He Thought Of Everything!

Yes, God thought of everything...

 

Number one ~ God is infinite and His ways above our understanding. Therefore, overlooking or minimizing any scripture because in our comprehension or opinion it does not seem to fit, is unwise and will hinder our walk, not help it. However, setting it aside a while as you seek God and grow in your understanding of God's ways and how it fits, is wise!

 

 

Number two ~ God is thorough. He is complete in and of Himself, with no deficiencies. He created you in His image, and knows you better than you know yourself...therefore He knows your deficiencies and your needs very well. This is exactly why He wanted you to see for yourself how the Old Testament law worked, and the contrast between it and grace...so you would welcome God's grace with your whole heart! Now, won't you let Him teach you what His grace is truly all about?

 

 

 

Number three ~ God thought of everything when He created His plan for us ~ He left nothing undone! There are no contradictions, no left over pieces, and absolutely no pieces missing in His plan!

 

 

 

Have you ever put a large puzzle together and then stood way back to view it? Could you tell it was a puzzle? In my mind our lives seem like a large puzzle with many scattered pieces...and we finite humans can only see a small portion of it. 

 

 

 

 

However, when that day comes when we can stand with unveiled face and see the whole picture...it will be complete, smooth and clear, and there will be no lines, gaps or raw edges in it! It will look like it never started out as a puzzle at all!  THIS is how utterly thorough and amazing His plan is!

 

 

Number four ~ God is intimately acquainted with each person. He knows how many hairs are on your head! He is so near you that you have His undivided attention. In fact, this is why He has the ability to show you what exactly is going on even in the littlest hiding places inside your heart! He knows you very well! 

 

Matt. 10:30 Indeed, even the hairs on your head have been numbered!

Hebrews 4:12 "For God's Message is full of life and power, and is keener than the sharpest two-edged sword. It pierces even to the severance of soul from spirit, and penetrates between the joints and the marrow, and it can discern the secret thoughts and purposes of the heart."

 

Number five ~ God is love. He is not just a God who loves...He IS love. Love is to Him an essential part of being. This is why He commands that we love...and likewise that we emulate Him as His dear children...because He wants us to identify with Him and participate in His likeness.

 

 

 

He does not do this so as to put another law on us...He does so because He knows what will make us complete and give us joy!! This is why God says that when we give out love, we fulfill all the requirements of the law! Love completes us.

 

Love is not hard or burdensome...which is why it is more than compatable with grace. It is a joy and a blessing! The Pharisees and Experts in the Law of long ago and those of today want to have some religious control and keep you and I from the knowledge of God's love and grace that would set us free -- so, they are misrepresenting God! They lie!

 

 

Luke 11:46 "Yes," said Jesus, "what sorrow also awaits you experts in religious law! For you crush people with unbearable religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease the burden.

 

Luke 11:52 "How terrible it will be for you experts in the Law! You have taken away the key to knowledge. You didn't go in yourselves, and you kept out those who were trying to go in."

 

 

Command means: to give what is deserved. God deserves our obediance 100%...and will completely back up His words with us in mind.

Demand means: to give what is not deserved. Therefore the Demander is usually harsh, and will back up his words but with himself in mind.

The command to love can be likened to a loving Father who brings home several very precious and personal gifts for each of his beloved children...then commands that they not hold back, but open and use them! Now, how would this be burdensome or difficult?? This is just like God insisting that I be blessed!

 

 

Luke 12; 32“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Now, sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

 

Acts 20:35 “And I have shown you everything, that it is necessary to labor and to take care of those who are weak and to remember the words of our Lord Jesus, who said, 'He who gives is more blessed than he who receives.'”

 

Do you believe the things God says? Can you plant your seed of faith in His command to love and be open for God to water it?

 

(click on image to enlarge)

1 Cor. 9:23 "I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."

 

 

 

1 John 5:3 "Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome".

 

 

Matthew 11:30 Jesus said, "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

 

 

 

The command to love in not under the law. A law can be measured, therefore we can tell when a law hasn't been obeyed. But love is not and can not be under the law -- because love cannot be measured like a rule can! So, where ever you are in your loving efforts, is JUST fine and good!! WHY? Because when we share God's love in any measure, it spreads like leaven all on it's own, and has the same power to perfect God's love in us, as well as rid us of any fears we still have of condemnation.

 

 

 

Col. 1 10This is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the payment for our sins. 11Dear friends, if this is the way God loved us, we must also love each other. 12No one has ever seen God. If we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13We know that we live in him and he lives in us because he has given us his Spirit. 14We have seen and testify to the fact that the Father sent his Son as the Savior of the world.

 

15God lives in those who declare that Jesus is the Son of God, and they live in God. 16We have known and believed that God loves us. God is love. Those who live in God's love live in God, and God lives in them. 17God's love has reached its goal in us. So we look ahead with confidence to the day of judgment. While we are in this world, we are exactly like him [with regard to love].

 

 

 

 

18No fear exists where his love is. Rather, perfect love gets rid of fear, because fear involves punishment. The person who lives in fear doesn't have perfect love. 19We love because God loved us first. 20Whoever says, "I love God," but hates another believer is a liar. People who don't love other believers, whom they have seen, can't love God, whom they have not seen. 21Christ has given us this commandment: The person who loves God must also love other believers.

 

Love also creates intimacy with God.

 

John 14:21 Whoever knows and obeys my commandments is the person who loves me. Those who love me will have my Father's love, and I, too, will love them and show myself to them."

 

 

 

 

1 Thess. 5: 23 "May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." In the Greek 'blameless' means to be of mature stature in the things of grace - to the point where the believer has no need of or is not wanting of anymore grace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Three Truths I

The truth that sets you free!

 

 

Do you love truth? It is not up to us to decide what truth is...it is up to God, since He gives it. It is a powerful gift from above. So, I am not talking about reading something in a magazine that rings true for you and loving IT. NO. I am asking if you love truth so much that you won't accept any substitute.

 

 

So whatever it turns out to be you will accept it...and you have the humble attitude that even when you think you've found it you hold on to it with an open hand - and not inside a tight fist as though you've attained and now have all the light you need! NO. Because when the truth has done what it was sent to do, it is then you will have found the truth!

 

 

Because as you closely follow Jesus and what He taught...then the truth that you find there will do more than just sit in your head...Jesus said that it will set you free! So, essentially, you can be saved...and still not be free. However, Jesus wants to be more than your Savior, so He bids you come closer, follow His teachings and therefore be exposed to the truths you will not find out there trying to make sense of things on your own! He wants you to abide (live, cling, remain) in Him!

 

 

John 8:31-32 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Isaiah 55:10-11 "For just as the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, yielding seed for the sower and bread for eating, so will my message be that goes out of my mouth— it won't return to me empty. Instead, it will accomplish what I desire, and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

 

 

Heb. 4:12 For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and the truth laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

 

 

Barnes Notes on The Bible: That truth has power to show what man is, and is like a penetrating sword that lays open the whole man; compare Isaiah 49:2. The phrase "the Word of God" here may be applied as the "truth" of God, however made known to the mind. In some way it will bring out the real feelings, and show what man is.

 

 

1 Cor. 4: 1People should think of us as servants of Christ and managers who are entrusted with God's mysteries. 2Managers are required to be trustworthy. 3It means very little to me that you or any human court should cross-examine me. I don't even ask myself questions. 4I have a clear conscience, but that doesn't mean I have God's approval.

 

 

 It is the Lord who cross-examines me. 5Therefore, don't judge anything before the appointed time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will also bring to light what is hidden in the dark and reveal people's motives. Then each person will receive praise from God.

 

 

6Brothers and sisters, I have applied this to Apollos and myself for your sake. You should learn from us not to go beyond what is written in Scripture. Then you won't arrogantly place one of us in opposition to the other. 7Who says that you are any better than other people? What do you have that wasn't given to you? If you were given what you have, why are you bragging as if it weren't a gift?

 

 

 

 

The truth that saves you!

 

 

A number of years ago some representatives of a cult came to our door, and during our conversation I asked them how they helped people know God. I actually asked this several times because each time their answer was pretty much the same...- they would do bible studies with them,  invite them to church and give them literature about God and so on.

 

 

So, in their mind learning about God by trying to gain specific 'truths' would save them. Altho, years later I asked one of their followers if he knew he was going to heaven. His answer was slow in coming...but then he said, 'No, I guess I really don't'.

 

 

 

Because how would we know, that we know or practice enough 'truth' in order to be saved??? This is sad, because God made it pretty simple to find that one truth that saves us!

 

2 Thess. 2:10 He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love the truth that would save them.

 

 

 

 John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.

 

 

 

Acts 4:12 There is no salvation by anyone else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved."

 

 

The truth that IS you!

 

 

Everyone has a story. Yes, because everyone has a personal history of living and being. Your story is your truth. Only you and God fully know it. Your truth only belongs to you and God, no matter who you are. Your truth consists of ~ You! So, this means you and no one else has any right to your body but you and God. If I ever talk about rights, this is it! You and I have a right to be on earth just merely via the fact that we were born and we ARE here! 

 

 

 

 

Therefore, we are also allowed to live and thrive, have a private life and make the decisions to follow God (or not) without manipulation, because God made it this way...and this is no matter the mistakes we have done, or what we believe, or what we look like...there is no one righteous, no not one...so, we are all in the same boat so to speak. 

 

 

 

 The only way someone else has a right to take any charge of my life is if I have deliberately #caused harm to someone else's rights...this includes gossip, slander, shunning, raging against, meddling and of course manipulation to just name a few.   

 

 

 

 

#Side note here. I am not talking about experiencing inconveniences, or the ofttimes need to be flexible and getting toes stepped on, no...because this happens merely by living around other people.  

 

 

 

 

2 Tim. 1:12 For this reason I suffer as I do. However, I'm not ashamed. I know whom I trust. I'm convinced that he is able to protect what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

 

 

 

 

1 Thess. 5:23 May the God who gives peace make you holy in every way. May he keep your whole being-spirit, soul, and body-blameless when our Lord Jesus Christ comes.

 

 

 

 

1 Pet. 4: 19 Therefore let them also who suffer according to the will of God in doing good, entrust their souls to him, as to a faithful Creator.

 

 

 

*That which I have entrust unto him-Greek, "my deposit"; the body, soul, and spirit, which I have deposited in God's safe keeping (1Th 5:23; 1Pe 4:19). So Christ Himself in dying (Lu 23:46). "God deposits with us His word; we deposit with God our spirit" [Grotius]. There is one deposit (His revelation) committed by God to us, which we ought to keep (2Ti 1:13, 14) and transmit to others (2Ti 2:2); there is another committed by God to us, which we should commit to His keeping, namely, ourselves and our heavenly portion.

 

 

 

Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

 

 

 

SO, what do we do with these three truths?? I submit these truths in your life and my life are so immensely valuable that we must treasure them...and to the point where we must be careful with whom we share them with and how. But this will be for next time...

 

 

The Three Truths II coming soon....

 

The Masked Christian?

I remember what a Pastor once said, "We have to learn to be good at being wrong." David in the Psalms was called a man after God's own heart because he was good at being wrong.(Psalm 51) His fight to keep his sin from being exposed was fairly short lived, and then he was open and honest about his wrong doings...which makes me think he knew something about God that many of us don't. We hide and blame and get defensive...then argue and become self-righteous, all to cover up that we are insecure about the possibility that we may not be right. 

 

Our will is quite stubborn. There are people that remind me of a 2 year old child...as I've seen two year olds hold their breath till they literally pass out! I guess I would say that the typical 2 year old is the epitome of the human nature. Do you know of any perpetual '2 year olds'? 

 

We were born with a nature that at it's heart is self-centered. Therefore, because of pride, we have a hard time admitting that we are imperfect and very possibly wrong. This is however one of those things we must conquer in order to grow.

 

 

 

We have to take off the mask of pride, as it is imperative for us to humble ourselves and allow God to change the way we think, so we are OK with being an imperfect person in an imperfect body, among imperfect people in a world that is also imperfect...otherwise it will be very hard to embrace all of God's love (including loving God and neighbor as oneself), His ways and discipline...and therefore find any success in this Christian life. 

 

 

Another big reason we quickly put on our mask of pride, is shame. Just as Adam and Eve ran from God and hid themselves out of disgrace, this is why we try and put up our defenses as well. However, Jesus also bore our shame and then ignored it, and by His example we can count it as nil too. Take  time in Heb. 12-  http://nlt.scripturetext.com/hebrews/12.htm 

YES! We have His written word so we can feed on truth, the truth of God that sets us free. However, because we have a tendency to look at things very black and white as well as punitively because of the human nature we still battle with...we must read scripture in the light of Christ's life, grace and His Holy Spirit...other wise, we will have a tendency to read it as a rule book and feel condemned and shamed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There Is No In Between II

To understand the brightness of God's light, I think it is also important to understand how utterly dark is the darkness of the fall.

 

 

 

When Adam and Eve walked and talked with God it was complete light, with no darkness at all. None. Then when the fall happened, it was indeed a long fall. It wasn't a partial fall, where it only affected the behaviors of some, and then to others they were able to avoid much of it's influence. No. It was a complete fall, where there became a wall separating us from God...and where there is no God, there is pitch black darkness. Then when Christ died, the curtain of separation was rent in two...so that all people would have access to salvation. All people.

  

 

Matthew 27:51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.

 

Many people say that they could NEVER, ever be a homosexual for instance...or as far as the most extreme behaviors a murderer, or NO WAY a Hitler! BUT, with the same circumstances as what befell them, you and I could have very well become just like them or any other person...or they just like us for that matter!

 

 

We live in a world that is trying very hard to make it's way in utter darkness. A condition that has permeated everything, the entire creation down to the cellular level. However, we are so used to living in it that we don't pay much attention to what had actually happened to us when Adam and Eve made that fatal choice. We treat others as though they could do better...but the fact is, that without Christ we only have the carnal nature, and many of us a seared conscience, to guide us, and so all we can hope for is that the world just do the best they can with what they have. 

 

 

 

 

Romans 8:18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us. 19For the creation is eagerly awaiting the revelation of God’s children, 20because the creation has become subject to futility, though not by anything it did. The one who subjected it did so in the certainty  21that the creation itself would also be set free from corrupting bondage in order to share the glorious freedom of God’s children. 22For we know that all the rest of creation has been groaning with the pains of childbirth up to the present time. 23However, not only the creation, but we who have the first fruits of the Spirit also groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24For we were saved with this hope in mind.n Now a hope that can be observed is not really hope, for who hopes for what can be seen? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet observe, we eagerly wait for it with patience.

 

 

 

But to most, the world around them just seems 'dim', and then when they do think of real  'darkness' it only pertains to the ones their Pastor preached about on Sunday....you know, 'those' homosexuals over there....now THEY are IN darkness! This attitude that the church (in general) has today is what is keeping many from coming to Christ...as Paul speaks about in 1 Cor. 9-11. They have created for many an obstacle to coming to Christ...as homosexuality has been chosen out of the long list of sins to point out and preach loudly against. Partiality stems from not understanding or accepting our own utter sinfulness, as well as our common vulnerability to the effects of the fall.

 

 

Take for instance Romans chapter 1. Spend a few minutes and read through Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome. It starts out greeting the believers there and then in about the middle of the chapter it begins sounding as though God seems pretty angry about all the sin that's in this world! Yea, those sinners!! It keeps on going too from verse 18 all the way to 32!  

 

 

But then He seems to do a switcheroo. While I am busy reading and thinking about all those sinners God is talking about, then He suddenly begins talking about me before I can say WOE!! 

 

 

He immediately begins telling me in the next chapter without warning that while I am pointing my fingers at those sinners over there, that I am just as guilty as they are! They may be engaged in sexual sin, but God sees my gossip, hate, pride, heartlessness, causing fights and so on just as much...and so I had better get myself right because in verse 11 He says that He does not show favoritism!  

 

 

Partiality/favoritism...or choosing this sin over all others...also stems from fear. A fear that keeps me from wanting to discuss it...because if there are gender issues that do have some genetic origin, then that would shake my core beliefs to the ground! What would I do then?? How would I handle this new information??

 

 

If I show disrespect for a ruling authority that I believe is making wrong decisions, then wouldn't I be doing right? Or are my actions to be ruled and regulated by the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5: 22-23) in any given circumstance? There is no in between.

 

 

 

To deal with partiality and fear one has to come to realize that nothing gets past God. This is something I've learned the hard way. I've also learned that God's written word has an answer to everything. This is why I've learned not to jump to conclusions or be afraid of discussing any topic, because I know that God has the answers...even if I am not aware of them yet.

 

 

Ok, but don't I have authority to judge sin? In the following- Jude is writing to a church that is being led by their carnal nature...by whim and human instinct! They have allowed some people to worm their way in who are saying they have been given the right (through their dreams) to scoff at authority as well as mock and talk about things they know nothing about!

 

 

 

Then Jude makes a comparison to remind them about what authority and rights are really for...as they are not for using to one's own advantage or just according to how one feels. I may have the right to do this or that, but it does not mean I use this advantage. 

 

 

 

He reminds them about the angels that fell from heaven that are now chained in darkness because of their behavior, thinking they could take advantage of their authority. And even tho the Archangel Micheal himself had authority over Satan, he was still very careful not to take advantage even to the point of not directly rebuking the devil himself when he fought him. 

 

 

 

Jude 1:8-11

"8In the same way, these people—who claim authority from their dreams—live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings. 9But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body.)

 

 

 

10But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts (carnal nature) tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction. 11What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion."

 

 

 

 

I can not find anywhere in scripture where it says it is OK at times to step into the parameters of the carnal nature (Gal. 5:16-26) and operate from there. Even if I thought I had the right or authority to do so, God is still telling me I am not to use my authority to please my carnal nature...to slander, or scoff, or mock, or desire to cause harm to someone...to anyone! 

 

 

 

The following are two URLs that explicitly show many of the extreme conditions that the fall has created. The 1st URL is important to understand so that when this subject comes up we  WILL know at least a little bit about it...as well as understand that many of these people are judged as sinners, when it was the fall and medical science that made a mess of their lives. These people (well, actually all people - John 3:16) need compassion so they come to Christ to be saved and healed.  

 

 

 

The 2nd URL shows what the fall is capable of doing...of  course there are images that were mixed in that are not real, but most of them are...please open this URL with caution. I volunteered at a hospital with my HS youth group that housed and cared for extremely deformed children, and so I can tell you that a majority of these images are real.

 

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2004/06/the_cutting_edge.html

 

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=yfp-t-701-21-s&va=human+anomalies

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guest Author For This Post: Maria Rachinskaya from Russia

“However when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Luke 18:8

As for me it’s probably one of the most stunning questions that Jesus has ever asked. The Lord, the Creator came to His people and became one of them, some of the most devoted ones were with Him during three years listening every His word and learning from Him… and after that He wondered if people believe in Him, if there is the faith on the earth.

Let’s imagine… what if He decided to just come again to us to find the faith among people as He went down to Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:21). What would He find?

I thought about my country, people around me, my church and me. How would we receive Him? Unfortunately, I started to realize that an idea of near God involved to the lives of His beloved people is hard to be understood in Russia. For a long time Russian thinking has been affected by Orthodoxy.

 

As the world goes a huge part of Russian people consider themselves being orthodox while prevailing part of them confine themselves to knowing some religious ceremonies and celebrating Christian feasts according to worldly traditions.

 No doubts there are a lot of sincerely believers among the orthodox people but I would like to give some thoughts about the influence on those who don’t want to come closer to God. What do people learn from Orthodoxy? There are great amount of the Saints who are believed to be intermediary between people and God. It may seem that God is too busy for taking care about His sons and daughters and too independent, emotionally distant from His people.

 

 

 

  In Russian people‘s mind God is he to whom you would go only in the exceptional case. Many rites need to be followed if you have troubles. It probably doesn’t concern people’s hearts, there is no need to cooperate with Him: do what you are said and wait for the improvements in your life. This leads those who sincerely come to the Lord are far from identification themselves as “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9).

 

 

 

God seems to do not deal with the ordinary people as you and me, only the priests can dare to come nearer to Him. There is another side of such understanding. Once you want to be closer to God you decided to deserve His attention, try to earn His grace. It’s still difficult to me as well to refuse an idea of earning His love by self- righteousness.

 

 

 

 Being a protestant I can sometimes observe the following idea in believers around me and in me as well: no matter how hard you try, you can do your best… however you will still feel ashamed before the Lord, you won’t feel forgiven and beloved by God because you don’t really realize that God desires relationships with you to death, He is not passive and in Christ He became near.

 

At the moment I would like to reflect on this: why after Christ’s death and resurrection, after Him being one of us, as close to us as He can be, after all that He did, He is still so distant? May be there is really no faith in our hearts? For a lot of Russian people God is either too busy or too angry at people. In both cases He is practically inaccessible.

 

If He decided to become person again, if we saw Him in the flesh would we realize that He is near? that He doesn’t need our services? that He loves us with all His heart? would we answer His Love with all our passion, with all our soul, with all our mind and with all our strength (Mark 12:30)?

 

When the Son of Man comes to my country, to my church, to my family, to me… what will He find?

 

  You can find +Мария Рачинская on Goggle