What Can We Give!

This reminds me of relationships in friendships and marriage. When we go into the relationship caring only about what we will get out of it, nine times out of ten we will feel entitled to force the other person to change to our own idea of what they should be.

When we enter into relationships it ought to be about being an asset to the other person, helping them to become what God meant for them to be not what we think enhances or validates us personally.

Islam is not coming here to be an asset to this country, they are coming to force us to believe their way, negating and disrespecting us to further their own agenda.

No friendship based on subjugation will prosper or survive, it has to eventually be destroyed.

Child Brats Turn Into Adult Brats

Yes, and sadly many of those who were child brats in the '70's are now adult brats having tantrums every time someone corrects them.

Didn't Jesus Say It Right?

Isaiah 26:10 "10 Though the wicked is shown favor, He does not learn righteousness; He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness, And does not perceive the majesty of the LORD."

Mark 13:12-13 "…12 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 13 You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved."

I was once told that we should say things in a way that people would receive it. This is patently untrue, when we share Christ more times than not, those hearing are embarrassed and even enraged.

It doesn't matter how you say it, even in the most delicate terms, makes a rebellious heart accuse you of doing it wrong. We know this because Christ was murdered as well as all the apostles. There was no mention that they just didn't say it right!

Blessing Is Spiritual

We think blessing is when God gives us what we want and makes us feel good.

However, true blessing is when God grows us Spiritually and emotionally for greater worship toward Him.

Our blessings are not based on having a good life now, they are based on learning while we are in this boot camp of life.

They are based on our obedience that strengthens us. The spiritually weak people are those who refuse to obey, those who mock righteousness and kick against training!

1 Timothy 4:7-8 "Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come."

1 Thessalonians 5:21-24 "But test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it."

God's focus for us is not this world, even though He does provide our needs, His focus is our eternity.

I am convinced that everything we learn on earth will equip us for ruling with Christ in the Millennium. I can't believe we would go through this training here, only to lose it all when we go into the millennium.

Finally, we have two purposes for being on this earth as believers, the first one is to worship God while growing in holiness and the second is to share the gospel that others might become born again.

Christ in Our Thoughts Every Day

Amen!!!! Since we think of Christ everyday, but we are still in this world, we grieve over the evil that we see. Often we agonize over the superficial Christianity all around us, the kind in which "appearances" and "happiness" are the goal rather than holiness and obedience.

Romans 12:1-2 "12 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. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

Philippians 4:8-9 "8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."

Proverbs 4:23 " 23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life."

The more we indulge in thoughts about Christ, the more we are able to walk as He did. The more we seek Christ the more we desire to be with those who love Him with all their heart. Connecting with the brethren who are walking down the same road as ourselves is a blessing we yearn for when we find ourselves entrenched in life surrounded by those who have little or no interest in walking as Christ walked.

When we love Christ we are able to see things in truth, call them what they are and pray accordingly. Those who can only see happy things, are denying the reality of what is all around us, perhaps so focused on their own personal happiness they are oblivious to the mess that surrounds us, the debauchery, hate and rebellion that dominates this world.

When we can face what is real, call it what it is, only then can we pray correctly, with fervency.

The joy of the Lord never leaves our heart, it is always there, that's why we can see things in truth without feeling devastated by them. However, the grief we feel at times over the wickedness drags us to our knees. We cannot change those around us, that's God's business, but we can seek Him that He work holiness and strength in our hearts as we walk through this world.

And, hallelujah, our inheritance is far greater than anything we experience here. We are in boot camp, we are grieved, but not destroyed.

Romans 8:18 "17 And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him. 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God.…"

1 Corinthians 2:16 "…15 The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment. 16“For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ."

2 Peter 2:6-8 "6 if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, reducing them to ashes as an example of what is coming on the ungodly; 7 and if He rescued Lot, a righteous man distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless 8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)—…"

We do not grieve for ourselves, but rather for all those who are on their way to hell and for those who think they are on their way to heaven but are only interested in appearing as though they are, without any interest in self reflection and transformation through Christ.

Our churches are full of those who enjoy their superficial walk of self exaltation, they can only associate with those who praise and fawn over them. As soon as the praise or fawning stops and the correction or rebuke begins, the friendships end. This is very strong evidence that there was never a desire for holiness, rather only a desire to impress others with a "form of godliness, but without it's power."

2 Timothy 3:4-5 "…4 traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 HAVING A FORM OF GODLINESS but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!"