RSS
 

Archive for May, 2013

A Slave To Win As Many As Possible

28 May

I am grateful that Paul did not have the attitude of many Christians today.

1 Corinthians 9:19- 19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

Today many believe faith is a personal choice to be kept to oneself.  Others believe it’s the job of the clergy to spread the news.

Is that what the Bible and Word of God teaches?

Matthew 5:13-15 –  13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.  14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

No, we are to shout it from the mountain tops.

Are we ashamed?  If we are not then we need to allow the Spirit to be bold in us.

Persecution is coming quickly in this country.  It’s already started.  Stand up for your Lord, so the day you stand in front of Him, He will acknowledge you and say well done.

On the other hand, you do not want to stand in front of Him with nothing to present Him.

 
No Comments

Posted in Encouragement, Inspiration, Motivation

 

The Lord Looks At The Heart

21 May

We are going to be accountable in the end to the Lord and it is going to be based on our heart.

No, not the actual organ.  This is our heart for the Lord.  It includes our passion, our obedience, our love, our devotion, etc.

Samuel was to go and anoint one of Jesse’s sons to eventually take over for Saul after he had fell out of favor.  Saul was a head taller than most and was an outwardly impressive figure.  Therefore when Samuel got to Jesse’s place he thought he knew who the Lord was referring to when he saw him.

I Samuel 16:6-7 – 6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

People’s heart fell astray much in the Old Testament and it troubled the Lord.

When David came along, who was he referred as?  Well after Saul had done his foolish disobedient thing, this is what Samuel said to him.

I Samuel 13:13-14 – 13 “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

David was a man after God’s own heart.  Was David perfect?  Not by any means and I think it is a gift to us to be able to read that we don’t have to give up when we are not perfect.  However, we need to give our heart to our wonderful Lord.

Talk to Him throughout the day.  Give Him praise.  Ask Him what He wants from you.  Make Him first in your thoughts when you’re making a decision.  Read His Word daily and learn.  Care about what He cares about, not what man cares about.

These are some of the things that puts your heart towards our wonderful Lord.  Seek Him constantly and He will show you many others.

 
2 Comments

Posted in Encouragement, Inspiration

 

How About The Samaritans Who Came Out After Hearing About Jesus?

14 May

In John Chapter 4 the woman at the well went and told the people of that town to come see the man who told her everything she did.

The response is mentioned in verses 39-42.

John 4:39-42 – 39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers.

42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” 

They were curious and were intrigued.  However, when did they really strengthen their belief?  When they took the time to go and check Him out.

Believers today so often just believe what someone says.  They don’t take time to check it out.

How do you check it out?

God’s Word is the only way you can check something out to see if it comes from God.

If not, anything goes.  Just look around.  It does.  We have a whole world full of self proclaimed Christians who don’t know the Word and they are just ripe for the evil one to pick.

Is that biblical?

1 Timothy 4:1 – 1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

It sure is.

In verse thirteen Paul says:

1 Timothy 4:13-16 – 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.  14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Some get into trouble when they try to prophecy and it is contradictory to the Word.  That’s another trap that is warned about in verse 1.

Study the Word so you won’t be deceived in these latter days.

 
No Comments

Posted in Inspiration, Motivation

 

Where Is The Promise Of His Coming?

06 May

2 Peter 3:3-4 – 3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”

Why would someone scoff at the idea of the Lord coming back?  The Word has said He is going to.

Acts 1:11 – 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

How was that?  He ascended from the Mount of Olives.  So could we say He descends back on the Mount of Olives?

Zechariah 14:2-4 – 2 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. 3 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.

So why the scoffing?  One reason is because replacement theology exists in the church today and second those who don’t take the scriptures literally aren’t going by what it says.

A third reason for the scoffing is in verse 3 up above.  They are following their own evil desires.  Essentially there are a whole lot a so called Christians that don’t want Jesus to interfere with their earthly dwelling plans.  As the Bride of Christ we should relish the return of our Groom.

The Groom is coming for His bride soon.  We need to be ready.

 
No Comments

Posted in End Time Prophecies, Motivation