That famous promise God gave Abraham - that he and his children would posses the earth was not given because of something Abraham did or would do. It was based on God's decision to put everything together for him, which Abraham then entered when he believed.
If those who get what God gives them only get it by doing everything they are told to do and filling out all the right forms properly signed, that eliminates personal trust completely and turns the promise into an iron clad contract! That's not a holy promise; that's a business deal.
A contract drawn up by a hard nosed lawyer and with plenty of fine print only makes sure that you will never be able to collect. But if there is no contract in the first place, simply a promise - and God's promise if that - you can't break it. This is why the fulfillment of God's promise depends entirely on trusting God and his ways and then simply embracing him and what he does.
God's promise arrives as a pure gift. That's the only way everyone can be sure to get in on it, those who keep the religious traditions and those who have never heard of them.
For Abraham is father of us all. He is not our racial father - that's reading the story backward. He is our faith father. We call Abraham "Father" not because he got God's attention by living a faithful life, but because God made something out of Abraham when he was a nobody.
Isn't that what we're always reading in Scripture "I set you up as Father of many peoples?" Abraham was first named "father" and then became a father because he he trusted God to do only what God could do: raise the dead to life, with a word make something out of nothing.
When everything was hopeless Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do. And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples.
God himself said to him you're going to have a big family, Abraham!
Ceremonies and rituals serve as reminders of our faith. They instruct new and younger believers, but we should not think that they give us any special merit before God. They are outward signs and seal that demonstrate belief and trust. The focus of our faith should be on Christ and his saving actions, not on our own actions.
Paul explains that Abraham pleased God through his faith alone, before he ever heard about the rituals that would become so important to the Jewish people. We too are saved by faith. It is not by loving God and doing good that we are saved; neither is it by faith plus love or faith plus good works.
We are saved only through faith in Christ, trusting him to forgive all our sins. For more on Abraham, see his profile in Genesis 18.
The promise (or covenant) God gave Abraham said that Abraham would be the father of many nations and that the entire world would be blessed through him. This promise was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus was from Abraham's line, and truly the world was blessed through him.
Paul points out that the promise to Abraham to be the father of many nations extended beyond Israel to all the nations of the world. Abraham never doubted that God would fulfill his promise. His life was marked by mistakes, sins, and failures as well as by wisdom and goodness, but he consistently trusted God. His faith was strengthened by the obstacles he faced.
His life is an example of faith in action. If he had looked only at his own resources for subduing Canaan and founding of a nation, he would have given up in despair. But he looked to God, obeyed him and waited for God to fulfill his word to him.
Reference summary used from The Message Bible and The Life Application Bible, KJV, Tyndale Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL
Showing posts with label Jesus Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus Christ. Show all posts
Saturday, October 7, 2017
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
The Master's Mind - Book Review
The Master's Mind: The Art of Reshaping Your Thoughts
In fact, the Master has a whole different list of attributes in mind for us: hope, strength, beauty, joy, love, creativity, freedom, power, peace, patience, goodness, laughter, organization, effectiveness, and purpose.
Between the flesh, the world, and the Devil, we don't know what to think, and, therefore, our lives are filled with hurt, pain, and regret.
Jesus died to save us from our sins and set us free. He made a way for our souls to be rescued from our enemies.
It's time to return to the Master's Mind.
In approximately AD 31, Jesus Christ of Nazareth was asked the seemingly impossible question: "What is the greatest commandment of God?" Jesus simply replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength."
If we can master our minds and bring our thoughts into alignment with the Lord's will and perspective, the rest of our lives will follow suit.
Praise the Lord that He has told us who He is, who we are in the light of Him, and what we have been placed on this earth to do.
God does the rescuing and the saving. Our job is to steward what He has given us.
What we think determines our action. Martin Luther King Jr. determined that he would not rest until all people were viewed as God intended - equal. Mother Teresa determined that the poor would not be forgotten. Our Lord Jesus Christ walked His entire life on earth with a focus on completely obeying His heavenly Father, including the determination to end up on the cross to save us from our sins, as we see in this passage from Luke: "When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51).
The Bible tells us of an ancient high-ranking official who made a personal choice that would dictate the rest of his life and effectiveness. His name was Naaman, and he was a Syrian army commander who had leprosy, a terrible skin disease. Knowing that he was desperate for healing, his little servant girl told him of a prophet in Israel who could heal him by God's power. Figuring that it was worth a shot, Naaman went to see the prophet Elisha. Elisha sent a messenger to tell Naaman that he would be healed if he washed seven times in the Jordan River.
Naaman was furious. He believed that the prophet was simply going to "call upon the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure" him (2 Kings 5:11). When things didn't go the way he thought they should, he stormed off in a rage.
His attendant hurried after him and convinced him to reconsider. Sure, washing seven times was unorthodox, but what if it could heal him?
He relented - and came out healed from leprosy.
Naaman's false assumptions, ignorant thoughts, and prideful heart almost cost him his healing. What are we believing today that is keeping us from God's best?
It's true of God: Isaiah 14:24 tells us, "The LORD of hosts has sworn: As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand."
And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place. (Acts 17:26)
Before the New York firefighters and police officers ran into the collapsing Twin Towers on the fateful day of 9/11, they thought about it. Their heroic choice to risk their lives to protect others from a burning building was the result of truly stunning thoughts: Their job is to rescue others and put them before themselves. They would not let fear dictate their response.
"The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasures produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45)
Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who was explaining that our characters and beliefs determine the lives we live. Doing one thing on the outside doesn't make up for thinking another on the inside.
And when it comes to matters of faith, we spend the majority of our energy on sin management, completely avoiding the core issues. We'll never experience transformation until we address the thoughts at the root of our problems.
Bad thinking is dangerous. Wrong thinking can keeps us ineffective, wasting time on things that aren't important instead of living the lives God has for us.
Paul wrote in Romans about the distorted thinking common to humans and the consequences it brings. Since our sin nature is rooted in how we think our thoughts continue to be the primary block between us and God.
Jesus spoke about lust being equated with adultery.
Adam and Eve were the best of us: unadulterated humanity, good, pure, and perfect. But the day they ate the fruit that God told them not to eat, all of that changed. With their rebellion, sin entered the world and chaos was unleashed.
If you do not know the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love He demonstrated on the cross by dying for your sins, now is the time to engage with that truth.
God knows our plight. He knows we are hopelessly lost. When Adam and Eve threw away our birth right, He launched a redemption plan. The plan came to fruition approximately two thousand years ago, when God entered humanity and joined us where we were, in all our messiness. Doing all that we could not do, the God-man, Jesus Christ, offered up His perfect life - not only to satisfy our debt sin, but also to trade with us, the lost, so that we might be found and set free. We acknowledge that He is the King and His way is right. We offer open rights in which He can dwell by the power of His Holy Spirit so that we are never alone - not now, not ever.
"The most important thing about us is not what we do, but who and whose we are in Christ."
All He asks is that we stop fighting and let Him do what He does best - be our Savior and King. Paul the apostle wrote, "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God" ((Romans 5:1-2).
By definition, grace is "undeserved favor." Grace isn't earned; rather, it's given out of the goodness of someone else's heart.
Grace even cuts at the heart of the oldest and greatest of sin: pride. The same sin that caused the fall of Lucifer stirs in our souls. Once grace takes hold again, we experience peace.
God is working in us, and we can have faith in that process. But we also need to be aware of the biggest enemy of them all: the Devil.
The Devil is real, and he's a bad guy. He introduced the sin that brought down our world, he's a bully who picks on us every day, and he doesn't fight fair.
Listen to the apostle Peter: "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith" (1 Peter 5:8-9).
Sin takes us from where we should be to where we should not be. Sin ruins our thoughts and poisons our hearts.
Sin is godlessness.
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
Therefore, God will never lead someone to sin; doing so goes against His very nature. He will test believers by putting them through difficult training that will strengthen them and reveal their current conditions (like a refiner's fire).
Satan seeks to harm.
God's intention is always for believers to emerge from a trial better than when they started, either in strength or in knowledge. He promises that every situation will have a way out - an escape hatch that can be utilized through obedience.
As we've seen, the Bible says that Jesus was tempted, yet was without sin. It also says, "In your anger do not sin" (Ephesians 4:26 NIV).
Acting on sin is temptation.
Praise the Lord that He is with us and that the Holy Spirit is helping us navigate all of this!
Nebuchadnezzar made a name for himself as a warrior king. He won the famous battle of Carchemish against the Egyptians the year he was called to throne. He fused his alliance with the Medes by marriage and expanded his territory by military force until he controlled much of the Middle East and all the trade routes across Mesopotamia.
He was so impressive that Saddam Hussein sought to claim his reincarnated personality. Hussein named one of his guard divisions after the ancient king and began rebuilding ancient Babylon in his honor, inscribing on the bricks, "To king Nebuchadnezzar in the reign of Hussein."
This great and powerful king lost his mind.
God leveled Nebuchadnezzar for pride and arrogance, and once that was done, he lifted his hand immediately and miraculously. Nevertheless, his story reminds us that even the might fall sometimes, and no mind is invulnerable.
Everybody remembers Mister Rogers' Neighbor right? But did you know that it aired from 1968 to 2001, produced 895 episodes, and earned four Emmy awards?
There's a reason that a Presbyterian reverend from Pennsylvania received the coveted Peabody Award, the Ralph Lowell Award, more than forty honorary degrees, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
He wanted to use children's imaginations as God intended them - to think through new perspectives.
You and I are precious - and so is every human on earth.
On the day Adam and Eve ate the fruit, they sold their souls to the Enemy.
Jesus Christ needed to come to set us free. We are free to become what He created us to be and not be forced into the mold of our enemies.
Our Master paid for us.
Even if we are free, we still need a Savior. We are still designed for relationship with God as our Father. We are still built for His glory. We are not our own.
We long to worship.
Christianity needs to be a thriving relationship with God filled with the Holy Spirit and all the incredible blessings He has given us. We need to be so filled up that the Holy Spirit forces out evil.
Jesus said that the Holy Spirit gives us "living water."
Paul says that we have been raised with Christ, which means we are a new creation, born again with all the sin of our lives dead and gone.
Transformation always begins in our thoughts.
When Jesus told His listeners to "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:2), He did not simply mean "feel terrible for your wickedness now that I'm here." Repent doesn't only mean to turn away but to change one's mind and start agreeing with God.
Jesus Christ is the One who can set us free, not just when we get to heaven, but increasingly so right here on earth.
God will hold us accountable for how we manage our minds and handle our hearts.
One of the precious tools God has provided is supernatural protection for His children. The apostle Paul called it the armor of God in Ephesians 6:11-18.
Lance Hahn is the senior pastor of Bridgeway Christian Church in Rocklin, California. His first book, How to live in fear mastering the Art of Freaking Out, Chronicles his personal struggles with panic disorders and offers tools for thriving through fear. A popular speaker who enjoys writing, Lance is a husband to Suzi and father to two daughters.
In fact, the Master has a whole different list of attributes in mind for us: hope, strength, beauty, joy, love, creativity, freedom, power, peace, patience, goodness, laughter, organization, effectiveness, and purpose.
Between the flesh, the world, and the Devil, we don't know what to think, and, therefore, our lives are filled with hurt, pain, and regret.
Jesus died to save us from our sins and set us free. He made a way for our souls to be rescued from our enemies.
It's time to return to the Master's Mind.
In approximately AD 31, Jesus Christ of Nazareth was asked the seemingly impossible question: "What is the greatest commandment of God?" Jesus simply replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength."
If we can master our minds and bring our thoughts into alignment with the Lord's will and perspective, the rest of our lives will follow suit.
Praise the Lord that He has told us who He is, who we are in the light of Him, and what we have been placed on this earth to do.
God does the rescuing and the saving. Our job is to steward what He has given us.
What we think determines our action. Martin Luther King Jr. determined that he would not rest until all people were viewed as God intended - equal. Mother Teresa determined that the poor would not be forgotten. Our Lord Jesus Christ walked His entire life on earth with a focus on completely obeying His heavenly Father, including the determination to end up on the cross to save us from our sins, as we see in this passage from Luke: "When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51).
The Bible tells us of an ancient high-ranking official who made a personal choice that would dictate the rest of his life and effectiveness. His name was Naaman, and he was a Syrian army commander who had leprosy, a terrible skin disease. Knowing that he was desperate for healing, his little servant girl told him of a prophet in Israel who could heal him by God's power. Figuring that it was worth a shot, Naaman went to see the prophet Elisha. Elisha sent a messenger to tell Naaman that he would be healed if he washed seven times in the Jordan River.
Naaman was furious. He believed that the prophet was simply going to "call upon the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure" him (2 Kings 5:11). When things didn't go the way he thought they should, he stormed off in a rage.
His attendant hurried after him and convinced him to reconsider. Sure, washing seven times was unorthodox, but what if it could heal him?
He relented - and came out healed from leprosy.
Naaman's false assumptions, ignorant thoughts, and prideful heart almost cost him his healing. What are we believing today that is keeping us from God's best?
It's true of God: Isaiah 14:24 tells us, "The LORD of hosts has sworn: As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand."
And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place. (Acts 17:26)
Before the New York firefighters and police officers ran into the collapsing Twin Towers on the fateful day of 9/11, they thought about it. Their heroic choice to risk their lives to protect others from a burning building was the result of truly stunning thoughts: Their job is to rescue others and put them before themselves. They would not let fear dictate their response.
"The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasures produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45)
Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who was explaining that our characters and beliefs determine the lives we live. Doing one thing on the outside doesn't make up for thinking another on the inside.
And when it comes to matters of faith, we spend the majority of our energy on sin management, completely avoiding the core issues. We'll never experience transformation until we address the thoughts at the root of our problems.
Bad thinking is dangerous. Wrong thinking can keeps us ineffective, wasting time on things that aren't important instead of living the lives God has for us.
Paul wrote in Romans about the distorted thinking common to humans and the consequences it brings. Since our sin nature is rooted in how we think our thoughts continue to be the primary block between us and God.
Jesus spoke about lust being equated with adultery.
Adam and Eve were the best of us: unadulterated humanity, good, pure, and perfect. But the day they ate the fruit that God told them not to eat, all of that changed. With their rebellion, sin entered the world and chaos was unleashed.
If you do not know the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love He demonstrated on the cross by dying for your sins, now is the time to engage with that truth.
God knows our plight. He knows we are hopelessly lost. When Adam and Eve threw away our birth right, He launched a redemption plan. The plan came to fruition approximately two thousand years ago, when God entered humanity and joined us where we were, in all our messiness. Doing all that we could not do, the God-man, Jesus Christ, offered up His perfect life - not only to satisfy our debt sin, but also to trade with us, the lost, so that we might be found and set free. We acknowledge that He is the King and His way is right. We offer open rights in which He can dwell by the power of His Holy Spirit so that we are never alone - not now, not ever.
"The most important thing about us is not what we do, but who and whose we are in Christ."
All He asks is that we stop fighting and let Him do what He does best - be our Savior and King. Paul the apostle wrote, "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God" ((Romans 5:1-2).
By definition, grace is "undeserved favor." Grace isn't earned; rather, it's given out of the goodness of someone else's heart.
Grace even cuts at the heart of the oldest and greatest of sin: pride. The same sin that caused the fall of Lucifer stirs in our souls. Once grace takes hold again, we experience peace.
God is working in us, and we can have faith in that process. But we also need to be aware of the biggest enemy of them all: the Devil.
The Devil is real, and he's a bad guy. He introduced the sin that brought down our world, he's a bully who picks on us every day, and he doesn't fight fair.
Listen to the apostle Peter: "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith" (1 Peter 5:8-9).
Sin takes us from where we should be to where we should not be. Sin ruins our thoughts and poisons our hearts.
Sin is godlessness.
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
Therefore, God will never lead someone to sin; doing so goes against His very nature. He will test believers by putting them through difficult training that will strengthen them and reveal their current conditions (like a refiner's fire).
Satan seeks to harm.
God's intention is always for believers to emerge from a trial better than when they started, either in strength or in knowledge. He promises that every situation will have a way out - an escape hatch that can be utilized through obedience.
As we've seen, the Bible says that Jesus was tempted, yet was without sin. It also says, "In your anger do not sin" (Ephesians 4:26 NIV).
Acting on sin is temptation.
Praise the Lord that He is with us and that the Holy Spirit is helping us navigate all of this!
Nebuchadnezzar made a name for himself as a warrior king. He won the famous battle of Carchemish against the Egyptians the year he was called to throne. He fused his alliance with the Medes by marriage and expanded his territory by military force until he controlled much of the Middle East and all the trade routes across Mesopotamia.
He was so impressive that Saddam Hussein sought to claim his reincarnated personality. Hussein named one of his guard divisions after the ancient king and began rebuilding ancient Babylon in his honor, inscribing on the bricks, "To king Nebuchadnezzar in the reign of Hussein."
This great and powerful king lost his mind.
God leveled Nebuchadnezzar for pride and arrogance, and once that was done, he lifted his hand immediately and miraculously. Nevertheless, his story reminds us that even the might fall sometimes, and no mind is invulnerable.
Everybody remembers Mister Rogers' Neighbor right? But did you know that it aired from 1968 to 2001, produced 895 episodes, and earned four Emmy awards?
There's a reason that a Presbyterian reverend from Pennsylvania received the coveted Peabody Award, the Ralph Lowell Award, more than forty honorary degrees, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
He wanted to use children's imaginations as God intended them - to think through new perspectives.
You and I are precious - and so is every human on earth.
On the day Adam and Eve ate the fruit, they sold their souls to the Enemy.
Jesus Christ needed to come to set us free. We are free to become what He created us to be and not be forced into the mold of our enemies.
Our Master paid for us.
Even if we are free, we still need a Savior. We are still designed for relationship with God as our Father. We are still built for His glory. We are not our own.
We long to worship.
Christianity needs to be a thriving relationship with God filled with the Holy Spirit and all the incredible blessings He has given us. We need to be so filled up that the Holy Spirit forces out evil.
Jesus said that the Holy Spirit gives us "living water."
Paul says that we have been raised with Christ, which means we are a new creation, born again with all the sin of our lives dead and gone.
Transformation always begins in our thoughts.
When Jesus told His listeners to "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:2), He did not simply mean "feel terrible for your wickedness now that I'm here." Repent doesn't only mean to turn away but to change one's mind and start agreeing with God.
Jesus Christ is the One who can set us free, not just when we get to heaven, but increasingly so right here on earth.
God will hold us accountable for how we manage our minds and handle our hearts.
One of the precious tools God has provided is supernatural protection for His children. The apostle Paul called it the armor of God in Ephesians 6:11-18.
Lance Hahn is the senior pastor of Bridgeway Christian Church in Rocklin, California. His first book, How to live in fear mastering the Art of Freaking Out, Chronicles his personal struggles with panic disorders and offers tools for thriving through fear. A popular speaker who enjoys writing, Lance is a husband to Suzi and father to two daughters.
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Sunday - Samson's Call - Judges 13:1-7, 24-25 - 6/25/17
The Philistines lived on the west side of Canaan, along the Mediterranean seacoast. From Samson's day until the time of David they were the major enemy force in the land & a constant threat to Israel. The Philistines were fierce warriors; they had the advantage over Israel in numbers, tactical expertise, & technology. They knew the secret of making weapons out of iron. But none of that mattered when God was fighting for Israel.
Once again the cycle of sin, judgment, & repentance began. The Israelites would not turn to God unless they had been stunned by suffering, oppression, & death. This suffered was not caused by God, but resulted from the fact that the people ignored God, their Judge & Ruler. The warnings in God's Word are clear; if we continue to harden our hearts against God, we can expect the same fate as Israel.
The angel of the Lord could have been a special divine messenger sent from God or a pre-incarnation appearance of Jesus Christ. The reason for the angel's visit was to give Samson's parents the vital news that Samson would begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.
Samson was to be a Nazarite - a person who took a vow to be set apart for God's service. Samson's parents made the vow for him. A Nazarite vow was sometimes for him. A Nazarite vow was sometimes temporary, but in Samson's case, it was for life. As a Nazarite, Samson could not cut his hair, touch a dead body, or drink anything containing alcohol.
Although Samson often used poor judgment & sinned terribly, he accomplished much when he determined to be set apart for God. In this way he was like the nation Israel. As long as the Israelites remained set apart for God, the nation thrived. But they into terrible sin when they ignored God.
Manoah's wife was told that her son would begin to rescue the Israelites from Philistine oppression. It wasn't until David's day that the Philistine opposition was completely crushed. Samson's part in subduing the Philistines was just the beginning, but it was important nonetheless. It was the task God had given Samson to do. Be faithful in following God even if you don't see instant results, because you might be beginning an important job that others will finish.
Samson's tribe, Dan, continued to wander in their inherited land, which was yet unconquered. Samson must have grown up with his warlike tribe's yearnings for a permanent & settled territory. Thus his visits to the tribal army camp stirred his heart, & God's Spirit began preparing him for his role as judge & leader against the Philistines.
God uses a variety of means to develop & prepare us: hereditary traits, environmental influences, & personal experiences. As with Samson, this preparation often begins long before adulthood. Work at being sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading & the tasks God has prepared for you. Your past may be more useful to you than you imagine.
Samson's Ventures: He grew up in Zorah & wanted to marry a Philistine girl from Timnah (Timnath). Tricked at his own wedding feast, he went to Ashkelon & killed some Philistine men & stole their coats to pay off a bet. Samson then let himself be captured & brought to Lehi where he snapped his ropes & killed 1,000 people.
Reference summary used from Life Application Bible, KJV, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL
Once again the cycle of sin, judgment, & repentance began. The Israelites would not turn to God unless they had been stunned by suffering, oppression, & death. This suffered was not caused by God, but resulted from the fact that the people ignored God, their Judge & Ruler. The warnings in God's Word are clear; if we continue to harden our hearts against God, we can expect the same fate as Israel.
The angel of the Lord could have been a special divine messenger sent from God or a pre-incarnation appearance of Jesus Christ. The reason for the angel's visit was to give Samson's parents the vital news that Samson would begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.
Samson was to be a Nazarite - a person who took a vow to be set apart for God's service. Samson's parents made the vow for him. A Nazarite vow was sometimes for him. A Nazarite vow was sometimes temporary, but in Samson's case, it was for life. As a Nazarite, Samson could not cut his hair, touch a dead body, or drink anything containing alcohol.
Although Samson often used poor judgment & sinned terribly, he accomplished much when he determined to be set apart for God. In this way he was like the nation Israel. As long as the Israelites remained set apart for God, the nation thrived. But they into terrible sin when they ignored God.
Manoah's wife was told that her son would begin to rescue the Israelites from Philistine oppression. It wasn't until David's day that the Philistine opposition was completely crushed. Samson's part in subduing the Philistines was just the beginning, but it was important nonetheless. It was the task God had given Samson to do. Be faithful in following God even if you don't see instant results, because you might be beginning an important job that others will finish.
Samson's tribe, Dan, continued to wander in their inherited land, which was yet unconquered. Samson must have grown up with his warlike tribe's yearnings for a permanent & settled territory. Thus his visits to the tribal army camp stirred his heart, & God's Spirit began preparing him for his role as judge & leader against the Philistines.
God uses a variety of means to develop & prepare us: hereditary traits, environmental influences, & personal experiences. As with Samson, this preparation often begins long before adulthood. Work at being sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading & the tasks God has prepared for you. Your past may be more useful to you than you imagine.
Samson's Ventures: He grew up in Zorah & wanted to marry a Philistine girl from Timnah (Timnath). Tricked at his own wedding feast, he went to Ashkelon & killed some Philistine men & stole their coats to pay off a bet. Samson then let himself be captured & brought to Lehi where he snapped his ropes & killed 1,000 people.
Reference summary used from Life Application Bible, KJV, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL
Thursday, June 15, 2017
4 of ... The Heart: The Key to Everything in the Christian Life - Book Review
The Second Soil of the Heart: Rocks, Scorching & Withering.
Let's examine the second soil of the heart & what happens when the seed of the Word of God is sown into it.
As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word & immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, & when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. (Matthew 13:20-21, ESV)
On the surface, this second soil of the heart looks like good, fertile ground for the Word of God. The seed has a sudden, brief growth spurt, but its young root can never develop & become strong. Once it hits the rock, the root soon withers away causing the tiny plant that has emerged from the soil to die. The second soil of the heart is the great enemy to the growth of the Word of God.
Never forget how important it is for the seed of the Word of God to take root deeply in our hearts so it can produce fruit. The seed of the Word of God contains everything that God is: His love, righteousness, grace, salvation, goodness, holiness, faithfulness, peace & joy just to name a few. Faith comes by hearing this magnificent seed of the Word of God & allowing it to grow & become engrafted into the very fiber of the heart.
Importance of a Strong Root System. For the seed of the Word of God to prosper & grow into a strong, healthy tree, it must have a deep root system. The root system allows the heart to be anchored to the character of God.
2 Kings 19:30 declares that we must take root downward, so that we can bear fruit upward! Proverbs 12:12 declares that the root of the righteous yields fruit, & shall not be moved, because it is anchored in the Word of God.
It is imperative as Christians that we cultivate a deep root system of the Word of God in our hearts. The truth in Psalm 1 is vital to maintain a healthy spiritual heart.
The word "blessed" describes the condition of our heart should be in daily & it is linked to what it is rooted in. The Hebrew word "blessed" conveys the idea of happiness that flows from a sense of well-being & righteous. Bad company will corrupt the heart & destroy its root system. Our delight, desire, & longing must be to know God & His Word as the great treasure of our heart.
Do we delight in the pure words of Scripture more than the words from television, radio, Internet & chatter of the trival that relentlessly bombards our lives daily?
When we delight in the Word of God & mediate upon it daily, the spiritual root system of our heart is strong in God.
Jesus Christ is the true vine & we are to abide in Him if we are to be branches that bear much spiritual fruit.
And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, & let your lives be built on him.
Let's examine tribulation & persecution in more depth & see how they have such a dramatic effect on the heart.
Tribulation: The Forceful Squeezing of the Heart. The Greek word for "tribulation" is thlipsis which means to press, squeeze, compress, & crush. It was used to describe the squeezing of olives in a press to extract oil & the squeezing of grapes to produce juice.
The Lesson of Joseph. Thlipsis is the word to describe what Joseph went through before He was made governor in Egypt.
The world specializes in thlipsis.
Jesus Christ: Our Example in Times of Thlipsis. Thlipsis is nothing to Jesus Christ. He endured the worst thlipsis ever known to mankind in the ordeal of the crucifixion. His sweat was like great drops of blood in the Garden of Gethsemane in intense prayer to his Heavenly Father. He was about to go through forty hours of beatings, mocking, torture, physical disfigurement, & unbearable pain. He endured this brutal physical punishment to pay the price for our sin & crush the power of the kingdom of darkness, ushering us as citizens into his kingdom.
Only in Jesus Christ can we be victorious over thlipsis. Only in Jesus Christ can we endure & overcome the blistering heat of the kosmos, the entire system that the Devil has set up as the Prince of the Power of the Air.
Only in Jesus Christ can we withstand this pressure & emerge over every burden & weight thrown at our heart.
Thlipsis & the Birth of Extraordinary. God always births something extraordinary in the heart when we come through a season of thlipsis still firmly rooted in Christ & the Word of God.
God uses the word "thlipsis" to describe the anguish the female body endures in labor. The woman is pregnant with something extraordinary & amazing with a wonderful, beautiful baby forming in her womb.
Likewise our heart is pregnant with the extraordinary plans, purposes & works of God Almighty, but it is only when we come through the labor pains of thlipsis that the heart gives birth to something extraordinary. How tragic that we never give birth to God's amazing plans & purposes for our life because under the crushing pressure of thlipsis we have a miscarriage.
Jesus Christ endured the intense thlipsis of the crucifixion & bearing the sin of the human race, but now he is seated at the right hand of God having obtained eternal redemption for all those who believe.
Look what was birthed out of the heart of Joseph when he passed the thlipsis test. What an extraordinary thing God birthed in the heart of Joseph to go from a slave, condemned in prison, to a ruler of a mighty kingdom.
God birthed an extraordinary calling & work in the heart of David as he became the greatest king in the history of Israel & a man after God's own heart.
The Apostle Paul was deeply rooted in Christ & the Word of God & endured great thlipsis during his journeys to spread the gospel. He suffered beatings, stoning, false accusations, imprisonment, shipwreck, hunger, weariness, riots & persecution. His ministry turned the world upside down, & he shook the gates of hell with the truth of the gospel.
Jesus Christ: The Focal Point of all Persecution. Persecution arises out of the violent clashing between two spiritual kingdoms. The Word of God is the mighty weapon of one kingdom. The heart is at the center of this fierce battle. The Book of Revelation speaks of this. (Revelation 12:4b-5,7,9,12b,17)
Jesus Christ is the focal point of all persecution because He is God's plan for redemption. He is the Savior, the Great Shepherd, the second Adam, the Alpha & Omega, the light of the world, the bread of life, the way, the truth, the life, & the door to God's kingdom. He restored everything that Adam & Eve had lost in the Garden of Eden & conquered sin & death.
The Greek word for "hatred" in John & Luke means to pursue with hatred, to detest, to have extreme hostility towards, & to abhor.
Surprising Source of Most Persecution. The Devil is very subtle as persecution often arises from our inner circle: our churches, fellow-christians, family, friends, co-workers, teachers, professors, neighbors, & community.
The devil loves religion because it has nothing to do with the true God & is an easy facade to hide his deceptions. Look at our Savior as the constant persecution to his ministry was from the Pharisees, Sadducees, chief priests & scribes, who were the religious elite of his day. The great religious men & their corrupt system crucified their Messiah.
Persecution also comes from the inner circle of our family, friends, & close associates whom the Devil craftily influences to shake our faith in God & His Word.
When Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem near the time of his crucifixion, great multitudes of apparent followers & disciples cried out "Hosanna (save us please) to the son of David, blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord even the King of Israel! Hosanna in the highest!" This whole multitude rejoiced & praised God with a loud voice. Many of these people had been with Jesus when he called Lazarus out from the grave & had heard about this great miracle. The entire city of Jerusalem was moved & the multitude declared "This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee!"
The Greek word for "seize" means to take hold of forcibly, to take into custody & arrest, to continually hold back, to hinder & restrain, to prevail & rule over, & to take into one's possession.
Jesus Christ: The Prince of Peace. Without Jesus no person on earth can ever have true peace.
In Hebrew, the word for peace, shalom, means wholeness, completeness & soundness. It is an inward & outward tranquility, a quiet assurance, & a complete well-being where nothing is lacking or broken. Peace is the highest measure of contentment, joyfulness, happiness, & satisfaction in life.
God is the source of all peace, & we have peace because of our relationship with Him. His peace is our peace. Peace can not live in a heart of unbelief.
The author, Tim Rowe has a doctorate of jurisprudence & a bachelor's degree in biblical studies, history & classics. He is president of Goodness of God's Ministries & lives in Indianapolis with his wife & son.
Let's examine the second soil of the heart & what happens when the seed of the Word of God is sown into it.
As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word & immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, & when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. (Matthew 13:20-21, ESV)
On the surface, this second soil of the heart looks like good, fertile ground for the Word of God. The seed has a sudden, brief growth spurt, but its young root can never develop & become strong. Once it hits the rock, the root soon withers away causing the tiny plant that has emerged from the soil to die. The second soil of the heart is the great enemy to the growth of the Word of God.
Never forget how important it is for the seed of the Word of God to take root deeply in our hearts so it can produce fruit. The seed of the Word of God contains everything that God is: His love, righteousness, grace, salvation, goodness, holiness, faithfulness, peace & joy just to name a few. Faith comes by hearing this magnificent seed of the Word of God & allowing it to grow & become engrafted into the very fiber of the heart.
Importance of a Strong Root System. For the seed of the Word of God to prosper & grow into a strong, healthy tree, it must have a deep root system. The root system allows the heart to be anchored to the character of God.
2 Kings 19:30 declares that we must take root downward, so that we can bear fruit upward! Proverbs 12:12 declares that the root of the righteous yields fruit, & shall not be moved, because it is anchored in the Word of God.
It is imperative as Christians that we cultivate a deep root system of the Word of God in our hearts. The truth in Psalm 1 is vital to maintain a healthy spiritual heart.
The word "blessed" describes the condition of our heart should be in daily & it is linked to what it is rooted in. The Hebrew word "blessed" conveys the idea of happiness that flows from a sense of well-being & righteous. Bad company will corrupt the heart & destroy its root system. Our delight, desire, & longing must be to know God & His Word as the great treasure of our heart.
Do we delight in the pure words of Scripture more than the words from television, radio, Internet & chatter of the trival that relentlessly bombards our lives daily?
When we delight in the Word of God & mediate upon it daily, the spiritual root system of our heart is strong in God.
Jesus Christ is the true vine & we are to abide in Him if we are to be branches that bear much spiritual fruit.
And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, & let your lives be built on him.
Let's examine tribulation & persecution in more depth & see how they have such a dramatic effect on the heart.
Tribulation: The Forceful Squeezing of the Heart. The Greek word for "tribulation" is thlipsis which means to press, squeeze, compress, & crush. It was used to describe the squeezing of olives in a press to extract oil & the squeezing of grapes to produce juice.
The Lesson of Joseph. Thlipsis is the word to describe what Joseph went through before He was made governor in Egypt.
The world specializes in thlipsis.
Jesus Christ: Our Example in Times of Thlipsis. Thlipsis is nothing to Jesus Christ. He endured the worst thlipsis ever known to mankind in the ordeal of the crucifixion. His sweat was like great drops of blood in the Garden of Gethsemane in intense prayer to his Heavenly Father. He was about to go through forty hours of beatings, mocking, torture, physical disfigurement, & unbearable pain. He endured this brutal physical punishment to pay the price for our sin & crush the power of the kingdom of darkness, ushering us as citizens into his kingdom.
Only in Jesus Christ can we be victorious over thlipsis. Only in Jesus Christ can we endure & overcome the blistering heat of the kosmos, the entire system that the Devil has set up as the Prince of the Power of the Air.
Only in Jesus Christ can we withstand this pressure & emerge over every burden & weight thrown at our heart.
Thlipsis & the Birth of Extraordinary. God always births something extraordinary in the heart when we come through a season of thlipsis still firmly rooted in Christ & the Word of God.
God uses the word "thlipsis" to describe the anguish the female body endures in labor. The woman is pregnant with something extraordinary & amazing with a wonderful, beautiful baby forming in her womb.
Likewise our heart is pregnant with the extraordinary plans, purposes & works of God Almighty, but it is only when we come through the labor pains of thlipsis that the heart gives birth to something extraordinary. How tragic that we never give birth to God's amazing plans & purposes for our life because under the crushing pressure of thlipsis we have a miscarriage.
Jesus Christ endured the intense thlipsis of the crucifixion & bearing the sin of the human race, but now he is seated at the right hand of God having obtained eternal redemption for all those who believe.
Look what was birthed out of the heart of Joseph when he passed the thlipsis test. What an extraordinary thing God birthed in the heart of Joseph to go from a slave, condemned in prison, to a ruler of a mighty kingdom.
God birthed an extraordinary calling & work in the heart of David as he became the greatest king in the history of Israel & a man after God's own heart.
The Apostle Paul was deeply rooted in Christ & the Word of God & endured great thlipsis during his journeys to spread the gospel. He suffered beatings, stoning, false accusations, imprisonment, shipwreck, hunger, weariness, riots & persecution. His ministry turned the world upside down, & he shook the gates of hell with the truth of the gospel.
Jesus Christ: The Focal Point of all Persecution. Persecution arises out of the violent clashing between two spiritual kingdoms. The Word of God is the mighty weapon of one kingdom. The heart is at the center of this fierce battle. The Book of Revelation speaks of this. (Revelation 12:4b-5,7,9,12b,17)
Jesus Christ is the focal point of all persecution because He is God's plan for redemption. He is the Savior, the Great Shepherd, the second Adam, the Alpha & Omega, the light of the world, the bread of life, the way, the truth, the life, & the door to God's kingdom. He restored everything that Adam & Eve had lost in the Garden of Eden & conquered sin & death.
The Greek word for "hatred" in John & Luke means to pursue with hatred, to detest, to have extreme hostility towards, & to abhor.
Surprising Source of Most Persecution. The Devil is very subtle as persecution often arises from our inner circle: our churches, fellow-christians, family, friends, co-workers, teachers, professors, neighbors, & community.
The devil loves religion because it has nothing to do with the true God & is an easy facade to hide his deceptions. Look at our Savior as the constant persecution to his ministry was from the Pharisees, Sadducees, chief priests & scribes, who were the religious elite of his day. The great religious men & their corrupt system crucified their Messiah.
Persecution also comes from the inner circle of our family, friends, & close associates whom the Devil craftily influences to shake our faith in God & His Word.
When Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem near the time of his crucifixion, great multitudes of apparent followers & disciples cried out "Hosanna (save us please) to the son of David, blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord even the King of Israel! Hosanna in the highest!" This whole multitude rejoiced & praised God with a loud voice. Many of these people had been with Jesus when he called Lazarus out from the grave & had heard about this great miracle. The entire city of Jerusalem was moved & the multitude declared "This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee!"
The Greek word for "seize" means to take hold of forcibly, to take into custody & arrest, to continually hold back, to hinder & restrain, to prevail & rule over, & to take into one's possession.
Jesus Christ: The Prince of Peace. Without Jesus no person on earth can ever have true peace.
In Hebrew, the word for peace, shalom, means wholeness, completeness & soundness. It is an inward & outward tranquility, a quiet assurance, & a complete well-being where nothing is lacking or broken. Peace is the highest measure of contentment, joyfulness, happiness, & satisfaction in life.
God is the source of all peace, & we have peace because of our relationship with Him. His peace is our peace. Peace can not live in a heart of unbelief.
The author, Tim Rowe has a doctorate of jurisprudence & a bachelor's degree in biblical studies, history & classics. He is president of Goodness of God's Ministries & lives in Indianapolis with his wife & son.
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
3 of - The Heart: The Key to Everything in the Christian Life - Book Review
The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, & he saw that everything they sought or imagined was consistently & totally evil. So the Lord was sorry he had made them & put them on the earth. It broke his heart. (Genesis 6:5-6, NLT)
In Genesis 6, people's thought life had so corrupted their hearts that it reached a point of no return.
The Devil is a master general at attacking the thought life of a Christian. His war strategy involves tactics of deception, pressure, & enticement to turn our thinking away from God & toward his kingdom.
The Devil knows that in order for a person to do evil, he must first think evil.
Within ten generations he was so successful that only one person on the entire earth had godly thoughts. The population of the earth at the time of the flood was between 235 million & 7 billion people.
They were wise, rich, sophisticated, & cultured for their time, but the defining characteristic of their age was wickedness because of their thinking.
Only Noah was thinking rightly & found favor with God. Noah's thought life was pure & free from evil because he walked with God.
And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, & He was grieved in His heart. (Genesis 6:6, NKJV)
As Christians our thought life should honor God first & foremost. The Greek word translated "honor" in Romans 1:21 means to make glorious, to adorn with splendor, to make excellent, & to cause the worth of something to be made known.
Do your thoughts glorify God daily? We must never give the glory of our thoughts to another.
Before Noah, Enoch also walked with God for hundreds of years.
In the Hebrew, "to walk" is to form habit patterns that determine your way of life.
We must walk with God for life to have true meaning. A thought life without God is ultimately an exercise in foolishness, & it always lead to dangerous consequences for the heart.
Toxic thoughts are like a spiritual cancer to the heart.
Toxic thoughts are like poison, but the good news is you can break the cycle of toxic thinking.
Toxic thoughts are thoughts that trigger negative & anxious emotions, which produce biochemicals that cause the body stress.
God sets the standard high for our thought life in the book of Philippians.
Selfishness did not exist in thought life of Jesus.
We cannot serve God if we are not humble. We cannot obey God if we are not humble. We cannot love God if we are not humble.
Pride is lethal because it lifts up the heart against God.
Jesus Christ did not have one ounce of fear in his thinking. During a great Storm on the Sea of Galilee, waves pounded on the tiny boat He was in, & it was filling with water. Jesus was sleeping soundly when He was frantically awakened by His disciples. He rebuked the wind, crying out, "Peace be still" (Mark 4:39), & reproved His disciples for their lack of faith.
Jesus had great compassion for people who were hurting & suffering from physical & spiritual ailments.
Jesus never had a thought of unforgiveness or bitterness. He demonstrated great mercy & forgiveness in his thinking, no matter what the circumstance or offense.
God commands us to think from a heavenly perspective, with eternity stamped on our thoughts, & no longer allow the temporal things of this earth to control our thought life.
Carelessness in our thought life, by allowing the sin natural to control it, is dangerously destructive to our walk with God.
Train yourself for godliness. (I Timothy 4:7, NIV)
I have fought the good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith. (II Timothy 4:7 KJV)
So run to win!
Only God's mighty weapons have any chance of tearing down every brick of the strongholds that captivate our hearts.
The Greek word translated "stronghold" means fortress, castle, or prison.
Do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:27 NIV)
Leave no such room or foothold for the devil (give no opportunity to him.) (AMP)
In the battle of Jericho God sets forth the pattern of how we should approach the tearing down of every stronghold in our minds & hearts.
The second thing we must do to tear down any stronghold is to consecrate ourselves. The Hebrew word translated "consecrate" is qadash, which means to be set apart, sanctified, holy, & pure, & is used to describe what is set aside for God's purpose.
Salvation is now available through Jesus Christ.
The Battle is Not Yours but God's. Believe in your awesome God. No stronghold can stand against the Almighty God!
The Ark of the Covenant: The Power of God's Word & Presence. The sixth truth is, just as the Ark of the Covenant was marched around the walls of Jericho for seven days, we can take the Word of God & march it around every stronghold, confessing its truth & claiming its power.
The seventh truth is to have faith in God & His Word. Faith is an unwavering trust & confidence in our God that he will never fail us.
The last truth in the Battle of Jericho is that we must wait on the Lord. God did not move to demolish the walls of Jericho until the seventh day.
God does not need an advisor. God does not need a counselor.
Leading Every Thought Captive to Obey Christ. The last & great truth of how to tear down strongholds in our hearts is in 2 Corinthians 10:5.
The first thought pattern is false reasoning.
It is never wise to try to out think God Almighty!
The Lesson of Lazarus. We must take off our grave clothes when it comes to our thought life.
Jesus first calls Lazarus by name. Jesus is calling you.
The Parable of the Sower & the Seed: The Four Conditions of the Heart.
This parable is an illustration of how to build the kingdom of God in our hearts & produce an abundant harvest of fruit to the glory of God.
The most important time of a man or woman's life is when the Word of God is sown into their heart.
Listen & Behold.
The sower does not sow Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Secular humanism, modernism or spiritualism. The sower sows the God-breathed Word that proceeds directly from the mouth of God Almighty.
The Devil is the supreme enemy of the heart & he is sowing his tares in every community, city, & nation.
This seed is producing hearts that hate truth & love darkness.
In this first soil of the heart, the seed of Word of God is sown, but it has no chance to grow because the Devil comes immediately & snatches away the seed.
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil.
Judas was in the inner circle with Jesus Christ, one of his original twelve disciples , who followed Jesus. Yet Satan entered into his heart at the last supper & he went out into the night to betray Jesus.
There are only two spiritual fathers that can give birth to their image in our hearts: God or the Devil.
Now let us think about spiritual arteriosclerosis for a moment. This is a gradual day-by-day process where our spiritual arteries become hardened by sin, poneros evil & unbelief.
The author, Tim Rowe has a doctorate of jurisprudence & a bachelor's degree in biblical studies, history, & classics. He is the president of Goodness of God Ministries & lives in Indianapolis with his wife & son.
In Genesis 6, people's thought life had so corrupted their hearts that it reached a point of no return.
The Devil is a master general at attacking the thought life of a Christian. His war strategy involves tactics of deception, pressure, & enticement to turn our thinking away from God & toward his kingdom.
The Devil knows that in order for a person to do evil, he must first think evil.
Within ten generations he was so successful that only one person on the entire earth had godly thoughts. The population of the earth at the time of the flood was between 235 million & 7 billion people.
They were wise, rich, sophisticated, & cultured for their time, but the defining characteristic of their age was wickedness because of their thinking.
Only Noah was thinking rightly & found favor with God. Noah's thought life was pure & free from evil because he walked with God.
And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, & He was grieved in His heart. (Genesis 6:6, NKJV)
As Christians our thought life should honor God first & foremost. The Greek word translated "honor" in Romans 1:21 means to make glorious, to adorn with splendor, to make excellent, & to cause the worth of something to be made known.
Do your thoughts glorify God daily? We must never give the glory of our thoughts to another.
Before Noah, Enoch also walked with God for hundreds of years.
In the Hebrew, "to walk" is to form habit patterns that determine your way of life.
We must walk with God for life to have true meaning. A thought life without God is ultimately an exercise in foolishness, & it always lead to dangerous consequences for the heart.
Toxic thoughts are like a spiritual cancer to the heart.
Toxic thoughts are like poison, but the good news is you can break the cycle of toxic thinking.
Toxic thoughts are thoughts that trigger negative & anxious emotions, which produce biochemicals that cause the body stress.
God sets the standard high for our thought life in the book of Philippians.
Selfishness did not exist in thought life of Jesus.
We cannot serve God if we are not humble. We cannot obey God if we are not humble. We cannot love God if we are not humble.
Pride is lethal because it lifts up the heart against God.
Jesus Christ did not have one ounce of fear in his thinking. During a great Storm on the Sea of Galilee, waves pounded on the tiny boat He was in, & it was filling with water. Jesus was sleeping soundly when He was frantically awakened by His disciples. He rebuked the wind, crying out, "Peace be still" (Mark 4:39), & reproved His disciples for their lack of faith.
Jesus had great compassion for people who were hurting & suffering from physical & spiritual ailments.
Jesus never had a thought of unforgiveness or bitterness. He demonstrated great mercy & forgiveness in his thinking, no matter what the circumstance or offense.
God commands us to think from a heavenly perspective, with eternity stamped on our thoughts, & no longer allow the temporal things of this earth to control our thought life.
Carelessness in our thought life, by allowing the sin natural to control it, is dangerously destructive to our walk with God.
Train yourself for godliness. (I Timothy 4:7, NIV)
I have fought the good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith. (II Timothy 4:7 KJV)
So run to win!
Only God's mighty weapons have any chance of tearing down every brick of the strongholds that captivate our hearts.
The Greek word translated "stronghold" means fortress, castle, or prison.
Do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:27 NIV)
Leave no such room or foothold for the devil (give no opportunity to him.) (AMP)
In the battle of Jericho God sets forth the pattern of how we should approach the tearing down of every stronghold in our minds & hearts.
The second thing we must do to tear down any stronghold is to consecrate ourselves. The Hebrew word translated "consecrate" is qadash, which means to be set apart, sanctified, holy, & pure, & is used to describe what is set aside for God's purpose.
Salvation is now available through Jesus Christ.
The Battle is Not Yours but God's. Believe in your awesome God. No stronghold can stand against the Almighty God!
The Ark of the Covenant: The Power of God's Word & Presence. The sixth truth is, just as the Ark of the Covenant was marched around the walls of Jericho for seven days, we can take the Word of God & march it around every stronghold, confessing its truth & claiming its power.
The seventh truth is to have faith in God & His Word. Faith is an unwavering trust & confidence in our God that he will never fail us.
The last truth in the Battle of Jericho is that we must wait on the Lord. God did not move to demolish the walls of Jericho until the seventh day.
God does not need an advisor. God does not need a counselor.
Leading Every Thought Captive to Obey Christ. The last & great truth of how to tear down strongholds in our hearts is in 2 Corinthians 10:5.
The first thought pattern is false reasoning.
It is never wise to try to out think God Almighty!
The Lesson of Lazarus. We must take off our grave clothes when it comes to our thought life.
Jesus first calls Lazarus by name. Jesus is calling you.
The Parable of the Sower & the Seed: The Four Conditions of the Heart.
This parable is an illustration of how to build the kingdom of God in our hearts & produce an abundant harvest of fruit to the glory of God.
The most important time of a man or woman's life is when the Word of God is sown into their heart.
Listen & Behold.
The sower does not sow Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Secular humanism, modernism or spiritualism. The sower sows the God-breathed Word that proceeds directly from the mouth of God Almighty.
The Devil is the supreme enemy of the heart & he is sowing his tares in every community, city, & nation.
This seed is producing hearts that hate truth & love darkness.
In this first soil of the heart, the seed of Word of God is sown, but it has no chance to grow because the Devil comes immediately & snatches away the seed.
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil.
Judas was in the inner circle with Jesus Christ, one of his original twelve disciples , who followed Jesus. Yet Satan entered into his heart at the last supper & he went out into the night to betray Jesus.
There are only two spiritual fathers that can give birth to their image in our hearts: God or the Devil.
Now let us think about spiritual arteriosclerosis for a moment. This is a gradual day-by-day process where our spiritual arteries become hardened by sin, poneros evil & unbelief.
The author, Tim Rowe has a doctorate of jurisprudence & a bachelor's degree in biblical studies, history, & classics. He is the president of Goodness of God Ministries & lives in Indianapolis with his wife & son.
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Stand - Book Review
Staying Balanced with Answers for Real Teen Life
The advice offered herein does not constitute a substitute for professional treatment, therapy, or other types of professional advice & intervention. The author nor publisher does not assume any responsibility for use of these materials & information.
Stand:
a. An attitude toward a particular issue, a position taken in an argument
b. Have or maintain an upright position, supported by one's feet
c. Withstand an experience or test without being damaged
When a guy is controlling, checks your phone, manipulative or a cheater, he is not Christ-like & he is not for you. We are reminded in 2 Corinthians 6:14 that we are not to be "yoked together" with unbelievers. In biblical times, a yoke was used to keep oxen together when they would plow the fields.
Cute guys don't always have cute character. Proverbs 27:19 says, "As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart." We know a person's heart by the way they live. You may be dating a cute guy, but does he treat you one way in private & another way in public?
When a guy truly cares about you, he will treat you with the same respect & adoration in public that he does in private.
Don't "sugar coat" how you feel & state upfront that you are only interested in being friends.
When your friends motives are pure, he can see things in other guys that you may not see & help protect you from making a mistake.
It is okay to say, "NO!"
Taking Out the Trash: "A woman is not written in braille. You don't have to touch her to know her." - Unknown
Why is it so important that we keep our morals? Our study group would like to assure you EVERYONE IS DOING IT. The girls in our study group have made a commitment to save themselves for their husbands.
You must be the one that is worthy of the chase.
In case you're still tempted to experiment with sex outside of marriage, knowing that approximately 750,000 teenagers get pregnant every year may help yu reconsider ("Teen Pregnancy Facts"). If you fantasize about quitting EVERYTHING in your life to take care of someone else for the next 18 years, you are definitely in the minority. I have never spoken to an unmarried teen who said, "I'm so glad I got pregnant." Their friends eventually went off to college & they were left alone. Contrary to what "Hollywood" promotes, most guys do NOT stay with or marry the teen mother of their child.
God loves you & you will never find a love greater than His.
Compromising your morals & your values is going too far.
So what if we've already messed up. I've got good news! Jesus Christ gave His life so that we can be healed from past mistakes. He can forgive you & give you a new start TODAY when you ask HIM for one. This is what His grace is all about. We've all messed up, & we all need forgiveness. Don't allow shame to tell you it's too late to start over. THAT IS A LIE. God wants to walk with you into every situation in your life. I John 1:9 say's, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful & just to forgive us & PURIFY us." He can restore the purity you have lost & make you a new creation in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17). He loves you & has great plans just for you when you turn away from making your own decisions & allow Him to help you make the right ones.
Proverbs 17:17 says, "A friend loves at all times." Friendship is an "equal opportunity" relationship, & both friends must take responsibility for the friendship to work.
Communication is crucial in friendship because when we stop talking, problems arise.
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. I Peter 4:8
Trust is a key characteristic in friendship.
God NEVER Changes!
ask God to till the hole that is there with the "high" only He can give.
Choices are life-changing.
It's our job to share the truth. It's God job to do the changing.
Beating the Bullies: Your values doesn't decrease based on someone's inability to see your worth. Idiot. Ugly. Fat. Loser. For most of us, nothing is more painful than rejection. Bullies feed on their victims reactions such as hurt, fear, insecurity, & weakness. God did not design us to be mistreated or bullied. Bullies do not get to defines us, GOD does.
The most important thing you must DO is to notify your parents & health officials immediately after the rape occurs, whether it is by a boyfriend, family member or a stranger.
Shannon Perry is an author, conference speaker, recording artist & TV host. She worked in the public school system for over fourteen years as a school teacher & counselor before entering full-time ministry. She helped create an Anti-bullying program which is still used by one of the largest school systems in America. She has one son who is a Captain in the U.S. Air Force.
She is the creator of the "In Her Shoes" Conference written especially for Moms & their teen daughters.
The advice offered herein does not constitute a substitute for professional treatment, therapy, or other types of professional advice & intervention. The author nor publisher does not assume any responsibility for use of these materials & information.
Stand:
a. An attitude toward a particular issue, a position taken in an argument
b. Have or maintain an upright position, supported by one's feet
c. Withstand an experience or test without being damaged
When a guy is controlling, checks your phone, manipulative or a cheater, he is not Christ-like & he is not for you. We are reminded in 2 Corinthians 6:14 that we are not to be "yoked together" with unbelievers. In biblical times, a yoke was used to keep oxen together when they would plow the fields.
Cute guys don't always have cute character. Proverbs 27:19 says, "As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart." We know a person's heart by the way they live. You may be dating a cute guy, but does he treat you one way in private & another way in public?
When a guy truly cares about you, he will treat you with the same respect & adoration in public that he does in private.
Don't "sugar coat" how you feel & state upfront that you are only interested in being friends.
When your friends motives are pure, he can see things in other guys that you may not see & help protect you from making a mistake.
It is okay to say, "NO!"
Taking Out the Trash: "A woman is not written in braille. You don't have to touch her to know her." - Unknown
Why is it so important that we keep our morals? Our study group would like to assure you EVERYONE IS DOING IT. The girls in our study group have made a commitment to save themselves for their husbands.
You must be the one that is worthy of the chase.
In case you're still tempted to experiment with sex outside of marriage, knowing that approximately 750,000 teenagers get pregnant every year may help yu reconsider ("Teen Pregnancy Facts"). If you fantasize about quitting EVERYTHING in your life to take care of someone else for the next 18 years, you are definitely in the minority. I have never spoken to an unmarried teen who said, "I'm so glad I got pregnant." Their friends eventually went off to college & they were left alone. Contrary to what "Hollywood" promotes, most guys do NOT stay with or marry the teen mother of their child.
God loves you & you will never find a love greater than His.
Compromising your morals & your values is going too far.
So what if we've already messed up. I've got good news! Jesus Christ gave His life so that we can be healed from past mistakes. He can forgive you & give you a new start TODAY when you ask HIM for one. This is what His grace is all about. We've all messed up, & we all need forgiveness. Don't allow shame to tell you it's too late to start over. THAT IS A LIE. God wants to walk with you into every situation in your life. I John 1:9 say's, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful & just to forgive us & PURIFY us." He can restore the purity you have lost & make you a new creation in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17). He loves you & has great plans just for you when you turn away from making your own decisions & allow Him to help you make the right ones.
Proverbs 17:17 says, "A friend loves at all times." Friendship is an "equal opportunity" relationship, & both friends must take responsibility for the friendship to work.
Communication is crucial in friendship because when we stop talking, problems arise.
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. I Peter 4:8
Trust is a key characteristic in friendship.
God NEVER Changes!
ask God to till the hole that is there with the "high" only He can give.
Choices are life-changing.
It's our job to share the truth. It's God job to do the changing.
Beating the Bullies: Your values doesn't decrease based on someone's inability to see your worth. Idiot. Ugly. Fat. Loser. For most of us, nothing is more painful than rejection. Bullies feed on their victims reactions such as hurt, fear, insecurity, & weakness. God did not design us to be mistreated or bullied. Bullies do not get to defines us, GOD does.
The most important thing you must DO is to notify your parents & health officials immediately after the rape occurs, whether it is by a boyfriend, family member or a stranger.
Shannon Perry is an author, conference speaker, recording artist & TV host. She worked in the public school system for over fourteen years as a school teacher & counselor before entering full-time ministry. She helped create an Anti-bullying program which is still used by one of the largest school systems in America. She has one son who is a Captain in the U.S. Air Force.
She is the creator of the "In Her Shoes" Conference written especially for Moms & their teen daughters.
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Sunday - The Source of All Love - I John 4:7-19 - 3/5/17
In reality, love is a choice & an action. God is the source of our love: he loved is enough to sacrifice his son for us. Jesus is our example of what it means to love; everything he did in life & death was supremely loving. The Holy Spirit gives us power to love; he lives in our hearts & makes more & more like Jesus. God's love always involves a choice & an action, & our love should be like his.
The world thinks love is what make you feel good, & it is willing to sacrifice moral principles & others' rights in order to obtain such "love." Our definition of love must come from God who is holy, just, & perfect. At the same time, if we truly know God, we must learn to love as he does.
"Only begotten" means God's unique Son.
Love explains (1) why God creates; (2) why God cares; (3) whey we are free to choose; (4) why Christ died; & (5) why we receive eternal life.
Nothing sinful or evil can exist in God's presence. He cannot overlook, condone, or excuse sin as if it never happened. We can be acquitted (Romans 5:18) by his atoning sacrifice ("propitiation").
Jesus is the complete expression of God in human form & he has revealed God to us. When we love one another, the invisible God reveals himself to others through us, & his love is made complete ("perfect").
John isn't telling us how many people to love, but how much to love the people we already know. Our job is to faithfully love the people God has given us to love, whether there are two or two hundred of them. If God sees we are ready to love others, he will bring them to us. God provides us the strength to do what he asks.
When we become Christians, we receive the Holy Spirit. God's presence in our lives is a proof that we really belong to him & gives us the power to love. If you lack assurance of your salvation, listen to the Holy Spirit within you (Romans 8:16).
The day of judgment is that final day when we will appear before Christ & be held accountable for our actions. We can look forward to the judgment, because it will mean the end of sin & the beginning of a face-to-face relationship with Jesus Christ.
If we ever begin to dear eternity, heaven, or God's judgment, we can remind ourselves of God's love. We can be confident of what lies ahead if in this life we have determined to be more like Jesus.
God's love is the source of all human love, & it spreads like fire. In turn, they love others, who are warmed by God's love through them.
Reference summary used from Life Application Bible KJV, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
The world thinks love is what make you feel good, & it is willing to sacrifice moral principles & others' rights in order to obtain such "love." Our definition of love must come from God who is holy, just, & perfect. At the same time, if we truly know God, we must learn to love as he does.
"Only begotten" means God's unique Son.
Love explains (1) why God creates; (2) why God cares; (3) whey we are free to choose; (4) why Christ died; & (5) why we receive eternal life.
Nothing sinful or evil can exist in God's presence. He cannot overlook, condone, or excuse sin as if it never happened. We can be acquitted (Romans 5:18) by his atoning sacrifice ("propitiation").
Jesus is the complete expression of God in human form & he has revealed God to us. When we love one another, the invisible God reveals himself to others through us, & his love is made complete ("perfect").
John isn't telling us how many people to love, but how much to love the people we already know. Our job is to faithfully love the people God has given us to love, whether there are two or two hundred of them. If God sees we are ready to love others, he will bring them to us. God provides us the strength to do what he asks.
When we become Christians, we receive the Holy Spirit. God's presence in our lives is a proof that we really belong to him & gives us the power to love. If you lack assurance of your salvation, listen to the Holy Spirit within you (Romans 8:16).
The day of judgment is that final day when we will appear before Christ & be held accountable for our actions. We can look forward to the judgment, because it will mean the end of sin & the beginning of a face-to-face relationship with Jesus Christ.
If we ever begin to dear eternity, heaven, or God's judgment, we can remind ourselves of God's love. We can be confident of what lies ahead if in this life we have determined to be more like Jesus.
God's love is the source of all human love, & it spreads like fire. In turn, they love others, who are warmed by God's love through them.
Reference summary used from Life Application Bible KJV, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Sunday - Christ Creates Holy Living - Galatians 5:18-6:10 - 2/26/17
Live each day controlled & guided by the Holy Spirit. Then the words of Christ will be in your mind, the love of Christ in your actions, & the power of Christ will help you control your selfish desires.
In order for us to follow the Holy Spirit's guidance, we must deal with them decisively (crucify them). These desires include obvious sins such as sexual immorality & witchcraft.
The Spirit produces character traits, which are found in the nature of Christ. The result will be that we will fulfill the intended purpose of the Law - loving God & man. Which of these qualities do you desire to produce in you?
Because the God who sent the Law also sent the Spirit, the by-products of the Spirit-filled life are in perfect harmony with the intent of God's Law.
When you do your very best, you feel good about the results & there is no need to compare yourself with others. When you are tempted to compare look at Jesus Christ. His example will inspire you to do your very best, & his loving acceptance will comfort you when you fall short of your goals.
It would be certainly be a surprise if you planted corn in the ground & pumpkins came up. Every actions has results. If you plant to please your own desires ("soweth to the flesh"), you'll reap a crop of sorrow & evil; if you plant to please God you'll reap joy & everlasting life.
It is discouraging to continue to do right & receive no word of thanks or see no tangible results. In due time, we will reap a harvest of blessing.
Reference summary used from the Life Application Bible KJV, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
In order for us to follow the Holy Spirit's guidance, we must deal with them decisively (crucify them). These desires include obvious sins such as sexual immorality & witchcraft.
The Spirit produces character traits, which are found in the nature of Christ. The result will be that we will fulfill the intended purpose of the Law - loving God & man. Which of these qualities do you desire to produce in you?
Because the God who sent the Law also sent the Spirit, the by-products of the Spirit-filled life are in perfect harmony with the intent of God's Law.
When you do your very best, you feel good about the results & there is no need to compare yourself with others. When you are tempted to compare look at Jesus Christ. His example will inspire you to do your very best, & his loving acceptance will comfort you when you fall short of your goals.
It would be certainly be a surprise if you planted corn in the ground & pumpkins came up. Every actions has results. If you plant to please your own desires ("soweth to the flesh"), you'll reap a crop of sorrow & evil; if you plant to please God you'll reap joy & everlasting life.
It is discouraging to continue to do right & receive no word of thanks or see no tangible results. In due time, we will reap a harvest of blessing.
Reference summary used from the Life Application Bible KJV, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Monday - Christ, the Wisdom of God - I Corinthians 1:18-25 - 2/13/17
God's way of thinking is not like the world's way (normal human wisdom), but God offers eternal life while the world cannot. We can spend a lifetime accumulating human wisdom & never learn how to have a personal relationship with God. We must come to Christ to learn this important truth.
Many Jews thought the Good News of Jesus Christ was foolish because they thought the Messiah would be a conquering King accompanied by signs & miracles. Jesus had not restored David's throne as they expected. Greeks, too, considered the Gospel foolish; they did not believe in a bodily resurrection, they did not see in Jesus the powerful characteristics of their mythological gods; & they thought no reputable person would be crucified.
The Good News of Jesus Christ still sounds foolish to many. Our society worships power, influence, & wealth. Jesus came as a humble poor servant, & he offers his Kingdom to those with faith, not works. This looks foolish to the world.
The message of Christ's death for sins sounds foolish to those who don't believe. Death seems to be the end of the road, the ultimate weakness. But Jesus did not stay dead. His resurrection shows his power even over death, & he will save us from eternal death, & give us everlasting life if we trust him as Saviour & Lord. This sounds so simple that many people won't accept it. They try other ways to obtain eternal life (being good, being wise, etc.), but their attempts will not work. The "foolish" people who simply accept Christ's offer are actually the wisest of all, because they alone will live eternally with God.
Reference summary used from the Life Application Bible KJV, Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
Many Jews thought the Good News of Jesus Christ was foolish because they thought the Messiah would be a conquering King accompanied by signs & miracles. Jesus had not restored David's throne as they expected. Greeks, too, considered the Gospel foolish; they did not believe in a bodily resurrection, they did not see in Jesus the powerful characteristics of their mythological gods; & they thought no reputable person would be crucified.
The Good News of Jesus Christ still sounds foolish to many. Our society worships power, influence, & wealth. Jesus came as a humble poor servant, & he offers his Kingdom to those with faith, not works. This looks foolish to the world.
The message of Christ's death for sins sounds foolish to those who don't believe. Death seems to be the end of the road, the ultimate weakness. But Jesus did not stay dead. His resurrection shows his power even over death, & he will save us from eternal death, & give us everlasting life if we trust him as Saviour & Lord. This sounds so simple that many people won't accept it. They try other ways to obtain eternal life (being good, being wise, etc.), but their attempts will not work. The "foolish" people who simply accept Christ's offer are actually the wisest of all, because they alone will live eternally with God.
Reference summary used from the Life Application Bible KJV, Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Saturday - Led by the Spirit of Christ - Romans 8:12-17 -2/11/17
"Mortify the deeds of the body" in verse thirteen means to put to death or regard as dead the power of sin in your body.
The apostle Paul uses adoption to illustrate the believer's new relationship with God. In Roman culture, the adopted person lost all rights in his old family & gained all the rights of a legitimate child in his new family. He became a full heir to his new father's estate. Likewise, when a person becomes a Christian, he gains all the privileges & responsibilities of a child in God's family. One of these outstanding privileges is being led by the Spirit. We may not always feel like we belong to God, but the Holy Spirit is our witness. His inward presence reminds us of who we are & encourages us with his love.
Because we are God's children, we share in great treasures as joint-heirs. God has already given us his best gifts: his Son, forgiveness, & eternal life; & he encourages us to ask him for whatever we need.
There is a price for being identified with Jesus. Along with the great treasures, the apostle Paul mentions the suffering that Christians must face. In many parts of today's world, Christians face pressure just as severe as those faced by Christ's first followers. Even in countries where Christianity is tolerated or encouraged Christians must not become complacent. Nothing we suffer however, can compare to the great price Jesus paid to save us.
Reference summary used from the Life Application Bible KJV, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
The apostle Paul uses adoption to illustrate the believer's new relationship with God. In Roman culture, the adopted person lost all rights in his old family & gained all the rights of a legitimate child in his new family. He became a full heir to his new father's estate. Likewise, when a person becomes a Christian, he gains all the privileges & responsibilities of a child in God's family. One of these outstanding privileges is being led by the Spirit. We may not always feel like we belong to God, but the Holy Spirit is our witness. His inward presence reminds us of who we are & encourages us with his love.
Because we are God's children, we share in great treasures as joint-heirs. God has already given us his best gifts: his Son, forgiveness, & eternal life; & he encourages us to ask him for whatever we need.
There is a price for being identified with Jesus. Along with the great treasures, the apostle Paul mentions the suffering that Christians must face. In many parts of today's world, Christians face pressure just as severe as those faced by Christ's first followers. Even in countries where Christianity is tolerated or encouraged Christians must not become complacent. Nothing we suffer however, can compare to the great price Jesus paid to save us.
Reference summary used from the Life Application Bible KJV, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Friday - The Spirit Brings Life - Romans 8:1-11 - 2/10/17
The "flesh" as used throughout this chapter refers not to our human bodies, but to the principle & power of sin. Sin is present & often operating in our body, not to be equaled with the body.
"Not guilty; let him go free"- what would those words mean to you if you were on death row? The fact is that the whole human race is on death row, justly condemned for repeatedly breaking God's holy Law. Without Jesus we would have no hope at all. But thank God! He has delivered us not guilty & has offered us freedom from sin & power to do his will.
The Spirit of life is the Holy Spirit. He was present at the creation of the world, & he is the power behind the rebirth of every Christian. He gives us the power we need to live the Christian life.
Jesus gave himself as a sacrifice for our sins. In Old Testament times, animal sacrifices were continually offered at the Temple. The sacrifices showed the Israelites the seriousness of sin: blood had to be shed before sins could be pardoned. But animal blood could not really remove sins. The sacrifices could only point to Jesus' sacrifice, which paid the penalty for all sins.
Daily we must consciously choose to center our lives lives on God. Use the Bible to discover God's guidelines, & then follow them. When the Holy Spirit points out what is right, do it eagerly.
A Christian is anyone who has the Spirit of God living in him. If you have sincerely trusted Christ for for your salvation & acknowledged him as Lord, then the Holy Spirit has come into your life, & you are a Christian. When the Holy Spirit is working within you, you will believe that Jesus Christ is God's Son & that eternal life comes through him; you will begin to act as Christ directs; you will find help in your daily problems & in your praying; you will be empowered to serve God & do his will; & you will become part of God's plan to build up his church.
The Holy Spirit is God's promise or guarantee of eternal life for those who believe in him. He is in us now by faith, & by faith we are certain to live with Christ forever.
Reference summary used from the Life Application KJV Bible, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
"Not guilty; let him go free"- what would those words mean to you if you were on death row? The fact is that the whole human race is on death row, justly condemned for repeatedly breaking God's holy Law. Without Jesus we would have no hope at all. But thank God! He has delivered us not guilty & has offered us freedom from sin & power to do his will.
The Spirit of life is the Holy Spirit. He was present at the creation of the world, & he is the power behind the rebirth of every Christian. He gives us the power we need to live the Christian life.
Jesus gave himself as a sacrifice for our sins. In Old Testament times, animal sacrifices were continually offered at the Temple. The sacrifices showed the Israelites the seriousness of sin: blood had to be shed before sins could be pardoned. But animal blood could not really remove sins. The sacrifices could only point to Jesus' sacrifice, which paid the penalty for all sins.
Daily we must consciously choose to center our lives lives on God. Use the Bible to discover God's guidelines, & then follow them. When the Holy Spirit points out what is right, do it eagerly.
A Christian is anyone who has the Spirit of God living in him. If you have sincerely trusted Christ for for your salvation & acknowledged him as Lord, then the Holy Spirit has come into your life, & you are a Christian. When the Holy Spirit is working within you, you will believe that Jesus Christ is God's Son & that eternal life comes through him; you will begin to act as Christ directs; you will find help in your daily problems & in your praying; you will be empowered to serve God & do his will; & you will become part of God's plan to build up his church.
The Holy Spirit is God's promise or guarantee of eternal life for those who believe in him. He is in us now by faith, & by faith we are certain to live with Christ forever.
Reference summary used from the Life Application KJV Bible, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Wednesday - Power & Strength through Weakness - II Corinthians 12:7b-10 - 2/8/17
We don't know what Paul's "thorn in the flesh" was because he doesn't tell us. Whatever it was, it was a chronic & debilitaling physical problem, which at times kept him from working. This thorn was a hindrance to his ministry, & he prayed for its removal; but God refused. Paul was a very self-sufficient person, so this thorn was difficult for him. It kept Paul humble, reminded him of his need for constant contact with God, and benefited those around him as they saw God at work in his life.
Although God did not remove Paul's physical affliction, he promised to demonstrate his power in Paul. The fact that God's power shows up in weak people should give us courage. We must rely on God for our effectiveness rather than on simple energy, effort, or talent. Our weakness not only helps develop Christian character; it also deepens our worship, for in admitting our weakness, we affirm God's strength.
God does not intend for us to seek to be weak, passive, or ineffective - life provides enough hindrances & setbacks without us creating them. When they come, we must depend on God.
Paul was not merely revealing his feelings; he was defending his authoring as an apostle of Jesus Christ. He was hurt that the church in Corinth doubted & questioned him, & he defended himself for the cause of the Gospel, not to satisfy his ego.
Reference summary used from the Life Application KJV, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
Although God did not remove Paul's physical affliction, he promised to demonstrate his power in Paul. The fact that God's power shows up in weak people should give us courage. We must rely on God for our effectiveness rather than on simple energy, effort, or talent. Our weakness not only helps develop Christian character; it also deepens our worship, for in admitting our weakness, we affirm God's strength.
God does not intend for us to seek to be weak, passive, or ineffective - life provides enough hindrances & setbacks without us creating them. When they come, we must depend on God.
Paul was not merely revealing his feelings; he was defending his authoring as an apostle of Jesus Christ. He was hurt that the church in Corinth doubted & questioned him, & he defended himself for the cause of the Gospel, not to satisfy his ego.
Reference summary used from the Life Application KJV, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
Monday, February 6, 2017
Tuesday - A Faithful Heir Will Succeed - I Kings 2:1-4 - 2/7/17
God's conditional promise was that David & his descendants would remain in office as kings only when they honored & obeyed him. When David's descendants failed to do this, they lost the throne.
God's unconditional promise was that David's line would go on forever. This was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ, a descendant of David who was also the eternal Son of God.
David, whose life exemplified obedience, gave well-seasoned advice to his son, the next king. It would be up to Solomon to follow it.
Reference summary used from the Life Application KJV Bible, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
God's unconditional promise was that David's line would go on forever. This was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ, a descendant of David who was also the eternal Son of God.
David, whose life exemplified obedience, gave well-seasoned advice to his son, the next king. It would be up to Solomon to follow it.
Reference summary used from the Life Application KJV Bible, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
Sunday, November 27, 2016
Sunday - Alpha & Omega - Revelation 22:12-21 - 11/27/16
Nothing may be added to or taken from the words of this book.
Verse 12 ... And, behold, I come quickly; & ...
Verse 7 ... Behold, I come: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
Revelation 22:12 ... my reward is with me, ...
Isaiah 40:10 ... Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, & his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, & his work before him.
Revelation 22:12 ... to give every man according to his work shall be.
Revelation 20:12 ... (The general resurrection & judgment) And I saw the dead, small & great, stand before God; & the books were opened: & another book was opened, which is the book of life: & the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Revelation 22:13 ... I am Al'pha & O'me-ga, the beginning & the end, the first & the last.
Revelation 21:6 ... And he said unto me, It is done. I am Al'pha & O'me-ga, the beginning & the end. I will give unto him that is athrist of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Revelation 22:14 ... Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right ...
Revelation 22:2 ... (The river & tree of life) In the midst of the street of it, & on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, & yielded her fruit every month: & the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Revelation 22:14 ... & may enter in through the gates into the city.
Revelation 21:27 ... (Nothing that defileth can enter therein) And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Revelation 22:15 ... For without are ...
Colossians 3:6 ... For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.
Revelation 22:15 ... dogs, & sorcerers, & whoremongers, & murderers, & idolaters, & whosoever loveth & maketh a lie.
Philippians 3:2 ... (The apostle warneth them against them false teachers) Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
Revelation 22:16 ... I Jesus have sent mine angle to testify unto you these things in the churches.
Revelation 1:1 ... THE Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; & he sent & signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
Revelation 22:16 ...I am the root & the offspring of Da'vid, & the offspring of Da'vid ...
Revelation 5:5 ... And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Ju'da, the Root of Da'vid hath prevailed to open the book, & to loose the seven seals thereof.
Revelation 22:16 ... the bright & morning star.
Numbers 24:17 ... I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Ja'cob, & a Sceptre shall rise out of Is'ra-el, & shall (smite through the princes of Moab) smite the corners of Mo'ab, & destroy all the children of Sheth.
Revelation 22:17 ... And the Spirit and ... the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come.
Revelation 21:2,9 ... (A new heaven & new earth. The heavenly Jerusalem described) And I John saw the holy city, new Je-ru'sa-lem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plaques, & talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
Revelation 22:17 ... And let him that is athrist come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
John 7:37 ... (Jesus teacheth in the temple) In that last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood & cried, saying, If any man thrist, let him come unto me, & drink.
Revelation 22:18 ... For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, ... If any many shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plaques that are written in this book:
Proverbs 30:6 ... Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, & thou be found a liar.
Re3velation 22:19 ... And if any man shall take away from the words of this prophecy, ... God shall take away his part (from the tree of life) out of the book of life, & out of ...
Exodus 32:33 ... And the LORD said unto Mo'ses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
Revelation 22:19 ... the holy city, & from the things which are written in this book.
Revelation 21:2 .... (A new heaven & new earth) And I John saw the holy city, new Je-ru'sa-lem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation 22:20 ... He which testifieth these things saith, ... Surely I come quickly:
Revelation 22:12 ... And, behold, I come quickly; & my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Revelation 22:20 ... Amen ...
John 21:25 ... And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
Revelation 22:20 ... Even so, Come, Lord Jesus.
II Timothy 4:8 ... Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: & not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Revelation 22:21 ... The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen
II Thessalonians 3:18 ... (Prayer & Salutation) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Scripture reference used from The KJV Bible, SouthWestern Co., Nashville, TN
Verse 12 ... And, behold, I come quickly; & ...
Verse 7 ... Behold, I come: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
Revelation 22:12 ... my reward is with me, ...
Isaiah 40:10 ... Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, & his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, & his work before him.
Revelation 22:12 ... to give every man according to his work shall be.
Revelation 20:12 ... (The general resurrection & judgment) And I saw the dead, small & great, stand before God; & the books were opened: & another book was opened, which is the book of life: & the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Revelation 22:13 ... I am Al'pha & O'me-ga, the beginning & the end, the first & the last.
Revelation 21:6 ... And he said unto me, It is done. I am Al'pha & O'me-ga, the beginning & the end. I will give unto him that is athrist of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Revelation 22:14 ... Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right ...
Revelation 22:2 ... (The river & tree of life) In the midst of the street of it, & on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, & yielded her fruit every month: & the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Revelation 22:14 ... & may enter in through the gates into the city.
Revelation 21:27 ... (Nothing that defileth can enter therein) And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Revelation 22:15 ... For without are ...
Colossians 3:6 ... For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.
Revelation 22:15 ... dogs, & sorcerers, & whoremongers, & murderers, & idolaters, & whosoever loveth & maketh a lie.
Philippians 3:2 ... (The apostle warneth them against them false teachers) Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
Revelation 22:16 ... I Jesus have sent mine angle to testify unto you these things in the churches.
Revelation 1:1 ... THE Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; & he sent & signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
Revelation 22:16 ...I am the root & the offspring of Da'vid, & the offspring of Da'vid ...
Revelation 5:5 ... And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Ju'da, the Root of Da'vid hath prevailed to open the book, & to loose the seven seals thereof.
Revelation 22:16 ... the bright & morning star.
Numbers 24:17 ... I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Ja'cob, & a Sceptre shall rise out of Is'ra-el, & shall (smite through the princes of Moab) smite the corners of Mo'ab, & destroy all the children of Sheth.
Revelation 22:17 ... And the Spirit and ... the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come.
Revelation 21:2,9 ... (A new heaven & new earth. The heavenly Jerusalem described) And I John saw the holy city, new Je-ru'sa-lem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plaques, & talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
Revelation 22:17 ... And let him that is athrist come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
John 7:37 ... (Jesus teacheth in the temple) In that last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood & cried, saying, If any man thrist, let him come unto me, & drink.
Revelation 22:18 ... For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, ... If any many shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plaques that are written in this book:
Proverbs 30:6 ... Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, & thou be found a liar.
Re3velation 22:19 ... And if any man shall take away from the words of this prophecy, ... God shall take away his part (from the tree of life) out of the book of life, & out of ...
Exodus 32:33 ... And the LORD said unto Mo'ses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
Revelation 22:19 ... the holy city, & from the things which are written in this book.
Revelation 21:2 .... (A new heaven & new earth) And I John saw the holy city, new Je-ru'sa-lem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation 22:20 ... He which testifieth these things saith, ... Surely I come quickly:
Revelation 22:12 ... And, behold, I come quickly; & my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Revelation 22:20 ... Amen ...
John 21:25 ... And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
Revelation 22:20 ... Even so, Come, Lord Jesus.
II Timothy 4:8 ... Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: & not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Revelation 22:21 ... The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen
II Thessalonians 3:18 ... (Prayer & Salutation) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Scripture reference used from The KJV Bible, SouthWestern Co., Nashville, TN
Friday, February 12, 2016
The Full Sufficiency of Christ .. Book Review
Book Review . Jesus . Eternal Life . Salvation . Christ . Death . Resurrection . Hell
For God so loved the world, that HE gave HIS only Son, that whosoever believes in HIM will; have eternal
life. (John 3:16)
The Bible teaches that people are sinners by nature and that we choose to sin, or do wrong. As Romans says, "...all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written>(None is righteous, no not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.
Without God we are in bondage to sin, we are in chains.
Most of the world's religions, for except for Christianity, teach that a mixture of faith and works is needed to be made right with God.
Ephesians 2:8-9 declares, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so no man can boast."
Salvation is a free gift from God. It cannot be obtained by good works, baptism, church membership, church attendance, witnessing to others, by knocking on doors, mission trips, or giving financially to a church.
The gospel message is that all people are sinners, and our sin separates us from a loving God, our Creator, who wants to have a relationship with everyone. This can't occur through our good works, bout only through in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins. and HIS bodily resurrection from the dead.
The book of Hebrews describes Christ death in the following ways: It saves believers completely(Hebrews 7:25), it gives believers eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12), it makes believers holy (Hebrews 10:10), it makes us perfect forever (Hebrews 10:14), and where sins have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10:18).
The Bible says that "the wages of sins is death" (Romans 6:23) and that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins" (Hebrews 9:22).
As the writer of Hebrews says, "for it IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE Blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" (Hebrews 10:4).
I Peter 2:24 says "HE himself bore our sins in HIS body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By HIS wounds you have been healed." And 1 Peter 3:18a says, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous that he might bring us to God.
John 1:1-3 states in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. HE was in the beginning with God.
Not only did Jesus have to be 100% human, He had to be 100% totally and fully God.
The Bible says, "But God shows HIS love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
The Bible says that God is love. Love is many things, and one of these things in action.
Jesus resurrection showed that HE was truly sent from God, because only God has the power over sin and death.
"See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.
Then HE said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe. Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God! (John 20:27-28).
God sent HIS Son
They call HIM Jesus
HE came to love, heal, and forgive
HE lived and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives
Because HE lives I can face tomorrow
And life i worth living just because HE lives
Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done" (Matthew 26:42).
If there was another way, then Christ would not needed to die.
God didn't create people with the intention that any would go to Hell. But God gave them free will, with which they can choose to be with HIM or reject HIM.
Jude 1:7 reads, "Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
Rahah the prostitute was justified in the eyes of the messengers she saved. Before this, she already had faith in the true God; now she was acting out of faith. First, she believed in God, because of that faith she acted.
The Book of James is saying that when one is saved by faith (belief) alone in the life, death, and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, he is saved by a faith that will produce good deeds and changes in the person's life.
Christopher Hearn sent me a copy of his book to review. The author has served as a missionary to Russia with (OM) Operation Mobilization and currently is the Pastor of the First Baptist Church of New Sweden, Maine. He has a MDIV from Bethel Theological Seminary San Diego.
For God so loved the world, that HE gave HIS only Son, that whosoever believes in HIM will; have eternal
life. (John 3:16)
The Bible teaches that people are sinners by nature and that we choose to sin, or do wrong. As Romans says, "...all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written>(None is righteous, no not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.
Without God we are in bondage to sin, we are in chains.
Most of the world's religions, for except for Christianity, teach that a mixture of faith and works is needed to be made right with God.
Ephesians 2:8-9 declares, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so no man can boast."
Salvation is a free gift from God. It cannot be obtained by good works, baptism, church membership, church attendance, witnessing to others, by knocking on doors, mission trips, or giving financially to a church.
The gospel message is that all people are sinners, and our sin separates us from a loving God, our Creator, who wants to have a relationship with everyone. This can't occur through our good works, bout only through in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins. and HIS bodily resurrection from the dead.
The book of Hebrews describes Christ death in the following ways: It saves believers completely(Hebrews 7:25), it gives believers eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12), it makes believers holy (Hebrews 10:10), it makes us perfect forever (Hebrews 10:14), and where sins have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10:18).
The Bible says that "the wages of sins is death" (Romans 6:23) and that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins" (Hebrews 9:22).
As the writer of Hebrews says, "for it IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE Blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" (Hebrews 10:4).
I Peter 2:24 says "HE himself bore our sins in HIS body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By HIS wounds you have been healed." And 1 Peter 3:18a says, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous that he might bring us to God.
John 1:1-3 states in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. HE was in the beginning with God.
Not only did Jesus have to be 100% human, He had to be 100% totally and fully God.
The Bible says, "But God shows HIS love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
The Bible says that God is love. Love is many things, and one of these things in action.
Jesus resurrection showed that HE was truly sent from God, because only God has the power over sin and death.
"See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.
Then HE said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe. Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God! (John 20:27-28).
God sent HIS Son
They call HIM Jesus
HE came to love, heal, and forgive
HE lived and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives
Because HE lives I can face tomorrow
And life i worth living just because HE lives
Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done" (Matthew 26:42).
If there was another way, then Christ would not needed to die.
God didn't create people with the intention that any would go to Hell. But God gave them free will, with which they can choose to be with HIM or reject HIM.
Jude 1:7 reads, "Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
Rahah the prostitute was justified in the eyes of the messengers she saved. Before this, she already had faith in the true God; now she was acting out of faith. First, she believed in God, because of that faith she acted.
The Book of James is saying that when one is saved by faith (belief) alone in the life, death, and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, he is saved by a faith that will produce good deeds and changes in the person's life.
Christopher Hearn sent me a copy of his book to review. The author has served as a missionary to Russia with (OM) Operation Mobilization and currently is the Pastor of the First Baptist Church of New Sweden, Maine. He has a MDIV from Bethel Theological Seminary San Diego.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Playing Favorites ... 2/9/2014 Sunday School Lesson
Proverbs 28:20; (The Upright Are Blessed & Prospered) . Peter (Simon) . Acts 10:34 (Whosoever Will May Be Saved) . Galilee . God . Jesus Christ . Holy Ghost . Acts 10:35 (The Upright Are Blessed & Prospered) . Moses . Jehoshaphat . Judah . peace . Beersheba . Mt. Ephraim . Love . James 2:5 (The Upright Are Blessed & Prospered) . Deuteronomy 1 . wise men . hear small & great . Deuteronomy 1:9-18 (Exodus 18:13-26) . Jerusalem . take heed . II Chronicles 19 . Psalm/Tehillim 82 . walketh uprightly - saved . perverse - shall fall . Proverbs/Mishle 28 (wicked & righteousi - work & slack - poor & wealthy) . every nation . children of Israel . God anointed Jesus of Nazareth - Holy Ghost . healing . God - raised - Jesus/Yeshua - 3rd day . Jesus/Yeshua - Judge of dead . Love - commandment - fulfilling law . salvation nearer . cast off darkness . armour of light . walk honestly . Sunday School Lesson
The Sunday School Lesson is shared from James 2:1-13 (Background Scripture:James 2:14-26; Devotional Reading: Luke 7:1-10).
Peter (rock, stone), apostle called, sent forth, confessed Jesus/Yeshua to be the Christ, thrice denied Christ, repented, preaches to the Jews, rebuked by apostle Paul, comforts the Church & exhorts to holy living, rebukes Ananias & Sapphirca.
Galilee (ciriuit, district), Christ's work there, also called Sea of Chinnereth - Tiberias - Gennesaret
Jesus Christ (Yeshua) ... Saviour, only way to receive Salvation - Eternal Life (John 3:16)
Holy Ghost (Spirit), Eternal, The Comforter, Teacher, Commissions HIS servants, Sanctifying the Church, God the Father - The SON - The Holy Ghost
Moses (saved from water), an Egyptian name, meets God in Mount Sinai, delivers the law to the people, intercedes for the people, intercedes with Pharaoh for Israel
Jehoshaphat (Jehovah judges), king of Judah
Judah (praise), tribe of blessed by Moses, descendant:s (Genesis/Bereshith 38; 46:12; Numbers 1:26; 26:19; I Chronicles 2-4), Israelites first called Judah
Beer-sheba (well of oath), city & three great wells, with Christian ruins, now called Bir-es-seba. (Abraham dwelt there - Hagar relieved there - Jacob comforted there - Elijah flees to)
Mt Ephraim (double fruitfulness, city 8 miles from Jerusalem, prophecies concerning
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Jerusalem (habitation of peace), Mount Zion applied to the western hill - eastern hill called Mount Moriah
James 2:1-5:6 (Sins, Social, & Spiritual) ... James 2:1-7 (Partiality to the rich) ... James 2:8-13 (The royal law)
James 2:1-4 ... Man Redeemed; Duties & Graces of The New Life; Christian Fellowship, Partially Forbidden
(James 2; 1:2,19; 2:14; 3:1; 5:1 ... Reference Scriptures in Sunday School Book)
Verses 5-9
Verse 5 ... Civil & Social Life; Social Relations & Duties; Poverty, Alleviations of Their Lot
Verses 6,7 ... Civil & Social Life; Social Relations & Duties; Poverty, Liable to Oppression
Verse 8 ... Man Redeemed; Duties & Graces Of The New Life; Love to Man ... (Leviticus 19:18)
Verse 9 ... Man Redeemed; Duties & Graces Of The New Life; Christian Fellowship, Partially Forbidden
Verses 10-13
Verses 10,11 ... Man Redeemed; Justification; And Faith
James 2:11 (Exodus 20:13-14; Deuteronomy 5:17-18)
Verse 12 ... Man Redeemed; Blessedness of The New Life; Christian Liberty
Verse 13 ... Man Redeemed; Duties & Graces Of The New Life; Mercifulness
Monday - February 3, 2014 - Judging Rightly & Impartially - Deuteronomy 1:9-18
The First Attempt - Horeb to Hormah (Deuteronomy 1:6-46) ... Historical Prologue To The Covenant (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:29) ... Horeb (desert) Moses & Elijah ... Hormah (devoted place) between Gaza & Beer-sheba
Tuesday - February 4, 2014 - Judging on the Lord's Behalf - II Chronicles 19:1-7
The reign of Jehoshaphat (II Chronicles 17:1-21:1) ... The Divided Kingdom - The Story of Judah (10:1-36:23)
Wednesday - February 5, 2014 - Giving Justice to the Weak - Psalm/Tehillim 82
Didactic (instruct/teach) Psalm. The impeachment - verdict - A prayer
bl
Thursday - February 6, 2014 - Showing Partiality Is Not Good - Proverbs/Mishle 28:18-22
Hezekiah's Edition of Solomon's Proverbs (Proverbs 25:1-29:27)
Friday - February 7, 2014 - God Shows No Partiality - Acts 10:34-43
Peter's message to Gentiles ... Gentiles Enter the Kingdom (Acts 10:1-11:18)
Saturday - February 8, 2014 - Put On the Lord Jesus Christ - Romans 13:8-14
Motives for Christian behavioure ... The Gospel in Action (Romans 12:1-15:13)
Sunday - February 9, 2014 - Faith & Favoritism - James 2:1-13
References used/taken from: KJV Precious Promise Bible, KJV Topical Edition Bible, KJV Special Arrangement New Testament, & Zondervan Bible Commentary
The Sunday School Lesson is shared from James 2:1-13 (Background Scripture:James 2:14-26; Devotional Reading: Luke 7:1-10).
Peter (rock, stone), apostle called, sent forth, confessed Jesus/Yeshua to be the Christ, thrice denied Christ, repented, preaches to the Jews, rebuked by apostle Paul, comforts the Church & exhorts to holy living, rebukes Ananias & Sapphirca.
Galilee (ciriuit, district), Christ's work there, also called Sea of Chinnereth - Tiberias - Gennesaret
Jesus Christ (Yeshua) ... Saviour, only way to receive Salvation - Eternal Life (John 3:16)
Holy Ghost (Spirit), Eternal, The Comforter, Teacher, Commissions HIS servants, Sanctifying the Church, God the Father - The SON - The Holy Ghost
Moses (saved from water), an Egyptian name, meets God in Mount Sinai, delivers the law to the people, intercedes for the people, intercedes with Pharaoh for Israel
Jehoshaphat (Jehovah judges), king of Judah
Judah (praise), tribe of blessed by Moses, descendant:s (Genesis/Bereshith 38; 46:12; Numbers 1:26; 26:19; I Chronicles 2-4), Israelites first called Judah
Beer-sheba (well of oath), city & three great wells, with Christian ruins, now called Bir-es-seba. (Abraham dwelt there - Hagar relieved there - Jacob comforted there - Elijah flees to)
Mt Ephraim (double fruitfulness, city 8 miles from Jerusalem, prophecies concerning
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Jerusalem (habitation of peace), Mount Zion applied to the western hill - eastern hill called Mount Moriah
James 2:1-5:6 (Sins, Social, & Spiritual) ... James 2:1-7 (Partiality to the rich) ... James 2:8-13 (The royal law)
James 2:1-4 ... Man Redeemed; Duties & Graces of The New Life; Christian Fellowship, Partially Forbidden
(James 2; 1:2,19; 2:14; 3:1; 5:1 ... Reference Scriptures in Sunday School Book)
Verses 5-9
Verse 5 ... Civil & Social Life; Social Relations & Duties; Poverty, Alleviations of Their Lot
Verses 6,7 ... Civil & Social Life; Social Relations & Duties; Poverty, Liable to Oppression
Verse 8 ... Man Redeemed; Duties & Graces Of The New Life; Love to Man ... (Leviticus 19:18)
Verse 9 ... Man Redeemed; Duties & Graces Of The New Life; Christian Fellowship, Partially Forbidden
Verses 10-13
Verses 10,11 ... Man Redeemed; Justification; And Faith
James 2:11 (Exodus 20:13-14; Deuteronomy 5:17-18)
Verse 12 ... Man Redeemed; Blessedness of The New Life; Christian Liberty
Verse 13 ... Man Redeemed; Duties & Graces Of The New Life; Mercifulness
Monday - February 3, 2014 - Judging Rightly & Impartially - Deuteronomy 1:9-18
The First Attempt - Horeb to Hormah (Deuteronomy 1:6-46) ... Historical Prologue To The Covenant (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:29) ... Horeb (desert) Moses & Elijah ... Hormah (devoted place) between Gaza & Beer-sheba
Tuesday - February 4, 2014 - Judging on the Lord's Behalf - II Chronicles 19:1-7
The reign of Jehoshaphat (II Chronicles 17:1-21:1) ... The Divided Kingdom - The Story of Judah (10:1-36:23)
Wednesday - February 5, 2014 - Giving Justice to the Weak - Psalm/Tehillim 82
Didactic (instruct/teach) Psalm. The impeachment - verdict - A prayer
bl
Thursday - February 6, 2014 - Showing Partiality Is Not Good - Proverbs/Mishle 28:18-22
Hezekiah's Edition of Solomon's Proverbs (Proverbs 25:1-29:27)
Friday - February 7, 2014 - God Shows No Partiality - Acts 10:34-43
Peter's message to Gentiles ... Gentiles Enter the Kingdom (Acts 10:1-11:18)
Saturday - February 8, 2014 - Put On the Lord Jesus Christ - Romans 13:8-14
Motives for Christian behavioure ... The Gospel in Action (Romans 12:1-15:13)
Sunday - February 9, 2014 - Faith & Favoritism - James 2:1-13
References used/taken from: KJV Precious Promise Bible, KJV Topical Edition Bible, KJV Special Arrangement New Testament, & Zondervan Bible Commentary
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Living Justly With Others .... 1/12/20124 Sunday School Lesson
Psalm/Tehillim 7 . Praise - Lord - sing . Proverbs/Mishle 11 . Romans 6 . God . righteousness - holiness . Everlasting Life - Eternal Life . Submit Yourself - Every Ordinance . Matthew 18 . Peter . forgive - 7 times - 70 x 7 - unlimited . Kingdom of Heaven . Certain King . 10,000 talents . Compassion . Same Servant . his Fellowservants . Hundredpence . Luke 6 . Judaea . Jerusalem . Tyre - Sidon . Healed . Unclean Spirits . Rejoice . Love . Love your enemies . Bless Them . Merciful . Judge Not . Fruit - Foundation - Rock . Sunday School Lesson . Promises
The Sunday School Lesson is shared from Luke 6:17-31 (Background Scripture: Luke 6:17-36; Devotional Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35) for 1/12/2014.
The Sunday School Lesson is shared from Luke 14:7-18a, 22-24 (Background Scripture: Luke 14:7-24; Devotional Reading: Psalm/Tehillim 147:1-11) for 1/19/2014.
talents ... 1 talent (kikkar) weight-talent "of king" - 158 lbs - 1 oz. - 10 dwts - 0 grs.
pence ... The Roman penny is the 8th part of an ounce which after five shillings the ounce is seven pence half-penny.
Tyre ... an ancient city of Phoenicia (port of Crete), covering 100 acres on an island, & having two ports of 12 acres each; now a town of 3,000 inhabitants (Biblical Times).
Sidon ... capital of Phoenicia, a walled city of 10,000 inhabitants (Biblical Times).
Love ... agape (God's Love - Unconditional) .... philo (tender affection) ... eros (romantic type)
Promises: Psalm/Tehillim 7:10; Proverbs/Mishle 11:3,5,6,8 (The Upright Are Blessed & Prospered) .... Romans 6:23 (Eternal Life) ... Luke 6:22,23 (Joy, Rest & Peace) ... Luke 6:37 (Pardon for Iniquities & Sins) ... Prospered does not always mean wealth/material riches - but there were some in Biblical Times that did have wealth.
Luke 6:17-49 ... The great Sermon ... Luke 4:14-8:56 (The Return To Galilee)
Luke 6:17-31
Verses 17-20
Verse 17 ... Jesus Christ; Christ's Ministry; Christ Reception by Men, Followed by Multitudes
Verse 17 ... Matthew 4:25; Mark 3:7
Verse 18 ... Miracles; Miracles In Ejecting Devils & Destroying Idols; Ejection of Devils
Verse 19 ... Jesus Christ; Christ's Ministry; Christ's Miracles
Verse 19 ... Matthew 14:36; Mark 6:56
Verse 20 ... Trials & Persecutions; Conduct Under Persecution; Steadfastness Rewarded
Verse 20 ... Matthew 5:3
(Matthew 5-7 ... Reference Scripture in Sunday School Book)
Verses 21-323 ... Trials & Persecutions; Conduct Under Persecution; Steadfastness Rewarded
Verse 21 ... Matthew 5:6 ... Verse 22 (Matthew 5:11) ... Verse 23 (Matthew 5:12)
Verses 24-31
Verses 24-26 ... Trials & Persecutions; Conduct Under Persecution; Steadfastness Rewarded
Verse 27 ... Trials & Persecutions; Conduct Under Persecution; Prayer for Persecutors
Verse 27 ... Matthew 5:44
Verse 28 ... Trials & Persecutions; Conduct Under Persecution; Prayer for Persecutors
Verse 28 ... Matthew 5:44
Verse 29 ... Man Redeemed; Duties & Graces Of The New Life; Meekness ... The Outward Man; body Clothed; Portions of Dress, Coat
Verse 29 ... Matthew 5:40
Verse 30 ... Trials & Persecutions; Conduct Under Persecution; Non-Resistance
Verse 30 ... Matthew 5:42
Verse 31 ... Man Redeemed; Duties & Graces Of The New Life; Love to Man
Verse 31 ... Matthew 7:12
Monday - January 6, 2014 - Judged by the Righteous God - Psalm/Tehillim 7:1-17
An Appeal For Justice ... Psalm of Supplication: On account of affliction - Expressing trust in God - Professing the psalmists integrity ... Didactic (instruct/teach) Psalm: Showing the blessings of God's people & the misery of HIS enemies.
Tuesday - January 7, 2014 - The Righteous & Upright - Proverbs/Mishle 11:3-11
Moral virtues & their contrary vices ... vice(blemish/defect/wickedness)
Wednesday - January 8, 2014 - Enslaved to God - Romans 6:16-23
The Gospel for The World: 'The Righteous - By Faith Shall Live' ... Romans 1:18b-8:39
Thursday - January 9, 2014 - Living as God's Servants - I Peter 2:11-17
The Christian Civic Submission (I Peter 2:13-17) ... The Submission Of The Christian (I Peter 2:11-3:12)
Friday - January 10, 2014 - Forgiveness & Mercy - Matthew 18:21-35
Teaching: The Church ... Matthew 17:24-18:35
Saturday - January 11, 2014 - Blessings & Woes - Luke 6:20-26
Woe ... warning
Sunday - January 12, 2014 - Do Not Judge - Luke 6:27-42
Scripture reference used/taken from: The International Teacher's Handy Bible Encyclopedia/Concordance KJV Precious Promise Bible, KJV Topical Edition Bible, Special Arrangement N.T, KJV, Zondervan Bible Commentary, Vine's Expository Dictionary of O.T. & N.T. Words, & Merriam Webster's Deluxe Dictionary 10th Collegiate Edition
The Sunday School Lesson is shared from Luke 6:17-31 (Background Scripture: Luke 6:17-36; Devotional Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35) for 1/12/2014.
The Sunday School Lesson is shared from Luke 14:7-18a, 22-24 (Background Scripture: Luke 14:7-24; Devotional Reading: Psalm/Tehillim 147:1-11) for 1/19/2014.
talents ... 1 talent (kikkar) weight-talent "of king" - 158 lbs - 1 oz. - 10 dwts - 0 grs.
pence ... The Roman penny is the 8th part of an ounce which after five shillings the ounce is seven pence half-penny.
Tyre ... an ancient city of Phoenicia (port of Crete), covering 100 acres on an island, & having two ports of 12 acres each; now a town of 3,000 inhabitants (Biblical Times).
Sidon ... capital of Phoenicia, a walled city of 10,000 inhabitants (Biblical Times).
Love ... agape (God's Love - Unconditional) .... philo (tender affection) ... eros (romantic type)
Promises: Psalm/Tehillim 7:10; Proverbs/Mishle 11:3,5,6,8 (The Upright Are Blessed & Prospered) .... Romans 6:23 (Eternal Life) ... Luke 6:22,23 (Joy, Rest & Peace) ... Luke 6:37 (Pardon for Iniquities & Sins) ... Prospered does not always mean wealth/material riches - but there were some in Biblical Times that did have wealth.
Luke 6:17-49 ... The great Sermon ... Luke 4:14-8:56 (The Return To Galilee)
Luke 6:17-31
Verses 17-20
Verse 17 ... Jesus Christ; Christ's Ministry; Christ Reception by Men, Followed by Multitudes
Verse 17 ... Matthew 4:25; Mark 3:7
Verse 18 ... Miracles; Miracles In Ejecting Devils & Destroying Idols; Ejection of Devils
Verse 19 ... Jesus Christ; Christ's Ministry; Christ's Miracles
Verse 19 ... Matthew 14:36; Mark 6:56
Verse 20 ... Trials & Persecutions; Conduct Under Persecution; Steadfastness Rewarded
Verse 20 ... Matthew 5:3
(Matthew 5-7 ... Reference Scripture in Sunday School Book)
Verses 21-323 ... Trials & Persecutions; Conduct Under Persecution; Steadfastness Rewarded
Verse 21 ... Matthew 5:6 ... Verse 22 (Matthew 5:11) ... Verse 23 (Matthew 5:12)
Verses 24-31
Verses 24-26 ... Trials & Persecutions; Conduct Under Persecution; Steadfastness Rewarded
Verse 27 ... Trials & Persecutions; Conduct Under Persecution; Prayer for Persecutors
Verse 27 ... Matthew 5:44
Verse 28 ... Trials & Persecutions; Conduct Under Persecution; Prayer for Persecutors
Verse 28 ... Matthew 5:44
Verse 29 ... Man Redeemed; Duties & Graces Of The New Life; Meekness ... The Outward Man; body Clothed; Portions of Dress, Coat
Verse 29 ... Matthew 5:40
Verse 30 ... Trials & Persecutions; Conduct Under Persecution; Non-Resistance
Verse 30 ... Matthew 5:42
Verse 31 ... Man Redeemed; Duties & Graces Of The New Life; Love to Man
Verse 31 ... Matthew 7:12
Monday - January 6, 2014 - Judged by the Righteous God - Psalm/Tehillim 7:1-17
An Appeal For Justice ... Psalm of Supplication: On account of affliction - Expressing trust in God - Professing the psalmists integrity ... Didactic (instruct/teach) Psalm: Showing the blessings of God's people & the misery of HIS enemies.
Tuesday - January 7, 2014 - The Righteous & Upright - Proverbs/Mishle 11:3-11
Moral virtues & their contrary vices ... vice(blemish/defect/wickedness)
Wednesday - January 8, 2014 - Enslaved to God - Romans 6:16-23
The Gospel for The World: 'The Righteous - By Faith Shall Live' ... Romans 1:18b-8:39
Thursday - January 9, 2014 - Living as God's Servants - I Peter 2:11-17
The Christian Civic Submission (I Peter 2:13-17) ... The Submission Of The Christian (I Peter 2:11-3:12)
Friday - January 10, 2014 - Forgiveness & Mercy - Matthew 18:21-35
Teaching: The Church ... Matthew 17:24-18:35
Saturday - January 11, 2014 - Blessings & Woes - Luke 6:20-26
Woe ... warning
Sunday - January 12, 2014 - Do Not Judge - Luke 6:27-42
Scripture reference used/taken from: The International Teacher's Handy Bible Encyclopedia/Concordance KJV Precious Promise Bible, KJV Topical Edition Bible, Special Arrangement N.T, KJV, Zondervan Bible Commentary, Vine's Expository Dictionary of O.T. & N.T. Words, & Merriam Webster's Deluxe Dictionary 10th Collegiate Edition
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