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Quote – A W Tozer

19 Feb

An honest man with an open Bible and a pad and pencil is sure to find out what is wrong with him very quickly.
A W Tozer

I love this quote.  Look around.  We all have some serious issues.  This world is a fallen place.  Just check out the nightly news. 

Want the answers to what went wrong?  Read the Bible!  The Bible exposes man for what he is.

Just like Tozer said, if you’re honest, you’ll find out who you are real quickly.   It’s at that time you have to make a decision.  Do I want to keep on being the sinful, selfish, ungrateful, person I’ve been, or do I want to get back in tuned with my loving God and Savior?

Get in the Word of God.  You’ll figure out what’s wrong with you, others, the world, etc.

When you realize the fallen creature you are and how much the Lord loves you and wants you to seek Him, you’ll find the Holy Spirit and He will guide you back onto the path.

 
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Posted in Quotes, Reflections

 

More Than Conquerors – Part 6

18 Feb

Romans 8:31-39 – 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

   “For your sake we face death all day long;
   we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 

 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Verse 36 explains being sold out for Christ.

36 As it is written:

    “For your sake we face death all day long;
   we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

Rather we face death all day long to ourselves, or we do so in true martyrdom sense, we need to be dead to our old selfish sinful nature.

Galatians 2:20 – 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Here is our King and His example.  God and Jesus didn’t have to participate in our redemption.  They chose to do so out of love.  God gave His Son.  Jesus chose to die for us.  Sometimes it can be hard to grasp the three persons, because on one hand they work together and can’t stray apart and still are three Persons in One.   The Lord shed His blood for us so we may be saved. 

We need to now die to that old sinful nature and live now for Him.  Two good reasons exist right off the top.  One, sin destroys life.  Just look around you.  Two, we were wonderfully made in the image of God.  We need to get back to what that is.  Only through the Holy Spirit can we begin act right and help others get back to the Lord. 

Think of it like this.  There is a burning building and your one of God’s firemen.  We need to go in and help as many people out before the place burns down.  Yes, there is a chance we may perish, which brings us to the second part of our scripture.

We are sheep.  We certainly are.  Who are we going to follow?  If you’re following yourself, you just bought the lie that the devil fed to Eve.  If we choose to follow Christ, we need to do what’s best for the Kingdom of God, not ourselves.  Many have chosen to follow Christ and it cost them their life here on earth.  However, everyone on this earth will die to this earthly body sometime. 

Matthew 10:32-33 – 32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

Your life on this earth without Jesus leads to an eternity without anything, but the things promised to those who have rejected God’s redemption.  As we all know life on this earth goes fast and there is no guarantee of what tomorrow brings.  However, if you are saved, we know it brings eternity with our Lord.

If you haven’t accepted Jesus as Lord, please do so now.  Don’t hide in the burning building.  Come out and start serving the Lord, forever.

I have put a page on how to do so, as well as why we need to do so, on the right column of the blog page.

 
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Posted in Encouragement, Inspiration, Salvation

 

How Does One Become An Heir?

17 Feb

Do you do something special?  Is it earned?

Almost every time you see someone that is an heir, they’re in the bloodline.

Romans 8:16-17 – 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

I never look at myself as anything but a grateful sinner that God loved and allowed me to be saved through the sacrifice of His own blood through His one and only Son.  So when I read those verses I tend to think to myself a grateful sinner who was a lost mess much of my life an heir?

Then it dawned on me.  What earthly son deserved to be the next king on an earthly kingdom?  Isn’t it just because he is next in the bloodline that he qualifies?  Now he may make a great king, but he didn’t do anything accept be the son of the king. 

Eureka!

When we choose Christ as Savior we become children of God.  We are in the bloodline of the King.  Nothing deserved but in this case we do need to choose to become part of that bloodline.

How is an heir of God supposed to act?  In the Spirit, not the flesh.  Seek God and leave the flesh and worldly desires behind.  We have a short time left to work for the King before he returns.  Make it count.

 
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The Popeye Syndrome

16 Feb

“I yam what I am.”

Too many people believe that they can’t change anything about themselves or are to prideful to change certain behaviors that could use some straightening out.

Changing Behavior!  We have to do so.  Romans Chapter 8 reminds us why it is so important.

Romans 8:5-  – 5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

We are sinful creatures of habit.  It says the sinful mind is hostile to God.  However, we can make an effort to form good habits.  Jesus paved the way for us to have victory in life and to be able to control our sinful desires with His Spirit.  

Romans 8:9-11 – 9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

This world is full of the desires of the sinful nature.  Go to most movies anymore and it’s like Hollywood has a checklist.  That list is the 10 commandments and they have to break at least 7 out of 10 before the average movie gets released.  Secular music is full of either pain or behavior contrary to how were supposed to be living in the Spirit.

Romans 8:12 –   12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.

It is our duty as a Christian to live in the Spirit and for Christ.  We have victory in Christ.  Even with this victory it takes an effort and “want to.”

The simple question we have to ask ourselves today is do we want to?  Because if we answering I don’t want to, are we being hostile towards God?  The sinful mind is hostile towards God.

Romans 8:13 – 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,

The natural thing for any human to do in his sinful nature is whatever desires.  To do something contrary to that takes effort.  With the Spirit of Christ we have the ability.  Is God worth the effort?  Is God worth dying to our sinful nature and living for Him?  For the person who chooses no, they will be in the majority, but they won’t enjoy the final result.

Weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Lake of Fire.  These are penalties of those who choose to ignore or be enemies of the One True Living Creator.  What about those who choose to love and obey God?

Romans 8:14-17 – 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Co-heirs with our loving King Jesus.  The flesh is always at war with the Spirit.  We have to die to the flesh and feed the Spirit.

 
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God Doesn’t Want Us To Sin, Seriously

15 Feb

We don’t take this serious enough in our day and age.  One of the real problems is the church is trying to reach out to people and get them saved, but don’t put too much pressure on them to turn away from sin or they might not return back next week.  Unfortunately this is reality today and many don’t return.  They would rather attend a service that states you do whatever you want to do, you’re saved.

God hates sin.  The world currently has people believing you should always keep your faith or opinions to yourself.  Of course it does.  The darkness hates light and doesn’t want any light interfering with it.  Anymore if you take a stand for the Lord, you’re a right wing fanatical fundamentalist.  Rest assured if you own that title, you must be doing something right.  That something, is believing the Word of God, taking time to actually read it, and sharing it with others.

1 Peter 4:1-6 – 1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. 2 As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

As a new creation in Christ we need to be done with the desires of the world.  In verse 5 it says they will have to give an account to Him.  How much more for a child of God who chooses to continue living as a pagan?

Too many people think that if I just acknowledge God exists, He’ll be thrilled about that in the day and age we live in.

Wrong.  The Word of God doesn’t indicate that at all.  The Word of God states the Lord wants His children to turn from their wicked ways and seek Him whole heartedly.

Choose Jesus and leave the world behind.  It has nothing to offer but temporary encounters in what will be your eternal life.  However, those decisions will be evaluated and accountability will be addressed.

 
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My Wife’s Favorite Psalm

14 Feb

Psalm 1:1-6 –

Psalm 1:1 – 1 Blessed is the one
   who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
   or sit in the company of mockers,

2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,
   and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
   which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
   whatever they do prospers.

 4 Not so the wicked!
   They are like chaff
   that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
   nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

 6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
   but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

No Compromise!  That’s been my wife’s motto.  I’m grateful for it.  She’s been a blessing to me in more ways than a hundred.  But this is definitely one.  Women stand strong.  You don’t have to be the head of the home to help lead it.  Most of you know that already.  The heart of the home pulls most of the strings.

That’s why one of the truest sayings of all time is, “behind every great man is a great woman.”  Also it’s not hard to understand that when we read of an evil woman in the Bible, destruction and evil are rampant.

My mother didn’t wait around till my father was willing to go with us to church.  I’m grateful for it and blessed because of it.  My mom’s obedience won’t go unrecognized when it’s time to stand in front of the Lord.

It doesn’t go unrecognized by this writer of how much God loves him that He blessed me with such wonderful women.  Thanks Lord.

 
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Quote – Billy Graham

13 Feb

God is more interested in your future and your relationships than you are.
Billy Graham

Wow, upon observation over time, isn’t that the truth.

Just watch ourselves and others carefully.  We are sinful fallen creatures and are making decisions that are poor daily.  Some are making more than others.  Most of the time it is a result of one selfishly chasing after the flesh rather than God.

Who one is going to marry and make a vow to on being with them for the rest of their lives, is the second most important decision one can make (choosing Christ as Savior is first).  Yet our world is full of people not making good decisions. 

God cares about our future and relationships more than we do.  Great quote above by Billy Graham.

A good way to start caring about our eternal future is to read the Word and allow God to shape those decisions for us.

 
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More Than Conquerors – Part 5

11 Feb

Romans 8:31-39 – 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:  “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Continuing on with this series we are now on verse 5.

Romans 8:35 – 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

If we truly love the Lord and accept Him as Lord, nobody will separate us from the love of Christ.

That brings us to the things in the second sentence of this scripture.  Shall trouble or hardship bring us further away from Christ?  Only if one lets it, but those things usually push the believer to rely more on Christ and God.  Persecution is usually coming at someone, because they are taking a stand or are characterized by something.  When Christians are being persecuted, it is because they continue to take a stand for the Lord.  That certainly won’t separate us from the love of Christ. 

Will famine, nakedness, physical dangers or death separate us from the Lord?  On the contrary as a believer, it’s in these times that we realize the only sure thing we have is our Lord.

No one, no thing, no circumstance, no trouble, can separate us from the Love of Christ.  He is right there, in good and bad.  However, when things are going good we have more of a tendency to drift.

We always here people struggle with why bad things happen to good people.  God knows how important eternity is with Him, or without Him, even if we can’t seem to get it.  If some life changing uncomfortable encounters are what it takes to bring more people towards Him, it needs to happen.  Sadly enough some people will never turn towards God, good, bad, or whatever happens in their life.

If you make the decision that He is your Lord and look towards Him, nothing can separate you from Christ.  He conquered the grave, so we could be more than conquerors.  We can be the bride of our loving Lord and Savior.  How cool is that?  People look at the church and don’t think a whole lot about it, but those who choose Christ in the church age get to be part of the bride of Christ.

When one has concluded their time on this earth, it will sink in just how important this is.  So if we can fathom this now, we need to live like it now.  We need to live for Him now, not ourselves.  More than conquerors.  He conquered and we need to choose Him.

 
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The Gospel Of The Kingdom Will Preached Throughout The Whole World And ………

10 Feb

Matthew 24:14 – 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

One of the end time’s prophecies is that this gospel, God’s Word, will be preached throughout the whole world.  We’re pretty much there now.  It has taken resources, technology, translating, etc., to get it to this point.

Satellite dishes now can send and pick up signals and carry the messages into parts of the earth that couldn’t have been imagined not all that long ago.  In fact man fighting against the freedom to be allowed to hear the Gospel, has been a bigger problem than any on getting the Word out. 

Millions are getting saved on a regular basis throughout the world.  One report states that around 125,000 are accepting Jesus every day.  When you realize that God doesn’t want anyone to perish, it’s easy to understand that he is waiting to pull the trigger on the rapture.  However, there will be a day and someday soon when it will be time. 

With the world moving towards the spirit of antichrist it’s hard to remember that so many away from the civilizations like our own or Europe, are open to the gospel and they are growing.  The rapture will be the end of the official Church Age.  That doesn’t mean people will cease to get saved, it just means the period of time known as the Church Age will have concluded.

It says the end will come.  The end of what?  The world?  Not at all.

Matthew 6:9-13 – 9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
   “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  11 Give us today our daily bread.  12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

It’s the end of the age, not of the world.  God’s Kingdom is coming to earth.  Jesus is going to rule for a thousand years, also known as the millennium.  For those who think it’s here already?  You certainly don’t set your bar very high for God’s Kingdom.  No, overall this world is out of control and chaotic.  Once the rapture happens and God allows those who don’t want Him to get their wish it will be in a sense hell on earth.  Then Jesus will come back with His army at Armageddon and take charge.

The Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world and then it’s “King Jesus on the throne of David” time.  That will be a time of peace as the King will demand it.  That time is not that far away, as the ability to preach to the whole world is amongst us.

 
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Posted in Bible Prophecy, End Time Prophecies, Motivation

 

He Will Never Leave Or Forsake “His Children”

09 Feb

Hebrews 13:5 –Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

   “Never will I leave you;
   never will I forsake you.”

Who’s God talking to?  Everyone?

God first told this to the Jews in Deuteronomy. 

Deuteronomy 31:6 – 6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

So Moses was letting the Jews know who were getting ready to take the Promised Land, God would be with them.  Why?  Because this is the generation that was ready to serve Him, after the last one had died in the desert for their disobedience. 

God is not telling just anyone that He will never forsake them, just those who are His children.  Being Jewish clearly didn’t count for being His children, because a generation died out in the desert.  Not only that, but only ten verses later after verse six He tells Moses that the Israelites are going to rebel.

Deuteronomy 31:16-18 – 16 And the LORD said to Moses: “You are going to rest with your ancestors, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them. 17 And in that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and calamities will come on them, and in that day they will ask, ‘Have not these disasters come on us because our God is not with us?’ 18 And I will certainly hide my face in that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods.

Contradiction? 

No.  It concludes a very important fact.  The people who took the Promised Land as a whole knew the Lord and He wasn’t going to leave them or forsake them.  The future generations after them are not the same people. 

God will not leave or forsake those who have chosen Him.  He will not forsake His children.

What if you’re not His child?  In verse 17 it indicates if you don’t know Him, He’ll hide His face from those people and they will be forsaken.

The message for us is be God’s child.  We are in the church age and we are to accept Jesus as our Savior to be His child.  If we become His children, He will not leave or forsake us.  It has nothing to do with works or even poorly serving Him.  This is about being His child.  The problem with many people is they are serving a God that’s not the God of the Bible.  The Israelites later on were prostituting themselves off to other Gods.  God hid his face from them.

Seek the one true God and His Son.  The one you read about in the Bible.  Then He will never leave you or forsake you.

 
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Posted in Encouragement, Inspiration

 
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