Pride? We all deal with it in one way or another. Everyone wants to know that they are doing a good job, or that they look nice, and so forth. I know that I find myself sometimes thinking that I've done a good job or look at me. I think that if we are honest with ourselves, we all have a pride issue to deal with everyday. Some times it might be more noticeable than at other times, but it is there just the same.
What we should be saying is thank you God for giving me the ability to do this or that. How many times have you made something just to get rid of it because it didn't meet your expectation? I know that I have, and I'm pretty sure you have too. It's just natural to want praise for what we do. I feel that it is alright to want credit as long as we don't become prideful. When we become prideful, then we have a tendency to think we are better than others.
Websters Dictinary Defines pride as:
[Pride]-1. The quality or state of being proud. 2. A resonable or justifiable self respect. 3. A delight or elation arising from some act or possession.
[Prideful]- 1.Haughty 2.Elated
[Proud] 1; Feeling or showing pride. 2. Having or displaying excessive self-estem. 3. much pleased.
[Synonym For Being Proud ]
Disdainful-showing scorn for inferiors.
Arrogant-implies a claiming oneself more consideration or importance than is warranted.
Haughty-suggest a consciousness of superior birth or position.
Lordly-implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power.
Insolent-implies contemptuous haughtiness.
Supercilious-implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness.
Vainglorious-means aware of one's excellence or superiorty.
Unfortunately we have acted and known people who act just like those synonyms. They could be someone who is rich monetarily, or nice looking, or a sport figure, or a movie star, or some one in a position of authority, and the list goes on. But what does God tell us about being proud or prideful?
Proverbs;15:25(The Lord will tear down the house of the proud, But He will establish the boundry of the widow.)
Proverbs;16:5(Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; Assuredly, he will not go unpunished.)
Proverbs;21:4(Haughty eyes and a proud heart, The lamp of the wicked, is sin.)
Proverbs;21:24("Proud", "Haughty", "Scoffer", are his names, Who act with insolent pride.)
[God Universal Reign]
In the last days we are told that God will do away with a proud look from man.
Isaiah;2:11-12(The proud look of man will be abased And the loftiness of man will be humbled, And the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. For the Lord of host will have a day of reckoning Against everyone who is proud and lofty And against everyone who is lifted up, That he may be abased.)
We are also told in Isaiah of the woes of the wicked.
Isaiah;5:21(Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes And clever in their own sight!) When God says "WOE TO YOU", I don't want Him talking to me. We are instructed so many times not to become proud.
Luke;1:51-52(He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble.)
We are told that God is apposed to the proud.
James;4:6(But he gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE".)
1Peter;5:5(You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.)
So we are told that God opposes pride, but gives grace to humble people, so what type of person should we be?
In the book of Romans, Paul tells us how we should conduct our lives.
Romans;12:3(For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has alloted to each a measure of faith.) Some times it is easy to think that we are important, but we need to stay humble in our lives.
So we are to humble ourselves, and not walk around with a proud heart. We need to realize that all that we do and all that we have is from God. Any talent or gift that we have, is something that God has given to us. So why should we be proud of what has been given to us. It's not anything that we have done. Our looks, our job, our income, our home, our friends, our parents, or who we know, or all that we are, all is from God. We are nothing in this world. Created by dust, here for a while, then back to dust. Nothing for us to boast about. Everything that we are can be taken away from us in second of time. If you don't believe that, then take a look at what happened to Job. He lost everything that he had. So it can happen to any of us.
We just need to stay focused on Jesus, the author of our salvation. We are not to show partiality to anyone. We are to treat others the same way we want them to treat us.
Luke;6:31(Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.)
We need to let God exalt us.
1Peter;5:6(Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.)
I pray that we won't let pride enter into our lives and cause us to fall. We all need to stay humble in our daily walk. We know that the world is watching us and looking for anything that they can accuse us of doing. In other words, we need to walk the talk, and give the world no reason to slander us. The next time that pride wants in, remember what God says about pride.
God Bless You!
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Thursday, November 02, 2006
A Life Is A Life At Conception!
I was listening to the radio this morning and they were talking of the terrible crime of abortion. Our civilation in America has gone to such an evil state, that we are killing unborn babies by the thousands. Do we really think that God will allow this to continue? If you listen to how they kill the babies, it just makes you sick to think that our government would allow such a hideous crime to continue. We don't even give it another thought, we just go on with our daily lives.
The doctors who perform these procedures of murder of infant children, go home and never look back. You ask why, because they have been paid to kill the baby, and their wallets are fat.
I looked up abortion in the dictionary, and I can see that planned parenthood has got them fooled also.
Websters Dictionary explains abortion as this: (1)the expulsion of a nonviable fetus, (2)spontaneous expulsion of a human fetus during the first 12 weeks of gestation-compare miscarriage,
What do they base this definition on? God tells us that He created life. He doesn't just create a baby, then when it is born give it life. He doesn't wait for twelve weeks then give the baby life. LIFE STARTS AT CONCEPTION!!
What does the Bible say about life?
Job;31:15(Did not He who made me in the womb make him, And the same one fashion us in the womb?)
Isaiah;44:24(Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, I, the Lord, am the maker of all things, Stretching out the heavens by Myself And spreading out the earth all alone.)
Jeremiah;1:5(Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you.)
In the book of Luke, Elizabeth tells Mary this.
Luke;1:44(For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.) That doesn't sound like a lifeless baby waiting to be born, does it?
Now here the angel Gabriel was sent from God to the virgin Mary.
Luke;1:28(And coming in, he said to her, Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.) Then he gives her the message.
Luke;1:30-31(The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in you womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.")
Now God said that the baby will be a son, and He has already given Him the name Jesus. Does this sound like a baby that doesn't have life or isn't known by God?
[Known in the Womb]
God knows us even before we are born.
Galatians;1:15(But when God, who set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, was pleased)
Here God was setting Paul apart for service while yet in his mother's womb. Doesn't that sound like God already knew him as a human being?
All of these verses point to the fact that life begins at conception, not at birth. If you are pro-abortion or not, you cannot deny the facts presented in God's Word. We are told that in the end times that our society will go from bad to worse, and it sure seems to me that we are getting worse by the day. There are many couples who are waiting for a baby, so why not just put your baby up for adoption? Give your child a chance to grow up, don't kill the child.
The harsh reality of abortion is that you are taking a human life. A life that God created, just like he did your life.
If you are considering abortion, go to your church and ask for help, God has given you that child and ypu are responsible for the care of that child. If you don't want to have a child, then please put your baby up for adoption. You will make a couple very happy, and you will be giving your baby a life.
God Bless You!
The doctors who perform these procedures of murder of infant children, go home and never look back. You ask why, because they have been paid to kill the baby, and their wallets are fat.
I looked up abortion in the dictionary, and I can see that planned parenthood has got them fooled also.
Websters Dictionary explains abortion as this: (1)the expulsion of a nonviable fetus, (2)spontaneous expulsion of a human fetus during the first 12 weeks of gestation-compare miscarriage,
What do they base this definition on? God tells us that He created life. He doesn't just create a baby, then when it is born give it life. He doesn't wait for twelve weeks then give the baby life. LIFE STARTS AT CONCEPTION!!
What does the Bible say about life?
Job;31:15(Did not He who made me in the womb make him, And the same one fashion us in the womb?)
Isaiah;44:24(Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, I, the Lord, am the maker of all things, Stretching out the heavens by Myself And spreading out the earth all alone.)
Jeremiah;1:5(Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you.)
In the book of Luke, Elizabeth tells Mary this.
Luke;1:44(For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.) That doesn't sound like a lifeless baby waiting to be born, does it?
Now here the angel Gabriel was sent from God to the virgin Mary.
Luke;1:28(And coming in, he said to her, Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.) Then he gives her the message.
Luke;1:30-31(The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in you womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.")
Now God said that the baby will be a son, and He has already given Him the name Jesus. Does this sound like a baby that doesn't have life or isn't known by God?
[Known in the Womb]
God knows us even before we are born.
Galatians;1:15(But when God, who set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, was pleased)
Here God was setting Paul apart for service while yet in his mother's womb. Doesn't that sound like God already knew him as a human being?
All of these verses point to the fact that life begins at conception, not at birth. If you are pro-abortion or not, you cannot deny the facts presented in God's Word. We are told that in the end times that our society will go from bad to worse, and it sure seems to me that we are getting worse by the day. There are many couples who are waiting for a baby, so why not just put your baby up for adoption? Give your child a chance to grow up, don't kill the child.
The harsh reality of abortion is that you are taking a human life. A life that God created, just like he did your life.
If you are considering abortion, go to your church and ask for help, God has given you that child and ypu are responsible for the care of that child. If you don't want to have a child, then please put your baby up for adoption. You will make a couple very happy, and you will be giving your baby a life.
God Bless You!
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
My History, My Future!
My wife tells me that I haven't told enough about myself on my blog. So I am going to start out with a little history of my life. I was born in North Platte, Nebraska in 1948. I went to school there and graduated in 1966. I joined the Marine Corp right out of High School, went to boot camp at Marine Corp Recruit Depot, San Diego, Calif. I went to Viet Nam on Nov 6 1967, spent 19 months in Viet Nam, came back to the states in 1969, was stationed at Barstow, Calif. until Febr. 13, 1970 and was Honorably Discharged. I came back to Nebr. and hired out on the Union Pacific Railroad on Febr. 24, 1970, and still work for them.
I met my beautiful wife Bonnie in Scotts Bluff, Nebr. in 1976, and we were married on April 6, 1977. We have had our rocky points in our marriage, but God pulled us through them and we are still married. We have two beautiful daughters, Jasmine Sapphire, and Cedar Spring. Through Jasmine, we have two lovely granddaughters, Kyla, who is 9 years old, and Oriana, who is 4 months old. I have a great son in law, Tim Ojeda. All of my family are Born Again Christians. God has blessed me so much. Thank You Father!
I was born to Christians parents, Harold & Donna Chapman. Both have went to be with the Lord. I have one brother, Harold and one sister Sally. My sister in law is Nell Chapman, and my two brothers in law are Bob Pinneker, and William Smith. All are great men.
Jesus has given me salvation through His sacrifice on the cross. I gave my life to Jesus in 1984. I had gone forward in church at a young age, but I know that salvation took place when I admitted that I was a sinner, repented of my sins, and ask Jesus into my life. That was the best moment in my life. It is a great feeling to have assurance of eternal life in heaven. I am now a new creation in Christ, a new man wanting to serve Him, and do His will the rest of my life here on earth. I write this blog with the hope that just maybe it will point someone to Jesus Christ for salvation. I don't want to see anyone end up in hell.
I will continue to blog, and I pray that anyone who reads my blog and hasn't accepted Jesus as their Savior will not wait for another moment. We are not guaranteed one more second of life here on earth. And Jesus tell us that after death here on earth comes the judgment.
Hebrews;9:27(And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes Judgment)
[Christ or Judgment]
We have a choice to make here on earth. To serve Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and live, or to serve ourselves and die eternal separation from God.
Hebrews;10:26-27(For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.)
The true believer will not sin habitually.
Rejection of Christ and His sacrifice on the cross, leaves someone with no other means of getting forgiveness for sins. They have no other way to cleanse themselves of sin.
[Die in you sins]
Jesus tells us that we must believe that He is who He says He is. "He is God the Son."
John;8:23-24(And He was saying to them,"You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.")
You don't want to face God at the judgment seat and not have your name in the book of life.
Hebrews;12;29(for our God is a consuming fire.)
Hebrews;8:31(It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.)All we know is that we need to be ready for the judgment day. I want to hear "well done my good and faithful servant".
God Bless You!
I met my beautiful wife Bonnie in Scotts Bluff, Nebr. in 1976, and we were married on April 6, 1977. We have had our rocky points in our marriage, but God pulled us through them and we are still married. We have two beautiful daughters, Jasmine Sapphire, and Cedar Spring. Through Jasmine, we have two lovely granddaughters, Kyla, who is 9 years old, and Oriana, who is 4 months old. I have a great son in law, Tim Ojeda. All of my family are Born Again Christians. God has blessed me so much. Thank You Father!
I was born to Christians parents, Harold & Donna Chapman. Both have went to be with the Lord. I have one brother, Harold and one sister Sally. My sister in law is Nell Chapman, and my two brothers in law are Bob Pinneker, and William Smith. All are great men.
Jesus has given me salvation through His sacrifice on the cross. I gave my life to Jesus in 1984. I had gone forward in church at a young age, but I know that salvation took place when I admitted that I was a sinner, repented of my sins, and ask Jesus into my life. That was the best moment in my life. It is a great feeling to have assurance of eternal life in heaven. I am now a new creation in Christ, a new man wanting to serve Him, and do His will the rest of my life here on earth. I write this blog with the hope that just maybe it will point someone to Jesus Christ for salvation. I don't want to see anyone end up in hell.
I will continue to blog, and I pray that anyone who reads my blog and hasn't accepted Jesus as their Savior will not wait for another moment. We are not guaranteed one more second of life here on earth. And Jesus tell us that after death here on earth comes the judgment.
Hebrews;9:27(And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes Judgment)
[Christ or Judgment]
We have a choice to make here on earth. To serve Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and live, or to serve ourselves and die eternal separation from God.
Hebrews;10:26-27(For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.)
The true believer will not sin habitually.
Rejection of Christ and His sacrifice on the cross, leaves someone with no other means of getting forgiveness for sins. They have no other way to cleanse themselves of sin.
[Die in you sins]
Jesus tells us that we must believe that He is who He says He is. "He is God the Son."
John;8:23-24(And He was saying to them,"You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.")
You don't want to face God at the judgment seat and not have your name in the book of life.
Hebrews;12;29(for our God is a consuming fire.)
Hebrews;8:31(It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.)All we know is that we need to be ready for the judgment day. I want to hear "well done my good and faithful servant".
God Bless You!
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Saved By Grace Through Faith! Not Of Yourself!
What makes you think you are going to heaven? Have you asked yourself that question before? Maybe someone has asked you, or you have asked someone. I have asked people why they think they will be in heaven when they die and received a varity of answers. Some will tell you that it is because they are good people, others because they go to church, others because they tithe to the church, some because their parents were Christians, or they go to confession once a week. I could mention many other reasons, but none of these will get you into heaven. These works done by man.
Now I'm not saying that we don't have to do good works in this life, but what I am saying is that works mean nothing when it comes to your entering heaven. I once heard a pastor say that there will be many good people in hell, and that is true. They tried to get to heaven by their own works, and it doesn't work. If we could have worked our way in, then why would Jesus of had to come down to earth and suffer and die in our place on the cross? Now God knows more than any of us. So He sent Jesus down from heaven to die in our place. This pretty much blows away the idea of working your way in.
We are told that we are saved by grace through faith. So we are given eternal life in heaven, which we don't deserve, through faith in Jesus.
Ephesians;2:8-9(For by grace you have been saved through faith; that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.)
2Timothy;1:8-9(Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,)
Faith first, and then followed by good works because of your faith. If a person is truly a believer in Jesus Christ, then there should be evidence of this faith by the works which follow. James explains it this way.
James;2:14-16(What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled" and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?) So we are told that we are saved by faith. If you say you are saved, then the works that follow your salvation should be proof of your salvation. Now I'm not saying that works save you. But I am saying that saving faith will be followed by good works. James explains it better.
James;2:17-18(Even so faith if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say,"You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.) James is not saying that there is two ways to be saved. We are told that salvation is by faith alone. But what James is saying is that true and genuine salvation will be followed by good works.
We are told all through the Scriptures that our salvation is in Jesus and Him alone. We cannot earn salvation. Paul tells us in the book of Titus,
Titus;3:4-7(But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.)
Do you realize that many of the books of the Bible were written hundreds of years apart, Yet they all tell the same story, that salvation is in Jesus Christ and Him alone. There is no other way!
Acts;4:12("And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.") Jesus is the way.
John;3:16(For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.)
Jesus tells us that we must have faith in Him.
Romans;10:8-10(But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, in your mouth and in your heart-that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.)
John;14:6(Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me".)
[Faith Faith Faith]
So we see that we can have all the works in the world, but if we don't have faith in Jesus, we are not going to make it to heaven. I pray that you will put your faith in Jesus for your salvation. Good works will automatically come after faith. Jesus is the author of our salvation.
God Bless You!
Now I'm not saying that we don't have to do good works in this life, but what I am saying is that works mean nothing when it comes to your entering heaven. I once heard a pastor say that there will be many good people in hell, and that is true. They tried to get to heaven by their own works, and it doesn't work. If we could have worked our way in, then why would Jesus of had to come down to earth and suffer and die in our place on the cross? Now God knows more than any of us. So He sent Jesus down from heaven to die in our place. This pretty much blows away the idea of working your way in.
We are told that we are saved by grace through faith. So we are given eternal life in heaven, which we don't deserve, through faith in Jesus.
Ephesians;2:8-9(For by grace you have been saved through faith; that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.)
2Timothy;1:8-9(Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,)
Faith first, and then followed by good works because of your faith. If a person is truly a believer in Jesus Christ, then there should be evidence of this faith by the works which follow. James explains it this way.
James;2:14-16(What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled" and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?) So we are told that we are saved by faith. If you say you are saved, then the works that follow your salvation should be proof of your salvation. Now I'm not saying that works save you. But I am saying that saving faith will be followed by good works. James explains it better.
James;2:17-18(Even so faith if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say,"You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.) James is not saying that there is two ways to be saved. We are told that salvation is by faith alone. But what James is saying is that true and genuine salvation will be followed by good works.
We are told all through the Scriptures that our salvation is in Jesus and Him alone. We cannot earn salvation. Paul tells us in the book of Titus,
Titus;3:4-7(But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.)
Do you realize that many of the books of the Bible were written hundreds of years apart, Yet they all tell the same story, that salvation is in Jesus Christ and Him alone. There is no other way!
Acts;4:12("And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.") Jesus is the way.
John;3:16(For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.)
Jesus tells us that we must have faith in Him.
Romans;10:8-10(But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, in your mouth and in your heart-that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.)
John;14:6(Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me".)
[Faith Faith Faith]
So we see that we can have all the works in the world, but if we don't have faith in Jesus, we are not going to make it to heaven. I pray that you will put your faith in Jesus for your salvation. Good works will automatically come after faith. Jesus is the author of our salvation.
God Bless You!
Monday, October 30, 2006
Don't Be Ashamed To Witness For Jesus!
Witnessing for Jesus. Have you had trouble doing it? Are you worried about how to start up the conversation or what people might say about you? Sometimes I find it easier to talk with people at work or someone I might know, but we are told to be witnesses for Jesus to the world.
When I was younger I was afraid to bring Jesus up in the conversation, but as I gotten a little older, it has become much easier. Sometimes we just need to be ready when the opportunity presents itself. Maybe someone will just mention how they are sick, or how nice the day is, or how they like their job. It could be anything that would allow you to point them toward Jesus. They could thank Him for their job, or ask for healing and so on. The more you witness the easier it gets.
Of course you may get ridiculed, or they may make fun of you. Jesus tells us that these things will happen. He also tells us that we may get persecuted, but we are to keep on witnessing. You might ask what exactly are we to do or say, or what is witnessing for Jesus.
The dictionary tells us that a witness is (1)attesting to a fact or event, (2) one who gives evidence, (3)One who has personal knowledge of something, (4) something serving as evidence or proof. So there is a number of different ways that we can witness to someone. So you can tell others about what God has done in your life. He has taken you and totally change your life. Jesus has given you eternal life, you have an inheritance in heaven which will put peace in your life. We are a witness of a new life in Him.
Take Paul for example, He was persecuting the believers, and even witnessing their execution. When Jesus changed his life, he became one of the most powerful witnesses of how Jesus can change your life that we read in the Bible. He remained faithful to Jesus to the end. Paul tells us what it is to be persecuted for Jesus:
2Corinthians;11:23-26(Are they servents of Christ? I speak as if insane, I more so; in far more imprisionments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countryman, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers from false brethren;) We see that Paul witness, was in faith in Jesus. He gave him boldness and strength in his times of trouble. We have no excuses, because we probably will never be at risk of death for witnessing for Jesus.
If we truly love Jesus we are to witness. Who do we serve, man or God? We are instructed to go into the world and witness the Word.
[The Great Commission]
Matthew;28:18-20(And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age" Amen.)
[Do Not Be Ashamed]
We are told not to be ashamed of Jesus, and to be bold in our witnessing. We are also warned of the consequenceses of being ashamed of Jesus.
Mark;8:38(For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.)
Whoever rejects the demands of decipleship, prove themselve to be ashamed of Jesus Christ. It would be a terrible thing to have Jesus ashamed of us. Look what he went through because He loved us so much. He died on the cross for our sins. All we have to do is just tell people about Him.
Paul also tells of not to be ashamed.
Romans;1:16-17(For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "But The Righteous man Shall Live By Faith.")
2Timothy;1:8(Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in the suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,)
Peter tells us not to be ashamed.
1Peter;4:16(but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.)
We need to guard our witness everyday. You cannot live like the rest of the world and still have a good witness. We are told that we are the light in a dark place, so don't hide your light because you are ashamed.
Matthew;5:13(You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses it flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.)
Matthew;5:16(Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.)
A godly life is convincing testimony of the saving power of Jesus in your life. People see a difference in your life and they cannot deny that God can and will change lives. We have to be careful that we don't jeopardize our witness by the life we lead. Satan would love nothing better than to ruin your testimony. It's hard to tell people about our saving faith in Jesus if we don't live it ourselves. So guard your testimony and be bold and spread the word that salvation is in Him.
God Bless You!
When I was younger I was afraid to bring Jesus up in the conversation, but as I gotten a little older, it has become much easier. Sometimes we just need to be ready when the opportunity presents itself. Maybe someone will just mention how they are sick, or how nice the day is, or how they like their job. It could be anything that would allow you to point them toward Jesus. They could thank Him for their job, or ask for healing and so on. The more you witness the easier it gets.
Of course you may get ridiculed, or they may make fun of you. Jesus tells us that these things will happen. He also tells us that we may get persecuted, but we are to keep on witnessing. You might ask what exactly are we to do or say, or what is witnessing for Jesus.
The dictionary tells us that a witness is (1)attesting to a fact or event, (2) one who gives evidence, (3)One who has personal knowledge of something, (4) something serving as evidence or proof. So there is a number of different ways that we can witness to someone. So you can tell others about what God has done in your life. He has taken you and totally change your life. Jesus has given you eternal life, you have an inheritance in heaven which will put peace in your life. We are a witness of a new life in Him.
Take Paul for example, He was persecuting the believers, and even witnessing their execution. When Jesus changed his life, he became one of the most powerful witnesses of how Jesus can change your life that we read in the Bible. He remained faithful to Jesus to the end. Paul tells us what it is to be persecuted for Jesus:
2Corinthians;11:23-26(Are they servents of Christ? I speak as if insane, I more so; in far more imprisionments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countryman, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers from false brethren;) We see that Paul witness, was in faith in Jesus. He gave him boldness and strength in his times of trouble. We have no excuses, because we probably will never be at risk of death for witnessing for Jesus.
If we truly love Jesus we are to witness. Who do we serve, man or God? We are instructed to go into the world and witness the Word.
[The Great Commission]
Matthew;28:18-20(And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age" Amen.)
[Do Not Be Ashamed]
We are told not to be ashamed of Jesus, and to be bold in our witnessing. We are also warned of the consequenceses of being ashamed of Jesus.
Mark;8:38(For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.)
Whoever rejects the demands of decipleship, prove themselve to be ashamed of Jesus Christ. It would be a terrible thing to have Jesus ashamed of us. Look what he went through because He loved us so much. He died on the cross for our sins. All we have to do is just tell people about Him.
Paul also tells of not to be ashamed.
Romans;1:16-17(For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "But The Righteous man Shall Live By Faith.")
2Timothy;1:8(Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in the suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,)
Peter tells us not to be ashamed.
1Peter;4:16(but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.)
We need to guard our witness everyday. You cannot live like the rest of the world and still have a good witness. We are told that we are the light in a dark place, so don't hide your light because you are ashamed.
Matthew;5:13(You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses it flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.)
Matthew;5:16(Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.)
A godly life is convincing testimony of the saving power of Jesus in your life. People see a difference in your life and they cannot deny that God can and will change lives. We have to be careful that we don't jeopardize our witness by the life we lead. Satan would love nothing better than to ruin your testimony. It's hard to tell people about our saving faith in Jesus if we don't live it ourselves. So guard your testimony and be bold and spread the word that salvation is in Him.
God Bless You!
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Idols! Don't Have One!
Do you have an idol or some other god in your life? You might say that you would never have another god in your life, but many people do. You may not think you have any idols, but let me explain the definition of an idol. Websters Dictionary explains an idol as: (1) a representation or symbol of a diety used as an object of worship. (2) a false god (3) any likeness of something, pretender or imposter. (3) an object of passionate devotion. We probably all know someone who has an object of passionate devotion.
For some people money is their god. Others it could be a movie star or rock star, sports figure. The list could go on. Anything you put before God, could be your idol. What does God tell us about having other gods.
Exodus;20:3(You shall have no other gods before me.)
Deuteronomy;6:14(You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the people who surround you.)
Jeremiah;25:6(and do not go after other gods to serve them and to worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands, and I will do you no harm.)
So we are told not to worship anything or person but God Himself. We are instructed not to make idols for ourself. Anything we put before God is in opposition to God. He wants all of our worship.
Exodus;20:4-6(You shall not make for yourself a carved image-any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth, you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.)
[Beware Of Idolatry}
God knows that we like to have something that we can see or touch to worship. All through history man has created his own gods to look at and touch. They are called idols.
Deuteronomy;4:15-16(Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female,)
In Romans Paul tells us that man has exchanged the glory of God and turned to idols.
Romans;1:22-23(Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptable God for an image in the form of corruptable man and of birds and four footed animals and crawling creatures.)
[We Know God Exist]
Romans;1:18-21( For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.)
So we know that all men know that there is a God. We are not going to be able to say we didn't know that He existed.
We need to understand that we all will give accout of ourselves before God. He is not going to allow any excuses for our sins. Jesus has given us a way to heaven through Him, and without Him we are doomed to eternal seperation from God. You don't want to have that happen to you or your family and friends. Make the decision to give your life to Christ today. Our days are running out for us to make that decision. Today could be your last day before you have to give an account to God.
God Bless You!
For some people money is their god. Others it could be a movie star or rock star, sports figure. The list could go on. Anything you put before God, could be your idol. What does God tell us about having other gods.
Exodus;20:3(You shall have no other gods before me.)
Deuteronomy;6:14(You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the people who surround you.)
Jeremiah;25:6(and do not go after other gods to serve them and to worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands, and I will do you no harm.)
So we are told not to worship anything or person but God Himself. We are instructed not to make idols for ourself. Anything we put before God is in opposition to God. He wants all of our worship.
Exodus;20:4-6(You shall not make for yourself a carved image-any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth, you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.)
[Beware Of Idolatry}
God knows that we like to have something that we can see or touch to worship. All through history man has created his own gods to look at and touch. They are called idols.
Deuteronomy;4:15-16(Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female,)
In Romans Paul tells us that man has exchanged the glory of God and turned to idols.
Romans;1:22-23(Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptable God for an image in the form of corruptable man and of birds and four footed animals and crawling creatures.)
[We Know God Exist]
Romans;1:18-21( For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.)
So we know that all men know that there is a God. We are not going to be able to say we didn't know that He existed.
We need to understand that we all will give accout of ourselves before God. He is not going to allow any excuses for our sins. Jesus has given us a way to heaven through Him, and without Him we are doomed to eternal seperation from God. You don't want to have that happen to you or your family and friends. Make the decision to give your life to Christ today. Our days are running out for us to make that decision. Today could be your last day before you have to give an account to God.
God Bless You!
Friday, October 27, 2006
False Spirits! And The Coming Wrath Of God!
False Religions!
We probably all have had someone come to our door trying to persuade us into believeing they have the only true gospel. I know I have talked to them and they are sure that they have the way, but they don't. In most circles they are referred to as a cult. But God tells us that they are false prophets. God tells us that in the end times they will come and will be teaching false doctrine. So we see that they are here and we need to be discerning. Filter everything through the Scriptures to see if it is true or false.
We need to be like the people of Berea in the Bible. They searched the Scriptures daily looking for the truth of God's Word.
Acts;17:10-11(The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.) So we need to follow their example, and study God's Word.
There is one religion with the claim that an angel appeared to one of their false prophets, claiming to have the truth. We are warned to beware of this sort of thing.
Galatians;1:8(But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!) When anyone comes to you and denies the diety of Jesus, saying that He was not God in the flesh, you are dealing with a false prophet.
Some religions have gone into the Bible and changed the wording so that it fits their teaching. I believe that is called altering God's Word.
[Tampering With God's Word]
God says don't do it. We are warned to not to add too or take away from the Scripture.
Revelation;22:18-19(I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.) Now if this doesn't scare you, I don't know what will.
[Testing The Spirits]
We are told that many false spirits will come forth deceiving people with their lies. We need to test them to find out whether they are from God or not.
1John;4:1(Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether thay are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.)
John is telling us that they are already out there in the world. Peter also warns us that they in the world.
2Peter;2:1(But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.)
You say "well how do you test them?"
1John;4:2-3(By this you know the Spirit of God; every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.) Now you know that many antichrists are already at work in our society.
[Perilous Times]
Jesus tells us that terrible times are ahead.
Matthew;24:15-16("Therefore when you see the ABOMONATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand,) then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.) So we must recognize the signs of the second coming. You might say, "well how bad is it going to be?"
Matthew;24:21-22(For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occured since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.) We know that it is going to be extremely bad in those days.
[Great Signs And Wonders]
Jesus gives us another warning of what to watch out for.
Matthew;24:24-25(For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. "Behold I have told you in advance.") Now we know what to watch out for and what to expect in the end times.
The nice thing about all of this, is that those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our savior will be raptured out of here. You definitely don't want to be left behind and have to go through the tribulations. You can secure your future with Jesus. (1) Confess your a sinner. (2) Ask for forgiveness of your sins. (3) Ask Jesus into your life.
1Thessalonians;4:14-18(For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.)
For those who don't believe, they have no hope.
Don't wait, ask Jesus into your life now. We don't know when He will come. It could be anytime. Today could be your last day on earth. I pray that you will accept the free gift of eternal life in Jesus. Then you can know that you will spend eternity in heaven with the Lord, not eternity in hell.
God Bless You!
We probably all have had someone come to our door trying to persuade us into believeing they have the only true gospel. I know I have talked to them and they are sure that they have the way, but they don't. In most circles they are referred to as a cult. But God tells us that they are false prophets. God tells us that in the end times they will come and will be teaching false doctrine. So we see that they are here and we need to be discerning. Filter everything through the Scriptures to see if it is true or false.
We need to be like the people of Berea in the Bible. They searched the Scriptures daily looking for the truth of God's Word.
Acts;17:10-11(The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.) So we need to follow their example, and study God's Word.
There is one religion with the claim that an angel appeared to one of their false prophets, claiming to have the truth. We are warned to beware of this sort of thing.
Galatians;1:8(But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!) When anyone comes to you and denies the diety of Jesus, saying that He was not God in the flesh, you are dealing with a false prophet.
Some religions have gone into the Bible and changed the wording so that it fits their teaching. I believe that is called altering God's Word.
[Tampering With God's Word]
God says don't do it. We are warned to not to add too or take away from the Scripture.
Revelation;22:18-19(I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.) Now if this doesn't scare you, I don't know what will.
[Testing The Spirits]
We are told that many false spirits will come forth deceiving people with their lies. We need to test them to find out whether they are from God or not.
1John;4:1(Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether thay are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.)
John is telling us that they are already out there in the world. Peter also warns us that they in the world.
2Peter;2:1(But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.)
You say "well how do you test them?"
1John;4:2-3(By this you know the Spirit of God; every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.) Now you know that many antichrists are already at work in our society.
[Perilous Times]
Jesus tells us that terrible times are ahead.
Matthew;24:15-16("Therefore when you see the ABOMONATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand,) then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.) So we must recognize the signs of the second coming. You might say, "well how bad is it going to be?"
Matthew;24:21-22(For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occured since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.) We know that it is going to be extremely bad in those days.
[Great Signs And Wonders]
Jesus gives us another warning of what to watch out for.
Matthew;24:24-25(For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. "Behold I have told you in advance.") Now we know what to watch out for and what to expect in the end times.
The nice thing about all of this, is that those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our savior will be raptured out of here. You definitely don't want to be left behind and have to go through the tribulations. You can secure your future with Jesus. (1) Confess your a sinner. (2) Ask for forgiveness of your sins. (3) Ask Jesus into your life.
1Thessalonians;4:14-18(For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.)
For those who don't believe, they have no hope.
Don't wait, ask Jesus into your life now. We don't know when He will come. It could be anytime. Today could be your last day on earth. I pray that you will accept the free gift of eternal life in Jesus. Then you can know that you will spend eternity in heaven with the Lord, not eternity in hell.
God Bless You!
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Earthly Goods! Or Heavenly Treasures!
Earning a living. Something we all have to do in life. We don't always want to go to work because we miss out on other things going on with our family and friends. If we don't work, then we can't buy the things we want or need to survive. Some of us make more than others for what ever reason, but money doesn't make the person any better or worse. We just need to remember to keep God first in our life.
We are told in the Scriptures that we can't serve God and money. We will either love the one or love the other, we can't love both. When we work, our wages are due to us. When you work you want to be paid and not have your employer hold them back from you. They should pay you what you have earned.
When John was talking to the tax collectors about baptism, they ask Him what they should do.
Luke;3:12-13(And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher,what shall we do?" And he said to them "Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.")
Some soldiers also ask him.
Luke;3:14(Some soldiers were questioning him, saying "And what about us, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.")
So here we are instructed to have integrity in our everyday dealings with people and our work.
Many times people think that they can buy their way through life because they have money. They want to buy what isn't for sale. Honor, integrity, good character, a good reputation, health, eternal life. You get the picture, and you may know someone. God tells us who we should love. And He tells us what we shouldn't love.
1Timothy;6:6-8(But Godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.) So here we are shown to be happy with what we have from God, He will take care of us.
[What not to long for in life]
1Timothy;6:9-11(But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.) It doesn't mean that you can't have money, but you are not to have the love of money in your heart.
[Treasures Of The Heart]
Matthew;6:19-21(Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth or rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.)
We are told in the Scriptures that the earth will be burned up with fire, so we need to build treasures in heaven.
2Peter;3:10(But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.) So this tells us where we should be storing up our treasures.
[Can't Serve Two Masters]
Luke;16:13("No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.")
We should be putting our time and efforts into God's work, where we will receive rewards from Him. These will last for ever, not what we put away here on earth. God tells us that He knows what we need here on earth and He will supply it. He also tells us where we should keep our focus.
Matthew;6:33-34(But seek first His kingdom and His Righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.)
So our wealth is in heaven, not here on earth. It's easy to fall into the trap of "just a little bit more". We have probably all fallen for it sometime or other in our life. We see other people have all the earthly goods and think they must be happy. But have you ever thought whether they have peace in their life. Earthly goods will not bring happiness. Having Jesus Christ as your Savior, now that is happiness. You don't have to worry about tomorrow, because you have a mansion in heaven waiting for you when you go home to be with the Lord.
So start today to put your treasures where they will last. You still need to work here on earth to survive, but put the importance of God and His will first in your life. We only have so many years allotted to us here on earth, so make the most of them. Worship God and Him only. He will not take second place in our life.
God Bless You!
We are told in the Scriptures that we can't serve God and money. We will either love the one or love the other, we can't love both. When we work, our wages are due to us. When you work you want to be paid and not have your employer hold them back from you. They should pay you what you have earned.
When John was talking to the tax collectors about baptism, they ask Him what they should do.
Luke;3:12-13(And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher,what shall we do?" And he said to them "Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.")
Some soldiers also ask him.
Luke;3:14(Some soldiers were questioning him, saying "And what about us, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.")
So here we are instructed to have integrity in our everyday dealings with people and our work.
Many times people think that they can buy their way through life because they have money. They want to buy what isn't for sale. Honor, integrity, good character, a good reputation, health, eternal life. You get the picture, and you may know someone. God tells us who we should love. And He tells us what we shouldn't love.
1Timothy;6:6-8(But Godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.) So here we are shown to be happy with what we have from God, He will take care of us.
[What not to long for in life]
1Timothy;6:9-11(But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.) It doesn't mean that you can't have money, but you are not to have the love of money in your heart.
[Treasures Of The Heart]
Matthew;6:19-21(Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth or rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.)
We are told in the Scriptures that the earth will be burned up with fire, so we need to build treasures in heaven.
2Peter;3:10(But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.) So this tells us where we should be storing up our treasures.
[Can't Serve Two Masters]
Luke;16:13("No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.")
We should be putting our time and efforts into God's work, where we will receive rewards from Him. These will last for ever, not what we put away here on earth. God tells us that He knows what we need here on earth and He will supply it. He also tells us where we should keep our focus.
Matthew;6:33-34(But seek first His kingdom and His Righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.)
So our wealth is in heaven, not here on earth. It's easy to fall into the trap of "just a little bit more". We have probably all fallen for it sometime or other in our life. We see other people have all the earthly goods and think they must be happy. But have you ever thought whether they have peace in their life. Earthly goods will not bring happiness. Having Jesus Christ as your Savior, now that is happiness. You don't have to worry about tomorrow, because you have a mansion in heaven waiting for you when you go home to be with the Lord.
So start today to put your treasures where they will last. You still need to work here on earth to survive, but put the importance of God and His will first in your life. We only have so many years allotted to us here on earth, so make the most of them. Worship God and Him only. He will not take second place in our life.
God Bless You!
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
"Marriage"-Two Become One! "Divorce"-One Become Two!
First, I want to make it perfectly clear that I'm not judging anyone or condemning anyone who is divorced or thinking about getting a divorced. I just felt that I needed to blog on this subject. Our divorce rate seems to be skyrocketing out of control. It is just too easy to divorce rather than work out our problems. There doesn't seem to be a commitment to one another in our marriages.
Divorce, we probably all know someone who has been divorced. This is a terrible event in peoples lives. It breaks up whole families. It affects first the married couple, then the children, the parents, grandparents, and their friends. The list goes on from there. It just seems that it is to easy to get a divorce and that is not how God planned it. I know that divorce happens all the time in the world, but whatever happened to the marriage vows. It seems like people go into marriage with the idea that "if I don't like it, I'll just get out of it". Before there was the No Fault Divorce, the couple had to have a good reason to divorce. Just because you were mad at someone, or they did things that you didn't like, this was not a good enough reason to get a divorced.
Many times I feel that people think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Then when they get on the other side, they find out that it is just plain grass. It's not any better. I don't believe that there is a perfect marriage here on earth. There are many storms that blow in and out of marriages. Sometimes they last awhile, but they always seem to blow away. Couples just need to weather the storms. Lets start with the wedding vows. I'm not going to repeat all of them, but you have made a vow before God. Till death do us part.
From Websters Dictionary.
[What is a vow?]
Vow- A solemn promise or assertion, one by which a person binds himself to an act, service, or condition. To bind or consecrate by a vow.
[What is a marriage]
Marriage-The institution whereby men and women are joined in a special kind of social and legal dependence for the purpose of founding and maintaining a family.
Let's start at the beginning. When God created man He said;
Genesis;1:26(Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the seas and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over the whole earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.") After this God decided to give man a helper.
Genesis;2:18(Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him".) So we see that God wanted them to be together. God meant for them to stay together.
Genesis;2:24(For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.) When God said one flesh, that is exactly what He meant.
What About Divorce?
I will tell you what the Scriptures say about divorce. When the Pharisees came to test Jesus, They said;
Matthew;19:3(The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?")
Jesus answers them this way.
Matthew;19:4-6(And He answered and said to them," Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.) They came in with this trap trying to snag him. So then they tried this;
Matthew;19:7(They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?) Jesus answered;
Matthew;19:8-9(He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.") This doesn't mean that you have to divorce the other person because of sexual immorality, but it is permitting divorce only in extreme circumstances.
Jesus also tells us;
Matthew;5:32(But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.)
Now I want to talk about a healthy marriage. First and foremost, you have to put God first in your marriage. If you put Him first, you are on the right track to a successful marriage. You need to be able to forgive and forget. Love remembers no wrongs.
[Love]
1Corinthians;13:4-7(Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not prvoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.) So, if you truly love your husband or wife, you should be willing to overlook any wrong that they have done.
[Instructions To Husbands]
Ephesians;5:25(Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,) So we are to love our wives with sacrifical love.
Colossians;3:19(Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.)
Ephesians;5:28-29(So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.) Your husband or your wife is your other half. You have become one flesh in your marriage. You are not two anymore, you are one.
Jesus gave us an example of how to love. He was willing to give His life for me and you, because He loved us so much. Do not divorce your mate. If at all possible, stay together. You can work through anything with God's help. The storms will blow away and there will be good days ahead. Give God a chance to heal your marriage. He can and He will if you ask Him to save your marriage. Pray together, ask God into your marriage and put Him first in everything. I pray that you will ask for help from Him.
God Bless You!
Divorce, we probably all know someone who has been divorced. This is a terrible event in peoples lives. It breaks up whole families. It affects first the married couple, then the children, the parents, grandparents, and their friends. The list goes on from there. It just seems that it is to easy to get a divorce and that is not how God planned it. I know that divorce happens all the time in the world, but whatever happened to the marriage vows. It seems like people go into marriage with the idea that "if I don't like it, I'll just get out of it". Before there was the No Fault Divorce, the couple had to have a good reason to divorce. Just because you were mad at someone, or they did things that you didn't like, this was not a good enough reason to get a divorced.
Many times I feel that people think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Then when they get on the other side, they find out that it is just plain grass. It's not any better. I don't believe that there is a perfect marriage here on earth. There are many storms that blow in and out of marriages. Sometimes they last awhile, but they always seem to blow away. Couples just need to weather the storms. Lets start with the wedding vows. I'm not going to repeat all of them, but you have made a vow before God. Till death do us part.
From Websters Dictionary.
[What is a vow?]
Vow- A solemn promise or assertion, one by which a person binds himself to an act, service, or condition. To bind or consecrate by a vow.
[What is a marriage]
Marriage-The institution whereby men and women are joined in a special kind of social and legal dependence for the purpose of founding and maintaining a family.
Let's start at the beginning. When God created man He said;
Genesis;1:26(Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the seas and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over the whole earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.") After this God decided to give man a helper.
Genesis;2:18(Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him".) So we see that God wanted them to be together. God meant for them to stay together.
Genesis;2:24(For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.) When God said one flesh, that is exactly what He meant.
What About Divorce?
I will tell you what the Scriptures say about divorce. When the Pharisees came to test Jesus, They said;
Matthew;19:3(The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?")
Jesus answers them this way.
Matthew;19:4-6(And He answered and said to them," Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.) They came in with this trap trying to snag him. So then they tried this;
Matthew;19:7(They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?) Jesus answered;
Matthew;19:8-9(He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.") This doesn't mean that you have to divorce the other person because of sexual immorality, but it is permitting divorce only in extreme circumstances.
Jesus also tells us;
Matthew;5:32(But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.)
Now I want to talk about a healthy marriage. First and foremost, you have to put God first in your marriage. If you put Him first, you are on the right track to a successful marriage. You need to be able to forgive and forget. Love remembers no wrongs.
[Love]
1Corinthians;13:4-7(Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not prvoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.) So, if you truly love your husband or wife, you should be willing to overlook any wrong that they have done.
[Instructions To Husbands]
Ephesians;5:25(Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,) So we are to love our wives with sacrifical love.
Colossians;3:19(Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.)
Ephesians;5:28-29(So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.) Your husband or your wife is your other half. You have become one flesh in your marriage. You are not two anymore, you are one.
Jesus gave us an example of how to love. He was willing to give His life for me and you, because He loved us so much. Do not divorce your mate. If at all possible, stay together. You can work through anything with God's help. The storms will blow away and there will be good days ahead. Give God a chance to heal your marriage. He can and He will if you ask Him to save your marriage. Pray together, ask God into your marriage and put Him first in everything. I pray that you will ask for help from Him.
God Bless You!
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Drunk! Drunkard! Drunkenness! Don't Live That Way!
I have known people who are always drinking, drunk or of under the influence of alcohol. We all probably know someone like this, or have been there ourselves. It is an addiction that a person slowly gets themselves into. Alcohol has ruined more lives and marriages than we care to count. That is why we have laws against being drunk in the public, or driving under the influence of alcohol. We have programs to help people who are alcoholics, but for these programs to work, a person must admit that he or she has an alcohol problem. Most people who are alcoholics don't realize they are or if they do realize they are, they won't admit they need help.
How many times have you heard someone tell you that they could quit anytime they want to? But they like to drink and don't plan on quiting. How many times do we read that a family has been killed by a drunk driver? How many young people have died in car accidents when someone has been under the influence of alcohol, or the driver was drunk? How many husbands have come home drunk and beat their wives or children? I could go on with endless tragic occurrences that have affected human life. When you look around at life, we have all seen, or heard, or been involved with or affected by alcohol.
Families are suffering daily because of this intoxicating liquid. The dictinary defines it as: a colorless, volatile, flammable liquid, (C2H5OH) that is the intoxicating agent in fermented and distilled liquors.
[How Alcohol Damages the Body]
Liver disease, the most prominent of the related disorders, is the leading cause of death in alcoholics. Pancreatitis may also develop with alcohol abuse. Degenerative changes in heart and skeletal muscle also can develop with chronic alcohol consumption. Reproductive disorders in men and women are associated with alcohol abuse; alcohol-associated testicular atrophy may contribute significantly to sexual problems in male alcoholics. Both acute and chronic alcohol consumption can alter the chemistry and structure of the brain.
I was going to give you a detailed account of the damage caused by alcohol, but you would probably not read it all. Besides, this is one subject that I feel strongly about and could go on and on. But I want to give you some Scriptures that deal with drunkenness.
First, Paul tells us not to associate with any so called brother who is a drunkard.
1Corinthians;5:9-11:(I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with the idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler-not to even eat with such a one.) Paul tells us not to associate with a brother or sister who has a pattern of consistent sin in his or her life.
1Cotinthians;6:9-10(Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.) Once again, we all sin but these are people who practice these sins as a consistent life style.
Directions on how we should live are given to us in the Bible as well.
Romans;13:13-14(Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provisions for the flesh, to fulfill its lust.) Peter also tells us not to continue in the same lifestyle as we lived before Jesus Christ came into our lives.
1Peter;4:3(For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles-when we walked in lewdness, lust, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.) He also tells us what our friends will think of us when our life changes to please Jesus.
1Peter;4:4(In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.) So when you live for Jesus, you will be ridiculed.
2Timothy;3:12(Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.) This doesn't say that you might suffer, it states a fact that you will suffer. So we are instructed not to live our life in drunkenness, or as a drunkard. If we do, we are told that we will not inherit the kingdom of God.
If alcohol has control of your life, you are a slave to alcohol. But there is a way of escape.There is someone who can set you free from bondage or slavery to alcohol. Jesus can set you free from slavery to sin.
Galatians;5:1(Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.)
We are told that by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. PRETTY SOBERING, isn't it? I pray that you will let Jesus help you become free.
God Bless You!
How many times have you heard someone tell you that they could quit anytime they want to? But they like to drink and don't plan on quiting. How many times do we read that a family has been killed by a drunk driver? How many young people have died in car accidents when someone has been under the influence of alcohol, or the driver was drunk? How many husbands have come home drunk and beat their wives or children? I could go on with endless tragic occurrences that have affected human life. When you look around at life, we have all seen, or heard, or been involved with or affected by alcohol.
Families are suffering daily because of this intoxicating liquid. The dictinary defines it as: a colorless, volatile, flammable liquid, (C2H5OH) that is the intoxicating agent in fermented and distilled liquors.
[How Alcohol Damages the Body]
Liver disease, the most prominent of the related disorders, is the leading cause of death in alcoholics. Pancreatitis may also develop with alcohol abuse. Degenerative changes in heart and skeletal muscle also can develop with chronic alcohol consumption. Reproductive disorders in men and women are associated with alcohol abuse; alcohol-associated testicular atrophy may contribute significantly to sexual problems in male alcoholics. Both acute and chronic alcohol consumption can alter the chemistry and structure of the brain.
I was going to give you a detailed account of the damage caused by alcohol, but you would probably not read it all. Besides, this is one subject that I feel strongly about and could go on and on. But I want to give you some Scriptures that deal with drunkenness.
First, Paul tells us not to associate with any so called brother who is a drunkard.
1Corinthians;5:9-11:(I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with the idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler-not to even eat with such a one.) Paul tells us not to associate with a brother or sister who has a pattern of consistent sin in his or her life.
1Cotinthians;6:9-10(Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.) Once again, we all sin but these are people who practice these sins as a consistent life style.
Directions on how we should live are given to us in the Bible as well.
Romans;13:13-14(Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provisions for the flesh, to fulfill its lust.) Peter also tells us not to continue in the same lifestyle as we lived before Jesus Christ came into our lives.
1Peter;4:3(For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles-when we walked in lewdness, lust, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.) He also tells us what our friends will think of us when our life changes to please Jesus.
1Peter;4:4(In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.) So when you live for Jesus, you will be ridiculed.
2Timothy;3:12(Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.) This doesn't say that you might suffer, it states a fact that you will suffer. So we are instructed not to live our life in drunkenness, or as a drunkard. If we do, we are told that we will not inherit the kingdom of God.
If alcohol has control of your life, you are a slave to alcohol. But there is a way of escape.There is someone who can set you free from bondage or slavery to alcohol. Jesus can set you free from slavery to sin.
Galatians;5:1(Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.)
We are told that by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. PRETTY SOBERING, isn't it? I pray that you will let Jesus help you become free.
God Bless You!
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