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Archive for April, 2011

Quote – Martin Luther

30 Apr

If the devil were wise enough and would stand by in silence and let the Gospel be preached, he would suffer less harm. For when there is no battle for the Gospel it rusts and it finds no cause and no occasion to show its vigor and power. Therefore, nothing better can befall the Gospel than that the world should fight it with force and cunning.
Martin Luther

It’s the boiling frog effect. 

You see it happen in politics a lot.  People fall asleep and don’t care and then the other side starts doing their thing.  Next election or two they get all riled up and out to vote they go.

When the Gospel got strong in the fifties people were happy and blessed.  World War II was over and they were coming out of the depression.  Things were getting good.  Then complacency stepped in as soon as the sixties started.  The devil knew that the foothold of wealth was starting and if done slow enough, people would allow their faith to slip.  Pretty soon they don’t want to rock the boat on the no God in school issue.  After that abortion comes along and gets sold in the court, because it’s better to be killed in the womb rather than possibly end up in an orphanage.

We’re getting to the point now in this country that anyone who even recognizes any God should be commended. 

That’s not what the Word of God says, and true faith isn’t determined by a vote of democracy.  God created us, the universe, everything.  That includes right and wrong.  He decides that, not popular vote.

If people seek the truth, they will find the Truth.

John 14:6 –   6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

 
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Posted in Quotes, Reflections

 

Definition – Repent

29 Apr

From the Free Dictionary.com

re·pent 1 (r -p nt )
v. re·pent·ed, re·pent·ing, re·pents
v.intr.

1. To feel remorse, contrition, or self-reproach for what one has done or failed to do; be contrite.

2. To feel such regret for past conduct as to change one’s mind regarding it: repented of intemperate behavior.

3. To make a change for the better as a result of remorse or contrition for one’s sins.

v.tr.

1. To feel regret or self-reproach for: repent one’s sins.

2. To cause to feel remorse or regret.

 ———————————————————————————-

The Bible tells us to turn away from our sin.  The word is repent.

The Lord doesn’t want us only to recognize and ask for forgiveness, but to make all effort to repent.

 
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Posted in Encouragement, Inspiration, Motivation, Reflections

 

We Are The Workers

28 Apr

1 Corinthians 3:5-7 – 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

One thing Paul makes very clear, we plant, water, nurture, but it is God who made the way and Jesus is the way.  We spread the good news.  We plant the seeds.  In the parable of the sower it even reveals that as a result a crop comes along. 

Jesus makes it clear.

John 15:1 – 1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

   5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

We can do nothing apart from Him.  Look at the last verse.  We weren’t born at the wrong time period.  This is for us too.  We can be his disciples and bear fruit.  So many get caught up in a time period.  The Word lives here and now.  The church age is coming to a close and you’re still a part of it.  How exciting, because we read about the Holy Spirit coming down and starting the church age in Acts.  I believe we will be the generation that gets raptured up and then it’s a new chapter.

Fall in love with the Lord and start doing what you can for Him while we still have a chance.  It is to the Father’s glory that we bear much fruit.  We can’t ignore the scriptures.

 
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Posted in End Time Prophecies, Inspiration, Motivation

 

Die For A Lie?

27 Apr

Who dies for a lie?  It does happen.  People blow themselves up to kill others in the name of what they think God wants.

Let’s take a look at the Twelve Disciples.

Mark 14:43-50 – 43 And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely.”
45 As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, “Rabbi, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
46 Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him. 47 And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
48 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? 49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”

50 Then they all forsook Him and fled.

The Lord had a purpose for them all and they were not to go through what our Lord did at that time.  Just earlier in the chapter Jesus said this.

Mark 14:27 – 27 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:
      ‘ I will strike the Shepherd,
      And the sheep will be scattered.

They were to later go out and spread the Word.  Each one of them did so until His death, except Judas which still took his own life that evening.  All but John, were executed for their faith.  John was persucuted constantly and the Lord had plans for him to write Revelation. 

The same men that ran the night before the crucifixion died to spread the Word of Jesus.  If they ran before, would they then die for a lie?  If they hadn’t seen Christ after the resurrection and weren’t filled with the Holy Spirit, how do they ALL find the strength to preach until their death?

I wouldn’t die for a lie.  If the evidence wasn’t overwhelming that pointed to the Bible being the Word of God, Bible Prophecy being fulfilled, seeing the behaviors on both sides being exactly biblically accurate, man had to have a Creator, etc, etc, I wouldn’t even take time to believe it let alone die for it.

But it is the truth and I would die for it.  And it is easily understood for anyone that wants to seek it.  It takes time to learn it well, but you will.  The more you seek the stronger you become, because everything around us points to the God of the Bible and His Son Jesus Christ our Savior.

 
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Posted in Inspiration, Reflections

 

The World Loves Its Own And Hated Jesus

26 Apr

Have you noticed that when someone touted as a pastor or minister fails, it brings joy to the world?

I’m not saying that when people are unjust they don’t deserve justice.  God has a way of dealing with His own or with those impersonating someone who is one of his own.  I’m talking when a believer slips and is down.  The world absolutely loves it. 

Why?

The world loves its own.  The world wants to set the rules.  It doesn’t have any standards right now for anything, except for intolerance.  To be successful in bringing a one world order together it must have everyone respecting everyone else’s ideas or beliefs.  Are we to participate in this?

John 15:18-21 – 18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.

The world hated Jesus.  If the church wants to be loved by the world, and there are many out there trying to be loved by it, they aren’t following in the footsteps of our Lord.  Jesus wasn’t spewing hate like the media today is trying to accuse (narrow-mindedness).  He was spreading truth and the Word of God.  He wasn’t going to walk on eggshells and tell people that He was the Son of God, but you go ahead and believe however you want, I wouldn’t want to offend you.  No He was direct.

John 14:6 –    6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

On one side you got the world.  On the other you have Jesus.  In the middle you have the third group.  Who are they?

Let’s start with the third group in the parable of the sower.

Matthew 13:22- 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

Then there is the Church of Laodicea.

Revelation 3:15-18 – 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

The world loves its own.  Christ wants us to follow Him, which is the way to eternal life.  You can’t be part of both.  Choose the One who loves you and was willing to die for you.  Choose Christ.

 
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Posted in Encouragement, Inspiration, Motivation

 

Who Does The Promised Land Belong To?

25 Apr

Genesis 13:  – 14 The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.”

Nowhere in the Koran does it say the Jews don’t belong in the land they possess.  As we read in Genesis, God promised Abraham the land for his offspring.  There is no mention of Jerusalem in the Koran and it even states that Moses was told the land was for the Jews.

So how do we get to where Israel’s neighbors all want to annihilate all that live there and some even all the Jews on the planet?

That’s the way Satan works.  He prompted Hitler and others in the past to try and do the same thing.

Why?

Because he knows bible prophecy.  He knows his fate.  If someone told you that you were going to die in a plane wreck and you want to avoid it, what’s the first thing you do?  You don’t ride in any planes.

The devil hates the Jews, because God’s promises are being fulfilled.  Satan hates the Church because it reminds him of the defeat he suffered and we are Christ’s bride.  The devil doesn’t like anything that reminds him of the Lord.

One last rough go of it for the Jews in the Tribulation (because they still don’t recognize their true Messiah until the end of it), but they are there to stay.

Most of the liberal news media doesn’t teach this, what a shocker huh?  Biblically, I wonder which side they’re on?  

🙂

 
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Posted in Bible Prophecy, Reflections

 

Quote – Keith Green

23 Apr

All roads lead to the judgment seat of Christ.
Keith Green

This is a very important fact that most believers forget today.

Romans 14:10-12 – 10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:
   “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
   every tongue will confess to God.’”
 12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

2 Corinthians 5:10 – 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Salvation is a gift.  Your sins are forgiven.  However, the walk and relationship will still be evaluated.

The Judgment Throne for the unsaved and the Bema Seat for those who are.

We need to live for the Lord.  Salvation is not a get out of jail free card.

 
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Posted in Motivation, Quotes, Reflections

 

The Passover Lamb

22 Apr

Yes it is that time of the year.  It is almost Resurrection Day.  The church has named it Easter, but the total significance of it was that God sent His one and only Son (one and only) to die for our transgressions once and for all.

Back in Exodus the Jewish people were told by the Lord to slay the lamb and paint the doorpost with its blood.  When they angel of death came looking to take the first born, death passed over that household.  They were covered by the blood.

However, like many things, it was symbolic of the ultimate Passover Lamb that was to come.

Luke 22:15 – 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

The Jews were getting ready to celebrate the ceremonial feast soon, but this particular year, the true Lamb, whose blood is sufficient to cover all that have sinned, was preparing Himself.

John 1:29 – 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

God was preparing the way for salvation from the very beginning.  Only the blood of God could wash away the sins of the world.

That’s the reason Jesus is the only way to the Father.  The blood is the only thing powerful enough to wash away our sins.  It’s not our good intention or good works.

Good intention or good works are as effective of washing away our sins as using dirt to clean a white tee-shirt that is covered in dried tar.

The reason man gets upset about the idea of there being only one way, God’s way, is because man has to have it his way.  Just more rebellion in another area.

Take this weekend and really focus on the great gift that was given about 1980 years ago.  There is no way to know all that our Lord had to go through on our behalf, but we know that it was the most loving thing He could do.

If you haven’t accepted Jesus as Savior and King, I have put a page over to the right column that will help you do so now.

Thank you Jesus and thank you God!  Thank you Holy Spirit for always being there.

 
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Posted in Encouragement, Inspiration, Reflections

 

A Woman Who Loves And Focuses On The Lord Is A Blessing

21 Apr

Proverbs 31:30 – 30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
   but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Women really dictate a home.  I see a lot of women who can still get to church rather their husbands make it or not.  I don’t see however, too many men that get there if their wives are staying at home.

A good woman helps build up her husband.  She helps lead from the heart position, while still keeping order in the household.  Solomon had enough examples to look at and had enough of them lead him astray.

Proverbs 12:4 – 4 A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown,
   but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

What is a wife that strengthens her husband in his faith, has loving control of her family, and walks with God?  She is the biggest gift a husband could ever ask for.  She is worth more than any other treasure on this earth.

I give glory to my Lord for blessing me with such a wife.  It’s just another way that God has shown me about how much He cares about me.

 
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The Acts Are Obvious

20 Apr

Galatians 5:19-21 – 19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

We just don’t take heed to the obvious.  As Christians we have to read and know the Word.  Once we know it, we have to care when we are warned.  If we struggle in any of these we have to battle.  We have to put on the Armor of God and look for Him in strength.

It’s never us.  Everybody reads over the words in the Bible and the warnings are never for us.  They are for those much worse off than I am.  Denial.  We have to strive to look at the word and allow the Light to shine in those dark places.  The devil wants us to think to ourselves, I don’t have any problems that are that bad.

If God is really that important to us, then we need to tackle sin one at a time.  Find His strength which comes from living in Him throughout the day and separating yourself from the sin that has a hold of you.

The consequences are serious.  We are being warned by Paul that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.  Repent means to turn away from.  We have to make the effort.   If we don’t make any effort, how important is God really to us?

 
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Posted in Inspiration, Motivation

 
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