In these last days of apostasy there will be very few people who will want to listen.
The church is not a building full of people, it is people scattered all over the place waiting for the return of their Savior.
God clearly said to me, "just do what I told you and don't worry about where it goes, I will take it where I want it to go."
If what we are doing seems small and insignificant, then that is only through our human eyes. We never know where God will take it, perhaps in places we never expected.
Be satisfied with what He gave you no matter how small it looks to you, and when we get to heaven we may get to see what He did with it.
Israel defeated the enemy, tens of thousands of soldiers, with only 300 men. If we get too big we start thinking it was us.
Bless you brothers and sisters as you carry on in faith with the job He gave you to do.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
The Commandments are Actions
We have some pictures of the ten commandments on our walls done for a company many years ago, they are reproductions.
On the picture demonstrating the third commandment to "not take the name of the Lord in vain", is a picture of a man walking out of church with a big Bible. He has his nose in the air, while a begging old woman is on her knees at his feet, he is piously ignoring her completely, as though she has no value, like a dog or cat. Many years ago, when the Bible was the only source for spiritual wisdom in this country, everyone understood what that commandment meant.
Since we live in a world of superficial Christianity, the people think everything is about words. If we say something then those words have power. This is new age concept that is not in Scripture.
Most of our churches have errored in teaching children not to take the Lord's name in vain through speech while neglecting the training in actions to live as evidence of what they say.
Even the word love in Hebrew is an action word, either to give or to withhold, depending on what is needed.
Words do not have power but actions do.
Our culture says "I am a good person", while they sack up with their unwed partner. They say " I am a good person", while taking from others and never giving back.
They say "I am a basically good person", those who are thieves in jail think they are good because they didn't murder. They say "I am a good person", when their life demonstrates exactly the opposite. This is the reason they are so angry when they are shown by the commandments that they are not good people and never have been. They have chosen to pretend they are good, even though in their heart of hearts they know they are not, the reason they become so angry when anyone challenges their goodness.
There are two sayings that impacted my life many years ago, because I saw people saying things about themselves that didn't seem to ring true. God showed me through His Word that no one is good and those who like to say they are, have to say in place of the reality.
Saying is not equal to being! What we say carries no weight at all unless it matches how we live. What we say can easily be refuted by the evidence of actions.
The two sayings:
"Your actions speak so loud I can't hear a word you are saying."
"Actions speak louder than words."
If we are wanting to live for the Lord, it is better to remain silent about ourselves and just live for Christ in our actions.
Colossians 3:5-10
5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience,
7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.
8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.
9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—
James 1:26
"If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain."
1 John 3:18
"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."
On the picture demonstrating the third commandment to "not take the name of the Lord in vain", is a picture of a man walking out of church with a big Bible. He has his nose in the air, while a begging old woman is on her knees at his feet, he is piously ignoring her completely, as though she has no value, like a dog or cat. Many years ago, when the Bible was the only source for spiritual wisdom in this country, everyone understood what that commandment meant.
Since we live in a world of superficial Christianity, the people think everything is about words. If we say something then those words have power. This is new age concept that is not in Scripture.
Most of our churches have errored in teaching children not to take the Lord's name in vain through speech while neglecting the training in actions to live as evidence of what they say.
Even the word love in Hebrew is an action word, either to give or to withhold, depending on what is needed.
Words do not have power but actions do.
Our culture says "I am a good person", while they sack up with their unwed partner. They say " I am a good person", while taking from others and never giving back.
They say "I am a basically good person", those who are thieves in jail think they are good because they didn't murder. They say "I am a good person", when their life demonstrates exactly the opposite. This is the reason they are so angry when they are shown by the commandments that they are not good people and never have been. They have chosen to pretend they are good, even though in their heart of hearts they know they are not, the reason they become so angry when anyone challenges their goodness.
There are two sayings that impacted my life many years ago, because I saw people saying things about themselves that didn't seem to ring true. God showed me through His Word that no one is good and those who like to say they are, have to say in place of the reality.
Saying is not equal to being! What we say carries no weight at all unless it matches how we live. What we say can easily be refuted by the evidence of actions.
The two sayings:
"Your actions speak so loud I can't hear a word you are saying."
"Actions speak louder than words."
If we are wanting to live for the Lord, it is better to remain silent about ourselves and just live for Christ in our actions.
Colossians 3:5-10
5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience,
7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.
8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.
9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—
James 1:26
"If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain."
1 John 3:18
"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."
Let the Past Be the Past Forever
There are those family members who have spent their entire lives denigrating and demeaning others for the purpose of elevating self, even believers are guilty of this.
As you grew up you were perplexed that they continued to bring up things you did in your childhood that are not happening anymore, as though they had nothing in their past that could be used this way. I hear things like this frequently in my encounters with believers. It is not bad enough that they are bent on reminding us, they also spread gossip, even lying about us, feeling self-righteous that they were not as bad as those they malign.
Childhood was a place where these self-absorbed people felt elevated above others with the encouragement of the adults in their life. There was no training in love, kindness or self-sacrifice, only continual praise and gratification, solidifying their superior view of themselves.
Now for the encouragement, God has something to hold against every single person on the face of the earth. No one has measured up to His standard on any level. Those who think they had something to offer Him, are fooling themselves and very likely never knew the love of Christ in their own hearts. There can be no love in the heart of one who feels a need to be admired for their talents and accomplishments while demonstrating superiority in the presence of those they think do not “measure up” to their worldly idea of respect and honor. Why is this encouragement? It is comforting to know that we don’t have to measure up to God or anyone else. We can trust Christ that He can work in us in every way that is necessary, it does not depend on us, but on Him. Past sins or flaws get to stay in the past, forever.
John 6:37
“"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.”
Acts 10:34-35
“34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”
Romans 12:1
“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
We can also choose to walk away from those who torment our lives with manipulation. If they are believers, we can choose to have our relationship with them in heaven, while free from the drama they bring in this life. We cannot help those who will not listen, nor can we help those who are elevated in their own eyes. God will have to deal with them, while we move on to those who want to hear the message of Christ.
Titus 3:10
“As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him,”
1 John 3:14 “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.”
Our love for the brethren is not based on talents, accomplishments or outer beauty, nor is it based on past sins that have been removed, rather it is based on Christ, the Perfect One. We have fellowship with one another because of Him, and no one has anything of value to offer Him or anyone else that counts for eternity.
Romans 3:18-28
“18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
22 This righteousness is given through faith in[b] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished
26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith.
28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.”
Meditate on Christ daily, leaving behind the past to press on toward the goal, leaving behind the past may include leaving behind the people who would attempt to keep us stuck in the former life that no longer has any power over us.
Philippians 3:14 "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
As you grew up you were perplexed that they continued to bring up things you did in your childhood that are not happening anymore, as though they had nothing in their past that could be used this way. I hear things like this frequently in my encounters with believers. It is not bad enough that they are bent on reminding us, they also spread gossip, even lying about us, feeling self-righteous that they were not as bad as those they malign.
Childhood was a place where these self-absorbed people felt elevated above others with the encouragement of the adults in their life. There was no training in love, kindness or self-sacrifice, only continual praise and gratification, solidifying their superior view of themselves.
Now for the encouragement, God has something to hold against every single person on the face of the earth. No one has measured up to His standard on any level. Those who think they had something to offer Him, are fooling themselves and very likely never knew the love of Christ in their own hearts. There can be no love in the heart of one who feels a need to be admired for their talents and accomplishments while demonstrating superiority in the presence of those they think do not “measure up” to their worldly idea of respect and honor. Why is this encouragement? It is comforting to know that we don’t have to measure up to God or anyone else. We can trust Christ that He can work in us in every way that is necessary, it does not depend on us, but on Him. Past sins or flaws get to stay in the past, forever.
John 6:37
“"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.”
Acts 10:34-35
“34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”
Romans 12:1
“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
We can also choose to walk away from those who torment our lives with manipulation. If they are believers, we can choose to have our relationship with them in heaven, while free from the drama they bring in this life. We cannot help those who will not listen, nor can we help those who are elevated in their own eyes. God will have to deal with them, while we move on to those who want to hear the message of Christ.
Titus 3:10
“As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him,”
1 John 3:14 “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.”
Our love for the brethren is not based on talents, accomplishments or outer beauty, nor is it based on past sins that have been removed, rather it is based on Christ, the Perfect One. We have fellowship with one another because of Him, and no one has anything of value to offer Him or anyone else that counts for eternity.
Romans 3:18-28
“18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
22 This righteousness is given through faith in[b] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished
26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith.
28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.”
Meditate on Christ daily, leaving behind the past to press on toward the goal, leaving behind the past may include leaving behind the people who would attempt to keep us stuck in the former life that no longer has any power over us.
Philippians 3:14 "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Let No Man Deceive You
The phrase "claim God's blessing over your life", is meaningless. What is God's blessing? We have no right to demand anything from God. He may have some very difficult lessons for us that we need to go through to become more holy. To claim anything from God is the same as saying, "God you owe us."
A bratty child of the king would say that because he was a child of the king, everyone should give him what he wants, whether or not it is good for him or others. God is much more concerned with our spiritual growth than our physical happiness.
We enjoy the material and physical blessings God gives us and we praise Him for them, but if that is all we do, then we are missing the point of this life. We are called to grow in holiness, desiring "Spiritual blessings."
The greatest blessing God could give us is a spirit more dedicated to Him, and that comes through training, sometimes very harsh training. We are in boot camp on this earth, that's how we learn and become strong.
James 1:2-16
"1 Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials,
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
4 And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and he will be given it.
6 But he should ask in faith, not doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed about by the wind.
7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his ways.
9 The brother in lowly circumstances should take pride in his high standing,
10 and the rich one in his lowliness, for he will pass away “like the flower of the field.”
11 For the sun comes up with its scorching heat and dries up the grass, its flower droops, and the beauty of its appearance vanishes. So will the rich person fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him.
13 No one experiencing temptation should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and he himself tempts no one.
14 Rather, each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire conceives and brings forth sin, and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers:
17 all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.
18 He willed to give us birth by the word of truth that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures."
The greatest blessings from God are spiritual. Too often the "blab it and grab it" crowd replace the spiritual blessings of this passage with physical and material. Sometimes we have to suffer physical ill health to receive a spiritual blessing. The more we have to trust Christ because of hardship the greater becomes our faith.
The worldly Christianity thinks that blessing is always what we want, when we want it, this mentality is that of a spoiled child who demands things from God and becomes discouraged and depressed when God doesn't give the kind of blessing they wanted. The focus is often this material world rather than the spiritual.
Those who blame the devil for everything don't realize that the devil can do nothing without God's permission as with the account of Job in the First Testament. When we blame the devil it is the same as blaming God, because God has given him permission to do what he does and could stop him at any time, but he doesn't, so that we will see ourselves through our reactions and attitudes as we go through whatever God has for us.
Through our trials we learn to pay attention more to God for help. We learn things we could not learn if we didn't have the trial and we may be a blessing to others watching, who see our strength no matter what, and want to know where that strength comes from. We mature through trials, there is little growth when things are easy.
Then comes great joy when we went through with God. We stayed the course, kept the faith and in the end will reap the reward.
Galatians 6:9
"Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary."
A bratty child of the king would say that because he was a child of the king, everyone should give him what he wants, whether or not it is good for him or others. God is much more concerned with our spiritual growth than our physical happiness.
We enjoy the material and physical blessings God gives us and we praise Him for them, but if that is all we do, then we are missing the point of this life. We are called to grow in holiness, desiring "Spiritual blessings."
The greatest blessing God could give us is a spirit more dedicated to Him, and that comes through training, sometimes very harsh training. We are in boot camp on this earth, that's how we learn and become strong.
James 1:2-16
"1 Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials,
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
4 And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and he will be given it.
6 But he should ask in faith, not doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed about by the wind.
7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his ways.
9 The brother in lowly circumstances should take pride in his high standing,
10 and the rich one in his lowliness, for he will pass away “like the flower of the field.”
11 For the sun comes up with its scorching heat and dries up the grass, its flower droops, and the beauty of its appearance vanishes. So will the rich person fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him.
13 No one experiencing temptation should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and he himself tempts no one.
14 Rather, each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire conceives and brings forth sin, and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers:
17 all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.
18 He willed to give us birth by the word of truth that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures."
The greatest blessings from God are spiritual. Too often the "blab it and grab it" crowd replace the spiritual blessings of this passage with physical and material. Sometimes we have to suffer physical ill health to receive a spiritual blessing. The more we have to trust Christ because of hardship the greater becomes our faith.
The worldly Christianity thinks that blessing is always what we want, when we want it, this mentality is that of a spoiled child who demands things from God and becomes discouraged and depressed when God doesn't give the kind of blessing they wanted. The focus is often this material world rather than the spiritual.
Those who blame the devil for everything don't realize that the devil can do nothing without God's permission as with the account of Job in the First Testament. When we blame the devil it is the same as blaming God, because God has given him permission to do what he does and could stop him at any time, but he doesn't, so that we will see ourselves through our reactions and attitudes as we go through whatever God has for us.
Through our trials we learn to pay attention more to God for help. We learn things we could not learn if we didn't have the trial and we may be a blessing to others watching, who see our strength no matter what, and want to know where that strength comes from. We mature through trials, there is little growth when things are easy.
Then comes great joy when we went through with God. We stayed the course, kept the faith and in the end will reap the reward.
Galatians 6:9
"Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary."
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