Ephesians 2:8–9 (NIV)
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
James 2:17–18 (NIV)
17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
Salvation is all of grace, nothing we can do will merit it,But if Jesus is your Lord then you will be obedient. Faith without some signs of obedient is dead.He reigns in Heaven and He also should reign in our hearts. He loves us so much He died for our sake, the least we can do is obey His word. I have not been as faithful as I should be in reading my bible. I am finally doing it daily and I must say it feels so good. I started at John and I am now reading Romans and then I will read the rest of the Epistle's. And I will then go on to what the Lord wants me to read. There are so many good books to read out there but I think we should focus more on the word of God, it has so much to say and as we continue to read it we see new things that we may not have understood and now are inlightened. God is so good as His word is also.
Once we truly grasp the message of the New Testament, it is impossible to read the Old Testament again without seeing Christ on every page, in every story, foreshadowed or anticipated in every event and narrative. The Bible must be read as a whole, beginning with Genesis and ending with Revelation, letting promise and fulfillment guide our expectations for what we will find there. MICHAEL HORTON
Consider some of the serious implications of Jesus' lordship:
1. Lordship implies our entire submission from the outset. It is a strange salvation that knows nothing about daily submission to Christ the Lord.
2. Lordship implies our willing service.
The most outstanding conversion in the history of the church was that of the apostle Paul, recorded in Acts 9. It is interesting to note two questions Paul asked in verses 5 and 6: "Who are you, Lord?" and "What do you want me to do?" These are questions of a willing servant.
3. Lordship implies obedience. Jesus Said in Luke 6:46, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?"
4. Lordship implies ownership. If Jesus is my Lord, He owns me lock, stock, and barrel.
Ernest C. Reisinger
2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness
The Bible is literally "God-breathed", that alone should entice us to read it.It is our instruction book for our life, it is God speaking to His children. Lord please help me continue to absorb your word and may I continually apply it to my life by being obedient to you.
Lord what would you want me to do today?
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
PRIDE IS ARTIFICIAL, HUMILITY MAKES US REAL
Pride is one thing we are all struggle with sometime in our walk, sometimes daily. Pride is such a battle at times, you ask yourself "Did you do that good deed for the Lord, or for your own glory?",I know I question myself quite often.
God wants us humble in spirit, He wants us to think of others before ourselves, He wants us on our knees seeking His every purpose. Oh how I fail Him daily, I do not deserve all the Love He bestows upon me, all the forgiveness of my discretion's. Augustine said,"Other sins find their vent in the accomplishment of evil deeds, whereas pride lies in wait for good deeds, to destroy them, isn't that the truth? We do good and we take the glory for it. God deserves all the glory, not us, not us earthly creatures, we are but a worm without God, we are but a heap of dust.
When you meet a brother or sister that are full of humility, you surely see a difference in them. It is like they glow,there is a contentment in them,
When we look back on Christ Life it was a life of Humility from the time He was born in a manger till the day He hung on the cross for our desecration's, His whole life was to lead up to dying painfully on the cross for His Sheep, the Elect. This is the greatest example of Humility we will ever know about.There was no glory in what He did, the pain He suffered the last days of His life, it was the greatest example of Love shown, He laid down His life for His own.
Philippians 2:7 "He made himself nothing, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." He emptied Himself and made Himself nothing
Seeing this example doesn't He deserve for us to show humility in our walk? Lord please help those that know you as their Savior to walk in Humility.
Zep 2:3 (NRSV) Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do his commands; seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the Lord's wrath.
Philippians 2:5 "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus".
Mat 11:29 (NRSV) Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Eph 4:1-2 (NRSV) I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
Col 3:12 (NRSV) As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
1 Pet 3:8 (NRSV) .... all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
Mat 18:4 (NRSV) Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
God wants us humble in spirit, He wants us to think of others before ourselves, He wants us on our knees seeking His every purpose. Oh how I fail Him daily, I do not deserve all the Love He bestows upon me, all the forgiveness of my discretion's. Augustine said,"Other sins find their vent in the accomplishment of evil deeds, whereas pride lies in wait for good deeds, to destroy them, isn't that the truth? We do good and we take the glory for it. God deserves all the glory, not us, not us earthly creatures, we are but a worm without God, we are but a heap of dust.
When you meet a brother or sister that are full of humility, you surely see a difference in them. It is like they glow,there is a contentment in them,
When we look back on Christ Life it was a life of Humility from the time He was born in a manger till the day He hung on the cross for our desecration's, His whole life was to lead up to dying painfully on the cross for His Sheep, the Elect. This is the greatest example of Humility we will ever know about.There was no glory in what He did, the pain He suffered the last days of His life, it was the greatest example of Love shown, He laid down His life for His own.
Philippians 2:7 "He made himself nothing, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." He emptied Himself and made Himself nothing
Seeing this example doesn't He deserve for us to show humility in our walk? Lord please help those that know you as their Savior to walk in Humility.
Zep 2:3 (NRSV) Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do his commands; seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the Lord's wrath.
Philippians 2:5 "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus".
Mat 11:29 (NRSV) Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Eph 4:1-2 (NRSV) I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
Col 3:12 (NRSV) As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
1 Pet 3:8 (NRSV) .... all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
Mat 18:4 (NRSV) Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
THE PEARL OYSTER
I wish, brothers and sisters, that we could all imitate "the pearl oyster"—A hurtful particle intrudes itself into its shell, and this vexes and grieves it. It cannot reject the evil, but what does it do but "cover" it with a precious substance extracted out of its own life, by which it turns the intruder into a pearl! Oh, that we could do so with the provocations we receive from our fellow Christians, so that pearls of patience, gentleness, and forgiveness might be bred within us by that which otherwise would have harmed us.
—Charles Spurgeon
—Charles Spurgeon
Saturday, July 04, 2009
DRIFTING
I read this today from JONI AND FRIENDS and thought it so worth sharing. It spoke to me because there are times in my walk that I drift and it is not hard to do if you do not focus on Christ and make you every day about Him and not yourself. Please Lord help me keep focused on YOU....
Drifting
We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
--Hebrews 2:1
Do you recall, as a child, riding your rubber mat on the gentle waves of the ocean? I remember the warm sun and the rocking motion almost sending me off to sleep. In fact, I once did just that. When a giant swell woke me up, I raised my head and realized with horror how far from shore I had been carried away. A strong current had caught me and carried me down the beach. I don't know how it happened... and so quickly! I didn't realize how far I had drifted away until the moment I saw that great distance between me and my family further up the beach.
Drifting can be dangerous. Always, always there are currents pulling at us. Always we are swimming upstream, against the tide. There is always the temptation to drift, and we never realize how far we are carried away until we see Christ... until we see the others from whom we have parted. It is possible for any of us to drift spiritually or morally. No one is immune. Think of the powerful currents in your life that would carry you along unless you "kept at the oars" to control the direction. There is the current of social opinion or fad. There is a current of personal desire, of doing the things you want to do. Lust is a powerful undertow. Materialism is a relentless tug.
Following God does not come easy. Today, anchor yourself with a recommitment to keep at the oars, to keep rowing against those strong undertows. Let's not be lolled to sleep and carried away.
* * * * *
Someone has said, "Sow a thought, reap an action... sow an action, reap a habit... sow a habit, reap a character." Drifting from God starts in small ways with little thoughts. To keep the current of your thoughts in line, find a King James Bible and look up 2 Corinthians 10:5. Can your thoughts be controlled? Who gives you the power to do so?
Lord, you are a lighthouse for me, a center point, a high tower. I can always tell whether or not I'm drifting by looking to see how close, or how far from you I am. Keep me anchored near you.
Drifting
We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
--Hebrews 2:1
Do you recall, as a child, riding your rubber mat on the gentle waves of the ocean? I remember the warm sun and the rocking motion almost sending me off to sleep. In fact, I once did just that. When a giant swell woke me up, I raised my head and realized with horror how far from shore I had been carried away. A strong current had caught me and carried me down the beach. I don't know how it happened... and so quickly! I didn't realize how far I had drifted away until the moment I saw that great distance between me and my family further up the beach.
Drifting can be dangerous. Always, always there are currents pulling at us. Always we are swimming upstream, against the tide. There is always the temptation to drift, and we never realize how far we are carried away until we see Christ... until we see the others from whom we have parted. It is possible for any of us to drift spiritually or morally. No one is immune. Think of the powerful currents in your life that would carry you along unless you "kept at the oars" to control the direction. There is the current of social opinion or fad. There is a current of personal desire, of doing the things you want to do. Lust is a powerful undertow. Materialism is a relentless tug.
Following God does not come easy. Today, anchor yourself with a recommitment to keep at the oars, to keep rowing against those strong undertows. Let's not be lolled to sleep and carried away.
* * * * *
Someone has said, "Sow a thought, reap an action... sow an action, reap a habit... sow a habit, reap a character." Drifting from God starts in small ways with little thoughts. To keep the current of your thoughts in line, find a King James Bible and look up 2 Corinthians 10:5. Can your thoughts be controlled? Who gives you the power to do so?
Lord, you are a lighthouse for me, a center point, a high tower. I can always tell whether or not I'm drifting by looking to see how close, or how far from you I am. Keep me anchored near you.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
2 Corinthians 12:9 My power is made perfect in weakness.
When we are weak, He is strong. In times of trouble we go to Christ to go before the throne of God to plead our case either to heal us, to help us grow, to forgive us etc. When illness strikes, it humbles us and we realize we are nt in control, He is.
When your heart is being wrung out like a sponge, an orderly list of "sixteen good biblical reasons as to why this is happening" can sting like salt in a wound. You don't stop the bleeding that way. A checklist may be ok when you're looking at suffering in a rearview mirror, but not when you're looking at suffering in the present tense. When people are sorely suffering, people are like hurting children looking up into the faces of their parents, crying and asking, "Daddy why?" Those children don't want explanations, answers or reasons why, they want their daddy to pick them up, pat them on the backs, and reassure them that everything is going to be okay. God, like a father, doesn't just give advice. He gives himself;
He becomes the husband to the grieving widow (Isa 54:5)
He becomes the comforter to the barren woman (Isa 54:1)
He becomes the father of the orphaned (Psalm 10:14)
He becomes the bridegroom to the single person (Isa 62:5)
He is the healer to the sick (Ex 15:26)
He is the wonderful counselor to the confused and depressed (Isa 9:6)
This is what you do when someone you love is in anguish; you respond to the plea of their heart by giving your heart." Joni Eareckson Tada
"There is no university for a Christian, like that of sorrow and trail" CH Spurgeon
God is teaching us even in times of trouble, we just need to trust and lsiten to His words.
Cristina
When your heart is being wrung out like a sponge, an orderly list of "sixteen good biblical reasons as to why this is happening" can sting like salt in a wound. You don't stop the bleeding that way. A checklist may be ok when you're looking at suffering in a rearview mirror, but not when you're looking at suffering in the present tense. When people are sorely suffering, people are like hurting children looking up into the faces of their parents, crying and asking, "Daddy why?" Those children don't want explanations, answers or reasons why, they want their daddy to pick them up, pat them on the backs, and reassure them that everything is going to be okay. God, like a father, doesn't just give advice. He gives himself;
He becomes the husband to the grieving widow (Isa 54:5)
He becomes the comforter to the barren woman (Isa 54:1)
He becomes the father of the orphaned (Psalm 10:14)
He becomes the bridegroom to the single person (Isa 62:5)
He is the healer to the sick (Ex 15:26)
He is the wonderful counselor to the confused and depressed (Isa 9:6)
This is what you do when someone you love is in anguish; you respond to the plea of their heart by giving your heart." Joni Eareckson Tada
"There is no university for a Christian, like that of sorrow and trail" CH Spurgeon
God is teaching us even in times of trouble, we just need to trust and lsiten to His words.
Cristina
Thursday, June 18, 2009
"as thy day, so shall thy strength be."
1 Peter 4:11"If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
When adverse winds and waves arise,
And in my heart despondence sighs,
When life her throng of care reveals,
And weakness o'er my spirit steals,
Greatful I hear the kind decree,
That "as my day my strength shall be."
When, with sad footsteps, memory roves
'Mid smitten joys, and buried loves,
When sleep my tearful pillow flies,
And dewy morning drinks my sighs,
Still to thy promise, Lord, I flee,
That "as my day my strength shall be."
One trial more must yet be past;
One pang, the keenest and the last;
And when, with brow convulsed and pale,
My feeble quivering heart-strings fail,
Redeemer, grant my soul to see,
That, "as her day her strength shall be."
by Lydia H. Sigourney
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
When adverse winds and waves arise,
And in my heart despondence sighs,
When life her throng of care reveals,
And weakness o'er my spirit steals,
Greatful I hear the kind decree,
That "as my day my strength shall be."
When, with sad footsteps, memory roves
'Mid smitten joys, and buried loves,
When sleep my tearful pillow flies,
And dewy morning drinks my sighs,
Still to thy promise, Lord, I flee,
That "as my day my strength shall be."
One trial more must yet be past;
One pang, the keenest and the last;
And when, with brow convulsed and pale,
My feeble quivering heart-strings fail,
Redeemer, grant my soul to see,
That, "as her day her strength shall be."
by Lydia H. Sigourney
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
Monday, June 08, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
SEE YOU SOON STEVIE!
Have you ever known a person that touched your life immensely? Today we attended a Memorial Service for a dear man that passed away in April of this year, His name was Steven or as many called him, Fred. I had the privilege of meeting Steven at the church that I was attending when I first came to know the Lord as my Savior.
Steven attended the church with his father and mother Murray and Connie. Steven was born with Down Syndrome and his parents are two of the finest parents I've had the privilege of knowing. Steven was around 17 or 18 when I first met him but he always seemed like a child to me, even when he was in his 30s, he still seemed childlike. At the memorial service his brothers both stood up and commented on how loving and kind Steven was and how much of hole is in their lives now that he is not with them.He was such a gentle , kind soul. You would walk in their home and he would come towards you with the biggest smile you ever seen, with one tooth missing in the front,you would be looking into these beautiful smiling eyes and he would wrap his arms around you and tell you he loved you. He was never angry, always so happy to see anyone. At church he would stay in the Nursery and help out there, every church he attended the children loved him so and so did the congregation. At the memorial Service 8 children stood up front and sang Steven's Favorite song, " Jesus Loves Me This I know, for the Bible tells me so" I remember a few times that he came and spent the day with me while his dad and mom had things to do and it was easier for them to get it done on their own. I spend those times looking through His view Master at Scoobie Doo. He brought over his favorite VHS movies that we watched together. they are memories I will treasure forever.
At the service Stevens brother Dan shared a time that his dad told him about. One day there were kids playing outside their home and Stevie was out the front with them. A little girl that was with them fell down and hurt herself and all the other children just stood around and watched. Steven went over to the little girl and helped her up and asked her if she was ok. Tears came to my eyes hearing that because I could see Stevie doing just that. If you would have had the privilege of meeting this young man you would have loved him too.
We know God made Steven this way, for a purpose.You can not imagine the lives this young man has touched. Thank you Lord for bringing Stevie into my life, because I consider myself truly blessed by him. We can learn so much from folks like Stevie, they put us to shame sometimes.
Tonight as I type this out I am thinking Stevie is now whole, no more pain, no more ridicule from folks that are just plain ignorant. I am going to miss that beautiful smile on his face and in his eyes. Thank you Lord for Steven "Fred" Riordan! I Love you Steven! I will miss you but I know I will one day see you again, whole.
And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.(Matthew 18:2-6 ESV)
Cristina
Steven attended the church with his father and mother Murray and Connie. Steven was born with Down Syndrome and his parents are two of the finest parents I've had the privilege of knowing. Steven was around 17 or 18 when I first met him but he always seemed like a child to me, even when he was in his 30s, he still seemed childlike. At the memorial service his brothers both stood up and commented on how loving and kind Steven was and how much of hole is in their lives now that he is not with them.He was such a gentle , kind soul. You would walk in their home and he would come towards you with the biggest smile you ever seen, with one tooth missing in the front,you would be looking into these beautiful smiling eyes and he would wrap his arms around you and tell you he loved you. He was never angry, always so happy to see anyone. At church he would stay in the Nursery and help out there, every church he attended the children loved him so and so did the congregation. At the memorial Service 8 children stood up front and sang Steven's Favorite song, " Jesus Loves Me This I know, for the Bible tells me so" I remember a few times that he came and spent the day with me while his dad and mom had things to do and it was easier for them to get it done on their own. I spend those times looking through His view Master at Scoobie Doo. He brought over his favorite VHS movies that we watched together. they are memories I will treasure forever.
At the service Stevens brother Dan shared a time that his dad told him about. One day there were kids playing outside their home and Stevie was out the front with them. A little girl that was with them fell down and hurt herself and all the other children just stood around and watched. Steven went over to the little girl and helped her up and asked her if she was ok. Tears came to my eyes hearing that because I could see Stevie doing just that. If you would have had the privilege of meeting this young man you would have loved him too.
We know God made Steven this way, for a purpose.You can not imagine the lives this young man has touched. Thank you Lord for bringing Stevie into my life, because I consider myself truly blessed by him. We can learn so much from folks like Stevie, they put us to shame sometimes.
Tonight as I type this out I am thinking Stevie is now whole, no more pain, no more ridicule from folks that are just plain ignorant. I am going to miss that beautiful smile on his face and in his eyes. Thank you Lord for Steven "Fred" Riordan! I Love you Steven! I will miss you but I know I will one day see you again, whole.
And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.(Matthew 18:2-6 ESV)
Cristina
SOUND THEOLOGIANS
from Spurgeon’s, "Plain Words with the Careless"
No. 778 Luke 8:28.
A man may know a great deal about true
religion, and yet be a total stranger to it.
He may know that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God, and yet he may be possessed of a devil.
Mere knowledge does nothing for us but puff us up.
We may know, and know, and know, and so
increase our responsibility, without bringing
us at all into a state of salvation.
Beware of resting in head-knowledge.
Beware of relying upon orthodoxy,
for without love to Christ, with all your
correctness of doctrine, you will be a
sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal.
It is well to be sound in the faith,
but the soundness must be in the
heart as well as in the head.
There is as ready a way to destruction by the road
of orthodoxy as by the paths of heterodoxy.
Hell has thousands in it who were never heretics.
Remember that the devils "believe and tremble."
There are no sounder theologians than devils,
and yet their conduct is not affected by
what they believe, and consequently they still
remain at enmity to the Most High God. A mere
head-believer is on a par therefore with fallen
angels, and he will have his portion with them
forever unless grace shall change his heart.
No. 778 Luke 8:28.
A man may know a great deal about true
religion, and yet be a total stranger to it.
He may know that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God, and yet he may be possessed of a devil.
Mere knowledge does nothing for us but puff us up.
We may know, and know, and know, and so
increase our responsibility, without bringing
us at all into a state of salvation.
Beware of resting in head-knowledge.
Beware of relying upon orthodoxy,
for without love to Christ, with all your
correctness of doctrine, you will be a
sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal.
It is well to be sound in the faith,
but the soundness must be in the
heart as well as in the head.
There is as ready a way to destruction by the road
of orthodoxy as by the paths of heterodoxy.
Hell has thousands in it who were never heretics.
Remember that the devils "believe and tremble."
There are no sounder theologians than devils,
and yet their conduct is not affected by
what they believe, and consequently they still
remain at enmity to the Most High God. A mere
head-believer is on a par therefore with fallen
angels, and he will have his portion with them
forever unless grace shall change his heart.
Friday, May 22, 2009
MERCY
"The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient to you." (2 Peter 3:9)
Do you look back at your life and see just how merciful Jesus has been in your life? I shake my head sometimes thinking how undeserving I am of his grace and mercy. Even now as His child I still fail Him and He still shows mercy on me. He is the one person that will love me the most, he will never let me stand alone. Folks can really hurt you at times, but you know, I never feel alone, not meaning I don't feel pain, but I know He feels my pain. I am so blessed.
Mercy is what grace offers. The grace of God comes to us in our poor sinful condition and offers us the mercy of God when we deserve His wrath. So grace comes to us giving us mercy. I admit it is somewhat semantical, and the terms are virtually interchangeable. There is a subtle difference in the two words. Mercy has meaning more synonymous with compassion.
" 'Grace' is more than mercy and love, it superadds to them. It denotes, not simply love, but the love of a sovereign, transcendently superior, one that may do what he will, that may wholly choose whether he will love or no. There may be love between equals, and an inferior may love a superior; but love in a superior, and so superior as he may do what he will, in such a one love is called grace: and therefore grace is attributed to princes; they are said to be gracious to their subjects, whereas subjects cannot be gracious to princes. Now God, who is an infinite Sovereign, who might have chosen whether ever He would love us or no, for Him to love us, this is grace." Thomas Goodwin
" Mercy is God's favour that holds back
"God hath in Himself all power to defend you, all wisdom to direct you, all mercy to pardon you, all grace to enrich you, all righteousness to clothe you, all goodness to supply you, and all happiness to crown you." Thomas Brooks
Do you look back at your life and see just how merciful Jesus has been in your life? I shake my head sometimes thinking how undeserving I am of his grace and mercy. Even now as His child I still fail Him and He still shows mercy on me. He is the one person that will love me the most, he will never let me stand alone. Folks can really hurt you at times, but you know, I never feel alone, not meaning I don't feel pain, but I know He feels my pain. I am so blessed.
Mercy is what grace offers. The grace of God comes to us in our poor sinful condition and offers us the mercy of God when we deserve His wrath. So grace comes to us giving us mercy. I admit it is somewhat semantical, and the terms are virtually interchangeable. There is a subtle difference in the two words. Mercy has meaning more synonymous with compassion.
" 'Grace' is more than mercy and love, it superadds to them. It denotes, not simply love, but the love of a sovereign, transcendently superior, one that may do what he will, that may wholly choose whether he will love or no. There may be love between equals, and an inferior may love a superior; but love in a superior, and so superior as he may do what he will, in such a one love is called grace: and therefore grace is attributed to princes; they are said to be gracious to their subjects, whereas subjects cannot be gracious to princes. Now God, who is an infinite Sovereign, who might have chosen whether ever He would love us or no, for Him to love us, this is grace." Thomas Goodwin
" Mercy is God's favour that holds back
"God hath in Himself all power to defend you, all wisdom to direct you, all mercy to pardon you, all grace to enrich you, all righteousness to clothe you, all goodness to supply you, and all happiness to crown you." Thomas Brooks
Sunday, May 03, 2009
FOR DEEPER VIEWS OF SELF
From Grace Gems
A wonderful prayer.........
"O Lord, in the morning I will direct my prayer to You."
"Search me, O God, and know my heart."—Psalm 139:23
O eternal, everlasting God, who have once more enlightened my eyes, and allowed me not to sleep the sleep of death, bestow upon me this day the riches of Your grace and love. Morning after morning is dawning upon me, with new tokens of Your mercy. Oh, may these be bringing me nearer the glorious day which is to know no night—that eternal noon-tide when all shadows and darkness are forever to flee away!
Lord, I am unworthy to come into Your presence, and yet I have to mourn that I do not feel this deep unworthiness as I ought. I am unwilling to see into the unknown depths of my sin. I do not know myself. I have no depressing consciousness of the desperate wickedness of my own evil heart. I have buried many past transgressions in oblivion. I have deluded myself with the thought, that many were too trivial and unimportant to incur Your disapproval. Even any imperfect good which Your grace has enabled me to perform, I have been too prone to take the merit to myself, instead of ascribing all the praise to You. There has been pride in my humility. There have been mingled motives in my best services. My best resolutions have been fitful and transient. My purest and most unselfish actions could not stand the scrutiny of Your eye. The holiest day I ever spent, were I to be judged by it, would condemn me.
O You who "searches Jerusalem with lighted candles," "search my heart." Bring me to the publican's place of penitential sorrow, exclaiming, in self-renouncing humility, "God be merciful to me a sinner!"
I would seek to make a more entire and undivided surrender of all I am and have to You. Give me such a dreadful and affecting sense of my vileness, that I may never feel safe but when close to the atoning Fountain, drawing out of it hourly supplies. May mine be a daily heart and self and sin crucifixion—an eternal severance from those bosom traitors which have so long separated between me and my God. Make me more zealous for Your honor and glory—"Cleanse the thoughts of my heart, by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit"—"Let no iniquity obtain dominion over me." But may it be my daily ambition to become more like You, reflecting more of the image, and imbibing more of the spirit, of my Divine Redeemer, that thus the atmosphere of holiness and of heaven may be diffused all around me. May my own soul be pervaded with lofty and purified aspirations. May I be enabled to exhibit to the world the felt happiness of close walking with God.
And gracious Father, "send forth Your light and Your truth" to a darkened world. May Your own ancient people be speedily gathered in with the fullness of the Gentile nations, that all ends of the earth may see the salvation of God.
Bless all my dear friends, near or distant. May they have the heritage of those who fear Your name. Defend them now by Your mighty power, and at last number them with Your saints in glory everlasting. Amen.
"Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for in You do I trust."
A wonderful prayer.........
"O Lord, in the morning I will direct my prayer to You."
"Search me, O God, and know my heart."—Psalm 139:23
O eternal, everlasting God, who have once more enlightened my eyes, and allowed me not to sleep the sleep of death, bestow upon me this day the riches of Your grace and love. Morning after morning is dawning upon me, with new tokens of Your mercy. Oh, may these be bringing me nearer the glorious day which is to know no night—that eternal noon-tide when all shadows and darkness are forever to flee away!
Lord, I am unworthy to come into Your presence, and yet I have to mourn that I do not feel this deep unworthiness as I ought. I am unwilling to see into the unknown depths of my sin. I do not know myself. I have no depressing consciousness of the desperate wickedness of my own evil heart. I have buried many past transgressions in oblivion. I have deluded myself with the thought, that many were too trivial and unimportant to incur Your disapproval. Even any imperfect good which Your grace has enabled me to perform, I have been too prone to take the merit to myself, instead of ascribing all the praise to You. There has been pride in my humility. There have been mingled motives in my best services. My best resolutions have been fitful and transient. My purest and most unselfish actions could not stand the scrutiny of Your eye. The holiest day I ever spent, were I to be judged by it, would condemn me.
O You who "searches Jerusalem with lighted candles," "search my heart." Bring me to the publican's place of penitential sorrow, exclaiming, in self-renouncing humility, "God be merciful to me a sinner!"
I would seek to make a more entire and undivided surrender of all I am and have to You. Give me such a dreadful and affecting sense of my vileness, that I may never feel safe but when close to the atoning Fountain, drawing out of it hourly supplies. May mine be a daily heart and self and sin crucifixion—an eternal severance from those bosom traitors which have so long separated between me and my God. Make me more zealous for Your honor and glory—"Cleanse the thoughts of my heart, by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit"—"Let no iniquity obtain dominion over me." But may it be my daily ambition to become more like You, reflecting more of the image, and imbibing more of the spirit, of my Divine Redeemer, that thus the atmosphere of holiness and of heaven may be diffused all around me. May my own soul be pervaded with lofty and purified aspirations. May I be enabled to exhibit to the world the felt happiness of close walking with God.
And gracious Father, "send forth Your light and Your truth" to a darkened world. May Your own ancient people be speedily gathered in with the fullness of the Gentile nations, that all ends of the earth may see the salvation of God.
Bless all my dear friends, near or distant. May they have the heritage of those who fear Your name. Defend them now by Your mighty power, and at last number them with Your saints in glory everlasting. Amen.
"Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for in You do I trust."
Friday, May 01, 2009
ONE WRONG STEP--AND DOWN WE GO!
We are so blessed to have men and women that encourage us and remind us that God will never ever falter in His love for us, Charles Spurgeon is one.
What a gift from God He has been to so many many people,for me......
"How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life!" Matthew 7:14
In some sense, the path to heaven is very safe--but in other respects, there is no road so dangerous! It is beset with difficulties. One wrong step--and down we go! And how easy it is to take that treacherous step--if grace is absent!
What a slippery path is that--which some of us have to tread! How many times have we to exclaim with the Psalmist, "But as for me, my feet were slipping--and I was almost gone!"
If we were strong, sure-footed mountaineers, this would not matter so much; but in ourselves, how weak we are!
Even in the best roads--we soon falter!
In the smoothest paths--we quickly stumble!
These feeble knees of ours--can scarcely support our tottering weight!
A straw may trip us up--and a pebble can wound us!
We are mere infants, tremblingly taking our first steps in the walk of faith. Our heavenly Father holds us by the arms--or we would soon tumble down!
Oh, if we are kept from falling, how must we bless the patience, power and wisdom of God--who watches over us moment by moment--and day by day! Think--
how prone we are to sin,
how apt to choose dangerous paths,
how strong our tendency to cast ourselves down
--and these reflections will make us sing more sweetly than we have ever done, "Glory to Him, who is able to keep us from falling, and to present us before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy!" Jude 24
We have many foes--who try to push us down, and destroy us!
The road is rough--and we are weak!
But in addition to this, enemies lurk in ambush, who rush out when we least expect them, and labor to trip us up, or hurl us down the nearest deadly precipice!
Only an Almighty arm can preserve us from these unseen foes, who are seeking to destroy us at every step! Such an arm is engaged for our defense. He is faithful, who has promised, and He is able to keep us from falling, so that with a deep sense of our utter weakness, we may cherish a firm belief in our perfect safety!
What a gift from God He has been to so many many people,for me......
"How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life!" Matthew 7:14
In some sense, the path to heaven is very safe--but in other respects, there is no road so dangerous! It is beset with difficulties. One wrong step--and down we go! And how easy it is to take that treacherous step--if grace is absent!
What a slippery path is that--which some of us have to tread! How many times have we to exclaim with the Psalmist, "But as for me, my feet were slipping--and I was almost gone!"
If we were strong, sure-footed mountaineers, this would not matter so much; but in ourselves, how weak we are!
Even in the best roads--we soon falter!
In the smoothest paths--we quickly stumble!
These feeble knees of ours--can scarcely support our tottering weight!
A straw may trip us up--and a pebble can wound us!
We are mere infants, tremblingly taking our first steps in the walk of faith. Our heavenly Father holds us by the arms--or we would soon tumble down!
Oh, if we are kept from falling, how must we bless the patience, power and wisdom of God--who watches over us moment by moment--and day by day! Think--
how prone we are to sin,
how apt to choose dangerous paths,
how strong our tendency to cast ourselves down
--and these reflections will make us sing more sweetly than we have ever done, "Glory to Him, who is able to keep us from falling, and to present us before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy!" Jude 24
We have many foes--who try to push us down, and destroy us!
The road is rough--and we are weak!
But in addition to this, enemies lurk in ambush, who rush out when we least expect them, and labor to trip us up, or hurl us down the nearest deadly precipice!
Only an Almighty arm can preserve us from these unseen foes, who are seeking to destroy us at every step! Such an arm is engaged for our defense. He is faithful, who has promised, and He is able to keep us from falling, so that with a deep sense of our utter weakness, we may cherish a firm belief in our perfect safety!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
EVANJELLYFISH AND MIGHTY WARRIORS BY Mike Ratliff
This is a wonderful article by Mike and it shows what I mean by my previous blog. Either we are on fire for God and truth or we are not.......
“Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it. (Isaiah 46:8-11 ESV)
There is a dread disease present in the visible Church in our day. The disease is the result of conformity to the current culture in which it is a crime to tell the truth to those who may resent it. It is a crime because a minority has determined that the worst thing that can happen to a person in our day is that they be offended by standards or truths that those conveying them portend, directly or indirectly, they are absolute. While temporal society can hold all sorts of beliefs and standards contrary those found in the Word of God, the tragedy is when the Church itself conforms to them. This causes it to become weak, ineffectual, confused, and spiritually dead. This causes those professing Christians to water down their doctrines, misinterpret scripture according to the world’s values, and reject the message from God while persecuting His messengers. This is exactly why the Jews all through Biblical History killed God’s Prophets. His message was always contrary to the closely held beliefs of the people that came from them being conformed to the ways of the world just as has the majority of the visible Church in our time.
Much of the part of the visible Church in our day that claims it is “Evangelical” has become conformed to this disease over the last 250 years. Its theology has deteriorated to the point that it is no longer the world changing powerful message whose followers were separate from the world and its ways as light is from darkness. However, now it is the theology of “evanjellyfish.” The following is taken from the introduction to a book by C. Matthew McMahon titled How Faith Works - Rescuing the Gospel from Contemporary Evangelicalism.
I am sure that those who really do hold to the true biblical Gospel of Jesus Christ and identify themselves as Evangelicals are also going to be a bit mad because I am going to bash “evangelicalism” today as the theology of “evanjellyfish.” It is spineless. In my satire on Evangelicalism at A Puritan’s Mind, I wrote, “The oceanic bodies that cover the earth are home to the unique and prosperous Liberalius Ignoramious Christianius, or better known as the Evanjellyfish. As a result of their morphed evolution over the past 250 years, these once fierce predators have lost their thick skin, large brains, razor sharp teeth, as well as their ability to see clearly in the loss of their eyesight, and their eyes altogether. Instead, these spineless invertebrates swim carelessly and carefree around the seaweed reefs which tickle their transparent membranes as the cool currents shift by them and propel them toward sunny waters throughout each day. They mainly swim around minerally deficient waters, and like to congregate in large numbers - it seems they feel safe that way. They filter microscopic units of plankton found throughout the seawater for food. They are unable to eat the meat they once hunted since their loss of ability to spot food from miles away. Now they float helplessly around reefs that contain little if anything to eat that is of substance. Strangely, they have multiplied, and continue to multiply into millions in any one locale, but they often remain small and of no consequence individually to the great barrier reefs from which they emerged. Even in great numbers, they no longer make a ripple in the currents they once occupied. Instead, when a predator such as a humpback whale swims by, they are gobbled up for food without any form of retaliation. Hopefully, theological evolution will deal them a better hand in the future. It has been reported of late that some of the large scale theoligica bookis wormis or Giant Theological Sea Worms have been seen floating around masses of Evanjellyfish. However, it seems the Evanjellyfish have been rejecting their interaction out rightly. More to come later…
This is satire my brethren, but is does strike a chord with us doesn’t it? The dumbed down version of the Church we have all around us got that way because its leaders have deliberately not fed their people solid meat to eat. They present a gospel that has been neutered. It has all those essential parts that could potentially offend removed. What is left is a non-gospel that makes their part of the visible Church a mirror of the world. The world and its ways have been brought into the church and it has become compromised. Seeker-sensitivity is the rule of the day. It is a fallacy. The only ones truly seeking the righteousness of God are those drawn to the Son by the Father as they have heard the real Gospel, which is very offensive to the spiritual palate of those who are compromised by the world and its ways. Below is an excerpt from a news story from Milwaukee, Wisconsin about a school being sued by a group that is attempting to stop it from holding any graduation ceremonies at the local church. Carefully read their reasoning for the lawsuit.
“These students and family members are being forced to graduate in the sanctuary of a church underneath a huge cross that dominates the sanctuary. They’re sitting in pews with bibles and hymnal books right in front of them.”
“They are being forced to graduate in a religious environment, and that is an egregious Constitutional violation.”
Even if the school district doesn’t have religion as its reasoning for choosing the location, Luchenitser contends the mere presence of a graduation there forces an endorsement of what Elmbrook Church believes.
“There’s a symbolic message of endorsement sent,” said Luchenitser.
“Right next to this huge cross in this auditorium, you have huge jumbotrons that show the speakers, the school district officials when they speak on the podium, all their speakers.
“You have a public, official school district ceremony taking place in a religious environment. That sends a clear message of endorsement of religion and favoritism of the Christian religion to the children and the family members.”
Luchenitser explained that its not just the physical environment there, but what he claims the teachings presented there force upon those who will walk in for the graduation ceremony.
“We brought the lawsuit on behalf of nine parents and students in the school district who do not subscribe to the religion of Elmbrook Church, who are extremely uncomfortable attending a graduation in this facility,” said Luchenitser, whose group’s lawsuit says that many top officials in this district are members of Elmbrook Church.
“This is a church that teaches that people who do not subscribe to the belief of this church are going to suffer torment in hell for all eternity. This church teaches that women should be subservient to men. It teaches that people who engage in sexual conduct that is not approved by the church will also suffer in hell.
“A very large proportion of the students and family members who would be attending this graduation, in the views of this church, are second-class people, second-class citizens.”
The evanjellyfish Christians in this church may indeed teach these truths about hell and morality, but they are considering veiling their cross and removing their Bibles and Hymnals from the pews so they can continue to receive the rent from the school for these sorts of things. This is compromise. Are they going to stand firm and grow spiritually through it or are they going to be spineless and give in to those who prove that the world is not interested in what we have come to know as Evangelical Christianity? Think of the response to these people that someone like A.W. Tozer, A.W. Pink, John Gresham Machen, C.H. Spurgeon, John Owen, Martin Luther, or Jonathan Edwards would have in the face of this. There would be no compromise. Oh, their evanjellyfish “Christians” in the pews may fire or do away with them for standing firm, but these men would not budge. They may lose their positions or be denigrated by others in unbearable ways at levels no one can easily take, but they would not compromise.
The mission of this ministry has always been to encourage Christians to move away from me-ism Christianity into the spirit-filled, abiding in Christ, living sacrifice, humble, poor-in-spirit, meek walk that brings God glory and matures the believer. It is only as we walk this way that we are given His joy and then we can do good in His eyes because we are doing God’s will by His grace. This walk is not about building big churches or becoming a celebrity or anything other than a humble slave of our Lord Jesus all for the glory of God. Those who walk this way are not evanjellyfish. No, these believers are mighty warriors for the truth who stand firm defending it, but at the same time, they, like their example Christ, do not defend self. They may take the abuse of those who hate the truth, but, being meek, they will hack to pieces the enemies of God, but will not raise their sword to defend self. God may have them take severe abuse that they may be found worthy to suffer shame for the name, but they will never compromise.
Which are you?
Soli Deo Gloria!
eve
“Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it. (Isaiah 46:8-11 ESV)
There is a dread disease present in the visible Church in our day. The disease is the result of conformity to the current culture in which it is a crime to tell the truth to those who may resent it. It is a crime because a minority has determined that the worst thing that can happen to a person in our day is that they be offended by standards or truths that those conveying them portend, directly or indirectly, they are absolute. While temporal society can hold all sorts of beliefs and standards contrary those found in the Word of God, the tragedy is when the Church itself conforms to them. This causes it to become weak, ineffectual, confused, and spiritually dead. This causes those professing Christians to water down their doctrines, misinterpret scripture according to the world’s values, and reject the message from God while persecuting His messengers. This is exactly why the Jews all through Biblical History killed God’s Prophets. His message was always contrary to the closely held beliefs of the people that came from them being conformed to the ways of the world just as has the majority of the visible Church in our time.
Much of the part of the visible Church in our day that claims it is “Evangelical” has become conformed to this disease over the last 250 years. Its theology has deteriorated to the point that it is no longer the world changing powerful message whose followers were separate from the world and its ways as light is from darkness. However, now it is the theology of “evanjellyfish.” The following is taken from the introduction to a book by C. Matthew McMahon titled How Faith Works - Rescuing the Gospel from Contemporary Evangelicalism.
I am sure that those who really do hold to the true biblical Gospel of Jesus Christ and identify themselves as Evangelicals are also going to be a bit mad because I am going to bash “evangelicalism” today as the theology of “evanjellyfish.” It is spineless. In my satire on Evangelicalism at A Puritan’s Mind, I wrote, “The oceanic bodies that cover the earth are home to the unique and prosperous Liberalius Ignoramious Christianius, or better known as the Evanjellyfish. As a result of their morphed evolution over the past 250 years, these once fierce predators have lost their thick skin, large brains, razor sharp teeth, as well as their ability to see clearly in the loss of their eyesight, and their eyes altogether. Instead, these spineless invertebrates swim carelessly and carefree around the seaweed reefs which tickle their transparent membranes as the cool currents shift by them and propel them toward sunny waters throughout each day. They mainly swim around minerally deficient waters, and like to congregate in large numbers - it seems they feel safe that way. They filter microscopic units of plankton found throughout the seawater for food. They are unable to eat the meat they once hunted since their loss of ability to spot food from miles away. Now they float helplessly around reefs that contain little if anything to eat that is of substance. Strangely, they have multiplied, and continue to multiply into millions in any one locale, but they often remain small and of no consequence individually to the great barrier reefs from which they emerged. Even in great numbers, they no longer make a ripple in the currents they once occupied. Instead, when a predator such as a humpback whale swims by, they are gobbled up for food without any form of retaliation. Hopefully, theological evolution will deal them a better hand in the future. It has been reported of late that some of the large scale theoligica bookis wormis or Giant Theological Sea Worms have been seen floating around masses of Evanjellyfish. However, it seems the Evanjellyfish have been rejecting their interaction out rightly. More to come later…
This is satire my brethren, but is does strike a chord with us doesn’t it? The dumbed down version of the Church we have all around us got that way because its leaders have deliberately not fed their people solid meat to eat. They present a gospel that has been neutered. It has all those essential parts that could potentially offend removed. What is left is a non-gospel that makes their part of the visible Church a mirror of the world. The world and its ways have been brought into the church and it has become compromised. Seeker-sensitivity is the rule of the day. It is a fallacy. The only ones truly seeking the righteousness of God are those drawn to the Son by the Father as they have heard the real Gospel, which is very offensive to the spiritual palate of those who are compromised by the world and its ways. Below is an excerpt from a news story from Milwaukee, Wisconsin about a school being sued by a group that is attempting to stop it from holding any graduation ceremonies at the local church. Carefully read their reasoning for the lawsuit.
“These students and family members are being forced to graduate in the sanctuary of a church underneath a huge cross that dominates the sanctuary. They’re sitting in pews with bibles and hymnal books right in front of them.”
“They are being forced to graduate in a religious environment, and that is an egregious Constitutional violation.”
Even if the school district doesn’t have religion as its reasoning for choosing the location, Luchenitser contends the mere presence of a graduation there forces an endorsement of what Elmbrook Church believes.
“There’s a symbolic message of endorsement sent,” said Luchenitser.
“Right next to this huge cross in this auditorium, you have huge jumbotrons that show the speakers, the school district officials when they speak on the podium, all their speakers.
“You have a public, official school district ceremony taking place in a religious environment. That sends a clear message of endorsement of religion and favoritism of the Christian religion to the children and the family members.”
Luchenitser explained that its not just the physical environment there, but what he claims the teachings presented there force upon those who will walk in for the graduation ceremony.
“We brought the lawsuit on behalf of nine parents and students in the school district who do not subscribe to the religion of Elmbrook Church, who are extremely uncomfortable attending a graduation in this facility,” said Luchenitser, whose group’s lawsuit says that many top officials in this district are members of Elmbrook Church.
“This is a church that teaches that people who do not subscribe to the belief of this church are going to suffer torment in hell for all eternity. This church teaches that women should be subservient to men. It teaches that people who engage in sexual conduct that is not approved by the church will also suffer in hell.
“A very large proportion of the students and family members who would be attending this graduation, in the views of this church, are second-class people, second-class citizens.”
The evanjellyfish Christians in this church may indeed teach these truths about hell and morality, but they are considering veiling their cross and removing their Bibles and Hymnals from the pews so they can continue to receive the rent from the school for these sorts of things. This is compromise. Are they going to stand firm and grow spiritually through it or are they going to be spineless and give in to those who prove that the world is not interested in what we have come to know as Evangelical Christianity? Think of the response to these people that someone like A.W. Tozer, A.W. Pink, John Gresham Machen, C.H. Spurgeon, John Owen, Martin Luther, or Jonathan Edwards would have in the face of this. There would be no compromise. Oh, their evanjellyfish “Christians” in the pews may fire or do away with them for standing firm, but these men would not budge. They may lose their positions or be denigrated by others in unbearable ways at levels no one can easily take, but they would not compromise.
The mission of this ministry has always been to encourage Christians to move away from me-ism Christianity into the spirit-filled, abiding in Christ, living sacrifice, humble, poor-in-spirit, meek walk that brings God glory and matures the believer. It is only as we walk this way that we are given His joy and then we can do good in His eyes because we are doing God’s will by His grace. This walk is not about building big churches or becoming a celebrity or anything other than a humble slave of our Lord Jesus all for the glory of God. Those who walk this way are not evanjellyfish. No, these believers are mighty warriors for the truth who stand firm defending it, but at the same time, they, like their example Christ, do not defend self. They may take the abuse of those who hate the truth, but, being meek, they will hack to pieces the enemies of God, but will not raise their sword to defend self. God may have them take severe abuse that they may be found worthy to suffer shame for the name, but they will never compromise.
Which are you?
Soli Deo Gloria!
eve
Sunday, April 26, 2009
RICK WARREN the Compromiser
One falls to the ground in trying to sit on two stools.-- Francois Rabelais
I amazed at how so many professing Christians follow a man like Rick Warren. Mr. Warren took the word "Purpose" and has made a dynasty out of it. As Christians we know that God has a purpose for ever thing that happens in this world and that is to bring Glory to Him in the end. So of course when Rick Warren brought out his book "The Purpose Driven Life" many churches got on his band wagon and used this book as a study guide and that is how Warren became popular.
He has fooled many in his church and outside of his church! He is a compromiser,he is a world pleaser...the world loves him, should be a flashing light to believers. Why do so many Christians defend this man? I'll tell you why it is because they do not study the word of God enough, they are weak and being weak, can then lead to believing anything or anyone. Rick Warren is not the only one there are many, many false prophet out there. Satan loves men like Rick Warren, because he just sits back and watches them do his work for Him.
"To seek unity with false prophets without challenging their errors leaves one's own beliefs open to questions. Those who defend heretics, even if they do not believe in their teachings, are guilty of lending credibility to their heresies, and will be held accountable to God for the souls that are destroyed as a result. It's up to those that know the truth to defend the Church against false teachers whatever the cost to unity or to personal benefit.
"When the Scriptures tell us to judge the prophets by their fruit, it means their holy living and conformity to God's Word for themselves and those they teach. It does not mean the number of spectacular events that transpire in their lives. Nor does it rest on how many people are blessed by them; many are blessed by New Age practitioners. [Nor does it rest on the number of moral causes they are involved in.] ... Yet today's prophets tell us not to judge the ungodly lives [nor the bad doctrine] of the prophets, but to believe them because of the 'fruit' of their ministries." "It is not to signs and wonders that we should look [nor to the number or nature of the moral causes they are involved in], but to the overall integrity of the man who performs them. Integrity not only includes freedom from greed, lust, and avarice, but adherence to sound doctrine"
Everything we do is visible to God and we should always remember that, we can not hide from Him, He knows our hearts and we are naked before Him.
Hebrews 4:13, "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do."
When we speak of unity it should be unity in truth"... unity is not found in uniformity of thought, but in the fellowship of the Spirit, based on sound doctrine which, in turn, is predicated on the clear teaching of Scripture. This is why Paul exhorts us to "mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them" (Rom 16:17). The false prophets call for unity based not on Scriptural doctrine, but on their [the false prophets] claim for authority. Those who insist on fellowship based on sound doctrine are labeled legalists, while the false prophets are the ones imposing unscriptural demands upon those who follow them"
J.N. Darby
"Separation from evil is the necessary first principle of communion with Him ... Separation from evil is His principle of unity"
John Whitcomb Jr.
"Diversity and division is infinitely more precious than a satanic unity. The problem God's people are facing today: Satan wants unity in what? -- in error. God would infinitely prefer division because of truth. Do you know what Jesus said in Matthew 10? He said, 'I have come not to bring peace, not to bring unity, but to bring division, to set a son against his father, a daughter against her mother, so that people within their own households will be enemies of each other.' That is what Jesus said he came to do ... God's smashing of satanic ecumenical unity was an incredible blessing [Genesis 11: the Tower of Babel] ... The potential for satanic depravity is infinite, as long as what continues? -- a unity in error -- organized blasphemy. Measure this friends. Grasp it. Satan will, in his brief hour, at the end of this world, be given his opportunity to demonstrate what total unity is like in the human race, when every person will have a mark on the forehead or right hand, and will walk lockstep under incredible blasphemy ... "You say, 'We want unity.' Oh, really? What kind of unity? 'We want all the churches to get together.' Oh, really? You mean in error, in confusion, in heresy? That is, dear friends, the ecumenical movement of our hour, in which all the great denominations and all the great church leaders are becoming more and more unified. In what? -- in compromise and theological error; and this is the ultimate horror"
So be weary who you follow, it is Christ whom we should be following not man because man will ALWAYS fail you ALWAYS!
Quotes from Biblical Discernment Ministries
I amazed at how so many professing Christians follow a man like Rick Warren. Mr. Warren took the word "Purpose" and has made a dynasty out of it. As Christians we know that God has a purpose for ever thing that happens in this world and that is to bring Glory to Him in the end. So of course when Rick Warren brought out his book "The Purpose Driven Life" many churches got on his band wagon and used this book as a study guide and that is how Warren became popular.
He has fooled many in his church and outside of his church! He is a compromiser,he is a world pleaser...the world loves him, should be a flashing light to believers. Why do so many Christians defend this man? I'll tell you why it is because they do not study the word of God enough, they are weak and being weak, can then lead to believing anything or anyone. Rick Warren is not the only one there are many, many false prophet out there. Satan loves men like Rick Warren, because he just sits back and watches them do his work for Him.
"To seek unity with false prophets without challenging their errors leaves one's own beliefs open to questions. Those who defend heretics, even if they do not believe in their teachings, are guilty of lending credibility to their heresies, and will be held accountable to God for the souls that are destroyed as a result. It's up to those that know the truth to defend the Church against false teachers whatever the cost to unity or to personal benefit.
"When the Scriptures tell us to judge the prophets by their fruit, it means their holy living and conformity to God's Word for themselves and those they teach. It does not mean the number of spectacular events that transpire in their lives. Nor does it rest on how many people are blessed by them; many are blessed by New Age practitioners. [Nor does it rest on the number of moral causes they are involved in.] ... Yet today's prophets tell us not to judge the ungodly lives [nor the bad doctrine] of the prophets, but to believe them because of the 'fruit' of their ministries." "It is not to signs and wonders that we should look [nor to the number or nature of the moral causes they are involved in], but to the overall integrity of the man who performs them. Integrity not only includes freedom from greed, lust, and avarice, but adherence to sound doctrine"
Everything we do is visible to God and we should always remember that, we can not hide from Him, He knows our hearts and we are naked before Him.
Hebrews 4:13, "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do."
When we speak of unity it should be unity in truth"... unity is not found in uniformity of thought, but in the fellowship of the Spirit, based on sound doctrine which, in turn, is predicated on the clear teaching of Scripture. This is why Paul exhorts us to "mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them" (Rom 16:17). The false prophets call for unity based not on Scriptural doctrine, but on their [the false prophets] claim for authority. Those who insist on fellowship based on sound doctrine are labeled legalists, while the false prophets are the ones imposing unscriptural demands upon those who follow them"
J.N. Darby
"Separation from evil is the necessary first principle of communion with Him ... Separation from evil is His principle of unity"
John Whitcomb Jr.
"Diversity and division is infinitely more precious than a satanic unity. The problem God's people are facing today: Satan wants unity in what? -- in error. God would infinitely prefer division because of truth. Do you know what Jesus said in Matthew 10? He said, 'I have come not to bring peace, not to bring unity, but to bring division, to set a son against his father, a daughter against her mother, so that people within their own households will be enemies of each other.' That is what Jesus said he came to do ... God's smashing of satanic ecumenical unity was an incredible blessing [Genesis 11: the Tower of Babel] ... The potential for satanic depravity is infinite, as long as what continues? -- a unity in error -- organized blasphemy. Measure this friends. Grasp it. Satan will, in his brief hour, at the end of this world, be given his opportunity to demonstrate what total unity is like in the human race, when every person will have a mark on the forehead or right hand, and will walk lockstep under incredible blasphemy ... "You say, 'We want unity.' Oh, really? What kind of unity? 'We want all the churches to get together.' Oh, really? You mean in error, in confusion, in heresy? That is, dear friends, the ecumenical movement of our hour, in which all the great denominations and all the great church leaders are becoming more and more unified. In what? -- in compromise and theological error; and this is the ultimate horror"
So be weary who you follow, it is Christ whom we should be following not man because man will ALWAYS fail you ALWAYS!
Quotes from Biblical Discernment Ministries
Monday, April 20, 2009
DO WE TAKE THE TIME?
There is a lady named Susan Doyle that performed for the first time on a TV program called "Britian has Talent". I listened to her once and then again and again and each time I listened the more joy I felt for her. When she was first introduced the auidance snicker, rolled their eyes, even the judges looked embaresss for her....and then she opened her mouth to sing and everyone was astounded by what came out. They stood up and cheered, the judges were flabergasted, the world was too. It' is sad that we look at a person and don't think much of them until we really see what they are all about or what kind of talent lives within them.
Do you ever really get to know someone, or do you just make up you mind about that person and live with it. Maybe you would be shocked if you just took the time to get to know them. maybe they feel how you feel about them and they put walls up to protect themselves from hurt....maybe it is time to break the walls down, and really get to know the real person, maybe they are crying out...
Cristina
John 13:34-35 (NCV) I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other as I have loved you. All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.
Col 3:12 (NRSV) As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
if you would like to listen to Susan Boyle sing, here is the address to go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk
Do you ever really get to know someone, or do you just make up you mind about that person and live with it. Maybe you would be shocked if you just took the time to get to know them. maybe they feel how you feel about them and they put walls up to protect themselves from hurt....maybe it is time to break the walls down, and really get to know the real person, maybe they are crying out...
Cristina
John 13:34-35 (NCV) I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other as I have loved you. All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.
Col 3:12 (NRSV) As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
if you would like to listen to Susan Boyle sing, here is the address to go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk
Sunday, April 19, 2009
OUR ORCHRESTRATOR
Everything in a Christian's life is planned out by God. Our salvation is of the Lord!Everything we do is orchestrated by God for His purpose. The Cross was orchestrated by God, the suffering Jesus suffered was because God planned it that way. Trials WE go through are orchestrated by God. When you look at what Job went through, the suffering he endured was from God, everything Jonah went through was from God, John the Baptist's head was cut off..was from God. All that the Saints suffer all the Joy the Saints have, is orchestrated by God and we should be thankful for it all because in the end we will be in glory, rejoicing with Him singing GLORY GLORY GLORY IS OUR GOD ALMIGHTY.
R.K. McGregor Wright quoted.....
God saves. God does not merely do enough to make salvation possible, leaving it to us to work our way up, to 'merit the merits of Christ,' to do our part to make the merely possible become the actual. Every link in the chain of redemption is forged on God's anvil from start to finish. Even God cannot achieve an end without a means. In order to secure the predestined end, he foreordains each step and casual link, sovereignly acting to see that each cause and effect occurs
I have already shown that he had to move the entire Roman military bureaucracy several years earlier to make certain that at the end of the empire wide census, one particular pregnant girl was in the right town at the right moment just so the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem and not up north in Nazareth! The entire Roman bureaucracy was predestined to keep in step with the body chemistry of one unknown Jewish girl in the far outer reaches of the first-century Roman Empire."
R.K. McGregor Wright quoted.....
God saves. God does not merely do enough to make salvation possible, leaving it to us to work our way up, to 'merit the merits of Christ,' to do our part to make the merely possible become the actual. Every link in the chain of redemption is forged on God's anvil from start to finish. Even God cannot achieve an end without a means. In order to secure the predestined end, he foreordains each step and casual link, sovereignly acting to see that each cause and effect occurs
I have already shown that he had to move the entire Roman military bureaucracy several years earlier to make certain that at the end of the empire wide census, one particular pregnant girl was in the right town at the right moment just so the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem and not up north in Nazareth! The entire Roman bureaucracy was predestined to keep in step with the body chemistry of one unknown Jewish girl in the far outer reaches of the first-century Roman Empire."
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
LET THY WILL BE DONE
“Jesus, ’tis my aim divine,
Hence to have no will but Thine;
Let me covenant with Thee,
Thine for evermore to be:
This my prayer, and this alone,
Saviour, let Thy will be done!
“Thee to love, to live to Thee,
This my daily portion be;
Nothing to my Lord I give,
But from Him I first receive:
Lord, for me Thy blood was spilt
Lead me, guide me, as Thou wilt.
“All that is opposed to Thee,
Howsoever dear it be,
From my heart the idol tear,
Thou shalt have no rival there;
Only Thou shalt fill the throne:
Saviour, let Thy will be done.
“Wilt Thou, Lord, in me fulfil
All the pleasure of Thy will;
Thine in life, and Thine in death,
Thine in every fleeting breath,
Thou my hope and joy alone:
Saviour, let Thy will be done.”
-Octavius Winslow
Hence to have no will but Thine;
Let me covenant with Thee,
Thine for evermore to be:
This my prayer, and this alone,
Saviour, let Thy will be done!
“Thee to love, to live to Thee,
This my daily portion be;
Nothing to my Lord I give,
But from Him I first receive:
Lord, for me Thy blood was spilt
Lead me, guide me, as Thou wilt.
“All that is opposed to Thee,
Howsoever dear it be,
From my heart the idol tear,
Thou shalt have no rival there;
Only Thou shalt fill the throne:
Saviour, let Thy will be done.
“Wilt Thou, Lord, in me fulfil
All the pleasure of Thy will;
Thine in life, and Thine in death,
Thine in every fleeting breath,
Thou my hope and joy alone:
Saviour, let Thy will be done.”
-Octavius Winslow
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