I am greatly sadden that Osama bin Laden is dead, it brings me great mourning that in all likely-hood he was not able to be won to Christ. That another man whom was created by God who was known when he was in his mothers womb would be lost forever that when I who is just as undeserving of being in heaven will not see him along side me. Let me say that again, We are no more deserving to enter heaven as this man was, as it says in Romans 3:10 "As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;" Yet by grace (through Christ death and resurrection) we are given a great opportunity to not only receive this grace but to go out and share it.
What grieves me so much more is the celebration from our nation (united states) and from the Christians, what is so joyous about someone dying? If your father or mother did wrong to me shall I rejoice when you are mourning there body? And if we really are given this opportunity to share Christ with others what will your celebration gain you in regards to witnessing?
This celebration, this lust for blood that we had for this man, does it not go against the very words in the bible that we define ourselves as Christians? For it says in 1 John 3:15 "Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him." and again in 1 John 2:11 "But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him." Should we put ourselves to the test as it says in 2 Cor. 13:5 " 5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?" Should this be said that you who hate this man are sinning for is the law by which this man died under your hand or Gods? and who will rejoice in this great occasion? Shall we judge God to be glad at this time or is He (the spirit) grieved?
I fear that death has crept into our society as something we enjoy, I will be careful as to what I say in this topic as its focus is not the hows and whys, but what I urge is how much have we made this not relatable, as something natural? Death is not natural but was the payment for sin. And it is never the time to be joyed about sins payment, on yourself nor on someone else as for that man, Christ death has become vain to him.
I would say now is a time for us to mourn over Osama bin Laden, and for those whom will be going to hell by sins payment. And a time for us to remember that we too are not far from the same fate as it is only accepted grace that keeps us in Christ's arms.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
The Center of our Universe
The world wants to know why we say salvation is so exclusive. How come just because I don’t acknowledge Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour I don’t get to go to heaven? Is it fair to say that ONLY people who follow Jesus get to go to heaven? What about all the “good” people?
Truth: “There is no one righteous, not even one;”
“there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, together they have become useless; there is no one who does good, there is not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they deceive with their tongues. Viper’s venom is under their lips.Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and wretchedness are in their paths, and the path of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.
C.S. Lewis wrote in his book, the Great Divorce, (and I’m paraphrasing) that the gates of hell are “locked from the inside” and if they were to be thrown open and it’s inhabitant beckoned to come out but worship God, they would be slammed shut again.
Church, we have so romanticized sin and the world we ourselves don’t see why it’s offensive anymore. If you asked your middle schooler, why sin is offensive to God, he/she would probably reply, “It just is.” We superficially treated the wound of the sinner. Our evangelism is reduced to massaging their stiff neck and telling them that God will let them slide if they “give their heart to Jesus Christ” and live a semi-moral lifestyle. This is an especially awful thing to do if you do not first explain to them that something is wrong with them.
Here are three facts we desperately try to avoid because in truth they highlight our former lives of depravity:
1. Friendship with the world is hostility toward God.
2. The world hates God because it is made up of people who hate God. Every person who is rejecting the revelation of Jesus Christ hates God.
3. No person is ignorant of God: forget about your opinions, or your memories and what people tell you about their view of God. The bible says they know because God has made it known to them but their heart are darkened.
Here is a forth truth you probably don’t know. They have no excuse for not believing in Jesus Christ because the saga of earth rebellion has always been about Jesus Christ. Make no mistake the gospel starts in Genesis. You might say, “Jesus didn’t come into the game until Mathew. Wrong, in John 1 it explains, “All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created.
A side note: It is important that Jesus was God because the word here logos implies knowledge, thought and logic. In logic their is a rule called the law of non-contradiction. (If P=P P cannot equal non-p) So if this says that nothing was created that was created apart from Him. He could not have been created.
So the gospel of Jesus Christ began on page one. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Creation was created to glorify the creator. When the Son is glorified the Father is glorified. BUT, “He was in the world, and the world did not recognize Him.”
“Why do the nations rebel and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers conspired together against the Lord and His Anointed One.”
Later in that chapter God says this, “Pay homage to the Son, or He will be angry, and you will perish in your rebellion, for His anger may ignite at any moment.” This is the side of Jesus we hide -to our shame- Christ is Very loving and compassionate we all know that but why are we dumming Him down? Why are we dumming everything down? God is not casual. Christianity is not casual the only place on earth Christianity can be casual is right here in the United States. Everywhere else in history throughout the world Christianity is so offensive that Christans must die because they just can’t stomach us being around anymore. Why because they hate God and anything that looks like Him any holy thing is repulsive to them. Have you ever thought maybe, just maybe I’m just worldly enough that they aren’t offended by the mere fact that I am alive. Maybe it’s time to some thing drastic.
In closing, I would be careful how many time we tell people not to fear God.
Much love,
dom
Truth: “There is no one righteous, not even one;”
“there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, together they have become useless; there is no one who does good, there is not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they deceive with their tongues. Viper’s venom is under their lips.Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and wretchedness are in their paths, and the path of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.
C.S. Lewis wrote in his book, the Great Divorce, (and I’m paraphrasing) that the gates of hell are “locked from the inside” and if they were to be thrown open and it’s inhabitant beckoned to come out but worship God, they would be slammed shut again.
Church, we have so romanticized sin and the world we ourselves don’t see why it’s offensive anymore. If you asked your middle schooler, why sin is offensive to God, he/she would probably reply, “It just is.” We superficially treated the wound of the sinner. Our evangelism is reduced to massaging their stiff neck and telling them that God will let them slide if they “give their heart to Jesus Christ” and live a semi-moral lifestyle. This is an especially awful thing to do if you do not first explain to them that something is wrong with them.
Here are three facts we desperately try to avoid because in truth they highlight our former lives of depravity:
1. Friendship with the world is hostility toward God.
2. The world hates God because it is made up of people who hate God. Every person who is rejecting the revelation of Jesus Christ hates God.
3. No person is ignorant of God: forget about your opinions, or your memories and what people tell you about their view of God. The bible says they know because God has made it known to them but their heart are darkened.
Here is a forth truth you probably don’t know. They have no excuse for not believing in Jesus Christ because the saga of earth rebellion has always been about Jesus Christ. Make no mistake the gospel starts in Genesis. You might say, “Jesus didn’t come into the game until Mathew. Wrong, in John 1 it explains, “All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created.
A side note: It is important that Jesus was God because the word here logos implies knowledge, thought and logic. In logic their is a rule called the law of non-contradiction. (If P=P P cannot equal non-p) So if this says that nothing was created that was created apart from Him. He could not have been created.
So the gospel of Jesus Christ began on page one. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Creation was created to glorify the creator. When the Son is glorified the Father is glorified. BUT, “He was in the world, and the world did not recognize Him.”
“Why do the nations rebel and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers conspired together against the Lord and His Anointed One.”
Later in that chapter God says this, “Pay homage to the Son, or He will be angry, and you will perish in your rebellion, for His anger may ignite at any moment.” This is the side of Jesus we hide -to our shame- Christ is Very loving and compassionate we all know that but why are we dumming Him down? Why are we dumming everything down? God is not casual. Christianity is not casual the only place on earth Christianity can be casual is right here in the United States. Everywhere else in history throughout the world Christianity is so offensive that Christans must die because they just can’t stomach us being around anymore. Why because they hate God and anything that looks like Him any holy thing is repulsive to them. Have you ever thought maybe, just maybe I’m just worldly enough that they aren’t offended by the mere fact that I am alive. Maybe it’s time to some thing drastic.
In closing, I would be careful how many time we tell people not to fear God.
Much love,
dom
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Idolatry of Marrage: part 2 Relationships
We focused on a topic in which people might think that they are not included, so I wanted to broaden the landscape before we close out of this. There is a known parallel between Christian marriage and the relationship between Christ and the Church within the Bible(I.E: we are the bride of Christ)
Ephesians 5:21-27 (King James Version)“ 21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
Romans 7:4 (King James Version) 4Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
There are many examples where the Bible puts emphasis on the relationship with your brothers and sisters in Christ; the highest calling that I can recall of this is in Matthew 22:39 (“39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”) Now lets address what it says at the start of this verse: “And the second is like it.” It is to my encouragement that many of the churches in which I meet are highly interested in and do play the role well of love my neighbor, but indeed there are many which for the sake of loving your neighbor erase from their minds “the second is like it” and simply keeping “love your neighbor.” Now why would this be a issue? Because of the great misdeed it does to our Lord, for it says in fullness Matthew 22:37-39: “37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” For the greatest commandment is loving God, and it is only through loving God Fully that we are able to do the second commandment. We must extend our heart, soul and mind to God and have him as our first love; otherwise, it is idolatry which we are performing by loving the relationships with people greater then loving God. For it was God who said in Revelation 2:4-5 (New International Version, ©2011): “4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.”
So, what would be a example of loving a relationship more than God? Think about it this way: love creates in us a fullness, a value, and even a hope. So it is something that we naturally long for. The psalmist writes this; “Psalm 84:2 2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD;my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.” Yet Christians can be stuck in yearning and finding fullness in the relationships with others, things like “oh I hope he says something nice about me.” or “I hope she talks to me today,” or even “I am waiting anxiously for my friend to get here because they make my day better.” All of these examples can be signs of a heart issue of discontentment, so I urge you in this regard: take some time to think over your relationships that you are investing time in, and ask yourself this, “Am I in a relationship with this person to fulfill a desire in my heart,” and “Am I seeking God to fill these areas in my heart?” Be on guard; you can say no to the first question but still be dealing with the lack of Gods presence in your life.
Let me close with this, relationships are vital in a Christan's life, and God lays that out plainly in the Bible. Just make sure that you are not forsaking your first love, because then those healthy relationships can become harmful as a means to fill you emotionally, and kill you spiritually!
My prayer:
God you are my first love; you taught me how to love when you showed me on the cross what it means to love. without that I can not begin to love those you call me to care for and show love to. It is my hope that I am not misplacing my fulfillment in relationships with others, but you know my heart and how deceitful it is. Reveal to me your understanding of myself and my lifestyle and point out to me where I am falling so that I can walk next to you. If there be any misdeed of this in my life, Lord, please forgive me and may my love be always trying to reflect your love for me. Amen
Monday, February 7, 2011
The Idolatry Of Marriage
Growing up it was just assumed that I would get married, living in a Christian house the ideology is focused on the family and in my upbringing I honestly have been groomed to be a husband. I have no hard feelings against these facts but it did mold in me a heart issue that I believe extends past me and also into my brothers and sisters. The heart issue being broken down into these parts: I raised my plans above The Lord assuming that was the only way he was going to use me in relationships but he stirred this up in my heart “my word is true and I keep my promises” (Numbers 23:19) and then I thought to myself when has The Lord promised me this wife and marriage? By me saying The Lord has given me unto marriage I risk making my Lord out to be a liar and saying my ways are higher then his. I also fell to raising my wife (if so be) above another promise God gave to me “I will make you my bridegroom”. Has my heart turned away from God so much that I focus on a want for a physical marriage which is a blur of the reflection of what he truly longs for me to have even more so? Which is eternity with him as His. And looking at Paul when he says in
1 Corinthians 7:7–8 (NIV84) “7 I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. 8 Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am.”
and then later on ….
1 Corinthians 7:32-33 (NKJ) “32 But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. 33 But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife.”
I like how gotquestions.org says it this way “Notice that he says some have the gift of singleness and some the gift of marriage. Although it seems that nearly everyone marries, it is not necessarily God's will for everyone.” referring to verse 7, and I agree with this. It is not to say that being married or the yearning for marriage is wrong, but that even if you have that yearning, God can be calling you to focus on him more, and if it is to be a permanent single his role for you is to focus on him a lot more. to quote from gotquestions.org again “It is not a sin to remain single, even for your entire life. The most important thing in life is not finding a mate and having children, but serving God.” HOW I HAVE LIED TO MYSELF ABOUT THIS! And I am sure that others are caught in this lie. Because I have been the one to say, “my focus is on God” but then my mind goes to “plan to get a wife” or better yet “plan wait for a wife”. We can easily hide our idolatry in our current singleness, I did, cause my heart said I will get my wife in time and my heart never kept open singleness as being Gods plan. Let me say it this way: In your current state God is using you to serve him (if you are letting him), you have a ministry whether you know it or not, and by moving from a single to a married person your ministry WILL CHANGE. And that may or may not be Gods heart for you. while you are single be open to remaining single and how he is using you. because ultimately if he does have a person in store for you then that will be put into place without you lusting after it.
Let me close with a prayer that I have prayed personally:
God, you say my heart is deceitful, but you say you have a plan for me, you say that if I ask, you will answer whether the answer is what I want to hear. Lord I struggle with singleness, and I want to be close to someone, Lord in my singleness fill that void in me, for I truly urge for the only one who can fill me and no other person can make me feel the way I long for. May my mind be on you and you alone, that if you place someone in my life lord that I am blessed and if you place me with no one that I am still blessed for you fill the gap and my desire remains in you. May I hope for your higher calling, may I stay in your word and act out your decrees. For I wait for you to call my name. May it be true, Amen
God has given you the gift of singleness, and there is no middle ground you ether have the gift of marriage or the gift of singleness there is no gift of being in-between. So even if you are courting or dating you still have the gift of singleness. Lets start living in it!
1 Corinthians 7:7–8 (NIV84) “7 I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. 8 Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am.”
and then later on ….
1 Corinthians 7:32-33 (NKJ) “32 But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. 33 But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife.”
I like how gotquestions.org says it this way “Notice that he says some have the gift of singleness and some the gift of marriage. Although it seems that nearly everyone marries, it is not necessarily God's will for everyone.” referring to verse 7, and I agree with this. It is not to say that being married or the yearning for marriage is wrong, but that even if you have that yearning, God can be calling you to focus on him more, and if it is to be a permanent single his role for you is to focus on him a lot more. to quote from gotquestions.org again “It is not a sin to remain single, even for your entire life. The most important thing in life is not finding a mate and having children, but serving God.” HOW I HAVE LIED TO MYSELF ABOUT THIS! And I am sure that others are caught in this lie. Because I have been the one to say, “my focus is on God” but then my mind goes to “plan to get a wife” or better yet “plan wait for a wife”. We can easily hide our idolatry in our current singleness, I did, cause my heart said I will get my wife in time and my heart never kept open singleness as being Gods plan. Let me say it this way: In your current state God is using you to serve him (if you are letting him), you have a ministry whether you know it or not, and by moving from a single to a married person your ministry WILL CHANGE. And that may or may not be Gods heart for you. while you are single be open to remaining single and how he is using you. because ultimately if he does have a person in store for you then that will be put into place without you lusting after it.
Let me close with a prayer that I have prayed personally:
God, you say my heart is deceitful, but you say you have a plan for me, you say that if I ask, you will answer whether the answer is what I want to hear. Lord I struggle with singleness, and I want to be close to someone, Lord in my singleness fill that void in me, for I truly urge for the only one who can fill me and no other person can make me feel the way I long for. May my mind be on you and you alone, that if you place someone in my life lord that I am blessed and if you place me with no one that I am still blessed for you fill the gap and my desire remains in you. May I hope for your higher calling, may I stay in your word and act out your decrees. For I wait for you to call my name. May it be true, Amen
God has given you the gift of singleness, and there is no middle ground you ether have the gift of marriage or the gift of singleness there is no gift of being in-between. So even if you are courting or dating you still have the gift of singleness. Lets start living in it!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
A Call to Arms: Revisited
This was my first post. I am reposting and adding to it because I believe its theme is the most important one. We are in a battle! Regardless of the ways some of our brothers and sister might downplay this mind set it is. This is a battle not just for ourselves but for others. Our personal ultimate victory was one at the cross and the moment we gave our lives to Jesus. We "no longer live but Christ lives in us." (Gal 2:20) At that moment our interests ceased to matter. "the whole world is under the sway[translated literaly in the lap of] the evil one." God "wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth." And as more and more are saved HIS fame will spread throughout the world. His fame, His glory is all that we should care about. That's the bottom line. So in order to make ourselves pure vessles and special instruments of His plan; we need to let everything else fall by the way side. "Devote [ourselves] to prayer, being alert and thankful." Everyone says they want a Revival in our time. How bad do we really want it? It can start today. Right now if we devote our every action to His glory; doing everything as if unto the Lord. If there is something you do that you can't possible rationalize as an offering to the Lord, it probably falls into the category of the doubtful things and the Lord might be asking you to let it go. "Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise." 1 Corinthians 3:18 I hope my letter below ignite a holy fire. P.S. If you don't go to my church I wanna hang with your church young adults. <HIT ME UP>
- Dom out-
Please tell me if any of this discourse is a lie.
Coming into the kingdom of God was like awakening from a dreamlike state. The initial euphoric feelings were almost immediately put in check by the reality of life in a world that is rejecting Christ Jesus. Now the recruit is out of the deception, prime for discipleship and is forced to engage in warfare. As the mirage clears, he is suddenly aware of the war that has been raging since the beginning. We used to live in ignorance. We wandered the world in disillusionment, blinded walking in darkness. Now we see the fierce battles as they are waged on our streets before our very eyes. There are casualties everyday, people die and every death is a result of the struggle for men’s souls. It was only by the unfathomable grace of God that we survived. The recruit looks out on the world of darkness. The only other light that can be seen are the tracers soaring skyward day and night as men and demon put forth their feeble defense against God. The guns are just one sound in the roar of chaos. All eyes glare, with hatred, toward the heavens shouting, cursing and blaspheming Jesus Christ the risen one. And in front of it all is Lucifer himself; he raises himself above all others raising his hands as the conductor leading the masses in a wicked song, the battle cry of rebellion. His hordes are everywhere. They invaded the earth when they fell and they have all but subdued it. They are always fortifying their positions, tightening their chokehold on mankind. They desperately fight to defend the world from every “intrusion of God.” Even in the end when God pours out his judgments on the earth they will still blind the people. The word says that even after the fifth trumpet,
“The rest of the people, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands to stop worshiping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood, which are not able to see, hear or walk. And they did not repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality, or their thefts.”(Rev 9:20-21)
Time is their enemy, as it races toward their destruction. They execute as many of their slaves as possible. They go willingly unaware of their plight. The air is filled with poisonous lies; the masses are kept sedated, blind to the truth and virtually dead. “The whole world is under the control of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19)
But now you have been given the antidote to the poison of death. It is salvation through the blood of Jesus. You, the recruit, became a soldier in the resistance.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”(Eph 6:12)
You became one of us. We are the chosen ones (no cliche intended) the elect pre-destined to do great things. (Eph 2:10)
We have faith in our Lord and savior Jesus
“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that a the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father.”
I myself had a reality check recently and the Lord showed me something. Jesus promised persecution. The word says that everyone who calls upon the name of Jesus will be persecuted. Last month I looked at all the hardship in my life and saw it as too much to bear. I seriously questioned whether it was worth it, I thought to myself, “Why do I even try?” “What good is it to me in the end? The answer I got was in the end. I read Revelation and realized why I was fight why this life had become so important to me, its because everyday is one day closer to His glorious return to judge Satan.I was rocked by a revelation the other day that made me sick. In John 8:44, Jesus said Satan “was a murderer from the beginning.” God considers Satan’s actions murder, he kills every day. People are dying every minute without redemption. He killing people I love. Maybe some of you have lost loved ones who were deceived and thus murdered. And we find it hard to find time for ministry in our busy lives. What is wrong with us? Do you still need motivation to step up and fight this war? I’m not saying its not a scary fight but here in America all we have to worry about is petty ridicule and honesty moderate persecution. Yesterday November 14, 2010 , a women named Asia Bibi was sentenced to death for blasphemy. She was arrested in 2009 for having a religious discussion with her coworkers and she is probably going to die for preaching the gospel. We live in a dark world. You are the children of the light. You are the light of the world. Let your light shine before men. Do not attempt to blend in. Do not be conformed; be transformed. “we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and obtain life.” (Heb 10:39) We are not to be afraid of the Devil and his tactics because this fight is fixed.
“The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Messiah have now come, because the accuser of our brothers has been thrown out: the one who accuses them before our God day and night. They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not love their lives in the face of death.”
Remember when you were a slave to sin. All the world is a concentration camp, everyone slaves for the jailer. All slave to the glory of themselves and then they die. Remember the vanity you slaved for before God sent His special forces in to rescue you. They went into the enemies camp at their own risk. They brought you life, opened your eyes and lead you out of darkness. Remember those you left behind. Remember those who are still blind. Spending their lives shoveling dirt on top of their mountain, not know the whole they’ve made with be their grave. Refusing to drop the trowel and pick up life. And you used to be just like them. You have you orders, let the Lord use you and he might just save somebody’s life.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Happiness: As seen by the world
I get this email alert thing from a pastor in South Carolina named Tim Sanders. I hadn’t been reading them in awhile and was inspired by a rough morning to find some encouragement some where. I found on posted like a month ago about being satisfied with having “just Jesus”. (Note: not the word he used)
The inspiring verse he uses is Psalm 17:15. But I’ll quote from verses 13-15 because it’s all good and encouraged me this morning.
“Rise up, LORD! Confront him; bring him down. With your sword, save me from men, from men of this world, whose portion is in this life: You fill their bellies with what You have in store, their sons are satisfied, and they leave surplus to their children. But I will see Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied with Your presence.”
It just shows me that whatever junk I may have to endure for the sake of see my Lord’s beautiful face better I am ok with that. I don’t have to like it though then again the word says: “Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds”(James 1:2) What I’m trying to say is that “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” (Psalm 16:6) All the joy I could ever want and need my God have already given me all the satisfactions of this world are fleeting, temporary and altogether vain.
After reading that inspiring email my eyes where drawn to the side tab where google give me links based on key words in my email. The top on was happiness, curious to see what happiness google had in store for me I clicked the link. The link brought up a new page with a list of links to suggested web sites.( Here are most interesting ones0
1. Horoscope for all 2011
‘Claim your Free Reading from this
accurate & talented Astrologer now’
(Is 47:13-14)
2.Spiritual Stepping Stones (Mysticism)
3. The Avatar course (Astral projection and meditation)
‘Move beyond limitations.’
Create happiness in your life!
4. Lucid Living (A sharing group based on self enlightenment and supporter of yoga)
‘to share and live your truth
in each moment of your life?’
5.2010 GMC overstock
Cars Really?!
Drink in the only true satifaction!
The inspiring verse he uses is Psalm 17:15. But I’ll quote from verses 13-15 because it’s all good and encouraged me this morning.
“Rise up, LORD! Confront him; bring him down. With your sword, save me from men, from men of this world, whose portion is in this life: You fill their bellies with what You have in store, their sons are satisfied, and they leave surplus to their children. But I will see Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied with Your presence.”
It just shows me that whatever junk I may have to endure for the sake of see my Lord’s beautiful face better I am ok with that. I don’t have to like it though then again the word says: “Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds”(James 1:2) What I’m trying to say is that “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” (Psalm 16:6) All the joy I could ever want and need my God have already given me all the satisfactions of this world are fleeting, temporary and altogether vain.
After reading that inspiring email my eyes where drawn to the side tab where google give me links based on key words in my email. The top on was happiness, curious to see what happiness google had in store for me I clicked the link. The link brought up a new page with a list of links to suggested web sites.( Here are most interesting ones0
1. Horoscope for all 2011
‘Claim your Free Reading from this
accurate & talented Astrologer now’
(Is 47:13-14)
2.Spiritual Stepping Stones (Mysticism)
3. The Avatar course (Astral projection and meditation)
‘Move beyond limitations.’
Create happiness in your life!
4. Lucid Living (A sharing group based on self enlightenment and supporter of yoga)
‘to share and live your truth
in each moment of your life?’
5.2010 GMC overstock
Cars Really?!
Drink in the only true satifaction!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Power 2011:Hebrews 6
Reading in Hebrew 6 I came to the part where the author speaks about those who, in his time, were unable to get past the infant stages of Christianity. He says they were enlightened. They were companions with the Holy Spirit, tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age. Believers in the apostolic age regularly saw the power of God. Acts 4:33 “And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them.” In the 21st century the majority of the American Church is not experiecing the power of God in their daily lives. The Great Blackout has so badly affected the Church that many believe that the Power spoken about in Bible times is limited to the Bible times. Scripture tells of another time in Jewish history, before Christ, when the Juice was lacking.
1 Samuel 5:16 “In those days the word of the Lord was rare and prophetic visions were not widespread.” In 1Samuel 2 it is explained that Eli’s wicked sons treated the Lord’s offering “with contempt.” Which is worded alot like Hebrew 6:6 referring to those who have fallen away from the modern priesthood, “holding Him up to contempt.”
In 1 Samuel 3 the Lord calls Samuel in the night. Verse 7 says that Samuel had not yet experienced the Lord. In this uncomfortable and awkward position Samuel doesn’t realize what was happening and his first response is to assume that Eli had called him. Samuel goes on to serve as Judge for the Israelites until the rebel and ask for a king. This event was a tragic but necessary step in God’s sovereign plan. We, the Church, have in many ways already made this tragic choice and gone beyond it. Under the leadership of many kings the Jewish nation’s relationship with the Lord was up and down; many times turning away from God to worship idols. What is an idol? Anything that becomes more important than God,an alter we keep deep down in our darkness for making sacrifices to ourselves.
Will we cleanse ourselves and our households and cut down our alters?
Will we allow God to be king once again?
Will we continue to deprive ourselves of the uninhibited, awesome power of God moving in our lives on a daily basis? Some us think, “When revival comes, God will tear us away from our vices.” But maybe it’s, unless we tear ourselves away from our vice revival will never come.
I don’t want anyone to misunderstand what I’ve written. I don’t want you to think that if a christian from the early days saw us now they would be embarrassed or something. I sure they thought their good ole day would never end right up until the first persecution. And they would understand as we should that this age is part of God’s sovereign plan. He’s not scratching His mighty head wondering where He went wrong with us. He knew where we’d be in the 2011. He knows the problems we are facing the uphill struggle is all part of the plan. I have a hunch that when Jesus returns for His bride, He does expect to find her standing tall unscathed by all the enemies attacks. She will not have conquered and subdued the unbelieving world. She certainly will not be lording over it like in ages past. I think He expects to find His bride on her knees, bloodied and swollen in the mud, patiently awaiting her king. She will give Him a gap toothed smile when He says to each one us, “Well done good and faithful servant.”
When helplessly facing a mighty African horde, righteous king Asa prayed this prayer:
“Lord there is no one besides you to help the mighty and those without strength. Help us, Lord our God, for we depend on You and in Your name we have come against this multitude. Lord, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal hinder You.”
1 Samuel 5:16 “In those days the word of the Lord was rare and prophetic visions were not widespread.” In 1Samuel 2 it is explained that Eli’s wicked sons treated the Lord’s offering “with contempt.” Which is worded alot like Hebrew 6:6 referring to those who have fallen away from the modern priesthood, “holding Him up to contempt.”
In 1 Samuel 3 the Lord calls Samuel in the night. Verse 7 says that Samuel had not yet experienced the Lord. In this uncomfortable and awkward position Samuel doesn’t realize what was happening and his first response is to assume that Eli had called him. Samuel goes on to serve as Judge for the Israelites until the rebel and ask for a king. This event was a tragic but necessary step in God’s sovereign plan. We, the Church, have in many ways already made this tragic choice and gone beyond it. Under the leadership of many kings the Jewish nation’s relationship with the Lord was up and down; many times turning away from God to worship idols. What is an idol? Anything that becomes more important than God,an alter we keep deep down in our darkness for making sacrifices to ourselves.
Will we cleanse ourselves and our households and cut down our alters?
Will we allow God to be king once again?
Will we continue to deprive ourselves of the uninhibited, awesome power of God moving in our lives on a daily basis? Some us think, “When revival comes, God will tear us away from our vices.” But maybe it’s, unless we tear ourselves away from our vice revival will never come.
I don’t want anyone to misunderstand what I’ve written. I don’t want you to think that if a christian from the early days saw us now they would be embarrassed or something. I sure they thought their good ole day would never end right up until the first persecution. And they would understand as we should that this age is part of God’s sovereign plan. He’s not scratching His mighty head wondering where He went wrong with us. He knew where we’d be in the 2011. He knows the problems we are facing the uphill struggle is all part of the plan. I have a hunch that when Jesus returns for His bride, He does expect to find her standing tall unscathed by all the enemies attacks. She will not have conquered and subdued the unbelieving world. She certainly will not be lording over it like in ages past. I think He expects to find His bride on her knees, bloodied and swollen in the mud, patiently awaiting her king. She will give Him a gap toothed smile when He says to each one us, “Well done good and faithful servant.”
When helplessly facing a mighty African horde, righteous king Asa prayed this prayer:
“Lord there is no one besides you to help the mighty and those without strength. Help us, Lord our God, for we depend on You and in Your name we have come against this multitude. Lord, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal hinder You.”
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Study on Psalm 145
"I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
Great is the LORD and most worthy of
praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation will commend your works
to another;
they will tell of your mighty acts.
They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and I will meditate on your wonderful
works.
They will tell of the power of your
awesome works,
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They will celebrate your abundant
goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness."
In fiction readers may come across a literary device called foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is when the author gives clues that allude to events later in the story. The author is able to do this because he knows the entirety of the story. He sits in a position of knowing as the reader is taken on this journey. A good author takes care to lead his reader through an adventure. Making sure that his goals for the reader will be satisfied in the end, mainly that he/she will enjoy the ride, buy the book and recommend it to others. An author never wants to reveal to much of the plot to early. If he does he risks writing a predictable story and thus failing in his task. I heard once that imitation is a form of flattery. Man is created in the image of God. He either wants to be like God or be God. God is the creator, the author, the illustrator and designer of every thing we know. This story belongs to Him. In the beginning He planned the end. “His greatness no one can fathom.” (vs. 3)
The first four words of the Bible are, “In the beginning God”. At this point I imagine a stopwatch and finger pressing the start button. The clock begins ticking and Time begins. God is telling us He was already here. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” (John 1:1-2A) In 2 Timothy Paul writes, “Share in the suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to works, but according to Hi own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” This verse is important because it make several claims about God.
God existed before time. He is not subject to space and time, He created them. He exists outside of them, looking upon His story that is spread out before His view. He sees the present just as clearly as He sees the future. His will is done, the future is already written. The mural of history is His masterpiece; His motion picture will play out exactly how He planned it. He is a perfectionist not one detail was overlooked. The author of life has written the story knowing the whole plot since before the beginning. He had been carefully preparing the world for the climax. The full revelation of God’s plan to reconcile man to Himself, the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In our lives, our perspective allows us only a limited view of God’s Master Plan. That fragment is so small it can sometimes feel insignificant and negligible. For example, God is doing things all around the world, in every country. I only directly witness the things He does in my life and the lives of people around me. Imagine how many thing I don’t see. Now imagine how many groups of believers there are that I’ve never heard of and all the thing He does in their midst. (You get the picture?) God is behind it all. He is composing a song, played by a billion piece orchestra. It’s almost like He’s playing every instrument Himself, skillfully making beautiful music that is a testament to His power and glory. “God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” (1Cor 11:22) Granted sometimes His slaves do not have their lives in tune, but He is not caught by surprise. He is still in control. Now you see that even the most miraculous wonder God does in my personal life is a speck compared to the wondrous work He is doing on earth. In comparison those things may seem so small, there apparent impact on the world is nil. But God see the bigger picture. One day we will all see the whole. “For now we see indistinctly as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but I will know fully as I am fully known.” (1 Cor 13:12)
Before the time of Christ, God was preparing the world for salvation. From the moment of the fall, God has wanted our relationship with Him to be reconciled. He made sure the knowledge of Him would never die out. He always preserves a remnant. This is where foreshadowing comes in.
Colossians 2:16-17 says, “Therefore don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or new moon or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is in the Messiah.”
In other words, the tradition was just foreshadowing for the future. The cultural and ceremonial practices of before were part of the recital. The Messianic Age is the big dance.
Hebrew 10:1 says, “Since the law has only a shadow of good things to come; and not the actual form of those realities; it can never perfect the worshiper by the same sacrifices they continually offer year after year.”
The passage goes on to talk about how the first established the second. The second being the man who, “after offering one sacrifice for all sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.”
Psalm 145 is a foreshadowing of the Christian life, modeled through the praises of King David. I also believe that Psalm 145 gives us a glimpse of how God felt about evangelism and discipleship before the time of Jesus.
Christian are people of The Faith and should therefore be people of action.
James 2:14-18 “What good is it, my brothers if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? Can his faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.”
There are many actions taking place in the first seven verses of this psalm. All of the actions in the verses are actions we should do. All the verbs are action we do specifically when share the gospel.
vs. 1: “I will exalt you.” / “I will praise your name.”
vs. 2 “I will praise you and extol your name.”
vs. 2 “I will praise you and extol your name.”
Unbeliever will know we’re different when they see how the Lord is exalted in our lives above our own interest. Our testimonies are a powerful tool given to us to win the lost. Our individual stories of God’s goodness can impact people. We should be sure to praise God and extol his name when we share our testimony.
vs. 4 “One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.”
vs. 5 “They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.”
vs. 6 “They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.”
vs. 5 “They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.”
vs. 6 “They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.”
vs. 6 “They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.”
Are you see it now? All of these actions allude to, or better foreshadow the spread of the gospel. First through the testimony about the great act of Jesus from the eyewitnesses. And then through the testimonies of how people lives were changed after hearing the gospel. And awesome account of this event in found in 1 Thessalonians chapter one: “(vs.5) For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance.”
(vs. 6) “ You welcomed the message with the joy from the Holy Spirit.”
(vs. 7) “ As a result, you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.”
(vs. 8) “ For the Lord’s message rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faith in God has gone out, so we don’t need to say anything.”
“For they themselves report about us what kind of reception we had from you: how you turned to God from idol to serve the living and true God.”
(vs. 6) “ You welcomed the message with the joy from the Holy Spirit.”
(vs. 7) “ As a result, you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.”
(vs. 8) “ For the Lord’s message rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faith in God has gone out, so we don’t need to say anything.”
“For they themselves report about us what kind of reception we had from you: how you turned to God from idol to serve the living and true God.”
Imagine Paul and his boys, going into a town fully expecting to have to do a miracle in order to get the people’s attention. Instead, they get mobbed as soon as they come into view, being bombarded with questions because everybody wants to know what this gospel is that changes people’s lives. Apparently the believers in Thessalonica were living loud because news about them had spread everywhere in the province and there was a big buzz about it. People here their testimonies and saw radical change.
Here some food for thought, does the message ring out in America? People know about the church. People have heard about Jesus. But, do they see a people who turned to from idol to serve God? Is the message ringing out in your neighborhood? Your state? Do people hear us praising God? Are we commending his works to this generation of unbelievers? Do they see God exalted in our lives? Do walk do the street extolling His name?
The knowledge of God the creator survived in Jewish culture because it was passed down from generation and guarded with care. Older men taught younger men about God. Teachers of the law mentor young men through apprenticeship. They nurtured them up into maturity. In this way knowledge was passed down. It became an important part of their daily lives. In Deuteronomy 6, God instructed them, “These words I am giving to you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to you children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and gates.”
The old body reproduces a lifestyle. Verse 4 says, “ One generation will commend your works to another.” If we are looking the foreshadowing, who is this generation who commends God’s works to another. Maybe the Godly Generation of Saints who will commend his works to the unbelieving generation.
God is not talking about a specific generation, ( And it is God speaking. “All scripture is God breathed.” ) born between this date and that. Remember He is outside of time. He is not in the future. He is not in the past. He is right now. He spoke to every believer at the same time. His word does not need to be updated as time goes on like these textbooks in college. He spoke at the time the His word was given to every man, woman and child who would ever live until the end of time, all at the same time. All the generation are one church. We most likely won’t be sort by our graduation dates in the end of time. This word means the same for me as it did to someone who lived a hundred years ago. And will mean the same thing for someone who lives a hundred years from now. The methods may change but the message is still the same. “One generation will commend your works to another.” This is how we get down. This is how we live. Christianity is not a club it’s a lifestyle. A history of proclaiming Christ to the world is our heritage. A culture of discipling our young will continue. The Body will live on beyond us.
There are reports that the Christian Faith is declining. It is possible that in America we are dying out. We might not be reproducing a replacement levels. Imagine an America without the Church. All death no salt. If you can imagine America operating virtually no conscience, you can see how dangerous that is. So if we believe this is true. I have some closing questions; if you have the answers people send em in.
The answer may be found in the rest of the chapter.
To be continued…..
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
Great is the LORD and most worthy of
praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation will commend your works
to another;
they will tell of your mighty acts.
They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and I will meditate on your wonderful
works.
They will tell of the power of your
awesome works,
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They will celebrate your abundant
goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness."
In fiction readers may come across a literary device called foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is when the author gives clues that allude to events later in the story. The author is able to do this because he knows the entirety of the story. He sits in a position of knowing as the reader is taken on this journey. A good author takes care to lead his reader through an adventure. Making sure that his goals for the reader will be satisfied in the end, mainly that he/she will enjoy the ride, buy the book and recommend it to others. An author never wants to reveal to much of the plot to early. If he does he risks writing a predictable story and thus failing in his task. I heard once that imitation is a form of flattery. Man is created in the image of God. He either wants to be like God or be God. God is the creator, the author, the illustrator and designer of every thing we know. This story belongs to Him. In the beginning He planned the end. “His greatness no one can fathom.” (vs. 3)
The first four words of the Bible are, “In the beginning God”. At this point I imagine a stopwatch and finger pressing the start button. The clock begins ticking and Time begins. God is telling us He was already here. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” (John 1:1-2A) In 2 Timothy Paul writes, “Share in the suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to works, but according to Hi own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” This verse is important because it make several claims about God.
- We were called not only before we were born but before time began.
- He purposed Himself/ had a plan specifically to make humans and then reconcile them to Himself through Christ Jesus, who was present, before time began.
- And the obvious, He existed to do these things before Time began.
God existed before time. He is not subject to space and time, He created them. He exists outside of them, looking upon His story that is spread out before His view. He sees the present just as clearly as He sees the future. His will is done, the future is already written. The mural of history is His masterpiece; His motion picture will play out exactly how He planned it. He is a perfectionist not one detail was overlooked. The author of life has written the story knowing the whole plot since before the beginning. He had been carefully preparing the world for the climax. The full revelation of God’s plan to reconcile man to Himself, the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In our lives, our perspective allows us only a limited view of God’s Master Plan. That fragment is so small it can sometimes feel insignificant and negligible. For example, God is doing things all around the world, in every country. I only directly witness the things He does in my life and the lives of people around me. Imagine how many thing I don’t see. Now imagine how many groups of believers there are that I’ve never heard of and all the thing He does in their midst. (You get the picture?) God is behind it all. He is composing a song, played by a billion piece orchestra. It’s almost like He’s playing every instrument Himself, skillfully making beautiful music that is a testament to His power and glory. “God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” (1Cor 11:22) Granted sometimes His slaves do not have their lives in tune, but He is not caught by surprise. He is still in control. Now you see that even the most miraculous wonder God does in my personal life is a speck compared to the wondrous work He is doing on earth. In comparison those things may seem so small, there apparent impact on the world is nil. But God see the bigger picture. One day we will all see the whole. “For now we see indistinctly as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but I will know fully as I am fully known.” (1 Cor 13:12)
Before the time of Christ, God was preparing the world for salvation. From the moment of the fall, God has wanted our relationship with Him to be reconciled. He made sure the knowledge of Him would never die out. He always preserves a remnant. This is where foreshadowing comes in.
Colossians 2:16-17 says, “Therefore don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or new moon or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is in the Messiah.”
In other words, the tradition was just foreshadowing for the future. The cultural and ceremonial practices of before were part of the recital. The Messianic Age is the big dance.
Hebrew 10:1 says, “Since the law has only a shadow of good things to come; and not the actual form of those realities; it can never perfect the worshiper by the same sacrifices they continually offer year after year.”
The passage goes on to talk about how the first established the second. The second being the man who, “after offering one sacrifice for all sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.”
Psalm 145 is a foreshadowing of the Christian life, modeled through the praises of King David. I also believe that Psalm 145 gives us a glimpse of how God felt about evangelism and discipleship before the time of Jesus.
Christian are people of The Faith and should therefore be people of action.
James 2:14-18 “What good is it, my brothers if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? Can his faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.”
There are many actions taking place in the first seven verses of this psalm. All of the actions in the verses are actions we should do. All the verbs are action we do specifically when share the gospel.
vs. 1: “I will exalt you.” / “I will praise your name.”
vs. 2 “I will praise you and extol your name.”
vs. 2 “I will praise you and extol your name.”
Unbeliever will know we’re different when they see how the Lord is exalted in our lives above our own interest. Our testimonies are a powerful tool given to us to win the lost. Our individual stories of God’s goodness can impact people. We should be sure to praise God and extol his name when we share our testimony.
vs. 4 “One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.”
vs. 5 “They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.”
vs. 6 “They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.”
vs. 5 “They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.”
vs. 6 “They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.”
vs. 6 “They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.”
Are you see it now? All of these actions allude to, or better foreshadow the spread of the gospel. First through the testimony about the great act of Jesus from the eyewitnesses. And then through the testimonies of how people lives were changed after hearing the gospel. And awesome account of this event in found in 1 Thessalonians chapter one: “(vs.5) For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance.”
(vs. 6) “ You welcomed the message with the joy from the Holy Spirit.”
(vs. 7) “ As a result, you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.”
(vs. 8) “ For the Lord’s message rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faith in God has gone out, so we don’t need to say anything.”
“For they themselves report about us what kind of reception we had from you: how you turned to God from idol to serve the living and true God.”
(vs. 6) “ You welcomed the message with the joy from the Holy Spirit.”
(vs. 7) “ As a result, you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.”
(vs. 8) “ For the Lord’s message rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faith in God has gone out, so we don’t need to say anything.”
“For they themselves report about us what kind of reception we had from you: how you turned to God from idol to serve the living and true God.”
Imagine Paul and his boys, going into a town fully expecting to have to do a miracle in order to get the people’s attention. Instead, they get mobbed as soon as they come into view, being bombarded with questions because everybody wants to know what this gospel is that changes people’s lives. Apparently the believers in Thessalonica were living loud because news about them had spread everywhere in the province and there was a big buzz about it. People here their testimonies and saw radical change.
Here some food for thought, does the message ring out in America? People know about the church. People have heard about Jesus. But, do they see a people who turned to from idol to serve God? Is the message ringing out in your neighborhood? Your state? Do people hear us praising God? Are we commending his works to this generation of unbelievers? Do they see God exalted in our lives? Do walk do the street extolling His name?
The knowledge of God the creator survived in Jewish culture because it was passed down from generation and guarded with care. Older men taught younger men about God. Teachers of the law mentor young men through apprenticeship. They nurtured them up into maturity. In this way knowledge was passed down. It became an important part of their daily lives. In Deuteronomy 6, God instructed them, “These words I am giving to you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to you children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and gates.”
The old body reproduces a lifestyle. Verse 4 says, “ One generation will commend your works to another.” If we are looking the foreshadowing, who is this generation who commends God’s works to another. Maybe the Godly Generation of Saints who will commend his works to the unbelieving generation.
- They will tell of His mighty acts.
- They speak of the splendor of His majesty.
- They tell of the power of His awesome works.
- They celebrate His abundant goodness and joyfully sing of His righteousness.
God is not talking about a specific generation, ( And it is God speaking. “All scripture is God breathed.” ) born between this date and that. Remember He is outside of time. He is not in the future. He is not in the past. He is right now. He spoke to every believer at the same time. His word does not need to be updated as time goes on like these textbooks in college. He spoke at the time the His word was given to every man, woman and child who would ever live until the end of time, all at the same time. All the generation are one church. We most likely won’t be sort by our graduation dates in the end of time. This word means the same for me as it did to someone who lived a hundred years ago. And will mean the same thing for someone who lives a hundred years from now. The methods may change but the message is still the same. “One generation will commend your works to another.” This is how we get down. This is how we live. Christianity is not a club it’s a lifestyle. A history of proclaiming Christ to the world is our heritage. A culture of discipling our young will continue. The Body will live on beyond us.
There are reports that the Christian Faith is declining. It is possible that in America we are dying out. We might not be reproducing a replacement levels. Imagine an America without the Church. All death no salt. If you can imagine America operating virtually no conscience, you can see how dangerous that is. So if we believe this is true. I have some closing questions; if you have the answers people send em in.
- What is sterilizing the church?
- Why are we going extinct?
- Is God in the process of removing our lamp? (see rev)
The answer may be found in the rest of the chapter.
To be continued…..
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Protect Yourself at All Times!
Yesterday, I got to see a dear friend of mine I hadn't seen in awhile. He seems to be doing very well he is an outspoken Christian and the Lord has big plans for him to do battle on the college front. Though he is not perfect I am so exited to see what God's is going to do in his life. I'm always talking to him about warfare. And I've really been trying to help him understand how the enemy is working. Sometimes the enemy works in covert ways undercover, in the dark because I what he's doing is seen his plan may be thwated. (Though truthfully I doesn't matter because I'm sure the Lord protect us from his schemes whether we see them or not) Other times he works overtly; boldly, openly and publicly mocking God and his people effort to win the lost. Towards the end of our conversation he informed me that he was going with a friend to see the new Harry Potter movie. Now, I don't know the facts about the author maybe someone can school me on her. I don't know whether the spells in the book are real spells but what I do know is what's in the book. And how the enemy is seeking to use this popular book series to stear the hearts and minds of the people of earth further and further into rebellion against God.
"When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not imitate the destable customs of those nations. No one is to make his son or daughter pass through fire, practice divination, tell fortunes, interpret omens, practice socery, cast spells, consult a medium or a familiar spirit, or inquire of the dead. Everyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and the Lord your God is driving out the nations before you because of these detestable things. You must be blameless before the Lord your God. Though these nations you are about to drive out listen to fortune-tellers and diviners, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do this."
Of course I know someone will say. But I'm not doing any of that stuff what is the harm in just watching it. I'm sure there's a few wicked sites on the internet you wouldn't visit with that rationalization. The fact is the word says: "have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness." (Eph 5:11) So if you wanna have a nice clean life, stay away from wicked things. Protect yourself at ALL TIMES!
- The Harry Potter series is about a young boy who goes to a school of wizardry. (witchcraft)
- The books get more and more violent as the story progresses. (Frog in boiling water)
- And I spoil the ending for any of you who just can't let go until you know the end. Harry lives and kills the bad guy. (sacastic: yeah)
"When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not imitate the destable customs of those nations. No one is to make his son or daughter pass through fire, practice divination, tell fortunes, interpret omens, practice socery, cast spells, consult a medium or a familiar spirit, or inquire of the dead. Everyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and the Lord your God is driving out the nations before you because of these detestable things. You must be blameless before the Lord your God. Though these nations you are about to drive out listen to fortune-tellers and diviners, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do this."
Of course I know someone will say. But I'm not doing any of that stuff what is the harm in just watching it. I'm sure there's a few wicked sites on the internet you wouldn't visit with that rationalization. The fact is the word says: "have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness." (Eph 5:11) So if you wanna have a nice clean life, stay away from wicked things. Protect yourself at ALL TIMES!
Monday, December 6, 2010
A Trip Inside My Mind: Scary
Ok so I found this “journal entry” I guess? In one of my old notebooks. Would tell you when I wrote it but I honestly don’t know. I do however remember that I wrote it right after having a demonic dream and it was pretty tough period of my life. Gave me goosebumps so I thought I’d post it. I think it would be helpful to somebody somewhere and I goes with some future posts I’m writing. Here it is:
Sometime in the summer of 2009,
The devil doesn’t know my thoughts; he can only see my actions. My action should be driven by the spirit. This new Thorn is good (i meant good skill wise) but he has no real power, none of them do. It’s all fear tactics. I need to correct my habits.
“So I say live by the spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” That’s a promise in the word of God. The word of God is truth. Any message contrary to that is a lie. Any message that says I can’t IS A LIE! “So I say live by the spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature (I.E. the flesh) For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the spirit.” When I sin it feels like the spirit dies. Sin separates us from God. The flesh (sinful nature) desires independence from God. “Live by the spirit and you will not gratify the sinful nature (or flesh)” Which desires what is contrary to the spirit, which means to be separate from God. Because the spirit wants you to be close to God. “The spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature (closeness to God) There are in conflict.” There is friction that occurs. I am confined to this flesh while I am on earth. I can not exist on the earth with out the flesh. I am stuck with it. When you become a Christian the spirit comes to dwell within you. The flesh and the spirit clash. I am more used to walking in the flesh. I’ve always had it. Walking in the spirit is harder. I don’t feel natural; it’s contrary to what I used to. “So that you do not do what you want.” When you become a Christian you’ve expressed a desire to walk in the spirit and know God. And the spirit of God comes and dwells in you. You want to do this but you’re condition to do that. Bad habits die hard. They were already formed and are hard to break. You don’t always do what you want. I’d like to live a perfect sinless life but I know that is impossible. “But if you are led by the spirit you are not under the law.” The law referred to is the law of sin. The law of the “land” the rules by which everyone seems to be living. “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy, drunkenness, orgies and the like.”
And that it. A couple point I want to make:
This is a perfect example of a good defense using the offensive weapon of the word of God I’d like to see Satan successfully tempt someone whose meditating on that. Many times we see our weakness and don’t do anything about it. If you have even the suspicion that something might be bad for you please BE AGGRESSIVE and take care of it.(Mathew 5:29 and Mathew 18:9Unfortunately many of the act of the sinful nature listed regularly practices in the church today. Be part of the solution instead of part of the problem.
Sometime in the summer of 2009,
The devil doesn’t know my thoughts; he can only see my actions. My action should be driven by the spirit. This new Thorn is good (i meant good skill wise) but he has no real power, none of them do. It’s all fear tactics. I need to correct my habits.
“So I say live by the spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” That’s a promise in the word of God. The word of God is truth. Any message contrary to that is a lie. Any message that says I can’t IS A LIE! “So I say live by the spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature (I.E. the flesh) For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the spirit.” When I sin it feels like the spirit dies. Sin separates us from God. The flesh (sinful nature) desires independence from God. “Live by the spirit and you will not gratify the sinful nature (or flesh)” Which desires what is contrary to the spirit, which means to be separate from God. Because the spirit wants you to be close to God. “The spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature (closeness to God) There are in conflict.” There is friction that occurs. I am confined to this flesh while I am on earth. I can not exist on the earth with out the flesh. I am stuck with it. When you become a Christian the spirit comes to dwell within you. The flesh and the spirit clash. I am more used to walking in the flesh. I’ve always had it. Walking in the spirit is harder. I don’t feel natural; it’s contrary to what I used to. “So that you do not do what you want.” When you become a Christian you’ve expressed a desire to walk in the spirit and know God. And the spirit of God comes and dwells in you. You want to do this but you’re condition to do that. Bad habits die hard. They were already formed and are hard to break. You don’t always do what you want. I’d like to live a perfect sinless life but I know that is impossible. “But if you are led by the spirit you are not under the law.” The law referred to is the law of sin. The law of the “land” the rules by which everyone seems to be living. “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy, drunkenness, orgies and the like.”
And that it. A couple point I want to make:
This is a perfect example of a good defense using the offensive weapon of the word of God I’d like to see Satan successfully tempt someone whose meditating on that. Many times we see our weakness and don’t do anything about it. If you have even the suspicion that something might be bad for you please BE AGGRESSIVE and take care of it.(Mathew 5:29 and Mathew 18:9Unfortunately many of the act of the sinful nature listed regularly practices in the church today. Be part of the solution instead of part of the problem.
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