The rest of Bible Passages That Can Influence Your Life, to Connect with the Bible and Our Savior in a Personal Way!
Here are some related passages:
*Hear another
parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged
it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out
to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew
near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the
fruits of it. And the husbandmen took
his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the
first: and they did unto them likewise.
But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying They will reverence my
son. But when the husbandmen saw the
son, they said among themselves, This is the heir, come, let us kill him, and
let us seize on his inheritance. And
they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard
cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
They say unto Him, he will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will
let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits
in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them,
Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected the
same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing and it is
marvelous in our eyes? Therefore say I
unto you, The kingdom
of God
*And He began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an
hedge about it, and digged a place for the winevat, and built a tower, and let
it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And at the season he sent to
the husbandmen a servant that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit
of the vineyard. And they caught him,
and beat him, and sent him away empty.
And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast
stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. And again he sent another; and him they
killed, and many others; beating some and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his well
beloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my
son. But those husbandmen said among
themselves, This is the heir; come let us kill him, and the inheritance shall
be ours. And they took him, and killed
him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and
destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. Mark, Chapter 12, verses 1-9.
………………………………………………………………………………
And they watched Him, and sent forth spies, which
should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of His Words, that
so they might deliver Him unto the power and authority of the governor. And they asked Him, saying, Master, we know
that Thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of
any, but teachest the way of God truly: Is it lawful for us to give tribute
unto Caesar, or no? But He perceived
their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye Me? Show Me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? And He said unto them, Render therefore unto
Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be
God’s. And they could not take hold of
His Words before the people: and they marvelled at His answer, and held their
peace. Luke, Chapter 20, verses 20-26.
I keep having problems with this one. I’ve sold several different products in
side-line businesses for the sole purpose of trying to give Caesar a little
less of what seems mine. (Now there is
nothing wrong with having a side-line business or selling things to gain a
profit. My goal was distinctly motivated
toward being able to legally keep more of my money, although I did everything
in my power to do it legally.)
Writing this book has made me more aware of my
motives. I have given up the side-line
businesses, since my motives weren’t in-line with what God would want me to
do. I keep letting worldly things sneak
in and put a wedge in my relationship with God.
I guess I have two options when God makes me aware
of these things. I can try to ignore
them and pretend that I have blinders on and don’t really understand what He is
showing me, or I can make the changes necessary to be in-line with what God
wants. In order to do that, I am
donating the profits I get from this book to a non-profit organization or a
charitable cause. Money wasn’t the
reason I wrote this. I felt strongly led
to share these insights with you, with the desire that you would better
understand the positive influence the Bible can have in your daily life.
Here are some related
passages:
*And they send unto Him certain of the Pharisees and
of the Herodians, to catch Him in His Words.
And when they were come, they say unto Him, Master, we know that Thou
art True, and carest for no man, for Thou regardest not the person of men, but
teachest the way of God in Truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or
not? Shall we give, or shall we not
give? But He, knowing their hypocrisy,
said unto them, Why tempt ye Me? bring
Me a penny, that I may see it. And they
brought it. And He saith unto them,
Whose is this image and superscription?
And they said unto Him, Caesar’s.
And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are
Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at Him. Mark, Chapter 12, verses 13-17.
*And when they
were come to Capernaum
*Tell us
therefore, What thinkest Thou? Is it
lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye Me, ye
hypocrites? Show Me the tribute
money. And they brought unto Him a
penny. And He saith unto them, Whose is
this image and superscription? They say
unto Him, Caesar’s. Then saith He unto
them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God
the things that are God’s. When they had
heard these Words, they marveled, and left Him, and went their way. Matthew, Chapter 22, verses 17-22.
………………………………………………………………………………
Then in the audience of all the people He said unto
His disciples, Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and
love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the
chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widows’ houses, and for a show make long
prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation. Luke, Chapter 20, verses 45-47.
This reminds me of old westerns I used to watch on
TV. It would show the banker (not to
imply this is the way bankers are or this behavior is limited only to
bankers.) He would appear nice enough,
saying hi to the husband, tip his hat to the wife and did “coochie coos” to her
baby. This banker is a good upstanding
churchgoer. He appears to be the pillar
of society, a role model to others.
Then as the plot thickens, the banker and his
cohorts try to squeeze the farmer and his family off their land. He secretly knows there is a lot of profit to
be gained by that particular piece of property.
The husband dies in a freak accident which is highly suspicious. Then the banker comes to give the grieving
wife his condolences and tell her how sorry he is about her loss. He says that out of the goodness of his
heart, he will give the wife an extra month’s extension on paying what is owed
on the property before he forecloses on their mortgage.
The rest of the movie is dedicated to showing how
the banker and his cohorts try to make it difficult for her, and those that
befriend her, to pay the money owed. Of
course, in the movie, good wins out over evil and the lady and her baby get to
stay in their home. But, in real life;
that doesn’t always happen.
There are some who are very cunning and would have
no remorse for evicting the widow and her child from their home, because they
are within their rights as far as the law goes.
These people would continue to go to church without a guilty conscience,
because they have rationalized their actions.
The thing is…God knows what they do and no amount of rationalization is
going to cut it with God for those who take advantage of widows and orphans!
Here are some related passages:
*Woe unto you,
scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For
ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye
shall receive the greater damnation.
Matthew, Chapter 23, verse 14.
*Woe unto them
that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have
prescribed; To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right
from the poor of My people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may
rob the fatherless! And what will ye do
in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to
whom will ye flee for help? And where will ye leave your glory? Without Me they
shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this His anger is not turned away,
but His Hand is stretched out still.
Isaiah, Chapter 10, verses 1-4.
*And her prophets have daubed them with
untempered mortar, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them saying, Thus
saith the Lord God, when the Lord hath not spoken. The people of the land have used oppression,
and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have
oppressed the stranger wrongfully.
Ezekiel, Chapter 22, verses 28-29.
………………………………………………………………………………
And when the hour was come, He sat down, and the
twelve apostles with Him. And He said
unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I
suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be
fulfilled in the kingdom
of God kingdom of God
These words are very significant to me each time I
prepare to have Communion. They remind
me of how Jesus knew what was going to happen to Him and He still went through
it anyway…for me. He gave His life for
me, even though I get self-righteous at times and puff up my ego…For me, even
though I can get cranky with my family, especially when my blood sugar is
low…For me, even though I look at the angles to see how I can keep more of the
money I think I deserve rather than giving it to Uncle Sam…For me, even though
I have a difficult time giving up control and trusting God to take care of
me…For me, even though I have some hateful, jealous thoughts in my mind, at
times. I could go on, but you get the
picture. I’m a very sinful human being
and Jesus gave His life for me…and He gave it for you, too!
Here is a related passage:
*And as they
were eating, Jesus took Bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the
disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My Body. And He took the Cup, and gave thanks, and
gave it to them, saying Drink ye all of it.
For this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the
remission of sins. But I say unto you, I
will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I
drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.
Matthew, Chapter 26, verses 26-29.
………………………………………………………………………………
But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth Me is
with Me on the table. And truly the Son
of Man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom He is
betrayed! Luke, Chapter 22, verses 21-22.
I remember times in high school when I thought
people were talking about me when they looked in my general direction. They might not have been doing anything at
all. I was just very self-conscious, as
are many teenagers at that age. I had a
difficult time associating with those people that I thought were disloyal to
me, whether it was real or just perceived.
It amazes me how Jesus didn’t just think someone was going to betray
Him, He knew it! He didn’t avoid the
whole situation, as I would have. He continued to associate
with the person that was going to betray Him.
What love He had to have for us to bear these
interactions, even when He knew the very people He loved were going to be
disloyal to Him. It’s difficult for me
to comprehend such a truly selfless love for others. I’m so very fortunate Jesus is my Lord and
Savior!
………………………………………………………………………………
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath
desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee,
that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy
brethren. And he said unto Him, Lord, I
am ready to go with Thee, both into prison, and to death. And He said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock
shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest
Me. Luke, Chapter 22, verses 31-34.
(I’ve skipped some verses that I will come back to
after this, so you can have the rest of Simon Peter’s interactions.)
Then took they Him, and led Him, and brought Him
into the high priest’s house. And Peter
followed afar off. And when they had
kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat
down among them. But a certain maid
beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This
man was also with Him. And he denied
Him, saying, Woman, I know Him not. And
after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not. And about the space of one hour after another
confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with Him, for he
is a Galilean. And Peter said, Man, I
know not what thou sayest. And
immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.
And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the Word of the Lord,
how He had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly. Luke, Chapter 22, verses 54-62.
When I read this Bible passage, I reflect on how I
sometimes think I am very dedicated to God, but really I’m a “Luke-warm
Christian!” In my mind, I feel like God
is the most important part of my life, but when a situation arises where I
could share my faith with others, I avoid it.
I say to myself, “Well, this isn’t the right timing for me to discuss
Jesus and all He’s done for me. Another
time would be more beneficial and the person would probably be more open to it
then.”
Baloney!!!
Who am I trying to fool? I guess
the only one I’m trying to fool is myself, because God knows when I avoid
situations where I could have shared my relationship with Him. Although I don’t deny God openly as Simon
Peter did, I’m denying Him in my heart through my choice not to share my love
for Jesus with others. Sometimes, the
truth hurts!
Here are some related passages:
*And Peter
remembered the Word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou
shalt deny me thrice. And he went out
and wept bitterly. Matthew, Chapter 26,
verse 75.
*Simon Peter
said unto Him, Lord, whither goest Thou?
Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow Me now; but thou
shalt follow Me afterwards. Peter said
unto Him, Lord, why cannot I follow Thee now?
I will lay down my life for Thy sake.
Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for My sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock
shall not crow, till thou hast denied Me thrice. John, Chapter 13, verses 36-38.
*And Simon
Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto
the high priest, and went in with Jesus
into the palace of the high priest.
But Peter stood at the door without.
Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest,
and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto
Peter, Art not thou also one of this Man’s disciples? He saith, I am not. And the servants and officers stood there,
who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and
Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.
John, Chapter 18, verses 15-18. [I’m skipping to the
rest.] And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art thou also
one of His disciples? He denied it, and
said, I am not. One of the servants of
the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I
see thee in the garden with Him? Peter
then denied again: and immediately the cock crew. John, Chapter 18, verses 25-27.
………………………………………………………………………………
(This is the part I left out earlier.)
And He came out, and went, as He was wont, to the
mount of Olives: and His disciples also followed Him. And when He was at the place, He said unto
them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down,
and prayed, Saying, Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless
not My will, but Thine, be done. And
there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in an agony He prayed more
earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to
the ground. And when He rose up from
prayer, and was come to His disciples, He found them sleeping for sorrow. And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and
pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
Luke, Chapter 22, verses 39-46.
As a Christian, it’s easy for me to say, “Oh, no
problem. I love You so much, Jesus; that
there’s no way I will slip into temptation.”
Well, if the disciples who loved Jesus very much could slip into
temptation, then we need to learn from their actions and realize the importance
of praying for God to keep us from temptation.
I recognize that sometimes when I say the Lord’s
Prayer each night, I tend to ramble through it even though I know I
shouldn’t. I’m not sure that God
acknowledges prayers when we just ramble through them in a repetitive manner. When I say my prayers in the morning, I ask
God to take care of all sorts of things: my family, the world, and me; but I
don’t ask Him to protect us from temptation.
This has made me extremely aware of my need to add that to my daily
prayers and to slow down and focus on what I’m praying.
Here are some related passages:
*Watch and
pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the
flesh is weak. Matthew, Chapter 26,
verse 41.
*For it had been better for them not to have
known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from
the Holy Commandment delivered unto them.
2 Peter, Chapter 2, verse 21.
………………………………………………………………………………
And while He yet spake, behold a multitude, and he
that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto
Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus said unto
him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss? When they which were about Him saw what would
follow, they said unto Him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? And one of them smote the servant of the high
priest, and cut off his right ear. And
Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far.
And He touched his ear, and healed him.
Luke, Chapter 22, verses 47-51.
I don’t know if I could do something nice like heal
a person who was part of a plot to kill me.
I’ve been known to remember situations for over twenty years where
someone has been rude or hurtful to me, yet I am dependent on Jesus’ forgiving
nature. If He remembered all my sins the
same way I have harbored resentments toward others, there’s no way I would ever
make it to heaven. He forgives me over
and over, even when I don’t deserve His forgiveness. He is there loving me when I find it
difficult to love myself. I’m so
fortunate to have Jesus as my Savior and Redeemer.
I write these things and find I’m very
two-faced. I say things like Savior and
Redeemer in my writing and realize that I would never be caught dead saying
these things in public. I think that’s
because I don’t want to sound like a religious fanatic to others. I might say that I love Jesus, but that’s
usually as far as my profession of faith goes.
I need to pay attention because I could be faced with Jesus saying, “I
love Debbie, but I can’t allow her to have Salvation because she is afraid to
risk the condemnation of others. She is
afraid that if she says I’m her Savior and Redeemer, others will think she is a
religious fanatic! What a shame. She had such potential, but if she can’t
acknowledge Me, I don’t feel obliged to acknowledge her. Such a shame!”
Actually, this reminds me about the passage I had
just written where Simon Peter denied Jesus three times. Well, Simon Peter still received Salvation,
because he learned from his mistakes and realized how terrible it was that he
had denied Jesus. Simon Peter turned his
life around where he became someone who readily proclaimed his love for
Jesus. Now I need to be able to do the
same. I need to turn my life around and
not hide behind my fear of what people will think of me. I’m still very weak in this area and need to
ask that God gives me the willingness to let Him guide my actions and my words,
now and always, not just when it’s comfortable.
Here are some related passages:
*And, behold,
one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword,
and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy
sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the
sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now
pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of
angels? But how then shall the
Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
Matthew, Chapter 26, 51-54.
*O my God, I
trust in Thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over
me. Psalm, Chapter 25, verse 2.
*As for our
Redeemer, the LORD of Hosts is His Name, the Holy One of Israel
………………………………………………………………………………
And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptized
thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with
water: but there standeth One among you, Whom ye know not; He it is, who coming
after me is preferred before me, Whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to
unloose. These things were done in
Bethabara beyond Jordan Israel Galilee ,
and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow Me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida ,
the city of Andrew
I think this passage is very moving. It shows the dedication of the followers of
Jesus. John the Baptist spent his adult
life not earning a good living, gaining status or climbing the ladder of
success; but instead, he told people of the coming of Jesus. John the Baptist had a very humble, but
magnificent job! Jesus’ disciples gave
up their previous jobs and lifestyles to join Him. They didn’t ask Jesus if there would be good
benefits, what the stock options were or what was in it for them. They just followed Jesus.
It’s sad that it would be difficult in this day and
age for most of us, including me, to totally give up everything and follow
Jesus. I want to go in the direction
where Jesus needs me just like the disciples who were willing to do as Jesus
asked.
Here are some related passages:
*I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance:
but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to
bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with Fire. Matthew, Chapter 3, verse 11.
*And His disciples asked Him, saying, Why then say
the scribes that Elias must first come?
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and
restore all things. But I say unto you,
That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him
whatsoever they listed. Likewise also
the Son of Man suffer of them. Then the
disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist. Matthew, Chapter 17, verses 10-13.
………………………………………………………………………………
Then answered the Jews and said unto Him, What sign
showest Thou unto us, seeing that Thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy
this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was
this temple in building, and wilt Thou rear it up in three days? But He spake of the Temple of His Body
This reminds me of Missouri
I think that’s how many Christians get led astray to
metaphysical and cult types of churches.
They are looking for valid proof of Jesus’ existence and a concrete
explanation for the creation of the world.
These metaphysical churches seem to appeal to them because they combine
religion with science in a way that makes some kind of sense to them.
Jesus’ telling us that His body is going to be
raised up on the third day defies any explanation, real or metaphysical. It’s in the Bible and enough different
disciples wrote about it from their perspective, so we know that no one made
this up. This allows us to compare what
was foretold in the Bible years before Jesus’ birth with what the different
disciples wrote. That’s why reading the
Bible is beneficial, especially for those that have doubts.
Even Thomas told the other disciples that he didn’t
believe that Jesus had risen from the grave.
Knowing this, Jesus appeared to Thomas and told him to touch the nail
prints in His hands and thrust his hand into His side in order for him to
believe. It really did happen! Although it defies our human logic, Jesus
arose from the grave to save us all from our sins.
I see Jesus’ work in my life each and every day in
ways that defy all explanation, but I do.
I try to turn my life over to God and turn to Him to take care of my
daily issues and concerns. He gives me
the Peace Which Passes All Understanding to get through the tough times. He is always there taking care of me.
We talk about signs.
What sign do I have that Jesus is there?
Well, I’m usually pretty private about this one, but it’s the biggest
sign I can think of. I guess if it lets
one of you turn to God, then it was worth sharing with you. My previous marriage was unhealthy and I
stayed in it longer than I should have.
I thought that’s what God would want me to do. Boy, was I ever wrong!
One day while I was driving, I prayed for God to
give me a sign so that I would know whether I should stay in the marriage or
leave. I was confused and had gone back
and forth and needed guidance to know God’s Will. A little later in the day when I looked down
at my wedding rings, I noticed the diamond was missing! Now, I didn’t lose the diamond from my rings
the day before I prayed for a sign or five days later, but on the very same day
that I had asked for a sign.
Fortunately for me, I listened to the sign that God
gave me and got out of that unhealthy marriage.
Later, I found out about the impact that living in an unhealthy
relationship all those years can have on a family. I’m so glad I listened when God gave me the
sign that defies all explanation, the same way that Jesus’ rising from the
grave to save us from our sins defies all explanation…but it’s true!!!!
Here is a related passage:
*But He
answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a
sign: and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet
Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall
the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh
………………………………………………………………………………
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I
say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God kingdom of God
I tend to get distracted when I say my prayers for
my family, myself and the world situation.
When I find myself doing this, I pray for God to give me His Holy Spirit
to guide me and to keep me focused. When
God’s Holy Spirit lives within me; my actions are more God-focused. Otherwise, it’s very easy for me to get
distracted by living a life with worldly values.
Well, it’s the same for being a Christian. I can say that I believe in Jesus and live a
worldly life not focused on Jesus at all.
Will I go to heaven? Possibly
not. If I love Jesus enough to commit to
be baptized, will I go to heaven? Well,
it’s a start, but it’s not enough. There
are lots of people who were baptized years ago who spend their lives focused on
drugs, alcohol, power, prestige and self instead of God. After you’re baptized, you need to be an
example of Jesus’ positive influence on your life. What if I live a good life, but don’t
recognize Jesus as my Savior? Will I
still go to heaven? There are lots of
Bible passages that state a person doesn’t have Salvation by good works
alone. They have to believe in Jesus as
their Savior and to try to live their lives as examples to others.
………………………………………………………………………………
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe
not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He
that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life. For God sent not His
Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might
be saved. He that believeth on Him is
not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath
not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that Light is
come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than Light, because their
deeds were evil. For every one that
doeth evil hateth the Light, neither cometh to the Light, lest his deeds should
be reproved. But he that doeth Truth
cometh to the Light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought
in God. John, Chapter 3, verses 12-21.
This passage makes me think of Satan as lying within
the shadows ready to pounce on unsuspecting people by tempting them. Satan entices them with worldly pleasures and
lifestyle choices that lead them away from the Light and into the shadows. I think of Jesus as the Light that is turned
on in the dark, to illuminate our way and to make our path clearly
visible.
Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us and Lights
the way to Salvation. As the children of
Light, we need to lead our lives accordingly.
Are we making the lifestyle choices and leading our lives as examples of
the Light that Jesus provides for us?
Or, do we fall prey to Satan sneaking up and dimming our focus through
worldly choices and people who lead us astray?
We need to be in prayerful consideration of these questions.
Here are some related passages:
*Be Ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us
an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or
covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither
filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting which are not convenient: but
rather giving of thanks. For this ye
know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an
idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ
*The people which sat in darkness saw great Light;
and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death Light is sprung
up. From that time Jesus began to
preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew, Chapter 4, verses 16-17.
*The people answered Him, We have heard out of
the Law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest Thou, The Son of Man must
be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man? Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little
while is the Light with you. Walk while
ye have the Light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness
knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye
have Light, believe in the Light, that ye may be the children of Light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and
did hide Himself from them. But though
He had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him. John, Chapter 12, verses 34-37.
*Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed
on Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should
be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the
praise of God. Jesus cried and said, He
that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent Me. And he that seeth Me seeth Him that sent
Me. I am come a Light into the world,
that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear My Words, and believe
not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the
world. He that rejecteth Me, and
receiveth not My Words, hath One that judgeth him: the Word that I have spoken,
the same shall judge him in the Last Day.
For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave
Me a Commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that His Commandment is life
everlasting whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto Me, so I
speak. John, Chapter 12, verses 42-50.
*Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait
for the God of my Salvation: my God will hear me. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I
fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a Light unto me.
Micah, Chapter 7, verses 7-8.
*The light of the body is the
eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of
Light. But if thine eye be evil, thy
whole body shall be full of darkness. If
therefore the Light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that
darkness! Matthew, Chapter 6, verses
22-23.
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For He whom God hath sent speaketh the Words of God:
for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all
things into His hand. He that believeth
on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not
see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
John, Chapter 3, verses 34-36.
God tells us through the Bible in plain and simple
Words: If we believe in Jesus, God’s Son, we will have everlasting life in
heaven; and if we don’t, we will have God’s wrath instead! I don’t know about you, but I would much
rather have everlasting life with God than to endure His wrath. What about you?
Here are some related passages:
*All things
are delivered unto Me of My Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father;
neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son
will reveal Him. Matthew, Chapter 11,
verse 27.
*And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God
require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to
love Him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy
soul. Deuteronomy, Chapter 10, verse 12.
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Then cometh He to a city of Samaria Samaria Samaria
unto Him, How is it that Thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a
woman of Samaria
I like the picture I get when I read this. I know that I get thirsty and get a glass of
water; but in a little while, I might get thirsty again. Sometimes, it becomes annoying when I have to
run downstairs to get another glass of water.
Other times when I’m away from home and find myself without a place to
get water, my thirst seems unquenchable.
I have never thought of being so satisfied that I’m
never thirsty again. Of course, Jesus
isn’t talking about actual water, but we do have a thirst to have eternal life
with Him. If we ignore that inner thirst
and choose to lead a more worldly life, that thirst is still there,
unquenched. If we satisfy our thirst, by
finding out more about Jesus and His love for us and try to be examples of how
He works in our lives, our thirst for a relationship with Jesus is
quenched. We don’t have to seek eternal
life, because we will have it through our love of Jesus, who will quench all
our needs, if we only ask Him.
………………………………………………………………………………
God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must
worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. The
woman saith unto Him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when
He is come, He will tell us all things.
Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am He. John, Chapter 4, verses 24-26.
Have you ever watched movies where men or women are
looking for their true love, but have a good friend they overlook because they
are looking for the ideal partner? The
majority of the movie is focused on the main character pursuing people who are
attractive, popular, etc., but never are satisfied. Later, in the movie, they find that the ideal
person for them is their true-blue friend who has been there, all along.
It’s like this lady who is desperately searching for
Jesus, without realizing He is right in front of her. He isn’t attractive, popular, etc., so He
might go unnoticed. He is our true-blue
friend and Savior who is there to save us, but do we notice Him? Like the song says, “Looking for love in all
the wrong places,” do we want to be a “Looking for Jesus in All the Wrong
Places Christian” or should we stop to realize that He has been right here in
front of us, all along?
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So Jesus Himself came again into Cana of Galilee , where He made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son
was sick at Capernaum Galilee . John, Chapter 4, verses 46-54.
The thing that made all the difference in the life
of the young boy was what the father believed Jesus when He told him that his
son liveth. Now if the father had
doubted Jesus, his son would be dead and he would have always regretted not
having had the faith necessary to trust Jesus.
The sad thing is that some can’t believe that Jesus
is going to take care of their needs.
It’s almost funny that they can believe things like the following:
It’s funny, they can believe their concerns are
going to be taken care of by sending money to someone on TV, but they don’t
trust in Jesus. It’s funny, they can
believe in someone who looks at some tea leaves, crystals or lines in their
hands, but they don’t trust in Jesus.
It’s funny, some can believe in chanting some positive affirmation, but
they don’t trust in Jesus. It’s funny,
some believe in looking at their horoscope, but they don’t trust in Jesus. It’s funny, some can believe in putting
positive thoughts in their minds, but they don’t trust in Jesus. People can believe in all these ridiculous
things and all they had to do was to have faith in Jesus. It’s almost so simple that it eludes them.
We have choices in our lives. We can believe God is going to take care of
our concerns in whichever way is His will (because He sees the Big
Picture). Or we can doubt and live to
regret, not having the faith necessary to trust Jesus.
Here are some related passages:
*And when
Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto Him a centurion, beseeching
Him, And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously
tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I
will come and heal him. The centurion
answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my
roof: but speak the Word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having
soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another,
Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, He marveled and said to
them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no,
not in Israel. And I say unto you, That
many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and
Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness:
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast
believed, so be it done unto thee. And
his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
Matthew, Chapter 8, verses 5-13.
*And when He
was come into the house, the blind men came to Him: and Jesus saith unto them,
Believe ye that I am able to do this?
They said unto Him, Yea, Lord.
Then touched He their eyes, saying, according to your faith be it unto
you. And their eyes were opened; and
Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. Matthew, Chapter 9, verses 28-30.
*And behold, a
woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto Him, saying, Have
mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a
devil. But He answered her not a
Word. And His disciples came and
besought Him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after us. But He answered and said, I am not sent but
unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel
Thus saith the
LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and
whose heart departeth from the LORD. For
he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh;
but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not
inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth
in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out
her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall
be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease
from yielding fruit. Jeremiah, Chapter
17, verses 5-8.
………………………………………………………………………………
In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of
blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season
into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling
of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had an
infirmity thirty and eight years. When
Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, He
saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
The impotent man answered Him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is
troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down
before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise,
take up thy bed, and walk. And
immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the
same day was the Sabbath. The Jews
therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the Sabbath day: it is not lawful
for thee to carry thy bed. He answered
them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and
walk. Then asked they him, What Man is
that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? And he that was healed wist not Who it was:
for Jesus had conveyed Himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple,
and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing
come unto thee. John, Chapter 5, verses
3-14.
Something that impresses me about this passage is
that Jesus asked the handicapped man, “Wilt thou be made whole?” Now, it would seem any handicapped person in
their right mind would say, “Sure I will.
I would do anything to be made whole!”
But I don’t think we always do that as Christians. When Jesus gave His life for us and rose
again to gain us Salvation, He is asking all of us, “Wilt thou be made
whole?” What would we reply?
Would it be, “Yes, as long as my friends don’t know
that I’m a Christian”? “Yes, as long as
I can still cheat on my spouse every now and then. It really doesn’t mean a thing!” “Yes, as long as I can still stab my
co-workers in the back to get another wrung up the ladder of success.” “Yes, just as long as I can party every now
and then. You know it doesn’t really
hurt anything. Besides, I need to relax
now and then.” When Jesus asks us if we
will be made whole, all we have to do is believe in Him as our Lord and
Savior. The other part of being made
whole is trying to live as examples of how He works in our lives. I don’t think any of the responses above
reflect that. What will you say to the
question Jesus poses in our lives, “Wilt thou be made whole?”
Here are some related passages:
*When the even
was come, they brought unto Him many that were possessed with devils: and He
cast out the spirits with His Word, and healed all that were sick: That it
might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took
our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
Matthew, Chapter 8, verses 16-17.
*The blind
receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf
hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to
them. Matthew, Chapter 11, verse 5.
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Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My
Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not
come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is
coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God: and
they that hear shall live. John, Chapter
5, verses 24-25.
I had a hearing problem when I was growing up. My mother took me to a specialist to check my
hearing to make sure that there weren’t any major problems. The doctor told my mother that I had
selective-listening. This meant I tuned
out the things that I didn’t want to hear and only listened to the things that
I wanted to hear. Are we
“Selective-listening Christians,” listening only to what we want to hear when
it comes to God? Are we only open to
doing the Christian acts that are comfortable for us and don’t really require
us to make any changes to grow as Christians?
You will notice that it talks about he that heareth
My Word and believeth on Him that sent Me, not he that heareth only what he
wants to hear and only believes when it’s convenient. Hopefully, we aren’t using
selective-listening in our Christian lives.
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And when even was now come, His disciples went down
unto the sea, And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum
I recently talked with my daughter and told her that
I say the Lord’s Prayer or sing I
Surrender All, when I’m feeling scared, stressed or like Satan is trying to
pervade my thoughts to lead me astray.
She told me that she says: Be Not
Afraid when she is experiencing similar things. So, this passage has special significance for
me for that reason.
I was thinking about the influence we have on our
children’s lifestyle choices and their relationship with God, through the
modeling we do. My daughter has picked
up some similar strategies to connect with God when she is feeling stressed,
concerned, etc. It’s much better that
she picks up positive strategies like this, than seeing me turn to alcohol or
worse, as situations arise. You don’t
realize the impact you have on your children by the choices you make. Are you making choices you want your children
to emulate? If not, it’s not too late to
change the way you turn to God in time of need, joy, etc. It may have a positive impact on your child’s
life, regardless of their age.
Here is a related passage:
*And it shall
come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be
saved. Acts, Chapter 2, verse 21.
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And when they had found Him on the other side of the
sea, they said unto Him, Rabbi, when camest Thou hither? Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily,
I say unto you, Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did
eat of the loaves, and were filled.
Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that Meat which
endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you for
Him hath God the Father sealed. Then
said they unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is
the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent. They said therefore unto Him, What sign
showest Thou then, that we may see, and believe Thee? what dost Thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as
it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I
say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but My Father giveth
you the True Bread from heaven. For the
Bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the
world. Then said they unto Him, Lord,
evermore give us this Bread. And Jesus
said unto them, I am The Bread of Life: he that cometh to Me shall never
hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen
Me, and believe not. All that the Father
giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast
out. For I came down from heaven, not to
do Mine Own will, but the will of Him that sent Me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent
Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise
it up again at the Last Day. And this is
the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth
on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the Last
Day. John, Chapter 6, verses 25-40.
With having a focus on eating most of my life, this
passage gives me a whole different perspective.
I need to focus on, “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for
that Meat which endureth unto everlasting life.” It makes me realize how I tend to get
sidetracked by worldly things, like eating, etc. when my focus should always be
on Jesus who will really satisfy all my needs.
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Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep My
saying, he shall never see death. John,
Chapter 8, verse 51.
Isn’t it amazing?
If we try to live our lives in a manner that reflects the positive
impact that Jesus has on us, we will have everlasting life with Him in heaven.
………………………………………………………………………………
As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the
World. When He had thus spoken, He spat
on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and He anointed the eyes of the
blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam,
(which is by interpretation, Sent.) He
went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. The neighbours therefore, and they which
before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and
begged? Some said, this is he: others
said, he is like him: but he said, I am he.
Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered and said, A Man that is called
Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of
Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. Then said they unto him, Where is He? He said, I know not. They brought to the Pharisees him that
aforetime was blind. And it was the
Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how
he had received his sight. He said unto
them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This
man is not of God, because He keepeth not the Sabbath day. Others said, How can a Man that is a sinner
do such miracles? And there was a division among them. They say unto the blind man again, What
sayest thou of Him, that He hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet. But the Jews did not believe concerning him,
that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents
of him that had received his sight. And
they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see? His parents answered them and said, We know that
this is our son, and that he was born blind: But by what means he now seeth, we
know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he
shall speak for himself. These words
spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed
already, that if any man did confess that He was Christ, he should be put out
of the synagogue. Therefore said his
parents, He is of age; ask him. Then
again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the
praise, we know that this Man is a sinner.
He answered and said, Whether He be a sinner or no, I know not: one
thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. Then said they to him again, What did He to
thee? how opened He thine eyes? He
answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye
hear it again? will ye also be His
disciples? Then they reviled him, and
said, Thou art His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for
this Fellow, we know not from whence He is.
The man answered and said unto them.
Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence He is,
and yet He hath opened mine eyes. Now we
know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and
doeth His will, him He heareth. Since
the world began it was not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was
born blind. If this Man were not of God,
He could do nothing. They answered and
said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and
when He had found him, He said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is He, Lord, that I
might believe on Him? And Jesus said
unto him, Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped Him. John, Chapter 9, 5-38.
If you ask me, it wasn’t the person who was healed
that was blind. Those men investigating
the miracle Jesus performed on this man seemed to be blind. They still could not acknowledge that Jesus
is their Savior, even after the miracle.
Hopefully, we aren’t “Blind Christians” who ignore the things that Jesus
shows us in our lives.
………………………………………………………………………………
Verily, Verily, I say unto you, He that
entereth not by the Door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way,
the same is a thief and a robber. But he
that entereth in by the Door is the Shepherd of the sheep. To Him the porter openeth: and the sheep hear
His Voice: and He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out, And when
He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him:
for they know His Voice. And a stranger
will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of
strangers. This parable spake Jesus unto
them: but they understood not what things they were which He spake unto
them. Then said Jesus unto them again,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the Door of the sheep. All that ever came before Me are thieves and
robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
I am the Door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall
go in and out, and find pasture. The
thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that
they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd
giveth His Life for the sheep. But he
that is an hireling, and not the Shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth
the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them,
and scattereth the sheep. The hireling
fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep,
and am known of Mine. As the Father
knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down My Life for the
sheep. And other sheep I have, which are
not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My Voice; and
there shall be one fold, and One Shepherd.
Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My Life, that I
might take it again. No man taketh it
from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I
have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This Commandment have I received of My
Father. John, Chapter 10, verses 1-18.
Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed
not: the works that I do in My Father’s Name, they bear witness of Me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of My
sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear
My Voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal
life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My
hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is
greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s Hand. I and My Father are One. John, Chapter 10, verses 25-30.
Wow! There
are so many wonderful comparisons that Jesus makes in this passage that I’m
afraid I might leave some out. If I do,
please forgive me. This is what this
passage means to me, although I realize others may interpret it differently.
Jesus is speaking of the sheep as Christians (His
people.) People who want to lead
Christians (His people) astray aren’t going to do it in a forthright
manner. They aren’t going to come
through the front door and say, “I’m here to deceive you and lead you
astray. Follow me and you are bound to
lose your Salvation.” If the Christians
would know better than to follow them, they would stay with the rest of the
sheep knowing that Jesus, their Shepherd, would always protect them and lead
them to Salvation.
Instead, people who want to lead Christians astray,
do it in a more subtle manner like the robber who sneaks in to steal the
sheep. They work slyly trying to deceive
Christians by making them believe that they are doing the Will of God-so sad!
True Christians stay focused on Jesus and His will
for us, as shown in the Bible. That way
we will know Jesus’ Voice and won’t be led astray by others who profess to be
followers of His, but aren’t. God the
Father gave us to Jesus to be His sheep, and Jesus and God the Father are One.
Jesus is dedicated to protecting us like a Shepard
who protects His sheep from wolves. A
Shepherd would give His life to save His sheep, just as Jesus gave His Life to
save us from our sinful nature. Those
who deceive Christians are going to run for the hills when they see the wolves
coming or when we stop giving them the money or the things they want from
us. As long as we listen to our
Shepherd’s Voice, Jesus will keep us from being misled.
Here are some related passages:
*For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now
returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 1 Peter, Chapter 2, verse 25.
*Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand,
and His arm shall rule for Him: behold, His reward is with Him, and His work is
before Him. He shall feed His flock like
a Shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His Arm, and carry them in His
Bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. Isaiah, Chapter 40, verses 10-11.
*And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and
all flesh shall see it together: for the Mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. The Voice said, Cry. And He said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness
thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth:
because the Spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is
grass. The grass withereth, the flower
fadeth: but the Word of our God shall stand for ever. Isaiah, Chapter 40, verses 5-8.
*Beware of false prophets, which come to you in
sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Matthew, Chapter 7, verse 15.
*But when He
saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted,
and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith He unto His disciples, The harvest
truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of
the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest. Matthew, Chapter 9, verses 36-38.
*Behold, send
you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; be ye therefore wise as serpents,
and harmless as doves. Matthew, Chapter
10, verse 16.
*Then saith
Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of Me this night: for it is
written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered
abroad. But after I am risen again, I
will go before you into Galilee . Matthew, Chapter 26, verses 31-32.
*I have gone
astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget Thy
Commandments. Psalm, Chapter 119, verse
176.
………………………………………………………………………………
If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me
not. But if I do, though ye believe not
Me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in Me,
and I in Him. John, Chapter 10, verses
37-38.
It amazes me.
The Israelites were told for generations that there would be a Savior
and they waited for Him all those years.
When Jesus, the Savior, did come, they didn’t believe Him. Now, you might be able to understand why they
might not believe Him just because He tells them that He is the Savior. I guess I could have been a little skeptical
at that point, as well. Jesus knows they
are doubtful and does major miracles like making people see who had been blind
from birth, making the lame walk, bringing the dead back to life, taking water
and making it into wine and taking a little bread and a few fish and making it
feed thousands.
He did major miracles so people would realize He
isn’t just any man who is saying that He is the Savior. He really IS the Savior!! His miracles and all His actions attested to
this, but still people don’t believe Him.
We have record in the Bible of all the great things that Jesus did and
said, but He gives us a choice. Do you
believe Him? I hope for your sake you
do!
………………………………………………………………………………
Jesus said unto her, I am the Resurrection, and the
Life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And
whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto Him, Yea,
Lord: I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come
into the world. And when she had so
said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, the Master
is come, and calleth for thee. As soon
as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto Him. John, Chapter 11, verses 25-29.
This passage reminds me of asking kids to come do
something and you hear, “In a minute,” “During the commercial,” or “When I get
around to it.” Actually, I have been
guilty of saying the exact same things myself.
As Christians, do we jump up and respond when we feel Jesus is calling
us to do something or do we tell Him, “When I get around to it”?
………………………………………………………………………………
There they made Him a supper; and Martha served: but
Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with Him. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of
spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with
her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then saith one
of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray Him. Why was not this ointment sold for three
hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the
poor: but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put
therein. Then said Jesus, Let her alone:
against the day of My burying hath she kept this. For the poor always ye have with you; but Me
ye have not always. John, Chapter 12,
verses 2-8.
Judas chastises Mary for doing something good when
he really had ulterior motives. He
really wanted the money for himself. How
many times do we have ulterior motives but sound very self-righteous to others?
I know eating was one of the subtle ways that I let
Satan sneak into my life. You wouldn’t
think Satan could have a stronghold on a person with something as seemingly
insignificant as eating. Generally, we
think about major things like drinking, taking drugs, infidelity, stealing,
etc., not eating. Things that seem minor
are easier for us “Self-righteous Christians” to let into our lives without
noticing how it works a wedge in our relationship with God.
God showed me how important food and my compulsive
eating had become when I yelled at my daughter when she was little. She had brought some of her neighborhood
friends over and had given them each one of the green Pippin Apples that I had
stored in our refrigerator. I yelled at
her, telling her that she shouldn’t have given the apples to them because there
wouldn’t be enough for the family.
Actually, I wasn’t really worried about the family. Those apples were my favorite and I had
bought them for me!
I was being a terrible example of my faith! My ulterior motives interfered when I should
have been complimenting my daughter for sharing with others. Instead, I was hoarding the apples for myself! It seems silly to have let something as
insignificant as apples sneak in between my relationship with my daughter and
my faith, but I’m ashamed to say that I did.
………………………………………………………………………………
On the next day much people that were come to the
feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of
palm trees, and went forth to meet Him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King
of Israel that cometh in the Name of the Lord.
And Jesus, when He had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,
Fear not, daughter of Zion
This reminds me of a really good instructor who
tells you before-hand what you’re going to learn. That way you can identify the important
information when you see it. The really
good instructor gives you a variety of examples to prove a point. That’s what I see happening in the Bible.
The Old Testament tells us we are looking for the
Savior and what He will do and say, along with what things will happen to Him
when He comes. The New Testament not
only tells about Jesus fulfilling these things that had been predicted, but
tells of all the miracles that He did, as proof to those who are doubtful. These things are verified through different
people who described what Jesus said and how He saved us from our sins through
His death and Resurrection. If a person
has any doubts, reading the Bible would help them see how Jesus’ life is no
coincidence.
This is one of the many passages from the Old
Testament that foretell of Jesus:
*Rejoice
greatly, O daughter of Zion ; shout, O daughter
of Jerusalem
Here is one of the related New Testament passages
that show how Jesus had fulfilled the ancient prophesy:
*And when they
drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives,
then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village over
against you and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her:
loose them, and bring them unto Me. And
if any man say aught unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and
straightway he will send them. And this
was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
Tell ye the daughter of Zion
………………………………………………………………………………
And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come,
that the Son of Man should be glorified.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the
ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he
that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and
where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My
Father honour. Now is My soul troubled;
and what shall I say? Father, save Me from
this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify Thy Name. Then came there a Voice from heaven, saying,
I have both glorified It, and will glorify It again. The people therefore, that stood by, and
heard It said that It thundered: others said, An angel spake to Him. Jesus answered and said, This Voice came not
because of Me, but for your sakes. John,
Chapter 12, verses 23-30.
I love the way Jesus made the comparison between His
life and a kernel of wheat that dies, but through its death brings forth much
fruit. Jesus was willing to give up His
life for us so that we could be forgiven from our sins. Yet, we are often skeptical which seems
awfully ungrateful after all Jesus has done for us. Jesus goes on to say that those who are
willing to give their lives for Him will have eternal life. Are we willing to give our worldly lives over
to God and become examples of how Jesus works in us? That’s what it takes!
Here is a related passage:
*He that
findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall
find it. Matthew, Chapter 10, verse 39.
………………………………………………………………………………
Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and
the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. If ye had known Me, ye should have known My
Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him. John, Chapter 14, verses 6-7.
Knowing how patient, understanding and forgiving
Jesus is gives me a clear picture of God the Father who is exactly the
same. Fortunately for me, since I need
lots of patience and forgiveness. I tend
to keep making the same mistakes over and over again by getting caught up in
feeling self-righteous about things, judging other people and letting food or
possessions become too important in my life (just to mention a few of my many
shortcomings.)
………………………………………………………………………………
Verily, verily, I say unto you. He that believeth on Me, the works that I do
shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto
My Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask
in My Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in My Name, I will
do it. If ye love Me, Keep My
Commandments. And I will pray the
Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for
ever. John, Chapter 14, verses 12-16.
When my son was born, he had to be rushed to a large
hospital hours away from us for a life-threatening surgery. It can be pretty lonely when the nurses bring
out the babies for their mothers to hold and your arms are empty. Fortunately, the Comforter (Holy Spirit) had
given me what I call the Peace Which Passes All Understanding. It’s a calm feeling when I would normally be
really upset or extremely concerned.
Instead, I felt at peace knowing that God was taking excellent care of
things so that I shouldn’t worry…and He did!
Here is a related passage:
*Be careful
for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known unto God.
And the Peace of God, Which Passeth All Understanding, shall keep your
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians, Chapter 4, verses 6-7.
………………………………………………………………………………
He that hath My Commandments, and keepeth them, he
it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I
will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.
John, Chapter 14, verse 21.
I have often been more of a “Do as I Say, Not as I
Do Christian.” It’s sure a lot easier to
tell others how they should live their lives according to what God tells us in
the Bible, than to actually live as the example He wants.
Here is a related passage:
*He that
receiveth you receiveth Me, and he that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent
Me. Matthew, Chapter 10, verse 40.
………………………………………………………………………………
I am the true vine, and My Father is the
husbandman. Every branch in Me that
beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He
purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit.
John, Chapter 15, verses 1-2.
I love the comparison Jesus makes in this chapter
with a grapevine and His followers (Christians.) Just like the farmer in the grape vineyard
who cuts down unproductive branches, God weeds out so-called Christians who
aren’t productive, as well. Christians
who produce fruit will be trained in the ways to become better examples of how
God works in their lives. I need to be a
better example, because I sure wouldn’t want to get pruned!
………………………………………………………………………………
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. John, Chapter 15, verse 4.
In this comparison, Christians are the branches and
Jesus is the vine. If a heavy wind had
broken a branch off, that branch could not continue to produce grapes year
after year on its own. People who stray
away from Jesus lose their focus as Christians if they don’t have an ongoing
relationship with Him. The branch needs
a vine with a strong root system to get nourishment up through it; into the
branches and into the grapes. Christians
rely heavily on the nourishment that Jesus gives them through His Word (the
Bible) to help us grow as His examples for others. In this same way we rely on Jesus, who
relies on us to be productive by sharing our faith with others.
………………………………………………………………………………
If ye abide in Me, and My Words abide in You, ye
shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear
much fruit: so shall ye be My disciples.
As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: continue ye in My
love. If ye keep My Commandments, ye
shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s Commandments, and abide
in His love. These things have I spoken
unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be
full. This is My Commandment, That ye
love one another, as I have loved you.
Greater love hath no man than this that a Man lay down His life for His
friends. Ye are My friends, if ye do
whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I
call you no servants: for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I
have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have
made known unto you. John, Chapter 15,
verses 7-15.
I don’t want to take this lightly, being an “Only
for the Moment Christian,” then falling back into my old sinful ways
again. Jesus gave His life for me and
for you. He deserves a little more
recognition than an occasional mention on special religious holidays or when we
feel the need to go to church for family traditions. He sacrificed so much for us which should
warrant us trying to make a committed effort to be the Christian that Jesus
would want us to be.
………………………………………………………………………………
A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because
her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth
no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. John, Chapter 16, verse 21.
My mother told me something like this when I was
expecting my daughter. I was somewhat
apprehensive since this was my first child.
Ever since then, I share this with other expectant mothers who tend to
be overwhelmed by all the delivery-room horror stories that their supposed
friends and co-workers share with them.
I have never figured out why women do this to each
other. You would think that if they had
been scared by the delivery stories that other people had told them, they
wouldn’t want to do this to their friends.
I have continued to see women do this over the years and in different
parts of the country. It’s almost like
some female bonding ritual, where mothers get to see if the expectant mother is
worthy of her newborn child by living through all the delivery-room horror
stories shared with them.
My mother told me that God made childbirth very
special. Although there is some pain
involved, it’s only for a little while and your focus is on having your new
child born healthy. The pain tends to
pale in comparison to the anticipation of having a happy, healthy child.
She reminded me of scars I had as a youngster. I can remember that the original cut hurt,
but I can’t actually feel the pain associated with those scars anymore. She told me that God made childbirth pain in
much the same way since people wouldn’t continue to have children if they held
onto the pain.
My mother said the pain experienced disappears from
your focus once you have your new child in your arms. Now, I think this is a much nicer thing to
share with expectant mothers than the other delivery-room stories that I
mentioned, and it’s nice there is Scripture to back it up.
………………………………………………………………………………
And in that day ye shall ask Me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you. Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My
Name, He will give it you. John, Chapter
16, verse 23.
There have been times in my life when I have had
situations larger than my plate could handle.
Fortunately, God answered my prayer by providing friends and family who
would support me in ways that defy explanation.
I am truly blessed!
………………………………………………………………………………
Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye
shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave Me alone; and yet I
am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have
peace. In the world ye shall have
tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John, Chapter 16, verses 32-33.
Jesus knows of the terrible travesty of justice that
is about to befall Him, and yet He takes the time to reassure His disciples
(and us.) This passage gives me so much
hope, even when worldly things seem to get me down. Jesus has conquered the world, so it can’t
ever get the best of me as long as I continue to focus on Him.
………………………………………………………………………………
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also
which shall believe on Me through their Word; That they all may be one; as
Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee that they also may be one in Us: that
the world may believe that Thou has sent Me, And the glory which Thou gavest Me
I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are One. John, Chapter 17, verses 20-22.
I have been trying to go back through my feeble
brain to remember what this reminds me of.
Well, I have finally figured it out.
There is a portion of my daily prayer which is, “Dear God, please dwell
with us and in us now and always, and please have us dwell with You and in You
now and always.” That’s what it reminds
me of!
The significance of this prayer is that our
relationship with God is of no importance if it’s only one-sided. We can ask God to dwell with us and in us,
but if we choose not to act on that we are lost. If we dwell with Him and in Him, as well, we
are united and open to the opportunity of growing in Christ.
………………………………………………………………………………
When they therefore were come together, they asked
of Him, saying, Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel
Although this isn’t really what this passage is
about, it reminds me of when one of my grandsons was younger and we would ask
him if he wanted to spend the day with us.
He wanted to know what we were going to do before he would commit to coming
with us.
I don’t think it’s positive for us to foster the
attitude that if we do something exciting enough, then he will grace us with
his presence. Out of stubbornness, I
didn’t tell him what we were doing before he made his decision. If he decided to go with us, he could do all
the interesting things that we were going to do. If not, that was okay too, because he has the
ability to make his own choices.
Well, I think that God works in much the same
way. God doesn’t give us the dates of
the major events of the world. Or else
we might reply, “Well, if I know what’s in it for me first, God, and I think
it’s to my advantage, then I will consider being Your follower.” God wants us to be His followers out of blind
faith and love.
………………………………………………………………………………
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy
Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem , and in all Judea, and in Samaria
The last thing Jesus said to His disciples as He
ascends into heaven is extremely significant.
Jesus tells them to let others know what He had done to provide
Salvation for everyone, not just for a specific country, nationality or race
but it is to be shared,“unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
………………………………………………………………………………
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they
were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind,
and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues
like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with
other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem
The gift of the Holy Spirit makes a Grand
entrance! God didn’t want this to go
unnoticed or He would have just given this gift subtly to the disciples. He wanted people to know that this is a gift
from God so He had witnesses to this special occasion!
It tells about how the Holy Spirit came down and
gave the disciples and other followers the ability to talk to different
nationalities and cultures of people in their native tongue. Otherwise the disciples and followers of God
would not be able to minister to anyone other than those who could understand
the disciple’s language.
Whether people still talk in tongues or whether it
was just during the time of the disciples isn’t exactly clear to me, at this
point. I just know that the disciples
and followers did then in order to be able to preach to everyone. God didn’t want anyone excluded from the opportunity
to hear His Word.
There is a lot of controversy about talking in tongues,
but I don’t have to get involved in disputes on that topic. It doesn’t say in the Bible that a
requirement for Salvation is to believe in Jesus and to talk in tongues. It just says that we are supposed to believe
in Jesus as our Savior and to try to lead our lives as an example for Him. So, I don’t have to know all the answers in
order to have Salvation. If God wants me
to know this, He’ll show me what He wants me to know, when He wants me to know
it. You can read more about this in 1
Corinthians, Chapter 12, Chapter 13 and Chapter 14 to make up your own mind on
this matter which is definitely preferable to someone else telling you what to
believe. God does have suggestions for
these gifts so that they don’t alienate visitors.
Here are some related passages:
*If therefore the whole church be come together
into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are
unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14, verse 23.
*If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by
two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if
there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak
to himself, and to God. 1 Corinthians,
Chapter 14, verses 27-28.
………………………………………………………………………………
Therefore let all the house of Israel
Jesus didn’t want the apostles or us to sit back on
our laurels after He ascended into heaven.
He wants us to take an active stand in sharing so that others have
Salvation through Jesus, as well. I’m
ashamed to say that I tend to work on this when the situation feels safe and
comfortable.
This isn’t the Army where the drill sergeant comes
up to the new recruits in line saying, “Johnson, Scott and Harris, you have
just volunteered for K.P. Duty.” God
gives us a choice. After Jesus gave His
Life for me, I want to be a much better example than I have been in the past.
………………………………………………………………………………
And all that believed were together, and had all
things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all
men, as every man had need. And they,
continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house
to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. Praising God, and having favour with all the
people. And the Lord added to the church
daily such as should be saved. Acts,
Chapter 2, verses 44-47.
It’s difficult for me to imagine such total
dedication to sharing the Word of God.
That would mean selling my house and giving the money to someone
else. That would mean not having a TV,
VCR, furniture, bank account, etc. Every
aspect of my life would be focused on delivering the message of Salvation to
others. It makes me realize what a
worldly life I still am leading even though I go through the motions of being a
follower of Christ.
When it’s difficult to give up worldly possessions,
it seems like they possess your soul!
Definitely something I need to work on, especially since I’m thinking
about getting a new computer while I’m editing this rather than focusing on the
message that this has for me. Boy, do I
ever need to get my priorities straight!
Here are some related passages:
*And the multitude of them that believed were of
one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that aught of the things
which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles
witness of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them
all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were
possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of the things
that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was
made unto every man according as he had need.
And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being
interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’
feet. Acts, Chapter 4, verses 32-37.
*Then Peter said, Lord, we have left all, and
followed Thee. And He said unto them,
Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or
brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, Who shall not
receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life
everlasting. Luke, Chapter 18, verses
28-30.
*And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven
is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the
lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely
give. Provide neither gold, nor silver,
nor brass in your purses, Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats,
neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. Matthew, Chapter 10, verses 7-10.
………………………………………………………………………………
And he [lame man] gave heed
unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none;
but such as I have give I thee: In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth Israel
In healing the lame man, Peter didn’t take credit
for the miracle but made sure that the people focused on this miracle coming
from faith in Jesus, not through Peter’s efforts. When I watch religious shows on TV, I’m
appalled at the way some of them focus more on the religious leaders who get
paid, than they do on Jesus Christ.
Peter didn’t say “I” healed the lame man through Jesus. “I” am able to do this miracle through Jesus’
power. “I” need you to send me money so
that “I” can continue these miracles.
Peter gave the total credit to Jesus, no “I’s” or “Me’s”.
Sometimes, I get concerned about those who profess
to be the messengers of God, but publicly draw attention to themselves. If Jesus and His apostles didn’t draw
attention to themselves for the miracles they did and didn’t ask people for
money, do you think Jesus would approve of those on TV who do? It’s just something that seems noteworthy as
you watch different religious shows that do this. You need to be able to discern the Will of
God. Trust your instincts. He will guide you through these.
Here are some related passages:
*Be it known unto you all, and to all the people
of Israel , that by the Name
of Jesus Christ of Nazareth
*Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking
mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. 1 Corinthians, Chapter 10, verse 33.
………………………………………………………………………………
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his
wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being
privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan
filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price
of the land? Whiles it remained, was it
not thine own? And after it was sold,
was it not in thine own power? Why hast
thou conceived this thing in thine heart?
thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down,
and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these
things. And the young men arose, wound
him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not
knowing what was done, came in. And
Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye
have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of them which have buried
thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet,
and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and
carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these
things. Acts, Chapter 5, verses 1-11.
I’m very fortunate God that has this story of
Ananias and his wife pop in my mind from time to time, especially at times when
I’m trying to find an angle to beat the system.
An example would be my planning to have my college daughter come and eat
at the breakfast buffet in my hotel when I come to her town to visit. Since I’ve realized how I was calculating
this in my heart, I now go to someone at the hotel and offer to pay for my
daughter to join us for breakfast. It’s
not that anyone minded or would have missed the food. What matters is that I contrived this plan in
order to save a few bucks on my daughter’s breakfast and God knows what’s in my
heart. He knows when I’m making up lame
excuses for why I’m not going to church on a particular occasion or why the
sales person deserved my less than patient response to the store’s policy, etc.
It would be nice if God didn’t need to remind me so
often. That’s not the case. Satan works in very subtle ways and finds
ways to sneak into our lives through our planning and scheming and our making
excuses for our choices. I’m so thankful
that God takes the time to remind me. I
don’t ever want to let these subtle things work into my life and slowly lead me
astray. I need to maintain a focus on
God and the reminders He puts in my mind (some people call it a conscience),
which help to refocus me.
………………………………………………………………………………
There came also a multitude out of the cities round
about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with
unclean spirits: and they were healed every one. Then the high priest rose up, and all they
that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with
indignation, And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common
prison. But the angel of the Lord by
night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and
speak in the temple to the people all the Words of this life. And when they heard that, they entered into
the temple early in the morning and taught.
But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council
together, and all the senate of the children of Israel
Telling others about
Jesus’ death and Resurrection was important enough that God had an angel unlock
the jail cell doors these two different times.
If He went to all that trouble, don’t you think He wants me to be more
open about sharing my faith with others?
That’s one of my bigger shortcomings!
This is a related
passage:
*Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth
his hands to vex certain of the church.
And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he
proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened
bread.) And when he had apprehended him,
he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep
him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in prison: but
prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth,
the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains:
and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon
him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and
raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly, And his chains fell off from his
hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird
thyself, and bind on thy sandals, And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about
thee, and follow me. And he went out,
and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel;
but thought he saw a vision. When they
were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that
leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went
out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from
him. And when Peter was come to himself,
he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent His angel, and hath
delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the
people of the Jews. And when he had
considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose
surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate,
a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness,
but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even
so. Then said they, It is his
angel. But Peter continued knocking: and
when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished. But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to
hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the
prison. And he said, Go show these
things unto James, and to the brethren.
And he departed, and went into another place. Now as soon as it was day, there was no small
stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. And when Herod had sought for him, and found
him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to
death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea , and there abode. Acts, Chapter 12, verses 1-19.
………………………………………………………………………………
And to him they agreed: and when they had called the
apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the
Name of Jesus, and let them go. And they
departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted
worthy to suffer shame for His Name. And
daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach
Jesus Christ. Acts, Chapter 5, verses
40-42.
My son was committed to
raising money for “Jerry’s Kids.” I
tried to encourage my children to be sensitive to the needs of the less
fortunate. This fourth grade student
went from house to house all weekend long collecting money. Undaunted by those who were unable or
unwilling to contribute, his determination led him to collect a record amount
for this worthy cause. Earlier, I had
suggested that he had done enough and should think of quitting but he wouldn’t
give up until he felt he had done his very best for this cause. I need to be as dedicated to my beliefs,
regardless of what others think.
………………………………………………………………………………
When they heard these things, they were cut to the
heart, and they gnashed on him [Stephen] with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked
up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the
right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of
Man standing on the right hand of God.
Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran
upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the
witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was
Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling
upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down and cried with a loud
voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.
And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts, Chapter 7, verses 54-60.
I was impressed with how forgiving Stephen is. They have bitten him and are in the process
of stoning him to death, yet he asks God to forgive them. I have a difficult time forgiving people who
have hurt my feelings ten years ago.
Boy, do I ever have a lot of room for growth!
………………………………………………………………………………
And there was great joy in that city. But there was a certain man, called Simon,
which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of
Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: To whom they all gave
heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of
god. And to him they had regard, because
that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. But when they believed Philip preaching the
things concerning the kingdom
of God
Some of the things that amaze me in this passage are
related to Simon who could use sorcery to get a whole city to be in awe of him
and the things he did. If it was
possible then, it makes me wonder if people in power, certain celebrities, religious
leaders, etc. do the same thing now. Are
we captivated by particular people who defy all our ethical reasoning? I’m not
sure on this one, but it makes me wonder about people in the media or some
religions that get rich from people sending in their life savings to them. This is just something to think about.
Additionally, when Simon saw the power given through
the Holy Spirit when they were laying on hands, he wanted it too. Rather than become committed to his belief in
Jesus, doing it the hard way through changing his life, Simon picked the easy
way out and thought he could have his cake and eat it too! He thought he could live his worldly life and
buy the gift of the Holy Ghost. Well,
Peter saw right through that plan!
The sad part of all of this is that I somewhat
identified with Simon. Sometimes I’m
looking for the easy way out to accomplish God’s Will with the least amount of
risk on my part. I need to be more open
to being the person that God wants me to be.
………………………………………………………………………………
And he [Peter] became very
hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,
And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been
a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: Wherein were
all manner of four footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping
things, and fowls of the air, And there came a Voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill,
and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord;
for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the Voice spake unto him again the second
time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done thrice: and the vessel was
received up again into heaven. Now while
Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold
the men which were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and
stood before the gate. And called and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed
Peter, were lodged there. Acts, Chapter
10, verses 10-18.
When I first read this, I thought it was speaking
solely about people formerly not being allowed to eat pork and other foods
which had been forbidden in past Bible teachings. This passage has far-reaching ramifications. Later on in the same chapter it further
clarifies this passage.
And he [Peter] said unto
them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep
company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shown me that I
should not call any man common or unclean.
Acts, Chapter 10, verses 28.
It goes on to say: Send
therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged
in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall
speak unto thee. Immediately therefore I
sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before
God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a
truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he
that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him. The Word which God sent unto the children of Israel
Furthermore it says: And
He commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is He which
was ordained of God to be the Judge of the quick and dead. To Him give all the prophets witness, that
through His Name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of
sins. Acts Chapter 10, verses 42-43.
Parts of the passage that I’m quoting are changing
the way that Christians think about the social system. In the past, certain nationalities or
cultures were not to associate with others.
God shares His will with Peter through a dream, using food as a
comparison. Previously, certain foods
had been considered unclean and not to be eaten just like there had been
certain cultures of people who were not to associate with each other. Through this dream, God says that all the
foods are acceptable to Him in the same way that ALL people are His. God doesn’t want His disciples just to preach
to particular types of people or cultures.
Everyone needs to hear the Word of God.
It shows that God didn’t feel any one nationality,
culture or race was better than another.
He wants everyone to have Salvation, not just certain people. I think if this was important to God then,
people should live their lives accordingly.
It’s sad to see and hear some supposed Christians
talk negatively about people of different ethnic backgrounds. I don’t think we are being the best example
of how God works in our lives when we are putting down different cultures. I don’t believe God wants us to think we are
better than others whether it’s because they have a different ethnic
background, different financial status, believe differently, etc. I think He wants us to be compassionate and
supportive of everyone, being an example of how He works in our lives.
Here are some related passages:
*What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved
both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is
none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none
that seeketh after God. Romans, Chapter
3, verses 9-10.
*For ye are all the
children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on
Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are
all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be
Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians, Chapter 3, verses 26-29.
*And Jesus
came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in
earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Matthew, Chapter 28, verses 18-20.
………………………………………………………………………………
Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus ,
for to seek Saul: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch Antioch
I just thought this passage was interesting because
it tells about the origin of the term “Christians”.
………………………………………………………………………………
And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon
This makes me think of
times when God gives me a clever idea.
People will sometimes compliment me on them and ask how I came up with
the idea. I’ve found that it’s much
better for me to say, “God just had the idea pop into my head,” rather than to
take the undeserved credit for it. This
passage reinforces that we are supposed to make sure we always give God the
glory instead of using it as an opportunity to add a few more feathers to our
cap.
………………………………………………………………………………
But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by
interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the
faith. Then Saul, (who also is called
Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, And said, O full of all
subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all
Righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? Acts, Chapter 13, verses 8-10.
If God had this person in the Bible who used sorcery
called a “child of the devil,” do you think He would approve of the fascination
with the children’s book series that has sorcery as a primary focus? This series has become so popular that both
adults and children are reading them, promoting them to others. It makes me sad Satan uses children’s books
as a subtle way to lead people astray.
………………………………………………………………………………
Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was
necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing
ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we
turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the
Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that
thou shouldest be for Salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were
glad, and glorified the Word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to
eternal life believed. Acts, Chapter 13,
verse 46-48.
There was a time when I was confused because the
Bible would talk about the Jews being the promised people. I wondered how I was going to get to heaven
since I’m not Jewish. But this says
Salvation is for all people to the ends of the world, which includes me. A person just has to believe Jesus Christ is
Lord and Savior of all in order to go to heaven. I’m so thankful! What a simple request. I don’t have to be born to royalty. I don’t have to be rich or on the society
page. I don’t have to look or dress a
certain way. I just have to believe in
Jesus. How much simpler could it get?
If God conveyed this to Peter, do you think He wants
us treating different races in an undignified manner? I don’t think it makes Him happy to know how
we have race and social class divisions.
We can personally make a change in how we interact with others and serve
as role models at the same time.
………………………………………………………………………………
And there they preached the Gospel. And there sat a certain man at Lystra,
impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had
walked: The same heard Paul speak: who steadfastly beholding him, and
perceiving that he had faith to be healed.
Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. And when the people saw what Paul had done,
they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are
come down to us in the likeness of men.
And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was
the chief speaker. Then the priest of
Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates,
and would have done, sacrifice with the people.
Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their
clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying, Sirs, why do ye
these things? We also are men of like
passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities
unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things
that are therein: Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own
ways. Nevertheless He left not Himself
without witness, in that He did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and
fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. And with these sayings scarce restrained they
the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them. And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch
In some bizarre way, I think I now understand why
the Ancient Greeks and Romans believed in the mythical gods for so long. They must have seen the disciples doing
miracles and thought they were gods.
They got so caught up in these mythological gods that they never paid
attention to what the disciples were telling them about Jesus and Salvation.
It’s funny how over time man has created elaborate
explanations for the things that God has done rather than acknowledge God. There is a religious group that professes to
be Christian but can’t acknowledge God.
They have to have some logical explanation for miracles and other things
rather than just believing in Him. Some
groups feel that utilizing the “god power within them,” brings about the
desired things in their life. Others use
the “power of positive thinking” and some “visualize” themselves getting the
job they desire. They don’t truly
realize that they aren’t giving God the credit when they think that they got
the job through the “god power within them.”
When I go for a job interview, I ask God to take
care of the things I say and whether I get the job or not, whichever way is His
will. I feel positive that God knows
what is best for me and my family, so I am happy whether I get the job or
not. That doesn’t mean I might not be
somewhat disappointed if I didn’t get the job, but I only want the job that God
thinks is best for my particular situation.
Although God says in the Bible that He dwells within
each of us; I don’t think it’s this same “god power” that I hear this group
speaking of. Everything I have read in
the Bible, and I have read it from cover to cover 16 plus times so far, tells
us that God wants us to turn to Him in everything, not to the “god power that
lies within us” or “to visualize things the way we want them to be.”
I really have a personal concern, because I worry
that some well-meaning people may be led astray. They may believe what seems convenient or
more understandable to them rather than believe in God like the people in this
passage who couldn’t believe that the disciples were doing these miracles on
God’s behalf. That defied all logical
explanation so they chose to believe that the disciples were gods instead.
Here is a related passage:
*And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria , an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures,
came to Ephesus Aquila and Priscilla had
heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more
perfectly. And when he was disposed to
pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him:
who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: For
he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the Scriptures
that Jesus was Christ. Acts, Chapter 18,
verses 24-28.
………………………………………………………………………………
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain
damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters
much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying,
These men are the servants of the Most High God, which show unto us the way of
Salvation. And this did she many
days. But Paul, being grieved, turned
and said to the spirit, I command thee in the Name of Jesus Christ to come out
of her. And he came out the same
hour. And when her masters saw that the
hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into
the marketplace unto the rulers. Acts,
Chapter 16, verses 16-19.
I’m going to skip some verses to get to the part
where Paul is imprisoned.
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they
cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely: Who, having
received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet
fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and
sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so
that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors
were opened, and everyone’s bands were loosed.
And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the
prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself,
supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are
all here. Then he called for a light,
and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And
brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
And they spake unto him the Word of the Lord, and to all that were in
his house. And he took them the same
hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his,
straightway. And when he had brought
them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God
with all his house. And when it was day,
the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go. And the keeper of the prison told this saying
to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go
in peace. Acts, Chapter 16, verses
23-36.
There’s more to the story. Paul wouldn’t leave the
prison because they had been publicly chastised and the magistrates were trying
to secretly let them out. Paul wanted to
be publicly cleared of all the charges, which eventually happened.
This passage makes me think of how perfectly God
looks after the people that spread His Word.
I was thinking of Daniel in the lion’s den and how he wasn’t
harmed. It brings to mind lots of
others, as well. Noah and his family
were saved from the flood by God letting him know he was to build an ark. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, were not
burned in the fiery furnace. Peter was
let out of jail by the angel. The list
of miracles, where God distinctly protects those that are doing His will, goes
on and on. It’s hard for me to imagine
that anyone wouldn’t want God in their corner.
I sure do!
Here is a related passage:
*Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all
the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God
………………………………………………………………………………
Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and
said, Ye men of Athens
This reminds me of when my mother told me about
intercourse and how babies are conceived when I was really young. I have to admit it’s a pretty strange
connection to make with this passage.
I was very young when my mother explained about
babies being conceived. In fact, I don’t
really remember her telling me. The
thing is, she did tell me the truth and not some story, just like Paul told
them the truth about God and not some story.
Forgetting all the accurate information my mother
had told me because it didn’t seem to make any sense at the time, left me open
to this very interesting explanation when I was a little older.
A girl in my class told me that girls got pregnant
by boys touching them with their finger.
I got so disturbed with this notion that I was afraid to walk through
the halls at school. I thought a boy
could touch you with his finger while passing in the hallway and you might not
ever know who the father of your baby was.
Fortunately, I went home and asked my mother how you
know who the father of your baby is?
This really confused her because she had already told me the truth and I
had chosen to believe a far-fetched story instead. Well, it seems very similar here. Paul told them the truth about God, but they
chose to believe some far-fetched story and worship idols made by man’s hands
instead. How sad!
Here are some related passages:
*Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven
image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, The
likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl
that flieth in the air, The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground,
the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: And lest thou
lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and
the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them,
and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nation under the
whole heaven. Deuteronomy, Chapter 4,
verses 16-19.
*Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the
covenant of the LORD your God, which He made with you, and make you a graven
image, or the likeness of any thing which the LORD thy God hath forbidden
thee. Deuteronomy, Chapter 4, verse 23.
*Thou shalt have none other gods before Me. Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or
any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth
beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: Thou shalt not bow down
thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and
fourth generation of them that hate Me. And showing mercy unto thousands of
them that love Me and keep My Commandments.
Deuteronomy, Chapter 5, verses 7-10.
*Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not
deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve gods, and worship them; And then the
LORD’S wrath be kindled against you, and He shut up the heaven, that there be
no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from
off the good land which the LORD giveth you.
Deuteronomy, Chapter 11, verses 16-17.
*Sing unto the LORD, all the earth: show forth from
day to day His Salvation. Declare His
glory among the heathen, His marvellous works among all nations. For great is the LORD, and greatly to be
praised: He also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the people are idols: but
the LORD made the heavens. Glory and honor
are in His presence: strength and gladness are in His place. 1 Chronicles, Chapter 16, verses 23-27.
………………………………………………………………………………
Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a
vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee,
and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this
city. Acts, Chapter 18, verses 9-10.
I don’t know the exact title, but this must be where
they got the idea for the song that includes: Be not afraid, for I am with thee always…This song is very
comforting to my daughter who remembers this when she is feeling stressed.
………………………………………………………………………………
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed
from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the Truth in
unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them;
for God hath shown it unto them. For the
invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being
understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so
that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified
Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations,
and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the
glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and
to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to
uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own
bodies between themselves: Who changed the Truth of God into a lie, and
worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, Who is blessed for
ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them
up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into
that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural
use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working
that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their
error which was meet. And even as they
did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a
reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with
all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full
of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity whisperers, Backbiters, haters of
God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to
parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection,
implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit
such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in
them that do them. Romans, Chapter 1,
verses 17-32.
Throughout the Bible, God gives us
direction for our lives. He lets us know
through the passages which things will lead us in the direction that He wants
and which things have the potential to lead us down the wrong paths. This passage is noteworthy because it
mentions a variety of lifestyle and behavior choices that displease God. Although we are to pay attention to these to
make our choices accordingly, God doesn’t give us the right to judge others.
Who are we to cast the first
stone? I think it’s important to
remember: Matthew, Chapter 7, verses 1-2,
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For
with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete,
it shall be measured to you again.
So, although God gives us guidance,
we are not to be rude or hateful to others, regardless of whether their
lifestyle, sexual preferences or religious beliefs are different than
ours.
………………………………………………………………………………
For when the Gentiles, which have not the Law, do by
nature the things contained in the Law, these, having not the Law, are a Law
unto themselves: Which show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their
conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or
else excusing one another. In the day
when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to My
Gospel. Romans, Chapter 2, verses 14-16.
Our family had a policy that if our children told
the truth, there would be a lighter consequence to try to reinforce their being
honest. I remember hearing my pre-school
aged son at the other end of the house saying, “Truth, Mommy. Truth,” when he had done something that he knew
he wasn’t supposed to do.
I’m proud to say that my children have grown to trust
the instincts that God gives them through their conscience, much more than I
ever did.
Here is a related passage:
*Pray for us: for we trust we have a good
conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. Hebrews, Chapter 13, verse 18.
………………………………………………………………………………
Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou
not thyself? thou that preachest a man
should not steal, dost thou steal?
Romans, Chapter 2, verse 21.
Actually, there is more that goes with this
passage. I just took out the part that
relates to me. When I was in high
school, I was visiting a church one time with my mother. The sermon was especially interesting. It talked about a parent who was called to
the Police Station because their child had gotten arrested for stealing some
pens from a local store. The thing the
parent said to the child was, “Why would you steal pens when I can get all the
pens you want from my work?”
We, as Christians, may have double standards just
like this parent did. Sometimes we are
examples of negative things without really realizing what we’re doing. When we are being examples of how God works
in our lives, we need to make sure all our actions and words glorify Him. We have to realize that we are giving others
a message whether it’s taking things from work or laughing at jokes that put
down people who are different than we are.
………………………………………………………………………………
For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the
Law: but if thou be a breaker of the Law, thy circumcision is made
uncircumcision. Therefore if the
uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the Law, shall not his uncircumcision
be counted for circumcision? Romans,
Chapter 2, verses 25-26.
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and
circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose
praise is not of men, but of God.
Romans, Chapter 2, verse 29.
There was a time when people thought that if they
were Jewish and followed some basic laws like circumcision, they could do
whatever they wanted and were saved because Jews were the chosen people. This passage clarifies that just being Jewish
or following rules like circumcision won’t get us Salvation.
I guess what this all boils down to is, God knows
what is in our hearts and whether we live as examples of how Jesus works in our
lives or not. This is going to be more
of a determiner of our Salvation than any outward signs like being circumcised
or being of a particular ethnic or cultural group.
Here are some related passages:
*Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what Law?
Of works? Nay: but by the Law of
faith. Therefore we conclude that a man
is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law. Is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is One
God which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through
faith. Do we then make void the Law
through faith? God forbid: yea, we
establish the Law. Romans, Chapter 3,
verses 27-31.
*For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision
availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Galatians, Chapter 5, verse 6.
*For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth
anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule,
peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel
………………………………………………………………………………
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also:
knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience experience, and
experience hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed
abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us; For when we were
yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Romans, Chapter 5, verses 3-6.
Don’t you just admire people who can thank God in
the midst of all types of disaster and tribulation? I remember when I would get frustrated when
things didn’t turn out the way I wanted.
My father would tell me that those experiences gave me character. I think God is telling us the same thing in
this passage that my father used to tell me.
If I’m cursing God when things go wrong, am I being a good example of
how Jesus works in my life?
The best example I have ever seen of people
glorifying God in the midst of extreme tribulation, next to Job, goes to my
aunt and her family who experienced an unusually tragic loss of loved
ones. Some would have been bitter and
hateful, but they were examples of their faith to all those who were touched by
this loss. I’m not sure I would have
fared as well, but God in His infinite mercy will bless them with The Peace
Which Passes All Understanding to survive the pain of their loss.
………………………………………………………………………………
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world,
and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned. Romans, Chapter 5, verse 12.
Nope, none of us is better or more apt to be saved
than another. We are all sinners. Adam was the first man that sinned and we
have continued to perpetuate that plight.
Fortunately for us, Jesus has made the ultimate sacrifice so we all have
the same opportunity for Salvation through our faith in Him.
Here are some related passages:
*Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came
upon all men to condemnation: even so by the righteousness of One the free Gift
came upon all men unto justification of life.
Romans, Chapter 5, verse 18.
*For the wages of sin is death; but the Gift of God
is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans, Chapter 6, verse 23.
*For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all
be made alive.
1 Corinthians, Chapter 15, verse 22.
………………………………………………………………………………
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if
ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,
they are the sons of God. For ye have
not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the
Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our
spirit, that we are the children of God.
Romans, Chapter 8, verses 13-16.
Choose Your Own Adventure books were pretty popular
at one time. You would be reading an
adventure story and then were given choices.
If you turned to one set of pages listed, the story would end one way
and if you turned to some of the other pages listed, it would end totally
different ways.
We can live worldly lives of the flesh and have a
less than pleasant ending or we can realize where we have gone off-track and
turn our lives around to focus on God and what He wants for us. When we choose to live through the Spirit, we
will have eternal life with Jesus in heaven.
Which ending do you choose????
………………………………………………………………………………
For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I
will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have
compassion. So then it is not of him
that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. Romans,
Chapter 9, verses 15-16.
There are religious groups that believe that if they
“will” things to happen, “visualize things,” “use the god power within them” or
use the “power of positive thinking,” everything will turn out the way they
want.
Things might turn out the way they want because
Satan uses things like this to work a subtle wedge in their relationship with
God. It’s similar to what happens when
people read horoscopes where they start out reading it for fun, but after
awhile they become more and more dependant on it. If things turn out well after a person “wills
it,” or uses “the god power within them” or “visualizes” things the way they
want, they are much more apt to do this again the next time rather than turn to
God, asking Him to provide for their every need. They don’t even realize they are drifting
further and further from what God wants, as evidenced through this Bible verse.
………………………………………………………………………………
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved. For with the heart
man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
Salvation. For the Scripture saith,
Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew
and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon
Him. For whosoever shall call upon the
Name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans,
Chapter 10, verses 9-13.
The Bible doesn’t say, “People who do nice things
for others,” are saved. It doesn’t say,
“People of only a particular ethnic background,” are saved. It doesn’t say, “Whoever uses the god-power
within them is saved.” It doesn’t say,
“People who believe in God as they understand Him,” are saved. It doesn’t say, “Whoever thinks positively”
or “wills things” is saved.
It does say in verse nine: “That if thou shalt
confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
Pure and simple, that’s what you have to do to be
saved!
………………………………………………………………………………
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for
he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law.
For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou
shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and
if there be any other Commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying
namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour:
therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law.
Romans, Chapter 13, verses 8-10.
I think God had this passage written for people like
me who get caught up in trying to remember too many things and end up
forgetting most of it. This way I don’t
have to remember all types of different rules about being a Christian. In order to lead my life as an example of how
God works through me, I just have to remember one rule: Love thy neighbor as
thyself. This covers everything
else.
When I contemplate talking rudely to a sales person
who has been less than courteous to me, all I have to do is think, “Is this how
God would want me to treat someone else?”
I wish I could say I always remember that before I give a sarcastic
reply, but it often pops in my mind and I’m less apt to respond hatefully. I definitely am not perfect but want to work
toward being a better example of how God works in my life.
………………………………………………………………………………
Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to
doubtful disputations. For one believeth
that he may eat all things: another, who is weak eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that
eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God
hath received him. Who art thou that
judgest another man’s servant? To his
own Master he standeth or falleth. Yea,
he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another:
another esteemeth every day alike. Let
every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that
regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he
giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and
giveth God thanks. Romans, Chapter 14,
verses 1-6.
Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but
judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in
his brother’s way. I know, and am
persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to
him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat,
now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy
not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
Let not then your good be evil spoken of: For the kingdom of God
These passages have influenced my life in a number
of ways. I had been struggling for years
about whether we should be going to church on Saturday or on Sunday, or whether
it was okay to eat meat or not. I admire
my aunt and uncle who are very devout Christians who go to church on a
different day and eat somewhat differently than I do.
God says that whether we eat meat or not, or go to
church on Saturday or Sunday doesn’t determine our Salvation. Our Salvation is because of our faith in
Jesus and living as an example of how He works in our lives. What matters is that we follow our beliefs.
He also tells us that we aren’t supposed to taunt
others because their beliefs are different than ours by putting a stumbling
block before them. An example would be,
having friends over for dinner who don’t eat meat for religious reasons and
only having meat courses, putting them in an awkward position.
We need to support others and not be
judgmental. I need to keep focusing on
God to lead me in the direction that He wants instead of worrying about what
everyone else is doing or not doing. It
sounds like these details don’t matter to Him as long as they are done to
glorify God.
Here are some related passages:
*But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither,
if we eat, are we the better; neither if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty
of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak. 1 Corinthians, Chapter 8, verses 8-9.
*Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in
all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lustest after, according to the blessing of
the LORD thy God which He hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat
thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart.
Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water. Deuteronomy, Chapter 12, verses 15-16.
………………………………………………………………………………
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were
written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the
Scriptures might have hope. Now the God
of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another
according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God,
even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans, Chapter 15, verses 4-6.
When I get upset about things or worried about
family situations, I will often pick up the Bible. I don’t usually open it to the spot where I
left off the last time. I pick up the
Bible with both hands and open it and read whatever is on those pages. I always say a little prayer first for God to
take care of my understanding, comprehension and retention. Although it doesn’t happen every time, it’s
amazing how many times I open the Bible to pages that specifically relate to my
particular situation. I feel God guides
me to the particular pages He wants me to read which calm me down and comfort
me, just like this passage says.
………………………………………………………………………………
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God temple of
God , him shall God destroy; for the temple of God
I have heard that some religions have interpreted
this passage to say that Christians shouldn’t get their ears pierced or get
tattoos but that isn’t what this passage means to me. This passage is telling me that I’m a
Christian 24/7 (24 hours a day/7 days a week) and God dwells in me all the
time.
My actions, thoughts, words and deeds make me a
walking billboard for God. A billboard
works as an advertisement to draw people toward a particular business. If the sign were sloppy, had misspellings or
poor grammar, the billboard would reflect poorly on the owner of the business.
Now, if I go out and get drunk, take drugs, am rude
to others or use God’s Name in vain, it’s like I’ve used bad grammar on my billboard
which would reflect poorly on God who dwells in me. I need to make sure that I’m attempting to
live in a manner that makes me a good example of how God works in my life.
Here is a related passage:
*I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for
me. Galatians, Chapter 2, verse 20.
………………………………………………………………………………
I wrote to you in an epistle not to company with
fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the
covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of
the world. But now I have written unto
you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator,
or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner;
with such an one no not to eat. For what
have I to do to judge them also that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that
wicked person. 1 Corinthians, Chapter 5,
verses 9-13.
I think God talks to us through Paul like a parent
talks to their teenager about people who might be poor influences on them. A parent might say something like, “I think
it’s very important for you to be cautious about what type of people you hang
around with at school. Now, I want you
to be polite to everyone, because we aren’t to be judgmental of others, but we
are supposed to be aware of the lifestyle choices others make.
“Although you may have the best of intentions,
sometimes other people’s bad habits rub off on us even without our being aware
of it. So, it’s important that you don’t
hang with kids that you think do drugs, drink, and party or are rude and
crude. I know it’s hard because some of
the kids who make poor choices are the ones who seem the most popular. I hope you know that I’m only telling you
this because I love you. I just don’t
want to see you get involved with the wrong type of people.” Well, I think God often guides us like a
loving parent, as well.
Here is a related
passage:
*Be ye not unequally yoked together with
unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and
what communion hath Light with darkness?
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that
believeth with an infidel? 2
Corinthians, Chapter 6, verses 14-15.
………………………………………………………………………………
And the woman which hath an husband that believeth
not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by
the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your
children unclean; but now are they holy.
But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in
such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or
how knowest thou, O man whether thou shalt save thy wife? 1 Corinthians, Chapter 7, verses 13-16.
God gives His approval for staying in a good
marriage with a non-Christian spouse, because you might be able to lead your
spouse to Christianity through your relationship with God. On the other hand, I think it says that if
you’re in an unhealthy relationship, whether the person does or doesn’t profess
to be a Christian, God absolves us from our marital commitment.
Now, some may think this passage doesn’t apply to
them because God only absolves them if their partner is a non-Christian. Do you really think a person is a Christian
just because they say they are? Don’t
you think they are supposed to be a “Put Their Money Where Their Mouth Is
Christian,” by really living a life that reflects their belief in Jesus?
So, if a spouse drinks up all the money in the house
and there’s no money to pay for food or clothes for the children, do you really
think God considers this person a Christian?
If a spouse is so involved in drugs or other vices and causes constant
turmoil in the family, do you really think God considers this person a
Christian? If a spouse has a hard day at
work and hits the kids or you, do you really think God considers this person a
Christian just because they profess to be one?
I think that God is saying the “till death do you
part” portion of your marriage vow doesn’t apply because God said, “A
brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases.” Sure, God would like all marriages to work
out and doesn’t want people to leave just because they feel they may have missed
out on all the fun that they think their single friends are having. That isn’t what this is discussing.
God loves the non-Christian, the alcoholic, the drug
addict and the abusive person, all of which can turn their lives around and
become Christian. This would have to be
more than just saying they are a Christian.
They would have to really live their lives as a Christian.
Sometimes we just aren’t the ones who can bring
these people to God. Male or female, we
have to be able to assess whether we are in a healthy environment for ourselves
and our children. If we aren’t, we are
absolved from the “till death do you part” commitment, because being in an
unhealthy or life-threatening environment isn’t what God would want for any of
us.
………………………………………………………………………………
Now all these things happened unto them for
examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the
world are come. Wherefore let him that
thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God
is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but
will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear
it. 1 Corinthians, Chapter 10, verses
11-13.
As Christians, we will have our share of
temptations. Do you really think Satan
just sits back and says, “Oh, they’re Christians. I’ll leave them alone. Well, God’s got one up on me.” That isn’t my impression of Satan. I feel he tries to lead Christians astray in
a wide variety of ways. Sometimes they
are really obvious ways like: money, drinking, drugs, gambling, infidelity,
etc.
Sometimes, Satan works in very subtle ways like:
eating, control issues, gossiping, etc.
God is telling us that although He knows we are going to be tempted, we
will never be tempted beyond our capabilities as long as we focus on Him. He will never leave us, but we are in control
of the choices we make. I pray that I
always choose God rather than the temptations that Satan dangles in front of
me.
………………………………………………………………………………
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not
expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man
another’s wealth. 1 Corinthians, Chapter
10, verses 23-24.
I think God says that “Balance in All Things” is
good. Having money, a house and a car
are alright to own, but too much focus on any of these can lead us astray.
In addition to that, focusing on worldly goods makes
us poor examples of how God works in our lives.
We are supposed to focus on helping others rather than “Getting Ahead in
the World.”
………………………………………………………………………………
For as often as ye eat this Bread, and drink this
Cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till He comes.
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this Bread, and drink this Cup of the
Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him
eat of that Bread, and drink of that Cup.
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh
damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s Body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among
you, and many sleep. For if we would
judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not
be condemned with the world. 1
Corinthians, Chapter 11, verses 26-32.
God wants me to do some self-reflection before I
have communion. It’s important,
especially for “Self-righteous Christians” like me, to have some humbling time
to think about all my shortcomings. It
doesn’t only mean the major vices. Some
of us get big heads because we don’t think we have those obvious vices that
others might have. We often need to be
taken down a notch because we are just as sinful.
We aren’t to think our sins aren’t as great as
someone else’s and feel that we are more worthy than they are. We are just as sinful by the subtle things we
allow to creep into our lives. These
keep us from being the Christian that God wants us to be. Times when we were less than patient and
loving with our families, the times we yelled at someone on the freeway, the
times we were gossiping with others, etc.
God is saying it is better for us to have periodic
reflective time now, judging ourselves rather than continuing to live our
sinful, self-righteous lives. That is
preferable to finding out later from God on the Last Day that we didn’t make
the “final cut.” That’s one eye opener I
don’t want, so I need to start by making changes in my life today!
………………………………………………………………………………
There are diversities of gifts, but the same
Spirit. There are differences of
administrations, but the same Lord. And
there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all
in all. But the manifestation of the
Spirit is given to every man to profit withal: For to one is given by the
Spirit the Word of wisdom; to another Word of knowledge by the same
Spirit. To another faith by the same
Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the
working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to
another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the
selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will. For as the body is one, and hath many
members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so
also is Christ. For by One Spirit are we
all baptized into One Body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or
free; and have been all made to drink into One Spirit. For the Body is not one member, but
many. 1 Corinthians, Chapter 12, verses
4-14.
God wants us to know that He gives everyone
particular talents in which to glorify Him.
He doesn’t want us to become big headed thinking we are better than
someone who doesn’t have our particular talent.
God tells us that we are all working together as one unit on His
behalf. Similarly, there are many
different body parts that work together for the good of the whole, just as each
member of the body has a different function.
No particular body member is greater than another.
This particular passage talks about speaking in
tongues as being one of the gifts. I
don’t really know enough about this to really address it. What I do know is this passage tells me that
although God may have given me particular talents to glorify Him, I should not
be judging people who have talents that I don’t understand. Just because their talents are different,
doesn’t make them wrong. Christians
should be supportive of one another, regardless.
………………………………………………………………………………
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of
angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling
cymbal. And though I have the gift of
prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have
all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am
nothing. And though I bestow all my
goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity,
it profiteth me nothing. Charity
suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself;
is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not
easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in
the Truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things,
endureth all things. Charity never
faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be
tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish
away. For we know in part, and we
prophesy in part. 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13,
verses 1-9.
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three;
but the greatest of these is charity. 1
Corinthians, Chapter 13, verse 13.
I love this passage.
It tells me that I can profess to be a good Christian and do all kinds
of things that look generous to others.
Unless I live the life of a Christian by being genuinely charitable in
my actions, loving my neighbors, my enemies or those that believe differently
than I do, then I’m all talk.
There was a song we learned in Vacation Bible
School
………………………………………………………………………………
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy
victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren be ye steadfast, unmovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not
in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians,
Chapter 15, verse 55-58.
I remember my father and
I being in the hospital with each of us -holding one of my grandmother’s hands
as she passed away. She didn’t fight it
and she seemed to be at peace with the idea of joining God in heaven.
Here is a related
passage:
*Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Take My
yoke upon you and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall
find rest unto your souls. For My yoke
is easy, and My burden is light.
Matthew, Chapter 11, verses 28-30.
………………………………………………………………………………
Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and
from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be
God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the
God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be
able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we
ourselves are comforted of God.
2 Corinthians, Chapter 1, verses 2-4.
There were times in my
life when things were not as smooth as they are now. I was fortunate that I had family members and
friends to comfort me and to remind me that God would get me through them…and
He did!
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For God, who commanded the Light to shine out of
darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the Light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
But we have this Treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the
power may be of God, and not of us. 2 Corinthians, Chapter
4, verses 6-7.
This is another one of the Bible passages that
confirms my focus on God rather than us: “willing” things, using the “power of
positive thinking”, “using the god power within me” or “visualizing” things the
way you want them to be. It’s not just
someone’s opinion or someone’s philosophy.
God tells us in this passage and throughout the Bible that He wants us
to focus on Him.
I think it’s important for you to know that I’m not
just giving my opinion, because there is a religious basis for my belief
related to passages in the Bible. It’s
very important as a Christian, to check things out. A lot of different religious beliefs sound
really good or plausible. Some have
isolated passages from the Bible to support them. That’s using the Bible out of context. I doubt if all who do this mean to be
deceitful, but concepts and beliefs out of alignment with the Bible may
possibly be leading people astray, no matter how plausible the belief sounds. Remember to check these things out for
yourself. It’s YOUR Salvation that’s in
question!
………………………………………………………………………………
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed;
we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down,
but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians,
Chapter 4, verses 8-9.
Part of this passage is in a song my church
sings. I like the message that
Christians don’t let things get the best of us, because we know God is there on
our side.
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For our light affliction, which is but for a moment,
worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look
not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the
things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are
eternal. 2 Corinthians, Chapter 4,
verses 17-18.
Sometimes I get caught up in feeling sorry for
myself. When I think of this, my
troubles are very insignificant compared to the suffering Jesus went through to
save us from our sins. After I think of
all He went through on my behalf, I feel guilty for the petty things I worry
about.
Here is a related passage:
*For I the
Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help
thee. Isaiah, Chapter 41, verse 13.
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Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away: behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians, Chapter 5, verse 17.
I know my comparison can’t come anywhere close to
the impact this passage has on our lives as Christians. In my second grade class I have a Good
Choices Chart. Those who are making good
choices have their clothes pins in a particular area of the chart. There is another area of the chart where
students move their clothes pin if they make poor choices as a reminder for
them to refocus. I like to empower
students so that they feel capable of turning things around. I let them do things to help around the class
to earn it off. Afterwards, they can put
their clothespin back in the good choices section. Students start all over with their
clothespins in the Good Choices section each and every day.
Well, Salvation is kind of like this chart. When we are behaving in sinful ways and are
caught up in a self-focused lifestyle, our clothespins would be in the poor
choices section. Sometimes God will have
things happen in our lives, drawing our attention to our need to refocus. Once we ask God for forgiveness and try to
turn our lives around, we don’t have to do something tangible to earn off the
clothespin. Jesus did that for us
through His death and Resurrection! We
just need to do our best to continue to live as examples of how God works in
our lives. When we slip, just like the
chart, everyday we have a fresh start.
God never gives up on us.
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But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off
occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be
found even as we. For such are false
apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of
Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself
is transformed into an angel of light.
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as
the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their
works. 2 Corinthians, Chapter 11, verses
12-15.
This passage reminds us to be careful to not be
deceived. There will be people who say
they are Christians, proposing beliefs that sound good but will lead many
astray. It goes on to say that Satan transforms
himself into a minister of righteousness to mislead people.
I always remember Jim Jones who was a minister years
ago. He took a group of “believers” to Jonestown , Guyana
Jim Jones either convinced or tricked these
“believers” into committing suicide when the authorities got too involved. Well, although these were very committed
“believers” who gave up all for their faith in God, it was for nothing. They gave up all their things, friends,
family and lives for a very disturbed minister who led these people to believe
he was doing the will of God. (If you
want more details; look up the Jonestown Massacre in Guyana during 1978.) Did these people find Salvation? I can’t speak to that, but it’s highly
questionable.
We don’t want to find ourselves misled by others who
profess to be followers of God. I think
it’s very important for all Christians to check things out in the Bible. Don’t take things for granted just because
someone else says them, whether it’s a minister, a devoted Christian, me,
someone on a Christian Channel or Radio Station. It’s very easy to take a verse or two out of
the Bible and make it support just about anything. That’s considered using the Bible passages
out of context.
Reading a chapter before the passage and after the
passage is beneficial. Each chapter is
about a page or two. This gives you a
better idea of what the quoted Bible verses really mean. That’s why I always tell you where I get the
Bible passages. I want you to be able to
look them up and verify them. It’s a
very important thing to do.
You need to look at the people who have an influence
on your religious life. What type of
lifestyle do they lead? Are they running
in the fast lane? Are they preaching
something that has become very popular or a fad type of belief? Are they taking too much credit for things
rather than keeping the focus on God?
Are they putting an undue emphasis on giving money? Be cautious about who you give ultimate
control of your religious life. Check
things out. Passages like this one
remind me that very dedicated believers can still be misled by others as in the
Jonestown Massacre. It pays to check
things out. It may have a direct impact
on your Salvation.
Here are some related passages:
*But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach
any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed. As we said before, so say I
now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have
received, let him be accursed.
Galatians, Chapter 1, verses 8-9.
*Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil
way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good
things in possession. Proverbs, Chapter
28, verse 10.
*Then the Lord said unto me, The prophets prophesy
lies in My Name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake
unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of
nought, and the deceit of their heart.
Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that prophesy in
My Name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in
this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed. And the people to whom they prophesy shall be
cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and
they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their
daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them. Jeremiah, Chapter 14, verses 14-16.
*For many shall
come in My Name, saying I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse 5.
………………………………………………………………………………
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it
might depart from me. And He said unto
me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in
weakness. Most gladly therefore will I
rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians, Chapter 12, verses 8-10.
This is really from Paul speaking about a vision he
had from God. Even though he asked Jesus
to take away his burden, His reply was, “My
grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
It reminds me of when God asked Moses to talk to the
Pharaoh to let God’s people go and for Moses to lead these people to the
Promised Land. Moses told God that he
wouldn’t make a very good leader because he wasn’t a good speaker. God told him not to worry about it because he
was the person that God wanted to lead His people. (Paraphrased)
I’m ashamed to say that there have been times when
God has led me to be a witness to someone else and I told God through my
actions, “That’s not my thing, God. I’m
not the type who is good at confronting people and telling them about you. Why don’t you save it for someone else from
those other religions that don’t mind being embarrassed by going door to door
and confronting people? Now, if you need
someone to do a low-risk thing like saying a prayer for someone or giving a
little money to the needy, then I’m your person.”
I need to remember that God will take care of my
weaknesses if I let Him, and will provide the strength necessary to do whatever
He wants, just like He did for Moses.
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Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of
the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus
Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works
of the Law: for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified. Galatians Chapter 2, verse 16.
There are people who
think that if they are good people they will have Salvation, but they don’t
actively believe in Jesus Christ. This
doesn’t necessarily mean they have to attend church regularly. There are some people who attend church
regularly that may or may not receive Salvation because of their lifestyle
choices. Attending church isn’t a sole
indicator of a person’s belief in Christ.
That is a personal matter between God and them. Isn’t it neat that God makes all of these
decisions on an individual basis?
Anyway, the requirement
for Salvation is to believe that Jesus Christ is Savior of all. Now, this isn’t an isolated thing. That belief needs to be an active part of our
life. It’s not just something we should
think about every six years when a relative dies and you think about them going
to heaven to be with God. It’s supposed
to be a daily part of our lives. That’s
what I mean. This passage is saying that
we don’t get Salvation by just following the Law; it’s our faith in Jesus
Christ that saves us, but we are still supposed to be examples of how Jesus
works in our lives.
Here are some related
passages:
*Neither yield ye your
members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto
God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of
righteousness unto God. For sin shall
not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the Law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not
under the Law, but under grace? God
forbid. Romans 6, verses 13-15.
*Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no
flesh be justified in His sight: for by the Law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the
Law is manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the prophets; Even the righteousness
of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that
believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God; Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that
is in Christ Jesus. Romans, Chapter 3,
verses 20-24.
*Now, it was not written for his sake alone, that it
was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe
on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead: Who was delivered for our
offences, and was raised again for our justification. Romans, Chapter 4, verses 23-25.
*Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand,
and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Romans, Chapter 5, verses 1-2.
*But that no man is justified by the Law in the
sight of God, it is evident; for, The just shall live by faith. Galatians, Chapter 3, verse 11.
*That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding
riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians, Chapter 2, verses 7-10.
………………………………………………………………………………
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty;
only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one
another. Galatians, Chapter 5, verse 13.
Our faith in God gives us a lot of freedom. I know I don’t have to worry about my kids
starving because I know that God will provide food for my family since He says
so in the Bible. Realizing things like
this has freed up my life so much that it’s difficult to explain.
Recognizing this, we have some choices. We could say, “Well, I know that God won’t
let us starve, so I could take the money I used to set aside from the budget
for food and go out drinking with my friends who have been asking me for some
time. In the past, I had told them no
because I couldn’t afford it. Now, I can
go out and party with them because God will make sure the kids don’t go
hungry.” I’m not sure that God would be
pleased with this decision.
It’s a choice that God gives us. Instead, I could say, “Since I don’t have to
spend so much time worrying about my family having enough to eat the way I used
to, I can spend my extra time helping the elderly neighbor across the street by
cleaning her house or watering her plants.”
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Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are
these; Adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance,
emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which
I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do
such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance:
against such there is no Law. Galatians,
Chapter 5, verses 19-23.
When others react to my not wanting to watch shows
with witchcraft, demonic or satanic themes, I feel vindicated when I read this
passage. When it says people who
demonstrate those negative choices won’t inherit the kingdom of God
………………………………………………………………………………
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the
Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain
glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians, Chapter 5, verses 25-26.
In high school, I
remember running for Sophomore Secretary.
(I always remember how to spell secretary, because I spelled it
incorrectly on every banner I displayed throughout the school.) My opponent was also a member of the Drill
Team. I had tried out for the Drill Team
but wasn’t selected.
My envy of my opponent
led me to tell others that she really didn’t deserve the Sophomore Secretary
position that I coveted. I told them
that her other obligations were too time consuming for her to do a good job for
the Sophomore Class.
It was a very humbling
experience for me when she won the election for Sophomore Secretary. I hate to think of how spiteful I had been,
because I let that position become too important in my life. I definitely wasn’t being a very good example
to others.
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Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a
man soweth, that shall he also reap. For
he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that
soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in
due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men,
especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Galatians, Chapter 6, verses 7-10.
This reminds me of the rock stars who have gotten
caught up in all the fame and money and end up has-beens because of drug,
alcohol and counterproductive choices they make in their lives.
Then I think of Mother Teresa and all the wonderful,
selfless things she did for others during her life. Although, I wouldn’t be the envy of all my
neighbors, I would rather work toward having similar attributes as Mother Teresa,
with my focus on God’s Will for me rather than living and dying in the fast
lane.
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In whom we have redemption through His Blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Ephesians, Chapter 1, verse 7.
Sometimes I get a little arrogant and self-righteous
and think about the good things that I think I’m doing for others. Passages like this are very humbling. They remind me of how Jesus gave His life for
us. That’s why I have my Salvation, not
from any things I do to earn it. The
things that we do for others need to be for God, out of love. They shouldn’t be to draw attention to
ourselves or for us to become smug, thinking we are good Christians because we
do these things.
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That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that
ye, being rooted and grounded in love.
Ephesians, Chapter 3, verse 17.
I like the mental picture that I get when I think of
Christ dwelling in my heart. I break His
heart when I focus on making worldly choices.
I get caught up in looking at all the angles to save a dime, not
necessarily because I need to. It’s more
of an intellectual challenge to find my very best deal and it’s exhilarating to
find a bargain!
When I go to purchase things, I often look at all
the prices that are stamped on the items.
Sometimes they mislabel them, pricing an item considerably lower than
all the rest. I know it must be some
type of error but I’ve taken it to the cash register, exhilarated because I
have found this great deal.
I try to rationalize it in my mind, saying that it’s
the store’s fault for mislabeling things and they have to live up to their
error or it is false advertising. Then I
usually get a strong, intense feeling that I’m doing something against my religious
principals. I know that I’m not being a
good example of how God works in my life and I generally tell the cashier about
the price difference.
I say generally, because writing this has made me
aware that I just did this recently and I didn’t draw it to the cashier’s
attention. We were driving through Kansas
I feel terrible about this, because I feel like I am
being a hypocrite as I write this to you.
It just so happened that I still had the receipt. I just went to see if it had an address on
it, but it didn’t. Of course, that would
have been the chicken way out! It would
have been pretty easy to send this person $3.00 in the mail. It did have the phone number on the receipt,
so I called.
I apologized and wanted her address to send her the
money. (They don’t have mail service for
the turnpike businesses.) When she told
me that wasn’t necessary, I explained that I consider myself a Christian and
needed to live by my Christian ethics and I hadn’t. I knew there had been a $3.00 difference in
the price of the figurines and hadn’t brought it to her attention.
She told me not to worry about it, but I do—not
because of the $3.00. It bothers me that
I could find it so easy to backslide into old worldly ways when I think I’m
making great strides at being the person that God wants me to be.
This has been a very humbling experience for
me. Satan can sneak into our lives
through very subtle things and I let him do it without even batting an
eye! Fortunately, Jesus dwells in my
heart and lets me know when I’m not living the life that He wants.
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And to know the love of Christ, which passeth
knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians, Chapter 3, verse 19.
It truly is difficult to comprehend how God works in
our lives. I remember growing up
thinking that God was this distant, glorious being who was there to take care
of us when we had important issues. Now,
I have found that if I pray to Him with little things like the key not turning
over in the ignition or ask Him to find something I’m looking for, He is there
taking care of even the smallest of my worries.
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And to know the love of Christ; which passeth
knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding
abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh
in us. Unto Him be glory in the church
by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Ephesians, Chapter 3, verses 19-21.
I was concerned that this
passage might be one that people who focus on using “the god power within them”
might use to support their belief in this erroneous concept. This passage has listed Colossians, Chapter
1, verse 29 as a cross-reference. It is
really helpful to read this for clarification of what the passage in Ephesians
really means.
Whereunto I also labour, striving according to His
working, which worketh in me mightily.
Colossians, Chapter 1, verse 29.
These two passages aren’t
talking about using “the god power within me” to acquire the things you wish to
attain or to accomplish. What this is
talking about, from what I understand, is that God works through us for His
glory when we are the examples He wants us to be. An illustration might be that we are there to
support a friend or a co-worker who is at a major turning point in their
life. God was there working through us
by our example. He was there through our
support, our comforting words and our telling them of how our faith in God gets
us through the tough times. He works
through us in our explanation of the positive impact that God has had on our
lives.
Being an instrument that
God can use to touch the lives of others is a wonderful experience! God works through different people in
different ways, just like the passage I wrote about earlier that says God gives
us each different types of gifts to glorify Him. (Paraphrased)
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But unto every one of us is given grace according to
the measure of the gift of Christ.
Wherefore He saith, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity
captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now
that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower
parts of the earth? He that descended is
the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all
things.) And He gave some, apostles; and
some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some pastors and teachers; For the
perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the
Body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect Man, unto the measure of the
stature of the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians, Chapter 4, verses 7-13.
This makes me think about a watch with its back
taken off. There are all kinds of
mechanisms and gears in a watch. Each
gear and mechanism looks a little different from each other and does something
a little different, but all the gears and mechanisms of the watch work together
with one ultimate goal.
I think Christians are like the gears and mechanisms
of the watch. We all have different
gifts and abilities, but should all have the one unifying and ultimate goal of
being the examples God wants us to be.
We might all do this in different ways.
Some might go door to door sharing their love for Jesus, while someone
else does this by asking a friend to go to church with them. Some accomplish this by giving their money,
their time or their talents to do God’s work.
Still others do God’s work through being a good example of how Christ
works in their life.
Hopefully all, regardless of their gifts, take the
time to pray for those who don’t know Christ in their lives, since they all
have the same ultimate and unifying goal.
Here is a related passage:
*As every man hath received the gift, even so
minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of
God. If any man speak, let him speak as
the oracles of God, if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which
God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to
whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever.
Amen. 1 Peter, Chapter 4, verses
10-11.
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That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to
and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men,
and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the
Truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even
Christ. Ephesians, Chapter 4, verses
14-15.
Some people appear to act as if they are marionettes
like Pinocchio and others act like real people.
The ones who act like marionettes, similar to Pinocchio, seem to blame
everyone else and circumstances for all the things that happen in their
lives. They act as if they are powerless
puppets and others are pulling all their marionette strings, controlling their
lives.
The ones who seem to be real
people realize that they make choices in their lives that impact the things that happen to
them. If things don’t turn out the way
they want, they look at the choices they are making and make changes that ultimately
turn their lives around.
I think that God wants us, as Christians, to be real
people. Ones who can change our choices
if we find our lives aren’t going in the direction that would glorify God. He doesn’t want us to be marionettes like
Pinocchio, being led astray by those who promise the fun and excitement of the
worldly life. He doesn’t want us to feel
like we have no control over our choices and are powerless to change our lives.
If you have spent your life feeling powerless like
Pinocchio, God is here to cut the strings that bind you and lead you
astray. He can make you the real
Christian you want to be. You can turn
to Him to help you make the necessary changes…no strings attached! (I couldn’t resist adding that!)
………………………………………………………………………………
That ye put off concerning the former conversation
the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed
in the Spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is
created in righteousness and true holiness.
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man Truth with his neighbour
for we are members one of another.
Ephesians, Chapter 4, verses 22-25.
This passage is basically saying that once you
become a Christian, you should start living the life of a Christian, putting
away your old sinful behaviors. It makes
me think of a time when I went to the grocery store with coupons in hand; ready
to cut my expenses big time! I remember having
a coupon for ten cents off of a particular brand of raisins. I didn’t want that brand of raisins,
though. It probably was considerably
more expensive even with the ten cent off coupon. I ended up getting the cheaper box of
raisins, knowing it wasn’t the right brand for the coupon.
I rationalized my actions, thinking it was only a
dime. I gave the cashier the ten cent
off coupon deliberately mixed in between all my other coupons, hoping she
didn’t realize that I had substituted the cheaper brand for the more expensive
one.
She told me the total for my groceries and I started
writing my check and had to stop. This
situation impacted my life! The cashier
didn’t realize I was lying and was stealing by substituting the cheaper brand
of raisins for the coupon I used. I knew
and what was worse, God knew! Was my
loss of integrity worth the ten cents I was saving? (It’s funny how Satan can sneak up on some of
us “Self-righteous Christians,” in very subtle ways.)
I immediately gave her ten cents for the raisins,
telling her that I was sorry I had gotten a more expensive brand than the
coupon stated. She told me not to worry
about it, it was just a dime. I told her
that I wanted her to take the dime anyway, saying I knew I had taken the wrong
raisins and I wouldn’t feel right unless she took the money. Actually, I thought she would be horrified
that I would do such a thing. I was
prepared to be totally embarrassed by the cashier’s reaction because I really
deserved it, but it didn’t happen that way.
I didn’t have an obvious consequence for my
actions. It was more the realization
that I was lying to God and myself. I
was jeopardizing my Salvation over money.
I’m fortunate that God has this situation pop back in my mind as a
reminder from time to time. It’s
especially helpful when I’m a “Looking at the Angles Christian,” figuring out
some kind of angle to beat the system or I’m wording things very carefully so
that I’m not telling the whole truth in situations, but not exactly telling a
lie, either.
I’m very thankful that God gives me a conscience to
remind me when I start slipping into old human ways again.
………………………………………………………………………………
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down
upon your wrath. Ephesians, Chapter 4,
verse 26.
I have always heard this Bible verse used in
relation to marriage. I really believe
whole-heartedly that this is good advice for both adults and children. There have been nights when I have gone to
bed frustrated with a family member and then this verse pops into my head. (I’m so glad God looks after me that
way!) I get back up and work things out
with whichever family member I need to.
I get a good night’s sleep, feeling the situation has been peacefully
resolved, which sets a good example for the rest of the family. When we hold onto grudges and anger, it eats
away at us and doesn’t make us very good examples of how God works in our
lives.
Here is a related passage:
*Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger
resteth in the bosom of fools.
Ecclesiastes, Chapter 7, verse 9.
………………………………………………………………………………
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him
labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to
give to him that needeth. Ephesians,
Chapter 4, verse 28.
When I was about ten years old, I talked a neighbor
into going to the local “Candy Store.” I
talked him into stealing some candy, graham crackers and gum ball rings with
me. I even talked him into going back to
do the same thing a second time.
I stopped doing that. No, I never got caught and no one ever told
on me. I just didn’t feel right
inside. I knew I had stolen and so did
God. No matter what I did, I couldn’t
rationalize things. God knew it and I
knew it. It was as simple as that! All I could think to do at the time was to
stop stealing and to become a better example of how God works in my life. (I guess I should have gone to make amends to
the store owner, but that didn’t cross my mind until about 20 years later.)
Now, as a school teacher, I remember this situation
when I find one of my students stealing something. (It’s kind of funny, every year I have a
student who takes a big handful of the play money that I use for math. When I talk to them, they always try to tell
me that a relative gave it to them.)
Then, I tell them about when I was about their age and stole too. I talk about how I didn’t like how I felt
inside because I knew I stole, so I stopped stealing. I ask them if I’m a bad person now. (They always tell me no.) Then, I ask them if stealing was a poor
choice? I tell them they are right. Stealing is a poor choice, but we don’t have
to continue to steal. I tell them that I
have confidence that they can turn things around just like I did.
Sometimes I get concerned when youngsters do
something wrong and label themselves as “bad people”. I think they sometimes start behaving like
they think “bad people” behave. It’s so
important for kids to realize that they aren’t “bad people,” but have just made
poor choices and are able to turn it around and to make better choices. This is important to remember the next time a
child does something that upsets you. We
want them to realize how to make better choices in the future, rather than
staying focused on all the poor choices that they have made in their
lives. I’m so glad that God has been
much more forgiving of me than I have been of others.
………………………………………………………………………………
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but
be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians,
Chapter 5, verse 18.
I know a lot of churches are against drinking. I’m not especially fond of it myself and I’m
very concerned for those who have family members who drink to excess. I do toast the bride and groom at weddings,
but I really just don’t like the taste of alcohol. Based on this passage and several others in
the Bible, I don’t think that having a drink every now and then is against
God’s principles. I think it’s that some
people don’t just have one drink every now and then…or their every now and then
becomes an all too regular pattern. I
think God doesn’t want anyone to drink to excess or, for that matter, to do
anything to excess.
I’m not including this verse to support “those who
drink a little too regularly”. That’s
not what this is about. I feel that it’s
my privilege in writing this book to be able to convey things to the best of my
ability that have influenced my life.
Knowing God gave me permission to have an occasional drink but not to do
it to excess, has helped be a guide for my life. I don’t think I have hardly ever had a second
drink or a third. I just don’t see any
point in trying to find out just how many drinks it takes to lead to drinking
in excess. Getting caught up in
repetitive social drinking would not make me a very good example of how God
works in my life.
………………………………………………………………………………
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and Spiritual
songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks always for all things unto God
and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians, Chapter 5, verses 19-20.
I know that over the years I have heard people comment
on music, thinking a wide variety of things.
Some of these comments were less than supportive of music. While this passage isn’t speaking to all
types of music for pleasure, it does sound like God likes us to be singing
hymns and songs that focus on Him and our love for Him.
I love to sing old familiar hymns from time to time
or make up songs which are prayers in my mind when I’m driving somewhere. There are some songs that are supposed to be
religious songs but come from a wide variety of religious beliefs, some of
which aren’t compatible with my belief in God.
So, I try to be careful, checking out the music I listen to, especially
through the media. I wouldn’t want to find
myself singing along with some song on the radio only to find out the person
who wrote that song believes in Buddha.
That would mean I’m unknowingly singing along with a song about Buddha
instead of God. It pays to check things
out.
One of the things to remember is that when we sing
to God, it’s one more form of praying.
It’s another one of the many ways that we can glorify God and thank Him
for all He’s done.
Here are some related passages:
*Then sang
Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I
will sing unto the LORD, for He hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his
rider hath He thrown into the sea. The
Lord is my strength and song, and He is become my Salvation: He is my God and I
will prepare Him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. Exodus, Chapter 15, verses 1-2.
*All the earth
shall worship Thee, and shall sing unto Thee; they shall sing to Thy Name. Psalm, Chapter 66, verse 4.
*O let the
nations be glad and sing for joy: for Thou shalt judge the people righteously,
and govern the nations upon the earth.
Selah. Psalm, Chapter 67, verse
4.
*Sing unto
God, sing praises to His Name: extol Him that rideth upon the heavens by His
Name JAH, and rejoice before Him. Psalm,
Chapter 68, verse 4.
*Sing unto
God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord. Selah: Psalm, Chapter 68, verse 32.
*I will sing
of the mercies of the LORD forever: with my mouth will I make known Thy
faithfulness to all generations. Psalm,
Chapter 89, verse 1.
*Come, let us
sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our
Salvation. Let us come before His
presence with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King
above all gods. Psalm, Chapter 95,
verses 1-3.
*O sing unto
the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. Sing unto the LORD, bless His Name; show
forth His Salvation from day to day.
Declare His glory among the heathen, His wonders among all people. For the LORD is great, and greatly to be
praised: He is to be feared above all gods.
Psalm, Chapter 96, verses 1-4.
*O sing unto
the LORD a new song; for He hath done marvellous things: His right Hand, and
His holy Arm, hath gotten Him the victory.
Psalm, Chapter 98, verse 1.
*Make a joyful
noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing
praise. Sing unto the LORD with the
harp; and the voice of a psalm. With
trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King. Psalm, Chapter 98, verses 4-6.
*O give thanks
unto the LORD, call upon His Name: make known His deeds among the people. Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him; talk ye
of all His wondrous works. Glory ye in
His holy Name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Psalm, Chapter 105, verses 1-3.
*Then was our
mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among
the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. The LORD hath done great things for us;
whereof we are glad. Psalm, Chapter 126,
verses 2-3.
*Praise the
LORD, for the LORD is good: sing praises unto His Name; for it is
pleasant. Psalm, Chapter 125, verse 3.
*All the kings
of the earth shall praise Thee, O LORD, when they hear the Words of Thy
mouth. Yea, they shall sing in the ways
of the LORD; for great is the glory of the LORD. Psalm, Chapter 138, verses4-5.
*Praise Ye the
LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. While I live will I praise the LORD: I will
sing praises unto my God while I have any being. Psalm, Chapter 146, verses 1-2.
*Sing unto the
LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God. Psalm, Chapter 147, verse 7.
*In the
transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and
rejoice. Proverbs, Chapter 29, verse 6.
*Praise ye the
LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and
His praise in the congregation of saints.
Let Israel rejoice in
Him that made him: let the children of Zion
*In that day
shall this song be sung in the land
of Judah
*The Lord was
ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments
all the days of our life in the house of the Lord. Isaiah, Chapter 38, verse 20.
*Sing unto the
LORD a new song, and His praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to
the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof
lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants
of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give
glory unto the LORD, and declare His praise in the islands. Isaiah, Chapter 42, verses 10-12.
*Sing, O ye
heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break
forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the
LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified Himself in Israel. Isaiah, Chapter 44, verse 23.
*Go ye forth
of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye,
tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath
redeemed His servant Jacob. Isaiah,
Chapter 48, verse 20.
*Sing, O
heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for
the LORD hath comforted His people, and will have mercy upon His
afflicted. Isaiah, Chapter 49, verse 13.
*Thy watchmen
shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they
shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion Jerusalem :
for the LORD hath comforted His people, He hath redeemed Jerusalem
*For as the
rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but
watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to
the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of
My Mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall prosper in the thing
whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out
with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break
forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their
hands. Instead of the thorn shall come
up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it
shall be to the LORD for a Name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut
off. Isaiah, Chapter 55, verses 10-13.
Behold My
servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and
shall howl for vexation of spirit.
Isaiah, Chapter 65, verse 14.
*Sing unto the
LORD, praise ye the LORD: for He hath delivered the soul of the poor from the
hand of evildoers. Jeremiah, Chapter 20,
verse 13.
*For thus
saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the
nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save Thy people, the remnant
of Israel. Jeremiah, Chapter 31, verse
7.
*The LORD thy
God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rest in His love, He
will joy over thee with singing.
Zephaniah, Chapter 3, verse 17.
*And when they
had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. Matthew, Chapter 26, verse 30.
………………………………………………………………………………
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the
Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Submitting yourselves one to
another in the fear of God: Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as
unto the Lord. For the husband is the
head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and He is the
Saviour of the Body. Therefore as the
church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in
everything. Husbands, love your wives,
even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it: That He might
sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word. That He might present it to Himself a
glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it
should be Holy and without blemish. So
ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but
nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members
of His Body, of His Flesh, and of His Bones.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be
joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak
concerning Christ and the church.
Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as
himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. Ephesians, Chapter 5, verses 20-33.
Ease up, now!
I realize that this appears to be a passage that sets the Women’s
Movement back 100 years, but it’s not!
This passage isn’t about women having the right to vote. It’s not about women having equal pay for
equal jobs. This passage is about a
husband and wife being respectful of each other’s needs and treating each other
with the same courtesy and respect that they want. God put man and woman together to support
each other as a UNIT. The marriage wasn’t
meant for two totally separate entities to be fighting to maintain their ability
to be in control of the other.
When God says that the man is the head of the
household doesn’t mean that the man is supposed to arbitrarily make all the
decisions regardless of his wife’s opinions, or vice versa. If the husband and the wife are to be a UNIT,
it should involve discussions on decisions, being respectful of each person’s
opinion.
If the man is to treat the woman as he would treat
his own body and the woman is to do the same, then that means they should be
respectful of each other in all matters.
A husband or a wife wouldn’t beat up their own body, so they should not
beat up their spouse. A husband or a
wife wouldn’t be calling themselves names or saying put-downs about themselves,
so they shouldn’t do it to their spouse-even if it’s funny. It undermines the marriage.
A husband or a wife wouldn’t be yelling at
themselves, so they shouldn’t do it to their spouse. A husband or a wife wouldn’t deprive
themselves of their basic needs, so they shouldn’t do it to their spouse. A husband or a wife wouldn’t want their
spouse to be unfaithful to them, so they shouldn’t do it to their spouse. A husband or a wife wouldn’t be hateful and
unforgiving to themselves and their own faults, so they shouldn’t do it to
their spouse. This passage has nothing
to do with the Women’s Movement. It has
only to do with the husband and the wife treating each other with the same
respect and support that they would want to get within the marriage.
Here is a related passage:
*And He
answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that He which made them at the
beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave
father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one
flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain,
but one flesh. What therefore God hath
joined together, let not man put asunder.
Matthew, Chapter 19, verses 4-6.
………………………………………………………………………………
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is
right. Honour thy father and mother;
which is the first Commandment with promise;
That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the
earth. And ye fathers, provoke not your
children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the
Lord. Ephesians, Chapter 6, verses 1-4.
This passage also goes both ways. Children are to be respectful of their
parents and to obey their rules. I think
all too many parents only focus on this part of the passage. They forget that they aren’t supposed to
provoke their children to wrath; instead they are to nurture them. This DOES mean that parents are to be
supportive of their children, which does NOT mean that they are to raise their
children by telling them how stupid they are and how they can’t do anything
right.
This DOES mean that parents are to appropriately
discipline their children, which does NOT mean that they are to take all their
frustrations out on their children, yelling at them, hitting them or sexually
abusing them. This DOES mean that
parents are to provide for their children’s physical and emotional needs and
well-being, which does NOT mean that they are supposed to ignore their child’s
basic needs. This DOES mean that parents
are to nurture their children, which does NOT mean overindulging them with their
every wish. This DOES mean that parents
are to set clear and appropriate rules, which does NOT mean being harshly
strict with them or being too lenient either.
This DOES mean that it’s reasonable for parents to expect children to do
chores as a member of the household, but it does NOT mean that they are to
expect their children to do all the household chores, or that the parents do
everything for the child so the child never develops a sense of responsibility.
The child, under the appropriate conditions set
forth in the Bible, is supposed to obey their parents, but the parent isn’t to
provoke them to anger and is to nurture them.
In other words, the parents and the children are to work together in
mutual respect of one another and of God.
………………………………………………………………………………
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord,
so walk ye in Him: Rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as
ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy
and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world,
and not after Christ. Colossians,
Chapter 2, verses 6-8.
I’m not to get caught up in counterproductive
philosophical discussions with other people regarding my faith. There have been times when I have done this and
I began to doubt my own faith or became uncertain about particular issues.
I have found that when I read the Bible, so many
things are clarified for me in a way that no person was able to do. I know these answers come from God and are
not some person or group’s philosophical interpretation of the Bible. My faith becomes vulnerable when I let other
people tell me what I should and shouldn’t believe and how I should do it.
It’s kind of like a painting. You spend hours creating a painting and it’s
just right for you. You show it to some
friends and they tell you that you should change the painting in a particular
way. You show the painting to an artist
and he tells you that you should really change these other aspects of the
painting. Lastly, you show the painting
to an art teacher. He tells you that the
painting really should be altered in some totally new way. By the time you ask all of these different
people’s advice, you can’t remember why you painted the painting in that
particular fashion and what your original goals for the painting were. Your mind is so muddled by all these
interpretations of the right way to paint that the painting doesn’t seem like
the same painting you felt excited about in the beginning.
As an artist, I have found it’s much better when I
don’t ask for other people’s opinions and I paint for my own pleasure. As a Christian, I have found I can’t get
involved in other people’s philosophical discussions of how they think religion
is supposed to be. There are millions of
different people with millions of different interpretations. If I get caught up in listening to other
people’s opinions, I can get confused and possibly lose my focus on God. I find it much better to bow out of
philosophical discussions and read the Bible on my own and to trust the
instincts that God gives me.
………………………………………………………………………………
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things
which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on
things on the earth. Colossians, Chapter
3, verses 1-2.
I don’t know how you do it, but you should see me
clean the house. I start with one aspect
of house cleaning. I get off on a
tangent when I see something that needs to be put away in another room. When I’m in that room, I am reminded of
something else that I forgot to do.
After I do that thing, I try to remember what I had originally started
to do, because by that time I’ve lost my focus.
Sometimes I remember and sometimes I don’t! This passage reminds me that I am to continue
to focus on God and His will for me instead of going off on tangents and
getting caught up in worldly issues which can pull my focus away from Him.
………………………………………………………………………………
But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath,
malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have
put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is
renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created Him. Colossians, Chapter 3, verses 8-10.
They say you can’t tell a book by its cover, but
this passage is kind of the reverse of that.
It tells me that people look at Christians to see if they really behave
the way they think Christians should.
God reminds me now that I’m a Christian; I’m to behave as a
Christian. I’m not to be hateful,
gossip, use vulgar speech or use God’s Name in vain (even though it has become
so commonplace that people don’t realize that they’re even doing it.) When people see me, my cover needs to reflect
the way God has changed my life.
Here is a related passage:
*Little children, let no man deceive you: he that
doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil: for
the devil sinneth from the beginning.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy
the works of the devil. Whosoever is
born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in Him: and He cannot
sin, because He is born of God. In this
the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever
doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his
brother. 1 John, Chapter 3, verses 7-10.
………………………………………………………………………………
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and
beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness,
longsuffering; Forbearing one another and forgiving one another, if any man
have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity,
which is the bond of perfectness. And
let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in
one body; and be ye thankful. Let the
Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one
another in psalms and hymns and Spiritual songs, singing with grace in your
hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do
in word or deed, do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and
the Father by Him. Colossians, Chapter
3, verses 12-17.
Actually, Christians are really fortunate, these
days. You don’t commonly hear of them
throwing Christians to the lions anymore.
I think it’s more about us being willing to live as God wants us to by
being examples of how He works in our lives, regardless of what other people
think or say.
Are we resentful when we are presented with an
opportunity to make a donation to a worthy cause or are we giving to others and
thankful for what we have? Do we get
caught up in reading the latest fad or do we find time to grow in our faith as
we read the Bible and learn more about God?
Do we get caught up in listening to music with a worldly theme or do we
sing Spiritual songs and hymns? Do we
respond hatefully to cashiers who seem less than sensitive to our concerns or
do we remember all our actions and words reflect our faith in God? Are we resentful that we don’t have the
newest and the best of worldly items like others or are we thankful for all God
provides for us? Food for thought!
………………………………………………………………………………
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the
Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of
the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Colossians, Chapter 3, verses 23-24.
This makes me think about Random Acts of Simple
Kindness and Love. This is when people
secretly do nice things for others (this could be for people you know or
complete strangers.) These anonymous
acts aren’t done for any reward or praise, but are just for the pleasure it
brings to do nice things for others.
I think God is saying that because we love Him, we
are to have that same attitude in all we do.
We should take pleasure in doing nice things for others, not for any
reward or praise, but because we enjoy doing nice things for God. Actually, it’s exhilarating when you do nice
things for others without letting anyone know you did them! It’s really very special to know that you
have been allowed to be an instrument for God by being involved in one of His
little miracles for someone else. If you
have never done things like this before, you should try it! There is nothing quite like the pure joy of
doing something nice for another person without getting caught up in bragging
to others about what you did. You do it
just because it’s something God would like you to do. Try it!
………………………………………………………………………………
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have
no need that I write unto you. For
yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the
night. 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 5,
verses 1-2.
We are told over and over again in the Bible that no
one knows when the end of the world will be.
It will sneak up on us just like a thief is able to sneak around in the
night without anyone knowing. We need to
be examples of how God works in our lives, not just in ten or twenty years from
now, when we have finished sowing our wild oats, but always. God is forgiving but we should not push Him
too far, either. We can’t go around
manipulating God and our faith by saying that I’m sinful and God will forgive
me anyway, so I will just go ahead and do this sinful thing and ask for
forgiveness later.
Well, God knows what is in our hearts. He knows when we are trying to manipulate Him
and when we are genuinely trying to be Christians. Although none of us is perfect, we need to attempt
to be the best examples we can of how God works in our lives.
………………………………………………………………………………
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are
unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all
men. See that none render evil for evil
unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to
all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the
Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians, Chapter 5, verses 14-18.
There are times in our lives when we can share our
genuine concern for those who are making self-destructive choices. You never know if the things you say may be
at a time that will help refocus that person.
(I always like to ask God to provide the words when I’m in a situation
like this. He always provides the right
things for me to say.)
We are to be patient, tolerant and supportive of
those who are mentally disabled, as well as those with any other
disability. We are to be patient with
everyone because we are supposed to be examples of how God works in our lives.
Have you ever overheard someone saying, “Yeah, they
profess to be a Christian. You should
have seen him out drinking the night away in the local bars-some Christian,
huh?” Or, “You should have seen the way
she was yelling at her kids and she says she’s a Christian. If that’s what Christians do, I want no part
of it.”
Did you realize that our example could either lead
people to God or push them away from having a relationship with Him? Well, it can!
Sometimes our example is as close as anyone gets to knowing Jesus and
the impact that He leaves on our lives.
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Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you
wholly, and I pray God your whole Spirit and soul and body be preserved
blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 5, verses 21-23.
I think the “Prove all things” is good sound advice. We aren’t to believe everything someone says
is in the Bible just because someone who sounds knowledgeable says it’s in
there. It means we are to check it out
first.
This passage also says that we should make sure we
are in situations that are good for us and to stay away from anything that is
evil or could lead us astray. Sometimes
when I’m angry with someone, I ask God to take care of it, but in reality I
still really want to be angry a little longer.
When I ask God to take care of my willingness to let Him take my anger
away, then I’m surrendering my need to stay angry.
………………………………………………………………………………
Now we command you, brethren, in the Name of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh
disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. For yourselves know how ye ought to follow
us; for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any
man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that
we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to
make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we
commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk
among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort
by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own
bread. But ye, brethren, be not weary in
well doing. And if any man obey not our
Word by this Epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may
be ashamed. Yet count him not as an
enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Now the Lord of Peace Himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all. 2 Thessalonians, Chapter 3, verses 6-16.
Apostle Paul was talking about how the followers of
Jesus didn’t want to be beholding to anyone or to be perceived as taking
advantage of others. When they stayed
with people as they went around spreading the Word of God, they worked for
their food. Paul was saying that this is
the way it should be and those who didn’t work shouldn’t eat.
He was into “Reality Therapy”. Those Christians who didn’t work and let
others do all the work while they found time to be busybodies and visit,
shouldn’t be given food. He thought this
would motivate them to talk less and to work more, that is…if they planned on
eating.
He said that Christians shouldn’t hang around people
who were not obeying the Word of God. Maybe
this shame might motivate others to change their behavior, but goes on to say
that they shouldn’t treat that person like their enemy either. They are doing these things to help motivate
the person to make changes in their behavior choices, in the same way you might
treat a brother who was going astray.
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But if any provide not for his own, and specially
for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an
infidel. 1 Timothy, Chapter 5, verse 8.
I remember hearing this over the years, “They take
care of their own.” Well, God is telling
us this is exactly what we are supposed to do.
There is a big difference between empowering and enabling, though. So, our help should be supportive in a way
that maintains the person’s self-respect, encouraging them always to make
positive choices in their lives.
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Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and
destitute of the Truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great
gain. For we brought nothing into this
world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be
therewith content. But they that will be
rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts,
which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted
after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many
sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee
these things; and follow after righteousness, Godliness, faith, love, patience,
meekness. Fight the good fight of faith,
lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a
good profession before many witnesses. 1
Timothy, Chapter 6, verses 5-12.
God is reminding us to stay away from people who
have corrupt minds or those who distort the Word of God. There are some who feel the proof of being a
good Christian would be having all the worldly possessions they want. Actually, there are people who believe that
way today. They feel God would want them
to have all types of nice things (possessions) and they actively pray for them. I know someone who looks at a picture of her
dream car each day and then visualizes God giving it to her. I know God said that He would take care of
our every need, but I don’t think that means we are going to eat steak and
prime rib every night because we are Christians, and we aren’t guaranteed we’ll
drive fancy cars.
In fact, a big portion of this passage talks about
how a lot of Christians get caught up in trying to attain money, status and
worldly possessions which corrupt them.
He says we are to be content with the food and the clothes we have, not
visualizing ourselves being given fancy cars, high level jobs and lots of
money. The desire for these things could
very well lead us astray.
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Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes,
that they may also obtain the Salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal
glory. It is a faithful saying: For if
we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him: If we suffer, we shall also
reign with Him: if we deny Him, He also will deny us. 2 Timothy, Chapter 2, verses 10-12.
Boy, this passage always makes me sit up and take
notice. It makes me think of all those
times when I have the opportunity to say something to someone else about how
God works in my life and I don’t. I’m
afraid of what they might think of me, but I’m really denying God. I would sure hate for Him to deny me in much
the same way.
This is something I have to continue to work
on. Yeah, I’m typing this book right now
about how God works in my life, but I’m not taking any big time risk. For me, risking is when I need to share my faith
personally with someone else, taking the chance that they may reject me for
standing up for my beliefs.
Actually, whenever I have taken that risk, I haven’t
had people reject me. Most everyone I’ve
talked to has been very respectful of my beliefs. Most of them have even shared situations from
their lives that have ended up strengthening my faith. I think the point is that we need to be
willing to stand up for God if the situation arises, instead of leaving it to
someone else.
Here are some related passages:
*But whosoever
therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father
which is in heaven. But whosoever shall
deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven. Matthew, Chapter 10, verses 32-33.
*And blessed
is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me.
Matthew, Chapter 11, verse 6.
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Who concerning the Truth have erred, saying that the
resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth
sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, Let every one that nameth the Name of
Christ depart from iniquity. 2 Timothy,
Chapter 2, verses 18-19.
I think this passage speaks to people who try to
confuse us by saying things like, “Heaven is here on earth, right now,” or “You
can make your life a heaven or a hell by the choices you make.” Your choices do bring about logical
consequences. If you make poor lifestyle
choices, you usually have a life that reflects those choices. If you make lifestyle choices that reflect
your faith in God, you won’t have steak on the table every night, but God will
take care of you.
My concern is that people can get confused by others
and lose their focus on God when they engage in philosophical religious debates
with them. Even though some profess to
be devout Christians, reading the Bible is one of the best ways to find out
God’s Will for us.
God wants us to leave behind our sinful ways and to
live a life that reflects how He has influenced us. We don’t have to get public notoriety as a
Christian in order to have Salvation.
God knows who the Christians are and who just says they are.
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For the time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the
Truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
2 Timothy, Chapter 4, verses 3-4.
This passage has special significance because I
first got interested in the Bible due to the erroneous quote from the Bible
that really was from an Aesop’s Fable (god helps him who helps himself.) I did not capitalize the “g” on god because
the god they are talking about is a Mythological god, not the One True
God. I try to always capitalize the “g”
on God out of respect for our Heavenly Father.
………………………………………………………………………………
But speak thou the things which become sound
doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity,
in patience. The aged women likewise,
that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given
to much wine, teachers of good things;
That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands,
to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient
to their own husbands, that the Word of God be not blasphemed. Young men likewise exhort to be sober
minded. In all things shewing thyself a
pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity,
sincerity. Titus, Chapter 2, verses 1-7.
Have you ever been in a situation where someone is
griping about their husband or wife? After a few minutes it seems that the rest
of the people in the group start pointing out the flaws of their spouse, as
well. On the ride home, these petty
little flaws seem to be magnified because they have been publicly brought to
your attention. God tells us in this
passage that we are to be good examples to younger generations and should not
get caught up in such discussions.
The younger generation learns by example and so did
we. If their parents, grandparents or
elders have a drink every time there is some type of problem, it sets a bad
example. I’m not saying that an
occasional drink is wrong, but it can become a crutch for all of the little
problems that arise in life. It sends a
real negative message when our children, grandchildren and friends see us turn
to the bottle every time we have a problem or we have a disagreement with our
spouse. They think that is the way
things are supposed to be handled.
If they see us always complaining about our spouse,
they are more apt to do the same with their spouse. I don’t know about you, but I really don’t
want my children arguing with their spouses or turning to the bottle or
recreational drugs to help them escape the problems that arise. I would much rather be a positive example of
how God works in my daily life and in my marriage.
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That being justified by His grace, we should be made
heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm
constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain
good works. These things are good and
profitable unto men. But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and
contentions, and strivings about the Law; for they are unprofitable and
vain. Titus, Chapter 3, verses 7-9.
I remember hearing that some people seem to feel
that they deserve a certain amount of prestige because they have followed their
family roots all the way back to those who landed on Plymouth Rock. I know following your family tree can be
interesting, but I think God is saying that even if we checked our genealogy
and found we were related to the Apostle Paul himself, we would be wasting our
time. It’s not who you know that gets
you into heaven, it’s our love for Jesus and trying to lead the life He wants
for us. That’s what makes the
difference!
………………………………………………………………………………
God Who hath at sundry times and
in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets. Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His
Son, whom He hath appointed Heir of all things, by Whom also He made the
worlds; Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His
person, and upholding all things by the Word of His power, when He had by
Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on High;
Being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a
more excellent Name than they. For unto
which of the angels said He at any time, thou art My son, this day have I
begotten thee? And again, I will be to
him a Father, and he shall be to Me a son? And again, when He bringeth in the
First Begotten into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship
Him. And of the angels He saith, Who
maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God,
is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy
kingdom. Hebrews, Chapter 1, verses
1-8.
This passage reinforces my concern that people might
get led astray by focusing on angels rather than focusing on God. Angels have become popular in the last few
years. There are some shows focused on
angels and some catalogs and stores filled primarily with angels. The thing is, God doesn’t want us worshipping
angels or giving them undue attention. I
think some people get confused and think they are really focusing on God when
they pay so much attention to angels.
Some people even pray to their guardian angel rather than praying to
God, thinking it’s one and the same thing, but it isn’t.
If the angel in Revelation forbade John to bow down
to him (last asterisk), then I would think we should pay attention to
this. We are to focus on God and not the
angels even though they are God’s ministering spirits. Our focus is to always be on God the Father,
Son and Holy Spirit; none other.
Here are some related
passages:
*But to which of the angels said He at any time, Sit
on My right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool: Are they not all
ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of
Salvation? Hebrews, Chapter 1, verses
13-14.
*And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD,
I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for
thee. And the angel of the LORD said
unto Manoah. Though thou detain me, I
will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must
offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew
not that he was an angel of the LORD.
Judges, Chapter 13, verse 15-16.
*And I John saw these things,
and heard them, And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before
the feet of the angel which showed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not:
for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which
keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
Revelation, Chapter 22, verses 8-9.
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For He spake in a certain place of the seventh day
on this wise, and God did rest the seventh day from all His works. Hebrews, Chapter 4, verse 4.
I like the way that God looks out for my family in
spite of our weaknesses. He knows that I
work intensely all week and I spend all weekend either caught up in doing the
things I took home from work or I get involved in other projects. If I spend all my spare time focused on work
and projects, then I’m not spending my time focused on God and my family.
I have an aunt and an uncle who don’t work on the
day that they go to church. I always
thought it was admirable, but I would come up with twenty billion reasons why I
needed to do these projects instead.
When I read the Bible, I realized that God says over and over again
(mostly in the Old Testament) that we aren’t supposed to work on the Sabbath
and are to have a day of rest, focusing on God and our family.
I got to thinking about this. If He went out of His way to make sure that
this was in the Bible so many times, there must be a good reason for it. The more I thought about it, I realized that
if we are doing things from work or other projects all week, we will rarely
find quality time for God and our family.
God wants us to have priorities in our lives. After God who is our first priority, our
families should come next and then our work.
Think of how many children rarely get to spend time with their parents
because they are too busy working late or they are involved in work related
projects at home.
God also gives us added benefits for not working on
the Sabbath. Taking this day to focus on
God and our families allows us to be refreshed for the new week. When we stay busy all weekend after a hectic
week, we are more apt to become impatient with our family members over the
little things that arise. Additionally,
when we get caught up in our work and projects, we are more apt to find excuses
for not going to church with our family.
The worst part is that we are poor examples to our
children. If we stay busy working all
the time, they won’t grow up learning how to pace themselves either. Everyone needs to maintain a healthy balance
in their lives. If work becomes the sole
focus, then our families are bound to lose out-not to mention us.
Someday our kids will be grown and out of the
house. Will they come and visit us
regularly when we are older? Did we
model the importance of family time while they were growing up? Will they be too busy doing their own
projects and work that they have no time for us? What’s worse is the possibility that they
will have no time for their own families.
Are we perpetuating a cycle of super busy people who have little time to
interact with others? That’s something
to think about.
As I said, God has this stated and restated
throughout the Bible. I’m going to list
some of the Bible passages that support this so you can see the lengths that
God went to in order to remind us to have a day of rest to focus on Him and our
families.
Here are some related passages:
*Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh
day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy
handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.
Exodus, Chapter 23, verse 12.
*Speak thou also unto the children of Israel Israel Israel
*And Moses gathered all the congregation of the
children of Israel
*Ye shall keep My Sabbaths, and reverence My
sanctuary: I am the LORD. Leviticus,
Chapter 19, verse 30.
*Speak unto the children of Israel
*Ye shall keep My Sabbaths, and reverence My
sanctuary. I am the LORD. Leviticus,
Chapter 26, verse 2.
*There dwelt men of Tyre
also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the
Sabbath unto the children of Judah ,
and in Jerusalem Judah Israel
*Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and
bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;
Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day, neither do
ye any work, but hallow ye the Sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. But they obeyed not, neither inclined their
ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive
instruction. And it shall come to pass,
if ye diligently hearken unto Me saith the Lord, to bring in no burden through
the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but hallow the Sabbath day, to do no
work therein; Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and
princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses,
they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem:
and this city shall remain for ever. And
they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem,
and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and
from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings,
and incense and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the LORD. But if ye will not hearken unto Me to hallow
the Sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of
Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof,
and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be
quenched. Jeremiah, Chapter 17, verses
21-27.
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That by two immutable things, in which it was
impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled
for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Hebrews, Chapter 6, verse 18.
I just like this passage because it says that it’s
impossible for God to lie. That way I
know if it says in the Bible that God will take care of me, He will!
Here are some related passages:
*Let your conversation be without covetousness;
and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never
leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, the Lord is my Helper,
and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Hebrews, Chapter 13, verses 5-6.
*The Words of the LORD are pure Words: as silver
tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, Thou shalt
preserve them from this generation for ever.
Psalm, Chapter 12, verses 6-7.
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How much more shall the Blood of Christ, who through
the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God?
Hebrews, Chapter 9, verse 14.
I remember referring to God guiding us through our
conscience at an earlier point. I just
wanted to include this passage because it supports what I said. Sometimes I tell people to listen to the
instincts that God gives them about things, because He guides us through these.
I’m not sure if the instinct He gives us and our
conscience are the exact same thing or not.
What I do know is: God DOES GUIDE US
The other thing I like about this is that God takes
the time for me and my problems on a personal level, when there are millions
and billions of people in the world. If
God gives of His time to guide me, then I definitely want to listen!
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But without faith it is impossible to please Him:
for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek Him. By faith,
Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared
an ark to the saving of his house; by the which He condemned the world, and
became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go
out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and
he went out, not knowing whither he went.
Hebrews, Chapter 11, verses 6-8.
You really should read all of Hebrews, Chapter
11. It tells of person after person
throughout Biblical history who did the Will of God based on faith alone. It makes me think about how these
accomplishments would never have happened if they hadn’t listened to God
because they were worried what their friends and neighbors would think of them.
It makes me wonder if I would be willing to take
these same risks if God asked me. Would
I have the blind faith necessary, trusting God would take care of
everything? Hopefully, God would give me
the willingness to respond to His requests.
Where would we be right now if Noah had said to God that he wasn’t quite
sure whether he should build the ark because he was afraid his friends and
neighbors would be talking about him and he didn’t want to risk the
embarrassment? Food for thought!
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Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for
thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Hebrews, Chapter 13, verses 1-2.
After reading forwarded emails telling how people’s
lives have been changed by reaching out to someone less fortunate, I am more
reflective about my lack of action. When
approached by the needy, I have to admit my response has not always been of
Christian love to my fellow human beings.
This definitely is something I need to work on, being mindful about how
I would feel if people ignored and rejected me.
I only hope God continues to be patient with me and brings me to the
level of brotherly love that He wants us all to show to each other.
………………………………………………………………………………
Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them;
and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. Hebrews, Chapter 13, verse 3.
I need to work on being more compassionate to those
who have been imprisoned. It’s easy for
me to sit back in my comfortable house and forget about the plight of others
less fortunate. I can rationalize that
they have made poor choices and have been removed from society as a consequence
for these actions. In reality, I’m not
sure I agree with that philosophy anymore.
Sure, I think rapists, child molesters and mass murders should be kept
from returning to society. Often these
people get released from prison on parole after a certain amount of time and
some therapy, only to rape, molest and kill again. This makes no sense when the prisons are full
of other people who have done much less and may never get out. I just don’t understand.
There are people who are in prison indefinitely for
stealing food or cigarettes, doing stupid pranks and generally making poor
choices. Are these people a threat to
society? I’m sure there are some
sociopaths who pose a threat, but I think there are many prisoners who would be
more help to society on the outside than behind bars.
There is a Bible passage that says: Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to
satisfy his soul when he is hungry; But if he be found, he shall restore
sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house. Proverbs, Chapter 6, verses 30-31. God is talking about having him make
restitution rather than imprisoning him.
With our country’s financial situation, we can’t
afford to hire enough people to clean our parks and waterways, assist the aged,
work with the handicapped and provide productive services for the
community. These options would allow
prisoners to maintain their dignity while making restitution at the same
time. It sure beats having people in a
penal system where they are more apt to become corrupted by the quantity of
negative influences they encounter than to be rehabilitated. Many of those imprisoned have the potential
to be productive members of society with some assistance and guidance. (As I said before, I’m not including people
who are rapists, molesters and killers in this category.)
It saddens me to think that there is no real equity
in the penal system. There are people
who were CEO’s for multimillion dollar firms, who embezzled the funds of their
company. Many of their co-workers have
since lost their jobs, their retirements and their livelihoods because of the
impact the embezzlement had on the company’s finances. Often these people don’t go to jail, because
they have enough money to hire expensive attorneys. If they do go to jail, it’s for a short
amount of time in a swanky prison. They
write their memoirs and make a fortune.
It’s sad that the system doesn’t make them make
restitution to all those who lost their retirements. Don’t you think it would be an excellent
logical consequence if they had to take the royalties from their memoirs to pay
for the retirements of those hard workers whose retirement funds had been
embezzled?
Then there are minorities who are imprisoned and are
doing hard time because they didn’t have a ritzy lawyer defending them for
things that pale in comparison. They end
up spending a big portion their lives in prisons that could never compare to
the swanky ones of those who embezzled millions. This just doesn’t seem equitable to me.
I need to remember to keep prisoners in my prayers,
but there may be other things we can do.
There are organizations that we could contact that would tell us ways
that we could help the families of prisoners.
A monumental way we can help is by being willing to hire someone who has
formerly been in prison. How are they
ever going to support their family and become a productive member of society if
no one hires them? We could make a difference
in their lives.
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Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of
God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man: But
every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth
forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. James, Chapter 1, verses 13-16.
It was very interesting for me to read this. Somehow, I was under the impression that God
tempted us to test us, but I was wrong.
It’s our own sinful human nature that is tempted by things. Our choice to follow these temptations or to
turn to God is what makes the difference.
………………………………………………………………………………
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be
swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not
the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay
apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness
the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers
only deceiving your own selves. James,
Chapter 1, verses 19-22.
But whoso looketh into the perfect Law of liberty,
and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the
work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
James, Chapter 1, verse 25.
This is of special importance to me right now,
because a minor matter has worked a wedge in my relationship with someone I
care about. God didn’t put these Words
in the Bible to be something nice for us to read. He had the Bible written to provide
guidelines for our lives and to remind us how things like anger, resentment and
hatred can subtly interfere with our relationship with God and others. I can read this passage and just say, “Yeah,
God is right. I shouldn’t let wedges
develop between others and me,” and then do nothing further about it. Or I can be an example of how God works in my
life by taking the first step, however awkward it might be to set things
right. The choice is up to us.
………………………………………………………………………………
If any man among you
seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart,
this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is
this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep
himself unspotted from the world. James,
Chapter 1, verses 26-27.
It’s easy to be a “Back-Seat Christian,” becoming
complacent in our relationship with God.
In doing so, we are letting everyone else take care of God’s work while
we focus on ourselves. God says He wants
us to take an active role as Christians.
He wants us to visit the fatherless, those grieving and we are not to
get caught up in worldly values.
With so many single parent families, visiting the
fatherless could be a relatively easy thing to do. If we each took the time to touch the life of
one child, we could make a major difference.
Some might think that they don’t have the time, but you could include
neighbor kids in your game of basketball with your child. Family board games are nice to invite other
kids to play. Even if you don’t have
children of your own, you can take a child you know with you to the library. You can invite them over to bake or BBQ. Even doing routine chores seem special when
you’ve invited a child to help you. It
gives them a sense of accomplishment and helps them feel like they are
contributing. When you take your child
to a scouting, church or school activity; include a child who wouldn’t have
been able to attend otherwise.
Going to a school once a week for 30 minutes, can
positively impact the life of a child.
(When I was a teacher in a low income school, I tried to get volunteers
to come and read for 30 minutes a week with my students who had behavior problems. Within days, I would notice a positive change
in the behavior choices that these children made. Interestingly, I wasn’t having the volunteer
focus on teaching the child to read or anything else academic. The vast majority of these kids are quite capable
of doing academic tasks. They just have
so many other things going on in their lives that it’s often difficult for them
to focus on academics. The time with the
volunteers was really meant to be a positive time for the adult and the child
to spend together. Isn’t it amazing that
30 minutes of contact with a child each week could make such a difference?)
I’m not suggesting that everyone should volunteer to
spend time with kids who have behavior problems, although that’s not a bad
idea. I’m using this as an example. If we each took the time to be with a child
for 30 minutes a week, just think of the positive impact we could have on the
children of our country. It has the added
benefit of making us positive role models of our Christian values to our own
children.
………………………………………………………………………………
My brethren,
have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory, with respect of
persons. For if there come unto your
assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor
man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing,
and say unto him, Sit thou here in a
good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my
footstool; Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil
thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren,
Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the
kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you
before the judgment seats? Do not they
blaspheme that worthy Name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfil the royal Law according to the
Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well. James, Chapter 2, verses 1-8.
We have become “The Lives of the Rich and Famous
Christians,” catering to those with status who look and dress a particular
way. I wish I could say that I didn’t
fall into this category, but I can’t. I
think our society falls prey to this, as well.
If we were on a bus, train or subway; would we stand to give our seat to
someone who looks down and out or would we stand for someone who was either
rich or famous? I have a feeling I know
which answer I would get if people were really being honest.
If you really think about it, our human logic is
backward. Some of the people with wealth
don’t do as much physical labor and are not exposed to the weather conditions
as much as those who are needier. Those
who are less fortunate probably need our seat more than those with wealth. Well, the same goes with our kindness. The wealthy often have others who treat them
courteously, but do we extend that same courtesy to the poor? I’m ashamed to say that I don’t always. I wouldn’t want God to treat me as
indifferently as I sometimes treat those who are less fortunate. Sure, I give clothes that I no longer want to
the needy, but that takes minimal effort.
That is giving out of my excess and I don’t think that’s the same as
treating others with the respect and the courtesy that they deserve.
………………………………………………………………………………
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly
evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith
bless we God, even the Father; and there with curse we men, which are made
after the similitude of God. Out of the
same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing.
My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place
sweet water and bitter? Can the fig
tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain
both yield salt water and fresh. Who is
a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good
conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and
lie not against the Truth. This wisdom
descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is
confusion and every evil work. But the
wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be
entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without
hypocrisy. And the fruit of
righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. James, Chapter 3, verses 8-18.
I think God is asking us if a Christian can truly be
two-faced. You wouldn’t consider someone
a true friend who is nice to your face but works against you, behind your back.
I think God is telling us through this passage that
we can’t truly be both. Can we truly be
a Christian one day a week, but participate in a worldly life with no attempt
to change the rest of the week? I think
God tells us that if we truly profess to be a Christian, we will be examples of
our faith seven days a week instead of just one.
………………………………………………………………………………
But He giveth more grace. Wherefore He saith, God resisteth the proud,
but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from
you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw
nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye
sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. James, Chapter 4, verses 6-8.
I think that God is looking for a few good men and
women just like the Marines. They don’t
want proud, boastful people who go around saying they are better than
others. They want people who show their
worth by their behavior and choices all the time.
………………………………………………………………………………
But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such
rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that
knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. James, Chapter 4, verses 16-17.
This passage makes me sad because I know I have been
guilty of this more times than I would like to mention. I was teaching in a suburb of a larger city
with more affluent families. A friend who
teaches there asked me to go to the city with her to read with some “inner city”
kids after school. Instead, I chose to
co-sponsor the Art Club, doing projects with those more affluent. I regret being so shallow.
………………………………………………………………………………
Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be
condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. James, Chapter 5, verse 9.
You know, it seems that our character flaws have
been ingrained in us for so long that they would be almost impossible to
change, but not so with God. I have
found that since I’m focusing on God’s Will for my life, the thought about God
judging me like I judge others pops into my mind when I’m being critical of
others, allowing me to make the changes that He wants.
………………………………………………………………………………
But above all things, my brethren, swear not,
neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let
your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. James, Chapter 5, verse 12.
This passage lets me know that I can tell the truth
when I’m talking to people without saying, “It’s the truth, too-Swear to God,”
or, “It’s the truth, too-I Swear it on the Bible.” These extra sayings for emphasis aren’t
necessary and aren’t what God wants.
Here is a related passage:
*But I say
unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: Nor by
the earth: for it is His footstool: neither by Jerusalem: for it is the city of
the great King, Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not
make one hair white or black, But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay:
for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. Matthew, Chapter 5, verses 34-37.
………………………………………………………………………………
Is any among you afflicted? let him pray.
Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and
let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Name of the Lord: And the
prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he
have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray
one for another, that ye may be healed.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James, Chapter 5, verses 13-16.
I like the way that some
of the churches I have gone to have a prayer chain. When someone brings a special need to the
attention of this group, they call the next person on their list and then there
are a multitude of people praying for this same cause. Having the additional prayers of the prayer
chain gave me a sense of relief when I asked them to pray for my friend’s
husband and my uncle when they both had bypass surgery.
I have since realized
that if I think the prayer chain is such a positive thing, I should try to give
something back by volunteering to be a member of the prayer chain, as well.
………………………………………………………………………………
Brethren, if any of you do err from the Truth, and
one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the
error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of
sins. James, Chapter 5, verses 19-20.
When I was about 11 or 12, I remember being
horrified by hearing how a bunch of people saw a car drive over the levee in a
nearby community. They stood by and
watched the whole family drown without ever making an attempt to save
them. I didn’t know how those people
could live with themselves. If a person
had made an effort but had been unable to save them, they would have at least
known they had tried.
I feel like Christians often do the same thing. We see people who are making lifestyle
choices where they are apt to “drown” in their worldly ways, but we just sit
back and watch without even attempting to save them. If we make an attempt, at least we will know
that we tried and didn’t just sit back and do nothing. Who knows, maybe we will be the person who
plants the seed of change in their life.
………………………………………………………………………………
But as He which hath called you is Holy, so be ye
Holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye Holy; for I am
Holy. 1 Peter, Chapter 1, verses 15-16.
It’s easy to become complacent and to let a few off
color words slip out every now and then.
Yes, God will forgive us for these shortcomings if we ask Him, but are
we being the example He wants us to be?
………………………………………………………………………………
And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of
persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning
here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible
things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition
from your fathers; But with the precious Blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without
blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of
the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by Him do believe
in God, that raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory; that your faith
and hope might be in God. 1 Peter,
Chapter 1, verses 17-21.
Christians don’t have a “free ride on the gravy
train.” God is going to judge us by our
faith and our actions which should be examples of our devotion to Him. Our Salvation wasn’t purchased for us by some
worldly thing like money. We can’t pay a
fine when we are caught sinning, like a person who has been speeding pays a
fine as restitution. Our Salvation is
earned through Jesus’ suffering, death and Resurrection on our behalf.
………………………………………………………………………………
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the
Truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love
one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible
seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for
ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all
the glory of man as the flower of grass.
The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the Word
of the Lord endureth for ever. And this
is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you. 1 Peter, Chapter 1, verses 22-25.
Think of a brand new
computer in the box. Look inside the box
and you would see machinery with potential, but of no use unless it is plugged
in. Similarly, we have potential that
becomes realized once we develop a relationship with Jesus.
When the computer is
properly hooked up, just as a Christian who is focused on God, the machinery
works at optimum capacity. Once a virus
corrupts our files like worldly choices corrupt our lives, the machinery
performs inconsistently, at best. Both
the computer and the Christian can continue to get progressively worse. After we realize that help is needed and turn
to a computer technologist to repair the hard drive, in much the same way a
Christian turns to God for assistance, both can get started running “like new”
again. I need to turn to God for
periodic “overhauls,” making sure my faith and my lifestyle choices are running
smoothly and are attuned with what God wants.
………………………………………………………………………………
And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers
of that which is good? But and if ye
suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their
terror, neither be troubled: But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be
ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the
hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that,
whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that
falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the Will of God be so,
that ye suffer for the well doing, than for evil doing. 1 Peter, Chapter 3, verses 13-17.
As Christians, we might get laughed at, stigmatized
or even isolated from others but that’s a small price to pay for our belief in
God. I would much rather suffer this
ridicule than to give in for momentary peace, giving up my eternal peace and
Salvation. I’m a “Pick Your Battles
Christian.” If I look at my two options,
I could live life in the fast lane now and be popular but go to hell, or I can
risk some ridicule by living up to my Christian ethics and go to heaven. I plan to put my money where there is the
greatest chance for reward-heaven!
………………………………………………………………………………
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a
thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him
not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 1 Peter, Chapter 4, verses 15-16.
It’s easy to become self-righteous thinking, “Well,
at least I haven’t killed anyone or stolen anything.” It’s humbling to read how God feels that
busybodies are just as sinful. Getting
caught up in talking about others is one of the ways that Satan works a subtle
wedge in the lives of Christians. It’s
easy to get caught up in gossip, but we need to take a stand. Sometimes just ignoring a situation is
condoning that behavior. It’s not always
easy to let people know that you feel uncomfortable talking about others, but
God will give you the words, if you let Him.
Here are some related passages:
*Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your
mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace
unto the hearers. Ephesians, Chapter 4,
verse 29.
*Let all bitterness, and wrath and anger, and
clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye
kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s
sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians,
Chapter 4, verses 31-32.
………………………………………………………………………………
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the
elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to
another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth
grace to the humble. Humble yourselves
therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time:
Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you. 1 Peter, Chapter 5, verses 5-7.
I remember becoming frustrated with people who were
older who gave me common sense advice. I
thought that they must think I’m stupid.
Later, God showed me that I needed to listen
respectfully to the advice of my elders.
It didn’t hurt me to listen, even though I already knew what they were
telling me. It made them feel better,
because they were passing on some insight that they felt would be helpful to
me. I now realize that they do this out
of love.
When I’m older, I sure wouldn’t want younger people
treating me as if my advice didn’t matter.
I think this passage is important to remember. If we aren’t good role models to the younger
generation about being respectful to our elders, how will they know to be
respectful to us when we’re older?
………………………………………………………………………………
We have also a more sure Word of prophecy; where
unto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a Light that shineth in a dark
place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this
first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the
will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy
Ghost. 2 Peter, Chapter 1, verses 19-21.
The ability to interpret the Bible’s message doesn’t
belong to any one person or group, especially if they feel that they are the
only ones who know what God’s Will is.
It’s important for me to remember this because there are religious fads,
cults, trends and religious leaders who may suggest beliefs that sound good but
are really contrary to God’s Will, as stated in the Bible. It’s easier to interpret the Bible than many
lead you to believe. Trust the instincts
that God gives you and He will guide you as you read the Bible for yourself.
………………………………………………………………………………
For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but
cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be
reserved unto judgment; And spared not
the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness,
bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of
Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an
example unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot vexed
with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling
among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day
with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord
knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust
unto the day of judgment to be punished.
2 Peter, Chapter 2, verses 4 -9.
I’m reminded that God didn’t spare the fallen angels
(Satan and his followers). He did spare
Noah and his family and the rest of the people in the world perished in the
flood due to their beliefs and lifestyle choices. God saved Lot
and the rest of Gomorrha perished due to their beliefs and lifestyle choices.
God is definitely not telling me that it’s
okay to be a “So-so Christian” and that I’ll get to heaven anyway. I feel He’s telling me that all these people
perished for their wayward beliefs and choices.
Only those who were dedicated to God were saved. I need to be equally dedicated to my belief
in God if I want to be saved too. God
knows that I won’t be perfect, but He also knows what’s in my heart and if I’m
genuinely trying be an example of how He works in my life.
………………………………………………………………………………
For when they speak great swelling words of vanity,
they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that
were clean escaped from them who live in error.
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of
corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in
bondage. 2 Peter, Chapter 2, verses
18-19.
This passage reminds me of the story Pinocchio. Pinocchio was encouraged to go with the
others boys to the Land
of Toys
Pinocchio and the others had extreme consequences
for living the worldly life. They
started turning into donkeys. Well, I
think people who lead the same type of worldly lives today end up not only looking
like donkeys to others, but lose their chance for Salvation in the process.
Fortunately, if we turn our lives around after
having lived the life of Pinocchio, God will forgive us and guide us. This isn’t something to be manipulated. “Oh, I’ll lead a worldly life now, while I’m
younger. Then, when I’m older, I will
settle down because I know God will forgive me for making these choices.”
God tells us in this passage to not be taken in like
Pinocchio was. Ye therefore, beloved,
seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with
the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him
be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 2 Peter, Chapter 3, verses 17-18.
………………………………………………………………………………
But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one
thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years
as one day. 2 Peter, Chapter 3, verse 8.
I think this passage is important for us to remember
when we read Bible passages that refer to specific amounts of time, so that we
don’t take the dates too literally.
This makes me think about how insignificant time can
be. When I was younger, I used to spend
some time in the summers with my grandmother.
The weeks with her sped by so quickly that before I knew it, I was leaving
to return home. She approached
everything with enthusiasm, whether it was trying to figure out answers on game
shows or reading.
She had a zest for everything she did and her
enthusiasm was contagious. She is the
person who developed my love for reading.
She read thick novels and when I was about 8 years old I told her that I
wished I could read big books like she did.
She told me that I could and took me to the public library. She helped me pick out a humorous adult novel
that would interest me. I took great
pride in reading that novel, encouraged by her confidence in my abilities. I’m not sure that I would have attempted
something like that, otherwise.
Well, I think the same is true for Christians. Our enthusiasm for our relationship with God
can be contagious, as well. We can share
this with others with confidence in their ability to be open to all God has for
them. Our moral support and
encouragement can make all the difference in their developing this important
relationship that might not have happened otherwise.
………………………………………………………………………………
This then is the message which we have heard of Him
and declare unto you, that God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him,
and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the Truth: But if we walk in the
Light, as He is in the Light, we have fellowship one with another and the Blood
of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the Truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is
not in us. 1 John, Chapter 1, verses
5-10.
This reminds me of being lost in a cave with lots of
different tunnels. If we know that God
is the Light that we see at the end of the tunnel, we are relieved. If we move confidently toward that Light, we
will be saved. The darkness is all types
of worldly things like: greed, drugs, infidelity, gossip and a variety of other
things that can lead us away from our focus on Jesus, who is our Light and
Salvation.
Now, if we tell ourselves that the Light at the end
of the tunnel is too far away and give up, we can lose our way by getting lost
running down the wrong tunnels, trying to navigate the worldly temptations in
darkness and lose our focus on God.
Salvation is ours if we look down the tunnel and see
the path that God provides for us as He illuminates the way, if we’d only let
Him.
………………………………………………………………………………
He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His
Commandments, is a liar, and the Truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His Word in him verily is
the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself
also so to walk, even as He walked.
1 John, Chapter 2, verses 4-6.
I need to be a “Do as I say and as I do Christian”
and be more than boastful talk. We need
to be examples for others to see how God works in our lives.
Here are some related passages:
*For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth
pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be
fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall
break one of these least Commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be
called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach
them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew, Chapter 5, verses 18-19.
*I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the
End, the First and the Last. Blessed are
they that do His Commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life,
and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and
whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a
lie. Revelation, Chapter 22, verses
13-15.
………………………………………………………………………………
He that saith he is in the Light, and hateth his
brother, is in darkness even until now.
He that loveth his brother abideth in the Light, and there is none
occasion of stumbling in him. But he
that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth
not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. 1 John, Chapter 2, verses 9-11.
We can go through all the motions of being good
Christians, but if we hate another human being, we aren’t walking in the Light
of God. It doesn’t matter if our hate is
directed to a relative or somebody with skin, beliefs or lifestyles that are
different than ours.
Hate takes up too much space in our hearts and
squeezes God out. In order to allow God
to totally Light up our lives, we have to let go of our hatred and biases. I know that isn’t always as easy as it
sounds. If we turn to God with this, He
will truly take care of it, if we ask Him to.
Here are some related passages:
*Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to
love one another. 1 John, Chapter 4,
verse 11.
*No man hath seen God at anytime. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us,
and His love is perfected in us. Hereby
know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of His
Spirit. And we have seen and do testify
that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son
of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love
dwelleth in God, and God in him. 1 John,
Chapter 4, verses 12-16.
*We love Him, because
He first loved us. If a man say, I love
God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother
whom he hath seen, how can he love God Whom he hath not seen? And this Commandment have we from Him, That
he who loveth God love his brother also.
1 John, Chapter 4, verses 19-21.
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BEHOLD, WHAT manner of love the Father hath bestowed
upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth
us not, because it knew Him not.
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall
be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him: for we shall
see Him as He is. And every man that
hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure. 1 John, Chapter 3, verses 1-3.
Christians can’t expect this big pat on their back
and an “Atta Boy” from society for all their dedication to their faith. The majority of society is too busy living
worldly lives to focus on acknowledging people who make sacrifices because of
their commitment to God. They wouldn’t
understand what is involved because they don’t know God in their lives. Their worldly choices cloud the Light that
God provides to lead them to Salvation.
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Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto
life, because we love the brethren. He
that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer
hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby
perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought
to lay down our lives for the brethren.
1 John, Chapter 3, verses 13-16.
I have spent most of my life trying to be a good
person and I got a certain amount of attention from others for the “Good Debbie’s”. I hope God has helped me grow beyond needing
that type of attention and approval from others.
I still find that I’m hurt when someone doesn’t
really care for me, because of who I am, my beliefs or what I represent. I have to remember that not everyone in the
world is going to like Christians and it’s okay.
It would be easy to respond to these people that
don’t care for us through retaliation or resentment, but God wants us to love
everyone, not just the ones that are nice to us.
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My little children, let us not love in word, neither
in tongue; but in deed and in Truth. And
hereby we know that we are of the Truth, and shall assure our hearts before
Him. For if our heart condemn us, God is
greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then
have we confidence toward God. And
whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His Commandments, and do
those things that are pleasing in His sight. 1 John, Chapter 3, verses 18-22.
We could go around bragging about all our Christian
deeds, but God knows what’s in our hearts.
He knows if we harbor resentments or biases toward others. He knows if we are hateful and rude to our
family members and people who are different than we are.
He knows if we give to others through our actions
and our finances with a willing heart.
(Although I have tried to help others, I have often been guilty of being
resentful for the amount of time or money I have given. Fortunately, God has taken the time to show
me this. I do know that He would much
rather that I do these things for Him with a willing heart.)
God can see what really is in our hearts and minds,
although we can disguise it from others.
We need to truly believe in God and not just in outward ways. We are to love Him with our whole heart and
He will be there to answer our prayers and to take care of our every need. (Of course, getting the high-level position
you want at work may not fall into the category of basic needs. God, alone, knows what is best for us.)
………………………………………………………………………………
For many deceivers are entered into the world, who
confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 2 John, Chapter 1, verse 7.
This was an interesting passage for me because I
have heard people talk over the years of the antichrist. I think their comments were always directed
to the reference of the antichrist in Revelation. This passage makes me aware that the
antichrist isn’t just one particular person.
It’s anyone who deceives people and leads them astray from God.
Here are some related passages:
*For false
Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to
seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
But take ye heed: behold I have foretold you all things. Mark, Chapter 13, verses 22-23.
*Beloved,
believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because
many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every
Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And
every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not
of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it
should come; and even now already is in the world. 1 John, Chapter 4, verses 1-3.
*For there
shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and
wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very
elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold,
He is in the desert; go not forth: behold, He is in the secret chambers;
believe it not. For as the lightning
cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the
coming of the Son of Man be. Matthew,
Chapter 24, 24-27.
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Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the
doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He
that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the
Son. If there come any unto you, and
bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God
speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is a partaker of his evil deeds. 2 John, Chapter 1, verses 9-11.
There are groups that say “Your higher power as you
understand him,”or, “ god as you understand him.” At first, I thought this was a polite way of
acknowledging people’s different beliefs.
Then, as I read the Bible more, I realized that every time I said this,
I was condoning the other people’s concept of god as being God, but that wasn’t
right. The Bible lets me know that I’m
not supposed to condone any other concept of god. There is only One True God. Facsimiles just won’t work! (That doesn’t mean that I’m supposed to be
rude or judgmental of people who believe differently than I do.) It does mean that I shouldn’t give credit to
their version of god as being The One True God.
Here are some related passages:
*And in all things that I have said unto you be
circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be
heard out of thy mouth. Exodus, Chapter
23, verse 13.
*Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever
Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to
everlasting, Thou art God. Psalm,
Chapter 90, verse 2.
*Unto thee it was shown that thou mightest know that
the LORD He is God, there is none else beside Him. Deuteronomy, Chapter 4, verse 35.
*For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the
LORD made the heavens. Psalm, Chapter
96, verse 5.
*I am the LORD: that is My Name: and My glory will I
not give to another, neither My praise to graven images. Isaiah, Chapter 42, verse 8.
*Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel
*Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told
thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even My witnesses. Is there a God beside Me? yea, there is no God; I know not any. Isaiah, Chapter 44, verse 8.
*Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, and He that
formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that
stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by
Myself. Isaiah, Chapter 44, verse 24.
*I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no
God beside Me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known Me: that they may know
from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none beside
Me. I am the LORD, and there is none
else. Isaiah, Chapter 45, verses 5-6.
*For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens;
God Himself that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He
created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there
is none else. I have not spoken in
secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek
ye Me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are
right. Isaiah, Chapter 45, verses 18-19.
*Remember the former things of old: for I am God,
and there is none else: I am God, and there is none like Me. Isaiah, Chapter 46, verse 9.
*Hearken unto Me, O Jacob and Israel
*What profiteth the graven image that the maker
thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker
of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake;
to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and
silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. But the Lord is in His holy temple: let all
the earth keep silence before Him.
Habakkuk, Chapter 2, verses 18-20.
*There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are
called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God
and Father of all, Who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Ephesians, Chapter 4, verses 4-6.
You wouldn’t think God should have to repeat it over
and over throughout the Bible, but people are weak. They get distracted and become vulnerable to
other people and other religious groups and cultures. Since He knows we are very forgetful, He
keeps reminding us that He and He alone is the only God as you can see through
all of these Bible passages.
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And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What
are these which are arrayed in white robes?
And whence came they? And I said
unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said
to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed
their robes, and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God,
and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth on the throne
shall dwell among them. They shall
hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them,
nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in
the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living
fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Revelation, Chapter 7, verses 13-17.
I’m not totally sure of the exact meaning of this
passage, but I still like it because it’s comforting. I feel that when we’re in heaven with Jesus,
we won’t have any more stress and tribulation, because He will take care of our
every need.
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And he
exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth
and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was
healed. And he doeth great wonders, so
that he maketh fire to come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which
he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the
earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a
sword and did live. And he had power to
give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both
speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast
should be killed. Revelation, Chapter
13, verses 12-15.
Of course I don’t truly understand all of this, but
this passage makes me think of horses that lead carriages. They put blinders on the horses so that they
don’t get distracted and lose their focus and literally get led astray. I think, as Christians, we need to have the
blinders on that only Jesus can provide for us.
Then we won’t be led astray by people appearing to do miraculous things,
by cults and other things that could potentially lead us off course.
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And he causeth
all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in
their right hand or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save
he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number
of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred
threescore and six. Revelation, Chapter
13, verses 16-18.
And the smoke
of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor
night who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of
his name. Revelation, Chapter 14, verse
11.
You don’t have to truly understand things to be
careful. I don’t truly understand why I
shouldn’t microwave food in plastic bowls, but credible people have said that
this can be harmful, so I just don’t do it!
I can’t attest to understanding all of Revelation or
Daniel, Chapter 10 through Chapter 12, but I do know enough to be careful when
I see a warning. It talks about people
losing their Salvation by getting the mark of the beast in either their right
hand or their forehead. People won’t
able to buy or sell things unless they get this mark. Every now and then I get concerned when I
hear about discussions within the government to take security precautions that
might be similar to the mark of the beast.
It’s very commonplace for people to use credit cards
to purchase things in stores or over the Internet. The papers and magazines are riddled with
columns about rampant identity theft, not to mention hackers who are hacking
into computer systems to get vital information.
I’m concerned that they will institute security measures that are
similar to the mark of the beast, whether it’s a number, a computer chip or
something else to protect people from identity theft.
What worries me even more, is that I think people
will be so excited about having this extra security that protects them, they
won’t even realize that they are getting the mark of the beast and are losing
their Salvation in the process. We are
warned to have wisdom. Be cautious about
what you do and trust the instincts that God gives you. He will guide you by these.
………………………………………………………………………………
Now, I will include the passages from the Old
Testament that have positively influenced my Life. It’s not written this way deliberately. I just started writing Bible Passages That Can Influence Your Life where I was reading in
the Bible at the time. I had just
started to read Matthew.
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And Jacob sod
pottage [made
something like lentil stew]: and Esau
came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray
thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called
Edom
Unfortunately, I can identify with Esau. I’ve been a “Sell-out Christian,” selling out
my ethics more times than I can mention for food. Food and control are my two biggest vices. Satan loves to dangle very subtle things in
front of us to pull us into his control.
It’s so easy to sell out our Christian ethics
without even realizing it. It might be by things like spending too much time on
the computer that our family goes without our presence. The computer temporarily becomes a priority
over our family. It might be by telling
only partial truths. Of course, we
always tell ourselves that we are doing it to protect others. Do we come up with reasons why we don’t have
time to pray, but spend hours in front of the TV?
There are lots of subtle ways we sell out our
Christian ethics without ever noticing.
Esau lived to regret selling his birthright. I don’t want to live to regret selling out my
Christian ethics either. I don’t want
God telling me on the Last Day, “Debbie, I have other accommodations waiting
for you, because you don’t deserve a spot in heaven. You were too busy doing your own thing to be
bothered with leading your life as an example of your love for Me.”
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And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt
gather in the fruits thereof: But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and
lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts
of the field shall eat. In like manner
thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard. Exodus, Chapter 23, verses 10-11.
I know there is a lot of talk about Welfare
Reform. I, too, want us empowering
people instead of enabling them, destroying their work ethic. We have to be prayerful about what we choose
to do with this system. This passage
says that God wants us to provide for the poor.
You’re right; most of us don’t have fields or vineyards to leave fallow
the seventh year so they’re available to the less fortunate. Instead, we provide for the less fortunate
through our taxes, giving to related charities and making donations to
causes. We also provide for the needy by
giving at church and through legislation to fund these causes. We need to be careful about how we change
this system. It’s vital that we continue
to provide adequate food and medical care for those less fortunate, especially
children.
That doesn’t mean giving monthly disability payments
to people with learning disabilities or drug and alcohol addictions. In this case, we may be enabling people
because they aren’t motivated to become literate or substance free for fear of
losing that income. Yes, we do need to
change things so some people don’t have multiple fictitious addresses to rake
in the Welfare checks. The Welfare
Reform needs to allow the Welfare recipient to make the necessary changes with
dignity.
Although there are issues to be resolved within the
Welfare System, we can’t lose sight of what God has told us to do. It would be very easy to “throw the baby out
with the bath water” while making the necessary changes to the Welfare
System. We need to continue to provide
food, medical attention and other needed services for those less fortunate,
because that’s what God would want us to do.
Here are some related passages:
*And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou
shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest,
neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them
unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God. Leviticus, Chapter 23, verse 22.
*For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of
lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor
taketh reward. He doth execute the
judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him
food and raiment. Love ye therefore the
stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt
*If there be among you a poor man of one of thy
brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth
thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor
brother: But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend
him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. Deuteronomy, Chapter 15, verses 7-8.
*When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field,
and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it
shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD
thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou
shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the
fatherless, and for the widow. When thou
gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it
shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a
bondman in the land
of Egypt
*For the needy shall not always be forgotten: the
expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever. Psalm, Chapter 9, verse 18.
*Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD
will deliver him in time of trouble. The
LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth:
and Thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. Psalm, Chapter 41, verses 1-2.
*The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but
the rich hath many friends. He that
despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is
he. Proverbs, Chapter 14, verses 20-21.
*When the poor and needy seek water, and there is
none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God
of Israel
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It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations
throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood. Leviticus, Chapter 3, verse 17.
I just thought this was interesting. I never liked eating fat to start with, but
this makes me glad that I don’t eat it.
I thought that the part about not eating meat with the blood in it had
more to do with God protecting us from health problems that could arise from
the blood. I recently heard a minister
say that Christians weren’t to eat meat with the blood in it, because the blood
is the life of the animal and it was used in the sacrifices. There is a passage below that explains this
more. I don’t really know much about all
of this. I just know that if God tells
me not to eat fat or meat with the blood in it, then I don’t want to do
it. I don’t have to know all the reasons
why.
It’s kind of like when we tell our children that
they shouldn’t drink and drive. We don’t
want them to challenge our authority and try to find out first hand about all
the consequences that could possibly come from drinking and driving. It’s not an issue about whether we trust that
they know when to stop drinking prior to driving. It’s not an issue of whether we think they
are safe drivers. (That doesn’t mean
that we shouldn’t try to explain some of these consequences to our
children.) What we really want them to
do is trust our judgment about this situation and just not drink and drive. Well, I think God wants us to follow certain
things just because He has asked us to.
I think that is a sign of our faith in Him.
Here are some related passages:
*Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood,
whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner
of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. Leviticus, Chapter 7, verses 26-27.
*And
whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that
sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set My face
against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his
people. For the life of the flesh is in
the blood: and I have
given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement
for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel
*And they smote the Philistines that day from
Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint. And the people flew upon the spoil, and took
sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did
eat them with the blood. Then they told
Saul, saying, Behold the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the
blood. And he said, Ye have
transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day. 1 Samuel, Chapter 14, verses 31-33.
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Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou
shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge
against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself: I am the LORD. Leviticus,
Chapter 19, verses 17-18.
This is one of many passages where God tells us that
we are to love each other. He doesn’t
put a stipulation in there that says, “You are to love each other ONLY IF: they
have the right skin color, they have the same sexual preference, they come from
the right side-of-the tracks or they have similar beliefs and goals. We are to be Christians and love
everyone!
There are people that don’t believe in God. Although, I don’t have to support their
beliefs because there is only One God, I’m to love them, to be considerate of
them and to not hold grudges against them because their beliefs are different
than mine. If I’m resenting them or
treat them in a less than kind manner, I’m the one who isn’t being a good
example of how Christ works in my life.
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Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither
shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.
Leviticus, Chapter 19, verse 26.
In addition to the part about not eating things with
the blood in it, God is also letting us know that He doesn’t want us using
enchantments (casting spells-things like witchcraft) or observing time (like
horoscopes, etc.). I get concerned when
I see how many weekly television series and movies are devoted to witchcraft or
Satanic themes. It concerns me that this
may become so commonplace that people think nothing of it-the same way that
using God’s Name in vain has become so common that people don’t even realize
they are doing it.
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Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the
dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD. Leviticus, Chapter 19, verse 28.
I’m not sure I totally understand this verse, but I
thought it was noteworthy because I think it’s possibly talking about tattoos
and things like body piercing, although I’m not totally positive.
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Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither
seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God. Leviticus, Chapter 19, verse 31.
This tells me that God doesn’t want me watching TV
shows where people are trying to get in contact with my deceased loved
ones. He, also, doesn’t want me reading
books about wizards and sorcery even though there are many books written for
children these days that are very popular with adults, as well.
Here are some related passages:
*And the soul that turneth after such as have
familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a-whoring after them, I will even
set My face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye
holy: for I am the LORD your God. And ye
shall keep My Statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you. Leviticus, Chapter 20, verses 6-8.
*A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or
that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with
stones: their blood shall be upon them.
Leviticus, Chapter 20, verse 27.
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Therefore shall ye observe all My Statutes, and all
My judgments, and do them: I am the LORD.
Leviticus, Chapter 19, verse 37.
God didn’t say to follow the rules that sound good
to us or are convenient for us and leave the rest. We are to observe them all!
Here are some related passages:
*Know therefore that the LORD thy God, He is God,
the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and
keep His Commandments to a thousand generations. And repayeth them that hate Him to their
face, to destroy them: He will not be slack to him that hateth Him, He will
repay him to his face. Thou shalt
therefore keep the Commandments, and the Statutes, and the judgments, which I
command thee this day, to do them.
Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and
keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and
the mercy which He sware unto thy fathers.
Deuteronomy, Chapter 7, verses 9-12.
*But if ye will not obey the Voice of the LORD, but
rebel against the Commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be
against you, as it was against your fathers.
1 Samuel, Chapter 12, verse 15.
*The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked
and him that loveth violence His soul hateth.
Upon the wicked He shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an
horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness;
His countenance doth behold the upright.
Psalm, Chapter 11, verses 5-7.
*The FOOL hath said in his heart, There is no
God. Corrupt are they, and have done
abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. God looked down from heaven upon the children
of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone: they are
altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Psalm, Chapter 53, verses 1-3.
*Evil pursueth sinner: but to the righteous good
shall be repaid. Proverbs, Chapter 13,
verse 21.
*A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth
himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished. Proverbs, Chapter 27, verse 12.
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If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath
to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do
according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. Numbers, Chapter 30, verse 2.
After reading this, it became very apparent to me
that God really wants us to take our vows seriously and to actually do what we
say we are going to do. We aren’t to say
things in a stressful situation like, “God, if you just get me through this IRS
audit, I promise I will give money to the poor.” When the audit is over, the person is
relieved and forgets all about the vow they made. We don’t have to make promises to God when we
pray, but if we do, we are to make sure that we take our vows seriously.
Here is a related passage:
*When thou
vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for He hath no pleasure in fools:
pay that which thou hast vowed. Better
is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not
pay. Ecclesiastes, Chapter 5, verses
4-5.
………………………………………………………………………………
And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations,
and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall
lead you. And there ye shall serve gods,
the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat,
nor smell. But if from thence thou shalt
seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find Him. If thou seek Him with all thy heart
and with all thy soul. When thou art in
tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days,
if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto His Voice: (For
the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) He will not forsake thee, neither destroy
thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which He sware unto them. Deuteronomy, Chapter 4, verses 27-31.
I love reading passages like this. God tells us how angry He is when we turn
away from Him, but He also loves us and is willing to forgive us if we turn
back to Him. I think it’s appropriate
that we call Him, God the Father, because He loves us as a parent would, only
in a much more pure and consistent way.
When we were kids and ran through the house,
knocking over a lamp and breaking it, our parents were unhappy. We might have had a consequence for not
following the rules, but our parents still loved us. That was even more evident after we came to
them to apologize for breaking the rules.
God is always willing to take us back and forgive us
no matter how many times we missed church, used His Name in vain or acted in
unchristian ways. If we truly turn to
Him, God is always there to forgive us and accept us, but we need to be
committed enough to try to be examples of how He works in our lives.
Here are some related passages:
*Go and
proclaim these Words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding
Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause Mine anger to fall upon you: for I
am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou
hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the
strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed My Voice, saith the
LORD. Jeremiah, Chapter 3, verses 12-13.
*If so be they
will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent Me of the
evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings. Jeremiah, Chapter 26, verse 3.
*Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow
myself before the high God? shall I come
before Him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of
rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my
transgression, the first of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shown thee, O man, what is good; and
what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to
walk humbly with thy God? Micah, Chapter
6, verses 6-8.
………………………………………………………………………………
Hear, O Israel
God wants us not only to love Him with all our
heart, all our soul and all our might; but He wants us to raise our children
with this same love of Him. I have heard
all too many people say that they aren’t raising their children with any
religious education because they are letting their children decide for
themselves when they’re older.
Since I’m an educator, I’m in the position of
hearing lots of conversations about what is happening to the youth of today and
concerns for their well-being. If the
parents don’t set the foundation for their child’s religious beliefs when they
are young, how will the child learn to turn to God when they are faced with
issues like drinking, smoking, drugs, sexual involvement, etc?
Children learn by their parent’s example and those
around them. If they don’t see the
people around them making God a priority in their lives, then the example they
follow may be of peers who say that doing a little “Meth,” “Ecstasy” or other
drug will help them unwind and get more in touch with themselves. I’ve watched all too many talk shows where
parents are tearfully expressing their regrets about their child who was lost
to an overdose.
Maybe we are doing a huge disservice to our children
by waiting until they are old enough to make their own choices about God. Maybe we need to take an active role in our
children’s religious education now!
Here is a related passage:
*Therefore shall ye lay up these My Words in your
heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may
be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children,
speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the
way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Deuteronomy, Chapter 11, verses 18-19.
………………………………………………………………………………
And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have
brought thee into the land which He sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to
Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildest
not, And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells
digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantest
not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; Then beware lest thou forget the
LORD which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of
bondage. Deuteronomy, Chapter 6, verses
10-12.
We may read this Bible passage and think it really
doesn’t apply to us and our daily lives, but that’s incorrect. How many times do we turn to God when things
are going badly in our lives, our jobs or when a loved one is very ill? We ask God to take care of these desperate
situations and He does so in the way that He determines is best. When things are resolved, do we spend the
same amount of time focusing on God, or do we leave Him in the background until
the next traumatic situation arises?
That’s something to think about.
………………………………………………………………………………
And He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger,
and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know;
that He might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every
Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither
did thy foot swell, these forty years.
Deuteronomy, Chapter 8, verses 3-4.
Can you imagine how the Israelites could have walked
and lived in the wilderness for forty years and their clothes and shoes never
wore out? It’s so awe inspiring when I
think of how God took care of their every need, like manna from the sky-because
they wanted bread and flocks of quail-when they wanted meat. He took care of all their basic needs,
despite the fact that they turned away from Him many times in the forty years
that they were in the wilderness.
God never stopped loving them, the same way that God
is never going to stop loving us, even when we do some really sinful
things. God knows what’s in our hearts
and will forgive us our sins if we have a penitent spirit and try to make the
necessary changes that reflect our love of Jesus.
Here is a related passage:
*And I have led you forty years in the
wilderness: your clothes aren’t waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen
old upon thy foot. Deuteronomy, Chapter
29, verse 5.
………………………………………………………………………………
Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the
LORD thy God which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house
of bondage; Who led thee through that great terrible wilderness, wherein were
fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; Who
brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; Who fed thee in the
wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that He might humble thee,
and that He might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; And thou say
in thine heart, my power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for
it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth, that He may establish His
covenant which He sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the
LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I
testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. Deuteronomy, Chapter 8, verses 14-19.
It’s kind of like a high school student who buys a
term paper from another student rather than doing their own assignment. They are tickled when the teacher hands back
their paper and they have received an A.
When the teacher refers to their paper as an example of exemplary work
and dedication, they puff up with pride as if they had written the term paper
themselves, but they hadn’t.
God knew how human we were. He knew that the Israelites would see all the
miracles that He had provided for them in the wilderness and the bounty He
provided in the Promised Land. God knew
that they would take credit for it, as if they had accomplished these on their
own. He also knew that they would forget
to thank Him and they would take credit for all their good fortune, and He was
right.
Do we do this in our own lives? I have, more times than I care to
mention. God has gotten me through many
difficult situations and when they’re over, I either forget about what God had
done for me, or what is even worse, I take credit for them myself.
Some people make it hard to give God the
credit. People have complimented me for
particular ideas or actions. I tell them
that God gave me the idea or God got me through the particular situation but
they argue with me, telling me, “No, god helps him who helps himself.” Well, you already know how I stand on that
one!
We can easily fall into the trap of not appreciating
all that God has done for us. God can
lead us out this trap if we let Him, just like He led the Israelites to the
Promised Land.
………………………………………………………………………………
Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy
gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they
shall judge the people with just judgment.
Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither
take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the Words of
the righteous. Deuteronomy, Chapter 16,
verses 18-19.
I wish all politicians and judges adhered to rules
like these; not that there aren’t some who do.
It would make everything much easier if nothing interfered with the
political decisions that are made.
I read a book written by someone who used to work in
a prison. He talked about how some of
the prisoners would deliberately make friends with the guards. Being a guard has to be a thankless job. I doubt if any of the prisoners say, “Thank
you so much, Mr. Guard, for keeping me in here to protect society from
me.” Anyway, some prisoners manipulate
guards by planning to have pleasant interactions with them, standing in
distinct contrast to the negative ones they usually encounter.
They get to know the guards pretty well, playing on
that particular guard’s sympathy. When
the timing is right, the prisoner asks the guard to send a birthday card to his
ailing mother, which is against the prison rules. When the guard does this, there is some kind
of rationalization that goes on for the guard to justify his actions to
himself, since this is an unethical thing to do. Once this happens, the prisoner knows he’s
got the guard wrapped around his little finger.
He knows that the guard is even more vulnerable to do other things for
him in the future. (Remember I said, not
all guards or prisoners do this, but it’s an example of how little things can
undermine the clear thinking of those in authority.)
Politicians and judges are just as human. So are teachers, for that matter. It’s probably a lot harder for a teacher to
flunk a child of a very involved parent who volunteers for room parties and
lavishes the teacher with all types of gifts and compliments, on every
occasion. I think that everyone in a
position of power or judgment might become vulnerable when there are gifts or
favors done. I think that God had the
right idea when He said, “For a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and
pervert the words of the righteous.”
That’s definitely something to think about.
Here are some related passages:
*A wicked man
taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment. Proverbs, Chapter 17, verse 23.
*Many will
entreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth
gifts. Proverbs, Chapter 19, verse 6.
………………………………………………………………………………
Neither shalt thou set thee up any image: which the
LORD thy God hateth. Deuteronomy,
Chapter 16, verse 22.
I trust God to guide me on this one. I do know from everything I have read that
God wouldn’t want me to have a statue of Buddha or a Greek or Roman god or
goddess in my house, even if they are just for decorative purposes.
I don’t feel He wants us to pray to any religious
article thinking that article is God, Himself.
I wear a cross around my neck but I don’t pray to it. It just reminds me of what an important part
Jesus plays in my everyday life. I have
pictures of Jesus in my house. I get a
pleasant feeling when I look at them, because they remind me of all Jesus has
done for us. I don’t pray to the picture
or think the picture is Jesus.
You and God alone know whether you are being led
astray by these objects or not. Let God
be your guide on this one. He will give
you good instincts, if you let Him.
………………………………………………………………………………
If there be found among you, within any of thy gates
which the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness
in the sight of the LORD thy God, in transgressing His covenant, And hath gone
and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of
the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; And it be told thee, and thou
hast heard of it, and inquired diligently, and behold, it be true, and the
thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel: Then shalt thou bring
forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy
gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they
die. Deuteronomy, Chapter 17, verses
2-5.
This passage is important to me because it lets me know
clearly that God doesn’t like people being involved with horoscopes or other
celestial things. It doesn’t sound like
God thinks, “I’m not going to get too upset by this. They just like to read their horoscope for
fun, which really isn’t the same thing.”
This passage talks about stoning people to death for doing this
abomination. The sad thing is there are
people who don’t even realize that reading their horoscope or calling people to
predict their future is directly opposed to their Christian faith.
You wouldn’t believe the number of Christians who
read their horoscope each day. Most
people that I’ve talked to think that reading their horoscope is harmless,
something they do as a joke. It’s kind
of scary to think how insidious a thing like reading a horoscope can be.
Sometimes people start reading it just for fun. Then it starts creeping into their mind. They think things like, “I probably shouldn’t
do this thing today because my horoscope said it isn’t a good day to do things
like this.” Then they find themselves
not doing things because they didn’t read their horoscope that morning and they
don’t want to make any major decisions until they’ve read it. They probably don’t even realize that they
are being led astray by turning to something other than God for guidance. It’s worth assessing the little things that
we do that allow our focus to be pulled away from God.
Here are some related passages:
*And he [Manasseh] did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after
the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel
*And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the
kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of
Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense
unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the
hosts of heaven. 2 Kings, Chapter 23,
verse 5.
………………………………………………………………………………
There shall not be found among you any one that
maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth
divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer,
or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer, For all
that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these
abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy
God. For these nations, which thou shalt
possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee,
the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do. Deuteronomy, Chapter 18, verses 10-14.
This doesn’t lead me to feel that God would approve
of watching a “cute” show about a teenage witch. I have noticed that there are more and more
TV shows and movies with witchcraft and Satanic themes, lately. There is even a show where someone is trying
to contact the dead, which is what a necromancer is, and God considers this an
abomination. When we are watching these
things on TV or at the movies, we aren’t focusing on God. In fact, we are focusing on something that
might pull us away from our relationship with God.
Watching these “cute” shows on witchcraft or
Satanism may have the potential of making our society more vulnerable to
cults. When I was younger, although it
probably existed, I never heard of people actually believing in witchcraft or
Satanism. It seems like I heard much
more about cults after the popular TV show based on a witch that made it look
fun to cast spells and have magical things happen. (I can’t say that the increase
in the popularity of cults is directly related to this TV show but it did, in
my opinion, make witchcraft look like a “fun” thing.)
My children used to get frustrated when I asked them
not to watch the re-runs of this show, but I would much rather that they be
frustrated with me than to be vulnerable to being led astray. Sometimes as parents, we just have to take a
stand because we love our children!
Here are some related passages:
*And he made his son pass through the fire, and
observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and
wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to
anger. 2 Kings, Chapter 21, verse 6.
*Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the
wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were
spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might
perform the Words of the Law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the
priest found in the house of the LORD. 2
Kings, Chapter 23, verse 24.
And he [Manasseh] caused his
children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he
observed times, used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a
familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the
LORD, to provoke Him to anger. 2
Chronicles, Chapter 33, verse 6.
*And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand;
and thou shalt have no more soothsayers.
Micah, Chapter 5, verse 12.
………………………………………………………………………………
But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word
in My Name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the
name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. Deuteronomy, Chapter 18,
verse 20.
This passage reminds us to be cautious about the religious
advice we listen to. There are many
different people out there who say that they know God’s Will for us, but these
people tell us totally opposite things.
Obviously, everyone who says that they know God’s Will for us; can’t ALL
be right. This dilemma confused me for
years. I started reading the Bible in
1980, to find out for myself what God’s Will was. That way, I could trust the instincts that
God gave me as I read the Bible. This is
much better than listening to other people’s opinions in order to figure out
who is right and who is wrong.
………………………………………………………………………………
If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which
will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that,
when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father
and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city,
and unto the gate of his place; and they shall say unto the elders of his city,
This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a
glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men
of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil
away from among you; and all Israel
I don’t want people to get the wrong impression of
God because He is both loving and forgiving.
I think that God is referring to extreme situations that are similar
today. Situations where someone’s grown
children are addicted to drugs or alcohol and they don’t work and are defiant. Some make choices that threaten the lives of
others. Some beat their parents, some
steal and some abuse or neglect their own children.
I know it would be difficult for any parent to
consider this extreme of a consequence-no matter how many faults their adult
child had. This passage makes me think
about how it would be so much easier for parents to address their children’s
behavior by setting limitations and having logical consequences while they are
still young, so they never get to this point of unruliness.
It seems that some parents are lax about
disciplining their children on a consistent basis. I always thought that it was better to make
sure that my children grew up respecting laws and were a productive part of society
than to have them thrown into prison for stealing to get their next fix. (In this example, the defiant, unproductive
adult isn’t stoned to death but is dealt with by society through the penal
system.) Who wants that for their
children?
I know it takes a lot more effort when parents are
already tired after a long day at work.
Parents may not want to deal with a child who argues with them when they
follow through on consequences. Isn’t it
better to deal with that than to see your child have a miserable life later on,
dealing with the law or maybe running from it?
They are our children and they’re worth the extra effort!!!!
Here are some related passages:
*For every one that curseth his father or his
mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother:
his blood shall be upon him. Leviticus,
Chapter 20, verse 9.
*A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish
man despiseth his mother. Proverbs,
Chapter 15, verse 20.
*But He answered and said unto them, Why do ye also
transgress the Commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father
and mother: and He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. Matthew, Chapter, 15, verses 3-4.
………………………………………………………………………………
And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are
with thee are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest
Israel vaunt themselves against Me, saying, mine own hand hath saved me. Judges, Chapter 7, verse 2.
This is an interesting passage when you know why God
said this. Gideon was going to fight the
Midianites for God. He called all his
soldiers (the Israelites) and a large army gathered. God said, (paraphrased) “If I have the
Israelites win the battle against the Midianites while you have lots of
soldiers, you won’t realize the victory is because I had you overpower
them. Instead, the Israelites will think
that they had won the battle because of their large army.
“I want you to weed out the majority of your
soldiers so that there is only a small band of your soldiers left fighting
against the Midianites. Then they will
know that only I, the One True God, was in control of having your small band of
men win the battle against the huge army of Midianites.”
The small band of Israelites did overpower the huge
army of Midianites. God staged all of
this so that the Israelites would have conclusive proof that He is the One True
God. (Feel free to read Judges, Chapters
7 and 8, to find out more about this.)
It wasn’t the war part that impressed me so
much. It was that God went to such great
lengths to show the Israelites that He was looking after them. I think God does this in our everyday lives,
as well. I don’t think we always stop to
realize that it’s God taking care of us.
I think we chalk it off to coincidence or have some other way of rationalizing
it. I think God wants us to open our
eyes and see how He works in our lives each and everyday. God isn’t just some
holy figure way off in heaven, but is intimately involved in every aspect of
our lives.
………………………………………………………………………………
And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all
that I said unto the woman let her beware.
She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let her
drink wine nor strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded
her let her observe. Judges, Chapter 13,
verses 13-14.
The angel of the Lord tells Manoah and his wife this
so that she knows that she is to follow these instructions while she is
pregnant with Samson. I like this
passage because it’s like God is providing some obstetric guidance for Samson’s
mother so that he is born strong and healthy.
………………………………………………………………………………
And when he [Samson] came unto
Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the
LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as
flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands. And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put
forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men. And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass,
heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men. And it came to pass, when he had made an end
of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that
place Ramathlehi. And he was sore
athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great
deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and
fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?
But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water
thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived:
wherefore he called the name thereof En-hakkore, which is in Lehi unto this
day. And he judged Israel
This isn’t the story we focused on in Sunday school
about Samson and Delilah. This was
before that time in Samson’s life. I
like this passage because it shows me how powerful God is. Samson was bound and the Philistines wanted
to kill him. Sampson was tied up and God
made the cords come off of Samson’s arms easily, which is the first miracle in
this passage. The next miracle is when
God allowed Samson to kill a thousand Philistines all by himself with just the
jawbone of an ass.
I’ve seen lots of war shows with one group fighting
against the other. The whole screen is
filled with people fighting and lots die.
In this case, the movie screen would have been filled with a thousand
people trying to kill Samson. Samson
would be fighting them all by himself with only a jawbone of an ass, a skeleton
he found there. Samson killed each and
every one of them by himself. Of course,
Samson really wasn’t alone; God gave him this ability. After this was over, Samson thought he was
going to die of thirst. Then, God had
the third miracle happen. Water came out
of the skeleton (jawbone of the ass) so that Samson could drink the water and
be refreshed.
It is easy for me to read right through this passage
and not pay any attention to how God had His hand in these situations. This gives me a greater sense of God’s involvement
in our lives and what He is capable of.
If He can have one man conquer an army of a thousand, He can surely take
care of our daily needs!
………………………………………………………………………………
And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was
no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out
of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your
minds. Judges, Chapter 19, verse 30.
The rest of the chapter tells about a group of men
who abuse and rape a Levite man’s concubine (mistress) until she died. God tells us through this Bible passage that
we are to speak our minds on issues of this nature.
It might not seem like these things are socially
acceptable, but they really are, more so than you think. Think of how easy it is for us to hear about
another case of date rape and shrug our shoulders. Our complacent and helpless attitudes toward
things of this nature help to perpetuate the growth of these crimes. People start to view it as something that
guys do when they are out drinking too much.
Well, guess what? Rape or crimes
of aggression aren’t acceptable under any circumstance! I think we need to raise our children with a
clear message on this!
………………………………………………………………………………
And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have
done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve
the LORD with all your heart; And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go
after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. 1 Samuel, Chapter 12, verses 20-21.
At times we go after vain things ourselves. Some examples would be: wealth, prestige,
jobs, social status, etc., which can’t bring us Salvation. Sometimes God-fearing people get so focused
on their career goals that they lose sight of their faith, their family and
their ethics in the name of getting ahead.
Are wealth, prestige and social status really worth
it? Is this the lifestyle you really
want to model for your children and your grandchildren?
………………………………………………………………………………
And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in
burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the Voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and
to hearken than the fat of rams. For
rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and
idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the
Word of the LORD, He hath also rejected thee from being king. 1 Samuel, Chapter 15, verses 22-23.
This chapter is basically about God telling Saul
(through Samuel) to conquer Amalek. They
were to destroy everything and not to take anything from there. Well, Saul was an independent thinker. He won the battle but kept the king and the
best of the sheep and the oxen after God had already told him not to take
anything.
Samuel tells Saul that God isn’t happy with him
because he took the spoil of the land against His wishes. Saul, being the fast thinker that he was,
said the reason that he kept all the best of the sheep and oxen was because he
brought them back to sacrifice them to God.
Then Samuel tells Saul that God wants us to us to follow Him and do
exactly what He asks of us. He goes on
to ask Saul (paraphrased), “Which is more important, offering sacrifices to God
or doing what He asks you to do?” God
wants us to obey Him, not to be independent thinkers and do our own thing,
trying to rationalize our actions.
………………………………………………………………………………
But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his
countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for
the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but
the LORD looketh on the heart. 1 Samuel,
Chapter 16, verse 7.
This is when God had asked Samuel to anoint the
future king. Samuel looked at David’s
brothers (David was young and was tending sheep at the time.) Samuel thought surely God had chosen one of
David’s brothers who were older and stronger, but God had a different idea.
God explained to Samuel that He doesn’t look at
people by how tall, strong or attractive they are; like men do. God looks at the person’s heart. That’s how God can tell what type of person
we are. It makes me think of Jesus being
the one true Equal Opportunity Savior of all!
We aren’t judged by our race, culture, sex, age, gender, skin color,
wealth, height, weight, etc. God looks
into our heart and knows who we truly are!
………………………………………………………………………………
Then came
there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him. And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this
woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the
house. And it came to pass the third day
after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were
together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the
house. And this woman’s child died in
the night; because she overlaid it. And
she arose at midnight , and
took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her
bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.
And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold it was
dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son,
which I did bear. And the other woman
said, Nay: but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No, but the dead is thy son,
and the living is my son. Thus they
spake before the king. Then said the
king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and
the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living. And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the
king. And the king said, Divide the
living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. Then spake the woman whose the living child
was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my
lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine
nor thine, but divide it. Then the king
answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is
the mother thereof. 1 Kings, Chapter 3,
verses 16-27.
This story of Solomon’s great wisdom reminds me of
when I was little. My sister and I had
metal globe banks. (I know this is
dating me some.) Our banks were kept at
the top of our bedroom closet. I
remember climbing on something and taking the money out of my sister’s bank,
because I wanted to go to the “Candy Store.”
(I was oblivious to the fact that they sold anything other than candy.)
I was almost out the front door when my mother
stopped me. She asked me where I was
going and I told her that I was going to the “Candy Store.” She asked me where I got the money to buy the
candy. Now, I thought I was pretty
clever when I told my mother that Sally down the street had given me the money,
because there really was no one named Sally.
I had made it up. Well, my mother
is definitely much smarter than that!
She told me that she knew Sally, and Sally had told her that she hadn’t
given me the money. Boy was my mother
ever quick on her feet. I had been
caught in the middle of a lie.
I think God is quicker on His feet than even my
mother was! He knows what we think and
what we do. I don’t know why we make
these lame excuses. Do we really think
that God is truly going to buy them?
“Ah, I’m not going to include this income on my tax statement because
Uncle Sam gets more than his fair share anyway; besides this was just a side
job for a friend.” Or, “I really like
these fine point pens they have at work.
I think I’ll take a few-oh yeah, I need them for a work project I’m
going to do at home.” (I’m guilty of
this one.) Why do we even try these
things? Who do we think we are fooling
anyway? God knows everything and still
we find ourselves trying to validate doing things that we know are wrong.
………………………………………………………………………………
And he went up from thence unto Bethel and as he was
going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and
mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up thou bald
head. And he turned back, and looked on them,
and cursed them in the Name of the Lord.
And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and
two children of them. 2 Kings, Chapter
2, verses 23-24.
This passage addresses hateful children who torment
others. Elisha didn’t say, “Oh, poor
children. They must have parents who
haven’t paid enough attention to them.”
When Elisha cursed them for tormenting him, God had a bear come and
destroy them. Although, this passage
demonstrates an extremely dramatic consequence for the inappropriate taunting
behavior of the children, I think it’s important for us to note how this
situation was handled.
What would happen today? Have we become so accustomed to rude and
tormenting behavior from children that hearing they behaved this way doesn’t
seem out of place? Isn’t that scary? I’ve seen too many talk shows where kids have
been suicidal or wanted to seek revenge because they have been tormented for
years by their peers at school. Are we
allowing our children to grow up to be rude, insulting and insensitive to
others? I don’t think we would want God
to deal with our children the same way that He did with the children in the
passage.
Maybe we need to take a more active role in making
sure our children are raised to respect others.
Maybe there would be less violence in schools if everyone was committed
to enforcing appropriate guidelines with their children from infancy on. Something to think about!
………………………………………………………………………………
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the
sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and
thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to
take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.
And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? Tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any
thing in the house, save a pot of oil.
Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even
empty vessels; borrow not a few. And when
thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and
shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is
full. So she went from him, and shut the
door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured
out. And it came to pass, when the
vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel
more. And the oil stayed. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy
debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest. 2 Kings, Chapter 4, verses 1-7.
This passage gives me goosebumps when I read
it. It shows the great extent that God
goes to in order to take care of us.
Miraculously, He made the container of endless oil to take care of this
widow and her sons. It makes me think of
how foolish I am to worry about bills and finances. If God provided for this widow and her
children, He can surely provide for me!
………………………………………………………………………………
In this passage, Naaman is a leper. He goes to see
Elisha to see if he could cure him of his leprosy.
So Naaman came
with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of
Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger unto
him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan Damascus , better than all the
waters of Israel Jordan
Naaman leaves Elisha saying, “That’s too easy, I
could have bathed in the rivers by my own town.
How could something so easy take care of my disease?” (Paraphrased)
Sometimes God asks us to do simple things and we don’t trust Him.
All we have to do for Salvation is to believe that
Jesus is our Savior and to try to live as examples of how He works in our
lives. We are “Made in the Shade
Christians,” because God doesn’t ask us to give up everything we own, go into the
airport selling flowers, to meditate for hours or to go through great personal
sacrifice. Yet many people look
elsewhere for God and have been known to jump through all sorts of hoops to
find Salvation that is elusive, because they are not focusing on God’s simple
requirement.
Naaman eventually realized that it was worth giving
the simple request a try and it paid off.
He was cured from his leprosy by doing what God wanted him to do. I like the way God uses graphic illustrations
to demonstrate the lessons He wants me to learn.
………………………………………………………………………………
In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came
to him, and said unto him, Thus said the LORD.
Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. Then he turned his face to the wall, and
prayed unto the LORD, saying, I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have
walked before Thee in Truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which
is good in Thy sight. And Hezekiah wept
sore. And it came to pass, afore Isaiah
was gone out into the middle court, that the Word of the LORD came to him,
saying, Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of My people, Thus saith the
LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears:
behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of
the LORD. And I will add unto thy days
fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the
king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for Mine own sake, and for My
servant David’s sake. And Isaiah said,
Take a lump of figs. And they took and
laid it on the boil, and he recovered. 2
Kings, Chapter 20, verses 1-7.
This passage makes me realize that God takes all
things into consideration. Sometimes I
find myself thinking things happen a particular way because that’s the way they
are meant to be. This passage shows me
that although that may be true, it isn’t always the way God works. Isn’t it funny that I get caught up in trying
to figure out how God works? It’s kind
of like I’m a detective looking for clues, rather than just letting God guide
me and show me what He wants.
This passage tells me to continue praying about
issues of concern and not to give up hope, because God can decide to turn things
around. This is evidenced by God
deciding to let the king live fifteen more years after he prayed to Him. God can do anything. He is God!
He defies all explanation!
………………………………………………………………………………
So Saul died for his transgression which he
committed against the LORD, even against the Word of the LORD, which he kept
not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire
of it: And inquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him and turned the
kingdom unto David the son of Jesse. 1
Chronicles, Chapter 10, verses 13-14.
Saul had his servant contact a woman with a familiar
spirit (my Bible refers to her as a witch.)
She called Samuel up from the dead to answer Saul’s questions, but God
did NOT like this, which was the major reason that God had Saul die. Not only did Saul turn to someone who could
conjure people from the dead, but he did this rather than turning to God to ask
His will.
I’m including this passage because it reinforces my
belief that God wouldn’t be appreciative of people who get involved in watching
TV shows where dead relatives are contacted, even though they try to make it
sound positive with some religious connection.
We are turning to these shows rather than turning to God. I think God lets us know in this passage that
He doesn’t take kindly to us turning to anything other than Him. Actually, why would we want to turn to
anything else besides God? God takes
care of our every need!
………………………………………………………………………………
And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that
were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because
His mercy endureth for ever. 1
Chronicles, Chapter 16, Verse 41.
I’m including this because I like the last half of
the Bible verse that states that God’s mercy endures forever. It reminds me of the saying, “Blood is
thicker than Water.”
Although my sister and I live far apart and have
different jobs, hobbies and interests, we are always there for each other,
through thick and thin, which reminds me of how God’s mercy endures forever.
………………………………………………………………………………
Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the
fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices;
and the Glory of the LORD filled the house.
And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the
Glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’s house.
And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the
Glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the
ground upon the pavement, and worshipped and praised the LORD, saying, For He
is good; for His mercy endureth for ever.
2 Chronicles, Chapter 7, verses 1-3.
This passage never really hit me before, but when I
read it this time it left a stronger impact on me. I started thinking about how God has had to
do all of these very dramatic miracles to get people to believe He is the One
True God. I guess if I weren’t too sure
of my faith and I saw fire come down from heaven and burn up a slab of meat,
there would be no doubt in my mind that God was responsible for it, even if I
had doubted before!
Do people have to have these monumental miracles
before they believe in God? It’s kind of
sad that some of us have a Missouri
God does all types of miracles in my life each and
every day. When I was taking a heavy
class-load of difficult teacher preparatory classes, I didn’t know how I would
get through all of them. I had
petitioned the college to take 23 units that semester, so that I could have the
required classes to start student teaching the next semester. I was praying to God about this on the way
home from college one day. God put the
thought in my mind that I wasn’t supposed to worry about it, because He was
going to give me straight A’s.
I thought, “How could You do this? These are some of the hardest courses I have
ever taken and I don’t have enough time to properly study for all of them.” Then the thought that God had in my mind was
that He could do it, He’s God and He could do anything. I relaxed after I thought about it a few
minutes. He can do anything, provided I
trust Him to. I didn’t want to be like
Peter who sank when he got fearful, so I asked God for the willingness to trust
that He would take care of me.
I would pray a quick prayer over each homework and
test question, something like, “God please take care of this one,” and the
answer or the way to solve the statistical problem would just be in my
mind. God did give me straight A’s
through all of that. It was just like
the thought He gave me those many months earlier in the car.
God works in my life in a variety of ways. I don’t always say formal prayers to God when
I have something on my mind. I just talk
to Him and I know God hears me. God
answers me in lots of different ways, but I don’t hear the actual Voice of God
from heaven saying, “Debbie, this is what you are supposed to do.”
Sometimes He answers me by having things happen,
like my stalled car starts right after I pray about it. Sometimes He has things not happen, like when
my first husband and I didn’t get a house we were trying to buy. We were so disappointed at the time, but six
months afterward my husband got laid-off of work. Later, I realized that it was a good thing we
hadn’t gotten the house, because we could have lost everything we owned. When things don’t turn out the way I ask,
usually God will show me why at a later time, as in this example. Sometimes, God just puts thoughts or ideas in
my mind, just like when God let me know that He was going to give me straight
A’s. Sometimes He guides me by the
instincts He gives me. The important
thing is that I have to listen to them and not go off in my own direction,
ignoring those instincts.
God does all types of miracles in our lives every
day, if we would only open our eyes to see them. Do we have the “Show-Me” mentality where we
need fire to come down from the sky before we believe in God?
………………………………………………………………………………
And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said
unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to Myself for an
house of sacrifice. If I shut up heaven
that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I
send pestilence among My people; If My people, which are called by My Name,
shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked
ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal
their land. Now Mine Eyes shall be open,
and Mine Ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. For now have I chosen and sanctified this
house, that My Name may be there forever: and Mine Eyes and Mine Heart shall be
there perpetually. 2 Chronicles, Chapter
7, verses 12-16.
And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the
LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt,
and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore
hath He brought all this evil upon them.
2 Chronicles, Chapter 7, verse 22.
This sounds like sometimes when we have droughts,
floods or pestilence like locusts, etc., God is trying to get our
attention. I feel like it’s His way of
saying, “People down on Earth, you are losing your focus on Me. You are getting caught up in worldly things
and doubt My existence by taking credit for the things I do.” God, who is infinitely merciful, goes on to
say that if we turn back to Him, He will forgive us.
………………………………………………………………………………
I want to deviate some from the writing format I’ve
been using, so far. I want to give the
background of this chapter in order to condense this. This is about 2 Chronicles, Chapter 10. I hate to include the whole chapter.
Rehoboam, who is Solomon’s son, became king after
Solomon died. The Israelites sent
spokesmen to King Rehoboam to ask him to lighten their work load. They said his father had been much too harsh
on them. They asked him to lighten their
work load and promised they would be loyal to him in return. He told them to come back in three days so
that he could have some time to think about it.
First, King Rehoboam went to get advice from the old
men who told him that if he lightened the Israelites work load and talked
nicely to them, they would be his servants forever. Then King Rehoboam went to get the advice of
the young men (his friends) who told him to tell the Israelites that if they
thought his father made their workload heavy, just wait and see how heavy he
was going to make it. His friends told
him that he was much more of a man than his father. (Paraphrased)
Well, after three days, the Israelites came back to
King Rehoboam to get his reply to their request to lighten their workload. He ignored the advice of the older men. And answered the advice of the young men,
saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father
chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 2 Chronicles, Chapter 10, verse 14. The Israelites rebelled against
King Rehoboam.
I wish supervisors and managers would read this
passage. It shows that the treatment the
boss gives their employees can make the difference of whether the employees are
loyal and productive or whether they rebel.
The other thing that this passage reminds me of is how easy it is for
people to ignore the advice God has given them through the Bible and choose to
follow the advice of their friends instead.
Obviously, friends don’t always have the best of advice, as evidenced in
this passage.
………………………………………………………………………………
And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign
was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his
disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians. And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in
the one and fortieth year of his reign.
2 Chronicles 16, verses 12-13.
This passage makes me stand up and take note. It becomes apparent to me that God wants us
to turn to Him first and foremost when we are ill. I’m not saying that physicians don’t have a
place, but I get a clear message that Asa didn’t turn to God at all. He put his faith totally in physicians, and
he died in the natural course of his disease.
In contrast, if Asa had turned to God and put his
faith in Him, he wouldn’t have died.
Sometimes it gets easy to get caught up in the world of science and
medicine and to put our total trust in them.
I feel that although there have been many medical and scientific
breakthroughs; we need to make sure our primary focus is on God. We want Him to guide us to the correct
physicians, when needed and to guide those physicians in their actions.
………………………………………………………………………………
And all Judah Jerusalem Israel
God told Jehoshaphat that his men wouldn’t even need
to fight this battle, because God wanted them to see the Salvation of the LORD.
Now, Jehoshaphat didn’t doubt God. He
didn’t even tell his men to carry spears with them, just in case God didn’t
pull through. Jehoshaphat trusted God to
take care of him, just as we need to trust God will take care of us.
In the following verses, it tells how the men who
wanted to fight with Jehoshaphat had hidden themselves in the countryside. Jehoshaphat had singers walk in front of his
men saying, “Praise the LORD for His mercy endureth for ever.” 2 Chronicles,
Chapter 20, part of verse 21.
Anyway, the soldiers that were in the countryside
preparing to ambush Jehoshaphat and his men, killed each other instead. Jehoshaphat and his men didn’t have to lift a
finger.
It says in 2 Chronicles, Chapter 20, verse 29, And
the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard
that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel
So, God used this battle as a sign to help people
realize that He is the One True God, all powerful, and He takes care of His
people when they obey Him.
………………………………………………………………………………
Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of
the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and
bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon Jerusalem
This is the most amazing passage! Manasseh used witchcraft, used people who
contacted the dead, cast spells, were into Astrology and had his children walk
through fire as some ritualistic show of loyalty, which really made God
upset. After Manasseh was captured and
became humbled, he asked God to forgive him and God did. Pure and simple!
Even if we have made some pretty poor choices in our
lives, God will forgive us, just as He did Manasseh if we turn to Him and truly
turn our lives around.
………………………………………………………………………………
I really like the Book of Esther. It would be worth
reading to find out how Esther and Mordecai were able to protect their people,
the Jews, who were persecuted.
………………………………………………………………………………
All the while my breath is in me, and the Spirit of
God is in my nostrils; My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter
deceit. God forbid that I should justify
you: till I die I won’t remove mine integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not
let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that
riseth up against me as the unrighteous.
For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God
taketh away his soul? Will God hear his
cry when trouble cometh upon him? Job,
Chapter 27, verses 3-9.
This is when Job had suffered many tribulations and
his so-called friends were trying to help him.
They challenged Job and his beliefs, but Job never wavered. He wouldn’t turn away from believing in God,
even amidst his tragic situation. I want
God to always keep my focus on Him. I
never want to turn my back on God or to blame Him for my problems.
………………………………………………………………………………
Lead me, O LORD, in Thy righteousness because of
mine enemies; make Thy way straight before my face. For there is no faithfulness in their mouth;
their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they
flatter with their tongue. Psalm,
Chapter 5, verses 8-9.
People’s flattery of us does not always reflect
their true intent.
Here is a related passage:
*Surely men of
low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the
balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity. Psalm, Chapter 62, verse 9.
………………………………………………………………………………
O LORD our Lord, how excellent is Thy Name in all
the earth! Who hast set Thy glory above
the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes
and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that Thou
mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the
stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and
the son of man, that Thou visitest him? For Thou hast made him a little lower
than the angels and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the
works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and
oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of
the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is Thy Name in
all the earth! Psalm, Chapter 8, verses
1-9.
Reading this makes me think of how foolish it is for
me to worry. If God can do all of this,
surely He can take care of my concerns.
………………………………………………………………………………
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my
heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my Redeemer. Psalm, Chapter 19, verse 14.
I have said something similar to this in church for
years, but do I always think about what I’m really saying or do I just rattle
it off in a routine fashion? I hate to
admit it, but sometimes the latter is true.
Yet, I would like the words that come out of my mouth and all my
thoughts to be ones that glorify God and make Him proud of me.
I also find myself thinking and saying things that
don’t glorify God and don’t make me the best example of my love for Him. Maybe if I put more thought into what I’m
saying at church, I might be a better example of what I think and say
elsewhere.
Here are some related passages:
*And He called
the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth
into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this
defileth a man. Matthew, Chapter 15,
verses 10-11.
*Do not ye yet
understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and
is cast out into the draught? But those
things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they
defile the man. For out of the heart
proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false
witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with
unwashen hands defileth not a man.
Matthew, Chapter 15, verses 17-20.
………………………………………………………………………………
GOD, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? why art Thou
so far from helping Me, and from the Words of My roaring? Psalm, Chapter 22,
verse 1.
For dogs have compassed Me: the assembly of the
wicked have inclosed Me: they pierced My hands and My feet. I may tell all My bones: they look and stare
upon Me. They part My garments among
them, and cast lots upon My vesture. But
be not Thou far from Me, O LORD, O My strength, haste Thee to help Me. Psalm, Chapter 22, verses 16-19.
When I read this in Psalm, 22, I’m confused and
amazed at the same time! David is
talking about when Jesus is crucified yet it’s many, many years before Jesus is
even born. I don’t profess to be a
theologian, but I remember Jesus saying He had to fulfill the Scriptures. So, I guess David and others told of the
details that would happen to Jesus long before He was born. Then, when Jesus had accomplished these
prophesies, people would truly know He is the Son of God.
It’s distressing that so many people are looking for
proof that Jesus is the Savior. It’s
like they want Jesus to come and touch them on the shoulder and say, “Sally, I
want you to quit doubting My existence.
Now that you have seen Me, you know that I’m your Savior.”
It’s sad that they are missing out on a relationship
with Him because they don’t read the Bible and are not aware of Jesus’ love for
us through His death and Resurrection.
The Bible has so many passages that foretold of the birth, life, death
and Resurrection of Jesus and how these Scriptures have been fulfilled that it
would be difficult for skeptics to continue to ignore the Truth.
Here are some other passages that foretell of Jesus
in the Old Testament:
*Therefore the
Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a
Son, and shall call His Name Immanuel.
Butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to refuse the evil, and
choose the good. Isaiah, Chapter 7,
verses 14-15.
*For unto us a
Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His
shoulder: and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God,
The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah, Chapter 9, verse 6.
*Who hath
believed our report? And to whom is the Arm of the LORD revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender
plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and
when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him, He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of
sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him,
He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.
Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did
esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He
was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and
with His stripes we are healed. All we
like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the
LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His Mouth: He
is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter, and as a Sheep before her shearers is
dumb, so He openeth not His Mouth. He
was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare His generation?
For He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my
people was He stricken. And He made His
grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; because He had done no
violence, either was any deceit in His Mouth.
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when
thou shalt make His Soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall
prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His Soul, and
shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall my Righteous Servant justify many;
for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the
great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured
out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors: and He
bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah, Chapter 53, verses 1-12.
*Behold, the
days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and
a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the
earth. In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel
*And I will
pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit
of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have
pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for His only Son, and
shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for His first
born. Zechariah, Chapter 12, verse 10.
………………………………………………………………………………
The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for
His Name’s sake. Yea, though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art
with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou
anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all
the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Psalm, Chapter 23, verses 1-6.
I like this passage because it’s so comforting. Sometimes when I’m afraid in the dark, I
think of this passage. (Sometimes when
my husband goes out of town for conferences, I hear noises that scare me in the
night.)
No, I haven’t memorized it all word for word. I don’t think a person has to be able to do
that in order to be close to God. (It is
nice to be able to do that though, because it’s like carrying special messages
from God with you all the time. Bible
passages are handy to know in case a friend needs to be comforted by
them.) Even though I don’t know this
passage by heart, God comforts me when I think about it. Then I don’t seem to be afraid anymore.
Here are some related passages:
*O LORD my God, in Thee do I put my trust: save me
from all them that persecute me, and deliver me. Psalm, Chapter 7, verse 1.
*Lead me in Thy Truth, and teach me: for Thou art
the God of my Salvation: on Thee do I wait all the day. Remember, O LORD, Thy tender mercies and Thy
loving kindnesses: for they have been ever of old. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my
transgressions: according to Thy mercy remember Thou me for Thy goodness’ sake,
O LORD. Good and upright is the LORD:
therefore will He teach sinners in the way.
The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way.
All the paths of the LORD are mercy and Truth unto such as keep His covenant and
His testimonies. Psalm, Chapter 25,
verses 5-10.
*Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your
heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
Psalm, Chapter 31, verse 24.
*The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them
that fear Him, and delivereth them.
Psalm, Chapter 34, verse 7.
*The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and
His ears are open unto their cry. Psalm,
Chapter 34, verse 15.
*The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their
inheritance shall be for ever. They
shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be
satisfied. Psalm, Chapter 37, verses
18-19.
*I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not
seen the righteous forsaken nor His seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and His
seed is blessed. Depart from evil, and
do good; and dwell for evermore. Psalm,
Chapter 37, verses 25-27.
*But the Salvation of the righteous is of the LORD:
He is their strength in the time of trouble.
And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: He shall deliver them
from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him. Psalm, Chapter 37, verses 39-40.
*He only is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my
defence; I shall not be moved. In God is
my Salvation and my glory: the Rock of my strength, and my refuge is in
God. Trust in Him at all times; ye
people, pour your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
Psalm, Chapter 62, verses 6-8.
*This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will
rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm,
Chapter 118, verse 24.
*Blessed be He that cometh in the Name of the LORD.
Psalm, Chapter 118, the first half of verse 26.
*O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: for
His mercy endureth for ever. Psalm,
Chapter 118, verse 29.
*I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the
afflicted, and the right of the poor. Psalm, Chapter 140, verse 12.
*For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I,
will both search My sheep, and seek them out.
As a Shepherd seeketh out His flock in the day that He is among His
sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out My sheep, and will deliver them
out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark
day. And I will bring them out from the
people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own
land, and feed them among the mountains of Israel Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie
in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel
………………………………………………………………………………
The LORD, is my Light and my Salvation; whom shall I
fear? The LORD is the strength of my
life: of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm,
Chapter 27, verse 1.
When I’m confused and afraid I’m going to make the
wrong decision, I pray and God Lights the way for me. He gives me a feeling of what to do. No, He doesn’t say, “Debbie, this is what you
should do.” When I talk to Him, my
prayers tend to be less formal and more like a conversation with God, except
for when I say the Lord’s Prayer.
When I’m stressed and God doesn’t want me to worry,
He gives me a calm feeling I call the Peace Which Passes All Understanding.
After I pray asking God for guidance, I try to
listen to the instincts that God gives me.
If I get a calm feeling, I move forward on it. If I have an unsettling feeling, I wait
because sometimes it’s not God’s Will or the timing just isn’t right. God always sees the Big Picture and knows
when the timing is right for us. When I
trust the instincts that God gives me, my life seems much more stress-free and
things seem to fall into place.
………………………………………………………………………………
Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and
shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. Psalm, Chapter 32, verse 11.
Sometimes, we Christians walk around like our love
for Jesus is this private secret that we keep to ourselves, lest anyone think
we are religious fanatics. I know that I
have been guilty of this myself. God
wants us to be excited about all the wonderful things that He does in our lives
and not to hide our joy. This is
something I still need to focus on.
………………………………………………………………………………
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the
people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance. Psalm, Chapter 33, verse
12.
I am no authority on World History, but it seems
that predominately Christian countries have been fairly prosperous over time. It seems that when their citizens lose their
focus on God (the Father, Son and Holy Ghost), their country doesn’t fare as
well. Look at our country and the
lifestyle choices people are making.
Does it seem that people are losing their focus on God?
………………………………………………………………………………
The LORD looketh from heaven: He beholdeth all the
sons of men. From the place of His
habitation He looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashioneth their hearts alike: He
considereth all their works. There is no
king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much
strength. Psalm, Chapter 33, verses
13-16.
God made all of us with the same kinds of
hearts. It’s up to us to choose to let
Jesus into our heart or not. That will
be the determining factor of our Salvation, not how rich, popular, high on the
social ladder or how strong we are.
………………………………………………………………………………
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not
thyself in any wise to do evil. For
evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall
inherit the earth. Psalm, Chapter 37,
verses 8-9.
Sometimes when people do really hateful and
inconsiderate things, I find myself plotting equally hateful things to do back
to them. Behavior like that isn’t
befitting a Christian. I need to turn
these draining feelings (they drain my Christianity out of me) over to God, so
I can get on with living the life that He wants.
………………………………………………………………………………
A little that a righteous man hath is better than
the riches of many wicked. Psalm,
Chapter 37, verse 16.
I like this passage.
It’s saying that it’s better to be poor and have Jesus as our Savior
than to have all the riches and live a worldly life with no chance of
Salvation. I agree. What good does it do to have all the riches
in the world, if you lose your own soul?
I remember watching movies that showed people who
used to make pacts with the devil to have riches, fame or positions of
power. The movies would end with the
people realizing that no amount of prestige or wealth was worth losing their
soul. Although those are movies,
sometimes we make similar decisions by the choices we make in our lives.
Here is a related passage:
*Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the
glory of his house is increased; For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away:
his glory shall not descend after him.
Psalm, Chapter 49, verses 16-17.
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Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right
Spirit within me. Cast me not away from
Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy Salvation; and
uphold me with Thy free Spirit. Psalm,
Chapter 51, verses 10-12.
I have a “Gimme Gimme Christian” relationship with
God. I have said these previous verses
many times in church, asking God to make me a better Christian. But the next verse says, “Then will I
teach transgressors Thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto Thee.” Psalm,
Chapter 51, verse 13.
I have focused on what I
want God to do for me all these years. I
want Him to forgive me for all the sinful things I have done. I want Him to give me a new heart and fresh
start so that I can go to heaven.
I haven’t focused on the things that I should be
doing for God, as stated in that last verse, like sharing God’s love with
others. I hesitate because I think, Big
risk! Big risk! But then I wonder, do I
want to continue to be a “Gimme, Gimme Christian,” focused only on what’s in it
for me?
………………………………………………………………………………
O GOD, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee: my
soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land,
where no water is; To see Thy power and Thy glory, so as I have seen Thee in
the sanctuary. Because Thy loving
kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee. Thus will I bless Thee while I live: I will
lift up my hands in Thy Name. Psalm,
Chapter 63, verses 1-4.
I help my students analyze the descriptive writing
styles of authors. David would be a
great example of this. After reading how
much David loves God when he says that his soul thirsteth and his flesh longeth
for God in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is, makes me want to have
that same dedication in my relationship with God.
………………………………………………………………………………
For a day in Thy courts is better than a
thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper
in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the
LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that
walk uprightly. O LORD of Hosts, blessed
is the man that trusteth in Thee. Psalm,
Chapter 84, verses 10-12.
David again, eloquently professes his love for
God. He says one day of life with God is
better than a thousand days of life without Him. He would rather have a lowly job in God’s
house than to live with all the riches that the wicked have. He tells us how well God takes care of the
people who love Him.
This passage helps me to re-evaluate my
priorities. I’m looking for a job
because we have moved back to the area where our grandchildren live. I haven’t gotten a teaching position
yet. There are some smaller jobs in the
newspaper that I haven’t applied for. Part
of me doesn’t want to go from being a teacher to a position of less
significance. I still want to impact the
lives of students!
This passage makes me think that I shouldn’t
minimize jobs. It’s hard telling what
God’s plan is. It says that David would
rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God than to dwell in the tents of
wickedness. I need to see that any position
that God puts in my life has some special significance and I need to be open to
it.
………………………………………………………………………………
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a Light unto my
path. Psalm, Chapter 119, verse 105.
This passage has special
significance to me because my husband collects light houses. My thoughtful step-sons, daughter-in-law and
grandchildren got my husband a light house shower curtain for a gift. When we moved into our house, I decided to
paint light houses on the bathroom wall to go with the shower curtain.
My twelve year-old
grandson drew the light houses free-hand and I painted them. Being inspired when the painting was
completed; I looked for a Bible passage to paint over the door to make a
connection between God and the light houses.
There were several passages to choose from, although none spoke
specifically about light houses. I
couldn’t decide, so I prayed and asked God for guidance. I decided to use a portion of this passage: Thy
Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a Light unto my path. Psalm, Chapter 119, verse 105.
When we went to church
with our grandsons that evening, one of the songs was Thy Word Is a Lamp
Unto My Feet, and a Light Unto My Path. At
that point, I knew that God had me choose the passage that He wanted. I was so excited that it was hard to wait
until after church to tell my husband and grandsons all about it. This passage pops back into my mind, at times
when I’m feeling frustrated or discouraged.
………………………………………………………………………………
Teach me to do Thy will for Thou art my God: Thy
Spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. Psalm, Chapter 143, verse 10.
Sometimes, I get too
independent for my own good. I figure
that since I’m a Christian and a basically good person, I can see when someone
needs help and just take care of it. I’m
starting to realize that the “I’s” and “Me’s” get me no where and I need to
start praying for God’s guidance, first.
Sometimes I have rushed in to help someone, thinking “I” knew what was
best for them, only to find out that I had undermined their dignity without
realizing it. It sure knocked my
“Christian ego” down a few notches and hopefully, I will be more aware of this
in the future.
………………………………………………………………………………
He telleth the number of the stars: He calleth them
all by their names. Great is our LORD,
and of great power: His understanding is infinite. The LORD lifteth up the meek: He casteth the
wicked down to the ground. Sing unto the
LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Who covereth
the heaven with clouds, Who prepareth rain for the earth, Who maketh grass to
grow upon the mountains. He giveth to
the beast his food, and to the young raven which cry. Psalm, Chapter 147, verses 4-9.
This passage had the word thanksgiving in it long
before there were any Pilgrims and national holidays. When David talks about thanksgiving, he has
the right idea. God provides for us and
all the creatures of the world. My focus
at Thanksgiving shouldn’t be on which recipes to cook, so that my relatives
brag on the spread they had at our house.
Instead, my focus should consistently be on God, thanking Him for all He
does for me. I shouldn’t just thank Him
on religious holidays. I wonder what it
might be like the other way around. God
would take care of my concerns on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. The rest of the year, God would put me back
on the shelf to wait; because I interfered with all the things He was doing
during the year. I sure wouldn’t want
the tables turned!
Here is a related passage:
*Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt
………………………………………………………………………………
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance: praise Him
with stringed instruments and organs.
Praise Him upon the loud cymbals: praise Him upon the high sounding
cymbals. Let every thing that hath
breath praise the LORD, Praise ye the LORD.
Psalm, Chapter 150, verses 4-6.
I realize that some types of music present subject
matter and promote beliefs and actions that don’t always glorify God. There have been styles of dancing that are
less apt to be what God would approve of than others. I think that sometimes we “throw the baby out
with the bath water”. Here is another time
that we are encouraged to sing and dance, showing our love of God. In my opinion, this shows that singing and
dancing, in and of themselves aren’t bad, especially when they are done to
glorify God. Of course, we need to have
balance in all things.
………………………………………………………………………………
These are different proverbs that give us food for
thought:
*Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they
that deal truly are His delight.
Proverbs, Chapter 12, verse 22.
*A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous
words stir up anger. The tongue of the
wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out
foolishness. Proverbs, Chapter 15,
verses 1-2.
*The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the
heart of the foolish doeth not so.
Proverbs, Chapter 15, verse 7.
*By mercy and Truth iniquity is purged: and by the
fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at
peace with him. Proverbs, Chapter 16,
verses 6-7.
*He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good:
and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.
Proverbs, Chapter 16, verse 20.
*Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and
whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Proverbs, Chapter 20, verse 1.
*Even a child is known by his doings, whether his
work be pure, and whether it be right.
Proverbs, Chapter 20, verse 11.
*A Good name is rather to be chosen than great
riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. Proverbs, Chapter 22, verse 1.
*The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the
Maker of them all. Proverbs, Chapter 22,
verse 2.
*A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth
himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. Proverbs, Chapter 22, verse 3.
*Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a
furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways and get a snare to thy
soul. Proverbs, Chapter 22, verses
24-25.
*Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour’s house; lest
he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.
Proverbs, Chapter 25, verse 17.
*The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the
hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
Proverbs, Chapter 27, verse 7.
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Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be
established. Turn not to the right hand
nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Proverbs, Chapter 4, verses 26-27.
I remember walking with a
friend on a dirt road that ran along the far side of my elementary school. I was rambling on about something as I
walked, only to be stopped by the squeals of delight from my walking partner. She had found a silver dollar in my tracks.
I had been so busy focused
on something else that I hadn’t watched where I was walking, as she had. If I had paid attention to what I was doing
and where I was going, I would have been the person who found the treasure.
Well, Christians also
have to watch where they are going and whether the choices they are making are
leading them astray. The worldly things
in life can lead us off our path of faith.
If we focus on God’s Will for us, as stated in the Bible, we are more
apt to find the treasure of Salvation at the end of our road.
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The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing:
but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
Proverbs, Chapter 13, verse 4.
This reminds me of the story my grandfather used to
tell me when I was little about the Ant and the Grasshopper. The ant worked busily throughout the spring,
summer and fall and put food away for the winter while the Grasshopper enjoyed
himself and played. Then when the winter
came along, the Ant had a plenty of food to last him and the lazy Grasshopper
was cold and hungry.
Here is a related passage:
*Slothfulness
casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger. Proverbs, Chapter 19, verse 15.
………………………………………………………………………………
He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a
companion of fools shall be destroyed.
Proverbs, Chapter 13, verse 20.
Well, I have sadly noticed something over my years
as a teacher. I have often placed a
student who was a good role model next to a disruptive student. I thought the positive role model’s example
would rub off on the disruptive student.
Almost every time, I found the exact opposite to be true. It seems the role model student almost always
starts taking on some of the characteristics of the disruptive student, not the
other way around.
I think that this often applies to Christians, as
well. I think we often take on the
traits of the people we hang around. If
we associate with people who live their lives focused on God, we are more apt
to live in a similar manner. If we hang
around people who have worldly values and make lifestyle choices that don’t
reflect their love for God, then we are more apt to live our lives in a like
manner. It boils down to who you think
God would want influencing your life.
………………………………………………………………………………
He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that
loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
Proverbs, Chapter 13, verse 24.
Parents often feel guilty for being away from their
children with their work and other things that take them away from home. At times, some parents over compensate by
giving their children all they desire, overlooking the child’s disobedience
without realizing how counterproductive it is.
If a parent gives in to a child’s demands when they are young and
doesn’t provide appropriate consequences for misbehavior, do you think that
child will behave any differently as a teenager or adult? Maybe correcting children and having
reasonable expectations for them while they’re young would be to their best advantage. Our ultimate goal should be that they grow
into responsible, Christian men and women.
………………………………………………………………………………
The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the
LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words. Proverbs, Chapter 15, Verse 26.
Now, I guess I might be able to convince some that
my thoughts are always God focused and selfless, but God knows how I really am
inside. Fortunately, He forgives me and
helps to turn my selfish thoughts and resentments around to be more tolerant
and forgiving of others.
Here are some related passages:
*The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but
the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things. Proverbs, Chapter 15, verse 28.
*A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips: and a liar
giveth ear to a naughty tongue.
Proverbs, Chapter 17, verse 4.
*Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted
wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding. Proverbs, Chapter 17, verse 28.
*A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he
that speaketh lies shall perish. Proverbs,
Chapter 19, verse 9.
*A fool utterth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth
it in till afterwards. Proverbs, Chapter
29, verse 11.
………………………………………………………………………………
He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul:
but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. Proverbs, Chapter 15, verse 32.
When I was a child, my
father noticed that I scuffled my feet as I walked. He knew it was a counterproductive trait, so
he had me practice walking with an appropriate gait. Being stubborn, I deliberately went back to
scuffling my feet. Now that I am older
and have recently broken my ankle, I wish I hadn’t been such a stubborn
child. It would have been nice if I had
listened to my father’s advice which would have saved me a lot of
discomfort. We have the same options in
our relationship with our Heavenly Father.
To listen, or not to listen, that is the question? (Forgive me for misquoting Shakespeare.)
………………………………………………………………………………
The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom;
and before honour is humility. Proverbs,
Chapter 15, verse 33.
I enjoy teaching and feel my teaching style has
really improved over the years. Our
school district allows each school to make nominations for Teacher of the
Year. Somehow, I got the distorted
notion that I had been nominated for this.
Egotistical person that I can be, although most wouldn’t know it, I
prepared how I would respond when they announced my nomination at a faculty
meeting. Ironically, the award went to
someone else who was extremely deserving and probably a lot more humble.
Fortunately, no one else knew that I thought I was
going to be nominated, which was a big relief but God and I did. This was a humbling experience, to say the
least. Hopefully, it leads me to be less
self-absorbed in the future.
Here are some related passages:
*Every one that is proud in heart is an
abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be
unpunished. Proverbs, Chapter 16, verse
5.
*Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of
him. Proverbs, Chapter 26, verse 12.
*Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not
what a day may bring forth. Let another
man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own
lips. Proverbs, Chapter 27, verses 1-2.
………………………………………………………………………………
Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he
that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished. Proverbs, Chapter 17, verse 5.
I remember being with someone who I used to think
was a friend prior to this. I realized
that they weren’t someone I wished to keep company with after this
situation. This person put down a guy
with long hair in his community who was riding a motorcycle and crashed and got
killed, saying it served him right.
There was no compassion, only justified indignation at this person with
long hair who rode a motorcycle. I don’t
think it says anywhere in the Bible that only people with short hair, wear
suits to work and drive expensive cars are allowed to go to heaven. Actually, Jesus had long hair, but the main
point of this is that we aren’t to judge others or make fun of their
misfortune.
Here is a related passage:
*Rejoice not
when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he
stumbleth. Proverbs, Chapter 24, verse
17.
………………………………………………………………………………
A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are
the snare of his soul. The words of a
talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the
belly. Proverbs, Chapter 18, verses 7-8.
I have seen children at school go to another student
and say something like, “Fred thinks you’re ugly.” The child is crushed by this
information. In talking to the student
who shared this, I have come to realize that they thought they were doing the
child a favor by telling. I have to
explain that when they share hurtful things, even though they weren’t the one
who originally said them, they are actually being hurtful themselves.
I have stopped being close friends with some adults
who manipulatively work situations to their own good. I have known those who will get a person
involved in a discussion focused on putting down another person, as well. Then they go to the other person and say what
was said, trying to get in close with that person. It’s a, “Did you know what terrible things
Fred said about you?” on a grown-up level.
This passage doesn’t sound like God takes too kindly to this type of
behavior.
………………………………………………………………………………
He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it
is folly and shame unto him. Proverbs,
Chapter 18, verse 13.
This is good “Open
Mouth-Insert Foot” advice. I can’t tell
you how many times I have embarrassed myself by thinking I knew what someone
was talking about. Stupidly, I would interrupt
them and put my two cents in; only to find out I wasn’t even on the same topic.
………………………………………………………………………………
Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is
separated from his neighbour. Proverbs,
Chapter 19, verse 4.
I’m somewhat embarrassed to tell you about this, but
here goes. When I was in the seventh grade,
I needed to give my little turtle to someone because I was no longer able to
keep it. The teacher let me make an
announcement to the whole class. There
were two people who wanted it. One was
the dreamboat of the class who was really popular, but self-absorbed. Then there was a nice person who wasn’t in
the popular group. I remember thinking
that the nice person would have given the turtle a better home, but I ended up
giving it to the popular one, instead. I
had seen it as my one chance to get the attention of someone popular. It saddens me to have been this shallow.
It also makes me think of how many people are
immediately friends of those who have won the lottery, who had little to do
with them prior to that.
………………………………………………………………………………
Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy
soul spare for his crying. Proverbs,
Chapter 19, verse 18.
Sometimes it’s all too easy to give in to our
children to keep them from nagging us.
Their best interest needs to always be in sight as our ultimate
goal. I hear children in primary grades
talk about graphic, sexual things that they must have picked up from the shows
they watch. It may be easier for parents
to just let their children watch these shows rather than to have to deal with
their children nagging them.
The real question should be, “What does this do to
the child?” Little children are exposed
to all too much sexually explicit, violent and vulgar language and scenes in
the media today. The media isn’t going
to stop making these shows, so it’s up to the parent to value their child
enough to monitor the shows they view and put up with some nagging and
fits. After all, it’s their child’s
well-being that counts.
………………………………………………………………………………
A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if
thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.
Proverbs, Chapter 19, verse 19.
This reminds me of how the police will go to the
house of a man beating his wife and just give him a warning. That really doesn’t do much. He’s going to keep beating her, if not that
time, some other time when the stress gets to be too much for him. It also, reminds me of how the court system
lets rapists, killers and child molesters out into the public after they have
served some time, only to find out that the person raped, killed or molested
someone else. A person who could have
been saved, if the system had not let that rapist, killer or molester back out.
………………………………………………………………………………
It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is
holy, and after vows to make inquiry.
Proverbs, Chapter 20, verse 25.
I can’t explain what this passage actually means,
only how this relates to me.
I’m not supposed to have sugar because Hypoglycemia
runs in my family. It also makes me
cranky with those I care about. Anyway,
there have been times when someone brought a treat into the Teacher’s Lounge to
share. I knew it probably had too much
sugar in it. I tried to block it out of
my mind and eat it as fast as I could.
Then I would say something like, “Oh, that was really good. I bet it had sugar in it and I shouldn’t have
eaten it.”
I knew full-well it had too much sugar in it to
begin with, trying to fool the people sitting around me. I may have fooled the people that I work
with, but you can’t fool God!
He and I both knew I was aware of what I was doing
all along. Well, I think this Bible
verse is saying something similar. You
can’t fool God by doing something that’s against His rules, and then play innocent
after the fact, when you really knew you shouldn’t have done it.
Here is a related passage:
*For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast
said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy
knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and
none else beside me. Isaiah, Chapter 47,
verse 10.
………………………………………………………………………………
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when
he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs, Chapter 22, verse 6.
If we take the time and are consistent in raising
our children with rules and appropriate consequences, our children will be the
better for it, even in their adult lives.
For one thing, it helps them have parenting skills when they are raising
their own children. As a teacher, I’ve
seen the product of the opposite. There
was a period of time, when some parents seemed to think that it was important
to cater to a child’s every wish and didn’t have any consequences for breaking
rules. When some of those kids grew up,
they didn’t know how to raise their own children or how to appropriately
discipline them, because those skills were never really modeled for them as
they grew up.
………………………………………………………………………………
Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise
the wisdom of thy words. Proverbs,
Chapter 23, verse 9.
Sometimes we waste our time trying to explain our beliefs
to people who just like to be contrary.
They could argue with us all day, on any issue. We are just wasting our breath on people like
this. They aren’t going to be open to
any of the things we have to tell them about our love for Jesus.
There are people from a particular religion that
comes to my door to talk about God, but they don’t believe that Jesus is our
Savior. I could stand there all day and
talk to them about how the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is Savior of all,
but they won’t be open to listening. As
a Christian, it’s better for me not to debate my religion with people like
that.
For one reason, these people may be more persuasive
than we are and we may get confused.
That happened to me one time.
People from this religion were able to quote Bible verses to support the
things they were saying, and I started wondering if they were right and I had
misinterpreted things.
Later, I got my Bible and read the whole chapter
that they had pulled these verses from.
That helped me realize that the verses they mentioned were really
talking about a totally different issue.
Those adults pulled verses from the Bible out of context, making them
sound like they supported their argument.
If I could get confused by trying to defend my beliefs, then it could
possibly happen to you. It’s easier to
not get into a debate in the first place.
………………………………………………………………………………
Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou
beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from
hell. Proverbs, Chapter 23, verses 13
and 14.
The Bible doesn’t mean it’s acceptable to beat your
child when you’ve had a hard day at work or you’ve lost your temper. I think this Bible verse is referring to them
getting a branch and swatting their child’s bottom when they have made
significant mistakes to warrant it. I
think this was done to motivate them to not make that severe of a mistake
again. (My parents used a paddle which
used to have a rubber ball attached. My
uncle drew a “frownie face” on it, which worked as a deterrent for more serious
infractions. My parents didn’t do this
in a fit of rage. Time out and logical
consequences seemed to work for most situations, but there are times when more
serious consequences are necessary.)
I think of talk shows that have mothers and fathers
as guests who can’t control their kids.
Their kids seem to control the adults and their household climate. Their children are hateful and self-willed
and bully other students at school. The
police are now holding the parents responsible for not controlling these
children. This Bible verse makes me
think it’s better to reprimand the children when they are younger than to have
to deal with the police later.
Of course, there are children who get into the wrong
groups and get involved in drugs and other vices that change the child’s whole
personality. That’s why it’s vitally
important that parents take an active role in their child’s life. It can be difficult when parents work and the
child has time to hang around with friends after school. Raising our children by taking them to Sunday
school and Church on a regular basis can prove to be beneficial. It is better that children grow up with
positive Christian values, rules and consequences. This may give them a better sense of right
and wrong that could keep them from being so vulnerable to negative
influences. It sure beats having to go
to court to explain why your child is unruly.
Here are some related passages:
*The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice:
and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and
she that bare thee shall rejoice.
Proverbs, Chapter 23, verses 24-25.
*Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he
shall give delight unto thy soul.
Proverbs, Chapter 29, verse 17.
………………………………………………………………………………
Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the
fear of the LORD all the day long.
Proverbs, Chapter 23, verse 17.
I realize that as human beings we sometimes envy all
the attention people get in the popular groups.
I have found myself thinking that if I were to wear certain clothes or
behave in certain ways, then I would get all the same attention. It really isn’t worth lowering our standards
to lead that type of lifestyle. I don’t
want to be a “Sell-out Christian,” selling out my Salvation for the opportunity
to be popular.
………………………………………………………………………………
Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise
not thy mother when she is old.
Proverbs, Chapter 23, verse 22.
God doesn’t only have advice for parents in the
Bible; He has advice for children, as well.
He wants children to listen to their parents. We aren’t to resent our parents or ignore
them when they get older when they aren’t as convenient to take care of. I don’t think He’s saying we’ve done our bit
to put our parents away in a nursing home somewhere as long as we pay the
bills. I don’t have the perfect answer
but I’ve seen the elderly in nursing homes, starved for attention because they
haven’t seen their children in months or years.
I admired the way my family pitched together to try
to keep my grandfather at home where he felt comfortable as long as they
possibly could. My great-aunt would take
him shopping for groceries. My uncle
would come mow his yard and clean around the house and my aunt would look after
his legal issues that he was oblivious to.
My other uncle took care of his finances. My mother would balance his checkbook, trying
to locate the necessary paperwork. Many family
members were involved, some living closer and some far away. Everyone helped in whichever capacity they
felt able. His aging presented a
situation that seemed to pull the family together.
………………………………………………………………………………
Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest
thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
Proverbs, Chapter 25, verse 16.
I really like this because it hits home. When I used to eat sweets, I would think a
particular pie or other delicacy was desirable.
I didn’t think I would get it again for a long time, so I would “sleece”
my way around the pie and end up eating almost the whole thing.
Now, if you’re wondering what a “sleece” is, it’s a
word I made up to describe taking a little sliver of pie, cake, etc. It tasted so good that I would take another
and another until almost the whole thing was gone. I would feel so guilty for eating that much,
I would put my hand on the top crust of the pie and try to push it down so some
of the filling would go out the sides. I
tried to make it look like there was more pie than there actually was. I thought this would keep my family from
knowing what I had done. I used to eat
things that were special treats to the point that I made my stomach sick. I’m so fortunate that God has taken care of
my compulsive overeating.
………………………………………………………………………………
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and
if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire
upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.
Proverbs, Chapter 25, verses 21-22.
The United
States September 11, 2001 . When they were trying to find the terrorists,
many were compassionate to the starving people of that country. I heard that they sent food for approximately
6,000 people on a daily basis.
At first when I heard this, I was really
frustrated. I thought we are helping the
enemy who tried to devastate our country through terrorist acts of
violence. Then I realized that I was
being very self-centered and decided that it’s our Christian duty to take care
of all those starving people. Sometimes
the human side of me sneaks in and undermines my Christian ethics.
………………………………………………………………………………
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a
city that is broken down, and without walls.
Proverbs, Chapter 25, verse 28.
I would get kids through
the years, which had a “reputation” for not being in control of their behavior
choices. I think they had been “out of
control” for so many years that they thought they’d always be this way and so
did some of their families.
After developing a bond
with these students, they were more open to following the classroom rules and
guidelines. I tried to help them see the
improvements they were making to be more “in control” of their actions and
choices. At first, they were reluctant
to believe that they were capable of this, trying to revert back to old,
comfortable ways. After time and
continued support to “be the best they could be,” they eventually started
noticing that they were making more and more good choices and were thinking
about the consequences of their poor choices more than they ever had.
It was exciting to see
these same children leave my class at the end of the year, taking pride in
their ability to be “in control” of their lives and choices. They were better able to bounce back when
things didn’t go the way they wanted.
They left with confidence, which is a distinct contrast from the student
who had that reputation of “being out of control.”
What a difference
consistent parameters make in their lives.
Ideally, all families would provide their children with consistent,
appropriate rules, not changing them at whim.
This would help their children grow up learning to feel “in control” of
their actions rather than becoming someone without rule over his own spirit.
………………………………………………………………………………
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou
also be like unto him. Proverbs, Chapter
26, verse 4.
Sometimes people treat others like a fishing
tournament. The fisherman baits his hook
with some challenging remark, just enough to entice us to take the bait by
challenging our religious beliefs. Once
we bite that lure and get involved in the interaction, the fisherman yanks the
pole and starts to reel his catch in.
Usually, it’s best to resist the opportunity to respond to people when
they set us up.
………………………………………………………………………………
Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where
there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
Proverbs, Chapter 26, verse 20.
I like the visual picture I have with this
passage. One way of looking at this
passage might be to think of the wood as the person who listens to gossip. The fire is the person who spreads the
gossip. If people listen to gossip, it
“adds fuel to the fire.” If no one
listened to these stories, it would put the gossiper out of business; because
they do it for the attention it gets them.
Here is a related passage:
*The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and
they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. Proverbs, Chapter 26, verse 22.
………………………………………………………………………………
When the righteous are in authority, the people
rejoice but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. Proverbs, Chapter 29, verse 2.
This reminds me of how I explain to my students
about democracies where the people elect the government officials. This is contrasted with some countries where
the dictator takes over the country by force.
I tell them these dictators usually have their needs as a priority and
not the needs of their citizens, who often live in impoverished and inhumane
situations.
Here is a related passage:
*The righteous considereth the cause of the poor:
but the wicked regardeth not to know it.
Proverbs, Chapter 29, verse 7.
………………………………………………………………………………
Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of
him. Proverbs, Chapter 29, verse 20.
This is talking about our opinion of people who go
around babbling every thought that goes through their head. Do you trust people like that to know your
deepest, darkest secrets? Do you appoint
people like that as heads of corporations?
Do you really trust them to be there in a pinch when you really need
them? They aren’t generally the people
we turn to when we need help.
………………………………………………………………………………
An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man
aboundeth in transgression. Proverbs,
Chapter 29, verse 22.
It seems that some people are always angry. They are abrupt with others and say hateful
things rather than try to work things out calmly. They go around upsetting people everywhere
they go, leaving a trail of arguments, fights and people with hurt
feelings. I learned a long time ago that
my life runs a lot smoother when I stay clear of people like this.
………………………………………………………………………………
Many seek the ruler’s favour; but every man’s
judgment cometh from the LORD. Proverbs,
Chapter 29, verse 26.
It reminds me of politics on local level. I remember hearing about local businessmen
who bought gifts for those who govern them, hoping to get political favors in
return. (Example: Companies were told
they had to make costly anti-pollution adjustments to their factories. The newspapers would note companies that were
flagrantly non-compliant, without legal repercussions. It was implied that the business had given a
politician some gift large enough to overlook the fact that they were dumping
waste into the public water supply, etc.)
So, this passage says to me that we may try to kiss up to the
politicians of the world who might turn a blind eye to our actions, but God
really knows what we do!
………………………………………………………………………………
The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to
obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young
eagles shall eat it. Proverbs, Chapter
30, verse 17.
It doesn’t sound like God thinks it’s cute when kids
are disrespectful to their parents. He’s
talking about having ravens peck out the eyes of children who are disrespectful
to their parents. It doesn’t sound like
God condones their behavior.
How do children learn to be respectful, anyway? One way is by setting appropriate limits
while they’re little. If they’re allowed
to argue with their parents when they’re little, do you think they will argue
with their parents less when they are 16?
If they’re allowed to break the rules with no consequences when they’re
little, do you think they will break the rules less when they are 16? If they are allowed to have a lack of respect
for authority figures when they’re little, do you think they will be more
respectful of authority figures when they are 16? If they are allowed to be self-focused, not
thinking of others when they’re little, will they become more concerned about
the needs of others when they are 16?
If you don’t teach them religious principals and
allow them to develop a relationship with God when they’re little, do you think
they will gain these religious principals and develop a relationship with God
when they are 16? So, if we don’t teach
our kids to be respectful when they’re little…who will??????????
………………………………………………………………………………
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far
above rubies. The heart of her husband
doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the
days of her life. Proverbs, Chapter 31,
verses 10-12.
It goes on to say how she will help provide for her
family, but I like verse 20: She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea,
she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
The next verses continue to list some of the
qualities of the virtuous woman, but I, also like verse 26: She openeth her
mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. There are more qualities listed, and then
verse 30 says: Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that
feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
I especially like the last verse that I
mentioned. God wasn’t saying, “Boy are
you lucky to have a wife who is a CEO of a company.” Or, “Boy are you lucky to
have a wife who is so gorgeous that she looks like a model.” God says (paraphrased) that He values women
who look after their families, provide for them and are kind and giving to
others. In fact, God reminds us that
beauty is only skin deep. What really
matters is a person’s relationship with God and living as an example of that.
Now, we’ve all met some attractive, shallow people
but there are also beautiful women who have a great relationship with God. There are homely, bedraggled women who are
shallow and some who have a great relationship with God. We really can’t make decisions about people
based on their looks. Fortunately, God
doesn’t judge us by human standards. He
knows of our love for Jesus and sees how we lead our lives and what our
priorities are.
………………………………………………………………………………
To every thing there is a season, and a time to
every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to
plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time
to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a
time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away
stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to
refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and
a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence,
and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a
time of peace. Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3,
verses 1-8.
This passage brings back memories of a Simon and
Garfunkel song, but this has a deeper meaning.
I think the song was popular for many reasons. It made us realize that there are various
stages in our lives and different reactions are appropriate, depending on the
occasion. I think this passage tells
Christians to be flexible, because God will help us handle whatever comes our
way. There are going to be births and
deaths, wars and peace, etc. How we
handle these sets the foundation for how other people, especially the younger
generation, handle the trials, tribulations and joys in their lives.
If we get depressed, drink, take drugs, yell at
others or mope around all day when we have troubles, what do you think our
children are going to do when they have problems in their lives? If we use times of joy to get involved in the
excesses of life, including eating, sex, drinking, drugs, etc., what do you
think our children are going to do when they have great joy? We need to make sure we handle situations in
ways that we would like our children to emulate under similar circumstances.
………………………………………………………………………………
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with
silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. Ecclesiastes, Chapter 5, verse 10.
When we used to have
family gatherings, my grandfather would have all the children and adults gather
in the front room for the “Money Game.”
He would build everyone’s anticipation as he jingled all the coins in
his pockets. After a hush filled the
room, everyone watched intently as he slowly dropped the coins onto the
floor. Young and old were trying to
mentally tally the coins as they lay there, ever so briefly, before he gathered
them up again. Someone would take down
everyone’s guesses and the person who guessed the exact amount got to keep the
money.
I spent my time focused
on the money and whether I won or not.
Instead, I should have been focused on the “wealth of family
interactions” and the extra excitement my grandfather provided, creating a
lifetime of memories for everyone involved.
………………………………………………………………………………
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than
for a man to hear the song of fools.
Ecclesiastes, Chapter 7, verse 5.
This reminds me of when I ask my husband to read
over something I’ve written. He starts
looking at it, making comments about corrections he thinks should be made to my
paper. It’s really very frustrating to
me. The thing is-he’s right. When I incorporate the corrections he
suggests, my paper flows much better than it previously did. Although it’s still frustrating to me to have
him edit my papers, I know the advice he gives me will be beneficial in the
long run.
If I asked someone else for advice on my writing and
they told me everything was wonderful regardless of the errors, it would be
like hearing the song of fools. They
just tell you what you want to hear, but they don’t provide the input that is
beneficial. I would much rather have the
advice of the wise than a “Yes Man,” any day.
………………………………………………………………………………
For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth
good, and sinneth not. Ecclesiastes,
Chapter 7, verse 20.
My mother used to tell me that there are some who
put others down just to make themselves feel better. This saying has comforted me over the
years. The thing I never paid any
attention to is whether I did this myself.
None of us is perfect, except Jesus. It’s funny how easy it is for us non-perfect
human beings to find fault in others. It
appears that we think that looking down on others makes us better people. NOT…as the kids say!…or No way, Jose!…or Not
on your life! I could go on, but you get
the idea.
………………………………………………………………………………
Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken;
lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: For often times also thine own heart
knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others. Ecclesiastes, Chapter 7, verses 21-22.
As a teacher, the children who came to me crying
because someone called them names often were those who were notorious for
calling other children names. They could
“dish it out,” but couldn’t handle it when it happened to them.
Isn’t it funny that adults are very similar? We come unglued when someone says something
rude or hateful to us, when we are often guilty of being rude and hateful to
others. Somehow, it seems different when
someone else does it. Maybe we can learn
to be more forgiving of others, in the same way that Christ forgives us for all
our actions.
Our children see how we handle frustrating
experiences and will tend to handle things similarly as they grow up. We need to be forgiving, even if someone’s
just crowded into our parking spot when we had our car all lined up for it!
………………………………………………………………………………
Thus is an evil among all things that are done under
the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of
men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after
that they go to the dead. For to him
that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than
a dead lion. For the living know that
they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a
reward; for the memory of them is forgotten, Also their love, and their hatred,
and their envy, is now perished: neither have they any more a portion for ever
in any thing that is done under the sun.
Ecclesiastes, Chapter 9, verses 3-6.
It seems that some people spend their whole lives
angry and bitter. They should have
gotten the promotion or job that they wanted.
They deserved a nicer house or car instead of what they have. I try to stay away from people who are always
griping about how things should have been better, because I tend to feel
depressed after talking to them.
We have choices in life. We can spend our lives content or always
upset when things don’t turn out the way we want. When I don’t get what I want, although I
might be a little disappointed, I recognize that God knows what is best for
me. It’s a choice we make when we choose
to harbor resentments for all the things that don’t go the way that we think we
deserve. Personally, I don’t want people
avoiding me because I’m always griping.
What’s more important, I don’t want God avoiding me thinking, “Debbie’s
always griping and ungrateful for all I’ve given her. I think I’ll focus on someone else who
appreciates what I do for them.”
………………………………………………………………………………
Hear the Word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom ; give ear unto the Law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah
We all know what happened to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah
Do you think that God overlooks things like cheating
on their spouse, unethical business choices or hateful behavior to others
because they’ve put lots of money in the offering? God wants us to ask Him to forgive us and
then, out of love for Him, we are to try to live as examples of how He works in
our lives. This “Sin now, pay later
tactic” just doesn’t work for God.
………………………………………………………………………………
And He shall judge among the nations, and shall
rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their
spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more. O
house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the Light of the Lord. Isaiah, Chapter 2, verses 4-5.
This is a very famous passage. There is another passage in the Bible that is
the complete opposite, telling people to beat their plowshares into swords and
spears. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears:
let the weak say I am strong. Joel,
Chapter 3, verse 10.
These passages tell me that God has times when we
are to fight for the causes He wants.
Then there are times when we aren’t to fight and are to try to maintain
peace in all aspects of our lives, if at all possible.
………………………………………………………………………………
Therefore thou hast forsaken Thy people the house of
Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the
Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers. Isaiah, Chapter 2, verse 6.
It doesn’t sound like God approves of His people
getting involved in fortune telling and trying to predict the future. He probably isn’t any more pleased with
people doing things like this, today!
What’s even more abominable is that they pleased
themselves, in the children of strangers.
Does child abuse, child porn, etc. seem less objectionable when it’s
connected to children who are totally different than we are? During war times, atrocities like this are committed
as if the women and children of other countries are sub-human entities,
absolving them of any guilt for abusing them.
It’s an abomination no matter what!
Children aren’t to be exploited. Looking at child porn sites on the Internet
keeps people in the business of taking advantage of children. Are you helping to perpetuate the problem?
………………………………………………………………………………
And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and
the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted
in that day. And the idols He shall
utterly abolish. And they shall go into
the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD,
and for the Glory of His Majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the
earth. Isaiah, Chapter 2, verses 17-19.
I remember my father
reminding me not to get so high and mighty when I was spouting off about
something. I’m glad he drew my attention
to it. I don’t want God coming to me
someday saying, “Debbie, get off your high horse. You think you’re someone special just because
you have a Master’s degree. If you spent
less time focused on your career and your ‘stuff,’ you’d have more time to
focus on Me and what I want for you. It
would have been nice if you could have joined Me in heaven, but you had your
chance and blew it on worldly things-so sad!”
………………………………………………………………………………
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness,
Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our
God. Isaiah, Chapter 40, verse 3.
When a new movie comes
out on the market, there are some who won’t go to see it immediately. They don’t just believe the advertisements
that the movie producers put out. They
are cautious, waiting until they see the movie reviews first to make sure it’s
going to be good. Well, I think that’s
why John the Baptist was important.
Others had to hear him say that Jesus was our Savior before they would
be open to believing. Those that heard
John the Baptist profess this were more willing to risk believing in Jesus.
Isn’t it strange that
some have to hear someone else’s opinion before they are willing to take
risks? Well, there are people out there
who aren’t going to get to know Jesus as their Savior unless they hear us share
the positive influence Jesus has in our lives.
It makes me realize that I have a bigger responsibility than I was aware
of. My sitting quietly, rationalizing
why it’s not a good time to share this information with others may keep someone
else from getting to heaven.
Here are some related
passages from the New Testament:
*For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet
Esaias, saying The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of
the Lord, make His paths straight.
Matthew, Chapter 3, verse 3.
*For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I
send My messenger before Thy face, which shall prepare Thy way before
Thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them
that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:
notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than
he. And from the days of John the
Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent
take it by force. Matthew, Chapter 11,
verses 10-12.
………………………………………………………………………………
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil,
that put darkness for light, and Light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet,
and sweet for bitter! Isaiah, Chapter 5,
verse 20.
It’s sad that having extra-marital affairs has
almost become a norm in society. People
seem to feel no remorse in doing unethical things in order to climb the ladder
of success. People who have great status
and wealth are looked upon more approvingly than those who lead good-Christian
lives. People who live according to
their Christian ethics are often ridiculed and aren’t given the same respect as
others. God calls it like He sees
it! When it comes to determining
people’s Salvation, no amount of money, status or remarks trying to justify one’s
actions are going to buy them entrance into heaven.
Here are some related passages:
*Which justify the wicked for reward, and take
away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble,
and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and
their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the Law of the
LORD of Hosts, and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel. Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled
against His people, and He hath stretched forth His hand against them and hath
smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcasses were torn in the
midst of the streets. For all this His
anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still. Isaiah, Chapter 5, verses 23-25.
*And they shall teach My people the difference
between the Holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and
the clean. And in controversy they shall
stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to My judgments: and they
shall keep My Laws and My Statutes in all Mine assemblies; and they shall
hallow My Sabbaths. Ezekiel, Chapter 44,
verses 23-24.
*Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so
the Lord, the God of Hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and
establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of Hosts will be
gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.
Amos, Chapter 5, verses 14-15.
*Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied Him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is
good in the sight of the LORD, and He delighteth in them: or, Where is the God
of judgment? Malachi, Chapter 2, verse
17.
………………………………………………………………………………
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of
the morning! how art thou cut down to
the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will
exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the
congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the
clouds: I will be like the most High.
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon
thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to
tremble, that did shake kingdoms. That made the world as a wilderness, and
destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? Isaiah, Chapter 14, verses 12-17.
God is condemning Satan’s influence on mankind,
especially Babylon
………………………………………………………………………………
Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the
multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be
thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail. Thou are wearied in the multitude of thy
counsels. Let now the astrologers the
stargazers, and the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these
things that shall come upon thee.
Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall
not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal
to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.
Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy
merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none
shall save thee. Isaiah, Chapter 47,
verses 12-15.
God seems to be telling the Babylonians
(paraphrased), “You made your bed, now lie in it!” Prior to this, God tried to refocus the
Babylonians who were being led astray.
They listened to those with power, the sorcerers and astrologers,
etc. People were paying attention to
them instead of to God. He told them
(paraphrased), “When push comes to shove, those people you looked up to are
going to hit the road and they won’t be there to protect you. But then again, you deserve it because you
ignored Me when I tried to help you. I
am the Only One who could have saved you.
So, sad!”
………………………………………………………………………………
Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon
Him while He is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man
his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon
him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. Isaiah, Chapter 55, verses 6-7.
It’s amazing, how forgiving God is. The people had been focusing on astrologers
and sorcerers rather than Him, the One True God. God told them that if they realized that they
were wrong and turned their act around, He would forgive them and take care of
them. Such divine forgiveness is
something I haven’t always been able to muster.
If people were rude to me, I might be nice to them,
but I still remembered that they had been rude to me. Well, this far surpasses any rudeness or
disloyalty we might have to endure. God
is always willing to forgive us if we ask Him and turn our act around by
focusing on His will for us.
………………………………………………………………………………
Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot
profit. Will ye steal, murder, and
commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after
other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before Me in this house, which
is called by My Name, and say, We are delivered to do all these
abominations? Jeremiah, Chapter 7,
verses 8-10.
I realize that we don’t burn incense to idols like
Baal, and then go to church, acting like nothing ever happened. Do we do unethical things at work in order to
climb the corporate ladder and then go to church and act like nothing ever
happened? Do we flirt with people other
than our spouse and then go to church acting like nothing ever happened? Do we tell white lies to get ourselves out of
financial predicaments with the I.R.S. and then go to church acting like
nothing ever happened? Are we rude and
talk hatefully to others, even telemarketers, and then go to church acting like
nothing ever happened?
It’s funny how we can waltz into church acting as if
we can pull the wool over everyone’s eyes.
Maybe we can pull the wool over the eyes of most, but not God who sees
and knows who we are and what we have failed to do.
Consider taking the time to tell God that you
haven’t always behaved the way He would want.
Ask Him to forgive you and give you the willingness to be a better
Christian in the future. He will do it
if you take the time to ask Him to.
………………………………………………………………………………
If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn
from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. Jeremiah, Chapter 18, verse 8.
I remember staying at my aunt’s house for a couple
of weeks during the summer. We had
wonderful fun watching the “Soaps,” eating fried egg sandwiches and just
spending time together. The girl next
door had an above ground pool. I had
been envious of her since I had gotten there.
At the end of my vacation at my aunt’s, the neighbor invited me over for
a pool party. I wasn’t allowed to go so
I ranted and raved around the house, having a “royal hissy fit” because I
didn’t get my way.
My aunt had been there supporting me all along like
God supports us. Then the minute I
didn’t get everything I wanted, I had a fit and acted like everything wonderful
didn’t matter anymore. I’m sure she must
have been hurt by my ungrateful behavior, the same as God is hurt through ours.
Once I calmed down and realized how unreasonable I was,
I apologized and my aunt forgave me, much in the same way that God forgives us,
even when we have behaved hatefully. My
aunt’s forgiving nature, not harboring resentments, allowed us to enjoy our
last days of my vacation, creating fond memories to last a lifetime. Fortunately, God doesn’t keep a tally sheet
of all our shortcomings because Jesus wiped it clean. He doesn’t harbor resentments for our sinful
deeds. What an awe inspiring and
wonderful God!
………………………………………………………………………………
And they built the high places of Baal, which are in
the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to
pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it
into My mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin. Jeremiah, Chapter 32, verse 35.
What people are willing to do in the name of their
beliefs always seems to amaze me. Can
you imagine how some people were willing to have their children, their own
flesh and blood, walk through fire thinking these acts will get them
Salvation? They went to such great
lengths when all God asks of us is to believe in Jesus Christ, as our
Savior, and try to live as examples of how He works in our lives. He doesn’t ask that we sacrifice our
children, give all our belongings or money away to have Salvation. His request from us is pretty simple, but I
guess it seems too simple for some.
What a shame.
Some people can risk their Salvation by getting led astray by cults or
they send some TV evangelist all their money so they can get to heaven but they
aren’t turning to God. All we have to do
to get Salvation is underlined in this section.
I like to skip the middlemen and focus directly on God.
Here are some related passages:
*When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nation from
before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and
dwellest in their land; Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by
following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou
inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods?
Even so will I do like wise. Thou shalt
not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which He
hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters
they have burnt in the fire to their gods.
What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add
thereto, nor diminish from it.
Deuteronomy, Chapter 12, verses 29-32.
*And when the king of Moab
saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men
that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom Israel
………………………………………………………………………………
Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and
said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the
astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king; But there is a
God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king
Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon
thy bed, are these… Daniel, Chapter 2, verses 27-28.
You may want to read the rest of the second chapter
of Daniel and elsewhere in Daniel to find out what is going to happen in the
last days. It has more to do with
symbols of countries that are in power or have fallen at particular times in
history. I don’t truly understand all of
that, but I have an uncle who has studied this topic and is very knowledgeable
about this.
This passage is included because of the people who
turned to fortune tellers, astrologers, magicians, etc. None of these could interpret the meaning of
the king’s dream, but God could. After
Daniel interpreted the dream by trusting the instincts that God gave him, the
king realized there is only One True God and it sure wasn’t the astrologers,
magicians or wizards!
Do you think God would be pleased that the
influences of the astrologers, wizards and magicians have worked their way into
our lives through the newspapers, books, TV and the movies we choose? Are we spending time focusing on something
other than the One True God without even realizing it?
………………………………………………………………………………
God had been telling Jonah to go to Nineveh Nineveh
And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s
journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh Nineveh Nineveh
Some people believe our lives are controlled by fate
and we can’t do anything to change our lives or our fate. Well, this passage refutes that
position. The people of Nineveh
So that means that if we have made some pretty
stupid counterproductive choices in our lives, we can apologize to God and turn
our actions around. God will forgive us,
too, just like He did for the people who lived in Nineveh
Here are some related passages:
*Bless the
LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgiveth all thine
iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from
destruction; Who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies. Psalm, Chapter 103, verses 2-4.
*The LORD is
merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will He
keep His anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor regarded
us according to our iniquities. For as
the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear
Him. As far as the east is from the
west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the
LORD pitieth them that fear Him. Psalm,
Chapter 103, verses 8-13.
*But the mercy
of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His
righteousness unto children’s children: To such as keep His covenant, and to
those that remember His Commandments to do them. Psalm, Chapter 103, verses 17-18.
………………………………………………………………………………
Now therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts; Consider
your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring
in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with
drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth
wages to put it into a bag with holes.
Thus saith the Lord of Hosts; Consider your ways. Haggai, Chapter 1, verses 5-7.
This passage makes me think of times when anything I
have doesn’t seem like enough. I have
food, but I wish I had better food. I
have clothes, but I wish I had better clothes.
I have friends, but I wish I had “status” friends. I have a job, but I wish I had a “high level
job”. I have money, but I wish I had
more money.
Am I ever grateful for what I have? I sure wouldn’t want God saying, “Debbie is
so ungrateful for all I’ve given her. If
she thinks things are tough now, wait until she sees tough. I’m wasting my efforts here. I’ll spend My time helping some other
Christian who appreciates what I do more than she does!” Something for me to think about, what about
you?
………………………………………………………………………………
These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye
every man the Truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of Truth and peace
in your gates: And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his
neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith
the Lord. Zechariah, Chapter 8, verses
16-17.
Boy, this makes me think of all the times that I
secretly hoped that all of the cheerleaders would get fat. What a terrible thing to wish on other
people.
………………………………………………………………………………
Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been
witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt
treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. And did not He make one? Yet had He the residue of the Spirit, and
wherefore one? That He might seek a
Godly Seed, Therefore take heed to your Spirit, and let none deal treacherously
against the wife of his youth. For the
Lord, the God of Israel
Some people are able to grab a Bible and quote
verses out of it to support their abuse of their wives and children. I want to tell each and every one of you now;
God Does Not condone abuse whether it’s physical, sexual, mental or any
other type of abuse. Anyone who thinks
God says those behaviors are permissible in the Bible, is twisting things
around (pulling passages out of context) to support their criminal and
inappropriate behavior!!! They can
possibly hide the abuse from others by trying to justify their actions, but
they can’t hide it from God.
………………………………………………………………………………
And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will
be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and
against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his
wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his
right, and fear not Me, saith the Lord of Hosts. Malachi, Chapter 3, verse 5.
God tells us about lots of lifestyle choices that
don’t meet with His approval. One of the
things I was thinking about is the part about not oppressing the hireling in
his wages or turning aside the stranger from his right.
I live in an area where there is a large Hispanic
population; many coming here directly from Mexico
I remember driving by a construction site on a
Sunday evening, about 7:00 p.m. There were 5-6 Hispanic workers busily
digging and installing something at the apartment complex construction site. I was thinking that the vast majority of
people wouldn’t be working on a Sunday night doing physical labor, especially
without being paid overtime. (I highly
doubt that these men were even offered any overtime.)
The sad thing is these employees are generally
extremely hard workers, but are often treated without the respect they
deserve. Even if we aren’t the people
employing them and paying them the extremely low wages, we might be guilty of
not paying them the respect and dignity they deserve as God’s people?
………………………………………………………………………………
Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what
profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, and that we have walked
mournfully before the Lord of Hosts?
Malachi, Chapter 3, verse 14.
Boy! Are we ever an “I-Me” population, looking out
for ourselves as a “What’s In It for Me Christian?” My impression is that God wants unconditional
love. He doesn’t want Christians who are
only doing it to look good to other members of society. He doesn’t want Christians who are doing it
to reap the many rewards God gives His followers. He wants Christians who genuinely love and
follow Him and His Word, regardless of the consequences, both positive and
negative.
Are we looking at our belief, saying, “Hey, what’s
it for me to get up each week and go to church?…to be kind to others? to take risks to be examples of our faith in
the workplace?” Something to think
about!
(Well, this is my last editing before I send this
back to the publishers, and I just had to share this with you. I’ve been telling you throughout this book
that I haven’t been taking the risks to share my love for Jesus with
others. I’ve always been afraid they
would think that I’m a religious fanatic and back away. Writing this book has been an extremely
eye-opening experience for me, making me much more aware of my weaknesses as a
“Self-absorbed Christian.”
Well, about five minutes ago, I was thumbing through
the church newsletter while I was munching on something and saw a request. It was asking for a volunteer to do a Bible
Study at a local nursing home. I
surprised myself and decided to act on it right away before I got cold
feet. Unfortunately, the person wasn’t
there but I left a message saying that I would be willing to lead the Bible
Study and asked that they call me back.
The more I got to thinking about it, I thought this
book would probably be ideal to use for the Bible Study. Nope, I’m not trying to sell more books,
although additional sales will help whichever charity I choose to donate the
proceeds to. What I was thinking is that
I have this book on my computer. I could
copy several pages each week and enlarge the print to make it easier for the
people in the nursing home to read. We
could talk about how they relate to the passages. Although I haven’t listed every passage in
the Bible that relates to a given topic, I occasionally have other passages
that support a great many of them. This
may take us off into different directions.
You realize that I’m talking this all out with you,
processing it as I write. I think I like
this idea, because I know that the passages I have listed in this book come
from the King James Bible. Then I don’t
have to be concerned about which study guide to pick, worrying if another
author’s point of view matches my belief in Jesus as my Savior.
I’m starting to get excited about this whole new
adventure. I almost feel a little teary
eyed. When I started this book, I said
that I would see where God leads me and within minutes of being finished with
the final editing, I read the request in the newsletter. Not two weeks earlier where I would have
thought that I still had too much to do or two months later, when I might have
slipped away from my resolve to take more risks. God had me read it minutes before
finishing. God works that way in my life
and can work that way in your life too, if you let Him. I know you’re a captive audience, but thanks
for being here with me as I grow in my relationship with God. He has positively influenced my life through
reading the Bible on a daily basis and He can do this for you too. Thanks again.
D.S.)
………………………………………………………………………………
And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work
wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. Then they that feared the Lord spake often
one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance
was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His
Name. And they shall be Mine, saith the
Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as
a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked,
between him that serveth God and him not.
Malachi, Chapter 3, verses 15-18.
I was just talking about how some business people
take advantage of the Hispanic workforce.
Management talks behind their backs, talks down to them and takes
advantage of them financially, treating them like sub-standard human beings. Now, these workers may or may not realize
that they are being treated poorly, because some of them don’t understand the
language.
Do you think we can pull the same thing on God and
get away with it? Think again! He knows when we have a perfect opportunity
to share our belief with others, but we are too embarrassed to mention it. He knows when we take advantage of others or
make fun of them. He knows when we put
work before Him and our families. He
knows when we only turn to Him in dire trouble, but we forget about Him until
the next traumatic situation. He knows
when we harbor hatred, jealousy and resentment toward others.
Although He is very forgiving, God will remember
these things, using them to help determine if we are one of His “Jewels” or
not. Are you one of His “Jewels”? It’s never too late to reassess your actions
and to change them around. Reading this
book has given you the opportunity to see things from a different perspective.
You have a choice. You can decide to
start reading the Bible on a daily basis or you can ignore what you have
read. I pray that God opens your heart
to be willing to do His will.
………………………………………………………………………………
For, Behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an
oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and
the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts that it shall
leave them neither root nor branch. But
unto you that fear My Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in
His wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they
shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this,
saith the Lord of Hosts. Malachi,
Chapter 4, verses 1-3.
This makes me think of when I’m driving the speed
limit and someone in my car gets annoyed.
They tell me that I need to just “blend in” with the others (going the
same speed that others are driving, so as to not be noticed). At times, I let people persuade me to go
faster to “blend in” with the flow of traffic, still knowing I’m driving at a
speed that’s against the law.
Are we, as Christians, finding ourselves “blending
in” with a lifestyle speed of the people we associate with, so our actions go
unnoticed? Do we use God’s Name in vain
because everyone else does? That way we
don’t stand out in a crowd as a Christian.
Do we do unethical things at work because everyone else does them? Well, we are exceeding God’s speed limit for
our lives and we know it. Even if we
“blend in” with lifestyles similar to others, we have to make a decision. Do we want to be one of God’s “Jewels” or
just “blend in” with the traffic of lifestyle choices that won’t get us to
Heaven?
You have a chance to make a monumental change in
your life and to show your commitment to God.
No, you don’t have to shave your head and sell flowers on street
corners! You just have to make a
conscious effort to live as an example of God’s influence on your life. If you listen to the instincts that God gives
you instead of listening to the urges of society to “blend in” with the traffic
of life, you will attain the ultimate goal of Salvation through Jesus.
I want to, again, explain that I do not profess to
be an expert on the Bible. Read the
passages noted and see what God is saying to you through them. I have read the Bible from cover to cover
sixteen plus times now, and every time I read a passage, I get something
totally new from of it. God gave me a
feeling that I should share how reading the Bible on a regular basis has
positively influenced my life and deepened my relationship with Him, and may do
the same for you.
I apologize if I have offended anyone, because that
isn’t the intent of this book. There
were times I thought about not writing particular things, not wanting to offend
people I care about or for fear of antagonizing the media and the business
world. If I had done that, I would just
be “blending in” with the traffic of life instead of genuinely expressing how
God has influenced my life.
It is my desire that you will come to relate to the
Bible in a way that is personally significant to you. If nothing else, I hope that this gives you
things to think about as you use the instincts that God gives you while reading
your Bible.
D. S.
About the Author
Debra Seiling has a unique
way of explaining how selected Bible passages can influence the reader’s
life. Her fifteen years of teaching
experience, M.Ed. and a quest for accuracy, led her to read the Bible from
cover to cover to locate the often quoted saying, “god helps him who helps
himself.” Although surprised with her
findings, she enjoyed reading the Bible so much that she continued to read it
sixteen plus times. The author states
that each time she reads the Bible; she gets whole new insights from it. It is her desire that readers will become
empowered to relate to the Bible in a more personal way, as they read Bible Passages That Can Influence Your Life.
As you read the book, look
for some of the interesting types of Christians that the author refers to
throughout the book.
·
Show Off Christian
·
Have Your Cake and Eat It Too Christian
·
Back Seat Driver Christian
·
Dragging Your Feet Christian
·
Freeloader Christian
·
Hold Grudges Against Others Christian
·
Just When It’s Convenient Christian
·
Blind Christian
·
Self-righteous Christian
·
Looking for Jesus in All the Wrong Places Christian
·
Old Maid Christian
·
Bird in the Hand Christian
·
Gimme Gimme Christian
·
Luke-warm Christian
·
Selective Listening Christian
·
Do as I Say, Not as I Do Christian
·
Sell-out Christian
·
Put Their Money Where Their Mouth Is Christian
·
Made in the Shade Christian
·
What’s In It for Me Christian
·
Self-absorbed Christian
Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.
Bible Study: Relating the Bible to YOUR Life!
Types of Christians
A Christian Caregiver
It's Not Cool 2 Bully!
Christ's Grace Abounds
Creation: What's It Matter?
How to Know Jesus Is God's Son
Free 2 Share VBS (Free VBS Curriculum)
Christian Overeaters Past and Present Support Links
Jesus Calls, But Do Your Actions Say You Don't Desire Him?
Video Answers About God, Jesus, Creation, Disaster, Etc. via You Tube
Types of Christians
A Christian Caregiver
It's Not Cool 2 Bully!
Christ's Grace Abounds
Creation: What's It Matter?
How to Know Jesus Is God's Son
Free 2 Share VBS (Free VBS Curriculum)
Christian Overeaters Past and Present Support Links
Jesus Calls, But Do Your Actions Say You Don't Desire Him?
Video Answers About God, Jesus, Creation, Disaster, Etc. via You Tube
