Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Saturday July 31, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Song of Solomon. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-july-31
Today's Message: A Soul Mate
Perhaps the most intimate relationship anyone could have here on earth is one between a husband and wife. When God created man He said that it was not good for man to be alone so He made a woman to complete him. “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul....And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him....And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” - Genesis 2:7,18,21-24. When a man and woman become husband and wife they become one flesh, two souls joined together as one flesh, in other words, soul mates. So, when one soul is away from the other it feels alone and disconnected from the other. Did you ever wonder why some marriages just do not work out no matter how hard one tries to keep them together? In my opinion it is because one soul was disconnected from the other the whole time and never wanted to become one flesh in the first place. Here is a hint, if the person wants to get intimate with you on the first date he/she has no intention of becoming one flesh. Sadly, many marriages fail because one soul is not completely devoted to the other. Most of us long for a soul mate and blessed are those who have them, but more important than having an earthly soul mate is having a spiritual soul mate.
The Book of Song of Solomon is the twenty-second book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains eight chapters. The author of the book is King Solomon and it was written to Israel and all believers. The purpose of the book is to show the intimate relationship between Jesus and the Church as demonstrated by the intimate marriage relationship between a man and woman. What we are to learn from the book is that the divine model of love between a man and his wife is the pattern for the relationship between Christ (Man) and the Church (His Bride). Jesus Said, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” - Luke 14:26,27. Our relationship with Christ is to be so intimate that it looks as though we hate everyone else. Before a soul finds Jesus it is lost and a lost soul will go searching for any one or thing that finds it. However, the whole time Jesus is calling, “My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.” - Song of Solomon 2:10-14. Jesus is calling and wants all to know that it is a new season of hope, He wants to hear all calling on Him, it is sweet music in His ears.
Jesus is our bridegroom and those who accept Him are His bride, I use to think that this sounded a bit odd, but when I looked up the meaning of the word marriage it became a little clearer to me, Besides being a man and woman becoming husband and wife by legal commitments or religious ceremonies, a marriage is a relationship in which two people have pledged themselves to each other, or any close or intimate association or union with another. So, when we accept Christ as our Savior we join Him in a marriage by accepting His pledge (believing in Him) to be with us for eternity. “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” - II John 1:8,9.
As Christians, we sometimes enjoy a very close sense of the presence of Christ, but all too often, His presence seems far away. Yet our love for Him continues to grow as we wait expectantly for that first glimpse of Him when He welcomes us home. “By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go,” - Song of Solomon 3:1-4a. Christ will return and as we await His return we have the comfort of Holy Spirit to keep us connected to our spiritual soul mate, it is comforting to know that our bridegroom is still with us, even though we can not physically see Him. It is amazing to stop and even imagine what the world would be like when He returns, but thank God that all His brides will be protected and safe upon His arrival. I guess there are many things that we will have to wait patiently to see, but that just makes it all worth the wait. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and weekend.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Bible Study: True Pleasure 07.30.10
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Friday July 30, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapters 9-12. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-july-30
Today's Message: True Pleasures
It is amazing to learn of the things that one treasures, some people treasure what the world can give them, such as wealth and riches, and are usually hoarded. Some people treasure little things that are given to them, something that is precious to them and will never let go of them. Some people treasure what is in their mind and keep it safely retained in there until the day they die. Jesus Said, “Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” - Luke 12:33,34. What we treasure the most is determined by what the heart desires. Perhaps one of the most deceptive things that we carry around with us is our hearts. The heart is what keeps the blood pumping, not only the physical blood, but the spiritual blood as well. I always tell my Sunday school students that when we call on Jesus to save us that we get an invisible blood transfusion that takes away all our dirty blood and gives us fresh clean blood from Jesus. The things the heart longs for can either pump dirty or clean blood into our souls. However, only we can make it long for them, if we are seeking godly things the heart will long for those, likewise, if we are seeking worldly things the heart will long for those. Interestingly enough though, when we give our hearts to God He places new desires upon them and gives us treasures that nothing here on earth can compare to.
No one recorded in the Bible or history has as much experience about this matter as King Solomon. He was the wisest and richest man of all time, yet time and time again he got himself into more trouble by following his heart rather than giving it all to God. “For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them. All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.” - Ecclesiastes 9:1-6. The Holy Spirit led Solomon to warn us of the consequences of seeking the desires of the heart when God is not in it. He reminds us that whatever wealth, knowledge, or possessions we have here on earth become meaningless to us when we die. We can not take any of it with us and we will forget all about them in heaven, so there is no point in holding on to them. When Solomon says, done under the sun, he is referring to what is done here on earth, not in heaven.
When we begin to seek the things that are in the world, our heart turns away from God and turns toward what it finds pleasure in, but there comes a time in our lives when we must grow up and stop seeking pleasure in something that will never truly satisfy, only when we give our hearts completely over to God will we find true pleasure. “A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool. The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him? The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.” - Ecclesiastes 10:2,3,12-15. A fools heart is never happy and always looking for secular things to give it pleasure. Did you ever get around someone who loves to talk a lot, but you never get anything out of what he says? They have all these ideas, yet never get anywhere with them. That is a fool who is looking to please himself by wasting his time getting others to do his work for him because he does not know what he is doing. I have a customer that asks me to create a website for him every year and every year it is something different that he is trying to do to make money on. I cringe whenever he contacts me because he is cheap and always has something to complain about, whether it was something he asked me to do or someone else. People like that are never happy and are always wasting precious time (yours and theirs) trying to get rich instead of just doing the work they need to be doing.
In our youth, it's easy to fall for the things of the world because we are learning and growing, but as we grow we learn that life is not all about having fun, and I am talking about the worldly kind of fun here. There is a difference between being satisfied physically and be satisfied spiritually, physical satisfaction is only temporary, we feel great for the moment, but afterward we are longing for more. However, spiritual satisfaction is eternal, we feel great even when things are not. Therefore we need to seek to satisfy the spirit and the only way to do that is by giving our heart completely to God. “As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.” - Ecclesiastes 11:5-10. God knows our hearts, He knows every little thing that we secretly desire, whether it's good or evil and we will be judged according to them.
Solomon spent his lifetime searching for pleasure from every worldly source, he used the word vanity over thirty times in the Book of Ecclesiastes and concluded that ignoring the Word of God was the vanity of vanities, we need to fear God and keep His commands if we want the true desires of the heart. Solomon concluded, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” - Ecclesiastes 12:13,14. True pleasure in life results from giving one's time, talents, and resources to fulfill the will of God. This is the only true source of happiness, peace of mind, and genuine enjoyment in life. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have a wonderful weekend.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven?
Be 100% Sure
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Today is Friday July 30, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapters 9-12. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-july-30
Today's Message: True Pleasures
It is amazing to learn of the things that one treasures, some people treasure what the world can give them, such as wealth and riches, and are usually hoarded. Some people treasure little things that are given to them, something that is precious to them and will never let go of them. Some people treasure what is in their mind and keep it safely retained in there until the day they die. Jesus Said, “Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” - Luke 12:33,34. What we treasure the most is determined by what the heart desires. Perhaps one of the most deceptive things that we carry around with us is our hearts. The heart is what keeps the blood pumping, not only the physical blood, but the spiritual blood as well. I always tell my Sunday school students that when we call on Jesus to save us that we get an invisible blood transfusion that takes away all our dirty blood and gives us fresh clean blood from Jesus. The things the heart longs for can either pump dirty or clean blood into our souls. However, only we can make it long for them, if we are seeking godly things the heart will long for those, likewise, if we are seeking worldly things the heart will long for those. Interestingly enough though, when we give our hearts to God He places new desires upon them and gives us treasures that nothing here on earth can compare to.
No one recorded in the Bible or history has as much experience about this matter as King Solomon. He was the wisest and richest man of all time, yet time and time again he got himself into more trouble by following his heart rather than giving it all to God. “For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them. All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.” - Ecclesiastes 9:1-6. The Holy Spirit led Solomon to warn us of the consequences of seeking the desires of the heart when God is not in it. He reminds us that whatever wealth, knowledge, or possessions we have here on earth become meaningless to us when we die. We can not take any of it with us and we will forget all about them in heaven, so there is no point in holding on to them. When Solomon says, done under the sun, he is referring to what is done here on earth, not in heaven.
When we begin to seek the things that are in the world, our heart turns away from God and turns toward what it finds pleasure in, but there comes a time in our lives when we must grow up and stop seeking pleasure in something that will never truly satisfy, only when we give our hearts completely over to God will we find true pleasure. “A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool. The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him? The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.” - Ecclesiastes 10:2,3,12-15. A fools heart is never happy and always looking for secular things to give it pleasure. Did you ever get around someone who loves to talk a lot, but you never get anything out of what he says? They have all these ideas, yet never get anywhere with them. That is a fool who is looking to please himself by wasting his time getting others to do his work for him because he does not know what he is doing. I have a customer that asks me to create a website for him every year and every year it is something different that he is trying to do to make money on. I cringe whenever he contacts me because he is cheap and always has something to complain about, whether it was something he asked me to do or someone else. People like that are never happy and are always wasting precious time (yours and theirs) trying to get rich instead of just doing the work they need to be doing.
In our youth, it's easy to fall for the things of the world because we are learning and growing, but as we grow we learn that life is not all about having fun, and I am talking about the worldly kind of fun here. There is a difference between being satisfied physically and be satisfied spiritually, physical satisfaction is only temporary, we feel great for the moment, but afterward we are longing for more. However, spiritual satisfaction is eternal, we feel great even when things are not. Therefore we need to seek to satisfy the spirit and the only way to do that is by giving our heart completely to God. “As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.” - Ecclesiastes 11:5-10. God knows our hearts, He knows every little thing that we secretly desire, whether it's good or evil and we will be judged according to them.
Solomon spent his lifetime searching for pleasure from every worldly source, he used the word vanity over thirty times in the Book of Ecclesiastes and concluded that ignoring the Word of God was the vanity of vanities, we need to fear God and keep His commands if we want the true desires of the heart. Solomon concluded, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” - Ecclesiastes 12:13,14. True pleasure in life results from giving one's time, talents, and resources to fulfill the will of God. This is the only true source of happiness, peace of mind, and genuine enjoyment in life. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have a wonderful weekend.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven?
Be 100% Sure
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Thursday, July 29, 2010
Bible Study: It's About A Vow 07.29.10
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Thursday July 29, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapters 5-8. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-july-29
Today's Message: It's About A Vow
As Christians we are representatives of Christ, a representative is a person who is serving to represent or stand for another. In other words, we are to do the work of Christ in His place. “After these things the LORD appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves....And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.” - Luke 10:1-3,9. It is not easy representing Christ as many will reject you, but we are called to heal the sick (teach them the Gospel). It is amazing just how many people will tell you that they are a Christian, yet do not know Christ, never go to church, read the Bible, or pray. While going to church, reading the Bible, or praying does not get one to heaven, it is needed if one wants to truly be a representative of Christ. The only way we can be a representative of Christ is to know Christ as our personal Savior, otherwise no good deed will amount to anything. So, what is the importance of doing all these other things if we only need to know Christ to get to heaven? It's about a vow. A vow is a solemn promise, pledge, or personal commitment by one person to another.
When we accepted Christ as our personal Savior we said a prayer, similar to this:
Dear God,
I confess that I am a sinner, I believe with all of my heart that Your Son, Jesus died for me and paid the wages for my sin debt. Please forgive me for all of my sins and allow me the salvation that you have graciously given to those who accept You. I have complete trust in Him and from this moment on I will depend on Him for my salvation. Amen.
This is a vow, a personal commitment that one makes with God to trust in Jesus for his salvation. If one never does anything beyond getting saved he will never be the representative of Christ that He needs to get others saved. If we all stopped teaching the Gospel to people right now no one will be getting saved or know just how prosperous life can be by allowing Christ to truly be Lord of our lives. Through the Holy Spirit King Solomon warns us, “Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.” - Ecclesiastes 5:1-5. Solomon acknowledged that he as well as others have attended church offering insincere prayers, seeking forgiveness, and making vows that they never keep and concluded that it is better for a person to not commit to God at all than say they are and lie about it. This is known as hypocrisy, someone giving of the appearance of living the Christian life, yet are deceiving people. You will hear so many people say that Christians are hypocrites, this is usually people who are the hypocrites. True Christians will not pretend to live the life of a Christian when everyone is watching and go back to their worldly lives when they think no one is watching. Little do they realize that God is always watching. Hypocrisy is an insult to God, as well as spiritually self-destructive.
While the course of life seems to run smoothly, the sinner begins to imagine that God is indifferent to human conduct and God, after all, can be ignored. Even Christians, ignorant of God's Word, are staggered by the delay of Divine justice to inflict penalty for the wicked sins of mankind. But the judgment which God's Law attaches to sin is not an empty threat. “There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt. And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.” - Ecclesiastes 8:8-13. The oppression of the defenseless and the prosperity of the wicked is a great puzzle until you read all the Bible.
Often God does not immediately interfere or bring His judgment. Not only during life, but even in death itself, the wicked are often praised and buried with all the inappropriate recognition of their popularity. Yet, with all the flare, visibility, and demonstrations of these external appearances which are carried on even to the grave, they failed to deceive either God or a person who has spiritual and biblical knowledge.
If one truly allows Christ to be Lord or their lives he will see just how rewarding it is to be His representative. “I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people....I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.” - Psalm 116:13,14,17,18. Vowing to live your life for Christ means not being ashamed to let others know you believe in Him, even if it creates conflicts. God will take care of all His people. “It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.” - Ecclesiastes 9:18. Praise God! If you have not, take a vow and be the true representative of Christ that God has called you to be.
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven?
Be 100% Sure
http://www.godsprice.com
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http://www.imfollowingjesus.com
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Today is Thursday July 29, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapters 5-8. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-july-29
Today's Message: It's About A Vow
As Christians we are representatives of Christ, a representative is a person who is serving to represent or stand for another. In other words, we are to do the work of Christ in His place. “After these things the LORD appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves....And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.” - Luke 10:1-3,9. It is not easy representing Christ as many will reject you, but we are called to heal the sick (teach them the Gospel). It is amazing just how many people will tell you that they are a Christian, yet do not know Christ, never go to church, read the Bible, or pray. While going to church, reading the Bible, or praying does not get one to heaven, it is needed if one wants to truly be a representative of Christ. The only way we can be a representative of Christ is to know Christ as our personal Savior, otherwise no good deed will amount to anything. So, what is the importance of doing all these other things if we only need to know Christ to get to heaven? It's about a vow. A vow is a solemn promise, pledge, or personal commitment by one person to another.
When we accepted Christ as our personal Savior we said a prayer, similar to this:
Dear God,
I confess that I am a sinner, I believe with all of my heart that Your Son, Jesus died for me and paid the wages for my sin debt. Please forgive me for all of my sins and allow me the salvation that you have graciously given to those who accept You. I have complete trust in Him and from this moment on I will depend on Him for my salvation. Amen.
This is a vow, a personal commitment that one makes with God to trust in Jesus for his salvation. If one never does anything beyond getting saved he will never be the representative of Christ that He needs to get others saved. If we all stopped teaching the Gospel to people right now no one will be getting saved or know just how prosperous life can be by allowing Christ to truly be Lord of our lives. Through the Holy Spirit King Solomon warns us, “Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.” - Ecclesiastes 5:1-5. Solomon acknowledged that he as well as others have attended church offering insincere prayers, seeking forgiveness, and making vows that they never keep and concluded that it is better for a person to not commit to God at all than say they are and lie about it. This is known as hypocrisy, someone giving of the appearance of living the Christian life, yet are deceiving people. You will hear so many people say that Christians are hypocrites, this is usually people who are the hypocrites. True Christians will not pretend to live the life of a Christian when everyone is watching and go back to their worldly lives when they think no one is watching. Little do they realize that God is always watching. Hypocrisy is an insult to God, as well as spiritually self-destructive.
While the course of life seems to run smoothly, the sinner begins to imagine that God is indifferent to human conduct and God, after all, can be ignored. Even Christians, ignorant of God's Word, are staggered by the delay of Divine justice to inflict penalty for the wicked sins of mankind. But the judgment which God's Law attaches to sin is not an empty threat. “There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt. And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.” - Ecclesiastes 8:8-13. The oppression of the defenseless and the prosperity of the wicked is a great puzzle until you read all the Bible.
Often God does not immediately interfere or bring His judgment. Not only during life, but even in death itself, the wicked are often praised and buried with all the inappropriate recognition of their popularity. Yet, with all the flare, visibility, and demonstrations of these external appearances which are carried on even to the grave, they failed to deceive either God or a person who has spiritual and biblical knowledge.
If one truly allows Christ to be Lord or their lives he will see just how rewarding it is to be His representative. “I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people....I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.” - Psalm 116:13,14,17,18. Vowing to live your life for Christ means not being ashamed to let others know you believe in Him, even if it creates conflicts. God will take care of all His people. “It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.” - Ecclesiastes 9:18. Praise God! If you have not, take a vow and be the true representative of Christ that God has called you to be.
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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Bible Study: Laboring With Merit 07.28.10
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Wednesday July 28, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapters 1-4. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-july-28
Today's Message: Laboring With Merit
The Book of Ecclesiastes is the twenty-first book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains twelve chapters. The author of the book is King Solomon and it was first written to the Israelites, but is for all believers in general. The purpose of the book was to provide a description of the quest for life apart from God and to prove that Life apart from God, no matter how much one has, is vanity (worthless). Most people have ambition in life and whether it is something to help or hurt people they will do the labor needed to accomplish what they set out to do. The word labor in this case is defined as productive activity, or doing the work necessary to get the job done. Did you ever spend hours, days, or even weeks working on a project only to get to the end of it and you found out that a part was broken and you had to take it all apart? I started out wanting to be an electronic tech and we had to design and build the equipment we were going to use. Once I built a volt meter, got done with it and something was not working right, it took me longer to figure out the problem than to build it, and I never did get it working right because there was a defective part. Did you ever spend hours doing a job for someone only to finish and he criticized everything and would not pay no matter how much you tried to get it right for him? I build websites, I just had a customer that wanted one page, gave me garbage to work with and wanted it to be a masterpiece. I spent two weeks working on this page and he still criticizes it. These are examples of productive activity with no merit (worth), or labor that is vain (worthless), so much work, yet nothing really gets accomplished.
As Christians we too can become examples of productive activity with no merit, it is vain if one goes to church, reads the Bible, and prays, yet does not apply what he learns out side of the church. That is an example of a Christian laboring with no merit. While our works do not get us saved and into heaven, it is our works after we get saved that show merit. King Solomon was brought up by King David, a man known as the apple of God's eye. Solomon became a Preacher, had the Temple of God built, and was known as the wisest and richest man on earth, he even recited the longest prayer after the Temple was built (I Kings 8:22-61). “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.... I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.” - Ecclesiastes 1:1-4,12-14. The word vanity here means having excessive pride in one's appearance, qualities, abilities, or achievements. The word vexation, means troubling. So, what Solomon is warning us is that no amount of wisdom or work done without God has any value and is troubling to the spirit. God loves it when His children do His work or in other words, follow His will, but if God is not with us as we do it, it is worthless and we never see peace in our hearts.
It is recorded that, when Solomon began his reign, he loved the LORD and walked in the statutes of David, but Solomon's heart got corrupted when he allowed the world to enter it. His priorities were no longer seeking the will of God, but became distorted and he gradually set his heart on material projects, wealth, women, and their heathen gods. Solomon eventually concluded that all of it was vanity. “And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.” - Ecclesiastes 2:10-12. Solomon admits here that everything he labored for was to please his flesh, but it was all worthless and was troubling to his spirit. Sadly, many today are still trying to gain fulfillment with earthly pursuits while ignoring the will of God ans wondering why they are never happy.
Just as everything else in life what we labor for needs to be in the will of God, if we are following His will, nothing we do for Him or for anyone will be in vain. “There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I? For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.” - Ecclesiastes 2:24-26. God blesses the work we do for Him when we do it wholeheartedly and by His wisdom. Solomon continues, “I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God. I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.” - Ecclesiastes 3:10-14. This is a prime example of God's gift of free will. God is saying, if you want the world, go get it, but I am not going to be there when you get in trouble. I have already given you everything that you need to be happy, just trust me and I will take care of you.
Solomon is a witness to the fact that no one can be satisfied with mere worldly pleasure and attainments for they become substitutes in our hearts for the One Person to whom we owe our supreme devotion to, the Lord Jesus Christ. We were not created to become laborers for "things" but to become the person He desires us to be and to accomplish His purpose for our lives. “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.” - I John 2:23-25. As long as we have Jesus in us and allow Him to abide in us than we will be Christians laboring with merit, most of all eternal life with Him. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven?
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Today is Wednesday July 28, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapters 1-4. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-july-28
Today's Message: Laboring With Merit
The Book of Ecclesiastes is the twenty-first book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains twelve chapters. The author of the book is King Solomon and it was first written to the Israelites, but is for all believers in general. The purpose of the book was to provide a description of the quest for life apart from God and to prove that Life apart from God, no matter how much one has, is vanity (worthless). Most people have ambition in life and whether it is something to help or hurt people they will do the labor needed to accomplish what they set out to do. The word labor in this case is defined as productive activity, or doing the work necessary to get the job done. Did you ever spend hours, days, or even weeks working on a project only to get to the end of it and you found out that a part was broken and you had to take it all apart? I started out wanting to be an electronic tech and we had to design and build the equipment we were going to use. Once I built a volt meter, got done with it and something was not working right, it took me longer to figure out the problem than to build it, and I never did get it working right because there was a defective part. Did you ever spend hours doing a job for someone only to finish and he criticized everything and would not pay no matter how much you tried to get it right for him? I build websites, I just had a customer that wanted one page, gave me garbage to work with and wanted it to be a masterpiece. I spent two weeks working on this page and he still criticizes it. These are examples of productive activity with no merit (worth), or labor that is vain (worthless), so much work, yet nothing really gets accomplished.
As Christians we too can become examples of productive activity with no merit, it is vain if one goes to church, reads the Bible, and prays, yet does not apply what he learns out side of the church. That is an example of a Christian laboring with no merit. While our works do not get us saved and into heaven, it is our works after we get saved that show merit. King Solomon was brought up by King David, a man known as the apple of God's eye. Solomon became a Preacher, had the Temple of God built, and was known as the wisest and richest man on earth, he even recited the longest prayer after the Temple was built (I Kings 8:22-61). “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.... I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.” - Ecclesiastes 1:1-4,12-14. The word vanity here means having excessive pride in one's appearance, qualities, abilities, or achievements. The word vexation, means troubling. So, what Solomon is warning us is that no amount of wisdom or work done without God has any value and is troubling to the spirit. God loves it when His children do His work or in other words, follow His will, but if God is not with us as we do it, it is worthless and we never see peace in our hearts.
It is recorded that, when Solomon began his reign, he loved the LORD and walked in the statutes of David, but Solomon's heart got corrupted when he allowed the world to enter it. His priorities were no longer seeking the will of God, but became distorted and he gradually set his heart on material projects, wealth, women, and their heathen gods. Solomon eventually concluded that all of it was vanity. “And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.” - Ecclesiastes 2:10-12. Solomon admits here that everything he labored for was to please his flesh, but it was all worthless and was troubling to his spirit. Sadly, many today are still trying to gain fulfillment with earthly pursuits while ignoring the will of God ans wondering why they are never happy.
Just as everything else in life what we labor for needs to be in the will of God, if we are following His will, nothing we do for Him or for anyone will be in vain. “There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I? For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.” - Ecclesiastes 2:24-26. God blesses the work we do for Him when we do it wholeheartedly and by His wisdom. Solomon continues, “I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God. I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.” - Ecclesiastes 3:10-14. This is a prime example of God's gift of free will. God is saying, if you want the world, go get it, but I am not going to be there when you get in trouble. I have already given you everything that you need to be happy, just trust me and I will take care of you.
Solomon is a witness to the fact that no one can be satisfied with mere worldly pleasure and attainments for they become substitutes in our hearts for the One Person to whom we owe our supreme devotion to, the Lord Jesus Christ. We were not created to become laborers for "things" but to become the person He desires us to be and to accomplish His purpose for our lives. “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.” - I John 2:23-25. As long as we have Jesus in us and allow Him to abide in us than we will be Christians laboring with merit, most of all eternal life with Him. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven?
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Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Bible Study: Be A Hearer & A Doer 07.27.10
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Tuesday July 27, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Proverbs, chapters 27-31. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-july-27
Today's Message: Be A Hearer & A Doer
God does not stress enough the importance of knowing all of His Word, ““Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” - Proverbs 30:5,6. We are to accept God's Word as it is and not alter it under any circumstances. People do not realize it, but every time a new version of the Bible is printed 20% of God's Word is being taken out, added, or changed because any version other than the King James version (which is where they got their information first) is copyrighted and must contend with copyright laws. Jesus Said, quoting from the Book of Deuteronomy, “It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” - Luke 4:4. We are to live by Every Word of God. I understand that some things in the Bible are hard to understand, but we are not meant to understand them all at once, but gradually so we do not go into overload. The more you read, the more you will understand. This past Sunday at our church we had an evangelist speaking and he raised an interesting subject pertaining to how we as Christians view the words of the Bible. He said some read it and accept it as it is written, some read it and alter it to fit their needs, some do not read it all and rely on what other people tell them, some have never read it and say they have, or some just have no interest in reading it at all. We all fit into one of these categories and if we want to truly see God's blessings in our lives we need to learn to be a hearer and doer of His Word.
The Proverbs are amazing and interesting, only in one sentence can a person be lifted up and convicted at the same time. They can be confusing to read, I do not know how many times I have read Proverbs and still find something as though it were never in there, such as every book, but once you catch it you know it must be something that God wants you to come to understand. For instance this verse, “Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.” - Proverbs 27:22. I read this verse over and over again this morning trying to figure it out. After looking up several definitions I finally figured it out. The word bray means to scream and shout at someone and a pestle is a tool used to grind down wheat to make mortar (cement). What God is saying here is that you should try to hold down a fool and knock some sense in him, but he will never change. Some people are never going to read and follow God's Word no matter how much you try to convince them, but you should never stop being the example to follow. You may not realize it, but even the most stubborn fool sees your faithfulness and strength and is envious of you.
Which brings to mind these verses, “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.....A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike. Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.” - Proverbs 27:1,2,15,16. The word boast means to speak with exaggeration and excessive pride, we can feel good about what we are accomplishing through God, but we should not be so proud that we are constantly bragging about ourselves. There is no need to praise ourselves with words, show praise to God through our actions and will be praised by others, even people we do not know. “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.” - Proverbs 31:30,31. One day I was at a grocery store and the cashier was having some problems. She handed me my change and I walked away, not counting it, but after counting it I realized that she gave me too much so I took it back to her. She felt embarrassed, but thanked me and as I was walking away from the register a customer walked up to me who was watching and said, “You have Christ in you”. Now, I imagine a lot of people return money when the cashier has given them too much back, but how many people come up to you and say that they see Christ in you? That is perhaps one of the best praises one can receive. To know that complete strangers see Christ in you is to know that you are not only receiving praise from others, but God as well. Praise God!
Incidentally, the word contentious means being hostile or loud and obnoxious, just like a constant rain can drag one down a contentious woman can as well. Have you ever gotten around a woman who is loud and obnoxious? The word bewrayeth means to reveal or expose. What God is saying here is that you can not hide a loud woman, the more you try the louder she gets and exposes herself, embarrassing you in the process. “He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat. He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.” - Proverbs 28:25,26. A woman that is too proud gets loud and if you try to keep her quiet she will get louder to the point that every one hears her. I remember years back when I was working as a merchandiser, this was when my ex-boyfriend was arrested, everyone kind of picked on me as if I knew what he was doing that got him arrested. We were working at a store that had to be immaculate because it was going to be a model store for others to follow. It was so crazy that people were going over other peoples work, well I said something to one of the managers and he tried to write me up because he said I yelled at him in front of the customers. I was in the storage room with three managers arguing with them, the more they tried to shut me up the louder I got. I was too proud just to let it go because I knew I did not yell at him, but I was yelling to get my point across and I never did sign those papers. Interestingly enough, after that, they stopped picking on me and three weeks later I was transferred to a different team, but my reputation followed, strangers thought I was always a contentious woman.
God's Word never fails and if we want to receive all the blessings that he has in store for us than we need to read and follow all of it. He knows what He is talking about. Satan loves to get us to think that we do not have to live by Every Word or that we can get by with someone telling us what we are supposed to do, but he is lying and deceiving us. The only way to receive God's blessings and be guarded against Satan is to learn His Word for ourselves. “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” -Ephesians 6:11-17. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven?
Be 100% Sure
http://www.godsprice.com
Visit I'm Following Jesus
http://www.imfollowingjesus.com
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Today is Tuesday July 27, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Proverbs, chapters 27-31. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-july-27
Today's Message: Be A Hearer & A Doer
God does not stress enough the importance of knowing all of His Word, ““Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” - Proverbs 30:5,6. We are to accept God's Word as it is and not alter it under any circumstances. People do not realize it, but every time a new version of the Bible is printed 20% of God's Word is being taken out, added, or changed because any version other than the King James version (which is where they got their information first) is copyrighted and must contend with copyright laws. Jesus Said, quoting from the Book of Deuteronomy, “It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” - Luke 4:4. We are to live by Every Word of God. I understand that some things in the Bible are hard to understand, but we are not meant to understand them all at once, but gradually so we do not go into overload. The more you read, the more you will understand. This past Sunday at our church we had an evangelist speaking and he raised an interesting subject pertaining to how we as Christians view the words of the Bible. He said some read it and accept it as it is written, some read it and alter it to fit their needs, some do not read it all and rely on what other people tell them, some have never read it and say they have, or some just have no interest in reading it at all. We all fit into one of these categories and if we want to truly see God's blessings in our lives we need to learn to be a hearer and doer of His Word.
The Proverbs are amazing and interesting, only in one sentence can a person be lifted up and convicted at the same time. They can be confusing to read, I do not know how many times I have read Proverbs and still find something as though it were never in there, such as every book, but once you catch it you know it must be something that God wants you to come to understand. For instance this verse, “Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.” - Proverbs 27:22. I read this verse over and over again this morning trying to figure it out. After looking up several definitions I finally figured it out. The word bray means to scream and shout at someone and a pestle is a tool used to grind down wheat to make mortar (cement). What God is saying here is that you should try to hold down a fool and knock some sense in him, but he will never change. Some people are never going to read and follow God's Word no matter how much you try to convince them, but you should never stop being the example to follow. You may not realize it, but even the most stubborn fool sees your faithfulness and strength and is envious of you.
Which brings to mind these verses, “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.....A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike. Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.” - Proverbs 27:1,2,15,16. The word boast means to speak with exaggeration and excessive pride, we can feel good about what we are accomplishing through God, but we should not be so proud that we are constantly bragging about ourselves. There is no need to praise ourselves with words, show praise to God through our actions and will be praised by others, even people we do not know. “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.” - Proverbs 31:30,31. One day I was at a grocery store and the cashier was having some problems. She handed me my change and I walked away, not counting it, but after counting it I realized that she gave me too much so I took it back to her. She felt embarrassed, but thanked me and as I was walking away from the register a customer walked up to me who was watching and said, “You have Christ in you”. Now, I imagine a lot of people return money when the cashier has given them too much back, but how many people come up to you and say that they see Christ in you? That is perhaps one of the best praises one can receive. To know that complete strangers see Christ in you is to know that you are not only receiving praise from others, but God as well. Praise God!
Incidentally, the word contentious means being hostile or loud and obnoxious, just like a constant rain can drag one down a contentious woman can as well. Have you ever gotten around a woman who is loud and obnoxious? The word bewrayeth means to reveal or expose. What God is saying here is that you can not hide a loud woman, the more you try the louder she gets and exposes herself, embarrassing you in the process. “He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat. He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.” - Proverbs 28:25,26. A woman that is too proud gets loud and if you try to keep her quiet she will get louder to the point that every one hears her. I remember years back when I was working as a merchandiser, this was when my ex-boyfriend was arrested, everyone kind of picked on me as if I knew what he was doing that got him arrested. We were working at a store that had to be immaculate because it was going to be a model store for others to follow. It was so crazy that people were going over other peoples work, well I said something to one of the managers and he tried to write me up because he said I yelled at him in front of the customers. I was in the storage room with three managers arguing with them, the more they tried to shut me up the louder I got. I was too proud just to let it go because I knew I did not yell at him, but I was yelling to get my point across and I never did sign those papers. Interestingly enough, after that, they stopped picking on me and three weeks later I was transferred to a different team, but my reputation followed, strangers thought I was always a contentious woman.
God's Word never fails and if we want to receive all the blessings that he has in store for us than we need to read and follow all of it. He knows what He is talking about. Satan loves to get us to think that we do not have to live by Every Word or that we can get by with someone telling us what we are supposed to do, but he is lying and deceiving us. The only way to receive God's blessings and be guarded against Satan is to learn His Word for ourselves. “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” -Ephesians 6:11-17. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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Monday, July 26, 2010
Bible Study: Showing Kindness 07.26.10
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Monday July 26, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Proverbs, chapters 23-26. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-july-26
Today's Message: Showing Kindness
As Christians we are taught to love those who hate us, be kind to those who deceive us, and take care of those who hurt us. At the same time we are also taught to separate ourselves from those who are wicked. So, how are we to show kindness to one another, especially when someone has wronged us, yet remain separated from the wicked, even if they are in our own house? Jesus Christ. Jesus is the key to everything and as long as we allow Him to guide us we can learn to love those who hate us, be kind to those who deceive us, and take care of those who hurt us yet, remain separated from the wicked. Perhaps one of the most difficult tasks of being a Christian is forgiving someone who has wronged you or a loved one, especially if a child was involved. However, forgiveness is the first step to recovery and showing kindness to those whom have wronged you. “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” - Mark 11:25,26. While some sins are an abomination to God, we have all sinned and need to seek forgiveness from God. If we want our sins to be forgiven we must forgive those who hurt us. I understand how hard it can be to forgive some people, but we will never see peace if we do not forgive others. God will take care of it, we just need to trust Him. The most important thing to learn is that we do need to separate ourselves from wicked people. We can show kindness to wicked people without allowing them to get involved in our lives, even if they are family. Sound confusing? Well, read on and hopefully by the end of the message it will become clearer.
Okay, so how do good people get mixed up with wicked people anyway? The number one reason is that Christ is not in their lives, millions of people claim to be a Christian, yet never stepped foot in a church or even know who Jesus is. Jesus is God's Word in the flesh, so, if one does not know Christ, one does not know God's Word. We need Christ in our lives to be able to discern the good from the wicked.“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” - Hebrews 4:12. The heart longs to be loved and if it's first love is not Christ it will fall for the people who show it love first, even if it is deceptive. Wicked people love to take advantage of good hearted people and will do anything in their means to get what they want from them. “When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee: And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat. Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.” - Proverbs 23:1-7. We are not to receive gifts from the wicked, they are only using them to deceive us. Wicked people tempt good people with everything money can buy, but in reality it is all deceptive and used to lure one to fall for their deception. Once they lure them in they can literally destroy a person. The world is full of deception, and once again, if we do not have Christ in our lives it is much easier to fall for the deception. We must not let ourselves be tempted by or desire what the people of the world enjoy nor accept what they have to offer.
Amazingly, our judgment becomes impaired when we allow ourselves to dwell with the wicked. When I was with what I thought was the man of my dreams, deep down I knew I was headed for danger when I allowed some things in our relationship, but I allowed them against my better judgment and of course, I was the one that suffered for it. However, we can learn from impaired judgment, “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him. Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked: For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.” - Proverbs 24:16-20. Good people might fall from time to time, but they get back up and learn from their mistakes. On the other hand wicked people never learn, but in the end they will fall and not get back up.
Another reason good people get mixed up with wicked people is that one (especially a Christian) can be too trusting in thinking that every person has some good in him. The reality is, there are some people in this world that are born wicked and will remain wicked all their lives. Satan has kids too and they are the most deceptive of all God's creation. Jesus Said, “If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.” - John 8:42-45. Some people in the world are just plain wicked and will never change so it is best to avoid them at all costs.
Which brings to mind that sometimes a person is just born into a wicked family. While there is nothing we can do about what family we are born into there is something we can do to keep ourselves from doing what they do. We need to keep walking in the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” - Galatians 5:22-26. Walking in the Spirit guards us from any wickedness that we are around. Plus it gives us faith and confidence in God, allowing us to be kind to them even though they are wicked. Besides God will take care of it, He will either find the goodness in the person or people or he will separate them from you. My father was a womanizer, he cheated on my mother and had kids with another woman. She divorced him and he disappeared out of our lives the whole time we were growing up. I use to think I was missing something by not having my father in my life, but after I moved in with him and his other kids I learned that God took him out of our lives so we would not end up like my half brothers, who are living wicked, sinful lives. While God does not condone divorce I do believe that He allows it under some circumstances, most of all adultery. He will always take care of His children, we may not understand the reason why He allows some things or people in our lives, but He is always there and working in our lives. We need not seek vengeance, just Jesus and He will take care of the rest. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” - Romans 12:19-21. The more kindness we show, especially to those who betrayed us, the more we are blessed, and they will suffer more that we ever did.
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have a great week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven?
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Today is Monday July 26, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Proverbs, chapters 23-26. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-july-26
Today's Message: Showing Kindness
As Christians we are taught to love those who hate us, be kind to those who deceive us, and take care of those who hurt us. At the same time we are also taught to separate ourselves from those who are wicked. So, how are we to show kindness to one another, especially when someone has wronged us, yet remain separated from the wicked, even if they are in our own house? Jesus Christ. Jesus is the key to everything and as long as we allow Him to guide us we can learn to love those who hate us, be kind to those who deceive us, and take care of those who hurt us yet, remain separated from the wicked. Perhaps one of the most difficult tasks of being a Christian is forgiving someone who has wronged you or a loved one, especially if a child was involved. However, forgiveness is the first step to recovery and showing kindness to those whom have wronged you. “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” - Mark 11:25,26. While some sins are an abomination to God, we have all sinned and need to seek forgiveness from God. If we want our sins to be forgiven we must forgive those who hurt us. I understand how hard it can be to forgive some people, but we will never see peace if we do not forgive others. God will take care of it, we just need to trust Him. The most important thing to learn is that we do need to separate ourselves from wicked people. We can show kindness to wicked people without allowing them to get involved in our lives, even if they are family. Sound confusing? Well, read on and hopefully by the end of the message it will become clearer.
Okay, so how do good people get mixed up with wicked people anyway? The number one reason is that Christ is not in their lives, millions of people claim to be a Christian, yet never stepped foot in a church or even know who Jesus is. Jesus is God's Word in the flesh, so, if one does not know Christ, one does not know God's Word. We need Christ in our lives to be able to discern the good from the wicked.“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” - Hebrews 4:12. The heart longs to be loved and if it's first love is not Christ it will fall for the people who show it love first, even if it is deceptive. Wicked people love to take advantage of good hearted people and will do anything in their means to get what they want from them. “When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee: And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat. Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.” - Proverbs 23:1-7. We are not to receive gifts from the wicked, they are only using them to deceive us. Wicked people tempt good people with everything money can buy, but in reality it is all deceptive and used to lure one to fall for their deception. Once they lure them in they can literally destroy a person. The world is full of deception, and once again, if we do not have Christ in our lives it is much easier to fall for the deception. We must not let ourselves be tempted by or desire what the people of the world enjoy nor accept what they have to offer.
Amazingly, our judgment becomes impaired when we allow ourselves to dwell with the wicked. When I was with what I thought was the man of my dreams, deep down I knew I was headed for danger when I allowed some things in our relationship, but I allowed them against my better judgment and of course, I was the one that suffered for it. However, we can learn from impaired judgment, “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him. Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked: For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.” - Proverbs 24:16-20. Good people might fall from time to time, but they get back up and learn from their mistakes. On the other hand wicked people never learn, but in the end they will fall and not get back up.
Another reason good people get mixed up with wicked people is that one (especially a Christian) can be too trusting in thinking that every person has some good in him. The reality is, there are some people in this world that are born wicked and will remain wicked all their lives. Satan has kids too and they are the most deceptive of all God's creation. Jesus Said, “If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.” - John 8:42-45. Some people in the world are just plain wicked and will never change so it is best to avoid them at all costs.
Which brings to mind that sometimes a person is just born into a wicked family. While there is nothing we can do about what family we are born into there is something we can do to keep ourselves from doing what they do. We need to keep walking in the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” - Galatians 5:22-26. Walking in the Spirit guards us from any wickedness that we are around. Plus it gives us faith and confidence in God, allowing us to be kind to them even though they are wicked. Besides God will take care of it, He will either find the goodness in the person or people or he will separate them from you. My father was a womanizer, he cheated on my mother and had kids with another woman. She divorced him and he disappeared out of our lives the whole time we were growing up. I use to think I was missing something by not having my father in my life, but after I moved in with him and his other kids I learned that God took him out of our lives so we would not end up like my half brothers, who are living wicked, sinful lives. While God does not condone divorce I do believe that He allows it under some circumstances, most of all adultery. He will always take care of His children, we may not understand the reason why He allows some things or people in our lives, but He is always there and working in our lives. We need not seek vengeance, just Jesus and He will take care of the rest. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” - Romans 12:19-21. The more kindness we show, especially to those who betrayed us, the more we are blessed, and they will suffer more that we ever did.
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have a great week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven?
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Bible Study: Truthfulness & Obedience
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Sunday July 25, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Proverbs, chapters 20-22. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-july-25
Today's Message: Truthfulness & Obedience
Truthfulness and obedience are keys to pleasing God and are essential if one is to know God's will and follow it. The true disciple is never satisfied with mere knowledge of the Gospel, he is a doer of the Word, and not just a hearer. “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:” - Ephesians 6:5-7. All who possess eternal life, find joy in expressing their love for their Lord, His Word, and following His will. However, if we are not careful, the work of the Spirit can turn into work of the flesh and even though one is doing God's will it becomes vain, thus for personal glory and not God's. It is only by truthfulness and obedience to God that we can follow His will, receive His blessings, and give Him the glory for all of it. “Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD. Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.”- Proverbs 20:9-11.
There are many things that we can become dependent on that rob us of good judgment and the ability to discern whether or not we are doing something right or wrong. God often warns us to stay away from things that can cause a dependency, which can mean pretty much anything, people, careers, drugs, alcohol, hobbies, and even extra curricular activities. They are deceitful and take away our ability to discern right from wrong. A warning is given against alcoholic drink and its subtle addiction that leads to destruction before we realize it. “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” - Proverbs 20:1. Many people are unaware of the deceptiveness of alcohol, the occasional drink in moderation seems harmless enough, but in reality it can lead to great dangers. The occasional drinker gives in to the illusion that he/she can simply relax or take the edge off with one drink. Slowly, the occasional drinker turns into the social drinker, eventually he/she gives in to the further illusion that drinking will help make life more enjoyable or sustainable. Alcohol can produce unavoidable, irreversible, and far-reaching physical and emotional wounds, therefore making one unwise. In reality they are trying to mask reality and eventually that social drinker becomes an alcoholic and has exchanged a meaningful life for a degrading existence. “Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!” - Isaiah 5:11.
This example can be applied to anything that one uses to mask reality, many brilliant people who were once successful and influential have been reduced to a wasted life because of their dependencies. No matter what the addiction, it takes control of ones self both physically and psychologically. Once a person gets the sense that he needs this in order to get through the day or to relax it robs him of good judgment and, the ability to discern right from wrong. What happens is that one is temporarily masking their problem with their dependency, it's a make believe reality, once one gets back to true reality, he feels ashamed and in order to mask the shame he goes right back to the habit to mask reality once again. This even happens to many Christian's and eventually, destroys God's purpose for his life. It's a viscous cycle, that Satan controls, the more Christian's He can get to fall away from God and fall into their habits the less will get saved. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” - I Peter 5:8,9.
Perhaps more serious is the example he has been giving to their children and friends, or to those who have used their tithes in order to support their habit. “The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.” - Proverbs 21:16-18. When we become dependent on other things, it literally destroys us and leaves our souls pretty much dead. I can recall a time in my life when I was searching for anything that would make me feel alive, except God. I did not realize that I needed God at that time, but I did realize that I had no life in me. It took three years of depression, physical pain, and fifty extra pounds that I did not need to realize that it was God that I needed, not any one or thing else. I thank God everyday that He snapped me out of my destruction and showed me that I needed Him in order to find life.
We can be cured from all bad habits and dependencies, no matter how deep we have gotten ourselves into them. Jesus is the cure. When we accept and put our faith in Him He can lead us away from the strongest dependency. “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” - Romans 14:17-23. One thing I would like to point out that although Jesus can cure us, we must make a point to accept, repent, and take the steps needed to recover. Jesus leads the way, but we must be willing to make an effort if we want to see a change in any part of our lives.
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
P.S. I apologize for the late post.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven?
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Today is Sunday July 25, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Proverbs, chapters 20-22. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-july-25
Today's Message: Truthfulness & Obedience
Truthfulness and obedience are keys to pleasing God and are essential if one is to know God's will and follow it. The true disciple is never satisfied with mere knowledge of the Gospel, he is a doer of the Word, and not just a hearer. “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:” - Ephesians 6:5-7. All who possess eternal life, find joy in expressing their love for their Lord, His Word, and following His will. However, if we are not careful, the work of the Spirit can turn into work of the flesh and even though one is doing God's will it becomes vain, thus for personal glory and not God's. It is only by truthfulness and obedience to God that we can follow His will, receive His blessings, and give Him the glory for all of it. “Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD. Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.”- Proverbs 20:9-11.
There are many things that we can become dependent on that rob us of good judgment and the ability to discern whether or not we are doing something right or wrong. God often warns us to stay away from things that can cause a dependency, which can mean pretty much anything, people, careers, drugs, alcohol, hobbies, and even extra curricular activities. They are deceitful and take away our ability to discern right from wrong. A warning is given against alcoholic drink and its subtle addiction that leads to destruction before we realize it. “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” - Proverbs 20:1. Many people are unaware of the deceptiveness of alcohol, the occasional drink in moderation seems harmless enough, but in reality it can lead to great dangers. The occasional drinker gives in to the illusion that he/she can simply relax or take the edge off with one drink. Slowly, the occasional drinker turns into the social drinker, eventually he/she gives in to the further illusion that drinking will help make life more enjoyable or sustainable. Alcohol can produce unavoidable, irreversible, and far-reaching physical and emotional wounds, therefore making one unwise. In reality they are trying to mask reality and eventually that social drinker becomes an alcoholic and has exchanged a meaningful life for a degrading existence. “Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!” - Isaiah 5:11.
This example can be applied to anything that one uses to mask reality, many brilliant people who were once successful and influential have been reduced to a wasted life because of their dependencies. No matter what the addiction, it takes control of ones self both physically and psychologically. Once a person gets the sense that he needs this in order to get through the day or to relax it robs him of good judgment and, the ability to discern right from wrong. What happens is that one is temporarily masking their problem with their dependency, it's a make believe reality, once one gets back to true reality, he feels ashamed and in order to mask the shame he goes right back to the habit to mask reality once again. This even happens to many Christian's and eventually, destroys God's purpose for his life. It's a viscous cycle, that Satan controls, the more Christian's He can get to fall away from God and fall into their habits the less will get saved. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” - I Peter 5:8,9.
Perhaps more serious is the example he has been giving to their children and friends, or to those who have used their tithes in order to support their habit. “The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.” - Proverbs 21:16-18. When we become dependent on other things, it literally destroys us and leaves our souls pretty much dead. I can recall a time in my life when I was searching for anything that would make me feel alive, except God. I did not realize that I needed God at that time, but I did realize that I had no life in me. It took three years of depression, physical pain, and fifty extra pounds that I did not need to realize that it was God that I needed, not any one or thing else. I thank God everyday that He snapped me out of my destruction and showed me that I needed Him in order to find life.
We can be cured from all bad habits and dependencies, no matter how deep we have gotten ourselves into them. Jesus is the cure. When we accept and put our faith in Him He can lead us away from the strongest dependency. “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” - Romans 14:17-23. One thing I would like to point out that although Jesus can cure us, we must make a point to accept, repent, and take the steps needed to recover. Jesus leads the way, but we must be willing to make an effort if we want to see a change in any part of our lives.
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
P.S. I apologize for the late post.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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