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Archive for the ‘Inspiration’ Category

Religion?

06 May

As a Christian the term religion is so generic and impersonal.

Any belief system can be a religion.  You can make your own up.  Get a following and you are religious.

Religion.

You’ll hear people say, I grew up in religious household, or went to a religious school.  Trust me they didn’t get anything out of either the house or the school if that’s how they refer to it.

Here is a little analogy, I love analogies.  Let’s say you’re into favorite football team.  Let’s say it’s the Seattle Seahawks.  You live, you breathe the Seahawks.  It’s what you live for.  Nothing else matters.  No other football team, certainly no other sport.

Someone comes up to you and says, I understand you like sports.  You look at them and say not really, just one.  I really only like one team.  Then they look at you and say, what’s the difference?  Sports is sports isn’t it?  Do people play?  Do you keep score?  You like sports.

No.

Christianity is supposed to be a relationship with the Son of God!

It’s not supposed to be a ritual or a set of rules made by men.

Isaiah 29:13 – 13 The Lord says:
   “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.

It’s supposed to be a relationship.  People have those with the Lord.  It’s best when it grows and becomes stronger.  In any relationship that exists, how does it become strong?

Dedication, devotion, sacrifice, and love.  In any relationship and that includes friends.

So without it can you have a relationship with Jesus without those things?  Oh you can be saved.  It says whoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved.  One has to believe more than He just existed.  They have to believe He is the Son of God and ask for forgiveness. 

The relationship though doesn’t grow automatically because of that.  I’ve met a lot of people.  I don’t have even the slightest relationship with them. 

Do you have religion?  Because if you refer to it as religion, you’re missing out on a relationship with the One who loves you, created you, and died for you.  It takes effort and devotion.  When you sincerely do that, He’s right there with the love and He made the sacrifice.

 
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Nahum 1:7

05 May

Nahum 1:7 – 7 The LORD is good,
   a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in him,

Jeremiah 17:7 – 7 “But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.”

We as Christians have nothing else to put our trust in, but the Lord. 

Others who do put their trust into something else?

Isaiah 42:17 – 17 But those who trust in idols, who say to images, ‘You are our gods,’ will be turned back in utter shame.

Proverbs 11:28 – 28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.

Psalm 146:3 – 3 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.

Proverbs 28:26 –  26 He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.

An idol can be anything you put in front of the Lord.  Riches are huge stumbling block of today.  Only one God Man can save, the rest cannot.  Those who trust in themselves are in for a lot of heartache.

Let go, let God.  I’ve always enjoyed that saying.  Trust in the Lord.  The rest is all temporary.

 
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Forever!

04 May

Forever!  F-O-R-E-V-E-R!  Do you know how long that is?

There is nothing in your current life that is worth rejecting God and Jesus forever.  There is nothing worth being away from God’s presence or hearing the Lord’s disappointment at the time of truth.  Nothing, absolutely nothing!

Start today.  Get your heart closer in the right direction today.  Eternity is Forever!  You just have to take the time to walk in the right direction.  God meets you much earlier than half way.  He’s there right away. 

As the song says, Turn your eyes upon Jesus.  You make the call.  You make the effort.  He’ll do a lot of things for you after that, but making the call and effort is your responsibility.

1Thessalonians 4:16-17 – 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

 
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Life Is A Model Example

03 May

My wife and I were woken Sunday morning by our children with May Day gifts.  That’s right, May Day gifts.  My first ever May Day gift.

Why was it so special?  Because no one told them to do it.  It was totally out of the ordinary, unexpected, and one hundred percent was showing us love.

Nunahnunahnunahnah …… what a revelation.

Our children took the initiative, without being prompted, to show us that they love us.

Why can’t most of the human race understand that God wants his children to go out of their way to show Him that they love Him?

I could end the post right here, because that really is the point.  We are given tons of scenarios like this in our lives so we can understand things better and relate.

I know many people who consider themselves Christians who don’t put any effort into a relationship with God.  Let’s reflect on that.  How can this be if they really care about God and Christ like they say they do?

If you say you’re a baseball fan and never watch a game on television, go to the ballpark, or listen on the radio, are you really a fan?

If you say you love country music and never listen to country music, do you really love it?

Isaiah 29:13 –  13 “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.  

Mark 7:6 – 6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

   “‘These people honor me with their lips,
   but their hearts are far from me.

Actions speak louder than words.  Talk is cheap. 

However for those who try to make a show and has a heart that is not sincere, He is not fooled by them either.

If you love the Lord, make Him the center piece of your life.  Show Him that you love Him.

 
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Posted in Inspiration, Motivation, Reflections

 

The Lord Loves Righteousness.

02 May

Since I got a late posting I’ll wait to post my other one tomorrow.  Instead I’ll put down a scripture for today.

Psalm 33:5 –  5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
   the earth is full of his unfailing love.

Don’t ever forget that.  Our Lord loves what is right and can’t stand what is wrong.  He is the Creator, so we need to do our best everyday on living for Him that gave us life!

 
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Quote – Martin Luther

30 Apr

If the devil were wise enough and would stand by in silence and let the Gospel be preached, he would suffer less harm. For when there is no battle for the Gospel it rusts and it finds no cause and no occasion to show its vigor and power. Therefore, nothing better can befall the Gospel than that the world should fight it with force and cunning.
Martin Luther

It’s the boiling frog effect. 

You see it happen in politics a lot.  People fall asleep and don’t care and then the other side starts doing their thing.  Next election or two they get all riled up and out to vote they go.

When the Gospel got strong in the fifties people were happy and blessed.  World War II was over and they were coming out of the depression.  Things were getting good.  Then complacency stepped in as soon as the sixties started.  The devil knew that the foothold of wealth was starting and if done slow enough, people would allow their faith to slip.  Pretty soon they don’t want to rock the boat on the no God in school issue.  After that abortion comes along and gets sold in the court, because it’s better to be killed in the womb rather than possibly end up in an orphanage.

We’re getting to the point now in this country that anyone who even recognizes any God should be commended. 

That’s not what the Word of God says, and true faith isn’t determined by a vote of democracy.  God created us, the universe, everything.  That includes right and wrong.  He decides that, not popular vote.

If people seek the truth, they will find the Truth.

John 14:6 –   6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

 
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Posted in Quotes, Reflections

 

Definition – Repent

29 Apr

From the Free Dictionary.com

re·pent 1 (r -p nt )
v. re·pent·ed, re·pent·ing, re·pents
v.intr.

1. To feel remorse, contrition, or self-reproach for what one has done or failed to do; be contrite.

2. To feel such regret for past conduct as to change one’s mind regarding it: repented of intemperate behavior.

3. To make a change for the better as a result of remorse or contrition for one’s sins.

v.tr.

1. To feel regret or self-reproach for: repent one’s sins.

2. To cause to feel remorse or regret.

 ———————————————————————————-

The Bible tells us to turn away from our sin.  The word is repent.

The Lord doesn’t want us only to recognize and ask for forgiveness, but to make all effort to repent.

 
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We Are The Workers

28 Apr

1 Corinthians 3:5-7 – 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

One thing Paul makes very clear, we plant, water, nurture, but it is God who made the way and Jesus is the way.  We spread the good news.  We plant the seeds.  In the parable of the sower it even reveals that as a result a crop comes along. 

Jesus makes it clear.

John 15:1 – 1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

   5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

We can do nothing apart from Him.  Look at the last verse.  We weren’t born at the wrong time period.  This is for us too.  We can be his disciples and bear fruit.  So many get caught up in a time period.  The Word lives here and now.  The church age is coming to a close and you’re still a part of it.  How exciting, because we read about the Holy Spirit coming down and starting the church age in Acts.  I believe we will be the generation that gets raptured up and then it’s a new chapter.

Fall in love with the Lord and start doing what you can for Him while we still have a chance.  It is to the Father’s glory that we bear much fruit.  We can’t ignore the scriptures.

 
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Posted in End Time Prophecies, Inspiration, Motivation

 

Die For A Lie?

27 Apr

Who dies for a lie?  It does happen.  People blow themselves up to kill others in the name of what they think God wants.

Let’s take a look at the Twelve Disciples.

Mark 14:43-50 – 43 And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely.”
45 As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, “Rabbi, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
46 Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him. 47 And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
48 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? 49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”

50 Then they all forsook Him and fled.

The Lord had a purpose for them all and they were not to go through what our Lord did at that time.  Just earlier in the chapter Jesus said this.

Mark 14:27 – 27 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:
      ‘ I will strike the Shepherd,
      And the sheep will be scattered.

They were to later go out and spread the Word.  Each one of them did so until His death, except Judas which still took his own life that evening.  All but John, were executed for their faith.  John was persucuted constantly and the Lord had plans for him to write Revelation. 

The same men that ran the night before the crucifixion died to spread the Word of Jesus.  If they ran before, would they then die for a lie?  If they hadn’t seen Christ after the resurrection and weren’t filled with the Holy Spirit, how do they ALL find the strength to preach until their death?

I wouldn’t die for a lie.  If the evidence wasn’t overwhelming that pointed to the Bible being the Word of God, Bible Prophecy being fulfilled, seeing the behaviors on both sides being exactly biblically accurate, man had to have a Creator, etc, etc, I wouldn’t even take time to believe it let alone die for it.

But it is the truth and I would die for it.  And it is easily understood for anyone that wants to seek it.  It takes time to learn it well, but you will.  The more you seek the stronger you become, because everything around us points to the God of the Bible and His Son Jesus Christ our Savior.

 
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The World Loves Its Own And Hated Jesus

26 Apr

Have you noticed that when someone touted as a pastor or minister fails, it brings joy to the world?

I’m not saying that when people are unjust they don’t deserve justice.  God has a way of dealing with His own or with those impersonating someone who is one of his own.  I’m talking when a believer slips and is down.  The world absolutely loves it. 

Why?

The world loves its own.  The world wants to set the rules.  It doesn’t have any standards right now for anything, except for intolerance.  To be successful in bringing a one world order together it must have everyone respecting everyone else’s ideas or beliefs.  Are we to participate in this?

John 15:18-21 – 18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.

The world hated Jesus.  If the church wants to be loved by the world, and there are many out there trying to be loved by it, they aren’t following in the footsteps of our Lord.  Jesus wasn’t spewing hate like the media today is trying to accuse (narrow-mindedness).  He was spreading truth and the Word of God.  He wasn’t going to walk on eggshells and tell people that He was the Son of God, but you go ahead and believe however you want, I wouldn’t want to offend you.  No He was direct.

John 14:6 –    6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

On one side you got the world.  On the other you have Jesus.  In the middle you have the third group.  Who are they?

Let’s start with the third group in the parable of the sower.

Matthew 13:22- 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

Then there is the Church of Laodicea.

Revelation 3:15-18 – 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

The world loves its own.  Christ wants us to follow Him, which is the way to eternal life.  You can’t be part of both.  Choose the One who loves you and was willing to die for you.  Choose Christ.

 
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