Father we cry out to you. In a country where we've turned our backs on You for our own selfish ways. We've failed to raise our children in Your ways because we have rejected Your ways.
Strengthen us Lord to not be unstable and double minded, but rather Christ minded in all things.Monday, October 24, 2016
come quickly Lord Jesus
Sunday, October 16, 2016
a change
In "my utmost for His highest" today it said pray in all things in the situation you find yourself. So instead of weekly posts which I'm failing at i hope to offer prayers.
My recent thoughts are why do people turn from God? The Lord in His earthly ministry never forced Himself on anyone, but when they were ready for Him, He was available. So scaring people to Christ may mean people confess before they are ready, then there is a falling away, or is it a falling away. The disciples had an experience of Christ as did the apostle Paul that they were willing to die for Him. People who confess Christ and truly have relationship with Him will have that kind of experience. It will be a personal experience that probably can't be proven the disciple just knows.Sunday, October 2, 2016
16-10-02 notes
Have you bowed your knee to Christ yet?
How is your relationship to Christ?
Are you convinced that Christ' ways are best and that anything you think best that don't align with Christ' ways will end badly? Do you realize the only way we can all live together in the harmony we claim to want is to put Christ first?
Has life taught you continually that you don't know everything, and that when you actually did think you had everything figured out your were often in error?
How is your legacy? Isn't our only legacy our children? Were your children inconvenient, or is it more likely you realized the "inconvenience" was only your own selfishness? Do you realize we have no control over our legacy, others get to decide.
We will all bow to Christ because eventually we come to the undeniable conclusion that we aren't God and He is. We are creatures living in a world that we did not create - another conclusion we all come to. We often try to re-create the world the way we want it, but if it doesn't align with Christ's plan it will end in loneliness and despair.
We all have relationship to Christ just as we all have relationship to our fellow humans. Some humans we don't know, some we cherish being around, others we avoid. Our relationship to Christ should be the model we follow for our relationships to others.
Do we hope the best for all - the best being close personal relationship to Christ? do we long for that? Pray for others?
Are our own feelings and wants sometimes repugnant as we realize our own selfish wants, and the fact we're ok that others will be hurt?
Sunday, September 18, 2016
16-09-18 notes
In Genesis when the three angels were journeying to Sodom they stopped at the place Abraham was staying. Do angels journey? the intention was to see Abraham, and how did he respond to the visit?
First of all He recognized the group or one of the group as being his Lord, secondly he stopped everything he was doing and had a meal prepared for them. He got his servants involved, he got Sarah involved. What is striking is that when the Lord showed up he served Him, he sought fellowship with Him.
What would be our reaction/response to the Lord coming to see us in the flesh in person as it were? Would we focus on what He could do for us or would we recognize who He is and serve Him and enjoy Him? When Jesus walked the earth later people would go to Him, not to serve but to get their infirmities addressed or the infirmities of their friends. He healed, he responded to their requests but often told them not to tell anyone. Christ wants to first and foremost be our friend, and companion, and He seeks that we first and foremost are His friend.
The best of friends serve each other, they give of themselves to serve and make comfortable each other. They put each other ahead of self. Suddenly any personal infirmities don't matter so much. They are always glad to see each other, they enjoy spending time together without there necessarily being a purpose. They purposely seek to spend time with each other.
Do you have that kind of friendship with Christ? Do you have that kind of friendship with any other person? Christ seeks that kind of friendship with us, He is ready, He is standing at our doors knocking to see if we'll let Him in. Will we then be that kind of friend back to Him?
This is not to shame it is meant to cause reflection, we all know where we are in all our relationships and we all know we have shortcomings. Christ wants to be closer than a brother to us and we should be closer than a brother to Him as well as in our other relationships.
Christ called 12 and made them His friends on earth, and yet one betrayed Him. Others ran away, curious as to what He was doing, but keeping a distance and denying Him. Yet when He was risen and came back, His apostles were changed, they truly understood His friendship and it changed their life. Changed it to the point that most of them endured horrible deaths for the sake of His friendship.
Can we have the same friendship with Him? YES
Can that model our friendship to others? YES
Is it natural for us to be this kind of friend to Him and others? NO, in the natural we preserve our flesh, we focus on gratifying it. We do need His touch, His help to be the kind of friend to Him and each other we should be.
Help us Lord Jesus.
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
16-09-04 notes
Why do we sin? We have to know what sin is. Sin is trying to do things our way rather than the Lord's. We have to know what His ways are in order do things His way and not the way that seems best to us. Not knowing His ways is one of the things happening in the time which I live. His Word the Bible is so unprecedently available in the area I was placed and yet the lack of adherence to His ways is clearly approaching the level that was recorded about Sodom and Gomorrah. It is nearly a full blown outward denial of God.
Where do we get the idea to do things are way? Part of it is we like easy and fast without hardship. Instant gratification is a something we seek in lots of the aspects of our lives. Sprinkle in some pride that we can handle anything, and God's ways seem unnecessary. We are also affected by the voices - originating in our own mind, and that of spiritual beings. Again only by knowing God's word can we discern which spirit we are of. Ideally we learn to give up the right to ourself and become obedient to the Holy Spirit. We ask the Lord to come in and He will remake us in His image as we allow it. And in the areas we allow.
Our focus should be on relationship to Christ, rather than self. What have you done for another today? Have you intentionally looked to see where God was acting and going and gone along? Our focus should be on Him. I often fall short, and He knows how and where, and yet in His word the sacrifice of His apostles (unto death- with before that being beatings and torture) is far more than I seem willing to do. It also seems far beyond what I see other "Christians" willing to do. Lord I pray for those who call on Your name including myself. Help us to grow in our walk with You, help us to cleave to your ways and cast away any identity of self. Help us to discern Your voice when we seek guidance, help us to realize that Your ways are best and that any seeming shortcut we see is not something you overlooked, but rather a path to ever increasing misery and disappointment.
Lord you don't hide from us that there will be suffering for us in this life. Its clearly in your Word. We'll have depression, its in your Word, and there are several examples in the lives recorded. We'll also have joy in this life. Help us not to only selfishly seek the joy and avoid the suffering but rather embrace both. Honestly, knowing that You are with us, and even in suffering knowing you softens the suffering.
Amen
Saturday, August 20, 2016
16-8-21
From last time, as to demons, they do exist. If we realize they do we're far more likely to reject their leadings. If we foolishly deny their existence then we're far more likely to entertain their suggestions. So which would they want? Demons know Jesus and readily recognize Him but reject His ways its all about doing their own thing for as long as they can. They are truly self aware, and have plenty of self esteem.
This week is on worry. When we lay awake at night considering all possible outcomes of a situation and try to steer situations into a certain outcome have we forgotten our Lord? If we realize He is always with us and its the journey through life with Him that is most important, not any particular accomplishment, circumstance, etc. The only accomplishment worth while is knowing Him. The only circumstance that matters is realizing He is with us at all times. We often have to get our minds off of self, stop actively trying controlling circumstances and people and worry can go away.
What about the big project tomorrow or how will class go? If we will acknowledge Him ask for His guidance and trust He is as faithful as He promises we don't have to lay awake at night.
We worry about what we try to control, the truth is we can't control anything, and if we really could we'd mess it up, and yet over and over its a trap we fall into to, where are we getting these ideas? "Did God really say....." voices? Then act on it through our fallen nature.
We worry or contemplate things we're not sure of the outcome of. We can hope for certain outcomes but we should be praying to Him for them and receiving the even better assurance that regardless of the outcome He is with us all.
Worry does not fit into a walk with Christ? Enoch walked with the Lord and the Lord took him. What earthly accomplishment was Enoch worried about? What earthly event did Enoch long to see. To walk with the Lord specific earthly outcomes, accomplishments, etc. can't be in our minds. Rather being in His presence, living in His presence is our desire. And Enoch achieved that. When we truly walk with Him does it matter whether we're here or in heaven? Its self awareness and self esteem to think we have to here for others rather than heaven, we're saying the Lord can't or won't be there for others, our loved ones. Yet He is there for them just as He is for us. None of us have relationship with the Lord "cornered", its available to all, and in order to have a fulfilled and full life we must seek that relationship.
None of us have it together, we may appear to but under the surface (what we show to others) we're a mess. Lots of voices suggest things and hopefully the Holy Spirit as well. So to let envy of others creep into our thinking is an error, focus rather on walking with the Lord. Fully.
He is so ready. Worried about something? Walk with the Lord pray for His wisdom and outcome and ask for His guidance, and trust He knows best.
16-8-14 notes (late I know)
Demons exist, we either consider ourselves sophisticated enough to ignore them or we blame them for every bad thing that comes along. What is true - we have a sin nature that bends us toward being disobedient to God, a lot of times its our choice to be disobedient. Demons are beings that can suggest courses of action of disobedience. They can't make us, it becomes our choice, but they can suggest, and suggest and suggest. They can also possess us, if we listen to their voices and do what they suggest enough they will make their home with us, and our disobedience to God becomes our nature, when called on it they can suggest we that are so used to obeying their suggestions get violent. The seven sons of Sceva beat up the those that would cast out the demons, try to break the cycle of control. How is that possible? Those casting out had the knowledge that the sons were under control by spritual beings but they themselves weren't under control of the Holy Spirit. Not having the Holy Spirit they weren't protected and the demons in the seven sons caused the sons to become physically violent - beating up the others, in a way showing a false strength, a false control.
The Holy Spirit is the voice of the Lord in our head, demons can provide other voices, and we ultimately decide which voice to listen to. Any course of action not aligned with the voice of the Holy Spirit is sin. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit - recognizing the voice of God but rejecting that voice and guidance as not being of God is the unpardonable sin. Once we do that, we have denied the Creator and there is only the one voice of His in there. So we're rejected all guidance, and He will not speak anymore if we are not seeking Him.
The Bible is God's recorded word that we can contemplate and compare to the thoughts in our minds that we either think on our own or get suggested to us by the spritual influences (demons), or the Holy Spirit. The Holy Sprit's suggestions will always align completely with God's word, the other suggestions may be close to alignment but could fail to align in one point. As we walk with the Lord we have to learn to completely align with Him. Only the Holy Spirit tells the truth, the whole truth, everytime.
As to actions, we don't learn morality by trying things out, we are moral by following the highest standard we know or our influenced by (the Holy Spirit). In the Bible death came from eating (experiencing) the forbidden fruit, which came about as a rejection of the Lord's standards. The devil was there to question what the Lord had said, to create that doubt, to lie to us. To get us to question like those thoughts that come to our minds today. "Take every thought captive", some our not from the Lord but rather deceiving spirits. Once the fruit was eaten there was consequences, Adam and Eve were stained, they were changed (even before God called them on it), they knew they had not done what was best (follow His standard) and it forever affected them. They became self aware- naked and covered themselves.
Our intellectual part will talk us into trying things(or try to) but to be moral we have to be obedient to His highest standard. God has given us this ability because he wants us to choose relationship to Him, but it also means we can reject His ways. The "moral compass" that is often referred to in people isn't possible apart from relationship to the Lord. Otherwise morality is from us, and people will do what is right in their own eyes, to the standard they have set up and it almost certainly won't match others.
The basis of His standards is that we all can coexist without anyone being bullied. When we reject His standards people get hurt - in some cases die, and the basis of his standards He'll show us if we can be unselfish enough long enough to see it. If we can realize the world is about us all living together and that no one of us is more special than another.
In church alter calls, "slip up hand", who are we serving, be a fool for the Lord. Its an admission that we're often more focused on what men think rather than serving the Lord. What keeps us from going fully into God? Burn bridges, fully rely on God, grow.
Anyone truly walking with the Lord, without some area needing to be submitted to His ways, would probably be taken like Enoch.
Thursday, August 4, 2016
sheep or goat?
sheep or goat?
Lord, help me not to be a goat!
Matthew 25:31-46 (KJV)
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Its easy to do things for God but never have a relationship to Him. In fact there are goats in every church. Working diligently for the Kingdom but not from His agenda, rather for their own. They have everyone fooled, and are probably called pillars of the community. Like the Pharisees in the days Jesus came the first time, everyone respected them, everyone sought their advice in spiritual things. Jesus criticized them as being blind, missing that which was most important, Himself.
The difference between sheep and goats is about relationship and shows up in fruit and character. What is character? Your true character is what you do alone. Are you interceding for others? Are you thinking of YOUR next adventure? Are you making sacrifices that aren't expected for others? Are you enjoying your time with the Lord. Jesus left people to intentionally be alone so he could commune with the Father, is there prayer time? Are you miserable and alone? Are you temperate when others aren't watching or do you let yourself go a little? Do you show the faith that time alone is time with the Lord to grow the relationship that matters most. For all of us, only we and the Lord know what we do alone.
Knowing the Lord and realizing our condition without Him and having a level of true meekness, not an act for others, means we should cling to Him we should pray seek His direction. In the scripture the truly meek sheep didn't realize they were serving Christ, they were so caught up in knowing Him. Whereas the goats were putting on their pretense of being righteous, but it was not about Him it was about gaining honor in the eyes of men. Getting some advantage, trying to manipulate circumstances.
Romans 5:1-5 (NASB)
Results of Justification
5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Character is developed through persevering tribulation. Knowing our lost and hopeless situation and developing and clinging to Christ who is THE only hope of glory.
Romans 5:1-5 (KJV)
5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
KJV uses "experience" rather than "character". As we gain life experience our reaction to different tribulations will develop, we'll probably try several things to learn to endure. The only sure way to endure is to grow in relationship to the Lord, cling to Him. Seek to do things His way. It was He Himself acting through the sheep that allowed Him to, that gave the food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty and clothed the naked. Thats why they didn't realize they had done it. As to the goats they never submitted their lives to Him, which is why they never saw the opportunity.
The prophet Daniel, what did he do in his quiet times?
What did Jesus do in His quiet times?
What do you do in your quiet times? Make yourself available to Him, listen grow in knowledge realize your helplessness without Him.
Lord, help me not to be a goat!
Thursday, July 28, 2016
16-7-31 notes
Ecclesiastes 7:1-7
We have to be open to the meaning conveyed by the speaker of words the author, the Author of life itself. Its far easier on our part to take his words and interpret them based on our beliefs rather than be obedient to listen particularly to God. We may quickly agree we may quickly dismiss based on our experiences our learning but we haven't enough of either to do this with our Father.
(v1)A good character is better than riches. Not a reputation, one can fool a lot of people and seemingly have a good reputation (see any politician) but their character is what they are when nobody is looking or around. Being around those of good character is comforting, the pressure is somehow reduced. They seem to have time for us. The character of Christ.
As to the day of death being better than birth, look at it from the point of a person with good character. Living the golden rule when so many will quickly take advantage of you will wear a person down. This will tire them greatly or drive them toward the only relationship that matters, probably some of both depending on mood and circumstance. While a newborn has their entire life before them and seeming great promises those dying have the even better promise of an eternity with the savior they served. Their faith tested through life and now the quiet confidence of knowing.
(v2) We all die unless the Lord returns. A slow death, ever weaker ever greater pain until we give up or the quick unexpected one. Both result in great sadness for those remaining. Worse than death, is the great wickedness and tragedy that happens in a society whose God is not the Lord. The exceeding greatness that can be accomplished in and through all of us by submitting to Him is countered by the evil and wickedness that happens at the hands of those who reject Him. Knowing there will be sadness and mourning makes the times of feasting celebration all the better. It is better to face the mourning times rather than try to avoid them. Even if we were all Christians there would still be sad times, because we're in a fallen world. It would be better, though, for society, than one that rejects the Lord.
Psalm 42:5,11 Sadness of countenance (v3) Its not our countenance we seek but His to be made in His image. He made us with incredible potential for evil and of good, and He has seen every evil act there ever was or will be and yet His countenance is one of hope and love toward us that we might choose Him as He calls to us. Once we adopt His countenance then He contributes to keeping it healthy in us. The consideration of the sadness tragedy and the possibility of worse gives us His proper countenance of hope. We can relate that to others knowing what is most important, and not living in our sorrows but rather that hope.
(v4-5) It is in sorrow that we seek the wisdom of life. When all is well we seemingly have no cares no wisdom required. When a friend or acquaintance is sorrowed we should reflect on the certain tragedy of this life, not offer deflecting advice, not belittling their struggle because there are certainly ones that are worse, but rather pointing them to the only One that can comfort, that can give them the wisdom they need at this moment when they are in a frame of mind to accept it.
(v6) Just as the house or mourning puts us in position to grow in relationship to our Lord, to see the tragedy in life but also the hope through our Lord. So we can develop a proper relationship to the Lord. We seek times of feasting and mirth, the good times and there are those who would reject the tragedy of life and attempt to spend all their time having a good time. This is vanity we must face life as it is.
(v7) Following Christ changes what? Do your former buddies think you mad? family? Following Christ means the unbelievers will see you as a fool. Yet where is your hope in this life, is their answer better or foolish. We must confess without Him we are nothing, we do that when we embrace the tragedy of life. He is the hope, He is the one we seek. Are we oppressed? do we care what others think? or have we reached the point yet that we're focused on Him? As we invite Him to remake us in His image, His gift will change us, it will destroy me my and I in favor of His ways, His countenance, and His character. Amen
Saturday, July 23, 2016
16-07-24 notes
Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
How is your walk with God? Walking isn't particularly thrilling. Walking with God is steady, it is something we desire to do but it is a challenge to endure. Walking with God is the way others should describe our character, not that we care what others think, but it is our desire to keep up with our Lord. Genesis 17:1 To walk before Him is to have the confidence we're going where He wants us, to be blameless is to have developed the close relationship we all strive for.
To seek thrills in life is the sign of unhealthy relationship to the Father. We're saying relationship to Him alone is not enough, we want more, which is rejection of Him.
The reality of realizing God's presence does not dependent on our being in a particular circumstance or place, but only depends on our determination to keep the Lord's presence in mind. Determination struggle, not what our flesh wants but what our spirit longs for. We refuse or are not diligent in keeping His presence in mind (walking with Him). We create problems for ourselves. If we can ground ourselves in Him, more than awareness, but a grasp of the reality of it, then we will see Him in all aspects of our lives, we will be truly walking with Him. Our constant longing for direction from Him will also go away as we cling to the presence knowing we walk with God and wherever we go He is there. We live truly in the shade of His wings. We walk.
From Ecclesiastes 6
Its not what we do in life, but who we are and the influence of our character. To walk with God and let His character shine through us at all times in all circumstances is the best purpose of our life. Setting sights on any other accomplishment is a denial of Him.
Having pride and self realization is the root cause of sin. Sin is anything not of God, can we walk with Him and not have His character affect us, change us into His image. We cannot do anything meaningful apart from Him.
We often live to continue our existence, when we should be living for Him. If we hoard it rots, what will happen to the "treasures" you cling to when you are gone? Things, houses, land, that could be a blessing for others from God if you would only relinquish. He can take what He has given us back, and make no mistake everything you have came from His hand. Our only care should be about our relationship to Christ. Once in proper relationship we relate to life as a child.
Instead our flesh begs us to lust, we must have it now and don't care about consequences. Animal like lusts, relational lusts (with others not God), the lust for spiritual things (not focused on Him)- it comes from self realization and pride, the root cause of sin. Properly related to God we are satisfied with Him and can wait endlessly (His love in us hopes all things endures all things and is patient, kind [1 Cor 13])
Jesus desires relationship with each of us, and with it our perspective changes. It becomes His perspective, we see Him remake us in His image.
It is conceit (pride) on our part to think we are the wisest generation that ever lived, knowledge is not wisdom. Modern thinking says to reject God, we've gone beyond Him. Clearly not wisdom. James 1:5 If we lack wisdom... Society has so rejected the Lord's ways we don't even know who to ask. His ways are rejected but isn't that pride and self realization?
Saturday, July 16, 2016
16-7-17 notes
Jeremiah 26 Ecclesiastes 5:8-20
In this Chapter Jeremiah is told by God to go and speak that which God has given him. He does so, what is the response? They want to kill him. As this is discussed we're reminded that this has happened at least twice in the past, once where the king and the people repented and the Lord repented. Once when the people killed the profit, hunting him down in a different country bringing him back an slaying him.
So every generation makes the choice turn from God's ways and do your own thing, or turn to His ways. The reaction to the hearing of God's word and message is the same now as then. Some can't get enough of the message, it changes their lives. Some want to kill the messenger they so don't want to hear the truth because in their own minds and imaginations they have come up with the way they want to be and live and don't want anyone confusing them with God's truth.
It an admission that His ways are better if our reaction to truth is to silence the messenger. Its a strong signal of a heart turned away from its Creator. It is also the nature of everyone of us apart from God, fallen ready to kill.
God made us from the dust of the earth and breathed life into us. The things of the earth are His, we brought nothing into this life we'll take nothing out , and yet we often ignore God in trying to maintain what we have (He has given us), or try to gain further blessings without acknowledging the Blessor. God has a permissive will, in which He lets men do as they see fit and it is the world we live in. All kinds of people hurting each other, fear and tragedies.
God also has an order - the way things should be. We can't make others strive for that, we can only strive ourselves to catch hold of God's order and hold onto it. Unless we are clinging to relationship with God, unless we are longing to submit to His order in our lives (with sacrifice of self which is painful), then we are part of the problem in the world. The turning from God to self (root mean cause), and we don't like to hear it - we don't like to hear we need Him working in our hearts - reshaping us back to His image.
We make the excuse we can't help ourselves, or someone's actions are in some way excusable. Yet people are hurt by those actions and that is clearly not God's order. God's order is in relationship to Him - His desire for us, a longing to be in relationship to the Creator, and the created.
Admitting our fallen nature, focusing on Him. Careful to stay focused on relationship, and not this doctrine or that. Careful not to get distracted by the myriad of things around us that clamor for our attention. God's order will only happen as each of us strive for it individually, crucifying self. If enough individuals do it will happen but looking for the order can take our focus off of relationship.
Saturday, July 9, 2016
July 10th notes
Which of the things of God has caused us to turn away from Him? Jeremiah 2:5-9 God asks the question directly of us. When we think on the things of God we generally feel assured, comforted, so why then do we not meditate on them always (constantly doing His things)? Always in prayer?
Why do we acknowledge the goodness of God but yet don't follow His ways?
If the things of God are perfect, why don't we do them? Instead we do evil because we can (Jeremiah 3:5). We're wired for evil, we have a fallen nature that wants to be in control and not surrendered to God. Yet God surrounds us with the things of Him. We corrupt them- trying to have our way, and run our lives the way we want. In our imaginations we never see the possibility of anything but peace and goodness in our lives, its what we want, but its not actuality, evil happens. Jeremiah 23:17-18
We often put up a good front as followers of Christ everything is always "well", our secret things are well concealed from others. We don't share the struggles with the things we fail at. We fail at them because we try to do it in our own power and not His.
We are only what we are in the dark; all the rest is reputation. What God looks at is what we are in the dark—the imaginations of our minds; the thoughts of our heart; the habits of our bodies; these are the things that mark us in God's sight. OC
So where are you with God, when you're alone?
Lets look at marriage. God's plan - be fruitful and multiply, a life changing event that gives proper place to passions. Song of Solomon 8:4 As a result of those passions, multiplying happens, so both people entering a marriage should be ready for that possibility, and fully committed to each other. For her - willing to make the self sacrifice to be the mom of his children, for him willing to make the self sacrifice of being a father of her children. Indeed, marriage should be complete and unconditional surrender of each to the other. (1 Cor 7:4). In that context it is a life changing event, a leaving of one's family of childhood to cleave to another person creating a new family. Matthew 19:4-6
But as fallen people we have changed what God intended into ...
Think about the current politically correct definitions of marriage largely being forced onto us from those that think they are smarter than us. Or at the very least they have firmly rejected God in their own minds and have reasoned out in their imaginations what marriage should be, then used the authority we gave them to promote standards not of God. Definitely an opportunity for intercessory prayer.
Our relationship to God is like being married. We should completely surrender to Him. Be ready to be His bride, go where He takes us.
What often happens? We try and control God. Just like in a marriage where husbands and wives try to manipulate each other trying to control and impart their will, instead of submitting. We want to be married to God (want the benefits) yet we want other gods instead (our own selfish desires). We keep our own agendas, not fully surrendering to Him. We're willing to drink from a broken cistern versus a clear fountain. Jeremiah 2:13. Our actions shouting that ours ways are best, when with our lips we'll say His ways are best. He longs for us to become fully committed and surrendered to Him.
Instead of being selfless in marriage and putting our partner first we put self first. Yet selfish people who insist on their way are often the most miserable people you'll ever meet. Anything you do for the selfish is never good enough, they expect more, better, etc. Is God blessing you enough? Do you have to think about it?
Can a person in a marriage take advantage of the other? Yes, We'll gladly try to take advantage of God, but we fear giving up control to Him. The action of maintaining control drowns out our lip service of being committed.
May our actions show the desire of our hearts and our words be few, not really needed. Submit in your relationship to the Lord. Its the only one that matters, and will guide you into the other ones. Any and all your relationships can be helped, break the bad habits of years gone by, break out of the comfort zone. Don't let your pride stop you, from fixing the broken as you realize it.
Luke 13:6-9 non-fruit bearing fig tree one more chance. fertilized, watered, one more chance, the plant was given the best chance to grow. What would cause a fruit bearing plant not to produce fruit? Pruning and watering might make it healthy but maybe not fruit bearing. It may not be bearing fruit due to lack of sunshine, its needed for fruit bearing plants. It helps ripen the fruit.
The Lord has so many examples in our lives as to how to grow relationship to Him. Non- fruit bearing Christians- lack of Sonshine. They may appear to have full lives, but lack intentionality about following Christ, telling others what God has done for them in their life, letting Him be in all things. Just takes a small seed in a crack a thought of God and His ways to start someone toward the path of relationship.
Are we fully related to God, in all facets of our lives, submitting to Him? Are we focused on Him alone?
Mark 11:12-14 Fig tree cursed for not bearing fruit.
Let us pray. Lord we submit to you in all things and lead us to let the knowledge of your blessings to us overflow out of us as a witness of You to those around us. Keep our eyes steadfastly on You.
Thursday, June 30, 2016
July 3 2016 notes
What are the plans God has for us? What are our plans that we ask God to bless? What is the better way to show our surrender to Him? Jeremiah 29:11-13. Verse 13 says we will find Him when we seek Him with all our heart, fully surrendered?
We cannot grasp the things God has for us. Isaiah 55:6-9 Its clear God has allowed us to determine our own ways and thoughts should we choose. Surrendering to Him means doing things His way not ours. If we reject Him and His ways we end up as described in Romans 1:24 and Ephesians 4:18. His ways are best His ways are truth and to go our way we reject Himand His truth.
Oh Lord that we would submit fully to your ways. The lord protects us as He remakes us as we surrender to Him. What did Jesus tell Peter? Luke 22:31 Simon, Satan hath desired to have you to sift you like wheat. The Lord kept Satan - doing things our way not God's from sifting through Peter. Each of us is sifted and must surrender as we submit to the Lord. He won't compel us He wants us to have relationship to Him of our own free will.
Often people get a certain distance with the Lord then stop, reserving places where they have not surrendered. Not focusing on His ways but our ways, turning from His ways, ignoring them. As if we are something special and we have figured out something the Lord of all eternity has somehow missed.
We attempt bend His truth to match our way but the reality is His truth is steadfast and our minds justify our actions. Little steps of self and pride. So as we allow focus on God and his ways to be ignored, or we avoid promoting the things of God, where does it all end?
Jeremiah 7:31, Jeremiah 19:5, Jeremiah 32:35
The truth: as we think on God and His ways He'll protect our thoughts and keep us focused on His ways. What happens when we reject Him - He turns us over to thoughts He has never thought of. Things that may seem beneficial to ourselves but clearly hurt others.
Beware of turning your back on what you know is true because you do not want it to be real. Jesus Christ never says that a man is damned because he is a sinner; the condemnation is when a man sees what Jesus Christ came to do and will not let Him do it. Oswald Chambers
Isaiah 40- who is teaching God? Can we teach Him will our "logical" "rational" thoughts lead us to a point where we can ever reject His ways? NO
Isaiah 48:17-19 The Lord is our instructor, how do we get that instruction? By submitting to Him. Not going our own way - the way that seems right unto man Proverbs 14:12
Job's friends gave him counsel that misrepresented the Lord. How did they get there ? They went the way that seemed right to them. Was it good counsel? Were they genuinely trying to help Job? Job 38:2, 40:2, 42:1-9
We must yield to Him who knows, which means we do no know. Except as He lives through us surrendered to Him.
All have relationship to the Father, embrace it make it the best.
Be fruitful and multiply- God's ways
Why do people seek Him? Why do they consider the things of the Lord. Because their own thoughts scare them and He has planted His truth among those thoughts. Parable of the sower - talking up His kingdom everwhere, putting good seed out. Grain among the tares. They realize there is something else or something missing. The something else as they ponder it they partially want to reject.
Talk up the things of God- if people are offended they'll leave, where will they go? Pray for them, pray pray pray that they don't get trapped in a web of untruths thinking they have the best answers. In His day Jesus looked on the city of Jerusalem and wept (Luke 19:41-42), the bulk of the people had rejected His Father's ways.
If we worry about them leaving, aren't we saying there is another place to go. When people walked away from Jesus- the disciples remained and he asked if they would leave too. What was Peter's response? (John 6:67-68) Was that the truth? Those who won't leave have come to the conclusion, He is the only way, and they repent of their ways in order to turn to His.
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Ecclesiastes 5:1-7
Proper relationship to God does not unfit a person for their actual life.
Rituals in proper form can enhance relationship to the Lord. He gave us a form of prayer that being God He knew would get repeated. There are those so caught up in rituals that they leave Christ out and those that reject both ritual and Christ. Emphasis is on relationship to the Lord.
When do people get religious? Bereavement? caught in a wrong? fear of being caught in a wrong. What is the reaction- remorse? Probably- like a drunk waking up with a headache, sorry for what happened, but does that remorse cause him to change? Probably not. Repentance is the turning away from not an "I'm sorry I did that", which is often code for "I'm sorry you caught me".
Relationship is basking in our Lord, under His wing, quietly learning and doing things His way. Rejecting the temptation to make oaths, and promises we won't keep. There is a definite zeal of resolve when we make those promises but that zeal fades. If during a self righteous zeal we vow to men or God, we should keep it to our own detriment. Far better not to vow than to vow and not and not fulfill. What happens when we realize we aren't keeping those promises? Had we not made them to start with our tendency toward self pity would become a less well worn path.
Where is joy found, only in proper relationship to the Lord. With a constant focus on Him, which leads to a longing to be with Him. We often let our joy fade by looking form our relationship to our Father and toward the circumstances of life. This can be compounded by comparing our situations to those around us. Before long we're in a state of utter despair. At those times where is our focus? On what we think are our needs (really wants). In relationship to the Lord we need to drop our wants and focus on seeing things from His perspective. Self almost assuredly won't be a part of it.
Surrender yourself to the Lord, give Him the right to your self. People often make decisions for Christ but that can be done in an emotional zeal of the moment circumstance. Then what? the zeal fades and we realize we made promises and vows we don't keep. Solution- seek another zeal filled moment - make the same promises knowing this time it will different. Will it? Really? You know it won't. Rather surrender give up admit the truth that you can't do it without Him. Then surrender all areas of your life letting Him remake you in His own image. Its only when we admit our weaknesses that we gain His strength. If we try something out of our own strength, He will not be with us and we will fail.
So how is your life going? Is it going according to your plan or His? Are you focused on the most important relationship in life (with the Lord), or on all the other relationships. Are you miserably basking in the disappointment of relationships, trying to control or steer people and the Lord in the direction you want to go. Or are you quietly basking under His wing. What does He want you to do later today? Tomorrow? Do you know?
In our prayer life, quiet time we should intercede for others. While its true we often don't know the complete ins and outs of another's situation, we can pray that they and the Lord develop relationship. We can pray for their surrender to the Lord.
Another part of our prayer life should be the quiet listening to Him. Letting our perspective be bent to align with His permanently. Not just agreeing for a time but repenting (turning from) any way not of Him. Rejecting the ways in us surrendering to Him and taking His ways.
When we pray for self, there is a temptation toward trying to manipulate the Lord. A trying to explain our ways, justify them to the Lord. Or an attempt of bending Him toward our ways. At the very least bend Him away from His ways we don't want to surrender too. We must surrender self to Him even in our prayer life, listening during the quiet moments for His guidance as to direction, His direction. Not asking Him to go along with our thoughts and plans.
Friday, June 17, 2016
6-19-16
06/19/16
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
We must have a relationship to God, All of us have one but the conditions of the relationship widely vary. Do we acknowledge Him, do we deny Him, are we seeking to be closer or pushing Him away. Any thing we dislike about relationship to Him indicates the hardness of our hearts and the stiffness of our necks.
Without a doubt, every other relationship will let us down at some point. Unless we are in Christ and those we're in relationship with are in Christ. We can't make anyone be in Christ, but must ONLY focus on our own relationship.
No relationship to Christ, or trying to manipulate others into one will certainly make us bitter, expecting, mean, cruel, hateful and generally all those things that have not the fruit of the spirit or the essence of love.
Of the fruits many say they have no self control. They can't help it, they were made a certain way. They must get drunk, they must steal, etc. Yet, is it an excuse for hurting others? DWI killing a child. What about the young man that killed 4 in hit and run and was given probation because his upbringing was such he didn't realize what was doing.
If you have no self control then question your relationship to Christ. If He lives withing you then the fruit will be evident, even self control. Doing things the Lord's (His) way not ours.
Why do we say we have no self control? We all seek fulfillment and we either embrace His ways, or reject His ways (self control) in order to seek fulfillment in some other fashion. The fulfillment we seek only comes in relationship to Him. Deep true relationship, more than the lip service we often see from others. We must cling to Him until we understand why- that grows the proper relationship.
Not having self control is a clear rejection of His ways, in favor of our wants. When we reject His ways long enough He'll still give us the desire of our hearts.
Romans 1
Galations 5: 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh [a]sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you [b]please. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: [c]immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, [d]factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
2Timothy 3
If the fullfillment we all seek is sought in the flesh we're doomed to misery. Yet the flesh will always have its tug in this life. If we could ever feel we have mastered the flesh then there is an opportunity for pride. The thorn in the flesh wasn't taken from Paul- there was something there he struggled with clinging to Christ and His grace.
What does God want you to do today? How does that fit with your normal routine? Come to Him without reservations, not a do and don't list, its living in Him. He can change us, celebrating sin is pride.
God is not powerless to change us, but He waits for the invitation. The truth is we don't want to change so we make a lame excuse. We can do all things through Christ, yet we are so self limiting, we say "I can't do that". Its a statement where we're either proclaiming ourselves god. or we just lied. He is God.
We want to identify with the strong, we want to be powerful, yet Christ came in meekness as a baby. His sole purpose was to do his Father's will, and He did that in all things. We switch between our different desires based on the situations we find ourselves in.
Why do we lament the dead? the lost opportunity at life? We are admitting and confessing we ourselves are not fulfilled. If we (or they) could just have another day, week, month year then we would find the fulfillment we all seek. Fulfillment which isn't there unless its in close relationship to Christ. We glaze over the facts that had the dead kept living then in all likelihood they would have hurt us, and tend to look at the missed opportunities for our own gain.
Yes mourn, blessed is he that mourns for they shall be comforted (Matt 5:4). The very spirit of God comes to us in those times longing to be let in. Longing to be acknowledged, longing to further deepen our relationship to Him. The only relationship that is fulfilling. The comforter is there, we're all mortal, we'll all die, will we die knowing Him?
Friday, June 10, 2016
message for 6-12-16
06/12/16
Ecclesiastes 3: 16-22
What happens when we reach our ambitions? If we do that is. Those that reach them will either become humble and know it wasn't based on their effort or become a tyrant, and make themselves out to be God. Others of us never realize our ambitions. Most of us will die not having the satisfaction of fulfilling several ambitions. Ambitions and their fulfillment don't make us, but rather our day to day relationship with the Lord. What ambitions do you have that will likely not be fulfilled?
If we don't get our ambitions filled - we can be sad and seek justice, feel there is no fairness in the world, getting into a mire of self pity. If we look for justice from man we will not see it. What we need to be focused on is that there no injustice due to our actions, and as we relate daily to Christ and His ways following there won't be. Are you in self pity over failed ambitions?
Jesus failed from a worldly standpoint (abandoned and killed), but yet had joy. This joy came from relationship to the Father and accomplishing exactly what the Father sent Him to do. That is where joy is, any other seeming paths to joy end in heartache. Where is your relationship to Christ?
God shall judge us, we often have sense of God as a mystical figure that doesn't know "how it is", but He does know "how it is". He came in the flesh with our limitations, and lived Holy and blameless. Do we compare ourselves to Him as the standard or other people. As we compare ourselves to Him and His standard our shortcomings are obvious, a means for growth. Yet when He judges we'll know its fair, its right and we will be in agreement. As we abide in Him agreement will happen and is part of it. Abide in Him. Are you abiding? Are you in agreement?
We'll all die unless Jesus acts. Our younger years we don't feel the certainty of mortality, but it creeps into as we age. We all were dust at one time and will be dust again. We can't will that it won't happen, we can only be thankful to the Father for creating us and that we had any existence at all. We thank Him also for the opportunity of relationship to Him. Often that comes through relationship with others. Others influence us, the best influence is from viewing others seeking a closer personal relationship to Him, rather than their conscious effort to help. Who have been your best influencers? Were they doing it consciously?
Birth year (1964 ) - death year (????). Will you be remembered for your accomplishments? your great amassing of wealth or things? Let it be that you loved the Lord had a close growing relationship to Him, that everyone saw that knew you. In a close relationship to the Lord we actually lose the care of what the memories of us will be, we'd rather each and everyone had a relationship to Him instead. What will your legacy be? Is legacy important to you?
Our fallen nature tries to lead us to ignore His ways. For us personally we have our "reasons" why we don't have to be like Jesus but at the same time there is no excuse for another not to be like Him so we preach fervently to them. Yet it starts with us, where are you in that relationship? Have you crucified self yet?
New heaven and new earth realized and filled by those who base their life on God and His Son Jesus. Walking in relationship with no care for self. Many today reject God as a concept, and as a consequence the possibility of relationship to Him. Others are growing and walking faithfully with Him, not caring of the growing ridicule they are subject to. Rejecting self, and being true to the source of joy they have found tried and true The joy that comes from abiding in the Father, and doing His will. Where are you with the Lord, where will you be tomorrow?
1st Corinthians 13
Do you love? When you say you love someone do you mean the following:
you're willing to suffer long for that person (patient)? and remain kind?
you're not envious - going to try controlling them, putting them in bondage?
you're not boastful, prideful, self seeking- you realize you don't have all answers, but rather you put others first
you're not easily angered- anger should only come when things of God are made light of, never from personal attacks against you, we are all wretches after all.
you don't keep records of wrongs, (memory is a record), but rather always hopes for the best.
you always trust, even those who may have hurt you.
you always want and hope the best for everyone, and rejoices in truth.
you've kept all the above for everyone you've ever said you love.
Fallen short yet of your love proclamations?
Do you love self more than others? Often we're less likely to keep memories of our own sins than those of others. Pray - Father we have not loved You or others as we should.
We can't truly love anyone without relationship to Christ, and letting Him love through us. He truly loves us all even those who deny His existence, He truly longs to have a close growing relationship with us all.
Out of a close growing relationship to Him
reject self.
reject self.
reject self.
abide in Him
grow closer to Him daily.
Friday, June 3, 2016
Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
6-5-2016
Gospel- we are in need of a savior
Reading in Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
Hebrew world view-there is a God, the Bible is true, got to go about living.
Greek world view must find origin of things, Bible not relevant.
As time limited beings we can take God's word for the past, OR that of other humans- records left. There maybe errors. People like to say the Bible is in error based on human record, but couldn't the reverse be just as true? The human record could be in error based on the Bible. What is the motive of the author of the biblical record?, the human record?
Don't think too long- its a distraction. You can't prove existence or non-exixstence of God beyond a shadow of a doubt. The Bible says this and even leading Scientists have to admit they don't know everything. You can't know for certain what happened before you existed just like you can't know what will happen after you die. The history of your family was told to you by someone you trust, you weren't there.
Five books of the Bible for how to live life.
Job - how to suffer
Psalms - how to pray
Proverbs - how to act
Ecclesiastes - how to enjoy
Song of Solomon - how to love
Greeks - things should be perfect, we all seek a Utopian world, but the reality is they aren't. The question becomes why? Then how to fix it?
We are not to serve God for gain, (Job lost everything) but to live in personal relationship to Christ. In each and every moment. If we are children then we need our Father readily near us to ask and to set us in the proper direction. What happens when children sneak off (try to hide from God's presence) ? Tries to figure something out without help?
God's order and His permissive will.
His Order - kingdom of heaven the Utopia we all seek,
His permissive will - the things as we have to deal with in this life. From dealing with what He permits we develop relationship to Him praying along the lines of His order and being changed from the inside out. We wouldn't seek relationship unless there was the things He allows in His permissive will. Life is ultimately a tradgedy.
The only thing that lasts is personal relationship through Jesus Christ. As we see our personal shortcomings in the day to day activities of life, will our desire to serve Him steer us in the right path?
Mature relationship to God sees hope- Hope in the God of the relationship, not in a creed or a word, but the person. We seek that relationship just like He seeks relationship with us.
We have the power to choose, what we do.
we don't have the power to avoid consequences of those choices.
we don't have the power to choose when we were born
we don't have the power to choose our sex
we don't have the power to choose our race
To discriminate against people based on age, sex, or race is a sign of just how fallen we are - apart from Christ. We can only choose within the confines we were placed. Our choices dictate our disposition.
A time for everything, what if we rush it? Consequences of choices. Some may not be so good. Awaiting for the proper time as led through your relationship with God, just enjoying that relationship until then. What happens when young kids get car keys? At some point however its the right time.
A time to get a time to lose. Be ever so careful not to be wrapped up in possessions. Absolutely they are of benefit, but its easy to value a possession more than the one who will inherit it - if you go to the Lord. Too much value on earthly possessions, can lead to you putting more emphasis on man's creations than God's (people). Lay up your treasure in heaven. Realistically what will happen to your things when you are gone?
If you lost everything you'd still have the relationship to God, because that can't be lost. And our thinking should be along the lines of "that relationship is enough".
A time to speak, control of the tongue. Jesus only spoke those things of His father, He never spoke to vindicate self. Don't we at times feel its necessary to vindicate ourselves? Don't, we are wretched sinners deserving death, speak the things God shows you through relationship to Him.
We don't serve God to gain heaven, its not fire insurance to keep us out of hell. We serve Him out of relationship to Him, service develops relationship and gains the satisfaction of having Him as our friend.
Unrequited love- the one sided type. Its the one tha hurts the most and Christ knows all about it. Its the way we treat Him prior to starting an relationship with Him. We usually don't consider relationship with Him until we have exhausted all of our self .
Our disposition should relate to our relationship to God, and unless we relate our disposition to Him between birth and death, we will reap distress, and those after us will also. If our dispostion is out of relationship to Him then we 'll experience the joy of life.
Jesus never terrorized anyone into believing, that is an invetion of man to try and control and manipulate people. Jesus is there for us all, and unless we're rightly related to Him everything we try on our own will fall in despair. Have despair in your life? - its in the area where you need to grow your relationship to Him, give up right to self, let Him re-new you. If our fundamental relationship to Him is flawed our other relationships will be also. Focus on your relationship to Him, be carefully careless of other relationships.
Live for present, not past, not future and as God rebuilds everypart of you back into oneness with Himself, enjoy it. Feel God's guidance, His bit in your mouth. The alternative one is sin. He will lead us in His path the right path. We may be tempted by shortcut, but its not His way its sin.
All men seek a utopian world, with fairness, perfect equity of people, perfect harmony. Only God's path has a hope of getting there. We have to let ourselves be transformed from within through redemption in Christ. We can't control others. The other paths we see to utopia want the things of Christ without the giving up of self, so it becomes apparent they want people (usually other people) to exhibit the spirit of Christ without acknowledging Him. Without acknowledging the Creator any world, system, etc. not of His way will fail.
Saturday, May 28, 2016
May 29
Pray to open hearts
Hosea 4: 1,6 As we reject the Law of God, He rejects us. As we forget the Law of God He forgets our children.
Ezekiel 33: 1-11 The sword of the Lord will come will we warn? Its not God's desire that any should perish.
Isaiah 62: 6-7 We are watchmen and give the Lord no rest (pray) until He make Jerusalem a Praise.
As we forget God's law He forgets our children. We are willing to sacrifice our children's future for our satisfaction now. 3000 babies a day are aborted, and we accept this, children are hungry in this country and the church Sunday school lesson tells us kids have never had it better. Today's society respects them unlike in Roman times when infanticide was a common practice. Isn't abortion infanticide? Root cause analysis of abortion issue- self focus of the father and mother.
Lots of talking about family, marriages, fix your marriage then your relationship to the Lord will be better. The advice is to study your wife or husband find out what they respond positively to, and focus on that. Yes, study your wife or husband - figure them out put them in a box such that in this situation you do this, in another situation you do that. Anyone in here old? What happens? people change- what worked in your 20s won't work in your 60s, and its a distraction from the one true relationship you MUST make First. God doesn't change, but yet His depth is such we'll never fully understand. We can't know what to do in every situation we must look to Him for that guidance- constantly, we must be in relationship to Him, active. Root cause analysis for marital issues- self focus of husband and/or wife.
Respect or Love do you do you deserve it ? Aren't you a wretch (Amazing Grace)? Jesus came and deserved our Love and respect and got death on the cross. We deserve death and think people owe us love and respect. Root cause analysis we put ourselves first.
HB2, see the pride, transgendered and sex changes. The unstated reality is those getting sex changes are taking themselves out of the gene pool, they make themselves eunuchs - they should get the Darwin award. The sad thing about this is a decision made in teens, 20s and 30s will have lifelong impact (and likely possible regret). How many of us knew everything in our 20s? If any of us looks back just a few years we feel we're more knowledgeable now than then. We'd probably even say it. Root cause analysis- self focus, its all about me.
Heard a sermon about potential church split UMC, but that was prevented by sending the issue to committee to "study it".
1 Cor 6: 9-11
We're all sinners, we all need the Lord so as the slogan says the UMC and every church should have open doors. Those that come are seeking, they know they can't do it without God. They maybe ready to reject self, admit they don't have all the answers.
What do they get in church, and are they really committed???
Most want fire insurance and don't want to really do what He might ask. They avoid it- reject Him. The big one is He might send us from our comfortable living in the USA to the far mission field. So we want Him to a point, but not fully. In the day we're living in He has brought the mission field to our doorstep, and we just can't believe it. We are watchmen - will we warn?
What do they hear in church??
Whats missing is what they hear. They don't hear the Word of God, outlining His standards. They don't hear that we are wired such that the way which may seem right to us ends in death (Prov 14:12 and 16:25) and that we must submit our ways to His. People who have an agenda that is their own rather than the Lord's, will not preach about His standards or our hopeless condition without the Lord.
People preach things other than Gospel- easy to do, as part of agenda. What they do hear are nice stories, they hear they are doing their best, they hear it ok not to be obedient to God an example being "this section of the Bible was written for these people at this time".
Then why was most of the Bible written from memory and experiences?
And would a God who can see all of time - who is timeless write something for those He loves that is time dependent and not for all people. If you think about that then the statement "this part of the Bible was written for these people (not us) sounds more like what it is, an excuse for disobedience. Than sound teaching.
Where does Bible rejection end? With statements like the Bible "outdated, we're more sophisticated". Total rejection. " My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge". Pray for people that have come to that conclusion, its not a time to gloat, its a tragedy. Romans 1:28-32 Those without knowledge of God
Pray for renewed fear of the Lord and beginning of wisdom. Proverbs 9:10 Fear of Lord beginning of wisdom.
Or those coming to church seeking hear a partial gospel, God will take in everyone- true- everyone that sees their need for Him and turns to His ways. The hard part is for church people to not become the prideful Pharisee praying and thanking God he/she is better than another. The focus must be on the standard that is God.
We reject the whole truth, the part where obedience is necessary.
"Its too hard, God is mean and ready to zap us". Instead of thinking God is cruel think that He outlined what is best for us through all time, if we live according to His outline we'll have the fulfilled lives we all seek. God is tender He tells up front how to live the only cruel thing is the hardness of our hearts to want to do things our own way. The way that ends in death.
If we realize the only good in us is His spirit shining through us and we get together and promote His ways only. Then how can there be any discord? If there is discord we're too self focused.
If we're in the Lord, where do divisions come from? If we're in self its easy
False prophets, exonerate men.
True prophets condemn men.
If His standards are promoted then the darkness and self will not stay near the light.
-Gospel must be preached, so men can choose, their way or God's
-must call those in the congregation what they are - sinners, must condemn self in favor of our Lord Jesus Christ.
-Must have a loyalty to God's word, we will meet them again and again as needed by the Holy Spirit
-moments will come where we have to decide His way or ours.
-We have to live to God's standards not men's, God won't coerce obedience
And also
-He doesn't accomodate His commands to Human compromise. We are disloyal to His truth if we try to compromise His word.
-We as people must agree with God's verdict with no desire to vindicate ourselves.
-All have fallen short
-Relationship to Christ is the Key - we all deserve death, the death He took upon Himself for us.
-Christ centered versus self-centered. His ways are best, our ways are sin
-We are His servants, when His issues come up in life we must choose, His way or our way. Issues of God will become clear in our mind we must choose
Great commision is to feed His sheep (His Word) not disciple them to our (self) way of thinking.
-Point them to Jesus, His standard, His ways, His verdict, then pray the relationship takes.
"It is only when we know that we are powerless that we are prepared to listen to Jesus Christ and to do what He says."-Oswald Chambers
"The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else." ― Oswald Chambers
Only one we should take seriously is God- anything or anyone else will let us down.
Taking only God serious in all things gives us the proper focus for living.
-Fear God, fear no man. Even if that feels overwhelming, if you feel alone cling to the bridegroom.
Proverbs 8:13 World has labeled us as "haters" - not of people but of sin.
Did we raise our kids in the fear of the Lord? Prov 22:6 If so why have they seemingly departed from it. They don't think we mean it.
When did Jesus get angry? I'll leave that for you to figure out in your quiet time with the Lord, and if Jesus only got angry at those times then when should we be angry?
Be a watchman:
If we realize our helpless and hopelessness apart from Jesus then asking someone about things of God and getting blessed out, called a hater, etc. Should roll right off because we're really getting what we deserve.
Live fully for the Lord, in all things, Realize "Me", "my", and "I" deserve nothing but death promote His standards through living them out in your life (if you believe)- faith is actions.
Letting Him "have thine own way" will make "it is well with my soul"
Job 38:4- 40:2 Think you know something? Think again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
