RSS
 

Archive for the ‘Motivation’ Category

The Greatest Commandment In The Bible – Part 2

30 Jun

Alright if you haven’t read part 1, quit cheating.  Part 1 is right below this story.

We’re continuing the story on the greatest commandment.  As state in part 1, the reason the story was inspired was because I talked to some people that were surprised that God would be up for war rather than peace.  Is that the case?  Let’s continue to read on.

Yesterday we went over the first three of the Ten Commandments.  The all had to do with how we are to love and treat God.  Furthermore we read this from Moses in Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 6:5 – 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Jesus said this in Matthew.                         

Matthew 22:36-38 – 36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment.

The first and greatest commandment!

So is the first and greatest commandment, come together peacefully my creation and build yourself a tower to reach heaven without Me?  Is the greatest commandment to come together and create a new world order without Me, the Lord Thy God, as the head?

No!

 Just a reminder again on a previous verse.

Exodus 20:4-6 – 4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

This is the word for Nineveh from the Prophet Nahum.

Nahum 1:2-3 – 2 The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath.  The LORD takes vengeance on his foes and maintains his wrath against his enemies.
3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished.
His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet.

God’s not for man building kingdoms on this earth without Him.  I know this word is not a feel good, take me to my happy place message.  God is Love and He is Just.

Let’s wrap this one up tomorrow and we will hit more on the Loving Creator.

 
No Comments

Posted in Inspiration, Motivation, Reflections

 

The Greatest Commandment In The Bible –Part 1

29 Jun

This post has been inspired by a couple of people that were a bit surprised on my recent posts concerning global government.  They were surprised that God would be against the idea of the world coming together and trying to form a peaceful one world reunion.  This was in regards to my comments that God was against the Tower of Babel and is clearly against the end time global government movement.

Are you saying that God is against peace and is a war monger Patrick?

There are a few important things we need to establish right away to understand the above paragraph.

What is important to God?  Let’s start with the first three of the Ten Commandments.

Exodus 20:3-7  

3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

 4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

 7 “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

The first three commandments are concerned with God’s people towards God.  We are not to have any other God’s before Him.  We’re not to have any form of Idol worship.  We are not to misuse his name or take it in vain.

Let’s concentrate a little on something in the second commandment there in verse 5.
… I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God…..

What does that verse say to you?  I can tell you what it speaks to me.

God didn’t go to the trouble of creating a universe, creating the earth, creating man, just to ignore it all.  God didn’t create man to worship himself, trees, rocks, the sun, moon, stars, golden calves or Satan for that matter. 

Before we address the top paragraph let’s also address a little more scripture that supports these scriptures we went over today.   That’s right; we’ll read on that tomorrow.

 
No Comments

Posted in Inspiration, Motivation, Reflections

 

Prayer Kicked Out Of School In America – June 25, 1962 – Part 2

24 Jun

Today I will finish up the post I started yesterday.  Mainly because I had an idea where I was going with it when it started and by the time I was done, God wanted me to remind everyone that Heaven wasn’t a democracy.

Man just has a spirit that he won’t be told what to do.  It’s a rebellious spirit and came at the time of the fall.  Armies that are full of men that won’t be told what to do, become defeated quickly.  Nations that don’t believe in authority fall to anarchy and soon the strong will dictate it with a brutal dictatorship.

Why has America thrived in the past?  Why did England thrive in the past?

In both cases it appears that when the recognized God and Jesus as the head authority, they prospered.  When England began to lose this and turned its back on the Jews it was reduced to what it is today.  America is in the same boat.  When God was at the head it was thriving.  Now that it has kicked God to the side, it has become a proud, broke, debtor nation.  Now turning its back on Israel, it will be brought to its knees.

The problem is that crime has gone up, violence has gone up, trust has gone down, morality has gone down. 

God was taken out of public school starting 48 years ago.  You can add another 5 years for those who were too young to be in school and you’re up to everyone 53 years and younger has never been subject to God unless they got it from home.

You can probably add another 5 years, as those first years of development are important, but the learning really starts later.  So about 58 years and older really didn’t get a dose of God unless it was from home.

Doesn’t this age group on down pretty much run almost everything right now?

Sadly enough it’s not going to stop where it’s at.  Without God’s blessing this country will continue to fall further into chaos, more debt, and while it’s busy trying to fight Christianity, another influence will come in and devour it.

So what’s the good news?  The Good News is Jesus Christ!

Acts 5:42 – 42Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

Heaven is not a democracy.  Heaven is a Theocracy.  It is run by a loving God of absolutes.  Everyone is invited to enter, as long as you acknowledge the pardon granted by the King and serve Him.

The proud, the stubborn, the selfish, the evil, will not be part of that Kingdom.

Choose the King.  He made you.  He loves you.  He has forgiven you.  There is just one more step to starting your journey back to the Kingdom.  If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I invite you to do so now.  I have put a page on the upper right hand side of the column that will walk you through.

 
No Comments

Posted in Bible Prophecy, Motivation

 

Prayer Kicked Out Of School In America – June 25, 1962 – Part 1

23 Jun

The ruling was that a 22 word prayer in New York public schools was unconstitutional.

“Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers, and our country.”

This was the start of war on God in the public school system in America.

Since this time the rulings have continued to erode away anything to do with God at school.

I was researching this topic and have spent over an hour looking at comments for and against having prayer in public schools.

Naturally the point being made by those who are against it is that one you would have to open it up to everyone.  Second you would be forcing a free society to accept something they don’t have the choice of making on their own.

That’s when it really hit me.  I already knew this, but it really hit me hard.

Heaven isn’t a democracy….It’s a Theocracy.  God is going to rule and He isn’t going to go to the poll booths to find out what you’re wanting.  Rather you like it or not there is a right and a wrong.  There is a true God.  There is a Heaven and Hell. 

Democracy that allows you freedom to worship God is wonderful.  We have a world that is not allowed to do so and if you read the book of Revelation it’s all heading there soon.

The first half of the tribulation people will be killed because Christianity will be a religion of intolerance.  In the second half if you don’t worship the Antichrist now reincarnated by Satan, and this will include the false church that was persecuting Christianity, you will be killed.

Revelation 13:15 – 15He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.

So if you’re one of those who loves democracy because it allows you to have the freedom of not having to do anything you don’t want to, better enjoy it while you can.  That will be coming to an end.

Tomorrow I will continue on this topic.

 
No Comments

Posted in Bible Prophecy, Motivation

 

My How Time Flies

16 Jun

A day whisks by, you blink, and it’s over.

A year isn’t very long, when one looks back at life.

A decade flies by, where does the time go?

A half a century elapses; your time on earth is on the down slope.

If you have managed to do quite well based on worldly standards, was it really that great?  If you did it all for yourself and have nothing to present to the Lord when the rewards are due, how will you feel?    

We’re not taking any of physical comforts with us.  It all stays behind.  The only thing that continues forward is what you have done for Him.

If you’re reading this, you’re never too old and it’s a great day to serve Jesus.  It’s even a better one to make that service an everyday habit.

 
No Comments

Posted in Encouragement, Inspiration, Motivation, Reflections

 

Run The Race Until It’s Time To Pass Off The Baton

14 Jun

Paul let’s us know to run the race.

Acts 20:24 – 24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.

We all have a duty to run the best race that we are capable of running.  By running the race the best you can, you’re going to affect others on their race as well.

The race for most is not a sprint, but a long endurance run.  But you need to be running.  We don’t need to be running to the left and to the right or backwards.  Run towards the prize.  The prize is in front of you.  The Devil will tempt you will all sorts of distractions and will have you running ragged. 

Hebrews 12:1-3 – 1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Keeping our eyes on Jesus as you run will keep you running straight.

We have a duty to keep running up to the time of our departure.  Rapture or Death you need to run the best race you can.

When the race is complete for you, it will be time to pass off the baton to another.  Make it a goal to build those up around you to make them strong loving Christian people so you may pass the baton off and begin your new life with your Savior in Heaven.

 
No Comments

Posted in Encouragement, Inspiration, Motivation

 

Feed My Sheep

12 Jun

John 21:15-17 – 15When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”
      “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
      Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

 16Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?”
      He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
      Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

 17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
      Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

    Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

When God and Jesus repeat themselves you need to take extra note to the importance.  Each and everyone one of us has a duty to try and reach others for the Kingdom of God.  With the Power of God all you have to do is seek him and he will work through you.

Matthew 9:37 – 37Then he (Jesus) said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.

You don’t have to look too far to realize that this scripture comes to life.  There are plenty of people who need to be saved from destruction and need to reunite with the Lord.  Will you be one of those?  As I will always say, each one of us has a gift or gifts.  Use them for the Kingdom of God, not temporary gain that you can’t take with you.

Is it important when someone gets saved from death and hell?

Luke 15:3-7 –   3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. 

Now that last scripture hits on someone new coming to the Lord.  However, your obedience of encouraging others is also feeding His sheep.  Just one little thing you say can revive or rejuvenate someone to get back on the path of serving the Lord.

Jesus makes it pretty clear that if you love Him, feed His sheep.

Put your name here if you love Me, Feed My Sheep.

 
No Comments

Posted in Motivation, Salvation

 

The Law And Jesus Christ

10 Jun

Galatians 5:4 – 4You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

Paul was talking to the Jews who were trying to still live by the law to get to God.  However, God’s Son had already come and fulfilled the real path back to God.

What he is saying is if you accept Jesus and obey Him, you are still going to obey the law.  Jesus had this to say in:

Matthew 5:17 –  17“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

If you try to obey the law without accepting Christ, however, you have fallen away from grace.

This is just more information for the human race.  You can try and be the best person in the world, but even if you try to obey the Ten Commandments and don’t know the Son, you are still going to die in your sins.

Once you have Jesus, your heart should want to obey the commandments.  Actually you should understand them better than ever.  I am going to write a whole separate post on resting on the Sabbath, but as a Christian we should all realize the need to do so especially in this day and age.

Jesus didn’t come to change the law but to fulfill it.  Let’s all make an extra effort to live for Jesus and obey the law-commandments.

 
No Comments

Posted in Inspiration, Motivation, Salvation

 

Remember He Was Spirit Filled, But He Was Still A Man

09 Jun

The purpose of this post is to remind people that we can’t be putting others on a pedestal.

Great men of God are still men.  That’s what I love about the Bible.

God is infallible, man is a mess.

The more hooked into to God we are and the more we die to ourselves, the less of a mess we become.  Even under those circumstances, we are still humans.

My example today is John the Baptist.  What a great man of God.  Dedicated his whole life when he was called from what we believe was from his birth.

Here is what Jesus had to say about John the Baptist.

Matthew 11:  – 10This is the one about whom it is written:  “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ 11I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

John prepared the way for the coming Messiah.  He was fully committed to God.

After John was arrested and was in prison, he wondered if Jesus was indeed the Messiah.  I believe John like many of the Jewish leaders of the day, thought the Messiah was coming to take over and rule the Jews over the other nations.  So when that wasn’t happening, he was second guessing his baptism.

Matthew 11:1-3 – 1After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee. 2When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples 3to ask him, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”

Why did John ever doubt?  Because he was a man.

He was in prison after giving his life to God.  He was hearing about Jesus preaching the Good News, but I can’t help to think, and this is my opinion, he was waiting for Jesus to make his Kingship and then get John out of that prison.

Don’t get me wrong.  I don’t believe that for two seconds that if John knew that if he was going to be in prison or beheaded and that was God’s plan for his life, that he would have changed a thing.  He was a souled out believer.

John was a great man of God.  Like all great men of God, he had his moment or moments.

I am so grateful that the Lord had all those things recorded in his Word.  If all the great men of God were perfect, who would attempt to follow and present the Gospel after them?  Certainly not I.

However, since all men are fallible, we can all know that perfection isn’t a necessity to spread the Good News.

A heart for Truth is.  To spread around the correct Gospel is.  Perfection however, is not a prerequisite.  Time for all of us to spread the Good News.

 
No Comments

Posted in Encouragement, Inspiration, Motivation

 

Prepare And Let God Use Your Strength

07 Jun

In the following verse King Saul and David are talking about David wanting to fight Goliath.

1 Samuel 17:32-37 –  32 David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”

 33 Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.”

 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
      Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you.”

Now this post is on one thing in which 20 or more could be written.  I’m going to concentrate today on how God prepared a boy to fight and take out one of the toughest warriors of their day.

David was the youngest of 8 sons that belonged to Jesse.  He tended the sheep for his father’s flock.

During that time he had dangerous Sheppard duties.  I know I would be freaked out at my age if I was tending sheep and a lion came along.

He was the protector of the flock and I’m sure he practiced slinging stones from his sling all day long.  It appears to me it was the kind of job which gave him time to practice as well as time to meditate on the Lord.

When the lion and the bear came around, he had built the confidence to confront his enemies.  However, don’t miss the fact that God had him out there as a Sheppard in the first place.  David had a willing heart to serve God. 

Now David found himself on the battle lines.  He knew that God already rescued him from the lion and the bear.  No small task there.  He also knew that God would give him victory over Goliath.

They tried to put armor on him.  They tried to give him a shield and a helmet.  They tried to give him a heavy sword to use. 

None of this was familiar to him.  It wasn’t how he trained.  It wasn’t how God how prepared him up to this point.  David was ready for battle based on his trust for God.  He trusted that God would give him victory and he trusted that God had prepared him to fight.

He didn’t count on God giving Goliath a heart attack, although God was capable of doing that.  No, God had prepared him prior to this fight, from his responsibility of protecting the sheep.

We have a responsibility to continue to prepare for what God has planned for us.  If we’re not ready and our hearts are not right, we get passed over like David’s seven older brothers.

Prepare yourselves.  How?  By studying God’s Word as often as you can. 

By studying God’s Word you prepare for that lost sole that is seeking God and needs your help.  By preparing you’re less apt to get swept away by some slick talking guy that’s not teaching the correct things about God whose Son is Jesus Christ.

Every one of us has some sort of talent that can be used for God.  No talent is too small.  If you use a small talent for Jesus, it’s better than an amazing one someone has that isn’t. 

Prepare for the things God has in store for you, because if you’re not prepared, or willing and able, he can’t use you in the battle.

 
No Comments

Posted in Encouragement, Inspiration, Motivation

 
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »