Religion

Faith

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I was reading  a post at  “earthlytraveler.wordpress.com”  ,  “Big Faith”.  He used this scripture to state: ” What a wonderful, wonderful promise! That you and I are welcome to partake in that heavenly feast!” 

Matthew 8:8-13
King James Version (KJV)
“The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 

For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.   

And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.”

It is a wonderful thing faith and available to whosoever will but check this out.

Jesus was prophesying the Gentiles being saved.  (11)

The underlined verse  (12), He is speaking of Gods Chosen,  the Israelites.   The Children of the Kingdom of God at the time.

They will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven because of unbelief.

Here comes a “Billism”  A teaching of the Word, you may not have heard before.  Ck the Scriptures to see if true.

Today many that profess to be Christian,  attend  church, do many things for the Church may well be Baptist,  Lutheran, Catholic, United Methodist, or a score of other Denominations and not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Their  love is for the building or the Pastor or to the position they hold in the body. 

When I hear I’m a whatever, I  cringe.  

Myself I am a Christian who follows Christ.  At the moment I attend and play piano at a nice UMC.

Growing up as a Catholic I was taught only Catholics would be in Heaven. ….How wrong a Church Doctrine.

I fear other Denominations feel the same way….they have the truth.  It’s nice you attend Church but if you come to mine you’d be more saved.

Folks your Faith and Belief must be in the Cross, Blood and Resurrection of the Christ.  Not the Church who claims Him as their own.

I understand like minded  people gathering to Worship,  we are all of different tribes.

We have churches that Praise God in Spirit and Truth.
Those that Major in Soup, Soap and Salvation.
Churches that believe in a quiet reverence.

This is all good, if their beliefs are Biblical.  Please take off your Denominational glasses, read and study to show yourselves approved, a workman rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

Have Faith in God not your Church;   Your Church doesn’t make you a Christian.   Following Jesus the Christ is the only way.

Lord help us to love and follow you.

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Gods people: Stiffnecked, Rebellious or ?

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In the book of Exodus we find the Lord refers to the Hebrews as Stiffnecked,  this is translated several ways:

Stiffnecked :
impossible to deal with. very stubborn [a stiff-necked people]. oh! what a stubborn, hard-headed people! they are an obstinate people. they are a strong-willed people.  (stiffnecked, obstinate people); unbelievably stubborn.

Sounds like the Church today, the people are ready to split off and go their separate ways because of the color of the carpet, the removal of the back row of seats,  a word spoken in anger or rebuke. …they will not accept correction, chastisement. Refusing to submit themselves to the Word or Will of God.

in Deuteronomy the Lord refers to them as Rebellious and this is translated :

Rebellious :
you have refused to obey the Lord. refused to obey [rebelled against] ” And what did you do? You rebelled. Rebelled against the clear orders of God, your God. Refused to trust him. Wouldn’t obey him. You’ve been rebels against God from the first day I knew you.

I am not a Rebellious Christian but I  am Stiffnecked,   I don’t refuse but I do resist.  I believe and trust; but Lord if you would do it my way, it would be so much (better, eaisier, faster, simpler).   My natural man also fails in the matter of sin.

Romans 7:18-20, 24-25
King James Version (KJV)
” For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.”

” O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”

My natural man, my sinful nature is that of an addict.
Booze, drugs, sex, solt drinks, coffee, tobacco even Jesus.

I don’t do much in moderation.   Before I was saved, it was awful,  since the new birth I am a new man. The battle is won, yet the battle goes on.

If I stay in the Word and Prayer I win the scrimmage, slack off and the old man slips in.  I am the man that hungers and thirsts for righteousness.

Who has a sin that so easily besets me.

Thank you, Jesus that I can confess my sins and You are faithful and just to forgive me.

Thank you Lord that I can boldly come to the Holy of Holies to find Grace and Mercy in my times of trouble.
Lord help me to draw closer to You  daily.

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Sign of Life:

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    Those we leave behind are a sign of our passing.
                      Does your sign point to Jesus?
                                   Or is it empty?

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Useful Vessels

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Useful Vessels come in all shapes and sizes, they are built for specific duties and tasks. When working, they do wonderful things for their Masters.

Lord, help me to be a useful vessel.

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Storage Wars:

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Are you a useful vessel, or so filled with old junk there’s no room for the Holy Spirit to work?

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Don’t go without Jesus

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The end without Jesus. …is never-ending.     Accept His love today.   

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Merry Christmas

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May the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

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Life springs eternal :

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the LORD thy God hath chosen thee

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Deuteronomy: 7. 6. For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

Do you believe that?  Has the Lord chosen you?  Are you holy?  Special, above all people?

Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes.   The promises of God are yes and amen.

You are the beloved,  a gift beyond great price.  

Are you living up to His expectations?   I  know I  am not.  He desires me to be Holy,  I am, only by His blood.  He chose me, only because of His love and mercy.

I am special only by His grace. 

In 2 Kings 13 we have Elisha on his death bed instructing Joash, the King of Israel. Shoot an arrow out the window. The arrow of the Lords deliverance. …to mark victory over enimies.

Then he had him hit the ground with the arrows. …he smote the ground thrice. Elisha was upset, “You should have smote the ground 5 or 6 times, then you would have consumed your enimies. ….now you will only have victory twice.

How was he to know? He wasn’t. The lesson for us is to do whatever we do with our whole heart and soul.

The way to please the Lord and gain victory over sin and death is to seek the Lord, determine in our hearts to love, honor an obey the Lord. Be set apart, dedicated to His service, open to His directions, protection and inspiration. To do all with all and above all for Him.

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The Helper

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The other night I complimented my college aged daughter, on how well she helped me do a job that day and how I’d enjoyed her company.

She thanked me and commented: “I didn’t do much.”

I ended up explaining how important, a good helper is:

*   Paying attention 

*   understanding what part or tool is needed next 

*   having it handy

*   Fetching needed stuff

*   Being a third hand, when needed

*   a good attitude

It caused me to evaluate my status as a servant of the Lord.

☆   Do I pay attention to His work?

☆   Do I understand what He needs from me?

☆   Am I ready with the words or actions to fill the need?

☆   Am I  willing to go at His bidding?

☆   Will I get my hands dirty to serve His need?  (Dig a ditch, build a mud pie?)

☆   How’s my attitude?    (Am I too good to be second banana? )

To be honest,  I am probably one of the worst of His servants.   Most times I am sure His work would go faster, better and prettier, if He could just listen to my advice and let me do it my way.

I  sometimes have a hard time with the verse: 

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He shall lift you up.”

I am sure I am worthy of all glory, honor and power.

Do you see why I  have a problem?  As I look around  I don’t believe  I’m alone. 

Many of us want it our way.  We are the star, the only one who knows how it should  be.  Whether it’s the colors of the carpet or where the money should be used, or what the Pastor preaches.

STOP IT!!!

Become a good and faithful servant.

The operative word is servant…..to be a good  servant we must do His will, His way, in His time.  Not mine.

Help me please, Lord, to walk and obey.

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Your God is too small!!!

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So many of us claim to believe that God is everywhere,  knows everything and can do anything.

Except, He doesn’t do signs and wonders anymore, no miracles or healings, (unless it might be His will this one time).

Heaven forbid He might talk to you personally or have a relationship with you. It’s ok to talk to Him but if He talks back, (your nuts). 

You talk in tongues?   See above.

We have His Word,  the Bible, He need not bother us with His presence any longer.  We can find out what He thinks and wants by reading His Word.

Except we don’t, or if we do, we choose what to believe.

We decide how we will worship, pray, praise….
We decide what is holy, sanctified, undefiled. ..
We decide who is saved, what sin is and who does it.

I have a few scriptures for your consideration:

Psalm 14:2
King James Version (KJV)
2 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

Psalm 115:3
King James Version (KJV)
3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

Psalm 2:4
King James Version (KJV)
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

Psalm 11:4
King James Version (KJV)
4 The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

Psalm 121:2
King James Version (KJV)
2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

Psalm 135:6
King James Version (KJV)
6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

Please realize,  the Lord is God.  He does what He wants, when He wants and how He wants.

Our job is to love, worship and obey.  To tell of His wonders.  To let God be God. 

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The Bible: Believe it or Not

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Do you believe the Bible?   All of it or are there parts that, well just cannot be true?  The  Red Sea parting,  3 days in the  belly of a giant fish?  A talking donkey?  The Flood, burning bush, 3 surviving a fiery furnace,  a man in a lions den?

Fire from heaven, a flying chariot,  the blind seeing, the lame healed, a man walking on water?  Resurrection, Redemption, Sin, Forgiveness?   Signs and wonders,  miracles, prophecy,  speaking in tongues?

Let’s be real, these are all nice childrens stories. As adults, we know that uneducated people and children need this kind of thing to hold on to.  We know better, we understand  how a story can grow to biblical proportions.

So the Bible just gives us a moral code;  a direction we should walk, love thy neighbour, do unto others, cleanliness is next to Godliness.

If you don’t think some of these things happened but you believe in Gods saving Grace, you are a cafeteria Christian.  You just believe the things you understand or hope to be true.

Let God be true and man a lier. 

We must believe that God is:
Creator
Savior
Redeemer
Friend
Able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask think or even imagine.
God so loved the world,  He gave…..us everything.  All He had and was, all He would ever be.  To demonstrate His love and Grace,  to show us the way to the Peace that passes
understanding.

The story of the cross is foolishness to the unbelieving but the Power of God to believers.  We must learn to live the Good News so that others will desire to know Him.  We must be content in whatever situation we find ourselves.  

Show the world an victorious conqueror, peaceful, effective counselor of our God.  Lift Jesus up, as we are knocked down.

Love God, love one another. …seek His face.

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