“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims
to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?” In the same
way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But
someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith
without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. James 2:14,17,18, 26 NIV)
If we claim to have faith, but never do anything with it. what is the point of the proclamation?
I have presented my perspective on this subject previously, but it warrants a second look.
For the person who says, "I will lose 50 pounds this year" and never changes their dietary habits or physical exercise, how are they going to lose weight? They won't and then they'll complain about being overweight.
The same is true for the person who excitedly says they're going to get a promotion on their job, but they never do anything beyond their current job requirements--they take no initiative to do anything, and sit twiddling their thumbs when they have finished doing their work.
How
about the person who is confident of even getting a job because of
their faith and prayer life, but they never apply for a job?
We can proclaim a lot of things, but until we actually "do" something, we bind God's hands to move us forward.
Not too long ago, a person on Twitter (Bart) became upset with me and
my faith in thanking God for the 1 + million plus readers that I asked
for over a year ago. Those who follow me on Twitter know that I promote my books daily, I am constantly writing and uploading books as I am inspired.
I have written various genres ranging from Christian Living, Christian
Romance, Fantasy for kids, Contemporary Fiction, Informational texts,
poetry, and a murder/mystery. Why? I have faith in God--writing
is one of the gifts He has given me (teaching is the other) and I am
wearing it out--to His glory, to inspire, inform, and entertain in a
Godly manner.
And it is because I believe that He will do
what He said He would do--I keep writing and keep thanking Him for the 1
+ million plus readers. He is speaking to the hearts of people
and they are reading my books. Now, when I'll actually see the 1 +
million readers is on Him, not me. But I know, I it will
happen--on His timeline, not mine. Thank You, Lord for hearing and
answering prayer and making a way for all Your promises to be fulfilled.
Hallelujah!
So, if it takes
writing another fifty books before the 1 + million plus readers are
reading my books, then I guess I'm going to be pretty busy for the next five years or more to accomplish the goal that is set before me. I am doing, what I have faith to believe is going to happen. That's the only way, things happen. Our actions must match our faith and when it does, God honors our faith--for we know, without faith, we cannot please Him.
Part 7 tomorrow!
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Friday, January 30, 2015
Why Faith in God? Part 5
“One person's faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.” (Romans 14:2 NIV) “For we live by faith, not by sight.” (I Corinthians 5:7 NIV)
Notice what Paul has observed and discusses about an individual's faith. One person has enough faith to eat anything--probably because they ask God's blessing upon the food before they eat it, but another--who does not have faith to eat those foods which have supposedly been forbidden (various types of meat), they will only eat vegetables.
We are no longer under The Law with its restrictions and limitations and we know this because of what we're told in Acts regarding Peter--who staunchly attempted to hold the gentiles to Jewish Law. Remember the dream? (Acts 10) At any rate, what we learn from this is that nothing God has blessed is forbidden to us. We can eat anything--pork, beef, lamb, fish and seafood of all kinds--for nutrition, as long as we ask God to bless everything we eat. A number of people have long, drawn out blessings for food, but mine is simply, "Lord bless the food and my tummy, too." And then, I eat--my candy bar, pie, vegetables, seafood, whatever is sitting before me and know that nothing in the food will harm me and my stomach will not be upset by it. That's exercising faith. Note, I am not advocating people eat things they know that causes them an allergic reaction. Please don't mix faith with foolishness. I know I cannot eat watermelon because of my body's reaction to it, so I don't eat it. Exercise wisdom in all things.
However, for those who have not arrived as yet to exercise that kind of faith--they eat what they have faith to eat--and their faith, works for them ("According to your faith, be it unto you."). And since so many people have delicate digestive systems, they need to eat accordingly in order not to get sick or stay sick. This is wisdom, not a lack of faith.
Now, we live by faith--not needing to see things before we believe it. We do it all the time. We have faith that our cars will start when we turn the key in the ignition, without seeing how the ignition system works. We have faith that the chair we sit on will hold us without inspecting it every time we get ready to sit. We have faith in getting paid for the work we do (if we're working) without seeing what is in the company's bank account. We have faith in the air we breathe even though we cannot see the oxygen we need to survive. We live faith all the time, not by sight, so why is it so difficult for some to have faith in God?
Some have argued that we are foolish to believe in an "invisible being" we have never seen. I disagree with this supposition. I have already mentioned the oxygen in the air we cannot see, but believe it is there. We cannot see a person's brains, but their brains are probably there. We cannot see the wind--we only see the results of the movement of the air.
Therefore, I see the results of God moving upon the hearts of people all the time and know He exists for all who believe!
Part 6 tomorrow!
Notice what Paul has observed and discusses about an individual's faith. One person has enough faith to eat anything--probably because they ask God's blessing upon the food before they eat it, but another--who does not have faith to eat those foods which have supposedly been forbidden (various types of meat), they will only eat vegetables.
We are no longer under The Law with its restrictions and limitations and we know this because of what we're told in Acts regarding Peter--who staunchly attempted to hold the gentiles to Jewish Law. Remember the dream? (Acts 10) At any rate, what we learn from this is that nothing God has blessed is forbidden to us. We can eat anything--pork, beef, lamb, fish and seafood of all kinds--for nutrition, as long as we ask God to bless everything we eat. A number of people have long, drawn out blessings for food, but mine is simply, "Lord bless the food and my tummy, too." And then, I eat--my candy bar, pie, vegetables, seafood, whatever is sitting before me and know that nothing in the food will harm me and my stomach will not be upset by it. That's exercising faith. Note, I am not advocating people eat things they know that causes them an allergic reaction. Please don't mix faith with foolishness. I know I cannot eat watermelon because of my body's reaction to it, so I don't eat it. Exercise wisdom in all things.
However, for those who have not arrived as yet to exercise that kind of faith--they eat what they have faith to eat--and their faith, works for them ("According to your faith, be it unto you."). And since so many people have delicate digestive systems, they need to eat accordingly in order not to get sick or stay sick. This is wisdom, not a lack of faith.
Now, we live by faith--not needing to see things before we believe it. We do it all the time. We have faith that our cars will start when we turn the key in the ignition, without seeing how the ignition system works. We have faith that the chair we sit on will hold us without inspecting it every time we get ready to sit. We have faith in getting paid for the work we do (if we're working) without seeing what is in the company's bank account. We have faith in the air we breathe even though we cannot see the oxygen we need to survive. We live faith all the time, not by sight, so why is it so difficult for some to have faith in God?
Some have argued that we are foolish to believe in an "invisible being" we have never seen. I disagree with this supposition. I have already mentioned the oxygen in the air we cannot see, but believe it is there. We cannot see a person's brains, but their brains are probably there. We cannot see the wind--we only see the results of the movement of the air.
Therefore, I see the results of God moving upon the hearts of people all the time and know He exists for all who believe!
Part 6 tomorrow!
Thursday, January 29, 2015
And The Beat Goes On!
Today's broadcast overrun by Holy Spirit! You have to hear it to believe!
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/maryandtyrone/2015/01/29/and-the-beat-goes-on
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/maryandtyrone/2015/01/29/and-the-beat-goes-on
It's Not Normal And God Said It First!
It has been said through various mediums (scientific studies,
documentaries, etc.) that homosexuality is genetically determined before
one is ever born. And because they were born this way, they claim their
sexual orientation should be treated like any other birth defect or
handicap. This theory is inconsistent with The Word of God. God
never states that a birth defect or other anomaly or handicap is sin. He
specifically states that the act of either men laying with men as they
would a woman or women laying with women as they would men
(homosexuality) is an abomination and those who practice it will not
enter into heaven.
Let’s look at things another way. None of us are born gay or straight—we are born male or female (with a few exceptions pertaining to those born with both genitalia as a result of hormonal imbalances during gestational development). Babies do not lie in a hospital nursery right after they’re born with any conclusions about themselves. They are incapable of making any choices at that point. We choose what we do—and that becomes our sexual orientation—our actions which is why—some profess to be born—bi-sexual—they like having things their way—any way they can. Having an attraction towards someone of the same sex does not determine a person is gay. It is acting upon the attraction that puts one on the path of destruction and being labelled gay. Every one of us—chooses our actions.
We can be tempted to steal from a pile of money sitting in front of us for hours on end. We don’t become a thief until we actually steal some of the money. While this is a rather simplistic analogy, the premise is true for any situation. We do not become something until we act upon our desires.
And if God in His infinite wisdom, truly allowed someone to be born gay—surely, this is justification for them to become “born-again” and live the life God intended them to live, receiving all of His many benefits. This is why Jesus told Nicodemus that we must be “born again” in order to enter into heaven. (John 3:5 paraphrased).
It's Not Normal And God Said It First available on amazon. com
Let’s look at things another way. None of us are born gay or straight—we are born male or female (with a few exceptions pertaining to those born with both genitalia as a result of hormonal imbalances during gestational development). Babies do not lie in a hospital nursery right after they’re born with any conclusions about themselves. They are incapable of making any choices at that point. We choose what we do—and that becomes our sexual orientation—our actions which is why—some profess to be born—bi-sexual—they like having things their way—any way they can. Having an attraction towards someone of the same sex does not determine a person is gay. It is acting upon the attraction that puts one on the path of destruction and being labelled gay. Every one of us—chooses our actions.
We can be tempted to steal from a pile of money sitting in front of us for hours on end. We don’t become a thief until we actually steal some of the money. While this is a rather simplistic analogy, the premise is true for any situation. We do not become something until we act upon our desires.
And if God in His infinite wisdom, truly allowed someone to be born gay—surely, this is justification for them to become “born-again” and live the life God intended them to live, receiving all of His many benefits. This is why Jesus told Nicodemus that we must be “born again” in order to enter into heaven. (John 3:5 paraphrased).
It's Not Normal And God Said It First available on amazon. com
And The Beat Goes On!
Our episodes are archived and available 24/7, 365 days of the year. Join us, live--every Thursday at 5:00 p.m. EST.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/maryandtyrone/2015/01/15/and-the-beat-goes-on
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/maryandtyrone/2015/01/15/and-the-beat-goes-on
Why Faith in God? Part 4
“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and
the message is heard through the word about Christ.” (Romans 10:17 NIV) “...so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power.” (I Corinthians 2:5 NIV)
We have all been given a "measure" of faith by God with the admonition that we should not think more highly of ourselves than we ought (Romans 12:3 paraphrased). And because we have been given a measure of faith, we develop means and ways to exercise what we have faith in. Some only have faith in themselves and what they are capable of doing. Some put their faith in other people when they are too insecure to have faith in themselves. There are more who put their faith in things--astrology charts, Tarot cards, beads, crystals, statues, etc.--all man-made. Still more, believe and have faith in luck--which is happenstance and has nothing to do with God and they with this luck, they have faith in their ability to gamble.
Faith in God, as Paul tells us, comes from hearing the message--the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the redemptive work on the cross, and the love of God towards us all. This is the message that increases our faith in God when we are continually hearing The Word as an exercise of practicing what we believe. The more we "hear" The Word (aloud), the more our faith should increase because we are increasing knowledge and learning to operate more in faith in Him than us.
To make sure we don't understand why we should hear The Word, Paul tells us through his letter to the church at Corinth that we should not have faith in the limited wisdom of man, but in the power of God. Human wisdom, whether we want to admit it or not, is limited by our experiences and exposures. Since most of us will not experience exposure to all there is to know in the universe, we can never claim (truthfully) to know more than God. It is because of God's love for us that He inspires men to discover things through their efforts to understand the whys and hows things, He created, work.
This is not a put-down of science--I'm totally grateful to science, but what some people don't recognize is that scientists have not "created" anything from "absolutely nothing" but have discovered how to use elements in the earth already created to arrange and rearrange their usefulness. Scientists are not God and those who truly understand their limited ability, acknowledge their success in discoveries is because of God. Thank God those scientists are listening and if they continue to listen and seek His wisdom, life should be better for us all.
The measure of faith we have been given is the foundation of faith on which we build by hearing the word. We take the little and increase it to much, giving God the glory for all we have and know, not attempting to take credit for doing anything ourselves, apart from Him.
Part 5 tomorrow
We have all been given a "measure" of faith by God with the admonition that we should not think more highly of ourselves than we ought (Romans 12:3 paraphrased). And because we have been given a measure of faith, we develop means and ways to exercise what we have faith in. Some only have faith in themselves and what they are capable of doing. Some put their faith in other people when they are too insecure to have faith in themselves. There are more who put their faith in things--astrology charts, Tarot cards, beads, crystals, statues, etc.--all man-made. Still more, believe and have faith in luck--which is happenstance and has nothing to do with God and they with this luck, they have faith in their ability to gamble.
Faith in God, as Paul tells us, comes from hearing the message--the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the redemptive work on the cross, and the love of God towards us all. This is the message that increases our faith in God when we are continually hearing The Word as an exercise of practicing what we believe. The more we "hear" The Word (aloud), the more our faith should increase because we are increasing knowledge and learning to operate more in faith in Him than us.
To make sure we don't understand why we should hear The Word, Paul tells us through his letter to the church at Corinth that we should not have faith in the limited wisdom of man, but in the power of God. Human wisdom, whether we want to admit it or not, is limited by our experiences and exposures. Since most of us will not experience exposure to all there is to know in the universe, we can never claim (truthfully) to know more than God. It is because of God's love for us that He inspires men to discover things through their efforts to understand the whys and hows things, He created, work.
This is not a put-down of science--I'm totally grateful to science, but what some people don't recognize is that scientists have not "created" anything from "absolutely nothing" but have discovered how to use elements in the earth already created to arrange and rearrange their usefulness. Scientists are not God and those who truly understand their limited ability, acknowledge their success in discoveries is because of God. Thank God those scientists are listening and if they continue to listen and seek His wisdom, life should be better for us all.
The measure of faith we have been given is the foundation of faith on which we build by hearing the word. We take the little and increase it to much, giving God the glory for all we have and know, not attempting to take credit for doing anything ourselves, apart from Him.
Part 5 tomorrow
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Why Faith in God? Part 3
“Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do
not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also
you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it
will be done.” (Matthew 21:21 NIV) “For it is with your heart that you
believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess
your faith and are saved.” (Romans 10:10 NIV)
Notice how important it is to use "our mouths" to proclaim our faith. Jesus said, "You can say..." and Paul tells us, "With your mouth you profess your faith..." So, conversely, if we don't "say" we won't see our faith exercised or receive what we won't say. This is why it is important for us to watch those things we say. "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." We can use our tongues which are in our mouths--to speak life to our lives with our faith in God or we can speak death to our lives with negative confessions, expressing doubt. It's up to us--remember--according to our faith--it will be what we say it will be.
Understanding the power we have with our tongues and expression of our faith, why would we contribute to having no ability to do anything worthwhile for others?
We can exercise our faith in God, by saying--"No weapon formed against us shall prosper" when we get that negative report from doctors. "By His stripes, I am healed." "There is no name above the name of Jesus," and sickness and disease have names that are covered under the blood. And then we do everything we can to live a healthy life. There is no point in saying something, just to say it, now we have something we need to do.
We don't have to be afraid of anything, so when the enemy attempts to ignite fear in us, we say "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind" and then move out in the power of His might!
We never have to accept defeat in any endeavor when we say, "I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me," and then keep trying to accomplish whatever it is we're trying to accomplish, until we do it right.
We can have what we say, when we refuse to allow negativity to enter into our minds and we keep professing we have what it is we need, no matter what things look like. Don't allow what you see to determine what you speak! God created the world in seven days and there is nothing too hard for Him to do for those He loves and for those who complete faith is in Him!
Hallelujah, Jesus! Thanking Him for our needs being met, over and above anything we need so we will have surplus to assist others. Thanking Him for healing bodies with the same healing virtue used to heal the woman with the issue of blood. Thanking Him for protecting the vulnerable, and comforting hearts, and speaking to the hearts of those who commit evil. We may not see it the evidence, but we can rest assured that God hears us and knows everything about everything.
The one thing He will not do--is force anyone to do anything they do not want to do. So, while our faith in God is assured, we must also know that He gives free-will choice to the saved and unsaved, leaving all to the consequences of their choices.
Part 4 tomorrow!
Notice how important it is to use "our mouths" to proclaim our faith. Jesus said, "You can say..." and Paul tells us, "With your mouth you profess your faith..." So, conversely, if we don't "say" we won't see our faith exercised or receive what we won't say. This is why it is important for us to watch those things we say. "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." We can use our tongues which are in our mouths--to speak life to our lives with our faith in God or we can speak death to our lives with negative confessions, expressing doubt. It's up to us--remember--according to our faith--it will be what we say it will be.
Understanding the power we have with our tongues and expression of our faith, why would we contribute to having no ability to do anything worthwhile for others?
We can exercise our faith in God, by saying--"No weapon formed against us shall prosper" when we get that negative report from doctors. "By His stripes, I am healed." "There is no name above the name of Jesus," and sickness and disease have names that are covered under the blood. And then we do everything we can to live a healthy life. There is no point in saying something, just to say it, now we have something we need to do.
We don't have to be afraid of anything, so when the enemy attempts to ignite fear in us, we say "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind" and then move out in the power of His might!
We never have to accept defeat in any endeavor when we say, "I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me," and then keep trying to accomplish whatever it is we're trying to accomplish, until we do it right.
We can have what we say, when we refuse to allow negativity to enter into our minds and we keep professing we have what it is we need, no matter what things look like. Don't allow what you see to determine what you speak! God created the world in seven days and there is nothing too hard for Him to do for those He loves and for those who complete faith is in Him!
Hallelujah, Jesus! Thanking Him for our needs being met, over and above anything we need so we will have surplus to assist others. Thanking Him for healing bodies with the same healing virtue used to heal the woman with the issue of blood. Thanking Him for protecting the vulnerable, and comforting hearts, and speaking to the hearts of those who commit evil. We may not see it the evidence, but we can rest assured that God hears us and knows everything about everything.
The one thing He will not do--is force anyone to do anything they do not want to do. So, while our faith in God is assured, we must also know that He gives free-will choice to the saved and unsaved, leaving all to the consequences of their choices.
Part 4 tomorrow!
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Why Faith in God? Part 2
"Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you. And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.” (Matthew 9:29; 13: 58 NIV)
If we are like the two blind men who Jesus was speaking to, we must be believe that He is able to do what we expect Him to do.
The two blind men followed Him, begging for mercy (so they could see) and He stopped them and asked them, "Do you believe I able to do this?"
Their response was, "Yes Lord, we believe."
His response was, "According to your faith (not another person's faith, not even His), let it be done to you."
God's response to our petitions is based upon our faith, not our emotions. He knows every issue we have and He knows whether or not we have enough courage to ask for His help and enough faith to believe He will do it. When we speak, what we believe He will do, it is a demonstration of our faith.
Some of us need our spiritual eyes opened so we can see--all the good things He has in store for us, for the natural eye (the mind using man's logic), cannot see into the spirit realm to understand just how much God loves us. Now, we can speak what we need--by faith--into existence, we can also speak--a lack of faith--and never see what we ask for.
When Jesus went to His home town, the people there had heard about the miracles He performed, but when they saw Him, they were full of disbelief, saying out loud, "Isn't this carpenter's son? Who does He think He is going around trying to make people believe He's anything special." I've paraphrased their response, but it's accurate in intent.
Because of their dismay in who He was and their unbelief, not many people were healed and certainly not many miracles witnessed. Why? They spoke their lack of faith in Him! It was not His faith that needed to operate, but theirs if they wanted to see miracles.
Some people are doing the same thing today with their tongues--speaking their lack of faith--and then proclaiming that God doesn't hear or respond to prayers. It is because of their lack of faith and actually their double-mindedness that keeps change from occurring. If we say--there is no God--why do we expect Him to do anything (He doesn't exist for the naysayers, so why complain about Him). And then those same people who proclaim God doesn't exist--dare to question the faith of those who know--He exists and He is faithful to those who call upon Him, by faith and obedience and He responds to " our faith in Him" not a lack of faith.
If we have no faith in Him and what He is able to do--don't be surprised when He does not respond to our requests.
Remember this--He responds to our faith--spoken--in support of our belief--and He will do all He said He would do in His Word. "Yes, Lord, we believe You are able to do all things well for our benefit."
Part 3 tomorrow!
If we are like the two blind men who Jesus was speaking to, we must be believe that He is able to do what we expect Him to do.
The two blind men followed Him, begging for mercy (so they could see) and He stopped them and asked them, "Do you believe I able to do this?"
Their response was, "Yes Lord, we believe."
His response was, "According to your faith (not another person's faith, not even His), let it be done to you."
God's response to our petitions is based upon our faith, not our emotions. He knows every issue we have and He knows whether or not we have enough courage to ask for His help and enough faith to believe He will do it. When we speak, what we believe He will do, it is a demonstration of our faith.
Some of us need our spiritual eyes opened so we can see--all the good things He has in store for us, for the natural eye (the mind using man's logic), cannot see into the spirit realm to understand just how much God loves us. Now, we can speak what we need--by faith--into existence, we can also speak--a lack of faith--and never see what we ask for.
When Jesus went to His home town, the people there had heard about the miracles He performed, but when they saw Him, they were full of disbelief, saying out loud, "Isn't this carpenter's son? Who does He think He is going around trying to make people believe He's anything special." I've paraphrased their response, but it's accurate in intent.
Because of their dismay in who He was and their unbelief, not many people were healed and certainly not many miracles witnessed. Why? They spoke their lack of faith in Him! It was not His faith that needed to operate, but theirs if they wanted to see miracles.
Some people are doing the same thing today with their tongues--speaking their lack of faith--and then proclaiming that God doesn't hear or respond to prayers. It is because of their lack of faith and actually their double-mindedness that keeps change from occurring. If we say--there is no God--why do we expect Him to do anything (He doesn't exist for the naysayers, so why complain about Him). And then those same people who proclaim God doesn't exist--dare to question the faith of those who know--He exists and He is faithful to those who call upon Him, by faith and obedience and He responds to " our faith in Him" not a lack of faith.
If we have no faith in Him and what He is able to do--don't be surprised when He does not respond to our requests.
Remember this--He responds to our faith--spoken--in support of our belief--and He will do all He said He would do in His Word. "Yes, Lord, we believe You are able to do all things well for our benefit."
Part 3 tomorrow!
Monday, January 26, 2015
Why Faith in God? Part 1
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and
assurance about what we do not see. And without faith it is impossible
to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he
exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews
11:1,6 NIV)
Many people have hope in many things--people, things, animals, but for those of us who have hope in God, total confidence and assurance that He is and will do, our hope is not in vain. We know that without faith--the total assurance and confidence that He is and will do, we cannot possibly please Him. If we don't please Him, why would we expect Him to do anything for us?
If a parent consistently tells a child they will do something for the child and never does it---sooner or later that child will stop believing the parent and nothing they say will matter. This is a loss of hope and confidence. But for the parent who consistently does what they say they will do--reward or punish--that child develops complete confidence in the parent--knowing they will either be rewarded or punished. If we can believe this analogy about our natural parents, why can't we believe it about God?
I have come to the conclusion that many people distrust God because they believe He has failed them in some way or another. The evidence for this conclusion is clear--when God is blamed for all the things in the world that go wrong or people feel He has not answered their prayers, they can angry with God, doubt His existence and then try to convince others that God does not care.
The answer to prayers are sometimes not evident because people "pray amiss," praying for things instead of direction and wisdom, praying for God to hurt others. When we pray, we must pray--according to The Word--believe we receive, and we shall have what we pray for. However, since God knows so much than we do, when prayers have been answered, some may not recognize it.
For instance--prayers for healing can manifest in a number of ways. A person's body can be totally healed if that is God's plan for them (because He knows the future), or healing can come in the form of death--the person suffering no longer suffers.
Sometimes, people don't recognize that if a person is destined to prolonged suffering, death really is the answer to prayer for those who understand how God works. When my mother was dying of cancer, she had lost all muscle control, could not eat or swallow. I prayed for God to take His child home and He did the very next morning. I was holding her hand when she made the transition. As much I loved my mother, I didn't want her to suffer.
When I pray, since my abilities are limited, I pray for Holy Spirit to interact with people and for hearts to be willing to hear. I pray for wisdom and guidance and when a situation is really serious, I connect with prayer warriors to be in agreement with solution. No matter how God responds, I believe He will answer every prayer.
Part 2 tomorrow
Many people have hope in many things--people, things, animals, but for those of us who have hope in God, total confidence and assurance that He is and will do, our hope is not in vain. We know that without faith--the total assurance and confidence that He is and will do, we cannot possibly please Him. If we don't please Him, why would we expect Him to do anything for us?
If a parent consistently tells a child they will do something for the child and never does it---sooner or later that child will stop believing the parent and nothing they say will matter. This is a loss of hope and confidence. But for the parent who consistently does what they say they will do--reward or punish--that child develops complete confidence in the parent--knowing they will either be rewarded or punished. If we can believe this analogy about our natural parents, why can't we believe it about God?
I have come to the conclusion that many people distrust God because they believe He has failed them in some way or another. The evidence for this conclusion is clear--when God is blamed for all the things in the world that go wrong or people feel He has not answered their prayers, they can angry with God, doubt His existence and then try to convince others that God does not care.
The answer to prayers are sometimes not evident because people "pray amiss," praying for things instead of direction and wisdom, praying for God to hurt others. When we pray, we must pray--according to The Word--believe we receive, and we shall have what we pray for. However, since God knows so much than we do, when prayers have been answered, some may not recognize it.
For instance--prayers for healing can manifest in a number of ways. A person's body can be totally healed if that is God's plan for them (because He knows the future), or healing can come in the form of death--the person suffering no longer suffers.
Sometimes, people don't recognize that if a person is destined to prolonged suffering, death really is the answer to prayer for those who understand how God works. When my mother was dying of cancer, she had lost all muscle control, could not eat or swallow. I prayed for God to take His child home and He did the very next morning. I was holding her hand when she made the transition. As much I loved my mother, I didn't want her to suffer.
When I pray, since my abilities are limited, I pray for Holy Spirit to interact with people and for hearts to be willing to hear. I pray for wisdom and guidance and when a situation is really serious, I connect with prayer warriors to be in agreement with solution. No matter how God responds, I believe He will answer every prayer.
Part 2 tomorrow
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Having Authority!
"I have given you authority to trample on snakes and
scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm
you." (Luke 10:19 NIV)
The missionary report from the seventy-two who went out and proclaimed the Good News and healed those who were sick was good, but the Jesus reminded them--they rejoiced over the wrong thing, the submission of the demons to them at the name of Jesus. This they did when Jesus was with them. Now, as a cautionary note, Jesus went on to tell them, rejoice in the fact that their names were written in the book of life--not just in having authority over demons, while He was with them.
They had authority to trample on snakes--unaware of their existence, not by tempting the devil with foolishness--and not be harmed. He gave them authority--to overcome anything the enemy attempted to do them and promised them, nothing would harm them--this He did while He was with them.
Before He left to return to His place in heaven, he told the twelve (notice the reduction in numbers who operated with power), that greater works we would do--after He left, than they did while He was with them.
One of the reasons the Church of Jesus Christ is weakened and often thwarted by the enemy is because we think--the power is in the numbers. The power is not in how many people attend the building, but the power and authority is in the faith of the Believer--individually. Now, where two or three--faith-filled people gather, there is nothing they cannot accomplish when they do all in His name.
The power and authority we have is activated by our agreement with another faith-filled believer and being on one accord with Holy Spirit for the results. When we practice what we say we believe, we see the results of having power through Holy Spirit and know we cannot go wrong when we allow Him to lead.
If we want change in our society, change in our schools, change in our homes and change in our governments, we must practice the authority we have in Jesus' name by coming into agreement with other Believers, guided by Holy Spirit, and then sit back and watch Him work it out--for our good!
Before we can actively, consciously do anything in order to operate in His authority, we must Know The Word, Pray The Word, and Preach The Word, in season and out, whether people want to hear it or not (Paul's instructions to Timothy work for us today) and do all we do to the glory of God! That's Having authority!
The missionary report from the seventy-two who went out and proclaimed the Good News and healed those who were sick was good, but the Jesus reminded them--they rejoiced over the wrong thing, the submission of the demons to them at the name of Jesus. This they did when Jesus was with them. Now, as a cautionary note, Jesus went on to tell them, rejoice in the fact that their names were written in the book of life--not just in having authority over demons, while He was with them.
They had authority to trample on snakes--unaware of their existence, not by tempting the devil with foolishness--and not be harmed. He gave them authority--to overcome anything the enemy attempted to do them and promised them, nothing would harm them--this He did while He was with them.
Before He left to return to His place in heaven, he told the twelve (notice the reduction in numbers who operated with power), that greater works we would do--after He left, than they did while He was with them.
One of the reasons the Church of Jesus Christ is weakened and often thwarted by the enemy is because we think--the power is in the numbers. The power is not in how many people attend the building, but the power and authority is in the faith of the Believer--individually. Now, where two or three--faith-filled people gather, there is nothing they cannot accomplish when they do all in His name.
The power and authority we have is activated by our agreement with another faith-filled believer and being on one accord with Holy Spirit for the results. When we practice what we say we believe, we see the results of having power through Holy Spirit and know we cannot go wrong when we allow Him to lead.
If we want change in our society, change in our schools, change in our homes and change in our governments, we must practice the authority we have in Jesus' name by coming into agreement with other Believers, guided by Holy Spirit, and then sit back and watch Him work it out--for our good!
Before we can actively, consciously do anything in order to operate in His authority, we must Know The Word, Pray The Word, and Preach The Word, in season and out, whether people want to hear it or not (Paul's instructions to Timothy work for us today) and do all we do to the glory of God! That's Having authority!
Saturday, January 24, 2015
The Foundation!
"By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a
wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should
build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." (I Corinthians 3:10,11 NIV)
Paul admonishes those who are attempting to "teach doctrine" other than what they learned. He reminds them (the Corinthians) that everything he taught was based upon his relationship with Jesus Christ and who He is. He goes on to tell them in (subsequent verses) that if they attempt teach any other doctrine, their works will be tried with fire.
Now, for clarity's sake, I must explain that in the subsequent verses, he mentions the building materials that will be tried and possibly burned up with fire. Paul uses the building materials--gold, silver, etc. in a figurative analogy. He does not mean that churches cannot use gold or silver in the buildings, as some have taught.
What is more important--the church (Body of Christ) or the building? I think this is where some err. The body of believers is the "Church of Jesus Christ" and the buildings are simply places where people go to worship, ideally. So, Paul is really concerned about the condition of the believers and the foundational truths they are taught and believe. When we change the foundational truths of God's Word, then we subject our works to being judged by the fire. EVERY TIME WE CHANGE GOD'S WORD TO PACIFY FLESH, WE ERR AND ARE CREATING AN UNSTABLE FOUNDATION.
When a firm, stable foundation has not been laid for a physical building, it will not withstand, the moves of the earth as it settles and sometimes, the foundations crack, lean, or fall apart, causing the entire building to crumble. When a firm foundation has not been been laid regarding the truth of God's Word, people lean, fall apart and crumble every time a crisis comes their way--their foundational knowledge is flawed and will not withstand the wiles of the enemy when the attack comes.
We should all aspire to be like Paul--as a wise builder--teaching and proclaiming only the truth of God's Word so when He comes, we will be found blameless and not guilty of promoting false doctrine trying to make ourselves to be something we are not. God knows the truth of all and He knows when the foundation is His or ours. If we think we can fool Him, we only delude ourselves. Make sure the foundation laid regarding God's truth--is His Truth!
Paul admonishes those who are attempting to "teach doctrine" other than what they learned. He reminds them (the Corinthians) that everything he taught was based upon his relationship with Jesus Christ and who He is. He goes on to tell them in (subsequent verses) that if they attempt teach any other doctrine, their works will be tried with fire.
Now, for clarity's sake, I must explain that in the subsequent verses, he mentions the building materials that will be tried and possibly burned up with fire. Paul uses the building materials--gold, silver, etc. in a figurative analogy. He does not mean that churches cannot use gold or silver in the buildings, as some have taught.
What is more important--the church (Body of Christ) or the building? I think this is where some err. The body of believers is the "Church of Jesus Christ" and the buildings are simply places where people go to worship, ideally. So, Paul is really concerned about the condition of the believers and the foundational truths they are taught and believe. When we change the foundational truths of God's Word, then we subject our works to being judged by the fire. EVERY TIME WE CHANGE GOD'S WORD TO PACIFY FLESH, WE ERR AND ARE CREATING AN UNSTABLE FOUNDATION.
When a firm, stable foundation has not been laid for a physical building, it will not withstand, the moves of the earth as it settles and sometimes, the foundations crack, lean, or fall apart, causing the entire building to crumble. When a firm foundation has not been been laid regarding the truth of God's Word, people lean, fall apart and crumble every time a crisis comes their way--their foundational knowledge is flawed and will not withstand the wiles of the enemy when the attack comes.
We should all aspire to be like Paul--as a wise builder--teaching and proclaiming only the truth of God's Word so when He comes, we will be found blameless and not guilty of promoting false doctrine trying to make ourselves to be something we are not. God knows the truth of all and He knows when the foundation is His or ours. If we think we can fool Him, we only delude ourselves. Make sure the foundation laid regarding God's truth--is His Truth!
Friday, January 23, 2015
Wait For It!
"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." (Psalm 27:13,14 NIV)
How many times have we heard the phrase--wait for it? Usually, the phrase has more to do with some spectacular event about to unfold and because it was spectacular, we're never disappointed. And we won't be disappointed as we wait to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living--this side of heaven.
How will we see the goodness of The Lord? When every born-again believer truly walks in their calling--whatever that might be and do the greater works that Jesus said we would do--the entire world will see the goodness of The Lord in everything we do!
Are we not created in His image? Are we not His children? Are we not able to do all He has put on our hearts to do, to His glory? When we become living epistles, read of men, others will see The
Lord in us because we won't be able to hide the light of His love under a bush, but we shall shine brightly, as a beacon, drawing all the lost to The Lord by the love we show them.
Showing others love does not mean we compromise The Word of God by condoning sin in any matter. We must encourage people to live according to The Word, not in opposition to The Word.
Within the next few weeks, I am re-distributing a book on Amazon that will sound an alarm in the hearts of many and be a wake-up call to the Body of Christ. Some will hate the book (and probably me), some will love it, and some will be wary of the intent. The intent of the book, quite simply is to remind all of God's Word, what He has said about sin, and our what our response should be to those who propose to promote sin rather than godliness. And we can do this--showing love--not displeasing God in order to win people to us.
Our ability to win souls should never be about winning someone to be in our cheering section, or church, but encouraging them to repent, be forgiven, and develop a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Are you ready? Okay, just wait for it and wait for The Lord to see His goodness--through us--to overwhelm the land!
How many times have we heard the phrase--wait for it? Usually, the phrase has more to do with some spectacular event about to unfold and because it was spectacular, we're never disappointed. And we won't be disappointed as we wait to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living--this side of heaven.
How will we see the goodness of The Lord? When every born-again believer truly walks in their calling--whatever that might be and do the greater works that Jesus said we would do--the entire world will see the goodness of The Lord in everything we do!
Are we not created in His image? Are we not His children? Are we not able to do all He has put on our hearts to do, to His glory? When we become living epistles, read of men, others will see The
Lord in us because we won't be able to hide the light of His love under a bush, but we shall shine brightly, as a beacon, drawing all the lost to The Lord by the love we show them.
Showing others love does not mean we compromise The Word of God by condoning sin in any matter. We must encourage people to live according to The Word, not in opposition to The Word.
Within the next few weeks, I am re-distributing a book on Amazon that will sound an alarm in the hearts of many and be a wake-up call to the Body of Christ. Some will hate the book (and probably me), some will love it, and some will be wary of the intent. The intent of the book, quite simply is to remind all of God's Word, what He has said about sin, and our what our response should be to those who propose to promote sin rather than godliness. And we can do this--showing love--not displeasing God in order to win people to us.
Our ability to win souls should never be about winning someone to be in our cheering section, or church, but encouraging them to repent, be forgiven, and develop a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Are you ready? Okay, just wait for it and wait for The Lord to see His goodness--through us--to overwhelm the land!
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Let's Keep It Simple!
“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food
polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled
animals and from blood." (Acts 15:19,20 NIV)
All over the land, especially in America, church leaders are shaking their heads, trying to understand why their buildings are not filled to overflowing (depending upon the size of the building). The biggest problem for most churches is this: the leadership and the people would rather beat people up about The Word, than Teach them The Word.
A number of people visit a church and find some interesting reason to listen to a sermon, but before the service is over, they are assailed with the "rules" and are humiliated because they don't understand the rules. How can they know "the rules" of anything before they have been taught? And why must people make the rules so rigid that no one wants to adhere to them?
There is a better way to win lost souls and James provides us with the perfect method in this verse of scripture. Let's encourage them to live a sin-free life, not worshiping idols, and teach them how to receive God's best in their lives. Let's keep it simple and draw others into the love of Jesus Christ--pointing the way by what we do--not what we say.
To be honest--those who profess to know Christ, but yet don't know how to live the life they profess before others--keep more people out of churches than they draw into the churches. When we do not live what we say, we are hypocrites and Jesus has warned us that we'll get to end and hear, "depart from me you workers of iniquity--I never knew you." What a heartrending statement to hear! This demonstrates the difference from those who "think" they are living according to The Word and those who "know" they are living according to The Word.
Let's make evangelizing simple--live it, promote it, teach it, and glorify God in all you do! Let your light so shine, filled with His glory, that others will seek you out, wanting to know--why and how you can smile, and never be discouraged on this journey called--life!
All over the land, especially in America, church leaders are shaking their heads, trying to understand why their buildings are not filled to overflowing (depending upon the size of the building). The biggest problem for most churches is this: the leadership and the people would rather beat people up about The Word, than Teach them The Word.
A number of people visit a church and find some interesting reason to listen to a sermon, but before the service is over, they are assailed with the "rules" and are humiliated because they don't understand the rules. How can they know "the rules" of anything before they have been taught? And why must people make the rules so rigid that no one wants to adhere to them?
There is a better way to win lost souls and James provides us with the perfect method in this verse of scripture. Let's encourage them to live a sin-free life, not worshiping idols, and teach them how to receive God's best in their lives. Let's keep it simple and draw others into the love of Jesus Christ--pointing the way by what we do--not what we say.
To be honest--those who profess to know Christ, but yet don't know how to live the life they profess before others--keep more people out of churches than they draw into the churches. When we do not live what we say, we are hypocrites and Jesus has warned us that we'll get to end and hear, "depart from me you workers of iniquity--I never knew you." What a heartrending statement to hear! This demonstrates the difference from those who "think" they are living according to The Word and those who "know" they are living according to The Word.
Let's make evangelizing simple--live it, promote it, teach it, and glorify God in all you do! Let your light so shine, filled with His glory, that others will seek you out, wanting to know--why and how you can smile, and never be discouraged on this journey called--life!
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Standing Against The Devil's Schemes!
"Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your
stand against the devil’s schemes.For our struggle is not against flesh
and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the
powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in
the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:11,12 NIV--please read the rest).
The armor of God--designed to cover and protect all the sensitive areas of our bodies from the attacks of the enemy. We can stand against the enemy and thwart his attack when: our waist (stomach) is covered by Truth and we will not be compromised by lies, Righteousness covers our heart, our feet are ready to promote the Gospel of peace, our Faith is the shield upon which the fiery darts of the enemy are extinguished, our heads are covered with the Helmet of Salvation (we are saved), our Sword, the knowledge of The Word which we carry in our hearts that are protected by the breastplate.
We have all we need to withstand the attacks of the enemy and win, but we must be willing to stand and face the enemy who dares to attack the children of God.
We have to know--we should not lie or accept the lies of others.
We have to know--our faith is in Him and Him alone and trust Him in all things.
We have to know--The Word and how it impacts every area of our lives.
We have to know--the enemy thrives on lies, deceptions, half-truths, and fear because his job is to kill, steal, and destroy.
We have to know--how to recognize the enemy and those who he uses to implement his plan of destruction.
We have to know--that God knows the plans He has for us and those plans are for us to succeed and have victory in every area of our lives. We have to know this and proclaim every time the enemy attacks.
And when we stand--fully covered and prepared for spiritual warfare--we will see the victory that God has already established--no matter what the enemy attempts to do!
The armor of God--designed to cover and protect all the sensitive areas of our bodies from the attacks of the enemy. We can stand against the enemy and thwart his attack when: our waist (stomach) is covered by Truth and we will not be compromised by lies, Righteousness covers our heart, our feet are ready to promote the Gospel of peace, our Faith is the shield upon which the fiery darts of the enemy are extinguished, our heads are covered with the Helmet of Salvation (we are saved), our Sword, the knowledge of The Word which we carry in our hearts that are protected by the breastplate.
We have all we need to withstand the attacks of the enemy and win, but we must be willing to stand and face the enemy who dares to attack the children of God.
We have to know--we should not lie or accept the lies of others.
We have to know--our faith is in Him and Him alone and trust Him in all things.
We have to know--The Word and how it impacts every area of our lives.
We have to know--the enemy thrives on lies, deceptions, half-truths, and fear because his job is to kill, steal, and destroy.
We have to know--how to recognize the enemy and those who he uses to implement his plan of destruction.
We have to know--that God knows the plans He has for us and those plans are for us to succeed and have victory in every area of our lives. We have to know this and proclaim every time the enemy attacks.
And when we stand--fully covered and prepared for spiritual warfare--we will see the victory that God has already established--no matter what the enemy attempts to do!
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Hostile Roots!
"The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God." (Romans 8:7,8 NIV)
We are three part beings--mind, body, spirit. Our spirits live in our natural bodies and our minds (our soulish realm) is either going to be controlled by our spirits or our flesh (carnal realm). There is a war between our spirits--given by God--and our flesh--flesh wants what it wants and our spirits want what God wants.
We eat when we are hungry because our flesh dictates that need and all other fleshly desires--thirst, emotions, behavior. Our spirits line up with The Word and we are able to hear God when He speaks--allowing Him to determine how we respond to situations--sometimes. At other times, we allow the enemy's spirit to influence what we do and say, which ignites fleshly reactions.
Notice what Paul says, the mind governed (ruled) by the flesh is hostile to God and when we allow our flesh to govern us, we cannot please God.
Now, I realize not everyone is concerned about pleasing God, but rather they are more concerned with pleasing the dictates of their flesh. God is not pleased, but they are and their pleasure is temporary at best.
For those who desire to please God, we must not allow flesh (that carnal nature) to govern us, but rather we allow our spirits, led by Holy Spirit to direct us in all we say and do. When we allow Holy Spirit to lead us, we cannot do what is wrong or hostile to God and therefore, we please Him.
When we are hostile to people (and to God), it is because we have allowed our flesh to reign and flesh desires to do what flesh desires. If we get angry, we want revenge. If we are fearful, we want others to be afraid. If we are jealous, we want others to hurt. If we are insecure, we want to blame others for every downfall in our lives. If we have low self-esteem, we misinterpret everything someone else says or does. This is how we react to situations when we allow our flesh to reign and whenever flesh reigns, we end up with regrets.
We choose (God always gives us choice) what happens to us on a daily basis and it is all determined by whether we want to please God or flesh. Are you trying to please God or flesh today?
We are three part beings--mind, body, spirit. Our spirits live in our natural bodies and our minds (our soulish realm) is either going to be controlled by our spirits or our flesh (carnal realm). There is a war between our spirits--given by God--and our flesh--flesh wants what it wants and our spirits want what God wants.
We eat when we are hungry because our flesh dictates that need and all other fleshly desires--thirst, emotions, behavior. Our spirits line up with The Word and we are able to hear God when He speaks--allowing Him to determine how we respond to situations--sometimes. At other times, we allow the enemy's spirit to influence what we do and say, which ignites fleshly reactions.
Notice what Paul says, the mind governed (ruled) by the flesh is hostile to God and when we allow our flesh to govern us, we cannot please God.
Now, I realize not everyone is concerned about pleasing God, but rather they are more concerned with pleasing the dictates of their flesh. God is not pleased, but they are and their pleasure is temporary at best.
For those who desire to please God, we must not allow flesh (that carnal nature) to govern us, but rather we allow our spirits, led by Holy Spirit to direct us in all we say and do. When we allow Holy Spirit to lead us, we cannot do what is wrong or hostile to God and therefore, we please Him.
When we are hostile to people (and to God), it is because we have allowed our flesh to reign and flesh desires to do what flesh desires. If we get angry, we want revenge. If we are fearful, we want others to be afraid. If we are jealous, we want others to hurt. If we are insecure, we want to blame others for every downfall in our lives. If we have low self-esteem, we misinterpret everything someone else says or does. This is how we react to situations when we allow our flesh to reign and whenever flesh reigns, we end up with regrets.
We choose (God always gives us choice) what happens to us on a daily basis and it is all determined by whether we want to please God or flesh. Are you trying to please God or flesh today?
Monday, January 19, 2015
Return!
"Return, Israel, to the LORD your God. Your sins have been your downfall!" (Hosea 14:1 NIV)
In the seventh chapter of Hosea, the prophet tells us that it is "pride" that keeps people from returning to The Lord. Although, the reference to the Children of Israel then was specifically for them, it is yet applicable to us, today. Understanding what God has said to others who came before us, is critical--knowing why it was said then and how it is applicable now!
When God came down from heaven and hung on the cross--the ultimate sacrifice for sin--He did it for everyone. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only son so whoever believes in Him would be saved and not perish." (paraphrased) Whoever believes! Are we not all--whoevers?
In times past, God used those who were willing to speak for Him--though their lives were constantly in danger from those who did not believe God. His prophets--or spokespersons warned people time after time of the dangers they would encounter if they did not repent of their sins.
God is yet using those who are willing to be His spokespersons to warn people about their demise if they continue in sin. Why won't people hear? Their pride and egos get in the way. It is not that they do not know they sin--they have chosen to defy God's Word to pacify flesh and to do whatever they want to do. These are the people who "think" they are the masters of their own fate and it is pride that gives them the impetus to feel that way. They have forgotten that "pride" is one of the seven things God hates.
When we refuse to obey those in authority--pride opens the door to our downfall. We miss opportunities to achieve all that God desires because we don't want anyone telling us what to do. Why? Because we think we know better than God! Pride--has led people to public humiliation when they refuse to tell the truth; it has led people to expose their foolishness when they lie and think others are as foolish as they are; it has led to entire nations crumbling and ceasing to exist. Pride--the open door--to destruction.
When are we going to close the door on pride and return to The Lord, obeying Him rather than man?
Man's wisdom without God's guidance is fallible at best, and dangerous at most--totally useless. We cannot afford to follow the wisdom of foolish men who allow their pride to make decisions to the detriment of all mankind.
It is time to ignore the foolish pride of men who allow their egos and self-desires to rule over anyone; repent of our sins, and return to God--our Savior and Deliverer! We need to let pride go and let God abide in hearts, in total obedience to Him!
In the seventh chapter of Hosea, the prophet tells us that it is "pride" that keeps people from returning to The Lord. Although, the reference to the Children of Israel then was specifically for them, it is yet applicable to us, today. Understanding what God has said to others who came before us, is critical--knowing why it was said then and how it is applicable now!
When God came down from heaven and hung on the cross--the ultimate sacrifice for sin--He did it for everyone. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only son so whoever believes in Him would be saved and not perish." (paraphrased) Whoever believes! Are we not all--whoevers?
In times past, God used those who were willing to speak for Him--though their lives were constantly in danger from those who did not believe God. His prophets--or spokespersons warned people time after time of the dangers they would encounter if they did not repent of their sins.
God is yet using those who are willing to be His spokespersons to warn people about their demise if they continue in sin. Why won't people hear? Their pride and egos get in the way. It is not that they do not know they sin--they have chosen to defy God's Word to pacify flesh and to do whatever they want to do. These are the people who "think" they are the masters of their own fate and it is pride that gives them the impetus to feel that way. They have forgotten that "pride" is one of the seven things God hates.
When we refuse to obey those in authority--pride opens the door to our downfall. We miss opportunities to achieve all that God desires because we don't want anyone telling us what to do. Why? Because we think we know better than God! Pride--has led people to public humiliation when they refuse to tell the truth; it has led people to expose their foolishness when they lie and think others are as foolish as they are; it has led to entire nations crumbling and ceasing to exist. Pride--the open door--to destruction.
When are we going to close the door on pride and return to The Lord, obeying Him rather than man?
Man's wisdom without God's guidance is fallible at best, and dangerous at most--totally useless. We cannot afford to follow the wisdom of foolish men who allow their pride to make decisions to the detriment of all mankind.
It is time to ignore the foolish pride of men who allow their egos and self-desires to rule over anyone; repent of our sins, and return to God--our Savior and Deliverer! We need to let pride go and let God abide in hearts, in total obedience to Him!
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Instability Gets Nothing!
"But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt,
because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed
by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do." (James 1:6-8 NIV)
If we lack wisdom, as stated in verse five, we should ask of God, who will give it to us liberally, without finding fault with us. Starting at verse six--when we ask, we must believe, not doubting--this premise holds true for anything we ask of God. We know this because Jesus, we must have faith and not doubt, believing we receive what we ask for.
If we doubt God will do what He says He will do--heal, deliver, save, prosper, lead, guide, counsel, protect--The Word says we are unstable and will receive NOTHING!
This is why when we pray--WE ASK ONCE, THANK HIM FOR WHAT WE HAVE ASKED, AND KEEP THANKING HIM UNTIL WE SEE WHAT WE ASKED FOR COME TO PASS! That is the benchmark of faith--believing we have received--without doubting.
People who believe they have to keep asking for the same thing, or get loud or shout, or cry loudly, apparently think God is either forgetful or hard of hearing. God is not moved by our emotions; He is moved by our faith. Declare the situation is resolved and keep thanking Him for the resolution. This is how we see prayers answered. It is not because of our begging, being loud, or our tears.
When we repeat ourselves in prayer, we demonstrate doubt and our doubt keeps us from receiving. God hears us the first time, but He may not respond right away. All we need to do is wait, patiently thanking Him, knowing He will do what is best for us at all times.
Father, forgive us for our lack of faith in You and Your Word. Help us to understand that You are faithful, even when we are not. We thank You for healing bodies--from crowns of heads to soles of feet and every part in between. We thank You for peace in the land and protection from the enemy on all sides. We thank You for love, liberty, and joy in the Holy Ghost. We thank You for family and friends who love like You love. We thank You for the ability to love the unlovable and desire to see all saved. These things we ask and thank you for in the name of Jesus! We declare all of it done to Your glory!
If we lack wisdom, as stated in verse five, we should ask of God, who will give it to us liberally, without finding fault with us. Starting at verse six--when we ask, we must believe, not doubting--this premise holds true for anything we ask of God. We know this because Jesus, we must have faith and not doubt, believing we receive what we ask for.
If we doubt God will do what He says He will do--heal, deliver, save, prosper, lead, guide, counsel, protect--The Word says we are unstable and will receive NOTHING!
This is why when we pray--WE ASK ONCE, THANK HIM FOR WHAT WE HAVE ASKED, AND KEEP THANKING HIM UNTIL WE SEE WHAT WE ASKED FOR COME TO PASS! That is the benchmark of faith--believing we have received--without doubting.
People who believe they have to keep asking for the same thing, or get loud or shout, or cry loudly, apparently think God is either forgetful or hard of hearing. God is not moved by our emotions; He is moved by our faith. Declare the situation is resolved and keep thanking Him for the resolution. This is how we see prayers answered. It is not because of our begging, being loud, or our tears.
When we repeat ourselves in prayer, we demonstrate doubt and our doubt keeps us from receiving. God hears us the first time, but He may not respond right away. All we need to do is wait, patiently thanking Him, knowing He will do what is best for us at all times.
Father, forgive us for our lack of faith in You and Your Word. Help us to understand that You are faithful, even when we are not. We thank You for healing bodies--from crowns of heads to soles of feet and every part in between. We thank You for peace in the land and protection from the enemy on all sides. We thank You for love, liberty, and joy in the Holy Ghost. We thank You for family and friends who love like You love. We thank You for the ability to love the unlovable and desire to see all saved. These things we ask and thank you for in the name of Jesus! We declare all of it done to Your glory!
Saturday, January 17, 2015
If...Then...!
"If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God." (I John 4:15 NIV)
We find the word "if" in the Kings James Version in 1420 verses of scriptures, 1455 verses in the New Kings James Version and in 1522 verses in the New International Version, 1681 verses in the New Living Translation,1507 verses in English Standard Version, and this could continue with variations in each translation. Logicians, mathematicians, and others, often use "if/then" propositions or transpositions to explain the conditional, inferential, and consequences of events.
For instance, "if there is a fire, then oxygen must be present." We know this because without oxygen being present, there is no fuel for the fire and when cooking, we can smother flames by cutting off the supply of oxygen (simple example).
If we do good, then we can expect rewards when the understanding premise is a reward for good.
Now, think back to how many times we see the "if" in a verse of scripture that includes a "then" premise.
What we must remember is that when God tells us to do something, He has a reason for it. If we abide in Him, then (inferred) we can ask whatever we will and obtain it (John 15).
We tell our children that if or when they do certain things, then there will be a consequence (positive or negative) for them doing it. Our model of behavior is The Word of God for if we study The Word, then we shall know how to conduct ourselves and know what to expect and there will be no surprises.
If Supreme Court Justices defy The Word of God in their deliberations, then we can expect to see all kinds of negative, destructive consequences occur in the atmosphere and we shall also see depravities of all types appealed through this same judicial body. I am not their judge, but because I know their Judge, I am confident in saying, "no good thing will come from any decision that opposes God's Will for anyone."
If we who are called by His name, will humble ourselves and pray, seek His face, and repent from our sins, then He will hear from heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 paraphrased). If we don't, then we can expect to see great destruction in the land, by the hands of the enemy who, though they know not the truth, but will be used by God to accomplish His Will. The events will simply be a result of God being God and allowing us to receive the consequences of our actions.
I am not a doomsday prophet, but I know The Word and I know that God is the same today, as He was in years gone by. He does not change nor does the intent of His Word change, but man changes it to accommodate the lusts of their flesh and all will suffer the consequences of those who are carnally minded, and spiritually minded.
God help us all!
We find the word "if" in the Kings James Version in 1420 verses of scriptures, 1455 verses in the New Kings James Version and in 1522 verses in the New International Version, 1681 verses in the New Living Translation,1507 verses in English Standard Version, and this could continue with variations in each translation. Logicians, mathematicians, and others, often use "if/then" propositions or transpositions to explain the conditional, inferential, and consequences of events.
For instance, "if there is a fire, then oxygen must be present." We know this because without oxygen being present, there is no fuel for the fire and when cooking, we can smother flames by cutting off the supply of oxygen (simple example).
If we do good, then we can expect rewards when the understanding premise is a reward for good.
Now, think back to how many times we see the "if" in a verse of scripture that includes a "then" premise.
What we must remember is that when God tells us to do something, He has a reason for it. If we abide in Him, then (inferred) we can ask whatever we will and obtain it (John 15).
We tell our children that if or when they do certain things, then there will be a consequence (positive or negative) for them doing it. Our model of behavior is The Word of God for if we study The Word, then we shall know how to conduct ourselves and know what to expect and there will be no surprises.
If Supreme Court Justices defy The Word of God in their deliberations, then we can expect to see all kinds of negative, destructive consequences occur in the atmosphere and we shall also see depravities of all types appealed through this same judicial body. I am not their judge, but because I know their Judge, I am confident in saying, "no good thing will come from any decision that opposes God's Will for anyone."
If we who are called by His name, will humble ourselves and pray, seek His face, and repent from our sins, then He will hear from heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 paraphrased). If we don't, then we can expect to see great destruction in the land, by the hands of the enemy who, though they know not the truth, but will be used by God to accomplish His Will. The events will simply be a result of God being God and allowing us to receive the consequences of our actions.
I am not a doomsday prophet, but I know The Word and I know that God is the same today, as He was in years gone by. He does not change nor does the intent of His Word change, but man changes it to accommodate the lusts of their flesh and all will suffer the consequences of those who are carnally minded, and spiritually minded.
God help us all!
Friday, January 16, 2015
What Do The Dead Know?
"For the living know that they will die, but the dead
know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their name is
forgotten." (Ecclesiastes 9:5 NIV)
There are two types of death inferred in this passage spoken by Solomon (paraphrased by me)--spiritual death and natural death.
Spiritually speaking--the spirit which God gives goes back to Him when we die a natural death and for some--we are comforted in the fact that our spirits live on until we are reunited with them when Christ returns.
But then there are those who are the "walking dead" whose spirits have never been energized with Holy Spirit infusion and though they live--in the natural--they are dead (not to sin as Believer become when we receive Holy Spirit), and they will not heed spiritual instructions about their lives or what they do. These have no hope of anything, but a fiery lake, created with Satan in mind, and all who follow him.
In the natural death of the Believer--their names are written in the book of life--and though their flesh decays and they return to the dust from which they came, their spirits live on in the minds of those who love them. Believers are dead to sin and choose to know nothing more about actively doing sin. While here on earth, they lived and hopefully made a positive difference in the lives of many--while directing them to the work on the cross. When they are gone--let them go--so they and you can know peace, for surely, if they did not belong to The Lord before they died, they will never know His mercy and grace after they die.
The walking dead--choose to do evil and promote evil. They are self-centered and selfish--their only concern in this life is what they want and they could care less about the impact their actions have on others. These are those who commit atrocious acts of violence against other human beings--for any reason--and then try to justify themselves. These are those who destroy hope in the lives of those who are hopeful. These are those who seek the praise and approval of man over the approval of God. These are those who stop at nothing to fulfill their desire to have what belongs to others. And dead they shall be for all eternity--spiritless, burning forever in the same torment by which they tormented others.
Life is for the living! And those who know The Lord shall be comforted by The Word in knowing that one day, we shall rise and reign with Him forevermore. While we're here, let's do all we can to make sure we do not become "the walking dead" with no hope for the dead--as we can see in the media all the time--know nothing.
There are two types of death inferred in this passage spoken by Solomon (paraphrased by me)--spiritual death and natural death.
Spiritually speaking--the spirit which God gives goes back to Him when we die a natural death and for some--we are comforted in the fact that our spirits live on until we are reunited with them when Christ returns.
But then there are those who are the "walking dead" whose spirits have never been energized with Holy Spirit infusion and though they live--in the natural--they are dead (not to sin as Believer become when we receive Holy Spirit), and they will not heed spiritual instructions about their lives or what they do. These have no hope of anything, but a fiery lake, created with Satan in mind, and all who follow him.
In the natural death of the Believer--their names are written in the book of life--and though their flesh decays and they return to the dust from which they came, their spirits live on in the minds of those who love them. Believers are dead to sin and choose to know nothing more about actively doing sin. While here on earth, they lived and hopefully made a positive difference in the lives of many--while directing them to the work on the cross. When they are gone--let them go--so they and you can know peace, for surely, if they did not belong to The Lord before they died, they will never know His mercy and grace after they die.
The walking dead--choose to do evil and promote evil. They are self-centered and selfish--their only concern in this life is what they want and they could care less about the impact their actions have on others. These are those who commit atrocious acts of violence against other human beings--for any reason--and then try to justify themselves. These are those who destroy hope in the lives of those who are hopeful. These are those who seek the praise and approval of man over the approval of God. These are those who stop at nothing to fulfill their desire to have what belongs to others. And dead they shall be for all eternity--spiritless, burning forever in the same torment by which they tormented others.
Life is for the living! And those who know The Lord shall be comforted by The Word in knowing that one day, we shall rise and reign with Him forevermore. While we're here, let's do all we can to make sure we do not become "the walking dead" with no hope for the dead--as we can see in the media all the time--know nothing.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Do You Know Him?
"Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did." (I John 2:4-6 NIV)
We cannot claim to know God--through Jesus Christ and His Works--if we're not willing to do as He says in His Word.
Since there is this unity among the three--God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit--if we do not know all three, we cannot know one--because they are one in purpose and will not divide themselves to accommodate mere man.
For those who claim (and it is a claim without foundational truth), they understand that Jesus loves, but cannot believe God meant what He said or that He is yet speaking to us and through us by direction of Holy Spirit--they lie. In the beginning, they all existed (and still exist) and if a person would simply read His Word, with understanding, they would know this.
This is the reason many churches--man-made edifices--are bereft of spiritual guidance--because the leadership denies the existence of an all encompassing God. No one should buy into a "Jesus only" church doctrine--He does not exist on His own and He would be the first to say that without the Father, there would be no Him. We cannot buy into "God alone" church doctrine--if we did, the work on the cross would be meaningless and so would any celebration of the birth of Christ. We cannot ignore the existence of Holy Spirit--it is He who provides us with instruction and guidance when we are willing to hear Him.
When church doctrines--ignore the unity of the Three--they create a great disservice to those who attend the services held at such churches. If the entirety of who God is, is not taught where people attend church services--NO ONE SHOULD BE THERE! We cannot teach a "divided God" and expect to see Godly results in anything we do. When we do this, we demonstrate a fundamental lack of knowledge as to who God is and we further demonstrate that we DO NOT KNOW HIM!
Do you know Him? If you do, hallelujah! If you don't, get into His Word and seek Him for understanding so you will know Him and know--He is all we need--Our Father, Our Savior and Mediator, Our Counsellor--when we allow Him to do His job in us.
We cannot claim to know God--through Jesus Christ and His Works--if we're not willing to do as He says in His Word.
Since there is this unity among the three--God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit--if we do not know all three, we cannot know one--because they are one in purpose and will not divide themselves to accommodate mere man.
For those who claim (and it is a claim without foundational truth), they understand that Jesus loves, but cannot believe God meant what He said or that He is yet speaking to us and through us by direction of Holy Spirit--they lie. In the beginning, they all existed (and still exist) and if a person would simply read His Word, with understanding, they would know this.
This is the reason many churches--man-made edifices--are bereft of spiritual guidance--because the leadership denies the existence of an all encompassing God. No one should buy into a "Jesus only" church doctrine--He does not exist on His own and He would be the first to say that without the Father, there would be no Him. We cannot buy into "God alone" church doctrine--if we did, the work on the cross would be meaningless and so would any celebration of the birth of Christ. We cannot ignore the existence of Holy Spirit--it is He who provides us with instruction and guidance when we are willing to hear Him.
When church doctrines--ignore the unity of the Three--they create a great disservice to those who attend the services held at such churches. If the entirety of who God is, is not taught where people attend church services--NO ONE SHOULD BE THERE! We cannot teach a "divided God" and expect to see Godly results in anything we do. When we do this, we demonstrate a fundamental lack of knowledge as to who God is and we further demonstrate that we DO NOT KNOW HIM!
Do you know Him? If you do, hallelujah! If you don't, get into His Word and seek Him for understanding so you will know Him and know--He is all we need--Our Father, Our Savior and Mediator, Our Counsellor--when we allow Him to do His job in us.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
The Path of Life!
"You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with
joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
(Psalm 16:11 NIV)
Only God can set our feet
Upon the path to His victory
Planned before our birth
Determined success upon the earth
For all who believe and obey
Every Word God spoke
To hearts He provoked
To write and proclaim
His goodness, praise His name!
The path of life that God has determined for all who love and obey, may have obstacles and challenges, but if we stay on the path, He has already determined how we shall overcome any obstacle that appears in our lives. We just have to believe and keep our feet on the path, never straying or led astray by fleshly desires to deceiving us, delighting in our failures and demise, when to listen to Satan's lies.
We shall reap the bountiful rewards God has planned for us when we keep our focus on Him, and accomplish all that He has put on hearts to do, to His glory.
Leaning on His every Word, determined to make it to the end as He has planned, trusting and obeying, loving and moving in victory in spite of every snare set before us, crossing the finish line victorious in all things--this is the path of life!
Only God can set our feet
Upon the path to His victory
Planned before our birth
Determined success upon the earth
For all who believe and obey
Every Word God spoke
To hearts He provoked
To write and proclaim
His goodness, praise His name!
The path of life that God has determined for all who love and obey, may have obstacles and challenges, but if we stay on the path, He has already determined how we shall overcome any obstacle that appears in our lives. We just have to believe and keep our feet on the path, never straying or led astray by fleshly desires to deceiving us, delighting in our failures and demise, when to listen to Satan's lies.
We shall reap the bountiful rewards God has planned for us when we keep our focus on Him, and accomplish all that He has put on hearts to do, to His glory.
Leaning on His every Word, determined to make it to the end as He has planned, trusting and obeying, loving and moving in victory in spite of every snare set before us, crossing the finish line victorious in all things--this is the path of life!
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
He Will Rescue!
"The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will
bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and
ever. Amen." (2 Timothy 4:18 NIV)
How could Paul state with such clarity and definitiveness that The Lord would rescue him when he knew his life was in jeopardy at the hands of an evil ruler (Nero)?
First we have to understand what "rescue" means--to free or deliver from confinement or liberate. How does rescue take place? Sometimes, in a way that we would not normally see or define it, but we must remember that our ways are not God's ways, neither are our thoughts, His thoughts. So, when we define anything--it may not match God's definition. Was Paul rescued? Absolutely! He was liberated from his physical body to be with The Lord!
As hard as it is to accept--sometimes healing and deliverance are achieved through a person's physical death--when they are saved! I'm not saying this to be "hard-hearted" but to demonstrate that God's method of healing, deliverance and rescue or not necessarily the methods we would choose, but when we trust Him, we have to know--He knows best.
This is not to say that people who kill people deliberately are acting on God's behalf. They are fools and God will have the final word about them.
As it pertains to Paul--he understood that whatever a man sows, that only only can he reap. He understood that what he had done before belief, still had consequences and he knew without a doubt--that he would reap what he had sown. He understood that God's forgiveness does not negate the consequences of our actions.
What do the rest of us have to look forward to? The Lord will deliver us from every evil thought or plan devised by those who do not know Him! How He chooses to deliver us is up to Him, but do not doubt--that He will deliver us.
When we pray for someone to be healed or delivered from illness and disease, when or if they die--they are no longer suffering from whatever plagued them. Sometimes, we pray amiss for those we love. Rather than watch them suffer, we can pray that God delivers them from their illness and pain and release them in our hearts and God will receive them, healed and delivered! It's okay to mourn, but if someone you know has suffered any illness for a long time--rejoice in their rescue! Hallelujah!
How could Paul state with such clarity and definitiveness that The Lord would rescue him when he knew his life was in jeopardy at the hands of an evil ruler (Nero)?
First we have to understand what "rescue" means--to free or deliver from confinement or liberate. How does rescue take place? Sometimes, in a way that we would not normally see or define it, but we must remember that our ways are not God's ways, neither are our thoughts, His thoughts. So, when we define anything--it may not match God's definition. Was Paul rescued? Absolutely! He was liberated from his physical body to be with The Lord!
As hard as it is to accept--sometimes healing and deliverance are achieved through a person's physical death--when they are saved! I'm not saying this to be "hard-hearted" but to demonstrate that God's method of healing, deliverance and rescue or not necessarily the methods we would choose, but when we trust Him, we have to know--He knows best.
This is not to say that people who kill people deliberately are acting on God's behalf. They are fools and God will have the final word about them.
As it pertains to Paul--he understood that whatever a man sows, that only only can he reap. He understood that what he had done before belief, still had consequences and he knew without a doubt--that he would reap what he had sown. He understood that God's forgiveness does not negate the consequences of our actions.
What do the rest of us have to look forward to? The Lord will deliver us from every evil thought or plan devised by those who do not know Him! How He chooses to deliver us is up to Him, but do not doubt--that He will deliver us.
When we pray for someone to be healed or delivered from illness and disease, when or if they die--they are no longer suffering from whatever plagued them. Sometimes, we pray amiss for those we love. Rather than watch them suffer, we can pray that God delivers them from their illness and pain and release them in our hearts and God will receive them, healed and delivered! It's okay to mourn, but if someone you know has suffered any illness for a long time--rejoice in their rescue! Hallelujah!
Monday, January 12, 2015
Life as It Is!
Don't let another day end without telling those you love--you love them. We never know when the end is the end for those we love and we should not let their end leave us with regret and bitterness because we failed to tell them--one more time--"I love you" even when we may not like what they do!
Won't He Do It?
"The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing." (Psalm 145:14-16 NIV)
What God will do for those who love Him and look to Him to have all their needs met would fill volumes if anyone had the time to write about them! In fact, many books have been written--testimonies--by those who understand His power, mercy, and grace. And even those who proclaim to "not believe" have written books as to why they don't--another testimony of His greatness. I certainly would not spend time writing about someone I did not believe existed. Think about that!
No one would know better than David, what The Lord will do for all those who love and obey Him, even when they occasionally mess up. For The Word says that David had a heart to repent when He did wrong. For those who fall down--He will lift us when we repent and seek His forgiveness. When we look to Him, He provides our every need--food enough to eat and everything else we need and when we please Him; He gives us the desires of our hearts. What a mighty God we serve!
Even when we don't always do the things we should do, He is faithful to His Word and to us and if we listen carefully, we'll reap the benefits of obedience because of His mercy--not that we're so great, but because He is so great!
I wish I had the time and space to proclaim just how merciful He has been in my life. When I have done all He has asked me to do, He opened doors and gave me favor of men and women I could not have dreamed of; He spoke to hearts of people to assist me when I didn't know where to look for help. When my body needed healing, He was right there and a disease I was told could kill me, disappeared and the doctors didn't understand it. Neither did I, I just trusted God then, now I know and understand why He did it. He had plans for me and His plans will be fulfilled!
If He did marvelous things for me, won't He do it for others? Yes, He will and He has! All we have to do is trust, obey, repent, and receive and what He's done for others, He'll do for all who look to Him!
What God will do for those who love Him and look to Him to have all their needs met would fill volumes if anyone had the time to write about them! In fact, many books have been written--testimonies--by those who understand His power, mercy, and grace. And even those who proclaim to "not believe" have written books as to why they don't--another testimony of His greatness. I certainly would not spend time writing about someone I did not believe existed. Think about that!
No one would know better than David, what The Lord will do for all those who love and obey Him, even when they occasionally mess up. For The Word says that David had a heart to repent when He did wrong. For those who fall down--He will lift us when we repent and seek His forgiveness. When we look to Him, He provides our every need--food enough to eat and everything else we need and when we please Him; He gives us the desires of our hearts. What a mighty God we serve!
Even when we don't always do the things we should do, He is faithful to His Word and to us and if we listen carefully, we'll reap the benefits of obedience because of His mercy--not that we're so great, but because He is so great!
I wish I had the time and space to proclaim just how merciful He has been in my life. When I have done all He has asked me to do, He opened doors and gave me favor of men and women I could not have dreamed of; He spoke to hearts of people to assist me when I didn't know where to look for help. When my body needed healing, He was right there and a disease I was told could kill me, disappeared and the doctors didn't understand it. Neither did I, I just trusted God then, now I know and understand why He did it. He had plans for me and His plans will be fulfilled!
If He did marvelous things for me, won't He do it for others? Yes, He will and He has! All we have to do is trust, obey, repent, and receive and what He's done for others, He'll do for all who look to Him!
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Writing With His Eye Tracker!
This is a must-read post for all who desire to: understand commitment, sharing, and obeying God!
godsmanforever.com/2015/01/11/opportunities-in-trials-1112015-by-bill-sweeney-stricken-with-als/
godsmanforever.com/2015/01/11/opportunities-in-trials-1112015-by-bill-sweeney-stricken-with-als/
Settling The Matter!
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are
willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land;but if
you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” (Isaiah
1:18-20 NIV)
When The Lord speaks through His messenger--whoever it is--people should listen. If they did, they would save themselves a great deal of time and heartache. But just like then, people choose not to hear what The Lord says--through any medium (bible, prophet, pastor, evangelist, teacher) and then declare--what God said then, doesn't matter now.
I know the most popular approach to clarifying or encouraging people to believe is to not discuss sin as sin. If we're going to be true to God and the role He has given us, we cannot discuss His goodness without discussing sin. It is because of sin (and His great love for us)--that He came down from heaven in the likeness of sinful flesh--to redeem us (save us) from ourselves.
Through the prophet Isaiah, He spoke--"though our sins are like scarlet or red as crimson, they shall be (after He comes) as white as snow or soft as wool" (both symbolic of purity), but there is a caveat--"If we are willing to hear from Him and obey Him" then we'll have all the good stuff, but if we don't--we can expect all the bad stuff. I've stated this as simply as I can so even a child can understand. If children obey parents, they can expect a reward, if they don't, they can expect a penalty or punishment of disobedience. Why is this concept--started by God--so difficult for us to understand today?
We have allowed the unbelieving to dictate what we do, by caving to their claims that God is not concerned about sin any more. HERE'S A NEWSFLASH! He is just as concerned about sin today as He was before. If He wasn't, all of us who proclaim the Gospel, forgiveness of sin and grace--are wasting our time and we should have translated out of here, the moment we believed!
He's still concerned about sinful behavior and He wants those of us who know and believe that His Word never changes to continue the good fight of faith--sharing His love with all who will hear and obey. For any who say His Word doesn't mean what it says, we would have to conclude they either do not understand or do not have a relationship with Him, so He can speak to their hearts and they hear. This settles the matter for me. Now, what about you?
When The Lord speaks through His messenger--whoever it is--people should listen. If they did, they would save themselves a great deal of time and heartache. But just like then, people choose not to hear what The Lord says--through any medium (bible, prophet, pastor, evangelist, teacher) and then declare--what God said then, doesn't matter now.
I know the most popular approach to clarifying or encouraging people to believe is to not discuss sin as sin. If we're going to be true to God and the role He has given us, we cannot discuss His goodness without discussing sin. It is because of sin (and His great love for us)--that He came down from heaven in the likeness of sinful flesh--to redeem us (save us) from ourselves.
Through the prophet Isaiah, He spoke--"though our sins are like scarlet or red as crimson, they shall be (after He comes) as white as snow or soft as wool" (both symbolic of purity), but there is a caveat--"If we are willing to hear from Him and obey Him" then we'll have all the good stuff, but if we don't--we can expect all the bad stuff. I've stated this as simply as I can so even a child can understand. If children obey parents, they can expect a reward, if they don't, they can expect a penalty or punishment of disobedience. Why is this concept--started by God--so difficult for us to understand today?
We have allowed the unbelieving to dictate what we do, by caving to their claims that God is not concerned about sin any more. HERE'S A NEWSFLASH! He is just as concerned about sin today as He was before. If He wasn't, all of us who proclaim the Gospel, forgiveness of sin and grace--are wasting our time and we should have translated out of here, the moment we believed!
He's still concerned about sinful behavior and He wants those of us who know and believe that His Word never changes to continue the good fight of faith--sharing His love with all who will hear and obey. For any who say His Word doesn't mean what it says, we would have to conclude they either do not understand or do not have a relationship with Him, so He can speak to their hearts and they hear. This settles the matter for me. Now, what about you?
Saturday, January 10, 2015
And The Beat Goes On!
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/maryandtyrone/2015/01/08/and-the-beat-goes-on
More hilarity from those crazy people who are indeed "live" every Thursday at 5:00 EST.
Join us or listen to the archives.
More hilarity from those crazy people who are indeed "live" every Thursday at 5:00 EST.
Join us or listen to the archives.
During The Test!
"So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness," (Hebrews 3:7,8 NIV)
In Hebrews, new converts--followers of Christ--are reminded about what had happened with the Children of Israel during their wilderness journey while Moses was leading them to the promised land.
Just as the people hardened their hearts against Moses when he did as God instructed and stopped listening to him, people are still hardening their hearts against Holy Spirit when He speaks because He gives instructions that are contrary to fleshly dictates. Holy Spirit will only say what God says and when people don't agree--they get angry and rebellious--like spoiled children who cannot get their way and they do stupid things (murder comes to mind).
Is that what we are today? Spoiled children trying to get our way, even though we know that God is right and He only has our best interests at heart. Children who have never been taught discipline throw tantrums to get their way with parents. Most try and the tantrums have to be nipped in the bud, rather than used to manipulate. When my children threw tantrums as toddlers, I did, too. I rolled in the floor, screaming and pounding on the floor and they ended up looking at me like I was crazy.
The tantrums ended because they could not have their way. When tantrums are not stopped, those same children become undisciplined adults and think their rebellious natures will get them what they want. They think--like the child thought!
I can imagine God looking at us in the same way, shaking His head because we think our little tantrums and acts of rebellion are going to make Him change His mind. But we forget one thing--"I the Lord your God, change not." We can be as rebellious as we want to be and we'll end up getting the same results as those who went before us--tragedy.
In this era of people testing God to see if they can manipulate Him into giving in to their tantrums, the rest of us--who truly believe and understand God's nature, must hold onto our faith in Him and know--this is just a test! Rebellious people do what they want to do, but the final outcome will be as it was before--disaster and then people will want to blame God for what happens to them, simply because they would not obey.
When you hear the voice of Holy Spirit speaking to you about righteousness and obedience--don't harden your hearts--listen and obtain the best life God has in store for you!
In Hebrews, new converts--followers of Christ--are reminded about what had happened with the Children of Israel during their wilderness journey while Moses was leading them to the promised land.
Just as the people hardened their hearts against Moses when he did as God instructed and stopped listening to him, people are still hardening their hearts against Holy Spirit when He speaks because He gives instructions that are contrary to fleshly dictates. Holy Spirit will only say what God says and when people don't agree--they get angry and rebellious--like spoiled children who cannot get their way and they do stupid things (murder comes to mind).
Is that what we are today? Spoiled children trying to get our way, even though we know that God is right and He only has our best interests at heart. Children who have never been taught discipline throw tantrums to get their way with parents. Most try and the tantrums have to be nipped in the bud, rather than used to manipulate. When my children threw tantrums as toddlers, I did, too. I rolled in the floor, screaming and pounding on the floor and they ended up looking at me like I was crazy.
The tantrums ended because they could not have their way. When tantrums are not stopped, those same children become undisciplined adults and think their rebellious natures will get them what they want. They think--like the child thought!
I can imagine God looking at us in the same way, shaking His head because we think our little tantrums and acts of rebellion are going to make Him change His mind. But we forget one thing--"I the Lord your God, change not." We can be as rebellious as we want to be and we'll end up getting the same results as those who went before us--tragedy.
In this era of people testing God to see if they can manipulate Him into giving in to their tantrums, the rest of us--who truly believe and understand God's nature, must hold onto our faith in Him and know--this is just a test! Rebellious people do what they want to do, but the final outcome will be as it was before--disaster and then people will want to blame God for what happens to them, simply because they would not obey.
When you hear the voice of Holy Spirit speaking to you about righteousness and obedience--don't harden your hearts--listen and obtain the best life God has in store for you!
Friday, January 9, 2015
What The Lord Hates!
"There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community." (Proverbs 6:16-19 NIV)
Let me see if I can break this down to the lowest possible simplicity:
Haughty eyes--those who look at someone else with scornful arrogance--thinking they are better than others.
Lying tongue--those tongues that wag ceaselessly, telling untruths.
Hands that shed innocent blood--taking a life that does not belong to you for any reason, not justifiable.
Hearts that devise wicked schemes--hard-hearted people who do not know love and therefore are full of hatefulness, planning the demise of others.
Feet quick to rush into evil--those who are quick to run to provoke evil and spread lies to convince others to do evil.
A false witness who pours out lies--those who willingly attest to a wrong-doing that never occurred simply to benefit themselves.
A person who stirs up conflict in the community--those who promote unrest and instability within entire communities for no other reason that be a tool of evil.
There is nothing new under the sun and these things--we see everyday in the news media--to report allegations without evidence or proof of a person's wrong-doing, provoking society into conflict and hatefulness, those who willing falsify information for the 15 seconds of fame they hope to get, those who take the lives of others for no other reason than they are evil personified, and we know their hearts are evil when we see the plans they devise, implemented. And for any and all who promote something as true without proof, shame on all. In this country, the justice system is supposedly based upon the presumption of innocence, UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY!
What The Lord hates, we who Believe should also hate and condemn those who provoke evil and report lies as truth. The lake of fire is waiting for all liars.
Lord, help us all, to see things the way You see them and to do all You would do, to ensure peace, joy, and prosperity for all, through the overflow of love You have shown us.
Let me see if I can break this down to the lowest possible simplicity:
Haughty eyes--those who look at someone else with scornful arrogance--thinking they are better than others.
Lying tongue--those tongues that wag ceaselessly, telling untruths.
Hands that shed innocent blood--taking a life that does not belong to you for any reason, not justifiable.
Hearts that devise wicked schemes--hard-hearted people who do not know love and therefore are full of hatefulness, planning the demise of others.
Feet quick to rush into evil--those who are quick to run to provoke evil and spread lies to convince others to do evil.
A false witness who pours out lies--those who willingly attest to a wrong-doing that never occurred simply to benefit themselves.
A person who stirs up conflict in the community--those who promote unrest and instability within entire communities for no other reason that be a tool of evil.
There is nothing new under the sun and these things--we see everyday in the news media--to report allegations without evidence or proof of a person's wrong-doing, provoking society into conflict and hatefulness, those who willing falsify information for the 15 seconds of fame they hope to get, those who take the lives of others for no other reason than they are evil personified, and we know their hearts are evil when we see the plans they devise, implemented. And for any and all who promote something as true without proof, shame on all. In this country, the justice system is supposedly based upon the presumption of innocence, UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY!
What The Lord hates, we who Believe should also hate and condemn those who provoke evil and report lies as truth. The lake of fire is waiting for all liars.
Lord, help us all, to see things the way You see them and to do all You would do, to ensure peace, joy, and prosperity for all, through the overflow of love You have shown us.
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Need Some Charmin, Please!
No reason or rhyme to justify
Allegations, unproven many have said
She stories--reeking revenge
And yet, presumption of innocence
Ignored and people vent crying
foul,
When nothing is proven, just
accepted
Tales of yonder years, Hollywood
style
Drugs and sex, for all the wannabes
Who age has claimed its fame with
Sagging faces, memory lapses, and
Perhaps, shame from their part in
the game,
Trying to reach the top, without
skills
But willing to do whatever it takes
to bring
Down one who has persevered,
reclaiming
Career amidst the cheers and jeers
of those
Pronouncing him guilty, no trial
set,
And sentenced without conviction,
their views
Have no evidence to support, just hearsay
and numbers,
When everyone knows numbers can
expand
When the price is right and media
refuses to denounce
The injustice of presumption of
guilt, over innocence!
Where is this country headed? Down
the toilet so
Get the hip-boots out and the
Charmin!
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