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Monday 30 April 2012
Our Road to Hell
Our Road To Hellby Abby Johnson
It
is said, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Is it? Or is it paved
with justifications by Christians? I recently posted some information that I
found incredibly disappointing. I found out that a Christian company called
“Thirty-One Gifts” is giving money to groups that fund Planned Parenthood. I
asked the people on my page to contact the company and ask them to stop giving.
As pro-lifers, we should always take the time to educate the public about links
to the abortion industry. This was yet another opportunity.
For several hours, the posts were positive…”thank you for letting us know,” “I will be sure to send an email,” “this is a great opportunity to educate them about the abortion industry,” etc. Even consultants were coming on my page thanking me for this information. They were going to go back and get some answers. Great! That was the point of my post. Then the bomb dropped. The “Thirty-One” all women’s mafia invaded my page. These all are Christian women who sell Thirty-One Gifts. However, based on their comments, you wouldn’t know they were Christians. One called me the devil. Several said that, as Christians, we should not be judging this organization (even though they are helping to fund abortion). Some wanted to know HOW MUCH money was given to Planned Parenthood by these organizations (as if that matters). And anyway, as most of them pointed out, Thirty-One Gifts does a lot of good…surely we can overlook this. A few of them came on my page to defend Planned Parenthood. So, there it is. Christians defending the funding of abortion. Christians defending their own sinful actions. Christians defending sin. Why do we insist on justifying sin? Because that sin provides us income? Because that sin makes really cute purses? Because I don’t want sin to inconvenience me? Yes, probably all of those in this case. Please understand that I never said to boycott Thirty-One Gifts. I simply wanted to give people the opportunity to contact this company and inform them where their money is going. Isn’t that what we should do? Shouldn’t we, as pro-lifers, want to do as much as we can to stop the funding of the abortion industry? Some of us do…apparently, some of us do not. I know all about the justification of sin…I did it for 8 years. I would tell myself, “God doesn’t want women to die from illegal abortions, so working in the legal abortion industry must be the right thing to do.” Sometimes I would say, “We at Planned Parenthood do SO much good. Abortion is just a tiny percent of our business. You can’t let abortion overshadow the good that we do.” It went on and on. I remember attending an event where the president of “Clergy for Choice” was going to be speaking. I was so excited! Finally, a pastor defending abortion. I was sure I would be able to pick up many more justifications. He was asked about the unborn child. His answer, “The unborn do not become babies until the mother decides they are wanted.” Hmm. That sounded pretty good to me! Yet another justification in my road to hell. In Father Tom Euteneuer’s powerful book Demonic Abortion, he wrote about neutrality and justifications in our Christian world. He said, “Unless the disciples of Christ truly awake from their slumber and unite in opposition to the heinous crime [of abortion], the collective guilt of this industry will fall upon us all as a people, and Jesus will say to us, like He said to the weeping women of Jerusalem on His Way to Calvary, ‘Do not weep for me. Weep for yourselves and for your children.’ We will not be held accountable if we fail to stop such an immense evil, but we will receive a withering judgment if we live amidst the evil and do nothing about it. The Medieval poet, Dante Alleghieri (1265-1321), is supposed to have said that ‘the hottest places of hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crises maintain their neutrality.’” I pray that we all stop these justifications. I pray that when we hear these sorts of things, “but they do a lot of good,” we will be reminded that doing good doesn’t matter when it comes to the taking of life. I pray that we will be a people of courage. I pray that we will not worry about being inconvenienced for the sake of standing up for what is right. I pray that we will not worry about being popular or maintaining the status quo. I pray that we will stand up, unite and fight. After I left the abortion industry, I learned a very important lesson. When something is right, you don’t have to justify it. Right is always right, and wrong is always wrong. Abby Johnson’s life | ||||||||||
Fears, tares, and tears!
1 Corinthians 12:7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Holy Spirit (the evidence , the spiritual illumination of the Spirit) for good and profit. Amp
Verses 8-11 goes on to discuss the gifts given--healing, faith, words of wisdom and so on.
So does each one receive all of these gifts at once or just one ? My understanding is that at one particular time the person can be given any gift and that may remain constant or may change with time. The wise thing then is to discern the gift God has given to each. Suppose it was evident that a person had a gift of prophecy. The person spoke prophetically and met with much opposition. The opposition was so intense that the person kind of drew back from exhibiting the gift manifested in them. From fear they chose to do something else. Perhaps speak of salvation --seems no one gets upset about that one.And since the comfort experienced when this route is followed--speaking the salvation message insted of prophesying--becomes so comfortable the person decides this is where they belong. Will their ministry be effective. I doubt it. I would go so far as to describe this person as a tare. Though they believe and think they are doing what they can for the Kingdom they are operating in fear and fear is not from the Lord!
They have effectively chosen the wide , comfortable path describe in Matthew 7:13-14. Enter throught the narrow gate for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads awy to destruction, and many are those who are entering through. But the gate is narrow(contracted by pressure) and the way is straightened and comptressed that leads away to life, and few there are who find it.
In this case the destruction comes not from doing absolutely contrary to the word of God but by choosing to do that which is ineffective, and not to which one is called, so that the end may be God saying. "I never knew you". For if we are operating in counterfeit works of the spirit we are not operating in the spirit at all.
Narrow gate(constricted by pressure) is not to be avoided but embraced and remembering that the "Kingdom of heaven suffereth (allows) violence and the violent take it by storm", we press through, casting aside fear and accomplishing that for which the Spirit was poured upon us. Having gained victory we enter through the narrow gate and are not cast outside where there is darkness and gnashing of teeth and much weeping!
Verses 8-11 goes on to discuss the gifts given--healing, faith, words of wisdom and so on.
So does each one receive all of these gifts at once or just one ? My understanding is that at one particular time the person can be given any gift and that may remain constant or may change with time. The wise thing then is to discern the gift God has given to each. Suppose it was evident that a person had a gift of prophecy. The person spoke prophetically and met with much opposition. The opposition was so intense that the person kind of drew back from exhibiting the gift manifested in them. From fear they chose to do something else. Perhaps speak of salvation --seems no one gets upset about that one.And since the comfort experienced when this route is followed--speaking the salvation message insted of prophesying--becomes so comfortable the person decides this is where they belong. Will their ministry be effective. I doubt it. I would go so far as to describe this person as a tare. Though they believe and think they are doing what they can for the Kingdom they are operating in fear and fear is not from the Lord!
They have effectively chosen the wide , comfortable path describe in Matthew 7:13-14. Enter throught the narrow gate for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads awy to destruction, and many are those who are entering through. But the gate is narrow(contracted by pressure) and the way is straightened and comptressed that leads away to life, and few there are who find it.
In this case the destruction comes not from doing absolutely contrary to the word of God but by choosing to do that which is ineffective, and not to which one is called, so that the end may be God saying. "I never knew you". For if we are operating in counterfeit works of the spirit we are not operating in the spirit at all.
Narrow gate(constricted by pressure) is not to be avoided but embraced and remembering that the "Kingdom of heaven suffereth (allows) violence and the violent take it by storm", we press through, casting aside fear and accomplishing that for which the Spirit was poured upon us. Having gained victory we enter through the narrow gate and are not cast outside where there is darkness and gnashing of teeth and much weeping!
Friday 27 April 2012
Tongue Control!
Control is a Noble Goal
By: Moira Brown
In my Grade 12 year I started working at a local radio station, and by age twenty was producing and hosting a daily TV show. One day I answered the phone to an abrupt — "If you say the word 'delightful' one more time, I'm going to get in my car, and drive up there, and..." I don't recall the rest of my mother's threat. She would have driven two hours to make her point! I wasn't scared or defensive, but grateful! I had no idea I was wearing out my favourite adjective!
By: Moira Brown
In my Grade 12 year I started working at a local radio station, and by age twenty was producing and hosting a daily TV show. One day I answered the phone to an abrupt — "If you say the word 'delightful' one more time, I'm going to get in my car, and drive up there, and..." I don't recall the rest of my mother's threat. She would have driven two hours to make her point! I wasn't scared or defensive, but grateful! I had no idea I was wearing out my favourite adjective!
Do you know how many words are listed in the
Oxford Dictionary? 800,000! About 300,000 are technical terms, leaving us 10,000
commonly used words in the English language. So, why do we get stuck on words
like "LIKE"... in like, all the wrong places, in like, meaningless
repetition?
Maybe I've become overprotective of the
English language — just like my Mom. I'm working on a speech problem however,
that is much more serious.
56% of Canadians admit they swear— more than
the British (51%) or the Americans (46%) according to a recent survey. I'm sure
you are not part of this statistic, but let me gently ask — would you say any of
these words?
"GOSH" or "GOLLY" — an altered pronunciation
of GOD "GEE" or "GEEZ" — a euphemism or replacement for JESUS
The 7th of 10 Commandments says, "You shall not misuse the Name of the Lord your God,
for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His Name."
(Exodus 20:7 NIV)
"Do not swear falsely by My Name and so
profane the Name of your God. I am the Lord." (Leviticus 19:12) ("Honest to
God"... ) How many times a day do you hear "Oh my God!" (OMG)? Is the person
speaking (or singing) even thinking about God? What if He answered, "You called
My Name?" Paul appeals to us: "Don't copy the behaviour and customs of this
world." (Romans 12:2 NLT)
We have many other replacement words that are
"tame curse words" or "Christian swearing." In John 3:11 the apostle writes,
"Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good." (NIV)
Listen to Jesus' warning in Matthew 12: 36, 37: "But I say to you that for
EVERY IDLE (careless) WORD men may speak, they will give account of it in the
Day of Judgment. For by your WORDS you will be justified, and BY YOUR WORDS you
will be condemned." GOD IS LISTENING!
Jesus is THE WORD. His very Name ennobles
communication. He said, "The words that I speak to you they are spirit, and
are life." (John 6:63) Do we reflect and honour by our speech, the One who
indwells us?
"Be imitators of God, therefore, as
dearly loved children," Ephesians 5:1 (NIV) highlights what is not proper
for God's holy people: " ...obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which
are out of place." (v.4) Paul encouraged Timothy, "Don't let anyone
look down on you because you are young, but SET AN EXAMPLE for the believers, IN
SPEECH, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity."
(1 Timothy 4:12 NIV)
(1 Timothy 4:12 NIV)
There are some words that have crept into
common expression and the Oxford dictionary that are most unbecoming from the
mouth of an ambassador of Jesus Christ, which I will not mention here.
"Do not let any unwholesome talk
come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up
according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (Ephesians 4:29 NIV)
In his Rules for Holy Living Paul writes,
"...now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behaviour, slander and
dirty language." (Colossians 3:8 NLT) You are called to be a messenger of
Christ's life and love. "Let your conversation be always full of grace
seasoned with salt so that you may know how to answer everyone."
(Colossians 4:6 NIV)
"Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak
as though God Himself were speaking through you." (1 Peter 4:11 NLT)
How do we retrain the tongue? When you hit
your thumb with a hammer, simply say, "OW!" A 'swearing jar' in your home or
office might be motivational, with a financial penalty for anyone who gets
caught. Parents would wash children's mouths with soap in my day! "Let the
Word of Christ dwell in you richly..." (Colossians 3:16) and He will do the
washing. (Ephesians 5:26)
"What you say flows from what is in your
heart," Jesus said, (Luke 6:45 NLT), so let's start with David's prayer in
Psalm 19:14 (NIV): "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in Your sight O Lord."
Monday 16 April 2012
scriptures for cafe
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
1 Peter 511
And when the chief shepherd appears you will receive a crown of glory which will not fade!
Praise you Lord
vrs. 4 - I thank my God always concerning you FOR THE GRACE OF GOD WHICH WAS GIVEN YOU in Christ Jesus,
5 - THAT IN EVERYTHING you were enriched in Him, in all speech AND ALL KNOWLEDGE.
18 - For the word of the cross is FOOLISHNESS TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 - For it is written, "I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE."
21 - For since in the wisdom of God THE WORLD THROUGH ITS WISDOM DID NOT COME TO KNOW GOD, God was well-pleased THROUGH THE FOOLISHNESS of the message preached to save those who believe.
23 - but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews A STUMBLING BLOCK and to Gentiles FOOLISHNESS,
24 - but to those WHO ARE THE CALLED, both Jews and Greeks, CHRIST IS THE POWER OF GOD AND THE WISDOM OF GOD..
25 - Because the foolishness of GOD IS WISER than men, and the weakness of God is STRONGER THAN MEN..
26 - FOR CONSIDER YOUR CALLING, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;
27 - BUT GOD HAS CHOSEN THE FOOLISH THINGS of the world to shame the wise, and God HAS CHOSEN THE WEAK THINGS of the world to shame the things which are strong,
28 and the base things of the world and the despised GOD HAS CHOSEN, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,
29 - SO THAT NO MAN MAY BOAST BEFORE GOD.
30 - BUT BY HIS DOING YOU are in Christ Jesus, who became to us WISDOM FROM GOD, and RIGHTEOUSNESS and SANCTIFICATION, and REDEMPTION,
31 - so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD."
It is the natural heart of man to boast in himself, in his own doing, and Paul is instructing the Corinthians it is GOD who does all these things. In other words, submit yourself to His Power and grace, and give HIM all His DUE GLORY, and do not boast in your own pride. For we are neither "wise, mighty or noble, according to the flesh;" but void of the wisdom from God. For we are further instructed -
ohn 3:12 - If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
John 5:44 - How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that [comes] from the only God?
John 6:36 - But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe.
John 10:25 - Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me.
John 10:26 - But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.
There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God" (Rom.3:11).
- II Corinthians 4:3-7
4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing.
4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
4:5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
4:6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay (those whom God is saving), to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
John 3:19 - This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil (whether in thought, word, or deed).
3:20 - Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
Psalm 107:10-16
vrs.10 - Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains,
11 - Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains,
12 - So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
13 - Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.
14 - He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains.
15 - Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men,
16 - for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.
Mark 4:9-12
9 - Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
10 - When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables.
11 - He told them, "The secret (mystery) of the kingdom of God has been given to you (those who believe). But to those on the outside everything is said in parables
12 - so that, " 'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'
John 8:43 - Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.
8:44 - You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
8:46 - Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me?
8:47 - He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."
Luke 8:10 - He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, " 'though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.'
The preaching of the Gospel is useless to the deaf. The written word is of no effect to the blind. Open God can open blind eyes and deaf ears.
Pro.20:12 - Ears that hear and eyes that see-- the Lord has made them both.
Rom.5:6 - "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." (Strength - power, ability)
Acts 7:51 - Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers [did], so [do] ye.
Ezek.44:9 - Thus saith the Lord GOD; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary.
11:19 - And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
11:20 - That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
36:26 - A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
36:27 - And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them].
Eph.2:11 - Therefore, remember that at one time you were Gentiles (heathens) in the flesh, called Uncircumcision by those who called themselves Circumcision, [itself a mere mark] in the flesh made by human hands
2:12 - That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, HAVING NO HOPE, AND WITHOUT GOD IN THE WORLD.
I Thes.4:13 - Now also we would not have you ignorant, brethren, about those who fall asleep [in death], that you may not grieve [for them] AS THE REST DO WHO HAVE NO HOPE [beyond the grave].
Phil.2:13 - [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work..
John 1:12 - But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name–
1:13 - WHO OWE THEIR BIRTH neither to bloods nor to the will of the flesh [that of physical impulse] nor to the will of man [that of a natural father], but to God. [They are born of God!]
Romans 9:16 - So then [God's gift] is not a question of human will and human effort, but of God's mercy. [It depends not on one's own willingness nor on his strenuous exertion as in running a race, but on God's having mercy on him.
9:18 - So then He has mercy on whomever He wills (chooses) and He hardens (makes stubborn and unyielding the heart of) whomever He wills.
1:20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
1:21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.
1:22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.
1:23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
1:24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.
1:25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.
1:28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.
"But God who is rich in mercy, because of His GREAT LOVE with which He loves us, even when we are dead in trespasses, made us ALIVE together with Christ (by GRACE you have been saved)."
(Eph.2:1-5)"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Eph 6:12).
6/28/09
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
1 Peter 511
And when the chief shepherd appears you will receive a crown of glory which will not fade!
Praise you Lord
vrs. 4 - I thank my God always concerning you FOR THE GRACE OF GOD WHICH WAS GIVEN YOU in Christ Jesus,
5 - THAT IN EVERYTHING you were enriched in Him, in all speech AND ALL KNOWLEDGE.
18 - For the word of the cross is FOOLISHNESS TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 - For it is written, "I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE."
21 - For since in the wisdom of God THE WORLD THROUGH ITS WISDOM DID NOT COME TO KNOW GOD, God was well-pleased THROUGH THE FOOLISHNESS of the message preached to save those who believe.
23 - but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews A STUMBLING BLOCK and to Gentiles FOOLISHNESS,
24 - but to those WHO ARE THE CALLED, both Jews and Greeks, CHRIST IS THE POWER OF GOD AND THE WISDOM OF GOD..
25 - Because the foolishness of GOD IS WISER than men, and the weakness of God is STRONGER THAN MEN..
26 - FOR CONSIDER YOUR CALLING, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;
27 - BUT GOD HAS CHOSEN THE FOOLISH THINGS of the world to shame the wise, and God HAS CHOSEN THE WEAK THINGS of the world to shame the things which are strong,
28 and the base things of the world and the despised GOD HAS CHOSEN, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,
29 - SO THAT NO MAN MAY BOAST BEFORE GOD.
30 - BUT BY HIS DOING YOU are in Christ Jesus, who became to us WISDOM FROM GOD, and RIGHTEOUSNESS and SANCTIFICATION, and REDEMPTION,
31 - so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD."
It is the natural heart of man to boast in himself, in his own doing, and Paul is instructing the Corinthians it is GOD who does all these things. In other words, submit yourself to His Power and grace, and give HIM all His DUE GLORY, and do not boast in your own pride. For we are neither "wise, mighty or noble, according to the flesh;" but void of the wisdom from God. For we are further instructed -
ohn 3:12 - If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
John 5:44 - How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that [comes] from the only God?
John 6:36 - But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe.
John 10:25 - Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me.
John 10:26 - But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.
There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God" (Rom.3:11).
- II Corinthians 4:3-7
4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing.
4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
4:5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
4:6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay (those whom God is saving), to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
John 3:19 - This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil (whether in thought, word, or deed).
3:20 - Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
Psalm 107:10-16
vrs.10 - Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains,
11 - Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains,
12 - So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
13 - Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.
14 - He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains.
15 - Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men,
16 - for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.
Mark 4:9-12
9 - Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
10 - When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables.
11 - He told them, "The secret (mystery) of the kingdom of God has been given to you (those who believe). But to those on the outside everything is said in parables
12 - so that, " 'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'
John 8:43 - Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.
8:44 - You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
8:46 - Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me?
8:47 - He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."
Luke 8:10 - He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, " 'though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.'
The preaching of the Gospel is useless to the deaf. The written word is of no effect to the blind. Open God can open blind eyes and deaf ears.
Pro.20:12 - Ears that hear and eyes that see-- the Lord has made them both.
Rom.5:6 - "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." (Strength - power, ability)
Acts 7:51 - Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers [did], so [do] ye.
Ezek.44:9 - Thus saith the Lord GOD; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary.
11:19 - And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
11:20 - That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
36:26 - A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
36:27 - And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them].
Eph.2:11 - Therefore, remember that at one time you were Gentiles (heathens) in the flesh, called Uncircumcision by those who called themselves Circumcision, [itself a mere mark] in the flesh made by human hands
2:12 - That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, HAVING NO HOPE, AND WITHOUT GOD IN THE WORLD.
I Thes.4:13 - Now also we would not have you ignorant, brethren, about those who fall asleep [in death], that you may not grieve [for them] AS THE REST DO WHO HAVE NO HOPE [beyond the grave].
Phil.2:13 - [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work..
John 1:12 - But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name–
1:13 - WHO OWE THEIR BIRTH neither to bloods nor to the will of the flesh [that of physical impulse] nor to the will of man [that of a natural father], but to God. [They are born of God!]
Romans 9:16 - So then [God's gift] is not a question of human will and human effort, but of God's mercy. [It depends not on one's own willingness nor on his strenuous exertion as in running a race, but on God's having mercy on him.
9:18 - So then He has mercy on whomever He wills (chooses) and He hardens (makes stubborn and unyielding the heart of) whomever He wills.
1:20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
1:21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.
1:22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.
1:23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
1:24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.
1:25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.
1:28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.
"But God who is rich in mercy, because of His GREAT LOVE with which He loves us, even when we are dead in trespasses, made us ALIVE together with Christ (by GRACE you have been saved)."
(Eph.2:1-5)"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Eph 6:12).
6/28/09
scriptures for michelle
Psalm 34:8 (NIV)
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who
takes refuge in him.
“I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been
forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little
shows only little love.” (Luke 7:47)
If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18
I am the Vine. you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much fruit. However, apart from me yo can do nothing. John 15:5
You also must be ready therefore, for the Son of man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him. Matthew 24:44
Even the father judges no one for he has given all judgement ,entirely into the hands of the Son. John 5:22
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Psalm 51:2
I will sing of the mercy and loving kindness of the Lord forever, with my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness from generation to generation. Psalm 89:1
From the fruit of his words a man shall be satisfied with good, and the work of a man's hands shall come back to him as a harvest. Proverbs 12:14
Search me oh God and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24
goal to win the prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward. Phillipians 3:14
For the kingdom of god consists of and is based on not talk but power, moral power and excellence of soul. 1 Corinthians 4:20
And He designed to reconcile to God both Jew and Gentile i a single body by means of His cross, thereby killing the mutual enmity and bringing the feud to an end. Epesians 2:16
I press on toward the goal to win the prize to which God in Christ jesus is calling us upward. Philippians 4:14
Sunday 1 April 2012
Was Jesus a failure?
Was Jesus a Failure?by Randy Robison
Many
religious leaders and experts of the Old Testament law expected a Messiah who
would cast off the oppression of the Romans and establish an earthly kingdom.
Instead, Jesus spoke of an invisible kingdom and died on a cross like a common
criminal. He was, in the view of many, a major disappointment.
Such is the problem with human expectations. When we are caught in the trap of unfulfilled expectations, we are unable to experience everything God has planned for us. Such notions can come from others or be self-imposed. Likewise, the expectations we place on other people can similarly spread disappointment, anger, and misery. Of course, Jesus was not a failure in God’s eyes; He simply failed to meet the expectations of men. This is a key truth that each of us must come to understand. Nobody should attempt to live exclusively by the expectations of others. Ultimately, we answer only to God. This does not mean that God will not place people in our lives to encourage right living, provide a level of accountability, impart wisdom, and set certain standards. Parents do that for children. Employers do that for workers. Even pastors do that for their members. And while these should be taken into consideration, they should not be the hard rules by which we live. Every standard of man must first be measured against the word of God, then the individual calling on our lives. "Truly, truly, I say to you,” Jesus said to the religious leaders who accused him of blasphemy, “the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.” (John 5:19, NAS) This was the standard for Jesus Christ. Certainly, this satisfied the expectations of some people, but it shattered the ideas of others. It went beyond disappointment; it offended them. This will always be the case with man’s expectations. They will vary so much that some will be satisfied while others are disappointed or even offended. It’s an impossible game to play and one that should be avoided. Jesus’ expectations for His followers can be summed up in one verse: "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." (John 14:15, NAS) Granted, it can be argued that this is an impossible task, but it should be noted that He didn’t add “without ever failing.” He knows that we will fail. That’s why in the next verse Jesus said, "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;” (John 14:16, NAS) We need the Holy Spirit to help us fulfill Christ’s commandments. This is the standard by which we live – God’s expectations, not man’s. Paul addressed this in his letter to the church in Galatia: “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10, NAS) When we allow the Helper to guide us in our quest to fulfill Christ’s expectations, God promises that we will bear fruit, including peace, patience, love, kindness, and joy. If you are unhappy because other people do not approve of your life, then you need to ask whether you are striving for the favor of man or of God. If we are to serve Jesus Christ, we must cast off the ungodly expectations of others. The son of a prominent Christian leader was once mistaken for his father. As he relates the story, he told the confused woman, “If you’ve seen the son, you’ve seen the father!” I was stunned and saddened when I heard this. As the son of a well-known evangelist, I would never aspire to be my father. That’s not a negative or derogatory statement. He has achieved many great and wonderful things, but he did it by striving to be the man God wants him to be. As his son, I must do the same, which is completely different. That is to say, I must also seek to be the man God wants me to be, which is not the same as being the man God called my father to be. In fact, our personalities and gifts are so different that if I tried to be like him, I would be a complete fraud. I can only be myself, yielded to God in order to shape me into the unique person He created me to be. This is true for each of us. We are uniquely created, with different talents, gifts, and abilities. We must seek to please God with our lives by utilizing what we have to serve Him. We must avoid the comparison trap, where we look at others and create false expectations for ourselves or our loved ones. Paul wrote, “…when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.” (2 Corinthians 10:12, NAS) We must measure our lives by one standard: God’s will. Perhaps the more difficult expectations to overcome are the ones we place on ourselves. For many, we are our own worst critics. We may legitimately strive to live by God’s expectations and feel incredibly dejected or guilty when we fail. This can be the hardest roadblock to remove because the disappointment is often valid. The critical facts to bear in mind are these: First, we all sin and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). This is not an excuse to live in sin, but a statement of fact. We all miss the mark from time to time. The response God desires in these cases is not brooding over our failure or reveling in guilt, but repenting, turning from our errant ways, and pressing on toward Him. (Philippians 3:14) Second, God does not reveal our sin in order to pour guilt on us, but to show us a better way. "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:17, NIV) When we confess and repent, God offers forgiveness, restoration, peace, and joy. There is no condemnation in Him. Remember, in the end God will not say, “Welcome, my good and perfect servant.” Jesus’ parable of the talents ended well for those to whom the master said, “Welcome my good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21) We are not called to always succeed. We are called to be faithful. We should also accept God’s grace in our own lives. We can never outdo God in the grace department, so while we should always examine our ways and turn from any errant thoughts and behavior, we should also forgive ourselves, allow the Holy Spirit to comfort and encourage us, and seek to give our best in every area which God entrusts to us. Expectations, when treated as a Godly standard to which we aspire, can benefit us. But when they become objects of discouragement or clubs with which we bludgeon ourselves and others, they are destructive. All expectations must be managed in light of God’s word and character. Randy Robison is the author of God Wants You To Be Happy (Harvest House). He is in Cambodia this week with LIFE’s mission team. 
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James
Robison
When church and state intersect. Listen. |
Lisa Comes
Growing up at Lakewood. Watch now. |
Sarah Hickey
Bowling
Preachers’ kids talk candidly. Watch now. |
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