The Bible is the Word of God.
As we meditate on it daily, are we really recieving the nourishment from it the way we really should?
If we do not eat we become weak. Do you grow weak when you do not read the word for a day, or if you did not pray?
When you do your QT do you really understand the meaning of those devotionals?
Do you use it as a tool to parade your knowledge, or did you really learn to change your life?
What have you learned?
What has changed?
Is it really because you have understood everything?
Then should there not be change in your life?
A spiritual change.
No one has yet come to ask any questions about the devotionals, maybe it is because you truly do understand.
Then for one year since you have started there must be a change.
It is simple, you are to die.
How much have you died?
How much gave you humbled yourself before God?
How much have you served your neighbor?
Who here has asked for forgiveness from those around you?
Even though you do not speak, we can see it in your face.
What has changed about you?
I am not talking baout your entire life, I am asking you about this past one year.
How much have you fallen on your knees asking God to forgive you for your sins?
Rather you still desire to do the same things you have always been doing.
You still want God to let you live the life you want.
How is it that God's word does not pierce your heart?
It pierces joint and marrow, but why do you not feel it?
Without repentance there can be no blessing.
It is the poor who will recieve the kingdom.
The beatitudes speak of death, humility, sacrifice.
It talks about letting go of the world.
If you want to meet Jesus you must let go.
The beatitides speak if blessings that can only be recieved when you let go of the world, but the problem is these things are not written in your heart.
Psalms 1 talks about how to recieve blessings, even Psalms 23 we have all memorized.
The rod and staff of God is not about what I want but where God leads me.
If you want His blessings then humble yourself before God.
What use it is to know the bible when it has no power in your life?
You don't need many verses, you just need one to fill your heart and change your life.
Just one verse, one word, and it is enough to guide you in your entire life.
You do not need to try to understand everything at once.
Once it becomes clear then everything will be shown to you.
You must choose to consume the word and make it your own.
It does me no good that the people I know understand the bible.
It does me no good that my spouse knows the word, if I do not.
It is better to know one verse in the bible and live your life according to it, rather than to memorize the entire bible and not live the life.
Is it because you do not know the bible that you lie, steal, are filled with pride, hate and do worng business?
Do you think God desires you to steal and give Him much or live right and give Him from what you made honestly?
Start now.
Change your mind, and your actions today.
Not because I tell you, if that is so then do not do it.
Return the QT books if you are going to keep it on the shelf.
Pray about what you are reading and change your life and live according to the word.
That is a Christian.
We do not believe a dead Christ, He is alive.
If He is alive and we do not live like He does then can we call ourselves a Christian?
Do you belive a dead Jesus, then rid yourself of Him, believe in the Jesus who is alive and chaneg your life.
Ask God what you must do to live in Christ.
If you believe in a dead Jesus you cannot go to heaven.
He has resurrected therefore you too must rise and live like Him.
The Word of God is alive.
It lives in me.
You must change.
The times are changing.
Christ can come at anytime.
What does it matter if He comes today, tomorrow, 10 years from now or 100 years from now.
Live the way you should for judgement will befall us all.
You do not know when you will die.
Only God knows.
Do not think that you are going to live a long life.
What if He calls you tonight?
If you have sin in your life repent now.
Why do you want to live another day in sin?
What does it serve?
There is too much to do in Christ.
What you want to do is to live you life in sin, smoking, drinking, having sex.
You must live so that the word of God comes alive through you.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
The Life in God
What happens when you remain in God's love?
What happens to one who is in His love?
We all want love.
We want God to love us and we also want people to love us, but many of us do not understand love.
We think love is my satisfaction but it is not so.
Love is not about your satisfaction.
Children think that hteir parents do not love them, ut if you ask the parent the parent loves thier child.
The child is just not satisfied in their desires.
Are we not like this to God?
All we ask is for what we want from God.
God has given us everything even His Son but we still say that we lack.
What is it that you lack?
Is it intelligence? Is it money?
What is the point of having everything if there is no love?
It is better to have a little bit and be filled with love.
We think that with money you can have everything and that brings satisfaction but it is not the way it is.
Who is completely satisfied in God's love?
Do you think that you get married to do what you want in your relationship?
That is not how it works.
It is about sacrificing for each other.
We are not williing to humble ourselves to each other and rather fight about what one wants instead of trying to love each other.
Today the divorce rate is at 50% but those who are not divorced does it mean that they are happy?
Probably not. How many people are married for other reasons, their children, money and whatever else?
The foundation of the family is the husband and wife, but today society is doing away with this and marrying same sex couples.
This will ruin society.
Jesus came and disciplined those He loves by teaching them what was wrong.
Do not think that He allowed everyone to live how ever they wanted.
If He is love, then why did He have to die?
We think that discipline has no love, but that is the wrong way to think about it.
Can you love your child and not discipline them?
You must.
Discipline is the sign of love.
When disaster stirkes we think that God does not love us, but that is wrong. It is becasue He loves us that disaster happens. It is for us to turn back to Him.
We think that we can't belive in God that allows war, but that is because they do not understand God.
The God who is bigger than this universe cannot be comprhended by our little minds.
We can't even see the whole world before we die.
No matter how many times you travel the world you will never see everything.
How then can you think that you know better than the God who is bigger than everything?
You need to pray and ask God to show you.
Without it you will never be able to.
Even scientists today, the more they search the more they realize that God does exist.
We need to love those around us.
Our brothers and sisters.
It is our calling.
How can we marry someone without love.
God knocks on the door of our hearts but we do not want to accept Him.
We refuse to listebn to Him and yet complain that God does not love us.
Of the 7 billion people on earth who is really in love with God?
They do not love God, but complain that they do not have what they want.
We always put an ultimatum on our love for God.
God, I will love you if you do something for me.
Is this not the state of our hearts?
Look into your hearts.
Do you really love God?
Why do you love Him?
Are you here because you want to be here or are you here because your parents brought you here?
Are you satisfied in His love?
Are you grateful for the love He gives you and out of gratitude you live your life for Him?
You cannot tell God that I will go do what i want for a while and then return to God.
Do not think that you have the right to think this.
How do you know that He will not call you tonight?
He has waited all this time for you, what more do you need?
When will you turn to god and say no more to god for all the love He gives you because it is too much?
The bible tells us that God looks at our hearts but how many of us lie to God and tell Him we love Him but we do not.
We do not obey Him, respect Him nor truly care about God.
As God draws near to us, we must draw near to Him.
The God will shower us with more of His love.
As God draws near to us and we further ourselves, how can we expect Him to love us?
Do not forget this.
It all start with you.
You must change first and continue step by step.
Do not forget.
What happens to one who is in His love?
We all want love.
We want God to love us and we also want people to love us, but many of us do not understand love.
We think love is my satisfaction but it is not so.
Love is not about your satisfaction.
Children think that hteir parents do not love them, ut if you ask the parent the parent loves thier child.
The child is just not satisfied in their desires.
Are we not like this to God?
All we ask is for what we want from God.
God has given us everything even His Son but we still say that we lack.
What is it that you lack?
Is it intelligence? Is it money?
What is the point of having everything if there is no love?
It is better to have a little bit and be filled with love.
We think that with money you can have everything and that brings satisfaction but it is not the way it is.
Who is completely satisfied in God's love?
Do you think that you get married to do what you want in your relationship?
That is not how it works.
It is about sacrificing for each other.
We are not williing to humble ourselves to each other and rather fight about what one wants instead of trying to love each other.
Today the divorce rate is at 50% but those who are not divorced does it mean that they are happy?
Probably not. How many people are married for other reasons, their children, money and whatever else?
The foundation of the family is the husband and wife, but today society is doing away with this and marrying same sex couples.
This will ruin society.
Jesus came and disciplined those He loves by teaching them what was wrong.
Do not think that He allowed everyone to live how ever they wanted.
If He is love, then why did He have to die?
We think that discipline has no love, but that is the wrong way to think about it.
Can you love your child and not discipline them?
You must.
Discipline is the sign of love.
When disaster stirkes we think that God does not love us, but that is wrong. It is becasue He loves us that disaster happens. It is for us to turn back to Him.
We think that we can't belive in God that allows war, but that is because they do not understand God.
The God who is bigger than this universe cannot be comprhended by our little minds.
We can't even see the whole world before we die.
No matter how many times you travel the world you will never see everything.
How then can you think that you know better than the God who is bigger than everything?
You need to pray and ask God to show you.
Without it you will never be able to.
Even scientists today, the more they search the more they realize that God does exist.
We need to love those around us.
Our brothers and sisters.
It is our calling.
How can we marry someone without love.
God knocks on the door of our hearts but we do not want to accept Him.
We refuse to listebn to Him and yet complain that God does not love us.
Of the 7 billion people on earth who is really in love with God?
They do not love God, but complain that they do not have what they want.
We always put an ultimatum on our love for God.
God, I will love you if you do something for me.
Is this not the state of our hearts?
Look into your hearts.
Do you really love God?
Why do you love Him?
Are you here because you want to be here or are you here because your parents brought you here?
Are you satisfied in His love?
Are you grateful for the love He gives you and out of gratitude you live your life for Him?
You cannot tell God that I will go do what i want for a while and then return to God.
Do not think that you have the right to think this.
How do you know that He will not call you tonight?
He has waited all this time for you, what more do you need?
When will you turn to god and say no more to god for all the love He gives you because it is too much?
The bible tells us that God looks at our hearts but how many of us lie to God and tell Him we love Him but we do not.
We do not obey Him, respect Him nor truly care about God.
As God draws near to us, we must draw near to Him.
The God will shower us with more of His love.
As God draws near to us and we further ourselves, how can we expect Him to love us?
Do not forget this.
It all start with you.
You must change first and continue step by step.
Do not forget.
"Now I Know"
When will God tell us that now He knows that we love Him?
We all want to be recognized by others and when we are not we feel empty or less than what we are. Many of us are so focused on receiving praise and recognition from others that we forget to love and serve others. Because we are so focused on ourselves we forget others and that is where the problems arise? How about God? How much recognition do you desire from God?
God desires that we are focused on Him and love Him just as He loves us. We Christians, how much do you live for God and to give Him praise? Is He really your groom?
Do you want Him to recognize you while you do not for Him? When we live in faith, when does it come to the point where God will say to us that He knows now that we love Him?
In your life today, are people looking at you and seeing that you love God?
Will your children look at you and say that you are parents who truly believe and serve God?
Will your parents be able to look at your children and say that they are truly following God?
Are you hearing this in your life? Or is there someone in your life that you see and say that they are truly folling God? Do you really belive God or are you not?
Do you really believe that He is with you wherever you are, or are you living your life the way you want to and telling God to go wait over there for you?
No matter how rich or lacking everyone has problems, but it is what you do in your life that matters. Are you living the life of faith? Are you living to know God? Do you think that it was easier for Abraham? It is no different for us. God is God for all, He calls you to follow Him. Do you hear His voice? Do you even care to hear His voice? Our pastor always tells us to be children of faith. You can not live a mediocre life and desire heaven.
Heaven should not be your goal. Your goal should be to be the bride of Christ.
If this happens then heaven is automatically given to you as well. You must live a life that is worthy of the reward. You must live on earth as you will in heaven to go to heaven or if you practice living in hell that is where you will go. How are you living your life?
Even if you practice living in heaven your life is still filled with difficulty.
If you lie, argue, and rebel daily, how do you think that you will go to heaven?
As a family you are to live according to the will of Christ and parents are to live a life of example and teach your children to be obedient to God. You will not go to heaven because you think and say you will. Everyday you argue, get angry and fight with each other, what makes you think you will go to heaven?
When Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice, to God Isaac had already been offered, he was dead to Abraham, that is why God knew that Abraham loved Him. That is why God gave Isaac back to Abraham, because to Abraham God was first. You as parents, have you given up your children to the Lord, or are they more important to you than God? What have you given to God?
Is it your will, your family, your life, your wisdom, what have you given up to God so that He knows that you love Him? Our world is consumed with the desire of blessings but who does the things that may be blessed? Without working hard we expect to be blessed, that is the same as stealing from someone. Our blessing is God. We must live a live that shows God that we love Him. Do you not want to live a life where God tells us He knows that we love Him?
You cannot live a life of a lie in this world. You must live a life that is righteous and upright. I must know that God is with me always and live a life that God recognizes as righteous. If you want to really go to heaven then really live a life of faith and practice the teachings of the bible. Do not covet, do not steal, do not lie, learn to love, forgive, practice humility and learn to serve. God does not need your money. He wants you to do your best in where you are. Stop living for the praise of others. Rather live for God.
We all want to be recognized by others and when we are not we feel empty or less than what we are. Many of us are so focused on receiving praise and recognition from others that we forget to love and serve others. Because we are so focused on ourselves we forget others and that is where the problems arise? How about God? How much recognition do you desire from God?
God desires that we are focused on Him and love Him just as He loves us. We Christians, how much do you live for God and to give Him praise? Is He really your groom?
Do you want Him to recognize you while you do not for Him? When we live in faith, when does it come to the point where God will say to us that He knows now that we love Him?
In your life today, are people looking at you and seeing that you love God?
Will your children look at you and say that you are parents who truly believe and serve God?
Will your parents be able to look at your children and say that they are truly following God?
Are you hearing this in your life? Or is there someone in your life that you see and say that they are truly folling God? Do you really belive God or are you not?
Do you really believe that He is with you wherever you are, or are you living your life the way you want to and telling God to go wait over there for you?
No matter how rich or lacking everyone has problems, but it is what you do in your life that matters. Are you living the life of faith? Are you living to know God? Do you think that it was easier for Abraham? It is no different for us. God is God for all, He calls you to follow Him. Do you hear His voice? Do you even care to hear His voice? Our pastor always tells us to be children of faith. You can not live a mediocre life and desire heaven.
Heaven should not be your goal. Your goal should be to be the bride of Christ.
If this happens then heaven is automatically given to you as well. You must live a life that is worthy of the reward. You must live on earth as you will in heaven to go to heaven or if you practice living in hell that is where you will go. How are you living your life?
Even if you practice living in heaven your life is still filled with difficulty.
If you lie, argue, and rebel daily, how do you think that you will go to heaven?
As a family you are to live according to the will of Christ and parents are to live a life of example and teach your children to be obedient to God. You will not go to heaven because you think and say you will. Everyday you argue, get angry and fight with each other, what makes you think you will go to heaven?
When Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice, to God Isaac had already been offered, he was dead to Abraham, that is why God knew that Abraham loved Him. That is why God gave Isaac back to Abraham, because to Abraham God was first. You as parents, have you given up your children to the Lord, or are they more important to you than God? What have you given to God?
Is it your will, your family, your life, your wisdom, what have you given up to God so that He knows that you love Him? Our world is consumed with the desire of blessings but who does the things that may be blessed? Without working hard we expect to be blessed, that is the same as stealing from someone. Our blessing is God. We must live a live that shows God that we love Him. Do you not want to live a life where God tells us He knows that we love Him?
You cannot live a life of a lie in this world. You must live a life that is righteous and upright. I must know that God is with me always and live a life that God recognizes as righteous. If you want to really go to heaven then really live a life of faith and practice the teachings of the bible. Do not covet, do not steal, do not lie, learn to love, forgive, practice humility and learn to serve. God does not need your money. He wants you to do your best in where you are. Stop living for the praise of others. Rather live for God.
As For Me and My House We Will Serve The Lord
As for me and my household we will serve the Lord.
This was said by Joshua to the people of Israel.
Though no one else will follow God, we must follow God.
We must have the faith and attitiude to serve Jesus only and not follow anything else.
Do you go to church because you are here with you family or are you here because you truly belive in God?
Why did Joshua proclaim this to Israel?
If someone comes to you today and threatens your life if you follow Jesus, would you have the faith to put down your life and not turn from Him?
When things don't go our way in our lives we get angry and complain, so how would you follow God when you can't even control yoursleves?
If Israel followed God properly, would Joshua have had to say this to them?
They said that they too would follow God as Joshua did, but they failed to do so over and over again.
How many times a day do you fight with yourself in order to follow God or stay on this path?
There are countless people who do not follow God because it is difficult.
There are many who follow a god that is easy and comfortable for them, but God asks you to be humble and sacrifice yourself. He tells you that you must die but how many of us refuse to do so?
Joshua tells the Israelites to choose, either God or the gods of the other nations. There is no middle ground.
How many of us only want to follow God because you want something out of it?
Yes, there are blessings that follow God, the greatest blessing being eternal life, but many are focused on the materisl blessings on this life. Even if you were to recieve no blessing you should follow God just for the fact that He is God.
We need to repent and live our lives in accordance to His will, but how many of us know that we must but do not put any of this into action?
If you fail to realize this then you will never make the changes that you need to live a life that pleases God, the life of repentance.
We refuse to do so because of our pride, because we think that we are right.
When you pray, do you really pray seriously seeking repentance or is it a just a passing thought that you do half heartedly assuming that God will forgive you just because you said it once briefly under your breath?
Should we not seriously be seeking repentance on our knees so that you will choose to live a life only seeking to follow God because He is your Father, Creator, Redeemer and Saviour?
The Holy Spirit is for us to show us the way to God and His Son, but we think that the Spirit is for us to do as we want.
We think that we can use the Holy Spirit, but we are wrong.
When we pray we are filled with pride and arrogance.
Aside from your household how about you?
Are you williing to follow God no matter if no one else will do so?
Too many people who say they believe in God betray Him. We are not talking about nonbelievers, but I am only referring to those who say they know God.
Are you really willing to follow God?
Are you listening?
There are many feel good sermons out there, because people do not like to hear things that convict them.
But I can only speak the truth, whether you follow or not is your choice.
I pray that you will have the faith to choose God and to follow Him.
This was said by Joshua to the people of Israel.
Though no one else will follow God, we must follow God.
We must have the faith and attitiude to serve Jesus only and not follow anything else.
Do you go to church because you are here with you family or are you here because you truly belive in God?
Why did Joshua proclaim this to Israel?
If someone comes to you today and threatens your life if you follow Jesus, would you have the faith to put down your life and not turn from Him?
When things don't go our way in our lives we get angry and complain, so how would you follow God when you can't even control yoursleves?
If Israel followed God properly, would Joshua have had to say this to them?
They said that they too would follow God as Joshua did, but they failed to do so over and over again.
How many times a day do you fight with yourself in order to follow God or stay on this path?
There are countless people who do not follow God because it is difficult.
There are many who follow a god that is easy and comfortable for them, but God asks you to be humble and sacrifice yourself. He tells you that you must die but how many of us refuse to do so?
Joshua tells the Israelites to choose, either God or the gods of the other nations. There is no middle ground.
How many of us only want to follow God because you want something out of it?
Yes, there are blessings that follow God, the greatest blessing being eternal life, but many are focused on the materisl blessings on this life. Even if you were to recieve no blessing you should follow God just for the fact that He is God.
We need to repent and live our lives in accordance to His will, but how many of us know that we must but do not put any of this into action?
If you fail to realize this then you will never make the changes that you need to live a life that pleases God, the life of repentance.
We refuse to do so because of our pride, because we think that we are right.
When you pray, do you really pray seriously seeking repentance or is it a just a passing thought that you do half heartedly assuming that God will forgive you just because you said it once briefly under your breath?
Should we not seriously be seeking repentance on our knees so that you will choose to live a life only seeking to follow God because He is your Father, Creator, Redeemer and Saviour?
The Holy Spirit is for us to show us the way to God and His Son, but we think that the Spirit is for us to do as we want.
We think that we can use the Holy Spirit, but we are wrong.
When we pray we are filled with pride and arrogance.
Aside from your household how about you?
Are you williing to follow God no matter if no one else will do so?
Too many people who say they believe in God betray Him. We are not talking about nonbelievers, but I am only referring to those who say they know God.
Are you really willing to follow God?
Are you listening?
There are many feel good sermons out there, because people do not like to hear things that convict them.
But I can only speak the truth, whether you follow or not is your choice.
I pray that you will have the faith to choose God and to follow Him.
Even If He Did Not
Even if He did not.
In Daniel and Habbakuk it is wriiten though He would not.
In Daniel, the three friends of Daniel were about to be thrown into the fire and they proclaimed that even if God would not help them, they would still not bow down to the idol.
Do we have this type of faith?
Have you ever thought about this?
Things happen to us daily that test our faith, but even if God were to not help us, would you still believe God and follow Him?
Why is Abraham the father of all nations?
Was Abraham any different from us?
He was asked to give up his only son, but what are you giving up today?
You think that God wants to steal everything from you.
Do you think that God wanted to take Isaac from Abraham?
Abraham prepared for the sacrifice and went three days to offer the sacrifice, but you think it is because he was Abraham that he was able. Were Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego andy different from us?
Many think that Abraham knew that God was going to provide another sacrifice, but Abraham was only committed to offering up Isaac. That is why he bound him and put him on the altar. What if Isaac ran away?
Do you obey your parents?
There is no record of Isaac refusing any of this.
But how many of us when we don't get our way complain and argue for what we want?
How many of us are trying to use God?
We should not be using Him.
Put your hand on your heart and see how you are living your life, are you using God for your desires or like the three friends of Daniel, are you following Him no matter God helps you or not?
They were willing to put there lives in the fire and know that it is not God's lack of power which would be the reason they died.
Today in this very hour, do you have the heart to follow God no matter how difficult life is, no matter how painful it is, even if you live on the streets, would you still follow God and do what He says?
How many of us complain that it would be better to not have been born?
How many of us complain that we were given a poor life and complare our lives to others?
Why do we complain when things do not go our way?
Even if we were to starve, have no place to go, be in suffering we must be committed to following God. Do you have this faith?
You must know that God is your Father and that He is with you at all times.
It is so hard for us to say that we would follow God even though He were not to help us.
We refuse to see that the bible shows us how to follow God, but when the time comes that we too must suffer like those in the bible how willing are you to folow God no matter the outcome?
We all have a purpose that God has set before us, and we must live our lives in humility and gratitude in our place where God has put us.
We cannot complain about your circumstance, no matter how difficult, we must be able to fight and live on and do things that show our faith.
We should not do things driven by our emotions but rather do things because it is the right thing to do.
I must try my best in all that I do.
We think that we know God so well, but we really don't.
We refuse to do the things that He tells us so how can we know Him when we only do what we want.
He desires to give us life through our obedience, but we don't want to sacrifice anything for Him.
Why do you confess Christ as your Saviour when you choose not to follow Him?
If He really did save you then you too must crucify yourself and die to the cross.
That is the only way that you will live.
We make excuses saying that Jesus was God and that is why He was able to do it, but that is not so.
Jesus sufffered everything as a man to show us that we too can do it.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego overcame with faith and we too must have that faith.
Many of today's health issues are the responsibility of the individual because of poor eating, lack of exercise and poor choices, but we refuse to do something about it and blame God.
When I accept and do then faith will grow, but if I do not believe and do nothing then there is no faith.
We are to seek and knock then the door will open.
In Daniel and Habbakuk it is wriiten though He would not.
In Daniel, the three friends of Daniel were about to be thrown into the fire and they proclaimed that even if God would not help them, they would still not bow down to the idol.
Do we have this type of faith?
Have you ever thought about this?
Things happen to us daily that test our faith, but even if God were to not help us, would you still believe God and follow Him?
Why is Abraham the father of all nations?
Was Abraham any different from us?
He was asked to give up his only son, but what are you giving up today?
You think that God wants to steal everything from you.
Do you think that God wanted to take Isaac from Abraham?
Abraham prepared for the sacrifice and went three days to offer the sacrifice, but you think it is because he was Abraham that he was able. Were Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego andy different from us?
Many think that Abraham knew that God was going to provide another sacrifice, but Abraham was only committed to offering up Isaac. That is why he bound him and put him on the altar. What if Isaac ran away?
Do you obey your parents?
There is no record of Isaac refusing any of this.
But how many of us when we don't get our way complain and argue for what we want?
How many of us are trying to use God?
We should not be using Him.
Put your hand on your heart and see how you are living your life, are you using God for your desires or like the three friends of Daniel, are you following Him no matter God helps you or not?
They were willing to put there lives in the fire and know that it is not God's lack of power which would be the reason they died.
Today in this very hour, do you have the heart to follow God no matter how difficult life is, no matter how painful it is, even if you live on the streets, would you still follow God and do what He says?
How many of us complain that it would be better to not have been born?
How many of us complain that we were given a poor life and complare our lives to others?
Why do we complain when things do not go our way?
Even if we were to starve, have no place to go, be in suffering we must be committed to following God. Do you have this faith?
You must know that God is your Father and that He is with you at all times.
It is so hard for us to say that we would follow God even though He were not to help us.
We refuse to see that the bible shows us how to follow God, but when the time comes that we too must suffer like those in the bible how willing are you to folow God no matter the outcome?
We all have a purpose that God has set before us, and we must live our lives in humility and gratitude in our place where God has put us.
We cannot complain about your circumstance, no matter how difficult, we must be able to fight and live on and do things that show our faith.
We should not do things driven by our emotions but rather do things because it is the right thing to do.
I must try my best in all that I do.
We think that we know God so well, but we really don't.
We refuse to do the things that He tells us so how can we know Him when we only do what we want.
He desires to give us life through our obedience, but we don't want to sacrifice anything for Him.
Why do you confess Christ as your Saviour when you choose not to follow Him?
If He really did save you then you too must crucify yourself and die to the cross.
That is the only way that you will live.
We make excuses saying that Jesus was God and that is why He was able to do it, but that is not so.
Jesus sufffered everything as a man to show us that we too can do it.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego overcame with faith and we too must have that faith.
Many of today's health issues are the responsibility of the individual because of poor eating, lack of exercise and poor choices, but we refuse to do something about it and blame God.
When I accept and do then faith will grow, but if I do not believe and do nothing then there is no faith.
We are to seek and knock then the door will open.
When does God changes His Will?
Jermiah 18 1-12
1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord : 2 "Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message." 3 So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
5 Then the word of the Lord came to me. 6 He said, "Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?" declares the Lord . "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. 7 If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. 9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10 and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.
11 "Now therefore say to the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, 'This is what the Lord says: Look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.' 12 But they will reply, 'It's no use. We will continue with our own plans; we will all follow the stubbornness of our evil hearts. ' "
After reading today's passage what do you think would be the topic?
When we live our lives in our relationships we have many discussions and I have realized that many people miss the point of what they are talking about.
When we sing hymns we leave out the key point about God's will and think that we are singing about God doing our will.
Do we not also pray like this and this being the reason that our prayers are not answered?
Can you pray to do your will and God answer that prayer?
There are many discussions today that God before the resurresction and after is different.
So what we are doing is we are separating God and using our knowledge to come up with a God that we want.
In a spiritual war what is the most fundamental task?
You must know the desire of your opponent so that you can prepare.
In your relationships, have you ever considered the desire of your spouse as they speak to you?
Or do you prefer to speak what you want and do not allow the person to speak?
Is this communication?
It does not matter how nicely you speak and you use words that sound nice, you must realize why this person is speaking to you the way they are. They may be setting you up to take advantage of you and so many of today's youth fall prey to this.
If someone comes and tells me that I am doing enough and I believe it what happens? I fall to pride. I start thinking that I do pray enough, I do enough work. I build myself up. Satan wins.
If we would listen to each other and learn to discuss and understand what the other person was saying then we could build relationship that will be a solid foundation to raise a family.
If my spouse tells me that I should change something that is wring so that I can give more glory to God, but I refuse and do what I want, then not only will I not live a life that others will not approve of but I will failt to live a life that gives glory to God.
Why is it that you pray?
Yes, you say to give glory to God, but you pray so that you can do what you want.
Jonah was sent to give news taht God will send destruction if Nineveh did not repent.
Did Jonah fail as a prophet?
We have many fears in life because we are more concerned about how we will look rather than preach the truth.
God says He will do what He wants. He will raise up who He desires.
God promised many things but there is one condition and that is obedience.
The moment we hear God promise us the blessing we get up and think it is done. We do not live the life of obedience that will bring us the blessing.
We do not obey and do not recieve because we fail.
God does desire to bless us and be with us and He does want to restore us, but we refuse to come to Him, to reach out to Him. We put out our hands to God but live in the ways of this world.
In a relay race, the handing off of the baton must be precise.
Is it possible that our eyes are not on the baton as God hands it to us but we are focused on something else?
We hold God responsible for failed promises but is it God who is at fault?
Do you think your stubborness will change God?
You must understand that point of God's message.
The more you read the bible the less you realize you know because every time you read it you come to know somthing different and new about God.
So how is it that you think that you know God and refuse to listen to His teachings.
Do you think that because you went to seminary that you know God?
I have been married for over 35 years.
If I put out a book about my wife and said that she is a certain way, then tomorrow as we live our lives you would know exactly how she is because I have written it out for.
God is in the bible. Everything that He says and does is there. If we refuse to accept what it says because of the thoughts in my mind and use the times and era as an excuse of why God is not relevant, is this faith?
We must look at our lives and see if we are doing everything that we are to do so that we can recieve God's blessings.
We should repent and humble ourselves before God.
We need to focus all our strength in doing all that God commands.
The spiritual war has no time or date. It happens anywhere at anytime and attacks me wherever I may be. The thoughts that attack me that arouse anger, jealously, envy, at anytime day or night it is the spiritual war. If I am not awake I will fall.
We want to hear the praises of people and not the things they tell us that we need to fix.
When we hear the things that we are doing worng we get angry.
We have lost that battle.
We worship in vain because we do not change our lives.
We are being fooled by Satan.
We think that we can pray and cry and everything is forgiven, but we are being fooled.
I am not blessed because I do not repent.
I do not change the life I live.
You are at the point where you need to change but have you thought about it.
Satan is sending out false information everywhere. He is sending out lies and preparing for an attack on you. When Satan shoots his arrows at you what will you use to protect yourself?
Even those who walk with Jesus are under attack. The disciples who were with Jesus were under attack. Everyone is tempted all the time. Even up the point of betrayal as we walk with Jesus.
It is relentless the attack taht we are under. In every place in our lives we tempted to touch, see, and feel. We must be awake so that we will not fall into the temptation.
Look at yourself and realize why you fell into temptaiotn and surrender to God and repent.
Turn your life around so that your life can be turned into a blessing.
The moment you think that you have overcome temptation do not rest but keep your guard for you will be tested with even greater temptation because Satan will not rest.
Think about the meaning and have the wisdom to understand what is being said to you so that you can be victorious in the spiritual battle and then you will recieve the blessing that God has promised you when you obey.
1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord : 2 "Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message." 3 So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
5 Then the word of the Lord came to me. 6 He said, "Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?" declares the Lord . "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. 7 If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. 9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10 and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.
11 "Now therefore say to the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, 'This is what the Lord says: Look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.' 12 But they will reply, 'It's no use. We will continue with our own plans; we will all follow the stubbornness of our evil hearts. ' "
After reading today's passage what do you think would be the topic?
When we live our lives in our relationships we have many discussions and I have realized that many people miss the point of what they are talking about.
When we sing hymns we leave out the key point about God's will and think that we are singing about God doing our will.
Do we not also pray like this and this being the reason that our prayers are not answered?
Can you pray to do your will and God answer that prayer?
There are many discussions today that God before the resurresction and after is different.
So what we are doing is we are separating God and using our knowledge to come up with a God that we want.
In a spiritual war what is the most fundamental task?
You must know the desire of your opponent so that you can prepare.
In your relationships, have you ever considered the desire of your spouse as they speak to you?
Or do you prefer to speak what you want and do not allow the person to speak?
Is this communication?
It does not matter how nicely you speak and you use words that sound nice, you must realize why this person is speaking to you the way they are. They may be setting you up to take advantage of you and so many of today's youth fall prey to this.
If someone comes and tells me that I am doing enough and I believe it what happens? I fall to pride. I start thinking that I do pray enough, I do enough work. I build myself up. Satan wins.
If we would listen to each other and learn to discuss and understand what the other person was saying then we could build relationship that will be a solid foundation to raise a family.
If my spouse tells me that I should change something that is wring so that I can give more glory to God, but I refuse and do what I want, then not only will I not live a life that others will not approve of but I will failt to live a life that gives glory to God.
Why is it that you pray?
Yes, you say to give glory to God, but you pray so that you can do what you want.
Jonah was sent to give news taht God will send destruction if Nineveh did not repent.
Did Jonah fail as a prophet?
We have many fears in life because we are more concerned about how we will look rather than preach the truth.
God says He will do what He wants. He will raise up who He desires.
God promised many things but there is one condition and that is obedience.
The moment we hear God promise us the blessing we get up and think it is done. We do not live the life of obedience that will bring us the blessing.
We do not obey and do not recieve because we fail.
God does desire to bless us and be with us and He does want to restore us, but we refuse to come to Him, to reach out to Him. We put out our hands to God but live in the ways of this world.
In a relay race, the handing off of the baton must be precise.
Is it possible that our eyes are not on the baton as God hands it to us but we are focused on something else?
We hold God responsible for failed promises but is it God who is at fault?
Do you think your stubborness will change God?
You must understand that point of God's message.
The more you read the bible the less you realize you know because every time you read it you come to know somthing different and new about God.
So how is it that you think that you know God and refuse to listen to His teachings.
Do you think that because you went to seminary that you know God?
I have been married for over 35 years.
If I put out a book about my wife and said that she is a certain way, then tomorrow as we live our lives you would know exactly how she is because I have written it out for.
God is in the bible. Everything that He says and does is there. If we refuse to accept what it says because of the thoughts in my mind and use the times and era as an excuse of why God is not relevant, is this faith?
We must look at our lives and see if we are doing everything that we are to do so that we can recieve God's blessings.
We should repent and humble ourselves before God.
We need to focus all our strength in doing all that God commands.
The spiritual war has no time or date. It happens anywhere at anytime and attacks me wherever I may be. The thoughts that attack me that arouse anger, jealously, envy, at anytime day or night it is the spiritual war. If I am not awake I will fall.
We want to hear the praises of people and not the things they tell us that we need to fix.
When we hear the things that we are doing worng we get angry.
We have lost that battle.
We worship in vain because we do not change our lives.
We are being fooled by Satan.
We think that we can pray and cry and everything is forgiven, but we are being fooled.
I am not blessed because I do not repent.
I do not change the life I live.
You are at the point where you need to change but have you thought about it.
Satan is sending out false information everywhere. He is sending out lies and preparing for an attack on you. When Satan shoots his arrows at you what will you use to protect yourself?
Even those who walk with Jesus are under attack. The disciples who were with Jesus were under attack. Everyone is tempted all the time. Even up the point of betrayal as we walk with Jesus.
It is relentless the attack taht we are under. In every place in our lives we tempted to touch, see, and feel. We must be awake so that we will not fall into the temptation.
Look at yourself and realize why you fell into temptaiotn and surrender to God and repent.
Turn your life around so that your life can be turned into a blessing.
The moment you think that you have overcome temptation do not rest but keep your guard for you will be tested with even greater temptation because Satan will not rest.
Think about the meaning and have the wisdom to understand what is being said to you so that you can be victorious in the spiritual battle and then you will recieve the blessing that God has promised you when you obey.
"Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy"
Psalms 126:5-6
5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
You have heard this before.
It is good to reap in joy, but why do you reap in tears?
Is it because the worker does not want to work?
Is it like children who are asked to do something against their desire and are awarded with something for doing it afterwards?
Everyone here has been chosen by God to do something and put in place to do a certain work.
As a mother your duty is to do what a mother should do in every aspect.
As a farmer who works tirelessly everday to reap a harvest we are to work didligently in every aspect of our lives.
There are many difficulties and struggles that we face eveyrday.
Our emotions, our desires and everything that comes up from keeping us from doing what we need and should do.
To live this life is difficult and there will be tears.
As a parent do you get angry with your children when you yourself do not live by example and show them the right way?
But it is you who gets angry with them and do not realize that you are the one who made them that way.
As a parent it is your duty to raise your children right.
You will know when you see the fruit from your children's actions.
Then will you be able to look at yourself and say that you lived a successful life?
There are certain things that successful people do to achieve success.
It is the same with our spiritual life.
First, they put there thoughts immediately into action.
They are decisive and commit to doing what they must do to do what they think.
A failure will not do anything but with their mouths they keep saying what they will do and never do it.
A successful person will be diligent in even the smallest works and do it consistently.
A failure does not work hard.
A successul person will listen to someone else's words and accept it for themselves.
If someone shares a lesson they have learned they will use it to keep them from having to suffer the same mistake.
A failure will keep making the same mistakes and keep repeating the same things and never learn their lesson.
It is written that there are not enough books to hold everything that Jesus did.
A successful person will see that they cannot possibly know all about God by themselves and be willing to learn from others.
A successful person will lead others to fulfill a purpose.
A failure will be led by others and never learn to lead.
A successful person becomes more grounded in their faith and belief and has no fear.
A failure has nothing to fall back on and lives in fear of people and does not know how to stand firm.
A successful person will sow seeds diligently of which those seeds will come back with an abundant harvest.
How can a student expect to do well when they do not put in work and study hard but are willing to stay up late ours palying games?
As a parent if all I do is yell at my children and get angry, what do you think will hapen to those children when they grow up?
A failure desires things without planting seeds.
He is a thief.
He desires love and respect, yet himself does not know how to give it.
Can someone like this receive what they desire?
A successful person has respect and knows how to be mannered and obey laws.
We say we know God, but do we obey His laws?
As a husband just becasue you make money have you fulfilled your duties as a husband?
A failure is one who cannot see that rather than the other person being wrong that they themselves are the ones who have responsibility in the situation that has become.
A successful person is honest.
In business we say things like I am making no money of this transaction, but really are you making nothing or are you making a little?
A failure tries to make everything look good by talking a lot but when you go deeper in their lives you see that they have nothing and are filled with many lies.
You will never succeed if you live in lies.
A successful person can walk proudly without fear because they have nothing to hide and whenever they speak it is always the same.
A failure is filled with lies and cannot keep all the lies in order and has a difficult time remembering what he said to who.
Focusing on living a good life is hard work.
That is to be our purpose, not money.
When money is the purpose you will live to be a failure, but when your purpose is to live a proper life that God desires then you will be successful.
Success is not about money, it is about doing what you were called to do.
As a husband you are to be the best husband and if you succeed then you will please God.
If you think of everything as work that has been given to you by Jesus then do you think that you will succeed in your work?
If all you think of is money do you not think that you emplyers will see that and one day get tired of your constant harassing for more money?
If all you did was focus on work and did excellent work for your company, do you not think that your employers will notice and consider you valuable and give you a raise?
To sow seeds and try to reap a harvest is truly hard work.
In a moment, something can happen and destroy all the hard work without you even knowing it.
In your life, as you work hard, something can happen that will try to destroy all your hard work, whether it is anger, temptation, or any other thing that will make you stumble.
You must stay alert and be focused because no one else can do it for you.
All your old behaviors can spring up at any moment and You must be the one on guard to protect eveything that you are doing to succeed.
In order to climb the ladder of success you must stay in one place and work up that ladder.
If you keep moving from one place to another I will never make it to the top.
In the company of Christ I must work hard and keep climbing the ladder.
What does it mean to sow in tears and reap in joy?
When I have put in all my hard work and sacrifice and have reaped the gift of eternal life after judgement.
It is this that I pray will be yours as you decide to live this life with focus and action.
5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
You have heard this before.
It is good to reap in joy, but why do you reap in tears?
Is it because the worker does not want to work?
Is it like children who are asked to do something against their desire and are awarded with something for doing it afterwards?
Everyone here has been chosen by God to do something and put in place to do a certain work.
As a mother your duty is to do what a mother should do in every aspect.
As a farmer who works tirelessly everday to reap a harvest we are to work didligently in every aspect of our lives.
There are many difficulties and struggles that we face eveyrday.
Our emotions, our desires and everything that comes up from keeping us from doing what we need and should do.
To live this life is difficult and there will be tears.
As a parent do you get angry with your children when you yourself do not live by example and show them the right way?
But it is you who gets angry with them and do not realize that you are the one who made them that way.
As a parent it is your duty to raise your children right.
You will know when you see the fruit from your children's actions.
Then will you be able to look at yourself and say that you lived a successful life?
There are certain things that successful people do to achieve success.
It is the same with our spiritual life.
First, they put there thoughts immediately into action.
They are decisive and commit to doing what they must do to do what they think.
A failure will not do anything but with their mouths they keep saying what they will do and never do it.
A successful person will be diligent in even the smallest works and do it consistently.
A failure does not work hard.
A successul person will listen to someone else's words and accept it for themselves.
If someone shares a lesson they have learned they will use it to keep them from having to suffer the same mistake.
A failure will keep making the same mistakes and keep repeating the same things and never learn their lesson.
It is written that there are not enough books to hold everything that Jesus did.
A successful person will see that they cannot possibly know all about God by themselves and be willing to learn from others.
A successful person will lead others to fulfill a purpose.
A failure will be led by others and never learn to lead.
A successful person becomes more grounded in their faith and belief and has no fear.
A failure has nothing to fall back on and lives in fear of people and does not know how to stand firm.
A successful person will sow seeds diligently of which those seeds will come back with an abundant harvest.
How can a student expect to do well when they do not put in work and study hard but are willing to stay up late ours palying games?
As a parent if all I do is yell at my children and get angry, what do you think will hapen to those children when they grow up?
A failure desires things without planting seeds.
He is a thief.
He desires love and respect, yet himself does not know how to give it.
Can someone like this receive what they desire?
A successful person has respect and knows how to be mannered and obey laws.
We say we know God, but do we obey His laws?
As a husband just becasue you make money have you fulfilled your duties as a husband?
A failure is one who cannot see that rather than the other person being wrong that they themselves are the ones who have responsibility in the situation that has become.
A successful person is honest.
In business we say things like I am making no money of this transaction, but really are you making nothing or are you making a little?
A failure tries to make everything look good by talking a lot but when you go deeper in their lives you see that they have nothing and are filled with many lies.
You will never succeed if you live in lies.
A successful person can walk proudly without fear because they have nothing to hide and whenever they speak it is always the same.
A failure is filled with lies and cannot keep all the lies in order and has a difficult time remembering what he said to who.
Focusing on living a good life is hard work.
That is to be our purpose, not money.
When money is the purpose you will live to be a failure, but when your purpose is to live a proper life that God desires then you will be successful.
Success is not about money, it is about doing what you were called to do.
As a husband you are to be the best husband and if you succeed then you will please God.
If you think of everything as work that has been given to you by Jesus then do you think that you will succeed in your work?
If all you think of is money do you not think that you emplyers will see that and one day get tired of your constant harassing for more money?
If all you did was focus on work and did excellent work for your company, do you not think that your employers will notice and consider you valuable and give you a raise?
To sow seeds and try to reap a harvest is truly hard work.
In a moment, something can happen and destroy all the hard work without you even knowing it.
In your life, as you work hard, something can happen that will try to destroy all your hard work, whether it is anger, temptation, or any other thing that will make you stumble.
You must stay alert and be focused because no one else can do it for you.
All your old behaviors can spring up at any moment and You must be the one on guard to protect eveything that you are doing to succeed.
In order to climb the ladder of success you must stay in one place and work up that ladder.
If you keep moving from one place to another I will never make it to the top.
In the company of Christ I must work hard and keep climbing the ladder.
What does it mean to sow in tears and reap in joy?
When I have put in all my hard work and sacrifice and have reaped the gift of eternal life after judgement.
It is this that I pray will be yours as you decide to live this life with focus and action.
My Possession
Psalms 119:56-64
In today's passage in verse 56 This has been my practice: I obey your precepts.
Do we live our lives like this?
What is a precept?
It is something that has become my own.
You think that your spouse is yours, that is why you try to control the other and try to make them into someone that pleases you.
It is your selfishness.
Rather than being humble and being grateful that someone loves you, you think that you deserve more. Is this not the cause of strife among you?
We claim so many things that are "mine."
My business, my family, my talents, my children, my work, my position, my status.
We think that everything is ours, so when we come out before God, we come before Him telling Him all the things we have and try to offer to God. Is this right?
What does the bible say about what we are to confess?
What are the things that fill your heart?
But more than what we say, God desires that pour out our hearts to Him.
Jesus told the Pharisees that it is not what goes into a man that makes one unclean but it is what comes out of him.
So what comes out of you?
Is it pride, selfishness and discontent?
Then the worship you offer will not be accepted by God.
He will not accept the worship of one who tries to manipulate God for His own use.
Because you put your feelings into your worship to make yourself feel good has no bearing does not make God accept your worship when you are doing it in vain.
When you refuse to let the word of God penetrate your soul and bring you to repentance, but rather change the meaning of God's word to suit your comfort, how can you think that God will bless you?
61 Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget your law.
Do you have this attitude?
Do you desire to use the word of God to help you with the difficulties in life?
How can you do so when you use yourselfish desires to do everything and leave God out of it?
Because you think that it is your life, your children and everything is yours, so you want to do things the way you want and have no desire to do things the way God desires that you do so.
God desires a new heart one that changes and brings us to worship Him in a new way everyday. But that means I must be changed in His spirit and I must rid myself of my selfish desires. I am to be a new creation in Christ and to live a life without fear.
Do not live a life trying to please man. You will not fool anyone and no one will think that you are godly.
Live your life truly before God knowing that He is watching you.
It does not matter that you think that you are godly and others may think that you are, you must live the life that will not compromise against the will and word of God. If this brings persecution then it must be so.
I must open my heart and really look at myself and see how I really am.
There is nothing wrong with making money as long as you are making ti to use for the glory of God, but if you desire to make money for your selfifhness then it is wrong.
Is your business really for the glory of God, or do you do it for yourself?
Because you tithe you say you do it for Him, but you only tithe to feel less guilt, but why do you truly do business?
Do we believe a different God from those of the the early church?
How is it they they could joyfully walk to their death watching the one before them get burned at the stake or fed to the lions?
Is God any different today?
To follow Jesus is not easy.
I must die.
Do you think that after saying one prayer that all those years of your thoughts and slefish desires will suddenly disapper? It will not.
You must work without ceasing and constantly be weeding out those things that will prevent you from you desire of God.
You will have to work hard and sacrifice much in order to do the things that God desires.
Do you love? Do you forgive?
You do not because those weeds are still inside you and you have not uprooted them completely.
As parents you must first pave the way for change by you changing first. Then you must pray for the change of your children. You cannot think that with your knowledge only you can set you child on a straight path for you cannot do it yourself. Pray that God will show you the way and help your child see the truth and be able to overcome the world.
If I do not live the life that God desires then there is no power in God's word.
Instead of changing my life to obey the word of God, I live my life and use God as my servant.
You must decide how to live the life that truly pleases God and get on your knees and ask God to help you to do it.
In today's passage in verse 56 This has been my practice: I obey your precepts.
Do we live our lives like this?
What is a precept?
It is something that has become my own.
You think that your spouse is yours, that is why you try to control the other and try to make them into someone that pleases you.
It is your selfishness.
Rather than being humble and being grateful that someone loves you, you think that you deserve more. Is this not the cause of strife among you?
We claim so many things that are "mine."
My business, my family, my talents, my children, my work, my position, my status.
We think that everything is ours, so when we come out before God, we come before Him telling Him all the things we have and try to offer to God. Is this right?
What does the bible say about what we are to confess?
What are the things that fill your heart?
But more than what we say, God desires that pour out our hearts to Him.
Jesus told the Pharisees that it is not what goes into a man that makes one unclean but it is what comes out of him.
So what comes out of you?
Is it pride, selfishness and discontent?
Then the worship you offer will not be accepted by God.
He will not accept the worship of one who tries to manipulate God for His own use.
Because you put your feelings into your worship to make yourself feel good has no bearing does not make God accept your worship when you are doing it in vain.
When you refuse to let the word of God penetrate your soul and bring you to repentance, but rather change the meaning of God's word to suit your comfort, how can you think that God will bless you?
61 Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget your law.
Do you have this attitude?
Do you desire to use the word of God to help you with the difficulties in life?
How can you do so when you use yourselfish desires to do everything and leave God out of it?
Because you think that it is your life, your children and everything is yours, so you want to do things the way you want and have no desire to do things the way God desires that you do so.
God desires a new heart one that changes and brings us to worship Him in a new way everyday. But that means I must be changed in His spirit and I must rid myself of my selfish desires. I am to be a new creation in Christ and to live a life without fear.
Do not live a life trying to please man. You will not fool anyone and no one will think that you are godly.
Live your life truly before God knowing that He is watching you.
It does not matter that you think that you are godly and others may think that you are, you must live the life that will not compromise against the will and word of God. If this brings persecution then it must be so.
I must open my heart and really look at myself and see how I really am.
There is nothing wrong with making money as long as you are making ti to use for the glory of God, but if you desire to make money for your selfifhness then it is wrong.
Is your business really for the glory of God, or do you do it for yourself?
Because you tithe you say you do it for Him, but you only tithe to feel less guilt, but why do you truly do business?
Do we believe a different God from those of the the early church?
How is it they they could joyfully walk to their death watching the one before them get burned at the stake or fed to the lions?
Is God any different today?
To follow Jesus is not easy.
I must die.
Do you think that after saying one prayer that all those years of your thoughts and slefish desires will suddenly disapper? It will not.
You must work without ceasing and constantly be weeding out those things that will prevent you from you desire of God.
You will have to work hard and sacrifice much in order to do the things that God desires.
Do you love? Do you forgive?
You do not because those weeds are still inside you and you have not uprooted them completely.
As parents you must first pave the way for change by you changing first. Then you must pray for the change of your children. You cannot think that with your knowledge only you can set you child on a straight path for you cannot do it yourself. Pray that God will show you the way and help your child see the truth and be able to overcome the world.
If I do not live the life that God desires then there is no power in God's word.
Instead of changing my life to obey the word of God, I live my life and use God as my servant.
You must decide how to live the life that truly pleases God and get on your knees and ask God to help you to do it.
Do we live life professing our faith like the early church saints did?
Today you have come to worship God.
Do you know the Lord personally or do you only know about Him and have no relationship with Him?
Do you have the faith that allows you to confess Himto others?
He wills it that we are holy, but who is it that refuses?
It is you.
You are the one who refuses to be holy, but do you realize this?
Do you obey the word of God or don't you?
You are the one who does are does not.
I am the one who gets in the way of being holy.
Do you think that you will be recieved by God when that day comes?
If Christ is in me and I am in Christ, because Christ is greater than I, I must be led by HIm but am I living in this way?
Am i living only according to my plans?
In order to do the will of God I must not care about my life.
It easy to do the will of God when I do what I want and think it is His will, but to truly do the thing that God desires cannot be done, unless I care not for my life and only desire to do what He truly commands.
We are all given a purpose in this life. Whether you are ina simple job or great one, it is God's will that must come forth.
But when we are giving the simplest taks to do, we think it is below us and refuse to do it, but it is these small tasks that are the foundation of everything.
You cannot pass on the responsibility of your work to someone else. You must be disciplined with the smallest things first.
David proclaims that even though he walsk through the valley of the shadow of death, the reason is because we must go through these valleys to come out on the other side.
We must be cleaned. We must go through these trials in order to grow.
All of our sins, our pains must be brought out of us and cleaned but we refuse. We hide our sins and try to keep them from coming out.
No matter how clean you think your are, when you are in front of others your true self will be revealed.
We are called to be the light, to be the scent of Christ, but if we do not have Christ in our lives how can we do so? How can we be the light when there is no light in us?
You cannot go out and do whatever you want and think that you are doing God's work when God has nothing to do with it.
If God tells you to open your business then open it. If He tells you to close it then close it.
You think that because He tells you to open a business that now you are going to be rich, but where do you get that idea from?
Do you think that it is possible that you are to go through the trials and difficulties to learn something that God desires you to learn?
If in your life you look back to this point and realize in God's grace that your past was lived imporoperly and now you are in a better state do you not think that you are to repent of your past and continue to live better today and move forward with the determination to do even better?
Should you not ask for forgiveness of your spouse adn your children because you now see something better and the past was lived without God?
When I drive the car I can go wherever I want because I am in control, but when Christ is in control I must go where He takes me.
Christ must be the center and focus of my life.
If He is focus, then no matter where I go, then I will not stumble or fall, but it s when I try to take over that I fall.
In today's society so much emphasis is put on the proposal between two people.
If Christ died for us because of His live for us, how have you recieved that act of love and how have you committed to change your life for Him?
How many people are emotional and go to extreme to show there love for their future spouse by doing a grand proposal, but how about your emotions and how much effort have you put into Christ?
If you put too much weight on a small plane it will not take off, rather you will be in an accident. If you need to go back and forth twice it is what you should do at least you will live.
Do not live your lives thinking that you can keep pushing against the will of God.
I am asking you today, in your homes today are you living the life of Christ? In your jobs today are you living the life of Christ?
Are you really loving your family memebers and friends? If they hurt you do you still love them? If they say something that you dislike do you still accept them?
The reason I don't is because the Christ is not in me and I have no love in me.
Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, so then how come you cannot confess this in your life?
Look at yourself.
I must have the faith that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had, that even though God will not save me I will never bow to another god or idol and only serve and follow the one true God.
Do you see that everything that you say and do keeps lying to yourself?
You don't reralize that you need to change.
You fail to see that you are the one who cannot see yourself for who you really are.
When you want to recieve the love of someone you must be able to offer something that the person desires. You will not recieve love by having a take me or leave me attitude.
Rather than try to match the heart of Christ, we ask Christ to give us the desires of our hearts. It is our pride. We think that Christ must serve us. We think that because we say that we follow Him that He must now give us riches, honor, and health.
What use is the things of this world if you cannot get into heaven.
When we confess Christ, we are told to submit, to forgive and sacrifice. We refuse to do these things because we think that we will lose. We think that we have some high position in life and refuse to do what He commands. We keep reusing to do what He commands like forgive, sacrifice, to submit, but while refusing to do so, we will fast and pray to get the things we want. We are selfish!
Are we believing a differnt God than the one Paul believed in?
It is the same God, so why are we trying to live a different life and not the same life that we are showed to live?
If in your marriage you are not centered on Christ then you are living a selfish life.
In today's sports teams pay an incredible amount of money in order to succeed and be champions.
Should you not invest that must time and energy in your children, your spouse, and those around you so that they can live a life in success to give God glory?
What have you done for those around you?
Do you become your dream overnight?
You do not.
You must be relentless in your efforts and put countless time inorder to achieve it.
WIthout the trials and struggles you will never grow as one who is in Christ.
I pray that you will be able to make the decision and the discipline to follow through to do what you say.
Do you know the Lord personally or do you only know about Him and have no relationship with Him?
Do you have the faith that allows you to confess Himto others?
He wills it that we are holy, but who is it that refuses?
It is you.
You are the one who refuses to be holy, but do you realize this?
Do you obey the word of God or don't you?
You are the one who does are does not.
I am the one who gets in the way of being holy.
Do you think that you will be recieved by God when that day comes?
If Christ is in me and I am in Christ, because Christ is greater than I, I must be led by HIm but am I living in this way?
Am i living only according to my plans?
In order to do the will of God I must not care about my life.
It easy to do the will of God when I do what I want and think it is His will, but to truly do the thing that God desires cannot be done, unless I care not for my life and only desire to do what He truly commands.
We are all given a purpose in this life. Whether you are ina simple job or great one, it is God's will that must come forth.
But when we are giving the simplest taks to do, we think it is below us and refuse to do it, but it is these small tasks that are the foundation of everything.
You cannot pass on the responsibility of your work to someone else. You must be disciplined with the smallest things first.
David proclaims that even though he walsk through the valley of the shadow of death, the reason is because we must go through these valleys to come out on the other side.
We must be cleaned. We must go through these trials in order to grow.
All of our sins, our pains must be brought out of us and cleaned but we refuse. We hide our sins and try to keep them from coming out.
No matter how clean you think your are, when you are in front of others your true self will be revealed.
We are called to be the light, to be the scent of Christ, but if we do not have Christ in our lives how can we do so? How can we be the light when there is no light in us?
You cannot go out and do whatever you want and think that you are doing God's work when God has nothing to do with it.
If God tells you to open your business then open it. If He tells you to close it then close it.
You think that because He tells you to open a business that now you are going to be rich, but where do you get that idea from?
Do you think that it is possible that you are to go through the trials and difficulties to learn something that God desires you to learn?
If in your life you look back to this point and realize in God's grace that your past was lived imporoperly and now you are in a better state do you not think that you are to repent of your past and continue to live better today and move forward with the determination to do even better?
Should you not ask for forgiveness of your spouse adn your children because you now see something better and the past was lived without God?
When I drive the car I can go wherever I want because I am in control, but when Christ is in control I must go where He takes me.
Christ must be the center and focus of my life.
If He is focus, then no matter where I go, then I will not stumble or fall, but it s when I try to take over that I fall.
In today's society so much emphasis is put on the proposal between two people.
If Christ died for us because of His live for us, how have you recieved that act of love and how have you committed to change your life for Him?
How many people are emotional and go to extreme to show there love for their future spouse by doing a grand proposal, but how about your emotions and how much effort have you put into Christ?
If you put too much weight on a small plane it will not take off, rather you will be in an accident. If you need to go back and forth twice it is what you should do at least you will live.
Do not live your lives thinking that you can keep pushing against the will of God.
I am asking you today, in your homes today are you living the life of Christ? In your jobs today are you living the life of Christ?
Are you really loving your family memebers and friends? If they hurt you do you still love them? If they say something that you dislike do you still accept them?
The reason I don't is because the Christ is not in me and I have no love in me.
Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, so then how come you cannot confess this in your life?
Look at yourself.
I must have the faith that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had, that even though God will not save me I will never bow to another god or idol and only serve and follow the one true God.
Do you see that everything that you say and do keeps lying to yourself?
You don't reralize that you need to change.
You fail to see that you are the one who cannot see yourself for who you really are.
When you want to recieve the love of someone you must be able to offer something that the person desires. You will not recieve love by having a take me or leave me attitude.
Rather than try to match the heart of Christ, we ask Christ to give us the desires of our hearts. It is our pride. We think that Christ must serve us. We think that because we say that we follow Him that He must now give us riches, honor, and health.
What use is the things of this world if you cannot get into heaven.
When we confess Christ, we are told to submit, to forgive and sacrifice. We refuse to do these things because we think that we will lose. We think that we have some high position in life and refuse to do what He commands. We keep reusing to do what He commands like forgive, sacrifice, to submit, but while refusing to do so, we will fast and pray to get the things we want. We are selfish!
Are we believing a differnt God than the one Paul believed in?
It is the same God, so why are we trying to live a different life and not the same life that we are showed to live?
If in your marriage you are not centered on Christ then you are living a selfish life.
In today's sports teams pay an incredible amount of money in order to succeed and be champions.
Should you not invest that must time and energy in your children, your spouse, and those around you so that they can live a life in success to give God glory?
What have you done for those around you?
Do you become your dream overnight?
You do not.
You must be relentless in your efforts and put countless time inorder to achieve it.
WIthout the trials and struggles you will never grow as one who is in Christ.
I pray that you will be able to make the decision and the discipline to follow through to do what you say.
Fasting (3)
Luke 2:36-38
We continue the lessons of fasting.
In today's passage we learn about Anna the prohetess.
She never left the temple and fasted and prayed coninuously.
She prophesied about Jesus.
We do not know about her husband, or children, but what we do know is that after the death of her husband she never left temple but worshipped day and night.
There were three who proclaimed the coming the Messiah.
The prophet Anna, Simeon and of course John the Baptist.
Anna lived unitl she was 84 and it seems as though in our eyes that she did not accomplish much, but in order to see the Messiah she worshipped God day and night nad fasted continuously.
Now when we see ourselves how do compare in fasting?
Nobody gave recognition to Anna. Her life was quiet. It was completely focused on God.
Should our lives not be like this?
If a rare car goes up on value because it is old and valuable, then how about you?
A car is made by man.
You say you are mdae by God.
Are you much more valuable than a classic car or do you need to reasses the way you think about God and His work in you?
If the value of a classic car goes up, does your value go up every year?
Are you living a life that when you relfect on it shows incredible increase?
When we look at Anna, what was her purpose?
She worshipped God day and night proclaiming the Messiah.
When did she reap the reward of her faith?
It is after she passes from here and goes into heaven and she will be rewarded for all that she has done for God.
In todays time, we look at those who prophesy and if the prophecy does not come to pass we call them fake and persecute them.
Instead of praying that the prophecy does not come to pass by repenting and changing our ways, we would rather have those prophesies come to pass and suffer disaster.
Just as Anna life is recorded briefly for us becuase of her faith we too can have our lives be recorded for others when we live for God.
How many of us are busy talking about what we did in the past and have nothing to say about the cross of Chirst?
How many of us are just lazy Christians?
Anna lived her entire life an fulfilled God's purpose and it is recorded in the bible, should our lives not be like this?
Should we not have such discipline and perseverance?
Should we not increase in the value of the things we do for God?
We are all called to pray and be intecessors.
We are to do this by fasting and praying for the sake of others.
It is not only the job of the pastor to pray for the blessings of the church.
Let us look at it differently.
Everything starts at your home and starts with you.
You who is the head of your house, how much do you pray for you children. how often tdo you fast for them?
You are responsible for they are put in your care.
Do not blame others but look to yourself first.
Now when God does answer your prayer do not go about bosting it to others.
That it was because of what you did that God answered you.
Please, let us not be this type of believers.
The things that you suffer cannot be handled by others, but because you are able, God has given you the burden.
If you can give thanks and be joyfully for the things you suffer, then you will be rewarded many folds when you enter into heaven.
This can only be doen when you open your eyes and see the Lord.
This is achieved by fasting and praying.
It is by letting go of the flesh and dying to yourself and holding onto God.
If I do not learn to die and let go of my selfishness I will never be content.
We must be able to look at ourselves and see what we must do to live the life that gives glory to God.
What kind of heart must we have?
Are we fasting for the right reasons or the wrong ones?
Let us fast to give glory to God.
We continue the lessons of fasting.
In today's passage we learn about Anna the prohetess.
She never left the temple and fasted and prayed coninuously.
She prophesied about Jesus.
We do not know about her husband, or children, but what we do know is that after the death of her husband she never left temple but worshipped day and night.
There were three who proclaimed the coming the Messiah.
The prophet Anna, Simeon and of course John the Baptist.
Anna lived unitl she was 84 and it seems as though in our eyes that she did not accomplish much, but in order to see the Messiah she worshipped God day and night nad fasted continuously.
Now when we see ourselves how do compare in fasting?
Nobody gave recognition to Anna. Her life was quiet. It was completely focused on God.
Should our lives not be like this?
If a rare car goes up on value because it is old and valuable, then how about you?
A car is made by man.
You say you are mdae by God.
Are you much more valuable than a classic car or do you need to reasses the way you think about God and His work in you?
If the value of a classic car goes up, does your value go up every year?
Are you living a life that when you relfect on it shows incredible increase?
When we look at Anna, what was her purpose?
She worshipped God day and night proclaiming the Messiah.
When did she reap the reward of her faith?
It is after she passes from here and goes into heaven and she will be rewarded for all that she has done for God.
In todays time, we look at those who prophesy and if the prophecy does not come to pass we call them fake and persecute them.
Instead of praying that the prophecy does not come to pass by repenting and changing our ways, we would rather have those prophesies come to pass and suffer disaster.
Just as Anna life is recorded briefly for us becuase of her faith we too can have our lives be recorded for others when we live for God.
How many of us are busy talking about what we did in the past and have nothing to say about the cross of Chirst?
How many of us are just lazy Christians?
Anna lived her entire life an fulfilled God's purpose and it is recorded in the bible, should our lives not be like this?
Should we not have such discipline and perseverance?
Should we not increase in the value of the things we do for God?
We are all called to pray and be intecessors.
We are to do this by fasting and praying for the sake of others.
It is not only the job of the pastor to pray for the blessings of the church.
Let us look at it differently.
Everything starts at your home and starts with you.
You who is the head of your house, how much do you pray for you children. how often tdo you fast for them?
You are responsible for they are put in your care.
Do not blame others but look to yourself first.
Now when God does answer your prayer do not go about bosting it to others.
That it was because of what you did that God answered you.
Please, let us not be this type of believers.
The things that you suffer cannot be handled by others, but because you are able, God has given you the burden.
If you can give thanks and be joyfully for the things you suffer, then you will be rewarded many folds when you enter into heaven.
This can only be doen when you open your eyes and see the Lord.
This is achieved by fasting and praying.
It is by letting go of the flesh and dying to yourself and holding onto God.
If I do not learn to die and let go of my selfishness I will never be content.
We must be able to look at ourselves and see what we must do to live the life that gives glory to God.
What kind of heart must we have?
Are we fasting for the right reasons or the wrong ones?
Let us fast to give glory to God.
Fasting (4)
1 Kings 22:5-18
Today we sang a hymn condfessing that we will be soldiers of the cross no matter what others say and that we will do the work of Christ.
What is the work of Christ?
Doing work at church or at your business does not make it the work of Christ or not but it is the attitude of one that has Christ in His heart and does everything to give Christ the glory.
My work is to be the work of Christ.
A parent is to do their work as Christ and children are to be children as of Christ.
Before you go out and try to do work, you must know how to be responsible in your home.
A bucket that leaks at home leaks outside the home.
You must learn to be and do your work wherever you are but it starts at home with you.
Today in 1 Kings we see the story of the Jehosaphat.
Every journey starts with one step.
In order to accumulate great welath you must start saving every penny.
All your dreams will never come true without work.
Do we not all have dreams?
Who are the ones who achieve them?
It is the one who is willing to sacrifice pleasure to do what it takes to achieve their dream.
Look back at your life and see why you are where you are.
You will see that you have made many mistakes and did not change your behavior.
When you pray it is not "Lord please give me so that I can" that is an excuse.
You must go and do because you have already been given.
It is you who did not do because you did not want to do whatever it is that was put before you.
I must confess that it is my fault that I am in the situation in my life because I put myself here.
But who likes to confess this?
Are your thoughts the same as God's thoughts?
If it were how fantastic would it be.
Then eveyrthing would come to pass because God's will would happen.
Then what is different in your thoughts compared to God's thougths?
When we make something, we always need materials.
God does not. He creates out of nothing.
This is basic.
Also, there are rules that govern our lives. Like mathematics, common sense, and rules of nature.
There is no rules that govern God's thoughts.
Noah was told to build a boat on a mountain. That does not make sense to us, but God knew what He was doing.
Why would he make Noah build it on the mountain?
Is it possible that God forsaw that the flood would be so great and powerful, that the waves would be too much even for the ark to bear, thhat all the living people and animals in the boat would not be able to sustain the power of the water as it rose to the top?
God operates outside of our understanding.
Even if we do not understand we are to obey because He is God.
We don't know why He would tell Abraham to sacrifice His son, but after we see the grace and love of God.
Is it the only time, how about when David was tending sheep, but he is called and anointed king of Israel. Do we understand these things?
When I want to make a change in my life, I cannot wait for things to happen, rather I must put my life on the line and do everything in my power to change it. Thought alone is not enough. There must be action.
Not only in my life but especially in my walk with God.
In our lives we refuse to listen to the things that show us our sin in our lives, but rather we lie to ourselves and tell ourselves the things that make us feel good.
In today's passage Micaiah prophesied the same as the other 400 prophets. Was this prophesy right ot wrong?
Micaiah always prophesied what was right, but then why did Jehosaphat question him and tell him to tell the truth?
In our lives, when peolpe pray for us and we dislike it, we too instead of looking at oursleves we point a finger at those who prayer and call them false.
If we look at the passage again, we see that Jehosaphat already knew what the outcome was going to be.
So what did Jehosaphat do, he did what he wanted even though God said no. So he change his clothes thinking that he could fool God and was struck by an arrow and died. You cannot fool God. You cannot do what you want and think that you will get away with it.
In chapter 21 Ahab was told that he would die, but unlike Jehosaphat, he humbled himself before God and God spared him.
Who are you lie?
Are you like Jehosaphat who tries to fool God, or like Ahab who will humble himsefl before God?
I must decide how I will live my life. Will I decide to live according to what I want to do, and suffer God's wrath and be struck by the arrow when I am unaware?
We all have the ability to see how someone is doing, what kind of week they have had, if they are suffering or glad. But our weakness is that we don't know how to look at oursleves. We can't see the sin in our lives but we sit in the seat of judgement and persecute and judge others and we make excuses for why we don't try to imporve our lives.
If this is the life you are living then you will live like Ahab.
If I do not want to do 100 percent of what God says, then it is better that I dont' do any of it. If I did 99% but failed with 1% then it is because that 1% weighs more than the 99. It is something that I refuse to give up or do because I am not completely following God.
God told Abraham to give up his son. He had hundreds of slaves and animals.
Which would be easier to give up. All the slaves and snimals or his only son?
His son is the 1%.
If you are told to build a boat on the mountain but do not, then you are in rebellion to God.
If you are called by God, then what is it that you have to do?
It is to obey.
Obedience does not come from doing what you want, but doing what you are told to do.
But instead of obeying, we ask God for blessings. Instead of humbling oursleves to God and His will to be blessed, we put an ulitmatum to god and tell Him that we will follow if He gives us what we desire.
99% of people think about the future.
1% do something to make that future happen.
Why do you follow God?
Is it for your gain?
Yes, that is fine too, but what is it that you truly want?
Is it not to succeed in the Lord?
We told that only one percent will go to heaven, is this any suprise if only 1% of the world is capable of being successful?
I pray that all of you will be successful in living the life that gives glory to God.
Today we sang a hymn condfessing that we will be soldiers of the cross no matter what others say and that we will do the work of Christ.
What is the work of Christ?
Doing work at church or at your business does not make it the work of Christ or not but it is the attitude of one that has Christ in His heart and does everything to give Christ the glory.
My work is to be the work of Christ.
A parent is to do their work as Christ and children are to be children as of Christ.
Before you go out and try to do work, you must know how to be responsible in your home.
A bucket that leaks at home leaks outside the home.
You must learn to be and do your work wherever you are but it starts at home with you.
Today in 1 Kings we see the story of the Jehosaphat.
Every journey starts with one step.
In order to accumulate great welath you must start saving every penny.
All your dreams will never come true without work.
Do we not all have dreams?
Who are the ones who achieve them?
It is the one who is willing to sacrifice pleasure to do what it takes to achieve their dream.
Look back at your life and see why you are where you are.
You will see that you have made many mistakes and did not change your behavior.
When you pray it is not "Lord please give me so that I can" that is an excuse.
You must go and do because you have already been given.
It is you who did not do because you did not want to do whatever it is that was put before you.
I must confess that it is my fault that I am in the situation in my life because I put myself here.
But who likes to confess this?
Are your thoughts the same as God's thoughts?
If it were how fantastic would it be.
Then eveyrthing would come to pass because God's will would happen.
Then what is different in your thoughts compared to God's thougths?
When we make something, we always need materials.
God does not. He creates out of nothing.
This is basic.
Also, there are rules that govern our lives. Like mathematics, common sense, and rules of nature.
There is no rules that govern God's thoughts.
Noah was told to build a boat on a mountain. That does not make sense to us, but God knew what He was doing.
Why would he make Noah build it on the mountain?
Is it possible that God forsaw that the flood would be so great and powerful, that the waves would be too much even for the ark to bear, thhat all the living people and animals in the boat would not be able to sustain the power of the water as it rose to the top?
God operates outside of our understanding.
Even if we do not understand we are to obey because He is God.
We don't know why He would tell Abraham to sacrifice His son, but after we see the grace and love of God.
Is it the only time, how about when David was tending sheep, but he is called and anointed king of Israel. Do we understand these things?
When I want to make a change in my life, I cannot wait for things to happen, rather I must put my life on the line and do everything in my power to change it. Thought alone is not enough. There must be action.
Not only in my life but especially in my walk with God.
In our lives we refuse to listen to the things that show us our sin in our lives, but rather we lie to ourselves and tell ourselves the things that make us feel good.
In today's passage Micaiah prophesied the same as the other 400 prophets. Was this prophesy right ot wrong?
Micaiah always prophesied what was right, but then why did Jehosaphat question him and tell him to tell the truth?
In our lives, when peolpe pray for us and we dislike it, we too instead of looking at oursleves we point a finger at those who prayer and call them false.
If we look at the passage again, we see that Jehosaphat already knew what the outcome was going to be.
So what did Jehosaphat do, he did what he wanted even though God said no. So he change his clothes thinking that he could fool God and was struck by an arrow and died. You cannot fool God. You cannot do what you want and think that you will get away with it.
In chapter 21 Ahab was told that he would die, but unlike Jehosaphat, he humbled himself before God and God spared him.
Who are you lie?
Are you like Jehosaphat who tries to fool God, or like Ahab who will humble himsefl before God?
I must decide how I will live my life. Will I decide to live according to what I want to do, and suffer God's wrath and be struck by the arrow when I am unaware?
We all have the ability to see how someone is doing, what kind of week they have had, if they are suffering or glad. But our weakness is that we don't know how to look at oursleves. We can't see the sin in our lives but we sit in the seat of judgement and persecute and judge others and we make excuses for why we don't try to imporve our lives.
If this is the life you are living then you will live like Ahab.
If I do not want to do 100 percent of what God says, then it is better that I dont' do any of it. If I did 99% but failed with 1% then it is because that 1% weighs more than the 99. It is something that I refuse to give up or do because I am not completely following God.
God told Abraham to give up his son. He had hundreds of slaves and animals.
Which would be easier to give up. All the slaves and snimals or his only son?
His son is the 1%.
If you are told to build a boat on the mountain but do not, then you are in rebellion to God.
If you are called by God, then what is it that you have to do?
It is to obey.
Obedience does not come from doing what you want, but doing what you are told to do.
But instead of obeying, we ask God for blessings. Instead of humbling oursleves to God and His will to be blessed, we put an ulitmatum to god and tell Him that we will follow if He gives us what we desire.
99% of people think about the future.
1% do something to make that future happen.
Why do you follow God?
Is it for your gain?
Yes, that is fine too, but what is it that you truly want?
Is it not to succeed in the Lord?
We told that only one percent will go to heaven, is this any suprise if only 1% of the world is capable of being successful?
I pray that all of you will be successful in living the life that gives glory to God.
What is God's work?
1 Kings 22:5-18
Today we sang a hymn condfessing that we will be soldiers of the cross no matter what others say and that we will do the work of Christ.
What is the work of Christ?
Doing work at church or at your business does not make it the work of Christ or not but it is the attitude of one that has Christ in His heart and does everything to give Christ the glory.
My work is to be the work of Christ.
A parent is to do their work as Christ and children are to be children as of Christ.
Before you go out and try to do work, you must know how to be responsible in your home.
A bucket that leaks at home leaks outside the home.
You must learn to be and do your work wherever you are but it starts at home with you.
Today in 1 Kings we see the story of the Jehosaphat.
Every journey starts with one step.
In order to accumulate great welath you must start saving every penny.
All your dreams will never come true without work.
Do we not all have dreams?
Who are the ones who achieve them?
It is the one who is willing to sacrifice pleasure to do what it takes to achieve their dream.
Look back at your life and see why you are where you are.
You will see that you have made many mistakes and did not change your behavior.
When you pray it is not "Lord please give me so that I can" that is an excuse.
You must go and do because you have already been given.
It is you who did not do because you did not want to do whatever it is that was put before you.
I must confess that it is my fault that I am in the situation in my life because I put myself here.
But who likes to confess this?
Are your thoughts the same as God's thoughts?
If it were how fantastic would it be.
Then eveyrthing would come to pass because God's will would happen.
Then what is different in your thoughts compared to God's thougths?
When we make something, we always need materials.
God does not. He creates out of nothing.
This is basic.
Also, there are rules that govern our lives. Like mathematics, common sense, and rules of nature.
There is no rules that govern God's thoughts.
Noah was told to build a boat on a mountain. That does not make sense to us, but God knew what He was doing.
Why would he make Noah build it on the mountain?
Is it possible that God forsaw that the flood would be so great and powerful, that the waves would be too much even for the ark to bear, thhat all the living people and animals in the boat would not be able to sustain the power of the water as it rose to the top?
God operates outside of our understanding.
Even if we do not understand we are to obey because He is God.
We don't know why He would tell Abraham to sacrifice His son, but after we see the grace and love of God.
Is it the only time, how about when David was tending sheep, but he is called and anointed king of Israel. Do we understand these things?
When I want to make a change in my life, I cannot wait for things to happen, rather I must put my life on the line and do everything in my power to change it. Thought alone is not enough. There must be action.
Not only in my life but especially in my walk with God.
In our lives we refuse to listen to the things that show us our sin in our lives, but rather we lie to ourselves and tell ourselves the things that make us feel good.
In today's passage Micaiah prophesied the same as the other 400 prophets. Was this prophesy right ot wrong?
Micaiah always prophesied what was right, but then why did Jehosaphat question him and tell him to tell the truth?
In our lives, when peolpe pray for us and we dislike it, we too instead of looking at oursleves we point a finger at those who prayer and call them false.
If we look at the passage again, we see that Jehosaphat already knew what the outcome was going to be.
So what did Jehosaphat do, he did what he wanted even though God said no. So he change his clothes thinking that he could fool God and was struck by an arrow and died. You cannot fool God. You cannot do what you want and think that you will get away with it.
In chapter 21 Ahab was told that he would die, but unlike Jehosaphat, he humbled himself before God and God spared him.
Who are you lie?
Are you like Jehosaphat who tries to fool God, or like Ahab who will humble himsefl before God?
I must decide how I will live my life. Will I decide to live according to what I want to do, and suffer God's wrath and be struck by the arrow when I am unaware?
We all have the ability to see how someone is doing, what kind of week they have had, if they are suffering or glad. But our weakness is that we don't know how to look at oursleves. We can't see the sin in our lives but we sit in the seat of judgement and persecute and judge others and we make excuses for why we don't try to imporve our lives.
If this is the life you are living then you will live like Ahab.
If I do not want to do 100 percent of what God says, then it is better that I dont' do any of it. If I did 99% but failed with 1% then it is because that 1% weighs more than the 99. It is something that I refuse to give up or do because I am not completely following God.
God told Abraham to give up his son. He had hundreds of slaves and animals.
Which would be easier to give up. All the slaves and snimals or his only son?
His son is the 1%.
If you are told to build a boat on the mountain but do not, then you are in rebellion to God.
If you are called by God, then what is it that you have to do?
It is to obey.
Obedience does not come from doing what you want, but doing what you are told to do.
But instead of obeying, we ask God for blessings. Instead of humbling oursleves to God and His will to be blessed, we put an ulitmatum to god and tell Him that we will follow if He gives us what we desire.
99% of people think about the future.
1% do something to make that future happen.
Why do you follow God?
Is it for your gain?
Yes, that is fine too, but what is it that you truly want?
Is it not to succeed in the Lord?
We told that only one percent will go to heaven, is this any suprise if only 1% of the world is capable of being successful?
I pray that all of you will be successful in living the life that gives glory to God.
Today we sang a hymn condfessing that we will be soldiers of the cross no matter what others say and that we will do the work of Christ.
What is the work of Christ?
Doing work at church or at your business does not make it the work of Christ or not but it is the attitude of one that has Christ in His heart and does everything to give Christ the glory.
My work is to be the work of Christ.
A parent is to do their work as Christ and children are to be children as of Christ.
Before you go out and try to do work, you must know how to be responsible in your home.
A bucket that leaks at home leaks outside the home.
You must learn to be and do your work wherever you are but it starts at home with you.
Today in 1 Kings we see the story of the Jehosaphat.
Every journey starts with one step.
In order to accumulate great welath you must start saving every penny.
All your dreams will never come true without work.
Do we not all have dreams?
Who are the ones who achieve them?
It is the one who is willing to sacrifice pleasure to do what it takes to achieve their dream.
Look back at your life and see why you are where you are.
You will see that you have made many mistakes and did not change your behavior.
When you pray it is not "Lord please give me so that I can" that is an excuse.
You must go and do because you have already been given.
It is you who did not do because you did not want to do whatever it is that was put before you.
I must confess that it is my fault that I am in the situation in my life because I put myself here.
But who likes to confess this?
Are your thoughts the same as God's thoughts?
If it were how fantastic would it be.
Then eveyrthing would come to pass because God's will would happen.
Then what is different in your thoughts compared to God's thougths?
When we make something, we always need materials.
God does not. He creates out of nothing.
This is basic.
Also, there are rules that govern our lives. Like mathematics, common sense, and rules of nature.
There is no rules that govern God's thoughts.
Noah was told to build a boat on a mountain. That does not make sense to us, but God knew what He was doing.
Why would he make Noah build it on the mountain?
Is it possible that God forsaw that the flood would be so great and powerful, that the waves would be too much even for the ark to bear, thhat all the living people and animals in the boat would not be able to sustain the power of the water as it rose to the top?
God operates outside of our understanding.
Even if we do not understand we are to obey because He is God.
We don't know why He would tell Abraham to sacrifice His son, but after we see the grace and love of God.
Is it the only time, how about when David was tending sheep, but he is called and anointed king of Israel. Do we understand these things?
When I want to make a change in my life, I cannot wait for things to happen, rather I must put my life on the line and do everything in my power to change it. Thought alone is not enough. There must be action.
Not only in my life but especially in my walk with God.
In our lives we refuse to listen to the things that show us our sin in our lives, but rather we lie to ourselves and tell ourselves the things that make us feel good.
In today's passage Micaiah prophesied the same as the other 400 prophets. Was this prophesy right ot wrong?
Micaiah always prophesied what was right, but then why did Jehosaphat question him and tell him to tell the truth?
In our lives, when peolpe pray for us and we dislike it, we too instead of looking at oursleves we point a finger at those who prayer and call them false.
If we look at the passage again, we see that Jehosaphat already knew what the outcome was going to be.
So what did Jehosaphat do, he did what he wanted even though God said no. So he change his clothes thinking that he could fool God and was struck by an arrow and died. You cannot fool God. You cannot do what you want and think that you will get away with it.
In chapter 21 Ahab was told that he would die, but unlike Jehosaphat, he humbled himself before God and God spared him.
Who are you lie?
Are you like Jehosaphat who tries to fool God, or like Ahab who will humble himsefl before God?
I must decide how I will live my life. Will I decide to live according to what I want to do, and suffer God's wrath and be struck by the arrow when I am unaware?
We all have the ability to see how someone is doing, what kind of week they have had, if they are suffering or glad. But our weakness is that we don't know how to look at oursleves. We can't see the sin in our lives but we sit in the seat of judgement and persecute and judge others and we make excuses for why we don't try to imporve our lives.
If this is the life you are living then you will live like Ahab.
If I do not want to do 100 percent of what God says, then it is better that I dont' do any of it. If I did 99% but failed with 1% then it is because that 1% weighs more than the 99. It is something that I refuse to give up or do because I am not completely following God.
God told Abraham to give up his son. He had hundreds of slaves and animals.
Which would be easier to give up. All the slaves and snimals or his only son?
His son is the 1%.
If you are told to build a boat on the mountain but do not, then you are in rebellion to God.
If you are called by God, then what is it that you have to do?
It is to obey.
Obedience does not come from doing what you want, but doing what you are told to do.
But instead of obeying, we ask God for blessings. Instead of humbling oursleves to God and His will to be blessed, we put an ulitmatum to god and tell Him that we will follow if He gives us what we desire.
99% of people think about the future.
1% do something to make that future happen.
Why do you follow God?
Is it for your gain?
Yes, that is fine too, but what is it that you truly want?
Is it not to succeed in the Lord?
We told that only one percent will go to heaven, is this any suprise if only 1% of the world is capable of being successful?
I pray that all of you will be successful in living the life that gives glory to God.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Who is the God I belive in?
Pastor Park, Howard K.J.
All those worship songs and praise songs surrounding us!
Isn't it a time to evaluate whether lyrics of some songs really coincide with profession of my faith?
The lyric of Hymn "Am I a Soldier of the Cross" says that we are the soldiers following Jesus who is the Great Captain leading us, and this is our purpose. There is a praise song tells us that the Lord is the One staying behind and hepling us. It says; Jeus is the Lord who watches me when I am walking in peace, and comes to me with helping hands and warm comfort when I am in distress, who is still there behind me when I look back with a doubt. Could this be true of Jesus, the Lord?
Who is the Lord follwing me staying behind providing the strength according to my need? Who, then, is the Lord, Great Captain, leading me, a soldier who is determined to fight with Him? Am I a believer as a soldier following the Captain? Am I a believer walking my way knowing the Lord would always be there for me when I am in need?
Do I really trust and serve the Lord staying behind and following me?
Is the Lord a servant of mine following me with the power to fulfill my needs? What is He following behind me in His hands? Almighty God who knows I am weak to make mistakes and provides all that I need at the right time and right places. If that is true about the Lord, why do we need to pray? Why do we need to seek Him and cry out to God in the midst of hardships? If Jesus is behind me, how far would He stay behind? When my hardship last long, what could it be that keeping Him from recognizing my needs and sending th help I need? Could it be that I am taking too long looking back, or I didn't see Him clearly? Is this really the Lord I believe in?
What if Jesus is the Captain who is ahead of me and I am a soldier following?
When the Lord is ahead of me He is in charge leading the battle to victory, and I am a following soldier. And I can enjoy the victory with Him. In reality, However, there are times I do not follow Him and act as my own captain. That causes a defect in my defense and lead me to loose the battle. If I only follow my captain, Jesus, there will always be victory.
This victory does not mean something greatly recognizable to the world, but means spiritual victory at the moment of temptation coming from Satan when I work against it with God's Words not with my own experiences or knowledge. The victory may not be visible to anyone else, could be of my inner struggle. My battlefield could be a word I say, a small thought I bear....
When I lay down all these little details of myself before the Lord, He touches me in details leading me to victory. Would it be that we should be trained in such small battles in following the Great Captain so that we can be great soldiers for greater battle when the Captain leads us to it?
Is may faith in the Lord who follows me behind my back protecting me like a servant? Is my faith in the Lord who is ahead of me as a Captain leading me to victory?
I personally have faith in the Lord, Jesus who says to me through The Words, "Follow Me".
Do I profess my faith in the Lord who is behind me?
Do I profess myself to be a soldier of Cross?
Who is the Lord I believe in?
All those worship songs and praise songs surrounding us!
Isn't it a time to evaluate whether lyrics of some songs really coincide with profession of my faith?
The lyric of Hymn "Am I a Soldier of the Cross" says that we are the soldiers following Jesus who is the Great Captain leading us, and this is our purpose. There is a praise song tells us that the Lord is the One staying behind and hepling us. It says; Jeus is the Lord who watches me when I am walking in peace, and comes to me with helping hands and warm comfort when I am in distress, who is still there behind me when I look back with a doubt. Could this be true of Jesus, the Lord?
Who is the Lord follwing me staying behind providing the strength according to my need? Who, then, is the Lord, Great Captain, leading me, a soldier who is determined to fight with Him? Am I a believer as a soldier following the Captain? Am I a believer walking my way knowing the Lord would always be there for me when I am in need?
Do I really trust and serve the Lord staying behind and following me?
Is the Lord a servant of mine following me with the power to fulfill my needs? What is He following behind me in His hands? Almighty God who knows I am weak to make mistakes and provides all that I need at the right time and right places. If that is true about the Lord, why do we need to pray? Why do we need to seek Him and cry out to God in the midst of hardships? If Jesus is behind me, how far would He stay behind? When my hardship last long, what could it be that keeping Him from recognizing my needs and sending th help I need? Could it be that I am taking too long looking back, or I didn't see Him clearly? Is this really the Lord I believe in?
What if Jesus is the Captain who is ahead of me and I am a soldier following?
When the Lord is ahead of me He is in charge leading the battle to victory, and I am a following soldier. And I can enjoy the victory with Him. In reality, However, there are times I do not follow Him and act as my own captain. That causes a defect in my defense and lead me to loose the battle. If I only follow my captain, Jesus, there will always be victory.
This victory does not mean something greatly recognizable to the world, but means spiritual victory at the moment of temptation coming from Satan when I work against it with God's Words not with my own experiences or knowledge. The victory may not be visible to anyone else, could be of my inner struggle. My battlefield could be a word I say, a small thought I bear....
When I lay down all these little details of myself before the Lord, He touches me in details leading me to victory. Would it be that we should be trained in such small battles in following the Great Captain so that we can be great soldiers for greater battle when the Captain leads us to it?
Is may faith in the Lord who follows me behind my back protecting me like a servant? Is my faith in the Lord who is ahead of me as a Captain leading me to victory?
I personally have faith in the Lord, Jesus who says to me through The Words, "Follow Me".
Do I profess my faith in the Lord who is behind me?
Do I profess myself to be a soldier of Cross?
Who is the Lord I believe in?
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Am I doing my best for my child?
Thanks to the local Soroptimist, a volunteer organization for women.
On March 3, 3012, My daughter and I attended an event for the 6th grade girls in the local school district organized by the local Soroptimist members. The topic of the event was the "transition to junior high". I was very impressed with their detailed touch of care for 6th grade girls for their needs in many areas.
The guest speakers for the event were current elementary school principals, teachers, police officers, a singer and a hair artist and so on. I didn't think much about the transition from 6th grade to junior high for my two older children. I realized things have changed so much for the last ten years especially in technology-related area. Oh!, most definitely there was another important area that changed so much. One of the speakers, a principal who has experiences in elementary school as well as junior high, said that majority of trouble-makers in elementary are boys but it is the opposite in junior high, because girls' become aggressive in "protecting her boyfriend from other girls" that often lead to physical fight.
What was greatly emphasized in the event was in alerting and preparing the girls (and the parents) for cyber-bully issues as well as the dangers followed by personal exposure on internet. They presented many actual tragic cases that started with naive mistakes end up in death of the girls involved.
Age 12 or 13, now is the time to set boundaries for themselves and to stick to them.
And to do so, the speakers pointed out the importance of guidance from family, parents, and the loved ones and why the girls need to listen to them. I do send my sincere appreciation to the speakers on this matter. We cannot over-emphasize the role and responsibilities of family, especially parents, in our children's lives. We, parents, can't just blame the media and society for undesirable influences on our children. We are responsible for protecting our children!!
On March 3, 3012, My daughter and I attended an event for the 6th grade girls in the local school district organized by the local Soroptimist members. The topic of the event was the "transition to junior high". I was very impressed with their detailed touch of care for 6th grade girls for their needs in many areas.
The guest speakers for the event were current elementary school principals, teachers, police officers, a singer and a hair artist and so on. I didn't think much about the transition from 6th grade to junior high for my two older children. I realized things have changed so much for the last ten years especially in technology-related area. Oh!, most definitely there was another important area that changed so much. One of the speakers, a principal who has experiences in elementary school as well as junior high, said that majority of trouble-makers in elementary are boys but it is the opposite in junior high, because girls' become aggressive in "protecting her boyfriend from other girls" that often lead to physical fight.
What was greatly emphasized in the event was in alerting and preparing the girls (and the parents) for cyber-bully issues as well as the dangers followed by personal exposure on internet. They presented many actual tragic cases that started with naive mistakes end up in death of the girls involved.
Age 12 or 13, now is the time to set boundaries for themselves and to stick to them.
And to do so, the speakers pointed out the importance of guidance from family, parents, and the loved ones and why the girls need to listen to them. I do send my sincere appreciation to the speakers on this matter. We cannot over-emphasize the role and responsibilities of family, especially parents, in our children's lives. We, parents, can't just blame the media and society for undesirable influences on our children. We are responsible for protecting our children!!
Every Life Is Worth Living
There are so many amazing people, some are very well known and some just hidden in our eyes.
I regret the times in my past complaining about what I felt lacking in my life to be somebody. Thought it may feel kind of late to realize in heart that all it takes to be somebody is my determination in God who provides everything else.
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