http://theologica.blogspot.com/2008/11/eric-redmond-living-soli-deo-gloria.html#comments
Hello All,
I just wanted to share this commentary(see link above) by Pastor Eric C. Redmond who resides in MD. and is the Senior Pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Temple Hills, MD and is also the author of a Book entitled Where Are All the Brothers?: Straight Answers to Men's Questions about the Church . I first became acquainted with his work through Dr. Albert Mohler (http://www.albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=2715) who by the way has an excellent talk show Mon-Fri on his website and satellite and also on podcast . Anyway before I digress, I have spoken to many of you regarding my views of the Presidential Election and we didn't always see eye to eye but one thing we all agree on is the sovereignty of God... well this Pastor Eric Redmond echoes my sentiments, my conflicts, my dilemma more articutately than I could at the moment in this aptly written blog regarding the most historical election in our nation (and around the globe) in years.
Read this article and you may possibly understand my views a little better. I thank you in advance for taking the time to read it, you don't have to agree with me just understand where I'm coming from...Realizing that you are in a minority regarding public opinion is not always easy but God is faithful, just and true even when we are not.
Thank you,
Dee
Friday, November 7, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Just a few thoughts about... salvation
As I walk with Christ and read his word and try to study to show myself approved I ponder quite frequently about being born again about being saved and what it means. From time to time I'd like to share these thoughts with you here it goes...
Salvation is not making a decision and writing your name on a card and joining a church.
Salvation is knowing and believing that apart from God you are nothing.
Salvation is not only believing that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and the sins of the whole world but acting that out in your lifestyle in the way you talk and walk and think and move.
For God said that in Him we live and move and have our being
Ask yourself is your being tied up or bound with Christ or with the world.
Salvation means self examination but not from your P.O.V. but from God's P.O.V.
Salvation is more than a good feeling because before you can actually "feel" good you must "feel" bad you must acknowledge the hold that sin has on your life, you must acknowledge the black heart you have, you must be broken in order for God to build you up, not for you to build you up or the world to build you up or the lies of the devil but God alone must build you up and the foundation starts with Jesus Christ.
Ask yourself are you saved or are you just going to church
Just a few thoughts about... salvation
As I walk with Christ and read his word and try to study to show myself approved I ponder quite frequently about being born again about being saved and what it means. From time to time I'd like to share these thoughts with you here it goes...
Salvation is not making a decision and writing your name on a card and joining a church.
Salvation is knowing and believing that apart from God you are nothing.
Salvation is not only believing that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and the sins of the whole world but acting that out in your lifestyle in the way you talk and walk and think and move.
For God said that in Him we live and move and have our being
Ask yourself is your being tied up or bound with Christ or with the world.
Salvation means self examination but not from your P.O.V. but from God's P.O.V.
Salvation is more than a good feeling because before you can actually "feel" good you must "feel" bad you must acknowledge the hold that sin has on your life, you must acknowledge the black heart you have, you must be broken in order for God to build you up, not for you to build you up or the world to build you up or the lies of the devil but God alone must build you up and the foundation starts with Jesus Christ.
Ask yourself are you saved or are you just going to church
Salvation is not making a decision and writing your name on a card and joining a church.
Salvation is knowing and believing that apart from God you are nothing.
Salvation is not only believing that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and the sins of the whole world but acting that out in your lifestyle in the way you talk and walk and think and move.
For God said that in Him we live and move and have our being
Ask yourself is your being tied up or bound with Christ or with the world.
Salvation means self examination but not from your P.O.V. but from God's P.O.V.
Salvation is more than a good feeling because before you can actually "feel" good you must "feel" bad you must acknowledge the hold that sin has on your life, you must acknowledge the black heart you have, you must be broken in order for God to build you up, not for you to build you up or the world to build you up or the lies of the devil but God alone must build you up and the foundation starts with Jesus Christ.
Ask yourself are you saved or are you just going to church
Monday, June 23, 2008
Unfinished
I just looked back at all the unfinished posts or incomplete thoughts that I started since I began writing this blog a few months ago and I realized that I had more unpublished posts than published ones. Sometimes my mind goes into overdrive, I have so many thoughts, so many things on my mind and hard as I try I don't finish the thoughts... the work...the words... the process.
I know that I am by no means alone in facing this dilemma of finishing what you start; for we live in a world that is full of so much information; television, movies, the news, the Internet and now of course blogs all provide us with more information to process, more stuff to know, more fact and fiction to sift through and process. Sometimes I think we are all on information overload; our children are growing up faster, they know much more than we knew at their tender young ages. Their vocabularies are more extensive in lots of cases, so they too are bombarded with too much information. They learn things in school that should be taught at home because sometimes the school doesn't even give the parents a chance to decide what it is they want their children to know and learn. Sometimes classroom curriculum is substitute for private agendas (THAT'S ANOTHER STORY) .
So... we live in a world with too much information we also live in a time that will certainly go down in the pages of our history books: towers being blown up, wars being waged on city streets and a white woman and a black man running for the presidency of the United States. The institution of marriage being redefined etc. etc. etc.
Knowledge, wisdom, education and the ability to communicate with your peers these are all very important things. But as human beings I believe we tend to lose sight of who we should be in contact with the most who we should learn of; that my friends is of course God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We are, as the scripture says, living in a world that is ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of( See 2 Timothy 3:7). The knowledge of what you ask... the knowledge of the highest being we could ever know, the most intelligent the source in fact of our very own intelligence. The knowledge of His love and sacrifice, the knowledge of His commandments, His ways, His precepts, His judgements. The knowledge of the breadth and depth and height and width of one that cannot actually be measured by inches or the metric system or gallons or pints. The knowledge of the infinite one.
As connoisseurs of information we know the statistics to hockey and baseball and basketball and football games, we know that 2+2=4. We know the latest gossip in the world of entertainment, Even in the church, the house of God we know more about what's going wrong in people's person lives than we do about trying to help them resolve their issues through Christ. Yes we know this and we know that but what we really know is jack... because anything, any knowledge outside of God means nothing or knowthing. Paul said it best in 1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified. Paul knew like the Old testament writer Solomon that everything is meaningless... and that life is full of vanity and that all the wisdom in the world is meaningless without wisdom, knowledge, understanding of the Lord and most importantly a personal relationship with the Lord. Jesus said it best in Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Learn of the God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Comforter the Holy Spirit. Learn and find rest for your very soul.
If anyone is interested I will be posting more frequently this month and the reason for that decision is that I will make a personal commitment to finish the posts that I have started; since they all revolve around God's Word in our world today I don't think they will be outdated.
Read on and God Bless You
I know that I am by no means alone in facing this dilemma of finishing what you start; for we live in a world that is full of so much information; television, movies, the news, the Internet and now of course blogs all provide us with more information to process, more stuff to know, more fact and fiction to sift through and process. Sometimes I think we are all on information overload; our children are growing up faster, they know much more than we knew at their tender young ages. Their vocabularies are more extensive in lots of cases, so they too are bombarded with too much information. They learn things in school that should be taught at home because sometimes the school doesn't even give the parents a chance to decide what it is they want their children to know and learn. Sometimes classroom curriculum is substitute for private agendas (THAT'S ANOTHER STORY) .
So... we live in a world with too much information we also live in a time that will certainly go down in the pages of our history books: towers being blown up, wars being waged on city streets and a white woman and a black man running for the presidency of the United States. The institution of marriage being redefined etc. etc. etc.
Knowledge, wisdom, education and the ability to communicate with your peers these are all very important things. But as human beings I believe we tend to lose sight of who we should be in contact with the most who we should learn of; that my friends is of course God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We are, as the scripture says, living in a world that is ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of( See 2 Timothy 3:7). The knowledge of what you ask... the knowledge of the highest being we could ever know, the most intelligent the source in fact of our very own intelligence. The knowledge of His love and sacrifice, the knowledge of His commandments, His ways, His precepts, His judgements. The knowledge of the breadth and depth and height and width of one that cannot actually be measured by inches or the metric system or gallons or pints. The knowledge of the infinite one.
As connoisseurs of information we know the statistics to hockey and baseball and basketball and football games, we know that 2+2=4. We know the latest gossip in the world of entertainment, Even in the church, the house of God we know more about what's going wrong in people's person lives than we do about trying to help them resolve their issues through Christ. Yes we know this and we know that but what we really know is jack... because anything, any knowledge outside of God means nothing or knowthing. Paul said it best in 1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified. Paul knew like the Old testament writer Solomon that everything is meaningless... and that life is full of vanity and that all the wisdom in the world is meaningless without wisdom, knowledge, understanding of the Lord and most importantly a personal relationship with the Lord. Jesus said it best in Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Learn of the God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Comforter the Holy Spirit. Learn and find rest for your very soul.
If anyone is interested I will be posting more frequently this month and the reason for that decision is that I will make a personal commitment to finish the posts that I have started; since they all revolve around God's Word in our world today I don't think they will be outdated.
Read on and God Bless You
Friday, June 20, 2008
What's Going On...
I originally wrote this in the summer (June 2008) it is now October 30, 2008 and my views/opinions have not changed much I am seeking wisdom from God to make the right decision in an election that is fueled by some very volitale issues of which I must ask myself what stands as a priority a top issue for me. I urge you to do the same, seek the wisdom of God and continue to be about our Father's business...reaching the lost.
Since the last time I wrote an entry a historical event has happened in the United States of America. Barack Obama has become the presumptive Democratic nominee for President of the United States. A Black man regardless of ethnicity this is a Black man that is definitely something to stand up and take notice of. If we rewind just a bit the fact that this Black man ran against a white woman was no small headline either.
So history was made my friends and where do we go from here. Now I can only speak for myself as, I represent a number of demographics and I can assure you that my opinions will speak to the diversity of these various populations. Some people will disagree with certain aspects of my "arguments" while others may not. As a Christian, Black, registered Democrat I am attempting to see this event from all sides... here it goes.
As a Black woman... in America I understand and relate to the social plights and ills of the people sometimes referred to as Black sometimes known as African American population of this country. This community has been systematically oppressed since the arrival of slaves from Africa. This statment is not an excuse it is simply a fact and a fact that the majority in this country wish that we would get over. I myself agree that we should get over it as well but how, Frankly that solution would take a book of a few volumes or more. For starters acknowledgment by the majority a.k.a white people that the past actions of their ancestors were less than admirable should occur; even today in 2008 there is still systematic hatred and inequity occuring not only in the U.S. but all over the globe.
As a Democrat: I believe that I am a Democrat because my parents were and are Democrats and their parents before them. The nature of this party is something that I am just starting to understand and when I think of my ideological beliefs I tend to stand with the Republicans more so than the Democrats. As far as issues of abortion and marriage and cloning and down the line it has been the Republican party that lately represents my viewpoints from a moral standpoint. That is not to say that all Democrats are immoral it just means that liberal thinking is not necessarily free. I think liberal thinking or liberal ideology or theology has come to mean that it's okay to think anyway about anything as long as it is in line with my out of line thinking. Then we have to ask ourselves the question who defines what appropriate thinking is... That Would be God.
As a Christian... and I must say that this is the area that I have to identify with the most, this population which consists of blacks, whites, Asians, Africans, latinos, literally every color of the rainbow. This group is the group that needs to step up and be as the bible tells us the salt of the earth, the people with flavor and savor and favor; the people with love and compassion with forgiveness and understanding with giving spirits and kind words with the love of Christ.
Since the last time I wrote an entry a historical event has happened in the United States of America. Barack Obama has become the presumptive Democratic nominee for President of the United States. A Black man regardless of ethnicity this is a Black man that is definitely something to stand up and take notice of. If we rewind just a bit the fact that this Black man ran against a white woman was no small headline either.
So history was made my friends and where do we go from here. Now I can only speak for myself as, I represent a number of demographics and I can assure you that my opinions will speak to the diversity of these various populations. Some people will disagree with certain aspects of my "arguments" while others may not. As a Christian, Black, registered Democrat I am attempting to see this event from all sides... here it goes.
As a Black woman... in America I understand and relate to the social plights and ills of the people sometimes referred to as Black sometimes known as African American population of this country. This community has been systematically oppressed since the arrival of slaves from Africa. This statment is not an excuse it is simply a fact and a fact that the majority in this country wish that we would get over. I myself agree that we should get over it as well but how, Frankly that solution would take a book of a few volumes or more. For starters acknowledgment by the majority a.k.a white people that the past actions of their ancestors were less than admirable should occur; even today in 2008 there is still systematic hatred and inequity occuring not only in the U.S. but all over the globe.
As a Democrat: I believe that I am a Democrat because my parents were and are Democrats and their parents before them. The nature of this party is something that I am just starting to understand and when I think of my ideological beliefs I tend to stand with the Republicans more so than the Democrats. As far as issues of abortion and marriage and cloning and down the line it has been the Republican party that lately represents my viewpoints from a moral standpoint. That is not to say that all Democrats are immoral it just means that liberal thinking is not necessarily free. I think liberal thinking or liberal ideology or theology has come to mean that it's okay to think anyway about anything as long as it is in line with my out of line thinking. Then we have to ask ourselves the question who defines what appropriate thinking is... That Would be God.
As a Christian... and I must say that this is the area that I have to identify with the most, this population which consists of blacks, whites, Asians, Africans, latinos, literally every color of the rainbow. This group is the group that needs to step up and be as the bible tells us the salt of the earth, the people with flavor and savor and favor; the people with love and compassion with forgiveness and understanding with giving spirits and kind words with the love of Christ.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Where He Dwells
It's not just about going to heaven
It's not just about escaping hell
It's all about eternally being in the presence of the Lord
All about being where He dwells
It's not just about escaping hell
It's all about eternally being in the presence of the Lord
All about being where He dwells
Thursday, May 1, 2008
The Day After Tomorrow
I've watched this movie starring Dennis Quaid a few times before and I must admit what first drew me to the film was seeing my old hometown New York City (its always like a main character in any film that uses it as its backdrop). With its spectacular visual effects its definitely the type of movie for the big screen. Just imagine NYC under so much water and then, snow so high and iced over that you can walk on top of it, The Statue of Liberty covered up to her eyeballs. So my initial attraction was visual but upon my most recent viewing I found a few lessons of the spiritual kind sort of buried underneath no pun intended.
Consider this: what may actually be happening to the world and its climate may not global warming but global warning what the Lord describes in Romans 8:22 as a moaning and groaning of the whole creation. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%208:22&version=9
It never ceases to amaze me how God can provide a lesson in whatever way He chooses however He chooses. This movie about the effects of global warming on the environment tells a story that has the world moving back to the so called ice age. What also struck me was a scene that I think all active and up and coming evangelizers can certainly relate to. We see throughout the movie several different changes in the climate throughout the world and as mentioned before we come to a climax of sorts where the film’s second hero Sam leads his friends to higher ground and they wind up in the Public Library on 42nd street. (an aside when Sam told his parents where he was at he only said the public Library now that might work in a small town but there are way too many libraries in New York, just an observation :)).
Anyway Sam and his friends are in the library with many others who have just escaped a massive tide that came in and drowned millions of people. He talks to his mom and dad on the phone and his father as we are told at the beginning of the movie is a climatologist. His dad tells him to stay put, stay inside because this unusual storm is about to get even more unusual. Temperatures will drop drastically and all those who are outside will freeze to death. At this time we see a vagabond and his dog, who are also among the library survivors, who decides to take his dog outside to relieve himself and he sees a group of people crossing the ice packed-snow which was water only a few hours ago. So he rushes back inside to announce his sighting to a police officer and the group. The officer then tells everyone that they should follow suit because shortly they will be out of water and food and eventually starve and or be covered by snow. Okay this is where the correlation begins....Sam says to his friends this is a big mistake "We shouldn't go" and one friend responds "why not Sam everyone is leaving" then Sam responds "When I talked to my dad he said we should stay inside the storm will kill anyone that goes outside " and his other friend says "You have to say something" and Sam says "I know". Sam then proceeds to talk to the officer and also to the crowd at large and tells them if they go outside they will die and one observer asks him what makes you so sure and he says my father told me then he gives his father’s credentials but the cop is not going for it and he convinces most of the crowd to follow him.
That’s us guys we have to speak up even if we look foolish even if only a few will listen, we have to warn others of the dangers and perils that lie ahead outside the will of God that the wages of sin is death and if they do not heed to the word of God they will surely die and we like Sam, even better than Sam, have the credentials of our Father, God Almighty who has given his word to us as evidence.
We see later in the film that all the people that Sam tried to warn but did not take heed did indeed die, did indeed freeze to death, and so shall it be for those who do not listen to our urgent pleadings and warnings. So let's at the very least warn them about this day for we don't know what tomorrow holds.
God Bless You
Consider this: what may actually be happening to the world and its climate may not global warming but global warning what the Lord describes in Romans 8:22 as a moaning and groaning of the whole creation. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%208:22&version=9
It never ceases to amaze me how God can provide a lesson in whatever way He chooses however He chooses. This movie about the effects of global warming on the environment tells a story that has the world moving back to the so called ice age. What also struck me was a scene that I think all active and up and coming evangelizers can certainly relate to. We see throughout the movie several different changes in the climate throughout the world and as mentioned before we come to a climax of sorts where the film’s second hero Sam leads his friends to higher ground and they wind up in the Public Library on 42nd street. (an aside when Sam told his parents where he was at he only said the public Library now that might work in a small town but there are way too many libraries in New York, just an observation :)).
Anyway Sam and his friends are in the library with many others who have just escaped a massive tide that came in and drowned millions of people. He talks to his mom and dad on the phone and his father as we are told at the beginning of the movie is a climatologist. His dad tells him to stay put, stay inside because this unusual storm is about to get even more unusual. Temperatures will drop drastically and all those who are outside will freeze to death. At this time we see a vagabond and his dog, who are also among the library survivors, who decides to take his dog outside to relieve himself and he sees a group of people crossing the ice packed-snow which was water only a few hours ago. So he rushes back inside to announce his sighting to a police officer and the group. The officer then tells everyone that they should follow suit because shortly they will be out of water and food and eventually starve and or be covered by snow. Okay this is where the correlation begins....Sam says to his friends this is a big mistake "We shouldn't go" and one friend responds "why not Sam everyone is leaving" then Sam responds "When I talked to my dad he said we should stay inside the storm will kill anyone that goes outside " and his other friend says "You have to say something" and Sam says "I know". Sam then proceeds to talk to the officer and also to the crowd at large and tells them if they go outside they will die and one observer asks him what makes you so sure and he says my father told me then he gives his father’s credentials but the cop is not going for it and he convinces most of the crowd to follow him.
That’s us guys we have to speak up even if we look foolish even if only a few will listen, we have to warn others of the dangers and perils that lie ahead outside the will of God that the wages of sin is death and if they do not heed to the word of God they will surely die and we like Sam, even better than Sam, have the credentials of our Father, God Almighty who has given his word to us as evidence.
We see later in the film that all the people that Sam tried to warn but did not take heed did indeed die, did indeed freeze to death, and so shall it be for those who do not listen to our urgent pleadings and warnings. So let's at the very least warn them about this day for we don't know what tomorrow holds.
God Bless You
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Let’s Talk About The Urgency of Now
Let's talk about the urgency of now....
Long before Barack Obama or even Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about the urgency of now it was spoken of by God, the urgency of now is to choose ye this day whom you will serve.... this day not tomorrow or next week not even one minute or second can you spare. The urgency of now means the present choice that you have before you to chose life or death, God or yourself , God or this world, God or your life. In Matthew 16:25 Jesus says "For whoever will save his life will lose it and whoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it." In Joshua 24:14-16 God through Joshua cautions the Israelites to Fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth and to put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood and in Egypt and serve the Lord. He admonishes them to make a choice that we all must make,every human being in the past, present and future must make that very same choice; to choose to serve God or to choose to serve the gods of your ancestors, gods of pride and esteeming your self higher than God, gods of selfish ambition and lust and degradation, gods of higher and higher and loftier and loftier ambitions and goals that leave your Creator out of the equation. Seeking after any and everythng but the one who made you, the true Most High the God of the bible.
Real change comes from the God given indwelling of the Holy Spirit, it is the only change that you can believe in. Change in your educational status, change in your social status change in your financial status these changes are all fine and well but if we are not carfeul they can camaflouge the only change that matters in this life and the one to come. The change I speak of is coming from darkness to light from blindness to sight, from the reality that Jesus died on a tree over 2000 years ago for you and for me. And the change that brings about comes from the inside out. What good are all the things of the world if you lose your very soul. What good is Ph.d if inside you are still a liar and a thief and an adulterer at heart when you are wise in the ways of the world but when it comes to God you are not so smart. What good is the house on the hill and all it's furnishings if tonight your very soul is required of you. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2012:16-21;&version=9;;
The real urgency that is masked behind the political machine, the corporate machine, the rap machine, the culture machine, the entertainment machine and all these machines, is quite simply this: where do you stand before God and more importantly where will you stand on that day? Your best life now may very well be your best life right now. Now let me tell you why that thought should horrify you, should frighten you, should sober you. It’s because if you don’t live on the promises of the bible you really do believe such as the false prophets do that the buck stops here, you believe it stops with public policy and fair housing and your white picket fence, you believe it stops with your bling and your lifestyles of the rich and shameless, excuse me, famous. But if you stand on the promises of God Almighty you believe that storing up your treasures on earth is futile that there is an even greater reward for you eternally and that reward is something that all the money in the world could not buy, that reward is simply and awesomely dwelling in the eternal presence of God. It's where you come to the conclusion that His presents are no longer as important as His Presence.
If you believe that this is truly your best life right here and now and you don’t think you have anything to look forward to eternally I’ll tell you, you are both right and wrong at the same time. You are right in that this will be the highest and most satisfactory life experience you will have but the one that follows will in turn be your worst life eternally... for you will forever be away from the presence of God. You will however have something of His and that will be the everlasting pouring out of His wrath towards you. If you did not have time for Him and His kingdom while you are on earth then you certainly will not have time for Him,then.
Sobering words aren’t they? Well I’ll tell you they certainly were for me. Don’t get me wrong there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting you and your family to experience a “good life” I’m just trying to tell you, correction, God is trying to tell you that you haven’t seen anything yet take a look at 1 Corinthians 2:7-10 (KJV)7But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. The bible also says in Matthew 6:19-21 19Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust do corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust do corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
So ask yourself where is your heart and then where is your confidence? Is you confidence in man or in God?
Listen, if you love Him, which means to obey him, to keep his commands then all the beauty of this world the diamonds the rubies the flat screens the cars they all pale in comparison. We must remember that man can never outdo God, for it was God who made us and not we ourselves.http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&chapter=100&verse=2&end_verse=4&version=9&context=context
It then stands to reason that if the Creator’s creation can create such things then what else must the Creator be able to create, get it, I hope so. We finally should remember the we honor and worship God first and foremost because of who He is, not just for what he can give us or do for us or bless us with. We worship and honor God simply for who he is and how do we know who he is by reading His word, by examining the fruition and manifestation of His word in Jesus Christ and then looking at the sacrifice the ultimate sacrifice, no greater love. This love requires a response and it must be made now!!!!
God Bless
Long before Barack Obama or even Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about the urgency of now it was spoken of by God, the urgency of now is to choose ye this day whom you will serve.... this day not tomorrow or next week not even one minute or second can you spare. The urgency of now means the present choice that you have before you to chose life or death, God or yourself , God or this world, God or your life. In Matthew 16:25 Jesus says "For whoever will save his life will lose it and whoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it." In Joshua 24:14-16 God through Joshua cautions the Israelites to Fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth and to put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood and in Egypt and serve the Lord. He admonishes them to make a choice that we all must make,every human being in the past, present and future must make that very same choice; to choose to serve God or to choose to serve the gods of your ancestors, gods of pride and esteeming your self higher than God, gods of selfish ambition and lust and degradation, gods of higher and higher and loftier and loftier ambitions and goals that leave your Creator out of the equation. Seeking after any and everythng but the one who made you, the true Most High the God of the bible.
Real change comes from the God given indwelling of the Holy Spirit, it is the only change that you can believe in. Change in your educational status, change in your social status change in your financial status these changes are all fine and well but if we are not carfeul they can camaflouge the only change that matters in this life and the one to come. The change I speak of is coming from darkness to light from blindness to sight, from the reality that Jesus died on a tree over 2000 years ago for you and for me. And the change that brings about comes from the inside out. What good are all the things of the world if you lose your very soul. What good is Ph.d if inside you are still a liar and a thief and an adulterer at heart when you are wise in the ways of the world but when it comes to God you are not so smart. What good is the house on the hill and all it's furnishings if tonight your very soul is required of you. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2012:16-21;&version=9;;
The real urgency that is masked behind the political machine, the corporate machine, the rap machine, the culture machine, the entertainment machine and all these machines, is quite simply this: where do you stand before God and more importantly where will you stand on that day? Your best life now may very well be your best life right now. Now let me tell you why that thought should horrify you, should frighten you, should sober you. It’s because if you don’t live on the promises of the bible you really do believe such as the false prophets do that the buck stops here, you believe it stops with public policy and fair housing and your white picket fence, you believe it stops with your bling and your lifestyles of the rich and shameless, excuse me, famous. But if you stand on the promises of God Almighty you believe that storing up your treasures on earth is futile that there is an even greater reward for you eternally and that reward is something that all the money in the world could not buy, that reward is simply and awesomely dwelling in the eternal presence of God. It's where you come to the conclusion that His presents are no longer as important as His Presence.
If you believe that this is truly your best life right here and now and you don’t think you have anything to look forward to eternally I’ll tell you, you are both right and wrong at the same time. You are right in that this will be the highest and most satisfactory life experience you will have but the one that follows will in turn be your worst life eternally... for you will forever be away from the presence of God. You will however have something of His and that will be the everlasting pouring out of His wrath towards you. If you did not have time for Him and His kingdom while you are on earth then you certainly will not have time for Him,then.
Sobering words aren’t they? Well I’ll tell you they certainly were for me. Don’t get me wrong there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting you and your family to experience a “good life” I’m just trying to tell you, correction, God is trying to tell you that you haven’t seen anything yet take a look at 1 Corinthians 2:7-10 (KJV)7But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. The bible also says in Matthew 6:19-21 19Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust do corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust do corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
So ask yourself where is your heart and then where is your confidence? Is you confidence in man or in God?
Listen, if you love Him, which means to obey him, to keep his commands then all the beauty of this world the diamonds the rubies the flat screens the cars they all pale in comparison. We must remember that man can never outdo God, for it was God who made us and not we ourselves.http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&chapter=100&verse=2&end_verse=4&version=9&context=context
It then stands to reason that if the Creator’s creation can create such things then what else must the Creator be able to create, get it, I hope so. We finally should remember the we honor and worship God first and foremost because of who He is, not just for what he can give us or do for us or bless us with. We worship and honor God simply for who he is and how do we know who he is by reading His word, by examining the fruition and manifestation of His word in Jesus Christ and then looking at the sacrifice the ultimate sacrifice, no greater love. This love requires a response and it must be made now!!!!
God Bless
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
What should I say???/Tell Them!!!!
When she made up in her mind
When she purposed in her heart
To be a witness unto Him in the uttermost parts
And to know nothing save
Jesus Christ crucified and raised from the dead
She found herself asking
Well now what Lord
What should I say???
He said tell them
They are running out of time
Tell them they have been out of line
Tell them it’s not too late
That I alone am the master of their fate
Tell them that I gave my only begotten son
He was innocent and they are guilty
Tell them he paid the price for their penalties
Tell them that that is nothing to take lightly
But to be taken with reverence and appreciation and fear
Tell them that the Lord God is here
Tell them that I will judge them by how they handled my son
Tell them what I told you through someone else
Tell them that my love comes at a cost
My son Jesus paid it at the cross
And now you too must exchange
Your will for mine
For you see you too must lay something on the line
Tell them that I love them and their best course is the obey
Tell them that I know that ALL have strayed
But once again tell them that Jesus my son did the time
He paid for their crimes
Tell them to listen up
Tell them to hear
Tell them I know their sins and sorrows
Tell them that I am their tomorrow
Tell them that I require obedience
Tell them that I require allegiance
And that serving me is better than serving the devil or any man
Tell them that I Am That I Am
Tell that I am the Alpha and the Omega
Tell that I am the Beginning and the End
Tell them with me by their side they have no other choice but to win
Tell them that the struggles and battles in life
I can also relate to because I became flesh
Tell them to trust in me and watch me clean up this mess
Tell them that there really and truly is no other way
For all other roads lead to decay
And to ruin and eventually hell
Tell them they should listen up
They should do well
To once again take heed
To my cry for this entire human race
Tell that this old earth will not be their final resting place
Tell them that they must make a choice
Tell them that when they hear my voice
They should harden not their hearts
But listen to every word that I will impart
Tell them to stop going after false gods
And to serve only me
Tell them that they cannot run and hide
Tell them that I do see
I see all and know all and will judge all
Tell quite simply to follow after me
Tell them of my mercy and grace
But also of my wrath
Please don’t take a nap
Please don’t sleep
For if you do
You will surely weep and gnash your teeth
And of this there will be no relief
Take heed, Listen and hear
For the time is not near
But be clear, It is already here
Tell them to save themselves some pain
For apart from me there is no gain
Tell them that time is winding down
Tell them that time is winding down
And that they must harden not their hearts
Tell them to take me into their lives I can make a fresh start.
Tell them that I am the Way the Truth and the Life
Tell them that love is what motivates me
Tell them once again that my son Jesus Christ will make them free.
Tell Them.
When she purposed in her heart
To be a witness unto Him in the uttermost parts
And to know nothing save
Jesus Christ crucified and raised from the dead
She found herself asking
Well now what Lord
What should I say???
He said tell them
They are running out of time
Tell them they have been out of line
Tell them it’s not too late
That I alone am the master of their fate
Tell them that I gave my only begotten son
He was innocent and they are guilty
Tell them he paid the price for their penalties
Tell them that that is nothing to take lightly
But to be taken with reverence and appreciation and fear
Tell them that the Lord God is here
Tell them that I will judge them by how they handled my son
Tell them what I told you through someone else
Tell them that my love comes at a cost
My son Jesus paid it at the cross
And now you too must exchange
Your will for mine
For you see you too must lay something on the line
Tell them that I love them and their best course is the obey
Tell them that I know that ALL have strayed
But once again tell them that Jesus my son did the time
He paid for their crimes
Tell them to listen up
Tell them to hear
Tell them I know their sins and sorrows
Tell them that I am their tomorrow
Tell them that I require obedience
Tell them that I require allegiance
And that serving me is better than serving the devil or any man
Tell them that I Am That I Am
Tell that I am the Alpha and the Omega
Tell that I am the Beginning and the End
Tell them with me by their side they have no other choice but to win
Tell them that the struggles and battles in life
I can also relate to because I became flesh
Tell them to trust in me and watch me clean up this mess
Tell them that there really and truly is no other way
For all other roads lead to decay
And to ruin and eventually hell
Tell them they should listen up
They should do well
To once again take heed
To my cry for this entire human race
Tell that this old earth will not be their final resting place
Tell them that they must make a choice
Tell them that when they hear my voice
They should harden not their hearts
But listen to every word that I will impart
Tell them to stop going after false gods
And to serve only me
Tell them that they cannot run and hide
Tell them that I do see
I see all and know all and will judge all
Tell quite simply to follow after me
Tell them of my mercy and grace
But also of my wrath
Please don’t take a nap
Please don’t sleep
For if you do
You will surely weep and gnash your teeth
And of this there will be no relief
Take heed, Listen and hear
For the time is not near
But be clear, It is already here
Tell them to save themselves some pain
For apart from me there is no gain
Tell them that time is winding down
Tell them that time is winding down
And that they must harden not their hearts
Tell them to take me into their lives I can make a fresh start.
Tell them that I am the Way the Truth and the Life
Tell them that love is what motivates me
Tell them once again that my son Jesus Christ will make them free.
Tell Them.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Are You Really Saved????
The bible says in2 Corinthians 13:5 (KJV) that we are to:
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
We should have the assurance we should be sure because the consequences could prove eternally deadly. Once again I turn you into the hands of "The Way of the Master " ministry. Check out 3 sermons from from Todd "freakishly tall" Friel and the other 2 from 'Sir" Ray Comfort:
Are you Really a Christian?? AND
http://wayofthemasterradio.com/listenwatch/ToddFriel_Sermon-Bethel_TX.mp3
Hell's Best Kept Secret AND True or False Conversion
http://www.wayofthemaster.com/freeduplication.shtml
The main point, of these sermons, is to distinguish between true and false conversion. To make your calling and election sure. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Peter%201:1-11;&version=9;
For the bible says:
Matthew 7:13-17 (KJV)
13Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
This passage reminds us that there will be many ways introduced to you that supposedely lead to heaven but there is really only one way and that is through Jesus Christ as found in John 14:16: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=50&chapter=14&verse=6&version=9&context=verse , Jesus is the strait gate that the gospel writer refers to and the broad way is any and everything else. It reminds us that many while many will find the broad way there will be few that will enter in at the strait gate and the reason why is because at the staight and narrow path there is no room for self esteem, self satsifaction, self glorification or self righteousness, there is only room for humility and the acknowledgement of your sins before a HOLY, HOLY, HOLY God; you cannot enter without those things but be assured that you can skip right on through the broad way with all of your SELF intact. You won't have to let go of any of the pride and the self exaltation in fact those wolves in sheeps clothing will encourage you into thinking that it is all about YOU, it's all about your best life and your best world and you, you and more you. My friends nothing could be more further from the truth it is about Jesus Christ. So please make sure you are sure.
Dee
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
We should have the assurance we should be sure because the consequences could prove eternally deadly. Once again I turn you into the hands of "The Way of the Master " ministry. Check out 3 sermons from from Todd "freakishly tall" Friel and the other 2 from 'Sir" Ray Comfort:
Are you Really a Christian?? AND
http://wayofthemasterradio.com/listenwatch/ToddFriel_Sermon-Bethel_TX.mp3
Hell's Best Kept Secret AND True or False Conversion
http://www.wayofthemaster.com/freeduplication.shtml
The main point, of these sermons, is to distinguish between true and false conversion. To make your calling and election sure. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Peter%201:1-11;&version=9;
For the bible says:
Matthew 7:13-17 (KJV)
13Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
This passage reminds us that there will be many ways introduced to you that supposedely lead to heaven but there is really only one way and that is through Jesus Christ as found in John 14:16: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=50&chapter=14&verse=6&version=9&context=verse , Jesus is the strait gate that the gospel writer refers to and the broad way is any and everything else. It reminds us that many while many will find the broad way there will be few that will enter in at the strait gate and the reason why is because at the staight and narrow path there is no room for self esteem, self satsifaction, self glorification or self righteousness, there is only room for humility and the acknowledgement of your sins before a HOLY, HOLY, HOLY God; you cannot enter without those things but be assured that you can skip right on through the broad way with all of your SELF intact. You won't have to let go of any of the pride and the self exaltation in fact those wolves in sheeps clothing will encourage you into thinking that it is all about YOU, it's all about your best life and your best world and you, you and more you. My friends nothing could be more further from the truth it is about Jesus Christ. So please make sure you are sure.
Dee
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Are You a Good Person???
Well according to the bible there is only one, that can be called good, only one that is good and that one is God.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2010:17-22;&version=9;
Now you might say will I have done some pretty good things in my life, I help elderly ladies across the street, I volunteer at the youth center, I do this and I do that and I'm nowhere near as bad as some people. And I'd say 'Well in your sight you really are a swell person arencha (aren't you).' And then I'd say 'Let's take a look at how you look through God's eyes.' And you'd say 'Well how can we know what God sees and thinks.' And then I'd say 'It's in all in His word the bible. Yes the bible!! You can find God's will for your life in the bible. You can find out what he wants you to do and not to do in all of the bible but let's take a look at a book called Exodus and a list called the 10 Commandments.' http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus%2020:1-20;&version=9;; this link is to Exodus 20:1-20.
How about clicking the link below and taking the "GOOD PERSON TEST" . Be sure to read it all the way through I guarantee you it will be the longest 5 minutes of your life but it will definitely be an eye opener http://wayofthemaster.com/goodperson.shtml
Okay so you took the test, did you pass ??? Don't worry neither did I, no one does, because God is right when He says that ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God- Romans 3:23. If you read it through and agreed and humbled yourself you found that there was some Good dare I say, Great News ahead for you, but if you didn't read through or didn't agree then I will continue to pray for you. Self examination is sometimes are hard thing to do when most times we don't even have the correct criteria but God being our Creator and kowing who we are how we move think and breathe knows what measure to use and he sees more than what is on the outside he sees our very heart and soul. He sees us as we truly are and that my friends is wicked and wretched that the Bad News. Because as the bible says in Romans 5:19 (KJV)
19For as by one man's [Adam] disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one [Jesus Christ]shall many be made righteous.
But there my friends is where the Good News lies. Take the test please
http://www.wayofthemaster.com/goodperson.shtml
Thank you to the Ministry of Way of the Master what a blessing and inspiration you are thank you for allowing God to use you in such a mighty way.
--dee
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2010:17-22;&version=9;
Now you might say will I have done some pretty good things in my life, I help elderly ladies across the street, I volunteer at the youth center, I do this and I do that and I'm nowhere near as bad as some people. And I'd say 'Well in your sight you really are a swell person arencha (aren't you).' And then I'd say 'Let's take a look at how you look through God's eyes.' And you'd say 'Well how can we know what God sees and thinks.' And then I'd say 'It's in all in His word the bible. Yes the bible!! You can find God's will for your life in the bible. You can find out what he wants you to do and not to do in all of the bible but let's take a look at a book called Exodus and a list called the 10 Commandments.' http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus%2020:1-20;&version=9;; this link is to Exodus 20:1-20.
How about clicking the link below and taking the "GOOD PERSON TEST" . Be sure to read it all the way through I guarantee you it will be the longest 5 minutes of your life but it will definitely be an eye opener http://wayofthemaster.com/goodperson.shtml
Okay so you took the test, did you pass ??? Don't worry neither did I, no one does, because God is right when He says that ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God- Romans 3:23. If you read it through and agreed and humbled yourself you found that there was some Good dare I say, Great News ahead for you, but if you didn't read through or didn't agree then I will continue to pray for you. Self examination is sometimes are hard thing to do when most times we don't even have the correct criteria but God being our Creator and kowing who we are how we move think and breathe knows what measure to use and he sees more than what is on the outside he sees our very heart and soul. He sees us as we truly are and that my friends is wicked and wretched that the Bad News. Because as the bible says in Romans 5:19 (KJV)
19For as by one man's [Adam] disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one [Jesus Christ]shall many be made righteous.
But there my friends is where the Good News lies. Take the test please
http://www.wayofthemaster.com/goodperson.shtml
Thank you to the Ministry of Way of the Master what a blessing and inspiration you are thank you for allowing God to use you in such a mighty way.
--dee
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Let Your Light So Shine
Matthew 5:14-16 (KJV)
14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
This my friends is not a suggestion it is a command, a mandate from the Ultimate Light Jesus Christ. We, as Christians, must follow His example in every aspect of our lives. As the world gets darker our lights must shine brighter. We are not to be intimidated by the world or influenced by it, in fact we should be the ones doing the influencing as Paul states in
2Corinthians 5:10-11
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=54&chapter=5&verse=10&end_verse=12&version=9&context=context
14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
This my friends is not a suggestion it is a command, a mandate from the Ultimate Light Jesus Christ. We, as Christians, must follow His example in every aspect of our lives. As the world gets darker our lights must shine brighter. We are not to be intimidated by the world or influenced by it, in fact we should be the ones doing the influencing as Paul states in
2Corinthians 5:10-11
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=54&chapter=5&verse=10&end_verse=12&version=9&context=context
We (through the Power of the Holy Spirit) influence and persuade and beg and implore men and women to learn of the terror and the great wrath of the Lord and then once they understand the utter sinfulness of sin against a holy, holy, holy God then and only then can we introduce them to the grace and mercy of a Forgiving and Gracious God (who by the way is one in the same). We must present all sides of God to folk not just one. Yes my friends the reason the Gospel (aka the Good News) is the Good News is because there is most certainly Bad News. The Bad News is the fact that without Jesus's payment, for our sin debt, on the cross we would ALL face an eternal hell. The Good News is that Jesus did die for our sins, even for the sins of the world... past, present and future. He took the cup of wrath that rightly belonged to each one of us. He laid down His life for us and in 3 days he took it back up HALLELUJAH.
So why do we hesitate? Why do we hide our lamps under the bed, our lights under a bushel or take them down from the hill? We do so because the fear of man is greater than the fear of God but the bible says that if this is the case we are not wise because wisdom comes from having a fear of the Lord. Observe this saying in Psalm 111:10 (KJV) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. Okay so to fear God is fine because He is worthy of our trembling but not only that He is worthy of our honor, our glory our praise anything that is good and just. To fear man, however, is of the enemy as told to us in 2 Timothy 1:7-8 (KJV) 7For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 8Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God. Paul tells Timothy (and us as well) a few things in this scripture: that we should fear nothing but God, that we should not be ashamed of God or our testimony and that there will be afflictions in this life associated with spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We must let others know that to come to Jesus has a cost; not all will be martyred as most of the apostles were, not all will be stoned to death or ridiculed, or abandoned by family and friends but all should be prepared for such things. Early 20th century Christian writer Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in his book entitled 'The Cost of Discipleship' when Christ calls a man He bids him come and die. For we die so many ways as followers of Christ: we die daily, we die to ourselves but all are unto Eternal life. So as I encourage you to let your light so shine I encourage myself as well.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14
-Dee
Thursday, March 27, 2008
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned
Good Evening
When I finally wrote my first blog almost a week ago I was excited about reminding some and telling others of the awesome season of the Resurrection. My original ambition or goal if you will, was to post something everyday, it's only been a week and I realize that I will not be able to do that without compromising the integrity and intent of this blog. If my mission is to glorify the Lord then I must continue to learn of Him and study to show myself approved. I have to make sure that I'm not just speaking my opinions but instead the Word of God. That said I will post when the Lord gives me something appropriate to post.
There is so much tempting and ridiculous conversation out there that if we are not careful we will find ourselves talking about any and everything, but the Bible says that we (all of mankind) will have to give an account for every idle word spoken (I believe the written word is implied as well)http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=12&verse=35&end_verse=37&version=9&context=context. I want to be obedient and make sure that when I write it's of the Lord and that when you search the scriptures and study for yourself that you will find His Word on these pages.
God Bless You,
Dee
I'll be posting in a few days I just have to be better prepared.
Here's a verse for you:
2 Timothy 2:15-16 (KJV)
15Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
When I finally wrote my first blog almost a week ago I was excited about reminding some and telling others of the awesome season of the Resurrection. My original ambition or goal if you will, was to post something everyday, it's only been a week and I realize that I will not be able to do that without compromising the integrity and intent of this blog. If my mission is to glorify the Lord then I must continue to learn of Him and study to show myself approved. I have to make sure that I'm not just speaking my opinions but instead the Word of God. That said I will post when the Lord gives me something appropriate to post.
There is so much tempting and ridiculous conversation out there that if we are not careful we will find ourselves talking about any and everything, but the Bible says that we (all of mankind) will have to give an account for every idle word spoken (I believe the written word is implied as well)http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=12&verse=35&end_verse=37&version=9&context=context. I want to be obedient and make sure that when I write it's of the Lord and that when you search the scriptures and study for yourself that you will find His Word on these pages.
God Bless You,
Dee
I'll be posting in a few days I just have to be better prepared.
Here's a verse for you:
2 Timothy 2:15-16 (KJV)
15Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
There's so much Going On
There's so much going on in the world today
So many people have so much to say
About what's going to happen tomorrow and today
But God's the only one that knows for sure
So I read His word to try and get some insight
Cause the everyday stress and strain can really make you wanna just take flight.
I've haven't much to say today
Except thank God for another day
I'll try to do better tomorrow
I'll try, I'll just try, I really will try.
So many people have so much to say
About what's going to happen tomorrow and today
But God's the only one that knows for sure
So I read His word to try and get some insight
Cause the everyday stress and strain can really make you wanna just take flight.
I've haven't much to say today
Except thank God for another day
I'll try to do better tomorrow
I'll try, I'll just try, I really will try.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
On Being A Christian Part 1
1 Corinthians 2:2 Paul says “For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”
As I go through this life I have discovered that the more I know the less I know, I have also found this to be true of my attempting to learn of God and His ways, the more I know of Him the less I discover I really know and yet I still want to learn more and more and more and more. I want to learn of Him for a few reasons such as love, security, safety and assurance. For if I love Him I will keep His commands and if I know of Him I know what pleases Him and what does not and therefore I will attempt to please Him more and displease Him less. This walk, this Christian walk is no easy task for as the songwriter said we fall down but we get up and hopefully and prayerfully we fall down less and every day we learn something new about God and therefore something new about ourselves….
….Being a Christian is about God, about His love, about His son Jesus Christ paying mankind’s sin debt from Adam to the very last soul that will be born on this earth. It’s about the Holy Spirit's convicting yet comforting power to transform our lives.It’s not about what God can do for you but instead how you can serve Him.
Being a Christian is not about self righteousness, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Titus%203:5-6;&version=9; it’s not about telling others they are going to hell and you are not, but it is about warning others that such a place does exist and that they should be careful to avoid it all costs (and yes there is a cost) and then alerting them as to how they can do that. Being a Christian is not about trying to change on your own and having everyone see what a good person you think you are it’s about allowing the Lord to work through you and giving the glory and the credit to whom it’s due.
It’s about love, a John 3:16 Love that says "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believed in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."It ’s not about believing that you are perfect but instead understanding that you are a sinner saved by a gracious God and understanding that any good thing that is in you is of your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ It’s not about saying one thing and then doing another,http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%207:4-5;&version=31; it is about examining ourselves http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%2013:5-6;&version=31; it’s about making mistakes and owning up to them, asking forgiveness for sins and moving forward not backward.
It’s not about expecting to have all your troubles wiped away as a matter of fact being a Christian could be more trouble than you think http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%201:29;&version=9; it may very well mean you having to leave some friends and family behind, having to change your lifestyle,http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%209:23;&version=9; having to change your mind. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2012:2;&version=9;That being said we soon learn that being a Christian is not really about us but about Christ.It’s about not leaning on your own understanding but trusting that what God says He will do, He will do and what He says He won’t do He won’t, it’s understanding that God is not a man that he should lie, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2023:19;&version=9;that His son Jesus is indeed the way the truth and the life. It’s not just about quoting scripture but learning to learn it and love it and live it and then pass it on. It’s about applying God’s word to every aspect of our lives from choosing a church, to choosing a job, to choosing friends and choosing a spouse. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%206:14;&version=9 The bible provides for us instruction in every aspect of our lives. The instruction is for our protection and preservation.Being a Christian means having peace of mind that the world doesn’t understand http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%204:6-7;&version=9;when everything around you has gone awry, when the stock market fails http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=6&verse=19&end_verse=21&version=9&context=context when gas prices continue to rise when inflation hits an all time high when your grandmother or your father dies when you feel like you just can’t go on. When your brother goes off to war and has to leave his family again, when LIFE happens and it will, you have an assurance that money can’t buy.
Being a Christian lets us know that we have a cross to bear and that life is not always fair. There are some things that we deserve and others that we don’t but we thank God that we don’t get all that we do deserve and that we do get some things that we don’t deserve (does that make sense). Well it’s like this we did deserve the punishment of hell and we did not deserve the love that Jesus displayed for us at Calvary but thank God oh let us thank God that He carried out His Father's will. A Song called Calvary displays these very sentiments it says:"I don’t deserve him dying on a tree and I don’t deserve the love has for me, Christ did it all He did it all Christ did it all for me." But thanks be to God that John 1:12 says But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. In this we were granted a way to reconcile with God the Father through God the Son and now we are joint heirs to the throne
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%208:16-17;&version=9;
Christ died for us but His main objective was to be obedient to and show the love He has for His Father, He did it because He was our example of the sinless man, the perfect man, the obedient man, the humble man, the God man.
Being a Christian is about loyalty to God, to the God of the bible alone. It’s not about believing one part of the bible and then not believing other parts it’s about believing the very first words in Genesis 1:1 "IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH" and the very last words in Revelation 22: 19-21 "AND IF ANY MAN SHALL TAKE AWAY FROM THE WORDS OF THE BOOK OF THIS PROPHECY, GOD SHALL TAKE AWAY HIS PART OUT OF THE BOOK OF LIFE, AND OUT OF THE HOLY CITY, AND FROM THE THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK. HE WHICH TESTIFIETH THESE THINGS SAITH, SURELY I COME QUICKLY. AMEN. EVEN SO, COME LORD JESUS. THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH YOU ALL. AMEN... and believing every single word in between. And therefore it’s not about making God out to be someone that fits your approval but believing His word and that He is who He says: He is our strength, our salvation, our peace, our just judge and so much morehttp://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%203:14;&version=9
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2026:3-4;&version=9;
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2012:2;&version=9;
More... "On Being A Christian" to come in future posts
God Bless You,
Dee
As I go through this life I have discovered that the more I know the less I know, I have also found this to be true of my attempting to learn of God and His ways, the more I know of Him the less I discover I really know and yet I still want to learn more and more and more and more. I want to learn of Him for a few reasons such as love, security, safety and assurance. For if I love Him I will keep His commands and if I know of Him I know what pleases Him and what does not and therefore I will attempt to please Him more and displease Him less. This walk, this Christian walk is no easy task for as the songwriter said we fall down but we get up and hopefully and prayerfully we fall down less and every day we learn something new about God and therefore something new about ourselves….
….Being a Christian is about God, about His love, about His son Jesus Christ paying mankind’s sin debt from Adam to the very last soul that will be born on this earth. It’s about the Holy Spirit's convicting yet comforting power to transform our lives.It’s not about what God can do for you but instead how you can serve Him.
Being a Christian is not about self righteousness, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Titus%203:5-6;&version=9; it’s not about telling others they are going to hell and you are not, but it is about warning others that such a place does exist and that they should be careful to avoid it all costs (and yes there is a cost) and then alerting them as to how they can do that. Being a Christian is not about trying to change on your own and having everyone see what a good person you think you are it’s about allowing the Lord to work through you and giving the glory and the credit to whom it’s due.
It’s about love, a John 3:16 Love that says "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believed in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."It ’s not about believing that you are perfect but instead understanding that you are a sinner saved by a gracious God and understanding that any good thing that is in you is of your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ It’s not about saying one thing and then doing another,http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%207:4-5;&version=31; it is about examining ourselves http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%2013:5-6;&version=31; it’s about making mistakes and owning up to them, asking forgiveness for sins and moving forward not backward.
It’s not about expecting to have all your troubles wiped away as a matter of fact being a Christian could be more trouble than you think http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%201:29;&version=9; it may very well mean you having to leave some friends and family behind, having to change your lifestyle,http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%209:23;&version=9; having to change your mind. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2012:2;&version=9;That being said we soon learn that being a Christian is not really about us but about Christ.It’s about not leaning on your own understanding but trusting that what God says He will do, He will do and what He says He won’t do He won’t, it’s understanding that God is not a man that he should lie, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2023:19;&version=9;that His son Jesus is indeed the way the truth and the life. It’s not just about quoting scripture but learning to learn it and love it and live it and then pass it on. It’s about applying God’s word to every aspect of our lives from choosing a church, to choosing a job, to choosing friends and choosing a spouse. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%206:14;&version=9 The bible provides for us instruction in every aspect of our lives. The instruction is for our protection and preservation.Being a Christian means having peace of mind that the world doesn’t understand http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%204:6-7;&version=9;when everything around you has gone awry, when the stock market fails http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=6&verse=19&end_verse=21&version=9&context=context when gas prices continue to rise when inflation hits an all time high when your grandmother or your father dies when you feel like you just can’t go on. When your brother goes off to war and has to leave his family again, when LIFE happens and it will, you have an assurance that money can’t buy.
Being a Christian lets us know that we have a cross to bear and that life is not always fair. There are some things that we deserve and others that we don’t but we thank God that we don’t get all that we do deserve and that we do get some things that we don’t deserve (does that make sense). Well it’s like this we did deserve the punishment of hell and we did not deserve the love that Jesus displayed for us at Calvary but thank God oh let us thank God that He carried out His Father's will. A Song called Calvary displays these very sentiments it says:"I don’t deserve him dying on a tree and I don’t deserve the love has for me, Christ did it all He did it all Christ did it all for me." But thanks be to God that John 1:12 says But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. In this we were granted a way to reconcile with God the Father through God the Son and now we are joint heirs to the throne
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%208:16-17;&version=9;
Christ died for us but His main objective was to be obedient to and show the love He has for His Father, He did it because He was our example of the sinless man, the perfect man, the obedient man, the humble man, the God man.
Being a Christian is about loyalty to God, to the God of the bible alone. It’s not about believing one part of the bible and then not believing other parts it’s about believing the very first words in Genesis 1:1 "IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH" and the very last words in Revelation 22: 19-21 "AND IF ANY MAN SHALL TAKE AWAY FROM THE WORDS OF THE BOOK OF THIS PROPHECY, GOD SHALL TAKE AWAY HIS PART OUT OF THE BOOK OF LIFE, AND OUT OF THE HOLY CITY, AND FROM THE THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK. HE WHICH TESTIFIETH THESE THINGS SAITH, SURELY I COME QUICKLY. AMEN. EVEN SO, COME LORD JESUS. THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH YOU ALL. AMEN... and believing every single word in between. And therefore it’s not about making God out to be someone that fits your approval but believing His word and that He is who He says: He is our strength, our salvation, our peace, our just judge and so much morehttp://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%203:14;&version=9
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2026:3-4;&version=9;
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2012:2;&version=9;
More... "On Being A Christian" to come in future posts
God Bless You,
Dee
Monday, March 24, 2008
Rejected: A Poem Inspired by Jesus Christ and His Ultimate Sacrifice
Good Evening Folks,
I wrote this poem some time last year at a lonely and low point in my life I felt like feeling sorry for myself and then it came to me that although we may suffer in this life and face rejection and pain. We do have a Savior that can identifyand relate to our suffering (Hebrews 4:15 says "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin") and he faced and still faces rejection each and every day.
Rejected
Have you ever been rejected by your family or friends
Rejected and tossed aside
(By even your closest kin)
Wonderin when will I win
Have you ever felt man, what is the use
and said to yourself I can't take this abuse
Have you ever been rejected, felt neglected and
dejected, and disrespected
been spat upon and ratted on and on and on and on.
Have you ever been lied on, spied on.
Have you ever been falsely accused, misused and utterly bruised
on the inside and out and just wanted to shout...
I can't take no more.
Then you looked for a way out
Perhaps a window or a door.
But then decided you would stay
and make a way out of no way
and pay...
for the stuff that other folks did, that you would take it all on your
shoulders that you would pay the price for their vices and devices of sin.
That you would be that boulder, that
shoulder, that rock, for them to stand upon.
And you'd do it even if most of the folks you did it for are gone,
Have run away, have been lead astray,
have believed the lies even though you
tried to tell them you
did this for them.
Even though you cried for them and died for them,
they rejected you
and still until your very last breath
you insist that your death
not be in vain,
in spite of the pain
you want them to know about great gain,
yet they rejected you. And what do you do?
You still love them, for you went through,
you kept your word and did what you said you would do.
So I ask you have you ever been rejected.
Tommorrow's Topic: On Being a Christian Part 1
I wrote this poem some time last year at a lonely and low point in my life I felt like feeling sorry for myself and then it came to me that although we may suffer in this life and face rejection and pain. We do have a Savior that can identifyand relate to our suffering (Hebrews 4:15 says "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin") and he faced and still faces rejection each and every day.
Rejected
Have you ever been rejected by your family or friends
Rejected and tossed aside
(By even your closest kin)
Wonderin when will I win
Have you ever felt man, what is the use
and said to yourself I can't take this abuse
Have you ever been rejected, felt neglected and
dejected, and disrespected
been spat upon and ratted on and on and on and on.
Have you ever been lied on, spied on.
Have you ever been falsely accused, misused and utterly bruised
on the inside and out and just wanted to shout...
I can't take no more.
Then you looked for a way out
Perhaps a window or a door.
But then decided you would stay
and make a way out of no way
and pay...
for the stuff that other folks did, that you would take it all on your
shoulders that you would pay the price for their vices and devices of sin.
That you would be that boulder, that
shoulder, that rock, for them to stand upon.
And you'd do it even if most of the folks you did it for are gone,
Have run away, have been lead astray,
have believed the lies even though you
tried to tell them you
did this for them.
Even though you cried for them and died for them,
they rejected you
and still until your very last breath
you insist that your death
not be in vain,
in spite of the pain
you want them to know about great gain,
yet they rejected you. And what do you do?
You still love them, for you went through,
you kept your word and did what you said you would do.
So I ask you have you ever been rejected.
Tommorrow's Topic: On Being a Christian Part 1
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Happy Resurrection Sunday
Good Evening All and Happy Resurrection Sunday,
I named this blog tosaveawretch because of the season in which I started it. From Palm Sunday to Good Friday to Resurrection Sunday (aka Easter) this is a time to reflect on the most awesome display of love shown to mankind.
There's a wonderful song called Amazing Grace that many people have heard and even sung but perhaps have not comprehended its magnitude. The first few lines say "Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now I'm found was blind but now I see". Another Gospel song called Oh What Love says "Jesus died on Calvary to save a wretch like you and me that's love they hung Him high and stretched him wide he hung His head for me He died that's love". The common element in these songs is mankind's wretchedness and God's Love in spite of that wretchedness. That is the reason we observe this Holy Day (holiday) that is the reason we rejoice. We rejoice because He died for our sins (yours and mine) we rejoice because He got up and He got up with All Power in His Hands. We rejoice because the debt that Jesus paid on the cross was our debt, our sins, we rejoice because He took our place.
This day especially requires self inventory and self examination. As I took inventory and examined myself I realized that I fell short, I was confronted with the magnitude of my sins against God and the reality of who I was in relation to Him, to His word and to His commandments and statutes. I looked at God's commandments and realized that I had broken nearly all of them, I had lied, cheated, stolen and murdered in my heart, I had taken the Lord's name in vain and I had committed adultery in my heart as well. Therefore my only option awas to truly repent, to turn away from my sins and ask for forgiveness and believe that Jesus Christ is who he says He is and that he paid the price on the cross for me personally. Please see click on link for scripture references http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205:21-22;27-28;&version=9; and http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2020:12-17;&version=9;
Also my friends check out this website http://wayofthemaster.com/goodperson.shtml and take the Good Person Test and see how you measure up. It may surprise you that you will fail the test, for we all fail the teast because the bible says in Romans 3:23 that ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Resurrection Sunday, Easter Sunday is not about eggs and bunny rabbits and jelly beans. It is about the risen Savior Jesus Christ and the love, the love, the ultimate sacrifice of laying down ones life for another, it's about Christ being a substitute for fallen mankind, it's about Him raising up on the 3rd day and telling death to bow down and behave, it's about salvation from sin, death and hell. It's about LOVE.
Love,
Dee
I named this blog tosaveawretch because of the season in which I started it. From Palm Sunday to Good Friday to Resurrection Sunday (aka Easter) this is a time to reflect on the most awesome display of love shown to mankind.
There's a wonderful song called Amazing Grace that many people have heard and even sung but perhaps have not comprehended its magnitude. The first few lines say "Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now I'm found was blind but now I see". Another Gospel song called Oh What Love says "Jesus died on Calvary to save a wretch like you and me that's love they hung Him high and stretched him wide he hung His head for me He died that's love". The common element in these songs is mankind's wretchedness and God's Love in spite of that wretchedness. That is the reason we observe this Holy Day (holiday) that is the reason we rejoice. We rejoice because He died for our sins (yours and mine) we rejoice because He got up and He got up with All Power in His Hands. We rejoice because the debt that Jesus paid on the cross was our debt, our sins, we rejoice because He took our place.
This day especially requires self inventory and self examination. As I took inventory and examined myself I realized that I fell short, I was confronted with the magnitude of my sins against God and the reality of who I was in relation to Him, to His word and to His commandments and statutes. I looked at God's commandments and realized that I had broken nearly all of them, I had lied, cheated, stolen and murdered in my heart, I had taken the Lord's name in vain and I had committed adultery in my heart as well. Therefore my only option awas to truly repent, to turn away from my sins and ask for forgiveness and believe that Jesus Christ is who he says He is and that he paid the price on the cross for me personally. Please see click on link for scripture references http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205:21-22;27-28;&version=9; and http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2020:12-17;&version=9;
Also my friends check out this website http://wayofthemaster.com/goodperson.shtml and take the Good Person Test and see how you measure up. It may surprise you that you will fail the test, for we all fail the teast because the bible says in Romans 3:23 that ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Resurrection Sunday, Easter Sunday is not about eggs and bunny rabbits and jelly beans. It is about the risen Savior Jesus Christ and the love, the love, the ultimate sacrifice of laying down ones life for another, it's about Christ being a substitute for fallen mankind, it's about Him raising up on the 3rd day and telling death to bow down and behave, it's about salvation from sin, death and hell. It's about LOVE.
Love,
Dee
Saturday, March 22, 2008
I've Come to Lift the Savior Up
Good Evening Folks,
This is my first blog entry, I don't know how long this blog will continue but it is my hope and prayer that as long as I write logs that the glory of God will be my sole inspiration. It is also my hope and prayer that something will be written on the virtual pages to draw others closer to Christ.
I write this entry as I prepare for Resurrection Sunday aka Easter Sunday. Stay tuned tomorrow for my thoughts on the recognition of one of the most important days for not only Christians but for all of mankind.
Some of my favorite sites to learn of Christ the Savior are:
http://wayofthemaster.com/
http://www.biblegateway.com/
http://www.gty.org
...as I think of others I will be sure to post them.
Good night and God Bless You,
Dee
The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: the Lord make His face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Numbers 6:24-26
This is my first blog entry, I don't know how long this blog will continue but it is my hope and prayer that as long as I write logs that the glory of God will be my sole inspiration. It is also my hope and prayer that something will be written on the virtual pages to draw others closer to Christ.
I write this entry as I prepare for Resurrection Sunday aka Easter Sunday. Stay tuned tomorrow for my thoughts on the recognition of one of the most important days for not only Christians but for all of mankind.
Some of my favorite sites to learn of Christ the Savior are:
http://wayofthemaster.com/
http://www.biblegateway.com/
http://www.gty.org
...as I think of others I will be sure to post them.
Good night and God Bless You,
Dee
The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: the Lord make His face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Numbers 6:24-26
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