Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Daniel chapters 10-12. 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-september-18
Today's Message: The State of Being Wise
The word wisdom is defined as the quality or state of being wise, it is having the knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment. How do we get to the state of being wise? Scholars will tell you that wisdom comes from what you learn from schools. However, the Bible says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.” - Psalm 111:10. The fear of the Lord means to acknowledge, respect, and honor God as God. When we acknowledge God for who He is and respect Him we receive knowledge, wisdom, and even His blessings.
Another meaning for the word wisdom is common sense, common sense is what tells us the second we are born that God exists and created everything. However, scholars are the ones who try and convince the world that there is no such thing as God. Do not believe me? It's in the Bible, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.” - Romans 1:20-23. God has given us enough of a conscience to know that He created every living thing on earth. However, if one does not believe in creation now, it's only because they have allowed themselves or others to educate themselves out of God's existence. This is not wisdom, this is foolishness. Everything we do in life needs to line up with the Word of God, including how we educate ourselves. Of course, we all need to learn and the only way to learn is from instruction and experience, but we need to be careful where we seek our instruction, if it does not line up with the Word of God we need get out of there.
So, how do we know if what we are learning lines up with the Word of God? The only way to know is to read the Word of God for yourself. Daniel saw visions that would be utter nightmares for you and I, he really did not understand all that God was showing him, but he did understand that God was with him and would reveal as much as he could handle. He was so shaken up by what he saw that he literally fell to the floor and could not think straight, but God gave him the strength to get back up and reason again. “Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.” - Daniel 18,19. The man that touched Daniel was no one other than Jesus Himself. God only gives us what we are able to handle, the trials of life can utterly make us so weak that we lose our ability to reason with even common sense, but Jesus gives us the strength we need to get back up and able to reason again. Praise God!
God revealed to Daniel that over time nation upon nation will be utterly destroyed, but first they will align themselves as one. “And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people....And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.” - Daniel 11:21-23,36-39. Does any of this sound familiar with what is going on today? There is a movement going on to create a one world religion, heathen nations are lining up with one another, and our own president (US), whom has just the right words to say to encourage the small people, is endorsing false religions. As Christians, we better be prepared because it is only going to get worse. Praise God that we have Jesus!
God even reveals to Daniel that even though all this destruction will take place all of His people will be safe and escape the destruction. “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased....And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” - Daniel 12:1-4,8-10. The name Michael means, "Who is like God”, our great prince and Savior Jesus Christ will deliver every one of those who put their trust in Him, the only ones written in the book. “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” - Revelation 3:5. Praise God!
While we may not understand everything written in God's Word, over time we will learn more and more. Wisdom as in common sense tells us that God is the one and only God who created everything. Wisdom as in the state of being wise comes from the fear of the Lord and is only gotten by reading God's Word. I spent years thinking I had enough knowledge to get me to heaven, that I had to do this or that to get to heaven, but I was a fool because I listened to what others were telling me. It was only when I began reading the Bible and understood that it was only by confessing to Jesus that I can get to heaven and nothing else will get me there that I became wise.
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and your weekend.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven? http://www.godsprice.com
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Saturday, September 18, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Bible Study: True Treasures 09.17.10
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Friday September 17, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Daniel, chapters 7-9. 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-september-17
Today's Message: True Treasures
We all long to be prosperous and comfortable in life, most people think if you are prosperous it means to be successful or wealthy, so, while some people find prosperity in simple things, the majority find it in luxurious things. As Christians, if we are not careful in what we long for to give us prosperity we can lose sight of God and everything that He stands for. Jesus Said, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” - Luke 12:34. We find comfort in our treasures, whatever it is that we long for is where our heart will be. Our treasures should not be what takes place of God, they should be of God. It is only when we put God first that we will see prosperity and the true treasures waiting for us not only in the Kingdom of God, but here on earth as well.
Contrary to what most people think, God does want to see us prosper, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” -Psalm 1:1-3. The key to prosperity is delighting in the law of the Lord, in other words, following His will. This is where many Christians will fall, they lose sight of following God's will in the pursuit of seeking the treasures that will make them feel prosperous. Seeking personal financial gain, possessions, and fame for prosperity is what is the downfall of every nations ruler and will be the destruction of the world.
The Book of Daniel gives an insight into what is going to happen as nation upon nation fight for worldly treasures. “Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.” - Daniel 7:2-7. In this vivid dream, Daniel sees fierce winds and beasts upon the great sea, the four winds represent the greed, confusion, and competition that exist in the world and from this violent situation arise four savage beasts, representing the kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome at different times from the time of Daniel to the kingdom of Christ. The great sea represents fallen humanity with its fierce competition and godless instability. All these governments were symbols of selfishness, heartless cruelty, and strife. Sound like any of our nations today?
Daniel saw world monarchs in their rebellion against God and contending for mastery over each other. Selfish ambition to achieve worldly dominion has reduced men to the level of beasts, this is what God sees them as and it will be the destruction of many great nations. However, in the midst of all the chaos God assures us that He will support, comfort, and not destroy His people through it all. He did not promise that there will not be some suffering, but He did promise to protect all that return to Him. “As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” - Daniel 7:12-14. Worldly prosperity only last for a season, but Jesus gives us prosperity that will last for eternity.
Right now, Satan is in control and the culprit to all this, “And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.” - Daniel 8:23-25. While Satan has power in the world right now he does not have power over Jesus and those who are saved by Him. Satan tempts everyone, but only we can allow him to control us. When being tempted by Satan, Jesus said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” - Matthew 4:4. Living by every word of God is what keeps us from falling into Satan's temptations.
It can be easy to seek worldly treasures when we do not keep our eyes on Jesus, we are human and all long for something that gives us that security and comfort, but when we seek it in our own will it does not last. I was once engaged to a man that was not very good for me, I treasured every moment with him and found comfort through him, even though I knew he was getting me to do things that were destroying me spiritually, mentally, and physically. After I found out about him and broke off the engagement I still continued a relationship with him because we were both holding on to the treasures that gave us comfort. It was not until I realized that these memories were not really something to treasure that I was able to see the true treasure in my life, Jesus Christ. I have now been able to let him go. Oh, I still struggle from time to time with those memories, but I rather have my true treasure than treasure someone who has no regard or respect for me and our relationship. God knows what we need and will always provide for us. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” - Hebrews 11:6. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and weekend.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven? http://www.godsprice.com
Visit The I'm Following Jesus Website http://www.imfollowingjesus.com
Want To Receive These Devotions in Your Email?
Subscribe By Sending A Blank Email With the Subject Subscribe to: devotions@imfollowingjesus.com
Today is Friday September 17, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Daniel, chapters 7-9. 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-september-17
Today's Message: True Treasures
We all long to be prosperous and comfortable in life, most people think if you are prosperous it means to be successful or wealthy, so, while some people find prosperity in simple things, the majority find it in luxurious things. As Christians, if we are not careful in what we long for to give us prosperity we can lose sight of God and everything that He stands for. Jesus Said, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” - Luke 12:34. We find comfort in our treasures, whatever it is that we long for is where our heart will be. Our treasures should not be what takes place of God, they should be of God. It is only when we put God first that we will see prosperity and the true treasures waiting for us not only in the Kingdom of God, but here on earth as well.
Contrary to what most people think, God does want to see us prosper, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” -Psalm 1:1-3. The key to prosperity is delighting in the law of the Lord, in other words, following His will. This is where many Christians will fall, they lose sight of following God's will in the pursuit of seeking the treasures that will make them feel prosperous. Seeking personal financial gain, possessions, and fame for prosperity is what is the downfall of every nations ruler and will be the destruction of the world.
The Book of Daniel gives an insight into what is going to happen as nation upon nation fight for worldly treasures. “Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.” - Daniel 7:2-7. In this vivid dream, Daniel sees fierce winds and beasts upon the great sea, the four winds represent the greed, confusion, and competition that exist in the world and from this violent situation arise four savage beasts, representing the kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome at different times from the time of Daniel to the kingdom of Christ. The great sea represents fallen humanity with its fierce competition and godless instability. All these governments were symbols of selfishness, heartless cruelty, and strife. Sound like any of our nations today?
Daniel saw world monarchs in their rebellion against God and contending for mastery over each other. Selfish ambition to achieve worldly dominion has reduced men to the level of beasts, this is what God sees them as and it will be the destruction of many great nations. However, in the midst of all the chaos God assures us that He will support, comfort, and not destroy His people through it all. He did not promise that there will not be some suffering, but He did promise to protect all that return to Him. “As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” - Daniel 7:12-14. Worldly prosperity only last for a season, but Jesus gives us prosperity that will last for eternity.
Right now, Satan is in control and the culprit to all this, “And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.” - Daniel 8:23-25. While Satan has power in the world right now he does not have power over Jesus and those who are saved by Him. Satan tempts everyone, but only we can allow him to control us. When being tempted by Satan, Jesus said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” - Matthew 4:4. Living by every word of God is what keeps us from falling into Satan's temptations.
It can be easy to seek worldly treasures when we do not keep our eyes on Jesus, we are human and all long for something that gives us that security and comfort, but when we seek it in our own will it does not last. I was once engaged to a man that was not very good for me, I treasured every moment with him and found comfort through him, even though I knew he was getting me to do things that were destroying me spiritually, mentally, and physically. After I found out about him and broke off the engagement I still continued a relationship with him because we were both holding on to the treasures that gave us comfort. It was not until I realized that these memories were not really something to treasure that I was able to see the true treasure in my life, Jesus Christ. I have now been able to let him go. Oh, I still struggle from time to time with those memories, but I rather have my true treasure than treasure someone who has no regard or respect for me and our relationship. God knows what we need and will always provide for us. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” - Hebrews 11:6. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and weekend.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven? http://www.godsprice.com
Visit The I'm Following Jesus Website http://www.imfollowingjesus.com
Want To Receive These Devotions in Your Email?
Subscribe By Sending A Blank Email With the Subject Subscribe to: devotions@imfollowingjesus.com
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Bible Study: Pruning Away Undesirables 09.16.10
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Thursday, September 16, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Daniel, chapters 4-6. 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-september-16
Today's Message: Pruning Away Undesirables
When a tree or plant does not produce enough fruit or flowers it is often pruned or purged. To prune means to cut off or remove anything considered superfluous or undesirable on the plant. The word superfluous means something unnecessary or needless. In other words, pruning is removing anything that is undesirable or unnecessary if we want to see something good come out of it. Have you ever seen a bush or tree that was pruned? Sometimes all that is left is branches, it looks dead and lifeless, but come spring you will start to see budding and life to it once again. As Christians, it is necessary for God to do some pruning in our lives. If we truly want to serve God and allow Him to do a great work in us we must allow Him to prune away what is superfluous or undesirable in our lives. The Bible says, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” - Hebrews 9:14. Works by man made religions to not purge or prune away all the impure, immoral, or corruptible from our lives, the blood of Christ does. It is only by the blood of Christ that we can purge the superfluous or undesirable things from our lives and begin serving the living God, not some false, man made god made to sound like the one and only living God.
Nebuchadnezzar knew of God, but he failed to acknowledge Him as the one and only living God and remove the false gods from the nation. Through a dream God revealed to Nebuchadnezzar what would happen if he continued ignoring the warnings. “I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me...This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee. Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies....This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.” - Daniel 4:2,18,19,24-26. Nebuchadnezzar was warned that if he did not stop worshiping these false gods that he would be forced to live like an animal. Let me tell you that if God has to He will do some serious pruning to get us to remove the undesirables from our lives and prove that He is the one in control, especially if we fail to listen to the warnings.
Nebuchadnezzar failed to heed the warning and withing the hour he was literally transformed into a type of animal and forced to live in the fields as one. “The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws. And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.” - Daniel 4:33-37. It took seven years for Nebuchadnezzar to look up to God and just pray to him, he knew that it was his pride that kept him from saying that God is in control, but once he humbled himself before God he returned back to normal.
When a sinner comes to himself, he will promote the welfare of others by making known the wondrous mercy of God in his life. When we realize the greatness of God and compare it to the failures of our lives, we will find it easier to turn loose of our prideful attitudes and just accept that God is always in control. The kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever, are the Lord's, but many are employed in making known His wonderful works to others, who themselves remain strangers to His saving grace. After being thrown into a lions den for praying, Daniel was thought to be dead for his faithfulness to God, however, his faithfulness in God proved to all that God is with all who put Him first. Even the king acknowledged God as the one and only living God. “Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.” -Daniel 6:25-27. We can expect to be pruned from time to time, but as long as we fear (respect) of God and walk according to that rule, peace, protection, and God's blessings will always be upon us. “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:” - Hebrews 12:28. 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? http://www.godsprice.com
Visit The I'm Following Jesus Website http://www.imfollowingjesus.com
Want To Receive These Devotions in Your Email?
Subscribe By Sending A Blank Email With the Subject Subscribe to: devotions@imfollowingjesus.com
Today is Thursday, September 16, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Daniel, chapters 4-6. 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-september-16
Today's Message: Pruning Away Undesirables
When a tree or plant does not produce enough fruit or flowers it is often pruned or purged. To prune means to cut off or remove anything considered superfluous or undesirable on the plant. The word superfluous means something unnecessary or needless. In other words, pruning is removing anything that is undesirable or unnecessary if we want to see something good come out of it. Have you ever seen a bush or tree that was pruned? Sometimes all that is left is branches, it looks dead and lifeless, but come spring you will start to see budding and life to it once again. As Christians, it is necessary for God to do some pruning in our lives. If we truly want to serve God and allow Him to do a great work in us we must allow Him to prune away what is superfluous or undesirable in our lives. The Bible says, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” - Hebrews 9:14. Works by man made religions to not purge or prune away all the impure, immoral, or corruptible from our lives, the blood of Christ does. It is only by the blood of Christ that we can purge the superfluous or undesirable things from our lives and begin serving the living God, not some false, man made god made to sound like the one and only living God.
Nebuchadnezzar knew of God, but he failed to acknowledge Him as the one and only living God and remove the false gods from the nation. Through a dream God revealed to Nebuchadnezzar what would happen if he continued ignoring the warnings. “I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me...This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee. Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies....This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.” - Daniel 4:2,18,19,24-26. Nebuchadnezzar was warned that if he did not stop worshiping these false gods that he would be forced to live like an animal. Let me tell you that if God has to He will do some serious pruning to get us to remove the undesirables from our lives and prove that He is the one in control, especially if we fail to listen to the warnings.
Nebuchadnezzar failed to heed the warning and withing the hour he was literally transformed into a type of animal and forced to live in the fields as one. “The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws. And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.” - Daniel 4:33-37. It took seven years for Nebuchadnezzar to look up to God and just pray to him, he knew that it was his pride that kept him from saying that God is in control, but once he humbled himself before God he returned back to normal.
When a sinner comes to himself, he will promote the welfare of others by making known the wondrous mercy of God in his life. When we realize the greatness of God and compare it to the failures of our lives, we will find it easier to turn loose of our prideful attitudes and just accept that God is always in control. The kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever, are the Lord's, but many are employed in making known His wonderful works to others, who themselves remain strangers to His saving grace. After being thrown into a lions den for praying, Daniel was thought to be dead for his faithfulness to God, however, his faithfulness in God proved to all that God is with all who put Him first. Even the king acknowledged God as the one and only living God. “Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.” -Daniel 6:25-27. We can expect to be pruned from time to time, but as long as we fear (respect) of God and walk according to that rule, peace, protection, and God's blessings will always be upon us. “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:” - Hebrews 12:28. 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? http://www.godsprice.com
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Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Bible Study: Nothing Is Impossible 09.15.10
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Wednesday September 15, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Daniel, chapters 1-3. 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-september-15
Today's Message: Nothing Is Impossible
Perhaps one thing we should never forget in our walk with Christ is that the more we walk with Him, the more strength we have through Him. It is amazing how much a tiny bit of faith in God will do to change a situation, imagine just how blessed we are as that faith increases. Praise God! You know, people of the world and even false Christians are going to try and wreck our faith in God, they want us to think that God can not do anything for us, that we need to do it on our own. Well, these people do not know who they are dealing with, we have the one and only Living God on our side and no one can take us away from our God. They fail to realize that, “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” -Matthew 19:26. We are human, no matter how much skills, money, or power we have, it is impossible for us to do some things, but nothing is impossible with God. Praise God!
Today we begin reading the Book of Daniel, the Book of Daniel is the twenty-seventh book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains twelve chapters. The author of the book is Daniel and it was first written to the Jews that were held captive in Babylon. The purpose of the book was to show how God rules the affairs of all men. What we are to learn from the book is that God is sovereign and honors those who honor Him.
Daniel was was carried captive into Babylon when he was a youth. Soon after his capture, Daniel and other select Israelite captives were favored and assigned new names which would hide their identity as Israelites and as citizens of Babylon. “And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.” - Daniel 1:3-7. The name Daniel means God is Judge, but his Babylonian name Belteshazzar means Prince of Baal. As Daniel heard his new name called day after day, it was intended to remind him that the comfort, self-esteem, and high position he enjoyed in his new society were all the result of his being the Prince of Baal. The king's intent was that these select men would be taught to think and live like the Babylonians, slowly forgetting that they were children of God and turn to their false god.
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah had all sorts of opposition, but they never gave up on God, somewhere in their mind, they too proclaimed, “Nothing is impossible with God!” Daniel and his friends refused to blend in with society and remained faithful to God, they could change their names, but they could not change their faith in God. First, Daniel's life was threaten when Nebuchadnezzar ordered all the wise men in Babylon destroyed. Nebuchadnezzar had a disturbing dream that he wanted interpreted, the catch, he wanted someone to tell him what the dream was first, he got sorcerers, astrologers, and even magicians to try to interpret the dream, but none of them could reveal the dream first, out of anger Nebuchadnezzar ordered all the wise men in Babylon killed. The first mistake he made was probably thinking that these men were wise in the first place, but Daniel approached the king. “Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven...Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;..The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.” - Daniel 1:16-19,27,47. Through God, Daniel was able to tell Nebuchadnezzar what his dream was and interpret it. Not only was his life spared, but even the others as well. I imagine God's objective to all this was for Nebuchadnezzar to realize not only God as number one, but to put his false gods away and only serve Him, but all he did was acknowledge God's existence.
After all that, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah would now be tested of their faith. Nebuchadnezzar had a golden statue built for worship and every time music played every person was to bow down to this statue and worship it. However, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, now named, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. refused to bow down and worship the idol. Out of anger Nebuchadnezzar had these men thrown into a fiery furnace, seven times hotter than it would normally be. “And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego....Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire....Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.” - Daniel 3:20-22,24-26,28. That fire was so hot that it consumed the men throwing Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the furnace, but not a hair was singed on these men, in fact, something amazing occurred, Jesus was in the midst of them, protecting them.
As Christian's, we are going to be faced with lots of opposition, even more so because we choose to live our lives by following Jesus Christ. Take a person that believes in God and one can be accepted, but say that you believe in Jesus and that acceptance can utterly turn into hate. For this reason many fear telling people that they walk with Christ. However, we can not allow the world or even our loved ones to keep us in the closet about our faith. We need to stand true to God even in the face of death, and obey God rather than man. If we do, God will honor us as He did Daniel and every other faithful servant. With God Nothing Is Impossible! We can overcome every obstacle with God. 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? http://www.godsprice.com
Visit The I'm Following Jesus Website http://www.imfollowingjesus.com
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Today is Wednesday September 15, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Daniel, chapters 1-3. 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-september-15
Today's Message: Nothing Is Impossible
Perhaps one thing we should never forget in our walk with Christ is that the more we walk with Him, the more strength we have through Him. It is amazing how much a tiny bit of faith in God will do to change a situation, imagine just how blessed we are as that faith increases. Praise God! You know, people of the world and even false Christians are going to try and wreck our faith in God, they want us to think that God can not do anything for us, that we need to do it on our own. Well, these people do not know who they are dealing with, we have the one and only Living God on our side and no one can take us away from our God. They fail to realize that, “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” -Matthew 19:26. We are human, no matter how much skills, money, or power we have, it is impossible for us to do some things, but nothing is impossible with God. Praise God!
Today we begin reading the Book of Daniel, the Book of Daniel is the twenty-seventh book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains twelve chapters. The author of the book is Daniel and it was first written to the Jews that were held captive in Babylon. The purpose of the book was to show how God rules the affairs of all men. What we are to learn from the book is that God is sovereign and honors those who honor Him.
Daniel was was carried captive into Babylon when he was a youth. Soon after his capture, Daniel and other select Israelite captives were favored and assigned new names which would hide their identity as Israelites and as citizens of Babylon. “And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.” - Daniel 1:3-7. The name Daniel means God is Judge, but his Babylonian name Belteshazzar means Prince of Baal. As Daniel heard his new name called day after day, it was intended to remind him that the comfort, self-esteem, and high position he enjoyed in his new society were all the result of his being the Prince of Baal. The king's intent was that these select men would be taught to think and live like the Babylonians, slowly forgetting that they were children of God and turn to their false god.
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah had all sorts of opposition, but they never gave up on God, somewhere in their mind, they too proclaimed, “Nothing is impossible with God!” Daniel and his friends refused to blend in with society and remained faithful to God, they could change their names, but they could not change their faith in God. First, Daniel's life was threaten when Nebuchadnezzar ordered all the wise men in Babylon destroyed. Nebuchadnezzar had a disturbing dream that he wanted interpreted, the catch, he wanted someone to tell him what the dream was first, he got sorcerers, astrologers, and even magicians to try to interpret the dream, but none of them could reveal the dream first, out of anger Nebuchadnezzar ordered all the wise men in Babylon killed. The first mistake he made was probably thinking that these men were wise in the first place, but Daniel approached the king. “Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven...Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;..The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.” - Daniel 1:16-19,27,47. Through God, Daniel was able to tell Nebuchadnezzar what his dream was and interpret it. Not only was his life spared, but even the others as well. I imagine God's objective to all this was for Nebuchadnezzar to realize not only God as number one, but to put his false gods away and only serve Him, but all he did was acknowledge God's existence.
After all that, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah would now be tested of their faith. Nebuchadnezzar had a golden statue built for worship and every time music played every person was to bow down to this statue and worship it. However, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, now named, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. refused to bow down and worship the idol. Out of anger Nebuchadnezzar had these men thrown into a fiery furnace, seven times hotter than it would normally be. “And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego....Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire....Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.” - Daniel 3:20-22,24-26,28. That fire was so hot that it consumed the men throwing Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the furnace, but not a hair was singed on these men, in fact, something amazing occurred, Jesus was in the midst of them, protecting them.
As Christian's, we are going to be faced with lots of opposition, even more so because we choose to live our lives by following Jesus Christ. Take a person that believes in God and one can be accepted, but say that you believe in Jesus and that acceptance can utterly turn into hate. For this reason many fear telling people that they walk with Christ. However, we can not allow the world or even our loved ones to keep us in the closet about our faith. We need to stand true to God even in the face of death, and obey God rather than man. If we do, God will honor us as He did Daniel and every other faithful servant. With God Nothing Is Impossible! We can overcome every obstacle with God. 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? http://www.godsprice.com
Visit The I'm Following Jesus Website http://www.imfollowingjesus.com
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Monday, September 13, 2010
Bible Study: The Glory of The Lord 09.13.10
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Monday September 13, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Ezekiel, chapters 43-45. 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-september-13
Today's Message: The Glory Of The Lord
On Sunday's, most holiday's, and perhaps one day during the week many Christians go to church or some kind of building that resembles a church to worship God. While the world would view worshiping God as something more liken to slavery, worshiping God actually means simply to honor God, we usually do that by song, prayer, reading, and learning a little about His Word. It is truly a wonderful thing to come together, fellowship, and hear some good preaching. It seems that these preachers know just what to say to revive us and get us going for the week and revive us during the week when we are drained spiritually. So, what happens once we get out of those doors? Do you take God with you and apply what you have learned or do you leave Him at the door and continue to go on with life as if you were never there? The truth is this, God does not just dwell in a room with four walls, God is everywhere and inside of every person who knows Jesus Christ as their Savior, through the Holy Spirit. Praise God! “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” -II Corinthians 3:17,18. It is only when we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us that we will see the glory of the Lord and when we see the glory of the Lord we will apply what we have learned when we get out the door and see His glory shine even more through us.
Okay, so what is the glory of the Lord? The word glory means, something of great importance, honor, beauty, and or to boast about. In other words, the glory of the Lord means to honor God by recognizing the importance of Him being in and working in our lives. The more we allow God to work through us, the more we are blessed. The more we are blessed, the more we boast about Him, the more we boast about Him, the more beautiful He looks to others as God's glory shines through us. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” - II Corinthians 4:6.
Before Jesus came, God did not dwell in anyone, but over the Temple that king Solomon built. In a vision, Ezekiel had witnessed the departure of the glory of the Lord from the magnificent, but now destroyed, Temple (Ezekiel 10:4-19). Jerusalem and the once-glorious kingdom of Israel were only memories. The Israelites had chosen to ignore God's Word and were actually worshiping idols, the sun, and all sorts of creatures in the Temple that had been dedicated to God alone. However, in a new vision Ezekiel saw a new Temple being built and God coming in by the very way through which He had departed from the old Temple. The Eastern Gate led straight to the Temple entrance of the eternal King, “Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east: And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.” - Ezekiel 43:1-5. The physical Temple had foreshadowed the life and ministry of Christ. In the millennium there will be no need for types or symbols because God the Father and Jesus Christ, whom the symbols represented, will be present. Our concern should not be how and when the prophecies will be fulfilled, but that our body, mind, and spirit be prepared for the His return.
Ezekiel's vision also foreseen Jesus as the prince who would be in charge of the new Temple, “Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut. Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.” - Ezekiel 44:1-3. Jesus will be sent to restore Israel. “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.” - Acts 5:31,32. Today, all who call on Christ as their Savior are witnesses, through the Holy Spirit that indwells in us.
God is always with you, so, let all the burdens, guilt, or shame go and give it all to Him. Never stop allowing God to work in you, He is the key to all the blessings in our lives, even the struggles. The more we allow the glory of the Lord to work in us the easier we will be able to handle future struggles as well as see the blessings through all of them. More importantly we have the amazing Christ in us to strengthen us, guide us, and lead others to the glory of the Lord as well, which is the most important thin we can do for someone who is not saved. “For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” - Psalm 84:11. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have an awesome week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven? http://www.godsprice.com
Visit The I'm Following Jesus Website http://www.imfollowingjesus.com
Want To Receive These Devotions in Your Email?
Subscribe By Sending A Blank Email With the Subject Subscribe to: devotions@imfollowingjesus.com
Today is Monday September 13, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Ezekiel, chapters 43-45. 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-september-13
Today's Message: The Glory Of The Lord
On Sunday's, most holiday's, and perhaps one day during the week many Christians go to church or some kind of building that resembles a church to worship God. While the world would view worshiping God as something more liken to slavery, worshiping God actually means simply to honor God, we usually do that by song, prayer, reading, and learning a little about His Word. It is truly a wonderful thing to come together, fellowship, and hear some good preaching. It seems that these preachers know just what to say to revive us and get us going for the week and revive us during the week when we are drained spiritually. So, what happens once we get out of those doors? Do you take God with you and apply what you have learned or do you leave Him at the door and continue to go on with life as if you were never there? The truth is this, God does not just dwell in a room with four walls, God is everywhere and inside of every person who knows Jesus Christ as their Savior, through the Holy Spirit. Praise God! “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” -II Corinthians 3:17,18. It is only when we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us that we will see the glory of the Lord and when we see the glory of the Lord we will apply what we have learned when we get out the door and see His glory shine even more through us.
Okay, so what is the glory of the Lord? The word glory means, something of great importance, honor, beauty, and or to boast about. In other words, the glory of the Lord means to honor God by recognizing the importance of Him being in and working in our lives. The more we allow God to work through us, the more we are blessed. The more we are blessed, the more we boast about Him, the more we boast about Him, the more beautiful He looks to others as God's glory shines through us. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” - II Corinthians 4:6.
Before Jesus came, God did not dwell in anyone, but over the Temple that king Solomon built. In a vision, Ezekiel had witnessed the departure of the glory of the Lord from the magnificent, but now destroyed, Temple (Ezekiel 10:4-19). Jerusalem and the once-glorious kingdom of Israel were only memories. The Israelites had chosen to ignore God's Word and were actually worshiping idols, the sun, and all sorts of creatures in the Temple that had been dedicated to God alone. However, in a new vision Ezekiel saw a new Temple being built and God coming in by the very way through which He had departed from the old Temple. The Eastern Gate led straight to the Temple entrance of the eternal King, “Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east: And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.” - Ezekiel 43:1-5. The physical Temple had foreshadowed the life and ministry of Christ. In the millennium there will be no need for types or symbols because God the Father and Jesus Christ, whom the symbols represented, will be present. Our concern should not be how and when the prophecies will be fulfilled, but that our body, mind, and spirit be prepared for the His return.
Ezekiel's vision also foreseen Jesus as the prince who would be in charge of the new Temple, “Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut. Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.” - Ezekiel 44:1-3. Jesus will be sent to restore Israel. “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.” - Acts 5:31,32. Today, all who call on Christ as their Savior are witnesses, through the Holy Spirit that indwells in us.
God is always with you, so, let all the burdens, guilt, or shame go and give it all to Him. Never stop allowing God to work in you, He is the key to all the blessings in our lives, even the struggles. The more we allow the glory of the Lord to work in us the easier we will be able to handle future struggles as well as see the blessings through all of them. More importantly we have the amazing Christ in us to strengthen us, guide us, and lead others to the glory of the Lord as well, which is the most important thin we can do for someone who is not saved. “For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” - Psalm 84:11. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have an awesome week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven? http://www.godsprice.com
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Sunday, September 12, 2010
Bible Study: Vision Beyond Sight 09.12.10
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Sunday September 12, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Ezekiel, chapters 40-42. 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-september-12
Today's Message: Vision Beyond Sight
The word vision is defined as the act or power of sensing with the eyes, in other words, what we see with our eyes. Anyone who denies the existence of God as you look up to the sky and see an amazing sun and light coming from behind the clouds is utterly blind, it's truly a sight to see. Even to have vision is a gift from God and something that we all need to cherish. You know, even the blind can see? In fact, they probably see things well beyond what we can see with our own eyes. Another meaning for the word vision is, the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be. Everyone has a vision of some kind, or they should have, that is a vision, or a goal of some sort about what they would like to see in the future. The Bible says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” - Proverbs 29:18. What is the law? God, or in other words, following the will of God. Now, God gave us all the gift of free will so, we are not subject to His law, but if we want to truly be happy we will follow His will. What is the point? We have vision, a glorious vision of some sort about what we see in the future, lead by God Himself. If anything we have a the vision of eternal life and that day when we get to join Jesus in the Kingdom of God. Jesus Said, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” - John 20:31. The key word here is believing. We must believe that the things we see will become a reality, no matter how long it takes.
A glorious vision is given to Ezekiel twenty-five years after Babylon had taken the Israelites captive, the vision was a future Temple where God would dwell when He returns here on earth. “In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and brought me thither. In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south. And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate. And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel....Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; eight tables, whereupon they slew their sacrifices. And the four tables were of hewn stone for the burnt offering, of a cubit and an half long, and a cubit and an half broad, and one cubit high: whereupon also they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offering and the sacrifice....So he measured the court, an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar that was before the house.” - Ezekiel 40:1-4,41,42,47. This chapter describes two outward courts of the Temple. Whether the vision was the Son of God, is not clear, but Christ is both our Altar and our Sacrifice, to whom we must look with vision in all approaches to God. He is Salvation in the midst of the earth, to be looked unto from all quarters.
After the prophet had observed the courts, he was brought to the Temple. “Afterward he brought me to the temple, and measured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the tabernacle. And the breadth of the door was ten cubits; and the sides of the door were five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other side: and he measured the length thereof, forty cubits: and the breadth, twenty cubits. Then went he inward, and measured the post of the door, two cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits. So he measured the length thereof, twenty cubits; and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple: and he said unto me, This is the most holy place.” -Ezekiel 41:1-4. The most Holy place in the Temple is the innermost room where the visible manifestation of God's presence dwelt. Today, every person who believes in and accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior is God's Holy Place.
Since we were saved, not of the will of the flesh, but of the will of God, we are free from Satan's control and have become the Lord's holy dwelling place.“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” - I Corinthians 3:16,17. Hearing it this way kind of makes you think twice about doing things knowing that God is right there with you. So, it is vital that we refuse Satan's tempting efforts to defile the Lord's Temple with thoughts that only our flesh would do. Remember, every thought can become an action. Freed from sin, the servant of God is able to enjoy the peace of God. Let us praise the Lord for His indwelling Holy Spirit and enjoy the sacred privilege committed to our trust. God has great vision for all of His children, but unless we follow His will only it will take a lot longer for us to see it. Praise God that He sees more in us that we do in ourselves and for His patience in waiting for us to come to our senses.
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and enjoy the Lord's Day.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven? http://www.godsprice.com
Visit The I'm Following Jesus Website http://www.imfollowingjesus.com
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Today is Sunday September 12, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Ezekiel, chapters 40-42. 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-september-12
Today's Message: Vision Beyond Sight
The word vision is defined as the act or power of sensing with the eyes, in other words, what we see with our eyes. Anyone who denies the existence of God as you look up to the sky and see an amazing sun and light coming from behind the clouds is utterly blind, it's truly a sight to see. Even to have vision is a gift from God and something that we all need to cherish. You know, even the blind can see? In fact, they probably see things well beyond what we can see with our own eyes. Another meaning for the word vision is, the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be. Everyone has a vision of some kind, or they should have, that is a vision, or a goal of some sort about what they would like to see in the future. The Bible says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” - Proverbs 29:18. What is the law? God, or in other words, following the will of God. Now, God gave us all the gift of free will so, we are not subject to His law, but if we want to truly be happy we will follow His will. What is the point? We have vision, a glorious vision of some sort about what we see in the future, lead by God Himself. If anything we have a the vision of eternal life and that day when we get to join Jesus in the Kingdom of God. Jesus Said, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” - John 20:31. The key word here is believing. We must believe that the things we see will become a reality, no matter how long it takes.
A glorious vision is given to Ezekiel twenty-five years after Babylon had taken the Israelites captive, the vision was a future Temple where God would dwell when He returns here on earth. “In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and brought me thither. In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south. And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate. And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel....Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; eight tables, whereupon they slew their sacrifices. And the four tables were of hewn stone for the burnt offering, of a cubit and an half long, and a cubit and an half broad, and one cubit high: whereupon also they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offering and the sacrifice....So he measured the court, an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar that was before the house.” - Ezekiel 40:1-4,41,42,47. This chapter describes two outward courts of the Temple. Whether the vision was the Son of God, is not clear, but Christ is both our Altar and our Sacrifice, to whom we must look with vision in all approaches to God. He is Salvation in the midst of the earth, to be looked unto from all quarters.
After the prophet had observed the courts, he was brought to the Temple. “Afterward he brought me to the temple, and measured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the tabernacle. And the breadth of the door was ten cubits; and the sides of the door were five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other side: and he measured the length thereof, forty cubits: and the breadth, twenty cubits. Then went he inward, and measured the post of the door, two cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits. So he measured the length thereof, twenty cubits; and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple: and he said unto me, This is the most holy place.” -Ezekiel 41:1-4. The most Holy place in the Temple is the innermost room where the visible manifestation of God's presence dwelt. Today, every person who believes in and accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior is God's Holy Place.
Since we were saved, not of the will of the flesh, but of the will of God, we are free from Satan's control and have become the Lord's holy dwelling place.“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” - I Corinthians 3:16,17. Hearing it this way kind of makes you think twice about doing things knowing that God is right there with you. So, it is vital that we refuse Satan's tempting efforts to defile the Lord's Temple with thoughts that only our flesh would do. Remember, every thought can become an action. Freed from sin, the servant of God is able to enjoy the peace of God. Let us praise the Lord for His indwelling Holy Spirit and enjoy the sacred privilege committed to our trust. God has great vision for all of His children, but unless we follow His will only it will take a lot longer for us to see it. Praise God that He sees more in us that we do in ourselves and for His patience in waiting for us to come to our senses.
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and enjoy the Lord's Day.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven? http://www.godsprice.com
Visit The I'm Following Jesus Website http://www.imfollowingjesus.com
Want To Receive These Devotions in Your Email?
Subscribe Here Through Google Groups: http://groups.google.com/group/im-following-jesus-
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