So many people are getting caught up in this "ancestry" search hype.
Who I am is not based on who my ancestors were. Each of us is who God made us, we are unique from everyone else.
We have a job to do separate from those we were born to. They may be involved or we may be involved in the ministry of one another, but no one derives their ministry or purpose in life from their families of origin.
Understanding that this idea might make some people angry, I am convinced that the only reason to discover our genetic roots is to be able to brag about who we might be related to that might be famous. The people I have met have more to say about their exciting discoveries about ancestors than they ever speak of Christ.
Also, it is my considered opinion that ancestry discovery is a fun hobby, but has little if any value pertaining to our individual character or purpose in our lives.
All those I have met into the ancestry are gathering information about the people, where they lived, the jobs they did and their accomplishments in life, but they have nothing that relates to their character. Of course there will be some who have that information because of writings passed down from family members, but very few have much related to the character, beliefs or desires of those who are listed.
Even if we were delighted at the spiritual or character quality of our ancestor, that has nothing to do with our character or spirituality.
Everyone is responsible to trust Christ to be born again, no one will inherit from their ancestors any level of spirituality or character quality, each person must become born again personally.
If someone never knew anything about their past they could still trust Christ, still build character, still walk with Christ and possibly more effectively, because they have no one else to lean on or seek except Christ.
There is an element of "ancestor worship" involved in becoming obsessed with knowing our dead relatives. They can do nothing for us now, they have no input into our lives in the present, nor do they determine our eternal destination.
So many things that Christians do today has it's origins in paganism. Perhaps this is one of those things.
Just something to think about. How much time we spend on something is an indication of what we value the most. I am not saying it is sinful or evil to research ancestry, I am just challenging those who do it to check their heart for the reason for that research.
Ezekiel 18:19-21 "19"Yet you say, 'Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity?' When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has observed all My statutes and done them, he shall surely live.
20"The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.
21"But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die.…"
Not only will we not be responsible for the sins of our fathers we will not gain rewards from their deeds either.
Friday, April 14, 2017
Thursday, April 13, 2017
Praise is not Needed Correction Is!
Why do I write so much correction? You might ask, the reason is that the good things need no help, they are already where they should be.
There is so much foolishness going on in the world today it takes a lot of energy trying to make sense to those who love being foolish.
Those of you who are not being foolish, wonderful, keep going! That's all you get from me because I don't want to remove your reward in heaven by praising you too much.
If you must rebuke me, good, I love a new growth spurt.
LOL
There is so much foolishness going on in the world today it takes a lot of energy trying to make sense to those who love being foolish.
Those of you who are not being foolish, wonderful, keep going! That's all you get from me because I don't want to remove your reward in heaven by praising you too much.
If you must rebuke me, good, I love a new growth spurt.
LOL
The Passenger on the Plane was Silly
The news about the passenger who refused to leave the United plane and then was removed is ridiculous.
I am not angry at United, I am angry at the passenger who refused to obey authority. We have no right to resist authority just because we don't like what their doing.
"Resisting arrest" on a flight is foolish. The offender should have just gotten off the plane and resolved his problem another way. I have no patience for rebellious entitled people who refuse to honor authority.
I am not angry at United, I am angry at the passenger who refused to obey authority. We have no right to resist authority just because we don't like what their doing.
"Resisting arrest" on a flight is foolish. The offender should have just gotten off the plane and resolved his problem another way. I have no patience for rebellious entitled people who refuse to honor authority.
Character is What Matters
God doesn't care about a person's skin tone or people group, He cares about their character.
I cringe every time I hear of a group of people that exclude others based on skin tone. I say skin tone, because I have never seen a "black" person, nor have I ever seen a :white" person. I see a lot of different shades of brown or tan, but no one is "red, yellow, black or white." LOL
It's alright to refer to me as "white" it helps others identify who to look for when I get lost, for the purposes of identification. But to base how I am treated on my skin tone is sin. And, no one else should do this to anyone.
I was once called "cracker" by a dark brown person, it made me laugh so hard I cried. Guess what, I am closer to the color tone of a saltine cracker than I am to a white piece of bread.
Racism for anyone is sin, I don't care what excuse one may give for holding bitterness toward a people group, it remains sin. Every person must be evaluated individually based on their character and their core beliefs.
Our beliefs will determine our actions. When we have contempt inside for someone, it will cause us to treat them in mean spirited ways, even covertly if not overtly. No one can hide what is inside, others will see what we do and judge our character on that.
Matthew 15:17-19 "…17 “Do you not yet realize that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then is eliminated? 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.…"
I confess a prejudicial attitude toward cults and false religions because of their wicked belief systems and actions. However my desire is to help those in these groups to see the gospel to come out of them. The systems are evil and the people in them are deceived and need to be delivered from them through hearing the gospel.
May we look at individuals and actions to determine their character.
I cringe every time I hear of a group of people that exclude others based on skin tone. I say skin tone, because I have never seen a "black" person, nor have I ever seen a :white" person. I see a lot of different shades of brown or tan, but no one is "red, yellow, black or white." LOL
It's alright to refer to me as "white" it helps others identify who to look for when I get lost, for the purposes of identification. But to base how I am treated on my skin tone is sin. And, no one else should do this to anyone.
I was once called "cracker" by a dark brown person, it made me laugh so hard I cried. Guess what, I am closer to the color tone of a saltine cracker than I am to a white piece of bread.
Racism for anyone is sin, I don't care what excuse one may give for holding bitterness toward a people group, it remains sin. Every person must be evaluated individually based on their character and their core beliefs.
Our beliefs will determine our actions. When we have contempt inside for someone, it will cause us to treat them in mean spirited ways, even covertly if not overtly. No one can hide what is inside, others will see what we do and judge our character on that.
Matthew 15:17-19 "…17 “Do you not yet realize that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then is eliminated? 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.…"
I confess a prejudicial attitude toward cults and false religions because of their wicked belief systems and actions. However my desire is to help those in these groups to see the gospel to come out of them. The systems are evil and the people in them are deceived and need to be delivered from them through hearing the gospel.
May we look at individuals and actions to determine their character.
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Pretenders in the Church
Why are there pretenders in the church?
Rebellious people fake good character because they know their sinful heart is not acceptable. So...instead of asking Christ to change their heart, they simply pretend in front of people to feel validated by others and even deceive themselves into thinking they can fool God.
Ezekiel 36:25-27 "…25 "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances."
God wants us to desire for Him to change our heart. When we confess sin, it is strong evidence that we really hate what we are and want Christ to change us into the new creation.
Pretenders and fakers are people who are so stubborn they would rather put on a false mask than submit to Christ so that He can change them. Submitting to anyone is abhorrent to them, even though they will shout hard and long how they obey God and follow all the rules. When in company with those who are submitted to God, they work to make these people believe they are submitted when they are not in the least matter.
Stubborn and rebellious people become enraged when they are challenged to look at their own lives, because they need desperately to maintain the false self. Why? The false self is the one they like, the selfish 2 Timothy 3 self is the one they prefer, but it doesn't get along too well with others, so they must put up the mask to pretend in front of others.
Sadly, these pretenders don't have faith to believe in God Who sees all that they do. The fact that they refuse to be evaluated and convicted by the Word of God, demonstrates that they are willful and stubborn.
When we know Who God is and what He is capable of, we are very concerned about what He sees in us.
Proverbs 1:7
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."
I have heard rebellious people quote the Proverbs verse about the fear of God while they live in rebellion to Him. Here again we have a situation where words are enough in the mind of rebellious people because the "appearance" is all that matters to them.
Psalm 33:8
"Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!"
Those that fear the Lord are easily convicted by the smallest sin, hating it, admitting it and turning from it, they hear the voice of the Holy Spirit.
So what is wrong with a rebellious person who seems to have no conscience over the things they do? I believe the answer is clear, those who cannot hear God or be convicted by their sin, were never born again. They never exhibited any form of remorse for their bad behavior and they never apologize for anything. These people are deathly afraid that their inner heart will be discovered. They refuse to discuss anything out of fear the real self will slip out for all to see.
Proverbs 3:7
"Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil."
There is only one hope for these lost and empty souls, that is to turn to Christ, confess their sin of pride, ask the Lord to change their wicked hearts and begin to grow in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Rebellious people fake good character because they know their sinful heart is not acceptable. So...instead of asking Christ to change their heart, they simply pretend in front of people to feel validated by others and even deceive themselves into thinking they can fool God.
Ezekiel 36:25-27 "…25 "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances."
God wants us to desire for Him to change our heart. When we confess sin, it is strong evidence that we really hate what we are and want Christ to change us into the new creation.
Pretenders and fakers are people who are so stubborn they would rather put on a false mask than submit to Christ so that He can change them. Submitting to anyone is abhorrent to them, even though they will shout hard and long how they obey God and follow all the rules. When in company with those who are submitted to God, they work to make these people believe they are submitted when they are not in the least matter.
Stubborn and rebellious people become enraged when they are challenged to look at their own lives, because they need desperately to maintain the false self. Why? The false self is the one they like, the selfish 2 Timothy 3 self is the one they prefer, but it doesn't get along too well with others, so they must put up the mask to pretend in front of others.
Sadly, these pretenders don't have faith to believe in God Who sees all that they do. The fact that they refuse to be evaluated and convicted by the Word of God, demonstrates that they are willful and stubborn.
When we know Who God is and what He is capable of, we are very concerned about what He sees in us.
Proverbs 1:7
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."
I have heard rebellious people quote the Proverbs verse about the fear of God while they live in rebellion to Him. Here again we have a situation where words are enough in the mind of rebellious people because the "appearance" is all that matters to them.
Psalm 33:8
"Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!"
Those that fear the Lord are easily convicted by the smallest sin, hating it, admitting it and turning from it, they hear the voice of the Holy Spirit.
So what is wrong with a rebellious person who seems to have no conscience over the things they do? I believe the answer is clear, those who cannot hear God or be convicted by their sin, were never born again. They never exhibited any form of remorse for their bad behavior and they never apologize for anything. These people are deathly afraid that their inner heart will be discovered. They refuse to discuss anything out of fear the real self will slip out for all to see.
Proverbs 3:7
"Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil."
There is only one hope for these lost and empty souls, that is to turn to Christ, confess their sin of pride, ask the Lord to change their wicked hearts and begin to grow in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Christ Props Us Up
When someone depends on others to "prop" them up in order to feel emotionally secure and full of joy, then perhaps it's their trust in others instead of Christ that motivates them. Being accepted by people can be the greatest trap and bondage someone places on themselves.
When we are completely secure in Christ, we need no one else to validate or praise us. Obeying Christ really is it's own spiritual reward.
I believe this is why deeply godly people who trust Christ need no adventures in their life. Everything in normal life is adventure enough, because their joy and excitement in Christ is far better than a worldly or temporary high from fabricated events has to offer. Every deed we have to do, every person we meet and every challenge, is an adventure to be solved and we turn to Christ for the answers.
Psalm 37:4-6
"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday."
When we delight ourselves in the Lord, His desires will become ours. We are no longer looking for something better or more to keep the emotional high going. I have met many people like this, they seem to have no sense of happiness unless they are engaged in an unusual adventure, it often has to be something no one else they know is doing.
We enjoy new experiences like anyone, but when we walk with Christ our joy is not dependent on those experiences. Even when nothing big or unusual is going on we remain joyful, through difficulties, that joy does not leave us.
We may cry over the loss of a loved one or pain we are experiencing, but that joy is there in the middle of it all, because it is no based on our experiences but Christ Who lives in us, helping us through everything as well as walking through our happy experiences with us.
The Christian life is one of great joy, no matter what our situation and hope never leaves us.
Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Psalm 28:7
"The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him."
Romans 15:13
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."
When we are completely secure in Christ, we need no one else to validate or praise us. Obeying Christ really is it's own spiritual reward.
I believe this is why deeply godly people who trust Christ need no adventures in their life. Everything in normal life is adventure enough, because their joy and excitement in Christ is far better than a worldly or temporary high from fabricated events has to offer. Every deed we have to do, every person we meet and every challenge, is an adventure to be solved and we turn to Christ for the answers.
Psalm 37:4-6
"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday."
When we delight ourselves in the Lord, His desires will become ours. We are no longer looking for something better or more to keep the emotional high going. I have met many people like this, they seem to have no sense of happiness unless they are engaged in an unusual adventure, it often has to be something no one else they know is doing.
We enjoy new experiences like anyone, but when we walk with Christ our joy is not dependent on those experiences. Even when nothing big or unusual is going on we remain joyful, through difficulties, that joy does not leave us.
We may cry over the loss of a loved one or pain we are experiencing, but that joy is there in the middle of it all, because it is no based on our experiences but Christ Who lives in us, helping us through everything as well as walking through our happy experiences with us.
The Christian life is one of great joy, no matter what our situation and hope never leaves us.
Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Psalm 28:7
"The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him."
Romans 15:13
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Christ Our Best Friend
We have and will lose friends because of our dedication to Christ! God said it would happen, but we can never lose Christ Who lives in us and He is the best friend anyone can have.
John 15:15
"15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you."
John 15:15
"15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you."
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