Do Good Anyway

In the course of our lives, we will run across quotes, books, movies and songs that move us, challenge us and inspire us. They serve as the gas to get us closer to God.

I wanted to share with you one of my favorite pieces of inspirational writing, a poem, by Mother Teresa. It's called, 'Do It Anyway,' which has just enough gas to get us to our Destination.

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may often accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

~Mother Teresa

This did not speak volumes to me. The knowledge, wisdom, faith and truth spoke whole libraries to me! What we have to realize is this-- there are a lot of jerks in the world, but as Christians we can instead look at it in another way . . . there are a lot of lost people in this world. The thing I've found is LOST people act lost, so it should come as no surprise when people are ugly to us for seemingly no reason at all. Should it?

My Dad has taught me, and encouraged me, to love people with absolutely NO expectations at all. Love them because Jesus, who is Love, inhabits your being. He overtakes your body, your Earthly vessel, so much so that no matter how people 'treat' you . . . you always respond in love! You do nice things for people not expecting anything back. In fact, if you do something for someone just to get something back . . . you really need to check your heart because your motives aren't motivated by love! The truest litmus test of character is doing something out of the goodness of your heart-- not expecting, or seeking, any recognition. It's giving something-- your time, love, energy and fellowship-- to someone who has nothing to offer in return.

Love always requires sacrifice and putting the recipient's needs, wants and desires above your own. It's putting an action with your words. It's simply wanting to make that person's day better in that moment. It's adding sun rays, Sonshine, to their day no matter how dark of a place they're in or how blue their life's skies are! It's uplifting words, words of encouragement, smiles, hugs and just attention, and validation, we all need.

I am LEARNING how to take things more with a grain of salt. Praise, criticism, being treated well or being treated terribly, responding the same way in indifference or in love, but doing my best not to react or do what is has been done to me. Be more like a duck and let their hurtful words and actions be the water that goes flying off your back!

Through forgiving someone, and asking someone to forgive you, there is great freedom, so let things go . . . life is too short not to! It's not easy to have the self-control to respond to cruel behavior in the right fashion, but it definitely worth it. For God sees!!

"You are my friends if you do what I command." (John 15:14) What is that command? Look at verse 17-- "This is my command: to love each other." What a radical, yet nonetheless, powerful thought!! Do I have this perfected? HARDLY, but God, through me, is making strides in this area.

Am I offended when someone is rude to me for no reason? When someone acts hateful toward me when I've done nothing to deserve it? Of course I am. I am human, when someone is ugly to me it hurts my feelings, it temporarily angered me . . . as in past tense. But what we have to understand is what Jesus said was and will always be true! The world will HATE us the same way it hated, and hates, Him (John 15:18-25).

Look at Jesus' words and it will come as no great surprise, or no surprise, at all when we are treated as outcasts.

Verses 18 and 19. "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as it's own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."

But then look at verse 25 "But this is fulfill what is written in their law: 'They hated me WITHOUT REASON.'

So we should not EXPECT people to be nice to us, but we should assume the exact opposite. We get spoiled into thinking we aren't supposed to be ridiculed, shunned, disappointed and treated badly, but the reality is without expectations of how we're SUPPOSED to be treated . . . there is no disappointment.

Hurt people do what? They hurt! And let's face it . . . there are many, many hurt people in our daily lives. What's the easy thing to do when someone hurts you? That's right-- to hurt them back, but the 'easy' thing to do is never the right thing to do. It's not about what the offender 'deserves' ; it's about being who God intended you to be! After all, we didn't 'deserve' mercy, grace, forgiveness and love, but thankfully that didn't stop God from extending it when all we REALLY deserved was death.

It's not just about when someone treats you badly . . . it's also about being who God created you to be-- being who YOU ARE! It's no coincidence the Bible says we are made in His image (Genesis 1:27). With that being the case; we are made out of Love, to love, to share His love!

I encourage you to pray John 3:30 over your lives every day-- More Jesus to fill your body, your vessel, and less of yourself. Only through dying to ourselves, see Romans chapter 6, can He, through us, allow us to obey the Golden Rule. A big part of the Christian walk is taking up our cross (Luke 9:23) and sharing in the suffering of Christ (Romans 8:17). It's not fun, but it is what we are called to do.

There will always be people who speak destructive words instead of words brimming with life. There will always be words filled with doubt, fear and hate not of faith, courage and love. There will always be people telling you you can't do something as opposed to encouraging you to achieve those special goals you have in mind. There will always be those telling you to be realistic when you want nothing more than to chase your dreams.

They can easily steal your joy if you let them. They can certainly chip away at the peace, which has been given to you, that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

But remember, it's not about them . . . it is between you and God, so DO GOOD ANYWAY!!''

He has shown you, O' mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Love without words

 

"The elderly gentleman next door had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the old man crying, his neighbor's four year old son went into the old man's yard, climbed onto his lap and sat there. Later, when his mother asked him what he had said to the old gentleman, the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just helped him to cry!'"

Doesn't this anecdote just capture your spirit? Here is the innocence of a child with an unhindered heart of grace.

Job too knew friends like this (at first).

"Then they sat on the ground with him (Job) for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was." (Job 2:13)

Silence can be the wise choice of an understanding friend. Silence with loving company can salve the injured soul and caress a saddened spirit. There are times when advice or counsel are, at best, hollow, as the moment, the depth, the emotion can never be plumbed by words. Feelings can reach far deeper than words can ever dive.

Our Father in heaven too knows this. He was the first one to know it.

He too has sent His 'four year old' to sit with us. This is His Holy Spirit - our counselor and comforter (Jn 14:16).

When we feel as 'the elderly gentleman next door' did, His Holy Spirit sits on our lap, won't say a thing to us unless invited to, and even says our prayers that we can no longer form."In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." (Roms 8:26)

When words won't work for me, His Holy Spirit will.

Thou shalt not judge.

Psalm 9:8 “He shall judge the world in righteousness, and He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.” (NKJ)

…not lie.
…not steal.
…not commit adultery.
…not murder.

Sound familiar? They should. Christians ought to have the entire Ten Commandments committed to memory. As soon as we learn them, they become our creed. We live by them. Take a moment to take an inventory. Which commandments have you obeyed today? Now what about this:

Thou shalt not judge.

Hmm. Feeling uneasy? I am.

Sometimes in our eagerness to be “good little Christians” we judge those who do not appear to be as “good” as us. But who are we to judge? Has God appointed us with that task? No. In Matthew 7:1-5, Jesus says, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (NKJ)

Nowhere in the Bible will you find a ranking system for sin. However, don’t we rank sin anyway? For example, wouldn’t we say a murderer is worse than a liar? But you know what? God views all sin equally. A sin is a sin is a sin. Period. Case closed. So why is it we judge others based on their sins?

Now what about this:

Thou shalt love thy neighbor.

Feeling convicted? Yep, me too!

When we judge others, we show condemnation rather than God’s love. We treat others as if their sin defines them. “She’s a liar.” “He’s a murder.” “She’s an adulterer.” “They’re sinners,” you think. We’re all sinners! Ask yourself what sin you struggle with the most. Do you want your life to be defined by that? Do you want God to judge you for that sin as harshly as you judge others? I sure don’t. Jesus died for every single one of us. As Christians, covered by the blood of Jesus and saved by God’s grace, our focus should be on showing that love and grace to others rather than behaving as if we are better than they are. “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.” Luke 6:35-38 (KJV)

How many people do we turn away from God with our hypocritical attitudes? How many people could we save if we were truly obedient? Think about that.

Dear Heavenly Father, I am a sinner. I have judged harshly and neglected to show Your amazing love to others. Please forgive me for being a stumbling block to those who would otherwise come to You. Thank You for forgiving me, despite my sins. I thank You, dear Lord, for offering Your grace, which allows me to come to You without condemnation. Continue to convict me so that I can be truly obedient to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God does not intend for any to be condemned. We are not condemned; we should not condemn others. If this week’s devotion has convicted you, seek God’s guidance. Repent, and God will forgive. Then take the grace God has offered you and share it with those around you.

Power Verses:
1 John 2:10 “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.” (KJV)
1 John 4:11 “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” (KJV)
1 Peter 3:8 “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous.” (NKJ)

Stepping Stone Seasons

We don’t like the difficult seasons in life.
We don’t jump up and down for joy when everything goes wrong.

We struggle when the heavens seem silent.
We get uncomfortable when God doesn’t fulfill His promise in our timeframe.
We freak out when the job is lost, the family fights and our health dwindles.
We can’t stand staying in the dead end job longer than a day.
We hate chasing a dream, pursuing God’s call on our lives only to watch it all fall apart.
We find it unfair to do the right thing, flee from temptation, and pay the consequences of someone else’s sin.

We want every season to be a season of blessing.

We want to always feel God with us.
We desire to see our prayers answered right away.
We strive after the well-paying job, the new house and fancy car.
We pray for God’s favor to be poured out on our lives.
We want the family to be healthy, the job satisfying and the bank account overflowing.

We fully embrace the seasons of blessing.
And do all we can to avoid the seasons of hardship.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28

Seasons of hardship aren’t meant to be avoided. Seasons where it feels as if God has turned his back and forgotten about us aren’t meant to be despised. The lack and frustration and heartache shouldn’t be wished over.


God works every season in our lives for our good.

Noah spent years building an ark and over a year in the ark in order to be saved from the flood.
Abraham cried out 50 years for a son, only to see his prayers fall flat.
Moses endured 40 years of obscurity in the desert before standing before Pharaoh.
Joseph was thrown in a pit, sold into slavery, accused of rape and put in jail for a crime he didn’t commit to prepare him to be second in command.
David endured the pain of his mentor trying to kill him in order to become king.
Ester was ripped from her home, spent a year being scrubbed and cleansed all to spend one night with the king.

Every season where it felt as if God turned His back is just a stepping stone in His plan for our lives.

You don’t become king without sacrifice.
You don’t save a nation from famine without betrayal.
You don’t lead people out of bondage without time in the wilderness.
You can’t stand before rulers and authorities without brokenness.

You can’t expect to accomplish great things for God without seasons of hardship.
They go hand in hand.

God allows every season in our lives for a purpose.
Our job is to embrace whatever season we are in, and use it as a stepping stone in His plan for our lives.

Avoid Negativity

Avoid people who are negative.

If you want a simpler and happier life, choose your friends with care. Avoid whinners and complainers. Sometimes this goes for family too. Spend your time with friends and family that encourage you. Invest your time with people who maintain a good attitude and have a positive outlook on life.

Sometimes you have to let go of friends and family who bring you down. They may not be bad people, just bad for you.

Just because you are a believer, doesn't mean you have to accept abuse. Scripture says, "Look, I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves." (Matthew 10:16) I am confident God means we should know how our enemy operates and be alert to his attacks (like verbal abuse). Then stand your ground and speak up. The trick is to remain as calm and as gentle as a dove even if the enemy starts screaming in your face. Keep standing your ground without fear and steadfast in faith that God keeps His promises. Only speak what comes from Him and don't let the enemy win the floor. Make him flee. Scripture says, "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

Look for the good (and God) in every situation...

God… Please don’t wipe away all my tears!!

Revelations 21:4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Dear Father God,


I’m so glad that you’re going to wipe every tear away from my eyes one day…but I don’t want all my tears wiped away. I do want the bad tears wiped away…the ones that came from my suffering…but there are some special tears that I hope you collected and will never get rid of….they are….my tears of love for you! My God….I love you so much and in my prayer times I have cried so hard because I love you so so much.


My wonderful, merciful and caring God…these are my good tears and I don’t want you to wipe them away. Every tear of love I shed for you are from deep within my heart. My heart aches for you and each tear represents the depths of that love.


Please don’t wipe my love away. How will I be able to tell you how much I love you when I get to heaven? Will there be a way? Can I pour oil on you? Will I have hair to wash your feet with? I know you are a spirit so how will I pour my love out on you?


Luke 7:38 and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.


Please tell me how I will worship you and I will be so happy. Father God…when I get there… will there be room for me to lay before your throne in adoration of your Holiness and your love that you have shown to me. I think a lot about what I will do in your presence. I’m going to want to hug you tightly and say thank you for making me, forgiving me, saving me, loving me and accepting me warts and all. Yes these tears God…that I have on my face right now…they are for you….don’t wipe them away.


God there are no words in my mouth and in my mind right now…only my tears of love…my human expression of passion for you. My tear’s are my worship Father…don’t wipe my tears away. You’ve given me so much and my good tears are all I have to give you….they are…my love. They are symbolic of my heart’s cry of worship and praise to you.


Will I remember these times of prayer and intimate fellowship with you? They are precious to me! Will my love for you be lost in the history of your many other blood washed children? I know I’m asking so many questions…but I don’t want my good tears to be gone from my memory of you….I cherish my good tears and my good times with you.


I know when I get to heaven….you’ll be waiting for me and I’ll have a glorified body and I’ll be like you and things between you and me will be on a whole different level…..but I still have to say this while I’m still down here…..Don’t wipe my good tears away….they are my joy, my happiness and my love that I have for you! I love you!!


From your tearful daughter… good tears,

Is The Grass Really Greener On The Other Side?

Why is it that we try so hard to belong in places we were never meant to be? Usually, it's because we want so badly to be there. But what we've failed to realize at one time or another is that it's not being where WE want that brings the fulfillment and satisfaction we seek; it's being where God wants us to be.

You see, God has designed and equipped us to fulfill a particular role in this world. If we spend all our time trying to be somewhere else or do something else, not only will we probably experience dissatisfaction in the place we weren't meant to be, but we'll also miss out on the rich blessings God has planned to give us in the place He planned for us to be.

God hates it when we pass up on the real life and settle for false promises of this world.

Oh sure, the other side of the fence might look greener, but it's an optical illusion. It's not really a field full of green grass; it's a field planted with grass that Satan has painted to look green so he can deceive us into moving to his side of the fence.

I think that sometimes things are the hardest when we are headed in the direction God wants for us.

The grass is not greener on the other side, it's greener where we water and fertilize it.

I'm certain that the best I can think of for myself pales in comparison to the best God has in mind for me.

"As the heaven are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:9

Operation Fragrance

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.” –2 Corinthians 2:14

Trees and other plants rely on small animals to help them survive. Bees carry pollen from flower to flower in Spring. Squirrels take acorns and other nuts from place to place. Birds move the seeds from fruit trees to new locations where there may be more room for seedlings to grow. In turn, the animals get the food they need from the plants. God planned for the plants and animals to help each other in this way.

In a similar way, we carry the fragrance of the knowledge of God with us wherever we go. We plant seeds of God’s love in others, nourishing them spiritual and helping God's kingdom to thrive. As we go where God leads, He goes with us, filling us with His Spirit, His strength. This is God’s plan for us. We are triumphant so long as we rely on Him.

Holy Spirit, fill my life with the fragrance of Your love that others may know You wherever I go. Amen.

Salt

Matthew 5:13"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. (NIV)

In your daily life, the world swirls in the filth of dirty jokes, pornography, corruption, crime, hatred, bigotry, irreverence, and lawlessness. In the middle of this darkness there is you. In the middle of this darkness you are to be a tiny salt crystal, a tiny light to make the world more bearable, more kind, and a little more survivable. Salt is used both as a seasoning and as a preservative. You add taste in a tasteless world. You are the preservative that keeps the world from unraveling and falling apart. Be the salt by giving love, giving understanding, and shining the light of His truth into the hearts of all those you know.

Why Christianity is Not a Religion

Those who know me often ask, "Emma, why does it offend you so much when people call you religious?" The summary of my answer is, "Religion has no more to do with biblical Christianity than sitting in a church pew every Sunday does."

One difference between the two is that every religion is man made. Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Mormonism, and liberal Christianity all involve man’s interpretation of faith. When you start worshiping with another man’s credo, you are dangerously close to religion, not biblical Christianity. Many of these religions have a manual (Koran, Book of Mormon, the writings of Buddha) to go along with the true word of God. As a knightly Christian, I refuse to worship with any man’s rules other than those of the God man, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. God is explicit about not taking away or adding anything to His word found in the bible.

Furthermore, the false prophets of religion teach that the only way to benevolence (God of their choice) is by good works. They teach self-esteem, moral actions, and humanistic pride as the way to their God of choice. However, never doubt that religion does not have to be centered on a God for it can be centered on mankind itself. Jesus foretold them coming in Matthew 24:11 when he said, "And many false prophets will appear and deceive many people."

Defining "Religion"

In the dictionary, "religion" is defined as a set of strongly-held beliefs, values, and attitudes that somebody lives by, or an object, practice, cause, or activity that somebody is completely devoted to or obsessed by. This can be anything that takes us away from the true living God—Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Religion can be alcohol, drugs, pornography, a career, sex; thus, anything that drives a wedge between us and the trinity of God, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is a religion.

Religion teaches us to hide our sinful attitude behind a mask of goodness, righteousness, and secular humanism. How many self-help gurus have we heard claim to have the secret to our happiness by giving us self-esteem, pride, and true self worth? I tire of hearing pompous professors and teachers of "higher learning" telling young folks that the only way to fulfillment is through "enlightenment of the mind."

In his book, Hard to Believe--The High Cost and Infinite Value of Following Jesus, John MacArthur hit the nail on the head when he said, "Natural reason seeking God ends up ignorant, idolatrous, and demonic. Demons are behind all false religions. They are behind all philosophical and religious systems. They are behind every lofty thing lifted up against the knowledge of God. Any unbiblical, anti-God idea is demonic."

Don’t let anyone fool you--we all have masks. Biblical Christianity is taking that mask off, first before God, and then second, before man. Why the second, you ask? Because not doing so is denying Christ before man—denying his ability to free you from your bondage and denying his true kinship over you. If you hide what you are--a vile sinner--Satan wins. The Bible makes the point this way in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15: "For such men are false prophets, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."

Christ demands that we realize and admit our fallen state. He demands that we acknowledge before man that on our own we cannot reach benevolence. He demands that we become transparent with our sin, vile nature, and admit the dirty secrets and desires that permeate our minds. Religion requires us to hide our weakness because only the strong survive. Biblical Christianity demands that we admit our weakness to become strong so we may survive.

God's Grand Plan

God’s grand plan of the Bible first showed Jesus Christ as a lamb coming to earth as a man full of the blood God required for the forgiveness of our sin. It then talks about Christ coming back as the lion, conqueror of Satan’s world, "And every knee will bow." My point is that God required Christ to be a lamb before He could be a lion. He bowed before God and did His will, and not His own. We must become meek before God before we can be strong for Christ—a lamb before a lion. As biblical Christians we must forgo the sinful pride of our reputation and gain the pride of Christ’s reputation. Religion is about doing your own thing; Christianity is about doing Christ’s thing.

Are You a Leader, or a Follower?

Religion is about being a leader, strong and defiant. Christianity is about being a follower, meek and mild. Don’t get me wrong: Jesus Christ demands that we pick up our cross and follow Him with strength and loyalty, whereas religion requires that we do society’s thing with strength and loyalty. There in itself is a glaring hypocrisy of religion; i.e., "do your own thing with strength, loyalty, and pride as long as it’s what everyone else is doing." That further hypocrisy is being observed in our public forums. Today’s society is about understanding and respecting everyone’s faith and beliefs so long as it doesn’t threaten one's perception of pride, strength, and the American dream.

Christianity is being watered down beyond being effective when it’s allowed to be mentioned at all, because, in our society, admitting weakness is a sin. Few parents want their children in school learning to be followers; instead, they want leaders like Trump and Turner—rude, prideful, rich, and successful. Religion requires that we have goodness through our own reputation and good works. Only the top of the class make it into the "club." If you aren’t healthy, wealthy and fat, you must not be living a complete benevolent life—you must do better. Christianity gives us the hard core truth about what we are--"not one of us is good, no not one, and we all fall short of the glory of God." Religion teaches that we must pull ourselves up by our boot straps to reach Utopia. Many of our rich and famous have fallen head long for this ideology. They think if they save enough people from HIV in Africa, feed enough of the homeless, and save enough babies, they will make it into heaven. Wrong. One of the bedrocks of biblical Christianity is that we do these things not in our name, but Christ’s.

Ted Turner was once quoted as saying that "Christianity is for losers." Man, did he hit the nail on the head. We are losers. That is to say that, to be a biblical Christian, we must be a loser in society’s eyes. To become a winner, we must lose all that society lives and strives for. We cannot chase the American dream of fame, fortune, and "stuff." We cannot pick our wives and husbands based on where they went to school, what they drive, wear, and make, but rather where their allegiance lies. We cannot feed the homeless or help the poor and sick with swelled chests and pride. We cannot become indulgent. We must lose our appetite for the fleshly desires that plaque this world. We must get up every morning, try with everything we are to be righteous, and swear our allegiance to our Lord, not because we can ever live up to His requirements, but rather because we know we can’t.

Worshiping in a million-dollar church with forty-thousand-dollar cars sitting in the parking lot is religion, not Christianity. Taking the words, hell, damnation, Jesus Christ, and the Old Testament out of our sermons is not biblical Christianity. Allowing homosexuals and lesbians to preach feel-good Christianity, and portraying Jesus Christ as a 60s hippie is liberal Christianity and, therefore, religion. Seeking fame and fortune with a microphone in your hand, singing about Christ and healing people in three-thousand-dollar suits is religion, not biblical Christianity. Putting the symbols of the Virgin Mary, Star of David, the prophet Muhammad, Buddha, the Masonic Lodge, and a God of erotica before Christ is not biblical Christianity but religion. Christianity is not looking at people and thinking, "They’re messed up; I’m glad I’m not messed up like that." Rather, it’s seeing the sin in their life and rebuking them with candor, truthfulness, and biblical teaching. Knowing in your heart you’ve been there, or if you trust in your own righteousness, you can fall just like they did.

Biblical Christianity is fire-and-brimstone teaching just as much as teaching the love of Christ. Feminism, liberalism, and the sexual revolution is religion from the depths of Satanic teaching, not biblical Christianity.

Making Hard Choices

Nobody said it was going to be easy. In fact, Jesus said that he did not come to "bring peace to the earth, but a sword." For many, the cost of becoming a winner in the afterlife is too great a loss on earth. Jesus underlines in the New Testament without a shadow of a doubt what must be done to gain the greatest prize—an eternity in His presence. We must turn against our family if need be, and we must acknowledge Him before man even if it means the greatest sacrifice of laying down our life. As Jesus says in Matthew 12:30, "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters."

As biblical Christians we must take a stand in our lives and that stand is turning our backs on the person we were before God called us. It even means turning our back on those who try to pull us back into that pagan lifestyle because, truthfully folks, if God had called them that would not be their aspiration. Remember, becoming a knightly Christian is not going back to the bars, having premarital sex, and basically thinking you have received the genie called Jesus Christ who is waiting to fill your every wish. It’s not watching Sex in the City, Desperate Housewives, and viewing Internet porn. As knightly Christians we must search the word of God and see its truth, not spin its truth to fit our desires.

Forgiveness

However, as knightly Christians we must not forget an important aspect of biblical Christianity—forgiveness. In Matthew 18:35, Jesus talks about forgiveness, saying "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart." He used the word brother for a reason. This is to mean our brothers and sisters in Christ. The Bible is clear about not intertwining nonbelievers in our lives. The pagan lifestyle has no business in the biblical Christian lifestyle. However, if God leads pagans into your life and they truly accept Jesus Christ in a biblical way, they are now your brothers and sisters in Christ, and they must be forgiven and the old lifestyle forgotten.

What is Hell Like?

 Luke 16:19-31

We have come to a time when few people believe in a literal Hell. Yet it is still in the Bible, and it is still true because the Word of God is true. Men change their ideas but God's truth is always the same. The great Eternal God tells us that there is an eternal Hell for all those who reject Christ and live without God. Preaching on hell has diminished. We hear many light, fluffy sermons about peace, goodness, brotherhood, and the social gospel, but some congregations never hear hell even mentioned.


If Jesus was concerned about people knowing what hell is like enough to teach about it, then we should to. Jesus teaches us that Hell is a real literal place of torment.

Does that thought ever bother you? Do you ever get burdened for the souls of men?

I want to look at 7 characteristics that Jesus teaches us about Hell from this passage.

1 Hell is immediate after death.
A No purgatory
B No second chance

2 Hell is a place of torment.
A literal fire
B No water. No relief
C no mercy

3 Your status in life will not keep you out of Hell, and his money did not keep him out of Hell.

4 In Hell you are aware of your surroundings
A He could see.
B he recognized Lazarus
C he could feel the flames
D he felt the thirst
E He still had his memory

5 In Hell there is No way out
A A great gulf fixed
B no second chance

6 In Hell you will be concerned with Soul Winning.
A He wanted to his family to be saved.
B He wanted them to send someone else to witness to his family.

7 The only way to not go to Hell is to hear the Word of God and be persuaded.
A It will not be done thru watching great things.
B Romans Road

Hell is real. The teaching of Jesus is clear. We should not want anyone to go there.

Heart Surgery

Would you prefer the heart of heaven to the heart in humans?

Do you ache for a heart of:
• faithfulness and not lust,
• honor and not shame,
• service and not indulgence,
• generosity and not greed,
• grace and not judgement,
• mercy and not punishment,
• peace and not restlessness,
• righteousness and not evil,
• purity and not sin,
• satisfaction and not coveting with
• repair and not fracture?

It is even a divine favor to just long for these. So many traverse the cobblestones of life, meandering through the mountaintops and weeping in the valleys without even appreciating such distinctions.

God seeks to birth a new heart in each of us. He wants each of us to see heaven from earth - this comes through heart surgery.

For spiritual re-birth I need to sow to the spirit.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26)

For a heart from heaven I need to sow to the Heart of Heaven.

Unlike any other surgery this heart-surgery can only be conducted in humility and on the knees.

(PS ... of course if you don't want a new heart - remain vertical.)

The LORD Jesus is our:

LOVE
"He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is Love." (1John 4:8)


"The LORD did not set His Love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people... Know therefore that the LORD thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth Covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His Commandments to a thousand generations." (Deuteronomy 7:7,9)


JOY
"The LORD had made them joyful." (Ezra 6:22)


"The joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10)


PEACE
"Now The God of Peace be with you all." (Romans 15:33)


"Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our LORD." (2Peter 1:2)


HOPE
"Now The God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." (Romans 15:13)


"That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His Commandments." (Psalm 78:7)


WISDOM
"For after that in the Wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." (1Corinthians 1:21)


"Christ the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God." (1Corinthians 1:24)


UNITY
"Endeavouring to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:3)


"Till we all come in the Unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:13)


SAFETY
"Safety is of the LORD." (Proverbs 21:31)


"I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety." (Psalm 4:8)


"The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by Him; and the LORD shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between His shoulders." (Deuteronomy 33:12)


HEALTH
"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise Him, Who is The Health Of My Countenance, and my God." (Psalm 43:5)


"Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones." (Proverbs 3:7-8)


"My son, attend to My Words; incline thine ear unto My Sayings. Let Them not depart from thine eyes; keep Them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find Them, and health to all their flesh." (Proverbs 4:20-22)


STRENGTH
"I will love Thee, O LORD, my Strength. The LORD is my Rock, and my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my Strength, in Whom I will trust." (Psalm 18:1-2)


"Now know I that the LORD saveth His anointed; He will hear him from His Holy Heaven with the Saving Strength of His Right Hand." (Psalm 20:6)


"The LORD is my Strength and my Shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise Him." (Psalm 28:7)


PROSPERITY
"Save now, I beseech Thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech Thee, send now prosperity." (Psalm 118:25)


"They shall prosper that love Thee." (Psalm 122:6)


SALVATION
"The LORD is my Strength and Song, and He is become my Salvation." (Exodus 15:2)


"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my Strength, and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)


RIGHTEOUSNESS
"Their righteousness is of Me, saith the LORD." (Isaiah 54:17)


"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD... He hath covered me with The Robe Of Righteousness, as a Bridegroom decketh Himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10)


"This is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." (Jeremiah 23:6)


SANCTIFICATION
"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our LORD Jesus, that Great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to Whom be glory for ever and ever." (Hebrews 13:20-21)


"Who are kept by the Power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1Peter 1:5)


"For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning." (2Peter 2:20)


LIFE
"According as His Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto Life and Godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue." (2Peter 1:3)


"And this is Life Eternal, that they might know Thee the Only True God, and Jesus Christ, Whom Thou hast sent." (John 17:3)


"Yet the LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life." (Psalm 42:8)


BROTHER
"For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is My brother, and My sister, and mother." (Mark 3:35)


"Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren." (Hebrews 2:17)


"For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of One: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren." (Hebrews 2:11)


"A friend loveth at all times, and a Brother is born for adversity." (Proverbs 17:17)


FRIEND
"13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you." (John 15:13-15)


"And I say unto you My friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do." (Luke 12:4)


INTERCESSOR
"It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, Who is even at the right hand of God, Who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8:34)


"For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus." (1Timothy 2:5)


"Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:25)


"For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us." (Hebrews 9:24)


"If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous." (1John 2:1)


HIGH PRIEST
"We have such an High Priest, Who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens." (Hebrews 8:1)


"10 We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this Man, after He had offered One Sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." (Hebrews 10:10-14)


LORD & KING
"He is LORD of lords, and KING of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful." (Revelation 17:14)


"Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances..." (Psalm 44:4)


"For God is my King of old, working Salvation in the midst of the earth." (Psalm 74:12)


"For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our Lawgiver, the LORD is our King; He will save us." (Isaiah 33:22)


BRIDEGROOM
"The bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." (Isaiah 62:5)


"He that hath the bride is the Bridegroom." (John 3:29)


"The Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him." (Matthew 25:6)


"The Bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with Him to the Marriage: and the door was shut." (Matthew 25:10)

Obituary

Our church was saddened to learn this week of the death of one of our most valued members, Someone Else.

Someone's passing creates a vacancy that will be difficult to fill. Else has been with us for many years and for every one of those years, Someone did far more than a normal person's share of the work. Whenever there was a job to do, a class to teach, or a meeting to attend, one name was on everyone's list, "Let Someone Else do it." Whenever leadership was mentioned, this wonderful person was looked to for inspiration as well as results; "Someone Else can work with that group."

It was common knowledge that Someone Else was among the most liberal givers in our church. Whenever there was a financial need, everyone just assumed Someone Else would make up the difference.

Someone Else was a wonderful person; sometimes appearing superhuman. Were the truth known, everybody expected too much of Someone Else. Now Someone Else is gone! We wonder what we are going to do.

Someone Else left a wonderful example to follow, but who is going to follow it? Who is going to do the things Someone Else did?

When you are asked to help this coming year, remember -- we can't depend on Someone Else anymore.

A Home for God's Child

Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” –Mark 10:15 and Luke 18:17 (see also Matthew 18:3)

When grown-ups move from one home to another, their children move with them. They don’t get a vote. They may not understand why. They may not even like or want the change. When their parents move, however, children move, too, because for children, home is where their parents are.

If we are the children of God, therefore, and He is our Father, home for us is where He Is. Since God is everywhere, in a broad sense, that could mean that home is anywhere. But anywhere doesn’t bring up images of the comfort and security and context of home. No. In more personal terms, I think home for us is where God sends us, where God wants us, where God takes us, wherever God leads.

Jesus, God’s Son, was sent to Earth by the Father. Our world became His home. Then He was taken back up to Heaven, His eternal home. And there, He is creating an eternal home for us.

For now, however, just like it was for Jesus, Earth is our home. We are God’s children. Our place is to obey and go wherever we are sent, wherever God’s Spirit leads. As we do what God tells us to do, we find that we are where He Is—and that means we’re always at home.

Does that make sense?

Obviously, I’m playing with the title of this blog a little bit. But I love, love, love that home is not only where God sends us, but also where He takes us. He Is with us wherever He tells us to go. And because we’re His children, that’s what makes the place He moves us to our home.

Beloved Heavenly Father, Home for My Heart and Soul, I am ever thankful You’ve made me Your child. As You lead me all over this world, help me to remember my home is not really a physical place. Home is living in loving obedience to You. Wherever You want me is where I want to be. In Your Presence, I am home. Amen.

I Believe

A Birth Certificate shows that we were born.

A Death Certificate shows that we died.

Pictures show that we lived!

Have a seat . . . Relax . . . And read this slowly...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I Believe....

That just because two people argue, that

doesn't mean they don't love each other.

And just because they don't argue, that

doesn't mean they do love each other.

I Believe...

That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, 
but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I Believe...

That we don't have to change friends if

we understand that friends change.

I Believe...

That no matter how good a friend is,
they're going to hurt you every once in a while
and you must forgive them for that.

I Believe...

That true friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance.

Same goes for true love.

I Believe......

That you can do something in an instant

that will give you heartache for life.

I Believe...

That it's taking me a long time

to become the person I want to be.

I Believe...

That you should always leave loved ones with

loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I Believe......

That you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I Believe...

That we are responsible for what

we do, no matter how we feel.

I Believe...

That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I Believe...

That heroes are the people who do what has to be done
when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences...

I Believe...

That money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I Believe....

That my best friend and I can do anything,
or nothing, and have the best time.

I Believe...

That sometimes the people you expect to kick you

When you're down will be the ones to help you get back up..

I Believe...

That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had,

and what you've learned from them...and less to do with how many

birthdays you've celebrated.

I Believe.....

That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.

Sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I Believe...

That no matter how bad your heart is broken
the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I Believe...

That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are,

but we are responsible for who we become.

I Believe...

That you shouldn't be so eager to find

out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I Believe....

Two people can look at the exact same

thing and see something totally different.

I Believe...

That your life can be changed in a matter of

hours by people who don't even know you.

I Believe...

That even when you think you have no more to give,
if a friend cries out to you...you will find the strength to help.

I Believe...

That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I Believe...

That the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon..

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;

They just make the most of everything.

Thank you God for all the wonderful people who help me throughout this journey of life...