Date: Friday, August 15,
2014
Today's Chapters: Jeremiah
22-24
Message Title: Christian Discrimination
Okay, I am
going to talk about a touchy subject, one that I know will turn some heads, but
it has to be addressed because things are getting out of hand. A woman asked a
simple question on an open forum about a clothing store that declined to make
wedding dresses for a lesbian couple due to their religious beliefs. I am not
about to address whether or not the couple were right or wrong to refuse to
serve them, but I am going address an issue that we must be aware of, Christian
discrimination. Jesus tells us how we are to handle those who discriminate
against us. “These things I
command you, that ye love one another.
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me
before it
hated
you.
If ye were of the
world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I
have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth
you.” - John
15:17-19.
The world truly does hate anything that has to do with Jesus,
and while we cannot do anything about them, we can do something about us. The
word Christian, means to be Christlike, to live as Jesus did when He was here.
Does Jesus agree with everything that people do? No. He actually gets angry with
them, but He is forgiving. Zedekiah was
the last son of the house of David to reign as king in Judah, and he was not a
very good king, in fact, he was down right evil. That did not stop God from
giving him one last chance to repent. God sends Jeremiah to speak to him.
“Thus saith the LORD; Go down to the house of the
king of Judah, and speak there this word, And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O
king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants,
and thy people that enter in by these gates: Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye
judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the
oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor
the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place. For if ye do this thing
indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon
the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and
his people. But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the
LORD, that this house shall become a
desolation.” - Jeremiah
22:1-5.
To love one another
does not mean that we are to agree with everyone or actually go against our
beliefs to get along with them. It does mean that we are to have respect toward
one another, to make the right judgment, and to show Christ through us. We are
the only people who can help the lost find Him.
God loves us so
much that He never stops trying to get the lost to receive His Son. Shouldn't we
offer the same courtesy as we were given?
If we refuse
Christ, that is on us, not God or anyone else, after all, He warned us.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the
world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be
saved. He that believeth on him is not
condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not
believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God.” - John
3:16-18.
Every day we are told that we must accept every lifestyle known
to man, yet Christians are being targeted for who they stand by, not what they
stand by. Even fellow Christians have condemned others for simply standing by
the Word of God. Oh, by the way, those who use God's Word to condone or justify
ungodly behavior will face their own condemnation.
Even though David's seed would no longer reign in
Judah that did not mean that God was done with them. God was angry at the wicked
and vile acts of the very people that claimed His name. Through Jeremiah, God
addresses those who are condemning His people.
“Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the
sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel
against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven
them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of
your doings, saith the LORD. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of
all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their
folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over
them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed,
neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD. Behold, the days come, saith the
LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign
and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the
earth.” - Jeremiah 23:1-5.
Notice the word,
Branch, Jesus is not the actual seed of David, He is the Branch of God, sent to
execute correct judgment and justice upon everyone. Incidentally, those who
believe in the Son, and receive Him are one of His branches.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the
husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and
every
branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that
it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which
I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch
cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except
ye abide in me.” - John 15:1-4.
The world and worldly
Christians might knock us down for standing by God's Word, but they cannot keep
us down. God will always pick us back up! While the destruction of Jerusalem was
definitely coming, God was not about to leave His people to be destroyed with
it. Through an odd illustration of edible and inedible figs, God promises that
He will always protect His people, even if that means he has to put them in
captivity for a while.
“Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel;
Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive
of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for
their good.
For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I
will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull
them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck
them up. And I will give them an heart to know me, that I
am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be
their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart. And as the evil
figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the LORD, So
will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of
Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt:
And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for
their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in
all places whither I shall drive them.” - Jeremiah 24:5-9.
Over the
years I have learned just how cruel and mean the world, and quite frankly, many
Christians are. You know what? We have no right to question anyones faith or
lifestyle, but we do have a right to live by our faith and life with Jesus. We
do have a right to live by the Word of God, and we do have a right to choose not
to participate in something we feel goes against God. I have one word to say
about people who deliberately stir up trouble for Christians so they can have
their glory, accountable. We are the ones who must face God, not the person who
stirs the pot. We are accountable for the things we do and allow to happen, but
do not think that the bad figs are off the hook. They too must face God, and
they too will be accountable. “A good man out of the good treasure of
the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure
bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle
word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of
judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be
justified, and by thy words thou shalt be
condemned.” - Matthew
12:35-37.
Today's
Prayer: God, It's
heartbreaking to hear and see so many Christians being targeted as haters,
bigots, and hypocrites. Every time you turn around another state or country
rules that we cannot discriminate against race, religion, or sexual orientation,
which they have a right to do. However, there are no rights for the Christian
who is being discriminated against living in obedience to You. God, put Your
hedge of protection upon us, let us not be intimidated or manipulated into going
against Your beliefs. Keep us safe, and be with those who are being persecuted,
touch them and give them peace of mind, and hope for an expected end. In Jesus'
name. Amen.
God Bless
You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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Date: Thursday, August 14,
2014
Today's Chapters: Jeremiah
18-21
Message Title: God's
Masterpiece
When I was
in the fifth grade I made a candy dish out of clay, I rolled it out flat, cut
it, then molded it into the shape of a heart. It sat for a while to dry, then it
was baked in a really hot oven. After it was taken out and cooled, I painted it
and it got baked once again. It seemed to take a long time, but when I was done
I was very proud of the masterpiece I had made. One day, it fell, and had
broken, it was not shattered, but it could no longer hold anything, I tried to
fix it, but it was never the same. You know, we are much like clay, we get
molded, shaped, dried out, baked, painted, and baked again, into who we want to
be, only to be broken so that we can become God's masterpiece.
“But in a
great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood
and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he
shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use,
and
prepared unto every good work.” - 2
Timothy 2:-20,21.
Clay,
it's merely some form of the earth mixed with water, but once it becomes the mud
like substance, it can be molded and shaped into anything. God sends Jeremiah to
a potter to show him how the potter continues to mold and shape the clay until
it is perfect. “And the
vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it
again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make
it. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O
house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as
the clay is in the potter's hand, so
are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
At
what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and
concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy
it; If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn
from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto
them.” - Jeremiah 18:4-8.
The mars or scars of
life, many of them cause hurt and pain that never goes away. However, if we
allow Christ to live in and through us, little by little, God will remove them.
We are going to have to put some stinging ointment on them, but once we do, God
will mend us and heal us. “Now no chastening for the present
seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the
peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
And make straight paths for your
feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be
healed.” - Hebrews 12:11-13.
What happens after the clay is set and the pot
hardens, it's useful for whatever need it has been made for. Now, what happens
when the vessel gets broken? That depends on how many pieces it is in. God sends
Jeremiah to break a clay pot in front those who know Him, but refuse to listen,
and explains exactly what will happen if they do not heed the warning of His
judgment. “Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD,
that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of
Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter. Then shalt thou break the bottle in the
sight of the men that go with thee, And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I
break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made
whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury. Thus will I do unto this place,
saith the LORD, and to the inhabitants thereof, and
even make this city as
Tophet:” - Jeremiah 19:6,10-12.
Tophet, means drum,
and is also known as hell, it was a
town east of Jerusalem where children were burnt to the false god Moloch or
Baal, and the drums were used to drown their cries. I cried when I learned of
this, it still breaks my heart because the same thing still goes on today, only
in the form of abortion. Life, in the womb or not, is precious, and no one has
the right to take that away. We are all sinners, things happen, but that does
not give us the right to live as we please and destroy lives in the process.
While God is longsuffering and forgiving, He is not a fool. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also
reap.” - Galatians 6:7.
One
thing we have to be aware of as God makes His masterpiece is the affliction we
will face for just doing what He asked us to do. Now, things are starting to get
crazy in Judah, the people are in a stir about what is happening, and they are
blaming Jeremiah. Jeremiah gets arrested, and asks God why he was the one being
afflicted. “O LORD, thou
hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast
prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. For since I spake, I
cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a
reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. Then I said, I will not make mention of
him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my
bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not
stay. But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my
persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly
ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten. But,
O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy
vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my
cause.” - Jeremiah 20:7-9,11,12.
It did not take
long for Jeremiah to come to his senses, realizing that God was with him, and
knew exactly what was going on. Nevertheless, God answers Jeremiah with the
judgment He is about to place on the city. “Thus saith the LORD God of Israel;
Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that
are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king
of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, which besiege you without the walls,
and I will assemble them into the midst of this city. And I myself will fight
against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and
in fury, and in great wrath. And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both
man and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence. He that abideth in this
city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he
that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live,
and his life shall be unto him for a prey.” - Jeremiah 21:4-6,9.
It use to
bother me greatly, it still does sometimes, to see people that I know who are
saved doing God knows what and enjoying life, when I am trying to do everything
right and struggle every day. You know the saying, “What goes around comes
around.”? That's exactly what happens, we may not see it for a while, but those
who live wicked lives will lose, while those who do not will prosper. Those who
are saved, by the blood of Christ, are new and useful for the purpose God has
made them for. In out lifetime here on earth, He molds, shapes, dries, bakes,
paints, and bakes again in order to make a great masterpiece. Sometimes He might
have to break us, but He will put is back together again.
“My son, despise not
the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a
father the son in whom he
delighteth.” - Proverbs
3:11,12.
Today's
Prayer: God, I
realize that every thing I go through is not always a punishment, but simply You
removing the mars in me, and perfecting me. I know that there is no way I will
ever be perfect, but I have Your perfect Son in me to help me be the vessel You
want me to be. Lord, give me Your power to endure the struggles I face, give me
Your strength to stand with You through them all, and heal all the broken
pieces. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless
You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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Date: Wednesday, August 13,
2014
Today's Chapters: Jeremiah
15-17
Message Title: Receiving The Favor of
God
While God is
no respecter of persons, there are some Christians who seem to have the favor of
God more than others. Let's face it, we are all sinners, saved by the grace of
God through Jesus Christ. Christians that receive God's favor always wonder why
He chooses them because deep down they know they are only sinners saved by
grace. “This is a
faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained
mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a
pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life
everlasting.” - 1 Timothy 1:15,16.
God is a merciful
and graceful God, He will accept the vilest sinner who seeks His Son, what He
will not do is watch His people live wickedly without facing the consequences of
their actions. And although judgment
does come, it will not last. Through Jeremiah, God explains the reason for His
actions and how anyone can be redeemed.
“Then said the LORD
unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me,
yet my
mind could not
be
toward this people: cast them out
of my sight, and let them go forth. Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD,
thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and
destroy thee; I am weary with repenting. Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou
return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth
the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto
thee; but return not thou unto them. And I will make thee unto this people a
fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not
prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith
the LORD. And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will
redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.” - Jeremiah 15:1,6,19-21.
It's
simple, return to Him. Saved or not, we still face judgment for our sins. Of
course, those who are saved are not subject to the judgment of eternal death,
but that does not mean they will not face judgment here on earth. So many
people, saved or not, make the assumption that they can do whatever they want
without facing the consequences for their actions. This is wrong, every person
who lives an immoral and wicked life will face the consequences for their
actions. And by the way, God does not have to be the one the brings judgment,
the world is very capable of doing that. “And
even as they did not like to retain God in
their
knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are
not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness,
covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity;
whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of
evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers,
without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of
God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the
same, but have pleasure in them that do
them.” - Romans 1:28-32.
God promises
to never leave nor forsake any person who receives His Son, but it can seem as
though He has by the way we live our lives. Through Jeremiah, God tells His
people that His favor will not be upon anyone who has forsaken
Him. “And it shall come to pass, when thou
shalt shew this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, Wherefore
hath the LORD pronounced all this great evil against us? or what
is our iniquity? or what
is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our
God? Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith
the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have
worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law; And ye have
done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the
imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me: Therefore will
I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not,
neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other
gods day and night; where I will not shew you
favour.” - Jeremiah 16:10-13.
The word favor means, kindness done to or granted
toward another, it's any act of good will shown by word or deed upon someone
else, it other words, it's grace. Millions of people have received God's favor
of eternal life through Jesus Christ, but out of those millions there is only a
small percentage that find God's favor beyond that. Why? They are not living as
though they have eternal life through Jesus Christ. How can we see God blessing
us if we do not remove the evil things that hold dear to our heart?
“A good man out
of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil
man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for
of the abundance of the heart his mouth
speaketh.” - Luke 6:45.
The heart apart from God is
wicked and full of imagination that goes well beyond anything that God would
ever want for us. Quite often, the things we go through are the cause of things
that we have devised from within our heart. Through Jeremiah, God warns us about
following a heart that does not have Him in it. “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed
be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his
arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in
the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched
places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed
is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope
the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and
that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not
see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in
the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. The heart
is deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked: who can know
it?” - Jeremiah 17:5-9.
No matter what we have done in the past, or even
what we are doing now, there is always hope for those who have God's favor. He
will let us live the way we want, He will also let us fall, but He will also be
there to pick us up. When we truly seek God's favor, He will give it to us, but
we must be willing to let Him show us the right way to do things.
“Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching
daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me
findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. But he that sinneth against
me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love
death.” - Proverbs 8:34-36.
Today's
Prayer: God, It is
comforting to know that no matter how many things I have done or will do that
You will never let go of me. Lord, I do not want to be ungrateful or use Your
favor for my own personal gain. Just like a house that is built on sand will
fall without support, I know I will fall without Your support. I know that as
long as I am living in Your will that You will give me more than I need and even
desire. Lead me and guide me, keep my heart tender to hear and do what it is
that You want me to do. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for
you,
Christina
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Date: Tuesday, August 12,
2014
Today's Chapters: Jeremiah
12-14
Message Title: Beware Of False Prophets
Just
recently I was able to hear a Jewish man give his testimony of getting saved and
the struggles he has gone through because he accepted Christ. I was saddened,
but not surprised, to learn that if you even say that you are a Christian in
front of a Jewish person you are automatically thought of as a Catholic and
despised. Christianity and even Judaism has gotten a very bad rep over the
years, and it is getting worse. Why? Too many false religions and prophets
claiming they know God. There is only one way to know God, and that is through
Jesus Christ, but very few will find Him because they are trusting in their
false religion and refuse to enter the gate that leads to Christ.
“Enter ye in
at the strait gate: for wide
is the gate, and
broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction,
and many there be which go in thereat: Because
strait is the gate, and
narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and
few there be that find it.” - Matthew
7:13,14.
The majority of the Book of Jeremiah addresses the children of
God who know they are saved, but continue to live sinful lives. While God
promises to never cast a saved soul into hell, He does not promise that there
will be no repercussions for not repenting of their sins. Jeremiah ask God about
His judgments. “Righteous
art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me
talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked
prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring
forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins. But
thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee:
pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of
slaughter. Thus saith the LORD
against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused
my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and
pluck out the house of Judah from among them.
And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked
them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again,
every man to his heritage, and every man to his
land.” - Jeremiah 12:1-3,14,15.
Why do the wicked
prosper? In other words, why do false religions and prophets prosper? Because
they do not, and I repeat, do not, teach the truth. It's much easier to enter in
the wide gate, that let's us live sinful, immoral, and wicked lives without
feeling shameful, than the narrow gate, which removes these things. While God
does chasten His children, He does not do it forever, but we do control that
ourselves. “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be
joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of
righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands
which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet,
lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be
healed.” - Hebrews 12:11-13.
Since God is the
Creator of every person born, we can make the false assumption that He makes
some people good, some evil, and some in between. However, that's really not how
God works, yes, He is the Creator, and every baby born is precious, but that
does not mean they remain that way. It is man that turns God's good and precious
creation into something wicked and evil, rather, it's the desires of man that
create a wicked person. Through Jeremiah, God addresses why some are accustomed
to do evil.
“Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar
the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
This evil
people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their
heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even
be as this girdle, which is good for nothing. For as the girdle cleaveth to the
loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and
the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a
people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not
hear. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard
his spots? then may
ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that
passeth away by the wind of the wilderness. This
is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith
the LORD; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in
falsehood.” - Jeremiah 13:9-11,23-25.
While we all have
a little bit of wickedness in us, just like a leopard will always have spots,
some people will always be wicked, it's not something that God condones or even
creates, it is something He allows because He gives us all the free will to
choose how we live. We are not a child of God by our works, race, or religion,
but by our believing in and receiving the Lord, Jesus Christ as our Savior. If
God sees no hope in that person ever receiving His Son, He will cast them out.
“Ye are the salt of
the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted?
it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under
foot of men.
Ye are the light of
the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be
hid.” - Matthew 5:13,14.
I know it can seem cruel
and mean that God would let a good natured person die before giving them a
chance to be saved, but God knows things that we do not. Do you think that He
will seriously send a soul to hell, fully knowing that they would receive His
Son sometime in their lives? It is God's hope and desire that every person He
creates believes in Him and gets saved, but even He knows when it is time to
give up the fight. If a good natured person refuses to accept Christ, who by the
way is God in the flesh, they face the same fate as the wicked who refuse to
accept Him also. Through Jeremiah, God explains this further.
“Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they
loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not
accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.
Then said the
LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good. When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and
when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I
will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence. Then
said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the
sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this
place. Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent
them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy
unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of
their heart. Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy
in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in
this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be
consumed.” - Jeremiah 14:10-15.
We can pray all we
want for some people to be saved, and that is wonderful to do, but with some
people it's just not going to happen. You will often hear a religion or false
prophets (teachers) teach of other ways to be saved, but it is false. And sadly,
billions of people will die and end up in hell because they trusted their
religion or a false prophet who convinced them that they will be safe. There is
a place for all the people who create and teach these lies, and also for those
who believe them. “Beware of false
prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening
wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do
men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of
thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth
good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil
fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil
fruit, neither can
a corrupt tree
bring forth good fruit.
Every tree that
bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the
fire.” - Matthew 7:15-19.
Today's
Prayer: God, When I
heard of the way the Jewish people use ceremonies and tradition to try and reach
You it broke my heart. It's sad to realize that they refuse to believe in Your
Son because they relate Him to another false religion. Lord, I want to be a
witness and a testimony of Jesus Christ, I want the world to see Him through me,
and I know the only way I can accomplish that is by salting the earth with His
goodness and shining His Light upon them. Lead me and guide me, give me Your
power to live by Your Word, give me a passion to see the lost saved, and the
compassion to speak to all You put in my heart to witness to. In Jesus' name.
Amen.
God Bless
You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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Date: Monday, August 11,
2014
Today's Chapters: Jeremiah
9-11
Message Title: Special Needs
People
I was
thinking about my brother this morning, by the worlds standards, he had always
been considered a “special needs” person. The more I think about it, my brother
was no different than anyone else, he might have had a different way of learning
things, but he was smart with knew. The world looks at people who look, think,
and act different than them as dumb, stupid, and retarded, but they fail to
realize that we all have special needs. It is God who made us, and it is God who
gives us the talents and skills to do what He made us for. Just because some
people are, by the worlds standard called, “a genius” that does not mean they
are smart. “Seest thou a man
wise in his own conceit? there
is more hope of a
fool than of him.” - Proverbs 26:12.
Over the years, and especially this past year, God has taught me a
valuable lesson, my way is not always the best, in fact, it might even get me
lost. It can be hard to admit that we have messed up, but when we do we see how
much we do not know. Through Jeremiah, God has a warning for the “wise man”, the
ones who reject Him and take pride in what they do know.
“Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and
who is
he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he
may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth
through? And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set
before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein; But have
walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their
fathers taught them: Thus saith the
LORD, Let not the wise man glory
in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory
in his might, let not the rich man glory
in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he
understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment,
and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the
LORD.” - Jeremiah 9:12-14,23,24.
Okay, so, in
order to know the things we know, we have to start somewhere, we are not just
born with the knowledge we have, we learned it from someone, even if all we did
was read a book. Baalim or Baal, which sadly, means lord, is an idol,
representing the sun. How fitting that a false god would signify a lord? The
funny thing, they worshiped their false god just as they were told to worship
God. If the world is so smart, why to they copy off of God's people? Jesus warns
us time and time again about trusting those who claim to be Him, but are liars.
He says it again, through Jeremiah. “Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way
of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are
dismayed at them. But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his
wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his
indignation. Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven
image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They
are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation
they shall perish. The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he
is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts
is his name.” - Jeremiah 10:2,10,14-16.
There is only One God, One Living God, He is not dead as the liars
claim, and He will not justify wise men. “For we know him that hath said,
Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And
again, The Lord shall judge his people. It
is a fearful thing to
fall into the hands of the living God.” -
Hebrews 10:30,31.
For
centuries, Israel had been divided up into two kingdoms, the north and south.
The north was known for their worship of false gods. The south
was the center of God, and for a while God was prominent
there. Given the facts, you would think that they would have remained faithful
to God, yet they became more corrupt than the north. Speaking with Jeremiah, God
tells of His heartbreak, constant please, and the reason why they are facing
judgment.
“For I earnestly protested unto your
fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt,
even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying,
Obey my voice. Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one
in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the
words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did
them not. And the LORD said unto me, A conspiracy is
found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They are
turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my
words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the
house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.
Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they
shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not
hearken unto them.” - Jeremiah 11:7-11.
It is one thing to just not be
knowledgeable about the things of God, it is another to create an image of Him
to justify sinful actions. People who make up false gods are not smart, they
really quite stupid because all they are doing is paving the way for their own
funerals. False gods will die, along with everyone who creates, and follows
them. “Professing themselves to be wise,
they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image
made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping
things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of
their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed
the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than
the Creator, who is blessed for ever.
Amen.” - Romans 1:22-25.
“Special needs people”, when you think about it, those who love
Christ are “special needs people”. Yes, we are special needs people because we
know that without Him, we are nothing, and without Him, nothing lasts. We are
what society calls dumb, stupid, and retarded for believing in God, who, we
cannot see, and putting our lives in the hands of a man who died. That man is
Jesus Christ, who, by the way, is not dead, but alive and sitting at the right
hand of God as we speak. So, let the world mock and curse us, let them call us
names, and treat us with the same disrespect as they do those who do have
learning disabilities. After all, they will be in heaven, with Jesus, while the
wise men will be in hell, with the devil. “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in
all good things. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a
man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of
the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit
reap life everlasting.” - Galatians 6:6-8.
Today's
Prayer: God, None
of us is are perfect, but You did make us in Your perfect image. Thank You for
giving me life, and for the life You have given me. I know I have done many
unimaginable things over the years because I thought I was wise, but thank You
for Your mercy and grace to forgive me for every one of them. Lord, I need You,
and I am not ashamed to admit that. I cannot function without You, and although
I have days where I do not know if things will ever change, I do know that Your
hand is in everything, and will guide me where You want me to be. Thank You for
loving me and not giving up in me, and thank You for taking care of all of my
needs. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless
You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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Date: Sunday, August 10,
2014
Today's Chapters: Jeremiah
6-8
Message Title: Tampering With God's
Word
Teachers
are meant to, well, teach, to give us the correct information that is needed to
learn, understand, and do what it is that they have been taught themselves on a
particular subject. Just because someone is teaching something that does not
mean they teach the truth of what they are teaching. Since God created man,
people have been teaching His Word, and not all teach it correctly. Still today
His words are removed, added to, distorted, and taken out of context to get
people to believe that what they are teaching is truth. We have been warned
about tampering with God's Word. “For I
testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If
any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are
written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this
prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the
holy city, and from the things which are written in this
book.” - Revelation 22:18,19.
Besides being our Savior, Jesus came here in the
flesh to teach us not only which doctrine to believe, but what we are to do for
God and man from it. Through Jeremiah, God has a warning to those who listen to
the false teachers and how it pains Him to see them believe them over the truth.
“To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold,
their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the
word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.
For from the least
of them even unto the greatest of them every one
is given
to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth
falsely. They have healed also the hurt
of the
daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when
there
is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed
abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush:
therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time
that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the
LORD. Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old
paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find
rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk
therein.” - Jeremiah
6:10,13-16.
It grieves
God to see people turning from His ways and listening to these lies. The worse
part is they seek God in their lives, but instead of learning the truth through
God's Word they rather learn the lies through man. Sadly, they will only have
themselves to blame when they receive the same fate as the liars .
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the
abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and
all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and
brimstone: which is the second death.” -
Revelation 21:8.
Even before Jesus came here in the flesh, salvation has
always been given by faith in Him alone, the sacrifices God required were not
for their salvation, but a picture of the blood required for their atonement of
sin. If it were not for Jesus giving His life for us we would still be offering
up lambs and calves to seek forgiveness from God. Through Jeremiah, God warns us
not to trust in or even pray for those who tell of any other way to get to Him.
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your
doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Trust ye not in lying
words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the
LORD, are these.
Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.
Will ye
steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto
Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before me
in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all
these abominations? Therefore pray not
thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make
intercession to me: for I will not hear
thee.” - Jeremiah
7:3,4,8-10,16.
No profit
comes from believing in and trusting anyone or anything, but Jesus. They are not
victims because they knew the truth, but refused to accept it.
I have said it before, and I will say it again,
ignorance does not save us, we all suffer the same fate whether we know of
Christ or not, only those who have received Christ will be
saved.
“For God sent not his Son into the world to
condemn the world; but that the world through him might be
saved.
He that
believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned
already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God.” - John 3:17,18.
Many people want God's
blessings, and they try to do good things to get them, but they want to follow
God on their terms. Rather than make themselves feel convicted every time, they
justify sin by making up their own set of rules and putting God's name on it.
This is very dangerous and something God despises. Through Jeremiah, God warns
what will happen to those who keep deceiving people. “How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo,
certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. The wise men
are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the
LORD; and what wisdom is in them? Therefore will I give their wives unto others,
and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least
even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the
priest every one dealeth falsely. For they have healed the hurt of the daughter
of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they
ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed,
neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the
time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the
LORD.” - Jeremiah 8:8-12.
Guess what, we are
all human, we all make mistakes, we are not always going to agree with the
person teaching God's word to us, but God's Word is infallible, meaning it is
not written in vain, does not deceive, and does not change. Why do you think
there are so many different versions of the Bible? Here is your answer, wise men
living in sin, willfully, rewriting Scripture in vain. Their fate along with
Satan is to be cast down to hell and in the lake of fire, imagine all those
false prophets having to face the ones they deceived in hell. I am so glad that
I do not have to witness that. “And the devil
that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast
and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and
ever.” - Revelation 20:10.
Today's
Prayer: God, Thank
You for guiding me along the path to Your Son, Jesus Christ. Of all the people
in the world You chose me to be one of Yours and for that no words of gratitude
can express my thanks to You. Lord, now that I know the truth, let me not get
caught up in strange doctrines that would hinder my walk with You. I trust in
You, Lord, let me not be put to confusion, but see clearly all that You are
trying to tell and show me. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for
you,
Christina
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