Over the years it has been amazing, and even amusing to look back at my life and see what God has done and also how big a fool I used to be. The overview of my life could probably be summed up by saying "I had to quit thinking and start believing." I tell you this "I am one blessed man to have had my eyes open to the truth, and that truth has set me free!" I had to quit taking only the things I wanted to hear from the Word and start embracing those things that rubbed me wrong or threw me into utter conviction as truth. Let's take a look at Jesus and how he deals with His disciples and those around Him. We will see that just because they believe in Him for a moment that this did not mean that they would have eternal life with Him. I posted on facebook a saying I saw last week that truly allows us to stop and think "Eternity will be a long time to think about what you should have done." Pretty profound I would say.
Jesus was heading in to the last days of His life when Matthew pens chapter 25. Things are intensifying and His teachings are becoming more 'Servant' related. He knew that the only way the gospel would go on is if He shared the secret to remaining devoted to Him and living in a manner worthy of eternity. He also knew that not everyone would embrace this truth and would perish (There were usually alot more people around than the twelve when He spoke).
Matthew 25:31-46:
"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His thronein heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will seperte the people one from another as a shepherd seperates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed be my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For i was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thristy and you gave me something to drink, i was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." "The the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?" "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." "The He will say to those one His left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me ntohing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help You?' He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me." "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
So, where are we in this parable? Jesus did not say "But if you have said the prayer or made a confession of faith then you're exempt!" He is sharing with His disciples and those around the same thing we need to know today "Just because you call me Lord it does not get you eternal life" (Parphrased for Matt. 7). They gave up everything for Him and followed Him around in the hot desert for over three years, and He is still lying out conditions to be His.
There are a couple of things worthy of noticing here..... Jesus is speaking 'Physical and Spiritual.' Yes, there are those who need food, clothes, visits, etc... but He is also letting them and and us know that there are many seeking 'Food' (The truth of the Word) 'Water' (He is the living water) 'Clothed' (To be clothed with the Word) 'Sick and in Prison' (Those who are in sin and the prison it places people in). So what are we doing? His disciples understood fully after His resurrection this parable. They spent the rest of their lives serving Him and others. Today people get upset when challenged to 'Do' as the scriptures tell us to. Jesus was not saying "Do these things once a week, month or year, but all the time."
last but not least I need to show you all one more amazing truth. Those who were doing what we told them they had done were doing it not even knowing they were. They loved Him so much and others that they were doing only that which was natural. They were not complacent as the others who thought they were good with their beliefs. What will we do with these scriptures? It would be best to act on them now realizing that His grace is being poured out giving us the opportunity to change and do what He desires instead of what we think. That my friends proves His love for us.... That He gives us the opportunity to get it right~
Monday, July 30, 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
Thou shalt not Judge
I cannot begin to tell you how many hours I spend a week just talking to God about why so many people remain to be deceived. It always comes back to one thing and that is "They do not know, or want to knwo the truth." We desire Jesus on our conditions and our flesh always wants Him at the least resistence to our lives and way of thinking.
Years ago (BC, Before Christ) I would always use that scripture many use today when I was being held accountable "Judge not lest ye be judged." Isn't it ironinc that this is probably the only scripture that most people can quote word for word? I cringe today when people use this scripture when they are held accountable. Unfortunately they have been taught this scripture as a 'defense' mechanism (I did too). Not many people understand (or want to) what Jesus was really saying to the people listening and to us today. The problem in most churches today is that they will pick a scripture and expound on it without keeping it in context. Let us look at this scripture in context. I always tell those listening that we have to keep scripture in context and the only way to do that is to go up at least 10 verses and down about 10 verses to get the context. Lets look....
Matthew 7:1-6:
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother 'Let me tke the speck outof your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. if you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces."
Jesus is not saying that we should not hold another accountable for wrong, but that we are to first get whatever is in our own lives right first. If we love our brother then we do as He says to do "Then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." The problem is this "many who claim to be Christians judge people for smoking while they are drinking. Many people still Judge people for cussing when they just change the word that they are using to sound a little better. Many people pick and choose what sin is, and justify sin in their lives while telling others they are sinners. Jesus is also pretty clear about sharing truth when others. There will be some that will cling to the first part of this scripture and do not want to understand the whole sum or they would have to change. These are the people who will always argue the truth and take the scripture (Which is sacred) and malign to their way of life.
Paul states in Romans two the same thing. He basically says "Clean up your own back yard before you can help clean up anothers." Paul also says in 1 Corinthians 5 that "God will judge those outside the church, we are to judge those inside the church." Every gospel and epistle written are to people who have wandered away from the truth and back to their own way of thinking. If not, then there would be no need for them to have ever been written. The Bible would have just been a 'Novel' instead of the life changing truth.
Love those around you who claim to be Christians. Tell the the truth instead of a lie. If we love deeply as Peter says in 1 Peter 4, then we will tell people the truth. If we love people then we will align our lives up to the Word so that they too will have hope to clean up their lives in order to help others to see that "With God all things are possible."
It really does not matter what side one chooses 'Onced saved always saved, or predestined', the truth prevails in the Word "Whoever claims to live in Him, must walk as Jesus did" (1 John 2:6). Jesus judged the hypocrites of His day for saying they loved God, but were not willing to live Holy for Him. He wanted them to know the truth, repent and be with Him in heaven. It is no different for us today. His heart is that we repent and be with Him throughout eternity. There have been many people over they years that have said this to me "A lot of people have told us the same thing, but you are living it, and that gives me hope." Can they say the same about your life? You are not reading this blog because just decided to read it, but God has given you breath of life today proving that He loves you. What you do with the Word will prove your love for Him~
Years ago (BC, Before Christ) I would always use that scripture many use today when I was being held accountable "Judge not lest ye be judged." Isn't it ironinc that this is probably the only scripture that most people can quote word for word? I cringe today when people use this scripture when they are held accountable. Unfortunately they have been taught this scripture as a 'defense' mechanism (I did too). Not many people understand (or want to) what Jesus was really saying to the people listening and to us today. The problem in most churches today is that they will pick a scripture and expound on it without keeping it in context. Let us look at this scripture in context. I always tell those listening that we have to keep scripture in context and the only way to do that is to go up at least 10 verses and down about 10 verses to get the context. Lets look....
Matthew 7:1-6:
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother 'Let me tke the speck outof your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. if you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces."
Jesus is not saying that we should not hold another accountable for wrong, but that we are to first get whatever is in our own lives right first. If we love our brother then we do as He says to do "Then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." The problem is this "many who claim to be Christians judge people for smoking while they are drinking. Many people still Judge people for cussing when they just change the word that they are using to sound a little better. Many people pick and choose what sin is, and justify sin in their lives while telling others they are sinners. Jesus is also pretty clear about sharing truth when others. There will be some that will cling to the first part of this scripture and do not want to understand the whole sum or they would have to change. These are the people who will always argue the truth and take the scripture (Which is sacred) and malign to their way of life.
Paul states in Romans two the same thing. He basically says "Clean up your own back yard before you can help clean up anothers." Paul also says in 1 Corinthians 5 that "God will judge those outside the church, we are to judge those inside the church." Every gospel and epistle written are to people who have wandered away from the truth and back to their own way of thinking. If not, then there would be no need for them to have ever been written. The Bible would have just been a 'Novel' instead of the life changing truth.
Love those around you who claim to be Christians. Tell the the truth instead of a lie. If we love deeply as Peter says in 1 Peter 4, then we will tell people the truth. If we love people then we will align our lives up to the Word so that they too will have hope to clean up their lives in order to help others to see that "With God all things are possible."
It really does not matter what side one chooses 'Onced saved always saved, or predestined', the truth prevails in the Word "Whoever claims to live in Him, must walk as Jesus did" (1 John 2:6). Jesus judged the hypocrites of His day for saying they loved God, but were not willing to live Holy for Him. He wanted them to know the truth, repent and be with Him in heaven. It is no different for us today. His heart is that we repent and be with Him throughout eternity. There have been many people over they years that have said this to me "A lot of people have told us the same thing, but you are living it, and that gives me hope." Can they say the same about your life? You are not reading this blog because just decided to read it, but God has given you breath of life today proving that He loves you. What you do with the Word will prove your love for Him~
Monday, July 9, 2012
Don't Blame Satan
Over the years I have heard many blame the devil, satan, or the enemy as an excuse for the sin they got tangled up in. Once I surrendered to the Lord I realized that if the Holy Spirit was in me, then I could not have an excuse for 'Any' sin that comes my way.
Jesus brother James gives a insight as to who is really behind deliberate or intentional sin. James say in 1 James 13-25 "When tempted, no one shold say, 'God is tempting me.' God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed." What is he saying? It's not the devil, or God, but 'Us!' we cannot blame anyone else.
John writes in John 13:2 "The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus." In John 13:27 he writes "As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into Him." These words echo in our lives also.
Stop, think, how many times have we blamed the devil, or others for our own personal desires? We don't like calling it sin, but that is what it really is. Satan may 'Prompt' us, but He cannot make our choices. Once we 'Choose the sin over the Savior' then satan enters us, and we follow him instead of the Spirit of God. It is time that we all 'Own' up for our choice to choose sin over Jesus. The Spirit of God will always lead us away, but we make the choice to let, or allow Satan in.
Many have taught alot of things over the years about why people fall away and get entangles once again in sin. The truth is always found in the mirror, and not around us. Next time there is something you want ot listen to, watch on Tv or the movies, wear, or give in to....."Ask youself this question "Jesus or the devil." It may surprise you that the choice really isn't hard at all~
Jesus brother James gives a insight as to who is really behind deliberate or intentional sin. James say in 1 James 13-25 "When tempted, no one shold say, 'God is tempting me.' God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed." What is he saying? It's not the devil, or God, but 'Us!' we cannot blame anyone else.
John writes in John 13:2 "The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus." In John 13:27 he writes "As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into Him." These words echo in our lives also.
Stop, think, how many times have we blamed the devil, or others for our own personal desires? We don't like calling it sin, but that is what it really is. Satan may 'Prompt' us, but He cannot make our choices. Once we 'Choose the sin over the Savior' then satan enters us, and we follow him instead of the Spirit of God. It is time that we all 'Own' up for our choice to choose sin over Jesus. The Spirit of God will always lead us away, but we make the choice to let, or allow Satan in.
Many have taught alot of things over the years about why people fall away and get entangles once again in sin. The truth is always found in the mirror, and not around us. Next time there is something you want ot listen to, watch on Tv or the movies, wear, or give in to....."Ask youself this question "Jesus or the devil." It may surprise you that the choice really isn't hard at all~
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)