When the KJV of the Bible speaks of Christ's hands and feet, it is slightly inaccurate. The hands in the original Greek language extended to above the wrist. IF we are to be accurate we would say "wrist" where Christ was pierced, not hand, in our English understanding. If the Lord had been pierced in the hand as we understand the hand, the nails would have torn loose, but when placed in the between the wrist bones, they would have held, as they did.
One of the reasons is matters is that there was a little boy who supposedly came back from heaven after dying saying that he saw the nail prints in the Savior's hands, we know from this that he did not see heaven or the Savior. If he had seen accurately he would have described the wrist not the hand. He was merely repeating what he had been inaccurately taught.
If we are to accurately understand God's Word, we will have to go back to the original languages often. The English versions are not clear enough in many things.This will be true of every translation.
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Friday, March 13, 2015
There is Danger in Loving Self
Those who evaluate themselves by their accomplishments, monetary wealth, physical beauty or clothing styles, cannot be humble. A self focus, only brings arrogance and self worth elevated above the standards of God. As long as these people "appear" wonderful they are satisfied with that.
Those who love Christ want more than appearances, they want truth down to their very bones. They are the same whether they are alone or with people, they do not change character or responses because of who they are with.
Ephesians 4:31-32
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
Someone once said, "the better we know God the less we have to prove."
Those who continually act superior to others, lack faith and confidence about their walk with the Lord and must work to prove they are better through intimidation, demeaning and disrespect.
When we walk with the Lord, we know our lowly position, while also knowing His power, we can walk with confidence, knowing we have nothing to prove except Christ. Self is not an issue, Christ and His principles are everything, we are irrelevant, except to glorify Him.
John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease."
Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
Those who love Christ want more than appearances, they want truth down to their very bones. They are the same whether they are alone or with people, they do not change character or responses because of who they are with.
Ephesians 4:31-32
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
Someone once said, "the better we know God the less we have to prove."
Those who continually act superior to others, lack faith and confidence about their walk with the Lord and must work to prove they are better through intimidation, demeaning and disrespect.
When we walk with the Lord, we know our lowly position, while also knowing His power, we can walk with confidence, knowing we have nothing to prove except Christ. Self is not an issue, Christ and His principles are everything, we are irrelevant, except to glorify Him.
John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease."
Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
Dying To Self Takes Christ
We cannot die to self unless we are submitted to Christ.
James 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Not everyone is called to die a death in the body, but physically for someone else, we are called to serve, but even more so than that we are called to die spiritually to our own desires at the risk of rejection, to bring truth, the greatest form of love entrusted to us, is that which cannot be measured or seen but changes lives. the truth of God's Word. We help no one by withholding truth to be loved by men.
Galatians 2;20 "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Galatians 5:24 "And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."
Mark 8:35 "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it."
John 12:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."
We cannot be used fully of God unless we first set aside our own desires and resolve to obey Him. Many people claim to be obeying the principles of the Bible but in fact, with close inspection, are actually disobey most of it.
We see the violations of selflessness daily in the acceptance of divorce and remarriage, the violation of the order of the worship service, the mandates about leadership, the ignoring of the practice of head covering and many other things that show a rebellion against the Word, using circular and pragmatic arguments to justify disobedience.
Nearly everyone thinks they are following the Bible when the reality is, that they are following very little of God's principles, to maintain their friendships and family.
Matthew 10:38 "And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me."
Philippians 2:1-11 "1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,
2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
It would be good to evaluate everything we think and believe, through prayer and scripture reading, to discern whether or not we have trusted Christ, or whether we have trusted human wisdom and tacked a little of the Bible onto our humanistic form of Christianity.
Humility is necessary for us to do this, if we are someone who can never say they were wrong to another person, then we will never be able to say it to an unseen God.
James 4:10 "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."
Is your goal to be elevated by men or to be lifted up by God?
James 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Not everyone is called to die a death in the body, but physically for someone else, we are called to serve, but even more so than that we are called to die spiritually to our own desires at the risk of rejection, to bring truth, the greatest form of love entrusted to us, is that which cannot be measured or seen but changes lives. the truth of God's Word. We help no one by withholding truth to be loved by men.
Galatians 2;20 "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Galatians 5:24 "And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."
Mark 8:35 "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it."
John 12:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."
We cannot be used fully of God unless we first set aside our own desires and resolve to obey Him. Many people claim to be obeying the principles of the Bible but in fact, with close inspection, are actually disobey most of it.
We see the violations of selflessness daily in the acceptance of divorce and remarriage, the violation of the order of the worship service, the mandates about leadership, the ignoring of the practice of head covering and many other things that show a rebellion against the Word, using circular and pragmatic arguments to justify disobedience.
Nearly everyone thinks they are following the Bible when the reality is, that they are following very little of God's principles, to maintain their friendships and family.
Matthew 10:38 "And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me."
Philippians 2:1-11 "1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,
2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
It would be good to evaluate everything we think and believe, through prayer and scripture reading, to discern whether or not we have trusted Christ, or whether we have trusted human wisdom and tacked a little of the Bible onto our humanistic form of Christianity.
Humility is necessary for us to do this, if we are someone who can never say they were wrong to another person, then we will never be able to say it to an unseen God.
James 4:10 "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."
Is your goal to be elevated by men or to be lifted up by God?
Thursday, March 12, 2015
God Change Me Please!
I never saw anything about the movie "Shades of Grey" except the title, so I had no idea it was as bad as I am hearing now.
Where are those phony women's libbers when it comes to things like this? They claim to be for women, but endorse the killing of women's babies and remain silent when a raunchy movie like this, that degrades and abuses women, comes out.
They also remain silent about the abuse of women in Islam.
And, the world is angry at Christianity that elevates a woman to protective status? How backward is this?
Christ gave clear instructions to men to protect and nurture their wives, but the world prefers the denigration of women as if likened to beaten dog status over the love and protection they are afforded by godly spiritual men.
We know who is behind all this hate, it is the devil himself. The further we get from the principles of God and His Word the Bible, the more cruel we can expect the world to become, the less courteous and kind.
We used to live in a world that would protect the women and children first in a disaster such as a sinking ship. The men would remain on board, going down with the ship to be able to save the more vulnerable members of society.
Now we have the men throwing the women and children over the side of the ship to save themselves, at least figuratively speaking. Do the women's libbers realize that they have caused a great regression in the treatment of women by demanding things that never were the woman's roles.
Men didn't mistreat women because they were homemakers, many men elevated them for their sacrifice to the family. Now we have men who are less kind and helpful because they have been trained to treat women like another man, a woman is on her own without help because she wanted what she thought was her independence. Sadly some of us didn't follow the libbers but get treated like them anyway, we take the brunt of their foolishness.
It isn't the fault of one gender over another, so much as it is the rejection of Christ as the reason for what we do in our lives. Ungodly women pushed for status above men and ungodly men bought into it.
There are very godly men and women who treat one another as they should, although rare, just as there are ungodly men and women who do not treat one another as they should, becoming the norm. It isn't about gender, it is about ungodliness. When there is ungodliness, there is bitterness and strife, lack of empathy for others and total preoccupation with our individual desires. Each generation becoming worse than the last.
I no longer have much confidence in being able to pass on the wisdom God has shown me, because the younger generation for the most part, are so full of themselves, they will not listen to any instruction unless it elevates them, and much correction is needed, but it is rare that they will receive it.
It is truly "as in the days of Noah", when everyone thinks they are right and no one will listen to correction or instruction, they are angry if they are chastised. Just spend a few days on facebook, take time to correct wrong theology or attitudes and see what happens, anger and intimidation are much of what we encounter.
The young person of 30 has half the life experience but act as though they have twice the life experience of the one who has passed through more than 60 years of their life. They just don't listen long enough to glean the nuggets of wisdom that the older folks have accumulated. Sadly these same young people are passing this resistance on to their children, the rebellion that rejects the ways of God in favor of their own limited worldly wisdom.
We are truly living in the last days. The only hope for any individual is to ask God what is in each of us, humbly desiring to know what God knows about us, then praying for the needed change in our souls.
Where are those phony women's libbers when it comes to things like this? They claim to be for women, but endorse the killing of women's babies and remain silent when a raunchy movie like this, that degrades and abuses women, comes out.
They also remain silent about the abuse of women in Islam.
And, the world is angry at Christianity that elevates a woman to protective status? How backward is this?
Christ gave clear instructions to men to protect and nurture their wives, but the world prefers the denigration of women as if likened to beaten dog status over the love and protection they are afforded by godly spiritual men.
We know who is behind all this hate, it is the devil himself. The further we get from the principles of God and His Word the Bible, the more cruel we can expect the world to become, the less courteous and kind.
We used to live in a world that would protect the women and children first in a disaster such as a sinking ship. The men would remain on board, going down with the ship to be able to save the more vulnerable members of society.
Now we have the men throwing the women and children over the side of the ship to save themselves, at least figuratively speaking. Do the women's libbers realize that they have caused a great regression in the treatment of women by demanding things that never were the woman's roles.
Men didn't mistreat women because they were homemakers, many men elevated them for their sacrifice to the family. Now we have men who are less kind and helpful because they have been trained to treat women like another man, a woman is on her own without help because she wanted what she thought was her independence. Sadly some of us didn't follow the libbers but get treated like them anyway, we take the brunt of their foolishness.
It isn't the fault of one gender over another, so much as it is the rejection of Christ as the reason for what we do in our lives. Ungodly women pushed for status above men and ungodly men bought into it.
There are very godly men and women who treat one another as they should, although rare, just as there are ungodly men and women who do not treat one another as they should, becoming the norm. It isn't about gender, it is about ungodliness. When there is ungodliness, there is bitterness and strife, lack of empathy for others and total preoccupation with our individual desires. Each generation becoming worse than the last.
I no longer have much confidence in being able to pass on the wisdom God has shown me, because the younger generation for the most part, are so full of themselves, they will not listen to any instruction unless it elevates them, and much correction is needed, but it is rare that they will receive it.
It is truly "as in the days of Noah", when everyone thinks they are right and no one will listen to correction or instruction, they are angry if they are chastised. Just spend a few days on facebook, take time to correct wrong theology or attitudes and see what happens, anger and intimidation are much of what we encounter.
The young person of 30 has half the life experience but act as though they have twice the life experience of the one who has passed through more than 60 years of their life. They just don't listen long enough to glean the nuggets of wisdom that the older folks have accumulated. Sadly these same young people are passing this resistance on to their children, the rebellion that rejects the ways of God in favor of their own limited worldly wisdom.
We are truly living in the last days. The only hope for any individual is to ask God what is in each of us, humbly desiring to know what God knows about us, then praying for the needed change in our souls.
Jesus Face in the Pancake
When someone is seeing the face of Jesus in their pancakes, or angels in clouds, it is possible that this person lacks faith. To need to see special miracles to believe, is lack of faith.
I am struck with the recent story of a little boy who said he died, went to heaven and came back again. First came the book then the movie and the boy admitted he made it all up to gain attention.
When we take the word of complete strangers about their spiritual encounters we are placing more faith in the encounter and the person than we have ever placed in the Words of the Bible.
Many gullible people rushed out to get their temporary spiritual high, Hollywood style, believing everything that was said in the book and movie, while never comparing it with the word of God.
Now that there is egg on the faces of all those who indulged, I wonder if the publishing company who pulled the book, will give back all the money they gained from the sales?
This should be a lesson to those who jump on every miracle bandwagon that comes down the pike, to stop looking for miracles to build your faith. We build our faith by knowing the Word of God and obeying for our daily lives. The growth we see in our spirits should be enough of a miracle.
Perhaps there is no spiritual growth in most people, they spend too much time looking for things they can see to grow in their own spirit, in character and inner strength.
I am struck with the recent story of a little boy who said he died, went to heaven and came back again. First came the book then the movie and the boy admitted he made it all up to gain attention.
When we take the word of complete strangers about their spiritual encounters we are placing more faith in the encounter and the person than we have ever placed in the Words of the Bible.
Many gullible people rushed out to get their temporary spiritual high, Hollywood style, believing everything that was said in the book and movie, while never comparing it with the word of God.
Now that there is egg on the faces of all those who indulged, I wonder if the publishing company who pulled the book, will give back all the money they gained from the sales?
This should be a lesson to those who jump on every miracle bandwagon that comes down the pike, to stop looking for miracles to build your faith. We build our faith by knowing the Word of God and obeying for our daily lives. The growth we see in our spirits should be enough of a miracle.
Perhaps there is no spiritual growth in most people, they spend too much time looking for things they can see to grow in their own spirit, in character and inner strength.
If You Need To See A Miracle: You Lack Faith
Those who spend a lot of time needing to see miracles to maintain their faith, whipping up emotion and frenzy to feel spiritual, actually lack faith. Their faith is based on what they can see, touch and taste and do rather than on the Words of Christ in the Bible.
1 Corinthians 4:6-7 "
"6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become [e]arrogant in behalf of one against the other.7 For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?"
God said in 1 Corinthians, "not to go beyond what has been written."
2 Corinthians 5:6 " 6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—"
Revelation 22:18 " 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;"
When we have all we need in the Scriptures, to need more is a lack of faith. My faith is in God and the Bible, not extra-biblical experience. Anyone who needs a miracle that they can see and touch, walks by sight not by faith.
John 20:29 " Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."
1 Corinthians 4:6-7 "
"6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become [e]arrogant in behalf of one against the other.7 For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?"
God said in 1 Corinthians, "not to go beyond what has been written."
2 Corinthians 5:6 " 6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—"
Revelation 22:18 " 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;"
When we have all we need in the Scriptures, to need more is a lack of faith. My faith is in God and the Bible, not extra-biblical experience. Anyone who needs a miracle that they can see and touch, walks by sight not by faith.
John 20:29 " Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."
A Thankful Heart
Psalm 138
"I will give You thanks with all my heart;
I will sing Your praise before the heavenly beings.
2 I will bow down toward Your holy temple
and give thanks to Your name
for Your constant love and truth.
You have exalted Your name
and Your promise above everything else.
3 On the day I called, You answered me;
You increased strength within me.
4 All the kings on earth will give You thanks, Lord,
when they hear what You have promised.
5 They will sing of the Lord’s ways,
for the Lord’s glory is great.
6 Though the Lord is exalted,
He takes note of the humble;
but He knows the haughty from a distance.
7 If I walk into the thick of danger,
You will preserve my life
from the anger of my enemies.
You will extend Your hand;
Your right hand will save me.
8 The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.
Lord, Your love is eternal;
do not abandon the work of Your hands."
"I will give You thanks with all my heart;
I will sing Your praise before the heavenly beings.
2 I will bow down toward Your holy temple
and give thanks to Your name
for Your constant love and truth.
You have exalted Your name
and Your promise above everything else.
3 On the day I called, You answered me;
You increased strength within me.
4 All the kings on earth will give You thanks, Lord,
when they hear what You have promised.
5 They will sing of the Lord’s ways,
for the Lord’s glory is great.
6 Though the Lord is exalted,
He takes note of the humble;
but He knows the haughty from a distance.
7 If I walk into the thick of danger,
You will preserve my life
from the anger of my enemies.
You will extend Your hand;
Your right hand will save me.
8 The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.
Lord, Your love is eternal;
do not abandon the work of Your hands."
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