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Repentance from Dead Works
Fulfulling Our Duty to God:

"Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit.

Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone", declares the Sovereign LORD. "Repent and live!"

Ezekiel 18:30-32 NIV

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"How long, O simple ones,
will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?

Give heed to my reproof; behold,
I will pour out my thoughts to you;
I will make my words known to you. "

Proverbs 1:22,23 RSV

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Create in me a clean heart, O God;
and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence;
and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;
and uphold me with thy free spirit.

Psalm 51:10-12 KJV

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Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.
 
“Only be thou strong and very courageous.”

Joshua 1:7

Our God's tender love for his servants makes him concerned for the state of their inward feelings. He desires them to be of good courage. Some esteem it a small thing for a believer to be vexed with doubts and fears, but God thinks not so. From this text it is plain that our Master would not have us entangled with fears. He would have us without carefulness, without doubt, without cowardice. Our Master does not think so lightly of our unbelief as we do. When we are desponding we are subject to a grievous malady, not to be trifled with, but to be carried at once to the beloved Physician.

Our Lord loveth not to see our countenance sad. It was a law of Ahasuerus that no one should come into the king's court dressed in mourning: this is not the law of the King of kings, for we may come mourning as we are; but still he would have us put off the spirit of heaviness, and put on the garment of praise, for there is much reason to rejoice. The Christian man ought to be of a courageous spirit, in order that he may glorify the Lord by enduring trials in an heroic manner. If he be fearful and fainthearted, it will dishonour his God. Besides, what a bad example it is.

This disease of doubtfulness and discouragement is an epidemic which soon spreads amongst the Lord's flock. One downcast believer makes twenty souls sad. Moreover, unless your courage is kept up Satan will be too much for you. Let your spirit be joyful in God your Saviour, the joy of the Lord shall be your strength, and no fiend of hell shall make headway against you: but cowardice throws down the banner. Moreover, labour is light to a man of cheerful spirit; and success waits upon cheerfulness. The man who toils, rejoicing in his God, believing with all his heart, has success guaranteed. He who sows in hope shall reap in joy; therefore, dear reader, “be thou strong, and very courageous.”
 
Sacrificial Visitor




An old man walks down a Florida beach. The sun sets like an orange ball on the horizon. The waves slap the sand. The smell of saltwater stings the air. The beach is vacant. No sun to entice the sunbathers. Not enough light for the fishermen. So, aside from a few joggers and strollers, the gentleman is alone.

He carries a bucket in his bony hand. A bucket of shrimp. It's not for him. It's not for the fish. It's for the sea gulls.

He walks to an isolated pier cast in gold by the setting sun. He steps out to the end of the pier. The time has come for the weekly ritual.

He stands and waits.

Soon the sky becomes a mass of dancing dots. The evening silence gives way to the screeching of birds. They fill the sky and then cover the moorings. They are on a pilgrimage to meet the old man.

For a half hour or so, the bushy-browed, shoulder-bent gentleman will stand on the pier, surrounded by the birds of the sea, until his bucket is empty.

But even after the food is gone, his feathered friends still linger. They linger as if they're attracted to more than just food. They perch on his hat. They walk on the pier. And they all share a moment together.

The old man on the pier couldn't go a week without saying "thank you."

His name was Eddie Rickenbacker. If you were alive in October 1942, you probably remember the day that he was reported missing at sea.

He had been sent on a mission to deliver a message to Gen. Douglas MacArthur. With a handpicked crew in a B-17 known as the "Flying Fortress," he set off across the South Pacific. Somewhere the crew became lost, the fuel ran out, and the plane went down.

All eight crew members escaped into the life rafts. They battled the weather, the water, the sharks, and the sun. But most of all, they battled the hunger. After eight days, their rations were gone. They ran out of options. It would take a miracle for them to survive.

And a miracle occurred.

After an afternoon devotional service, the men said a prayer and tried to rest. As Rickenbacker was dozing with his hat over his eyes, something landed on his head. He would later say that he knew it was a sea gull. He didn't know how he knew; he just knew. That gull meant food . . . if he could catch it. And he did.

The flesh was eaten. The intestines were used as fish bait. And the crew survived.

What was a sea gull doing hundreds of miles away from land?

Only God knows.

But whatever the reason, Rickenbacker was thankful. As a result, every Friday evening this old captain walked to the pier, his bucket full of shrimp and his heart full of thanks.

We'd be wise to do the same. We've much in common with Rickenbacker. We, too, were saved by a Sacrificial Visitor.

We, too, were rescued by One who journeyed far from only God knows where.

And we, like the captain, have every reason to look into the sky . . . and worship.
 
Watching a movie the other night reminded me of how we are bombarded by media with the message to “follow your heart.” For example, a popular Disney movie has the song that says “if only I knew what my heart was telling me,”[1] and portrays it as the basis on which decisions should be based.
On a more subtle level, here are some examples of ways this message sometimes comes across or gets adopted into our thinking:
  • You can rely solely on what you experience or feel to determine the validity of your spiritual condition. For example, you can rely on a warm feeling or experience of happiness for assurance of salvation instead of anchoring your assurance on what God says in His Word about salvation through repentance and belief in His Son. Or you can assume if you don’t “feel” close to God, you’re not.
  • You should make decisions based on how you feel–marry someone if you feel in love; divorce them if you don’t.
The problem with following our heart or feelings is that the Bible tells us our heart is deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9)! It’s not an accurate gauge to follow.

We need to follow the Truth, which our Maker has shown us in His Word, instead, knowing that He is the One before whom we will have to give an account (Hebrews 4:13) and that His Word is right and true (Psalm 33:4).
The story below illustrates how silly it would be if we applied this same follow-your-heart thinking in ordinary life decisions. I hope you’ll smile, and that the story will help be a reminder to you to live life by God’s Word, not feelings.

Evelyn decided one morning to live life by following her heart. She woke up with her alarm, and turned it off. Her heart said she needed more sleep. Never mind the fact that she would miss work—she didn’t really feel like working anyway.
When she finally got up, she went to make herself a nutritious smoothie like normal, but then decided her heart longed for sugary cereal instead. So that’s what she had to eat.

After breakfast, she normally exercised, but not today! Her heart certainly said no to that! So she sat and watched TV all morning instead.
A few weeks later, her friend Amelia found her still sitting on the couch. She hardly recognized her dear friend. Evelyn had gained weight to the point that she no longer fit inside her clothes. She was crying when Amelia walked into the room, as she just found out she’d been fired from her job, as she had missed too many days at work.
Evelyn sobbed on her friend’s shoulders. “What will I do? How will I pay my bills?”

Amelia tried to comfort her friend. “What happened?” she asked. “Why didn’t you go to work?”
“I was just trying to follow my heart,” Evelyn sobbed.
Amelia shook her head. “Our hearts don’t make good guides. You have to live life by the truth, Evelyn.”
“I see that now,” Amelia sobbed. “Oh, what do I do?”

Amelia was firm, but kind. “You do what you should have done from the beginning: stop following your heart and live by the truth. Come on, let’s start by getting you cleaned up. It’s going to be a hard road of change, but there’s no time like the present to start.”
With that, Evelyn got up off the couch.
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9 (kjv)
 
Why should I stay away from ungodly characters?

The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour:
but the way of the wicked seduceth them.

Proverbs 12:26 KJV

You will be seduced by the wicked...

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Do not associate with a man given to anger;
Or go with a hot-tempered man,

Or you will learn his ways
And find a snare for yourself.

Proverbs 22:24,25 NASB

You will become like those with whom you associate!

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We are encouraged to be with other believers:

And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:24,25 NASB

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Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.
 
“Fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again.”

Genesis 46:3,4

Jacob must have shuddered at the thought of leaving the land of his father's sojourning, and dwelling among heathen strangers. It was a new scene, and likely to be a trying one: who shall venture among couriers of a foreign monarch without anxiety? Yet the way was evidently appointed for him, and therefore he resolved to go. This is frequently the position of believers now—they are called to perils and temptations altogether untried: at such seasons let them imitate Jacob's example by offering sacrifices of prayer unto God, and seeking his direction; let them not take a step until they have waited upon the Lord for his blessing: then they will have Jacob's companion to be their friend and helper.

How blessed to feel assured that the Lord is with us in all our ways, and condescends to go down into our humiliations and banishments with us! Even beyond the ocean our Father's love beams like the sun in its strength. We cannot hesitate to go where Jehovah promises his presence; even the valley of deathshade grows bright with the radiance of this assurance. Marching onwards with faith in their God, believers shall have Jacob's promise. They shall be brought up again, whether it be from the troubles of life or the chambers of death. Jacob's seed came out of Egypt in due time, and so shall all the faithful pass unscathed through the tribulation of life, and the terror of death.

Let us exercise Jacob's confidence. “Fear not,” is the Lord's command and his divine encouragement to those who at his bidding are launching upon new seas; the divine presence and preservation forbid so much as one unbelieving fear. Without our God we should fear to move; but when he bids us to, it would be dangerous to tarry. Reader, go forward, and fear not.
 
Be wise...

My son, if your heart is wise,
then my heart will be glad;

The father of a righteous man has great joy;
he who has a wise son delights in him.

May your father and mother be glad;
may she who gave you birth rejoice!

Proverbs 23:15,24-25

A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish son grief to his mother

Proverbs 10:1 NIV

A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish man despises his mother.

Proverbs 15:20

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Speak what is right...

My inmost being will rejoice
when your lips speak what is right.

Proverbs 23:16 NIV

What 5 Things Should Children Never Do To Their Parents?

A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.

Proverbs 15:5 KJV

- Never despise their instruction

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He who robs his father and drives out his mother is a son who brings shame and disgrace.

Proverbs 19:26 NIV

- Never mistreat them

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He who robs his father or his mother And says, "It is not a transgression," Is the companion of a man who destroys.

Proverbs 28:24 NASB

- Never rob or steal from them

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Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

Proverbs 20:20 KJV

- Never curse your parents

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The eye that mocks a father and scorns a mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it.

Proverbs 30:17 NASB

- Never mock your parents

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If you have ever done these things, today is a good day to go and ask for forgiveness, confess your sin to them and seek reconciliation!

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Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.
 
“Thou art my portion, O Lord.”

Psalm 119:57

Look at thy possessions, O believer, and compare thy portion with the lot of thy fellowmen. Some of them have their portion in the field; they are rich, and their harvests yield them a golden increase; but what are harvests compared with thy God, who is the God of harvests? What are bursting granaries compared with him, who is the Husbandman, and feeds thee with the bread of heaven? Some have their portion in the city; their wealth is abundant, and flows to them in constant streams, until they become a very reservoir of gold; but what is gold compared with thy God? Thou couldst not live on it; thy spiritual life could not be sustained by it. Put it on a troubled conscience, and could it allay its pangs? Apply it to a desponding heart, and see if it could stay a solitary groan, or give one grief the less? But thou hast God, and in him thou hast more than gold or riches ever could buy.

Some have their portion in that which most men love—applause and fame; but ask thyself, is not thy God more to thee than that? What if a myriad clarions should be loud in thine applause, would this prepare thee to pass the Jordan, or cheer thee in prospect of judgment? No, there are griefs in life which wealth cannot alleviate; and there is the deep need of a dying hour, for which no riches can provide. But when thou hast God for thy portion, thou hast more than all else put together.

In him every want is met, whether in life or in death. With God for thy portion thou art rich indeed, for he will supply thy need, comfort thy heart, assuage thy grief, guide thy steps, be with thee in the dark valley, and then take thee home, to enjoy him as thy portion for ever. “I have enough,” said Esau; this is the best thing a worldly man can say, but Jacob replies, “I have all things,” which is a note too high for carnal minds.
 
If You Can Dream It...


To look at her, one would never know. With her red-gold hair and her sea-green eyes, one might never guess. With a smile so bright, she could shame the sun, and a laugh that rolls out like the breaking dawn, and a caring spirit that warms all who know her, one might miss her struggle. She is beautiful, brilliant, and funny. Her small, perfect hands are lovely, and to see them folded in her lap, or softly touching a child's cheek, one might never comprehend her great effort, just to sign her name. Her name is Helen. The Greek name, meaning "light," is a perfect reflection of her personality and character. Her name could also be "courage," for courageous she is.

We first knew that something was happening, as Helen entered puberty, and her voice began to change. A slight quaver at first, in time became a tremor. A gifted singer at four years of age, her beautiful Irish soprano began to disappear by the time she was ten. By fifteen, she was unable to "speak-up" in her classes, and her voice would often disappear as she struggled just to make herself understood, word by word.

I had been a trained singer, and I remembered a similar struggle as I entered puberty, so I began to work with Helen, especially with her singing, training her to depend upon her diaphragm, rather than her vocal chords. However, the tremor in her speaking voice never completely recovered, and it would be aggravated under extreme stress.

We noticed that Helen held her pen with extreme tightness, when she wrote, and we tried to encourage her to keep a light touch, so that she would not tire her hand. All this was to no avail. We took her from specialist to specialist, and there seemed no answer to her ever increasing struggle. By the time Helen was twenty, it was obvious that something was terribly wrong. She could not write, yet she kept going. She would contort her hand, just to sign her name. Her voice became faint, and she could not pronounce certain letters, but nothing could stop her sense of humor, or her courageous journey towards excellence.

She excelled in every job she ever had. She taught herself to write with her other hand. She finally found a doctor who was able to give a name to her condition, "dystonia." Although there seemed no reasonable course of treatment, she absolutely refused to give up on her life! She went back to college, at twenty-five, and she was just amazing in her engineering classes, making 4.0s in subjects that I could neither pronounce nor spell. Throughout these incredible achievements, Helen was the first to laugh at herself, and to make light of her struggles, as she both worked and went to school.

During all this time, Helen's faith in God, and in herself, seldom wavered. She knew that she was in the hands of a loving God, and with the love and support of her family, Helen continued to succeed in every endeavor. However, time and the course of her disease, finally made it impossible for Helen to continue without assistance. We are fortunate to live in a country where no one need be left behind, unless one chooses to give up. Assistance in funding for school, and the tools to succeed were more than available, and now Helen is part of a research program through the National Institute of Health (NIH). There is, now, hope for treatment.

Helen is disabled, but she is not handicapped. Being "handicapped" is an indictment one gives to oneself. When one is DISabled, one can still be ENabled. The only thing holding a person back is oneself. Helen is proving that one can achieve under extreme difficulty.

As Helen's mother, I will soon be involved in the NIH Dystonia Research Program, along with her, to see if I am a carrier of the gene which causes dystonia. Helen will soon be 29, and, of course, 30 years ago, there was no such thing as genetic testing. I'm glad it did not exist. If I knew that I carried a genetic defect, perhaps I would have made the "proper" decision to not pass on my defective genes. We didn't know in those days. We didn't have those choices.

Would I have chosen not to have this child, had I been given that choice, knowing her as I do now? I think I would have chosen to give her life. For I would not have missed a moment of this precious life. I would not have missed a single breath, nor a smile, nor a laugh. For a life without Helen would be a poor life indeed. She is my precious, beautiful daughter, a bright, shooting star, who has enriched my husband's and my life, beyond our wildest dreams.

It is true that Helen has a disability, hidden from view, at first glance. But don't we all have hidden disabilities? Don't we all have that "cannot achieve" disability that we nurture deep inside the dark reaches of ourselves, because of the unkind judgments we collect through life, from teachers, peers, or even, sadly, sometimes our parents?

When life seems impossible to me. When dreams seem unachievable to me. I like to look at Helen, and I think, my-my, how pale my life would have been without her. How inspiring is her courage and strength. Helen is my youngest child, and as her name means "light," perhaps her story will light up your life.

Helen is a shining example of what one can achieve, in the face of adversity. Helen is proof that IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN ACHIEVE IT. So, strive for excellence. Reach beyond your grasp. Who knows what dreams will become reality, if you only reach for them?
 
We Need a Savior - To God be the glory!
For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

1 Corinthians 4:7 NIV

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

1 Corinthians 15:10 NIV

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God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:9 KJV

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My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

John 10:27,28 KJV

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Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself."

Acts 2:38,39 NASB

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God, Whose grace is irresistble and all sufficient, be glorified!

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Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.
 
“He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom.”

Isaiah 40:11

Who is he of whom such gracious words are spoken? He is the Good Shepherd . Why doth he carry the lambs in his bosom? Because He hath a tender heart, and any weakness at once melts his heart. The sighs, the ignorance, the feebleness of the little ones of his flock draw forth his compassion. It is his office, as a faithful High Priest, to consider the weak. Besides, he purchased them with blood, they are his property: he must and will care forthat which cost him so dear. Then he is responsible for each lamb, bound by covenant engagements not to lose one. Moreover, they are all a part of his glory and reward.

But how may we understand the expression, “He will carry them”? Sometimes he carries them by not permitting them to endure much trial. Providence deals tenderly with them. Often they are “carried” by being filled with an unusual degree of love, so that they bear up and stand fast. Though their knowledge may not be deep, they have great sweetness in what they do know. Frequently he “carries” them by giving them a very simple faith, which takes the promise just as it stands, and believingly runs with every trouble straight to Jesus. The simplicity of their faith gives them an unusual degree of confidence, which carries them above the world.

“He carries the lambs in his bosom.” Here is boundless affection. Would he put them in his bosom if he did not love them much? Here is tender nearness: so near are they, that they could not possibly be nearer. Here is hallowed familiarity: there are precious love-passages between Christ and his weak ones. Here is perfect safety: in his bosom who can hurt them? They must hurt the Shepherd first. Here is perfect rest and sweetest comfort. Surely we are not sufficiently sensible of the infinite tenderness of Jesus!
 
What Is A Disciple Of Jesus Christ? How Do You Become One?

Jesus’ command was to make disciples of all nations, but what is a disciple? How do you become one?
A Disciple
Jesus commanded the first disciples to make disciples of others (Matt 28:19-20), but what is a disciple? It comes from the Old English discipul which comes from the Latin discipulus, meaning, “pupil, student, follower,” and said to be from discere (“to learn”) from which we get the word “discern.” From that comes from the root word, dek which means “to take, accept.” The word disciple comes from a lost compound word, discipere , which means “to grasp intellectually,” so what is a disciple?

A disciple is someone called to live “in” Christ, be equipped to live “like” Christ, and sent to live “for” Christ. Our calling includes salvation and abiding in Christ (John 8:31–32), but it also includes “equipping” the church for spiritual formation and growth to live like Christ (2 Timothy 3:16–17), and then “sending” the equipped to make disciples of others (Matthew 28:18–20, John 15:8, John 13:34–35), but you cannot make disciples without evangelizing. One pastor told his church, “Evangelize, or fossilize.”

Like His Master
If we are to make disciples of others, then we must follow through on teaching them the very same things Jesus taught and commanded the first disciples (Matt 28:20), and those teachings are found within Scripture and not just in the gospels. For example, Jesus compares doing things for the least of these to doing it unto Him (Matt 25:40). That’s one of His commands. That includes visiting the sick and those in prison, feeding the hungry and giving water to the thirsty, and even clothing the naked, or providing just a few bare necessities of life (Matt 25:35-36).

One man I know drives to a larger city every Sunday afternoon and parks his van in the First Baptist Church’s parking lot. This man brings them water, toiletries, blankets, books, Bibles, and things that we use every day that we take for granted. He is doing it for them but He’s really doing it to Jesus. God works to help the poor but uses people as a means to do so. God is using this man. He is a disciple that you can know by his fruits (Matt 7:15-20). Jesus ministered to thousands of the poor, and so that is our calling too, because “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40).

Counting the Cost
Jesus once gave an example about counting the cost in Luke 14 and it was in the context of becoming one of Jesus’ disciples (Luke 14:25-33). He was comparing how radical our love for God must be, compared to that of others. Jesus said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). The cost is high when you become a disciple of Jesus, but payday is off the charts (Rev 21:1-4). To be Jesus’ disciple means you seek Christ and His righteousness, first and foremost (Matt 6:33), thus Jesus concluded, “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). We know who to make disciples of and how to make disciples of others, but they themselves must count the cost. They must ask themselves, “Is Jesus most precious,” or is what’s most precious determined by the time and money we spend on things or people? Is there more Facebook than being in the Book?

What’s most important to us? We do realize that part of the cost will be broken or severed relationships; not on our part perhaps, but when those we used to run with go into places where we do not go anymore, we must separate ourselves from them and the things of the world. The Apostle John, in quoting a voice from heaven, wrote, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues” (Rev 18:4). That’s a quote from Jeremiah which he writes several times in chapter 51 as a warning about keeping one foot in the world and the other in the church.

Discipling
When we seek to be one of Jesus’ disciples, and to do what He commands us to do, this means, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:27-38). Remember, Jesus prayed for those who nailed Him to the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34a), and Stephen the deacon did something very similar. As they were stoning him to death, “he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:60).

Disciples are to be like their Teacher, and Jesus is our Teacher, but more than that…He is our Master. He is Lord and He is still mentoring me through His Word, by His Spirit, and through the Sacraments, together with the Body of Christ. We can make disciples of others, but only if God calls to choose them (John 6:44), and the truth is, we don’t know who they chosen are, at least until they profess Christ publically, but the point is, we do not save anyone. God alone saves (Eph 2:8-9). We are called to use the Word of God and the Spirit of God, and God Himself makes the children of God by the Spirit of God…but He is pleased to use us as a means to bring them to Christ.

Becoming a Disciple
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ; become His disciple; learn what Jesus taught; obey what Jesus taught; live what Jesus taught; be equipped to seek out others to become disciples; seek out others to become disciples; they become disciples; disciple them to live as Jesus did; teach them to obey what Jesus taught; equip them to go out and seek others who might become Jesus’ disciples (Matt 28:18-20).

Conclusion
Why don’t we see more discipleship taught in our churches or more members being equipped to make more disciples for Christ? It may be that church leaders are not equipped to do that. They might not know what discipling really is. It’s not really mentoring, but being used by God to bring others to Christ and then teaching them what someone taught us after we believed. It might be members are being resistant to giving up a Saturday afternoon or a Wednesday evening to participate in what God calls pure religion (James 1:27) and may not have counted the cost.

Every member has been sovereignly placed within the Body of Christ to perform a function so that all the members can cooperate with the Head, Who is Jesus Christ, and then do those things unto Him that we are called to do. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ,” so discipleship is never done alone or as a solitary Christian. There are nearly 40 “one another’s” in the New Testament, showing we need one another, and they need you! It’s impossible to be discipled in isolation, at least within the context of the imperative command that is the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20; Acts 1:8).
 
What a wonderful God we serve
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.

Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD
imputeth not iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Psalm 32:1,2 KJV

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And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Matthew 12:31,32 NIV

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But I'm so wicked, how could God ever forgive me?

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD:
though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool.

Isaiah 1:18 KJV

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God, Whose grace is irresistble and all sufficient, be glorified!

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.
 
“And he said, Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of ditches. For thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye and your cattle, and your beasts.”

2 Kings 3:16,17

The armies of the three kings were famishing for want of water: God was about to send it, and in these words the prophet announced the coming blessing. Here was a case of human helplessness: not a drop of water could all the valiant men procure from the skies or find in the wells of earth. Thus often the people of the Lord are at their wits’ end; they see the vanity of the creature, and learn experimentally where their help is to be found. Still the people were to make a believing preparation for the divine blessing; they were to dig the trenches in which the precious liquid would be held.

The church must by her varied agencies, efforts, and prayers, make herself ready to be blessed; she must make the pools, and the Lord will fill them. This must be done in faith, in the full assurance that the blessing is about to descend. By-and-by there was a singular bestowal of the needed boon. Not as in Elijah's case did the shower pour from the clouds, but in a silent and mysterious manner the pools were filled. The Lord has his own sovereign modes of action: he is not tied to manner and time as we are, but doeth as he pleases among the sons of men. It is ours thankfully to receive from him, and not to dictate to him. We must also notice the remarkable abundance of the supply — there was enough for the need of all. And so it is in the gospel blessing; all the wants of the congregation and of the entire church shall be met by the divine power in answer to prayer; and above all this, victory shall be speedily given to the armies of the Lord.

What am I doing for Jesus? What trenches am I digging? O Lord, make me ready to receive the blessing which thou art so willing to bestow.
 
6 Traditions Handed Down to Us That Need to Be Changed


In Acts 6, Stephen (the first martyr) was on trial for challenging the religious traditions and customs of the day:
They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” Acts 6:12-14
History has a funny way of repeating itself as the church today still struggles with traditions and customs that drag us away from our mission of making disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). So, in honor of Stephen, here are six traditions handed down to us that need to be changed:

1. Agreeing with the Word of God rather than obeying it. Somewhere along the way we began to assume that mental assent was enough. We’re great about agreeing with the Word of God. Americans believe in the Bible! Obedience, however, is a different matter. What’s the problem? Jesus said that it’s the application, not the intention, that matters (Matthew 7:24-27). Even demons believe in God (James 2:19). Agreeing with the Word of God is not enough; we need to start obeying it.

2. Getting discipled rather than making disciples. In the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), Jesus is explicit in his instructions to his followers: make disciples of all nations. And for centuries that’s exactly what they’ve done. But today American Christians seem like they’d rather get discipled than make disciples. This inward-focused, head-knowledge, navel-gazing brand of religion has the church in a spot where we know more than ever before, yet our churches are dying, not growing. That tradition needs to change!


3. Withdrawing from the messes rather than running toward them. We’re on the wrong side of Luke 15. In the famous parable of the prodigal son, Jesus tells the story of a son who simply makes a mess of his life and then decides to come home. How he’s received is contrasted by the father and the older brother. The father saw the son from a distance and ran towards him (Luke 15:20), indicating our Heavenly Father’s heart towards the world. But how often do we truly (as a church) run toward the messes around us? How active are churches today in our communities? More often we withdraw from the mess, choosing to stay safe inside our sanitary church buildings.

4. Judging the world rather than loving it. The older brother in Luke 15 chose not to embrace his brother but judge him. Are Christians today known for their judgmental attitudes towards those around them? Far too often! Paul said in 1 Corinthians 5:12 “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?” This was a practical application of Jesus’ overarching command to “love one another” in John 13:34-35. Honestly, for many of us in the church today we have these commands backwards.

5. Maintaining uncompromising dogma rather than celebrating uncommon fellowship. Not only do we judge the world, we judge other Christians who don’t maintain our narrow stripe of Christian beliefs. Denominations draw boundaries beyond which we dare not venture. This was the point Andy Stanley was recently trying to make when he said that church unity (John 17:23) trumps theological correctness. The overwhelming response? Judge Andy Stanley and double down on the need for uncompromising dogma. Is it any surprise that Christians aren’t united today? A house divided against itself cannot stand.

6. Living in spite of eternity rather than in light of eternity. Let’s be honest: most of us (myself included) live like heaven isn’t really going to happen. How can I say that? Just look at how we spend our time, our energy, our resources. We spend the overwhelming majority of our incomes on ourselves, our pleasures, making ourselves comfortable in this world, as if this world is all that there is. We’ve completely forgotten the command by Jesus to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven, not treasures on earth (Matthew 6:19-20).
 
God's Grace For Perseverance
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.

1 Thessalonians 5:23,24 NASB

__________________

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

John 6:37-39 KJV

__________________

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

John 10:27-29 KJV

__________________

God, Whose grace is irresistble and all sufficient, be glorified!

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.
 
How Our Possessions Can Possess Us


People change, but money can change people in ways we might not even imagine.
The Source of Wealth
We are nothing more than stewards of what God’s given to us here on earth (Luke 16), and we can certainly take none of it with us after death, so what good is our money after we leave this earth? What good can our possessions do us then? What good is wealth if it does not help others? God may give you possessions but those possessions are not yours and they are not mine. The Bible teaches, “You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day” (Deut 8:18), and “The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts” (1 Sam 2:7).

That doesn’t mean that by our hard work we don’t get what we have labored for, but ultimately, nothing that we have as resources came from us. All that exists does so by the sovereign decree of the Creator God. He intended these things for our enjoyment. Solomon wrote, “Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God” (Eccl 5:19). It is a gift. You don’t do anything to earn a gift. It’s the same thing with eternal life (Eph 2:8-9). Did you earn your birthday gifts? Were you responsible for being born? I don’t think so.

Owning Possessions
You can own a lot of possession, but possessions can come to own you, and I am no exception. We have all seen someone “whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil” (Eccl 6:2). One of the most evil things Solomon has ever seen is “riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt” (Eccl 5:13), and the rich spending on such frivolous things as gold-platted toilets.

Isaiah the Prophet asks, “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food” (Isaiah 55:2), and what is good and delightful? It’s not food or drink but rather God says, “Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant” (Isaiah 55:3). Possessions are temporary…your soul is eternal. One has a finite value…one is priceless. What price could you ever put in a soul?

Effects, Affects, and Defects
The Apostle Paul writes as if money can take over our hearts. In 1 Timothy 6:10, he writes that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Tim 6:10). Money is not evil in itself. It is loving money that’s at the root of all kinds of evil. It’s not at the root of all evil, but it can be at the root of all kinds of evil. Money can have an effect on our heart, and then our heart can affect others, and these money-driven decisions can lead to defects in our character.

If you had all the money you needed, there would be a temptation to have just a little more, but Jesus said, “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Luke 16:13). What was the reaction of the rich people in the crowd? “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him” (Luke 16:14). The Pharisees didn’t even realize that they were already a slave, not even a servant, of their own possessions.

One they worshiped (money); the other they should have worshiped (Jesus is God) but rejected. They loved the praise of men and loved their money more. Sounds very similar to the many false prophets today who promise people’s “seed of faith” will pay future dividends, making God out to be a “quid pro quo” God. Yes, your seeds are buried, but deep within the bank accounts of these “prophets for profit.” Money has even captured their hearts, and now they preach a wealth-gospel, which is really no gospel at all (Gal 1:6-9), one even saying, “Speak to your wallet.”


Repossession
A friend of mine who began his own prison ministry retired from the aircraft industry with a decent amount of money, but he was constantly worrying about his 401K dipping or losing value in the market, or worried about his house that needed repairs, or…just fill in the blank. He later admitted that it sometimes kept him awake at night just as our financial woes can keep us up at night, but when my friend came to understand that all he had was not his own, he began to bless others with it. His heart was repossessed by the Spirit of God. The Spirit had convicted him of his tight-fisted lifestyle.

He wouldn’t say it openly, but later he admitted he had done everything except bow down to the dollar. Instead of him owning money, the money owned him. It became his taskmaster. It became his chairman of the board which drove most of his decisions. After hearing a message about the Parable of the Good Stewards (Luke 16:1-13), he repented and began his own wealth-redistribution program, helping those who genuinely needed it, and funding ministries that reach out to prisoners, nursing home residents, and the homeless. Today he is an ordained minister, but only because his heart was repossessed by the Spirit of God which caused him to resign as chair of his own board.

Conclusion
Most of us are not in a position to worry about our wealth taking over our hearts, however any of us can covet. Of course we can’t stereotype rich people because many are very generous, but we are all at risk for coveting. That’s the one thing that got Paul. He wrote, “sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead” (Rom 7:8), but the law is not the problem. We should strive to obey the law while recognizing we’re not saved by the law (Gal 3), but Paul emphasizes that “if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin.

For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet” (Rom 7:7), so we should begin with prayer when we are in need, and make sure we know the difference between needs and wants. James wrote, “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask” (James 4:2).
 
Who are you 'In Christ?'
In The Lord Jesus Christ - I am secure... nothing can separate me from His Love!

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution,
or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all
the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him that loved us.

For I am persuaded,
that neither death,
nor life, nor angels,
nor principalities, nor powers,
nor things present,
nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us
from the love of God, which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:35-9 KJV

__________________

... I am now a citizen of Heaven!

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;

Philippians 3:20 NASB

__________________

... I can live without fear

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7 KJV

__________________

"We don't change the message, the message changes us."

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.
 
“Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee.”

Isaiah 41:9

If we have received the grace of God in our hearts, its practical effect has been to make us God's servants. We may be unfaithful servants, we certainly are unprofitable ones, but yet, blessed be his name, we are his servants, wearing his livery, feeding at his table, and obeying his commands. We were once the servants of sin, but he who made us free has now taken us into his family and taught us obedience to his will. We do not serve our Master perfectly, but we would if we could. As we hear God's voice saying unto us, “Thou art my servant,” we can answer with David, “I am thy servant; thou hast loosed my bonds.”

But the Lord calls us not only his servants, but his chosen ones — “I have chosen thee.” We have not chosen him first, but he hath chosen us. If we be God's servants, we were not always so; to sovereign grace the change must be ascribed. The eye of sovereignty singled us out, and the voice of unchanging grace declared, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” Long ere time began or space was created God had written upon his heart the names of his elect people, had predestinated them to be conformed unto the image of his Son, and ordained them heirs of all the fulness of his love, his grace, and his glory. What comfort is here!

Has the Lord loved us so long, and will he yet cast us away? He knew how stiffnecked we should be, he understood that our hearts were evil, and yet he made the choice. Ah! our Saviour is no fickle lover. He doth not feel enchanted for awhile with some gleams of beauty from his church's eye, and then afterwards cast her off because of her unfaithfulness. Nay, he married her in old eternity; and it is written of Jehovah, “He hateth putting away.” The eternal choice is a bond upon our gratitude and upon his faithfulness which neither can disown.
 
Pumpkin Christianity


"What is it like to be a Christian?"

It's like being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off you that may have gotten on you from the ground and other pumpkins. Then He cuts the top off and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc., then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see."


God Picks Us From The Patch:

"But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." John 12:32

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:44

For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession." Deuteronomy 7:6

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Colossians 3:12


He Washes Us Off And Cleans Out Our Insides:

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. Matthew 23:27

"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." Psalm 51:7

"as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:12

"Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes material for the silversmith." Proverbs 25:4

"I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities." Isaiah 1:25


He Puts A New Face On Us:

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10


He Puts A Light Inside Us For The Whole World To See:

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

So the next time you are carving a pumpkin remember all that God has done for you and continues to do through you!
 
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