01.11.12
Posted in Bible at 3:04 am by Administrator
We give God all the glory for seeing us faithfully into the year 2012. The reality about life is that even a new year does not give us time to get settled into it before life starts to happen. Even though we are only 11 days into the year, we have heard about deaths, accidents, illness, fires, separations, divorces etc. Likewise, we have also heard of births, birthday and milestone celebrations, promotions, new homes and cars, marriages etc.
The journey that is life waits for no one. Each additional day we spend on this earth is also one less day that we have to spend on this earth. It is a reality that has to keep us in check every single day.
Now if this reality is indeed at the forefront of our minds – not as something that should cause us fear but as a stark reality that we indeed have to face – the question we need to ask ourselves is – if today were to be our last day on this earth, are we really certain of where we are going to end up?
Will we be welcomed into His glorious Kingdom, or will Jesus say to us as He said in Matthew 7:22-23: “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”
God, through the Prophet Jeremiah warned in Lamentations 3:40 “Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the Lord.” and in John 16:8, Jesus said, referring to the Holy Spirit “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement”.
Have you yielded to the Holy Spirit to allow Him to search you out concerning how you might be living a life that is not pleasing to God?
Have you examined your own ways, acknowledged those short comings, confessed them to God, asked for forgiveness and asked for His Spirit to help you overcome them?
If our answer is simply ” I know where I stand because I’m saved. I’ve accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior” then let this Word of God examine that assertion.
“Anyone who continues to live in Him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know Him or understand who he is. Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.” (1 John 3:6-10 NLT)
As children of God, and followers of Jesus Christ, fully committed to surrendering our lives to the will of God, with Jesus Christ as our example and the Holy Spirit as our guide, let us live according to the Word of God.
Let His Word, the scriptures, be our guide. Let personal, spiritual worship be our main goal. Let us desire to know Him better so that we can have an understanding of this love that He has for us. It is an awesome privilege to be called by God. It is an awesome privilege to receive His Spirit that enables us to know Him. Let us commit ourselves to prayer, imploring God to show us how to worship and serve Him aright.
Let us not just make New Year Resolutions, let us get into the habit of making New Life Resolutions. For we truly don’t know what day will be our last. But if we live everyday, in Christ, as if it is our last, then when that time does come, we will, with a certainty, know where we are going.
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.
Share your thoughts that you might encourage your brethren.
In Christ,
The handmaid at His feet
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12.28.11
Posted in Bible at 1:53 am by Administrator
In Matthew 19, Jesus had a very interesting conversation with a certain rich man. Apparently, this rich man had heard Jesusʼ message of salvation and he was interested. So, he came to Jesus and this was the conversation.
“Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “ ʻYou shall not murder,ʼ ʻYou shall not commit adultery,ʼ ʻYou shall not steal,ʼ ʻYou shall not bear false witness,ʼ ʻHonor your father and your mother,ʼ and, ʻYou shall love your neighbor as yourself.ʼ” The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away
sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”
Many of us make resolutions at the start of every new year. The reason we do this because that there are things that we are doing or not doing in our lives that could be improved upon. Also when we make these resolutions, one of the things that we Christians usually include is an aspect of improving on our Christian walk. It could be to read our bibles more, go to church more regularly, pay our tithes regularly, give more to charity, etc. Other commitments come in the form of giving up vices, such as to stop stealing, stop cheating on our spouses, stop dishonest practices, stop quarreling, gossiping, reckless partying, gambling, getting drunk, destructive behaviors etc.
When we make a conscious effort to add something to our lives that will enhance our Christian walk or eliminate something from our lives that has been hindering it, it usually comes from some sort of conviction that we experienced within our spirits. This conviction leads us to say “ Lord, in order to get closer to you, I want to do – - -, or I want to stop doing – - -. Not too much rationalization goes on here, because the action being added is clearly good, or the action being eliminated is clearly negative. Such was the case with the rich man. When he came to Jesus asking what he could do to gain eternal life, Jesus said “obey the commandments”. “Wow!” the man must have thought. “Thatʼs easy?” Then to make sure he wasnʼt missing anything- because that in itself just seemed too easy- he asked “which one?” Then as Jesus listed them, the man did a mental “ check, check, check”, “ hey, he said, I do all of these things already! Of course, for those of us who read our bibles daily, go to church 3-4 times a week, volunteer and pay our tithes or for those of us who donʼt drink, donʼt smoke, donʼt party, donʼt cheat, donʼt gamble, donʼt fight, donʼt use profanity etc, we are like the rich man because we say “Wow! thatʼs it? This is easy. I already do/donʼt do those things!”
But, let us pay attention to verses 20-21 “ The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” Suddenly, the rich man hears this and his entire demeanor is changed. Suddenly his whole “I can do this by myself” attitude disappears. Now, heʼs being asked to part with something that is not necessarily a vice, but something that is dear to him. Something that is positively meaningful to him. And now, it is no longer easy. Now he is weighing the value of what he is seeking to the value of what he already possesses and is now being asked to give up.
“Why that?” he must have thought. “How does it prove that I want salvation more if I do that?” But keep in mind the phrase that Jesus used before He made the request. He never said that the man had to sell his possessions if he wanted to gain eternal life, He asked the man to part with his wealth “If you want to be perfect”. So, is the Lord now saying that it is not enough to simply believe in Him? Is He saying that practicing Christianity alone is no longer enough? I donʼt believe thatʼs what Heʼs saying at all.
What I do believe that Jesus is saying is that itʼs one thing to simply want to make it to heaven, that is, to escape the perils of eternal hell. But itʼs another thing to want to walk with Jesus. To commit our every breath, our every heartbeat, our every thought to Him. Itʼs another thing to hunger for Him, to thirst for Him, to feel completely unfulfilled unless we are devoting every waking moment of every day of our lives to Him, to the ministry of His love, His compassion, His teaching, His sacrifice, His message, His purpose. Jesus was saying to the rich man, being perfect/being complete is not simply about
what you will do or not do to get into heaven, itʼs about what you will do or not do for ME!
“How much do you love me?” He was asking the rich man.
“How much do you love me?” He is asking you and I.
“Do I surpass all of these things in your life”? He asks.
“Do you still love me more than the blessings that I have given you”?
In Matthew 10:39, Jesus says “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” (NKJV) I love the way the Message Bible translates the verse: “If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.”
The disciples of Christ did not become His disciples by simply believing in Him and obeying the commandments. They became His disciples by dropping everything and following Him! No considerations, no mulling it over, no hesitation. It wasnʼt always a smooth ride, and they did not fully understand everything that they saw, heard and experienced with Jesus. But in the end, He made it all clear to them.
So when we are making our resolutions this new year, and we are taking determined steps to recommit ourselves to Christ, let us ask ourselves: Do we want to go through another year just being believers? or do we want to answer the call and become disciples?
And if we see the call as being too big and we start to ask “How will I be able to answer so great a calling? Let the words of the Savior himself taken from Matthew 19:26 “But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Brethren, take the a moment to bow your head, or fall on your knees and thank God for seeing you safely through 2011. Regardless of whatever your circumstances, trials, hardships may have been this year, keep in mind that you too have not been a perfect child. By His grace we are alive and continue to have an opportunity to redeem ourselves. Thank Him for His blessings. Thank Him for His protection. Thank Him for all the victories in your life because many a battle were waged and won on your behalf that you didnʼt even know about.
May the Faithful, Omniscient, Omnipotent, Compassionate, Wise, Merciful, Powerful God of all creation, who, in accordance with His Word, never forsakes those who seek Him- see us safely and jealously into and through 2012. May He continue to be our strong tower and may His Spirit continue to teach us how to worship and serve Him. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.
Share your thoughts that you might encourage your brethren.
In Christ,
The handmaid at His feet.
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12.21.11
Posted in Bible at 2:05 am by Administrator
Psalm 51 is Davidʼs cry of repentance after he was rebuked by God through the Prophet Nathan for committing adultery with Bathsheba. In the prayer David fully acknowledges his sins, his weaknesses and his humanity. What I think is equally significant is that David also acknowledges the separation that his sin has put between him and God.Then, in verse 12, he requests something of the Lord that I have always found fascinating. He says “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation”.
Two things fascinate me about this statement.
1. David was not referring to the “salvation” of Isaiah or of the New Testament which refer to salvation/redemption through Jesus Christ, but he was referring to the literal definition of salvation which is the act of saving or the state of being saved from harm/risk/loss/destruction etc.
David recognized that it his intimacy with God he had a sense of safety and security that was completely absent when his sins separated him from God.
2. David found joy in this salvation. Not only did he recognize the loss of the intimacy, he recognized the loss of the joy, of the peace and confidence that came from being intimate with and close to God.
David not only wanted the intimacy between he and God to be restored, he desperately wanted the joy, safety and security that were synonymous with the relationship to come back.
Now fast forward to the Book of Luke. In Luke 2:30 Simeon says “For mine eyes have seen thy salvation.” Luke 3:6, John the Baptist says “And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” In Luke 19:9, Jesus says “This day is salvation come to this house”.
Salvation now becomes personalized. It is no longer simply a state of being safe due to acts of righteousness. It now has a face. A point of reference. It is now tangible because it is now in the person of Jesus Christ, and now everyone who believes can partake in the joy of salvation by way of rebirth in Christ Jesus.
That, brethren, is what I consider to be the message of Christmas.
Inasmuch as it is a happy time, and a time to get caught up in the merriment of the season, we cannot forget that the commemoration of Christʼs birth is also the commencement of His journey to the cross where He was to suffer and die for our sins so that we may indeed partake of this joy of salvation.
When sin separates us from God and we know that we have not pleased Him, that is the time when we need to consider whether we have lost sight of what it is that we are working towards. If we no longer feel the joy of salvation motivating us to remain intimate with our God, it is then that we need to earnestly seek His restoration.
At Christmas time we are reminded that “Salvation is come to this house”. We cannot celebrate the season without truly acknowledging what the season represents. What a gift we have received! What a gift we continue to receive! What a gift we continuously treat with the utmost show of ingratitude!
We have to do as David did. Come back to the Lord. Acknowledge our transgression. Acknowledge our weaknesses. Acknowledge our humanity. Confess that we need the joy of His Salvation restored to us.
May the promise, the peace and the mercy of this Christmas season continuously be upon each and everyone of us and may the joy of Godʼs salvation never elude any one of us, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Have a Blessed Christmas Celebration.
Share your thoughts that you might encourage your brethren.
In Christ,
The handmaid at His feet.
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12.07.11
Posted in Bible at 10:51 am by Administrator
I was listening to a sermon on death and dying the other day and suddenly a song began to play in my head. It was a song that my mother used to sing when I was younger. She sang and played it so much that I knew all of the words by heart. But when Jesus became the center of my life, I soon realized that I had never actually listened to any of the words in all of the years that I had heard them. The part of the song that inspired this writing goes like this:
“This world is not my home, I’m just passing through.
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door,
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”
It was the last line that really moved me because of the mountains of truth that it contains.
I realized that as a Christian, knowing that this world is not my final destination, I really cannot afford to feel at home here. By “at home” I refer to the mindset that one can get comfortable, relax, let their guard down and not have to be vigilant any more.
As humans, when we have a goal in mind, there are calculated actions that we take that are in line with that goal that we are seeking to attain.
As Christians, we realize that one day we will die or we will be raptured (whichever comes first), therefore, if our final destination is to be with the Lord, then we too need to take calculated actions that are in line with eternal salvation. That means that our GPS can only be set on Christ Jesus. If it is, then the Sprirt of God will map us on “Walking in Christ Jesus”, then it now becomes incumbent on us to follow the route that has been mapped out. And here, brethren is where the challenge begins.
Galatians 2:20 says
“ I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
The obstacles, challenges, temptations, tribulations, tests and trails that we are required to face as Christians are so many and so diverse that we never know how they will present themselves. But trust that they WILL present themselves. But inasmuch as we know that our trials are diverse, one thing that we know for sure is that OUR GOD IS CONSTANT!
If he says “The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.” (Psalm 9:9-10)
Then He means that He will always be with us.
But He can’t be with us if we don’t call on Him.
He can’t guide us down His path if we never decide to get on it in the first place.
Psalm 48:14 says “For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide,
even to death.”
We’re not only Christians when we are in church, or when we are in the company of our Christian brethren, or when we are in places where they know us as Christians.
Christianity is not a title, it’s a lifestyle.
This world is not the final destination, brethren. But it is what we do while we are here that will surely decide where that final destination will be.
Now to Him who is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. To God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.
Share your thoughts that you might encourage your brethren.
In Christ,
The handmaid at His feet.
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11.09.11
Posted in Bible at 1:53 am by Administrator
It is in 1 Samuel 16 that the story of David begins. God spoke to Samuel and told him that He had chosen a king, from among the sons of Jesse, that would replace Saul. We know that God already knew that it was Jesseʼs youngest son, David that He had chosen to be king after Saul. He could have told Samuel his name from the start and said something like “ I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have chosen David, his son, as king.”
Instead, God said in 1 Samuel 16:1 “ Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”
God made Samuel go through each and every one of Jesseʼs sons, and He rejected them all, until he got to the youngest and smallest of them. The process was very significant; not only to Samuel, Jesse, and the sons of Jesse, but to all of us that would ever read or hear the account. The Lord needed all of us to know that He chooses not according to manʼs expectations based on what we can see, but according to what is in the heart of man. Davidʼs brothers may have fit the criteria physically, but it was David that fit the criteria on the inside.
The task for which God had appointed David for far surpassed simply looking the part because David was chosen to be much more than the King of the people of Israel. The process by which David was chosen from amongst his brothers tells us that it is not what people can see that will elevate us or make us significant, but that which God sees in us. In our hearts. That is where our significance lies with God.
We cannot ignore the processes that occur in our lives. They serve a vital purpose not just for us, but for those who are watching or those who will hear our testimony. Far too often when we face trials and tribulations, we Christians are quick to say that the Lord has forsaken us or we doubt God altogether. The truth is that when the faithful of the Lord face trials, these trials are part of a process. Romans 5:3-4 says “ but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
Take a look close look at Davidʼs encounter with Goliath. Most of us know how the story ends; David, a young, small, boy of about 17, kills Goliath of Gath, a giant; a champion Philistine warrior.
But letʼs take a look at how the story began. Goliath terrorized the people of Israel, and for forty days, twice a day, he would stand on a mountain, facing them, boasting, insulting and degrading them. Challenging any of them to one-on-one combat, knowing that physically none of them were a match for him; and because the Israelites knew his physical capabilities, they were terrified of him.
We were told in 1 Samuel 16 that after Samuel anointed David, the Spirit of the Lord was heavily upon him from that day forward. We also know that Davidʼs household duty was to shepherd his fatherʼs sheep.
David told Saul in 1 Samuel 17:34-36 “ But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his fatherʼs sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.”
When we are living our daily lives, troubles will present themselves just as David the shepherd boy encountered bears and lions while tending to his fathers flock. He could have run and left the sheep at the mercy of the predators, or he could have gone back to his father complaining about how dangerous a job shepherding was and he did not want to do it anymore. Instead, he did that which he knew the Lord had empowered him to do. He trusted in the strength of the Lord. He faced those predators head on and slew them.
1 Samuel 17:37 “ Moreover David said, “The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
It was this process that David went through as a shepherd that strengthened his faith in God. David never accredited himself with any sort of strength that enabled him to defeat the lions and the bears, but he accredited God with delivering him from the lions and bears. It was this same faith and zeal for God that gave him the courage to stand up to the giant that had been terrorizing the Israelites for 40 days and nights on this particular mountain. None of the mighty warriors of Saulʼs army could stand up to him, they were all terrified of him. Soldiers. But not once did David even consider Goliathʼs size or
abilities. David did not see Goliathʼs ranting as defying Saulʼs army, he saw it as Goliath defying God. He was not going to battle for Saul, he was going to battle for God and he believed that the God who he was going to battle on behalf of would empower him to win that battle.
Saul attempted to suit David in traditional battle armor but it was too cumbersome for David. It was not what he used when he went into his battles. 1 Samuel 17: 38-40 “So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherdʼs bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand.”
So Goliath, the Philistine champion, in full battle gear; a bronze helmet, bronze armor on his legs, a bronze javelin between his shoulders, a sword and a shield bearer; all 9 feet of him, strong enough to wear a cape that weighed about 125 pounds faced David, the shepherd boy, armed with a staff, a sling, a pouch containing 5 smooth stones, and his solid, unwavering faith in God.
1 Samuel 17:45-47 “ Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORDʼs, and He will give you into our hands.” His process had brought him to this point. He was no longer David, the shepherd boy, he was David, Champion of the Army of the Lord.
Brethren, if we truly believe that this God that we serve is all knowing and all capable, then we have to believe that he oversees these trials and tribulations that come our way, and we have to believe that he has empowered us with what we need to overcome them. If we allow the tribulations to divert our focus, to cause us to fear or worse, to cause us to doubt our God, then we are already defeated.
Allow the process to happen. Allow the lessons to be taught. Allow the lessons to be learned. Remain faithful. Remain obedient. Lean on God. Trust in Him. Call on Him. Receive from Him. Walk right with Him, and as He did it so that Davidʼs processes made him victorious, He too will see to it that our processes make us victorious.
Share your thoughts that you might encourage your brethren.
In Christ,
The handmaid at His feet.
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10.11.11
Posted in Bible, Q & A at 11:04 pm by Administrator
In the previous write up entitled “Choose Your Path”, “Anonymous” asked a very important question. The question was:
“What if you lose your path and spend the rest of your life trying to get back on it? But just too many temptations, obstacles, and stuff keep one from getting back on. What else can be done in attempt to find one’s way again?”
I prayed about the answer and when the Lord revealed it to me it was simply too long and too important a message to not share with everyone.
“Anonymous”, the answer came to me in one word, “Perseverance”.
Perseverance is simply another term for determination or unrelenting. When we fall off the path, we just have to be determined to get back on it.
Most of us are aware either when we are straying or after we have been off from the path for some time. If we were really walking in the Spirit of the Lord, when we become entangled with actions/practices/things/ways that we know are not pleasing to God, we should feel a separation in our own spirit. Whether we care is a different matter. But for those who yield to the Spirit of God that dwells within them, and are convicted by that Spirit, Hebrews 12:1-3 says:
“Therefore, 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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
One interesting thing about the walk of Salvation is that it has to remain a forward movement. The “sins that entangle” as stated in the passage that was quoted are things that we do that the Spirit of God living within us has clearly revealed to us that we should make every effort to separate ourselves from. These actions/habits/indulgences are the distractions that intend to slow us down, make us stumble as we go along, make us lose our way and if the devil were to have his ultimate fulfillment, make us turn back and go in the opposite direction. The Word of God is telling us that as Jesus endured the Cross by focusing on the joy that was set before Him, then we, His followers, too have to focus on Jesus, and the joy set before us, and realize that the pleasure of these sinful ways are only temporary.
The Word of God tells us that if we are determined not to lose our salvation, then we have to make perseverance and forsight the order of the day. Every day. Knowing that trials, tribulations and temptations will be ever present.
James 1: 2-4, 12 says:
” Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”
In order to keep from losing our way to begin with, Christians have to remain cemented in the Word of God. That means reading our bibles and listening to sound, biblical doctrine. We must also fellowship with other Christians for worship, bible study, for support and encouragement. Finally, we must pray. Pray on your own. Pray as a congregation. Pray in small groups. Pray for your brethren. Prayer is such an important element of the Christian walk. It is a vital weapon in spiritual warfare and many Christians, even Churches, do not utilize it.
James 5:11 says:
“As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”
The accounts in the Bible enable us to learn from those who have gone before us. Based on these accounts, we know that Lord has always protected those who love and obey Him, and His Word assures us that it will be no different for us.
As Jude 24-25 prays:
” Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless. Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, Dominion and power,Both now and forever. Amen.
Share your thoughts that you might encourage your brethren.
In Christ,
The handmaid at His feet.
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09.20.11
Posted in Bible, Q & A at 11:59 pm by Administrator
I was speaking to a co-worker once in an attempt to witness to him. When I had said my piece, he went into a tirade of how Christians are hypocrites because they get caught up in scandals, they are dishonest, and some pastors treat their ministries like a business and not like a calling etc. “Why would I want to be a part of that?” he asked. My response to him was “All Christians are called to the path of righteousness, but not all Christians stay on the path of righteousness and if you are using the lives of those who have gotten off the right path as a reason not to embark on the journey, then you are already starting out in the wrong direction”.
Ephesian 2:10 reads: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
When we accept the call to Christianity, it is the beginning of a transformation process. God is telling us in this passage that heeding the voice of Jesus Christ gives Him the go ahead to start working in us, slowly or rapidly, helping us to take on the nature of our Savior. The purpose of this call is for us to do good works, that He has specifically set aside for us based on the nature of our calling. Therefore, if accepting Christ is calling us to do good works and we are engaged in activities and behaviors that are contrary to Christʼs example, then surely, we have strayed from the way.
Jeremiah 6:16 says: Thus says the LORD: “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.”
Anyone that is contemplating, analyzing, criticizing or engaged in the walk of Christianity, that person has to consider a very relevant truth. From the moment one answers the call, and through every facet of the walk, one will constantly be faced with the element of CHOICE. Every choice has itʼs rewards, itʼs consequences, and yes, itʼs sufferings attached to it.
Look at the life of our Savior Jesus Christ for example, if choice were not a factor, why would Satan even bother tempting Him in the wilderness? Satan knew that if Jesus chose to take him up on his offer, then salvation in Christ would not exist, Instead, Jesus chose to stick with that plan that He and His Father had agreed upon, hence, salvation in Christ Jesus does exist today.
So, the Lord is telling us in that passage from Jeremiah that when we get to the crossroads of temptation that we are to choose the right path; specifically, the “old paths”; the one that has already been tread on by Christ and all the saints that have walked righteously before us. That path may not be repaved and new like the new paths; it may not be wide like the new paths; but the old path is certainly well lit, and the foot prints on it are distinguishable and visible. Most importantly, if we stay on that old path, it is there that we ultimately find rest.
There will be many distractions on this journey. Satan has made it his primary objective to get every Cristian to stray from the good way and to never get back on. He also desires to prevent anyone who is not a Christian from ever finding this good way. But the Lord has assured us that He will never leave us nor forsake us as long as we seek Him. He has also assured us that if we seek Him, we will find Him. Brethren, if we truly desire to find the good way and stay on it, the Lord will help us to do just that.
For those of us that have lost our way, as long as we have breath in us, it is never too late to get back on the right path. Godʼs Word is telling us that when we accept the calling of Christ, God, by His Holy Spirit, not only creates us anew, in the likeness of His Son, with all of the capabilities that Christ himself promised us that we would have (John 14:12 ) God now brings us into the knowledge of this special way that He has specifically designed for us. He then assures us that this way, if we remain steadfast on it, bracing every obstacle by obeying, trusting and relying of Him, then that way will indeed bring us to a glorious end that we cannot even imagine.
Usually, when one goes in search of valuable treasure, one must use complex maps, solve complicated clues and only the smartest and/or the most resourceful end up finding the treasure. Now, when it comes to finding the treasure that is salvation, a treasure more valuable than any precious metal, precious stones or money, the process is unusually more simple. The way to salvation is not hidden. Jesus tells us openly and clearly in John 14:6 that He alone is the way to that salvation.
The Lord has also given us a guide book to help us along the way. His Word as is written in the Bible. It gives us all the written instruction that weʼll ever need to find that treasure of salvation. Then, if that wasnʼt enough, we are also given a personal escort in the form of the Holy Spirit. To comfort us when we are hurting; to convict us when we need to reflect; and to empower us when we need hope and strength.
But even after He has graciously done all of this, it is still up to us to choose to follow that way that He is directing us towards.
The calling is loud brethren, but the time is short.
The path is open, and it is clear Which path will you choose?
Share your thoughts that you might encourage your brethren.
In Christ,
The handmaid at His feet.
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08.17.11
Posted in Bible at 4:18 am by Administrator
Matthew 14:22-33 tells the story of Jesus walking on the water.
“Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter
had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
Many of us have read this passage and criticized Peter. We have asked “ Why did he doubt when he could see that it was Jesus?!”
But, letʼs be honest for a moment. How different are we from Peter? How many times have we, in spite of the numerous times that the Lord has assured us that He is with us, doubted when we saw the ferocity of the elements that were confronting us?
The passage tells us that when Peter saw that the ʻwind was boisterousʼ, it was then that he became afraid and began to sink. That is the key, brethren. Peter took his eyes off Jesus. He allowed the boisterous wind to distract him. It only took a brief moment, but that brief moment was all that was needed. The elements, the scenario, the direness and seemingly apparent impossibilities of his situation completely took over and his focus and faith faltered, and he began to sink.
How often have we allowed the boisterous winds of our problems to take away our focus from Christ? How often have we let confusion, despair, sadness, hopelessness and the impossibilities of our situations take our focus off the One who has held out His hand and invited us to “come”. All the enemy waits for is that brief moment when we take our eyes off of Christ and focus on our problems and he swoops in, causes us to doubt the Word of God and forget the promises of God.
When we understand the term “walking by faith” we understand that the Lord did not promise that we would not see the elements that seek to shake us, nor did he promise that we would not feel their effects. What He did promise was that “Surely He shall deliver us from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover us with His feathers and under His wings shall we take refuge. His truth shall be our shield and buckler. We shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday” ( Psalm 91).
If we look at our dire circumstances when they exist, we will surely become discouraged. In order to remain steadfast, in order to remain encouraged, we have to keep our eyes and ears focused solely on Jesus. If He has invited us to come and walk on the water with Him, surely, He that has called is more than capable to keep us from sinking.
The comforting words of Psalm 121 say:
I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD,Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in. From this time forth, and even forevermore.”
Amen, Amen, Amen, In the name of Jesus!
Share your thoughts that you might encourage your brethren.
In Christ,
The handmaid at His feet.
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07.21.11
Posted in Bible at 5:54 am by Administrator
I recently had an encounter with 2 women in a bookstore. They approached me in a manner that initially led me to believe that they needed directions so, I stopped to talk to them. By the time we were fully engaged in conversation, I soon realized that their goal
was to convince me that since the bible states that God created man and woman in His image, then, there must be a female version of God who they have already named “mother god” (they probably capitalize it but I will do no such thing), and at the second coming, she will come to reveal all the truths of the bible that are not available to us in this present time.
You are probably wondering why I did not walk away as soon as I heard what they were saying. The truth is that I now became compelled to ask them questions of my own and therein lies the core of this message.
I asked he ladies if they believed in the deity of Jesus Chris and they answered “yes”. They also admitted to believing in the Holy Spirit. Then I asked them simply what the point of acknowledging a ‘female god’ was going to achieve, to which they answered “it is necessary for salvation.” At that moment, I knew that there was no way I was walking out of the store. My spirit simply would not allow me to.
I told them that if they were Christians and truly believed in Jesus Christ, they would know that believing in Him is all that is required for salvation; to which they responded “demons believe in Jesus, does that mean that they are saved?” My response was “acknowledging the existence of Jesus Christ and believing that He- in His sinlessness shed His blood on the cross of Calvary- for my sins- and claiming this blood upon myself that I may be saved, are 2 different things. Demons may do the former, but true
believers in Christ do the latter.”
The reason that I am going into the detail of the dialogue that I had is very important. I now know that the Lord used the incident in the bookstore to give me a preview of the serious situation that Christians will face during the course of evangelism when we now come face to face with so called “believers” who are preaching a message that did not come from God. During this incident I was
not dealing with people who did not have knowledge of what the bible said, as most unbelievers do not have the knowledge, but I was dealing people who claimed to know the word of God. But the truth is that knowing what the bible says is different from knowing what God is saying in the bible.
Brethren, when Christ gave us the great commission and asked us to go into the world to preach the gospel, many of us only took that to mean that we are simply sent to convert the unbelievers. Know this, True disciples of Christ will also be faced with the challenging task of having to witness to those people who preach and believe completely unbiblical doctrine. The only thing more
challenging that trying to convert one who does not know Christ is trying to untangle the cords of lies, deceit and brainwashing that Satan has around those people who take the Word of God and twist it to say things that are not coming from the Lord but are in actuality coming directly from Satan.
Remember that Satan used scripture to try to deceive Jesus in the temptation in the wilderness, as he did when he deceived Eve in the garden of Eden. He took the exact words of God, then assigned a different meaning to them that was not the meaning that God intended, and who he was and is able to deceive with this tactic are those people who do not know the word of God or those who
don’t fully believe His Word and still have doubt.
In 2 Thessalonians 2, the Apostle Paul said: “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Stand Fast. But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.”
Paul was warning the Thessalonians that Satan would lie to and deceive all those who were willing to believe because they found pleasure in the delusions and chose not to hold fast to what he had taught them and what they had learned from the Word of God. The Lord is saying that all those who allow themselves to be swayed by all of the false teachings that carry an “it make a lot of
sense” connotation, He will remove His Hand from them and allow them to get consumed by that which they have chosen to believe until they turn from those ways.
Brethren, we should be bothered when we hear the agents of Satan trying to deceive people with their false doctrine. If we are true believers of the Word of God, something within us should be stirred to action when we hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ being perverted in such a way.
In John 2:13-17, Jesus saw the temple of the Lord being used in a dishonorable fashion and He was enraged. “Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”
Jesus could not just stand by and see His Father’s house being desecrated and just do nothing. This is by no means a call for one to go out and destroy property or commit acts of violence, it is just an illustration to show us that the Spirit of a believer should be stirred when the enemy is at work, especially amongst believers.
So what is the responsibility of a true Christian when it becomes apparent that our commission has begun. THE FIRST THING THAT A CHRISTIAN SHOULD DO IS PRAY AND ENTREAT THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD FOR GUIDANCE AND EMPOWERMENT.
Matthew 2:39-41 says: “He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
At the moment when a significant event was about to take place in His life Jesus went away to pray to the Lord for strength. He asked His disciples to watch and pray with Him so that they too would not fall into the trap of the devil. During these times when the enemy is at work in people preaching and believing untruths, his aim is to trap us also and that’s why Jesus urged us to watch and
pray so that we too do not fall into the trap of Satan.
Jesus did not call Satan the father of lies for no good reason as He did in John 8:43-45:
“Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the
truth, you do not believe Me.”
Satan is a liar, a deceiver and a murderer. It is His will to lie to us, deceive us and make us fall only so that he can have company in eternal damnation and if Jesus himself is warning us of this, why are we not heeding? The Lord did not bury the message of salvation under a heap of confusing riddles, algebraic calculations and mysteries to make us have to go into utter confusion in order to obtain it. The message of salvation is clear in every facet of the bible: Jesus Christ, the reason for His birth, His life, His death, His resurrection is the message of salvation.Yes, it is true that not everything in the bible will make sense to us at every stage of our lives, but the messages that pertain to our salvation will be clear to us as long as we are willing to receive them.
THE NEXT STEP IS THAT WE ASK THE LORD TO REVEALTHE MESSAGE OF HIS WORDS TO US
Luke 24:44-45 says: “Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.”
When the Lord gives us an understanding of His scriptures, one word of it will not contradict the other. The Lord God Jehovah is consistent. The Words and teachings of Jesus are consistent, therefore, if it is the Holy Spirit of God that is giving us the understanding of the scriptures, then, the message of the Scripture that is revealed to us will be consistent also.
Numbers 23:19 states: “God is not a man, that He should lie,Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?“
Jude 3-4 states: “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to
write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Brethren, the Lord is calling us to awareness. We have to be vigilant. We have to watch and pray. We have to delight ourselves in the Word of God for we cannot expose liars if we ourselves do not know the truth. The false doctrines are already in our midst. We see them and hear of them every day, but we thank God for the light of His Word that exposes all the deeds and the workers of
darkness. The Spirit of the Lord is waiting to empower those who are ready to answer the call.
John the Baptist was passionate about his ministry, as was the Apostle Paul and a host of others. A lukewarm, turn your back, I’ll ignore it attitude is not acceptable anymore.
Numbers 25:10-13 tells us: “Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not
consume the children of Israel in My zeal. Therefore say,‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’”
Are you zealous for your God?
Share your thoughts that you might encourage your brethren.
In Christ,
The handmaid at His feet.
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06.28.11
Posted in Bible at 10:57 pm by Administrator
The Lord used the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4 to bring an important message to me recently. We know how the story goes; Jesus was on his way back to Galilee from Judea and had to pass through a town in Samaria. Wearied from His travels, He sat down at Jacob’s well. A Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water and Jesus asked her for a drink. The woman knew that the person asking her for a drink was a Jew, and in those times, the Jews had nothing to do with the Samaritans. So, she voiced her suspicion to Him.
Then in John 4:10, Jesus answered: “Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.”
After some dialogue with the woman, Jesus asked her to go and call her husband, knowing indeed that not only did she not have a husband, but she had been married multiple times in the past, and the man with whom she lived at the present time was not her husband. After the woman truthfully disclosed that she did not have a husband, Jesus then revealed to her all that he already knew about her. The woman then realized that she was speaking with someone who must be a prophet.
After Jesus revealed to the woman that He was indeed the Christ, the woman left her water jar and went into the town and told the people of the encounter that she had just had with Jesus. She also hinted to them as to whether he could be the Christ. Then, because of the woman’s testimony, the town people came seeking after Jesus.
John 4:39-42 states:
“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”
It is very important for us as Christians to give our testimony when Jesus reveals Himself to us in one way or another. It is very important for us to testify when we have had an encounter with the Lord. The devil will try to convince us that based on our past, or our “labels” that we are in no place to evangelize. He will tell us that people will ridicule us because we do not fit the description of righteousness based on lifestyles that we have lived in the past. But this is his tactic to keep our mouths shut and to scare us and shame us into silence because he knows that no matter what type of past that we’ve had, once we accept Christ, we are new creations, and He does not want people who can identify with our past to be saved either. Jesus knew the type of woman that he was dealing with at the well. He knew her past. A past that probably was not looked upon favorably by the people in that community. But He also knew that the woman, despite what description her past labeled her with, had a voice, and with this voice she went back to her town and testified of the encounter that she’d had with Jesus and it was her testimony that brought the towns people to seek
Jesus.
Some of us think that we have to be ordained pastors in order to spread the word of God, and some believe that they have to know the Bible inside and out in order to evangelize. The reality is that more unbelievers are won over by the testimony of what God has done in the life of someone that they know, or can see and touch than by a sermon that they cannot relate to. Christ visits each and everyone of us individually so that we can share that experience with someone else and cause that person to come seeking the same thing that they saw us receive, and then, the Lord will minister to them directly.
John 4:29-30 states:
“Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.”
The Samaritan woman told the people to come and see! She had her particular reason, which was that this man that told her everything that she ever did, but she wanted them, needed them to come and behold Jesus for themselves.
What is your reason for telling people to come and see your Jesus? As many times as the Lord has done something wonderful in your life, how many times have you testified to someone to come and see this miracle worker that you have met. How many times have you invited someone to your church or to a convention, or to a Spiritual retreat or even just sat down and with a voice full of marvel, amazement, wonder and gratitude invited your neighbor, friend or loved one to simply share this Jesus who has touched your life. This Jesus who has told you everything that you ever did. This Jesus who has healed your infirmity, who has delivered you from the traps of Satan, this Jesus who has given you peace, this Jesus who has calmed the storms in your life, this Jesus who has filled you with the Holy Spirit and has given you a new perspective on what it means to really live.
Do not keep silent any longer. If the Lord has revealed Himself to you, then use your voice, share your testimony and tell someone to come and see what the Lord has done in your life.
God Bless You.
Share your thoughts that you might encourage your brethren.
In Christ,
The handmaid at His feet.
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