Often in these last days of apostasy we are going to see people doing many good deeds to "soothe their conscience and bolster their reputation."
Matthew 6:2-4 "…2 So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be praised by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
Just recently I saw this phrase mentioned in a show I was watching on television. I was struck with the impact of this in observing so many "Christians" doing useless good deeds, seemingly to make themselves feel good about their life. Their spirituality is based in how good they look to others.
These Pharisee types are "others" focused rather than Christ focused. These Pharisee types are not concerned about developing the character of Christ in their lives, they are fixated on rules to appear righteous.This is the reason they so easily, without much thought judge the actions of their brothers and sisters on things that are not sin. They make up their own rules about obedience to Christ that were never in the Word of God.
These Pharisee types are determined to appear better than others based on their works more than developing inner character and holiness. Works oriented Christians will always look down on others who do not do the things they do or say the things they say. They are wrong about the Word of God more often than they are right. No one can be right about the Word of God when they are focused on searching the scriptures to see how superior they are to others.
Liberals do this all the time, they open a food bank to feed the poor in this country when the line to the food bank is around the block and nearly everyone in the line is obese. In other words there is no need for the food bank, its a feel good project that gets them the praise of others. No one has to sign up to get the food and no one is evaluated as to whether or not they really need it. When there is no accountability we can be sure there is a good deed done more for self glory than for the people they serve.
We see liberals providing abortion services for unwed mothers who made the choice to indulge in immoral activity outside of marriage, but don't want to face the consequences of their own actions. Abortion is the easy way out for the "helping liberal." Instead of teaching about chastity and helping an unwed mother to be able to provide for and raise her child they do the easy thing. It takes far more effort to help a woman care for a child than it does to sit in their fancy chair providing the map to the abortion clinic. AND THEY CALL THIS HELP!!!!
Instead of bringing the wonderful message of salvation to the masses involved in sin, they bail them out of consequences to be able to continue in their sin without any lessons learned.
When this happens there does not occur the necessary brokenness to heal a heart of its sin to become whole and blessed. The devil loves these feel good activities, it removes guilt over sin to help the sinner to remain in it without the ability to see the devastating effects of sin.
The same is true of the woman who remains silent when her husband is making terrible and ungodly choices. The woman is the helpmate to the man in every area of his life. The allow someone we love to continually sin is not love.
We see this often in the activities of Christians, learning all they can about the Bible to be able to impress others with their knowledge while violating most of the things in the Bible that they don't like to think about.
It is sad to me that most Christians do not see pride as a sin. They embellish things to appear special, they tell lies to impress others through half truths and they are angry at anyone who is not impressed by their attempts to appear spiritual.
A born again believer who loves the Lord should never be excusing the sins of pride, jealousy and contempt while at the same time calling it Biblical.
Have you ever met someone who was confronted about their sin of pride who shouted at you that they were not full of pride. When this happens there is no need for further discovery, our answer is given in the raging.
A humble, loving person will not rage at a confrontation they will ponder, pray and confess if the accusation is true. At the very least a humble person will ask the accuser why they think that to determine whether or not it was accurate.
Raging, ignoring, dismissiveness, disapproving grunting sounds and others signs of pride are evident in the one who can never confess their sin openly. These people are not sorry for their sin of pride, they excuse it as being for a good reason.
Proverbs 16:17-19 "…17 The highway of the upright leads away from evil; he who guards his way protects his life. 18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 19 It is better to be lowly in spirit among the humble than to divide the spoil with the proud.…"
Our knowledge about the Bible is not an indicator that we are godly spiritual Christians. The devil knows the Bible better than we ever could, yet he is on his way to hell.
Good deeds are not an indicator that we are godly spiritual Christians. The devil loves to present useless good deeds to distract us from the gospel.
The good deeds that Christians ought to be involved in are those that Christ, the Holy Spirit leads us to do, not what the world thinks but what God commands. Each person will be given a task, often it does not look the way the world thinks it should look. The Holy Spirit is far more creative than the world or our own fleshly desires. When we get to the point where we are hearing from the Holy Spirit and obeying His voice, we are likely to be hated by most because they will not understand God's ways.
Never measure your walk by what man thinks, but only by the power of the Holy Spirit.
John 16:12-14 "13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.…":
Good deeds done in the power of the Holy Spirit will always bring glory to God!!!!
Friday, June 14, 2019
Thursday, June 13, 2019
Repeated from 2016, "Bobble Headed People"
A Repeat from an article I wrote in 2016, someone shared it on their page, I thought it might be good to bring it back again for those who have not seen it .
How to be loved by everyone all the time.
First things to do is never disagree with anyone, smile big smiles while nodding your head up and down a lot when someone speaks. When we do this we are validating everything they say no matter what it is, making them feel wonderful about themselves. The goal of the robot is to continually do everything in accordance with the culture, the family and the community so that many people will adore you.
When anything is said that is against Scripture, never challenge it, never express it in any way while keeping the head moving up and down as the smile is prominently placed on the face in stoic fashion.
If you want to be loved by all people all the time, say nothing, do nothing and be nothings. Be very careful that no one knows how you feel about anything, that way no judgments can be made, no wrong interpretations can occur and no conflict will arise.
When others are picked on by the superior bully, never ever defend the righteous one. In doing so we will receive the wrath of the bully, while losing all their flying monkeys as our friends. (flying monkeys are those who do the bidding of the superior personality without question) Those who have elevated the superior one, to god like status, believing they can do no wrong, the flying monkeys will attack with certainty anyone who does not fawn over the elevated one.
When we live this kind of life, many people will love us, they will express glowing words about us at our funeral, they will seek to be your friend, you are the one whom anyone can go to with a problem.
No solutions will ever be offered because it might make the one who is sharing feel imperfect, they may get hurt feelings and lose their elevated view of us. Solutions are not the goal for many people today, they only muck up the sense of self perfection.
When seeking full approval of others sharing solutions, especially if that solution is not something that will elevate their personal status, only damages the relationship. Solutions are never the goal, the goal is always to make the person with a situation feel special about themselves.
I wonder how many reading this have lived a life of big smiles and nodding heads? Is it possible that we live in a culture that expects this continually?
We are of no use to anyone if our goal and purpose is to make people feel good about themselves. God’s word is full of solutions, the best ones, these are what we should be sharing with our brothers and sisters.
The goal of every believer should be to help with God’s principles and solutions. The only way to do this is to walk with Him, knowing His Word…..knowing His heart.
Of course we cannot always know the perfect solution because we don’t know perfectly of all sides of a problem. We cannot always offer specifics, but we can offer principles from God’s Word, while leaving room for those in distress to seek God for the specifics.
The most frustrating relationship is one based on smiles and nods when there is need for discussion. Discussion brings out solutions. Discussion for the believer must be based on the principles of God as outlined in His Word. Without God’s principles and prayer, understanding God’s way is not possible. Our human mind regularly defers to fleshly answers to problems.
Sadly many people would rather choose to believe there is no problem, to avoid the sense that they must help in some way. When our goal is temporary happiness for ourselves, we will never be helpful to anyone. There are those who are looking for answers that work, they need for us to remind them, we need for them to remind us when we are seeking God’s answers.
The goal of the culture of today has been to make people feel good about themselves, rather than finding meaningful and lasting solutions to the problems of life. All this has produced is a lot of people walking around pretending to be something they are not, happy as little clams feeling special, until one of those Bible thumpers comes along to actually make godly sense of a situation.
So many people keep on keeping on with big smiles and nodding heads while there is a holocaust raging in their souls. They must continually get their “happy” fix that lasts as long as they are pretending, but when reality hits, they hit bottom. Believing the only way to pick themselves back up is to find those superficial head bobbing smile machines who will make them feel better, but only while they are with them, when they go home, their old self emerges, leaving them right back where they were before.
God’s solutions through prayer and Bible reading are those that last. They produce permanent changes in the way we view life. They produce more faith that changes us, we no longer need the plastic smiles and nodding heads, we can tell the truth, find a solution while our joy is full, notice I said “joy” not happiness.
When we find a person who has been in an auto accident, a gaping wound on their arm is showing, do we rush to get them an ice cream cone and put a band aide on it, or do we rush them to the hospital for the uncomfortable fix of stitches and antiseptics?
Our country has been destroyed for lack of instruction and even worse lack of desire for truth. Instruction and correction is rejected by nearly everyone because of the stubbornness of the heart. We are going to be destroyed, going down, I wonder if the smiles and head nodding will cease when there is nothing left to save and no one left to impress? Israel of the past found out what happens when a country gets to where we are right now!
Isaiah 1:2-6 “Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth;
For the LORD speaks,
“Sons I have reared and brought up,
But they have revolted against Me.
3 “An ox knows its owner,
And a donkey its master’s manger,
But Israel does not know,
My people do not understand.”
4 Alas, sinful nation,
People weighed down with iniquity,
Offspring of evildoers,
Sons who act corruptly!
They have abandoned the LORD,
They have despised the Holy One of Israel,
They have turned away [c]from Him.
5 Where will you be stricken again,
As you continue in your rebellion?
The whole head is sick
And the whole heart is faint.
6 From the sole of the foot even to the head
There is nothing sound in it,
Only bruises, welts and raw wounds,
Not pressed out or bandaged,
Nor softened with oil.”
Psalm 147:3 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Joshua 1:8 “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
Matthew 4:4 “But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Romans 15:4 “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
How to be loved by everyone all the time.
First things to do is never disagree with anyone, smile big smiles while nodding your head up and down a lot when someone speaks. When we do this we are validating everything they say no matter what it is, making them feel wonderful about themselves. The goal of the robot is to continually do everything in accordance with the culture, the family and the community so that many people will adore you.
When anything is said that is against Scripture, never challenge it, never express it in any way while keeping the head moving up and down as the smile is prominently placed on the face in stoic fashion.
If you want to be loved by all people all the time, say nothing, do nothing and be nothings. Be very careful that no one knows how you feel about anything, that way no judgments can be made, no wrong interpretations can occur and no conflict will arise.
When others are picked on by the superior bully, never ever defend the righteous one. In doing so we will receive the wrath of the bully, while losing all their flying monkeys as our friends. (flying monkeys are those who do the bidding of the superior personality without question) Those who have elevated the superior one, to god like status, believing they can do no wrong, the flying monkeys will attack with certainty anyone who does not fawn over the elevated one.
When we live this kind of life, many people will love us, they will express glowing words about us at our funeral, they will seek to be your friend, you are the one whom anyone can go to with a problem.
No solutions will ever be offered because it might make the one who is sharing feel imperfect, they may get hurt feelings and lose their elevated view of us. Solutions are not the goal for many people today, they only muck up the sense of self perfection.
When seeking full approval of others sharing solutions, especially if that solution is not something that will elevate their personal status, only damages the relationship. Solutions are never the goal, the goal is always to make the person with a situation feel special about themselves.
I wonder how many reading this have lived a life of big smiles and nodding heads? Is it possible that we live in a culture that expects this continually?
We are of no use to anyone if our goal and purpose is to make people feel good about themselves. God’s word is full of solutions, the best ones, these are what we should be sharing with our brothers and sisters.
The goal of every believer should be to help with God’s principles and solutions. The only way to do this is to walk with Him, knowing His Word…..knowing His heart.
Of course we cannot always know the perfect solution because we don’t know perfectly of all sides of a problem. We cannot always offer specifics, but we can offer principles from God’s Word, while leaving room for those in distress to seek God for the specifics.
The most frustrating relationship is one based on smiles and nods when there is need for discussion. Discussion brings out solutions. Discussion for the believer must be based on the principles of God as outlined in His Word. Without God’s principles and prayer, understanding God’s way is not possible. Our human mind regularly defers to fleshly answers to problems.
Sadly many people would rather choose to believe there is no problem, to avoid the sense that they must help in some way. When our goal is temporary happiness for ourselves, we will never be helpful to anyone. There are those who are looking for answers that work, they need for us to remind them, we need for them to remind us when we are seeking God’s answers.
The goal of the culture of today has been to make people feel good about themselves, rather than finding meaningful and lasting solutions to the problems of life. All this has produced is a lot of people walking around pretending to be something they are not, happy as little clams feeling special, until one of those Bible thumpers comes along to actually make godly sense of a situation.
So many people keep on keeping on with big smiles and nodding heads while there is a holocaust raging in their souls. They must continually get their “happy” fix that lasts as long as they are pretending, but when reality hits, they hit bottom. Believing the only way to pick themselves back up is to find those superficial head bobbing smile machines who will make them feel better, but only while they are with them, when they go home, their old self emerges, leaving them right back where they were before.
God’s solutions through prayer and Bible reading are those that last. They produce permanent changes in the way we view life. They produce more faith that changes us, we no longer need the plastic smiles and nodding heads, we can tell the truth, find a solution while our joy is full, notice I said “joy” not happiness.
When we find a person who has been in an auto accident, a gaping wound on their arm is showing, do we rush to get them an ice cream cone and put a band aide on it, or do we rush them to the hospital for the uncomfortable fix of stitches and antiseptics?
Our country has been destroyed for lack of instruction and even worse lack of desire for truth. Instruction and correction is rejected by nearly everyone because of the stubbornness of the heart. We are going to be destroyed, going down, I wonder if the smiles and head nodding will cease when there is nothing left to save and no one left to impress? Israel of the past found out what happens when a country gets to where we are right now!
Isaiah 1:2-6 “Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth;
For the LORD speaks,
“Sons I have reared and brought up,
But they have revolted against Me.
3 “An ox knows its owner,
And a donkey its master’s manger,
But Israel does not know,
My people do not understand.”
4 Alas, sinful nation,
People weighed down with iniquity,
Offspring of evildoers,
Sons who act corruptly!
They have abandoned the LORD,
They have despised the Holy One of Israel,
They have turned away [c]from Him.
5 Where will you be stricken again,
As you continue in your rebellion?
The whole head is sick
And the whole heart is faint.
6 From the sole of the foot even to the head
There is nothing sound in it,
Only bruises, welts and raw wounds,
Not pressed out or bandaged,
Nor softened with oil.”
Psalm 147:3 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Joshua 1:8 “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
Matthew 4:4 “But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Romans 15:4 “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
We Have a Right?
Did you notice that politicians are declaring often "we have a right" to healthcare and other things that are not addressed in the Constitution of the United States?
The corrupt politicians can say "we have a right" often and the people will not know if its a right because they do not know the words of the Constitution.
The same is true of many Christians who say things that are not Biblical but sound like they might be true because the psychological industry has spouted these mantras for so long everyone, even Christians think they are true.
They only think these things are true because they don't know their Bible. Every phrase that is commonly used today must be scrutinized according to the Bible.
We might find that most of what we thought was right actually works against the truth of the Bible.
One of the most commonly used terms is that of "self esteem." God never told us we must esteem ourselves! Esteem was for God and others. No where in the Bible do we see the term "self esteem" as a good thing, only as a bad thing.
When Eve was in the garden the devil convinced her she could be like God by disobeying Him. This is the same ploy he uses now when he has convinced an entire culture they can be their own gods though self will and self worship.
We are born loving ourselves, no one has to convince us to do that. The problem is not lack of love for self it is always too much love for self.
Ephesians 2:3 "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;"
Ephesians 5:29 " 29 Indeed, no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church. "
Dave Hunt gave a good example of a little boy who looked in the mirror and said loudly, "I hate myself." Did the boy have low love for himself? The answer is simple, the boy hated what God made him, he loved himself so much that he believed he deserved better than what God gave him.
Someone who hates themselves would be glad they were ugly, they would want bad for themselves. But no one hates his own flesh, we know this because God said so.
Watch a little child become enraged when they don't get what they want as well as some adults who act like little children. They will rage when they are denied what they want. Why? Because they love themselves far more than the others they are raging at.
A secure, mature and reasonable adult feels no need to be seen by others as special or above. Those who love Christ above all things see Him alone as worthy of praise. We are most content and joyful when we are not concerned about being something we are not.
Someone once said this: "one of the elements of holiness is the lack of self awareness." If we cannot be happy without thinking highly of ourselves then our joy is dependent on temporary emotions about ourselves.
Since every human being is basically pond scum worthy of death before they are born again, they should have no illusions of superiority to any other human being.
Romans 3:10-12
"10 as it is written,
“There is none righteous, not even one;
11 There is none who understands,
There is none who seeks for God;
12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless;
There is none who does good,
There is not even one.”
I am not unhappy or degraded by the knowledge that I am nothing without Christ, it just makes me more excited that Christ loves me in spite of myself. It also excites me that He has changed me into a new creation. Though unworthy of His love, He loved me anyway, just as with all human beings.
Christ desires that all will admit their sinfulness and trust what He did for us on the cross. Knowing that many will not trust in Him, He has declared their fate if they refuse Him, that is hell.
However, heaven is promised to those who will trust in Christ. There are no rituals or activities that will earn any person heaven. Only believing on the Lord Jesus Christ will gain anyone heaven.
When we believe on Him He changes us into a new creation. We are no longer the same person anymore. All the sin we used to love we hate after He changes us. Then He begins the work of cleansing in us. He saves us, works in us, then He takes us home when it is our time.
Acts 16:30-31 "…30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”"
Ephesians 2:8-10 "…8 For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.…"
Baptism does not save, rituals of any kind do not save, only trusting Christ will save anyone. Then we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise and know where we are going when we die. We no longer question if we are saved, we know we are going to spend eternity with Christ and that He dwells in us now. His dwelling in us is our seal and promise that we belong to Him.
Ephesians 1:12-14 "…12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory. 13 And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth— the gospel of your salvation— you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the promise of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory."
Christ promised that if we believe in Him apart from works He will save us, seal us and take us home when its time.
As some have said: "every other religion is spelled "do." Only Christianity is spelled "done." It was all done on the cross all we must do is confess our sinfulness and trust Christ.
Christ will not save anyone who comes to him pridefully declaring their own goodness.
Luke 18:9-14
The Pharisee and the Publican
"9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:
10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’
13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be [a]merciful to me, the sinner!’
14 I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
I notice that in verse 11 the Pharisee is said to have been praying to himself. When we recite all our good things about ourselves we can not be possibly praying to God. When we are focused on a Holy Perfect God there is no way we can pretend we are as good as He is.
Just some thoughts!!!!! Hallelujah!
The corrupt politicians can say "we have a right" often and the people will not know if its a right because they do not know the words of the Constitution.
The same is true of many Christians who say things that are not Biblical but sound like they might be true because the psychological industry has spouted these mantras for so long everyone, even Christians think they are true.
They only think these things are true because they don't know their Bible. Every phrase that is commonly used today must be scrutinized according to the Bible.
We might find that most of what we thought was right actually works against the truth of the Bible.
One of the most commonly used terms is that of "self esteem." God never told us we must esteem ourselves! Esteem was for God and others. No where in the Bible do we see the term "self esteem" as a good thing, only as a bad thing.
When Eve was in the garden the devil convinced her she could be like God by disobeying Him. This is the same ploy he uses now when he has convinced an entire culture they can be their own gods though self will and self worship.
We are born loving ourselves, no one has to convince us to do that. The problem is not lack of love for self it is always too much love for self.
Ephesians 2:3 "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;"
Ephesians 5:29 " 29 Indeed, no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church. "
Dave Hunt gave a good example of a little boy who looked in the mirror and said loudly, "I hate myself." Did the boy have low love for himself? The answer is simple, the boy hated what God made him, he loved himself so much that he believed he deserved better than what God gave him.
Someone who hates themselves would be glad they were ugly, they would want bad for themselves. But no one hates his own flesh, we know this because God said so.
Watch a little child become enraged when they don't get what they want as well as some adults who act like little children. They will rage when they are denied what they want. Why? Because they love themselves far more than the others they are raging at.
A secure, mature and reasonable adult feels no need to be seen by others as special or above. Those who love Christ above all things see Him alone as worthy of praise. We are most content and joyful when we are not concerned about being something we are not.
Someone once said this: "one of the elements of holiness is the lack of self awareness." If we cannot be happy without thinking highly of ourselves then our joy is dependent on temporary emotions about ourselves.
Since every human being is basically pond scum worthy of death before they are born again, they should have no illusions of superiority to any other human being.
Romans 3:10-12
"10 as it is written,
“There is none righteous, not even one;
11 There is none who understands,
There is none who seeks for God;
12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless;
There is none who does good,
There is not even one.”
I am not unhappy or degraded by the knowledge that I am nothing without Christ, it just makes me more excited that Christ loves me in spite of myself. It also excites me that He has changed me into a new creation. Though unworthy of His love, He loved me anyway, just as with all human beings.
Christ desires that all will admit their sinfulness and trust what He did for us on the cross. Knowing that many will not trust in Him, He has declared their fate if they refuse Him, that is hell.
However, heaven is promised to those who will trust in Christ. There are no rituals or activities that will earn any person heaven. Only believing on the Lord Jesus Christ will gain anyone heaven.
When we believe on Him He changes us into a new creation. We are no longer the same person anymore. All the sin we used to love we hate after He changes us. Then He begins the work of cleansing in us. He saves us, works in us, then He takes us home when it is our time.
Acts 16:30-31 "…30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”"
Ephesians 2:8-10 "…8 For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.…"
Baptism does not save, rituals of any kind do not save, only trusting Christ will save anyone. Then we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise and know where we are going when we die. We no longer question if we are saved, we know we are going to spend eternity with Christ and that He dwells in us now. His dwelling in us is our seal and promise that we belong to Him.
Ephesians 1:12-14 "…12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory. 13 And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth— the gospel of your salvation— you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the promise of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory."
Christ promised that if we believe in Him apart from works He will save us, seal us and take us home when its time.
As some have said: "every other religion is spelled "do." Only Christianity is spelled "done." It was all done on the cross all we must do is confess our sinfulness and trust Christ.
Christ will not save anyone who comes to him pridefully declaring their own goodness.
Luke 18:9-14
The Pharisee and the Publican
"9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:
10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’
13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be [a]merciful to me, the sinner!’
14 I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
I notice that in verse 11 the Pharisee is said to have been praying to himself. When we recite all our good things about ourselves we can not be possibly praying to God. When we are focused on a Holy Perfect God there is no way we can pretend we are as good as He is.
Just some thoughts!!!!! Hallelujah!
Proverbs 11:9
Whom Do We Follow? God or Man
When we are more concerned about being accepted by people than pleasing God, we will end up compromising many things to please them.
John 12: 42-44 "42 Nevertheless, many of the leaders believed in Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue. 43 For they loved praise from men more than praise from God. 44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in Me does not believe in Me alone, but in the One who sent Me.…"
John 12: 42-44 "42 Nevertheless, many of the leaders believed in Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue. 43 For they loved praise from men more than praise from God. 44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in Me does not believe in Me alone, but in the One who sent Me.…"
Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Those who turn back were never born again.
Luke 9:61-62 "…61 Still another said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first let me bid farewell to my family.” 62 Then Jesus declared, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”"
When we meet with opposition for moving on from ungodly family members we might want to remind those who are questioning our decision of the words of Christ.
2 Corinthians 6:16-18 "…16 What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” 17 “Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 18 And: “I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”…"
Those who love God above everyone and everything will lose friends and family. The harder we chase after God the less we will fit into this world and its systems.
John 15:19
"If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."
John 18:36
"Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
The more time we spend with people the more we will become like them. When we surround ourselves with godly people who love Christ the more we will be encouraged in our choice to follow Him without conflict.
1 John 2:15
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
John 17:14
"I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world."
Hallellujah, when we walk with Christ we are never alone and the attacks against us have no effect.
When we meet with opposition for moving on from ungodly family members we might want to remind those who are questioning our decision of the words of Christ.
2 Corinthians 6:16-18 "…16 What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” 17 “Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 18 And: “I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”…"
Those who love God above everyone and everything will lose friends and family. The harder we chase after God the less we will fit into this world and its systems.
John 15:19
"If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."
John 18:36
"Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
The more time we spend with people the more we will become like them. When we surround ourselves with godly people who love Christ the more we will be encouraged in our choice to follow Him without conflict.
1 John 2:15
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
John 17:14
"I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world."
Hallellujah, when we walk with Christ we are never alone and the attacks against us have no effect.
Monday, June 10, 2019
Waiting for God's Retrun
The families are a mess, the government is a mess and the community as a whole is a mess and everyone thinks everything is alright!!!!
This is the madness of this world today without Christ. When lives are destroyed, people are suicidal, children are angry and disrespectful and yet most people think all of this is normal.
"Bad will be called good and good will be called bad." This is the day in which we live.
Brothers and Sisters we remain joyful and encouraged in spite of all this chaos because of Christ Who lives in us. Hallelujah!!!!
This is the madness of this world today without Christ. When lives are destroyed, people are suicidal, children are angry and disrespectful and yet most people think all of this is normal.
"Bad will be called good and good will be called bad." This is the day in which we live.
Brothers and Sisters we remain joyful and encouraged in spite of all this chaos because of Christ Who lives in us. Hallelujah!!!!
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