Tag: Christ

What is it that we should prove?

I wish that I could say that the political season we are in is the reason for this thought, but it is not. There are many people who are alive today thinking pretty highly of themselves. So many, it is fruitless to list. I was reading these verses and thought that God was speaking to me about this very day.

As I spoke with the LORD, I was blessed to be led to read a couple of verses from this chapter. I am not one who likes to pick out one liners to prove a point because I believe if I am truly representing a point that is actually God’s point, which is what we are to do, then I like to read a few verses before and after the chosen verse. As I did that here, I kept saying wait, that’s good, let me go up a couple more, and let me read down a couple more.

I could not stop reading because I feel like these instructions are abandoned today, not only by the lost and dying world, but by Christians. Do we even know what it means to present our bodies as a ‘sacrifice’ and ‘holy’? Do we really know what it means to be transformed in the mind and to not conform to the world? And what is it that we should prove, our thoughts and desires? According to the scripture we are to prove God’s will, not ours. Yet, I look around and big churches are letting the smaller things go in the name of attendance. I don’t see that as an acceptable exception here. In fact, that looks more like man trying to save man. That looks like man doing what it takes to bring people to a building rather than just speaking the truth and letting the spirit bring people to the His house. In one case, it is man’s house, in the latter it is God’s house, and I fear man will not learn the difference until judgment day.

It is up to you; you read and you tell me, are we doing it God’s way, or are we doing it our way? That’s my thought, my question to you.

Romans

12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

First we see Paul almost begging his brothers in Christ, whom he loves, to remember that we are to give our bodies over to Christ. We are to hold onto nothing for ourselves. We are to sacrifice the sins of our flesh that we loved and that we enjoyed. We are to give that up by not belonging to the worldly activities that promote and celebrate these activities. We are to be transformed in our mind, thinking of God and the things that are His and not the worldly lies satan tells us. Once ‘transformation’ takes place, it is no longer about our thoughts and our will, but the Father’s. As hard as it is, we are to speak His word to the world, and that includes people we love. We do not hold His truth back because we are afraid of hurting our loved ones. Which one is worse, you hurt them now for a season and possible save them, or you let them the live in sin and enjoy your relationship on earth and never see them for all of eternity because you are in heaven and they are in hell? Our minds are to be focused on God (Sober). We are to prove that the Holy Ghost is in us by doing these things. We cannot prove that the Holy Ghost is in us if we are not separate from the world; we cannot prove that we are different if we are the same. We cannot prove the sin saving blood of Christ if we are no different as a saved child of God than we were as a lost sinner. Where is the Glory of God in that?

We see Paul talking, and expounding on the fact that we, believers in Christ, are all members of the same body, when we believe in Jesus. There is one church, no matter how many names we put on the denominations. There is the church of God and we are all members who believe in God. Now that last part is very important. I know there are groups of people who have taken the bible away, and who do not follow the LORD’s commands and are calling themselves a church. Often I am asked, “What should I look for in a church?” My personal answer to that is that you are looking for a church where the message that is being delivered matches the words you read in your bible. If you don’t talk about sin, and the blood, and redemption through that blood, and if you don’t love people and want to see people saved from the consequences of sin, then I would find another church.

Paul talks about not hating or cursing those who persecute you, but rather you bless them, you pray for them. We did not accept the beautiful gift of salvation without the understanding that we were going to be persecuted for being different. We knew that was coming. He tells us that we cannot let this stop us from using the gifts that we have. Some are given the beautiful gift of service. For some reason doing the work of helping, the labor of giving, is a gift that is heaped upon some people. Meanwhile others are called to preach, to teach. Some are called to work with children, and others are called to help organize the church. We tell our members all the time that the job of the pastor is no more or less important than the member who cuts the grass, cleans the sanctuary, pays the church bills, sends in the news articles, organizes the extracurricular ministries, and even offers the wisdom of experience. In our church we love our elders for the wisdom that blesses us all whenever they speak. He tells us here to do what we are led to do. But he also tells us to remember that we do not do it to bring people to us, but to bless God with our service. Everything we do should be for the Glory of our God!!

This whole chapter is just beautiful in its instruction. I feel that in this chapter Paul is not preaching but rather teaching. I feel like this these words are more of a lesson, and we are the student who should hear and then apply. Application is so important in the life of a Christian. We do not need to lean to our own understanding when we look at this as a lesson. Nothing here needs interpreted. Of course, as a Sunday School Teacher, my favorite verse is verse number 9. Our love should not be hidden but exposed, not camouflage but clearly identified, not suppressed but it should be freely given to all. In the process of giving that love we are to hate that which is evil. We are not to like sin. This is another example of love the sinner, but hate the sin. It does seem like we forget that second part these days. We want to love the sinner, and that’s it. We are to do both.

Finally we are to overcome evil. We cannot do that on our own. We can only overcome by way of the truth. That is the only power that is strong enough to overcome evil. That is why we have to be filled with it, in order that we will not succumb to it. Christ has already won. I believe satan knows that. So many people act as though satan has your best interest at heart. I feel like people believe that satan is an advocate wanting them to enjoy life. Satan does not care one tittle about any of us. He is angry that God threw him out of heaven and he knows he is going to lose. He does not want to simply pull you away from rewards in heaven; he wants to keep you from going there all together. Why? He wants to hurt God. That is the only way. God wants us in heaven with Him. He created us to have that relationship with Him. When we worship satan and not God, it hurts God. I believe that. For God so loved the world…… When we love someone so much and they betray us, does it not hurt you? If we are made in His image, is it too far out there to believe that God has feelings too? I say His feelings are pure. His love is more pure than any love we could possibly know. So yes, I believe disobedient children hurt the Father.

If you stand in the mirror, what will the reflection tell you about your relationship with God and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your home, straight from the cross to the Christian!

Beware of men!

People say that this is not 1959 anymore. No, it isn’t. In my opinion, it is worse. We have brothers shooting brothers. And today we have a media that is not merely reporting it, but driving it. The media takes a story from one location in the country and fuels the fire in bellies from one shore to the other. Hate is a sin, and yet today we have more hate in us than ever. Our leaders are wholly ineffective as they too are filled with hate. Our elections are no longer about who has the best plan, or vision, but rather who spews the most vile and hateful speech. We pick our leaders according to who can make the other look more inept. Things are reversed to say the least.

In Matthew 10 Jesus said,

6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Notice that he did not just instruct his disciples to go out and do acts of service without speaking the gospel. In fact he clearly stated that if you are not received your peace shall return to you and you are to shake the dust off your feet. But the biggest test he gave here is “You shall be hated for my name sake.” I have experienced my own people turn their backs to me for my beliefs. This is a real statement of Christ. It seems to me that we look not for truth, but for acceptance. Any man who stands up and tells the truth about racism and sexism is discredited. That person’s own people attack instead of hear. The truth is the truth, yet we turn a blind eye to it fearful of the impending loss. This is not the truth that lies in the mind of a Christian. The guilty are accountable, no matter who you are, or what you do. We are to fear the one who can take both our present life and our eternal life. Be careful not to sacrifice the eternal for the temporary relationship in this temporary life.

Hebrews 10

12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

These words say that because the crucifixion of Christ was the perfect sacrifice we have salvation. Only through the blood of Christ can we be saved. It also says, in verse 26, that we cannot willfully live in sin and be saved. The sacrifice of Christ is not for you because you have chosen the world over God. You cannot be saved from hell, while joyfully and willingly living in the world. This is the gospel and this is the message we should preach to everyone everywhere.

The truth is, there really is a satan, and he really is hard at work. Satan crafts his lies to the weakness of each person. Are you proud in an unhealthy way. I think that pride fits any ism. I can have an unhealthy pride to be a man, causing me to look disparagingly at women. To be so full of pride that I think men are better than women is a sinful pride. The same is true of race and age and geography. If you are so proud of your race that you think it is dominant over other races you are guilty of idolatry. We should be most proud to be a follower of Christ. That pride should be a humble pride in that we want others to have it too. We should not see ourselves as better, but redeemed because we were nothing before receiving the gift of Christ. We need to reject all mediums that try to separate us from this truth. Today, much different than the day of Christ, we have the media working so hard to cause division. We need to walk out of the church house and into the communities and preach the gospel. Notice how Christ tells his disciples to travel. One observation I have is that the only place to hear the true gospel these days is the church house, or the radio- either way there is a choice to not go and not tune in. The days of the street preacher seem to be over. Yet the street is where the message needs to be heard the most. Satan is there, in the streets. He fills it with men calling themselves preachers who spread not the gospel, but hate. Using the name of Jesus, they spread racism and call for violence. This is not of the spirit. Jesus told us to beware of men. We are to look, and examine, and judge the fruit of men. If it is rotten, we are to flee. Today I fear Christians look at these men and follow them because they fill a fleshly desire to be more proud of an ‘ism’ rather than a desire to be proud of being a Christian. We are to speak the truth of God, not repeat the lies of satan.

Likewise, there really is a God, there really was a sacrifice of his son Jesus Christ, there really is redemption available, and there really is a hell for those who refuse. God has left His word not for his benefit, but for ours. It is not hard to know what God’s will is. All we have to do is read. What is hard is for us to deny ourselves. But God tells us His burden is light. He is there to be our savior, not a burden. God is also there to help us endure accountability, and responsibility. Two very core characteristics that are absent in all of satan’s work. God is real, and is the only answer to all that satan puts forth. If we accept God, and rely on His grace and mercy, we will endure all that the world puts us through.

If you stand in the mirror, what will the reflection tell you about your relationship with God and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your home, straight from the cross to the Christian!

 

We need to suffer loss to value gain!

Why do I believe there is a God? Why do I believe in heaven and hell? Why do I advocate so hard on salvation and sin? There are many people walking around denying Christ because they are in control of their life, or so they think. I know this to be the truth because I used to be one of them. I know how it goes; I know what the thought process is. As long as you didn’t bring the message of sin and salvation to me, I was cool with letting people do what they wanted because I was not being blocked from doing what I wanted and I wasn’t being made to feel any kind of way about doing what I wanted. That’s a big deal to the sinner. ‘I want to do it because it is fun and makes me happy’. ‘You cannot tell me how to run my life’. The funny thing is that none of us, not a single one of us is wise enough and powerful enough to run our own lives. Some of us have to go through some terrible times before we look toward God for the help and answers He has always been ready to provide. Why do bad things happen? Could the truthful answer be so that we seek the face of God? Could it be so that we strengthen our relationship with Him daily? Could the answer be that we need to feel pain to enjoy health, endure hardship to enjoy prosperity, endure sadness to appreciate joy, suffer loss to value gain, experience blindness to truly see? Could the answer be that bad things happen because man truly believes that he is the creator, the true authority on morality, the keeper of the rules and as a result we are the ones that actually create the bad? Of course we do not create weather tragedies, but the same God that creates the flood, also draws back the water. Yes, we know not the hour of our departure from this earth, as well as the departure of others. This is not a reason to hate God, but a reason to cling firmly to the cross so we can rejoice in loss.

I have one verse for today. No commentary, just a verse and my thoughts on it. I hope you read this and see how our flesh calls us to be the old selfish man, and that the spirit calls us to rely on the holy word of God, to call out for the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 1

12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Because the LORD Jesus loved us, he ordained the disciples to go out into the world and preach his gospel. They did that, and they rose up churches and created more disciples. The churches have followed that line up until this very day. God is still calling his children to preach and teach his gospel. All because he loves you. If you love HIM, you will follow HIS teachings.

I like verse 14. Notice, sin and lust are of your ignorance, meaning what you did not know. Once you have been told the truth, once you have the knowledge, Christ does expect you to turn from those ways and be mindful of Him, not your own thoughts, wants, and addictions.

As this chapter ends with verses 24 and 25, notice that Jesus tells us that relying on ourselves results in death. This is not a reference to the earthly death. This is a metaphor to eternal death. A blade of grass and the flower, they wither away and never return. To live according to man’s ways, man’s thoughts, satisfying man’s flesh is to live for a season, and then to wither away and never return. Eternal death is not just an empty space; it is a consequence for not being obedient. So eternal death will not be pleasant. Think about this, if there is such a thing as eternal life, well then there must be an experience that you will be able to comprehend for all eternity, right? Well….. what then I ask, is eternal death. Do you think that you will not know you are dead eternally? Will you have an experience that lets you know, constantly, that you are dead and you are absent from our God? I don’t think Heaven is a never never land that I won’t be able to touch, nor do I think hell will be a never never land that, after death, you just fade away into some darkness unaware of where you are. I think you will know you are not in heaven, that you are absent from the presence of God, and that this knowledge will not be pleasant.

I am a sinner. I do not believe at all that I am better than anyone else. I make mistakes everyday. But I praise God that my mind has be changed. I know where morals come from and it is not me. I know who the creator is and it is not me. I know who mends the broken and heals the sick, and it is not me. That is the difference between me and the unsaved sinner. I know I cannot do anything for myself. The sinner still thinks they have control. I have to speak God’s word if I am going to have any purpose at all. Without God, there is no purpose, just sin. I opened my eyes to one amazing thought many years ago. Satan does not care at all about me. He has one goal, and that is to cause as much pain in the heart of God as possible. You truly need to believe on Christ to know why this is important to Satan. I used to believe Satan thought that if he built a big enough Army of unrepentant sinners, he would be able to defeat God. I dismissed that thought because I now that an endless army of human souls against God is no army at all. There is no match for the powerLESS against the powerFUL. So it then occurred to me that even satan knows he will lose. His effort is not to build an army with the thought of beating God and his effort is certainly not to keep you from earning rewards in heaven, but to disconnect our relationship with our creator. His effort is to keep you from having a genuine relationship with God to hurt God because is all about himself, has been ever since being ejected from heaven. Satan wants to hurt God for hurting him. You and I are just tools in that effort. Satan could not care one inch about us or anything about us. He knows they things we long for and lust after are all things that will send us straight to hell. And that is why he makes those things look so good, and that is why he leads us to believe we can live without God, that we create morality, that we are greater scientists than God himself. He knows that as long as we are in hell, we are not with the Father, and that hurts the Father. That is the goal of satan.

We need to read these verses and truly understand that we need to rely on God before it is too late. God is the head of our lives and He needs to be at the top of our priority list, at the forefront of all our thoughts, and in every act we commit.

If you stand in the mirror, what will the reflection tell you about your relationship with God and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your home, straight from the cross to the Christian!

He will have the last word!

Why should the Christian speak out against wrong doing? Why should the faithful earnestly try to teach the faithless? Why is it important to do both, the acts of loving service that lets the light of Christ shine through us, and the act of loving correction? Why is it not okay for Christians to be tolerant?

As I read this morning, I was led to two passages of scripture.

Hebrews 12
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Notice how God uses the structure of the family in His instruction. If you can take just a moment and consider how your own household, how your own children, how you and your authority in the house, would operate if you treated it with the exact same reverence, or lack there of, as you do to the Father in heaven.

If everything is just about love, no rules, no accountability, no consequences for choices, then why did God create a hell? Let me ask it this way, if all there is is love, then why do you need time-outs? Why do you have rules in the house? Shouldn’t you be more tolerant to your child’s disobedience? You are probably saying that this is not the same at all, but it is. It is exactly the same. When God talks any where in the bible about his relationship with us he uses familial terms. Marriage, bridegroom, bride, father, son, and so on. He is using something that we are very familiar with because we all go through it. Some of us have great experiences of the family, others not so much. But God says, through his word, that this is what a family looks like, this is what rules in the house looks like and this is what consequences look like. Now many people are thinking that God’s love is what saves them instead of thinking that BECAUSE of God’s love there is a pathway to salvation. However, it is the very thing they are claiming will save them from hell without them repenting or living in faith that will condemn them, the love of God. A parent cannot have multiple children, and then tell them that this is the reward for obedience and that this is the consequences for disobedience, and then share the same reward with both the obedient and disobedient children. How do you think that would go over with your kids? How would that have went over with you when you were a child? You may not have been able to stop it, but what would you have thought of your parents. You see, if God does that, then he makes himself out to be a liar, a fraud, unfair, unrighteous, and will bring wrath from the minds of his children against him. There is nothing that God does that earns our wrath. Anything we do that has a negative consequence is a result of our own unacceptable and fleshly intervention. So when believers say, on behalf of a sinner, that Christians should stop hating and start loving by not talking about the consequence of sin is death (pure bible words by the way) you are completely misunderstanding, egregiously misrepresenting and grossly underestimating God’s love.

Solomon was the wisest man that ever lived, according to the bible. The book of Proverbs are know for pure and never outdated wisdom. Just reading one proverb a day, every day of every month, is an exercise a lot of Christians do just because of the wisdom in these chapters. I wasn’t going to give you a whole chapter, but chapter 29 is full of the wisdom about right and wrong, and correction. These God inspired words tell us that there is good in the leadership of obedient Children of God, and there are indeed consequences for disobedience. It tells us that the love we often use to justify sin does not work with the wicked. That people who live in sin bring about wrath, not peace.

Proverbs 29
29 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
3 Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance.
4 The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.
5 A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.
6 In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice.
7 The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.
8 Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away wrath.
9 If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.
10 The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.
11 A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
12 If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.
13 The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the LORD lighteneth both their eyes.
14 The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.
15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.
17 Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.
18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
19 A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer.
20 Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
21 He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length.
22 An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.
23 A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
24 Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.
25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.
26 Many seek the ruler’s favour; but every man’s judgment cometh from the LORD.
27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.

At the end of the day, no one likes to be corrected. But for the purging of sin from our life, it must be done. For the purpose of raising children, it must be done. In just one home that has no discipline and structure you can see the fate of an entire country that is slowly doing the same. Leaving the rules and codes of morality up to man is no different than letting the kids run the house. Let them make up their own rules and see how fast the parent is out the door. There is one difference between the father that lives in the home, and the Father that lives in heaven. The Father will never be divorced from his bride the church, He will never be evicted from heaven (someone much more powerful than man tried that once and failed huge), and He will have the last word.

I chose to follow that Father, I chose to follow those rules, I chose to be obedient (and I know I will fail daily, but I will be obedient in seeking his forgiveness and I will forever seek sanctification), and I will forever love my brothers and sisters on earth so much that I will never stop speaking the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

If you stand in the mirror, what will the reflection tell you about your relationship with God and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your home, straight from the cross to the Christian!

Do not mistake God’s love for tolerance

I love you so much that I will not lie to you. I love you so much that I will not withhold from you the truth that set me free, because I want you to be free from the consequence of sin too. I will love you so much that I will not quit or give in just because you say God’s truthful love is hateful. Because I know that no one really wants to endure correction, even me. I will love you so much that I will not hoard salvation all to myself, but rather share with you the truths you need to know so you can make the best choice in your life, to receive Christ into your mind and share His greatest gift of all, the cleansing love of the blood of Christ.

Galatians 5
16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

John 15
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

John 14
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

Love abounds in Jesus. God’s love is so great, no human has yet to experience in its full splendor. I look forward to the day when I travel over Jordan, and get to experience His love forever.

In the few verses from Galatians we see it declared that if you do not have God’s love in you, meaning if you commit those acts without repentance, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. These are not my words, but the words of God. You cannot willingly and happily live in sin and think you are saved. To sin and seek forgiveness is one thing. But to sin and think that you are covered by God’s love and do not need to seek forgiveness, well….that’s what we are talking about here.

Please note in the second block of scriptures that Christ himself is talking and he is telling you that if you do not have his love in you, you are like a dead vine that is ripped off and cast into the fire. The fire is a symbol of judgement in the bible. Make no mistake about it, Jesus is saying if you do not accept Him as your savior, you will not receive everlasting life. Notice again, Jesus says that if you do have his love in you, you will obey; you will do as He commands. He tells us to love each other as He has loved us. What does that look like. Did Jesus ever encourage anyone to live in sin? I don’t think so, and I would need to be led to that scripture if you would say He did. Jesus has always freed people from their sin and told people to sin no more. So if we tell people that it is okay to live in sin, are we actually doing what Jesus did? Do we really love our neighbor the way Christ loves him? Do we love him as much as we love ourselves? Salvation is not just good enough for us, it is good enough for all. So why do we understand that sin has no part in our lives, but we will stand by and allow others to live in sin just because they are our mom or dad, brother or sister, best friend or co-worker? I would challenge anyone who would say, “Well, I would never do that but live and let live.” Or “To each to his own”. No….I am sorry; you are far off the mark of what Christ says here. In fact, Jesus says that if you do not do as He has commanded; he is not with you. That is why it is dangerous to claim to be a Christian and then walk around telling people who live in sin that everything is going to be okay because God loves them. That is not the whole truth! It is a half truth that is told deceitfully, and that is not the message of Christ. Yes, god loves us. He loved Hitler and Manson and Dahmer as much as He loves us. But there is an expectation that we all share as much as we share His divine love. That is to obey. Whether your disobedience is as gross as these men, or as simple as being a great person who simply does not believe, it is all the same to our God.

Please note the final block of scripture. Christ says that he who does not do as Christ says, that person is listening to another word, and it is not the word of God. Whose word do you think Jesus is talking about. Right, I thought the same thing, Satan!

God’s love is real, and it is wonderful. Do not mistake God’s love for tolerance. We are to be obedient children to the Father. You must repent from your sin. That word means to “change your mind” If you like being drunk you are to hate it. If you like being a liar, you are to hate it. If you like being an adulterer, you are to hate it. All manners of sin. I really want to stop talking about just the issue of same sex marriage and homosexuality. It is a sin, and it does qualify here. However, there are many who point fingers and don’t understand that God hates ALL sin. Not just one, but all of it. And although we are weak in our flesh, we are to repent, and seek forgiveness for our daily failures. But we certainly are not to enjoy the sin, or live in it with some form of earthly peace. We are to hate sin, and to turn away from it. That is the fruit of God’s true love, and it should be the message of our brotherly and neighborly love.

May the divine peace from the great comforter be with you today!!