Just sharing.

[beensetfree]

“My sister, my spouse.”

Song of Solomon 4:12

Observe the sweet titles with which the heavenly Solomon with intense affection addresses his bride the church. “My sister, one near to me by ties of nature, partaker of the same sympathies. My spouse, nearest and dearest, united to me by the tenderest bands of love; my sweet companion, part of my own self.

My sister, by my Incarnation, which makes me bone of thy bone and flesh of thy flesh; my spouse, by heavenly betrothal, in which I have espoused thee unto myself in righteousness. My sister, whom I knew of old, and over whom I watched from her earliest infancy; my spouse, taken from among the daughters, embraced by arms of love, and affianced unto me for ever. See how true it is that our royal Kinsman is not ashamed of us, for he dwells with manifest delight upon this two-fold relationship.

We have the word “my” twice in our version; as if Christ dwelt with rapture on his possession of his Church. “His delights were with the sons of men,” because those sons of men were his own chosen ones. He, the Shepherd, sought the sheep, because they were his sheep; he has gone about “to seek and to save that which was lost,” because that which was lost was his long before it was lost to itself or lost to him. The church is the exclusive portion of her Lord; none else may claim a partnership, or pretend to share her love. Jesus, thy church delights to have it so!

Let every believing soul drink solace out of these wells. Soul! Christ is near to thee in ties of relationship; Christ is dear to thee in bonds of marriage union, and thou art dear to him; behold he grasps both of thy hands with both his own, saying, “My sister, my spouse.” Mark the two sacred holdfasts by which thy Lord gets such a double hold of thee that he neither can nor will ever let thee go. Be not, O beloved, slow to return the hallowed flame of his love.

 

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Bible Verses To Help You Spot Apostasy Or Heresies



It’s getting more difficult to spot apostasy and heresies but these Bible verses should help.

Growing Apostasy
Since apostasy seems to be on the increase and false teachers are even more deceptive, how might we recognize it when we see, hear, or read it? The Bible and the Holy Spirit are our greatest weapons in discerning the false from the true and the satanic teachers from the biblically sound teachers. One man comes to mind when I think of biblically sound. It’s the late Dr. J. Vernon McGee and his Through the Bible Ministries.

This man takes us through the Bible in five years, expositing the Scriptures verse by verse. This guarantees the proper context of Scripture, but false teachers rip texts out of context to create a false pretext, and millions are being deceived. To claim one verse as a proof text is like taking one line out of a book and declaring it as being reflective of the author’s thinking. This is why the Apostle Paul warned us that there were “false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you” (Gal 2:4-5).

These satanic teachers want to make the gospel an equation like this: Jesus + something = salvation, when it is truly Christ alone which saves (Acts 4:12). Paul was spot on by writing that “the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Tim 4:3-4). I believe that time has come.

Prophesied to Come
Even before Jesus’ earthly ministry was completed, He warned that “false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand” (Matt 24:24-25). So too did the Apostle Peter know it was coming, writing that “false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed” (2 Pet 2:1-2). The Apostle Paul knew this was coming, perhaps receiving this knowledge as a direct revelation from the Spirit, writing that “the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared” (1 Tim 4:1-2). These “later times” have arrived. That’s why Jude had to write his epistle.

He was already contending for the faith once delivered in his own life time. Jude wrote, “Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:3-4). Jude intended to write about their salvation, but something more pressing came along. It was a perverted gospel being subtly brought in. Notice they “have crept in unnoticed.” Obviously, if they’d been noticed, they’d have been put out of the church, so that’s how deceptive they are.

A Different Gospel
Any gospel that does not include the need for repentance and faith, the very same gospel Jesus Christ introduced (Mark 1:15), is no gospel at all. This is the very reason Paul wrote that “even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed” (Gal 1:8-9). In many cases, it was that way in ancient Judah, where “Both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in my house I have found their evil, declares the LORD” (Jer 23:11). It had become so bad in society that the true prophets were imprisoned or killed and the false prophets were prophesying that all was good and that there was a bright future for Israel when actually impending destruction was coming.

God says woe to those “who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD” (Prov 17:15), and even worse, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah 5:20)! Heresies can sometimes be hard to spot because even Satan’s ministers can appear to be pure and wholesome teachers of the Word of God, but this should not surprise us because “even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor 11:14). If Satan himself can appear to be an angel of light, then it’s not surprising that millions are being deceived.

Conclusion
The real gospel includes the necessity for repentance, faith, teaching on holiness, sanctification, and growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord our God. Studying the Word of God with the aid of the Spirit of God helps clarify the ungodly teachings of the enemy. The best wat to spot heresy is to know the truth and the truth is found in the Word of God. Knowing the Word of God will help more than anything in spotting the phony or false gospels out there, and those who peddle it, and some family members end up driving a $200,000 Lamborghini. If you know someone who is falling into error, I hope you’ll share these Scriptures with them. Maybe it can help them spot the heresies and avoid believing a lie. The Devil is a liar, so what would you expect from the father of lies?

 

[beensetfree]

Mirror, Mirror... When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:11,12 NIV __________________ For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who observes his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer that forgets but a doer that acts, he shall be blessed in his doing. James 1:23-35 RSV __________________ But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 NASB __________________ Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as he is. 1 John 3:2 RSV __________________ 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.

 

[beensetfree]

“Thy love is better than wine.”

Song of Solomon 1:2

Nothing gives the believer so much joy as fellowship with Christ. He has enjoyment as others have in the common mercies of life, he can be glad both in God's gifts and God's works; but in all these separately, yea, and in all of them added together, he doth not find such substantial delight as in the matchless person of his Lord Jesus. He has wine which no vineyard on earth ever yielded; he has bread which all the corn-fields of Egypt could never bring forth. Where can such sweetness be found as we have tasted in communion with our Beloved?

In our esteem, the joys of earth are little better than husks for swine compared with Jesus, the heavenly manna. We would rather have one mouthful of Christ's love, and a sip of his fellowship, than a whole world full of carnal delights. What is the chaff to the wheat? What is the sparkling paste to the true diamond? What is a dream to the glorious reality? What is time's mirth, in its best trim, compared to our Lord Jesus in his most despised estate? If you know anything of the inner life, you will confess that our highest, purest, and most enduring joys must be the fruit of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.

No spring yields such sweet water as that well of God which was digged with the soldier's spear. All earthly bliss is of the earth earthy, but the comforts of Christ's presence are like himself, heavenly. We can review our communion with Jesus, and find no regrets of emptiness therein; there are no dregs in this wine, no dead flies in this ointment. The joy of the Lord is solid and enduring. Vanity hath not looked upon it, but discretion and prudence testify that it abideth the test of years, and is in time and in eternity worthy to be called “the only true delight.” For nourishment, consolation, exhilaration, and refreshment, no wine can rival the love of Jesus. Let us drink to the full this evening.

 

[beensetfree]

7 Ways to Reach the ‘Nones’ for Jesus



In my previous post I shared 6 Reasons Why the ‘Nones’ Are Walking Away From Church. In today’s post I want to share some hope and a way forward. For too long the church has wrung its hands in despair without taking definitive steps forward to reach the Nones. Last time I checked, the Nones are included in the “all nations” Jesus commands his followers to go and make disciples of in Matthew 28:19-20. So how can we effectively begin to reach the Nones?

1. Live authentically. This counters the moral reason causing Nones to walk away from church, wher people believe suffering disproves the existence of God. Don’t hide our pain, don’t be plastic. Don’t project that following God removes pain and suffering, but show verbally and visibly how Jesus is greater even through your suffering. One thing is certain: pain and suffering is here to stay this side of heaven. Do we allow it to ‘disprove’ the existence of God, or do we intentionally change (not just with words but with our lives) the narrative? Why did Paul talk so much about suffering being so central to the spread of the gospel? Jesus brought life through his suffering.

2. Change the way we talk about the Bible. This counters the “biblical” reason where people believe the Bible is the basis of our religion, and people have questions about the Bible. This isn’t a theological issue where we doubt the inspiration or authority of Scripture. It’s a branding issue. Why do some Baptist churches take out “Baptist” out of their name? Because of the negative connotations many outsiders have with the word Baptist, and because one bad “Baptist” church can ruin the experience all the others. In much the same way, the word “Bible” is the new “Baptist”.

The problem isn’t what the Bible says, it’s what else the Bible says. When insiders think Bible, we think John 3:16. Outsiders read Leviticus 24:15-17 where God commands the Israelites to stone anyone to death who blasphemes the Name. Or how about Joshua 6 where God commands Joshua to take the city of Jericho and kill every living thing inside? If you’re raised in church, you get the nuance: “hey, that’s the Old Testament, that was a different covenant, it makes sense in the times and culture of the day.” People on the outside don’t get the nuance. They just see God ordering genocide and say, “no thanks.”

So, one of the things I intentionally try and do when I preach is not say the word “Bible.” Is it because I don’t believe in the Bible? Of course not! It’s because there is so much misinformation out there that the word Bible has become a loaded word. Definitions can change even though the word remains the same. 50 years ago, if you said someone was “gay”, you would have implied that the person was happy and carefree. 50 years later, saying someone is “gay” means something totally different.
So, instead of saying “the Bible says,” I say things like “here’s what Paul wrote,” “here’s what Mark said,” “here’s what Luke recorded.” It’s still the Bible, just approached from a different angle. The other thing to note here is that when people say they have a problem with the Bible, they usually mean they have a problem with something recorded in the Old Testament. Here’s what the early Christians did: they believed in Jesus first, then they appreciated and revered the Old Testament because Jesus appreciated and revered the Old Testament.

So rather than trying to spend all my time “defending the Bible,” I spend my time trying to help people encounter Jesus, and the whole Old Testament and Bible thing comes naturally afterwards. The other reason this is important is because if we make the Bible the basis of Christianity, then if someone can poke a hole of doubt into one part of the Bible, then it all comes crashing down like a house of cards. That’s what the college biology professor tries to do with evolution. If he can get you to doubt the creation story in Genesis, then you have to doubt everything, and therefore God is a myth.


In reality, our religion isn’t based on a book, it’s based on an event in human history. Point people to Jesus, point people to the resurrection. If someone tries to cast down on an obscure passage in the Old Testament, that has nothing to do with the resurrection of Jesus. And by the way, it also gives us a better reason to believe the Old Testament, because Jesus believed the Old Testament, and again, if someone can prophesy their own death and resurrection and then pull it off, I just go with whatever he says.

3. Make church irresistible. This counters the experiential reason people walk away from church because they had a bad church experience. It’s why we spend time and money having a nice building, with central air and heating, why we decorate the lobby for Christmas, why we have people greeting in the parking lots. When people come to church for the first time, they assume they’ll walk in, be anonymous, no one will talk to them, the music will be old and outdated and the preaching will be boring. When we exceed their expectations, we give them a reason to come back.

4. Assume they’re in the room. This counters the lack of comfort reason where people feel out of place and unwelcome at church. We don’t want to be as confusing as a conference on Medical Nanotechnology. When I preach I try and talk to those who might not believe that are in the room. I anticipate what their pushback might be and attempt to tackle some of their questions head on. Another way to assume they’re in the room is to avoid insider language. What do you think an outsider thinks when she walks in new to church and hears, “We are getting washed in the blood of the lamb,” “You need to be justified, sanctified and glorified in Jesus,” “Are you a 4-part or 5-part Calvinist?” Assume they’re in the room, and welcome them and speak to them accordingly.

5. Don’t “go” to church. Be a family. This counters the relational reason where people come looking for community and we give them a program. It’s why the most important thing a church does isn’t its worship services. It’s small groups or community life. People don’t need another program. They need a family. How is your church being the body, being a family in the everyday lives of its members?

6. Make it practical. This counters the relevance reason where people don’t see the church as relevant or important. Have you ever walked out of a church and had no idea how to apply what you just learned? If I ever went to a horse riding school, how practical would it be if I merely sat in an 8 hour lecture on the benefits of horse riding, the equipment of horse riding, and the proper technique of how to ride a horse? If I go to a horse riding school, I expect to actually ride a horse. When people do show up to church, they’re not dying to know the history of the Israelites in the 7th century BC or how the apostle John used the word agape in his letter 1 John. They’re lonely, they’re struggling, their marriage needs work, their kids are going crazy, they’re financially overwhelmed and they’re scared about the future. How are we making helping people with their practical needs?

7. Speak to their deeper needs. This also counters the relevance reason where people don’t see the church as relevant or important. The goal isn’t just to engage them with their felt needs, the ones one the surface and that are visible. It’s to speak to their deeper needs, the eternal needs God placed inside each one of us. And especially for those not in a crisis, where life is treating them fairly well, this is our way to speak into them. As Americans, we live in one of the wealthiest parts of the world. We’ve got shopping, we’ve got healthcare, we’ve got 3 cars, 2.5 kids and a timeshare on the beach. Why do we need church? How do you reach the affluent? Here are four deeper needs that is your strategic invitation to those on the outside.

• Know God – People have this innate desire to know their Creator. God placed eternity in the hearts of mankind. That’s what Sunday worship experiences are designed to help people do.
• Find Freedom – People want to be free. Freedom happens together. The best way to help people be free is to have a vibrant small group ministry.
• Discover Purpose – People want to know why they exist, that they are created on purpose for a purpose.
• Make a Difference – People want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. People don’t just want to volunteer. They want to be a Difference Maker.

 

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Putting Away Fleshly Lusts The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Romans 13:12-14 NIV __________________ And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:24,25 KJV __________________ For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:6-8 NASB __________________ 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.

 

[beensetfree]

“Serve the Lord with gladness.”

Psalm 100:2

Delight in divine service is a token of acceptance. Those who serve God with a sad countenance, because they do what is unpleasant to them, are not serving him at all; they bring the form of homage, but the life is absent. Our God requires no slaves to grace his throne; he is the Lord of the empire of love, and would have his servants dressed in the livery of joy. The angels of God serve him with songs, not with groans; a murmur or a sigh would be a mutiny in their ranks.

That obedience which is not voluntary is disobedience, for the Lord looketh at the heart, and if he seeth that we serve him from force, and not because we love him, he will reject our offering. Service coupled with cheerfulness is heart-service, and therefore true. Take away joyful willingness from the Christian, and you have removed the test of his sincerity. If a man be driven to battle, he is no patriot; but he who marches into the fray with flashing eye and beaming face, singing, “It is sweet for one's country to die,” proves himself to be sincere in his patriotism.

Cheerfulness is the support of our strength; in the joy of the Lord are we strong. It acts as the remover of difficulties. It is to our service what oil is to the wheels of a railway carriage. Without oil the axle soon grows hot, and accidents occur; and if there be not a holy cheerfulness to oil our wheels, our spirits will be clogged with weariness. The man who is cheerful in his service of God, proves that obedience is his element; he can sing,

“Make me to walk in thy commands,
’Tis a delightful road.”


Reader, let us put this question—do you serve the Lord with gladness? Let us show to the people of the world, who think our religion to be slavery, that it is to us a delight and a joy! Let our gladness proclaim that we serve a good Master.

 

[beensetfree]

Is Being “Slain In The Spirit” Biblical?



Have you heard someone say, they were slain in the Spirit? What does this mean? Is it from Scripture?
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is not a force or a power of God, but God Himself as the Third Person in the Trinity, as there is also God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit, but why is the Holy Spirit called “the Holy Spirit?” Why isn’t He called “the Spirit of God,” or as He is sometimes referred to, the “Spirit?” Why shouldn’t it be God the Holy Father and God the Holy Son since the Holy Spirit is also God? Both the Father and the Son are also without sin, and therefore holy. I believe it is because the Holy Spirit helps us to live holier lives than we could without Him. He convicts us when we have sinned; He prompts us to do something good for someone when we would not otherwise do it; and He helps us pray when we don’t even know what to say. He makes us holier in our thinking, living, and speech. Although we are made righteous by Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:21), the Holy Spirit is our Counselor and helps us to know what to say and when to say it. All Three Persons of the Trinity are holy, but it is the Holy Spirit that quickened us to new life (Eph 2:1-2), and gives us the power to choose the right. He abides in us to make us more holy.

Led by the Spirit
There are phrases like walking in the Spirit (Gal 5:16-25), praying in the Spirit (Eph 6:18), having the power of the Spirit (Acts 1:8), being led by the Spirit (Gal 5:18), and being filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18), but I know nothing of being slain in the Spirit. I know we can grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:19), but that’s usually from sin, but we know that every child of God has the Holy Spirit living in them (1 Cor 2:12, 6:19), so the only thing that’s been slain is the old man (hopefully), although he does like to come back to life at times. There are many cases where people had an encounter with an angel of God or God Himself and they fainted and fell to the ground as though dead (Num 22:31; 2 Chron 5:14; Ezk 3:23, 43:2-3, 44:4; Matt 17:6; John 18:6; Acts 9:3-4; Rev 1:17), but this was not being slain the Spirit. It had nothing to do with the Holy Spirit. It had to do with their encounter with God or an angel of God which would cause anyone to fall on their face! That is not an act of the Spirit but a human reaction to the holiness of God or His holy angels.

Slain in the Spirit
The most frequent occurrence of being “slain in the Spirit” might be when a preacher or evangelist touches a person and that causes them to be “slain in the Spirit.” It’s also been referred to as “falling in the Spirit” or “resting in the Spirit,” because many who are supposedly “slain,” fall to the floor. They might be “resting” to the point that they look dead. When someone is touched by some minister, the person they touched might start shaking all over and begin to lose control of their body. Some may even fall to the ground and appear as dead, but my question is this: Is this a real supernatural work of God, or is it the work of demonic spirits? Only God knows, but I couldn’t find this particular phrase (slain in the Spirit) being used in the Bible, nor could I find any such occurrences of the same thing or similar things happening in the Bible, and I searched many different translations. It just doesn’t appear that this happened in the New Testament church. A few fell as though dead in the presence of God or an angel, but some actually did die, like Ananias Sapphira (Acts 5) who lied to the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion
I haven’t even mentioned being “drunk in the Spirit,” because it’s obviously unbiblical. The Bible tells us to be sober minded and not be drunk with wine, but never does the Bible say to be “drunk in the Spirit.” Some were accused of being drunk after they spoke in many different languages (Acts 2:13), but the Apostle Peter corrects them, so being “drunk in the Spirit” is not biblical but of human origin. If you see or experience someone being “slain in the Spirt,” you know that it can only come from one of two sources. One may be from the God of heaven Who can do as He pleases, but the other may be from demonic influences.

Only God knows, but the absence of such occurrences in the Biblical record leads me to believe that the vast majority of these things are not the normative, and they are not found in the Bible, therefore, they are not from God. They do not glorify God, but often they glorify the minister who is slaying someone in the Spirit. To me, that’s very problematic. God gives His Spirit to those who obey Him and He is the One Who initiates the Spirits indwelling of a person, so the minister cannot think that He can dispense the potent powers of the Holy Spirit, or dispense the Holy Spirit Himself at his whim or command. That’s spiritual arrogance. That is what God Himself does. This is reserved for Him and Him alone, and He does it as He wills, not the minister commands.

 

[beensetfree]

ays. ==> Do THIS once daily to eliminate JOINT PAIN (takes less than 1 minute)

All good gifts come from Him! Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? Romans 2:4 NIV __________________ For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Romans 1:20 KJV __________________ He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness. Acts 14:17 NASB __________________ For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. Romans 8:24,25 NASB __________________ 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.

 

[beensetfree]

“In my flesh shall I see God.”

Job 19:26

Mark the subject of Job's devout anticipation “I shall see God.” He does not say, “I shall see the saints” — though doubtless that will be untold felicity — but, “I shall see God.” It is not — “I shall see the pearly gates, I shall behold the walls of jasper, I shall gaze upon the crowns of gold,” but “I shall see God.” This is the sum and substance of heaven, this is the joyful hope of all believers. It is their delight to see him now in the ordinances by faith.

They love to behold him in communion and in prayer; but there in heaven they shall have an open and unclouded vision, and thus seeing “him as he is,” shall be made completely like him. Likeness to God — what can we wish for more? And a sight of God — what can we desire better? Some read the passage, “Yet, I shall see God in my flesh,” and find here an allusion to Christ, as the “Word made flesh,” and that glorious beholding of him which shall be the splendour of the latter days.

Whether so or not it is certain that Christ shall be the object of our eternal vision; nor shall we ever want any joy beyond that of seeing him. Think not that this will be a narrow sphere for the mind to dwell in. It is but one source of delight, but that source is infinite. All his attributes shall be subjects for contemplation, and as he is infinite under each aspect, there is no fear of exhaustion. His works, his gifts, his love to us, and his glory in all his purposes, and in all his actions, these shall make a theme which will be ever new.

The patriarch looked forward to this sight of God as a personal enjoyment. “Whom mine eye shall behold, and not another.” Take realizing views of heaven's bliss; think what it will be to you. “Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty.” All earthly brightness fades and darkens as we gaze upon it, but here is a brightness which can never dim, a glory which can never fade—“I shall see God.”

 

[beensetfree]

The Wisdom of Spiritual Reflection
Proverbs 9:1-18


We see in this chapter, that the way of wisdom serves certain tasks. This picture is of preparing for a guest to enter a home for a banquet.

She builds (Proverbs 9:1)

She carves out (Proverbs 9:1)

She prepares (Proverbs 9:2)

She mixes (Proverbs 9:2)

She sets (Proverbs 9:2)

She sends out (Proverbs 9:3)

She calls out (Proverbs 9:3)

These seven actions describe the invitation that wisdom gives. God invites us to Himself to receive the wisdom we need. He invites us to examine ourselves. The main idea is that there are two ways in life. There is the way of folly that leads to death. There is also the way of wisdom. God invites us to follow His way – the way of wisdom. This wisdom comes from self-reflection.

Solomon wrote these sets of proverbs. The message of the book is all about wisdom that one learns from experiencing God in one’s life. Proverbs 9:10, similar to Proverbs 1:7 which summarizes the book.

““The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10, CSB)

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.” (Proverbs 1:7, CSB)

The purpose of the “fear of God” is skilled living that comes from insight into life and God. The “fear of the Lord” is actually respect for God.

Dr. Tony Evans spoke about wisdom and its relationship to knowledge and understanding.

Wisdom requires knowledge and understanding. Just like it takes both a man and a woman to come together and form a new baby when knowledge gets married to understanding, it has a baby, and that baby is called wisdom. When knowledge, the true nature of a thing, meets understanding, which is the enlightened purpose of that truth, a baby is born and it is called wisdom.1

God’s wisdom calls out to me. I can experience this wisdom in various ways. Wisdom is presented as a person from whom one can learn. Many scholars consider Wisdom from Proverbs as the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. So Wisdom comes from the Holy Spirit. While we may be speaking of wisdom as a person in this passage, let us be reminded that the Holy Spirit is the source of that wisdom. The Holy Spirit provides insight that I can use to live life the way that God intended.

What are the benefits of following the insight that comes from respecting God?

Seeing the benefits of following God and His ways comes from experience in life. At times, it is important to sit down and evaluate where my life is and where my life is going? Here, in this section of Proverbs, we are presented with four questions I can ask myself. I urge you to consider these four questions as you end this year and begin a new year. Take a simple self-reflection quiz to see where you have been and where you are going.

FOUR QUESTIONS TO ASK IN SELF-REFLECTION
The first question one asks in self-reflection is:

“How can I improve my life?”
“The one who corrects a mocker will bring abuse on himself; the one who rebukes the wicked will get hurt. Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke the wise, and he will love you. Instruct the wise, and he will be wiser still; teach the righteous, and he will learn more.” (Proverbs 9:7–9, CSB)

The path to improvement is the cycle of practice and correction. One of the best ways to improve my life and make my experience in life much happier is to work on things that prevent me from achieving that contentment and happiness. Correction is one such way to see improvement. The problem is that many people don’t like to be correct. They are represented here in Proverbs 9 by the scoffer or mocker.

A scoffer or mocker is someone who never accepts correction. He thinks other people need his opinions. He is easily offended. He is above other people. If he feels threatened, he scoffs, mocks, mouths off, and denigrates.

Yet, if one wants to improve, you have to allow yourself to be corrected and instructed. Instruction includes the act of correction. There are two tools God uses to correct me in my life? First, He brings people in my life to help me grow through correction.

No one likes correction. Yet at some point, everyone will be corrected by someone. Parents will correct children. Managers will correct employees. People in the church will correct one another. Friends will correct friends. This proverb shows the response to correction. The response has nothing to do with whether one needs correction. (The fact is one needs to be corrected from time to time). Correction is necessary to grow as a Christian. In other words, if I want to be a better Christian, I need to learn how better to respond to correction.

There are two basic ways to respond. I can respond negatively and with an insulting tone. As my wife always says: “The tone makes the music.” In other words, it is not what you say, but how you say it. How do I respond to someone who corrects me? Do I mock them? Do I act like I hate them? This is the improper response. The better response is to be wise. Correction is one way of learning. One may not like the method, but correction will grow you in right living. Learning to handle correction properly will help you in the long run. Ask yourself: “What is God teaching me through this experience?”

A second lesson to learn is that the way a person responds says more about the person than about the one giving correction.

HOW SHOULD I RESPOND TO CORRECTION?2​

1. Correction is wisdom. Learn from it.
2. God is using the person who corrects you. So respect the person even if I don’t like how I am being corrected.

1. If I have a problem with correction, do some reflection and self-examination. My attitude reflects what is wrong on the inside.
2. Get better at what I do so that I don’t need to be corrected. It is easier to learn from encouragement than correction.

A second tool that God uses to correct me is the Bible itself. God uses God’s Word to teach us to improve ourselves so that as Christians, we are able to enjoy life. The goal is to be complete, but that only happens when I accept the teaching, the rebuking, the correcting, and the training that comes from hearing and obeying God’s Word.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, CSB)

“But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22, CSB)

If I am willing to listen to God’s word and obey it, then I will be able to see improvement in my life. This is why a daily Bible reading plan is so important. You can choose so many Bible reading plans on the internet, or use a variety of apps. The point is to choose a consistent plan of reading the Bible, and start to allow the Bible to instruct and correct you.

The second question I can ask myself in self-reflection is:

“How can I enrich my life?”
“For by me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, you are wise for your own benefit….”” (Proverbs 9:11–12, CSB)

The first question asks about things I can do to improve my life. This question is different because it asks what I can do to make my life full and abundant.

“A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” (John 10:10, CSB)




I can enrich my life. This takes not just instruction and correction, but experience. Positive experiences in my life will help enrich my life. Even negative and difficult experiences have the ability to enrich my life. They belong in my self-reflection. So ask yourselves what experiences you want to have this year to enrich yourself and make it a more fuller, better life. What does that look like for you? Does it mean more time with your family? Does it mean spending more time with those in your church family?


The Holy Spirit through His wisdom sets out a table that not just bread and water. He sets out a feast, with servants, and an ability to enjoy life. God invites you to join Him in this adventure called your life. Ask yourself what will you do to enjoy your life? What experiences will you undertake? What will you ask God this new year to help you experience life and live it fully?

The third question I can ask myself in self-reflection is:

“What sins and dangers do I need to avoid?”
““Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!” To the one who lacks sense, she says,” (Proverbs 9:16, CSB)

It is our inexperience that leads us to sin and danger most often. While I should listen to wisdom, many times, I choose to do what I want even when it has consequences. While the first part of Proverbs 9:11-12 says that I can follow the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, the scoffer runs the risk of bearing the consequences of sin and danger.

“…if you mock, you alone will bear the consequences.”” (Proverbs 9:12, CSB)

Many times, sin is learned because I choose not to obey God. I choose a form of independence without God that does not bring freedom, Instead, like the Woman Folly, it can lead to a life of slavery that can destroy my life. While wisdom waits for me to follow it’s instruction, folly tempts me. My inexperience leads me to allow sin to tempt me to disobey God and do things in life that ultimately hurt myself and other people.

“But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.” (Proverbs 9:18, CSB)

In his epic poems, Homer talked about the island where sirens—beautiful women with beautiful voices—sang. So melodic and haunting were their voices that sailors would head toward their island only to dash their ships on the rocks and perish in the process. Determined to hear the sirens without perishing, Ulysses commissioned a ship to sail to the isle of the sirens. Approaching the island, he instructed the sailors to put wax in their ears and to tie him securely to the mast. I see that tendency in myself sometimes. I know certain things are wrong, so I bind myself with the cords of legalism, rules, and regulations to keep me from doing them. But there’s a better way…

A second Greek hero wanted to sail past the island of the sirens. He was a talented musician named Orpheus. When his ship approached the island of the sirens, the sailors steered toward it. But when he took out his flute and began to play, so beautifully did he play that the sailors became so fascinated by his song that they lost interest in the song of the sirens and sailed by safely.

Who is our Orpheus? Jesus Christ. Therefore, we don’t have to bind ourselves or others with rules and regulations. The fear of the Lord is to love Him, to hear His song so clearly that the siren song of sin is drowned out completely.3

The path of sin and danger is the path that Folly in this Proverbs tempts me to follow. It leads to death. That is what Sheol represents here. Death without the presence of God. Even as a Christian, I can allow sin to tempt me. I can allow my freedom in Christ to lead me to dangerous places and ways. So one way I can spend time in helpful self-reflection is to identify the sins in my life that I need to stop. I need to identify the dangers in my life that can prevent me from following God. We all have them. The question is when am I going to allow the Holy Spirit to help me defeat and overcome the sins and avoid the dangers in my life.

There is a fourth question one can ask in self-reflection:

“How do I make my life more significant?”
“Leave inexperience behind, and you will live; pursue the way of understanding.” (Proverbs 9:6, CSB)

“Leave your impoverished confusion and live! Walk up the street to a life with meaning.”” (Proverbs 9:6, The Message)

Insight in life brings about significance in life. In the immortal words of Mr. Spock, to “live long and prosper.” The word here means to learn how to be prosperous and successful. So the question asks: What am I going to do in my life to make my life count, to make it significant? This is the greatest challenge as we move into the new year.

What is the difference between improving my life, enriching my life, avoiding sin and dangers, and making my life more significant?

Improving my life, enriching my life, avoiding sin and danger all combine to make my life significant. God challenges you and me to leave inexperience behind. Make the effort to follow Him in ways that matter. What matters to God? That is what should matter to you. So ask yourself what matters to God? What discernment does He want you to use in following Him? God has given you purpose in life, if you are willing to follow Him to it. He will direct you to improve your life through correction. He will enrich your life through the obedience to His Word. He will reveal through the power of the Holy Spirit sins and dangers to avoid or overcome.

So ask yourself: What is the most significant thing that God wants you to do? Seek God and He will show you. This is the way to pursue understanding in Proverbs is to seek God.

Listen to the offer of God in His Wisdom as He says, “Come to this feast, taste of my teaching, my correction, my wisdom, and you will be prepared. You’ll be able to make good decisions; you’ll have maturity and insight, and, as a result, you’ll enjoy a long life.” Wisdom recognizes that good and bad influences are out there, but God also knows that the real power is not in the influences but in the power to discern and choose.4

 

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Today! Now! We are His beloved children Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 1 John 3:2 NIV __________________ For He says, "At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation." Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2 RSV __________________ Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 NASB __________________ And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight. Colossians 1:21,22 KJV __________________ 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.

 

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“I have prayed for thee.”

Luke 22:32

How encouraging is the thought of the Redeemer's never-ceasing intercession for us. When we pray, he pleads for us; and when we are not praying, he is advocating our cause, and by his supplications shielding us from unseen dangers. Notice the word of comfort addressed to Peter — “Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat; but” — what? “But go and pray for yourself.” That would be good advice, but it is not so written. Neither does he say, “But I will keep you watchful, and so you shall be preserved.” That were a great blessing. No, it is, “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.”

We little know what we owe to our Saviour's prayers. When we reach the hill-tops of heaven, and look back upon all the way whereby the Lord our God hath led us, how we shall praise him who, before the eternal throne, undid the mischief which Satan was doing upon earth. How shall we thank him because he never held his peace, but day and night pointed to the wounds upon his hands, and carried our names upon his breastplate! Even before Satan had begun to tempt, Jesus had forestalled him and entered a plea in heaven. Mercy outruns malice.

Mark, he does not say, “Satan hath desired to have you.” He checks Satan even in his very desire, and nips it in the bud. He does not say, “But I have desired to pray for you.” No, but “I have prayed for you: I have done it already; I have gone to court and entered a counterplea even before an accusation is made.” O Jesus, what a comfort it is that thou hast pleaded our cause against our unseen enemies; countermined their mines, and unmasked their ambushes. Here is a matter for joy, gratitude, hope, and confidence.

 

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Traditional Wedding Vows And Their Meanings



The traditional wedding vows are packed with meaning. Read about some of these vows and what they mean.
The Bride of Christ
The church is called the Bride of Christ because she is betrothed to the Lord Jesus Christ, and someday the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, will come for His Bride and seat her at the banquet of the marriage feast of the Lamb of God. At the consummation of the marriage, the Bride will “rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready” (Rev 19:7), then the angel of the Lord will say, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God” (Rev 19:9). The Bridegroom and the Bride will be joined together in the Kingdom, reigning and ruling under Christ as kings and priests of the Most High God (Rev 1:5, 3:21, 5:10, 20:6). The church submits to Christ because He is the Head of the Church, but the church will have responsibilities in the coming Kingdom of God after the New Jerusalem descends out of heaven (Rev 21:1-4).
Who presents this woman to be married to this man?
This is basically seeking the permission of the father because that was the custom in many places around the world, and in some places, this is still the custom where the father brings his daughter to the groom. Some of the most ancient wedding vows can be traced back to the manuals of the medieval church in England.

A New Covenant
Marriage is not really a contract but a covenant, where a permanent, loving relationship is established that only death can end. That’s the way it was in the beginning when God said, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Gen 2:24). In Matthew 19:5, Jesus apparently quotes this verse, saying, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” He is to leave his old family as she is, and they both are to cleave to one another. Since they leave their “father and mother,” to begin a brand new family, the old family should not try to cleave to their children. By the children leaving their father and mother, it may also mean that their family doesn’t interfere in the children’s family.

Many divorces are the result of outside forces, much of which comes from one or both of the spouse’s families. They must leave and cleave, forsaking all others. So too, once we are born from above (John 3:3-7), must leave our old family and cleave or cling to Christ. Of course I don’t’ mean we walk out on our unbelieving family members, but we are now first and foremost, the children of God. We are under the New Covenant, established by Jesus’ sinless life, death, and resurrection (1 Cor 15:1-7), and we too must forsake all others for Him (Matt 6:33). You give up your life to save it, but if you try to save your life, you will lose it (Matt 16:24-25; Mark 8:34-35), meaning eternal life. There is no more important and greater relationship to have that having a personal, saving relationship through Jesus Christ. There is positively no other way into the kingdom (John 6:44; Acts 4:12).
I Need a Witness
Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God and in the company of these witnesses, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony. Marriage is something that should not be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, discreetly, and solemnly. If any person can show just cause as to why these two should not be joined together, let them speak now, or forever hold their peace.
Obviously, if there is just cause, then someone should speak up, but the fact is, they should have spoken up long ago if something was wrong. One example is where a man had just married some woman, but the fact was that he was already married to another woman…and another, and another! That case would be a prime example of speaking up. The fact that joining the two to become one flesh is done before God and many witnesses is important because by witnesses a thing is established (Deut 19:15; 2 Cor 13:1).

Leave and Cleave
In the first marriage ceremony it said, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Gen 2:24). The Hebrew word for cleave (“dabaq”) means: “to stick to, to join with,” or “to stay with!” It is intended to be a permanent relationship, and when it is cleaved or rent in half, both suffer loss, sorrow, and pain. Jesus spoke about marriage, saying, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Mark 10:7-8). Leaving their father and mother, they begin a new family, so the families they leave should not interfere in this new family. They must leave and be allowed to cleave to their spouse. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken,” and this is especially true when it’s about the Spirit of God.
Ring Ceremony


What token of your love do you offer?

Best man presents the ring to the groom. Bridesmaid presents the ring to the bride.
The ring is symbolic of an unbroken circle and it remains unbroken until death. It is a token of one’s love but it’s also a symbol to the world that, “This one’s taken.”
Groom places ring on bride’s finger, then, he repeats after the minister:
With this Ring….I thee wed….As I give you my hand….I give you my heart…I give it unconditionally and eternally…As I give you this ring….I give you my love, exclusively. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Bride places ring on groom’s finger, then, she repeats after the minister.
With this Ring….I thee wed….As I give you my hand….I give you my heart…I give it unconditionally and eternally…As I give you this ring….I give you my love, exclusively. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Traditional Vows
Minister (to Groom) Will you have this woman as your lawfully wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her, in sickness and in health; for richer and for poorer, forsaking all others, and keep yourself only to her, so long as you both shall live?
Groom: I do.
(Minister (to Bride) Will you have this man as your lawfully wedded husband, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honor, and keep him, in sickness and in health; for richer and for poorer, forsaking all others, and keep yourself only to him, so long as you both shall live?
Bride: I do.
[Groom and bride join hands]
What God has now joined together, let no one put asunder. And now, by the power vested in me by the state and Almighty God, I pronounce you husband and wife, and introduce to you, John and Jackie Smith. You may now kiss the bride!

Conclusion
Joining two people into holy matrimony is a very special occasion, and one that is to be unique among all earthly relationships. The only relationship that is of greater importance is having a personal relationship with God, and that is only possible through Jesus Christ. As our Lord said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44), so we must come to the Father only through Christ because “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men[c] by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

 

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Know Your Enemy Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour 1 Peter 5:8 KJV __________________ The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. Revelation 12:9 NIV __________________ No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds. 2 Corinthians 11:14,15 NASB __________________ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7 RSV __________________ 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.

 

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“I have yet to speak on God's behalf.”

Job 36:2

We ought not to court publicity for our virtue, or notoriety for our zeal; but, at the same time, it is a sin to be always seeking to hide that which God has bestowed upon us for the good of others. A Christian is not to be a village in a valley, but “a city set upon a hill;” he is not to be a candle under a bushel, but a candle in a candlestick, giving light to all. Retirement may be lovely in its season, and to hide one's self is doubtless modest, but the hiding of Christ in us can never be justified, and the keeping back of truth which is precious to ourselves is a sin against others and an offence against God.

If you are of a nervous temperament and of retiring disposition, take care that you do not too much indulge this trembling propensity, lest you should be useless to the church. Seek in the name of him who was not ashamed of you to do some little violence to your feelings, and tell to others what Christ has told to you. If thou canst not speak with trumpet tongue, use the still small voice. If the pulpit must not be thy tribune, if the press may not carry on its wings thy words, yet say with Peter and John, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee.”

By Sychar's well talk to the Samaritan woman, if thou canst not on the mountain preach a sermon; utter the praises of Jesus in the house, if not in the temple; in the field, if not upon the exchange; in the midst of thine own household, if thou canst not in the midst of the great family of man. From the hidden springs within let sweetly flowing rivulets of testimony flow forth, giving drink to every passer-by.

Hide not thy talent; trade with it; and thou shalt bring in good interest to thy Lord and Master. To speak for God will be refreshing to ourselves, cheering to saints, useful to sinners, and honouring to the Saviour. Dumb children are an affliction to their parents. Lord, unloose all thy children's tongue.

 

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Sharing the Good News about Jesus Is a Joy, Not a Burden




Isaiah 52:7 says, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness” (ESV). Here God tells us directly that as His followers, our mission is bringing everyone the “good news of happiness” about Jesus. This shouldn’t be seen as a grim duty, but as a sheer delight and a privilege for us to do so. After all, the gospel is the best news there has ever been or ever will be!
Consider these thoughts from Lesslie Newbigin (1909-1998), a British theologian, missiologist, missionary, and author:

There has been a long tradition which sees the mission of the Church primarily as obedience to a command. It has been customary to speak of “the missionary mandate.” This way of putting the matter is certainly not without justification, and yet it seems to me that it misses the point. It tends to make mission a burden rather than a joy, to make it part of the law rather than part of the gospel. If one looks at the New Testament evidence one gets another impression. Mission begins with a kind of explosion of joy.

The news that the rejected and crucified Jesus is alive is something that cannot possibly be suppressed. It must be told. Who could be silent about such a fact? The mission of the Church in the pages of the New Testament is more like the fallout from a vast explosion, a radioactive fallout which is not lethal but life-giving.
One searches in vain through the letters of St. Paul to find any suggestion that he anywhere lays it on the conscience of his readers that they ought to be active in mission. For himself it is inconceivable that he should keep silent. “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Cor. 9:16). But no where do we find him telling his readers that they have a duty to do so.

…[In] the sermon of Peter on the day of Pentecost…something is happening which prompts the crowd to come together and ask, “What is going on?” The answer of Peter is in effect a statement that what is going on is that the last day has arrived and the powers of the new age are already at work, and that this is so because of the life, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. The sermon leads up to a climax in the citing of the Psalm 110 (Acts 2:34). Jesus, whom they had crucified, is now seated at the right hand of God until all things are put under his feet. This is the reality which all human beings must henceforth take into account. The real government of the universe, the final reality which in the end confronts every human being, is the crucified and risen Jesus.


And to the question “What, then, are we to do?” the answer is “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus.” To repent is to do the U-turn of the mind which enables you to believe what is hidden from sight, the reality of the presence of the reign of God in the crucified Jesus. …To be baptized is to be incorporated into the dying of Jesus so as to become a participant in his risen life, and so to share his ongoing mission to the world. It is to be baptized into his mission.

His mission. It is of the greatest importance to recognize that it remains his mission. One of the dangers of emphasizing the concept of mission as a mandate given to the Church is that it tempts us to do what we are always tempted to do, namely to see the work of mission as a good work and to seek to justify ourselves by our works. On this view, it is we who must save the unbelievers from perishing. The emphasis of the New Testament, it seems to me, is otherwise.

Even Jesus himself speaks of his words and works as not his own but those of the Father. His teaching is the teaching of the Father, and his mighty works are the work of the Father. So also in the Synoptic Gospels, the mighty works of Jesus are the work of God’s kingly power, of his Spirit. So also with the disciples. It is the Spirit who will give them power and the Spirit who will bear witness. It is not that they must speak and act, asking the help of the Spirit to do so. It is rather that in their faithfulness to Jesus they become the place where the Spirit speaks and acts.

 

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Let us Serve Him Always! And Jesus asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied. Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." Matthew 22:20,21 NIV __________________ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:26,27 KJV __________________ "For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me" Acts 27:23 NASB Whose are you? Whom do you serve? __________________ 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.

 

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“The iron did swim.”

2 Kings 6:9

The axe-head seemed hopelessly lost, and as it was borrowed, the honour of the prophetic band was likely to be imperilled, and so the name of their God to be compromised. Contrary to all expectation, the iron was made to mount from the depth of the stream and to swim; for things impossible with man are possible with God. I knew a man in Christ but a few years ago who was called to undertake a work far exceeding his strength. It appeared so difficult as to involve absurdity in the bare idea of attempting it. Yet he was called thereto, and his faith rose with the occasion; God honoured his faith, unlooked-for aid was sent, and the iron did swim.

Another of the Lord's family was in grievous financial straits, he was able to meet all claims, and much more if he could have realized a certain portion of his estate, but he was overtaken with a sudden pressure; he sought for friends in vain, but faith led him to the unfailing Helper, and lo, the trouble was averted, his footsteps were enlarged, and the iron did swim. A third had a sorrowful case of depravity to deal with. He had taught, reproved, warned, invited, and interceded, but all in vain. Old Adam was too strong for young Melancthon, the stubborn spirit would not relent. Then came an agony of prayer, and before long a blessed answer was sent from heaven. The hard heart was broken, the iron did swim.

Beloved reader, what is thy desperate case? What heavy matter hast thou in hand this evening? Bring it hither. The God of the prophets lives, and lives to help his saints. He will not suffer thee to lack any good thing. Believe thou in the Lord of hosts! Approach him pleading the name of Jesus, and the iron shall swim; thou too shalt see the finger of God working marvels for his people. According to thy faith be it unto thee, and yet again the iron shall swim.

 

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Be Anxious For Nothing, Pray About Everything



Here’s how you can kill the anxiety by praying about everything.
Anxiety
Anxiety is described as a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about things, situations, or relationships, typically about some imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. That sounds a lot like worry to me, and Jesus commanded us not to worry, saying, “do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing” (Matt 6:25)? This imperative command includes what we eat, what we wear, and what tomorrow may bring. I heard one man say that almost 90% of what we worry about never comes to pass, and the other 10% are things we cannot change. Either way, having anxiety over these things is a great waste of energy.

If you’re worried about tomorrow and it’s still today, you’re robbing the joy out of your day and wasting it on something that’s not even here yet. Again, Jesus commands us to “not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matt 6:34). Worrying about tomorrow is like borrowing trouble with interest, but paying the note today. It’s a joy-killer. It also robs us of peace of mind. We know that worry is not good for our health, and neither does it do any good for the mind, so what’s the solution? I don’t have it…rather, it’s found in the Bible.

Anxiety to Peace
You don’t overcome anxiety by sheer human will power or positive thinking. The best way to kill the anxiety is to pray. Not just pray about the problems, but pray about everything! Anything and everything that causes you to be anxious, send it up to God in prayer. Jesus knows we try to carry our own load far too often, and so He says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt 11:28-30).

The Greek word used for “souls” is not the living, breathing soul but our minds…Jesus wants us to rest in Him, therefore, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil 4:6). Everything that concerns you is a concern of the Father, so submit it all to God and do so with a thankful heart. Either way, make sure to at least make it “known to God” and not shoulder the load yourself. Only by turning it all over to prayer can you receive “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7).

Peace through Christ
Jesus told Martha, who was anxious over the many things she had to do, that “you are anxious and troubled about many things but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42). Mary choose to focus on Christ and not on a “to do” list. The Apostle Paul tells us that “since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). That means we should not be anxious about our salvation since we are now at peace with God through Jesus Christ.

If you have made peace with God through Christ, that means “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1) anymore. You can have peace of mind and peace of heart knowing God’s wrath was placed upon Christ and not upon you, but Jesus said we must repent and believe (Mark 1:15). When that happens, we become new creations in Christ (2 Cor 5:17), and now we are seen by God as having Jesus’ very own righteousness (2 Cor 5:21). Being born again, or born from above (John 3:3-7) doesn’t make us any better than others…only better off.

Supernatural Peace
Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to worry about nothing but pray about everything. That’s the way to destroy your anxiety. We know worry is sin but most of us do it anyway, so why not confess this and put your trust in the sovereignty of God (Rom 8:28). When you’re giving thanks to God, it’s difficult to be anxious. When you’re taking every heavy load of life to Christ (Matt 11:28-30), it’s hard to be anxious, and when you’re praying to God with a thankful heart, it’s hard to be anxious. Anxiety dissolves with trust, but trust gives you peace. This God-given peace surpasses human understanding because its source is not of human origin. This peace can give us confidence despite the problems that surround us. That’s why this godly peace guards our hearts. We can’t guard our own hearts so let God’s peace rule in your hearts.

Conclusion
Even if we pray about the things that produce anxiety in us, and the things don’t change, what does change is our hearts. Circumstances may have changed, but we have. We have peace because we trust God more than our anxieties. By the way, you cannot even have the peace of God until you’ve first made peace with God, and that comes through a saving relationship through Jesus Christ. He alone can bring us to the Father (John 6:44; Acts 4:12). He alone can bear every heavy burden we have. He alone can extinguish the anxiety and replace it with the peace of God. It really is a peace that surpasses human understanding.