger and tighter as time goes bye. God is the knot remover. We will either let Him untangle us, or He will eventually have to cut us out. Do not fight against God by getting entangled with anything contrary to the Lordship of Christ in your life.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
NEXT STOP, DESTRUCTION
NEXT STOP, DESTRUCTION
I find it interesting that when the principles of the "bigoted" and "narrow minded" conservatives (also known as Constitutional Rights) were in effect in America, the lunatic fringe was free to spout off their insanity (including the KKK, the American Nazis, the Communists, the Socialists, the Black Panthers, and The Nation of Islam, among other anti-American loony bin escapees), but once these leftists and godless authoritarian "stalwarts of equality for all people" got enough influence in the government and society, they began to shout down and shut down any voice, with which they do not agree. They call it Progressive, and Liberal, but it is just the same old oppressive tyranny that hates God and the Bible as well as any principles of freedom, which springs from Christian liberty.
TRUE STORY
TRUE STORY
I know of a preacher who was a nice enough person, but a little short on the smarts. He thought he would preach about the whited sepulchres, filled with dead men's bones (Mt. 23:27).
Sadly, our well meaning, but errant, preacher thought that the sepulrchres (white washed plaster burial vaults, pronounced, "sepəlkərs") were ravaging, carnivorous sea birds (which he thought were called Whited Sea Pulchers). He thought these buzzards of the ocean had devoured sailors and were filled with their bones. He preached enthusiastically about being attacked and eaten by them.
SERIOUSLY, I KID YOU NOT.
Well, his scholarship was off, but there is a great message in the passage he used.
Matthew 23:27-28
(27) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
(28) Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but inwardly ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
THE GREAT COVER UP
People think that they can cover over (white wash) their spiritual DISEASE, DEATH and DECAY with education, financial success, elite social standing, talents, social accomplishments, religious involvements, humanitarian attainments. But the fact is, without faith in Christ that produces confession of sin, turning from sin, living in submission to God, we are whited sepulchres. We are not acceptable to God because of our own righteousnesses (which are as filthy rags), since that is only a cover for our inward corruption. God judges us by our inner man, our relationship with Christ, our life in the Holy Spirit, our obedience to His word.
Titus 3:3-7
(3) For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
(4) But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
(5) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
(6) Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
(7) That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
BTW...
The person who believes in, and fears Whited Sea Pulchers is still smarter than the person who does not believe in, and fear the God of the Bible.
Psalms 14:1
(1) ...The fool has said in his heart, There is no God! They acted corruptly; they did hatefully in deeds; there is none doing good.
Romans 2:1-13
(1) Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
(2) But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
(3) And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
(4) Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
(5) But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
(6) Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
(7) To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
(8) But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
(9) Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
(10) But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
(11) For there is no respect of persons with God.
(12) For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
(13) (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
I know of a preacher who was a nice enough person, but a little short on the smarts. He thought he would preach about the whited sepulchres, filled with dead men's bones (Mt. 23:27).
Sadly, our well meaning, but errant, preacher thought that the sepulrchres (white washed plaster burial vaults, pronounced, "sepəlkərs") were ravaging, carnivorous sea birds (which he thought were called Whited Sea Pulchers). He thought these buzzards of the ocean had devoured sailors and were filled with their bones. He preached enthusiastically about being attacked and eaten by them.
SERIOUSLY, I KID YOU NOT.
Well, his scholarship was off, but there is a great message in the passage he used.
Matthew 23:27-28
(27) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
(28) Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but inwardly ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
THE GREAT COVER UP
People think that they can cover over (white wash) their spiritual DISEASE, DEATH and DECAY with education, financial success, elite social standing, talents, social accomplishments, religious involvements, humanitarian attainments. But the fact is, without faith in Christ that produces confession of sin, turning from sin, living in submission to God, we are whited sepulchres. We are not acceptable to God because of our own righteousnesses (which are as filthy rags), since that is only a cover for our inward corruption. God judges us by our inner man, our relationship with Christ, our life in the Holy Spirit, our obedience to His word.
Titus 3:3-7
(3) For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
(4) But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
(5) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
(6) Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
(7) That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
BTW...
The person who believes in, and fears Whited Sea Pulchers is still smarter than the person who does not believe in, and fear the God of the Bible.
Psalms 14:1
(1) ...The fool has said in his heart, There is no God! They acted corruptly; they did hatefully in deeds; there is none doing good.
Romans 2:1-13
(1) Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
(2) But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
(3) And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
(4) Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
(5) But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
(6) Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
(7) To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
(8) But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
(9) Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
(10) But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
(11) For there is no respect of persons with God.
(12) For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
(13) (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN
NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN
Here is what you need to understand. No matter what "good thing" you credit to Obama, he is a bold butcher of babies and a proud persecutor of people who follow Christ. If you won't understand this it is because you have surrendered your mind to the prince of darkness and bought into the lies of anti-Christ Liberalism.
It does not matter which monster does these things, it is wrong. It is also wrong when people lionize and deify such a person. No matter what they seem to accomplish, it is called idolatry.
When we prefer and follow someone who defies God and His word, we have broken the first commandment.
Exodus 20:3
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Here is what you need to understand. No matter what "good thing" you credit to Obama, he is a bold butcher of babies and a proud persecutor of people who follow Christ. If you won't understand this it is because you have surrendered your mind to the prince of darkness and bought into the lies of anti-Christ Liberalism.
It does not matter which monster does these things, it is wrong. It is also wrong when people lionize and deify such a person. No matter what they seem to accomplish, it is called idolatry.
When we prefer and follow someone who defies God and His word, we have broken the first commandment.
Exodus 20:3
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
LET'S GO FISHING
LET'S GO FISHING
If Jesus tarries, and I live long enough I should start fishing some different fishing grounds in the near future. Been thinking about working the waters along the Crystal Coast, probably near Bogue Banks, the Lord willing. I will keep you updated. If you have questions about my fishing plans, you can message me, since I won't talk openly, until I get closer to that time.
If Jesus tarries, and I live long enough I should start fishing some different fishing grounds in the near future. Been thinking about working the waters along the Crystal Coast, probably near Bogue Banks, the Lord willing. I will keep you updated. If you have questions about my fishing plans, you can message me, since I won't talk openly, until I get closer to that time.
RIDING THE HISTORY LOOP
RIDING THE HISTORY LOOP
The History Loop is not a thrill ride at the amusement park or a week long re-playing of an educational series of docudramas about the past.
The history loop is the fact that what has happened in the past repeats itself, over and over and over.
The Holy Bible is the record of man rejecting God's rule and trying to establish his own rule and trying to attain to supreme authority. This is the history loop.
"Lord, what fools these mortals be," as Shakespeare had Puck say.
or
"The fool has said in his heart that there is no God," as God said, through the Psalmist.
THE PRESENT PLIGHT OF MAN IS PART OF THE HISTORY LOOP
* In fact, the loop began before there was man.
* Lucifer (who is now being presented in a Fox TV program that makes him a crime fighting hero), the chief angel before his attempt to overthrow God, became the chief demon, Satan, after God cast him from God's presence, along with the other angels that followed him in his rebellion.
THE FALL OF LUCIFER
* The fall of Lucifer (the chief angel who fell because of rebelling against God, and is now known as Satan, the chief of demons, or fallen angels), and the fall of earthly leaders follow along the same path of arrogance and selfish ambition, as we see in this passage from Isaiah 14:12-15.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Isaiah 14:13-15
13 “But you said in your heart,
‘I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne above the stars of God,
And I will sit on the mount of assembly
In the recesses of the north.
14 ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.’
15 “Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol,
To the recesses of the pit.
DLG note...
This Is The Formula For Failure, Followed By Men and Demons.
* An inner ambition and plan to ascend to a place of power and deity.
* A plan to be exalted above all other creatures.
* A plan to be worshiped and obeyed.
* A plan to wield unchallenged power.
* A plan to be God.
THE LOOP THROUGHOUT HISTORY
* With man, this abominable ambition began in the Garden, when Adam intended to become like God.
* It was repeated when Cain refused to yield to the Lordship of God, and he tried to earn his own exaltation.
* It was rampant in the days of Noah, when the intent of the heart of man was only evil continually.
* It was revived in the postdiluvian world through the kingdom building of Nimrod.
* It was this attempt to overthrow God at Babel, which resulted in the confusion of languages.
* It was this belief that man attains to deity which instigated the mistaken idea that the rulers of nations were god's or demigods, as in Babylon, Assyria, Egypt, Canaan, Carthage, Greece, Chaldea, Persia, Rome, British Isles, Scandinavia, Japan, China, South America, Germany.
THE LOOP IN THE FUTURE
* The Bible tells us that there will be a world ruler who arises at the end of this present age, claiming to be God.
* This god will be the manifestation and personification of Satan, and is known in the Holy Bible as, "the beast," and as, "the anti-Christ." Islam and New Age religion and occultist also claim that they will have a ruler rise up at the end of time, either as a divine being or a divine messenger.
* Therefore we should not be surprised that there is a movement in our society that is preparing the minds of men to receive and reverence such a ruler.
* This is where Liberalism and Humanism converge in our society. These two groups believe that man is the ultimate being and that the belief in the God of the Bible is futile and false.
* American education, politics, religion are aligned with Liberalism and Humanism and are enemies of Biblical Christianity, which is why the Liberal agenda and all other Christ denying leaders are leading multitudes of Americans into a false hope in false gods.
* In other words, America is part of the History Loop of Heresy.
IT IS IN THE RECORD
I realize that most folks will think this is just a matter of my opinion. IT IS NOT. Everything I have told you is based on facts and historical records.
As long as our leaders deny the Bible and promote an anti-Christian agenda, our country is headed for destruction.
The History Loop is not a thrill ride at the amusement park or a week long re-playing of an educational series of docudramas about the past.
The history loop is the fact that what has happened in the past repeats itself, over and over and over.
The Holy Bible is the record of man rejecting God's rule and trying to establish his own rule and trying to attain to supreme authority. This is the history loop.
"Lord, what fools these mortals be," as Shakespeare had Puck say.
or
"The fool has said in his heart that there is no God," as God said, through the Psalmist.
THE PRESENT PLIGHT OF MAN IS PART OF THE HISTORY LOOP
* In fact, the loop began before there was man.
* Lucifer (who is now being presented in a Fox TV program that makes him a crime fighting hero), the chief angel before his attempt to overthrow God, became the chief demon, Satan, after God cast him from God's presence, along with the other angels that followed him in his rebellion.
THE FALL OF LUCIFER
* The fall of Lucifer (the chief angel who fell because of rebelling against God, and is now known as Satan, the chief of demons, or fallen angels), and the fall of earthly leaders follow along the same path of arrogance and selfish ambition, as we see in this passage from Isaiah 14:12-15.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Isaiah 14:13-15
13 “But you said in your heart,
‘I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne above the stars of God,
And I will sit on the mount of assembly
In the recesses of the north.
14 ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.’
15 “Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol,
To the recesses of the pit.
DLG note...
This Is The Formula For Failure, Followed By Men and Demons.
* An inner ambition and plan to ascend to a place of power and deity.
* A plan to be exalted above all other creatures.
* A plan to be worshiped and obeyed.
* A plan to wield unchallenged power.
* A plan to be God.
THE LOOP THROUGHOUT HISTORY
* With man, this abominable ambition began in the Garden, when Adam intended to become like God.
* It was repeated when Cain refused to yield to the Lordship of God, and he tried to earn his own exaltation.
* It was rampant in the days of Noah, when the intent of the heart of man was only evil continually.
* It was revived in the postdiluvian world through the kingdom building of Nimrod.
* It was this attempt to overthrow God at Babel, which resulted in the confusion of languages.
* It was this belief that man attains to deity which instigated the mistaken idea that the rulers of nations were god's or demigods, as in Babylon, Assyria, Egypt, Canaan, Carthage, Greece, Chaldea, Persia, Rome, British Isles, Scandinavia, Japan, China, South America, Germany.
THE LOOP IN THE FUTURE
* The Bible tells us that there will be a world ruler who arises at the end of this present age, claiming to be God.
* This god will be the manifestation and personification of Satan, and is known in the Holy Bible as, "the beast," and as, "the anti-Christ." Islam and New Age religion and occultist also claim that they will have a ruler rise up at the end of time, either as a divine being or a divine messenger.
* Therefore we should not be surprised that there is a movement in our society that is preparing the minds of men to receive and reverence such a ruler.
* This is where Liberalism and Humanism converge in our society. These two groups believe that man is the ultimate being and that the belief in the God of the Bible is futile and false.
* American education, politics, religion are aligned with Liberalism and Humanism and are enemies of Biblical Christianity, which is why the Liberal agenda and all other Christ denying leaders are leading multitudes of Americans into a false hope in false gods.
* In other words, America is part of the History Loop of Heresy.
IT IS IN THE RECORD
I realize that most folks will think this is just a matter of my opinion. IT IS NOT. Everything I have told you is based on facts and historical records.
As long as our leaders deny the Bible and promote an anti-Christian agenda, our country is headed for destruction.
Monday, January 18, 2016
WE CAN TRUST GOD'S WORD
WE CAN TRUST GOD'S WORD
I trust the Holy Bible because I know that the Holy Bible is trustworthy. This trust comes because I know the Author and I know that what the Bible says is true. I have studied and applied it and never found it to fail.
Here is a list of some of the reasons I trust the Bible, so that you can know that
YOU CAN TRUST THE BIBLE.
* The Bible is the word of God, according to the writers themselves, the men of God in ancient and Christian history, Jesus and the testimony of godly scholars from the past until the present.
* In spite of all the attacks on the Bible, it has withstood every argument, and left its detractors in disarray.
* Though the Bible is a book concerning faith, it is a book filled with facts and verifiable history.
* God directed the Biblical writers as they recorded His word.
* The original writings that came from the Biblical writers is called the autographs.
* The men (the scribes) who copied the Jewish writings of the Old Testament were technically meticulous and their work was examined by other experts (doctors of the law) for any variations or mistakes.
* The New Testament writings, being based in Jewish scholarship and practice, received the same watchful care in its transmission.
* No other writings in history are as well substantiated, and authenticated and documented and verifiable as the Bible. NO BRAG, JUST FACT.
* Those original writings were copied by contemporaries of the writers, and sent to other communities.
* The copies were then copied and reproduced by hand, thousands of times, over and over.
* The copies were distributed and preserved and stored for generations, covering thousands of years.
* The original words and thoughts of the Bible are found by scholars who study and compare the copies and fragments.
* The translations of the Bible have been made into many languages, often times by the people who hold the Bible to be sacred and the word of God, and they have been translated with the purpose of communicating the exact message that was originally delivered by the writers and the message of those writings as it fits together with the rest of Scripture.
* THE BIBLE HAS ONE AUTHOR (GOD), BUT MANY WRITERS.
TYPES OF TRANSLATIONS
* There are two basic kinds of translation.
* Formal, or Formal Equivalence (a translation that tries to translate the passage according to the technical meaning of the original words).
* Dynamic or Functional Equivalence (which tries to convey the main idea of the passage, rather than focus on the linguistic, cultural, historical significance of the specific words).
* Some people divide the translations into three categories, including word for word, phrase for phrase and paraphrase.
* I not only use all of these types of translations in my studies, but I refer to the scholars concerning the original words, culture and history related to the Biblical narrative, in order to understand the meaning of the word of God.
* If I could only have one type of translation, it would be the Formal, because I want to get as close to what God said as possible.
BIBLICAL FAITH IS NOT BLIND FAITH
* Everything we believe in this life, we believe because of a measure of faith, trust, dependence on the word of someone else. We choose to believe those sources which we have found to be reliable.
THIS IS WHY I TRUST THE WORD OF GOD ABOVE ALL OTHER VOICES.
* I have never been disappointed in the reasonableness, the accuracy or the scholarship of the Bible.
* At the beginning of my relationship with God, I accepted Christ and His word by faith. However, over the years I have been more fully convinced of the authority and veracity of the Bible because it stands alone and above all other sources.
* I encourage everyone to trust God and His word, especially as the world is becoming more confused and more antagonistic to God and His word.
I trust the Holy Bible because I know that the Holy Bible is trustworthy. This trust comes because I know the Author and I know that what the Bible says is true. I have studied and applied it and never found it to fail.
Here is a list of some of the reasons I trust the Bible, so that you can know that
YOU CAN TRUST THE BIBLE.
* The Bible is the word of God, according to the writers themselves, the men of God in ancient and Christian history, Jesus and the testimony of godly scholars from the past until the present.
* In spite of all the attacks on the Bible, it has withstood every argument, and left its detractors in disarray.
* Though the Bible is a book concerning faith, it is a book filled with facts and verifiable history.
* God directed the Biblical writers as they recorded His word.
* The original writings that came from the Biblical writers is called the autographs.
* The men (the scribes) who copied the Jewish writings of the Old Testament were technically meticulous and their work was examined by other experts (doctors of the law) for any variations or mistakes.
* The New Testament writings, being based in Jewish scholarship and practice, received the same watchful care in its transmission.
* No other writings in history are as well substantiated, and authenticated and documented and verifiable as the Bible. NO BRAG, JUST FACT.
* Those original writings were copied by contemporaries of the writers, and sent to other communities.
* The copies were then copied and reproduced by hand, thousands of times, over and over.
* The copies were distributed and preserved and stored for generations, covering thousands of years.
* The original words and thoughts of the Bible are found by scholars who study and compare the copies and fragments.
* The translations of the Bible have been made into many languages, often times by the people who hold the Bible to be sacred and the word of God, and they have been translated with the purpose of communicating the exact message that was originally delivered by the writers and the message of those writings as it fits together with the rest of Scripture.
* THE BIBLE HAS ONE AUTHOR (GOD), BUT MANY WRITERS.
TYPES OF TRANSLATIONS
* There are two basic kinds of translation.
* Formal, or Formal Equivalence (a translation that tries to translate the passage according to the technical meaning of the original words).
* Dynamic or Functional Equivalence (which tries to convey the main idea of the passage, rather than focus on the linguistic, cultural, historical significance of the specific words).
* Some people divide the translations into three categories, including word for word, phrase for phrase and paraphrase.
* I not only use all of these types of translations in my studies, but I refer to the scholars concerning the original words, culture and history related to the Biblical narrative, in order to understand the meaning of the word of God.
* If I could only have one type of translation, it would be the Formal, because I want to get as close to what God said as possible.
BIBLICAL FAITH IS NOT BLIND FAITH
* Everything we believe in this life, we believe because of a measure of faith, trust, dependence on the word of someone else. We choose to believe those sources which we have found to be reliable.
THIS IS WHY I TRUST THE WORD OF GOD ABOVE ALL OTHER VOICES.
* I have never been disappointed in the reasonableness, the accuracy or the scholarship of the Bible.
* At the beginning of my relationship with God, I accepted Christ and His word by faith. However, over the years I have been more fully convinced of the authority and veracity of the Bible because it stands alone and above all other sources.
* I encourage everyone to trust God and His word, especially as the world is becoming more confused and more antagonistic to God and His word.
THIS TOO IS THE FULFILLMENT OF SCRIPTURE.
DON'T GO BACK
DON'T GO BACK
If you keep going back to the things that separated you from God initially, then you are not allowing God to forget your sins. God "forgets" our sins, in the sense that He does not remember them against us, He does not hold them against us, since we are forgiven. God wants to "forget" our sins.
This is why we need His salvation. He not only forgives us for the sins we have done, He empowers and enables us to live a life that if pleasing to Him.
2 Peter 2:20-22
(20) For if by a recognition of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, they have escaped the defilements of the world, and again being entangled they have been overcome by these, then their last things have become worse than the first.
(21) For it was better for them not to have recognized the way of righteousness than having recognized it to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
(22) But the word of the true proverb has happened to them: "The dog turning to his own vomit;" also, the washed sow to wallowing in mud. Prov. 26:11
OKAY, QUESTION FOR SERIOUS CHRISTIANS
OKAY, QUESTION FOR SERIOUS CHRISTIANS
(game players can skip this)
Do you believe a person can be a member of the U.S. Military, even though the Military code of conduct forbids military personnel the freedom to proselytize (evangelize, communicate the gospel) to non-Christians, with the intention of persuading them to be converted to faith in Christ?
CONSIDER THESE PASSAGES
(all of these passages agree, but each one offers different insight).
Joshua 24:15
(15) And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Matthew 10:27-38
(27) What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
(28) And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
(29) Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
(30) But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
(31) Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
(32) Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
(33) But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
(34) Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
(35) For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
(36) And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
(37) He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
(38) And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Mark 8:34-38
(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.
(35) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
(36) For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
(37) Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
(38) Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
2 Timothy 1:7-12
(7) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
(8) Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
(9) Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
(10) But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
(11) Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
(12) For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
1 John 2:22-23
(22) Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
(23) Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
BUT DON'T WE DEPEND ON THE STATE TO KEEP US FREE?
God appointed the State to protect the righteous and punish the wicked. God gave the power of the sword of steel to the State. And Christians are to obey the State, until the State requires us to disobey God. Nothing is more important than putting God ahead of everything else. Also, if a nation wants to be great, it must put God first.
(game players can skip this)
Do you believe a person can be a member of the U.S. Military, even though the Military code of conduct forbids military personnel the freedom to proselytize (evangelize, communicate the gospel) to non-Christians, with the intention of persuading them to be converted to faith in Christ?
CONSIDER THESE PASSAGES
(all of these passages agree, but each one offers different insight).
Joshua 24:15
(15) And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Matthew 10:27-38
(27) What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
(28) And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
(29) Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
(30) But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
(31) Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
(32) Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
(33) But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
(34) Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
(35) For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
(36) And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
(37) He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
(38) And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Mark 8:34-38
(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.
(35) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
(36) For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
(37) Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
(38) Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
2 Timothy 1:7-12
(7) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
(8) Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
(9) Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
(10) But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
(11) Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
(12) For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
1 John 2:22-23
(22) Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
(23) Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
BUT DON'T WE DEPEND ON THE STATE TO KEEP US FREE?
God appointed the State to protect the righteous and punish the wicked. God gave the power of the sword of steel to the State. And Christians are to obey the State, until the State requires us to disobey God. Nothing is more important than putting God ahead of everything else. Also, if a nation wants to be great, it must put God first.
The answer is, "NO," we do not depend on the State, we depend on God. But if the State does not obey God, then we are still committed to obey God, whatever the cost. We will not exchange our witness for the States approval or the benefits of this passing world.
But Peter said
Acts 5:29
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
God requires governments to obey Him also, therefore God expects us to obey Him above all others.
This question was intended to get folks to think about the subject more than it was to simply be a yes or no answer. We are faced with moral dilemmas all the time, and we should be going back to the Holy Bible for God's word and wisdom.
Acts 5:29
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
God requires governments to obey Him also, therefore God expects us to obey Him above all others.
This question was intended to get folks to think about the subject more than it was to simply be a yes or no answer. We are faced with moral dilemmas all the time, and we should be going back to the Holy Bible for God's word and wisdom.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
CHURCH UNITY IS RARE BUT REAL
CHURCH UNITY IS RARE BUT REAL
(see a great song by Robin Weston, in my comment box)
Church unity is not just a lull in congregational bickering, or a moment when people join together rather than following their own dreams.
It is a lifestyle of love, respect, and single mindedness, rooted and grounded in Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, guided by the Holy Bible, within the local body, as they march forward in victory.
It is submission to one another, concern for one another, encouraging one another, love for one another.
It is trust and submission when the pastor tells his people to get a mouthful of water because they are going to charge the gates of hell.
It is when each one fulfills his responsibilities without complaining or fault finding or resentment or selfishness.
It is rare but it is real. Few ever experience Biblical unity, but some do. It only happens when the more seasoned believers meet the criteria. Remember, the new converts follow in the steps of the mature believers.
NOTICE THE LINES AND THE BIBLE REFERENCES
As you can see, the lines in this song are based on God's revelation and contains a treasure trove of truth. Robin did a great job putting this song together, as she has with so many other songs
As i said, not everyone has experienced this heavenly attitude as the norm in life, but we can. It takes Divine intervention and human submission for the miracle of church wide unity to prevail. This is true for family unity as well.
ONE ANOTHER by Robin Weston
(see a great song by Robin Weston, in my comment box)
Church unity is not just a lull in congregational bickering, or a moment when people join together rather than following their own dreams.
It is a lifestyle of love, respect, and single mindedness, rooted and grounded in Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, guided by the Holy Bible, within the local body, as they march forward in victory.
It is submission to one another, concern for one another, encouraging one another, love for one another.
It is trust and submission when the pastor tells his people to get a mouthful of water because they are going to charge the gates of hell.
It is when each one fulfills his responsibilities without complaining or fault finding or resentment or selfishness.
It is rare but it is real. Few ever experience Biblical unity, but some do. It only happens when the more seasoned believers meet the criteria. Remember, the new converts follow in the steps of the mature believers.
NOTICE THE LINES AND THE BIBLE REFERENCES
As you can see, the lines in this song are based on God's revelation and contains a treasure trove of truth. Robin did a great job putting this song together, as she has with so many other songs
As i said, not everyone has experienced this heavenly attitude as the norm in life, but we can. It takes Divine intervention and human submission for the miracle of church wide unity to prevail. This is true for family unity as well.
ONE ANOTHER by Robin Weston
Saturday, January 16, 2016
PRIORITIZING OUR VALUES
PRIORITIZING OUR VALUES
I have so much, for which to Praise the Lord. Not only seeing my g-buddies doing sports and cheer leading, but not having to watch parents build walls of animosity in the family by pitting their children against one another or putting down someone else's children, or brag about their own children. Everyone should get along and encourage one another. There is no room for haughtiness or division is a Christian relationship.
NEVER ALONE
NEVER ALONE
God created us to be social creatures. After God created Adam, He created Eve from Adam's flesh, to be his help meet. This is the nucleus of family and social relationships. God then gave them children, to expand the family. Not only has God provided us with immediate family, he has also given us the church as a family.
But no matter how much of a family we have there are times we can feel lonely or alone, whether we are far away from our loved ones or just out of touch with them. This is why a living and real relationship with Jesus is essential. Jesus said he would never leave nor forsake those who love Him. The song says, I will never leave you lonely.
There is a real Jesus. And there is a real relationship with Jesus. God initiated the relationship, but we must respond to His invitation in order to enter that relationship. God originated the relationship because of His great love. Before we loved Him, He loved us. Even when we have failed to love Him, He has loved us.
However, this loving and living relationship cannot survive and grow unless we love Him. Think of it this way; even though one person loves another person the relationship does not continue if the love is not reciprocated.
Great numbers of people today talk about their relationship with God, but their behavior and conversation indicates they do not actually love Christ. We will not speak in a way, or act in a way that dishonours or displeases the one we love.
In our relationship with God there must be a commitment of trusting and willing submission, to Christ as our head. Jesus said if we love him we will keep His commandments. Therefore it is our responsibility to keep ourselves in that love relationship with God.
Jude:1:20-21
20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
God created us to be social creatures. After God created Adam, He created Eve from Adam's flesh, to be his help meet. This is the nucleus of family and social relationships. God then gave them children, to expand the family. Not only has God provided us with immediate family, he has also given us the church as a family.
But no matter how much of a family we have there are times we can feel lonely or alone, whether we are far away from our loved ones or just out of touch with them. This is why a living and real relationship with Jesus is essential. Jesus said he would never leave nor forsake those who love Him. The song says, I will never leave you lonely.
There is a real Jesus. And there is a real relationship with Jesus. God initiated the relationship, but we must respond to His invitation in order to enter that relationship. God originated the relationship because of His great love. Before we loved Him, He loved us. Even when we have failed to love Him, He has loved us.
However, this loving and living relationship cannot survive and grow unless we love Him. Think of it this way; even though one person loves another person the relationship does not continue if the love is not reciprocated.
Great numbers of people today talk about their relationship with God, but their behavior and conversation indicates they do not actually love Christ. We will not speak in a way, or act in a way that dishonours or displeases the one we love.
In our relationship with God there must be a commitment of trusting and willing submission, to Christ as our head. Jesus said if we love him we will keep His commandments. Therefore it is our responsibility to keep ourselves in that love relationship with God.
Jude:1:20-21
20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
YOU HAVE AN ETERNAL SOUL...
YOU HAVE AN ETERNAL SOUL...
therefore these statements are of vital importance to you.
FACT, we cannot come to God without faith in Christ.
FACT, we cannot please God without faith.
FACT, we cannot have faith without hearing the word of God.
FACT, we will not hear the word of God without listening to a Bible preacher (proclaimer).
THEREFORE WE NEED TO LISTEN TO THOSE WHO SPEAK THE WORD OF GOD.
We are all influenced by the things we hear, and more especially the things we like to hear or want to hear.
If we listen to worldly, cultural, philosophical, religious, political, humanistic, secular, materialistic teachings, we will follow those precepts and principles. They will shape our thinking and guide our lives.
If we don't listen to the word of God, through preaching, teaching, conversation, prayer, study, music, we will not be influenced by God's precepts and principles, therefore we will not be influenced by God.
If we are not influenced by God and His word, we will not trust Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives.
If we do not trust Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives, we will not please God, we will not come to God, we will spend eternity separated from God.
These days are too serious to treat lightly. We need to hear what God's word says and our families need to hear what God's word says.
Romans 10:13-17
(13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(14) How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
(15) And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
(16) But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
(17) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
FACT, we cannot come to God without faith in Christ.
FACT, we cannot please God without faith.
FACT, we cannot have faith without hearing the word of God.
FACT, we will not hear the word of God without listening to a Bible preacher (proclaimer).
THEREFORE WE NEED TO LISTEN TO THOSE WHO SPEAK THE WORD OF GOD.
We are all influenced by the things we hear, and more especially the things we like to hear or want to hear.
If we listen to worldly, cultural, philosophical, religious, political, humanistic, secular, materialistic teachings, we will follow those precepts and principles. They will shape our thinking and guide our lives.
If we don't listen to the word of God, through preaching, teaching, conversation, prayer, study, music, we will not be influenced by God's precepts and principles, therefore we will not be influenced by God.
If we are not influenced by God and His word, we will not trust Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives.
If we do not trust Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives, we will not please God, we will not come to God, we will spend eternity separated from God.
These days are too serious to treat lightly. We need to hear what God's word says and our families need to hear what God's word says.
Romans 10:13-17
(13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(14) How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
(15) And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
(16) But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
(17) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
THE TANTRUMS ARE WINNING (NOW)
THE TANTRUMS ARE WINNING (NOW)
I was in the car, waiting for Martha while she was in a store. As I sat there, I heard a child screaming at the top of his lungs. There was a man, woman and child (about 8 years old) on the sidewalk. The child was lying on the ground, screaming, kicking, and spinning himself in circles. At one point he got up and started to attack the man, bent over like a bull attacking a matador, acting as if he was going to bite the man. The man was backpedaling and running from the child, apparently trying to avoid a vicious bite. When the boy eased off from his attack, the man went down the sidewalk. I watched the boy continue to throw his fit.
I admit, I don't know the condition of the child. However, it caused me to think of the condition of our society today. If people don't get what they want, they throw a tantrum. This tantrum throwing is actually changing our society, rewriting our history, reshaping our values and attacking our morals. It is not the person with the best arguments or the legitimate claim on something that is winning their point today. It is the loudest, most obnoxious, meanest, most violent and least tolerant people who are now determining our society and our future.
Sadly, when the brats and bullies are in charge, the civilized and reasonable people are victimized. God has appointed both the State and the Church to stop such anarchy, but they surrendered their position of authority into the hands of selfish mob rule.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
(1) This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
(2) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
(3) Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
(4) Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
(5) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
I was in the car, waiting for Martha while she was in a store. As I sat there, I heard a child screaming at the top of his lungs. There was a man, woman and child (about 8 years old) on the sidewalk. The child was lying on the ground, screaming, kicking, and spinning himself in circles. At one point he got up and started to attack the man, bent over like a bull attacking a matador, acting as if he was going to bite the man. The man was backpedaling and running from the child, apparently trying to avoid a vicious bite. When the boy eased off from his attack, the man went down the sidewalk. I watched the boy continue to throw his fit.
I admit, I don't know the condition of the child. However, it caused me to think of the condition of our society today. If people don't get what they want, they throw a tantrum. This tantrum throwing is actually changing our society, rewriting our history, reshaping our values and attacking our morals. It is not the person with the best arguments or the legitimate claim on something that is winning their point today. It is the loudest, most obnoxious, meanest, most violent and least tolerant people who are now determining our society and our future.
Sadly, when the brats and bullies are in charge, the civilized and reasonable people are victimized. God has appointed both the State and the Church to stop such anarchy, but they surrendered their position of authority into the hands of selfish mob rule.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
(1) This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
(2) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
(3) Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
(4) Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
(5) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
NO TRESPASSING
NO TRESPASSING
The owner of a property, has a legal right to protect himself and his property, and he has a moral responsibility to protect others from any dangers they may encounter on his property, such as lakes, swimming pools, quarry's, swampy areas, poisonous plants, ledges and wild animals.
This is why owners post, "NO TRESPASSING" signs.
No one has a right to come onto the property without permission.
No on has a right to use the property for his own personal activities, without permission.
No one has a right to claim the produce of the property, without permission.
To violate any of these restrictions is to TRESPASS on that property.
God is the Owner of this world, and all that is in it.
God has placed, "NO TRESPASSING" signs and "WARNINGS" concerning His property.
God has a legal right to protect His property.
God is morally driven to warn people about the dangers on His property.
God posted His boundaries and His warnings in the Holy Bible.
The fact is, we have all trespassed, violated God's authority. As a result, we are law breakers and we have fallen victim to the dangers in His world.
We need God's forgiveness or we will face His judgment.
We need to be rescued from the hidden dangers.
We need to be guided through this world.
God's word not only sets His boundaries and warns us of the dangers, and gives us guidance, it offers us God's provision for forgiveness and deliverance.
But God is consistent.
He did not force anyone to violate His authority.
God does not violate His own authority by simply ignoring our sins.
God's mercy observes Divine order and human accountability.
We can only receive His kind offer of grace if we accept His terms of surrender, humble ourselves, acknowledge and turn from our sins, trust in the sacrificial death and physical resurrection of Christ from the dead and follow Jesus.
Matthew 16:24-26
(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.
(25) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
(26) For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
The owner of a property, has a legal right to protect himself and his property, and he has a moral responsibility to protect others from any dangers they may encounter on his property, such as lakes, swimming pools, quarry's, swampy areas, poisonous plants, ledges and wild animals.
This is why owners post, "NO TRESPASSING" signs.
No one has a right to come onto the property without permission.
No on has a right to use the property for his own personal activities, without permission.
No one has a right to claim the produce of the property, without permission.
To violate any of these restrictions is to TRESPASS on that property.
God is the Owner of this world, and all that is in it.
God has placed, "NO TRESPASSING" signs and "WARNINGS" concerning His property.
God has a legal right to protect His property.
God is morally driven to warn people about the dangers on His property.
God posted His boundaries and His warnings in the Holy Bible.
The fact is, we have all trespassed, violated God's authority. As a result, we are law breakers and we have fallen victim to the dangers in His world.
We need God's forgiveness or we will face His judgment.
We need to be rescued from the hidden dangers.
We need to be guided through this world.
God's word not only sets His boundaries and warns us of the dangers, and gives us guidance, it offers us God's provision for forgiveness and deliverance.
But God is consistent.
He did not force anyone to violate His authority.
God does not violate His own authority by simply ignoring our sins.
God's mercy observes Divine order and human accountability.
We can only receive His kind offer of grace if we accept His terms of surrender, humble ourselves, acknowledge and turn from our sins, trust in the sacrificial death and physical resurrection of Christ from the dead and follow Jesus.
Matthew 16:24-26
(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.
(25) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
(26) For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
NO EXCUSES, FISH FOR MEN
NO EXCUSES, FISH FOR MEN
(from my FB 2/19/10)Deterrents to fishing;
too cold,
I won't be comfortable;
too hot, they won't be biting;
too late or too early, the tide is not right;
too windy or too calm or wind is in wrong direction;
too bothersome (getting rigged, launching boat, getting to fishing grounds);
too many people or my fishing buddy is not available.
Awe, forget it, I am going fishing anyway.
Jesus said, Fear not... thou shalt catch men.
MATTHEW 4:19-20
19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they straightway (immediately) left (forsook) their nets, and followed him.
LUKE 5:10
10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
DON'T FALL ASLEEP
Q? Y'all do know why people fall out of bed, right?
A! Because they go to sleep too close to the edge.
DON'T FALL ASLEEP
Romans 13:11-14
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.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
WAKE UP or AWAKEN FROM SLEEP
1 Corinthians 15:34
34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
Ephesians 5:14-17
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. note
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
AWAKEN FROM STUPOR
1 Thessalonians 5:5-8
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
(RECOVER means to AWAKE themselves, vs.26)
2 Timothy 2:24-26
24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
A! Because they go to sleep too close to the edge.
DON'T FALL ASLEEP
Romans 13:11-14
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.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
WAKE UP or AWAKEN FROM SLEEP
1 Corinthians 15:34
34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
Ephesians 5:14-17
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. note
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
AWAKEN FROM STUPOR
1 Thessalonians 5:5-8
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
(RECOVER means to AWAKE themselves, vs.26)
2 Timothy 2:24-26
24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS
LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS
If Christians, who are people of "grace, love, mercy, compassion, patience," become defensive, offended, agitated, aggravated, or touchy, concerning sporting events and favorite teams, how much more should we expect the unsaved to be protective and sensitive about their favorite teams.
This indicates that Christians ought not to allow themselves to become a stone of offense or stumbling to other people, concerning things that are of no eternal consequence.
Placing unnecessary barriers between ourselves and others is not part of the Great Commission. Insulting or judging others or accusing others because of disagreements concerning silliness is not Christ like.
If love covers a multitude of sins, shouldn't it also bridge the gap between people of different opinions. Even if you are right in your opinion, it is wrong to build walls of separation because of those opinions.
If Christians, who are people of "grace, love, mercy, compassion, patience," become defensive, offended, agitated, aggravated, or touchy, concerning sporting events and favorite teams, how much more should we expect the unsaved to be protective and sensitive about their favorite teams.
This indicates that Christians ought not to allow themselves to become a stone of offense or stumbling to other people, concerning things that are of no eternal consequence.
Placing unnecessary barriers between ourselves and others is not part of the Great Commission. Insulting or judging others or accusing others because of disagreements concerning silliness is not Christ like.
If love covers a multitude of sins, shouldn't it also bridge the gap between people of different opinions. Even if you are right in your opinion, it is wrong to build walls of separation because of those opinions.
COUNT THE COST
COUNT THE COST
* The energy we spend on non issues is energy we can't spend on real issues.* The commitment we give to the superficial is taken away form the supernatural.
* The time spent "winning" arguments about the temporal, contributes to losing influence in the eternal.
* Heat generated in promoting personal views, diminishes light from God's good news.
FACT, YOUR BEST AIN'T GOOD ENOUGH, EVER
FACT, YOUR BEST AIN'T GOOD ENOUGH, EVER
We all need more than we have, and more than other people can provide. What we need is not attainable by any human effort. What we need is only obtainable through the miraculous intervention of God.Simon Peter was aboard the boat with other disciples, as it was being tossed about (distressed) by the waves, but Jesus came to them, walking on the water. The others thought they saw a spirit, but Peter realized that it was Jesus. he asked Jesus to enable him to walk on the water also. Jesus told Peter to come to Him. Peter stepped over the side of the boat, and began to walk on the water. Peter could not have walked on the water if Christ had not enabled him.
As Peter was walking, he turned his attention from Christ to the violent and threatening sea. Peter was then being plunged into the watery grave. Peter realized his terrible situation and he urgently cried out, "Lord, save me." Immediately Jesus reached out and seized Peter, saving him from drowning.
No matter how hard Peter would have tried, he could not have walked on the water, without the miracle of Jesus making it happen.
No matter how hard Peter would have tried, he could not have kept himself from sinking, once he focused on the water, without the miracle of Jesus saving him.
There are things we can do, in the area of "self help" (still with God's help), but those things are not sufficient to save us from the violent and threatening seas of life, no matter how hard we try. Some problems in life, including preparation for eternal life, require Divine intervention, require a miracle from God.
No matter how much you accomplish, it is never good enough to qualify you for eternal life.
No matter how thoroughly you reform, it is never good enough to qualify you for eternal life.
Gaining heaven by the power of your highest jump will not get you very far.
IT TAKES THE MIRACLE OF GOD'S SALVATION TO SET YOU FREE FROM SIN, CLEANSE YOU FROM SIN AND KEEP YOU FROM SIN.
One problem is, PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO SURRENDER AND DEPEND UPON GOD, because they want to be God and be able to say, "Look what I did."
ONE MORE THING.
Peter could only walk on the water because he was enabled by Christ, when Christ CALLED Peter to Himself. Peter was only able to keep from sinking and drowning because he kept trusting and looking to Jesus for deliverance. In this life, we never outgrow our need for grace through faith.
Monday, January 11, 2016
DRAW NEAR TO GOD
DRAW NEAR TO GOD
People blame their failure to spend time in meditation and prayer and study, on "today's demanding schedule." This is suppose to explain their obsession with work. Marriages, families, spiritual life, values all suffer because of "today's demands."
This is one reason that retreats, conferences, workshops, camps, and revivals are so important. It brings people aside from their daily involvements and provides the time and focus for more important issues.
Another problem is that people actually spend their time, energy on activities that are unproductive at best and counter productive at worst. The activity does not have to be evil, in order for it to be destructive. As I often say,
"The greatest enemy of that which is best, is that which is good."
Therefore, Choose your path, don't let your path choose you.
This brings me to something I shared with Seaside Chapel yesterday. I post articles that are designed to help folks draw closer to God and to focus on spiritual concerns and to learn Biblical and doctrinal truths that can inform and transform our lives, taking us from light to light, from grace to grace, from faith to faith and from strength to strength. These articles can be used by an individual, or shared with family or friends. They are simply tools to open our hearts and minds to God and His word.
If a person takes the time to meditate on the teachings and the passages, which address the Christian's response to marriage, parenting, social inter action, finances, morality, politics, then they could see a definite development over a period of time.
Just trying to be helpful.
People blame their failure to spend time in meditation and prayer and study, on "today's demanding schedule." This is suppose to explain their obsession with work. Marriages, families, spiritual life, values all suffer because of "today's demands."
This is one reason that retreats, conferences, workshops, camps, and revivals are so important. It brings people aside from their daily involvements and provides the time and focus for more important issues.
Another problem is that people actually spend their time, energy on activities that are unproductive at best and counter productive at worst. The activity does not have to be evil, in order for it to be destructive. As I often say,
"The greatest enemy of that which is best, is that which is good."
Therefore, Choose your path, don't let your path choose you.
This brings me to something I shared with Seaside Chapel yesterday. I post articles that are designed to help folks draw closer to God and to focus on spiritual concerns and to learn Biblical and doctrinal truths that can inform and transform our lives, taking us from light to light, from grace to grace, from faith to faith and from strength to strength. These articles can be used by an individual, or shared with family or friends. They are simply tools to open our hearts and minds to God and His word.
If a person takes the time to meditate on the teachings and the passages, which address the Christian's response to marriage, parenting, social inter action, finances, morality, politics, then they could see a definite development over a period of time.
James 4:8
(8) Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Just trying to be helpful.
2/8/10 TWINS SEPARATED AT HATCHING
TWINS SEPARATED AT HATCHING
Liberal America has always been quick to attack the teachings of the Holy Bible and Christ followers. Liberal theology has been the breeding ground of Liberal politics, Liberal academics, Liberal social values.
Liberalism has not been so quick in attacking the most brutal, vile religion in the history of the world (Islam), even though it is the least inclusive and least tolerant and least socially sensitive movement in the world.
This is because Liberalism and Islam are two of the fronts that have sprung from Satan's agenda of rebelling against the God of the Holy Bible. Their agenda is the same, but their methods are different.
Understand this, God loves all sinners, including those who subscribe to the lies of Liberalism and the lies of Islam. God does not love or condone the lies of Liberalism or Islam. We choose which God/god we will follow. Choose the God of the Holy Bible; choose Jesus Christ, God with us.
Liberal America has always been quick to attack the teachings of the Holy Bible and Christ followers. Liberal theology has been the breeding ground of Liberal politics, Liberal academics, Liberal social values.
Liberalism has not been so quick in attacking the most brutal, vile religion in the history of the world (Islam), even though it is the least inclusive and least tolerant and least socially sensitive movement in the world.
This is because Liberalism and Islam are two of the fronts that have sprung from Satan's agenda of rebelling against the God of the Holy Bible. Their agenda is the same, but their methods are different.
Understand this, God loves all sinners, including those who subscribe to the lies of Liberalism and the lies of Islam. God does not love or condone the lies of Liberalism or Islam. We choose which God/god we will follow. Choose the God of the Holy Bible; choose Jesus Christ, God with us.
Sunday, January 10, 2016
LIFE IS BUT A BREATH
LIFE IS BUT A BREATH
This life is transient and we sometimes have to be parted from a loved one.
Sadly, when that loved one has refused to turn to Christ, our final goodbye is eternally final.
Gladly, Christ has made it possible to say, "See you on the other side."
SOMETHING YOU ARE NOT LIKELY TO SEE
SOMETHING YOU ARE NOT LIKELY TO SEE
(and something I see all the time)
NOT LIKELY
A drowning person is about to be dragged away by the raging river, when a rescuer throws a life ring and line to the victim.
The victim deliberately moves away from the life ring and screams at the rescuer.
The rescuer shouts out encouragement and throws the ring again, but the victim moves even further away and shouts back a curse.
The rescuer tries yet again, but the victim curses and raises a fist in defiance while waving an obscene gesture with the other hand
As the victim is pulled under for the last time, people hear him scream his dying words, indicating that he thought that his would-be rescuer was trying to harm him, by repeatedly throwing the large object at him.
HOWEVER,
I throw the life ring of salvation to those who are lost in sin, to those who are bound by anger, to those who are controlled by destructive substances or habits, to those who are being carried away with vile desires or illicit relationships, to those who are weighted down with hatred or greed or lust or deceit, and they respond in anger, as if I was trying to hurt or destroy them. They fight against the love of Christ and the calling of the Holy Spirit, as if the salvation of God is their enemy. In their resistance, they are swept away to a devils hell and the eternal lake of fire, while cursing me for trying to reach them with the Lifeline of God.
CHRIST'S RESCUE MISSION
Christ came to save (RESCUE) sinners. He is the Friend of sinners.
Take the time to read the following verses, and be certain that you respond in the right way to God's rescue offer.
Luke 19:10
(10) For the Son of man (Jesus) is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Luke 5:32
(32) (Jesus said) I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Romans 5:6-8
(6) For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
(7) For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
(8) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Hebrews 7:25
(25) Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
1 John 4:9-10
(9) In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
(10) Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation (satisfaction) for our sins.
(and something I see all the time)
NOT LIKELY
A drowning person is about to be dragged away by the raging river, when a rescuer throws a life ring and line to the victim.
The victim deliberately moves away from the life ring and screams at the rescuer.
The rescuer shouts out encouragement and throws the ring again, but the victim moves even further away and shouts back a curse.
The rescuer tries yet again, but the victim curses and raises a fist in defiance while waving an obscene gesture with the other hand
As the victim is pulled under for the last time, people hear him scream his dying words, indicating that he thought that his would-be rescuer was trying to harm him, by repeatedly throwing the large object at him.
HOWEVER,
I throw the life ring of salvation to those who are lost in sin, to those who are bound by anger, to those who are controlled by destructive substances or habits, to those who are being carried away with vile desires or illicit relationships, to those who are weighted down with hatred or greed or lust or deceit, and they respond in anger, as if I was trying to hurt or destroy them. They fight against the love of Christ and the calling of the Holy Spirit, as if the salvation of God is their enemy. In their resistance, they are swept away to a devils hell and the eternal lake of fire, while cursing me for trying to reach them with the Lifeline of God.
CHRIST'S RESCUE MISSION
Christ came to save (RESCUE) sinners. He is the Friend of sinners.
Take the time to read the following verses, and be certain that you respond in the right way to God's rescue offer.
Luke 19:10
(10) For the Son of man (Jesus) is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Luke 5:32
(32) (Jesus said) I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Romans 5:6-8
(6) For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
(7) For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
(8) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Hebrews 7:25
(25) Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
1 John 4:9-10
(9) In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
(10) Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation (satisfaction) for our sins.
IMMUNE TO JOY
IMMUNE TO JOY
I just wrote a post about having the Joy of Jesus in our lives. I referenced 14 New Testament passages with over 30 verses, which address the subject of joy in Jesus.
Joy is basic to the Christian experience for various reason, including the fact that joy is the fruit, the product of the Holy Spirit.
An Divine Caveat
Of course, you will not be able to go to heaven, since God hates grumbling and division and pride and anger and all the other stuff that goes with selfishness. But missing heaven is not a total loss for the people who cannot be happy unless they are miserable, because they are going to be cast away from God forever into a place of eternal torment, where they will always have enough misery to "make them happy."
The Upside To Being Down
"What is so good about the prospect of being lost forever," you may ask.
I just wrote a post about having the Joy of Jesus in our lives. I referenced 14 New Testament passages with over 30 verses, which address the subject of joy in Jesus.
Joy is basic to the Christian experience for various reason, including the fact that joy is the fruit, the product of the Holy Spirit.
Joy is not like a summer shower. It is not intermittent, it is a continuous, constant and consistent outpouring from God. Joy is not dependent on circumstances.
A Paradox
However, there are people who cannot be happy unless they are miserable. I know, that makes as much sense as someone being "purely sinful." But you know what I mean. They never really know true joy because they are always unhappy about something.
A Paradox
However, there are people who cannot be happy unless they are miserable. I know, that makes as much sense as someone being "purely sinful." But you know what I mean. They never really know true joy because they are always unhappy about something.
When emotions are dependent on life's situations or when people are determined to have some emotional or relational upheaval, then they do not have real joy. Of course, those people can justify their dissatisfaction and claim to have joy, but the facts speak for themselves.
Good News? (not really)
Well, here is good news for those of you who want to always have a reason to be unhappy or dissatisfied or angry or jealous or suspicious or divisive.
Good News? (not really)
Well, here is good news for those of you who want to always have a reason to be unhappy or dissatisfied or angry or jealous or suspicious or divisive.
There will always be something in this life that bothers you, something that does not please you, something or someone who is not perfect.
You will always be able to be upset with someone, because other people have flaws (at least according to you), and as everyone knows, flawed people are inexcusable, unacceptable, unworthy of your love and kindness.
An Divine Caveat
Of course, you will not be able to go to heaven, since God hates grumbling and division and pride and anger and all the other stuff that goes with selfishness. But missing heaven is not a total loss for the people who cannot be happy unless they are miserable, because they are going to be cast away from God forever into a place of eternal torment, where they will always have enough misery to "make them happy."
The Upside To Being Down
"What is so good about the prospect of being lost forever," you may ask.
* Well, you will have more than enough to complain about when you are cut off from God, from loved ones, from love, from joy, from peace, from dignity and holiness, and you will have more than enough time, since it is forever.
* You will be in a place of eternal, "wrongness," and endless suffering, which will give you plenty to complain about, plenty to hate, plenty to criticize.
* Your hell will be the heaven, for which you always lived.
God Spoke About You In The Holy Bible
God told us that in the last days evil men would separate themselves from God by being complainers and fault finders. Therefore, you are expected to complain, and you have all eternity to look forward to endless complaining.
God Spoke About You In The Holy Bible
God told us that in the last days evil men would separate themselves from God by being complainers and fault finders. Therefore, you are expected to complain, and you have all eternity to look forward to endless complaining.
Jude 1:14-16
(14) And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
(15) To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
(16) These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.
God's Promises Concerning Eternity
And just so you know that you could not be happy in the New Heaven and New Earth and New Jerusalem, God promises to wipe away all tears (vss. 1-7 in Rev. 21). Now, how could you ever enjoy unfettered misery if God took away all your sorrow?
But if misery makes you happy, God promises eternal suffering for all sinners who do not repent (vs. 8 in Rev. 21).
Revelation 21:1-8
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(6) And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
(7) He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
(8) But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
As crazy as this sounds, your misery, even the misery you share with others (now and forever), will not give you comfort or joy.
Saturday, January 9, 2016
JOY IN JESUS
JOY IN JESUS
The grandchildren could form a music group and call themselves the Happy Cousins. I could open for them and call myself The Happy Pappy. Of course I am happy, look at my grandchildren. And my grandchildren are happy because they are learning about life in the context of Christ and the Holy Bible.
The grandchildren could form a music group and call themselves the Happy Cousins. I could open for them and call myself The Happy Pappy. Of course I am happy, look at my grandchildren. And my grandchildren are happy because they are learning about life in the context of Christ and the Holy Bible.
If we go on tour we can call it
"The Happy Cousins and Happy Pappy, Joy Ride To Heaven Tour."
"The Happy Cousins and Happy Pappy, Joy Ride To Heaven Tour."
Our flyers can say,
"Come and join us as we share the joy of Jesus on our way to the Holy and Happy Hills of Home."
Joy is found in Jesus, and I hope the grandchildren continue it, and I also hope many others will find the joy of sins forgiven as they take the Road to heaven.
These verses are more than just pious platitudes. They are directives, encouragements and promises.
If a person focuses on these verses in humble meditation, that person could experience a transformation beyond their expectations.
JOY IN JESUS...
Luke 2:10-11
(10) And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
(11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Luke 6:22-23
(22) Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
(23) Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
Luke 24:51-53
(51) And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
(52) And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
(53) And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
John 15:9-13
(9) As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
(10) If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
(11) These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
(12) This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
(13) Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Romans 14:17
(17) For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Romans 15:13-14
(13) Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
(14) And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
Galatians 5:22
(22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
1 Thessalonians 1:6
(6) And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
James 1:2-4
(2) My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
(3) Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
(4) But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
1 Peter 1:7-9
(7) That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
(8) Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
(9) Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 4:12-16
(12) Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
(13) But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
(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.
(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.
(16) Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
1 John 1:4-7
(4) And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
(5) This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
(6) If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
(7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
3 John 1:4
(4) I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
Jude 1:24
(24) Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
"Come and join us as we share the joy of Jesus on our way to the Holy and Happy Hills of Home."
Joy is found in Jesus, and I hope the grandchildren continue it, and I also hope many others will find the joy of sins forgiven as they take the Road to heaven.
These verses are more than just pious platitudes. They are directives, encouragements and promises.
If a person focuses on these verses in humble meditation, that person could experience a transformation beyond their expectations.
JOY IN JESUS...
Luke 2:10-11
(10) And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
(11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Luke 6:22-23
(22) Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
(23) Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
Luke 24:51-53
(51) And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
(52) And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
(53) And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
John 15:9-13
(9) As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
(10) If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
(11) These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
(12) This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
(13) Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Romans 14:17
(17) For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Romans 15:13-14
(13) Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
(14) And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
Galatians 5:22
(22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
1 Thessalonians 1:6
(6) And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
James 1:2-4
(2) My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
(3) Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
(4) But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
1 Peter 1:7-9
(7) That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
(8) Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
(9) Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 4:12-16
(12) Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
(13) But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
(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.
(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.
(16) Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
1 John 1:4-7
(4) And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
(5) This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
(6) If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
(7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
3 John 1:4
(4) I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
Jude 1:24
(24) Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Friday, January 8, 2016
THIS IS WHY
THIS IS WHY
For those who wonder why I link the various "isms," of the world with Islam and every other Bible denying, and Christ rejecting religion, it simple to understand.
* Christ and His word is truth, and anything that opposes them is wrong and following evil.
* Christ is love and truth and life and righteousness.
* Christ is the only way to God the Father.
* All of life belongs to Him and should be subservient to Him.
* All of this world's power and wealth and wisdom will try to end the rule of Christ, but they will fail.
* Better choose Christ now, while you can.
For those who wonder why I link the various "isms," of the world with Islam and every other Bible denying, and Christ rejecting religion, it simple to understand.
* Christ and His word is truth, and anything that opposes them is wrong and following evil.
* Christ is love and truth and life and righteousness.
* Christ is the only way to God the Father.
* All of life belongs to Him and should be subservient to Him.
* All of this world's power and wealth and wisdom will try to end the rule of Christ, but they will fail.
* Better choose Christ now, while you can.
WOW! WHAT A COINCIDENCE
Wow. What a coincidence.
The most Islamic based violent year and period in American history, just happened to come along during the administration of BHO.
Sadly, people who are brainwashed by anti-Biblical Liberalism deny the connection between violent Islam and Obama because they ignore the facts concerning the history, philosophy and associations of BHO and Islam.
Wake up. The truth of Christianity delivers the thinking and affections of men from the darkness of Humanism, Secularism, Communism, Socialism and other oppressive "isms," along with barbaric Islam.
Unhappily, people want to pick and choose the truths of Christianity that they want, while rejecting the Lordship of Christ in their own lives.
Sadly, people who are brainwashed by anti-Biblical Liberalism deny the connection between violent Islam and Obama because they ignore the facts concerning the history, philosophy and associations of BHO and Islam.
Wake up. The truth of Christianity delivers the thinking and affections of men from the darkness of Humanism, Secularism, Communism, Socialism and other oppressive "isms," along with barbaric Islam.
Unhappily, people want to pick and choose the truths of Christianity that they want, while rejecting the Lordship of Christ in their own lives.
NOT TOO LATE TO MAKE CHANGES
NOT TOO LATE TO MAKE CHANGES
Although the new year has begun, it is not too late to take inventory and re-evaluate our lives. We can still prioritize by removing and reviving and realigning our lives. Check to see where you are, in relationship to God's plan for your life, and then make the changes, regardless of how costly or difficult the changes may seem to be. The cost of faithfulness is not nearly as costly as the cost of failure to follow.
* Are there extraneous things in your life that are hampering your fulfillment of His calling and leading? Get rid of them, whether great of small, no matter who or what it involves.
* Are there things missing from your life, which are essential to success in serving God? Add them.
* Are there changes in habits, relationships, activities, desires that need to be dropped, picked up or moved around? Do it. You only get one shot at this life, don't mess it up.
Sometimes the changes are not changes based on inherent evil, but based on specific needs.
In order to be more successful (faithful) in an area of my life for Jesus, I may need to curtail or remove things, which are not evil.
* Growth means change.
* Adventure entails change.
* Success (faithfulness) requires change.
Changes (aside from sin) that I have had to accommodate in order to move forward in my relationship and stewardship and partnership with God are in the realm of activities, group involvements, pets, personal pursuits, goals attitudes habits, idiosyncrasies.
IT IS NOT TOO LATE to make changes, but if you don't make the right changes now, while you can and when you should, by the time you realize the cost of not making the changes, it may be too late to redeem the time and your losses will be irretrievable and irreversible.
Ephesians 5:14-17
(14) Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
(15) See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
(16) Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
(17) Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Colossians 4:5-6
(5) Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
(6) Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
Although the new year has begun, it is not too late to take inventory and re-evaluate our lives. We can still prioritize by removing and reviving and realigning our lives. Check to see where you are, in relationship to God's plan for your life, and then make the changes, regardless of how costly or difficult the changes may seem to be. The cost of faithfulness is not nearly as costly as the cost of failure to follow.
* Are there extraneous things in your life that are hampering your fulfillment of His calling and leading? Get rid of them, whether great of small, no matter who or what it involves.
* Are there things missing from your life, which are essential to success in serving God? Add them.
* Are there changes in habits, relationships, activities, desires that need to be dropped, picked up or moved around? Do it. You only get one shot at this life, don't mess it up.
Sometimes the changes are not changes based on inherent evil, but based on specific needs.
In order to be more successful (faithful) in an area of my life for Jesus, I may need to curtail or remove things, which are not evil.
* Growth means change.
* Adventure entails change.
* Success (faithfulness) requires change.
Changes (aside from sin) that I have had to accommodate in order to move forward in my relationship and stewardship and partnership with God are in the realm of activities, group involvements, pets, personal pursuits, goals attitudes habits, idiosyncrasies.
IT IS NOT TOO LATE to make changes, but if you don't make the right changes now, while you can and when you should, by the time you realize the cost of not making the changes, it may be too late to redeem the time and your losses will be irretrievable and irreversible.
Ephesians 5:14-17
(14) Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
(15) See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
(16) Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
(17) Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Colossians 4:5-6
(5) Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
(6) Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
(reprint... ACTIONS AND ATTITUDES AFFECT OTHERS)
ACTIONS AND ATTITUDES AFFECT OTHERS
(This is basically a reprint from January 31, 2010. I hope this blesses you)
Victory Is Determined Individually, Through Christ
Victory in life is determined by each individual, however, the extent of our victory is affected by other people. Our actions and our attitudes (good and bad) affect the extent of victory in other people's lives.
Success Is Affected By Other People
In sports, and other disciplines, each player affects the other players and can determine the outcome of a game. In life, our victory over sin is determined by our faith/obedience to Christ, however, the extent of our success in the affairs of life are either enhanced or diminished by the actions and attitudes of other people.
* The Sinner
There are Sinners (people under the domain of sin) who have a better attitude toward life than some Christians (people under the domain of God). This is because our human nature with its natural temperaments or personality types, is predisposed to respond to circumstances in a certain way (positively/negatively). When a person becomes a believer, he is expected, by God's enabling, to channel his actions and attitudes in the right direction. The fallen human nature is not to be confused with the sinful nature, which is totally corrupt and non-redeemable.
The sinner is subject to sin and Satan. Only by God's prevenient grace (the grace that God gives to a person before salvation) is the sinner kept from becoming the full blown monster that he is capable of becoming. In the salvific sense there is no victory over sin for the sinner. Still, the actions and attitudes of sinners affects other people.
* The Saved
The saved person has been regenerated and imparted with Divine nature. This saving grace makes it possible for the believer to live victoriously over sin. In fact, the evidence of salvation is victory over sin. While other people affect our victory, they do not determine our victory. Salvation enables us to manifest redemptive actions and attitudes. The problem for the saved person is the inherent and indwelling sinful nature that is always contending for rule over the believer. Manifesting redemptive actions and attitudes is part of the battle for the saved man.
* The Sanctified
The sanctified person must yield his human nature to the influences of the imparted Divine nature and the indwelling Holy Spirit. However, the inner turmoil with the sinful nature (carnal mind, old man, double mind, flesh, evil heart of unbelief) was done away with through the Sanctifying Blood, Word and Spirit of God. This fullness of the Baptism of God's Holy Spirit perfects us in love; purifies us, even as He is pure; conforms us to the likeness of Jesus; and saves us from all sin in this present evil world. Still, the believer must make choices to walk in grace in order to produce redemptive actions and attitudes.
Right Response If We Lapse Into Sin
It is possible for a Christian, even an entirely sanctified believer, to Lapse into sin. It can happen in a moment. Believers do not have to sin, but they are capable of sin, just as Adam was capable in the Garden of Eden. If a believer lapses, then he should repent and make things right immediately. To delay steps of restoration only allows the corruption of the sin to spread as a cancer. The sanctified should manifest the most obvious positive actions and attitudes in our world.
THE DELUSION OF PRIDE
* People will wear their pride as a Badge of Honor, not realizing it is their Red Letter of Humiliation.
* It is possible for people to be proud of their grace.
Five (+1) Areas Of Pride
* Pride of Face
*Pride of Race
* Pride of Place
* Pride of Lace
* Pride of Grace
(I have added another to this list)
* Pride of Pace (the pride of being driven, success oriented)
Remember, Pride Destroys.
PASSAGE...
Romans 6:11-22
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
(This is basically a reprint from January 31, 2010. I hope this blesses you)
Victory Is Determined Individually, Through Christ
Victory in life is determined by each individual, however, the extent of our victory is affected by other people. Our actions and our attitudes (good and bad) affect the extent of victory in other people's lives.
Success Is Affected By Other People
In sports, and other disciplines, each player affects the other players and can determine the outcome of a game. In life, our victory over sin is determined by our faith/obedience to Christ, however, the extent of our success in the affairs of life are either enhanced or diminished by the actions and attitudes of other people.
* The Sinner
There are Sinners (people under the domain of sin) who have a better attitude toward life than some Christians (people under the domain of God). This is because our human nature with its natural temperaments or personality types, is predisposed to respond to circumstances in a certain way (positively/negatively). When a person becomes a believer, he is expected, by God's enabling, to channel his actions and attitudes in the right direction. The fallen human nature is not to be confused with the sinful nature, which is totally corrupt and non-redeemable.
The sinner is subject to sin and Satan. Only by God's prevenient grace (the grace that God gives to a person before salvation) is the sinner kept from becoming the full blown monster that he is capable of becoming. In the salvific sense there is no victory over sin for the sinner. Still, the actions and attitudes of sinners affects other people.
* The Saved
The saved person has been regenerated and imparted with Divine nature. This saving grace makes it possible for the believer to live victoriously over sin. In fact, the evidence of salvation is victory over sin. While other people affect our victory, they do not determine our victory. Salvation enables us to manifest redemptive actions and attitudes. The problem for the saved person is the inherent and indwelling sinful nature that is always contending for rule over the believer. Manifesting redemptive actions and attitudes is part of the battle for the saved man.
* The Sanctified
The sanctified person must yield his human nature to the influences of the imparted Divine nature and the indwelling Holy Spirit. However, the inner turmoil with the sinful nature (carnal mind, old man, double mind, flesh, evil heart of unbelief) was done away with through the Sanctifying Blood, Word and Spirit of God. This fullness of the Baptism of God's Holy Spirit perfects us in love; purifies us, even as He is pure; conforms us to the likeness of Jesus; and saves us from all sin in this present evil world. Still, the believer must make choices to walk in grace in order to produce redemptive actions and attitudes.
Right Response If We Lapse Into Sin
It is possible for a Christian, even an entirely sanctified believer, to Lapse into sin. It can happen in a moment. Believers do not have to sin, but they are capable of sin, just as Adam was capable in the Garden of Eden. If a believer lapses, then he should repent and make things right immediately. To delay steps of restoration only allows the corruption of the sin to spread as a cancer. The sanctified should manifest the most obvious positive actions and attitudes in our world.
THE DELUSION OF PRIDE
* People will wear their pride as a Badge of Honor, not realizing it is their Red Letter of Humiliation.
* It is possible for people to be proud of their grace.
Five (+1) Areas Of Pride
* Pride of Face
*Pride of Race
* Pride of Place
* Pride of Lace
* Pride of Grace
(I have added another to this list)
* Pride of Pace (the pride of being driven, success oriented)
Remember, Pride Destroys.
PASSAGE...
Romans 6:11-22
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
TURN OR BURN
TURN OR BURN
I would never tell a person, who is running hot and cold in their relationship with God, to just quit playing games, and simply choose against God. After all, the destiny of their eternal soul is hanging in the balance. But the fact is, the longer they put off the decision to deny self and turn from sin, the more likely they are to finally cut themselves off from God forever.
Thursday, January 7, 2016
ULTERIOR AND DEMONIC MOTIVES
ULTERIOR AND DEMONIC MOTIVES
When evil people, or "moral" people who do not believe the Holy Bible, question Christ followers, concerning their actions in social benevolence or social justice, it is atually an attack on Christ, salvation, and the Holy Bible. They judge Christians according to humanistic standards and they are attempting to ridicule Biblical faith. Remember, Satan is the accuser of the brethren.
Revelation 12:10
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
SIDETRACKING
When someone who supports the murdereing of pre-born and new born children, they are wicked people and the only valid question they can ask a Christian is, "How can I be saved."
Do not let them turn the subject or discussion to self righteousness or self saving.
When evil people, or "moral" people who do not believe the Holy Bible, question Christ followers, concerning their actions in social benevolence or social justice, it is atually an attack on Christ, salvation, and the Holy Bible. They judge Christians according to humanistic standards and they are attempting to ridicule Biblical faith. Remember, Satan is the accuser of the brethren.
Revelation 12:10
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
SIDETRACKING
When someone who supports the murdereing of pre-born and new born children, they are wicked people and the only valid question they can ask a Christian is, "How can I be saved."
Do not let them turn the subject or discussion to self righteousness or self saving.
DOES JESUS BELONG IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
DOES JESUS BELONG IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
This came to mind, when I woke up at 3:30 this morning.
There are some people who say that Christians try to make Jesus fit into the Old Testament. Well, think about this one idea.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Ge. 1:1).
Plurality
The name of God in this verse is Elohim, which is the plural for El, which is one of the names or words for God in the Old Testament. When speaking of more than one cherub in the Bible (an order of angels), they are translated as either cherubim, cherubs, or cherubims; likewise, when speaking of more than one seraph in the Bible (another order of angels), they are translated as either seraphim, seraphs, or seraphims. The "im" ending indicates plurality.
Jewish View Today
The Jews were very definite in their belief in ONLY ONE GOD. So why did they use the plural form, when referring to the One and Only God? The Jews today claim that the use of the plural form indicates the supremacy of God over all others (which He is).
This came to mind, when I woke up at 3:30 this morning.
There are some people who say that Christians try to make Jesus fit into the Old Testament. Well, think about this one idea.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Ge. 1:1).
Plurality
The name of God in this verse is Elohim, which is the plural for El, which is one of the names or words for God in the Old Testament. When speaking of more than one cherub in the Bible (an order of angels), they are translated as either cherubim, cherubs, or cherubims; likewise, when speaking of more than one seraph in the Bible (another order of angels), they are translated as either seraphim, seraphs, or seraphims. The "im" ending indicates plurality.
Jewish View Today
The Jews were very definite in their belief in ONLY ONE GOD. So why did they use the plural form, when referring to the One and Only God? The Jews today claim that the use of the plural form indicates the supremacy of God over all others (which He is).
Biblical View
However, the Bible is the word of God, not just words about God. God inspired, led, directed the Bible writers to use the term "Gods" for His own reasons. Elohim was God's way of introducing us to the fact that there is One God, in Three Persons. This is made more clear in the most important verse in the Old Testament.
The Shema
Deuteronomy 6:4
(4) Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
The LORD (or Jehovah, or Yahweh) our God (Elohim, which is "Gods") is one LORD (or Jehovah, or Yahweh).
I will not address other passages in the Old Testament that indicate more than one Person in the Godhead, except to mention two of them.
Genesis 1:26, God said,
"...Let us make man in our image."
Genesis 11:7, The LORD said,
"... let us go down, and there confuse their language..."
I will not address the many other passages in the Old Testament that are repeated in the New Testament, in direct reference to Jesus Christ.
However, the point of this post is that Jesus is in the Old Testament from the very beginning, and all the way through. In John and in First John (New Testament) we read about God, and His creation of the world. In these passages, John clearly refers to Jesus as the Creator God, and there is nothing in the Old Testament that conflicts with this view (see two passages below). In fact, further study of the Old Testament will verify John's position on this issue.
Therefore, Jesus not only "fits" into the Old Testament, there is no Old Testament without Jesus. Remember, The New Testament is in the Old concealed, and the Old Testament is in the New revealed.
I hope you take a few minutes to read and think about these verses today.
John 1:1-18
(1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
(2) The same was in the beginning with God.
(3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
(4) In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
(5) And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
(6) There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
(7) The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
(8) He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
(9) That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
(10) He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
(11) He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
(12) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
(13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
(14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
(15) John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
(16) And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
(17) For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
(18) No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
1 John 1:1-3
(1) That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
(2) (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
(3) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
Also, the entire first chapter of the book of Hebrews addresses the fact that Jesus is the Creator God.
Hebrews 1:1-14
(1) God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
(2) Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
(3) Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
(4) Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
(5) For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
(6) And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
(7) And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
(8) But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
(9) Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
(10) And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
(11) They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
(12) And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
(13) But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
(14) Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
We find the term, "Godhead," which refers to the One God in Three Persons, in the New Testament.
Acts 17:29
(29) Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
Romans 1:20
(20) For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Colossians 2:8-9
(8) Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
(9) For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Deuteronomy 6:4
(4) Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
The LORD (or Jehovah, or Yahweh) our God (Elohim, which is "Gods") is one LORD (or Jehovah, or Yahweh).
I will not address other passages in the Old Testament that indicate more than one Person in the Godhead, except to mention two of them.
Genesis 1:26, God said,
"...Let us make man in our image."
Genesis 11:7, The LORD said,
"... let us go down, and there confuse their language..."
I will not address the many other passages in the Old Testament that are repeated in the New Testament, in direct reference to Jesus Christ.
However, the point of this post is that Jesus is in the Old Testament from the very beginning, and all the way through. In John and in First John (New Testament) we read about God, and His creation of the world. In these passages, John clearly refers to Jesus as the Creator God, and there is nothing in the Old Testament that conflicts with this view (see two passages below). In fact, further study of the Old Testament will verify John's position on this issue.
Therefore, Jesus not only "fits" into the Old Testament, there is no Old Testament without Jesus. Remember, The New Testament is in the Old concealed, and the Old Testament is in the New revealed.
I hope you take a few minutes to read and think about these verses today.
John 1:1-18
(1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
(2) The same was in the beginning with God.
(3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
(4) In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
(5) And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
(6) There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
(7) The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
(8) He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
(9) That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
(10) He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
(11) He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
(12) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
(13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
(14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
(15) John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
(16) And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
(17) For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
(18) No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
1 John 1:1-3
(1) That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
(2) (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
(3) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
Also, the entire first chapter of the book of Hebrews addresses the fact that Jesus is the Creator God.
Hebrews 1:1-14
(1) God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
(2) Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
(3) Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
(4) Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
(5) For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
(6) And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
(7) And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
(8) But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
(9) Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
(10) And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
(11) They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
(12) And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
(13) But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
(14) Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
We find the term, "Godhead," which refers to the One God in Three Persons, in the New Testament.
Acts 17:29
(29) Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
Romans 1:20
(20) For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Colossians 2:8-9
(8) Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
(9) For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
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