What if God held us to our marriage vows, you know I pledge my unfailing love in sickness & in health, for richer or poorer, til death do us part.
If God would make a spouse who chose to break these suffer the consequences of their choice immediately , they become sick , lose their job , do you think we would see people work in their marriage?
We don't always see the affects of our sin, but they are there. Not only does it affect our lives, but our families lives to. Unrest, anger, hurt, lack of trust, an attitude of things don't matter, spirituality disconnected from God and the list could go on.
The devil still tells the same lie, surely you will not die, but die we do indeed.
If you're having marriage issues look to God and not the world for comfort, peace and direction. Seek Him and pray for His guidance and grace, God ordained marriage as a picture of Jesus and the Church, may what God has joined together never be broken by the enemy.
The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
Genesis 2:15-17
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.
Genesis 3:1-4
Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:31-34
Showing posts with label happiness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label happiness. Show all posts
Thursday, May 5, 2016
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
The Buck stops with you!
Children very seldom take responsibility for something they have done wrong, and while sometimes their response can be cute or funny this action spills over into society as they get older. The difference between a child and a mature person is their willingness to take personal responsibility for their actions.
1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
God's word teaches us the concept of personal responsibility: Ezekiel 18:20“The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them”
Personal responsibility is tied to the law of you reap what you sow.
Galatians 6:7-9 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Isaiah 3:10-11 “Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds. Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them! They will be paid back for what their hands have done”
God clearly defined right and wrong, and His people are expected to do what is right. This has been the case ever since the beginning in the Garden of Eden, when Adam was given a specific command and expected to obey it.
God held Adam and Eve accountable, expelled them from the garden and they eventually tasted physical death because of this. Genesis 3.
God expects us to take personal responsibility in every area of our lives.
Able-bodied people should work for their food.2 Thessalonians 3:10“The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat”
Men are to take responsibility for providing for their households . 1 Timothy 5:7-8 Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Today's society in America people do all they can to avoid personal responsibility through blame-shifting. From the small town America to the nations capital, personal responsibility is avoided like the plague in our nation of political correctness.
God sees and knows what our hearts attitude is, when mankind chooses to deceive and shift blame, God knows.
From the beginning Adam tried to blame Eve for his sin , then God, Eve blamed the Serpent (Genesis 3). Cain tried to dodge responsibility (Genesis 4:9). Pilate attempted to absolve his guilt in the matter of the crucifixion of Christ: “‘I am innocent of this man’s blood,’ he said. ‘It is your responsibility!’” (Matthew 27:24).
Every attempt to pass the buck is foolish. Numbers 32:23“....You may be sure that your sin will find you out” .
Every person has to take personal responsibility to repent and believe in Jesus, and when you don't God says your still responsible.
John 3:16-19 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
Salvation is found in Christ, alone. Judgment is held for those who reject Christ, rewards are given to those who have accepted Christ.
Harry Truman had a sign on his desk as President that simply said " the buck stops here"
Every person will stand before God one day and give account on their words and deeds, I wonder what will your response be?
2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
God's response is already recorded.
Matthew 25:31-46
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
God's word teaches us the concept of personal responsibility: Ezekiel 18:20“The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them”
Personal responsibility is tied to the law of you reap what you sow.
Galatians 6:7-9 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Isaiah 3:10-11 “Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds. Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them! They will be paid back for what their hands have done”
God clearly defined right and wrong, and His people are expected to do what is right. This has been the case ever since the beginning in the Garden of Eden, when Adam was given a specific command and expected to obey it.
God held Adam and Eve accountable, expelled them from the garden and they eventually tasted physical death because of this. Genesis 3.
God expects us to take personal responsibility in every area of our lives.
Able-bodied people should work for their food.2 Thessalonians 3:10“The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat”
Men are to take responsibility for providing for their households . 1 Timothy 5:7-8 Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Today's society in America people do all they can to avoid personal responsibility through blame-shifting. From the small town America to the nations capital, personal responsibility is avoided like the plague in our nation of political correctness.
God sees and knows what our hearts attitude is, when mankind chooses to deceive and shift blame, God knows.
From the beginning Adam tried to blame Eve for his sin , then God, Eve blamed the Serpent (Genesis 3). Cain tried to dodge responsibility (Genesis 4:9). Pilate attempted to absolve his guilt in the matter of the crucifixion of Christ: “‘I am innocent of this man’s blood,’ he said. ‘It is your responsibility!’” (Matthew 27:24).
Every attempt to pass the buck is foolish. Numbers 32:23“....You may be sure that your sin will find you out” .
Every person has to take personal responsibility to repent and believe in Jesus, and when you don't God says your still responsible.
John 3:16-19 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
Salvation is found in Christ, alone. Judgment is held for those who reject Christ, rewards are given to those who have accepted Christ.
Harry Truman had a sign on his desk as President that simply said " the buck stops here"
Every person will stand before God one day and give account on their words and deeds, I wonder what will your response be?
2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
God's response is already recorded.
Matthew 25:31-46
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Thursday, June 5, 2014
The dark hours
The hour is late. Our nation is, in the the clutches of the days of Noah. We can no longer sit back comfortably and say, "There's always been a crisis in the world. Today is no different. Our society will go on, and our country is basically strong." Those who do so are only kidding themselves.
We are at a late hour in our history. We are nearer to the coming of our Lord than we have ever been before. His return is the last great event yet to come before the curtain of time is brought down. In this world of darkness, we are to be a light to those around us. Only God knows the hour, and His return is certain and irreversible.
As in the days of Noah God is leaving the door of the Ark open, He let it stay open 7 days after it was completed and the animals and Noah and his family were on board. None entered , none believed until God shut the door and the water fell from the sky and rose from the earth. Then they all believed but it was too late. Don't wait another day, to enter into the glory of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Genesis 7:4-5, 7, 10 HCSB
Seven days from now I will make it rain on the earth 40 days and 40 nights, and I will wipe off from the face of the earth every living thing I have made.” And Noah did everything that the Lord commanded him. So Noah, his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives entered the ark because of the waters of the flood. Seven days later the waters of the flood came on the earth.
Luke 17:22-27 HCSB
Then He told the disciples: “The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you won’t see it. They will say to you, ‘Look there! ’ or ‘Look here! ’ Don’t follow or run after them. For as the lightning flashes from horizon to horizon and lights up the sky, so the Son of Man will be in His day. But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man: People went on eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day Noah boarded the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
We are at a late hour in our history. We are nearer to the coming of our Lord than we have ever been before. His return is the last great event yet to come before the curtain of time is brought down. In this world of darkness, we are to be a light to those around us. Only God knows the hour, and His return is certain and irreversible.
As in the days of Noah God is leaving the door of the Ark open, He let it stay open 7 days after it was completed and the animals and Noah and his family were on board. None entered , none believed until God shut the door and the water fell from the sky and rose from the earth. Then they all believed but it was too late. Don't wait another day, to enter into the glory of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Genesis 7:4-5, 7, 10 HCSB
Seven days from now I will make it rain on the earth 40 days and 40 nights, and I will wipe off from the face of the earth every living thing I have made.” And Noah did everything that the Lord commanded him. So Noah, his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives entered the ark because of the waters of the flood. Seven days later the waters of the flood came on the earth.
Luke 17:22-27 HCSB
Then He told the disciples: “The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you won’t see it. They will say to you, ‘Look there! ’ or ‘Look here! ’ Don’t follow or run after them. For as the lightning flashes from horizon to horizon and lights up the sky, so the Son of Man will be in His day. But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man: People went on eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day Noah boarded the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
Monday, May 12, 2014
The culture, the ark and the Bible
God’s grace is great and extended to mankind, this is true but His
grace is not extended forever . God has had enough and His wrath is being poured out righteously with His judgment too those who have rejected Him. Our call as sons and
daughters of our Heavenly Father is to share with mankind His love, His truths,
His coming again. The job of mankind is either except Him or reject Him, but either
way their choice is made and God is sovereign over them.
Rom 1:18-32 -18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
You see the key words starting out here are "The Wrath of God is revealed"
We can see around us what God's wrath is, the depravity of mankind. Man is turned over to his own wicked desires evil has become good and good evil. When you read through these verses you see the wrath of God and the consequences of man's rebellion.
We can look back at the account of Noah as see how God works. While reading the account of Noah: God has brought some details to mind that are easily overlooked, because we are not reading about them they are lost in the flood if you will.
Rom 1:18-32 -18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
You see the key words starting out here are "The Wrath of God is revealed"
We can see around us what God's wrath is, the depravity of mankind. Man is turned over to his own wicked desires evil has become good and good evil. When you read through these verses you see the wrath of God and the consequences of man's rebellion.
We can look back at the account of Noah as see how God works. While reading the account of Noah: God has brought some details to mind that are easily overlooked, because we are not reading about them they are lost in the flood if you will.
Genesis 6:5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was
great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only
evil continually. 6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth,
and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the LORD said, "I will destroy man
whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping
thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them." 8 But
Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. ... 11 The earth also was corrupt
before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 So God looked upon the
earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the
earth. 13 And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me,
for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy
them with the earth. 14 "Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in
the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. ... 17 "And behold, I
Myself am bringing flood waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all
flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall
die. 18 "But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into
the ark--you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. ... 22 Thus
Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.
Genesis 7:1 Then the LORD said to Noah, "Come into the
ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous
before Me in this generation. ... 4 "For after seven more days I will
cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy
from the face of the earth all living things that I have made." 5 And Noah
did according to all that the LORD commanded him. ... 10 And it came to pass
after seven days that the waters of the flood were on the earth.
Matthew 24:36 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the
angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 "But as the days of Noah were, so
also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 "For as in the days before
the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,
until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 "and did not know until the
flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
You've probably read the story of Noah over and over but
when you put it with the words of Jesus in Matthew , there is a new light
shining on them. You see Noah lived in wicked times, so wicked that God was not
happy with mankind and destroyed them except for Noah and his family, but what
you don’t see is Noah engaging the culture, he didn't get sucked into the name calling, the backbiting, the games the world plays, he just did what God told
him to do, as a matter of fact the Bible says twice that “Thus Noah did;
according to all that God commanded him, so he did. “
Are we to do the same? Yes!
Noah figured out that what God said was going to happen, and
even though he had never seen rain or knew what it was he built the ark
according to the directions God gave him. It took him over 100 years to build
the ark day and night he was faithful God. We know he was ridiculed and laughed
at for his obedience but the Bible says “Thus Noah did; according to all that
God commanded him, so he did. “
Don’t stop reading yet and think I have thrown in the towel
on standing up for what is right, I haven’t God has just said to me to approach
things His way and not mine, and it is not easy to do in this culture when you
see death coming to those who refuse to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
God’s way is above our ways and Noah knew this, he preached
while they built the ark to all who would listen, the Bible said he found grace
with God and was considered righteous in the eyes of God, and he was a
preacher. Jesus said the culture was one of drunkenness and foolishness and
people only cared for themselves they lived life as they wanted without God.
And we see that today in our society more and more, the
irony is this: man is foolish and rebels
against God always has and will because we are slaves to sin, before Christ
calls us and sets us free. We have no free will until Christ gives it too us.
Without Christ we are held in bondage and have no way of escape, after Christ
is in us we do have the choice to not sin.
But when man sins it is because of our nature, but when we
try to override the laws of God, the law of morality we are saying that we are
above God, that our ways are greater and we have crossed a line that God will
not tolerate.
When politicians live in immorality today and promote a
culture of greed through laziness telling the masses we will provide for you,
when politicians say it is okay to murder children and destroy the lives of
women by the millions through abortion and they try to legislate marriage as an
open act to whomever we please, man with man woman with woman we have trampled
on the words of God and have set ourselves to be god and God says He is a jealousy
God and will not tolerate idolatry.
When the serpent came too Eve in the garden remember what he
said
Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast
of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has
God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" 2 And
the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the
garden; 3 "but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the
garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you
die.' " 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely
die. 5 "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be
opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
See verse 5 for God knows you will be like Him, and from
that first bite of deception mankind has wanted to be god, the devil has deceived us into his own lie
where he says he will raise his throne above God’s and be seated, and mankind
has been drawn in.
We need to be as Noah, and don’t fight the world, that is what they want to show everyone that
we are hateful bigots serving a bigot for a God, even though that is not truth
they use all the can to deceive one another into believing their own lies.
There are churches out there that have embraced the world’s philosophy,
and excepts whatever comes their way as truth, some do it for money, some do it
for numbers, but all do it for their father the devil who is the father of lies.
The Bible says this
2 Corinthians 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent
deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the
simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom
we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not
received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted--you may well put
up with it!
And run we should, we should stay busy like Noah doing what
God tells us, and when history is written may it be said of us “Thus we did; according to all that God
commanded him, so he did. “
One day soon Jesus is coming back, those who are His
disciples will leave with Him and never face the judgment of God, and those who
have rejected and mocked God will face the fury of a righteous God whose anger
will burn against them forevermore for they have condemned themselves already.
Just for a quick side note here also, you see in chapter 7
of Genesis the Bible says twice that God left the door of the ark open 7 days
before He shut it waiting for anyone else to join Noah and his family, no one
came and the population of the earth was wiped away except Noah and his family.
When Jesus breaks the sky and calls us home there will be 7
years of tribulation God will receive unto Himself all those who persevere
through this time of judgment and receive Him into their lives.
If you don’t know who Jesus is, or if you’re not sure what
it means to be forgiven and set apart and receive Jesus into your life as Lord
and Savior you can, it will not be an easy road many claim to be followers of
Christ but few are.
But know this we are all sinners and fallen short of the
glory of God, but yet while we are sinners Christ died for us, and in His death
and resurrection He gives us life, abundantly and eternally for all those that
call upon His name, and confess Him as Lord and Savior. Christ alone is our way
to God the Father. Once we are in Him, and He in us, we are forever His,
nothing can separate us one day He will return and call us home, what a day
that will be. Ask Jesus to change you confess to Him you have sinned we all
have, believe in your heart and mind and
confess Him before your family friends and wherever you go and you shall be
saved.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
7 Things a Good Dad Says
Christian Living
March 31, 2014
I think I may be leaving one phase of fatherhood behind even while I enter into another. My youngest child is just about to turn eight, which means that we are not only past the baby and toddler stages, but even nearing the end of the little kid phase. Meanwhile my oldest child has turned fourteen and is just months away from high school. All this change has caused me to think about fatherhood and the new challenges coming my way. I have found myself thinking back to the many models of fatherhood I have seen and admired through the years. What made these fathers admirable? What set them apart? What was it that they said to their children? From these models I have drawn seven things a good father says.
I love you. Few things are more important to a child than knowing where he stands with his parents. As I think back to my childhood, I remember several friends who lived with uncertainty in their relationship with their parents, and their fathers especially. They longed to hear words of love and approval. But I saw other kids who had total confidence in that love and approval. Often the difference was little more than three simple words repeated regularly: “I love you.” Men can be so petty, so prideful, and hold back those words. Yet there is no good reason for it. The more awkward it feels, the more urgent it is. From the dads I admire I’ve learn that a father needs to say, “I love you,” and he needs to say it often.
Let me kiss it better. Even as a young child I remember observing two different kinds of fathers in my church. When children fell and scraped their knees, there were two ways I saw dads react. Some fathers would pick up their children, set them back on their feet, and tell them to get over it. “You’re fine. Walk it off!” They wanted their soft children to toughen up. There were other fathers who would pick up their children, hold them in their arms, make a show of extending comfort, and say, “Let me kiss it better.” These were fathers who wanted their hard children to soften up. Sure, there are times to tell your child to walk it off, but there are far more times to extend love and concern through those childhood bumps and bruises and through the bigger sins and mistakes that come with age. From the dads I admire I’ve learned the value of saying, “Let me kiss it better” (though, obviously, as the children get older the wording changes!).
Come with me. There is so much in life that can be better caught than taught. Often the best way to train up a child is to let that child into your life. One father I admire taught me the distinction between being face-to-face with my children and being shoulder-to-shoulder. I saw this shoulder-to-shoulder parenting in my own father who often brought me with him on his errands or, even better, to his work. This allowed me to see the value of putting in a hard day’s work, and the value of building relationships with clients, suppliers, and so many others. It allowed me to see that work was an extension of the rest of life, and not a part of life that exists all on its own. The fathers I have admired are the fathers who say to their children, “Come with me,” and who welcome them into their day-to-day lives.
Please forgive me. Every father sins against every one of his children. He probably does it every day. Sadly, sin is every bit as inevitable as death and taxes. Fathers need to be in the habit of identifying their sin to their children and asking forgiveness. But as I think back, I saw this and heard of this in so few fathers. There are only a few I knew to consistently identify their sin and seek forgiveness for it. As I consider my fourteen years of parenting, I see far too little of it as well. The practice seems so much more difficult than the theory. The good dad is the one who humbly, carefully says to his children, “Please forgive me.”
You’re forgiven. Just as every father sins against every one of his children, every child sins against his father. The father who asks forgiveness also needs to be willing to extend forgiveness. Every father punishes his child at times, but too many fathers punish in the worst way—by holding a grudge or by letting the child suffer as dad withholds forgiveness and reconciliation. Our children need to be forgiven and they need to experience the joy of reconciliation. Here I think of a father I know—a father I admire—who taught me that a good dad doesn’t just say, “It’s okay,” but always goes further to say, “You’re forgiven.
Let’s pray. There is one father I admire whom I have only met in the pages of books he has written. Of all he has written, what has gripped me most is the ways in which he prays with his children. He reserves special time each week for each child and in that time he inquires about their souls and prays with them. That sounds like a wonderful practice. And in the rhythm of daily life with all its ups and downs he is also quick to lead them in seeking God’s strength, God’s help, God’s wisdom. Here he teaches them the best and deepest kind of dependency on the best and greatest Help in the world. I have learned from him that the good dad is quick to say, “Let’s pray.”
I am eager to hear what you have learned from good fathers. So, following roughly the same format, tell me what you’ve heard a good father say…
http://www.challies.com/christian-living/7-things-a-good-dad-says
I love you. Few things are more important to a child than knowing where he stands with his parents. As I think back to my childhood, I remember several friends who lived with uncertainty in their relationship with their parents, and their fathers especially. They longed to hear words of love and approval. But I saw other kids who had total confidence in that love and approval. Often the difference was little more than three simple words repeated regularly: “I love you.” Men can be so petty, so prideful, and hold back those words. Yet there is no good reason for it. The more awkward it feels, the more urgent it is. From the dads I admire I’ve learn that a father needs to say, “I love you,” and he needs to say it often.
Let me kiss it better. Even as a young child I remember observing two different kinds of fathers in my church. When children fell and scraped their knees, there were two ways I saw dads react. Some fathers would pick up their children, set them back on their feet, and tell them to get over it. “You’re fine. Walk it off!” They wanted their soft children to toughen up. There were other fathers who would pick up their children, hold them in their arms, make a show of extending comfort, and say, “Let me kiss it better.” These were fathers who wanted their hard children to soften up. Sure, there are times to tell your child to walk it off, but there are far more times to extend love and concern through those childhood bumps and bruises and through the bigger sins and mistakes that come with age. From the dads I admire I’ve learned the value of saying, “Let me kiss it better” (though, obviously, as the children get older the wording changes!).
Come with me. There is so much in life that can be better caught than taught. Often the best way to train up a child is to let that child into your life. One father I admire taught me the distinction between being face-to-face with my children and being shoulder-to-shoulder. I saw this shoulder-to-shoulder parenting in my own father who often brought me with him on his errands or, even better, to his work. This allowed me to see the value of putting in a hard day’s work, and the value of building relationships with clients, suppliers, and so many others. It allowed me to see that work was an extension of the rest of life, and not a part of life that exists all on its own. The fathers I have admired are the fathers who say to their children, “Come with me,” and who welcome them into their day-to-day lives.
Please forgive me. Every father sins against every one of his children. He probably does it every day. Sadly, sin is every bit as inevitable as death and taxes. Fathers need to be in the habit of identifying their sin to their children and asking forgiveness. But as I think back, I saw this and heard of this in so few fathers. There are only a few I knew to consistently identify their sin and seek forgiveness for it. As I consider my fourteen years of parenting, I see far too little of it as well. The practice seems so much more difficult than the theory. The good dad is the one who humbly, carefully says to his children, “Please forgive me.”
You’re forgiven. Just as every father sins against every one of his children, every child sins against his father. The father who asks forgiveness also needs to be willing to extend forgiveness. Every father punishes his child at times, but too many fathers punish in the worst way—by holding a grudge or by letting the child suffer as dad withholds forgiveness and reconciliation. Our children need to be forgiven and they need to experience the joy of reconciliation. Here I think of a father I know—a father I admire—who taught me that a good dad doesn’t just say, “It’s okay,” but always goes further to say, “You’re forgiven.
Let’s pray. There is one father I admire whom I have only met in the pages of books he has written. Of all he has written, what has gripped me most is the ways in which he prays with his children. He reserves special time each week for each child and in that time he inquires about their souls and prays with them. That sounds like a wonderful practice. And in the rhythm of daily life with all its ups and downs he is also quick to lead them in seeking God’s strength, God’s help, God’s wisdom. Here he teaches them the best and deepest kind of dependency on the best and greatest Help in the world. I have learned from him that the good dad is quick to say, “Let’s pray.”
I am eager to hear what you have learned from good fathers. So, following roughly the same format, tell me what you’ve heard a good father say…
http://www.challies.com/christian-living/7-things-a-good-dad-says
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Fight fire with fire.
We have all heard the expression "the way to fight fire is with fire." I've heard it all my life, but it came alive for me in a new way when I heard a story told by Norman McLean about a Montana smoke jumper who did just that. Wag Dodge was one of 15 smoke jumpers who were sent to battle a forest fire in August of 1949. Shortly after their jump, these tenacious, well-trained, young men were surrounded by an inferno. As the wind shifted 180 degrees and picked up velocity, what had been a manageable fire became what is known as a blow out. The only way to safety was to race 200 yards to the top of a ridgeï¾—quite literally, to outrun the fire. When Dodge realized the fire would overtake them, he screamed to his men to stop and gather around him. Most did not hear, and were overcome. Then, with fire racing toward him, Wag Dodge lit a fire of his own and followed it, then circled back and laid down in the grass it had burned. When he did, the flames went around what had already been scorched, leaving him safe on the ground. He fought fire - with fire. We are surrounded on every side by the super-heated flames of our culture. How do we fight them? The way this young smoke jumper did. We set our own fire. And as the fire of our devotion to Christ begins to burn, our God who is a consuming fire, burns brighter and stronger than the flames of this fallen world. We fight fire with fire!
Life Church
Psalm 1
Psalms 1:1-6 HCSB
How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord ’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not survive the judgment, and sinners will not be in the community of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.
Life Church
Psalm 1
Psalms 1:1-6 HCSB
How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord ’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not survive the judgment, and sinners will not be in the community of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.
Friday, March 7, 2014
THE HUSBAND'S RESPONSIBILITY
God felt the marriage union so important that He set certain laws that deal with this relationship. He knew marriage is not only finding the right mate; it is also becoming the right mate. Therefore, He wants the husband to give specific attention to developing a meaningful and lasting relationship with his wife. The next few guides will deal with the husband's responsibilities in making the marriage work.
So important was a man's attention to his marriage and mate that in the Old Testament God insisted: When a man has taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war or be charged with any business; he shall be free at home one year, and bring happiness to his wife whom he has taken (Deuteronomy 24:5). That law was given so newly married couples could develop mutual trust and tenderness. It emphasizes for modern men the importance of developing right relationships in their marriages.
After World War II, we reaped a whirlwind of divorces because of marriages hastily arranged just before the husband went off to fight. How much wiser we would have been, and how many good women and men would not have been deeply scarred, if we had taken God's commandments more seriously.
This is not to suggest we keep the Old Testament commandment of one year's reprieve from responsibility. Our society is much different today. However, we should remember God did not take marriage vows lightly, and He still wants us to grow together so our marriages will carry us through our failures as well as our successes.
Proverbs 5:15Drink water from your own cistern,water flowing from your own well.16Should your springs flow in the streets,streams of water in the public squares?17They should be for you aloneand not for you to share with strangers.18Let your fountain be blessed,and take pleasure in the wife of your youth.19A loving doe, a graceful fawn —let her breasts always satisfy you;be lost in her love forever.20Why, my son, would you be infatuatedwith a forbidden womanor embrace the breast of a stranger?21For a man’s ways are before the Lord’s eyes,and He considers all his paths.22A wicked man’s iniquities entrap him;he is entangled in the ropes of his own sin.23He will die because there is no discipline,and be lost because of his great stupidity.
Bible Discovery TV for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: www.biblediscoverytv.com
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