My Journey through Romans 4

Justification Through Faith

In the previous blog I learned about the law of faith and how important it is to be obedient to that law for it is of the Gospel of Christ. In chapter three verse twenty two, the light shined that even “the righteousness of God is by faith of Jesus Christ upon all those that believe”.  In this chapter I am learning more about justification through faith. This is a touchy subject for many Christians and unbelievers alike. I’ve always wrestled with understanding justification for /through anything. Let us swing back a step and review the meaning of justification.

• Justification, in Christian theology, is God’s act of removing the guilt and penalty of sin while at the same time declaring a sinner righteous through Christ’s atoning sacrifice. In Protestantism, righteousness from God is viewed as being credited to the sinner’s account through faith alone, without works. ( Courtesy of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justification_(theology) )
• an acceptable reason for doing something : something that justifies an action
• Synonyms: reason, defense, excuse, validation-

 

You may or may not agree, but I found this verse to be the crux of understanding justification through faith (vs. 8- Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute (credit) sin.) Lord knows we are too familiar with sin and its many facets. We also know that sin has a fee attached to it and it is ALWAYS crouching at our door (Gen. 4:7) holding out its collection plate. Amen?

What many of us may miss in this chapter is the discussion of Abraham’s faith and how it was a spiritual matter between him and God. Even so with Rahab the prostitute. Think. Abraham went way out of his natural self to obey and please God. Which one of us would be that obedient to God as to sacrifice one of our children to Him? I’ll be honest and say that is something I could not bring myself to do, even with knowing of Abraham’s outcome.  My outcome could be something different if I were to make such a sacrifice. Lord, let me have that type of faith.  Abraham’s obedience clearly shows us that justification is through faith and not works. It reminds us of this scripture (Hebrews 11:6 – And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him)  

The bottom line concerning justification through faith for me was understanding that we are justified in the same way as Abraham- believing. But for us, it is belief in Jesus Christ, i.e. God’s sacrifice.   Not a one of us would be capable(unless you owned your own animal farm)  nor be obedient to the old law of killing animals to be a sacrifice for our daily sins. We’d just die because we could not meet that working quota. Do you know how many animal killings a day that would be?  Those animal rights groups would have a fit and we’d have to figure out another way to pay for our sins. But, God.

Instead of asking us to make a sacrifice as He did with Abraham, God knew we would not be that obedient. Therefore, God debited our account from the guilt and punishment of our sins by sacrificing His only begotten Son. “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. He was assigned a grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7-9) Knowing this I ponder why it is that we still waiver in our faith in Jesus?   Knowing this also, all Believers should thank God daily that we will not be asked to make any children and animal sacrifices for our sins ever again.  Just let that faith point soak in!  😛

Anywho, in this chapter I found out that we cannot “by any means necessary” work our way to God, doing so-called “church work” or any other works. Justification is God’s work because it is He who fulfills the promise through our faith in His Son. Do tell… how is it that we think we can “earn” our way into heaven when we are incapable of sacrificing one of our children as Abraham did?  I sure am learning more about the spiritual role faith plays on this journey. Obeying and pleasing God is a spiritual matter. (TYHS) It even caused me to pause and think long about God’s reasoning through the ages of loving generations of a disobedient people. Maybe he thinks of Barbara Streisand’s song, “The way we were” in the Garden of Eden before the serpent slid in.  I think of the moment too, walking with God up close and personal as Adam and Eve did. What a joyful day that will be.

In conclusion, I am assured that we receive justification through faith in Christ. Key words –Faith In Christ. Thank you for riding along with me on this journey.

***Recent find, please enjoy Brother Noel’s biblical stance: https://gospelmuse.com/2014/01/19/are-you-justified-by-faith-or-by-works/

Folly’s Antidote – Ecclesiastes 10

Let us take a look at the word folly, shall we?

Folly-n-the lack of good sense or judgment: a foolish act or idea: foolish behavior; Synonyms: absurdity, asininity, bêtise, craziness, fatuity, foolery, foppery, idiocy, irrationality, imbecility, inanity, insanity, lunacy, stupidity

If we were to be honest with self, can we agree that more than once in our lives we have experienced folly in our personal lives? I know that I have experienced many instances of lacking sense, behaving foolishly and just plain irrational when things didn’t go as I thought they should or just so stressed or angered  that led to making wrong decisions.

WE HAVE ALL HAD WHAT THEY CALL A “KEEPING IT REAL” MOMENT.

Sometimes folly just happens because of inexperience and/or no training of manners and matters. We just say or do things not becoming of our Lord because we lack experience or training in what He expects of us. Have you been there? (NIV Verse 13-14) “At the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness— and fools multiply words. No one knows what is coming— who can tell someone else what will happen after them?” I am sure this happens to all, but some of us won’t admit it to self. Since God knows, I don’t see any sense in hiding the truth about self from self. It’s a stage that we all go through. Sometimes when you ask a true friend about your behavior and there is a silence that speaks louder than any words uttered, that’s a good sign that something needs to change about your behavior. And then there are those who feel the need to yap about something until they prove THEIR point, they seem to be using the drug of choice known as folly.

Please read Chapter 10 and let the Holy Spirit show you the importance of wisdom because tis true according to verse 1 that

 “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.” (KJV)

“As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.”(NIV)

 

 

Here’s the thing about folly. No matter how glorious or fantastic your life may be going, or how others perceive you as one of good character, one slip on the folly drug and you no longer are looked upon as one of good character by others. Folks have a hard time seeing the true actions of your heart. Even more importantly when you examine self, you have to be conscious of what your heart, not character says to God. Are others to judge? Are you to judge?

We all have experienced and will experience negative behaviors-character flaws in our lives associated with folly for whatever reason. We are to become wise and learn from our mistakes. Sometimes this takes a lot of practice.Verse one in this chapter speaks louder than an atomic bomb.

Once the smallest stench is found among the strongest of pleasant smells, the stench takes over. You will have to work hard to get rid of  a little stench, correct? In verse 10 Solomon agrees with me. He says that “If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.” How does one go about obtaining “skill” that “will bring success?” What is the definition of skill?

Skill –n- the ability to do something that comes from training, experience, or practice 

How do we get rid of the dead flies and the stench?  I’m glad you asked. Dearest flowers, we, as the people of God need to focus on becoming more skillful and knowledgeable of what He requires, lack folly, and become less concerned about proving a point to show whose right or wrong. To do this, we must “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

With Him directing your paths you too will find that the ANTIDOTE for FOLLY is WISDOM. Wisdom helps us to get rid of stench and the dead flies just waiting to stink us up. Wisdom helps us to give off a more pleasing aroma to God. 

Courtesy of Pinterest.Com

 

 

“He that reads and grows no wiser-seldom suspects his own deficiency, but complains of hard words and obscure sentences, and asks why books are written which cannot be understood.” ― Samuel Johnson

 

I Love You

Confirm Your Calling and Election through A Heart Baking Process

Guess what I was reading? You’re right. High Five!   2 Peter 1. His thoughts are right on point, so I’ll let those be my thoughts as well for this blog. The heart is a powerful baking tool. Allow me a few thoughts, please. After reading this, the Holy Spirit has shown me that I (we) have been given the ability to confirm our calling and election through the knowledge of God. It truly and faithfully lies within us. Heed the message in verse 3-4 & 19 underlined below.

In all the confirmation stages we experience throughout life given to us by God, there is always diligent work to be done and it starts from within our heart. Work….that comes from the heart which in turn transmits the want to become righteous to the mind and body. However diligence to do God’s will appears to be an important stage in that of us confirming our calling and election. To me it is like baking a cake or pie. The aroma is pleasing to us, just like our goodness is pleasing to God, when it is well-done. Sometimes the product doesn’t turn out right due to its baker leaving out ingredients, making shortcuts, or by not following the right steps, you know add this next or add this after such and such time. If you know how to bake things, you know the steps. If it is well-done, it smells good. If it is under cooked or burnt, there is a lingering stench.

Like it or not, we too will have to go through a baking process to become well-done. I know that I’ve got work to be diligent in doing. I want to hear these words when facing My Lord – “Well Done”

Diligence- (n) constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken; persistent exertion of body or mind.

2 Peter 1

Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.

Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Let’s get out our mixing HEART bowl and fill with the 7 ingredients below. The more you measure out, the better it will be. Let us BE DILIGENT in kneading these things together, adding as needed to confirm our calling and election:

• add to your faith virtue

• add to virtue knowledge

• add to knowledge temperance

• add to temperance patience

• add to patience godliness

• add to godliness brotherly kindness

• add to brotherly kindness charity

Peter reminds us in verses 10-11 the result of our baked product:

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, YE SHALL NEVER FALL: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Are you working towards being sure you will be well done? A baked good falls when it is not prepared thoroughly, i.e. diligently and when taken out of the oven too soon or too late. Let us be sure “Ye shall never fall.”

I Love You

Love Covers A Multitude Of Sins

Finding Fake In The Church- My Thoughts :-)

Happy June 1 to All!

•  Fake- adj.- Having a false or misleading appearance; fraudulent; v.tr.  To contrive and present as genuine; counterfeit.

The Story.

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Genesis 18:16-33

When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way.  Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?  Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”  Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”

The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord. Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?  What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?  Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”  The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” 

Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?” If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.”  Once again he spoke to him, “What if only forty are found there?” He said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.”

Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?” He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”  Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?” He said, “For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.”

Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?” He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”  When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.

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Don’t leave. Stay with me on this please. Finding Fake in the Church.

How’d she do that?

 

I place no focus on any particularly named church. I’m speaking of the Christian Church as a whole.  I’m sure to make some hot about my thoughts, and that’s cool.  The Christian Church is NOT perfect. The Lord said he wishes the church was one or the other, just not lukewarm. (Revelation 3:15-16-  I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.)

I was reading about Sodom and Gomorrah this great evening and the title of this blog flew out from the pages with a few run-ins with the Book of Revelation. So let me get this right. The cities were destroyed anyway, and there were less than ten who were found righteous in the eyes of the Lord.  I wonder why Abraham didn’t ask for the sake of four. That Abraham sure knew how to count by fives and tens. Amazing how the Lord started out with a head count of fifty and the count dwindled.

What I found shooting at me is that God told Abraham, “I will know.”  That has never stuck out to me before while reading those verses until now. We forget sometimes that God knows whatever it is we do in and for the church that appears as work in the Lord to others. We forget sometimes that God knows what we say, think, and feel about others in the church, it is no secret to Him, nor a few of its church members, i.e. GOSSIP.  What the church is doing today with its fake members is an outcry that has reached God and He knows.  The signs are upon us. If a head count of fifty were to be done in the church you attend, how many do you think would end up on the “found righteous” list? Would you be on the list?  Are we trying to pass plexiglass off as a diamond in the church? God loves working with things and people that His light can shine through. See the difference below in being like plexiglass (Fake) and being like a diamond.  

***Note (Courtesy of EHow) – Plexiglass is a clear type of acrylic most commonly used in place of glass. It  is considered a “soft acrylic”, meaning it has a higher sensitivity to heat than  harder acrylic materials. Plexiglass is prone to some melting (smearing) and  chipping on the edge that is being cut.

Diamonds are the hardest natural substance known that resists scratching. They  are used for their durability to cut through many solid materials, including  other diamonds. The beauty of how light passes through and shines upon a diamond  has made it the favorite choice for jewelry and most popular gem around the  world.***

Since the beginning of the Christian church through the present,(reference the New Testament), there were/are those committed to the Lord and then there are those who were/are committed to running things their way and putting a fake plexiglass spin on how the church  and its member should be.  Ask self from within your heart… Self what is the reason the Christian Church exist?

What’s shocking to me is that most of us can still Find Fake in certain churches of which we attended as a child. Too many church members are participants of a fake group. It’s like a bad gene that passes from generation to generation within the church. There are children who need discipline in church when it comes to being attentive and respectful during worship service or bible study classes. There are members in our choir stands, behind our pulpits,  in front of the pulpit( the pews), teaching, serving on church boards, and over various programs within the church who have fake-I-tis.  And we wonder why some churches don’t prosper in the name of Jesus. Hmmph! Here’s why…God doesn’t like fake, especially when it comes to His people.

Take a look around…The church is neither hot nor cold, fluctuating here and there, where its members cater to the body called self and to appointed positions within the church while proclaiming to be a child of God. Some church staffers cater to older namesakes of the church they attend, or to those they think have a status in the community or with their job, and that is sad.  There are members who think they own the church they attend.  Has anyone ever asked to look at the deed for your church? 🙂 

The church have always had ministers or other church leaders throughout the ages that were afraid to speak up the truth for fear of losing their place in the church. What about losing your place with God? The church also had and currently have ministers and church leaders who were/are not afraid to speak up the truth , rebuke and discipline certain members within their congregations. Jesus didn’t fake it, he said what was needed to be said, never losing His place, and kept on spreading the truth.  People need to realize that FAKE actions feed division in the church. Division in the church does not allow the church to multiply in the name of Jesus.  I don’t do fake, simply because of  life and death situations I’ve gone through. We all go through things that should stop us from being fake. Time is not a joke.  It is real and it is short.  I repeat, I’m speaking of the Christian Church as a whole.

I’ve seen and heard a lot of fake things going on in the Lord’s house since I was as they say….knee high to a grasshopper.  I too, have specks in my eye, but they are not fake specks. The Holy Spirit can show you a lot of things while sitting in church and anywhere else.  It pays to be very aware of your spiritual surroundings and people around you, no matter where you are. Yes, we all sin. Yes there are those who work towards being more like Christ. Here’s your sign.  Revelation 3:14-22. Read about the Church in Laodicea.  We CANNOT fool God. Those in this type of communion with others every Wednesday, Saturday, or Sunday need not only to be in prayer for those who fake it, but give rebuke and discipline out of love, and repentance should follow. 

Here’s our sign again!….Church of Laodicea. Being lukewarm, i.e. being insincere will cause us to be spit out of the mouth of God. Faking it with others is the same as being insincere, i.e. two-faced, that’s my opinion.  I never did like that aphorism…..“Fake it till you make it!” 

 Acknowledging and rebuking FAKE-I-TIS works when you do it out of love for Jesus and the person in question.  Jesus said so to this type church “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me. To those who are victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.”

Each of us, who are Christians that attend a church of our choice, belong to one of the seven types of churches mentioned in the book of Revelation. It is within us individually to use our God-given power to work together to end the act of being fake in our churches. Prayer works. But Jesus said rebuke and discipline works even better for those He loves. So if we claim to love those in our congregations that we KNOW are faking it, should we not rebuke and discipline as well?  There is nothing wrong with a person being called to the side in confidence about their ungodly action(s) or behavior. If most of us were to be called out in front of the church today, there would be some empty pews and pulpits.

Rebuke is just a stronger form of encouragement when done out of love. Most of us get mad when rebuked and disciplined by others, because we lack wisdom and/or we are “set in our ways”.

Side Note:- Proverbs 28:23 (NIV)

 Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor rather than one who has a flattering tongue.

There is nothing wrong with encouraging others, just don’t put ice in a cup with boiling water, to make it lukewarm. We’ve got to bring fire to get fired up in the Lord so we won’t be put in the ever-burning fire.  We have got to bring fire to overcome the fire that’s a coming per the book of Revelation…. let us prepare ourselves. Being fake will not help us overcome. With that being said, that takes me back to the story above about Sodom and Gomorrah. The cities were destroyed by fire. When Jesus returns for His REAL Body, the Christian Church, make sure you are not one of those amongst the fake lukewarm body of believers.  Those who are still sitting up in the church faking it and not repenting upon His return will be destroyed by the ever-burning fire. Don’t proclaim that you love everybody in the church when your actions show otherwise. There is no way in the world that a fake person can be considered a righteous person. You have to serve the Lord with everything REAL.

Being fake my beloved prohibits the Body of Christ, i.e., the Christian Church, from becoming earnest and repentant. Being fake especially in His house grieves Him and does not glorify Him.  It was obvious to me that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah did not glorify the Lord. Check out this  State of the Cities address the Lord gave to Abraham—- Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”   What state will your church be in before His return? Will the Lord find it filled with FAKE members?

I’ll say it again…. We cannot fool God.  God said, ” I will know.” Beloved ones, there WILL BE NO FAKING IT  TILL WE MAKE IT. 

Now, I do like this aphorism….Keep it Real!   Let’s us all be earnest and repentant ( Keep it Real) so that we may be well-disciplined in Him upon His return. I am speaking to self as well via the Holy Spirit. Let us get our churches on fire and in order for the Lord by being on one REAL accord when we worship Him wholeheartedly together. Let us pray to become a diamond in our lives and in the church. Kudos and blessings to those who are keeping it real in the church. Jesus is the reason for every season, not just the Christmas season.

I am through shooting off my thoughts. Ahem! You may now start firing the darts or water gun.

I LOVE YOU

LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS

Closing Note: Psalm 141:5 (NIV)

 Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness; let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it,     for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

A Place Called Life- A Place Called Death- My Thoughts

These past two months back to back, week to week, I’ve experienced once again on a personal level death among several close family members and friends. Allow me to refresh our memories with definitions.

 Life-(n)- (1)the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolism, reproduction, and the power of adaptation to environment through changes originating internally. (2) a corresponding state, existence, or principle of existence conceived of as belonging to the soul: eternal life.
 Death-(n)-(1)the act of dying; the end of life; the total and permanent cessation of all the vital functions of an organism. (2) extinction; destruction

While practically living at the hospital and nursing home these past months, I was reminded of several things. There are lots of women, young and older bringing children into the world without the male parent present. Life is funny, they obviously where there during the seeding.  😦   There are lots of elderly or disabled people lying in hospital beds, nursing homes and even their homes, without family members being present or any family at all. While the birth of my two grand gifts (grandkids)in January and April brought joy, it also brought sadness because I know of the heartache and pain they will eventually experience right along with others who have been given a place in life.

I think I cried for most of April because I just felt the sadness, disappointment, and pain of others. I cry when people do wrong even after I’ve spoken my peace.(not piece)  I cry when I am overblown with anger of wrongdoing to others. This is why sometimes I try hard to stay away from people because I get tuned into their spirit. It’s draining and it’s weird sometimes, because I can’t prevent them from experiencing heartaches and death and can’t make them heed advice. I can only give of self and time and pray for a healing for all, and even that at times becomes draining. Thank you Jesus! Thank you Holy Spirit!

When my aunt’s days in this place of life were dwindling down and she was hospitalized, family members started telling me a whole lot of things I was not prepared to hear and expected me to put people in their place. I made sure they knew it was not my job and that I was not God, and reminded them that God knows it all and He will take care of the issues. It was very saddening to hear a lot of those things. All I can say is this…if you have parent(s) that have been a true parent to you, don’t ever neglect them or show disrespect towards them while they have been given a place in life.

It was saddening to me to find out that there are elderly and disabled people that receive care and visits only from staffed members. I was in awe, to learn that even family members did not spend quality time visiting with their relatives in the hospital and nursing homes. Where oh where have we gone wrong in this world, in this place of Life, with compassion, respect, and love for others? Let me be honest, it actually made me more angry than sad.

How do I know this you may ask? I’m nosey when I see a need not being met or an absence of love being felt. Most of the times, I just feel the presence. Whenever I would walk down the halls of the hospital or nursing home, I’d see patients just lying there in their beds looking lifeless or their mind seems to be elsewhere and they were lying there or eating alone. I started praying as I walked the halls and peeping in rooms for the Holy Spirit to be with and help these people. I don’t know what wrong they may have done to others during their life and I don’t and didn’t care. What mattered each time I saw this, was that the individuals needed prayer and to be shown someone cared and to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives me great insight into the pain and need of others and boy did it hurt. The biggest thing I felt inside is that though these people are breathing, they are actually dead in a sense in the place of  life and most  are awaiting death without any hope or faith. It’s so sad. Some were under the delusion that somebody in their family was “coming to get me” and “coming to see me”.  😦  😦
These things reminded me of something I read in the Book of Isaiah 43: 7-13 and Ephesians 2: 7-13 about why we are given or have life. This is just my thought, you may think otherwise.

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Isaiah
 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth. Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God. Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?

Ephesians
That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

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And now, with that being my scriptural documentation and belief, let me almost finish this up. We, even us who call ourselves Christians, have bouts of forgetfulness of what God requires of us. We either don’t have time or make time, we don’t know or don’t want to know about the lack of love and care given to others, we don’t want to take on the burdens of others when it is clear they have family available, we have lost the true meaning of compassion and what it means to truly and wholeheartedly give to others via the Holy Spirit and in the name of Jesus and might I add, in the eyes of God in this place we call Life.

Since the Holy Spirit lives within us as Christians as our Helper and Comforter, whom the Father sent to us in Jesus’ place for a set time in this place called life,  should we not share and give of that help and comfort to others?

The church of today which is the Body of Christ that includes you and I as a Christian, place way too much focus on financial stewardship via financial giving so much so, that members are forgetting that giving of time and self to others is hiding and buried under the last row of pews in the church crying to be heard and done. We forget that giving of self, time, and helping others is also a form of stewardship. Wake Up! What did the verse above in Ephesians say?
WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS UNTO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD HATH BEFORE ORDAINED THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.

I ask self and I ask you…Are we as Christians really walking in the way that God ordained that we should walk in this place called life? Jesus was given life by God to live on this earth for a set time. Per our bible studies, what is the one thing that stands out about Jesus’ life to you and God? We are also given a set time on this earth, what is the one thing that stands out to others, self and God about our being? If we call ourselves Christians, Followers of Christ Jesus, and/or Children of God…Folks we KNOW, without a doubt what should be or could be done to walk in His ways. We have been given a place in life to do such. We have been created for His glory. God said so. When we are in the place of death, we can do NOTHING in His ways.

Let us be reminded, we are God’s witnesses per Isaiah’s verse above. He and only He is our Deliverer. Satan has NO power over your place in life or in death. He is not the deliverer of your soul of the place in death, nor is he the one who has given you a place in life. See how weak he is? God is ALWAYS in control and in charge in the place of life and death.
Recognize and Remember..…GOD IS….He told Moses in the Book of Exodus 3:14, so Moses told us via the scriptures,

“I AM WHO I AM, tell them I AM sent you”. He also told Moses that “I AM” is his name to be “called from generation to generation.”
 So the next time somebody try to shut you down, do wrong against others or self, or speak ill will, you tell them – The God who is I AM is listening and watching everything you say and do.
He told John in the Book of Revelation to relay the message to us in the first chapter, after the introduction “I AM THE ALPHA AND OMEGA, SAYS THE LORD GOD, WHO IS, AND WHO WAS, AND WHO IS TO COME, THE ALMIGHTY.” And if that wasn’t enough as a reminder, He reminds us again in Revelation 22, the final chapter of the bible.

Lookie Here Folks!

 “I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA, THE FIRST AND THE LAST, THE BEGINNING AND THE END.”

Doesn’t that prove He and only He is over the place of life and the place of death?
And then there is the place called Death. What can we do in the place called Death? We can’t reach out to others. We can’t cry for others. We can’t give to or love others. We can’t show good works in the place called Death. We can’t even gossip anymore in this place.  We can’t even go shopping.  🙂  Everything we need to do as children of God should be done in the place called Life. Jesus took care of and paid for our biggest burden through His place in death.  The least we can do is partake of this same act (easing a burden) for those who are in this place called life in His name before we are given over to the place called death.

I don’t recall who said “find a hurt and heal it”, but I beg of you all to find one and began the healing process for yourself and for others. Don’t fret over end times and signs, be watchful, believe in the Lord and have faith in His will as the Lord says, but do not fret. It is my opinion, that if you fret, you lose sight of His will and eventually lose faith in Him. We know the outcome. Those who are in Christ will overcome. Stay in Christ while in this place called Life. Do what needs to be done in the name of Jesus while we are in this place called Life before being given over to the place called Death.
His will shall be and will be done regardless. Be absolutely sure that you have done well for and with others in the name of Jesus in the place called Life before reaching the place called Death. Thank You Holy Spirit!

 

 

LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS

If You Knew-My Thoughts On Learning From Others In The Bible

Good Great Saturday Morning/Afternoon to you beloved.  I’ve been in deep study and thought again with the OT(Old Testament), which was one of my resolutions for this New Year, to complete a book for my grandkids about what grandma thinks and believes about God, as my papaw did for I without him knowing it. I inherited a lot of his books and writings after his death.  I hope to share with you a series about people of the OT and lessons I learned from their behavioral actions. I hope you enjoy it, and as I always say, you may not agree,and that is fine. I just ask that you keep in mind that these are my thoughts revealed to me by none other than the Holy Spirit, Himself, for my understanding of the Lord. Thank you Jesus!

If You Knew

If you knew the exact time you were going to die, what would you change in your life during that additional period(s) guaranteed to you? This is something I was thinking about concerning wasted time that we have all experienced and thoughts of how to somewhat correct past behaviors, thoughts, and actions thereof. I have learned these past three weeks and know from my experience that “silence is golden” when you put yourself in the Lord’s presence and see yourself through His eyes. Just sit quietly to self and He will reveal. There are some things you may not like or can’t believe about self.  Unveiling is a powerful thing!

So anywho! I was reading in the OT again searching for something really deep about being given a 2^nd chance to live life differently up to a certain day of guaranteed death told to you.  Here is where the remembrance of King Hezekiah kicked in.  After reading about him again, I also pondered, why was it that Adam was not given another chance to live perfectly again? That’s another blog and thought I suppose.

First I’ll share what I took from my Comprehensive Analysis of the Bible by Montgomery F. Essig, 1922 Edition about Hezekiah. Lord, I wish this edition was online so I could have just copied and pasted. Here we go!

Hezekiah – a form of a Hebrew word meaning “strength of Jehovah.”  Hezekiah was the twelfth king of Judah and one of the best of Judah’s kingly line, although he was the son of the idolater Ahaz.  He was born about 726 B.C., ascended the throne when about twenty-five years old, and reigned twenty-nine years.  One of the first acts of his reign was to do away with the idol-worship that had grown under his father and restore the true faith. He then turned his attention to win back the cities captured by the Philistines.  His success in these military operations led him to refuse tribute to Assyria, which nation had already destroyed the kingdom of Israel and led away the ten tribes captive.  This act brought to his doors an Assyrian army, and Hezekiah was forced to make terms by despoiling the Temple of gold to give to the Assyrians, who promptly broke faith, and were just as promptly punished by God, who in a night destroyed 180,000 of them by plague.  Hezekiah fell ill, and, after earnest prayer, was told by the prophet Isaiah that God would spare his life for fifteen years.  The remainder of his reign appears to have been peaceful and prosperous. References 2 Kings 16;18;19;20.

I shall add a bit more here about Hezekiah.  His mother, Abijah, was the daughter of King Zechariah. You do know that King David was Hezekiah’s grandfather, right?  And that because of Ahaz’s reign of not doing right in the eyes of the Lord, Israel was once again exiled because of Sin to Assyria?  In 2 Kings 17:18-19 the bible tells us that –So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from His presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left, and even Judah did not keep the commands of the Lord their God. They followed the practices Israel has introduced. 

His wife’s name was Hephzibah of which Manasseh was seeded.  It occurred to me that during the reign of kings throughout the families, that one generation would do good; then the next generation would do bad in the eyes of the Lord, and so on and so on. In other words, it seemed generations took turns between doing good and bad in the eyes of the Lord. I see that happening in my family and many others of which I am aware of their family history. There appears to be some type of skip a generational curse existing thingy. (Read the books of Judges – 2 Chronicles for specifics)

In 2 Kings 18:5-8, it tells us that- Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses.  And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.  From watchtower to fortified city, he defeated the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory.

Did you know that it was Hezekiah who broke “into pieces” the bronze snake Moses made that was used to cure the Israelites from snake bites back in Moses’ day? Here’s the story about Moses’ snake.

Numbers 21:4-9 (NIV) The Bronze Snake

 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way;they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”  Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.  The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.”  So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

So now back to Hezekiah….please open your bible or do a net search and read 2 Kings 20. It is a powerful chapter and a lesson in there to be learned for all. I am to close this out some time soon.

If the Lord sent a messenger, or told you Himself, “Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”…. I ask again….If you knew….what would you change in your life? At that given moment Hezekiah only had a moment’s notice.  To most, if given that message, there would be nothing they could think of to do, but to lie there and die, call an ambulance, or try to write out a quick will via a phone call to a lawyer.  😛   But ah ha! here lies the strongest link in a weakest moment encountered….Watch out! Here it comes! When Hezekiah was told this, he did WHAT?  He prayed to the Lord, and this my loves, is how the 15 years was added to his life. Ask Him in faith and ye shall receive according to His will, huh? I think he was about 54 or close to it when he died.

Hezekiah really did prove to those of us, me included, in reading this; that the verses above (2 Kings 18:5-8) were kept until his death. Not only that, whatever the Lord said to Hezekiah, he accepted, whether good or bad. It made me think again about the simplicity of trusting in the Lord. We don’t have a quarter of the incidents happen in our lives that Hez had and most can’t find it in ourselves to put and keep that trust in to him until our death. We surely don’t want bad news from the Lord and we would not be as accepting of it as Hezekiah was. It is hard for us to come to grips with accepting our fate. Right? What I find even more amazing is that the bible tells us there was never another king like Hezekiah, neither before him nor after him. Thank you Holy Spirit! Brain power kick……There was never one like Jesus before Him or after Him either, nor to come.

What lesson(s) did you learn from reading about Hezekiah?

More on Hezekiah can be found in the Books of 2 Chronicles 29-32 and Isaiah 36-39. Another thing I found powerful in reading about Hezekiah is that he “thought” that……. “There will be peace and security in my lifetime.”  Is that a thought of yours? If you were seconds away from your death, would you be able to utter those words?

2 Kings 20:7-11 (NIV)

Then Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” They did so and applied it to the boil, and he recovered.  Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the temple of the Lord on the third day from now?”  Isaiah answered, “This is the Lord’s sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: Shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall it go back ten steps?”  “It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,” said Hezekiah. “Rather, have it go back ten steps.”  Then the prophet Isaiah called on the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.

My prayer and wish for you and self….Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him,and he will make your paths straight.

I LOVE YOU

LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS

Related articles

• The God Of Hezekiah (savedbygraceblogdotcom.wordpress.com)
• Isaiah 39. Babylonian captivity of Judah foretold. Messengers from Babylonia (KJV) (bummyla.wordpress.com)

Countenance-Your Appearance In God’s Eyes-My Thoughts

As I opened by bible today for a brief break earlier while at work, the pages fell open to Genesis 4. I began reading and boing! I was reading something I really had paid little attention to in the past.
Chapter 4 discusses the seeding of Cain and Abel, and momentous events in their lives. Later on in the chapter it mentions the seeding of Seth. We know the story, Abel became a keeper of flocks and Cain worked the soil. They both brought offerings to the Lord. Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil and Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The story goes on to state that the Lord looked with favor upon Abel and his offering, but had no favor upon Cain and his offering. Why? I asked self as I have done many times before when reading this chapter. I arrived at a conclusion  a while back, that my answer and God’s favor hid in the wording that I have bolded above.
Ages ago, I use to catch an attitude about God’s actions when reading this because I was thinking, how could God not show favor to Cain ?..…he gave an offering from things he grew in the soil, but most importantly he gave to God. We all know gardening is not a simple task and most of us put our heart into it. However……..Thank you Holy Spirit for providing the understanding through the years.

Cain just brought some and appeared to have given little thought about whether it was the FIRST fruit or last to give to God. Abel gave some of his FIRST born flock.  Non acceptance from God of Cain’s offering led Cain to become angry and his face became downcast. I thought his behavior normal, because as humans that is our behavioral  pattern when rejected, misled, disappointed and shown no favor when we think ,(not taking into account what the receiver may think )we’ve done well by our actions.
Before I go any further, let’s scan over the words below.

• Angry- cross, annoyed, irritated, irate, mad, livid
• Downcast- sad, depressed, disappointed, discouraged, disheartened
• Countenance-n- appearance, especially the look or expression of the face 
• Sin-n- transgression of divine law; any reprehensible or regrettable action, behavior, lapse, etc.; great fault or offense

The new lighting I found after removing the lamp shade is in the verses below:

Genesis 4:6-7
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
There’s my “boing”!  Did you see it? I have always loved how God asks a question and then gives an answer. How did I ever miss that God said “sin is crouching at your door”? Pull out your bibles and read the rest of the story in Genesis 4. We will discover within this chapter that Cain eventually, did not rule over that “crouching” sin, he was cursed by God and became a “restless wanderer”.
The other thing I want to make note of is how our countenance gives away what is truly on the mind and heart. I’m a great expressions watcher. It’s almost like a natural second job to me, but doesn’t pay the bills, (but God) allows me to own that gracious gift. Some of us probably wish that we could walk around with a face eraser to erase most of the expressions that show. Not happening! even with a mask on.  The eyes can still be read along with body positioning.
How many times folks have we done something half-heartedly? How many times have we been shamed because we saw others giving someone else a gift, and we didn’t give…. then run out to buy a gift because you saw someone else give?

Besides, we are told in Ephesians 5:11- Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
So back to Cain’s countenance we go. The lessons I learned from verses 6-7 are:
1. Doing right in the eyes of God is acceptable and that we should give to God from the heart.
2. Doing wrong in the eyes of God is not acceptable and has consequences. (Have you ever watched the Truth or Consequences game show? For those who are younger than I, here’s a tidbit about the show- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_or_Consequences )
3. Sin is right at your door waiting for the right opening moment to jump in. The longer sin crouches, the more cramps it gets and can’t jump as quickly. This will allow you more time to practice taking control of the “crouching” sin.  🙂
4. Sin’s desire and Satan’s ultimate goal is to rule over the children of God.
5. We as children of God, heirs of His promise, “MUST rule over” sin in order to be in line with His will.
6. Sin is a thing. Don’t let THINGS rule over you that are not good for the Body of Christ.

Visualize This As Being Sin’s Position

Here’s one of my favorite reminders to self when sin tries to rule over me and change my countenance from being joyful in the Lord. I like sharing these verses with people whose countenance becomes downtrodden for whatever reason sometimes unbeknownst to me. It’s a great pick me upper and it pays to remember who you are in Christ.

Ephesians 5:8-10 – For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of the light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. 

Sticky Note—When you appear before the Lord while living on this earth, make sure you have your countenance in check. Remember that He is watching us at all times. Henceforth, whatever you do, make sure that it is from the heart, that it is right, and that it is pleasing to God, to recieve His favor.

 

Love Covers A Multitude of Sins