03.18.10
Posted in
General
| 04:33
I no longer have the right to smash my face against the windshild in an accident; someone decided for me and requires I wear seat belts and have airbags. I can no longer have lead paint on my walls because my kids are so curious and so hungry that they will scrape it off and consume it. I can no longer use fuel that may pollute the environment since it can cause global cooling. no, warming; no, just possible climate change. I can no longer voice my opinion on certain subjects because I am demonstrating 'hate'; sorry, I thought it was just my opinion and was as valid as the opinion of those I am suppose to hate. It is such a shame that we have grown so stupid that we can no longer make decisons for ourselves. I now understand why the thought given in Joshua about who we will serve is in the Old Testament; the people then were considered intelligent enough to make a choice for themselves with the understanding they were responsible for their decision and accepted the consequences of that decison. I truly hope we still have the right to make the choice about serving Jesus; I choose to serve Him and freely accept the responsibility and consequences for that choice. What is your choice?
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03.17.10
Posted in
General
| 06:24
Subject: Don't Do As i Do
Neither do as i say, but do as the Word of God says. I am sure you realize I don't write what I write from a point of personal wellbeing or near perfection; I write what God places within me and often it is a rebuke to me. Paul wrote in Romans 7:15 "...for what I do, that do I not; but what I hate, that I do." In verse 20 he says, "Now if I do that I would not, it is no more that I do it, but sin that dwelleth in me." We often get so filled with pride that we believe we have reached a point of sinlessness and are incapable of sin. Be very careful when you view yourself having reach such a level; Satan is ready to prove you wrong. Seek God's guidance daily and pray diligently that we will be protected from the temptations that surround us. Don't do as I do but do only as God leads you to do.
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03.16.10
Posted in
General
| 04:44
Subject: Time For R and R
"If any of you are at all like me, you have times when the weight of the world seems to all be on your shoulders; you need to have the strength of Atlas. We accept too many responsibilities and because of ego we are determined to handle each of them. Soon we are simply dragging through life; frustrated, angry, bitter, and very tired. Guess what! God doesn't expect us to be so loaded down that we have no joy in life, God sent His Son to give us abundant life and that doesn't refer to the burderns we carry now. Yes, many of us carry abundant burdens unnecessarily. Matthew 11:28 says, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Verse 30 says, "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." All the cares of the world are not yours to carry but are yours to give to Jesus. Jesus wants to take these from us and place them on His shoulders. I am sure you noticed the word 'yoke'; it implies that Jesus wants us to be harnessed with Him and work with Him. Be assured He will carry most of the load and allow us to have a time of R and R."
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03.15.10
Posted in
General
| 04:42
Subject: Be Careful Little Mouth
"This title is from a kids song that speaks of much of the anatomy and each part is to be in subjection to God. Of all the parts we have, the tongue is the one we must be constantly aware of its behavior and continually on guard of what I may do. James 3:6 says the tongue is a fire and a world of iniquity, also, the tongue defiles the entire body. James further says in verse eight that the tongue can no man tame and it an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. It isn't actually the tongue that defilies but our being is already deflied and the tongue is the instrument to project what is within us to the outside world. As the children's song says 'Be carefull little mouth, what you say'. Once those words pass the lips they can't be called back; they are now a part of the world and will accomplish their task. James1:19 says "....let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath." It may be advisible to put our brain into gear much sooner than we do our mouth. Before you spit those words out savor them, roll them around with your tongue, taste them and if they are pleasing allow the world to receive them; if they are bitter, sour, spoiled or rotten retain them within you to be passed from you with all else that is waste."
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03.14.10
Posted in
General
| 13:04
Subject: Relationships
"Have you ever been in a relationship that just had that deep feeling of wrong; but for whatever reason you greedily hung on? I am sure we all have had a similar experience. A relationship with another person is much like anything else we do in life; it has a beginning, maybe it has a miggle and some have an ending. If you are in a relationship that haunts you and you know deep within yourself, by the convicting of the Holy Spirit, that it is wrong; revisit the beginning and see if that was of God. Did this relationship begin based on the principles of God or was this the results of human desires? It can be very hard to make this decision; many outside factors will bear on you as you try to decide, fear, pride, and many others. We are told to seek God first; with this being done everything else comes further down the list. You relationship should be no more than second to God's first place. To determine God's will in this and all other situations just ask Him for His guidance. Don't just mouth the words but from the heart seek His will. We are told to in all our ways acjnowledge Him and he will direct our path; this is an example of going to God and then honestly allowing Him to direct. Attune your ear to Him and listen then do only as He leads."
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03.14.10
Posted in
God's Grace
| 11:44
Subject: Hope
"A number of years ago I attended a class where the instructor stated that "Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can acheive." Like our life begins with conception so does the life of everything. First there is that dream or vision; the conception of the idea, then comes the hope stage. Hope is 'the feeling that what we want can happen'. Unless we have visions and dreams we die or as Proverbs 29:19 says "Where there is no vision, the people perish." Once the vision is form and hope has made it a possibility then comes the believing or faith that makes it a reality. Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Through the working of faith that vision which had developed into a hope is now real. It may not yet have physical qualities but it is as real as if it did. Get busy dreaming dreams, grasping them and maiking them into a true hope and finally mixing in sufficient faith to make what was once just a thought something tangible. When you stop dreaming, when you stop hoping you stop living."
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03.13.10
Posted in
God's Love
| 09:48
This is the fourth in this series of study on John 3:16 and I again begin by grabbing the dictionary. I like to clarify the meanings of the words. I have knowledge of the words but sometimes I find I have a flawed definition of the word. I had an elderly lady at the church I once served as pastor who often said that when the word ‘but’ was used in a sentence it was a signal to really listen to all that followed; I find that applicable here. The word ‘but’ serves as a conjunction in this verse and the best definition was in the ‘Blue Letter Bible.org’; there ‘but’ is defined as: “forms the transition to the cardinal matter.” WOW! The cardinal matter is definitely that we will receive everlasting life. Now what do we receive? Everlasting is defined as: “lasting or enduring through all time, eternal; continuing long or indefinitely; perpetual.” Now we have the definition, let’s see what God’s Word says about this subject. First, I want you to understand that this is not talking about a continuation of this earthly or physical life forever; if we were I would probably say, “I am not interested”. The everlasting or eternal life begins when we pass through that door we call death which is promised to all men. The idea of everlasting or eternal life is spoken about in many different ways. In Acts 20:32 it is called an inheritance, “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” It is called a kingdom and peace. In Hebrews 4:9 it is called rest, “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.” And in Matthew 25:21 it is spoken of as the joy of the Lord, “I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” There are many promises of eternal life throughout the Bible. In Psalms 22:26 “The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek Him, your heart shall live forever. Seek the Lord and then you shall live forever.” In 1 John 2:25 we have, “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.” And finally Titus 1:2 tells us, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” The reason I am covering all of this is to make you aware that the idea is spoken of throughout the Bible and it is sealed with the promise of God. What can we expect in this eternal life? First, there will be freedom from all evil and temptation; second, there will be freedom from the dominion of sin, freedom from the commission or act of sin, freedom from the very being of sin and freedom from all doubts, fears and unbelief. We can expect great joy and that joy will come from being with God, being in the presence of Jesus, from the company of angels and other saved and from an environment of perfect holiness. To get a better view of what to expect, read the accounts of the relationship of God with Adam and Eve before the fall and also the activities of man before the fall. But where will we be? John 14:2-3 says, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” This is being said by Jesus. Jesus is saying we will be with Him. But where will Jesus be? In Revelation we are told that there will be a new heaven and a new earth and that God will come to the new earth and dwell with His people. Jesus will be here as the ruler of the new earth. If you want a good preview of what eternity will be, again read what the beginning of mankind and earth was like. God had a plan from the beginning, man messed it up, but God made a way to return to His original plan; to fellowship with His creation on the earth he had created for man. In Revelation chapter 21 we have a description of the New Jerusalem: giving the size, the materials used in its construction and that it will come down from heaven and be on the new earth. It speaks of the rulers of the nations of the new earth brings their honor and glory into it. It would appear that the New Jerusalem is the capital of the new earth. In 1 Corinthians 2:9 we are told, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, not ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” We really don’t know each detail about this everlasting life that God gives to us if we believe on Jesus but this we do know, it is much better than the alternative. Even if there were no mention of pain and suffering in hell, I would hate to face eternity without God. God, that fills my life daily with abundant blessings, that loves me, that listens to me, that guides me, that corrects me, that teaches me, and that forgives me. Anywhere without God is Hell.
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03.13.10
Posted in
God's Love
| 09:35
This is the fourth in this series of study on John 3:16 and I again begin by grabbing the dictionary. I like to clarify the meanings of the words. I have knowledge of the words but sometimes I find I have a flawed definition of the word. I had an elderly lady at the church I once served as pastor who often said that when the word ‘but’ was used in a sentence it was a signal to really listen to all that followed; I find that applicable here. The word ‘but’ serves as a conjunction in this verse and the best definition was in the ‘Blue Letter Bible.org’; there ‘but’ is defined as: “forms the transition to the cardinal matter.” WOW! The cardinal matter is definitely that we will receive everlasting life. Now what do we receive? Everlasting is defined as: “lasting or enduring through all time, eternal; continuing long or indefinitely; perpetual.” Now we have the definition, let’s see what God’s Word says about this subject. First, I want you to understand that this is not talking about a continuation of this earthly or physical life forever; if we were I would probably say, “I am not interested”. The everlasting or eternal life begins when we pass through that door we call death which is promised to all men. The idea of everlasting or eternal life is spoken about in many different ways. In Acts 20:32 it is called an inheritance, “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” It is called a kingdom and peace. In Hebrews 4:9 it is called rest, “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.” And in Matthew 25:21 it is spoken of as the joy of the Lord, “I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” There are many promises of eternal life throughout the Bible. In Psalms 22:26 “The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek Him, your heart shall live forever. Seek the Lord and then you shall live forever.” In 1 John 2:25 we have, “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.” And finally Titus 1:2 tells us, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” The reason I am covering all of this is to make you aware that the idea is spoken of throughout the Bible and it is sealed with the promise of God. What can we expect in this eternal life? First, there will be freedom from all evil and temptation; second, there will be freedom from the dominion of sin, freedom from the commission or act of sin, freedom from the very being of sin and freedom from all doubts, fears and unbelief. We can expect great joy and that joy will come from being with God, being in the presence of Jesus, from the company of angels and other saved and from an environment of perfect holiness. To get a better view of what to expect, read the accounts of the relationship of God with Adam and Eve before the fall and also the activities of man before the fall. But where will we be? John 14:2-3 says, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” This is being said by Jesus. Jesus is saying we will be with Him. But where will Jesus be? In Revelation we are told that there will be a new heaven and a new earth and that God will come to the new earth and dwell with His people. Jesus will be here as the ruler of the new earth. If you want a good preview of what eternity will be, again read what the beginning of mankind and earth was like. God had a plan from the beginning, man messed it up, but God made a way to return to His original plan; to fellowship with His creation on the earth he had created for man. In Revelation chapter 21 we have a description of the New Jerusalem: giving the size, the materials used in its construction and that it will come down from heaven and be on the new earth. It speaks of the rulers of the nations of the new earth brings their honor and glory into it. It would appear that the New Jerusalem is the capital of the new earth. In 1 Corinthians 2:9 we are told, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, not ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” We really don’t know each detail about this everlasting life that God gives to us if we believe on Jesus but this we do know, it is much better than the alternative. Even if there were no mention of pain and suffering in hell, I would hate to face eternity without God. God, that fills my life daily with abundant blessings, that loves me, that listens to me, that guides me, that corrects me, that teaches me, and that forgives me. Anywhere without God is Hell.
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