Just sharing.

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Faithful is He Who called you! The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:9,10 NIV ________________ Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Psalm 89:33,34 KJV ________________ The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 2 Peter 3:9-12 NASB ________________ God, Whose grace is 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.

 

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“But Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.”

Exodus 7:12

This incident is an instructive emblem of the sure victory of the divine handiwork over all opposition. Whenever a divine principle is cast into the heart, though the devil may fashion a counterfeit, and produce swarms of opponents, as sure as ever God is in the work, it will swallow up all its foes. If God's grace takes possession of a man, the world's magicians may throw down all their rods; and every rod may be as cunning and poisonous as a serpent, but Aaron's rod will swallow up their rods.

The sweet attractions of the cross will woo and win the man's heart, and he who lived only for this deceitful earth will now have an eye for the upper spheres, and a wing to mount into celestial heights. When grace has won the day the worldling seeks the world to come. The same fact is to be observed in the life of the believer. What multitudes of foes has our faith had to meet! Our old sins—the devil threw them down before us, and they turned to serpents. What hosts of them! Ah, but the cross of Jesus destroys them all. Faith in Christ makes short work of all our sins.

Then the devil has launched forth another host of serpents in the form of worldly trials, temptations, unbelief; but faith in Jesus is more than a match for them, and overcomes them all. The same absorbing principle shines in the faithful service of God! With an enthusiastic love for Jesus difficulties are surmounted, sacrifices become pleasures, sufferings are honours. But if religion is thus a consuming passion in the heart, then it follows that there are many persons who profess religion but have it not; for what they have will not bear this test. Examine yourself, my reader, on this point. Aaron's rod proved its heaven-given power. Is your religion doing so? If Christ be anything he must be everything. O rest not till love and faith in Jesus be the master passions of your soul!

 

[beensetfree]

The Cult of More



Why do we want what we already have?
I was on the subway the other day and could not help but see the phone screen of the woman sitting next to me. She was in her sixties (I would guess) and was staring at her phone as if it held the secrets to the universe. I noticed she was scrolling through a website for a certain brand and style of shoe. That’s cute, I thought. And then, in the corner of my eye, noticed she was wearing the very shoe she was looking to buy.


Spinning Plates
We are trying so hard to be satisfied. We are trying to be involved with different social groups, do our work well, buy things, make things, do things. We place our hope in our possessions and our hobbies. We search for meaning around every corner, every thought, and every action.

Sometimes it feels like I am spinning plates. You know, like those carnival acts. I pride myself in how busy I am, bragging about my lack of time like it is a merit badge. I tell people about how much I am doing as often as I lament about it, as if my commitments are holding me against my will.
It is all in an effort to feel meaningful, to feel as though I am doing something worthwhile.

More
The problem is, it isn’t working. And so, like the lady on the train, I start to think what I need is just a little more. I need one more plate or an upgraded version of the poles or whatever it is. One more thing. Piles and piles of crap.


This lady, like me, had a perfectly fine pair of shoes on. They looked brand new to me. But she was already looking for new ones. A clean start, a fresh beginning, a minor upgrade. It’s as if we believe the deep satisfaction we are longing for will happen now that we don’t have to plug in our headphones.
The obsession with more is so prevalent we don’t even notice it. We have closets bursting and so much food on our plate we habitually throw some of it away, scraping it into the garbage as if it isn’t valuable. And then we go for dessert.
Breaking these patterns is no easy task. And honestly, who wants to. I don’t, and I probably won’t. I will most likely finish writing this blog and, within 24 hours, waste food for the sake of dessert and start online shopping for more books or tickets to a sporting event. I just want one more, after all. Just one more.

 

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What a faithful God have I! I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. Deuteronomy 32:3,4 NIV ________________ He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. 1 Corinthians 1:8,9 NIV ________________ May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23,24 NIV ________________ In thy steadfast love spare my life, that I may keep the testimonies of thy mouth. For ever, O LORD, thy word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Thy faithfulness endures to all generations; thou hast established the earth, and it stands fast. Psalm 119:88-90 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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“Howbeit, in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.”

2 Chronicles 32:31

Hezekiah was growing so inwardly great, and priding himself so much upon the favour of God, that self-righteousness crept in, and through his carnal security, the grace of God was for a time, in its more active operations, withdrawn. Here is quite enough to account with the Babylonians; for if the grace of God should leave the best Christian, there is enough of sin in his heart to make him the worst of transgressors.

If left to yourselves, you who are warmest for Christ would cool down like Laodicea into sickening lukewarmness: you who are sound in the faith would be white with the leprosy of false doctrine; you who now walk before the Lord in excellency and integrity would reel to and fro, and stagger with a drunkenness of evil passion. Like the moon, we borrow our light; bright as we are when grace shines on us, we are darkness itself when the Sun of Righteousness withdraws himself.

Therefore let us cry to God never to leave us. “Lord, take not thy Holy Spirit from us! Withdraw not from us thine indwelling grace! Hast thou not said, ‘I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day’? Lord, keep us everywhere. Keep us when in the valley, that we murmur not against thy humbling hand; keep us when on the mountain, that we wax not giddy through being lifted up; keep us in youth, when our passions are strong; keep us in old age, when becoming conceited of our wisdom, we may therefore prove greater fools than the young and giddy; keep us when we come to die, lest, at the very last, we should deny thee! Keep us living, keep us dying, keep us labouring, keep us suffering, keep us fighting, keep us resting, keep us everywhere, for everywhere we need thee, O our God!”

 

[beensetfree]

What Love Is Greater?



You’ve probably read or heard about some of the greatest love stories of all time, but this one tops them all!
God Demands
No one can enter heaven on their own merits. To attempt to do so is contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are not saved by works but by a free gift of grace from God (Eph 2:8-9). Works are worthless as far as earning our salvation. They are dirty rags at best (Isaiah 64:6), and trying to keep the Law as an attempt to save oneself is also in vain since “all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them” (Gal 3:10). Our problem is that God demands perfection for all who enter the kingdom. The Apostle John wrote that “nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Rev 21:27). Even more difficult to take is Jesus saying that “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:20). Sounds humanly impossible, and in fact, it is…so how do we met the requirements of being holy so that we may enter the kingdom?

God Supplies
God demands perfection for those who enter heaven, so how do we become perfect in God’s eyes? We’ve already seen that works can’t help us. Although we do works for Hs glory (Eph 2:10), they are not for our salvation. The Apostle Paul says that you and I “were dead in the trespasses and sins” (Eph 2:1), so God had to bring us to life, spiritually speaking. Paul writes that “God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” (Eph 2:4-5). We had about the same chance of resurrecting ourselves to new life in Christ as Lazarus did; none! When we received God’s Spirit, we became “a new creation” in Christ (2 Cor 5:17a).

This effectively means, “The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor 5:17b). The new creation in Christ is all a work of God, so God supplies what He demands, and we meet those righteous requirements through Christ, because it was for our sake that God “made [Jesus Christ] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21). Now, God sees us as having the same righteousness as Jesus Christ, therefore, our righteousness does exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees….meaning, we can enter the kingdom!

Dying for Enemies
I cannot remember reading any accounts of people dying for someone who was their mortal enemies. It has only happened once in history that I know of, and it was through Jesus Christ. Someone can die for another, but that still doesn’t reconcile them to God, but the Apostle Paul tells us exactly when Jesus Christ died for us. Even though it was 2,000 years ago, it was “while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom 5:6). We’ve already read that “one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die” (Rom 5:7), but the great difference between human love and the love of God is that “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8).

Now who dies for an enemy? Would you? Would I? Probably not, so God’s grace is so amazing because even “while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life” (Rom 5:10). God, through Jesus Christ, died for us while we were still living an ungodly, wicked life. That made us natural enemies of God, so I ask: What greater love is there than to die for an ungodly, wicked enemy?

Words of Life
When Jesus’ hard sayings caused many of His disciples to leave (John 6:66), Jesus asked His disciples if they’d also leave, but the Apostle Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). Peter recognized Who Jesus was, telling Him, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt 16:16), but to keep Peter humble, and put things into a godly perspective, Jesus reminds him that “flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven” (Matt 16:17b). Peter didn’t figure it out; God called Him as He does others (John 6:44). Jesus said, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63). What Jesus told Martha, He tells all: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this” (John 11:25-26)? Do you?

Conclusion
If Jesus had not specified Lazarus by name, perhaps all that were in their graves would have been raised. That’s because Jesus, as God, has resurrection power; the power of life. He can bring to life whom He pleases, and He has brought us to life…new life in Christ…quickened by the Spirit, saved by the Son, after being called by the Father. All three Persons of the Trinity work in love and complete harmony in our salvation, so as Paul said, “ I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:6). If you’re not sure, contact me, because today is a good day to be “all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall” (2 Pet 1:10b).

 

[beensetfree]

Fear the Lord and Live! Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. Remember the day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, when he said to me, "Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere (fear) me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children." Deuteronomy 4:9,10 NIV ________________ Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in your cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD, and so wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not trespass. 2 Chronicles 19:8,9 KJV ________________ The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever; the ordinances of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Psalm 19:8-10 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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“Ah Lord God, behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.”

Jeremiah 32:17

At the very time when the Chaldeans surrounded Jerusalem, and when the sword, famine and pestilence had desolated the land, Jeremiah was commanded by God to purchase a field, and have the deed of transfer legally sealed and witnessed. This was a strange purchase for a rational man to make. Prudence could not justify it, for it was buying with scarcely a probability that the person purchasing could ever enjoy the possession.

But it was enough for Jeremiah that his God had bidden him, for well he knew that God will be justified of all his children. He reasoned thus: “Ah, Lord God! thou canst make this plot of ground of use to me; thou canst rid this land of these oppressors; thou canst make me yet sit under my vine and my fig-tree in the heritage which I have bought; for thou didst make the heavens and the earth, and there is nothing too hard for thee.”

This gave a majesty to the early saints, that they dared to do at God's command things which carnal reason would condemn. Whether it be a Noah who is to build a ship on dry land, an Abraham who is to offer up his only son, or a Moses who is to despise the treasures of Egypt, or a Joshua who is to besiege Jericho seven days, using no weapons but the blasts of rams’ horns, they all act upon God's command, contrary to the dictates of carnal reason; and the Lord gives them a rich reward as the result of their obedient faith.

Would to God we had in the religion of these modern times a more potent infusion of this heroic faith in God. If we would venture more upon the naked promise of God, we should enter a world of wonders to which as yet we are strangers. Let Jeremiah's place of confidence be ours—nothing is too hard for the God that created the heavens and the earth.

 

[beensetfree]

Are You Really Listening?



In today’s “fast-paced” culture, we often find ourselves multi-tasking — attempting to text, tweet, post, email, and carry on a conversation — all at the same time. All the while, our minds are bouncing from topic to topic, never slowing down long enough to consider who or what we are neglecting or overlooking.
“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” James 1:19

I’m sure I am not the only one who struggles in this area, who finds it difficult at times to slow down, relax, and put everything else aside to attentively listen to what others are saying. If we want to effectively respond, we must attentively listen.
If you struggle like I do, I want to challenge you to find time to slow down and apply new habits when spending time with others. God’s Word clearly reminds us how important it is to listen attentively rather than respond quickly.
“ Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.” Proverbs 18:13 (NLT)

It’s reasonable to want to be fully heard and understood. That’s why it’s important we exercise patience and withhold judgment when others are talking. And — that’s why we must resist the temptation to voice our thoughts, opinions, and resolutions before the other person has had an opportunity to finish their complete thought.
When we listen to only one side of an issue or hear only part of a thought, we fall into the trap of speculation. Which often leads to judgment and conclusions that are unwarranted and unhelpful. And — when we impatiently interrupt while others are talking, we often inappropriately respond because we haven’t thoughtfully considered or fully understood the other person’s position, idea, or situation.
There is a big difference between simply “hearing” and actually “listening.”
Is it time to fine tune your listening skills?

Practice the following 5 Steps today and become a better listener:

1. Talk to yourself:

Regularly remind yourself to “patiently listen” while others are talking.

1. Eliminate distractions:

Give others your undivided attention by taking a break from technology and eliminate anything that takes your attention away from a conversation.

1. Communicate Care:

Keep eye contact and express appropriate emotions that show you are interested in their situation or point of view.

1. Listen & Reflect:

Listen to other’s points of view and acknowledge you’ve heard them. This helps avoid misunderstandings while showing others you care about what they’ve said.

1. Ask Questions:

Ask relevant questions and make sure you fully understand the other person’s situation or point of view.

1. Memorize and Meditate on James 1:19:

Recall this scripture in the midst of every conversation and “be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.”

Genuine communication happens when we listen thoughtfully, understand fully, and respond appropriately.
What will you do today to enhance your listening skills and improve your communication with others?

 

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Living in The Fear of the Lord Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord. Acts 9:31 NIV ________________ Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1,2 NIV (Renew your mind - Memorize Scripture!) ________________ Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. 1 Peter 2:1-3 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.

 

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“The voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.”

Genesis 3:8

My soul, now that the cool of the day has come, retire awhile and hearken to the voice of thy God. He is always ready to speak with thee when thou art prepared to hear. If there be any slowness to commune it is not on his part, but altogether on thine own, for he stands at the door and knocks, and if his people will but open he rejoices to enter.

But in what state is my heart, which is my Lord's garden? May I venture to hope that it is well trimmed and watered, and is bringing forth fruit fit for him? If not, he will have much to reprove, but still I pray him to come unto me, for nothing can so certainly bring my heart into a right condition as the presence of the Sun of Righteousness, who brings healing in his wings.

Come, therefore, O Lord, my God, my soul invites thee earnestly, and waits for thee eagerly. Come to me, O Jesus, my well-beloved, and plant fresh flowers in my garden, such as I see blooming in such perfection in thy matchless character! Come, O my Father, who art the Husbandman, and deal with me in thy tenderness and prudence! Come, O Holy Spirit, and bedew my whole nature, as the herbs are now moistened with the evening dews. O that God would speak to me.

Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth! O that he would walk with me; I am ready to give up my whole heart and mind to him, and every other thought is hushed. I am only asking what he delights to give. I am sure that he will condescend to have fellowship with me, for he has given me his Holy Spirit to abide with me for ever. Sweet is the cool twilight, when every star seems like the eye of heaven, and the cool wind is as the breath of celestial love. My Father, my elder Brother, my sweet Comforter, speak now in lovingkindness, for thou hast opened mine ear and I am not rebellious.

 

[beensetfree]

Soup, Soap And Salvation



Believers can help to make the world a better place, but is that really our main goal? Is a “social gospel” biblical?
Soup
They say that if you help others to help themselves, God is pleased, and I believe He is, but to offer the soup and soap without salvation is to leave off the most important subject; the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ. If we only try to make the world a better place, but fail to share the good news with them, all we’re doing is making it a better world for them to go to hell in. It’s good to provide water wells for those who need water, but without offering the Living Water, it has no value beyond this life. Of course this doesn’t mean we do no works. Jesus Christ calls us to help the hungry, poor, sick, and in those in prison. Jesus said, “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me” (Matt 25:35-36). What they didn’t realize was what they did for others was actually the same as doing it unto Christ (Matt 25:40), so even though it’s good to help the poor and feed the hungry, unless we speak of the everlasting, sustaining Bread of Life, they will die with a full stomach but still not enter the kingdom.

Soap
The saying, “Cleanliness is next to godliness” is not from the Bible, but of course, there’s nothing wrong with being clean. That’s certainly a good thing. The Old Testament contains several laws that had to do with civil issues like waste disposal, quarantining the sick and contagious, and proper washings, but the Old Testament focus wasn’t on having the perfect society, but their living in obedience to God. God is more concerned with what’s on the inside than the outside. Jesus said that “it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person” (Matt 15:11).

Dietary laws are not what the kingdom is all about, so it’s not what we eat that defiles us, “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person” (Matt 15:18). James gives a perfect example of what comes out of the mouth, saying that “the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell” (James 3:6). It’s good to be clean, but it’s essential that we are clean inside (2 Cor 5:21). And by the way, what comes out of our mouth reveals what’s in the heart, and God alone knows the heart. He isn’t like us who look at the outside (1 Sam 16:7), but only the “Lord, who know the hearts of all” (Acts 1:24).

Salvation
The first century church took collections for the poor, primarily for the Jerusalem Christians. They had suffered so much by the time the Apostle Peter wrote his second epistle (letter), that many were starving to death, however, never did these collections take precedence over presenting the gospel. The gospel that says Jesus is our one and only hope of being saved (Acts 4:12). The early church focused on telling the lost that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:9). To confess our sins means we agree with God about our sins. They’re an offense to a holy God, and that offense can only dealt with through a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. To believe means more than just head knowledge…it means you act on that knowledge. I can believe in cars, but if I never drive one, can I say I’ve really believed in them or have trusted in them?

What Jesus said the Martha, He says to all: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this” (Matt 11:25-26)? We can help a person receive some of the essential things in life, but if we fail to mention that eternal life is found only in Christ, it is not truly the work of Christ. Tragically, Jesus Christ will say to “many,” not a few, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matt 7:23). Those works they did were useless in eternity if they did not mention Christ.

The Social Gospel
In the Book of Jude, why did he say he “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” (Jude 1:3)? It was because “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 1:4). What had happened was the “faith that was once delivered…to the saints” became a different gospel, and in time the some of the churches began to remake themselves into a social organization.

Then a “social gospel” emerged. By doing so, they hoped to attract lots of people with lots of activities, and by doing things for others, they could feel good about themselves. This may explain why some churches tend to shy away from offending people by avoiding subjects such as repentance, sin, hell, confession, and sanctification. They’re good with collecting cloths for the poor, but not so much with sharing Christ. Many churches and many Christians have now replaced the true gospel with a real-good, feel-good, man-centered message…a “me-ology” rather than a theology…and one that focuses on things and not on Christ.

Conclusion
I hope you understand what I am saying. It’s a good thing to help the poor, visit the sick, and those in prison, but if that’s all we offer, then we’ve fallen terribly short of our calling. We are to do good works, but we do them for God’s glory (Eph 2:10), not ours, and we must mention the need for repentance and faith. We are commanded to share Christ as the only hope in this world. Helping others is fine, but it’s only temporary, and it’s not the gospel. Jesus told us what the gospel is, and it’s not a social gospel. He said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).

 

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A Life Pleasing to God For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Romans 14:17-19 NIV ________________ Honor widows who are real widows. If a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn their religious duty to their own family and make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God. 1 Timothy 5:3-5 RSV ________________ And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11 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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“Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.”

Psalm 28:1

A cry is the natural expression of sorrow, and a suitable utterance when all other modes of appeal fail us; but the cry must be alone directed to the Lord, for to cry to man is to waste our entreaties upon the air. When we consider the readiness of the Lord to hear, and his ability to aid, we shall see good reason for directing all our appeals at once to the God of our salvation. It will be in vain to call to the rocks in the day of judgment, but our Rock attends to our cries.

“Be not silent to me.” Mere formalists may be content without answers to their prayers, but genuine suppliants cannot; they are not satisfied with the results of prayer itself in calming the mind and subduing the will—they must go further, and obtain actual replies from heaven, or they cannot rest; and those replies they long to receive at once, they dread even a little of God's silence. God's voice is often so terrible that it shakes the wilderness; but his silence is equally full of awe to an eager suppliant.

When God seems to close his ear, we must not therefore close our mouths, but rather cry with more earnestness; for when our note grows shrill with eagerness and grief, he will not long deny us a hearing. What a dreadful case should we be in if the Lord should become for ever silent to our prayers? “Lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.” Deprived of the God who answers prayer, we should be in a more pitiable plight than the dead in the grave, and should soon sink to the same level as the lost in hell. We must have answers to prayer: ours is an urgent case of dire necessity; surely the Lord will speak peace to our agitated minds, for he never can find it in his heart to permit his own elect to perish.

 

[beensetfree]

Focus on Changing Yourself, Not Your Partner To Find Lasting Love



What makes for a happy, fulfilled relationship? While this is a complex question that doesn’t lend itself to a quick answer, there are aspects of successful and lasting relationships that have been studied by experts and many approaches to pick from. The good news is that if you are in a relatively happy relationship, there are some simple things you can do – positive behaviors – that can make your relationship better.


While I believe it’s important to be vulnerable with your partner – to be open and reveal yourself without fear of rejection – it’s also critical to take responsibility for your own actions. While vulnerability can enhance intimacy between you and your partner, it’s important not to blame your relationship problems on negative traits that you see in them. Dr. Lisa Firestone writes, “The focus needs to shift away from how to “fix” the other person and toward a broader view of how to repair the relationship.”
A typical example is Tess and Kevin, both in their mid-forties and married for six years. “I’ve been miserable for some time,” complains Tess. “I’ve asked Kevin to be more sensitive to my needs, but he doesn’t seem to be trying. He always puts others before me.” To this Kevin says: “Tess just doesn’t accept me for who I am. She needs to be more tolerant of who I am.” The common thread in this couples statements is their focus on “fixing” their partner.

After 40 years of groundbreaking research, John Gottman has revealed seven principles that will prevent a marriage from breaking up. After reviewing his book The Seven Principles for Making a Marriage Work, I’m listing four principles that I’ve seen change the dynamic of a marriage in a positive way. Keep in mind that one of Gottman’s guiding principles for a successful marriage is the five- to-one ratio – meaning for every negative interaction in a relationship, you need five positive interactions.

1. Nurture fondness and admiration: Remind yourself of your partner’s positive qualities – even as you grapple with their flaws – and express your positive feelings out loud several times each day.

2. Let your partner influence you: Search for common ground rather than insisting on getting your way when you have a disagreement. Listen to their point of view and avoid the blame game.

3. Overcome a gridlock: Often perpetual conflicts go unresolved when we get stuck in negative patterns of relating such as the distancer-pursuer pattern – a tug-of-war where one person actively tries to change the other person, and the other resists it.

4. Create shared meaning together: Dr. Gottman found that couples who have an intentional sense of shared purpose, meaning, values; and customs for family life – such as rituals for holidays – are generally happier.
In Gottman’s acclaimed book, Why Marriages Succeed or Fail he uses a metaphor of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse (depicting the end of times in the New Testament) to elaborate on his theory of couples communication. This metaphor can be used to describe the following communication styles to depict the end of a relationship.

1. Criticism: According to Gottman, criticizing your partner is different than offering a critique or voicing a complaint. The latter two are about specific issues, whereas the former is an attack on the person. Consequently, you are cutting to the core of their character when you criticize. For instance, a complaint is: “I was worried when you were late. We agreed that you’d call when you were running late.” Versus a criticism: “You never think about me, you’re so selfish!”

2. Contempt: When you communicate in this manner, you are being disrespectful – using sarcasm, ridicule, mimicking, icy tone of voice, or name-calling. The goal is to make the person feel despised or worthless.

3. Defensiveness: We all get defensive at times – especially when a relationship is on the rocks or we feel we’re being treated unfairly. However, defensiveness is a way of blaming our partner and not taking responsibility for our own actions.

4. Stonewalling: This is when one partner shuts down or withdraws from the interaction. Unfortunately, this becomes a habit and issues that get swept under the rug are never resolved – leaving the partner who feels hurt even more resentful.
The next time you feel like making a request that your partner change, be sure to examine the part you play. Notice if you can spot any of the Four Horsemen and then observe their effects on your partner. Don’t take love for granted or expect that your partner will alter their behavior simply because you’ve asked them to. Ultimately, you are responsible for your own happiness. So next time you feel upset at your partner, check out what’s going on inside yourself – at the very least – pause and reflect before you place the blame on them.

 

[beensetfree]

Pleasing God - Serving Others Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4 NASB ________________ Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as to Christ; not in the way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to men. Ephesians 6:5-7 RSV ________________ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:39-40 NIV ________________ 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]

“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.”

2 Timothy 2:12

We must not imagine that we are suffering for Christ, and with Christ, if we are not in Christ. Beloved friend, are you trusting to Jesus only? If not, whatever you may have to mourn over on earth, you are not “suffering with Christ,” and have no hope of reigning with him in heaven. Neither are we to conclude that all a Christian's sufferings are sufferings with Christ, for it is essential that he be called by God to suffer.

If we are rash and imprudent, and run into positions for which neither providence nor grace has fitted us, we ought to question whether we are not rather sinning than communing with Jesus. If we let passion take the place of judgment, and self-will reign instead of Scriptural authority, we shall fight the Lord's battles with the devil's weapons, and if we cut our own fingers we must not be surprised. Again, in troubles which come upon us as the result of sin, we must not dream that we are suffering with Christ. When Miriam spoke evil of Moses, and the leprosy polluted her, she was not suffering for God.

Moreover, suffering which God accepts must have God's glory as its end. If I suffer that I may earn a name, or win applause, I shall get no other reward than that of the Pharisee. It is requisite also that love to Jesus, and love to his elect, be ever the mainspring of all our patience. We must manifest the Spirit of Christ in meekness, gentleness, and forgiveness. Let us search and see if we truly suffer with Jesus.

And if we do thus suffer, what is our “light affliction” compared with reigning with him? Oh it is so blessed to be in the furnace with Christ, and such an honour to stand in the pillory with him, that if there were no future reward, we might count ourselves happy in present honour; but when the recompense is so eternal, so infinitely more than we had any right to expect, shall we not take up the cross with alacrity, and go on our way rejoicing?

 

[beensetfree]

Baptized In Prison



What’s it like being baptized in prison? Why are so many getting baptized?
Set Free
Once again, I had the great joy this year of baptizing several men in a state prison. Where they had been imprisoned by the state, they have been set free by the Son. Jesus said that whoever sins is enslaved by sin, but He came to set them free. Concerning those enslaved by sin, Jesus said, “The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever” (John 8:35), so Jesus’ point is, “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). They can be freed, regardless of where they are. What sets them free…including these prisoners who have repented and trusted in Christ?

The Lord said that “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). The truth includes acknowledging our sinful state before a holy God (Rom 3:10-12); 23). The truth that we must repent and believe the gospel, as Jesus demanded (Mark 1:15), but for many of these men, they had to be broken or humbled by extreme circumstances before they saw their need for Christ, but God could not fix what was first not broken. They have discovered for themselves, and not from any human, that “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). When they drew near to God, He drew near to them. After their birth from above (John 3:3-7), they naturally wanted to be baptized, and were! They were set free and are now free to enter the kingdom.

“you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).The Veil
I once told our local police chief that, “You arrest them, we set them free,” but the truth is, salvation is fully a work of God, however, God can use us as a means to save, but it is not possible that we can save anyone by ourselves. That is a sovereign act of God (Eph 2:1-5). What’s interesting is these men are freer than many of those out in the world. The Apostle Paul says that “even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing” (2 Cor 4:3), because “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Cor 4:4).

Christians must never think they are better than others. They are not! They are only better off in regards to their relationship with God. We cannot ever boast on why God chose us, or think, “God had a good reason to save me.” It is only by His love, not ours, that we were saved (Rom 5:7-8), so there is no reason to brag about it (1 Cor 4:7). Only God can change their heart to whichever way He pleases (Prov 21:1). It wasn’t Paul’s apologetics or powerful persuasion that made Lydia believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, but “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul” (Acts 16:14). Paul didn’t convert Lydia. God did, but God did use Paul as a means to do so, and He can use you too!

Unto Christ
The only reason any ministries exist is for the glory of God. All things are unto Him (Psalm 115:1), but the things we do for others are in fact, done to Him. Jesus said, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me” (Matt 25:35-36). We know that God has placed and will appoint good works for us to do in this life (Eph 2:10), but the question is, will we do them when we opportunity meets us?

The saved who did these things didn’t even realize all that they had done, so they ask Him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you” (Matt 25:37-39). They were simply doing what Christ commanded them to do, so they weren’t keeping track of their good works. They did not let the left hand know what the right hand was doing (Matt 6:3), so Jesus tells them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matt 25:40).

It’s easy to serve others today because of the multiple numbers of charities, but in our local nursing home, less than half of the residents ever receive a visitor, although this is what James calls “pure and undefiled religion before God” (James 1:27). I must admit, my first trip into a state prison to preach to almost 100 men and staff was not easy, but once I was inside, I felt real peace about things. I knew this was meant to be, but God opened the door that I could not open. He alone can open doors to bring in the gospel, even if it’s behind prison walls. You cannot put bars around the gospel. His Word cannot be contained. It is His will to do so, so no one and nothing can stop it.

Conclusion
Several men were baptized in prison this year…maybe more will be next year, but sometimes, prison baptizes them; or their experience plunges them into the depths of despair, and the only way to look is up, but that’s exactly where they need to look (as I did). Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15), but that time is running out. That’s why today is the best of days to put your trust in Christ. Waiting only serves to harden the heart (2 Cor 6:2), so come to Him today and you can be saved…and then get baptized! Hopefully, not in prison…but even there, it’s amazing what God is doing. I’m thankful I’m along for the ride.

 

[beensetfree]

Free At Last! For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. Ezekiel 36:24-27 KJV __________________ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:17,18 NIV __________________ Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:12-14 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]

“He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.”

Psalm 24:4

Outward practical holiness is a very precious mark of grace. It is to be feared that many professors have perverted the doctrine of justification by faith in such a way as to treat good works with contempt; if so, they will receive everlasting contempt at the last great day. If our hands are not clean, let us wash them in Jesus’ precious blood, and so let us lift up pure hands unto God.

But “clean hands” will not suffice, unless they are connected with “a pure heart.” True religion is heart-work. We may wash the outside of the cup and the platter as long as we please, but if the inward parts be filthy, we are filthy altogether in the sight of God, for our hearts are more truly ourselves than our hands are; the very life of our being lies in the inner nature, and hence the imperative need of purity within. The pure in heart shall see God, all others are but blind bats.

The man who is born for heaven “hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity.” All men have their joys, by which their souls are lifted up; the worldling lifts up his soul in carnal delights, which are mere empty vanities; but the saint loves more substantial things; like Jehoshaphat, he is lifted up in the ways of the Lord. He who is content with husks, will be reckoned with the swine. Does the world satisfy thee? Then thou hast thy reward and portion in this life; make much of it, for thou shalt know no other joy.

“Nor sworn deceitfully.” The saints are men of honour still. The Christian man's word is his only oath; but that is as good as twenty oaths of other men. False speaking will shut any man out of heaven, for a liar shall not enter into God's house, whatever may be his professions or doings. Reader, does the text before us condemn thee, or dost thou hope to ascend into the hill of the Lord?