Christ died for us while we were yet sinners. Who is perfect? Only Christ!
Who are we to elevate ourselves above others as though we deserved the grace of Christ.
Those who expect perfection from others, rarely see or admit their own imperfection.
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Both Were Guilty
Both husband and wife in this story demonstrated the pride that causes arguments and fights.
James 4:1-2 "1 What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you? 2 You crave what you do not have. You kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.…"
Del Whaley
iately his wife interrupted, “Tell the boy the truth. It began because somebody was murdered.” The husband drew himself up with an air of superiority and snapped back, “”Are you answering the question, or am I?”
Turning her back on him in a huff, the wife walked out of the room and slammed the door as hard as she could. When the dishes stopped rattling in the cupboard, an uneasy silence followed, broken at length by the son. “Dad, you don’t have to tell me any more. I know now!”
James 4:1-2 "1 What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you? 2 You crave what you do not have. You kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.…"
Del Whaley
iately his wife interrupted, “Tell the boy the truth. It began because somebody was murdered.” The husband drew himself up with an air of superiority and snapped back, “”Are you answering the question, or am I?”
Turning her back on him in a huff, the wife walked out of the room and slammed the door as hard as she could. When the dishes stopped rattling in the cupboard, an uneasy silence followed, broken at length by the son. “Dad, you don’t have to tell me any more. I know now!”
The Day of Worship
To claim one day a week as the proper day of worship for the believer is not Biblical. Far too many people make an issue of something that is not even a command of God. The early believers chose to meet on the first day of the week, but it was not commanded of God, He gave them a choice as to the day.
God didn't even tell us to meet every week. In the beginning first century believers met every day, then they changed to once a week. No one can claim someone is a better or worse Christian based on the day of the week or even how many times they meet with others. It is a command not to forsake the gathering together, but that is not described in detail as to how often.
In this day of apostasy it may be better worship time to spend it alone with our families in our homes, rather than engage in the foolishness that goes on in most gatherings today. Much of what we see in the gatherings today is not Biblical and even offensive to God.
Romans 14:4-6 "…4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One man regards a certain day above the others, while someone else considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.…"
God didn't even tell us to meet every week. In the beginning first century believers met every day, then they changed to once a week. No one can claim someone is a better or worse Christian based on the day of the week or even how many times they meet with others. It is a command not to forsake the gathering together, but that is not described in detail as to how often.
In this day of apostasy it may be better worship time to spend it alone with our families in our homes, rather than engage in the foolishness that goes on in most gatherings today. Much of what we see in the gatherings today is not Biblical and even offensive to God.
Romans 14:4-6 "…4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One man regards a certain day above the others, while someone else considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.…"
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Not Being Healed
"Not being healed" is a benefit, it gives time to realize our helplessness and our need to pay more attention to God. It also brings glory to Him when others see our strength and devotion through the trials. Never think that illness is a bad thing, it is ordained of God for our own good.
Those who believe our faith is weak if we are not healed, have themselves a problem with faith. Faith is not about getting everything we want, it's about trusting Christ in all things.
Some of the godliest people I have met had life long illnesses and were never healed of them. Their strength and resolve in spite of their difficulties was a testimony to the provision of God.
Romans 5:1-5 "5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."
It takes more faith to remain hopeful and steadfast in the face of adversity than it does to be well all the time. If our faith is dependent on miracles that we can see, then our faith is weak, it is based on evidence, rather than trusting the Words of Christ alone.
Galatians 3:6-9 "6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham.
8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”
9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith."
Abraham was not looking to miracles, he merely believed God. The evidence that we believe God is in how many Scriptures do we obey. Do we obey the ones we like or can prove, or do we believe every word seeking to obey every word?
Those who believe our faith is weak if we are not healed, have themselves a problem with faith. Faith is not about getting everything we want, it's about trusting Christ in all things.
Some of the godliest people I have met had life long illnesses and were never healed of them. Their strength and resolve in spite of their difficulties was a testimony to the provision of God.
Romans 5:1-5 "5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."
It takes more faith to remain hopeful and steadfast in the face of adversity than it does to be well all the time. If our faith is dependent on miracles that we can see, then our faith is weak, it is based on evidence, rather than trusting the Words of Christ alone.
Galatians 3:6-9 "6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham.
8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”
9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith."
Abraham was not looking to miracles, he merely believed God. The evidence that we believe God is in how many Scriptures do we obey. Do we obey the ones we like or can prove, or do we believe every word seeking to obey every word?
To Those Who Believe the Lies of Calvin
"Do you think God would cripple a man and then blame him for limping. "
Waiting on God
We all have the tendency to try to help God when He is taking too long to answer in the way we think He should. Everyone who has attempted to "Help" God, raise your hands!
When we wait on God, even after trying to help Him, when it didn't work out, we see that we could have saved ourselves a whole lot of aggravation had we just waited for God to work His way!!!!
Hallelujah when we finally learn this lesson, we can peacefully carry on, knowing He is perfect and His answers are perfect.
Psalm 27:14
"Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD."
When we wait on God, even after trying to help Him, when it didn't work out, we see that we could have saved ourselves a whole lot of aggravation had we just waited for God to work His way!!!!
Hallelujah when we finally learn this lesson, we can peacefully carry on, knowing He is perfect and His answers are perfect.
Psalm 27:14
"Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD."
Born Again or Pretending?
No born again believer can be possessed by demons. However pretenders can, those who claim to be Christian but have never had a born again experience.
Believers can be "oppressed", meaning that they can hear the silent whispers of the devil thinking their thoughts are their own. Those who are not walking closely with Christ are vulnerable to the wiles of the devil because they do not know the Word of God or worse they know it but refuse to obey.
When we know the Word and obey it, we cannot be taken in by the lies of the devil.
There are many pretenders who are pawns of the devil, they serve to cause trouble, usually over nothing important while actually believing they are right, but we know they are not because they violate the Word more times than they obey it.
Matthew 15:7-9 "…7 You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you: 8 ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. 9 They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”…"
Evidence that someone is born again is in the Fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
Think on this: One can do good deeds, act in kind ways and still not possess the fruit of a righteous character as mentioned in Galatians.
When we possess the fruit of God's Spirit, we are not different with one person than we are with another. Our character does not change when no one can see us, it is steady all the time with anyone.
Luke 8:17-18 "17 For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing concealed that will not be known and illuminated. 18 Pay attention, therefore, to how you listen. Whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”…"
Believers can be "oppressed", meaning that they can hear the silent whispers of the devil thinking their thoughts are their own. Those who are not walking closely with Christ are vulnerable to the wiles of the devil because they do not know the Word of God or worse they know it but refuse to obey.
When we know the Word and obey it, we cannot be taken in by the lies of the devil.
There are many pretenders who are pawns of the devil, they serve to cause trouble, usually over nothing important while actually believing they are right, but we know they are not because they violate the Word more times than they obey it.
Matthew 15:7-9 "…7 You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you: 8 ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. 9 They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”…"
Evidence that someone is born again is in the Fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
Think on this: One can do good deeds, act in kind ways and still not possess the fruit of a righteous character as mentioned in Galatians.
When we possess the fruit of God's Spirit, we are not different with one person than we are with another. Our character does not change when no one can see us, it is steady all the time with anyone.
Luke 8:17-18 "17 For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing concealed that will not be known and illuminated. 18 Pay attention, therefore, to how you listen. Whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”…"
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