tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54086831945745322592024-03-08T01:01:52.856-08:00Great ExpectationsMatthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-84189873977326799742013-11-07T11:58:00.000-08:002013-11-07T11:58:22.742-08:00The Measure of a ManI live in a <i>very </i>progressive city. "My two dads." Transgender elementary school students. Exterminating unwanted children while saving soul-less fish.... Welcome to the Northwest. The place can be pretty backwards. As a Christian, one often finds them-self in the minority in their thinking and believing. However, I find myself grateful to live in a place that has at least figured one area out - and that is to stop pigeon-holing men and women.<br />
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Let's be clear: I am in no way one of those weird feminist-types, who take this idea to the extreme. However, I have never been of the belief that women belong "here," and men go over "here," and that's the end of it. And I have adamantly disagreed with anyone who does.<br />
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Women <i>can </i>go to work.</div>
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Women <i>can </i>preach.</div>
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Women <i>can </i>be pastors and leaders within the local church.</div>
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And men can stay at home...y their kids.</div>
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This is a combo teaching/ranting piece. My social media feeds have been inundated with posts of opinions and articles regarding this subject. And while I live in a region that celebrate what do as a full-time dad, it seems that one such group is still a bit on-the-fence: The Church. Religious teaching has led me to feel like I am somehow less of a man because I am the one staying home with my son. I had a pastor push getting a job on me once, even though I had a son I had to raise at home. Even when I do not talk about my finances, a job seems to get thrown into my conversations with Christians. They can't see how I can stay at home while my wife goes off to work. Other teachings in The Church make it appear that my wife is somehow not fulfilling her duty to our son, because she is not home enough. Thanks Church, for making us feel like losers.</div>
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I use capitol C for a reason. not every church in the world thinks these thoughts. However, too many still do. Men belong at work. They are providers. That is their job. Too many teachings still claim that if a man doesn't have a job, he isn't a very good man. And what irritates me the most is the fact that there is very little Scripture used to back this line of thinking. I remember reading one such "opinion" piece (it can't be called teaching, because it had very little Biblical-backing) that has one Bible verse:</div>
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But
if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his
household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.</div>
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~1Timothy 5:8</div>
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That's it? You rip-off 8 paragraphs on the man's place in the family and you give me <i>one </i>Bible verse?? Taken out of context?! Yikes... You see, this passage is talking about taking care of widows. It actually states that it is the responsibility of children to take care of their parents as they get older - especially the women, who wouldn't be able to take care of themselves at that time in history. oddly enough, most Christians don't abide by this entire passage of Scripture. Most elderly are put into homes now, rather than taken care of by their kids. But we <i>love </i>verse 8, don't we?? According to many preachers I've heard from, if a man loses his job he needs to go find whatever scuzzy work he can in order to "take care of" his family. Hard work at a rotten job that barely pays the bills is seen as a badge of honor a pride.</div>
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You got that half right...</div>
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Pride is exactly what that is. Our society dictates that our provision is all on us. And the Church has written that mind-set into the Bible - even though it doesn't exist. To say that it is good for a man to forgo his pride and take on any form of employment in order to provide for his family is an oxymoron. That's because it is still an act of pride. God has given each of us unique gifts and abilities. And they are given for very specific purposes. To defy the call of God in order to make money is a supreme act of pride. It says that God is not doing enough to take of you, and that you need to handle that responsibility yourself. Jesus said to seek first the things of God, and that everything else we need will be added to us as a result (Matthew 6:33). Digging ditches and flipping burgers, while neglecting something God called you to, is not an honorable act. It is defiance. </div>
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What about all those verses that talk about women's place in the home? Let me ask you this: does God condone slavery? That may not make much sense, but the passages that tell us that women cannot preach or work outside the home also tells slaves to remain servant to masters:</div>
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<i><span class="text Titus-2-3" id="en-NKJV-29912">[T]he older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— </span></i><i><span class="text Titus-2-4" id="en-NKJV-29913">that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, </span></i><i><span class="text Titus-2-5" id="en-NKJV-29914">to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed... </span><span class="text Titus-2-9" id="en-NKJV-29918">Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, </span></i><i><span class="text Titus-2-10" id="en-NKJV-29919">not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Titus-2-10" id="en-NKJV-29919">~Titus 2:3-5, 9-10</span></i></div>
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<span class="text Titus-2-10" id="en-NKJV-29919">The point of Paul's teaching on the place of men and women was so that the Word of God would not be dishonored. He did the same thing in 1Timothy 6:1, for the same reason. In that culture, women in ministry would have been deemed so offensive, that no one would have listened to them. Today, barring women from ministry would be deemed so offensive, no one would listen to those who do it. </span></div>
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<span class="text Titus-2-10" id="en-NKJV-29919"> </span><span class="text Titus-2-10" id="en-NKJV-29919"> </span></div>
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<span class="text Titus-2-10" id="en-NKJV-29919">As a man, there are times when I feel I am not good enough, because I am not bringing home a paycheck. However, this is what the Lord wants of me, and anyone who says otherwise can shove-it. Stay-at-home dads are not inferior. We are not acting against the will and ordinances of God. Work for the sake of provision only is an act of faithlessness and often defiance. Those who claim that a man without a job is not a good man need to do what Walter Mathau said in "Grumpy Old Men": pull your lip over your head and swallow. </span></div>
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<span class="text Titus-2-10" id="en-NKJV-29919">Don't take this too far, folks. God expects things of us. But rather than teach our young men to get good grades to get a good job in order to make good money, we need to teach them this: find out what Jesus wants you to do and do it to the best of your ability. Rather than teaching that women belong in the home raising babies, we need to teach them this: find out what Jesus wants you to do, and do it to the best of your ability. </span></div>
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<span class="text Titus-2-10" id="en-NKJV-29919">There are days when I feel down on myself because I know I could have done better with my time. But know this: I work. That kid is exhausting. Dishes pile up. The bathroom is a mess. And I have been instructed to write yet another book (hopefully one of these things will eventually be published). I have instructions from God Almighty. They may not match what some Christians deem that they should be, but they are mine. My wife has a great job. She may want to be home at times, but I know she would eventually get cabin fever. She's designed for what she does. I am designed for what I do. And I'll be damned if I'm going to let sexist pastors and teachers and Christians force their old-school, 1950's gender roles down our throats because they misread the Bible. </span></div>
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<span class="text Titus-2-10" id="en-NKJV-29919">/End rant...</span></div>
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<i>And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. </i></div>
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<i><span class="text Titus-2-10" id="en-NKJV-29919"><span class="text Titus-2-10" id="en-NKJV-29919">~Philippians 4:19</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Titus-2-10" id="en-NKJV-29919"><span class="text Titus-2-10" id="en-NKJV-29919"><span class="text Prov-10-22" id="en-NKJV-16679">The blessing of the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> makes one rich,</span><br /><span class="text Prov-10-22">And He adds no sorrow with it.</span> </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Titus-2-10" id="en-NKJV-29919"><span class="text Titus-2-10" id="en-NKJV-29919">~Proverbs 10:22</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text 2Cor-9-10" id="en-NKJV-28967">Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, </span></i><i><span class="text 2Cor-9-11" id="en-NKJV-28968">while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. </span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text 2Cor-9-11" id="en-NKJV-28968">~2Corinthians 9:10-11</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text 2Cor-9-11" id="en-NKJV-28968"><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NKJV-5156">And you shall remember the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.</span></span></i></div>
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<span class="text 2Cor-9-11" id="en-NKJV-28968"><i><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NKJV-5156">~Deuteronomy 8:18 </span></i> </span></div>
Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-31932419800306029652013-08-21T10:48:00.000-07:002013-08-21T10:48:07.635-07:00Gratefully CockyThis is the first chance I've had to sit and do this for some time now. I really want to finish hashing out the depth of the parable of the sower in Mark 4, but this something new the Lord has been dealing with me about this week and I want to share it with those of you in internet-land.<br />
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It is fun how the Holy spirit opens our eyes to biblical revelation in non-Biblical ways. I have been struggling with my mind-set recently - especially in regards to my actual mind. I don't do enough critical thinking any more. I have been cranky. I have felt empty. My brain has felt dull. And I have struggled with feelings of inadequacy uselessness. Being a stay-at-home dad will do that to ya. It can bring your entire countenance down. It caused my prayer-life to fade. That'll mess with your mind-set all the more.<br />
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Mind-set.<br />
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That is sooooo vital to a successful Christian life. I have asked the Lord to help me with mine: to sharpen my mind, to give me greater understanding of Who He is and what He has done, to give me comprehension of the love He has for me and how it is already at work in me for the sake of other people. Oddly enough, the light clicked on today... <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9581925/seattle-seahawks-use-unusual-techniques-practice-espn-magazine" target="_blank">while reading about the Seattle Seahawks</a>. <br />
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If you don't feel like reading that very long article, here is the jist: the Seahawks have begun placing a huge emphasis on positive thinking and meditation as a part of their core values. Football has historically been a sport rooted in yelling, screaming, show-no-emotion, suck-it-up toughness. That has changed over at the V-MAC. Reading the article open my eyes to something...<br />
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Everything they do over there is <i>Biblical!</i><br />
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"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he..." ~Proverbs 23:7a<br />
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How you think about yourself will ultimately determine your course. The problem many Christians have is that we continue to place too high an emphasis on what <i>we </i>can do. This is the very opposite of grace. We have God's grace (His unmerited unearned favor) in our lives because of what Jesus did for us. However, we still try to "do it" on our own. I know for me, this has played entirely too true in recent months. I try to do enough housework to feel worthy of my wife. I try to do enough playtime to feel worthy of my son. And I unfortunately still try to do enough spiritual stuff to feel worthy of God. It is the "do good, get good" mentality. And it needs to stop.<br />
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Works theology must be removed from our thinking. Ephesians 2:10 says that God has good works for us to do. It doesn't say we have good works we need to do or else we are bad Christians who were never really saved in the first place. Jesus did something amazing for us, so that we could have an amazing life. He thinks <i>very </i>highly of each and every one of us. Our merit, our work, means nothing to God. Jesus blood is the key to our success in this life. Our job is not to work to make our lives better. Our job is to find out what God wants us to do, and then to do it to the best of our ability (Ephesians 6:7) - and our ability has already been enhanced by the Holy Spirit working within us. We must realize this.<br />
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The Holy spirit has been constantly bringing this to my attention: do not lean on the arm of the flesh. Stop trying to appease God with what you do. Stop assuming that if you do not "do enough" in any arena of your life that God will not move on your behalf. Find out what He wants you to do, and then do it. If your parents disagree, too bad. If your teachers says otherwise, don't listen. If your pastor preaches differently from the pulpit, ignore him for two minutes. Grace has got you covered.<br />
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So, why did I title this "Gratefully Cocky"? That's the term that dropped into my head this morning. I stopped reading the article, I put my son down for a nap, and I did what the Seahawks do. I sat down and pondered the Word of the Lord. It is difficult in our day and age to think highly of oneself without a laundry-list of accomplishments to back it up. That's because we place too much emphasis on our works. But Jesus thinks otherwise. According to Jesus, I'm a pretty big deal. I'm His favorite. I'm his brother (Romans 8:17). In Christ, I can do <i>anything </i>(Philippians 4:13). In Christ, I am love (1John 4:7). I am successful in every endeavor because of Jesus. That will make you cocky.<br />
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Without Jesus, I am a disaster. With Jesus, I am unconquerable. Satan will throw any and everything my way. Same holds true to you. But, unlike too many Christians, I will never blame God for the tests and trials in my life. With His ability upon my ability, I am going to blow them away - one-by-one. This is thinking highly of myself, because Jesus thinks highly of me, and because He has already placed His Spirit in me to accomplish these things. I just haven't given him enough time to show that to me. So from now on, I am going to spend more time turning things off around here, and listening and meditating on the voice of the Spirit within me. Scripture says God loves me and sings over me and thinks incredibly high of me - regardless of what I do or do not do. I'm a big deal around here, because He <i>made </i>me a big deal. I suggest you do the same. Don't sit and listen to the Word, then immediately run off and continue with life. That's where we lose so much of what God is saying to us. Slow down, ponder His Words. Let what He says about you truly soak in. And you'll realize that, because of Jesus, you're a pretty big deal, too.<br />
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<i>For now, though, the next step is getting everybody on the meditation
bandwagon. "Meditation is as important as lifting weights and being out
here on the field for practice," [Russell] Okung says. "It's about quieting your
mind and getting into certain states where everything outside of you
doesn't matter in that moment. There are so many things telling you that
you can't do something, but you take those thoughts captive, take power
over them and change them."</i><br />
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2Corinthians 10:5, anyone??<i> </i><br />
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<i> </i>Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-80548745925930725802013-07-09T13:24:00.001-07:002013-07-09T13:24:34.355-07:00Sowing and Reaping Pt3 (Cluttered Heart)<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Mark-4-18" id="en-NKJV-24342"><span class="woj">Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word,</span> </span></span></i><span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj">and
the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires
for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj">~Mark 4:18-19</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj">Life has allowed me some time to finally go back to these thoughts on sowing and reaping. Jesus told us that this parable, found in Mark 4, is the lynch-pin to understanding all the other teachings on the Kingdom of God. So far, we have learned that being hard-hearted toward the promises of God will allow Satan immediate access to steal that Word of promise. Being of a "shallow heart" - one who is easy to forget, prone to give-up, or easily distracted - will allow the pressures of life access to scorch out the promise of God in our lives. Jesus shows us in this parable that three-out-four times the promises of God do not come to fruition in a person's life. And, once again, that is not because of some plan of God to teach us lessons - it is due to the condition of our own hearts towards God and His Word. The final "issue" we must learn to overcome...</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><b>The "Cluttered" Heart</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj">I picked up a book at Barnes and Noble. The title is irrelevant (mostly because I forgot it...). The author doesn't need to be named (mostly because I don't want to defame them). I turned through the pages at random. Then I saw the words. Somehow, this individual had come to the conclusion that doubt is a perfectly acceptable, and even healthy, component of the Christian life. I'm not sure what Bible says that, but it certainly isn't mine...</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj">Worry is rooted in doubt. It is thinking on all of the the "what-if" scenarios that could happen should God not come through in a way that would be beneficial and helpful to us. It is a direct result of fear - which is the opposite of faith. Worry (acting in doubt) is a sin.</span></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-AMP-29447">Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"> ~Philippians 4:6, Amplified</span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449">As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, <span class="woj">“Do not be afraid; only believe.”</span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj">~Mark 5:36</span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj">Do not fear therefore...</span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj">~Matthew 10:31a</span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj">Get the picture? These are <i>commands</i>, not suggestions. Jesus command to Jairus is the same command He gives to the rest of us. We have been commanded by God to lay aside worry and walk in a life without fear. He has given us His Spirit - a spirit of love - by which fear is cast aside (1John 4:18). Fear, worry, doubt, and Co., are not acceptable elements of the Christian life. That doesn't mean you walk in condemnation concerning these things. If you struggle with fear, make the adjustment. Look to the Lord for help, just don't accept these as fundamental elements to your spiritual growth, because according to Jesus, these demonic cohorts will destroy the progress of the promises of the Word of God. And, so too, will misplaced trust...</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj">A few years ago, I was sitting in my living room watching Dr. Bill Winston, a pastor from Chicago, speaking on God's provision. He said something that blew-up within me. If you look over to your right, you will see the quote has become a staple for this site: "You were not designed to bear the the burden of your own provision." Why are we so determined to take care of ourselves? Somewhere along the line, the "American Way" became the Christian life. It is not your job to provide for yourself, to take care of your family, to amass your retirement account or nest egg. No. It is God's Word, His Blessing, that brings the increase. Look to the proof:</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<i><span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj">The blessing of the Lord—it makes [truly] rich, and He adds no sorrow with it [neither does toiling increase it].</span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj">~Proverbs 10:22, Amplified</span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj"><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-AMP-23316">But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things<sup> </sup>taken together will be given you besides.</span></span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj"><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-AMP-23316">~Matthew 6:33, Amplified</span></span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj"><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-AMP-23316">And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. </span></span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj"><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-AMP-23316">~Philippians 4:19</span></span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj"><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-AMP-23316"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work </span></span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj"><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-AMP-23316">~2Corinthians 9:8</span></span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj"><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-AMP-23316">That is just a small sample-size of what God says regarding our provision. We have a job to do in this life. That job is to listen to, and obey, the voice God concerning our lives. Where we work, how long long we work, what we do for work, is up to the Lord. Somewhere along the line, we put all the pressure on ourselves. Too many Christians have placed themselves outside the Will of God, all in the name of the mighty dollar. Jesus doesn't mind us having money - and lots of it. This parable in Mark 4 is not condemning riches. Jesus is condemning the <i>deceitfulness </i>of riches - that they always be there for you. When we put our trust in our ability and in our money - or in our <i>striving </i>to make money - we place ourselves in a position where the Word of God takes a back seat. It will be choked out because of all the other "stuff" that we have put in the way...</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj"><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-AMP-23316">Speaking of "stuff," that is the final component that the Lord Jesus specifically points out to us as being detrimental to the fruition of God's Word in our lives. What kind of "junk" stands in the way of us and God? For me, it's sports. I have had times where the Lord has been showing me all sorts of marvelous things. My prayer life is vibrant. I'm feasting daily on the Word. I'm full of strength, love, peace and joy. But then, March... Oh, that stupid college basketball tournament comes around and I get sooo wrapped up in teams and players I know nothing about 11months of the year. Next thing I know, it's April. I'm cranky. I don't want to do my Bible study. My prayers sound generic. Stuff got in the way. And don't get me started on NFL training camps...</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj"><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-AMP-23316">The point is, we all have those fun things in life. God doesn't mind them. In fact, 1Timothy 6 lays out for us that He has given us all those things for our enjoyment. I know that the Lord smiles when I watch sporting events, because I'm His kid, and I'm having a lot of fun. The problem is when all the fun things in life take top priority. We neglect our time with the Lord. Our faith stagnates. Our hearts become dull, or in this case cluttered. The things of God get choked out, because we do not give them the time to grow vibrantly. </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj"><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-AMP-23316">So what is it with you? Do you worry too much about your future? Health, welfare, finances, children? I'm not belittling your stuff. I have issues in my own life. It can be difficult at first, to "let go and let God". But He will do it. He will provide, heal and restore. Is your hope, trust and time linked to your job? To your retirement? Your investments? Do you put all the weight on yourself, rather than on the Word and the Blessing? Stop thinking like that. Stop putting pressure on your job, your paycheck, what you can do. Just do what God tells you to do - and expect that He will provide beyond all you can ask or think (Ephesians 2:20). And make sure that all your fun stuff doesn't get in the way. Yes, this year the Seahawks will definitely contend for a SuperBowl Title. Yes, they are going to crush the 49ers, and it will be wonderful. Enjoy it. But don't neglect time spent with the Father. </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj"><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-AMP-23316">Father first. Family second. Football later. </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj"><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-AMP-23316">Clear out the clutter... </span> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-19" id="en-NKJV-24343"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="woj"> </span> </span> </span></span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="woj"></span></span></i> </span></div>
Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-82599528193761375042013-06-26T11:07:00.000-07:002013-06-26T11:07:23.717-07:00Sowing and Reaping Pt2 ("Short Term" Heart)One epic growth-spurt later...<br />
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My son decided he needed to wake up 2.5 times per night, every night for the past four weeks. You don't know the meaning of exhaustion until you have a child. But, that is not the personal story I want to tell; rather, I would like to share a brief tidbit of my own life before we continue...<br />
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Two months ago, Bill Coleman gave his final sermon as a pastor at our church (if he ever gets <i>incredibly </i>bored one day and decides to Google himself, he will now get to see what an impact that sermon had on my life). He preached on the waiting period Abraham and Sarah went through in preparation for the promise of God - the birth of their son, Isaac. Thought, after nearly 25 <i>years</i>, it appeared that it would never come, God have never given up on fulfilling his promise to His Covenant man and his wife. Pastor Bill pounded the point over and over - it doesn't matter what you have done, it doesn't matter how long it has been, if you are willing to believe then God will fulfill His promise to you. I'm trying not to cry. I have had a promise on my life for years; and just like Abraham (<i>Ishmael!</i>), I have made numerous mistakes to hinder the fruition of that promise. I was running low on patience. I assumed God had wiped His hands of me. Yet, here I am listening to a sermon so uniquely designed to my circumstances. I went and spent some time at the alter after, and another member of the pastoral staff spent time praying for me. After a few moments, he leaned down and said, "I don't know you, but the Lord is telling me <i>just a bit longer</i>. I don't know what that means..."<br />
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I do. More stupid crying... <br />
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So now we finally return to our series on Jesus' parable of the sower. You see, what had happened to me that day fits in perfect with the second charateristic Jesus shows us in Mark 4:13-20.<br />
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<b>"Short-term" Heart</b><br />
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<i><span class="text Mark-4-16" id="en-NKJV-24340"><span class="woj">These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness;</span> </span><span class="text Mark-4-17" id="en-NKJV-24341"><span class="woj">and
they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time.
Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake,
immediately they stumble.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Mark-4-17" id="en-NKJV-24341"><span class="woj">~Mark 4:16-17</span></span></i></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-17" id="en-NKJV-24341"><span class="woj">All Hell broke loose in the weeks following that morning! There was an assault on my mind concerning my future that overwhelmed me. It has continued to this very day. That's what the enemy will do. When we receive promises from God - either through His written Word, or through divine revelation like I received that Sunday morning - Satan sets out immediately to distract us. He wants nothing more than to cause us to quit on God and His Word. You can guarantee that whatever you find out from God, Satan is going to attempt to refute. When we see promises of health and healing, Satan will attack with sickness and symptom. When we see promises regarding prosperity and provision, you can expect attacks on finances of possessions. When you receive promises regarding a hopeful future, you can take it to the bank that you will be constantly reminded of what you can't do. In my case, a severe lack of meaningful experience, coupled with a further lack of contacts<i>, </i>was the demonic tool of the trade to cause me to doubt that God would ever come through on His promise to me. But it is important to remember this...</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-17" id="en-NKJV-24341"><span class="woj">A delay is not a denial.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-17" id="en-NKJV-24341"><span class="woj">We see this principle that Jesus is teaching us when Paul writes those oh-so-infamous words: "thorn in the flesh"</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-17" id="en-NKJV-24341"><span class="woj"><span class="text 2Cor-12-7"><i>"And lest I should be exalted above measure <b>
by the abundance of the revelations,</b> a thorn in the flesh was given to
me, <b>a messenger of Satan to buffet me</b>, lest I be exalted above measure."</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-17" id="en-NKJV-24341"><span class="woj"><span class="text 2Cor-12-7"><i>~2Corinthians 12:7</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-17" id="en-NKJV-24341"><span class="woj"><span class="text 2Cor-12-7">I really enjoy tackling this passage, and we could talk about it alllllllllll night. However, I want to point out that the principle Jesus is explaining to us is at work right here. Because of the greatness of what Paul was receiving from God, Satan sent one of his cronies to stop him. God didn't crack this crony over the head, because then Paul would have no reason to trust Him. But keep this in mind: God doesn't "buffet" (many translations use the word "torment") anyone! Paul wasn't sick ("thorn in the flesh" is the same thing as "pain in the neck." It is nothing more than a figure of speech, such as seen in Numbers 33:55). Satan is not on the payroll any longer. God did not send him to do His dirty work. We see a spiritual reality taking place before our eyes. Paul is receiving great revelation from God, and Satan is doing everything he can to put an immediate stop to it. Paul is then relying on the grace of God to overcome - and boy did he ever!! </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-4-17" id="en-NKJV-24341"><span class="woj"><span class="text 2Cor-12-7">The same will be true in each of our lives. If we are not callous to the voice of the Lord and to His Word, we can be assured that whatever He promises us will come under fire. Satan doesn't care if you get excited about God when that excitement never lasts for more than a few weeks at a time. Jesus is comparing the promises of God to "seeds." Seeds take time to to grow. God isn't holding out on us when we don't see the fruition of His promises immediately. Our faith takes time to grow. That is why we have the instructions to remain patient under trial in James 1. Hold fast. Delays are not denials. God is not giving Satan side jobs to harass you for His glory. And get out of His way. Hold fast to your confession - your harvest will come. </span></span></span></div>
Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-8619968734872476592013-05-26T14:05:00.002-07:002013-05-26T14:05:44.857-07:00 Sowing and Reaping Pt1 (Hard-Hearted)This isn't the first time I've shared some thoughts on this subject. However, recently I have been pondering it and have received some new insight that I believe we all need to put into practice. As I sat and began to write some thoughts, revelation continued to flow. It was my intention to write a single teaching on the Parable of the Sower. Then God got more involved. So, welcome to the first in a <i>five-part </i>series on Sowing the Word. First of all: <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%204:13-20&version=NKJV" target="_blank">do your homework</a>.<br />
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Now, we will start with the basic element of this story - the one that is often discussed the most: are you good 'soil'? This is absolutely imperative to our Christian lives, because it is not rightly understood that Jesus just taught us that <b>the Bible only works 25% of the time. </b>Jesus shows us four different individual circumstances where the Word of God is put to work. In only <i>one</i> of the four circumstances do we see the promises of God come to fruition, and according to Jesus' explanation, the reason for such a high rate of failure is not due to some unknown, unforeseeable plans in God's Sovereign Will. It is due solely to the condition of an individual's heart.<br />
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Just because you are a Christian does not mean that you are 'good soil.' For the next few days, we will take a look at the various conditions of the heart that Jesus discusses - uses ample examples from Scripture (so that "by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established" ~<b>Matthew 18:16</b>). On the last day we will do something different to cap things off from a different angle that Jesus gives us. For now, let us take a moment to analyze our hearts through the first example Jesus gives us:<br />
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<b>Hard soil.</b><br />
The first thing that happens when we hear from the God - be it through His written Word in times of reading Scripture or listening to teachings, or through His Revealed Word in personal times of prayer and meditation - is that Satan sets out to immediately steal that Word. If we have developed a form of religious callous to the voice of God, we will be in no position to receive from His Word. This takes on many different forms.<br />
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<i>~Boredom</i><br />
Do you find the Scriptures to be outdated or dull? Perhaps you sit in church and struggle to pay attention, because you either do not understand your pastor or because you are like so many of us in this day that you can't help but play with your phone? The first issue we have to deal with is that of boredom. Leviticus and Ezekiel have a way of doing that to us. Many times, it is difficult to give God our full attention as we sift through the long passages of the Old Testament. But remember, God says what He means and means what He says. Those passages are there for our instruction (<b>Romans 15:4</b>), and must be given the respect and honor that we give to the "easy" passages of the New Testament.<br />
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Remember, we have the Holy Spirit within us already, teaching us and guiding us as we spend time with Him and the Scriptures (<b>John 16:13, 1Corinthians 2:14-16, 1John 2:20</b>). Ask Him to open your eyes and soften the callous of boredom.<br />
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<i>~Religious Affiliation/Tradition</i><br />
This has always been my experience with others. For some reason, it seems as if every generation is under the impression that they "know it all" when it comes to the things of God. We have seen this to true throughout history - especially since the reformation<i>. </i>Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Hagin, Osteen. There's a small sample of names of men that God has revealed new facets of His Word to. Each one was mercilessly ridiculed for their teaching. The first three men are revered for being men of courage and faith - vessels by which the Lord restored Biblical truths to His people. The last two.... not so much. They (and so many like them today) are mocked and harassed by the people of God for "taking things out of context." Do we honestly think that there isn't more to be seen in the Scripture? Have we exhausted the promises of God already?<br />
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<i>God didn't pour out those revelations [Calvin, Luther, etc.] on the Church all at once. They were always there, but He restored them one by one. That's the way He always works, both with His body as a whole, and with us as believers. He develops us a little at a time... We must never forget that. While we guard as precious the things God has already revealed to us in His Word, we must always remember there are things in the Word we have not yet seen. There are Scriptural truths we have not yet learned. There are Biblical revelations we have not yet received.</i></div>
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<b><i>God isn't finished with us yet.</i></b></div>
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<i> ~Kenneth Copeland, 'The Blessing of the Lord'</i></div>
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That's my favorite passage from the book I am currently reading. Does this describe your thinking? Or are you closed off to receiving new understanding from God? There is a wave of God's revelation moving through this country right now. It has been unfairly deemed "prosperity theology." These "word people" are ignorantly portrayed as folks who claim that if we just say the right words, God has to do whatever we tell Him. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Bible shows us many outstanding promises from God, and He is continuing to reveal to men and women how to receive these promises (including how to pray in such a way as to get the results Jesus bled to give us).</div>
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I can tell that my friends think I am weird for expecting God to abide by His Word. However, if I cannot trust God to keep His Word, who can I trust? I expect to be Blessed financially (<b>Proverbs 10:22, Galatians 3:13</b>). I expect to be healed and live a life divine health (<b>Psalm 103:3, Proverbs 4:22, Isaiah 53:5, James 5:15, 1Peter 2:24</b>). I expect to live to be well over a hundred years old (<b>Genesis 6:3</b>). I expect to have my life redeemed from destruction(<b>Psalm 91, 103:4, Isaiah 51:17</b>). </div>
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Apparently, I am strange for having such lofty expectations of the Lord. What about you? Excuses are too often made, regarding context and the part we as people have to play in God's Plans. Does this describe you? Are you callous to the promises of God, because those promises conflict with your religious affiliation, denomination or tradition? Scripture tells us to test the spirits to be sure they are from God. People will twist the Bible to say things that it doesn't. However, do not think that God was finished in the 18th century. He is revealing wonderful aspects of Himself. New revelation is continuing to flow from Him. Ask Him to show you gimmicks from the Blessed.</div>
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<i>~Experience</i></div>
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God promises us so many wonderful things in His Word. However, sometimes we are callous to these promises because we "know somebody." Perhaps we have been through something in our lives that has led us to question God's Word. We have made too many excuses for why God supposedly "doesn't" (insert your own ending here). We have begun to teach the ungodly, unholy, blasphemous and unscriptural idea that "sometimes God does and sometimes God doesn't." We make Job the poster child for our difficult times in life. We hail Paul's thorn in the flesh as the Biblical evidence that God "sometimes says 'no.'" We ignorantly proclaim that Jesus was a poor wandering religious tycoon of some kind. We do these things because we do not know any better. We do these things because our religion has taught us to. We do these things because our experience leads us to view our Lord and His Word through a colored lens.</div>
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Before you get too up in arms on me, let me tell you all that I have been there. I just proclaimed that expect to be Blessed financially, yet I've grown up poor my entire life. Sometimes I feel like I will never get out from under all my debts. That doesn't change the promise of God concerning financial well-being for His people (<b>2Corinthians 9:8</b>). I've battled (and continued to conquer in accordance with <b>Romans 8:37</b>) with depression for years. I have seen it ravage through my life and the lives of numerous loved ones. That doesn't change the fact that depression is a contradiction to God's promise. I once heard a sermon from Keith Moore, where he said that a depressed Christian is a contradiction of terminology. I posted it on social media and watched the wildfire of angry people begin to spread. Brothers and sisters, the Joy of the Lord is our strength. How then can depression also be a part of His Sovereign Will for any Christian? I refuse to believe that God leaves us depressed - and I'm sorry if any of you may take offense at that. </div>
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Let me finished this though with something that the Lord has made very clear to me in recent weeks:</div>
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<i>For the Christian, experience is the worst teacher.</i></div>
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__________________________<i> </i></div>
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Is Satan stealing the promises of God's Word from you before an hour even runs out? Are you callous to the joy of hearing from God? Because that is what we should be experiencing: joy. Imagine if I were to walk into your living and tell you that you had just inherited $1million dollars, tax-free. Your reaction would almost assuredly be that of relief, joy and excitement. The surge that would overtake your senses would be such that I'm sure you couldn't help but jump and shout. That is the reaction we should have when we approach the Word of God. I admit to you all out there: I do not react in that manner. I still have rough edges in my heart when it comes to God's Word. </div>
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When the Scripture - God's Holy Word to His Holy people - tells me that financial stability is mine, healing is mine, redemption and protection are mine, how can I not get excited?? I may be too bored with a passage or a speaker to pay enough attention to actually see what God is endeavoring to get across to me. I at times still struggle because (no offense) my church often refuted and/or made excuses to quench my excitement over those promises, to keep me from getting too excited or taking something "out of context." And many times, my life experience has unfortunately tempered my excitement over those promises. </div>
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Whatever the reason may be, if we have a callous, Satan moves in to <i>immediately </i>steal that Word sown in our hearts. May we all make it a point to spend time on our knees, daily, asking that our hearts be open and receptive to the ever revealing voice of the Lord. God isn't finished with us yet.</div>
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See you tomorrow... </div>
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Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-55083934390783977272013-03-29T11:49:00.003-07:002013-03-29T11:49:57.429-07:00For All...With Resurrection Sunday soon upon us, the ads have begun to grow more frequent. Churches are setting out to fill the pews with those who rarely frequent their doors. sad to say, but it is sort of a religious "sweeps week" for many.<br />
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Don't misunderstand me: there is nothing wrong with radio ads for churches. In this fast-paced society, you have to take whatever means necessary to announce your existence to world. I'm just tired of the silliness that is overtaking many of our churches. One such ad caused me to look the place up. They claimed to be a place that "actually does what it says it believes." After hearing them spend the totality of the ad praising themselves, I had to look them up.<br />
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<i>Reformed.</i><br />
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<i>Oh boy... </i> <br />
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On this Good Friday, I want us to remember that Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for ALL people - rather than for the select few that many have been duped into believing about.<br />
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It still bothers me that so many churches can have the audacity to preach and teach the despicable notion that God plays favorites. The doctrine of election states that God, before the foundation of the world, predestined those whom He would allow to share in the gift of grace, while subsequently condemning others to an eternal damnation in Hell. It was His choice. It was His Sovereign Will. It cannot be changed.<br />
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And it was all done before time began.<br />
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Think about that for a moment: before time ever began, God determined who would have the opportunity to go to Heaven and who was destined for Hell. <i>Before the foundations of the world. </i>That means that eternal damnation was God's Will before He ever created this place. How can that be so? The only way for that line of thinking to be possible is for Lucifer's deception in Eden to also be the perfect Will of God. He would have had to intentionally set Lucifer on the Garden, because He needed an antagonist to tempt humanity into the Fall, so that those whom He predestined for Hell would have a means of getting there. It is absurd.<br />
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I read on this churches statement of faith (where they were <i>pounded </i>the election doctrine home with gusto) that people dying and going to Hell is proof that God's Will is does not include salvation for all.<br />
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<i>Ludicrous.</i><br />
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God's Sovereignty does not stretch so far as to declare that everything that happens in this earth is His Will. a lot of things happen in this earth that are not the Will of God. If they were, that would again lead us to the conclusion that God's perfect Will for this earth was The Fall. He would have had to author the deception of Eden. That would ultimately make Him the devil. Disease, poverty, rape, murder, depression, civil wars, calamities and atrocities of all kinds - these are a direct result of the Fall of humanity. They are not the perfect Will of God for any of us. Likewise, the death and subsequent eternal damnation of any human being is also <i>not </i>the Will of God.<br />
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Every Scripture that people twist and manipulate to support the election myth (see what I did there??) can be seen properly through one simple Bible verse. <br />
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<i>[God] desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.</i></div>
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<i>~1Timothy 2:4</i></div>
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All simply means <i>all</i>. This is not all of the "elect," but every human spirit who ever enters this earth. Jesus paid an enormous price for our redemption and salvation. It not simply "going to Heaven," either, but a complete freeing from all the Curse that came upon this earth at Eden. </div>
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His blood redeemed us. His stripes healed us. His punishment gave us peace. It has all been done. It is finished. We don't have to beg; we need only believe. Churches need to preach this without fear and without disclaimers. God's perfect Will for all people, for all time, is perfect healing, provision, peace, and love. His perfect Will is that everyone be saved from both the Curse and eternal damnation. And just because that doesn't manifest itself to every human being who walked this earth does not change God's Will or His Word. </div>
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I will leave you with the most cliche Bible verse imaginable. But I ask you to stop and read it very slowly, very carefully. Let it's truth wash over you this Resurrection Sunday. </div>
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<i><span class="text John-3-16" id="en-NKJV-26137"><span class="woj">For
God SO LOVED the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOEVER
believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.</span> </span></i><i><span class="text John-3-17" id="en-NKJV-26138"><span class="woj">For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that THE WORLD through Him might be saved.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text John-3-17" id="en-NKJV-26138"><span class="woj">~John 3:16-17 </span></span></i><span class="text John-3-17" id="en-NKJV-26138"><span class="woj">(all caps mine)</span></span><i><span class="text John-3-17" id="en-NKJV-26138"><span class="woj"> </span></span></i></div>
Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-25404707716365121352013-03-25T11:10:00.002-07:002013-03-25T11:21:45.279-07:00Church LiedI need to stop doing this.<br />
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I need to stop being so reactionary. Having a child makes sitting down and spending time listening to instructions from the Lord more difficult. No excuses. I have been convicted. I have made the adjustment. New material is on the horizon. But I'm starting on a personal, reactionary note...<br />
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I had a professor in college who always took issue with a lack of what he liked to call "jazzy titles." The first batch of papers in each of his classes were always met with disappointment as he glanced over the tops of the pages and muttered, "no jazzy titles..." We learned real quick that a good piece of writing always comes with a catchy title. However, "God has A.D.D." or "The Inconsistencies of Jesus" are too inconsiderate - even when used for no other reason than to catch an audience. So we will go with this one.<br />
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<span class="text 2Tim-2-13" id="en-NKJV-29841">If we are faithless,</span><span class="text 2Tim-2-13"> He remains faithful;</span><span class="text 2Tim-2-13"> He cannot deny Himself.</span></div>
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<span class="text 2Tim-2-13">~2Timothy 2:13</span></div>
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<span class="text 2Tim-2-13"><span class="text 2Tim-2-13" id="en-AMP-29839">If we are faithless [do
not believe and are untrue to Him], He remains true (faithful to His
Word and His righteous character), for He cannot deny Himself.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text 2Tim-2-13"><span class="text 2Tim-2-13" id="en-AMP-29839">~Amplified</span></span></div>
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<span class="text 2Tim-2-13"><span class="text 2Tim-2-13" id="en-AMP-29839">Why is this so difficult for us as "believers" to grasp? Jesus <i>cannot </i>deny His character. Jesus <i>cannot </i>do something contrary to His Word or His Nature. And yet, I have been confronted with endless teaching to the contrary. It is infuriating. It is frightening. And worst of all, it is detrimental to my faith and to yours. </span></span></div>
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<span class="text 2Tim-2-13"><span class="text 2Tim-2-13" id="en-AMP-29839">Contradiction is the word I have used in the past when discussing the church and the Word. I stand in churches and hear about the faithfulness of God. I listen as pastors and lay-people declare that our God <i>can </i>and <i>does </i>do great things for His people. Everybody gets excited and praises God for His goodness and faithfulness.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text 2Tim-2-13"><span class="text 2Tim-2-13" id="en-AMP-29839">Then it happens.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text 2Tim-2-13"><span class="text 2Tim-2-13" id="en-AMP-29839">The CYA moment.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text 2Tim-2-13"><span class="text 2Tim-2-13" id="en-AMP-29839">God's faithfulness comes crashing down when someone in authority says something along the lines of "sometimes God does, and sometimes God doesn't." Other times it sounds like "sometimes God delivers, but there are times when His Plan doesn't allow Him to deliver His people." </span></span></div>
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<span class="text 2Tim-2-13"><span class="text 2Tim-2-13" id="en-AMP-29839">"God gave me cancer."</span></span></div>
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<span class="text 2Tim-2-13"><span class="text 2Tim-2-13" id="en-AMP-29839">"The Lord told me He needed me to hurt a little bit."</span></span></div>
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"God decided I needed a trial."<br />
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"Lord, we don't know why You choose to do what You do."<br />
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Inconsistent. Contradictory. <i>Faithless.</i><br />
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If I were the type of man that the Church has portrayed God as, I would have no credibility with anyone. I couldn't do anything for anybody, because I wouldn't be able to establish trust with anyone. My question to anyone who will listen is this: how can we trust God when we claim that He is inconsistent? How can we call God 'faithful' and continue to claim that He is responsible for things that He promised to redeem us from?<i> </i>We are unintentionally proclaiming that God cannot be trusted.<br />
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This proves that many of us do not believe the Bible as we claim to. It proves we have more faith in negative testimonies than we do in our Father's own Word. Just because something bad happened to a person, just because we see atrocities within the Bible itself, does not mean that God is inconsistent. Our faith must be in God - not in the bad things that happen to people.<br />
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Just because God turned a horrible situation into a good testimony does not mean that the atrocity was His Will. If that line of thinking were true, then sin itself would be the Will of God. Jesus has redeemed us. Redeem means "to rescue." He rescued us from the Curse (Galatians 3:13), but we are still hanging onto the curse with all our might, rather than proclaiming (by faith) the freedom that belongs to us by right. Just because we don't <i>see </i>the promises of God come to fruition in our lives or in the life of another, does no mean that those promises are not sure!<br />
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We are promised protection. We are promised abundance. We are promised health and healing. We are promised freedom from addiction and oppression. The question is: do we believe in these promises, or do we put our stock in the words of tainted testimony? Does someone's misunderstanding carry more weight than the Words of our God?<br />
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We're told to test the spirits to see if they are from God (1John 4:1). We hold the testimony of others up against the Word of God. If someone claims "God said," but their testimony flies in the face of Scripture, <i>God didn't say that! </i>That is why we're given this more sure Word (2Peter 1:19).<br />
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There is no <i>might </i>with God. He <i>will </i>do the things He promised us. He will deliver. He will heal. He will save. He will protect. That is our covenant right with God as His people.<br />
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The question is not "why did You let this happen?" The question is "why couldn't You protect me?"<br />
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Set you up pretty good for next time, didn't I...? <br />
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<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-71613179023593627262013-02-26T14:53:00.000-08:002013-02-26T14:53:05.275-08:00Heart-FullBeing a new parent is a unique experience. I would describe it to you, but no two circumstances are the same. Here I sit, on the second day of being a stay-at-home dad, trying to establish good habits in my life... again.<br />
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During two months of maternity leave, my wife and I set out to establish a new life of discipline. We were going to spend all this wealth of free time seeking God concerning this new phase of our lives. We were going to read the three shelves full of ministry materials and books on Christian living and victory. Our days were going to be used praying together with our new son so that his life would begin immediately with a strong presence of parents who seek after God. His ears were going to be filled with the hundreds of hours of sermons and teachings on faith that are packed onto my PC. And every Sunday he would sit in the front of the church, bathed in worship and the Word. We were going to walk away from two months of time together with renewed hearts on minds that were going to be fixated on the love of the Lord Jesus.<br />
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Bull&%@*.<br />
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Most parents might be chuckling at my lofty goals. Of course we didn't have time for all that - we had a screaming child who took up all our time and energy. The thing is: we didn't. James is the most mild-mannered child I have ever seen. The prayers I bathed him in from the moment Ally learned she was pregnant have caused this young man to be so full of peace and joy that I still marvel at how "easy" parenthood has been. We simply got lazy. 6seasons of The West Wing. 6seasons of Gilmore Girls. 8seasons of Scrubs. The Bachelor. Scandal. You get the picture... Only 3sermons. Only one-half of a book. Only 3times in the front of the sanctuary.<br />
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No guilt. No condemnation. Just a reality check. It was a reality check I had again this morning. One what had to be my four-hundredth attempt to do all the things I've promised to do, I began the next in a series of teachings on the Love of God. As I listened to the words on how to live in love, not bashing all the ridiculous denominational teachings out there (ok, that was low, but I'm getting better), I noticed something. My spirit felt stronger. I didn't feel as annoyed as I usually do with Catholics. I didn't pound the cat when he got on the table for whatever countless number of times it was. She got whacked, but the deserve to turn her into a hat was gone. I even felt kind of bad for using so much as a censored "potty-word" a moment ago. I was onto something. I pondered this more. A few things came to mind as the Lord showed me some things. And now, after a very lengthy intro, I will show you these. Starting with two passages of Scripture:<br />
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<i><span class="text Matt-12-34" id="en-NKJV-23524"><span class="woj">Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? <b>For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.</b></span> </span></i><span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><i><span class="woj">A good man out of the good treasure of his </span><span class="woj">heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.</span></i></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><i><span class="woj">~Matthew 12:34-35</span></i></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><i><span class="woj"><span class="text Prov-4-20" id="en-NKJV-16511">My son, give attention to my words;</span><br /><span class="text Prov-4-20">Incline your ear to my sayings.</span><span class="text Prov-4-21" id="en-NKJV-16512"></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><i><span class="woj"><span class="text Prov-4-21" id="en-NKJV-16512"><sup class="versenum"></sup>Do not let them depart from your eyes;</span><br /><span class="text Prov-4-21"><b>Keep them in the midst of your heart</b>;</span><span class="text Prov-4-22" id="en-NKJV-16513"></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><i><span class="woj"><span class="text Prov-4-22" id="en-NKJV-16513"><sup class="versenum"></sup>For they <i>are</i> life to those who find them,</span><br /><span class="text Prov-4-22">And health to all their flesh.</span><span class="text Prov-4-23" id="en-NKJV-16514"></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><i><span class="woj"><span class="text Prov-4-23" id="en-NKJV-16514"><b>Keep your heart with all diligence,</b></span><b><br /></b><span class="text Prov-4-23"><b>For out of it <i>spring</i> the issues of life</b>.</span> </span></i></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><i><span class="woj">~Proverbs 4:20-23</span></i></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><span class="woj">So much can be covered in these brief passages of Scripture. For instance, how is it possible for Christians to teach that God makes people, or leaves people, sick and deformed, when the Scripture plainly states that It is medicine to our bodies? Or how is it that we can believe that, as disciples of Jesus, it is ok to watch whatever we want, read whatever we want, do whatever we want, when the Scriptures are quite clear that what we look upon in abundance drastically colors our thoughts and worldviews? So much to think about, but this is what the Lord brought to my mind...</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><span class="woj">Our lives need to be more focused on the things of God than most of us realize. While that sentence is sure to illicit a rounding response of <i>"Duuuuuuuuuuuhh!</i>", think on this more in light of the Scriptures above. We see instructions on diligence before us. We see actions that require time and discipline. Abundance doesn't come from 20minutes in the morning. Focus is required to achieve the desired results. Jesus told us that we bring forth good things when good things are stored within us. That's a huge Biblical principle. Faith comes by hearing the Word, according to Romans 10:17. The more abundant the Word, the more abundant the faith to bring that Word to pass. This is rarely preached. It not widely believed or understood. Christians struggle with issues they should never bother with because the mind is not set on the pure truths of God's Word. Perhaps those truths are twisted. Perhaps they are not yet known. Or, worst of all, they are forgotten - because the Word has not been given it's rightful place at the center of our hearts and minds.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><span class="woj">Believe it or not, you have what you say. Whatever you believe will happen in your life is exactly what is going to happen (see Matthew 8:13; Mark 11:23-24; James 3:2-4). Jesus said we bring forth what we say, and what we say is a direct result of what we have been building up in our hearts and our minds through what we see and hear. While I am not really one of those "holiness" people who are anti-TV, anti-movie, anti-Harry Potter, anti-"non-christian" music, anti-beer, etc., I have begun to see that it is immensely important that we pay attention to what we "feed on." </span></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><span class="woj">The human existence is three-fold: you are a spirit, you have a soul, and you live in a body. And just as that body needs physical food to function, your soul and spirit need soul/spirit food to function. Jesus said that His words are spirit and they are life (John 6:63). We need to make a more conscious effort to feed on the Words of life. The music we listen to should focus our attention on what the Lord has done for us (I could do another Casting Crowns rant here, but I've gone over already as it is.). The books that we read should be full of words that reveal further all that Jesus has done for us and how much He loves us and highly He thinks of us and the victories guaranteed us as His people (anti-Francis Chan rant? OK, no). Abundant supply comes from abundant intake.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><span class="woj"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><span class="woj">Once you come to full-realization of this principle, the amount of time you spend watching TV or sitting around reading Cosmo or listening to some kind of pointless pop music will drastically change.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><span class="woj"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><span class="woj">This isn't meant to put anyone into bondage. You don't have to go off the deep end and break all your CDs in-half or throw away your movies or burn your every book. That's extremism. I know it well. But take some time to consider your situation. Examine your heart. </span></span><span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><span class="woj">What is your focus on? What is coming out of your mouth in abundance? Is it fear? Anger? Doubt? Depression? Weakness? Hopelessness? Profanity? Contradiction? Ignorance? Stupidity? Blasphemy? Do you think lowly of yourself? Do you assume God is far-off, doing whatever He wants, whenever He wants? </span></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><span class="woj">Here is how you know you are on the right track: </span></span><span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><span class="woj"><span class="woj">"These things I have spoken to you, that My <b>joy</b> may remain in you, and that your <b>joy</b> may be full.</span>" ~John 15:11 </span><i><span class="woj"> </span></i></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-12-35" id="en-NKJV-23525"><i><span class="woj"> </span></i> </span></div>
Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-3139368191456376812013-02-07T19:27:00.001-08:002013-02-07T19:27:09.707-08:00ShelterOver the past few days the Lord has been bringing this passage to my mind. In this crazy world, we are often bombarded with more than we feel we can handle. We feel overwhelmed, worn out, frightened and defeated. Far too often, we wonder if the Lord is even there. Perhaps we feel like God is testing us, or sending us a trial to toughen us up. It seems that our prayers are too often a cry for help that we send to the heavens in hope that God will get back to us in time. But that is not how we are instructed to handle the storms of life.<br />
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The Storms of Life...<br />
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That is the image Jesus gives us in Matthew 7:24-27,<br />
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<i><span class="text Matt-7-24"><span class="woj">“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:</span> </span></i><i><span class="text Matt-7-25" id="en-NKJV-23342"><span class="woj">and
the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.</span></span><span class="text Matt-7-26" id="en-NKJV-23343"><sup> </sup><span class="woj">But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:</span> </span></i><i><span class="text Matt-7-27" id="en-NKJV-23344"><span class="woj">and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”</span></span></i></div>
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Is your life founded on the principles handed down in God's Word? That is the instruction we find from Jesus in this parable. It is the principle that the Lord has been pressing upon me all week. When your life is founded upon the promises of God, the storms of life cannot destroy you. </div>
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What is very important to notice in this passage is this: <i>the storms will come</i>. Jesus never promises us that life will be sunny all of the time. But He impresses upon us that our defense against the issues of life is a strong Biblical foundation. I believe that there are too many cracks in our foundation. Too many religious ideas have filtered into our Churches. God's promises have been made void by our traditions and religious philosophies. As a result, we have a lower sense of expectancy concerning the promises of God. Our foundations are weak, our roofs leaky. But this is not what God has for us.</div>
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In 1Corinthians 10:17, we find that God may <i>allow </i>trials in our lives. But we must always remember two things: Jesus is the author of life, not calamity (John 10:10); and God <i>always </i>has an escape plan ready for us (1Corinthians 10:17b). We should not be living lives of fear, anxiety, disease, failure, depression, oppression, or of any other demonic concoction this side of the Fall. That is not God's plan or will for the life of any Christian.</div>
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Jesus promises in John 16:33 that trials are a part of this fallen world. They will come at some point; but look what this verse says to us in the Amplified Bible: </div>
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<i><sup class="versenum"> </sup>I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and
frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain,
undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power
to harm you and have conquered it for you.] </i></div>
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This world has no power to conquer us, defeat us or kill us. Though issues may arise, God has given us His Word and His Presence as gifts designed to fight against these storms of life. It is up to each man or woman of God to learn how to walk in them. We are promised protection in His presence and strength from His Word. Have you been making time each day to dwell in His presence? </div>
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<i><span class="chapter-2"><span class="text Ps-91-1">He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-1">Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.</span><span class="text Ps-91-2" id="en-NKJV-15398"></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-2" id="en-NKJV-15398">I will say of the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, “He is my refuge and my fortress;</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-2">My God, in Him I will trust.”</span></i> </div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-3" id="en-NKJV-15399">Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-3">And from the perilous pestilence.</span><span class="text Ps-91-4" id="en-NKJV-15400"></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-4" id="en-NKJV-15400">He shall cover you with His feathers,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-4">And under His wings you shall take refuge;</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-4">His truth shall be your shield and buckler.</span><span class="text Ps-91-5" id="en-NKJV-15401"></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-5" id="en-NKJV-15401">You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-5">Nor of the arrow that flies by day,</span><span class="text Ps-91-6" id="en-NKJV-15402"></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-6" id="en-NKJV-15402">Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-6">Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-7" id="en-NKJV-15403">A thousand may fall at your side,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-7">And ten thousand at your right hand;</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-7">But it shall not come near you.</span><span class="text Ps-91-8" id="en-NKJV-15404"></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-8" id="en-NKJV-15404">Only with your eyes shall you look,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-8">And see the reward of the wicked.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-9" id="en-NKJV-15405">Because you have made the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, who is my refuge,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-9">Even the Most High, your dwelling place,</span><span class="text Ps-91-10" id="en-NKJV-15406"></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-10" id="en-NKJV-15406">No evil shall befall you,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-10">Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;</span><span class="text Ps-91-11" id="en-NKJV-15407"></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-11" id="en-NKJV-15407">For He shall give His angels charge over you,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-11">To keep you in all your ways.</span><span class="text Ps-91-12" id="en-NKJV-15408"></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-12" id="en-NKJV-15408">In their hands they shall bear you up,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-12">Lest you dash your foot against a stone.</span><span class="text Ps-91-13" id="en-NKJV-15409"></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-13" id="en-NKJV-15409">You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-13">The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-14" id="en-NKJV-15410">“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-14">I will set him on high, because he has known My name.</span><span class="text Ps-91-15" id="en-NKJV-15411"></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-15" id="en-NKJV-15411">He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-15">I will be with him in trouble;</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-15">I will deliver him and honor him.</span><span class="text Ps-91-16" id="en-NKJV-15412"></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-16" id="en-NKJV-15412">With long life I will satisfy him,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-16">And show him My salvation.”</span></i></div>
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<i> ~Psalm 91</i></div>
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<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-90939164009311573162013-02-05T17:53:00.001-08:002013-02-05T17:53:14.637-08:00What Do You Believe?Welp, let's try this again...<br />
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Those of you who know me know that this blog is an assignment the Lord gave me to do during what has turned out to be a very long season of preparation. I thought I would have a position somewhere by now. However, one look at the time stamps of this blog will show you: I haven't been doing my part. So, with my son screaming in yet another attempt not to go to sleep at bedtime, I embark on my assignment once more.<br />
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What many of you also know about me is that I am not a big fan of using quotes. I have grown weary of listening to sermons and teachings that use an excessive amount of others opinions, while using far too little of the only One's Words that really matter. It will surprise you, then, to see that I start of today with a quote. I have recently been "re"-reading (OK, going back and actually finishing for the first time) a book I was assigned back during my sophomore year of college. It is the out-of-print book by Alan Redpath called "Victorious Christian Living." It is an old book that walks the reader through the Book of Joshua. Don't tell my professor that I'm actually reading something now, it will only disappoint him. In the Introduction (that's right, before he even started teaching), I was struck by this phrase:<br />
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<i>It has been my profound conviction for some years now that the greatest need of the Christian Church is the revival of the standard of New Testament living. There seems to be a very wide gulf between what we believe and how we live, a marked contrast between our position in Christ and our actual experience.</i></div>
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Forget studying Joshua; let's work on that! </div>
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<i> </i></div>
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We claim to believe so many things about the Bible. Yet, our lives look markedly different than what God declares in His Word. I haven't been able to shake those words over the past few weeks. "A very wide gulf" is what he said. I think that sounds about right. So the question becomes: do you actually believe what God says about you? Do you actually believe the promises He has given to each of us? And, if so, why doesn't your life reflect that? </div>
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Don't be discouraged by those questions. They are meant to cause a shift in our thinking. The problem that we all have is that what we deem to be our "faith" isn't really faith at all. We are still sitting around wondering when and if God is going to do something for us. That's not faith. Faith says, "I receive that. Thank You, Lord." With that in mind, I want to point out a few places from the Word that the Lord has been showing me where the gulf between promise and experience is too wide.</div>
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<b><span class="text John-14-12"><span class="woj">“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father." ~John 14:12</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span class="text John-14-12"><span class="woj"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<span class="text John-14-12"><span class="woj">Jesus - the Master - told us that if we believed in him we would "out-do" Him, for lack of a better term. Do you see very many people "out-doing" Jesus' ministry? You should. In fact, we all should. Unfortunately, very few Christians are at a place in their spiritual maturity where they can function in the fullness of this Biblical promise. As a result, we have made the classic error: we have re-written this Bible verse. I have heard too much commentary on this passage that goes along the lines of this - Jesus meant that we all <i>collectively </i>would do more than He did, because no one man or woman can do more than Jesus. </span></span></div>
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<span class="text John-14-12"><span class="woj"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="text John-14-12"><span class="woj">Cowards.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text John-14-12"><span class="woj"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="text John-14-12"><span class="woj">Go read the sentence again. Jesus uses <i>singular </i>language when He speaks. He means that if one person would believe in Him, then that one person would do more than He did. Why? Because Jesus went to the Father - and sent the Holy Spirit to empower you and I to do all the works that He prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10). Jesus only operated on the earth for three years. You and I have more time than that, so we should be doing more. We shouldn't be wondering why God isn't doing more in our lives for the Kingdom; we should be asking, "Do I really believe in Jesus as much as I say I do?"</span></span></div>
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<span class="text John-14-12"><span class="woj"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Phil-4-19" id="en-NKJV-29462"><b>"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." ~Philippians 4:19</b></span></div>
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Here we find the classic teaching of Paul on God's provision. Why are so many of us scrapping just to make ends meet? We should have more than enough. Jesus said He came to give us abundant life (John 10:10). Certainly part of an abundant life would include enough to live on. The Scripture tells us that God desires to give us sufficiency in everything and an abundance to every good work (2Corinthians 9:8). Were we supposed to use it on everything but our food and light bills? Galatians 3:13 says that the Blessing is on all those who believe, and Proverbs 10:22 says that Blessing makes one rich. What happened to "He <b>became</b> <b>poor</b>, that you through His poverty might become rich" (2Corinthians 8:9, emphasis added)? I guarantee you that Scripture does not mean Jesus became financially poor so that we could become spiritually rich. He became financially poor (at the cross), so that you could become financially rich; and He became spiritually poor (at the cross), so that you could become spiritually rich.</div>
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So why am I broke?</div>
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The Scripture is very clear about how we are to deal with our finances. The single most important aspect of a Christian's finances is the Tithe. Modern-day Biblical scholarship is finding ways to cheapen the Tithe. I have heard it told that "New Testament Christians didn't practice the Tithe." True, they didn't... They sold there houses and brought the check to the Church. Shall we call the Deacons and have them stop by tomorrow? I jest, but you get the picture. Biblical Blessing and prosperity is linked to financial giving. Paul's declaration in Philippians 4:19 is in direct correlation with the Church's financial partnership with his ministry. So, perhaps we need to look into our own attitudes concerning the Tithe and/or giving. Or, perhaps we need to learn to be grateful for what we have (remembering that gratefulness is not the same as complacency). Or perhaps we need to raise our level of expectancy. Whatever it may be, there is a very wide gulf between God's promises for financial Blessing and the impoverished state of far too many Christians.</div>
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<span class="text John-8-36" id="en-NKJV-26418"><span class="woj"><b>"Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." ~John 8:36</b></span></span><br />
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<span class="text John-8-36" id="en-NKJV-26418"><span class="woj">That is pretty self-explanatory. However, too many pastors and teachers talk about freedom as some sort of drawn out process that we all have to go through. I have grown tired of hearing about God walking us down the long road to freedom. I am even more tired of listening to the religious contradiction that God supposedly frees people from bondage instantly, while leaving others to go through a long and weary trek to spiritual release. That's a lie if ever there was one. The devil has been infiltrating that kind of demonic thinking for centuries, and it needs to stop. We need to have the mindset of the Apostle Peter, who said "</span></span><span class="text Acts-10-34">In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality" (Acts 10:34). That puts a stopper to the idea that God may not actually be willing to free of from oppression or addiction. I learned this in my own life. Battles with depression and pornography have been conquered by changing the way I think from "God, will You ever help me" to "I'm free right now!" </span><br />
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<span class="text Acts-10-34">The way you feel has absolutely no bearing on whether or not Jesus has moved on your behalf. This is why I have been instructed to write this over the past few days. In the same way that we receive or salvation by faith, we must receive our freedom from oppression by faith. In other words, you may not "feel" saved, but you know that you are because you believe the Scriptures concerning your salvation. You know that you will be welcomed at Heaven's gates one day - that your name has been written in the Book - even though you have never seen your name in golden ink written in the Book. The same holds true concerning your freedom from sin and oppression. Just because you don't "feel" like you are different doesn't mean that you aren't a new creature in Jesus right this very moment (2Corinthians 5:21). What we all need to do is learn how to <i>operate </i>in that freedom and newness of life that is already ours by right. God's not slowly walking us out of prison. The cage door is wide open; the chains are already lying on the ground. We must do what Romans 12:2 instructs us: renew the mind. Renew the thinking. See ourselves as the righteous, the just, and joyous and the free. Indeed (sorry, couldn't resit that last bit).</span><br />
<span class="text Acts-10-34"><br /></span>
<b><br /><span class="text Jas-4-8" id="en-NKJV-30346">"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." ~James 4:8</span></b><br />
<span class="text John-8-36" id="en-NKJV-26418"><span class="woj"><b> </b></span></span></div>
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Have you ever known someone (or been the someone) who has claimed that God is sending them through an intention dry-period? Have you known somebody who has claimed that God is being intentionally silent, in order to make sure they really wanted to hear from Him? I have. As a young man, I believed that kind of lie. Recently, though, I have learned better. So when I see people declaring that God uses silence to sanctify, or hear teachings about God intentionally withholding something from a person in order to make sure they really desire something of Him, I get really angry. That is in no way the heart of the Father. This is another "gulf."<br />
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If I intentionally withheld myself from my son, most people would consider me a really bad father. How can I possibly withhold my time and attention from him in order to make sure he really wanted me? How conceited! God is no different. He went through everything in order to establish relationship with each of us. He gave the only thing that cost Him something - Jesus - to reestablish intimate relationship with His creation. how many sermons have we heard about God wanting to be more intimate with us that anyone? Pastors will be quick to point out that the word the Scripture uses to describe this intimacy is the same word used for "intercourse" between a husband and wife. If God really desires to be that intimate with us, if Jesus is really "Emmanuel, God with us," then how can He possibly be withholding His presence and voice in order to teach us a lesson? Lie, lie, lie.<br />
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Our issue is not that God isn't speaking, it's that we do not know how to listen. We must learn to spiritually "tune in" to the voice of God. When we are not living uprightly, then we hinder our ability to come before the Throne and hear clearly from the Lord. Sin separates, repentance restores. Once we are sure that we are right before Him, we must learn to sit quietly with Him. This is my biggest slip up. Being silent in the presence of God is a challenge is this noisy, fast-paced, "ADD" generation. We do not know how to be still and know He is God (Psalm 46:10). We do not know how to detect that still, small voice (1Kings 19:12). And often times, we are waiting for something God never said He would do. Your not getting a burning bush. You are not getting the supernatural vision. If you need to "see something," then you never will. When you sit down for prayer, get right before Him. Then <i>know </i>that, since you are drawing near to Him, He is sitting in your midst drawing near to you.<br />
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<span class="text Mark-11-24" id="en-NKJV-24665"><span class="woj">"A marked contrast between our position in Christ and our actual experience"</span></span></div>
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We are promised so much in the Bible that we are not tapping into. The Book of Ephesians shows us that God <span class="text Eph-1-3">"has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (1:3). That means that those of us who are in Christ are Blessed with everything Heaven has to offer. This isn't a "when we get to Heaven" Scripture. It means that everything Heaven has to offer us is at our disposal when we are in Christ. We just have to believe for it and learn how to receive it and operate in it. Jesus informs us how to pray by saying, "</span><span class="text Mark-11-24" id="en-NKJV-24665"><span class="woj">whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them" (Mark 11:24). There is no disclaimer there. Believe it, get it. What do you believe?</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-11-24" id="en-NKJV-24665"><span class="woj"><span class="text Matt-8-13" id="en-NKJV-23359"> <i><b><span class="woj">“Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.”</span></b></i></span><i><b> ~Matthew 8:13</b></i></span></span> </div>
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Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-84824469067075789682012-10-04T14:02:00.002-07:002012-10-04T14:50:52.613-07:00Reasons WhyLast week, <a href="http://greatexpectations-matthew.blogspot.com/2012/09/throne-of-tribulation.html" target="_blank">I addressed the issue of trials in the Christian life</a>. God's sovereignty does not imply that every moment of our lives is a direct result of His divine plan. Religious ignorance and/or misunderstanding has led too many believers to unintentionally 'blame" God for tragedies. While it is true that our Father "allows" moments of temptation or trial, He is not their Author. The Word makes it abundantly clear that Jesus came in order to rescue us from all the devices of Satan. He did not wrest authority and the power of sin and death from Satan in order to sit upon the Throne and use that power against His own people. He is never out to harm us, but rather to redeem us from all harm. We find evidence for this throughout both Old and New Testaments:<br />
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-5" id="en-NKJV-15401">You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-5">Nor of the arrow that flies by day,</span><span class="text Ps-91-6" id="en-NKJV-15402"></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-6" id="en-NKJV-15402">Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-6">Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.</span></i> </div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-7" id="en-NKJV-15403">A thousand may fall at your side,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-7">And ten thousand at your right hand;</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-7">But it shall not come near you.</span><span class="text Ps-91-8" id="en-NKJV-15404"></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-8" id="en-NKJV-15404">Only with your eyes shall you look,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-8">And see the reward of the wicked.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-9" id="en-NKJV-15405">Because you have made the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, who is my refuge,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-91-9">Even the Most High, your dwelling place,</span><span class="text Ps-91-10" id="en-NKJV-15406"> </span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-10" id="en-NKJV-15406">No evil shall befall you,</span><span class="text Ps-91-10"> </span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-10">Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-10">~Psalm 91:5-10</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21" id="en-NKJV-16741">No grave trouble will overtake the righteous,</span><br /><span class="text Prov-12-21">But the wicked shall be filled with evil.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21">~Proverbs 12:21</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464">Whoever observes the [king’s] command will experience no harm...</span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464">~Ecclesiastes 8:5a, Amplified </span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17" id="en-NKJV-18741">No weapon formed against you shall prosper,</span><br /><span class="text Isa-54-17">And every tongue <i>which</i> rises against you in judgment</span><br /><span class="text Isa-54-17">You shall condemn.</span><br /><span class="text Isa-54-17">This <i>is</i> the heritage of the servants of the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>,</span><br /><span class="text Isa-54-17">And their righteousness <i>is</i> from Me,”</span><br /><span class="text Isa-54-17">Says the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>.</span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17">~Isaiah 54:17</span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381">Behold! I have given you authority <i>and</i>
power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental
strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and
nothing shall in any way harm you.</span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381">~Luke 10:19, Amplified</span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381"><span class="text 1John-3-8" id="en-AMP-30586">[But] he who commits sin
[who practices evildoing] is of the devil [takes his character from the
evil one], for the devil has sinned (violated the divine law) from the
beginning. The reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to
undo (destroy, loosen, and dissolve) </span></span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381"><span class="text 1John-3-8" id="en-AMP-30586">the works the devil [has done].</span></span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381"><span class="text 1John-3-8" id="en-AMP-30586">~1John 3:8, Amplified </span> </span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
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<span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381">With this much Biblical evidence telling us that it is God's will for us to be free from harm, why is it that we still go through so much turmoil in our lives? Obviously, it cannot be a result of anything that the Lord has concocted, or else the totality of Scripture would be rendered a lie. Clearly there are other factors involved. Why are Christian people suffering with poverty, sickness, depression, addictions and whatever else the enemy can contrive? There are many factors, none of them being God, Himself. Though, as we saw last week, He may <i>allow </i>a trial for a short season, He does not allow more than we can handle. And nothing should by any means harm any of us. So, what is causing Christians hard times?</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="line" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="line" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381"><b>1) Life.</b> We shouldn't be surprised at tests and trials in our life, because of the brokenness of the world around us. Jesus told us we would experience these times in this life, but He never sad we should be suffering as a result of them. He said, "</span></span></span></span></span><span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381">I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace <i>and</i> confidence. In the world you have tribulation <i>and</i> trials <i>and</i> distress <i>and</i>
frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain,
undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power
to harm you and have conquered it for you.]" John 16:33, Amplified.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="line" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="line" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381">Here we see that promise of no harm once again. Harm is not a part of the plans and purposes of God for His people. That runs completely contrary to religious teaching, but that is what the Bible clearly tells us. Jesus is not out to harm us, but "life" is. Due to the fallen nature of this world and its mode of operation, we can expect to encounter times of difficulty. That is why it is essential that we stay "in Christ." The promises listen above in Psalm 91 are all a result of remaining in the shadow of the presence of God at all times. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="line" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="line" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381">Jesus has deprived these seasons of the power to harm us. If we are suffering harm, something is wrong. </span></span></span></span></span><i><span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381"> </span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="line">
<br /></div>
<div class="line" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381"><b>2.) The Word.</b> Being a disciple of the Lord Jesus puts one in direct opposition to this world and its system. Jesus told us that the world would hate us as a result of following Him. we can expect trials and persecution for being the people of God. Obviously, God is not going to persecute His own people, so we know that this form of human trial or tribulation is not from Him, either. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="line" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="verse" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381">However, Jesus not only informs us that this form of persecution is possible, He prays over each and everyone of us, that we would be more than able to overcome (and even be rescued from) these trials: "</span></span></span></span></span><span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381"><span class="text John-17-14" id="en-AMP-26772">I have given and
delivered to them Your word (message) and the world has hated them,
because they are not of the world [do not belong to the world], just as I
am not of the world.</span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="text John-17-15" id="en-AMP-26773"> I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one.</span><span class="text John-17-16" id="en-AMP-26774"> They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world), [just] as I am not of the world." (John 17:14-16, Amplified). Again we see Jesus praying that we be kept from harm. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text John-17-16" id="en-AMP-26774">But that protection is only possible when we stay in position to walk in it. Which leads us to...</span></div>
<div class="verse" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="text John-17-16" id="en-AMP-26774"><br /></span></div>
<div class="verse" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="text John-17-16" id="en-AMP-26774"><b>3.) Our Choices. </b>Our actions have consequences. As has been stated, the sovereignty of God does not mean that He can force us to do whatever He wants, whenever He wants. Not every moment of our lives is a moment designed by God. He is not the Universal "Puppet Master" stringing our lives along against our wills. He will not violate our free will. If God had the ability to make us do whatever He wanted, the entire human race would already be redeemed and in Heaven by now (1Timothy 2:24). It is our actions and our choices that can result in our inability to walk in the full redemption and protection that is ours by right as children of God. Proverbs 26:2 says, "<span class="text Prov-26-2" id="en-KJV-17144">As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come." (KJV). This means that no curse is a result of coincidence or accident. Jesus came to redeem us from the curse (Galatians 3:14), so the cause cannot be Him. The cause must lie on our end.</span></span></div>
<div class="verse" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="verse" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="text John-17-16" id="en-AMP-26774"><span class="text Prov-26-2" id="en-KJV-17144">This is not meant to be a moment of fear or condemnation. It is simply meant to cause us to take a moment and evaluate ourselves. What is opening a door from Satan in each of our lives? </span></span></div>
<div class="verse" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="verse" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="text John-17-16" id="en-AMP-26774"><span class="text Prov-26-2" id="en-KJV-17144">Scripture tells us that fear is a major contributing factor. The story of Job shows us that. Unlike most religious teaching, it was Job's fear that opened a hole in barrier of protection that God had placed around him (Job 3:25). Fear is the opposite of faith; and James 1:8 tells us that when we operate in fear and doubt, we are no longer able to receive anything from the Lord - including protection from harm. </span></span></div>
<div class="verse" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="text John-17-16" id="en-AMP-26774"><span class="text Prov-26-2" id="en-KJV-17144"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="verse" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="text John-17-16" id="en-AMP-26774"><span class="text Prov-26-2" id="en-KJV-17144">Relying on ourselves and our own devices can be detrimental to us. Proverbs 14:12 says that there are ways that seem right to us, but that they result in death. Simply relying on ourselves can kill us. Our healthcare, financial strategies, education, etc., are all well and good, if accompanied by Godly wisdom. The Scripture tells us that God's ways cannot be discerned and understood by our own human understanding (1Corinthians 2:14-16). God has given us His Word to tell us how to live - and there is a good chance some of it will come across as insane (Abraham, anyone?). </span></span></div>
<div class="line" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="line" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381">Offense is deadly. 1John 2:10 says that when we walk in unconditional love - the love that has already been placed in us by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:29) - then there is no cause for us to stumble. However, when we walk in offense, always holding grudges, being easily hurt and upset by people, we walk straight into Satan's playground. He has been doing a job on the Church for centuries. We gripe and fight all the time. Most people will tell you that Church people are the worst people they have ever known. Our desire to live Godly has caused us to be easily affronted by people who do not "fit the mold." </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381">We are too easily offended, and it is playing right into the enemies hands, because...</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="line" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="line" style="text-align: left;">
<b><span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381">4.) Satan's still shooting! </span></span></span></span></span></b><span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381">This fight is not over. Though victory is already ours, our adversary will never quit. And he fights dirty. He is the author of sickness, disease, poverty, depression, division, and every other human tragedy imaginable. And he is not on God's payroll...</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="line" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="line" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381">We are taught to fight the fight of faith (1Timothy 6:12) using the shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16). Settle this in your mind now: Satan will never stop shooting at you. Hard times are not God trying to teach a lesson. He has His Word to do that. If all these trials and tribulations were from God, why would He teach us to fight Him? He is not the Author of the trials in our life; He is the provider of the weaponry necessary to conquer the trials in our life. His Word is our weapon (Hebrews 4:12). We are to stand (daily), declaring and believing His Word, and then we will be safe. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="line" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="line" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381">James 4:7 tells us to resist the devil and he will flee. When? Whenever he gets tired. We must learn to outlast the enemy with our confessions of faith. That is how we overcome. We must never quit using the Word and our faith in resisting the trials and tribulations in our lives. We should never accept anything but what the Bible promises us. The Scripture never promises us that God will harm us. It never tells us that He is manipulating our circumstances to be difficult in order to teach us a lesson. These are lies. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="line" style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381">_________________________ </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381">Understand, t</span></span></span><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381">his is not an exhaustive, end-all list of causes for tough times (I didn't address many aspects of sin, or the stupidity of other people). However, it is solid starting point for us to begin changing the way we think about all of the tests and trials of the Christian life. We need to adjust our way of thinking about hard times. God isn't behind our sufferings. The Scripture tells us to "test the spirits," to see if what we hear is from God. I have heard too many testimonies from people about God that do not line-up with His Word. Scripture tells us that trials may come as a result of our love for Jesus. Trials come, because we are moving forward in our life with God and Satan is out to stop us. People are jerks sometimes. Trials come to refine our faith - meaning we should use it to overcome, not simply lay down and say "God is good." Fight back. And win.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381">P.S. Happy birthday, mom! :-D</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><i>Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.</i></div>
<div class="line" style="text-align: center;">
<i> ~Romans 8:37</i></div>
<div class="line">
<i><span class="text Ps-91-10"><span class="text Prov-12-21"><span class="text Eccl-8-5" id="en-AMP-17464"><span class="text Isa-54-17"><span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-AMP-25381"> </span> </span> </span> </span> </span></i></div>
</div>
Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-56726817838452868732012-10-02T11:09:00.001-07:002012-10-02T11:31:25.102-07:00Chill out. Trust God<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>"<span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj">Therefore I say to you,
do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink;
nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food
and the body more than clothing?" ~Matthew 6:25</span></span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj"><br /></span></span></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj">If you are anything like me, you have had the issue. You mind wanders around with all the stuff you want to do, or need to do, or can't do, etc. When you are doing one thing you are thinking about another. You switch to the other, but you then cannot stop thinking about what you were doing. You struggle to fall asleep at night, as you mind constantly wanders to everything you have on your plate. Budgets, grocery lists, work commitments, church functions, homework, your kid's homework, your pets, your cars, your relatives (oi vey...) - the list can be endless sometimes. Though we are told to be good stewards of all that we have in our life, we are also explicitly instructed by God Himself not to <i>worry </i>about these things.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj">I am not saying that we should not be concerned with the comings and goings of daily life. I am not suggesting that we wander aimlessly around, assuming God will pick up the slack for our laziness. What I am saying is this: take no thought. You have not been equipped by your Maker to take on the burden of your provision. You are not designed to be the provider of your household. It is not laid upon you to "take care of yourself." That title belongs to God. That is His "job description." And He is exceptionally good at what He does. Therefore, if you are not in a place where you are capable of addressing a situation, just shut your brain off. At bed time, <i>go to sleep</i>. You cannot tackle any of life's situations while lying in bed, so don't try. Sleep. What did Jesus say? "<span class="woj">Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?" (verse 27). You can't. So stop! </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj"><span class="woj">The money may be tight. So what? Jesus promises provision (and not crappy, holes in the roof, stale bread, provision like religion teaches. He promises excellent provision, the likes of which you can't even dream up). You may in a hospital bed with a bad report. So what? God is The Healer (and not just sometimes, depending on the mood He is in, or the "plan" that He has. As Healer, He heals - always). You may be stressed. Stop! He promised you He would supply everything you need, and that He would always fight on your behalf. What is there to be stressed about when God controls the situation? </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj"><span class="woj"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj"><span class="woj">This is not a holy suggestion, or a nice idea found in an ancient, religious text. This is a command from the mouth of the One Whom we all call Lord, Master and King. His Word is law. Every statement of faith in every church in America says that the bible is the final authority for the life of a believer. Therefore as a disciple of the Lord Jesus, <i>you do not have the right to worry</i>. It is not an option for any of us; because worry removes things from God's Hands and places them back in ours. Our limited abilities hinder us from the best that God has in store for us. We are instructed (nay, commanded) to remove the burden of worry from our lives, so that our God is free to handle them the right way. He may do it all on His own, and He may have a role for you in the situation. That is why it is so vitally important to not only pray, but be quiet afterwards in order to hear Him layout the plan. Our lives would be a lot more peaceful and productive if we stopped assuming that, since we are "believers," everything we do or go through is God's plan for our lives.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj"><span class="woj"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj"><span class="woj">The casting off of the worries and anxieties of life is what the Bible calls humility. Being humble before God is done by exalting the former sinful nature or current failures we have in our lives, but it is rather done by truly casting the cares of life into the loving Hands of our God. It is done by acknowledging that He is smarter than us and that He will handle our situations better than we could. Humility is found in <i>believing </i>God's promises that He will provide/heal/remedy, our situations - then <i>resting </i>in that peace. If you do not currently have peace about the situations in your life, there is a very good chance that you do not trust God concerning them. That's the first adjustment that needs to be made, because without faith in God you cannot get anywhere. </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj"><span class="woj">I think that it should be a requirement that Hebrews 11:1, where we learn about the Biblical definition of faith, should only be read using the Amplified translation of the Bible. It says that faith, "<span class="text Heb-11-1" id="en-AMP-30172">is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see <i>and</i> the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]." Faith and trust in God requires us to rest in the knowledge that our circumstances are taken care of <i>without </i>evidence to the prove that fact. If my wife promises me that she will handle something, I believe her - even if I never actually see her do it. She may handle phone calls, lists, budgets, etc., when I am not around to see her do it. However, I trust her when she says, "I took care of that." Jesus is saying the same thing to us today: "Don't worry. I will take care of that. I got that covered. I already provided." </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj"><span class="woj"><span class="text Heb-11-1" id="en-AMP-30172">I am not saying this is easy. However, it is doable. We have been given the power and might to do what I am saying. This is not something we "try" to accomplish under our own strength. This is a command from God, and He has already provided us His Spirit to assist us in doing it. Stop worrying about your life. Because worry contaminates your faith.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj"><span class="woj"><span class="text Heb-11-1" id="en-AMP-30172">When we worry, our <i>actions </i>are saying, "Lord, I don't believe You." Ouch. We cannot do that anymore...</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj"><span class="woj"><span class="text Heb-11-1" id="en-AMP-30172"><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-NKJV-23316"><span class="woj">But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.</span></span> <span class="text Matt-6-34" id="en-NKJV-23317"><span class="woj">Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day <i>is</i> its own trouble.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj"><span class="woj"><span class="text Heb-11-1" id="en-AMP-30172">~Matthew 6:33-34</span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj"><span class="woj"><span class="text Heb-11-1" id="en-AMP-30172"><span class="text Luke-12-22">Then He said to His disciples, <span class="woj">“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.</span></span><span class="text Luke-12-23" id="en-NKJV-25483"> <span class="woj">Life is more than food, and the body <i>is more</i> than clothing.</span></span><span class="text Luke-12-24" id="en-NKJV-25484"><sup class="versenum"> </sup><span class="woj">Consider
the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither
storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you
than the birds?</span> </span><span class="text Luke-12-25" id="en-NKJV-25485"><span class="woj">And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?</span> </span><span class="text Luke-12-26" id="en-NKJV-25486"><span class="woj">If you then are not able to do <i>the</i> least, why are you anxious for the rest?</span> </span><span class="text Luke-12-27" id="en-NKJV-25487"><span class="woj">Consider
the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to
you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.</span></span><span class="text Luke-12-28" id="en-NKJV-25488"><span class="woj">If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span class="text Luke-12-29" id="en-NKJV-25489"><span class="woj">And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.</span> </span><span class="text Luke-12-30" id="en-NKJV-25490"><span class="woj">For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things."</span></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span class="text Luke-12-30" id="en-NKJV-25490"><span class="woj">~Luke 12:22-30 </span></span></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span class="text Luke-12-30" id="en-NKJV-25490"> </span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj"><span class="woj"><span class="text Heb-11-1" id="en-AMP-30172"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449">Be anxious for nothing,
but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let
your requests be made known to God</span></span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj"><span class="woj"><span class="text Heb-11-1" id="en-AMP-30172"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449">~Philippians 4:6</span></span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj"><span class="woj"><span class="text Heb-11-1" id="en-AMP-30172"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="text 1Pet-5-6" id="en-NKJV-30472">Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, </span><span class="text 1Pet-5-7" id="en-NKJV-30473">casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj"><span class="woj"><span class="text Heb-11-1" id="en-AMP-30172"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><span class="text 1Pet-5-7" id="en-NKJV-30473">~1Peter 5:6-7 </span> </span> </span></span></span></span></span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Matt-6-25"><span class="woj"><span class="woj"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-14973706620489233172012-09-27T12:13:00.002-07:002012-09-27T12:18:45.150-07:00Throne of Tribulation(?)I have heard it said, seen it written, and even addressed it with people in various ways before. However, more depth is been shown to me, and I see that this issue must be addressed again - both for my sake and for others.<br />
<br />
God is not the author of our rough patches, our difficulties, our sicknesses, our financial struggles, or any other tragedy in our lives.<br />
<br />
Maybe you have seen something similar to what I have. It is often found on social media outlets: where someone posts responses to their hardships, saying things like, "Lord, I know that this trial is from Your throne, and that I will be better for it in the end." Or perhaps you have heard the words from someone who has dealt with, or is dealing with, a crisis of some kind. They say phrases like, "God decided I needed a trial," or, "The Lord decided it wasn't yet my time for deliverance/provision/healing/etc." These phrases sound good, religiously speaking. However, the are <i>Biblically </i>inaccurate. In fact, they are lies that contradict the very words of Jesus Himself. They make Him a hypocrite. <br />
<br />
Every church website has the same sentence listed on their "beliefs" page: "we believe the Bible is the supreme and final authority of the believer." If that is the case, then let's go to the Word and find out what the Lord has to say concerning the tests and trials of life.<br />
<br />
First of all, I am in no way saying that life should be easy for Christians. No one says that. Not even those TV preachers many Christians can't stand say that. It is not true and it is not taught by anyone. The question is: what do you believe <i>about </i>trying situations in life? Jesus put us on the alert for tough times: <span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj">"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will</span><span class="woj"> have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 16:33</span></span><br />
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><br /></span></span>
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj">Jesus has made it known that, in the world, we will have troubles. But, He has <i>already </i>given us His peace. When do we walk in and experience that peace? When we stay in Him. So, if we are going through times of distress and we are not experiencing peace, we know that we have broken off fellowship with our Master. The peace is <i>in Him</i>, so get there.</span></span><br />
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><br /></span></span>
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj">What I want you to realize is that <i>Jesus isn't harming anyone</i>. John 16:33 in the Amplified Bible makes that very clear: "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace <i>and</i> confidence. In the world you have tribulation <i>and</i> trials <i>and</i> distress <i>and</i>
frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain,
undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power
to harm you and have conquered it for you.]" No question about it: Jesus isn't responsible for our hard times. He has empowered us to overcome them all, and He fully expects to do just that.</span></span><br />
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><br /></span></span>
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj">I know that James 1:2 says, "<span class="text Jas-1-2">My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials." I'm sure that verse went through your head already. However, we need to set the record straight on what is really going on in this verse. The word translated "trial," is often translated "temptation" in many translations of the Bible. I pulled out my concordance and looked up the Greek word used in this verse. It is "peirasmos." It comes from the Greek word "peirazo," which means to test. This word "peirasmos" is defined in my concordance as, "a putting to proof (by experiment [of good], experience [of evil], solicitation, discipline, or provocation); by implication <i>adversity</i>." It is a word that is translated, "temptation," "test," or "trial." I know this is way more "heady" than most people go for when reading a random blog, but it is very important that we get this. This Greek word for temptation is used in each of the following verses:</span></span></span><br />
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2">~Matthew 6:13 (The Lord's Prayer) -> "<span class="text Matt-6-13" id="en-NKJV-23296"><span class="woj">And do not lead us into temptation (peirasmos),</span></span><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj"> but deliver us from the evil one.</span></span><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj"> For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj">~1Corinthians 10:13 -> "</span></span></span></span></span><span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj">No temptation (peirasmos) has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is
faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted (pierazo) beyond what you are
able, but with the temptation (peirasmos) will also make the way of escape, that you
may be able to bear it."</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj">~James 1:2 -> "</span></span></span></span></span><span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2">My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials (peirasmos)."</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2">~James 1:12 -> "</span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2">Blessed is
the man who endures temptation (peirasmos); for when he has been approved, he will
receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love
Him. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2">Isn't it interesting that Jesus teaches us to pray to the Father to keep us out of the very situations that many Christians claim He brings upon us all? Jesus told us that He has deprived the world and the issues of this sinful age of the power to harm us, yet we teach that these very issues are God-ordained from the throne, itself. Though we are told to walk in joy <i>through </i>these trials, we are never told to thank God <i>for </i>them. We are actually told from the Lord that if we remain <i>faithful </i>throughout the issues of life, that we have a reward <i>in this life </i>(Luke 18:29-30). Now, for the single-most important verse of them all...</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2">James 1:13 -> "</span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2">Let no one say when he is tempted (peirazo), “I am tempted (peirazo) by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt (peirazo) anyone."</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><i>It is the same root word! </i>In other words: God and the devil are not in Cahoots. God is not contracting Satan and his minions to do God's dirty work in order to teach us things. Jesus said in John 10:10 that He is not the author of stealing, killing or destroying. In fact, we learn in 1John 3:8, that Jesus came expressly to destroy all of Satan's work. He did not do this so that He could go sit at the Father's side and use that very satanic power against us. God is not an abusive Father; He is not making life hard on anybody in order to prove a point. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2">Once we get this solidified in our thinking, we will be more adequately prepared for all that the enemy throws our way. You cannot have faith to combat something if you think God is authoring its existence. Our faith becomes severely stunted when we believe God is authoring our sickness, disease, poverty, addictions, depressions, and so-on Our faith is severely limited if we think the He is taking "the long way 'round" in providing for us our Covenant rights to freedom, healing and prosperity. God has been ready to provide us the very best this life has to offer. He paid an exceptionally high price to grant us those rights and privileges. For Him to withhold anything from us, we be for Him to be made a liar. Enough people think that about Him already. Don't add to their number. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<div class="verse">
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2">Remember what Jesus promised: "<span class="text Matt-11-28" id="en-AMP-23488">Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="text Matt-11-29" id="en-AMP-23489"> Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls.</span><span class="text Matt-11-30" id="en-AMP-23490"> For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good—not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne." ~Matthew 11:28-30, Amplified.</span></div>
<br />
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2">So, why <i>do </i>these bad things happen in our lives? Check back later... </span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj"></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj"></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"></span><span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="text John-16-33" id="en-NKJV-26760"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"><span class="text Matt-6-13"><span class="woj"><span class="text Jas-1-2"> </span> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-19452945101868054592012-08-13T12:41:00.001-07:002012-08-13T12:41:41.081-07:00My Rights
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>In such an individualistic society,
we often think it “wrong” or “evil” to believe that Christians have rights. After
all, we are “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20), taking up our cross daily
to follow Him (Luke 9:23), with our life being no longer our own (1Corinthians
6:19). These are all true statements; however, we have been led to believe that
these passages indicate that we have no right to anything from the Lord.
Growing up in the church my whole life, I have heard countless teachings and
phrases at go something like this: “How dare we think we can demand anything
from God? How dare we think we are indispensable to God? God owes us nothing…”</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>To
be honest, years of being involved in and around the church and the people of
God has left me rather depressed. How is it possible to be full of joy when
serving a God that you believe doesn’t actually care that much about your life?
How can we be excited about a God that is portrayed as egotistical and
self-centered? This God tells us to pay in faith (James 1:6), and yet a vast
majority of His people believe ‘sometimes He does; sometimes He doesn’t. It all
depends on Hs will.” Ladies and gentlemen, this line of thinking makes no
sense. We have been so trained to believe that God’s sovereignty means he can
do whatever He wants, whenever he wants, no questions asked, that we openly
contradict ourselves in the way we think and speak about Him. </div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span> </div>
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God says that anything is possible
to anyone who believes (Mark 9:23). We say that God does what He wants. Jesus
told us that when we ask anything in His name, we will receive it (John 14:14).
We say that only applies to situations that are under His will (which we don’t
know). The Holy Spirit speaks through the apostle James that when we pray in
faith, the sick <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will</i> be healed (James
5:15). We preach that sometimes God heals, sometimes He doesn’t. The Scripture
tells us that Jesus took sickness and disease upon Himself on the Cross (Isaiah
53:4-5). We teach that He uses it as a means of gaining glory. The Scripture
tells us we are Blessed (Galatians 3:13-14) with a Blessing that causes financial
prosperity (Proverbs 10:22). The church often teaches that anyone who preaches
that Blessing is a heretic. Jesus told us to take up <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">our </i>cross (Mark 8:34). Religion dictates that we should be taking <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">His</i>. </div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span> </div>
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Get the picture?</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span> </div>
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Our God separated Himself, suffered and
died, went to the furthest depths of Hades, itself – all so that we could have
our lives put back right, to the state that it was designed to be at before the
Fall. Yet, because we cannot help but look at the circumstances of life around
us, we are not living that way. Rather than look to the Holy Word of God
Almighty, we look to our lives, our friends and loved ones, the economy,
politics, and all the mess that is going on globally, in order to ascertain the
will of God. My friend, that ought not to be. It violates the very nature of faith.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span> </div>
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Let’s settle
this in our minds, once-and-for-all: God will always do what He promised us.</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">God <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">is</span> 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?</i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">~Numbers 23:19</i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">covenant</span> I will not break, nor alter
the word that has gone out of My lips.</i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">~Psalm 89:34</i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup> </sup>If
you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and
it shall be done for you.</i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">~John 15:7</i></div>
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God said He will do
what He said he will do. He said that if we remain in Him and we go to Him, He
will answer us and grant us the prayers that we ask of Him. He instructed us to
approach Him with boldness (Hebrews 4:16) and great confidence. I have, through
the work of my God and his great love for me, a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right </i>to his promises.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Correct. I said I
have a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right </i>to the plans and
purposes of God being accomplished in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have a right to healing and abundant provision (it is part of
salvation, look up the Greek word and see for yourself). I have a right to the
mind of Christ (1Corinthians 2:16). I have a right to His wisdom (James 1:5). I
have a right to know His will (Ephesians 5:17). Through the work of the Cross,
through the work of salvation, itself, I have a right to live the highest life
there is. That runs contrary to the world’s ways of thinking. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Unfortunately, the
world’s way of thinking has infiltrated the church. We contradict ourselves and
our God without even realizing our error. We are painting our God to be double-minded
and inconsistent. If we believe the words He has handed down to us, then we
must put an end to this idea that God will do whatever He wants at His Own
discretion, and that we have no right to question Him. We don’t have the right
to tell Him how to be God, but we do have the right to expect Him (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">reverently</i></b>
expect Him) to do what he promised He would do. Otherwise, we unknowingly and
unintentionally call Him a liar. </div>
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<br /></div>
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God has given us
all the information we need in His Word as to why we do not yet see all the
manifestations of His promises in our lives. Go find them. Believe them.
Implement them. They are yours by right as a born-again child of God, co-heir
with Jesus Himself (Romans 8:17)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bless (affectionately,
gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul, and forget not [one of] all His
benefits – Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities, Who heals [each one
of] all your diseases, Who redeems your life from the pit <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">and</span> corruption, Who beautifies,
dignifies, <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">and</span> crowns you with
loving-kindness and tender mercy; Who satisfies your mouth [your necessity and
desire at your personal age and situation] with good so that your youth,
renewed, is like the eagle’s [strong, overcoming, soaring]!</i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">~Psalm 103:2-5,
Amplified</i></div>
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Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-2531684579161255432012-07-20T15:00:00.001-07:002012-07-20T15:00:21.784-07:00The "Wisdom" of MenAnointing. That is what the Lord is pressing upon each and every one of us. There is a season of change , a time of fulfillment, that the Lord is endeavoring to accomplish in all those who will listen and follow Him. And that is the key to it all right there: listen and obey.<br />
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In order to walk in all that Jesus afforded us, we must be Kingdom-minded. We know this. We have had it preached to us for the majority of our Christian lives. We know it, because Jesus said it very pointedly: "seek first the kingdom of God" (Matthew 6:33). However, our actions outside of the church prove that we do not take the commands of our Lord very seriously.<br />
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<i><span class="text Matt-6-31" id="en-AMP-23314">Therefore do not worry and
be anxious, saying, What are we going to have to eat? or, What are we
going to have to drink? or, What are we going to have to wear?</span><span class="text Matt-6-32" id="en-AMP-23315"> For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all.</span><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-AMP-23316"> But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-AMP-23316">~Matthew 6:31-33, Amplified</span></i></div>
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<span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-AMP-23316"></span><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-AMP-23316">Does that really mark our lives when we walk outside the doors of our churches? Do we really trust that by putting the plans and purposes of God as our top priority, that He will handle all the other issues of our lives? Our pulpits say that we do. How often do we here messages on topics like Matthew 6:24</span></div>
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<i><span class="text Matt-6-24"><span class="woj">No one can serve two
masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he
will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and
mammon</span></span></i></div>
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<span class="text Matt-6-24"><span class="woj">And yet, how often do the messages stop there? When Jesus goes on to say that we are not to worry about our own provision, because that will take away from our ability to be Kingdom-minded? </span></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-6-24"><span class="woj">Being a Christian does not make you a person who is Kingdom-minded. James 1:22 tells us that simply listening to the Bible doing other "religious" things is not enough. In fact, it is delusional to think that way. <i>Doing </i>that which our Lord tells us to do is what is required. Without the doing, we cannot walk Blessed, Anointed lives.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-6-24"><span class="woj">Kingdom ways of thinking do not line-up with earthly ways of living. Unfortunately, earthly mindsets have infiltrated their way into many churches. Think about it: we talk about our jobs, needing to work more in order to "earn" more money. We teach our children to follow the same earthly model as those outside the church: "go to school, get good grades, go to good college, get good job, make good money and have a good retirement." What Scripture is that on, again?</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-6-24"><span class="woj">This is a broken model. I have lived it, and it didn't get me anywhere. Conventional wisdom has no place in the Christian life. Proverbs 14:12 tells us that it leads to death. 1Corinthians 2:14 tells us that these natural ways of thinking and living hinder us from receiving revelation from God.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-6-24"><span class="woj">That doesn't mean we shouldn't have jobs or do well in schools. What it means is that it is our responsibility to find out <i>from God </i>what <i>He </i>wants us to be doing. <i>His</i> plan is the plan that is Blessed - not whatever we come up with. What happened to Jeremiah 29:11, </span></span><span class="text Jer-29-11" id="en-NIV-19647">"For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, 'plans to prosper<sup> </sup>you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (NIV)? God's plans are the ones that are already Blessed and Anointed. They are the ones that work. Why are we making our own, based upon the world's system around us?</span></div>
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<span class="text Jer-29-11" id="en-NIV-19647">James 4:13-17 shows us that making our own plans without God is both arrogant and sinful:</span></div>
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<i><span class="text Jas-4-13">Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;</span><span class="text Jas-4-14" id="en-NKJV-30352"> whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.</span><span class="text Jas-4-15" id="en-NKJV-30353"> Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”</span><span class="text Jas-4-16" id="en-NKJV-30354"> But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.</span><span class="text Jas-4-17" id="en-NKJV-30355"> Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin</span></i></div>
<i><span class="text Jas-4-17" id="en-NKJV-30355"><br /></span></i><br />
<span class="text Jas-4-17" id="en-NKJV-30355">This passage is telling us not to simply up and make our own plans for life, assuming that since we are men and women of God He will Bless them. Our earthly lives, in the scope of eternity, are too brief for that kind of living and thinking. In fact, to assume that since we said a few prayers, read the Bible on occasion, and remember to add "Your will be done" to the end of our prayers at church, that God will Bless our endeavors is arrogant presumption. You know you are to listen to Him regarding what to do with your life. And when you know what to do and you decide not to do it, for you, it is sin. God cannot Bless and Anoint sin.</span><br />
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<span class="text Jas-4-17" id="en-NKJV-30355">Just because you say, "Your will be done" at the end of a prayer does not mean that His will actually will happen, either. Jesus didn't teach us to pray that way. On the contrary, Jesus said to pray that God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven. God's will is heaven on earth. Contrary to religious opinion, that which does not match heaven is not the will of God. </span><br />
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<span class="text Jas-4-17" id="en-NKJV-30355">Just because we see it happen in our lives, or in the lives of others, does not mean God ordained it. The "God is Sovereign" excuse is nothing more than spiritual laziness. There are people who <i>hate </i>God, because Christian people have led them to believe God is responsible for poverty, sickness, disease, third-world nations, terrorism, genocide, and every other atrocity this world has. The <i>Bible </i>says otherwise. The Bible says in 1John 3:5 that Jesus came to <i>destroy </i>these things. And that is all that matters.</span><br />
<span class="text Jas-4-17" id="en-NKJV-30355"><br /></span><br />
<span class="text Jas-4-17" id="en-NKJV-30355">In order to walk in the fullness of the Anointing and Blessing of God, we must put aside all that we think we know, and get on our knees before Him. Let God tell you exactly what to do - even if it defies "conventional wisdom." Only then will we walk in all that Jesus bought us: the good life.</span><br />
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<i>For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated
in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God
predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared
ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which
He prearranged and made ready for us to live].</i></div>
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<span class="text Jer-29-11" id="en-NIV-19647"> </span><span class="text Jer-29-11" id="en-NIV-19647"><i>~Ephesians 2:10, Amplified</i> </span><span class="text Matt-6-24"><span class="woj"> </span></span><i><span class="text Matt-6-24"><span class="woj"></span></span></i><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-AMP-23316"> </span><i><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-AMP-23316"></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-3738794465079567192012-05-25T15:22:00.001-07:002012-05-25T15:22:15.605-07:00Doubting Doubt<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;">
I picked up a book the other at Barnes and Noble and discovered something that made my stomach turn and my skin crawl. As I sit here in my office the thought of it still irks me. I do not remember the title of the book, which is probably a good thing, because you do not need to know. It was written by one of my favorite Christian authors - and that, of course, makes it worse. While browsing the pages I discovered a chapter on doubt. To my astonishment, this writer claims that it is <i>OK for Christians to doubt God</i>.</div>
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Let that sink in for a moment. Sadly, this is not the first time I have heard Christian leaders say something along these lines. In the case of this author, the premise was that doubt is not a form of unbelief, but rather a temptation to think more than one way. By definition, doubt is being double-minded. It is having more than one thought about a situation or circumstance. To this writer, doubting God is an occasion to grow in one's faith. How that works in this person's mind is beyond me. Doubt is the exact opposite of faith. And it is not something to be condoned.</div>
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The Scripture tells us the same thing about doubt as this author did. However, unlike what I read at Barnes and Noble, the Bible is adamant that we refrain from all traces of doubt </div>
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<i><span class="text Jas-1-5" id="en-NKJV-30272">If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him</span><span class="text Jas-1-6" id="en-NKJV-30273">. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wi</span><span class="text Jas-1-7" id="en-NKJV-30274">nd. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;</span><span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NKJV-30275"> he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NKJV-30275">~James 1:5-8</span></i></div>
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<span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NKJV-30275">How do we condone doubt as Christians? For those of you immediately wanting to play "devil's advocate" (why do people advocate for the devil?! Find a better expression!), no, this author did not mean that doubt is not something wrong. They were laying claim to the idea that doubting God can and at times is a good thing. Clearly, from the Bible itself, that is not true. </span></div>
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<span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NKJV-30275">We have all had times where we have been tempted to doubt. It is not something to feel guilty over or to condemn one's self about. However, it is also not something to be tolerated, either. There is no stability in a doubtful person. Faith remains; doubt wavers. Doubt is a tool of the devil to break our confidence in God and His Word. When tempted to doubt, doubt the doubt. What? When you feel doubt in God and His Word rising within you, doubt it. Know that God is not the Author of doubt or confusion, so anything that falls into those categories are not from Him. When feeling doubt about health, healing, provision, direction or any other promises of God, doubt those doubts.</span></div>
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<span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NKJV-30275">It is insulting to God when we do not trust Him. How much more does He have to do for us? Many will say, "I do so trust God!" Feelings of doubt prove otherwise. While those moments can, and often will, be turned around by God, it is always better that we acknowledge what they are and begin to resist them from here on out. Perhaps the reason many of us are not seeing manifestations of God's promises in our lives is because we have fallen pray to the idea that doubt in a tool in the Hand of God. One pastor says otherwise, "Doubt is a cancer growth in the spirit. It must be removed using the scalpel of faith." </span><i><span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NKJV-30275"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NKJV-30275"></span><span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NKJV-30275"> </span></i></div>Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-82455230113446736652012-05-14T12:02:00.001-07:002012-05-14T12:02:12.673-07:00Just Get Me to Jesus<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>[B]y the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established ~Deuteronomy 19:15b</i></div>
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<i>[B]y the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established ~Matthew 18:16b</i></div>
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This is the Biblical standard for handling a situation. Be it a legal matter, a Church debate, or organizing an argument, the Scripture tells us to base our defenses on more than one proof. That is how God, Himself, operates. He doesn't lay down a standard or system for His people that He does not apply toward Himself. In fact, this standard of witnesses is repeated <i>six times </i>in the Bible (Deuteronomy 17:6, 19:5; Matthew 18:16; 2Corinthians 13:1; 1Timothy 5:19; Hebrews 10:28). God followed His own standard - times two. I think five should be enough...</div>
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Jerry Savelle, pastor of Heritage of Faith Christian Center, in Crowley, Texas, says "<a href="http://www.kcm.org/media/webcast/kenneth-copeland-and-jerry-savelle/110704-getting-your-prayers-answered" target="_blank">God never intended prayer to be guesswork</a>." Whether we realize it or not, many of us are guilty of that very thing. 1John 5:14-15 says, <span class="text 1John-5-14">"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.</span><span class="text 1John-5-15" id="en-NKJV-30640"> And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him." When an issue is already covered in Scripture, we should not go to God with an attitude of "let's pray about it and see what happens." However, that is exactly what we do at times. Phrases like, "Lord, if it is Your will..." or "Whatever comes, Your will be done" prove the point. While it is essential that we center our lives on the will of God, He has already showed us great depths of that will in His Word. For us to continue to pray as if we didn't know what He wanted to do is to show a great lack of faith in that Word. The Bible tells us that there is a time to pray "if the Lord wills," and it is in regards to situations such as where to live or what job to take (James 4:13-17). However, according to 1John, there are circumstances when prayer should be based on the known will of God. Ephesians 5:17 commands us to find out that known will of God. You're still wondering about the "five," aren't you?</span></div>
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<span class="text 1John-5-15" id="en-NKJV-30640">Let's look at five instances where people were not concerned about whether or not Jesus would or would not answer. These individuals had great confidence that, if they could get to Jesus, He <i>would</i> remedy their situation. No guesswork, but complete <i>knowing.</i></span></div>
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<span class="text 1John-5-15" id="en-NKJV-30640"><b>Centurion (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%208:5-13&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Matthew 8:5-13</a>)</b></span></div>
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<span class="text 1John-5-15" id="en-NKJV-30640">Here we see a Roman official approach Jesus on behalf of a sick servant. And what do we see him say to Jesus? "</span><span class="text Matt-8-8" id="en-NKJV-23354">Only speak a word, and my servant <i>will</i> be healed." That is all this man needed. He knew that all he needed to do was ask Jesus to command it, and the healing <i>would</i> come.</span><span class="text 1John-5-15" id="en-NKJV-30640"> </span></div>
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<span class="text 1John-5-15" id="en-NKJV-30640"><b>Hemorrhaging Woman (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%205:25-34&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Mark 5:25-34</a>) </b></span></div>
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<span class="text 1John-5-15" id="en-NKJV-30640">This woman didn't even ask! This woman <i>knew </i>that all she needed to do was get close enough to touch Jesus, and she would receive her healing. This woman, under Levitical law, should have been executed for being in that crowd. Yet, she knew that getting to Jesus was the key. She didn't say, 'maybe I will be healed if I can get to Jesus." She said, </span><span class="text Mark-5-28" id="en-NKJV-24393">“If only I may touch His clothes, I <i>shall</i> be made well.”</span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-5-28" id="en-NKJV-24393"> <b>Jairus (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%208:41-56&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Luke 8:41-56</a>)</b></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-5-28" id="en-NKJV-24393"> While this situation with the woman was taking place, Jairus is standing by trying not to lose his cool. He approached Jesus the moment He stepped off a boat in Capernum and implored that Jesus come and heal his daughter. He was waiting by the shore for Jesus to arrive, because he knew that if he could get Jesus, his daughter would be made well. He didn't implore Jesus by saying, "Lord, if it be Your will." Mark 5:23 tells us that Jairus said, "come and lay Your hands on her, so that <i>she will get well </i>and live." He knew that if Jesus got involved, his situation <i>would </i>be fixed. </span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-5-28" id="en-NKJV-24393"><b>Blind Bartimaeus (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%208:41-56&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Mark 10:46-52</a>)</b></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-5-28" id="en-NKJV-24393"> This man would stop at nothing to get Jesus' attention. He sat on the ground, hollering out over the noise of the crowd, in hopes that Jesus would look His way. He didn't care what he looked like, he just knew that if he could get Jesus to look his way, he would receive the petition of his heart. </span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-5-28" id="en-NKJV-24393"><b>The Paralytic (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%202:1-12&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Mark 2:1-12</a>)</b></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-5-28" id="en-NKJV-24393"> These men were so determined to get their friend to Jesus, that they tore up the roof of Jesus' house to do it! That is determination. They ripped up the house, and lowered the man in. At this point, they didn't need to ask - it is obvious what they wanted. Jesus just watched it unfold, and then forgave the man of his sins and healed him. There was no guesswork involved with Jesus; they knew that they had to get to Jesus, and that He <i>would </i>heal their friend if they did.</span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-5-28" id="en-NKJV-24393"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-5-28" id="en-NKJV-24393">How do I know that all these people <i>knew </i>Jesus would respond they way they wanted? Jesus tells me. In the case of the Centurion, Jesus said, "I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel... </span><span class="text Matt-8-13" id="en-NKJV-23359"><span class="woj">Go your way; and<i> as you have believed, so let it be done for you</i>.” To the woman who broke the law to touch Him (without asking), He declared, </span></span><span class="text Mark-5-34" id="en-NKJV-24399"><span class="woj">“Daughter, <i>your faith has made you well</i>. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” Jesus had to make sure Jairus didn't waver in the faith he had approached Jesus with in Mark 5:23, </span></span><span class="text Luke-8-50" id="en-NKJV-25296"><span class="woj">so He said “Do not be afraid; <i>only believe</i>, and she <i>will</i> be made well.” Jesus told Bartimaeus that, "</span></span><span class="text Mark-10-52" id="en-NKJV-24641"><span class="woj"><i>your faith</i> has made you well.” </span></span><span class="text Mark-2-5" id="en-NKJV-24266">And it was "<i>When Jesus saw their faith</i>," that He moved on behalf of the paralytic man. </span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-2-5" id="en-NKJV-24266">I used five instances concerning healing, because that is without a doubt the most difficult thing for us as Christians to believe for. We have seen too many people suffer without relief, and it has weakened our ability to believe that it is the Lord's will to heal, every time. Yet, according to the Biblical standard, we have more than sufficient proof that it is the Lord's will to heal, and that it is our faith that is the determining factor in whether we receive it or not. 1John 5:14 shows us that the same holds true with all of our prayers. We are not to pray with an attitude of "Let's see what God thinks about it," unless the situation is not directly addressed in the Bible (again, James 4:13-17). If we have Biblical evidence, we are to stand on and pray according to it. Jesus told us to believe that we have received the answers to our prayers when we pray them (Mark 11:24). He told us that if we center our lives around Him, we will have whatever we ask of the Father in His name (John 15:16). All we have to do is go to Jesus on the authority of His Word, and He <i>will </i>remedy our situations.</span><span class="text Mark-2-5" id="en-NKJV-24266"> <i>All of them.</i></span></div>
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<i>So then faith </i><i>comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God ~Romans 10:17</i></div>
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<i>I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace </i><i>and confidence. In the world you have tribulation </i><i>and trials </i><i>and distress </i><i>and
frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain,
undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power
to harm you and have conquered it for you.]</i><i> ~John 16:33, AMPLIFIED<span class="text Mark-2-5" id="en-NKJV-24266"> </span></i><span class="text Mark-2-5" id="en-NKJV-24266"> </span></div>
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<span class="text Mark-5-28" id="en-NKJV-24393"></span><span class="text Mark-5-28" id="en-NKJV-24393"></span><span class="text 1John-5-15" id="en-NKJV-30640"> </span></div>Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-50109751425949343342012-05-04T12:26:00.001-07:002012-05-04T12:26:42.478-07:00God Doesn't Wrestle"Jacob wrestled with God." We all know the story. Jacob stays up all night wrestling with the Lord; unrelenting in his pursuit of a Blessing. He fought, and was Blessed. However, this was one story. It happened one time. And it became a doctrine...<br />
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For some reason or another, many of us have come under the assumption that we do not hear from the Lord becomes He wants us to "fight for it." It always comes back to Jacob wrestling with God. The teaching is that god wants to make sure that we want t hear from Him bad enough before He will relent and speak to us. This is blasphemy. Just because Jacob did it does not mean we have to do it. In fact, Jesus sacrificed Himself so that we wouldn't have to wrestle to receive The Blessing of God. Galatians 3:14 tells us that Jesus died so that The Blessing of God might come upon the Gentiles (us). Jesus paid the price for that Blessing so that we could freely access it. And it was <i>God's idea</i>. If God wanted us to fight for The Blessing, why send Jesus to make it easier for us to obtain?<br />
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The Holy Spirit has been given the assignment of speaking to us what is on the Father's heart. Jesus explains that to us in the Gospel of John,<br />
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<i>But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He
will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will
not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell
whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has
been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things
that are to come [that will happen in the future]. He
will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon)
what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you. Everything
that the Father has is Mine. That is what I meant when I said that He
[the Spirit] will take the things that are Mine and will reveal
(declare, disclose, transmit) it to you. ~John 16:13-15, Amplified.</i></div>
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That is the Holy Spirit's job description: to reveal the heart of the Father to His children. We preach in our churches that the Father is constantly pursuing us. However, when we struggle to hear His voice, we turn around and preach the exact opposite - that He is withholding Himself to make sure we really, really want to hear from Him. These two teachings contradict. They cannot both be right, or else God would be a hypocrite. God does not want us to wrestle with Him the way Jacob did. He sent us His Son and His Spirit to see to it that we have free access to all that He has. Our problem is not that God is withholding for a time, it is that we cannot hear Him when He calls.</div>
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We live in a noisy society. So many voices are vying for our attention. We have developed a "hearing problem." The Holy Spirit is always speaking to us; He is always disclosing the Father. However, we rarely take the time necessary to be still in His Presence and listen for His voice. That was what He showed with Elijah, when the prophet was hiding in the dessert. Elijah was wailing about God not having his back and leaving him to run and hide, when the Lord showed him something we all need to understand</div>
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<i><span class="text 1Kgs-19-11">Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>.” And behold, the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, but the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> was not in the earthquake;</span></i><span class="text 1Kgs-19-12" id="en-NKJV-9400"><i> and after the earthquake a fire, </i><i>but the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> </i><i>was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. ~1Kings 19:11-12, NKJV</i></span></div>
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<span class="text 1Kgs-19-12" id="en-NKJV-9400">God wrestled with Jacob once; He speaks in that still, small voice all of the time. We are not required to fight with God to hear Him. We need to learn to fight against all the things in this world designed to distract us from Him and His leading. He is not withholding anything from us. He is waiting for us to be still long enough or Him to speak. The manifestations of His Word may not appear immediately, because His Word is a seed (Mark 4), and seeds take time to grow. But His Blessing is upon us now. His voice is readily available. We don't wrestle with God; we wrestle against the world to be with God. </span></div>Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-89344505716071397522012-04-29T15:11:00.000-07:002012-04-29T15:11:00.708-07:00TrustLet's begin with something we all enjoy: story time. Last week, I picked up my wife after her weekly student ministry lifegroup. She walked out the front door of our friend's house loaded down with baby stuff. You see, we are expecting our first child this December (woohoo!), and since our friends have two little girls who are finally outgrowing their baby things, they have graciously offered us pick-of-the-litter when it comes to baby supplies. I was overwhelmed. I mean, this kid isn't due for another seven-and-a-half months. What do we need all this stuff for? After talking things out, I learned that they were ready to get as much of that stuff out of their house as possible. We were doing them a big favor by taking these things off their hands. That made it easier for me to swallow. Then my wife said something very interesting. She said it helps during those times when the devil tries to make us worry about not having enough to support our child, to go in and look at all this stuff we already have. We've only known we were having a baby for three weeks, and we have practically everything covered - except a car. A bigger car would be great. Big, nice, shiny new car... *wink* Anyway. My wife said that though our friends had promised it, having some of these supplies under the bed and in the closets helps reassure her of all that the Lord is doing to provide for us. I immediately replied by saying, "Oh, I don't have to see it, I trust David and Heather." And it hit me immediately...<br />
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The Lord has been dealing with this in my life the past week. I didn't have to see the things we were promised, because I trusted our friends weren't lying to us about having baby supplies, or that they would let us have them when our child came along. And yet, I <i>do</i> have to see things the Lord has promised me in order to have confidence in His promises to supply everything I need. I felt it in my spirit the moment those words left my lips, "<i>Why don't you think that way about Me?!</i>" That is the very definition of faith - believing without seeing. Hebrews 11:1 lays it out for us clearly: "Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the
title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we]
do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as
real fact what is not revealed to the senses]" (AMP). It is believing that you possess what the Lord has promised you, even before you see the concrete evidence.<br />
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I believe that our friends have the supplies they promised us, because I have seen their little girls. I believe them because I know them; I know their character; I know their hearts. I trust them. The same should be true of all of us where the Lord is concerned. We should know His heart; know His character; trust Him. Jesus paid an awesome price so that He could provide for us His Blessing. Paul explains part of what Jesus has done for us in 2Corinthians, when he says, "For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us" (2Corinthians 1:20, NKJV). The Apostle John tells us that when we pray in accordance to the Word of God, He listens to us, "And if (since) we
[positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know
[with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our
present possessions] the requests made of Him" (1John 5:15, AMP). Because of Jesus, I am covered. My baby is taken care of. I do not have to see the back room of Heaven to know that the supplies for my family are already there, and that He will see to it that I get all that I need (see Philippians 4:19). When I told my aunt I was having a baby and was concerned about providing for him/her/them, she squashed that worry with a simple sentence: "God's not going to give you a baby and then not provide for you to take care of 'em." Problem solved.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-82060862791230049352012-04-06T09:16:00.002-07:002012-04-06T14:46:58.807-07:00More Than Sin...<div style="text-align: center;"><i>He was despised and rejected and forsaken by men, a Man of sorrows and pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness; and like One from Whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or have any esteem for Him. Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy]. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole ~Isaiah 53:3-5, Amplified</i></div><br />
Why did He take the beating? Those of us who have been around church for more than about ten minutes know that Jesus died to forgive us of sins. He died to redeem us and make us new and allow us to go to Heaven when we die. However, I believe that is as far as most of us go with regards to what happened on that Friday all those long years ago. It was so much more...<br />
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Isaiah 53 is the quintessential passage for teaching on Jesus' redemptive work at Calvary. You can't preach about Easter without this passage. And yet, it has been mistranslated far too often. That is why I chose to use the Amplified translation, to unpack the fullness of what was really being spoken of. Isaiah was looking into the future, some 800 years away, when he was given this vision of what was to happen to Jesus. This gives us a very poignant description of going on in the spirit on that day. Jesus didn't just die so we ca go to Heaven one day. He was beaten so that we could be free from every curse this world is under.<br />
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In most translations, we see that Jesus bore our sorrows and our griefs. However, those two words are quite frequently translated throughout the Scriptures as "sickness" and "pains." That is why Isaiah goes on to say "by his stripes we are healed." Those stripes that Jesus took prior to his crucifixion were to pay for complete restoration of the body. Go back and look at everything Jesus bought and paid for: peace, well-being, healing. He took upon Himself more than just sin; He took everything. And it says that God did it...<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Yet it was the will of the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief and made Him sick. When You and He make His life an offering for sin [and He has risen from the dead, in time to come], He shall see His [spiritual] offspring, He shall prolong His days, and the will and pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand ~Isaiah 53:10, Amplified</i> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">See that? This is the only time in the totality of human existence where God made someone sick. With each blow of a Roman, God struck Jesus with grief, pain, sickness and disease. It was so that not only sin, but the deadly consequences of sin, could be put to death and conquered once and for all. That is why Isaiah saw a man who was not esteemed, but seen as forsaken of God. Jesus looked far worse on that cross than religious movies portray. We know He bore all the sins of the world in his body on that Cross. That in itself is enough to drastically change one's demeanor. Haven't you ever been around a person so entangled in their sins that their countenance is radically different? You can see it in their eyes, they're dark and cold. I have been around people who were so far away from God I could tangibly feel the evil radiating from them. They look "off." Jesus would have looked exponentially worse, because He was carrying every sin of every person of all time. But there was more...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This prophetic passage of Scripture tells us that He also carried every sickness and disease known to the world. Imagine how terrible He must have looked. With each bruise, He was stricken with a new ailment. That's what Scripture tells us. He was hanging on that cross carrying every sin, sickness and disease of humanity, so that all of it would be put to death. Jesus didn't have to take a beating to be crucified. They could have just nailed Him up and walked away. But it was the will of God to have Jesus go through that, so that He could take upon Himself sickness and grief and disease, so that all symptoms of the curse would be put away. In doing so, it allows for the apostle Peter to quote this passage with one glorious "tweak": "He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you <i>have been</i> healed" (1Peter 2:24, Amplified, emphasis added).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">We are free, this very moment, from the power of sin and death. We are free, this very moment, from sickness, disease, oppression, depression, sorrow and fear. It was paid for. It is not the will of God for any of us to have these curses in operation in our lives, because He placed them on Jesus to be overcome. That doesn't mean we are to walk through life without ever facing a challenge. Symptoms will attempt to come upon us all; but they are not the will of God. He has equipped us to overcome them all. We are over-comers (Romans 8:37), but you can't be an over-comer without something to overcome. Remember the words of Jesus: "... in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [<i>I have deprived it of power to harm you</i> and have conquered it for you.]" (John 16:33, Amplified, emphasis added). That's the <i>full </i>power of the cross. Happy Easter. </div>Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-35042738434973689932012-03-19T15:44:00.001-07:002012-03-19T15:48:51.733-07:00Redeemed<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="text Gal-3-13" id="en-NKJV-29116">"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, <span class="oblique">"Cursed</span> is <span class="oblique">everyone who hangs on a tree")" ~Galatians 3:13</span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="text Gal-3-13" id="en-NKJV-29116"><span class="oblique"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="text Gal-3-13" id="en-NKJV-29116"><span class="oblique">That curse is fully outlined in Deuteronomy 28. It includes all manner of tragedy, failure, loss, defeat, sickness, illness, malfunction (I think some of those words are the same thing, but you get the picture). If it is bad, it is listed in that chapter. The Lord goes so far as to list "</span></span></span><span class="text Deut-28-61" id="en-NKJV-5673">every sickness and every plague, which <i>is</i> not written in this Book of the Law" (v. 61). If you can think of it, it is listed under the Curse. That is what Jesus took upon Himself. Jesus did not just bare our sins on the cross. He took everything. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Deut-28-61" id="en-NKJV-5673">We sing a son about our redemption: "let the redeemed of the Lord say so." We get to the bridge, and chant "I am redeemed" about 30 times. It's a good song. It makes me happy to hear a song sung at my church that is also done at all those conventions I go to that are put on by a bunch of preachers my church is not too fond of. Yet, do we actually believe it?</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Deut-28-61" id="en-NKJV-5673">We claim we are redeemed from the Curse (the Curse placed upon this whole earth the day that Adam fell), but we do not act much like we are at times. Once the song ends, we tend to go back to talking about everything wrong with the world around us. We talk about our financial troubles. Complain about gas prices. Exalt our failing health. "Hope" God will come through for us. "Believe" things will improve. In short, we (myself often included) do not act very redeemed from the Curse.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Deut-28-61" id="en-NKJV-5673"> What is sad is that too many Christians assume God has them right where He wants them. They assume their financial situation is tough, because that is God's way of teaching them to trust. Some assume that God only heals in select cases, based upon whether or not He will get more glory out of it or not. Many struggle with various addictions, and have been led to believe that God is slowly "walking them through the process" of overcoming their sins, rather then freeing them instantly. Here is the issue that arises with these thought processes: they are "anti-redemption." </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Deut-28-61" id="en-NKJV-5673">You see, salvation encompasses all of those areas. To say that God won't bless you financially is to say that a piece of redemption is being arbitrarily held back from you. To say that it is God's will to heal some and not others ("for His glory") is to say that He is arbitrarily withholding a part of His redemption from some of His children. And to say that God frees some instantly from addictive behaviors and not others is to (your guessed it) say that He is randomly granting the full plan of redemption to some and not to others. Not to mention, that unintentionally calls Jesus a liar. Remember John 8:36?</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Deut-28-61" id="en-NKJV-5673">Here's the point: redemption covers everything the devil can come up with. Jesus took a beating so we can be healed (Isaiah 53:5; 1Peter 2:24). He bore sickness and disease, as well as our sin. He bore the Curse so that we do not have to. For anyone to operate under any symptoms of the Curse is a violation of the Scripture and God's plan of redemption. It cheapens what Jesus went through on our behalf. It is important that we believe the words of that song we declare. More important that we believe the Words our God has given to us. It is that simple. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Deut-28-61" id="en-NKJV-5673">Notice I didn't say <i>easy</i>. I know as well as anyone that there is a huge difference between <i>ease </i>and <i>simplicity</i>. Jesus didn't say everything would be easy, but He did promise that the world had no power to harm us (John 16:33). The Bible calls us over-comers (Romans 8:37). It reminds us that Jesus came to destroy all the things the devil uses to brings us down (1John 3:8). Jesus didn't rob Satan of his devices so that He could turn around and use them on us, instead. If there is anything going on in your life or a life of a loved one that is in stark violation to the Scriptures, remember: <i>you are redeemed</i>. Right this very moment. Addictions of any kind have absolutely no power of you. Sickness has no right to be in your body (and it is not God's will that it be there). Finances will not be your downfall. You have been rescued from all those things. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Deut-28-61" id="en-NKJV-5673">"The Bible might say that, but it isn't happening in my life; what do you have to say to that?" Check back later... </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Deut-28-61" id="en-NKJV-5673">(you have to admit, that was a pretty good cliff-hanger) </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="text Gal-3-13" id="en-NKJV-29116"><span class="oblique"> </span></span></span></div>Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-59243070142271296862012-03-02T14:40:00.000-08:002012-03-02T14:40:11.369-08:00Suffiency<i>'But [H]e said to me, <span class="woj">“My grace is sufficient for you, for [M]y power is made perfect in weakness.”</span> Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me' ~2Corinthians 12:9, NIV.</i><br />
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This Scripture came to mind the other day as my wife and I were praying. My wife was acknowledging His faithfulness in the midst of various trials, and the Lord brought to my mind this passage of Scripture as a biblical example of what He is endeavoring to do in or lives and in the lives of all those who will let Him. This passage is one that I find to be very misunderstood within the Body of Christ today, so before I can fully explain what the Lord placed on my heart, let's dispels the myths:<i></i><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><i>"</i>Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, <span class="woj">“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”</span> Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." 2Corinthians 12:7-9.</div><br />
The first myth we need to dispel is that <i>Paul was not sick</i>. Many people point to this passage as an "excuse" for why God does not always heal people. That's not what this passage is saying (nor is it the discussion we are having here at this time). The Bible is extremely clear: <i>it was a messenger from Satan</i>. Some Scriptures use the word "infirmities" in this passage. That word means "weakness" not "sickness." This was an intense attack on Paul's mind, will or emotions. We talk about "crucifying the flesh" all the time. Last time I looked, nobody was committing suicide for Christ. That's the flesh he is talking about here: the carnal side of our humanity.<br />
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Our next myth to dispel: <i>God did not do it</i>. The messenger was sent from Satan to stop Paul from growing in his faith and teaching God's people. God does not use Satan to accomplish His purposes. Satan is self-employed. If he were following the Lord's instructions he wouldn't be in the state we find Him now. God is not responsible, Satan is.<br />
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Thirdly, we must remember: <i>God didn't say "no." </i>It has been taught repeatedly that Paul went to the Lord for help and that God said "no." Reread that Scripture. Where do we see the word "no"? Jesus responded by saying "my grace is sufficient for you." Meaning: you already have everything you need to overcome whatever the enemy throws at you.<br />
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The Lord was showing me this the other day: that we are growing in His grace, making the testings and trials of Satan all the easier to overcome. We have been in Paul's position many times - begging God to "make it stop." But, as we can see here, that is not a Scriptural prayer. How man of us still do that, though? How many times to we go before the Lord, worn-out and ragged, and ask Him to simply make it stop? His answer to us all is: My grace is sufficient for you.<br />
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I am noticing that everyday. Things that once frightened me and seemed impossible to overcome seem easier to face these days. The devil never quits. So we need to stop praying and asking the Lord to make that happen. What we can do, however, is come boldly before His throne and obtain what we need to overcome (Hebrews 4:16). That's what Paul learned in his situation. Remember, this is the man who wrote "in all things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37), and "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13). Does that sound consistent with the teaching that God told Paul "no"? On the contrary, God is not going to make life go away. He is not going to put an end to the devil before his time. He is going to strengthen you to overcome everything that comes your way. He will provide the escape (1Corinthians 10:13). And He is not the one Who is causing it to happen (James 1:13). Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-34944717088413297752012-02-13T10:59:00.000-08:002012-02-13T10:59:29.525-08:00Avoid the Cop-OutForgive me for my absence. I have recently been convicted by the Lord for ignoring this. I have struggled to stay engaged with this project, becoming bored and uninterested with it. I have felt the Word stagnate over the past few months - often a result of not giving the Lord the time necessary to reveal things to me in the Scripture. That has changed. I need to get back to what the Lord has instructed me to do. Starting with this one...<br />
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"Sometimes God does, sometimes He doesn't" What?! Somebody has been reading Hezekiah again... Hezekiah is the "Book" of the Bible that Christians have been writing for 2000 years. It is full of all of our religious, experiential assumptions concerning the plans and purposes of God. It is based upon our opinions, our experiences and whatever our mama said to growing up. It contains phrases like "sometimes He does, sometimes He doesn't." It's book full of "cop-outs."<br />
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What we must come to understand is that God never lies. Any Christian reading this should have automatically thought,"well, duh!" But you would be surprised how often we have unintentionally called our God a liar. We call Him a liar when we make religious excuses for why the Word doesn't work in our lives. We call Him a liar when we say things like, "You never know what He's going to do." We call Him a liar when you use the phrase "God is Sovereign" to explain away a tragedy in the world. We don't mean to do it. We do not actually believe. But, ladies and gentlemen, we are presenting our God to be a liar to the outside world around us.<br />
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Numbers 23:19 says, <span class="text Num-23-19" id="en-NKJV-4436">“God is not a man, that He should lie,</span><span class="text Num-23-19"> Nor a son of man, that He should repent.</span><span class="text Num-23-19"> Has He said, and will He not do?</span><span class="text Num-23-19"> Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" In other words, God will always do what He says He will do. Through this verse, we can no longer make assumptions like "sometimes He does, and sometimes He doesn't." This verse refutes that notion. So we must make another step: why do things happen in this world that run contrary to God's plans and purposes?</span><br />
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<span class="text Num-23-19">We must stop going to Scripture looking for the excuse, and engage Scripture to find the answer. That means we must make changes in our lives in order to bring about the will of God in our midst. "God is Sovereign" has become our religious excuse for mess this world is in. It is the excuse we use when people do not get healed. It is the excuse we use to explain away poverty in the lives of those around (sometimes including ourselves). It is the excuse we use when loved ones do not get saved. We have written doctrines and catechisms and other funny religious documents that explain human suffering as a form of godliness, all based upon a misunderstanding of the Scriptures.</span><br />
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<span class="text Num-23-19">There are spiritual laws governing the world around us. Violation of those laws leads to a violation of our Covenant rights with God. Jesus told us that we would have whatever we say (Mark 11:22). If we actually believed that verse, we would all run out right this moment and buy a dictionary to see to it that we would never say another stupid thing again. What is your confession? We learn that everything is accomplished through faith (Matthew 17:20). And that faith operates by love (Galatians 5:6). How's your love life working? Where is your faith placed?do you trust the Bible, or do you trust experience? (I'm talking to myself here, too, so don't too cranky with me)</span><br />
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<span class="text Num-23-19">Believe the Word, and use it as a tool to change your life. Stay away from the cop-outs that religion affords us. Jesus taught us to pray that the Lord's will be done on earth just as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). In other words, your life should match heaven right here and now. You are currently, right now, a citizen of heaven (Colossians 1:13). You are currently, right now, seated next to Jesus in the heavens (Ephesians 2:6). In the eyes of God, we are on the same level as Jesus (John 17:23, Romans 8:17). Your life should match heaven. If it doesn't, go find out why. That could be a very long search (I am not done searching, myself). There are so many factors involved in living out the full will of God on the earth. Those who have figured it out tend to be the most persecuted by the Church (I know, TBN is not helping them. But you can't argue with testimony and results). </span><br />
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<span class="text Num-23-19">God's will isn't tragedy. There is no biblical backing for for that line of thinking. God's will is escape (1Corinthians 10:13). God's will is victory (Romans 8:37). God's will is healing (1Peter 2:24). God's will is prosperity (Proverbs 10:22; Gal 3:13,29). God's will is a very long life (Genesis 6:3). God's will is too accomplished in all people (Isaiah 55:11; 1John 5:15). Believe it. Learn it. Accomplish it. </span>Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-28330239453611021492011-10-31T10:20:00.000-07:002011-10-31T10:20:54.557-07:00In The Wake of Abundance.<i>Economic downturn. Recession. Unemployment rate.</i> These are terms that have filled our world for many years now. At the rate things are going it doesn't look like, in the natural, these terms will be leaving the forefront of our society anytime soon. However, they are not terms that should be affecting the Church. God is a God of abundance. Yesterday, one of the pastors briefly touched on this notion when he said, "all that God has is at my disposal." It is true; though we often do not act as though we believe it. God has given us His Spirit, Who Jesus said will "take of what is Mine and declare it to you. <i>All things that the Father has are Mine</i>. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you" (John 16:14-15, NKJV, <i>emphasis added</i>). That's a lot of stuff...<br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2065:9-13&version=NKJV">Psalm 65:9-13</a> describes what happens when God steps on the scene. These are economic situations that are being described here. They are areas that bring supply to people. When God moves upon the earth, everything flourishes. God is a God of abundance. It is modeled in the life of Jesus. When Jesus called His disciples, He did not simply pull them away from what they were doing. When we picture the calling of Jesus' first disciples, we usually see in our mind's eye a group of fishermen dropping nets and walking away from the shore without so much as a word to anyone they had left behind. Peter was married; I doubt his wife would have handled that very well. In Luke 5, we see that that is not what actually happened. We see that Jesus had already established some kind of relationship with Peter and his associates (Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law in Luke 4). After spending time teaching the crowds, Jesus asks Peter to let out his nets for a catch. Peter, though skeptically, obliges - to the largest catch he and his business partners had ever received. You see, before calling them out of their line of work, Jesus abundantly provided the financial means for these men and their families. That is how God operates. When God moves in your circumstances abundance flows.<br />
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So, why isn't this a reflection of our lives today? Look at the story again in Luke. Peter listened to Jesus. Though it did not make much sense to him, he obeyed. There are many things we see in Scripture - particularly in the life of Jesus - that do not make sense. Unfortunately, that has led as to assume that there is only some "spiritual" meaning behind the stories of Jesus. While the spiritually aspects are true, it is also important to just do what Jesus says. If He says you have whatever you say, watch what you say. If He says nothing is impossible to the one who believes, start believing. If He says you reap what you sow, start sowing! Do what Jesus tells us to do. Follow the Word (it would help if some Christians would actually <i>read</i> it). God will see to it that all endeavors are supplied for when we are following <i>His instructions</i>. Are the situations you are facing a result of your obedience to God, or your own ideas? God has given us dreams and desires, but if we take it upon ourselves to see them through we will fail. If we try to do our own thing because it "seems right" the results can be severe (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2014:12&version=NKJV">Proverbs 14:12</a>)<br />
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We have been led to believe that God does not always abundantly supply. That "barely getting by" is still getting by, and that is all God promised us. That is a lie if ever there was one (try reading <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Corinthians%209:8&version=AMP">2Corinthians 9:8</a> and <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%204:19&version=AMP">Philippians 4:19</a>). When you get in line with what God is saying and doing, you cannot help but be Blessed (which means "empowered to prosper"). That doesn't mean the devil won't fight you. The fight is on. Jesus told us that we will receive 100-fold "with persecution" (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2010:29-30&version=NKJV">Mark 10:30</a>). But God <i>always </i>causes us to win (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%208:37&version=NKJV">Romans 8:37</a>). God is only a "barely getting by" God if you expect Him to be (or if you stick your fingers in your ear and hum when people read 2Corinthians or Philippians).<br />
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Make no mistake, the economic times are tough; but the Bible tells us that in times like these, the people of God will have an abundance (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2037:19&version=NASB">Psalm 37:19</a>). That abundance is found when you follow Jesus - to the letter - making His priorities your priorities (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%206:33&version=AMP">Matthew 6:33</a>). In the wake of God's Presence there is abundant supply is at our disposal. Are you following??Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408683194574532259.post-68656771288781239292011-10-14T13:58:00.000-07:002011-10-14T13:58:50.044-07:00Sin of the Self-ConsciousWe all do it. We all think it. We all fight it. Are we enough? Can we do it? What will they think of me? Will I fail again??<br />
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In this society, in this day and age, the battle to prove one-self is a fight that leaves many of us drained. We want to be bigger, faster, stronger, smarter, prettier, sexier, richer... We want to be on top. We want God to be proud of us, we want the Church to like us, we want to be right... We, we, we...<br />
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I battle these things all the time. In the natural, I have a record. I have done a lot of really dumb stuff. I have given Jesus a really bad name - both in and out of Church. I have hurt my friends, I have hurt my family, I have crushed my wife. I have cursed God to His face, lost faith, held grudges of all kinds against all people. I have been racist, insensitive, arrogant, depressed, hateful, hurtful, destructive - you name it, I probably did it. I have been the pinnacle of failure. The Church sees me as sinful and weak. And therefore God sees me as... Holy.<br />
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That's why He is God, and the Church is... Nevermind. Yesterday during my daily Scripture reading I came across this simple verse that catapulted my thinking to another level as the Holy Spirit shed His Light on His Word: "Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past" (Isaiah 43:18). In order for any of us to grow into full Christian maturity, we must learn to learn to set-aside all our person problems and look at ourselves the way Jesus does (the real Jesus, not the jerk a lot of religious minded people portray to the world). You are commanded not to look at your past failures. You are commanded not to look at your short-comings. You are commanded to look at your self through the eyes of the Word. Do it.<br />
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<i>I'm trying...</i> I know, and that is why it is so hard. There is not "try." There is only "do" (don't you dare quote Yoda on me...). The Lord pinned it very sternly in my Spirit, "you cannot have these self-conscious issues!" I promptly wrote that down in my journal, and then the Light came on when I saw it: <i>self-conscious</i>. Christian people should not be self-conscious. In fact, it is a sin. It is pride. It is you (or me) being so caught up with yourself and your issues that they take a front seat to everything else. What happen to "dying to self" (Matt 16:24; Gal 2:20)? What happened to "turning the other cheek"? What happened to being kingdom-minded? That should be our primary focus - not our own poor self-esteem. You focus on the things of God, and your self-esteem will wither away. We all have issues, we all have "stuff." But the time for focusing on those issues is over. It is time to see yourself as God sees you, and to let that be the only opinion that matters.<br />
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Anytime any of those thoughts of failure, unworthiness, unprettiness (I made that word up), or whatever come to your mind, do what the word says - cast them down (2Cor. 10:5). "I know but..." No more ifs, ands, or buts about it. It is a command. Not all of His commands are easy, but every one of them is more than doable. You have all the help you are ever going to get. Jesus said His grace is sufficient for these things (2Cor 12:9). And this is the exact subject He was referring to: a nagging devil causing trouble in your mind. He is telling you to take care of it. Cast it out of your mind and move on. You can do it! Jesus has placed His Holy Spirit within you. Do you really think you need any more help than that?! He said that the Spirit will take from Him and give it unto you. And then Jesus went on to say ALL THE FATHER HAS has been given to Him (John 16:12-15) That's a lot of stuff! This is doable. Look at yourself through the eyes of Jesus: more than a conqueror, the righteousness of God, heir according to the promise, most Blessed, smart, strong, beautiful, successful, one-of-a-kind. All the tools are there, all the power is yours. It is only as difficult as <i>you</i> make it...Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13731642592922314514noreply@blogger.com0