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?

 

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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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Is IN God's Love? - Patience

We can possess better patience when we realize that most people are doing the best they can, especially when we consider all the factors that have made them who they are. Then even if they could do better, you probably can't force that to happen, and why would you want to?

 

 

 

For instance, your one year old is crawling and maybe even beginning to walk. She has the innate desire to explore and so she touches everything that is on her level. No matter if it could possibly hurt her, she will touch it anyway.

 

 

This is but one of a mixture of reasons she does this…and one does not need to go to college to know what they are. She is not only driven by her age, but she is also driven by her inborn temperament and personality…but with no practical knowledge to temper her exploration. Grasping this understanding makes it easier to have patience with her. However, sometimes we still get agitated and impatient until we practice keeping these very important facts in mind...that essentially, she is doing the best she can.

 

 

Psalm 119:130 The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.

Proverbs 2:2 Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.　

Take a minute and think about the natural world around us. God's creation is another place to gain great insight as well. Look at a kangaroo for instance when you take your children to the zoo. Can it walk? No, at least not in the conventional sense. Kangaroos hop. Their legs cannot move independently of one another, so expecting kangaroos to walk or run like you and I would be ludicrous.

 

 

 

This gives a zoo keeper, for instance, all the patience in the world when trying to lead them from one place to another. He knows that this animal has fixed limits that cannot change, so getting impatient would be a waste of time and energy. Therefore, having this very basic knowledge gives him something very valuable and attainable - patience. This in turn leads to a more enjoyable experience as he works with these unique creatures.

 

 

God commands that we love...and patience is the first ingredient. (See 1 Cor. 13:4) Being patient with others shows them Christ...and it comes much easier with the understanding that most people are doing the best they can with what they have. ~

 

 

 

In fact this is why God is able to have such patience with us...and why He wanted us to taste, but not permanently stay trying to live up to the law -- because the law had zero patience...whereas Christ has immeasurable patience!  Likewise why He wants us to emulate Christ so we can better obey His command to treat others as we would want others to treat us.

 

God understands that we are doing the best we can with what we have, this is why He has such patience with us ~

 

Psalm 103: 14 For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.

Romans 7: 8 I know that nothing good lives in me; that is, nothing good lives in my corrupt nature. Although I have the desire to do what is right, I don't do it. 19I don't do the good I want to do. Instead, I do the evil that I don't want to do. 20Now, when I do what I don't want to do, I am no longer the one who is doing it. Sin that lives in me is doing it. 21So I've discovered this truth: Evil is present with me even when I want to do what God's standards say is good. 22I take pleasure in God's standards in my inner being.

 

 

 

 

23However, I see a different standard [at work] throughout my body. It is at war with the standards my mind sets and tries to take me captive to sin's standards which still exist throughout my body. 24What a miserable person I am! Who will rescue me from my dying body? 25I thank God that our Lord Jesus Christ rescues me! So I am obedient to God's standards with my mind, but I am obedient to sin's standards with my corrupt nature.

 

Romans 9: 22 If God wants to demonstrate his anger and reveal his power, he can do it. But can't he be extremely patient with people who are objects of his anger because they are headed for destruction? 23Can't God also reveal the riches of his glory to people who are objects of his mercy and who he had already prepared for glory? 24This is what God did for us whom he called-whether we are Jews or not.

God wants us to be patient not only based on His command to do so, but also based on our understanding that most people are doing the best they can ~ as well as the understanding that when we are showing impatience it is usually because there is some demand we've made of another that was not met...meaning that they really had no choice as far as you were concerned. So impatience is many times brought on because we are only thinking of our own wants, as well as expecting that others should be and act like us...and not treating others in the same way we would want to be treated.

 

1 Cor. 9:22 When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.

 

 

Romans 15:1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.

 

 

Romans 14:1 Welcome people who are weak in faith (patience), but don't get into an argument over differences of opinion. (impatience)

 

How New Is The New Covenant??

How NEW is the New Testament? Or better yet, how NEW is the New Covenant? Does New mean new? Or does it just mean a little newer? Well, then if the New Covenant is just a moderate improvement on the Old, then it isn't new and either God is lying or the writers were lying or they were trying to get us confused...and Jesus' work in ministry and on the cross would not have been able to fulfill the law like it has. However, we are now under the authority of the New Covenant because Jesus came as our forever Priest and His arrival made everything new! He came to fulfill the law, the prophets, how sin is dealt with, how sinners are viewed and sin paid for.

 

 

 

 

Christ came to pay for our complete salvation while we were still in sin, which means we are not to look at people by human standards anymore. (2 Cor. 5:16). In the OT people were stoned or put to death because they were defined by their sin...not only because of their sin nature, but because the law was punitive and sin had to be punished! Therefore the only way to deal with the sin was to punish the sinner. However, Christ's life and death gave humans back their worth...so unbelievers as well are to be viewed as people that Jesus loves and are in the process of being drawn back to Him.

 

 

 

 

The New Covenant is "New" for another reason...because now the overwhelming factor is that we are new creatures in Christ, so essentially we are just like new born babes that have never sinned. It is just-if-I'd never-sinned! Some Christians say they are, 'sinners saved by grace'...but that is not biblically true. We are not sinners anymore. We are not just bandaged up...or renewed, no...we are completely new - justified before God!!

 

 

 

 

 

The following section of scripture does not contradict the fact that we are completely saved by grace...

 

1 John 3: 4"Those who live sinful lives are disobeying God. Sin is disobedience. 5You know that Christ appeared in order to take away our sins. He isn't sinful. 6Those who live in Christ don't go on sinning. Those who go on sinning haven't seen or known Christ. 7Dear children, don't let anyone deceive you. Whoever does what God approves of has God's approval as Christ has God's approval.

 

 

 

 

8The person who lives a sinful life belongs to the devil, because the devil has been committing sin since the beginning. The reason that the Son of God appeared was to destroy what the devil does. 9Those who have been born from God don't live sinful lives. What God has said lives in them, and they can't live sinful lives. They have been born from God. 10This is the way God's children are distinguished from the devil's children. Everyone who doesn't do what is right and love other believers isn't God's child."

 

 

 

 

We are saved by grace!! The above scripture does not contradict that...altho many Christians still think that even tho we are saved by grace we still have to work hard at not sinning so we are accepted by God. However, they are misinformed. BTW, God does not contradict Himself, so if we ever come across a contradiction, then there is something we don't understand. So, the problem is with us, not Him...so this would be the time to seek God and do further study.  

 

 

 

Believers have been cleansed of sin and are now completely new people, with the Holy Spirit living inside! Therefore what we all need to learn is that when scripture either speaks about the believer having a new nature or the indwelling Holy Spirit, it is the same thing as saying that a believer does not keep on sinning. In fact they can be interchanged.

 

 

It is just like if you were talking about a butterfly. You could call it a butterfly, or an insect that does not perpetually crawl on it's belly any longer. Each would be equally true!!

 

 

 

A believer could not keep on sinning without being convicted by the Holy Spirit. Then the conviction would begin a change in the opposite direction via the power and guidance from the Holy Spirit. However, if a person does not have a new nature as well as the Holy Spirit, then their sin would not be interrupted by conviction and therefore the desire and power to begin a change would not occur...which means they could easily keep on sinning.

 

 

Blessings!!

Any Volunteers??

 

 Once there was a very strong bridge builder who told all the people of his town to be at the mighty gorge promptly at 5pm, because he was going to show them something they would not want to miss! They all were excited because they thought they would be seeing the new bridge almost completed, which they needed for emergencies since they had only one other way in and out of town. When everyone arrived however, they saw only the first line that he stretches across when beginning to build a new bridge.

 

 

The man asked everyone if they believed he could walk it to the otherside of the gorge and back safely? Everyone cheered, "Yes, we have confidence in you and in the strength of that line, so of course we do!" So, he walked across and back safely. Then he asked, "Now, do you think I can carry this very heavy log with me as I do the very same thing once more?" Then again, everyone cheered...but with even more gusto!!! So, he picked up the large log and did it. Then as he stepped off the end he asked, "Now, do you also have faith that I can carry a person over and back with me like I did the log?" Everyone cheered loudly!!!! Then, he asked, "Any volunteers??"

 

 

 

 

James 2:18 Another person might say, "You have faith, but I do good things." Show me your faith apart from the good things you do. I will show you my faith by the good things I do.

 

 

 

Every 'faith'...true faith....has an action that follows. It might not be something you or I can see...but God can.When Jesus told certain people to do certain things in order to gain eternal life, it was not the 'doing' that saved them. It was not the selling of the rich man's possessions that would have saved him. It would have been the attempt and the doing that would have made it evident the condition of his heart towards God...as he would have been willing to remove the one thing that was the most important thing in his life that he believed sustained and fulfilled him, and therefore his willingness to believe would have been very evident, and significant!

 

 

 

 

Matthew 19: 16And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” 17And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; 19HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” 20The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” 21Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property

 

 

 

 

 

 So, if God asked you to give-up something, then your reaction to God uncovers and hi-lights the spot in your heart that has been taken-up by that thing you've been holding on to, and perhaps that thing that is hindering your very salvation. However, it may show your spiritual maturity and willingness to believe God when you will take the steps to allow God to take that thing and then replace it with something that is truly of God's Spirit.

 

Heb. 12:2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne.

 

 

Romans 10:17 Therefore faith is from the hearing ear, and the hearing ear is from the word of God.

 

 

 

As we closely abide in God and His written word we get to know Him and subsequently His voice because we have come to know what He would say and what He wouldn't, and what He would do and what He wouldn't...so when He calls we can recognize it. Then each time God speaks to us concerning something He wants us to do, our response shows confident faith in God (or the lack of it).

 

 

 

Why do you trust the people that you trust? Doesn't it all have to do with the kind of relationship you have with them? I'm not talking about the label...mother, father, brother, friend, teacher or....

 

 

 

I am talking about the kind of closeness you have that has allowed you to get to know them so well that you know how much you can trust them. This is the kind of relationship God wants you to have with Him. This is what creates and grows faith. The faith that says to God, "I volunteer!"

True Happiness

 

What brings true happiness?? Or maybe contentment is a better word. To be assured that you are in the right place in your life and you finally have security? Or does it have little to do with these things...because what's on the outside will always be changing...kids growing, society is upside-down, illnesses, business trips, breakups, job losses and gains, deaths and births --- but, then you think of when you and Jesus got together, and it was then that you got one thing that does not change! You finally have peace, a new heart and God is IN you! Awesome!! So, whatever you do or whatever happens to you, or wherever you go...you have something that is constant...a rock! This was a wonderful event! Yes, you think to yourself, I have been saved by grace, so now I don't have to do a thing -- this is the beginning of true peace and happiness! Yes!

 

 

 

So then, here's another question for you. Can you think of something that happened to you at one time or another that was so sweet, and made you so happy that all you could do was smile? You walked around with a grin on your face, or a lightness in your step? It was an occurrence that you wanted to share with everyone you met! This was such an amazing thing that you became kinder and more patient because it changed you inside...and because you were so grateful for it! People looked at you wondering what the grinning was all about?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The people around you couldn't help but inquire what had happened to you? You've been blessed and you can't keep it inside...so you look for ways to pass on some of that blessing to others! So as you are out and about that day you've noticed things you had never really noticed before...and then by the time you leave the grocery store that afternoon you've helped two people...one who dropped a can and you chased it for her as it rolled down the isle and the other to reach something.

 

 

 

 

Then you started two short discussions over fresh baked bread where you were able to share your occurrence with one of them...and you let the person behind you in line go ahead which made her smile but shake her head wondering why you did such a thing! Then when you get home you are so wonderfully exhausted that you decide to get to bed early....so you call your fiance and tell them what a happy day you've had because of the engagement! WHAT? Did you think this was about getting saved or something?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, wouldn't this be great if we did respond this way? That we valued the gift of grace so highly and having Jesus...that Rock...that constant...in our life so much that we wanted everyone else to have Him too! So even when we hardly spoke a word our lives were a witness to others of God's love and grace!? That we considered this true happiness? To where our lives are so salty that just being around us makes people thirsty? And our light is so bright that people are either drawn to us like a moth to a flame or convicted just by being around us because our steadiness and sincere love challenges them? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are the ones that show the most love to others, because we are the ones that have the greatest love right inside of us?! And people are looking at us with either awe or hate....but never with disgust because of our hypocrisy!?

Or is Jesus worth all this fuss?

 

 

 

 

"I do all this to spread the Good News, and in doing so I enjoy it's blessings."

1 Cor. 9:23 

 

The Spiritual Abusers Of Jesus Day

Jesus rarely showed anger, so when He did, those were the times we had better take heed and ask ourselves, why?! The one segment of the population that He showed the majority of His anger towards were the Pharisees and the like.

 

 

I submit that there was one prevailing reason why He chose these guys to pour the majority of His wrath on...spiritual abuse!!

 

 

The Pharisees took their knowledge and used it to crush people by enthusiastically pointing out their sins and getting them to see the weight and darkness of their deeds, because of not having the humility that comes from seeing their own utter sinfulness.

 

This intimidating attitude in turn caused them to forcefully "be in people's face" about those giant sins, and then as a result, any redemption that would be offered would seem quite small  and ineffectual in comparison. So essentially, they, who looked and talked as though they represented God, completely misrepresented Him.

 

 

So, what the Pharisees actually did was to make people focus on their sin, instead of what is MUCH greater, the Redeemer that came to forgive all sin!

 

 

 

Most of the following verses are self-evident as to why the Pharisees were the obvious villains that they were...however, why is it apparent that so much of what Jesus said to them was recorded for us to read? To me, I see what was said to the Pharisees, was also meant for us as a warning, of what the gospel clearly is and what it isn't...to those who say they are presenting the gospel and to those who have been hurt by the Pharisees that are present today. 

 

 

If you notice in verse 11...Jesus, after reminding the Pharisees of all the things they do to try to be great in God's Kingdom, He then tells them in just a few words what it truly takes! Becoming a servant of all.

 

 

Then in 13 Jesus tells them that their behavior turns people away from coming to God, and then when they do happen to make a convert in verse 15 that person becomes even worse than they are.

 

 

From there as we read down...then in verse 24 where it says that they 'strain gnats"....this was a wonderful metaphor of what it is to major on the very minor things, instead of majoring on the things that should be majored on.

 

 

 The law spoke specifically about what they were not to eat, as in Deut. 14: "19All flying insects that swarm are unclean to you; do not eat them. 20But any winged creature that is clean you may eat." So, the Pharisees would sip their wine through their teeth so as to keep the gnats from being swallowed. This is what Jesus was referring to, that they were very careful about not swallowing gnats, but they absolutely ignored the important things that were so apparent!

 

 

 

Then as we read through to verses 29-36 God is telling them how they say they revere the Prophets, yet the ones God is sending today to speak the truth, they are fighting against....and they will not be the only ones that are accountable for this harm, but also those that allow this to happen.

 

 

Then He ends with His ultimate and contrasting desire....that we all be gathered together, and realize His mercy and tenderness, as His dear children.

 

 

 

Matthew 23: 1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2"The scribes and the Pharisees teach with Moses' authority. 3So be careful to do everything they tell you. But don't follow their example, because they don't practice what they preach. 4They make loads that are hard to carry and lay them on the shoulders of the people. However, they are not willing to lift a finger to move them. 5"They do everything to attract people's attention. They make their headbands large and the tassels on their shawls long.

 

 

 6They love the place of honor at dinners and the front seats in synagogues. 7They love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have people call them Rabbi. 8But don't make others call you Rabbi, because you have only one teacher, and you are all followers.

 

 

 9And don't call anyone on earth your father, because you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. 10Don't make others call you a leader, because you have only one leader, the Messiah. 11The person who is greatest among you will be a servant of all. 12Whoever honors himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be honored.

 

13"How horrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. You don't enter it yourselves, and you don't permit others to enter when they try.

 

15"How horrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You cross land and sea to recruit a single follower, and when you do, you make that person twice as fit for hell as you are.

 

16"How horrible it will be for you, you blind guides! You say, 'To swear an oath by the temple doesn't mean a thing. But to swear an oath by the gold in the temple means a person must keep his oath.' 17You blind fools! What is more important, the gold or the temple that made the gold holy? 18Again you say, 'To swear an oath by the altar doesn't mean a thing. But to swear an oath by the gift on the altar means a person must keep his oath.'

 

 

 19You blind men! What is more important, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy? 20To swear an oath by the altar is to swear by it and by everything on it. 21To swear an oath by the temple is to swear by it and by the one who lives there. 22And to swear an oath by heaven is to swear by God's throne and the one who sits on it.

 

23"How horrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You give [God] one-tenth of your mint, dill, and cumin. But you have neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These are the most important things in Moses' Teachings. You should have done these things without neglecting the others. 24You blind guides! You strain gnats, but you swallow camels.

 

25"How horrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You clean the outside of cups and dishes. But inside they are full of greed and uncontrolled desires. 26You blind Pharisees! First clean the inside of the cups and dishes so that the outside may also be clean.

 

27"How horrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You are like whitewashed graves that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead people's bones and every kind of impurity. 28So on the outside you look as though you have God's approval, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

 

 

29"How horrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of those who had God's approval. 30Then you say, 'If we had lived at the time of our ancestors, we would not have helped to murder the prophets.' 31So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32Go ahead, finish what your ancestors started! 33"You snakes! You poisonous snakes! How can you escape being condemned to hell?

 

 

 

34I'm sending you prophets, wise men, and teachers of the Scriptures. You will kill and crucify some of them. Others you will whip in your synagogues and persecute from city to city. 35As a result, you will be held accountable for all the innocent blood of those murdered on earth, from the murder of righteous Abel to that of Zechariah, son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36I can guarantee this truth: The people living now will be held accountable for all these things.

 

 

37"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you kill the prophets and stone to death those sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings! But you were not willing! 38Your house will be abandoned, deserted. 39I can guarantee that you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!'"

 

 

 

A Pastor I had a number of years ago once said, that if each and every human being truly realized the darkness of the sin that came into the world at the fall, of which we each are an equal part of, it would literally crush us. Conversely if we actually realized the profound love that God had that prompted Him to carry out His plan of redemption, we would not be able to contain it to where we would jump up and then run down the street screaming!

  

 

We must engage the mind and heart of Christ to get things done for the Kingdom...and make Him our pilot, not co-pilot. Repent of putting our opinions and attitudes ahead of God's. Let Christ's love lead...as He commanded. Become a servant of all.  Eph. 4:15

 

 

 

Enjoying Everything About God and His Written Word I

 

 

 

I believe not one tittle of scripture, or one ounce of God's creation, or one area of our Savior's life or what He taught should ever be ignored. I'm not saying we should try and be hyper-vigilant -- oh, no. But to always have our hearts open to God as He teaches us how to live free...and to not allow our fears and superstitions to dominate.

 

 

 

I learned early on, thanks to great bible teachers, to be very careful about grasping at all the waves of doctrine that regularly fly around. I look back and remember the various ideas people believed...and spread! Yikes! 

 

 

 

"Greater is He that is in me, then he that is in the world" This is not just a nice sounding sentiment...it is true. I see Christians today have more fears than ever before...well, in my Christian lifetime anyway.

 

 

 

 

"Don't touch this and don't go there and don't buy that and don't think like that!" St. Paul spoke about this. In 1 Corinthians 10:18-33 he says that the only thing to really  'worry' about is if what you do causes someone else to stumble, or puts an obstacle in their way of coming to Christ.

 

 

 

When I first got saved I was in a church that came out of the Jesus Movement...and so one of the practices was to partake in secular album breaking or burning - well, we had a breaking party! Now I look back and kinda morn over the albums I broke that would now be collectors items!

 

 

In this last section of scripture in 1 Corinthians 10 Paul says that since any meat that is offered to idols are really offered to nothing, since idols are in actuality only things and not gods at all...then it is not going to hurt us to eat it if it won't make anyone stumble. Yet, he also says that going out of our way to get idol meat would not be a good idea either (because maybe it is cheaper)...because God wants our conscience to be completely clear and to do things freely, but out of faith and love. Please also read Romans 14.

 

 

Additionally, please ponder on this section of scripture:  http://gwt.scripturetext.com/colossians/2.htm

 

 

I just love animals. They are such a gift from God! They definitely have God's fingerprints on them. I believe that it is the enemy that wants us to 'use' them without considering that we are stewards of them and should care about their well being. Everything that lives will die at some point, so it is not the dying of an animal that bothers me...it is how it lives and how it dies is what concerns me. I am not a vegetarian, and I don't advocate it....yet, I do advocate the ethical treatment of all of God's creation....because it is a gift to us, so in my heart it would be ungrateful to do otherwise. All, meaning, people too of course.

 

 

 

Romans 1: 18-23 18God's anger is revealed from heaven against every ungodly and immoral thing people do as they try to suppress the truth by their immoral living. 19What can be known about God is clear to them because he has made it clear to them. 20From the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly observed in what He made. As a result, people have no excuse. 21They knew God but did not praise and thank him for being God. Instead, their thoughts were pointless, and their misguided minds were plunged into darkness. 22While claiming to be wise, they became fools. 23They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for statues that looked like mortal humans, birds, animals, and snakes.

 

 

 

Prov. 12:10 The Godly care for their animals, but even the mercies of the wicked are cruel.

 

 

Psalm 145:9 The LORD is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation.

 

 

 

Please go over here to "Enjoying Everything II"--

http://aroundeverycornerat.blogspot.com/2013/01/enjoying-everything-ii.html

Can Never Outdo Heaven!

I still continue to see Christians over and over again say . 'yes, we are saved by grace, but...'.  BUT (ha!) there are no buts! None...not even in the small print.

 

 

I did the above mixed media painting when I was thinking about how I would create a perfect paradise if it was up to me. In my thinking it would be on the edge of an ocean, in a natural village type setting, where it is quiet and there is a fresh smell and coolness in the air similar to a town north of SF called Bodega Bay. I was there about 16 yrs ago and I absolutely fell in love with it. (Yup, it's the town where the school is that was in Hitchcock's "The Birds"...remember where the kids came running out?)  Anyway,....oh, it was exactly what was in my mind when I painted this.

 

 

But, I know that nothing I do or don't do could ever outdo or earn the real heaven that is to come. Nothing.

 

 

Now, how about the scriptures that make it sound like I'd better work really hard for my salvation and in obtaining heaven...yeah, how about those?? I know I've quarreled, been involved in dissensions and have had selfish ambitions like what's listed in one of the scriptures below...so, what now??

 

 

Galatians 5: 19-21

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, making enemies, division, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

 

OK...we'll get to this, but lets look at the following first....

 

I want you to think about what happens when you or anyone accepts Christ....what happens?? Is it a real event? Does something undoubtedly happen? I mean, in reality...does something actually happen?? Does God truly make a home in me?

 

 

Ephesians 3:17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong.

 

 

Romans 8:9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

 

 

 

OK, lets get back to the question above. As I spoke similarly about in another post...the answer to this question is but another piece in the puzzle that contributes to creating the whole picture of how the Kingdom of God works.

 

 

2 Peter 1: 3-11

3By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises.

 

These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 5In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge,

 

6and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. 8The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.

 

10So, dear brothers and sisters,c work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. 11Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

 

This above section of scripture is one that answers the question and lays it out very clearly and literally. As you see it begins by saying that by coming to know Him we have been given everything we need for living a godly life. Everything.

 

 

OK, then from there in vs 4, He has given us the promises that enable us to partake in His divine nature. Meaning, that the promises that say, for instance in 1 John 4:4, "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."...and in Romans 8:9, "You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.", are telling us that we have the ability/power in us already to begin having control over those things of the flesh in Gal. 5, instead of those fleshly things having control over us! Yes!

 

 

The ability is already there....just as the ability to produce apples is already in an apple tree. IF the tree is an apple tree, then in time it WILL begin acting like one.

                     

Does the tree try hard to produce apples so it proves itself to be an apple tree?  Or does it naturally produce apples because it IS an apple tree?

 

 

God is telling us that we now have a new nature, and therefore the power to overcome the carnal nature we were born with is already in us. The power to obey God is already in us. So, what I do now is (above in 2 Pet.1:5) respond to His promises.  God has already given me a measure of faith...so, now I activate the power in me with that faith to accomplish His will...

 

 

As in Gal. 5...

16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

 

 

So, because you have faith in the fact that God knows what He is doing...you intentionally live by...be lead by...and keep in step with...the Holy Spirit that is already in you!

 

When you get up in the morning for instance, start thinking about creating peace around you and showing love to those around you whether this makes sense to you or not...this is keeping in step with the Holy Spirit...and living by faith in God's ways! THEN in so doing, God says that you will NOT be gratifying your carnal nature....and isn't this what it is all about? We are living as tho the carnal nature is dead, by walking in step with the Holy Spirit...then this in turn pleases God and produces fruit for His kingdom. 

 

 

Then, way up again, in verse 9, God says that if you are not growing in this way then something has happened to get you off track and forget what God has done for you and in you. Because, if you and I really do have God's Spirit inside us then we are to be aware and serious about what this means to God. And thankfully, we also have the promise that we can get back on track as well!!

 

If, indeed God is in us, then His power is in us as well....so as to do His will.

 

1 John 5:18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him.

 

 2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test? (If this is the case, the solution is as close as your heart and lips:)