Ps 119:9
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
Proverbs tells us that there is a way that seemeth right unto man but the end thereof leadeth to destruction!
There are two ways that I want to consider when reading this verse! The first is that sometimes we govern our own life by what we think to be right and even worse what we think is good for us! By living our lives this way we are living only by our own opinion! As a child of God this is obviously not the way to govern our lives! But even for those who are not living for God this way of living will bring consequence! If my opinion of the speed limit is to slow and I choose to go faster I will have to deal with the consequence if I am caught. If in my opinion I can treat people any way that I want to treat them, again I will have to deal with the consequence!
The second way that I want to view this verse is from someone elses opinion of how I should live! Even though there is a way that seems right to me doesn't give me the liberty to demand my view above anothers! Nor does it give liberty to others to demand of me how I should live my life by there opinion! We can all offer our opinions on lifestyle but ultimately it is the choice of the individual!
HOWEVER!!!!! Ps. 119:9 How shall I keep my way clean, pure, upright and acceptable to the Lord? By obeying His way! Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life! To often in hearing the preaching of Gods word we are only hearing the viewpoint of the preacher and we deem that as his own opinion! Faith cometh by hearing, hearing by the word of God, hearing what God is saying! If it is Gods word being uttered then it must be received as the opinion of the Lord and not of man! ,
Gal 1:10-12
For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
I have to live my life in a way that is pleasing to God and it may not be pleasing to men but in order to do that I have to live according to His word in every aspect of my life!
The disciples were rebuked for preaching the name of Jesus and were warned not to do it any more and Peter responds with the response I need to use in my walk with God, Acts 5:29
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Read Luke 1:34-38 Paying close attention to Mary's final response!
Friday, February 21, 2014
Monday, February 17, 2014
Worst case scenerio!
Gen 19:14-16
And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
Verse 14 tells us that as Lot was sharing the impending doom of the city, he did it in a way that seemed as if he were mocking those that had brought the news! Lot must not have been very convinced if at all that these things spoken were really going to come to pass.
People of God we are living in such a day and the church needs to take very seriously the impending judgment of the last days and spread the gospel fervently and with passion!
The Lord is not delaying His coming and now is not the time to sleep!
After the hastening of the angels in verse 15 we see the response from Lot in verse 16, he lingered! What this speaks to me is that Lot was trying to decide if leaving what he had loved was the best course of action for his life! We sometimes find ourselves in that same situation when it comes to leaving this world and all its goods to serve the Lord. Then what happens next, the angels have to grab Lot and the rest by the hands and had to bring them out of the city.
Gen 19:26
But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
Worst case scenario, after having been delivered from evil and a that wicked place there was still something in the heart of Lots wife that had caused her to look back, second guessing whether leaving was the answer.
Read 2 Peter 2:20-22
And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
Verse 14 tells us that as Lot was sharing the impending doom of the city, he did it in a way that seemed as if he were mocking those that had brought the news! Lot must not have been very convinced if at all that these things spoken were really going to come to pass.
People of God we are living in such a day and the church needs to take very seriously the impending judgment of the last days and spread the gospel fervently and with passion!
The Lord is not delaying His coming and now is not the time to sleep!
After the hastening of the angels in verse 15 we see the response from Lot in verse 16, he lingered! What this speaks to me is that Lot was trying to decide if leaving what he had loved was the best course of action for his life! We sometimes find ourselves in that same situation when it comes to leaving this world and all its goods to serve the Lord. Then what happens next, the angels have to grab Lot and the rest by the hands and had to bring them out of the city.
Gen 19:26
But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
Worst case scenario, after having been delivered from evil and a that wicked place there was still something in the heart of Lots wife that had caused her to look back, second guessing whether leaving was the answer.
Read 2 Peter 2:20-22
Friday, February 14, 2014
Love more than words!
1 Cor 13:4-7
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Love is a word that we use far to often without the actions that should follow.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He GAVE! He gave of Himself for the sake of the ones that He loved! Love always requires action, if we love someone we will do for that someone! Sometimes we have it backwards in that we think that we express love by inaction! I don't do certain things because I love, I don't go certain places because I love, I don't treat you a certain way because I love but it should be the other way around! What I do is because I love.
If you love Me keep my commandments!
Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend!
1 John 3:16-18
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
It doesn't get much plainer than that, but in deed and in truth!
Don't let candies, chocolates, flowers and teddy bears simply be an extension of the spoken word of love but whatever you do for love let it be an expression of your passion!
Sing Its all about love, love, love, love, love. Its all about love, love, love, love, love, Everything else comes down to this, nothing any higher on the list than love. Its all about love!
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Love is a word that we use far to often without the actions that should follow.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He GAVE! He gave of Himself for the sake of the ones that He loved! Love always requires action, if we love someone we will do for that someone! Sometimes we have it backwards in that we think that we express love by inaction! I don't do certain things because I love, I don't go certain places because I love, I don't treat you a certain way because I love but it should be the other way around! What I do is because I love.
If you love Me keep my commandments!
Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend!
1 John 3:16-18
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
It doesn't get much plainer than that, but in deed and in truth!
Don't let candies, chocolates, flowers and teddy bears simply be an extension of the spoken word of love but whatever you do for love let it be an expression of your passion!
Sing Its all about love, love, love, love, love. Its all about love, love, love, love, love, Everything else comes down to this, nothing any higher on the list than love. Its all about love!
Thursday, February 13, 2014
To die is gain!
Phil.1:20-21
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be life, or by death.
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain!
Knowing what I know of the Lord and the promises of His word how can I not look forward to what is to come! My expectations are of great proportions of good things to come! Not just an eternity with Jesus but here on this earth and in my lifetime! All things work together for the GOOD to them that love God and who are the called according to His purpose!
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation! I must stand for Christ, I must live my life in a way that will glorify Him and that will offer this hope to others. As I live I will live for the purpose of the cross, be salt to the earth and be a shining light in the darkness of this world! I must decrease that He would increase!
As the body of Christ we die out to our old nature, to our own wills and desires! This life is not my own to YOU I belong, I give myself away! I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, Not I but Christ liveth in me. Christ lives through me! I must die so that Jesus can live by me! To die is gain!
It is gain for Christ! It is gain for the kingdom! It is gain to a lost world! It is gain for me to die that others may live, not a spiritual death, not even a natural death but a death of this carnal worldly nature! Its time for the church to glorify God in their bodies and in their spirits.
Read Matt. 16:24-27
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be life, or by death.
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain!
Knowing what I know of the Lord and the promises of His word how can I not look forward to what is to come! My expectations are of great proportions of good things to come! Not just an eternity with Jesus but here on this earth and in my lifetime! All things work together for the GOOD to them that love God and who are the called according to His purpose!
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation! I must stand for Christ, I must live my life in a way that will glorify Him and that will offer this hope to others. As I live I will live for the purpose of the cross, be salt to the earth and be a shining light in the darkness of this world! I must decrease that He would increase!
As the body of Christ we die out to our old nature, to our own wills and desires! This life is not my own to YOU I belong, I give myself away! I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, Not I but Christ liveth in me. Christ lives through me! I must die so that Jesus can live by me! To die is gain!
It is gain for Christ! It is gain for the kingdom! It is gain to a lost world! It is gain for me to die that others may live, not a spiritual death, not even a natural death but a death of this carnal worldly nature! Its time for the church to glorify God in their bodies and in their spirits.
Read Matt. 16:24-27
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Confident of His performance!
Phil 1:3-6
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
I make every effort to do my best and to be my best everyday but as we all know we come up short! We continue to try, a better word would be that we strive to make changes in our lives to better represent Jesus to the world.
Gods word tells us that without Him we can do nothing, but it also says that with God all things are possible! We are all blessed with talents and gifts but these alone are not enough to be able to make the necessary changes in our lives to be able to overcome the challenges and hardships that we face! There may be a certain amount of will power and desire that can help us to make changes but thank God for the Holy Ghost power that we have been or can be endued with from on high! Read Luke 24:49
It is not by works of righteousness which we have done! Its not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit saith the Lord!
Phil 2:13
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Heb 13:21
Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
The theme throughout this blog is that God is working not just on us but in us! We must have confidence that what He has started He will finish! He is not finished yet, and the progress is looking really good! As God continues to fashion and shape us we can begin to see the transformation of our lives in to what God has planned for His children!
As a carpenter I have started a few projects with a vision of the end result in mind only to realize somewhere in the middle of it all for whatever reasons I was not able to finish! Very frustrating to have a vision of a finished product and not be able to see it through but with God that is not the way that it is!
1 John 3:2
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Rom 4:17
As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. God is able to see us as we will be and His work in us will bring us to that result! HE WILL FINISH THE WORK THAT HE STARTED!!
Sing, He who began a good work in you, He who began a good work in You, will be faithful to complete it, He'll be faithful to complete it, He who started the work will be faithful to complete it in you!
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
I make every effort to do my best and to be my best everyday but as we all know we come up short! We continue to try, a better word would be that we strive to make changes in our lives to better represent Jesus to the world.
Gods word tells us that without Him we can do nothing, but it also says that with God all things are possible! We are all blessed with talents and gifts but these alone are not enough to be able to make the necessary changes in our lives to be able to overcome the challenges and hardships that we face! There may be a certain amount of will power and desire that can help us to make changes but thank God for the Holy Ghost power that we have been or can be endued with from on high! Read Luke 24:49
It is not by works of righteousness which we have done! Its not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit saith the Lord!
Phil 2:13
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Heb 13:21
Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
The theme throughout this blog is that God is working not just on us but in us! We must have confidence that what He has started He will finish! He is not finished yet, and the progress is looking really good! As God continues to fashion and shape us we can begin to see the transformation of our lives in to what God has planned for His children!
As a carpenter I have started a few projects with a vision of the end result in mind only to realize somewhere in the middle of it all for whatever reasons I was not able to finish! Very frustrating to have a vision of a finished product and not be able to see it through but with God that is not the way that it is!
1 John 3:2
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Rom 4:17
As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. God is able to see us as we will be and His work in us will bring us to that result! HE WILL FINISH THE WORK THAT HE STARTED!!
Sing, He who began a good work in you, He who began a good work in You, will be faithful to complete it, He'll be faithful to complete it, He who started the work will be faithful to complete it in you!
Monday, February 10, 2014
Blessing or curse?
Duet.11:26-28
Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
27 A blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day:
28 And a curse; if you will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which you have not known.
Our choice to serve the Lord is based upon whether we choose to obey, which brings the blessings or disobey which brings the curse! This would seem like an easy choice but as you know to obey Gods commandments usually if not always requires us to surrender our wills and desires to His!
After having done this on many occasions I have never regretted that choice but it is still a choice that has to be made nonetheless.
Joshua said, Choose you this day who you will serve, as for me and my house we will serve the Lord! Every day we are given the same ultimatum, obedience and blessings or disobedience and curses. Every day we have to decide how will I live my life today, for the kingdom of heaven or for my own self! After making a number of consecutive choices to serve the Lord, before to long I no longer have to debate who it is that I'm going to serve because it becomes a lifestyle!
Let your love for the Lord lead you in your decisions, Read John 14:15-21
Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
27 A blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day:
28 And a curse; if you will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which you have not known.
Our choice to serve the Lord is based upon whether we choose to obey, which brings the blessings or disobey which brings the curse! This would seem like an easy choice but as you know to obey Gods commandments usually if not always requires us to surrender our wills and desires to His!
After having done this on many occasions I have never regretted that choice but it is still a choice that has to be made nonetheless.
Joshua said, Choose you this day who you will serve, as for me and my house we will serve the Lord! Every day we are given the same ultimatum, obedience and blessings or disobedience and curses. Every day we have to decide how will I live my life today, for the kingdom of heaven or for my own self! After making a number of consecutive choices to serve the Lord, before to long I no longer have to debate who it is that I'm going to serve because it becomes a lifestyle!
Let your love for the Lord lead you in your decisions, Read John 14:15-21
Friday, February 7, 2014
Before the cock crows
Mark 14:72
And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.
Its time to break the cycle of denial, accept who we are in Christ and live accordingly! We are the true light of the world and the salt to the earth! We are also the hope to the world by the word of God that flows from our lips!
We are ambassadors of Christ, we speak as the oracles of God and we represent His kingdom, WE BELONG TO JESUS!!
Before we dismiss the idea that we would deny Jesus in any way we need to look at the different ways that we could deny Him!
Matt 10:32-33
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Denying the Lord is not just a simple rejection but it is also what I will call an omission of confession. Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and you SHALL be witnesses of ME! When an opportunity arises for us to be a witness of Christ and we choose to keep silent is this not a denial? We certainly don't want to believe that because there are times that this happens in our lives! We have to break the cycle!
Matt 16:24
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
A part of our denial of Jesus is when we put our will, desires and plans above His and we begin to turn back to that old nature that Jesus has delivered us from.
Titus 1:16
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
When we hear the word of God and are given instructions or commandments we must become doers of that word! If we believe the word of God to be true and necessary for our lives than to be idle and not respond accordingly would be considered denial!
The bible tells us that Peter had remembered what Jesus had said even though it was after the fact. Let this be a reminder to us today that in order to avoid the cock crowing I need to confess the Lord Jesus! Not just with my words but also with my actions.
Read 2Tim.2:1-19
And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.
Its time to break the cycle of denial, accept who we are in Christ and live accordingly! We are the true light of the world and the salt to the earth! We are also the hope to the world by the word of God that flows from our lips!
We are ambassadors of Christ, we speak as the oracles of God and we represent His kingdom, WE BELONG TO JESUS!!
Before we dismiss the idea that we would deny Jesus in any way we need to look at the different ways that we could deny Him!
Matt 10:32-33
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Denying the Lord is not just a simple rejection but it is also what I will call an omission of confession. Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and you SHALL be witnesses of ME! When an opportunity arises for us to be a witness of Christ and we choose to keep silent is this not a denial? We certainly don't want to believe that because there are times that this happens in our lives! We have to break the cycle!
Matt 16:24
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
A part of our denial of Jesus is when we put our will, desires and plans above His and we begin to turn back to that old nature that Jesus has delivered us from.
Titus 1:16
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
When we hear the word of God and are given instructions or commandments we must become doers of that word! If we believe the word of God to be true and necessary for our lives than to be idle and not respond accordingly would be considered denial!
The bible tells us that Peter had remembered what Jesus had said even though it was after the fact. Let this be a reminder to us today that in order to avoid the cock crowing I need to confess the Lord Jesus! Not just with my words but also with my actions.
Read 2Tim.2:1-19
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Achans treasures.
Josh 7:1
But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.
Josh 7:10-13
And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.
12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.
13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.
Josh 7:19-21
And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
A powerful lesson to be learned here not only for the church but for our individual lives! The Lord had given simple yet explicit instructions, defeat the enemy and destroy the spoils! But because of one family who were ultimately all involved gathered up a FEW things all would be effected!
A little leaven, leaveneth the WHOLE lump.
And now because of there disobedience the opposite began to happen! Because Achan gathered the spoils the enemy would now defeat them! We sometimes try to hold on to things in our lives that the Lord is wanting us to be rid of and this is what will continue to affect our relationship with Him! We attend church, sit in bible studies and even attend prayer meetings while at home hidden amongst the stuff, even hidden in our hearts the spoils or the treasures of past life we have yet to destroy!
God had given a commandment and a promise and followed up with this, Num 32:23
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.
This isn't a scare tactic or the Lord threatening destruction, what we have to realize is, is that sin is what keeps us from the blessings an more importantly the presence of the Lord! 2 Peter 3:9
not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Achans treasures became his demise. Treasures that he had to keep hidden away. Treasures that he would never be able to enjoy! Treasures that would constantly remind him of the wrong that he had done! Every night that Achan would go to bed he would lie down knowing that these "treasures" were buried beneath him!
Read Matt. 6:19-21
But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.
Josh 7:10-13
And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.
12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.
13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.
Josh 7:19-21
And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
A powerful lesson to be learned here not only for the church but for our individual lives! The Lord had given simple yet explicit instructions, defeat the enemy and destroy the spoils! But because of one family who were ultimately all involved gathered up a FEW things all would be effected!
A little leaven, leaveneth the WHOLE lump.
And now because of there disobedience the opposite began to happen! Because Achan gathered the spoils the enemy would now defeat them! We sometimes try to hold on to things in our lives that the Lord is wanting us to be rid of and this is what will continue to affect our relationship with Him! We attend church, sit in bible studies and even attend prayer meetings while at home hidden amongst the stuff, even hidden in our hearts the spoils or the treasures of past life we have yet to destroy!
God had given a commandment and a promise and followed up with this, Num 32:23
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.
This isn't a scare tactic or the Lord threatening destruction, what we have to realize is, is that sin is what keeps us from the blessings an more importantly the presence of the Lord! 2 Peter 3:9
not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Achans treasures became his demise. Treasures that he had to keep hidden away. Treasures that he would never be able to enjoy! Treasures that would constantly remind him of the wrong that he had done! Every night that Achan would go to bed he would lie down knowing that these "treasures" were buried beneath him!
Read Matt. 6:19-21
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
A new day dawning!
Gen.28:12
And he dreamed, and behold a ladder was set up on the earth, and the top of it reached heaven:and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
V. 16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not.
V. 20-21 And Jacob vowed a vow saying, if God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my fathers house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God.
Jacob was on the run, hiding from the wrath of his brother Esau after he had deceived his father into blessing him instead of Esau!
Jacob probably feeling scared and very alone, uncertain about what the future would now hold, found a place to rest! If we are going to have communion with the Lord we must find ourselves in a place of rest! This is a place where we can be alone with God and where the voice and the image of the world is not!
It was at this place where God had offered Jacob hope and assurance that God would be with him! V. 15 And behold I am with thee and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land, for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
If you are in that place, if you have had one of those days, God is not finished yet, there is a new day dawning! It is time to awake from your sleep and realize that you are in the place where God dwells!
And Jacob called that place Bethel, "the house of God!"
Sing 10,000 reasons
The sun comes up, its a new day dawning, its time to sing your song again, whatever may pass and whatever lies before me Let me be singing when the evening comes!
And he dreamed, and behold a ladder was set up on the earth, and the top of it reached heaven:and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
V. 16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not.
V. 20-21 And Jacob vowed a vow saying, if God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my fathers house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God.
Jacob was on the run, hiding from the wrath of his brother Esau after he had deceived his father into blessing him instead of Esau!
Jacob probably feeling scared and very alone, uncertain about what the future would now hold, found a place to rest! If we are going to have communion with the Lord we must find ourselves in a place of rest! This is a place where we can be alone with God and where the voice and the image of the world is not!
It was at this place where God had offered Jacob hope and assurance that God would be with him! V. 15 And behold I am with thee and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land, for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
If you are in that place, if you have had one of those days, God is not finished yet, there is a new day dawning! It is time to awake from your sleep and realize that you are in the place where God dwells!
And Jacob called that place Bethel, "the house of God!"
Sing 10,000 reasons
The sun comes up, its a new day dawning, its time to sing your song again, whatever may pass and whatever lies before me Let me be singing when the evening comes!
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Positioning for a miracle!
Josh 3:5
And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you.
Our God is in the miracle business! God is able to do all things! Nothing is to hard for God! With God all things are possible!
These verses of the bible have been quoted in many of services and have been the preaching points of many sermons yet we haven't seen the amount of the miraculous in our lives as it has been preached.
In order to receive a miracle a need for a miracle must first be present! What is a miracle? A miracle is something that only God can do! A miracle is not something that is at all humanly possible, if it were than it isn't a miracle! For an example we will look at the act of salvation! I believe that salvation is one of the greatest miracles that will happen in our lives! Its not by works of righteousness which we have done but by His mercy He saved us! Salvation can only be obtained through Jesus Christ our Lord!
If there is something that you have need of in your life, that no man can perform than you need a miracle! In order to receive that miracle you must be positioned for, in the place to receive it! What's the place? What is the position?
Joshua told the people, "Sanctify yourselves!" We must get to the place where our hearts and our minds are pure and where our desires and motives align with the will of God. I must separate myself from the carnal and begin to look to the spiritual!
If you are in great need of a miracle you must position yourself for it! Repent, turn away from fleshly desires and turn toward the Lord!
Read Joshua 7:7-13
And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you.
Our God is in the miracle business! God is able to do all things! Nothing is to hard for God! With God all things are possible!
These verses of the bible have been quoted in many of services and have been the preaching points of many sermons yet we haven't seen the amount of the miraculous in our lives as it has been preached.
In order to receive a miracle a need for a miracle must first be present! What is a miracle? A miracle is something that only God can do! A miracle is not something that is at all humanly possible, if it were than it isn't a miracle! For an example we will look at the act of salvation! I believe that salvation is one of the greatest miracles that will happen in our lives! Its not by works of righteousness which we have done but by His mercy He saved us! Salvation can only be obtained through Jesus Christ our Lord!
If there is something that you have need of in your life, that no man can perform than you need a miracle! In order to receive that miracle you must be positioned for, in the place to receive it! What's the place? What is the position?
Joshua told the people, "Sanctify yourselves!" We must get to the place where our hearts and our minds are pure and where our desires and motives align with the will of God. I must separate myself from the carnal and begin to look to the spiritual!
If you are in great need of a miracle you must position yourself for it! Repent, turn away from fleshly desires and turn toward the Lord!
Read Joshua 7:7-13
Monday, February 3, 2014
The Unruly
James 3:8-12
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
James is certainly not allowing room for an excuse why it is that we speak the things we speak! "Because we cannot tame the tongue!" James illustrates in the next verse that with this tongue we bless God, we make that choice to use our tongue for good and yes he goes on to say, curse we men. The answer is to continually bless the Lord so that I have no pause in my speech to curse men!
" His praise shall continually be in my mouth."
Doth a fountain, can a fig? So can no man speak evil and good at the same time! Choose your words! Listen to the teaching of your mother, If you cannot say anything nice than say nothing at all!
Speak not what is on your mind until its been filtered through your heart!
Read Matthew 12: 34-37
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
James is certainly not allowing room for an excuse why it is that we speak the things we speak! "Because we cannot tame the tongue!" James illustrates in the next verse that with this tongue we bless God, we make that choice to use our tongue for good and yes he goes on to say, curse we men. The answer is to continually bless the Lord so that I have no pause in my speech to curse men!
" His praise shall continually be in my mouth."
Doth a fountain, can a fig? So can no man speak evil and good at the same time! Choose your words! Listen to the teaching of your mother, If you cannot say anything nice than say nothing at all!
Speak not what is on your mind until its been filtered through your heart!
Read Matthew 12: 34-37
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Equality
The Ambassador
(pastoral communique)
Feb. 2, 2014
2 Cor 8:11-15
11 Now therefore perform
the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a
performance also out of that which ye have.
12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted
according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance
may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for
your want: that there may be equality:
15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing
over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.
Good intentions are just that, they are those things that
you intend to do that would be good and beneficial to those who would be a
recipient of the intention. Verse 11 tells us to perform (action required)the
doing of it! It has entered our minds to do and now there must be a fulfilling, or a performance, of the will or the good intention that you have.
"It is accepted
according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not." We are only
required to do with what it is that we have. I am not required to do or go
beyond what it is that I am able to do, but I am required to be a good steward
of those things I do possess.
Verse 14 talks of an
equal playing field bringing the levels of every individual to a neutral
position. That they had all things common. Read Acts 2:44-45 Because you have more at
this moment you supply for my need and when I have more then I become the
supply for your need! Equality!
In summation, I am to
have what I need and no more but also having what I need and no less. Read Eph. 4:16.
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