Something to think about.
We Are Not Exempt
33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. 2 In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Tragedies will come, and no one is exempt. Even the most righteous among us will face trials in life. Why do bad things happen to good people? Because no one is exempt from the sin in the world. We live in a sin-infested existence, and because we do at times, the result of that sin will overcome us.
We may pray and fast and study and be righteous but you will still face situations in your life that will be overwhelming. What we can do is pray, fast, study, and "seek after the kingdom of God" and it will prepare us to deal with the overwhelming situations we will face. What we as Christians know is that Jesus overcame the trials of His life and He will be with us to help us in ours. Let us not become despondent or defeated in our trials, but let's receive the peace of God in these situations by seeking Him. Knowing that regardless of the outcome we will have the victory, He has intended for us.
We will face tribulations in our lives. How we handle them determines the outcome. If we work with God, we will go through them successfully and peaceably. If not the tribulation will go through us and we will be the remains after it has finished with us. The more intense the trials the fewer the remains. You can face a tribulation with God and be whole, or you can meet it alone and become pieces of your former self.
Jesus said, "I have overcome the world.” It means that we can overcome the tribulations of life if we unite ourselves with Him. It means that the tribulations regardless of how horrible they are not sufficient to destroy you if you are in Him. It means we can come out the other side of the tribulation, not unchanged but undefeated. Even if you lose everything, you still have the assurance of His victory in your life.
Jesus said, "be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Our celebration is in the knowledge and the reality that as long as we are in Him, we will share in His ultimate victory.
Friday, December 29, 2017
We Are Not Exempt
Wednesday, December 27, 2017
Insidious
Something to think about.
Insidious
In our churches we seldom hear him mentioned and if so just in passing. He is ignored or marginalized within the church. Within the church, it has become taboo to address him head-on. Some say we should not give him undo recognition. That he is powerless against us and recognizing him only creates his unwanted influence. We have taken the position if we ignore him he will go away. The church as a whole has become reticent to address him for fear of ridicule from a society which proclaims he does not exist.
A society which is facing more than a few crises. From the continual murder of unborn children. To the staggering amount of fatherless children to government corruption to unending wars. A world gripped by fanatical extremism, sex slavery, mass murders, serial rapist, serial murders, starvation, and disease. Everywhere you turn there is a stripping away from what makes us human. We are shocked and horrified by the unending ability of the imagination of man to perpetuate evil upon each other. Without a reasonable explanation, we experience these things and attribute it to anything other than to the father of lies the Devil himself.
"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." The devil is so successful at this he has removed himself from the equation. The absolute insidiousness of it is we don't even believe he exists. Since we no longer allow him to be a part of our vocabulary all of the causes of the crises we face must then be man-made. We within us without apparent reason live the evil that is perpetrated on our fellow man. We are inherently evil. The Devil's success is in convincing us he does not exist. Even though the evidence of his existence can be found in the destroyed lives of our brothers, sister, and throughout society. The world is destroying itself, and the only explanation we are given is we are the sole cause. Wake up!! Leia Mais…
Friday, December 22, 2017
Equal to God
Something to think about.
Equal to God
Thursday, December 21, 2017
Shipwrecked
Something to think about
Shipwrecked
We know our savior was crucified. We know that our leaders, particularly at the beginning of Christianity, met with untimely deaths. We know that throughout the history of Christianity it has been misused, misrepresented. We know Christians have been martyred. All in all, Christianity is not a religion you want to be a part of. To be a Christian is to be Paul, the writer of the above verse. Are you willing to suffer as Paul suffered for a man who was murdered on a cross? From all accounts on the surface, Christianity is not much to believe in we all die. We are abused, humiliated, despised, hated and ostracized, and yes some are martyred. If you look at this side of Christianity the apparent cost, you will not become a Christian. No person would choose to suffer for another person to this degree with no apparent upside. If all you were introduced to was the suffering of Paul and Jesus, you might feel compassion for them, but you would not join them.
Why then has Christianity proliferated throughout the ages? A promise and a proof. The promise is a life to come where all evil will be eradicated and will not touch your life. The evidence is in the resurrection of Christ. We willingly endure the suffering of Paul and the torture that may come into our lives because of the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because Jesus is the living resurrected proof of the promise of eternal life. The promise exceeds the tribulations of this life. If you suffer like Paul and are killed like Christ, you have a promise of a better eternal life. The proof is not in an indecipherable concept it is in the reality of the resurrection. You don't have to suffer like Christ though you may. To be a recipient of the promise, you only need to recognize the one who guarantees the promise.
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
Are You Hungry, Have You Despise Your Birthright
Something to think about.
Are You Hungry, Have You Despise Your Birthright
Monday, December 18, 2017
So You Want to be Loved
Something to think about.
So You Want to be Loved
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John 15:18-19
This is the conundrum the juxtaposition of Christianity. We want to be loved in a world that doesn't want to love us, yet we are commanded to love this world. In Mattew 5:44 Jesus said," 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Our need and desire to be loved is a basic need of our lives.
The sad reality is if you look at the world you will see that it is not understanding, intelligence education or intent that is lacking it is love. The world as it is today produces enough food to feed itself, but people are still dying of starvation. There is more than enough wealth around the world to eradicate poverty, but people still live in desperate need. There are medical advances that will benefit humanity, but they don't reach the impoverished of the world. That is not to say there aren't problems we don't have solutions for, but we do have available to us solutions to some of the worlds basic needs. So why don't we employ these solutions? Some people say it is because of capitalistic greed, some say because we are too different, Some believe that those who are impoverished somehow deserve it. Some see it as a problem they are not responsible for. Some see it as a fatalistic reality; they must exist it is a cycle of life.
All of the reasons or excuses mask the real culprit; it is a lack of love. We love our families and close friends. We in a sense may love our country. But do we love our neighbor? The solutions to the world problems are not going to be resolved by a redistribution of wealth, or further medical advances, or reimagined or newly created ideologies. Not by advances in education or academic achievement. The world's problems can only be alleviated when we really learn to love and care for each other. When we learn to love one another as Jesus said: "Love your enemy."
In our world"s culture and ingrained mindset love your enemies is not included. The love of the world does not include your best interest. The love of the world will always be what is best for me at any cost. Because the love of the world is self-centered the solutions to the problems of the world will never be implemented. For any solution of any of the world's problems, we must first,
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ then, 38 "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:36-40
Thursday, December 14, 2017
Wait, Delay, Holdup, Interval, Interlude, Intermission, Pause, Break
Something to Think about.
Wait, Delay, Holdup, Interval, Interlude, Intermission, Pause, Break
To the soul who seeks Him. Lamentations 3:25 (NKJV)
Teach me Your paths.
5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day. Psalm 25:4-5 (NKJV)
Wait on the Lord does not mean to be passive and fruitless. It means to prepare for what the future will bring. It means intentionally spending time seeking God. It means positioning yourself to learn from God. It means to take time to learn the truth of God. It means to learn of the salvation of God. Waiting on God is the most productive time of your life. It is the time when you will prepare for life, for victory, for overcoming, for winning.
Tuesday, December 12, 2017
Above all That we Ask or Think
Something to think about.
Above all That we Ask or Think
"Above all that we ask or think," when God gives you a vision that is bigger than you have ever thought or imagined it is frightening. He can do more with you than you ever thought possible. He can actually use you to change the world. Think about that for a minute. He can use you to change the world. As a matter of fact, He has created you to change the world. He never intended for you to be a nameless cog in the machinery. He knows your name. He knows your gifts and abilities, and He knows how best to apply them.
Monday, December 11, 2017
The Other Side of the Coin Part Three
Something to think about
The Other Side of the Coin Part Three
1“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God: “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. Deuteronomy 28:1-14
Is God alive? That question is at the core of "obey the voice of the Lord your God." If God is alive, then He has a voice if not he doesn't have a voice. God is alive He is just as alive today as when He created everything. He is speaking today just as he has in times past. In all of the ways, He spoke to us in the past. He speaks through prophets, teachers, dreams, and visions. He speaks to individuals individually corporately through organizations. He is very much involved in communicating with humanity. If this is true why do we have such a hard time hearing Him?
It is because we don't know His voice. We have become so accustomed to being distracted we know longer recognize His voice or believe He speaks. We have made His voice background noise much like our society and television. Many people turn on the television not to be entertained or informed but merely to hide from the silence. White noise is what we prefer to our thoughts. We have become afraid of silence. We constantly have some kind of sensory interruption rather than sit in silence and listen. There is so much screaming for our attention we tune out much of it. We become adept at hearing only what we will allow in. It is either the familiar or outlandish that attracts our attention. The noise is so constant that when silence does occur it is so loud as to be frightening. Then we turn to our favorite noise once again.
To hear God, there are a few things you must do. First, you must believe He still speaks to humanity. Secondly, you must know what his voice sounds like. This is remarkably simple. God spoke and still speaks through His word, the bible. You want to hear from God get to know His voice. Read your bible. Thirdly be still. Stop and spend time, focused purposeful time with God. He will communicate with you in many ways. Sometimes it will be through reading the bible. Sometimes it will be when you pray, Sometimes when you are listening to a sermon. Sometimes it will be through dreams and visions. How do you know it is a word of God? The word of God is always consistent with itself.
God will only reveal what you need to know for the next step, not the complete journey. Like Moses, he will guide you step by step turn by turn until you wake up one day and you're in the promised land. Why doesn't God reveal everything at once? Because if He did, we would shrink back with fear. Because His vision and purpose for us are larger than anything, we can think, imagine or conceive.
God is still speaking, but we have to clear the clutter. Silence the opposing noise keeping us from hearing His voice. He will not scream at you, but He will always speak to you. You have to learn to listen.
Saturday, December 9, 2017
The Other Side of the Coin Part Two
Something to think about
The Other Side of the Coin Part Two
5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, 2 with all your soul, and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:5
The promises of Deuteronomy are available to you. Because Jesus Christ, God the Father and the Holy Spirit in unison, as the Trinity have said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” He is saying if you do these two things you will not only fulfill the letter of the law but you will also fulfill the heart of it as well. What he is saying is there is no sin in love. If we love as God loves we will not sin.
The promises of Deuteronomy 28:1-14 are available to anyone who will "love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
Friday, December 8, 2017
The Other Side of The Coin
Something to think about.
The Other Side of The Coin
Thursday, December 7, 2017
On the Road to Damascus
Something to think about.
On the Road to Damascus
This is the famous story of Saul's conversion to Christianity. Saul who is later renamed Paul is on his way to persecute those who believe in Jesus. He is headed down a road with a definite destination with a definite purpose full of self-righteousness. He is headed in the wrong direction. He is headed down a path that is in direct opposition to where he wants to be. He is persecuting Christians because he believes they are opposing and denying God. He is doing it in defense of God. He believes that in incarcerating Christians, he is doing Gods will.
Before we became Christians, we were not so different from Paul. Though we do not, in this day in this country incarcerate people for being Christians. We were headed down the wrong road for the wrong reason. Saul regardless of his reasoning is headed in the wrong direction. He is not working on God's side he is working against God. We, before Christ were on our way to Damascus. We were on the wrong road for the wrong reason to accomplish the wrong goal.
We are not Paul we will not write parts of the New Testament. We will not be quoted around the world. But our conversion to Christianity is just as miraculous as Paul's. We all have to have an encounter with Jesus for our conversion to be accomplished. Every one of us must have a personal interaction with Christ for a conversation to occur. It is not just an intellectual realization of truth it is a personal connection with the risen savior. We all have to make contact with Jesus. It is no different for any of us. Without, an on the road experience, none of us will meet Jesus.
The conversion of Saul was personal, powerful and intimate. It was not an experience born of mysticism. Your contact, connection with Christ must have a tangible permanent effect on your life. It is not something you can walk away from and remain the same. If you leave as you came, you did not make the connection. When you meet Christ, you will in some way leave changed, made new, born again. Leia Mais…
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
Blind With Eyes That See
Something to think about.
Blind With Eyes That See
There is no God besides Me.
I will gird you, though you have not known Me,
6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting
That there is none besides Me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other; Isaiah 45:5-6 (NKJV)
Monday, December 4, 2017
Nothing Hidden
Something to think about.
Nothing Hidden
13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:13
If you ponder the beginning of this verse, you will arrive at astonishment, you'll be amazed and in awe of God. Every creature is naked and uncovered before God. God is so inconceivably powerful that every creature that has ever lived is bare before Him. There is not one that can hide from Him. What kind of power is that? How is it possible that God sees us all so completely as to be entirely naked. It is a power that can only be completed understood when God restores the earth.
Every knee shall bow. We will all stand before Him on the day of judgment, we shall all give the account of our lives. He will pass judgment on the entire world. He alone is the judge of all life. What power is that?
We confer power upon individuals through systems. Our president is elected, dictators are supported. Military power is a combined submission to a central idea. No power on this earth is derived from itself it is always accumulated through the will and support of people. Regardless of the government, there are aways systems created through which the power is exercised. The authority will cease to exist when the systems designed to support that authority vanish.
This is not the case with God. His power is not derived from the support of others. His power is derived from Himself. He is power. In the book of Genesis, it says he spoke the world into existence. He did not direct anyone or anything to do anything He merely spoke it, and it happened. The point is He does not depend on anyone or anything to carry out His will. He causes things to happen, to come into existence solely by the power within Him. This concept is foreign to us because there is virtually nothing we can do that is not person dependent. All people in power political, military, business, education are all dependent upon those who fulfill their will.
We cannot bend the will of God we cannot force His Hand we are impotent to remove His commands. Since He is not dependant on any source for anything nothing is able to assail Him. He is singular in His power. His power is what keeps the universe in place His power is what keeps the blood following through your veins. It is His power that enables you to think. It is His power that allows you to question Him. You are alive because of the power He has within Himself to create life. His power is complete, and we are naked before Him.
Friday, December 1, 2017
New Creation
Something to think about.
New Creation
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17
This verse was a conundrum for me as a new believer. Yes, I had been born again as Jesus told Nicodemus. But I did not feel or recognize anything as being knew. All of the old ways of my life were still in effect. I continued to drink, smoke, curse and lived an ungodly life. I was not instantaneously transformed into this new creature, yet that is the claim of this verse. I did not know how to reconcile the verse with the reality. Is the bible pie in the sky? Is it making claims which are untrue? I felt like, I most certainly was not a new creation.
It took years for me to be able to see that the day I accepted Christ into my life, a new life had actually begun. All things from that point on had indeed become new. Old things had passed away, and new things had taken their place. What I had not realized, what I was not aware of was that a new heart was placed in me. That an infant had been born, that needed to be fed, nurtured, lead, taught and loved. Everything was new because everything I had to learn, was something I had not previously known.
The only difference between being raised by your natural parent and being raised as a new creation in Christ is. A natural parent will not give you a choice because they realize that an infant or even a teenager will not always make the best decision. Being brought up in Christ is always a decision you make. Christ always asks you to follow He does not command. He will always tell you the best way to do, live, act, love, but it will always be up to you to follow. You are a new creation, but your growth, development, and maturity are not based on time it is based on choice. You can be a new creation for fifty, sixty, seventy years. You can remain a baby.