Peace

Every believer struggles at times with health or other issues and there are times when it can seem like there is no end.  In God’s Word it says that there is a time for everything but some circumstances seem to steal your joy and can contribute to anger and bitter feelings.

God’s Word says that there is a time and place for everything read Ecclesiastes 3:1-10, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.”

Here we see that there is a time for everything.  Think of plants, there is a time for pruning back and a time for growth.  You may think if I am pruning this plant I am not hurting it, but if that plant is alive how can we know if that plant feels pain or if it is hurting or not?  If the plant feels pain or not, we don’t do it to hurt the plant but to make it grow more beautiful; it is the same thing when we pull the weeds out of the garden, if we don’t they will eventually take over the garden and choke the plants and if we let it go long enough the garden will be nothing but weeds.  

The same thing happens when the Lord starts pruning His children.  Even if it hurts, it is only for our own good no matter how He chooses to do it.  I have been struggling for a while now and I thank the Lord for His faithfulness in pruning me back and leading me into the truth, which He does for everyone He loves that really seek the truth, this is called chastisement or correction.

Read Hebrews 12:4-13, “You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.’ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.”   

Sometimes when this happens people can become very angry and bitter, like I said, and some will forsake the faith, but if they just knew the scriptures and why this takes place many may have taken a different approach.  If you are truly a child of God, this more than likely will happen at times because the Lord loves you and is trying to make something beautiful happen in your life and something beautiful in you!!  It may hurt and you may not understand why whatever it is, is taking place, but remember the Lord is all powerful and no one can compare to him and nothing can happen to any of His children unless He allows it to take place.  Some of the problem is that we don’t hear sermons on this subject; most of our sermons are about easy belief-ism, telling people what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear!!

I could go on and on but I think I have said enough today on this subject although there is much more that could be said!  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may all of you have a super day.  PS don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord for He is worthy!!

Finding True Riches

 

Many of us think that having loads of money makes someone rich and contented.  Some think that having stocks and bonds in successful businesses makes someone rich and contented.  But, when I think of some of the actors and T.V. stars or even sports stars or business people or just the average person, some of them seem to be truly miserable because fame and money cannot bring true happiness and contentment.  Think of this, you came into the world with nothing and you will depart the same way.  How many times have you seen a U-Haul truck following a hearse to the graveyard with the person’s belongings to be buried with them?  One of the hardest lessons in life is to be truly content with what you have.

I have also had a struggle with this and I am far from rich, just living from week to week, but praise the Lord He provides for our needs!!  Think of this, this is what takes place many times; to people that are filthy rich they are very seldom content, thinking about how they can make the next dollar.  And the same thing goes with plain materialism, the more you have the more you want.  Contentment is a hard quality to obtain especially in this society that we live in.  

Even in God’s community, the church, there is a struggle with contentment.  How do I know?  Just listen to the prosperity preachers who make it sound like every true believer should be rich, which is not the truth.  Every true born-again believer is already rich because of their relationship with the Lord!!  Having true riches is having the Lord in your life and seeking Him and His kingdom, not the kingdoms of this world which are fading away.

I remember a time when I counted on the Lord for my provisions, then I started going to garage sales and flea markets where I could buy just about anything I wanted because people just wanted to get rid of things that they had; the problem came when I would buy things I didn’t need because they were so cheap.  Who was I depending on then?  I am not saying that there is anything wrong with sales if you need something, but be careful because greed can easily take over then you may start to take advantage of people which I am also guilty of and which I am ashamed of.  Now if I go I won’t buy anything myself, if my wife or someone else that is with us wants to buy me something that’s fine, but not me and personally I would rather not go.  I realized that I wasn’t depending on the Lord or trusting Him to meet my needs; what a sad thing and I am ashamed of that!!

God’s Word says this in Matthew 19:23-24 about rich people, “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’”

We all need a certain amount of money but when money becomes your God then you have forsaken God and you need to repent and ask the Lord to forgive you, for we can worship other gods, and money is just one of them.

Now read what Paul wrote to Timothy about this subject in 1 Timothy 6:3-19, Paul said this, “If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Then Paul went on to say this

But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”      

If you are a believer and you have money there is nothing wrong with that, the problem comes when you start hoarding it and become stingy and use it basically for your own gain.  How easy is it for the Lord to use some of your money, does He have to pry your hands off of it or do you walk around with open hands and bless others with it?  Do you put your trust in God or in your money?  How you use your possessions and money says a lot about you.  And what about tithes and offerings, where are you in that respect?  If the Lord blessed you with lots of money, do you think He may want you to bless others also?

I know this is a topic that many don’t want to hear about, but many times it is the things that we don’t want to hear about that are the things we need to hear about.  I am not trying to discourage you but to encourage you to honor the Lord in all things.  I know we don’t always have to be preached at, we just need a reminder at times and this is it.  I am trying to encourage and bless people, not discourage them and turn them off.  I have given you something to think about, have a super day!!  May the good Lord bless you and yours!!  PS don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord for He is worthy!!

True Wisdom

True wisdom rests on God’s power and not our own.  When Paul sent his first letter to the Corinthian church; in it he spoke about true wisdom.  Read what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

I know God’s Word says that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord!!  This Tidbit goes along with this; Paul knew that unless the Lord builds the house, he would labor in vain that built it.  We could learn from what Paul had to say here when we witness or teach or preach to others.  Sometimes we act like we know it all, and I for one have been guilty of this.  I have heard it said that people don’t want to know how much you know until they know how much you care.  

If we come before people with our own pride and arrogance, what will really be accomplished?  I hate to say this but I have no doubt turned people off in the past because of the way I presented the Good News, acting like it was my way or the highway, so to speak.  We can easily turn people off when we act all high and mighty and knowledgeable, but in the end accomplish nothing but hurtful feelings.  I am ashamed of the way I have presented the gospel at times.

True wisdom always comes from the Lord, and what is true wisdom; like I said earlier in this Tidbit the fear of the Lord is true wisdom.  I will add this as well, we need to realize that we will accomplish nothing on our own!!  I believe that all the good things that anyone accomplishes in life are with the Lord’s help, even though they may never give Him the credit for helping them.  I have tried to adjust this problem by listening to Ravi Zacharias and his team of apologetics because they help me learn how to present the Good News in a way that people are more likely to receive it without compromising the truth.

There is something else I want to add here and that is the importance of discernment, knowing who we are talking to.  Sometimes we act like everyone knows all about the Word of God but many people have no idea what we are even talking about when we present it to them.  This will take prayer and seeking the Lord for His wisdom.  Paul did speak wisdom to the mature, read verses 6-13 in that same chapter, “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But 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. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”      

Now the natural man, or the non-believer, does not accept the things of the Holy Spirit for they are foolishness to him.  Read the rest of that chapter in verses 14-16, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.”

Unless the Holy Spirit convicts non-believers of their sins and the Lord opens their eyes and ears and removes the veil from their minds, they will never understand the Good News of the gospel of Christ.  This is why we need to have discernment when speaking to them.  We can’t do anything to receive this free gift of grace but depend on the Lord, who made this possible many years ago.  Now read 2 Peter 3:8-9, “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

When a person is convicted through the Holy Spirit of their condition before the Lord and truly repents by turning away from their sins, then their eyes and ears will be open and the veil will be removed from their minds and they will be able to understand the things of God.  I have read some very upsetting things from some who claim to be believers.   We believers can learn a lesson from Paul and use discernment when we speak the Word of God, however we bring it forth!!  Loving your neighbor as yourself only comes from someone that is truly born-again.  I hope this has been a help and an encouragement to you.  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!

PS don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord, for He is truly worthy!!

Comfort

    

How many of you need comfort, encouragement, joy and hope today?  Maybe it would help you to remember this; “This is the day that the Lord has made and we shall rejoice and be glad in it.”  When we need these things in our lives, instead of being negative and grouchy, we need to start rejoicing in the Lord and keep our minds on the positive and not on the negative and start our day off right, thanking and praising the Lord for another day that He has provided for us!! 

Think of it this way, when you go to bed at night you have no promise of another day.  So when you wake up in the morning, it is like the Lord has given you knew life for another day to rejoice and praise Him and do what He has in store for you that day.  The problem is that sometimes we get so negative and then we start having a pity party and, if we are not careful, we can become very bitter.

Read what it says in Hebrews 12:15, “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.”

I know that this book was written to the Jewish people, but I think all of us have to be careful of this in our lives.  It is easy when we don’t think that things are going our way, or the way that we think they should, or that the Lord doesn’t seem to hear us or answer our prayers, to become angry and bitter and some have even walked away from the faith; that is the reason I bring this up, so we need to stay positive.

Read what it says in Philippians 4:4-7, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  

   

Something that would help all of us, is to do what is says in that same chapter in verse 8, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

I pray this for everyone who is discouraged and down in the Lord today, please read Romans 15:13, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

I have given you something to think about and I hope every one of God’s people who read this will be encouraged and helped.  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you all have a super, super day!! 

Signs

Signs are things that we use many times to illustrate what we are talking about or what we want people to know.  There are road signs and there are street signs, there are signs on buildings and stores and also inside these places.  You will not drive or walk far before you see a sign of some kind to help you or someone else depending on the situation or circumstance.  Signs are a great help for all of us at times and we should be thankful for them when they are helpful to us.  

Now I want to talk about spiritual signs.  In the days that Jesus walked the earth He demonstrated many signs and wonders and many people saw them and many believed because of what they saw, but there were many others who did not believe.  It must have been very exciting to see Jesus heal the sick and to feed thousands with very little to start with and to cure leprosy and every other kind of disease and to even raise the dead.  But, even seeing these signs and wonders, many still did not believe, even when He cast out demons, many would not believe.  This is the problem when all you have is head knowledge and not heart knowledge.  I think all knowledge starts in the head, but until it gets down into the heart of a person, it doesn’t change their lives because thoughts come and go all the time, but when they get ingrained in a person’s heart and life they tend to shape that persons way of thinking.  

The heart that the Bible talks about is your emotions and more.  When people get angry and become bitter they are hardening their heart.  When things get so ingrained in a person’s heart it is almost impossible to get that person to change their mind.  That is why alcohol, drugs, porn, gambling and other things are so addicting, because of what they do to the center of a person’s emotions and feelings.  Let’s face it, these things alter a person’s way of seeing things, also their feelings and the way they live their lives.  If they indulge in these things long enough these things start to take over and control their lives.  Then there is only one way a person will ever be set completely free and that is through Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in a person’s life.   God’s Word says when the Son sets you free you are free indeed.

While indulging in these and other activities, people can end up with pretty hard hearts.  Did you ever hear someone say that person is unteachable?    That may be the results of a very stubborn and a very hard heart for a long period of time.  

Read what it says in Psalms 95:7-8, “Or He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice: ‘Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness.’”

This shows that people can harden their own hearts and many have.  Then there are times when God may harden a person’s heart like He did with Pharaoh during the days that the Israelites were in Egypt and the time of the ten plagues in the book of Exodus, because Pharaoh had a stubborn heart.

Read Exodus 7:1-5, “So the Lord said to Moses: ‘See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. You shall speak all that I command you. And Aaron your brother shall tell Pharaoh to send the children of Israel out of his land. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies and My people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.’”

Then read verse 14 in that same chapter, “So the Lord said to Moses: ‘Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go.’”

When God hardens a person’s heart, there is a real good reason for it.  In the days that Jesus walked the earth, the Jewish leaders always seemed to be seeking signs from Him because of their hard hearts, read Matthew 16:1-4, “Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said to them, ‘When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.’ And He left them and departed.”   

Now think about yourselves, have you hardened your hearts through disbelief?  Will you only believe if the Lord shows you a sign or reveals Himself mercilessly to you?  Take a lesson from the Pharisees and Sadducees, how they hardened their hearts, and then taste and see that the Lord is good.  He loves you so much he laid His life down for you and was crucified, died and was buried but on the third day He rose again, praise His holy name!!  

So don’t harden your heart, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and believe that He loves you and repent of your sins and turn from them and ask Him to be your Lord and Savior!!  Something to think about, have a super day!!  May the good Lord bless you and yours with His perfect peace, love, joy, health and happiness!  Don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord for he is worthy!!