2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 (ESV)
"10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to LOVE "THE TRUTH" and so be saved.
11 Therefore GOD sends them a STRONG DELUSION, so that they MAY BELIEVE WHAT IS FALSE,
12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe "THE TRUTH" but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
This passage was recently shared by a dear friend whom I respect greatly. Like so many times, I had read these words before often and had yet to SEE the meaning that GOD revealed to me when I observed them this time. Not being "formally" educated, I I don't have to rely on the ability to SEE somethings that I feel I should, but GOD to REVEALS things to me at HIS pleasure and discretion. And and when HE opens your EYES to something, the impact is generally lasting!
The words "STRONG DELUSION" have always stood out to me, I guess because it focuses on the negative, and that is what the natural man tends to observe more quickly. But when reading verse 10 this time the words LOVE "THE TRUTH" in a the recent message were followed by (Jesus Christ) (John 14:6) in parentheses!
The very next few words indicates that GOD would send a STRONG DELUSION because they refused to LOVE "THE TRUTH"! It doesn't say they didn't know "THE TRUTH", but it regretfully says they didn't LOVE "THE TRUTH"! JESUS HIMSELF said "you cannot serve two masters", so if you do not love HIM, you must love the enemy!
In Isaiah 42:8 scripture records "I am the LORD; that is MY name; MY glory I give to no other, nor MY praise to carved idols". Yet how many times do I want to BRAG that "I" was used by GOD to accomplish HIS work? GOD can "use" anybody to glorify HIS name, as Pharaoh found out in Exodus 14:4! GOD deserves to be PRAISED by us, no matter how HE decides to "use" us and whether we agree with HIS Plan! We should be humbled that GOD would chose to use us IF HE does. GOD even chose to have a donkey speak for HIM (Numbers 22:28), so HE is honoring us when HE selects us to speak for HIM!
When we LOVE "THE TRUTH" there can be no substitute HIM in our lives! The enemy can attempt to deceive all he cares to, but he has nothing that can compare to "THE TRUTH"! However, when our relationship with "THE TRUTH" is weakened by a lackluster prayer life, a less than hearty study of HIS WORD, and replaced with personal reasonings and emotions, GOD will sometimes send STRONG DELUSIONS to add to our problems and confusion! GOD will not share HIS glory with another and we must guard against being those who don't LOVE THE TRUTH"!!!
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Sunday, May 29, 2016
"TRUTH!"
John 9:13-34 (ESV)
"13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.
14 Now it was a Sabbath day when JESUS made the mud and opened his eyes.
15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, "HE put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."
16 Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from GOD, for HE does not keep the Sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a DIVISION AMONG THEM.
17 So they said again to the blind man, "What do you say about HIM, since HE has opened your eyes?" He said, "HE is a prophet."
18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight
19 and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?"
20 His parents answered, "We know that this is our son and that he was born blind.
21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself."
22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess JESUS to be CHRIST, he was to be put out of the synagogue.)
23 Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."
24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, "Give glory to GOD. We know that this man is a sinner."
25 He answered, "Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see."
26 They said to him, "What did HE do to you? How did HE open your eyes?"
27 He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become HIS disciples?"
28 And they reviled him, saying, "You are HIS disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.
29 We know that GOD has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where HE comes from."
30 The man answered, "Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where HE comes from, and yet HE opened my eyes.
31 We know that GOD does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of GOD and does HIS will, GOD listens to him.
32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind.
33 If this man were not from GOD, HE could do nothing."
34 They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out."
The scriptures above are lengthy, but they are shared in entirety to demonstrate the fallacy of the enemy's plan to attack TRUTH! The Pharisees brought this formerly blind man to them to try and build their case that JESUS (TRUTH) was a farce. And after his Testimony of the TRUTH, they "cast him out"!
Modern day examples of this are present in abundance as the TRUTH is rejected for the deceit of the enemy! When you can see deceit being glorified by "this world", don't get discouraged! JESUS said in John 16:33b ".....In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." TRUTH!!!
"13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.
14 Now it was a Sabbath day when JESUS made the mud and opened his eyes.
15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, "HE put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."
16 Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from GOD, for HE does not keep the Sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a DIVISION AMONG THEM.
17 So they said again to the blind man, "What do you say about HIM, since HE has opened your eyes?" He said, "HE is a prophet."
18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight
19 and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?"
20 His parents answered, "We know that this is our son and that he was born blind.
21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself."
22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess JESUS to be CHRIST, he was to be put out of the synagogue.)
23 Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."
24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, "Give glory to GOD. We know that this man is a sinner."
25 He answered, "Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see."
26 They said to him, "What did HE do to you? How did HE open your eyes?"
27 He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become HIS disciples?"
28 And they reviled him, saying, "You are HIS disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.
29 We know that GOD has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where HE comes from."
30 The man answered, "Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where HE comes from, and yet HE opened my eyes.
31 We know that GOD does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of GOD and does HIS will, GOD listens to him.
32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind.
33 If this man were not from GOD, HE could do nothing."
34 They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out."
The scriptures above are lengthy, but they are shared in entirety to demonstrate the fallacy of the enemy's plan to attack TRUTH! The Pharisees brought this formerly blind man to them to try and build their case that JESUS (TRUTH) was a farce. And after his Testimony of the TRUTH, they "cast him out"!
Modern day examples of this are present in abundance as the TRUTH is rejected for the deceit of the enemy! When you can see deceit being glorified by "this world", don't get discouraged! JESUS said in John 16:33b ".....In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." TRUTH!!!
Friday, May 27, 2016
"THEY THAT FEAR THE LORD!"
Malachi 3:16-18 (KJV)
"Then "THEY THAT FEARED THE LORD" spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before HIM for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon HIS name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth GOD and him that serveth HIM not."
There are many who desire to take one or two verses of scripture, isolate them to fit their perceived meaning, while all the time missing the true intent of what is being said. In Luke 6:37 is the often quoted "Judge not, and YE shall not be judged..."! But if you stop there and proceed no further in Scripture study, how do you then deal with 1 Peter 1:16 which states ""Because it is written, Be YE Holy (set apart); for I AM HOLY"? If there is no delineation between that which is GOOD, and that which is EVIL, JUDGEMENT will be a fantasy, for everything might be acceptable? Why would JESUS have died on the cross when my sins didn't separate me from GOD?
We do a disservice to people who are yet to have their sin revealed to them if they believe their actions carry no consequences. There has to be a way of lovingly explaining to "the lost" where the road they are traveling is leading them. I do not say this with any pride, hate, nor righteous indignation, only a fear that those who think GOD will never JUDGE them are being misled by silent pulpits and Believers! Judgement IS coming! It isn't that GOD is so loving that HE will let all of our transgressions "slide"! We must claim the Blood of JESUS CHRIST to cover our sins before we can "commune" with the FATHER!
GOD's children were instructed in Malachi 3:16 to communicate often, and to keep a "book of remembrance" before them. There are many opinions about what the "book of remembrance" was, but I am led to believe that GOD's Word is what can change hearts and lives, so what else should we keep before us? Then in Malachi 3:18 it is written "Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked..."! The word "discern" can be a weighty responsibility! One dictionary defines "discern" as "1. to perceive by the sight or some other sense or by the intellect; SEE, recognize, or apprehend: 2. to distinguish mentally; recognize as distinctor different; discriminate:
3.to distinguish or discriminate.". Note the word "JUDGE" is not used, however we are instructed to "SEE" between the righteous and the wicked!
There are many who are still Spiritually blind, their eyes have yet to be able to SEE, the things of GOD and turn from their wicked ways. That doesn't make we that can SEE any better than them, we are BLESSED to have GRACE bestowed upon us by GOD through JESUS CHRIST! "THEY THAT FEARED THE LORD" have gotten a glimpse of the Holiness of GOD, while at the same time the "undoneness" of man, and have cried out for mercy and forgiveness to a HOLY GOD! Judgement IS coming, but "THEY THAT FEAR THE LORD" have nothing to fear as according to Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ Jesus"! The key receiving NO CONDEMNATION is to be apart of "THEY THAT FEAR THE LORD"!
"Then "THEY THAT FEARED THE LORD" spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before HIM for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon HIS name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth GOD and him that serveth HIM not."
There are many who desire to take one or two verses of scripture, isolate them to fit their perceived meaning, while all the time missing the true intent of what is being said. In Luke 6:37 is the often quoted "Judge not, and YE shall not be judged..."! But if you stop there and proceed no further in Scripture study, how do you then deal with 1 Peter 1:16 which states ""Because it is written, Be YE Holy (set apart); for I AM HOLY"? If there is no delineation between that which is GOOD, and that which is EVIL, JUDGEMENT will be a fantasy, for everything might be acceptable? Why would JESUS have died on the cross when my sins didn't separate me from GOD?
We do a disservice to people who are yet to have their sin revealed to them if they believe their actions carry no consequences. There has to be a way of lovingly explaining to "the lost" where the road they are traveling is leading them. I do not say this with any pride, hate, nor righteous indignation, only a fear that those who think GOD will never JUDGE them are being misled by silent pulpits and Believers! Judgement IS coming! It isn't that GOD is so loving that HE will let all of our transgressions "slide"! We must claim the Blood of JESUS CHRIST to cover our sins before we can "commune" with the FATHER!
GOD's children were instructed in Malachi 3:16 to communicate often, and to keep a "book of remembrance" before them. There are many opinions about what the "book of remembrance" was, but I am led to believe that GOD's Word is what can change hearts and lives, so what else should we keep before us? Then in Malachi 3:18 it is written "Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked..."! The word "discern" can be a weighty responsibility! One dictionary defines "discern" as "1. to perceive by the sight or some other sense or by the intellect; SEE, recognize, or apprehend: 2. to distinguish mentally; recognize as distinctor different; discriminate:
3.to distinguish or discriminate.". Note the word "JUDGE" is not used, however we are instructed to "SEE" between the righteous and the wicked!
There are many who are still Spiritually blind, their eyes have yet to be able to SEE, the things of GOD and turn from their wicked ways. That doesn't make we that can SEE any better than them, we are BLESSED to have GRACE bestowed upon us by GOD through JESUS CHRIST! "THEY THAT FEARED THE LORD" have gotten a glimpse of the Holiness of GOD, while at the same time the "undoneness" of man, and have cried out for mercy and forgiveness to a HOLY GOD! Judgement IS coming, but "THEY THAT FEAR THE LORD" have nothing to fear as according to Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ Jesus"! The key receiving NO CONDEMNATION is to be apart of "THEY THAT FEAR THE LORD"!
Thursday, May 26, 2016
"CALL TO ME!"
Jeremiah 33:1-3
"1 The WORD of the LORD came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard:
2 "THUS SAYS THE LORD WHO MADE THE EARTH, the LORD who formed it to establish it-the LORD is his name:
3 "CALL TO ME" and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known."
There's not a lot of time for conversation, so I will get right down to the meat of the matter. Scripture says that Jeremiah "STILL shut up in the court of the guard"! I'm sure if I studied this a little deeper I could discover exactly what the court of the guard was, but suffice it to say that Jeremiah was LISTENING TO THE LORD! It seems modern day Believers are TOO BUSY with the things of "this world" to discern what GOD is saying to them. Even Believers can be deceived into following their own plans instead of WAITING ON THE LORD!
Jeremiah 17:9-10 says "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds." The enemy knows how impatient I am so he attempts to offer a cheap alternative to GOD's Plan that "appears" to be a viable solution for the problems facing mankind today. GOD is the only ONE WHO has answers to the issues that lie before us, but we have declared GOD to be "off limits" from our politics and public square? We don't want to wait on an answer from HIM, instead we want a solution offered by man to problems that are too big for man to comprehend! When will we SEE that GOD IS THE SOLUTION and not the problem?
GOD is telling us "CALL TO ME" and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known, yet we are moving at such a pace that we cannot hear HIM! I'm not even sure we WANT to hear from HIM! Who in today's society would "shut (themselves) up in the court of the guard" to be able to hear from GOD? Who would want to slow down enough to get directions from a SPIRIT WHO cannot be confirmed by "this world"? On the other hand, WHO can give any better direction????
Until we stop looking to a human for direction and return to WAITING for a WORD from the LORD, we will continue in the whirlpool of following "this world" into destruction. Our only hope is to "CALL TO ME" and seek HIS guidance from this storm we are in and TRUST HIM to lead us in the path we should go. GOD made the earth so it's only right that we TRUST HIM to lead us! Jeremiah knew that he had to be "shut up" from the rat-race of society to hear from GOD! It's time we get alone with GOD, listen for HIS direction, and "CALL TO ME" and TRUST that HE will answer!!!
"1 The WORD of the LORD came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard:
2 "THUS SAYS THE LORD WHO MADE THE EARTH, the LORD who formed it to establish it-the LORD is his name:
3 "CALL TO ME" and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known."
There's not a lot of time for conversation, so I will get right down to the meat of the matter. Scripture says that Jeremiah "STILL shut up in the court of the guard"! I'm sure if I studied this a little deeper I could discover exactly what the court of the guard was, but suffice it to say that Jeremiah was LISTENING TO THE LORD! It seems modern day Believers are TOO BUSY with the things of "this world" to discern what GOD is saying to them. Even Believers can be deceived into following their own plans instead of WAITING ON THE LORD!
Jeremiah 17:9-10 says "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds." The enemy knows how impatient I am so he attempts to offer a cheap alternative to GOD's Plan that "appears" to be a viable solution for the problems facing mankind today. GOD is the only ONE WHO has answers to the issues that lie before us, but we have declared GOD to be "off limits" from our politics and public square? We don't want to wait on an answer from HIM, instead we want a solution offered by man to problems that are too big for man to comprehend! When will we SEE that GOD IS THE SOLUTION and not the problem?
GOD is telling us "CALL TO ME" and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known, yet we are moving at such a pace that we cannot hear HIM! I'm not even sure we WANT to hear from HIM! Who in today's society would "shut (themselves) up in the court of the guard" to be able to hear from GOD? Who would want to slow down enough to get directions from a SPIRIT WHO cannot be confirmed by "this world"? On the other hand, WHO can give any better direction????
Until we stop looking to a human for direction and return to WAITING for a WORD from the LORD, we will continue in the whirlpool of following "this world" into destruction. Our only hope is to "CALL TO ME" and seek HIS guidance from this storm we are in and TRUST HIM to lead us in the path we should go. GOD made the earth so it's only right that we TRUST HIM to lead us! Jeremiah knew that he had to be "shut up" from the rat-race of society to hear from GOD! It's time we get alone with GOD, listen for HIS direction, and "CALL TO ME" and TRUST that HE will answer!!!
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
"YOUR SERVANT HEARS!"
1 Samuel 3:10-14;20 (ESV)
"10 And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for "YOUR SERVANT HEARS"."
11 Then the LORD said to Samuel, "Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.
12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.
13 And I declare to him that I am about to PUNISH HIS HOUSE FOREVER, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and HE DID NOT RESTRAIN THEM.
14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever."
"20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD."
Samuel was "set apart" by GOD from before ice was born for the purpose of glorifying HIM. The mother of Samuel, Hannah, had been unable to conceive, for the LORD had closed her womb (1 Samuel 1:5). She prayed to GOD that if HE gave her a son, she would give him to the LORD, and so it was! Samson was born and Hannah remembered her vow to the LORD. As soon as Samson was weaned, he was carried to the temple and he began serving the LORD under Eli, the priest.
The sons of the priest Eli were not Godly men (1 Samuel 2:12) and did not know, nor fear, the LORD! Just because Eli was the priest did not extrapolate to his sons following GOD. Everybody loves talking about how GOD is a loving GOD, but it seems no one wants to discuss GOD being a Holy, just GOD WHO judges sin, and rather harshly at times! When GOD declares HIS patience is waning, a wise person might show a little remorse? But the sons of Eli didn't even flinch!
1 Samuel 3:1 says that "...the word of the LORD was rare in those days. .". As a matter of fact, Samuel had yet to develop his Spiritual hearing (1 Samuel 3:7) and HE couldn't discern who was calling out to him when GOD was speaking to him. In verse 10 though, Samuel says "Speak, for "YOUR SERVANT HEARS" because Eli had told him to respond this way.
GOD did speak and HIS Words did not prove to be good news for the sons of Eli. In 1 Samuel 4:17 Eli was told "He who brought the news answered and said, "Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured." Eli heard the news and then he fell dead!
When GOD has had enough, someone who hears the voice of GOD better be telling people what GOD is saying! From 1 Samuel 3:1 we know GOD's voice wasn't known by many in these days. Samuel told Eli what was about to happen and he said "It is the LORD. Let HIM do what seems good to HIM!" When GOD's servant says "YOUR SERVANT HEARS", it might be prudent to listen AND HEED the warning he is hearing! If you cannot hear GOD, who do you trust to relay messages from HIM? As for me, I elect to say "YOUR SERVANT HEARS" and obeys!!!
"10 And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for "YOUR SERVANT HEARS"."
11 Then the LORD said to Samuel, "Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.
12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.
13 And I declare to him that I am about to PUNISH HIS HOUSE FOREVER, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and HE DID NOT RESTRAIN THEM.
14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever."
"20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD."
Samuel was "set apart" by GOD from before ice was born for the purpose of glorifying HIM. The mother of Samuel, Hannah, had been unable to conceive, for the LORD had closed her womb (1 Samuel 1:5). She prayed to GOD that if HE gave her a son, she would give him to the LORD, and so it was! Samson was born and Hannah remembered her vow to the LORD. As soon as Samson was weaned, he was carried to the temple and he began serving the LORD under Eli, the priest.
The sons of the priest Eli were not Godly men (1 Samuel 2:12) and did not know, nor fear, the LORD! Just because Eli was the priest did not extrapolate to his sons following GOD. Everybody loves talking about how GOD is a loving GOD, but it seems no one wants to discuss GOD being a Holy, just GOD WHO judges sin, and rather harshly at times! When GOD declares HIS patience is waning, a wise person might show a little remorse? But the sons of Eli didn't even flinch!
1 Samuel 3:1 says that "...the word of the LORD was rare in those days. .". As a matter of fact, Samuel had yet to develop his Spiritual hearing (1 Samuel 3:7) and HE couldn't discern who was calling out to him when GOD was speaking to him. In verse 10 though, Samuel says "Speak, for "YOUR SERVANT HEARS" because Eli had told him to respond this way.
GOD did speak and HIS Words did not prove to be good news for the sons of Eli. In 1 Samuel 4:17 Eli was told "He who brought the news answered and said, "Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured." Eli heard the news and then he fell dead!
When GOD has had enough, someone who hears the voice of GOD better be telling people what GOD is saying! From 1 Samuel 3:1 we know GOD's voice wasn't known by many in these days. Samuel told Eli what was about to happen and he said "It is the LORD. Let HIM do what seems good to HIM!" When GOD's servant says "YOUR SERVANT HEARS", it might be prudent to listen AND HEED the warning he is hearing! If you cannot hear GOD, who do you trust to relay messages from HIM? As for me, I elect to say "YOUR SERVANT HEARS" and obeys!!!
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
"SHE HAS DONE WHAT SHE COULD!"
Mark 14:3-9 (ESV)
"3 And while HE was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as HE was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over HIS head.
4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment "wasted" like that?
5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they scolded her.
6 But JESUS said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to ME.
7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have ME.
8 "SHE HAS DONE WHAT SHE COULD"; she has anointed MY body beforehand for burial.
9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."
For many years I was so upset with the torturous, humbling crucifixion of JESUS that I would say that had I been alive during the day I would have intervened and JESUS wouldn't have had to die! Of course, I now understand that a perfect sacrifice was REQUIRED, and the only ONE who was qualified to be that sacrifice was JESUS, the CHRIST (Hebrews 10:1-18). The Gospel of John identifies the woman spoken about above as Mary, but regardless of whom it was, "SHE HAD DONE WHAT SHE COULD" for JESUS!
In 1 Peter 1:20 scripture reveals that JESUS was chosen "before the foundation of the world" to provide the sacrifice for our sins. GOD had/has a Plan and NOTHING anyone could have done in an attempt to circumvent that Plan would have proven successful. Many times scripture records that JESUS "willingly" laid down HIS life for the sins of ALL mankind. From Adam and Eve until my latest failures, JESUS freely and willingly paid the penalty for mankind's failures out of HIS love for us, AND HIS obedience to the FATHER. HE knew when HE was a boy teaching in the temple (Luke 2:41:52) what HIS future held, and yet HE continued to live a perfect life for you and me!
The disciples had become so caught up in "ministry" that they couldn't "SEE" GOD IN FLESH was about to be slain for the sins of the entire world regardless of how many times JESUS told them what HIS fate would be. It is recorded in the Gospel of John 12:4 that the main culprit was Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would ultimately betray JESUS for 30 pieces of silver. This seems so hateful, deceitful, and underhanded!
But do we not do the same thing sometimes? Showing the LOVE OF CHRIST does NOT entail succumbing to "this worlds" lawless, sinful ways, but rather living in a Holy, respectful, GOD fearing manner as a testimony for HIM! About five years ago a wise mentor of mine told me words that continue to shape my actions to this day! He said "We try to be more than GOD ever intended us to be"! GOD does not need me to be anything other than what HIS Plan calls for me to be! Not only did GOD have a Plan for JESUS, but HE had a Plan for Mary, AND HE has a Plan for you and me! JESUS said of Mary "SHE HAS DONE WHAT SHE COULD" for HIM. I pray that I WILL DO WHAT I CAN, and NOTHING more or less!!!
"3 And while HE was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as HE was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over HIS head.
4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment "wasted" like that?
5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they scolded her.
6 But JESUS said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to ME.
7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have ME.
8 "SHE HAS DONE WHAT SHE COULD"; she has anointed MY body beforehand for burial.
9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."
For many years I was so upset with the torturous, humbling crucifixion of JESUS that I would say that had I been alive during the day I would have intervened and JESUS wouldn't have had to die! Of course, I now understand that a perfect sacrifice was REQUIRED, and the only ONE who was qualified to be that sacrifice was JESUS, the CHRIST (Hebrews 10:1-18). The Gospel of John identifies the woman spoken about above as Mary, but regardless of whom it was, "SHE HAD DONE WHAT SHE COULD" for JESUS!
In 1 Peter 1:20 scripture reveals that JESUS was chosen "before the foundation of the world" to provide the sacrifice for our sins. GOD had/has a Plan and NOTHING anyone could have done in an attempt to circumvent that Plan would have proven successful. Many times scripture records that JESUS "willingly" laid down HIS life for the sins of ALL mankind. From Adam and Eve until my latest failures, JESUS freely and willingly paid the penalty for mankind's failures out of HIS love for us, AND HIS obedience to the FATHER. HE knew when HE was a boy teaching in the temple (Luke 2:41:52) what HIS future held, and yet HE continued to live a perfect life for you and me!
The disciples had become so caught up in "ministry" that they couldn't "SEE" GOD IN FLESH was about to be slain for the sins of the entire world regardless of how many times JESUS told them what HIS fate would be. It is recorded in the Gospel of John 12:4 that the main culprit was Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would ultimately betray JESUS for 30 pieces of silver. This seems so hateful, deceitful, and underhanded!
But do we not do the same thing sometimes? Showing the LOVE OF CHRIST does NOT entail succumbing to "this worlds" lawless, sinful ways, but rather living in a Holy, respectful, GOD fearing manner as a testimony for HIM! About five years ago a wise mentor of mine told me words that continue to shape my actions to this day! He said "We try to be more than GOD ever intended us to be"! GOD does not need me to be anything other than what HIS Plan calls for me to be! Not only did GOD have a Plan for JESUS, but HE had a Plan for Mary, AND HE has a Plan for you and me! JESUS said of Mary "SHE HAS DONE WHAT SHE COULD" for HIM. I pray that I WILL DO WHAT I CAN, and NOTHING more or less!!!
Monday, May 23, 2016
"MY GLORY!"
Isaiah 48:11 (NASB)
"11 “For MY own sake, for MY own sake, I will act; For how can MY name be profaned? And "MY GLORY" I will not give to another."
The following are excerpts from a study on "GOD appointing evil leaders" that I am borrowing from an online study.
"".......you would think that God would only appoint benevolent leaders. After all, it’s supposed to be man and Satan who desire evil, not God. So why the evil leaders?
While Christians sometimes admit to struggling with this question, the suggestions they offer usually fall into two categories: 1) God does it to judge a people or nation and/or 2) God does it to bring about an even greater good.
The first possibility is that God wishes to serve up a heaping spoonful of wrath upon some well-deserving people or nation. Of course, God could just send a plague or rain down some fire and brimstone, but sometimes he prefers to let others do his dirty work for him.
The next suggestion is that God is attempting to bring about some greater good, such as saving souls or bringing about the end of the world. GotQuestions.org cites the persecution of the early church as an example. Clearly God didn’t think the early Christians deserved to be punished, he only punished them so they would scatter, which would help to spread the gospel!
Ultimately, it’s impossible to prove that any evil leader isn’t somehow bringing about some event that helps God in his mysterious plan, or that God isn’t punishing a nation that may have deserved it.""
Allow me to insert commentary and a verse from Exodus 14. In verse 4 GOD says "And I will HARDEN Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I WILL GET GLORY over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD." GOD HARDENED Pharaoh's heart! Pharaoh and ALL HIS HOSTS were drowned in the Red Sea. Some of these HOSTS were just doing what they had been ordered to do. Why would GOD get glory from destroying them? Why?
GOD is HOLY and HE deserves to be praised and honored. In this case, the Egyptians, being led by Pharaoh, were one of the most false god worshipping dynasties of all time. It has been said that every "plague" GOD sent represented one of their false gods. Every one of their false gods were annihilated by YAHWEH in Egypt, now YAHWEH was about to get "HIS GLORY" over Pharaoh and ALL HIS HOSTS. GOD sent MANY warnings that HE wasn't playing around, but those warnings were ignored!
Why would YAHWEH cause "Pharaoh and all his hosts" to go to their watery grave, since HE is a loving GOD? One can speculate that for days, but GOD doesn't need a reason, HE IS GOD! Those who oppose HIM endanger themselves beyond description. There is no way to "open their eyes", as only GOD can do that, and HE is all about receiving HIS glory!
It's true that GOD may ordain Godless, ruthless leaders to carry out HIS purposes, but those purposes will ultimately give glory to The LORD! Be careful with giving anyone other than GOD HIS glory. Isaiah 48:11 (NASB) says "For MY OWN sake, for MY OWN sake, I will act; For how can MY NAME be profaned? And "MY GLORY" I will not give to another." GOD can still literally destroy a nation, or a world, if that glorifies HIS NAME! To me, it is a wise decision to give GOD glory before HE gets it on HIS own?!?!?!
"11 “For MY own sake, for MY own sake, I will act; For how can MY name be profaned? And "MY GLORY" I will not give to another."
The following are excerpts from a study on "GOD appointing evil leaders" that I am borrowing from an online study.
"".......you would think that God would only appoint benevolent leaders. After all, it’s supposed to be man and Satan who desire evil, not God. So why the evil leaders?
While Christians sometimes admit to struggling with this question, the suggestions they offer usually fall into two categories: 1) God does it to judge a people or nation and/or 2) God does it to bring about an even greater good.
The first possibility is that God wishes to serve up a heaping spoonful of wrath upon some well-deserving people or nation. Of course, God could just send a plague or rain down some fire and brimstone, but sometimes he prefers to let others do his dirty work for him.
The next suggestion is that God is attempting to bring about some greater good, such as saving souls or bringing about the end of the world. GotQuestions.org cites the persecution of the early church as an example. Clearly God didn’t think the early Christians deserved to be punished, he only punished them so they would scatter, which would help to spread the gospel!
Ultimately, it’s impossible to prove that any evil leader isn’t somehow bringing about some event that helps God in his mysterious plan, or that God isn’t punishing a nation that may have deserved it.""
Allow me to insert commentary and a verse from Exodus 14. In verse 4 GOD says "And I will HARDEN Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I WILL GET GLORY over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD." GOD HARDENED Pharaoh's heart! Pharaoh and ALL HIS HOSTS were drowned in the Red Sea. Some of these HOSTS were just doing what they had been ordered to do. Why would GOD get glory from destroying them? Why?
GOD is HOLY and HE deserves to be praised and honored. In this case, the Egyptians, being led by Pharaoh, were one of the most false god worshipping dynasties of all time. It has been said that every "plague" GOD sent represented one of their false gods. Every one of their false gods were annihilated by YAHWEH in Egypt, now YAHWEH was about to get "HIS GLORY" over Pharaoh and ALL HIS HOSTS. GOD sent MANY warnings that HE wasn't playing around, but those warnings were ignored!
Why would YAHWEH cause "Pharaoh and all his hosts" to go to their watery grave, since HE is a loving GOD? One can speculate that for days, but GOD doesn't need a reason, HE IS GOD! Those who oppose HIM endanger themselves beyond description. There is no way to "open their eyes", as only GOD can do that, and HE is all about receiving HIS glory!
It's true that GOD may ordain Godless, ruthless leaders to carry out HIS purposes, but those purposes will ultimately give glory to The LORD! Be careful with giving anyone other than GOD HIS glory. Isaiah 48:11 (NASB) says "For MY OWN sake, for MY OWN sake, I will act; For how can MY NAME be profaned? And "MY GLORY" I will not give to another." GOD can still literally destroy a nation, or a world, if that glorifies HIS NAME! To me, it is a wise decision to give GOD glory before HE gets it on HIS own?!?!?!
Sunday, May 22, 2016
"SEEK ME AND FIND ME!"
Jeremiah 29:11-13 (ESV)
"11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
12 Then you will call upon ME and come and pray to ME, and I will hear you.
13 You will "SEEK ME AND FIND ME", when you seek ME with all your heart."
Not to belabor the point, but I understand when my brain hemorrhage occurred in 2007 my wife said "He's going to be okay, I need him"! The fact of the matter is, everyone knows I am the most dependent person and my wife takes better care of me than a President gets taken care of! She thought she needed me, I think I need her. Is that a sign of a healthy relationship? I'm sure both of us would be able to survive without the other, but neither of us want to start trying tomorrow to accomplish that!
No one can replace the LORD in our lives. To have the JOY and PEACE that is irreplaceable is something that can't be described, nor do I want to! HE says HE will be there for us when we "SEEK ME AND FIND ME", when we search for HIM with all our hearts! Knowing that the CREATOR of the universe is there for me when I call upon HIS Name is a comfort beyond words. Having a ONE-sided "dependent relationship" with HIM is the biggest honor and privilege a person could have.
But the frustration of seeking HIM without totally trusting HIM can be REALLY maddening. When we say we trust HIM and proceed to question the direction HE leads us in, are we REALLY trusting in HIM or are we WANTING for HIM to get us out of a bind? Until we get to the point of TRUSTING, not only where HE's leading us, but how HE's leading us, and on the timeline HE's leading us, I submit we are not REALLY TRUSTING WITH OUR WHOLE HEART!
Either GOD is GOD and HE is WHO HE says HE is, or HE is a liar and a fraud. When we "SEEK ME AND FIND ME" with ALL our hearts, we WILL find HIM. GOD loves to provide the "desires of our hearts" (Psalms 37:4), but we have to SEEK HIM with all our beings, not just wanting to get out of the predicament we're in!!!
"11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
12 Then you will call upon ME and come and pray to ME, and I will hear you.
13 You will "SEEK ME AND FIND ME", when you seek ME with all your heart."
Not to belabor the point, but I understand when my brain hemorrhage occurred in 2007 my wife said "He's going to be okay, I need him"! The fact of the matter is, everyone knows I am the most dependent person and my wife takes better care of me than a President gets taken care of! She thought she needed me, I think I need her. Is that a sign of a healthy relationship? I'm sure both of us would be able to survive without the other, but neither of us want to start trying tomorrow to accomplish that!
No one can replace the LORD in our lives. To have the JOY and PEACE that is irreplaceable is something that can't be described, nor do I want to! HE says HE will be there for us when we "SEEK ME AND FIND ME", when we search for HIM with all our hearts! Knowing that the CREATOR of the universe is there for me when I call upon HIS Name is a comfort beyond words. Having a ONE-sided "dependent relationship" with HIM is the biggest honor and privilege a person could have.
But the frustration of seeking HIM without totally trusting HIM can be REALLY maddening. When we say we trust HIM and proceed to question the direction HE leads us in, are we REALLY trusting in HIM or are we WANTING for HIM to get us out of a bind? Until we get to the point of TRUSTING, not only where HE's leading us, but how HE's leading us, and on the timeline HE's leading us, I submit we are not REALLY TRUSTING WITH OUR WHOLE HEART!
Either GOD is GOD and HE is WHO HE says HE is, or HE is a liar and a fraud. When we "SEEK ME AND FIND ME" with ALL our hearts, we WILL find HIM. GOD loves to provide the "desires of our hearts" (Psalms 37:4), but we have to SEEK HIM with all our beings, not just wanting to get out of the predicament we're in!!!
Saturday, May 21, 2016
"WIVES & HUSBANDS"
Ephesians 5:22-33 (ESV)
"22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the LORD.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as CHRIST is the head of the church, HIS body, and is HIMSELF its Savior.
24 Now as the church submits to CHRIST, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
25 Husbands, love your wives, as CHRIST loved the church and gave HIMSELF up for her,
26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word,
27 so that he might present the church to HIMSELF in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as CHRIST does the church,
30 because we are members of his body.
31 "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become ONE FLESH."
32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to CHRIST and the church.
33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband."
Alienating "WIVES" or "HUSBANDS" is certainly not my intended goal. It could be difficult to speak to the "WIVES" portion of this, as I married a woman who honestly exhibits Proverbs 31 as well as most women I have ever seen. I, on the other hand, am probably the biggest challenge of being a biblical "HUSBAND" living! So many times, however, "WIVES" and "HUSBANDS" get so caught up in our "modern day lifestyles" that we don't SEE or HEAR GOD acting or speaking in our lives.
"WIVES" MUST submit themselves to their own "HUSBANDS"! They are not allowed to reject submission just because their "HUSBANDS" aren't biblically performing the GODLY duties. In too many marriages a spouse wants to fix their eyes on their mate and not focus on themselves! You can't expect to improve yourself when you are focusing your attention on someone else's perceived faults! Our own faults are usually easy to identify, IF we bother examining ourselves even a little bit.
"HUSBANDS" MUST love their "WIVES", whether they are lovable or not! No matter how cranky a woman gets, no matter how bad her GODLY traits become, no matter what she is dealing with, a "HUSBAND" is commanded to love his "WIFE"! One of the most humbling things that I have experienced is when one day my eyes were opened to what is meant by "as CHRIST loved the church and gave HIMSELF up for her". CHRIST loved me when I was lost and undone. Yet HE sacrificed HIS life for me anyway! Although I was living a life that in NO WAY reflected HIS sacrifice, HE died for me! That is how much I am COMMANDED to love my "WIFE"! Can you sense my shame?!?!
Both "WIVES" and "HUSBANDS" need to understand that once their vows are spoken to GOD that the oath is now, not only to their spouse, but they have now made a vow to GOD ALMIGHTY to love and cherish each other till death do us part! The "WIFE or "HUSBAND" can display flaws beyond description, but the vow professed to each other was also made to GOD! Defaulting on my vow to my spouse might be forgivable, but defaulting on my vow to GOD is something that needs to be evaluated quite seriously before considering breaking the vow!
It is always interesting to see "WIVES" and "HUSBANDS" and how they look at each other when the minister preaches on Ephesians 5. It seems we always want to observe everyone else's behavior while ignoring our own actions. Judging ourselves is never a pleasant thing to do. Being judged by GOD will be a LOT worse! "WIVES" submit, and "HUSBANDS" love!!! Regardless!!!
"22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the LORD.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as CHRIST is the head of the church, HIS body, and is HIMSELF its Savior.
24 Now as the church submits to CHRIST, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
25 Husbands, love your wives, as CHRIST loved the church and gave HIMSELF up for her,
26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word,
27 so that he might present the church to HIMSELF in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as CHRIST does the church,
30 because we are members of his body.
31 "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become ONE FLESH."
32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to CHRIST and the church.
33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband."
Alienating "WIVES" or "HUSBANDS" is certainly not my intended goal. It could be difficult to speak to the "WIVES" portion of this, as I married a woman who honestly exhibits Proverbs 31 as well as most women I have ever seen. I, on the other hand, am probably the biggest challenge of being a biblical "HUSBAND" living! So many times, however, "WIVES" and "HUSBANDS" get so caught up in our "modern day lifestyles" that we don't SEE or HEAR GOD acting or speaking in our lives.
"WIVES" MUST submit themselves to their own "HUSBANDS"! They are not allowed to reject submission just because their "HUSBANDS" aren't biblically performing the GODLY duties. In too many marriages a spouse wants to fix their eyes on their mate and not focus on themselves! You can't expect to improve yourself when you are focusing your attention on someone else's perceived faults! Our own faults are usually easy to identify, IF we bother examining ourselves even a little bit.
"HUSBANDS" MUST love their "WIVES", whether they are lovable or not! No matter how cranky a woman gets, no matter how bad her GODLY traits become, no matter what she is dealing with, a "HUSBAND" is commanded to love his "WIFE"! One of the most humbling things that I have experienced is when one day my eyes were opened to what is meant by "as CHRIST loved the church and gave HIMSELF up for her". CHRIST loved me when I was lost and undone. Yet HE sacrificed HIS life for me anyway! Although I was living a life that in NO WAY reflected HIS sacrifice, HE died for me! That is how much I am COMMANDED to love my "WIFE"! Can you sense my shame?!?!
Both "WIVES" and "HUSBANDS" need to understand that once their vows are spoken to GOD that the oath is now, not only to their spouse, but they have now made a vow to GOD ALMIGHTY to love and cherish each other till death do us part! The "WIFE or "HUSBAND" can display flaws beyond description, but the vow professed to each other was also made to GOD! Defaulting on my vow to my spouse might be forgivable, but defaulting on my vow to GOD is something that needs to be evaluated quite seriously before considering breaking the vow!
It is always interesting to see "WIVES" and "HUSBANDS" and how they look at each other when the minister preaches on Ephesians 5. It seems we always want to observe everyone else's behavior while ignoring our own actions. Judging ourselves is never a pleasant thing to do. Being judged by GOD will be a LOT worse! "WIVES" submit, and "HUSBANDS" love!!! Regardless!!!
Friday, May 20, 2016
"PRAY!"
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV)
"PRAY" without ceasing."
Amusement or astonishment could be words to describe how some seem to believe they have to orate a perfectly worded message when saying a PRAYer. It's as if our belief is GOD has to have Old English style verbiage before HE will hear our requests. While it is true we should come into HIS presence with awe and respect, I often find myself "just talking" with GOD more times than not.
The Bible app I have carries a section for NOTES that I sometimes write in so I won't forget things I want to remember. On today's passage I have these notes. "Pray? Or Commune with GOD? Commune-World English Dictionary- intimate conversation; exchange of thoughts. We are to "Unceasingly have intimate conversation with the Creator of the Universe"!"
Now if I had an unceasingly intimate conversation with my wife, I doubt it would be filled with a lot of "thee's" and "thou's"! Why should not I think having an intimate conversation with GOD to be any less personal and heartfelt? 1 Samuel 16:7 gives some insight when it says (in part) "...For the LORD sees NOT as man sees.......the LORD looks on the heart."
If GOD sees our hearts, HE already knows our prayers before we say them! Then why do we even need to come to HIM, other than HIS Word instructs us to? If you have children (or grandchildren!!!) and have listened to their heartfelt communications, you may have an answer to that question. As much as I love my children/grandchildren, GOD loves me far more than that! When HIS Word instructs is to "PRAY" without ceasing, I believe HE desires for us to be in communication with HIM constantly, not just because of HIS desire to be foremost in our lives, but so HE can guide us around life's problems that are certain to be in our path!
Yes, it's true, GOD desires to be praised by us (Psalms 22:3), but HE wants to provide safety and guidance in our lives also (Psalms 34:19). We can avoid A LOT of troubles if we intimately communicate with our CREATOR! Just "PRAY"!!!
"PRAY" without ceasing."
Amusement or astonishment could be words to describe how some seem to believe they have to orate a perfectly worded message when saying a PRAYer. It's as if our belief is GOD has to have Old English style verbiage before HE will hear our requests. While it is true we should come into HIS presence with awe and respect, I often find myself "just talking" with GOD more times than not.
The Bible app I have carries a section for NOTES that I sometimes write in so I won't forget things I want to remember. On today's passage I have these notes. "Pray? Or Commune with GOD? Commune-World English Dictionary- intimate conversation; exchange of thoughts. We are to "Unceasingly have intimate conversation with the Creator of the Universe"!"
Now if I had an unceasingly intimate conversation with my wife, I doubt it would be filled with a lot of "thee's" and "thou's"! Why should not I think having an intimate conversation with GOD to be any less personal and heartfelt? 1 Samuel 16:7 gives some insight when it says (in part) "...For the LORD sees NOT as man sees.......the LORD looks on the heart."
If GOD sees our hearts, HE already knows our prayers before we say them! Then why do we even need to come to HIM, other than HIS Word instructs us to? If you have children (or grandchildren!!!) and have listened to their heartfelt communications, you may have an answer to that question. As much as I love my children/grandchildren, GOD loves me far more than that! When HIS Word instructs is to "PRAY" without ceasing, I believe HE desires for us to be in communication with HIM constantly, not just because of HIS desire to be foremost in our lives, but so HE can guide us around life's problems that are certain to be in our path!
Yes, it's true, GOD desires to be praised by us (Psalms 22:3), but HE wants to provide safety and guidance in our lives also (Psalms 34:19). We can avoid A LOT of troubles if we intimately communicate with our CREATOR! Just "PRAY"!!!
Thursday, May 19, 2016
"SETVE GOD AND MONEY!"
Luke 16:10-13 (ESV)
"10 "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?
12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?
13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot "SERVE GOD AND MONEY"."
Throughout my life I have always had the "urge" to be successful, but never to live a lifestyle of exorbitance. Never understanding why, I have been just as content fishing a local waterway near my home with absolutely no one around as visiting a large city with commerce galore! Recently I heard a song named "Little is much when GOD is in it" and so I decided to read the scripture that was behind the song. In doing so, the reason behind my not desiring to live a life of luxury for all to see (and judge) became clear rather quickly!
When a CHOICE is made between "SERVING GOD AND MONEY", the bigger decision has been made to let your life be consumed with either GOD or MONEY? For too many years I have desired to serve GOD while keeping the earthly desire to at least be comfortable in terms of wealth where GOD has placed me in this world. But I have lived in L.A. (Lower Arkansas) most of my life, and there aren't many Billionaires living in this neck of the woods! While it would be nice to have a private jet to jump on at my leisure and travel to distant destinations, I am satisfied traveling in my 10 year+ old Tahoe to where I am going. The desires of "this world" become less and less attractive the closer I get to HIM!
JESUS made it sparkling clear to HIS disciples that man cannot "SERVE GOD AND MONEY", that trying to gain "this world" will cause us to miss GOD's purpose for our lives. The happiest, most content people I have ever met are ones who SERVE others, who "do for" others instead of having things "done for" them! Wealth and fortune will all pass away, but treasures laid up in Heaven will last an eternity.
Although the desire to live in a comfortable manner with my future income all planned out is a goal of mine, I do NOT plot and plan what lies ahead of me like I formerly did. Understanding that you cannot "SERVE GOD AND MONEY" has become more and more clear to me, and I CHOOSE to live my life SERVING others!
"10 "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?
12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?
13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot "SERVE GOD AND MONEY"."
Throughout my life I have always had the "urge" to be successful, but never to live a lifestyle of exorbitance. Never understanding why, I have been just as content fishing a local waterway near my home with absolutely no one around as visiting a large city with commerce galore! Recently I heard a song named "Little is much when GOD is in it" and so I decided to read the scripture that was behind the song. In doing so, the reason behind my not desiring to live a life of luxury for all to see (and judge) became clear rather quickly!
When a CHOICE is made between "SERVING GOD AND MONEY", the bigger decision has been made to let your life be consumed with either GOD or MONEY? For too many years I have desired to serve GOD while keeping the earthly desire to at least be comfortable in terms of wealth where GOD has placed me in this world. But I have lived in L.A. (Lower Arkansas) most of my life, and there aren't many Billionaires living in this neck of the woods! While it would be nice to have a private jet to jump on at my leisure and travel to distant destinations, I am satisfied traveling in my 10 year+ old Tahoe to where I am going. The desires of "this world" become less and less attractive the closer I get to HIM!
JESUS made it sparkling clear to HIS disciples that man cannot "SERVE GOD AND MONEY", that trying to gain "this world" will cause us to miss GOD's purpose for our lives. The happiest, most content people I have ever met are ones who SERVE others, who "do for" others instead of having things "done for" them! Wealth and fortune will all pass away, but treasures laid up in Heaven will last an eternity.
Although the desire to live in a comfortable manner with my future income all planned out is a goal of mine, I do NOT plot and plan what lies ahead of me like I formerly did. Understanding that you cannot "SERVE GOD AND MONEY" has become more and more clear to me, and I CHOOSE to live my life SERVING others!
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
"BE STILL!"
Psalms 46:10 (ESV)
""BE STILL", and know that I am GOD. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"
Only by choosing NOT TO BE SLAVES to our own reasonings and emotions can we win the battle for our minds and begin hearing the voice of GOD within us. (Using our FAITH hearing)
This sentence comes from an online Bible Study that I read about 3-4 months ago. In my quiet time I have repeated this over and over again until I have not only memorized it, but have used it to fend off the enemy when under attack rather often. When you "break it down", the sentence is an amazing statement of true FAITH that everyone needs to experience.
ONLY BY CHOOSING says to me we have to make a CHOICE many times a day to listen to GOD rather than the noise the enemy attempts to make us hear!
NOT TO BE SLAVES means we realize we will be held CAPTIVE if we make the wrong CHOICES. I remember studying about the Civil War. Some SLAVES remained in SLAVERY because they didn't know how to be free! We have to realize the price that was paid to free us from SLAVERY and never go back there again.
TO OUR OWN REASONINGS AND EMOTIONS says that trying to figure things out and know what our future holds is NOT walking by FAITH! If we figure a way to cross our Red Sea, then we don't need GOD to part the Red Sea on our behalf! TRUSTING in GOD requires NOT figuring things out!
CAN WE WIN THE BATTLE FOR OUR MINDS tells me that a constant war is taking place over what we will be thinking about. Colossians 3:2 says "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." For us to SET OUR MINDS means we have to make a conscious decision on what our MINDS will be thinking. We can't let the enemy select for us!
BEGIN HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD WITHIN US tells me that GOD is desiring to speak to us, but my mind is SO besieged by the NOISE generated by the enemy that we can't hear GOD speaking to us most of the time. That is why Psalms 46:10 is such an important verse of the BIBLE to me. ""BE STILL", and know that I am GOD. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" We MUST "BE STILL" to hear from GOD and NOT listen to the noise of "this world"! "BE STILL"!!!
""BE STILL", and know that I am GOD. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"
Only by choosing NOT TO BE SLAVES to our own reasonings and emotions can we win the battle for our minds and begin hearing the voice of GOD within us. (Using our FAITH hearing)
This sentence comes from an online Bible Study that I read about 3-4 months ago. In my quiet time I have repeated this over and over again until I have not only memorized it, but have used it to fend off the enemy when under attack rather often. When you "break it down", the sentence is an amazing statement of true FAITH that everyone needs to experience.
ONLY BY CHOOSING says to me we have to make a CHOICE many times a day to listen to GOD rather than the noise the enemy attempts to make us hear!
NOT TO BE SLAVES means we realize we will be held CAPTIVE if we make the wrong CHOICES. I remember studying about the Civil War. Some SLAVES remained in SLAVERY because they didn't know how to be free! We have to realize the price that was paid to free us from SLAVERY and never go back there again.
TO OUR OWN REASONINGS AND EMOTIONS says that trying to figure things out and know what our future holds is NOT walking by FAITH! If we figure a way to cross our Red Sea, then we don't need GOD to part the Red Sea on our behalf! TRUSTING in GOD requires NOT figuring things out!
CAN WE WIN THE BATTLE FOR OUR MINDS tells me that a constant war is taking place over what we will be thinking about. Colossians 3:2 says "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." For us to SET OUR MINDS means we have to make a conscious decision on what our MINDS will be thinking. We can't let the enemy select for us!
BEGIN HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD WITHIN US tells me that GOD is desiring to speak to us, but my mind is SO besieged by the NOISE generated by the enemy that we can't hear GOD speaking to us most of the time. That is why Psalms 46:10 is such an important verse of the BIBLE to me. ""BE STILL", and know that I am GOD. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" We MUST "BE STILL" to hear from GOD and NOT listen to the noise of "this world"! "BE STILL"!!!
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
"Look, there" or "Look, here"!
Luke 17:22-23 (ESV)
"22 And HE said to the disciples, "The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the SON of Man, and you will not see it.
23 And they will say to you, 'Look, there!' or 'Look, here!' Do not go out or follow them."
It is revealing to me that "this world" continues looking for someone (ANYONE) to be the person who will save us from the sin and injustices of society (whatever they THINK those are) when the only ONE capable of solving the equation came to earth over 2,000 years ago, and paid our ransom. Yet we continue to search? JESUS said there would come a day when people would run from one "solution" to another, always thinking that the next one was the thing that would satisfy or sooth their needs.
With all due respect to the aforementioned, there will never be a leader who fulfills the wishes of everyone. We are Spiritual beings (Genesis 1:27) and the Spirit manage our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19). But JESUS said you can't have dual managers (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13), you have to choose ONE or the other! The enemy wants us to believe THE CHOICE doesn't have to be made just right now, that we have plenty of time to make that decision! I'm sure there were over 3,000 souls that thought there would be a September 12, 2001 too!
There has only been ONE perfect man, and HE was crucified for my sins! Yes, it's MY FAULT that JESUS was brutally crucified on Calvary. But it wasn't JUST my sin, it was the sins of all mankind (1 John 2:2) that nailed my JESUS to that tree. It is as if we ALL are guilty of crimes, but some of us plead guilty and accept a "plea agreement", and some of us elect to go to trial and trust the jury system. However, this jury only has ONE JUROR worthy to sit in judgement, and HIS name is YAHWEH, GOD ALMIGHTY!
The answer to the answers facing "this world" today was, and remains, found in the GOD MAN, JESUS CHRIST! Although we continue to say "Look, there!" or "Look, here", our need for social justice, political justice, or economic justice etc... will never be found until we LOOK to a HIGHER BEING. Colossians 3:2 states "Set your minds on THINGS THAT ARE ABOVE, not on things that are on earth". We need to stop "Look, there!" or "Look, here" and look to JESUS for our answers!!!
"22 And HE said to the disciples, "The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the SON of Man, and you will not see it.
23 And they will say to you, 'Look, there!' or 'Look, here!' Do not go out or follow them."
It is revealing to me that "this world" continues looking for someone (ANYONE) to be the person who will save us from the sin and injustices of society (whatever they THINK those are) when the only ONE capable of solving the equation came to earth over 2,000 years ago, and paid our ransom. Yet we continue to search? JESUS said there would come a day when people would run from one "solution" to another, always thinking that the next one was the thing that would satisfy or sooth their needs.
With all due respect to the aforementioned, there will never be a leader who fulfills the wishes of everyone. We are Spiritual beings (Genesis 1:27) and the Spirit manage our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19). But JESUS said you can't have dual managers (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13), you have to choose ONE or the other! The enemy wants us to believe THE CHOICE doesn't have to be made just right now, that we have plenty of time to make that decision! I'm sure there were over 3,000 souls that thought there would be a September 12, 2001 too!
There has only been ONE perfect man, and HE was crucified for my sins! Yes, it's MY FAULT that JESUS was brutally crucified on Calvary. But it wasn't JUST my sin, it was the sins of all mankind (1 John 2:2) that nailed my JESUS to that tree. It is as if we ALL are guilty of crimes, but some of us plead guilty and accept a "plea agreement", and some of us elect to go to trial and trust the jury system. However, this jury only has ONE JUROR worthy to sit in judgement, and HIS name is YAHWEH, GOD ALMIGHTY!
The answer to the answers facing "this world" today was, and remains, found in the GOD MAN, JESUS CHRIST! Although we continue to say "Look, there!" or "Look, here", our need for social justice, political justice, or economic justice etc... will never be found until we LOOK to a HIGHER BEING. Colossians 3:2 states "Set your minds on THINGS THAT ARE ABOVE, not on things that are on earth". We need to stop "Look, there!" or "Look, here" and look to JESUS for our answers!!!
Monday, May 16, 2016
"I DO NOT RECEIVE GLORY FROM PEOPLE!"
John 5:37-42 (ESV)
"37 And the FATHER who sent ME has HIMSELF borne witness about ME. HIS voice you have never heard, HIS form you have never seen,
38 and you do not have HIS Word abiding in you, for you do not believe the ONE whom HE has sent.
39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about ME,
40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
41 "I DO NOT RECEIVE GLORY FROM PEOPLE".
42 But I know that you do not have the love of GOD within you.
43 I have come in my FATHER's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him."
JESUS did not come into "this world" to win friends! As a matter of fact, HE came to be sacrificed for my sins! On Palm Sunday, one week before HIS crucifixion, the people of Jerusalem crowded the streets hailing JESUS as Messiah. Yet within a week that praise turned into shouts of "Crucify HIM", as public sentiment had taken a huge adjustment.
It is very important to NOT seek the praise and adoration of people. Public opinion can shift on you in a moment and then what will you be left with! Rather, JESUS said the Luke 12:4-5 ""I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will WARN you WHOM to fear: fear HIM who, after HE has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear HIM!"
When JESUS said "I DO NOT RECEIVE GLORY FROM PEOPLE", HE didn't say HE was not to be glorified. In John 17:1 HE prays that the FATHER would glorify HIM so HE could in turn glorify the FATHER. The praise from people will not satisfy nor fulfill. It can be hard to attain, and prove even harder to keep as most people are driven by reasoning and emotions! JESUS was instructing us to seek LASTING glory that would satisfy and fulfill.
Receiving glory from others can be an extremely dangerous thing. We must become as JESUS and pray that GOD be glorified by our actions. Giving GOD glory won't make sense to those who have yet to have their eyes opened (1 Corinthians 1:18). "I DO NOT RECEIVE GLORY FROM PEOPLE" shall be my desire as I want my life to glorify GOD and honor JESUS CHRIST!
"37 And the FATHER who sent ME has HIMSELF borne witness about ME. HIS voice you have never heard, HIS form you have never seen,
38 and you do not have HIS Word abiding in you, for you do not believe the ONE whom HE has sent.
39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about ME,
40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
41 "I DO NOT RECEIVE GLORY FROM PEOPLE".
42 But I know that you do not have the love of GOD within you.
43 I have come in my FATHER's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him."
JESUS did not come into "this world" to win friends! As a matter of fact, HE came to be sacrificed for my sins! On Palm Sunday, one week before HIS crucifixion, the people of Jerusalem crowded the streets hailing JESUS as Messiah. Yet within a week that praise turned into shouts of "Crucify HIM", as public sentiment had taken a huge adjustment.
It is very important to NOT seek the praise and adoration of people. Public opinion can shift on you in a moment and then what will you be left with! Rather, JESUS said the Luke 12:4-5 ""I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will WARN you WHOM to fear: fear HIM who, after HE has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear HIM!"
When JESUS said "I DO NOT RECEIVE GLORY FROM PEOPLE", HE didn't say HE was not to be glorified. In John 17:1 HE prays that the FATHER would glorify HIM so HE could in turn glorify the FATHER. The praise from people will not satisfy nor fulfill. It can be hard to attain, and prove even harder to keep as most people are driven by reasoning and emotions! JESUS was instructing us to seek LASTING glory that would satisfy and fulfill.
Receiving glory from others can be an extremely dangerous thing. We must become as JESUS and pray that GOD be glorified by our actions. Giving GOD glory won't make sense to those who have yet to have their eyes opened (1 Corinthians 1:18). "I DO NOT RECEIVE GLORY FROM PEOPLE" shall be my desire as I want my life to glorify GOD and honor JESUS CHRIST!
Sunday, May 15, 2016
"AVOID THEM!"
Romans 16:17-18 (ESV)
"17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; "AVOID THEM".
18 For such persons do not serve our LORD CHRIST, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive."
It seems that Believers in JESUS CHRIST are labeled by those in "this world" as needing to accept every style lifestyle that is presented by the ungodly OUT OF LOVE. This mindset is clearly brought about by the enemy, as he desires to convince everyone they are "right" in their sin and they are "pretty good" people who have no need for a Savior! The subtle deceit of the enemy can be difficult to recognize, as he is known as "the great deceiver"!
Scripture instructs us to "watch out" for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine you have been taught! If "this world" is attempting to convince us of anything that is contrary to the WORD of GOD, you can be certain it is from the devil! If GOD is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), then confusion must be a tool of the enemy trying to deceive us! We should "AVOID THEM" and their deceitful ways!
But how do WE KNOW a person does "not serve our LORD CHRIST", but serves their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery? Remember, the enemy is known as "the great deceiver" and he can even cause believers to miss GOD's Plan with his counterfeit schemes! Unless "the church" HUMBLY stays on its face before A HOLY GOD and constantly seeks HIS guidance and direction, we can be fooled by lies and deceit. Ephesians 6:11-12 says "Put on the whole armor of GOD, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
Our enemy is not another person, no matter how much they may disagree with our beliefs, or even Scripture. We need to develop our "Spiritual vision" to be so precise that we can SEE our enemy even though he is camouflaged with all of the worldly beauty and ornaments possible. We should "AVOID THEM", not because we fear them, or think they can do us harm. We need to "AVOID THEM" because they aren't interested in glorifying our HEAVENLY FATHER, which is what we should be all about!!
"17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; "AVOID THEM".
18 For such persons do not serve our LORD CHRIST, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive."
It seems that Believers in JESUS CHRIST are labeled by those in "this world" as needing to accept every style lifestyle that is presented by the ungodly OUT OF LOVE. This mindset is clearly brought about by the enemy, as he desires to convince everyone they are "right" in their sin and they are "pretty good" people who have no need for a Savior! The subtle deceit of the enemy can be difficult to recognize, as he is known as "the great deceiver"!
Scripture instructs us to "watch out" for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine you have been taught! If "this world" is attempting to convince us of anything that is contrary to the WORD of GOD, you can be certain it is from the devil! If GOD is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), then confusion must be a tool of the enemy trying to deceive us! We should "AVOID THEM" and their deceitful ways!
But how do WE KNOW a person does "not serve our LORD CHRIST", but serves their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery? Remember, the enemy is known as "the great deceiver" and he can even cause believers to miss GOD's Plan with his counterfeit schemes! Unless "the church" HUMBLY stays on its face before A HOLY GOD and constantly seeks HIS guidance and direction, we can be fooled by lies and deceit. Ephesians 6:11-12 says "Put on the whole armor of GOD, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
Our enemy is not another person, no matter how much they may disagree with our beliefs, or even Scripture. We need to develop our "Spiritual vision" to be so precise that we can SEE our enemy even though he is camouflaged with all of the worldly beauty and ornaments possible. We should "AVOID THEM", not because we fear them, or think they can do us harm. We need to "AVOID THEM" because they aren't interested in glorifying our HEAVENLY FATHER, which is what we should be all about!!
Saturday, May 14, 2016
"YOU WERE NOT READY!"
1 Corinthians 3:1-6 (ESV)
"1 But I, brothers, could not address you as Spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as INFANTS in CHRIST.
2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for "YOU WERE NOT READY" for it. And even now you are not yet ready,
3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?
4 For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human?
5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each.
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but GOD GAVE THE GROWTH."
One of the quickest ways to get me "in the flesh" is begin testifying about what GOD is doing in the _____(fill in the blank denomination)________ church! While I confess I go to a certain "denomination" fellowship, it's not because of that denomination that I attend there. The reason my wife and I attend where we do is GOD speaks to us through the Pastor, and the "flock" is as loving, and giving, as any fellowship I have attended in my life.
The Apostle Paul, in writing his first epistle to the church at Corinth, wrote very plainly, almost BLUNTLY, that he had to address some very gently, for they were Spiritually immature and could digest the meatier things of the Spirit! The journey Paul had been put through was not something that is very well advertised. According to Galatians 1, after Paul's conversion he went to Arabia and then Damascus for three years. There are many theories about what he did while removed from his normal routine, but without a doubt, he was being taught some valuable lessons by the Holy Spirit to groom him for the Plan GOD had for his life!
GOD has a Plan for each of our lives. Whatever situation you find yourself in, no matter how plush or difficult, GOD has a Plan and purpose. Glean everything you can from the difficulties, for you don't want to experience them again to learn what you should have the first time! Ask Joseph about GOD's Plan (Genesis 50:20)! So don't get caught up in what your denomination, or whatever you want to call the "wall" your fellowship uses, does for the Kingdom of GOD. Don't get caught up in how other denominations observe what GOD is leading them to do.
All I need to do is be READY TO BE USED BY HIM when the time comes to Glorify HIS name to a lost and dying world! HEAVENLY FATHER, don't let me one day hear YOU say to me "YOU WERE NOT READY"!!
"1 But I, brothers, could not address you as Spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as INFANTS in CHRIST.
2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for "YOU WERE NOT READY" for it. And even now you are not yet ready,
3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?
4 For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human?
5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each.
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but GOD GAVE THE GROWTH."
One of the quickest ways to get me "in the flesh" is begin testifying about what GOD is doing in the _____(fill in the blank denomination)________ church! While I confess I go to a certain "denomination" fellowship, it's not because of that denomination that I attend there. The reason my wife and I attend where we do is GOD speaks to us through the Pastor, and the "flock" is as loving, and giving, as any fellowship I have attended in my life.
The Apostle Paul, in writing his first epistle to the church at Corinth, wrote very plainly, almost BLUNTLY, that he had to address some very gently, for they were Spiritually immature and could digest the meatier things of the Spirit! The journey Paul had been put through was not something that is very well advertised. According to Galatians 1, after Paul's conversion he went to Arabia and then Damascus for three years. There are many theories about what he did while removed from his normal routine, but without a doubt, he was being taught some valuable lessons by the Holy Spirit to groom him for the Plan GOD had for his life!
GOD has a Plan for each of our lives. Whatever situation you find yourself in, no matter how plush or difficult, GOD has a Plan and purpose. Glean everything you can from the difficulties, for you don't want to experience them again to learn what you should have the first time! Ask Joseph about GOD's Plan (Genesis 50:20)! So don't get caught up in what your denomination, or whatever you want to call the "wall" your fellowship uses, does for the Kingdom of GOD. Don't get caught up in how other denominations observe what GOD is leading them to do.
All I need to do is be READY TO BE USED BY HIM when the time comes to Glorify HIS name to a lost and dying world! HEAVENLY FATHER, don't let me one day hear YOU say to me "YOU WERE NOT READY"!!
Friday, May 13, 2016
"MALE AND FEMALE!"
Genesis 1:26-27 (ESV)
"26 Then GOD said, "Let us make man in OUR image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
27 So GOD created man in HIS own image, in the IMAGE OF GOD HE created him; "MALE AND FEMALE" HE created them."
Being one of the people who are of the belief that the WORD of GOD is Divinely inspired, to me, is just part of recognizing that GOD is Sovereign and in control of everything! Accepting that we are NOT GOD and don't get to participate in the more serious matters, as writing the HOLY BIBLE, is just one of the realizations that must be made in life.
John 4:24 begins with"GOD is Spirit.." Man was created IMAGE OF GOD, so we are Spirit. BUT we are only in HIS IMAGE! According to one dictionary, the word IMAGE means "form; appearance; semblance:", it doesn't mean we are created as gods! In following GOD's Plan, through Adam and Eve we allowed sin into our Spirits, so we are no longer HOLY, thus WE ARE NOT GOD, we don't get to make decisions that only GOD is qualified to make. Mankind was not created to handle some of the more complex matters in life, such as when we are born, when we die, who gets diseases, determining what gender we are when we are born, and the list goes on and on!
Psalms 139:14 says "I praise YOU, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are YOUR works; my soul knows it very well". Since GOD "fearfully and wonderfully" made us, only HE has the authority to decide some issues. Mankind isn't qualified to decide when life begins, nor when life ends, who gets diseases, and whether we are born "MALE AND FEMALE"!
Never was my status of NOT being GOD made more clear to me than in the fall of 1996. My younger sister was 33 years old and, by all appearances, the picture of great health! In August 1996 she played on a "5 and 5" softball team. She had exploratory surgery in September trying to determine why she was having some gastric issues, but nothing was found. She went to a larger city in October and was diagnosed with Stomach Cancer. The day after Christmas 1996 she died, looking as though she was 95 years old! The cancer had ravaged her body fiercely in three months and there was NOTHING BIG BROTHER COULD DO TO HELP HER!!
Having GOD's omniscience and omnipotence displayed to us can be a awesome, yet frightful thing! To say I'm not qualified to make some decisions about life isn't a sign of weakness or immaturity, it is simply admitting I'm not GOD! Only GOD can determine "MALE AND FEMALE" and we don't need to fool ourselves by thinking anything different. We run the risk of SEEing GOD's omniscience, omnipotence, and most fearfully, HIS WRATH, when we try to be GOD!! Don't try to be something you aren't quailed to be. Let GOD determine "MALE AND FEMALE" and let's stick to what we were created for!!
"26 Then GOD said, "Let us make man in OUR image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
27 So GOD created man in HIS own image, in the IMAGE OF GOD HE created him; "MALE AND FEMALE" HE created them."
Being one of the people who are of the belief that the WORD of GOD is Divinely inspired, to me, is just part of recognizing that GOD is Sovereign and in control of everything! Accepting that we are NOT GOD and don't get to participate in the more serious matters, as writing the HOLY BIBLE, is just one of the realizations that must be made in life.
John 4:24 begins with"GOD is Spirit.." Man was created IMAGE OF GOD, so we are Spirit. BUT we are only in HIS IMAGE! According to one dictionary, the word IMAGE means "form; appearance; semblance:", it doesn't mean we are created as gods! In following GOD's Plan, through Adam and Eve we allowed sin into our Spirits, so we are no longer HOLY, thus WE ARE NOT GOD, we don't get to make decisions that only GOD is qualified to make. Mankind was not created to handle some of the more complex matters in life, such as when we are born, when we die, who gets diseases, determining what gender we are when we are born, and the list goes on and on!
Psalms 139:14 says "I praise YOU, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are YOUR works; my soul knows it very well". Since GOD "fearfully and wonderfully" made us, only HE has the authority to decide some issues. Mankind isn't qualified to decide when life begins, nor when life ends, who gets diseases, and whether we are born "MALE AND FEMALE"!
Never was my status of NOT being GOD made more clear to me than in the fall of 1996. My younger sister was 33 years old and, by all appearances, the picture of great health! In August 1996 she played on a "5 and 5" softball team. She had exploratory surgery in September trying to determine why she was having some gastric issues, but nothing was found. She went to a larger city in October and was diagnosed with Stomach Cancer. The day after Christmas 1996 she died, looking as though she was 95 years old! The cancer had ravaged her body fiercely in three months and there was NOTHING BIG BROTHER COULD DO TO HELP HER!!
Having GOD's omniscience and omnipotence displayed to us can be a awesome, yet frightful thing! To say I'm not qualified to make some decisions about life isn't a sign of weakness or immaturity, it is simply admitting I'm not GOD! Only GOD can determine "MALE AND FEMALE" and we don't need to fool ourselves by thinking anything different. We run the risk of SEEing GOD's omniscience, omnipotence, and most fearfully, HIS WRATH, when we try to be GOD!! Don't try to be something you aren't quailed to be. Let GOD determine "MALE AND FEMALE" and let's stick to what we were created for!!
Thursday, May 12, 2016
"EYES WERE OPENED!"
Luke 24:13-31 (ESV)
"13 That very day two of them (two of the disciples) were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem,
14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.
15 While they were talking and discussing together, JESUS HIMSELF drew near and went with them.
16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing HIM.
17 And HE said to them, "What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad.
18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
19 And HE said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "Concerning JESUS of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before GOD and all the people,
20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered HIM up to be condemned to death, and crucified HIM.
21 But we had hoped that HE was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.
22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning,
23 and when they did not find HIS body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that HE was alive.
24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but HIM they did not see."
25 And HE said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
26 Was it not necessary that the CHRIST should suffer these things and enter into his glory?"
27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, HE interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning HIMSELF.
28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. HE acted as if he were going farther,
29 but they urged HIM strongly, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So HE went in to stay with them.
30 When HE was at table with them, HE took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them.
31 And their "EYES WERE OPENED" and they recognized HIM. And he vanished from their sight."
While this passage of Scripture is rather lengthy, and brings to mind an abundance of commentary, I will attempt to avoid getting too engulfed so I can cover a couple of things I feel led to share about these words of a risen LORD!
JESUS came upon two disciples walking on the road to Emmaus. HE began talking to them about what they had been discussing. Although they knew JESUS, they were unable to recognize HIM because "their eyes were kept from recognizing HIM." They told JESUS that they thought the Messiah was "the one to redeem Israel", but now HE had been crucified and all hope seemed to be gone. Their idea of what JESUS would do was limited by their ability to fathom the unfathomable and they were unable to SEE JESUS even walking down the road with them.
JESUS came to seek and save the whole world, yet they were only looking for someone who would "redeem Israel". The mission of JESUS had been prophesied for thousands of years, yet they were so obsessed with what they THOUGHT the Messiah would be that they missed HIS message of setting people free from sin!
Are we guilty of doing the same thing? We have Scripture right in front of us, yet we don't study it enough to even know the simplest of basic Beliefs? JESUS told them "slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!" They had scripture before them, but they didn't KNOW IT well enough to expect a change in their lives! The Spirit of JESUS CHRIST lives in my body and my eyes may be looking for what I perceive the Kingdom of GOD might be. When JESUS HIMSELF is in my midst, will I recognize HIM, or will I be wanting to see my perception of what HIS Glory will be?
Only JESUS can change what we SEE simply by causing us to grasp something that is right before our eyes! Their "EYES WERE OPENED", not that they were walking to Emmaus with closed eyes, but they couldn't SEE JESUS when HE was right before them. They knew what HE looked like, they were intimately acquainted with HIM! But JESUS revealed HIMSELF at just the right moment to accomplish HIS purpose, something HE is quite adept at!
HEAVENLY FATHER, cause me to search YOUR WORD daily for the truths you would have me to know, and that my "EYES BE OPENED" to see what YOU would have me perform for the Kingdom of GOD.
"13 That very day two of them (two of the disciples) were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem,
14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.
15 While they were talking and discussing together, JESUS HIMSELF drew near and went with them.
16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing HIM.
17 And HE said to them, "What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad.
18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
19 And HE said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "Concerning JESUS of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before GOD and all the people,
20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered HIM up to be condemned to death, and crucified HIM.
21 But we had hoped that HE was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.
22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning,
23 and when they did not find HIS body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that HE was alive.
24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but HIM they did not see."
25 And HE said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
26 Was it not necessary that the CHRIST should suffer these things and enter into his glory?"
27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, HE interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning HIMSELF.
28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. HE acted as if he were going farther,
29 but they urged HIM strongly, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So HE went in to stay with them.
30 When HE was at table with them, HE took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them.
31 And their "EYES WERE OPENED" and they recognized HIM. And he vanished from their sight."
While this passage of Scripture is rather lengthy, and brings to mind an abundance of commentary, I will attempt to avoid getting too engulfed so I can cover a couple of things I feel led to share about these words of a risen LORD!
JESUS came upon two disciples walking on the road to Emmaus. HE began talking to them about what they had been discussing. Although they knew JESUS, they were unable to recognize HIM because "their eyes were kept from recognizing HIM." They told JESUS that they thought the Messiah was "the one to redeem Israel", but now HE had been crucified and all hope seemed to be gone. Their idea of what JESUS would do was limited by their ability to fathom the unfathomable and they were unable to SEE JESUS even walking down the road with them.
JESUS came to seek and save the whole world, yet they were only looking for someone who would "redeem Israel". The mission of JESUS had been prophesied for thousands of years, yet they were so obsessed with what they THOUGHT the Messiah would be that they missed HIS message of setting people free from sin!
Are we guilty of doing the same thing? We have Scripture right in front of us, yet we don't study it enough to even know the simplest of basic Beliefs? JESUS told them "slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!" They had scripture before them, but they didn't KNOW IT well enough to expect a change in their lives! The Spirit of JESUS CHRIST lives in my body and my eyes may be looking for what I perceive the Kingdom of GOD might be. When JESUS HIMSELF is in my midst, will I recognize HIM, or will I be wanting to see my perception of what HIS Glory will be?
Only JESUS can change what we SEE simply by causing us to grasp something that is right before our eyes! Their "EYES WERE OPENED", not that they were walking to Emmaus with closed eyes, but they couldn't SEE JESUS when HE was right before them. They knew what HE looked like, they were intimately acquainted with HIM! But JESUS revealed HIMSELF at just the right moment to accomplish HIS purpose, something HE is quite adept at!
HEAVENLY FATHER, cause me to search YOUR WORD daily for the truths you would have me to know, and that my "EYES BE OPENED" to see what YOU would have me perform for the Kingdom of GOD.
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
"FAITH!"
Romans 14:23 (ESV)
"But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. FOR WHATEVER DOES NOT PROCEED FROM "FAITH" IS SIN."
Until mid-May 2012 my life was lived at a frenetic pace that hardly left time for any quality family time, and for CERTAIN not enough time with GOD or HIS WORD! That is when I began to develop my WORD RECALL through writing about 2 Chronicles 7:14 over the period of a week or so. GOD had already placed Psalms 46:10 on my heart during my recovery from the Brain Hemorrhage a few years earlier, but BE STILL didn't become REAL to me until December 2012, when GOD really began SPEAKING PLAINLY to me. Or was it that I was finally willing to SLOW MY LIFE down enough to listen to HIM???
My wife and I went to see the movie WAR ROOM on Labor Day 2015 in Hattiesburg Mississippi . We had been to the Gulf of Mexico for a few days for some R&R. In the movie, Miss Clara had her "prayer list" on her WAR ROOM wall. I began keeping my own on my iPad, adding to it on an as needed basis. The FIRST item on my prayer list is from a devotional I saw months ago. The text is below:
Obedience to the Spirit of GOD----Only by choosing NOT TO BE SLAVES to our own reasonings and emotions can we win the battle for our minds and begin hearing the voice of GOD within us.
We have to CHOOSE each day to not be SLAVES to our emotions and common sense and CHOOSE to begin hearing the voice of GOD! Common sense may tell you what a smart man would do, but GOD will lead you on a "FAITH" walk where only HE can receive glory for a journey! Doing what makes SENSE usually entails anything but walking by FAITH! If we are walking by "FAITH", then we are trusting in GOD ALMIGHTY! And trusting in GOD ALMIGHTY is what we are called to do!
The enemy always wants to make us CHOOSE to follow common sense. GOD always wants us to have "FAITH" in HIS guidance and abilities. Joshua 24:15 contains the following phrase "...CHOOSE you this day whom ye will serve...! Will we CHOOSE common sense? Or will we CHOOSE to live by "FAITH"?
I wish I could tell you what made me decide to SLOW DOWN my life and listen to the Spirit of GOD ALMIGHTY? Was it that the Brain Hemorrhage I experienced in 2007 took five years to affect me? Was it that after 52 years of figuratively running a sprint was wearing me out? Was it that I was not satisfied with the results my life was seemingly producing?
The bottom line is that there is NOTHING that can replace hearing from THE CREATOR. Getting my marching orders on a daily, sometimes multiple times daily, basis is hard to describe. To know the PEACE, JOY, and COMFORT that only comes from a relationship with JESUS CHRIST is something only Believers can experience (1 Corinthians 2:14). Have you experienced the THINGS OF THE SPIRIT by "FAITH"??? We MUST realize and recognize that WHATEVER DOES NOT PROCEED FROM "FAITH" IS SIN."
"But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. FOR WHATEVER DOES NOT PROCEED FROM "FAITH" IS SIN."
Until mid-May 2012 my life was lived at a frenetic pace that hardly left time for any quality family time, and for CERTAIN not enough time with GOD or HIS WORD! That is when I began to develop my WORD RECALL through writing about 2 Chronicles 7:14 over the period of a week or so. GOD had already placed Psalms 46:10 on my heart during my recovery from the Brain Hemorrhage a few years earlier, but BE STILL didn't become REAL to me until December 2012, when GOD really began SPEAKING PLAINLY to me. Or was it that I was finally willing to SLOW MY LIFE down enough to listen to HIM???
My wife and I went to see the movie WAR ROOM on Labor Day 2015 in Hattiesburg Mississippi . We had been to the Gulf of Mexico for a few days for some R&R. In the movie, Miss Clara had her "prayer list" on her WAR ROOM wall. I began keeping my own on my iPad, adding to it on an as needed basis. The FIRST item on my prayer list is from a devotional I saw months ago. The text is below:
Obedience to the Spirit of GOD----Only by choosing NOT TO BE SLAVES to our own reasonings and emotions can we win the battle for our minds and begin hearing the voice of GOD within us.
We have to CHOOSE each day to not be SLAVES to our emotions and common sense and CHOOSE to begin hearing the voice of GOD! Common sense may tell you what a smart man would do, but GOD will lead you on a "FAITH" walk where only HE can receive glory for a journey! Doing what makes SENSE usually entails anything but walking by FAITH! If we are walking by "FAITH", then we are trusting in GOD ALMIGHTY! And trusting in GOD ALMIGHTY is what we are called to do!
The enemy always wants to make us CHOOSE to follow common sense. GOD always wants us to have "FAITH" in HIS guidance and abilities. Joshua 24:15 contains the following phrase "...CHOOSE you this day whom ye will serve...! Will we CHOOSE common sense? Or will we CHOOSE to live by "FAITH"?
I wish I could tell you what made me decide to SLOW DOWN my life and listen to the Spirit of GOD ALMIGHTY? Was it that the Brain Hemorrhage I experienced in 2007 took five years to affect me? Was it that after 52 years of figuratively running a sprint was wearing me out? Was it that I was not satisfied with the results my life was seemingly producing?
The bottom line is that there is NOTHING that can replace hearing from THE CREATOR. Getting my marching orders on a daily, sometimes multiple times daily, basis is hard to describe. To know the PEACE, JOY, and COMFORT that only comes from a relationship with JESUS CHRIST is something only Believers can experience (1 Corinthians 2:14). Have you experienced the THINGS OF THE SPIRIT by "FAITH"??? We MUST realize and recognize that WHATEVER DOES NOT PROCEED FROM "FAITH" IS SIN."
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
"GLORIFY THY SON!"
John 17:1-5 (KJV)
"1 These words spake JESUS, and lifted up HIS eyes to heaven, and said, FATHER, the hour is come; "GLORIFY THY SON", that THY SON also may glorify THEE: 2 As THOU hast given HIM power over all flesh, that HE should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given HIM. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true GOD, and JESUS CHRIST, whom THOU hast sent. 4 I have glorified THEE on the earth: I have finished the work which THOU gavest ME to do. 5 And now, O FATHER, glorify thou ME with THINE OWN SELF with the glory which I had with THEE before the world was."
As a father, it is my desire for my two sons to be more obedient Christians, to be better husbands and fathers, to be more successful in life than their dad ever was. Both of my sons are great examples of service to others and putting their families needs in front of themselves. In doing so, they have experienced GOD's favor in their lives in ways they won't fully understand until they get to heaven, or at least their dad won't!
Most modern day Christians do not share the same sentiment as JESUS did in John 17 though. When JESUS prayed to HIS FATHER in heaven, HE didn't ask for deliverance from HIS trials and turmoil. JESUS asked for HIS FATHER to "GLORIFY THY SON" and proceeded to allow HIMSELF to be crucified on a Roman cross for my sins and yours so we could be set free from the penalty of our sin!
Why would HE pay such a heavy price for people who ultimately hung HIM on the cross with no forethought? JESUS knew what HIS mission was when HE came to earth, and yet HE didn't attempt to change HIS ultimate destination! HE knew that GOD would "GLORIFY THY SON" and HE would be seated at the Right hand of the FATHER drawing glory to HIM. HE knew HE would have to leave HIS Heavenly Throne to physically be on earth for 33+ years, but HE also knew that GOD would "GLORIFY THY SON" in the end on the THIRD DAY!
GOD is revealing to me through HIS Word what HIS Plan is for my life. Sometimes I wish HIS revelation would come more swiftly, but HIS timing is perfect and HE uses difficult situations to "refine" me into a vessel for HIS glory (Isaiah 48:10-11)! There is no greater feeling than to see your child be glorified for something they have done. When JESUS prayed "GLORIFY THY SON" HE knew what the glorification would cost HIM. The journey I may experience will not always be pleasant, but I pray that GOD will "GLORIFY THY CHILD" as I serve HIS Kingdom!!
"1 These words spake JESUS, and lifted up HIS eyes to heaven, and said, FATHER, the hour is come; "GLORIFY THY SON", that THY SON also may glorify THEE: 2 As THOU hast given HIM power over all flesh, that HE should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given HIM. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true GOD, and JESUS CHRIST, whom THOU hast sent. 4 I have glorified THEE on the earth: I have finished the work which THOU gavest ME to do. 5 And now, O FATHER, glorify thou ME with THINE OWN SELF with the glory which I had with THEE before the world was."
As a father, it is my desire for my two sons to be more obedient Christians, to be better husbands and fathers, to be more successful in life than their dad ever was. Both of my sons are great examples of service to others and putting their families needs in front of themselves. In doing so, they have experienced GOD's favor in their lives in ways they won't fully understand until they get to heaven, or at least their dad won't!
Most modern day Christians do not share the same sentiment as JESUS did in John 17 though. When JESUS prayed to HIS FATHER in heaven, HE didn't ask for deliverance from HIS trials and turmoil. JESUS asked for HIS FATHER to "GLORIFY THY SON" and proceeded to allow HIMSELF to be crucified on a Roman cross for my sins and yours so we could be set free from the penalty of our sin!
Why would HE pay such a heavy price for people who ultimately hung HIM on the cross with no forethought? JESUS knew what HIS mission was when HE came to earth, and yet HE didn't attempt to change HIS ultimate destination! HE knew that GOD would "GLORIFY THY SON" and HE would be seated at the Right hand of the FATHER drawing glory to HIM. HE knew HE would have to leave HIS Heavenly Throne to physically be on earth for 33+ years, but HE also knew that GOD would "GLORIFY THY SON" in the end on the THIRD DAY!
GOD is revealing to me through HIS Word what HIS Plan is for my life. Sometimes I wish HIS revelation would come more swiftly, but HIS timing is perfect and HE uses difficult situations to "refine" me into a vessel for HIS glory (Isaiah 48:10-11)! There is no greater feeling than to see your child be glorified for something they have done. When JESUS prayed "GLORIFY THY SON" HE knew what the glorification would cost HIM. The journey I may experience will not always be pleasant, but I pray that GOD will "GLORIFY THY CHILD" as I serve HIS Kingdom!!
Monday, May 9, 2016
"A HELPER SUITABLE FOR HIM!"
Genesis 2:18-22 (NASB)
"18 Then "the LORD GOD" said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him "A HELPER SUITABLE FOR HIM". 19 Out of the ground "the LORD GOD" formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. 21 So "the LORD GOD" caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then HE took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. 22 "The LORD GOD" fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man."
Listening to numerous sermons and commentaries gives me an interesting perspective into the mysteries of the truths in GOD's Word. Recently, while listening to a pastor from near Houston, I heard him say that when you see "The LORD" with all capital letters it means YAHWEH HIMSELF, the Creator and Sustainer of anything and everything, the all-knowing, all-encompassing Being that has a PLAN that only HE can get glory from. The enemy, satan himself, has sought to infiltrate "the LORD GOD's" Plan from the beginning. Mankind usually is complicit in this subversion as our Adamic nature isn't Holy, thus it leads to death and destruction.
When GOD was Creating me, HE also had a Plan for my wife to be born almost three years later. In my humble opinion, GOD had one of HIS biggest challenges when HE was making "A HELPER SUITABLE FOR HIM"! HE needed someone with grace, PATIENCE, submissiveness, beauty, stamina, supportive....... and the list could go on for days! The thing is, YAHWEH HIMSELF knew exactly the traits to instill in my future wife to complete me. In spite of my praise of her, she has her flaws too, something that GOD gives me tolerance to complete her. There is nothing that works better than something doing what it was Created to do. But there is nothing that can replace what it was Created to do either!
GOD's Plan doesn't have contingencies. The enemy is attempting to sell that god created some of us "differently" and we should be "more accepting" of them. ALMIGHTY GOD didn't Create one kind of animal to mate with another kind of animal. HE Created cattle to breed cattle, lions to breed lions, elephants to breed elephants, and so on. Let a lion try breeding an elephant and you'll see what I mean! GOD's Plan cannot be improved upon, nor can it be changed to satisfy mankinds desires. We have to change our desires to satisfy GOD's Plan to satisfy what we were Created to do! That is the ONLY WAY everything will work properly!
Having a mate who is "A HELPER SUITABLE FOR HIM" is one of the greatest blessings we can enjoy. My wife and I have been blessed to have only married one person in our lives. YAHWEH HIMSELF most assuredly had tremendous control over my life, as I could have NEVER chosen as wisely as HE! No matter how the enemy attempts to interfere with GOD's Plan, I have been blessed to experience how HIS choices over my selfish desires can produce extraordinary results. Knowing YAHWEH HIMSELF chose "A HEPLER SUITABLE FOR ME" makes me love my wife even more!!!
"18 Then "the LORD GOD" said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him "A HELPER SUITABLE FOR HIM". 19 Out of the ground "the LORD GOD" formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. 21 So "the LORD GOD" caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then HE took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. 22 "The LORD GOD" fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man."
Listening to numerous sermons and commentaries gives me an interesting perspective into the mysteries of the truths in GOD's Word. Recently, while listening to a pastor from near Houston, I heard him say that when you see "The LORD" with all capital letters it means YAHWEH HIMSELF, the Creator and Sustainer of anything and everything, the all-knowing, all-encompassing Being that has a PLAN that only HE can get glory from. The enemy, satan himself, has sought to infiltrate "the LORD GOD's" Plan from the beginning. Mankind usually is complicit in this subversion as our Adamic nature isn't Holy, thus it leads to death and destruction.
When GOD was Creating me, HE also had a Plan for my wife to be born almost three years later. In my humble opinion, GOD had one of HIS biggest challenges when HE was making "A HELPER SUITABLE FOR HIM"! HE needed someone with grace, PATIENCE, submissiveness, beauty, stamina, supportive....... and the list could go on for days! The thing is, YAHWEH HIMSELF knew exactly the traits to instill in my future wife to complete me. In spite of my praise of her, she has her flaws too, something that GOD gives me tolerance to complete her. There is nothing that works better than something doing what it was Created to do. But there is nothing that can replace what it was Created to do either!
GOD's Plan doesn't have contingencies. The enemy is attempting to sell that god created some of us "differently" and we should be "more accepting" of them. ALMIGHTY GOD didn't Create one kind of animal to mate with another kind of animal. HE Created cattle to breed cattle, lions to breed lions, elephants to breed elephants, and so on. Let a lion try breeding an elephant and you'll see what I mean! GOD's Plan cannot be improved upon, nor can it be changed to satisfy mankinds desires. We have to change our desires to satisfy GOD's Plan to satisfy what we were Created to do! That is the ONLY WAY everything will work properly!
Having a mate who is "A HELPER SUITABLE FOR HIM" is one of the greatest blessings we can enjoy. My wife and I have been blessed to have only married one person in our lives. YAHWEH HIMSELF most assuredly had tremendous control over my life, as I could have NEVER chosen as wisely as HE! No matter how the enemy attempts to interfere with GOD's Plan, I have been blessed to experience how HIS choices over my selfish desires can produce extraordinary results. Knowing YAHWEH HIMSELF chose "A HEPLER SUITABLE FOR ME" makes me love my wife even more!!!
Saturday, May 7, 2016
"COMING JUDGEMENT!"
A recent conversation with a trusted Spiritual mentor will not let me go! The following contains the part that keeps going through my mind:
(from me) "I understand GOD has mercy beyond our ability to understand, but do you see HIM withholding judgment much longer?"
(my mentors response) "Judgement is surely coming, but it will " begin at the house of God..." (1 Peter 4:17). "For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of GOD; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of GOD?"
John 4:24 says "GOD is Spirit". Since HE is Spirit, and we are created in HIS image (Genesis 1:27), we should reject the farce that the "spirit world" is a farce! Judgement in physical form can be uncomfortable. But Judgement in the Spiritual form WILL be devastating!
Before my granddaughters were born I used keep a motto on the lock screen of my phone from C.S. Lewis that states "You don't have a Soul. You are a Soul. You have a body!" Until we SEE our true identity, we cannot operate in FREEDOM. If we don't SEE our true identity, I'm afraid the Judgement my friend spoke of will be experienced!!
(from me) "I understand GOD has mercy beyond our ability to understand, but do you see HIM withholding judgment much longer?"
(my mentors response) "Judgement is surely coming, but it will " begin at the house of God..." (1 Peter 4:17). "For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of GOD; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of GOD?"
John 4:24 says "GOD is Spirit". Since HE is Spirit, and we are created in HIS image (Genesis 1:27), we should reject the farce that the "spirit world" is a farce! Judgement in physical form can be uncomfortable. But Judgement in the Spiritual form WILL be devastating!
Before my granddaughters were born I used keep a motto on the lock screen of my phone from C.S. Lewis that states "You don't have a Soul. You are a Soul. You have a body!" Until we SEE our true identity, we cannot operate in FREEDOM. If we don't SEE our true identity, I'm afraid the Judgement my friend spoke of will be experienced!!
Friday, May 6, 2016
"IF THEN?"
Colossians 3:1-2 (ESV)
"1 "IF THEN" you have been raised with CHRIST, seek the things that are above, where CHRIST is, seated at the right hand of GOD.
2 SET YOUR MINDS your minds on THINGS THAT ARE ABOVE, not on things that are on earth."
This whole week MY MIND has been in turmoil over a number of THINGS that are of "this world"! Things that could be considered very important to someone who doesn't have the assurance of their future bought and paid for by JESUS CHRIST! While it is true we live IN THIS WORLD, John 17:6 says we are not OF THIS WORLD, just as JESUS is not OF THIS WORLD. And yet I tend to get caught up in all of the injustices and immorality of evil when JESUS CHRIST paid the ultimate sacrifice for me to be set free!
1 Corinthians 7:23 tells us "You were bought with a price; DO NOT become bondservants of men." Since I have been bought with a price why would I want to continue living in a MINDSET of doom and defeat? Can you imagine a child being locked up in a miserable, punitive institution and being gloriously adopted by a King, only to continuously return to captivity that they once experienced on their own volition?
Well, we do the very same thing very often. Just because we are temporarily "in this world", we seem to have the MINDSET that we are here permanently! The current state of the affairs of our lives doesn't mean our destination has been realized. We are on the marathon journey for The King of Kings and Lord of Lords and we don't need to allow the enemy to try to sell us his lies of deceit. "IF THEN" doesn't indicate we may not win, rather it might be better stated SINCE WE HAVE BEEN raised with CHRIST!
Our minds are a battlefield where critical battles are constantly fought. We should not allow the enemy to have a foothold to set up camp in our minds, and thus our lives. "IF THEN" we are a child of the King we need to remember that and we have the MIND of CHRIST (1 Corinthians 2:16) and the enemy is not welcomed here! Don't linger near the captivity of your past! Celebrate being an adopted CHILD OF THE KING!
"1 "IF THEN" you have been raised with CHRIST, seek the things that are above, where CHRIST is, seated at the right hand of GOD.
2 SET YOUR MINDS your minds on THINGS THAT ARE ABOVE, not on things that are on earth."
This whole week MY MIND has been in turmoil over a number of THINGS that are of "this world"! Things that could be considered very important to someone who doesn't have the assurance of their future bought and paid for by JESUS CHRIST! While it is true we live IN THIS WORLD, John 17:6 says we are not OF THIS WORLD, just as JESUS is not OF THIS WORLD. And yet I tend to get caught up in all of the injustices and immorality of evil when JESUS CHRIST paid the ultimate sacrifice for me to be set free!
1 Corinthians 7:23 tells us "You were bought with a price; DO NOT become bondservants of men." Since I have been bought with a price why would I want to continue living in a MINDSET of doom and defeat? Can you imagine a child being locked up in a miserable, punitive institution and being gloriously adopted by a King, only to continuously return to captivity that they once experienced on their own volition?
Well, we do the very same thing very often. Just because we are temporarily "in this world", we seem to have the MINDSET that we are here permanently! The current state of the affairs of our lives doesn't mean our destination has been realized. We are on the marathon journey for The King of Kings and Lord of Lords and we don't need to allow the enemy to try to sell us his lies of deceit. "IF THEN" doesn't indicate we may not win, rather it might be better stated SINCE WE HAVE BEEN raised with CHRIST!
Our minds are a battlefield where critical battles are constantly fought. We should not allow the enemy to have a foothold to set up camp in our minds, and thus our lives. "IF THEN" we are a child of the King we need to remember that and we have the MIND of CHRIST (1 Corinthians 2:16) and the enemy is not welcomed here! Don't linger near the captivity of your past! Celebrate being an adopted CHILD OF THE KING!
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
"PEACE OF GOD!"
Philippians 4:4-9 (ESV)
"4 Rejoice in the LORD always; again I will say, rejoice.
5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The LORD is at hand;
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to GOD.
7 And the "PEACE OF GOD", which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in CHRIST JESUS.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me-practice these things, and the GOD OF PEACE will be with you."
A few years ago I recall writing about a man who had seemingly everything "this world" had to offer. Comedian Richard Pryor said in an interview "There was a time in my life when I thought I had everything - millions of dollars, mansions, cars, nice clothes, beautiful women, and every other materialistic thing you can imagine. Now I struggle for PEACE!" Recently I observed a meme that relayed a similar message, ""Stress comes from trying to do it all on our own. PEACE comes from putting it ALL in GOD's hands"! It seems the "PEACE OF GOD" is being placed in my spirit to be written about again, and what better thing is there to discuss in today's rat race society?
Occasionally I have to be reminded by the Spirit of GOD that even my thoughts are in better hands when I just let GOD be GOD! When I try to "figure out a way" to make GOD's PLAN work out in my life, I become frustrated, confused, and generally STRESSED OUT trying to "assist" GOD in making HIS PLAN occur on MY timetable!
The letter to the church at Philippi is not as long as other New Testament correspondence, but it is SO rich in content! The six verses above, written by the Apostle Paul and Timothy, are drenched in the "PEACE OF GOD"! We allow what we SEE as the pressures and schedules of "this world" to dictate the pace of our lives, when the LIFE we have should be centered on "things that are above" (Colossians 3:2)! When we slow down long enough to SEE the "PEACE OF GOD", we are SEEing "things that are above"! JESUS said in Luke 17:21 "the Kingdom of GOD is in the midst of you", yet we want to HURRY past it to get to the next item on the agenda!!
The "PEACE OF GOD" can only be realized by acknowledging HE is first and foremost in everything we say and do! Colossians 1:16 says rather boldly "For by HIM all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things were created through HIM and for HIM". Don't let "this world" determine how your time is spent or whether or not you have time to acknowledge and praise the Creator of the Universes! Purposefully set aside some time to adore and worship HIM, and be grateful that HE allows us to experience the "PEACE OF GOD" in our lives!!!
"4 Rejoice in the LORD always; again I will say, rejoice.
5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The LORD is at hand;
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to GOD.
7 And the "PEACE OF GOD", which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in CHRIST JESUS.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me-practice these things, and the GOD OF PEACE will be with you."
A few years ago I recall writing about a man who had seemingly everything "this world" had to offer. Comedian Richard Pryor said in an interview "There was a time in my life when I thought I had everything - millions of dollars, mansions, cars, nice clothes, beautiful women, and every other materialistic thing you can imagine. Now I struggle for PEACE!" Recently I observed a meme that relayed a similar message, ""Stress comes from trying to do it all on our own. PEACE comes from putting it ALL in GOD's hands"! It seems the "PEACE OF GOD" is being placed in my spirit to be written about again, and what better thing is there to discuss in today's rat race society?
Occasionally I have to be reminded by the Spirit of GOD that even my thoughts are in better hands when I just let GOD be GOD! When I try to "figure out a way" to make GOD's PLAN work out in my life, I become frustrated, confused, and generally STRESSED OUT trying to "assist" GOD in making HIS PLAN occur on MY timetable!
The letter to the church at Philippi is not as long as other New Testament correspondence, but it is SO rich in content! The six verses above, written by the Apostle Paul and Timothy, are drenched in the "PEACE OF GOD"! We allow what we SEE as the pressures and schedules of "this world" to dictate the pace of our lives, when the LIFE we have should be centered on "things that are above" (Colossians 3:2)! When we slow down long enough to SEE the "PEACE OF GOD", we are SEEing "things that are above"! JESUS said in Luke 17:21 "the Kingdom of GOD is in the midst of you", yet we want to HURRY past it to get to the next item on the agenda!!
The "PEACE OF GOD" can only be realized by acknowledging HE is first and foremost in everything we say and do! Colossians 1:16 says rather boldly "For by HIM all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things were created through HIM and for HIM". Don't let "this world" determine how your time is spent or whether or not you have time to acknowledge and praise the Creator of the Universes! Purposefully set aside some time to adore and worship HIM, and be grateful that HE allows us to experience the "PEACE OF GOD" in our lives!!!
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
".....AND ENCAMP!"
Exodus 14:1-2 (ESV)
"1 Then the LORD said to Moses,
2 "Tell the people of Israel to turn back "AND ENCAMP" in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea."
Exodus 14 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. GOD displays HIS sovereignty, HIS deliverance, HIS power, HIS holiness, and HIS steadfastness for ALL of mankind (not just the Israelites and Egyptians) to observe, IF THEY WOULD ONLY CHOOSE TO SEE HIM! We could observe similar HOLY TRAITS if we would just SLOW DOWN and recognize the Spiritual battle that is taking place in our midst (Ephesians 6:12)!!
When the Israelites were leaving Egypt they were "encouraged" to leave in a considerable hurry! Exodus 12:33 tells us "The Egyptians were urgent with the people to send them out of the land in haste. For they said, "We shall all be dead." The Egyptians wanted them gone, and the Israelites WANTED to be gone, but GOD wanted to be glorified (Exodus 14:4), and HE had a PLAN to make that happen.
When "the LORD said to Moses, "Tell the people of Israel to turn back "AND ENCAMP", another way of putting what HIS instructions were could have been "to WAIT ON THE LORD" (Psalms 27:14)! Now I'm not sure that I could've heard GOD's directives as I tend to be one who moves with great abandonment when "I think" I know what GOD's PLAN IS, but sometimes GOD's PLAN is different than mine and HE has to SLOW me down to be on HIS pace! GOD needed for the Egyptians to catch up with the Israelites at just the right timing so they would chase them into the Red Sea and HE could get glory over them! It wasn't by chance or circumstance, it was DIVINE PROVIDENCE that GOD BE GLORIFIED! GOD directed the children of Israel to the exact place where HIS PLAN would be carried out, at the precise timing to make sure Pharaoh's heart was hardened (Exodus 14:4), and that Moses was listening to HIM for guidance!
You must be certain you are hearing (Exodus 14:1) from GOD. The great deceiver tries to emulate GOD, but GOD IS PEACE, and nothing can be mistaken for the PEACE of GOD! Moses and the children of Israel had a Pillar of Cloud to lead them by day, and a Pillar of Fire to lead them by night to be able to escape Egypt, but GOD directed Moses to turn back "AND ENCAMP" on the banks of the Red Sea! Why would GOD make them WAIT ON THE LORD when the Egyptians were rapidly gaining on them? GOD's Divine Plan may not be known to us, but if we TRUST IN HIM we can turn back "AND ENCAMP" and let our foes advance upon us with NO FEAR because we KNOW WHO wins in the end!!!
"1 Then the LORD said to Moses,
2 "Tell the people of Israel to turn back "AND ENCAMP" in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea."
Exodus 14 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. GOD displays HIS sovereignty, HIS deliverance, HIS power, HIS holiness, and HIS steadfastness for ALL of mankind (not just the Israelites and Egyptians) to observe, IF THEY WOULD ONLY CHOOSE TO SEE HIM! We could observe similar HOLY TRAITS if we would just SLOW DOWN and recognize the Spiritual battle that is taking place in our midst (Ephesians 6:12)!!
When the Israelites were leaving Egypt they were "encouraged" to leave in a considerable hurry! Exodus 12:33 tells us "The Egyptians were urgent with the people to send them out of the land in haste. For they said, "We shall all be dead." The Egyptians wanted them gone, and the Israelites WANTED to be gone, but GOD wanted to be glorified (Exodus 14:4), and HE had a PLAN to make that happen.
When "the LORD said to Moses, "Tell the people of Israel to turn back "AND ENCAMP", another way of putting what HIS instructions were could have been "to WAIT ON THE LORD" (Psalms 27:14)! Now I'm not sure that I could've heard GOD's directives as I tend to be one who moves with great abandonment when "I think" I know what GOD's PLAN IS, but sometimes GOD's PLAN is different than mine and HE has to SLOW me down to be on HIS pace! GOD needed for the Egyptians to catch up with the Israelites at just the right timing so they would chase them into the Red Sea and HE could get glory over them! It wasn't by chance or circumstance, it was DIVINE PROVIDENCE that GOD BE GLORIFIED! GOD directed the children of Israel to the exact place where HIS PLAN would be carried out, at the precise timing to make sure Pharaoh's heart was hardened (Exodus 14:4), and that Moses was listening to HIM for guidance!
You must be certain you are hearing (Exodus 14:1) from GOD. The great deceiver tries to emulate GOD, but GOD IS PEACE, and nothing can be mistaken for the PEACE of GOD! Moses and the children of Israel had a Pillar of Cloud to lead them by day, and a Pillar of Fire to lead them by night to be able to escape Egypt, but GOD directed Moses to turn back "AND ENCAMP" on the banks of the Red Sea! Why would GOD make them WAIT ON THE LORD when the Egyptians were rapidly gaining on them? GOD's Divine Plan may not be known to us, but if we TRUST IN HIM we can turn back "AND ENCAMP" and let our foes advance upon us with NO FEAR because we KNOW WHO wins in the end!!!
Monday, May 2, 2016
"I HAVE REJECTED HIM!"
1 Samuel 16:4-7 (ESV)
"4 Samuel did what the LORD commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, "Do you come peaceably?"
5 And he said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice." And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed is before him."
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because "I HAVE REJECTED HIM". For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD LOOKS ON THE HEART."
Have you ever been able to SEE the things of GOD seemingly as plain as the nose on your face, but "this world" can't SEE the same things you do? Do you ever wonder why everyone can't SEE the error of their ways when it seems evident to you that GOD's Plan is to go a different direction? 1 Corinthians 2:14 says "The natural person does not accept the things of the SPIRIT of GOD, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned." Unless we are willing to be moved to where GOD desires to be glorified by our lives, we risk missing out on HIS direction and blessings for our lives.
GOD's ways are NOT our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9) and we must come to grips that we can't humanly figure out the things of GOD! Samuel was GOD's man and he followed the leadership and instructions of The LORD devoutly. When GOD was to anoint a King HE didn't follow what would appear to be the smartest or mightiest according to man. Instead HE selected someone who let GOD be GOD and didn't try to share HIS glory! Samuel examined all of Jesse's sons, but did not choose any of them! Until Samuel was exposed to David, the youngest, and apparently least equipped, was it that Samuel KNEW he had seen GOD's choice for king.
GOD can speak SO LOUDLY that all of Creation responds, like in Genesis 1 where there was nobody here to HEAR HIM, and HE didn't have to be concerned with HIS voice alarming everyone. But more often than not, HE speaks gently, so gently that we have to BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD (Psalms 46:10; 1 Kings 19:11)!
Knowing that what we hear is definitely GOD takes more than a casual attempt at listening to and for GOD ALMIGHTY! When I really NEED to hear from GOD without mistake, I get alone in my special place and listen more than I talk. When GOD gives me an answer, it is UNMISTAKABLE! When I try to operate before HE gives me HIS answer, it usually brings turmoil and strife! Waiting on HIM (Psalms 27:14) is something I will continue to work on!
Samuel, like most, might have had a preconceived idea who GOD would have him anoint to be king. But GOD told him rather bluntly "I HAVE REJECTED HIM" when Samuel explained who he thought GOD should anoint. But we sometimes do the same thing! Until we get alone and listen intently to, and for GOD's voice, we will not be able to hear from HIM! Remember, GOD looks on the HEART so HE knows the true intentions of a person. One thing for sure, we don't want to pursue the ones HE has declared "I HAVE REJECTED HIM"!!!
"4 Samuel did what the LORD commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, "Do you come peaceably?"
5 And he said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice." And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed is before him."
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because "I HAVE REJECTED HIM". For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD LOOKS ON THE HEART."
Have you ever been able to SEE the things of GOD seemingly as plain as the nose on your face, but "this world" can't SEE the same things you do? Do you ever wonder why everyone can't SEE the error of their ways when it seems evident to you that GOD's Plan is to go a different direction? 1 Corinthians 2:14 says "The natural person does not accept the things of the SPIRIT of GOD, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned." Unless we are willing to be moved to where GOD desires to be glorified by our lives, we risk missing out on HIS direction and blessings for our lives.
GOD's ways are NOT our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9) and we must come to grips that we can't humanly figure out the things of GOD! Samuel was GOD's man and he followed the leadership and instructions of The LORD devoutly. When GOD was to anoint a King HE didn't follow what would appear to be the smartest or mightiest according to man. Instead HE selected someone who let GOD be GOD and didn't try to share HIS glory! Samuel examined all of Jesse's sons, but did not choose any of them! Until Samuel was exposed to David, the youngest, and apparently least equipped, was it that Samuel KNEW he had seen GOD's choice for king.
GOD can speak SO LOUDLY that all of Creation responds, like in Genesis 1 where there was nobody here to HEAR HIM, and HE didn't have to be concerned with HIS voice alarming everyone. But more often than not, HE speaks gently, so gently that we have to BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD (Psalms 46:10; 1 Kings 19:11)!
Knowing that what we hear is definitely GOD takes more than a casual attempt at listening to and for GOD ALMIGHTY! When I really NEED to hear from GOD without mistake, I get alone in my special place and listen more than I talk. When GOD gives me an answer, it is UNMISTAKABLE! When I try to operate before HE gives me HIS answer, it usually brings turmoil and strife! Waiting on HIM (Psalms 27:14) is something I will continue to work on!
Samuel, like most, might have had a preconceived idea who GOD would have him anoint to be king. But GOD told him rather bluntly "I HAVE REJECTED HIM" when Samuel explained who he thought GOD should anoint. But we sometimes do the same thing! Until we get alone and listen intently to, and for GOD's voice, we will not be able to hear from HIM! Remember, GOD looks on the HEART so HE knows the true intentions of a person. One thing for sure, we don't want to pursue the ones HE has declared "I HAVE REJECTED HIM"!!!
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