The most important gift that was given to mankind from the Creator was and is Free Will and therefore freedom to live as God meant for us to – free to know Him and discover who He made us to be. We had it once in the Garden of Eden up until Adam and Eve gave it away to the snake after making the choice to trade it for the wisdom of good and evil, buying into the lie that they would be like God, they were tricked and did not understand the value of what they had been given.
From that point on them and all of mankind lived under the curse of sin, no longer free but a slave to our own lusts and selfishness. We were and are consumed with thoughts of envy and strife and bitterness and are no longer able to see the path God put us on to discover all He has for us. Those who did what was right always had a taste of how it could be through obedience and sacrifice but it always fell short until the day Jesus, God’s Son, came to show us the way. He lived His life, here on earth free from the curse of sin and performed many miracles and signs of wonder and being different He attracted much attention. While God’s people were waiting for a hero God sent them a baby boy who was raised by a simple carpenter and his wife, hidden from the world until such a time He would restore the free will and freedom to choose God’s will once again by breaking the power of sin and death.
With Jesus’ death and resurrection those who believed upon Him to be the son of God, it is to those whom this wonderful gift has been restored and this time we must understand the value of this gift. It is so valuable that God Himself would not take it from us even if it meant we would fall again. This is who He is and if we don’t understand that then we haven’t understood His purpose for us yet. God wants a people who will follow Him because that is what they choose to do, not because they have been made to but of their own free will.
Think about the prodigal son, what pain and misery the father could have saved the son if he would have made him do what was right but that’s not what happened. The son had to experience, on his own, the consequences of his choices. While he was living wild and free (under the curse of sin) thoughts of the father and home were in the back of his mind and though he paid no attention they would serve him well once he hit bottom. You see it is the act of coming face to face with our own depravity that allows us to once again hear the truth.
If the son reasoned that his father would not take him back, even as a servant and did not start the long journey home he would have died in his sin. He was still physically his father’s son but his free will took him to the wilderness where later the father told him during that time he was dead to him but because he came home and was forgiven by the father he was once again alive to have relationship with the father and understand the father’s purpose for his life. (Luke 15:11-32)
When John the Revelator was directed to write to the seven churches we should find it very interesting. Obviously he is writing to those who have known God i.e. saved through the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ but what we find are stern warnings because they not unlike the prodigal son had left their first love. Look at the Father’s words…
Revelation 3:15-16 KJV
(15) I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
(16) So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
You see the gift that cost Jesus his life was not being held in a place of honor because they had given it to lesser things. The only thing worthy of that gift is service to the One who gave it, anything else and we like the prodigal son will also die in our sin, even after coming to know the Father because He will never take it away from us, that is the one thing He said that we must have and do with as we desire, not once but every day of our lives!
Now where people get confused is when they struggle, trust me I struggle almost every day and what’s more, often I fall down and it is here Jesus said nothing can separate us from His love.
Romans 8:35-39 KJV
(35) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
(36) As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
(37) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
(38) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
(39) Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And I believe it! My human frailty cannot separate me from God’s love or His salvation, as long as I am always willing to accept His correction and through it all love Him even when it means my flesh will suffer.
Matthew 13:3-9 KJV
(3) And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
(4) And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
(5) Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
(6) And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
(7) And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
(8) But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
(9) Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Did you get the different conditions of the soil (the heart of man)? Some never heard because they were distracted by their busy lives, some had a hard heart towards God because He seemed unfair to them, with some the seed took root but old habits choked out the seed and did not allow it to grow, but a few allowed the seed to grow and it produced a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and others thirtyfold.
Obviously people would say well of course the ones where the seed produced are God’s children and know God and they would be correct but what gets overlooked is that the seed also took root among the thorns, meaning for a brief moment that person allowed God in their heart. I believe this person too was saved and on their way to knowing who God is and who they were meant to be but for whatever reason, whether it be from addictions or old friends and habits the seed gets choked out and the life of freedom is short lived.
My friends if we believe that once we are saved the ability to have free will is taken from us then we just devalued what Jesus did on the cross! Why did He go through pain and suffering, why did He show us how to live, why did He walk among us? Why not just pardon us and once we made the decision to be His go to heaven to be with the one we love? No I tell you this life is a race and even though we start that race by accepting the work Jesus has done for us it is not finished until we cross the finish line. It’s not how well we start but how we finish that matters. In this life there will be pain and suffering and loss, through that we can either draw closer to God and love Him knowing He is good at all times, even though we cannot understand or we will turn from Him, saying that He is a hard Master that requires too much.
Matthew 25:14-30 KJV
(14) For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
(15) And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
(16) Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
(17) And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
(18) But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
(19) After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
(20) And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
(21) His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
(22) He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
(23) His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
(24) Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
(25) And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
(26) His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
(27) Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
(28) Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
(29) For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
(30) And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
All three servants knew the lord but only two were faithful, only two experienced the lord’s intended purpose and so it is with us. Furthermore, it wasn’t the act of burying the talent but instead that was the indicator of the heart and it is by the heart that we will be judged. This is a good thing because those who have pure hearts before God will be accepted regardless of their struggles. God’s qualifications are different than man’s and to receive His salvation you must be led by the unseen Creator of all life. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6).
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
To follow the Unseen
What does it mean to follow that which you cannot touch or see? What is our point of contact? Is it not God’s Word, the Bible? By this we are able to know who He is and by His Holy Spirit He leads us and gives us understanding. As we hunger to know Him more we will be led on adventures more wild than any famous explorer, for on their adventures the dangers and risks could be seen with their own eyes but this adventure the only thing that is known is that God is good and by faith He must be trusted to bring the pilgrim to His intended purpose. As the pilgrim follows the heart the connection to the One who leads, at times, will feel as though it is by a single thread and therefore he is careful to read God’s Word more, pray often, and listen to His small still voice. As this is done the relationship with the Unseen grows and somehow the pilgrim becomes more “in tune” with God’s leading but the moment he thinks to himself, “I’ve got it” and steps out on his own, that’s when he looks around only to realize those steps took him in the wrong direction and his feet are no longer on the path by which God leads him.
The more I follow this call upon my life the more I realize my thoughts and ideas are juxtaposed to the route and destination by which I am led and that is where the battle is. The question becomes will I trust God or will I rely on my own thoughts and feelings. To choose God’s ways I must be alert and deliberate or else my will takes over and I end up lamenting over this box by which I have seemingly sealed myself in. By this measure God tests us to see if our resolve is set on Him or if we will continue in our slumber.
1 Corinthians 13:9-12 MKJV
(9) For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
(10) But when the perfect thing comes, then that which is in part will be caused to cease.
(11) When I was an infant, I spoke as an infant, I thought as an infant, I reasoned as an infant. But when I became a man, I did away with the things of an infant.
(12) For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall fully know even as I also am fully known.
What if bits and pieces of the perfect is being made known to us even now and we are being watched to see what path we will follow? Only by trusting God will we know God and only by practicing obedience will be become what we are meant to be. There is not fear because perfect love casts out all fear, for in my humanness yet still does He love me!
Listen to King David as he expresses the joy of following the Unseen, for in him he is aware that God has covered him and protects him and leads him, even though it is not what he would choose for himself his faith is in God’s ability to bring him to the place he is supposed to be.
Psalms 139:1-18 MKJV
(1) To the Chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O Jehovah, You have searched me and have known me.
(2) You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.
(3) You search my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
(4) For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Jehovah, You know it altogether.
(5) You have closed me in behind and in front, and laid Your hand on me.
(6) Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot go up to it.
(7) Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your presence?
(8) If I go up into Heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
(9) If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the furthest parts of the sea;
(10) even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.
(11) If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light around me.
(12) Yea, the darkness does not hide from You; but the night shines as the day; as is the darkness, so is the light to You.
(13) For You have possessed my inward parts; You have covered me in my mother's womb.
(14) I will praise You; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are marvelous and my soul knows it very well.
(15) My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret and skillfully formed in the lowest parts of the earth.
(16) Your eyes saw my embryo; and in Your book all my members were written, the days they were formed, and not one was among them.
(17) How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
(18) If I should count them, they are more than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.
Is this type of relationship with the unseen Creator of all life only meant for a select few? No, surely not! But just the same only a select few ever come to this place. Is that because God has favorites or could it be because we are so preoccupied with the things of this world we are kept from ever knowing Him the way He intended?
Matthew 18:12-14 MKJV
(12) What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays, does he not leave the ninety and nine and go into the mountains and seek the straying one?
(13) And if it happens that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety and nine which did not stray.
(14) Even so it is not the will of your Father in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
Do you see the connection He loves each one as if that one is the only one! But being of free will and mind we make the decision to either trust and obey or walk away or slumber through this life. You see this life has one purpose and that is to reveal to us, to the world, and to God whom we choose to trust. For when this race is run we will be called to give an account for what we put our trust in. Jesus told us what that day would look like and He also told who would find rest and who would be cast out. The very same who find rest are the ones who heard the call of God upon their lives, for long before this day the rest Jesus spoke of was known to them.
Luke 13:29-30 KJV
(29) And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
(30) And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.
The more I follow this call upon my life the more I realize my thoughts and ideas are juxtaposed to the route and destination by which I am led and that is where the battle is. The question becomes will I trust God or will I rely on my own thoughts and feelings. To choose God’s ways I must be alert and deliberate or else my will takes over and I end up lamenting over this box by which I have seemingly sealed myself in. By this measure God tests us to see if our resolve is set on Him or if we will continue in our slumber.
1 Corinthians 13:9-12 MKJV
(9) For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
(10) But when the perfect thing comes, then that which is in part will be caused to cease.
(11) When I was an infant, I spoke as an infant, I thought as an infant, I reasoned as an infant. But when I became a man, I did away with the things of an infant.
(12) For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall fully know even as I also am fully known.
What if bits and pieces of the perfect is being made known to us even now and we are being watched to see what path we will follow? Only by trusting God will we know God and only by practicing obedience will be become what we are meant to be. There is not fear because perfect love casts out all fear, for in my humanness yet still does He love me!
Listen to King David as he expresses the joy of following the Unseen, for in him he is aware that God has covered him and protects him and leads him, even though it is not what he would choose for himself his faith is in God’s ability to bring him to the place he is supposed to be.
Psalms 139:1-18 MKJV
(1) To the Chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O Jehovah, You have searched me and have known me.
(2) You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.
(3) You search my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
(4) For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Jehovah, You know it altogether.
(5) You have closed me in behind and in front, and laid Your hand on me.
(6) Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot go up to it.
(7) Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your presence?
(8) If I go up into Heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
(9) If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the furthest parts of the sea;
(10) even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.
(11) If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light around me.
(12) Yea, the darkness does not hide from You; but the night shines as the day; as is the darkness, so is the light to You.
(13) For You have possessed my inward parts; You have covered me in my mother's womb.
(14) I will praise You; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are marvelous and my soul knows it very well.
(15) My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret and skillfully formed in the lowest parts of the earth.
(16) Your eyes saw my embryo; and in Your book all my members were written, the days they were formed, and not one was among them.
(17) How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
(18) If I should count them, they are more than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.
Is this type of relationship with the unseen Creator of all life only meant for a select few? No, surely not! But just the same only a select few ever come to this place. Is that because God has favorites or could it be because we are so preoccupied with the things of this world we are kept from ever knowing Him the way He intended?
Matthew 18:12-14 MKJV
(12) What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays, does he not leave the ninety and nine and go into the mountains and seek the straying one?
(13) And if it happens that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety and nine which did not stray.
(14) Even so it is not the will of your Father in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
Do you see the connection He loves each one as if that one is the only one! But being of free will and mind we make the decision to either trust and obey or walk away or slumber through this life. You see this life has one purpose and that is to reveal to us, to the world, and to God whom we choose to trust. For when this race is run we will be called to give an account for what we put our trust in. Jesus told us what that day would look like and He also told who would find rest and who would be cast out. The very same who find rest are the ones who heard the call of God upon their lives, for long before this day the rest Jesus spoke of was known to them.
Luke 13:29-30 KJV
(29) And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
(30) And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
God's discipline
Job 5:17 MKJV
(17) Behold, blessed is the man whom God corrects. Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.
Hebrews 12:5-7 MKJV
(5) And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons, "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked by Him;
(6) for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and He scourges every son whom He receives."
(7) If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the father does not chasten?
Having God correct us is not a bad thing, the Bible tells us if He corrects us it is because we are His sons and daughters but somehow we have learned to avoid all types of discomfort. We have got to ask ourselves these questions:
1. Do I trust God?
2. Why is God correcting me?
3. What is it He wants me to learn?
4. Am I going to grow or avoid discomfort?
You see God has purpose in everything He does and if He wants you to go through something there is a specific reason for it. If you have a more mature Christian who has gained relational currency in your life then ask them why they think you are going through a particular trial. If they know God and they know you and are honest they most likely can tell you what may be going on. In a healthy marriage this should be happening between husband and wife. It is possible because each one loves God first and then loves each other as much or more than themselves. They can see the trial the other one is going through and they also know the character flaw God is working out so that he or she may be more mature than before and though they see the difficulty the other one is going through they, like God, want to see their spouse grow so they let God do this work.
James 1:2-4 MKJV
(2) My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into different kinds of temptations,
(3) knowing that the trying of your faith works patience.
(4) But let patience have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing.
(17) Behold, blessed is the man whom God corrects. Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.
Hebrews 12:5-7 MKJV
(5) And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons, "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked by Him;
(6) for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and He scourges every son whom He receives."
(7) If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the father does not chasten?
Having God correct us is not a bad thing, the Bible tells us if He corrects us it is because we are His sons and daughters but somehow we have learned to avoid all types of discomfort. We have got to ask ourselves these questions:
1. Do I trust God?
2. Why is God correcting me?
3. What is it He wants me to learn?
4. Am I going to grow or avoid discomfort?
You see God has purpose in everything He does and if He wants you to go through something there is a specific reason for it. If you have a more mature Christian who has gained relational currency in your life then ask them why they think you are going through a particular trial. If they know God and they know you and are honest they most likely can tell you what may be going on. In a healthy marriage this should be happening between husband and wife. It is possible because each one loves God first and then loves each other as much or more than themselves. They can see the trial the other one is going through and they also know the character flaw God is working out so that he or she may be more mature than before and though they see the difficulty the other one is going through they, like God, want to see their spouse grow so they let God do this work.
James 1:2-4 MKJV
(2) My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into different kinds of temptations,
(3) knowing that the trying of your faith works patience.
(4) But let patience have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Simple living
We have become so preoccupied with technology under the pretense that it makes our lives easier that we’ve become numb to the things that are most important. If it doesn’t flash, buzz, or ring we don’t pay attention. All these devices have allowed us to do is become programmed to a society that no longer knows God. Honestly, besides Sunday, how many times during the week do we open the Bible to see what God’s perspective is? We allow schedules to bog us down until we are no longer able to hear the still small voice of God speak to our hearts and then we wonder why He seems so distant only to prove our suspicions that He is unobtainable; therefore we like Abraham come up with our own solutions.
Many “Christians” today have confused relationships with other church people and good deeds with knowing God but never stop long enough to allow God to speak to them; it simply isn’t convenient in this present world of instant gratification. With the idea that if I live according to what the preacher says, go to Bible study, volunteer, and give to those in need or put money in the offering surely then that is knowing God and if there is a God in heaven He must know how busy we are and understands the demands of our schedules. Thinking to ourselves, “To stop and wait for an invisible God to speak to my heart so that I may be led in the things I say and do, who has time for that?”
Matthew 7:22-24 KJV
(22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
(23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
(24) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
We are all guilty of not only going over budget with our finances but also our time, for many different reasons. For some its for the sake of approval, for others its is to advance their careers, and the list goes on but all these things are temporary and there will come a time when we will have to answer for how we used the time that had been given to us. And on that day what will our response be? Will we point to all the wonderful things we’ve done for God? What if those things were not the things He was asking of us? You are right in those things there is nothing wrong with them individually but when you accumulate them like trophies and use them to guard your heart from the risk of having to step out in faith in order to follow the unseen you miss out on all that God had planned for your life and our electronic pocket calendars aided us in ignoring God’s call.
Many “Christians” today have confused relationships with other church people and good deeds with knowing God but never stop long enough to allow God to speak to them; it simply isn’t convenient in this present world of instant gratification. With the idea that if I live according to what the preacher says, go to Bible study, volunteer, and give to those in need or put money in the offering surely then that is knowing God and if there is a God in heaven He must know how busy we are and understands the demands of our schedules. Thinking to ourselves, “To stop and wait for an invisible God to speak to my heart so that I may be led in the things I say and do, who has time for that?”
Matthew 7:22-24 KJV
(22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
(23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
(24) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
We are all guilty of not only going over budget with our finances but also our time, for many different reasons. For some its for the sake of approval, for others its is to advance their careers, and the list goes on but all these things are temporary and there will come a time when we will have to answer for how we used the time that had been given to us. And on that day what will our response be? Will we point to all the wonderful things we’ve done for God? What if those things were not the things He was asking of us? You are right in those things there is nothing wrong with them individually but when you accumulate them like trophies and use them to guard your heart from the risk of having to step out in faith in order to follow the unseen you miss out on all that God had planned for your life and our electronic pocket calendars aided us in ignoring God’s call.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Not us but by God's Holy Spirit
Matthew 16:13-17 KJV
(13) When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
(14) And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
(15) He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
(16) And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
(17) And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
1 Corinthians 2:10-16 KJV
(10) But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
(11) For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
(12) Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
(13) Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
(14) But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
(15) But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
(16) For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
If we know right from wrong it is not anything with in us but rather God’s Holy Spirit that has revealed it to us. For none is righteous, no not one for who can understand the things of God unless it be explained by the One who spoke it? We are as babes still in need of our mother’s milk who are we to explain things of the spirit, do we not walk by faith because we cannot see with our own eyes? Do not forget our dependence upon the One who walks before us. No matter how good our life looks, when we venture away from our guide and the lamp unto our path we will inevitably stumble and lose our way. If we were not in need of a Savior Jesus surely wouldn’t have gone through everything He did. He would have simply allowed the strong to triumph over the weak but He said that He did not come for the healthy but instead for the sick and those who know they need help. As for the healthy, they are sick too but haven’t realized it yet.
Romans 3:9-10 KJV
(9) What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
(10) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
(13) When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
(14) And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
(15) He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
(16) And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
(17) And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
1 Corinthians 2:10-16 KJV
(10) But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
(11) For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
(12) Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
(13) Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
(14) But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
(15) But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
(16) For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
If we know right from wrong it is not anything with in us but rather God’s Holy Spirit that has revealed it to us. For none is righteous, no not one for who can understand the things of God unless it be explained by the One who spoke it? We are as babes still in need of our mother’s milk who are we to explain things of the spirit, do we not walk by faith because we cannot see with our own eyes? Do not forget our dependence upon the One who walks before us. No matter how good our life looks, when we venture away from our guide and the lamp unto our path we will inevitably stumble and lose our way. If we were not in need of a Savior Jesus surely wouldn’t have gone through everything He did. He would have simply allowed the strong to triumph over the weak but He said that He did not come for the healthy but instead for the sick and those who know they need help. As for the healthy, they are sick too but haven’t realized it yet.
Romans 3:9-10 KJV
(9) What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
(10) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Because I know Him
Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
(Psalms 91:14-16 KJV)
Because you have known God He will deliver and honor you. With long life He will satisfy you and prove His salvation over and over. Not because you knew about Him or you knew of Him but because you had a close personal relationship with Him! Look at verse 14… Because he has set his love or determined to love Me God says, “I will deliver him.” How many need life insurance? God has so much more and the price for it has already been paid! All we have to do is seek Him first, above all else put Him first, so much so that any other love appears as hate when compared to our love for Christ Jesus.
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
(Luke 14:26 KJV)
Be determined to love God in the good times so that when bad times come you have a life-line to hold onto; because life will bring about many opportunities to be angry at God but do not be fooled into pushing away from God when you need Him most, for that is exactly what the enemy wants. If you have set your love upon God by choosing to love Him in all situations, knowing Him and realizing He is good at all times, then you will be delivered and you will hear God’s answer when you call out to Him. When difficulties, pain, and loss come your way, because you have known God, He will be with you but to those who only call on Him when they have need of Him, they do not know Him and are unsure of their future. They stumble around in the darkness pretending to see, only when they stub their toe or smash their nose does the name of the Lord come across their lips. For their hearts and minds are full of doubt and even though they ask God to deliver them they should not expect to receive anything from the Lord because of the condition of their hearts.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
(James 1:6-7 KJV)
Their doubt leads to confirmation that nothing of God is known and that He is distant and hard of hearing, for surely God has hid Himself from this person! God is big enough to take it but are you willing to dive to the depths of the soul before you finally look up? The heart that is full of doubt leads the individual to a crossroad and at this point one can completely buy into the lie of the enemy and turn from God or come home as the prodigal son did in Luke 15:11-32. How much better it is to spend time getting to know God because you want to and not wait until you have exhausted every other possible avenue. By the time you see the light your life will have been spent living for yourself and searching for answers that do not exist outside of God’s love for you! You want to make the most of what you have, then live for Christ, loving God above all else and He will deliver you.
(Psalms 91:14-16 KJV)
Because you have known God He will deliver and honor you. With long life He will satisfy you and prove His salvation over and over. Not because you knew about Him or you knew of Him but because you had a close personal relationship with Him! Look at verse 14… Because he has set his love or determined to love Me God says, “I will deliver him.” How many need life insurance? God has so much more and the price for it has already been paid! All we have to do is seek Him first, above all else put Him first, so much so that any other love appears as hate when compared to our love for Christ Jesus.
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
(Luke 14:26 KJV)
Be determined to love God in the good times so that when bad times come you have a life-line to hold onto; because life will bring about many opportunities to be angry at God but do not be fooled into pushing away from God when you need Him most, for that is exactly what the enemy wants. If you have set your love upon God by choosing to love Him in all situations, knowing Him and realizing He is good at all times, then you will be delivered and you will hear God’s answer when you call out to Him. When difficulties, pain, and loss come your way, because you have known God, He will be with you but to those who only call on Him when they have need of Him, they do not know Him and are unsure of their future. They stumble around in the darkness pretending to see, only when they stub their toe or smash their nose does the name of the Lord come across their lips. For their hearts and minds are full of doubt and even though they ask God to deliver them they should not expect to receive anything from the Lord because of the condition of their hearts.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
(James 1:6-7 KJV)
Their doubt leads to confirmation that nothing of God is known and that He is distant and hard of hearing, for surely God has hid Himself from this person! God is big enough to take it but are you willing to dive to the depths of the soul before you finally look up? The heart that is full of doubt leads the individual to a crossroad and at this point one can completely buy into the lie of the enemy and turn from God or come home as the prodigal son did in Luke 15:11-32. How much better it is to spend time getting to know God because you want to and not wait until you have exhausted every other possible avenue. By the time you see the light your life will have been spent living for yourself and searching for answers that do not exist outside of God’s love for you! You want to make the most of what you have, then live for Christ, loving God above all else and He will deliver you.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Ice breakers with God
With many Christians an ice breaker is needed to get to know God, much like the games played when meeting a new group of people. It seems every time we turn around there is a book that has a new way to experience God which can be good and bad. Good if you are new to reading God’s Word or you’ve tried before and can’t seem to get anything out of it but to those who experience God’s presence fresh and new every morning these steps and labels can be very restricting. Not that we should be unteachable but don’t be so easily bent into the box where we are told God is waiting for us. This concept is difficult to describe, so let’s look at it a different way.
If I don’t know anything about deep sea fishing and therefore read a book on how to do it I would find many helpful things in it that would get me started. However, you give that same book to a boat captain who does it for a living what response do you think you’ll get? I’m not saying he wouldn’t read it, I’m not saying he wouldn’t see a different perspective but what I would expect is that very little would change in his daily activity even though when I read it I depended upon it completely to be successful. Yet when we are going through a Christian book that is intended to help us experience God I sometimes feel like I’m in a room of contortionist!
I wonder what God thinks of us bending and stretching when all along He simply waits for us to invite Him in? You know simply spending time with someone is the best way to get to know them and while books and videos can help they can never take you to the deep places because that is one man/woman’s idea about what worked best for them. Because we are all different the secret garden or the quiet meadow of experiencing God ‘s heart for us can only be shown to us by following His lead, not the path of someone else – understand God alone takes us there!
They who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in great waters; these see the works of Jehovah and His wonders in the deep. For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up its waves. They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and all their wisdom is swallowed up. And they cry to Jehovah in their trouble, and He brings them out of their troubles. He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still. And they are glad because they are quiet; so He brings them to their desired haven.
(Psalms 107:23-30 MKJV)
It is through life’s journey, good times and bad, walking hand in hand with God, not doubting His goodness or insight for our lives that we are able to experience God’s presence. For only by His presence do we come to recognize the character of God and once we recognize the character of God we see Him in everything we do. It is at this point that we pray without ceasing, that we enquire what God’s will is, and we are quick to follow His leading. The old saying WWJD “what would Jesus do” was so over used and misunderstood to the point that no one says it any more but much like that deep sea captain, those who follow Jesus on a regular basis neither were moved by it when it was over used or ignored it when everyone stopped using it but continued following Jesus as they always had because they knew only Jesus could lead them to their desired haven.
If I don’t know anything about deep sea fishing and therefore read a book on how to do it I would find many helpful things in it that would get me started. However, you give that same book to a boat captain who does it for a living what response do you think you’ll get? I’m not saying he wouldn’t read it, I’m not saying he wouldn’t see a different perspective but what I would expect is that very little would change in his daily activity even though when I read it I depended upon it completely to be successful. Yet when we are going through a Christian book that is intended to help us experience God I sometimes feel like I’m in a room of contortionist!
I wonder what God thinks of us bending and stretching when all along He simply waits for us to invite Him in? You know simply spending time with someone is the best way to get to know them and while books and videos can help they can never take you to the deep places because that is one man/woman’s idea about what worked best for them. Because we are all different the secret garden or the quiet meadow of experiencing God ‘s heart for us can only be shown to us by following His lead, not the path of someone else – understand God alone takes us there!
They who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in great waters; these see the works of Jehovah and His wonders in the deep. For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up its waves. They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and all their wisdom is swallowed up. And they cry to Jehovah in their trouble, and He brings them out of their troubles. He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still. And they are glad because they are quiet; so He brings them to their desired haven.
(Psalms 107:23-30 MKJV)
It is through life’s journey, good times and bad, walking hand in hand with God, not doubting His goodness or insight for our lives that we are able to experience God’s presence. For only by His presence do we come to recognize the character of God and once we recognize the character of God we see Him in everything we do. It is at this point that we pray without ceasing, that we enquire what God’s will is, and we are quick to follow His leading. The old saying WWJD “what would Jesus do” was so over used and misunderstood to the point that no one says it any more but much like that deep sea captain, those who follow Jesus on a regular basis neither were moved by it when it was over used or ignored it when everyone stopped using it but continued following Jesus as they always had because they knew only Jesus could lead them to their desired haven.
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