Sunday, March 6, 2011

In the Midst of Afflictions

Ps.119:50 50 This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.
We all suffer in many different ways, some physical, some emotional. God is there for you no matter what the affliction may be. No ones suffering is more dramatic than Jesus, innocent of all sin, yet taking our burden of sin, and dying on a cross so that we may ask God for forgiveness. He was not forced, he willingly did this to satisfy God's wrath toward us. Colossians 2:13-14 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
Can you grasp this? It hurts my soul to think of it but I am so grateful that He was obedient to His Father and that we received His special gift of salvation. Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Don't go thinking you can repay Him, because what would you give for payment? You can not earn it, it was given, by blood sacrifice, to us, for our repentance from sin and obedience to His commands. Eph.2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
This is a daunting task, for we are prone to sin and disobedience. But, God is ever faithful and just to forgive us.
1 John 1:9-10 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
I know this is hard to understand but God uses affliction to promote His glory, teach His will, exhibit His power and faithfulness, keep our mind on Him, lead us to pray to Him, conviction of sin toward Him, test our sincerity, try our faith and obedience, humble us, purify us, teach patience, to furthur the gospel and to show God exemplified.
Promote His glory: John 9:1-3 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.
Teach His will: Ps.119:71 It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
Exibit His power and faithfulness: Ps.34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. 2 Cor.4:8-11 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 2 Cor.12:9-10 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Mind on Him: Is.26:3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
Pray to Him: Job 5:8 As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause 1John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
Conviction of sin: Ps.119:67-68 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.
Our sincerity: Ps.66:8-10 Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard, who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip. For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.
Our faith tested:  1 Peter 1:17 so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ
Humility: 2 Cor.12:7-9 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Purity: Matt.5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Psalm 51:9-11 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Patience: James1: 2-3 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
Further the gospel: 2 Tim.4:16-17 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth.
2 Tim.2:8-10 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. God exemplified: Philippians 2:5-8 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant,being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Romans 9:14-16 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."  So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. This is my prayer for us all, to know God because He is good!! Our time here on Earth is short, but eternity is forever. Dwell on God's word for it has the key to everlasting life. Father, I cry to You for the ones who will read these words of life. Have mercy on us and keep us in Your care. Amen

Friday, March 4, 2011

Only One God

While there are many religions, there is only one God. God is, was and will be. He has no beginning and no end. Religion is nothing without a holy God who is creator, judge, father, and our all in all! We need God, He does not need us! Is.43:10-12 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.  I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior.  I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and I am God.
God is Spirit: John 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
2 Cor.3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
God is light: 1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
God is love: 1 John 4:16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
God is invisible: John 1:18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side,he has made him known.
God is unsearchable: Is.40:28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
God is incorrupible: Romans1:19-23 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
God is eternal: Ps.90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Rev.4:8-11 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!" And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,  "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."
God is immortal:1Tim.6:16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
God alone is wise: Romans 16:27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
God is perfect, holy and just: Matt.5:48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Ps.99:9 Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the LORD our God is holy!
Deut.32:4 "The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.
God is true, upright, righteous, good, great, gracious, faithful, merciful, slow to anger, jealous, compassionate, and a consuming fire: Jer.10:10-11 But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation. shall you say to them: "The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens."
Ps.25:8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
Ps.145:17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.
Ps.119:68 You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.
Ps.86:10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.
Ex.34:6 The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness
Num.14:18 'The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.'
Nah.1:2 The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies.
Ps.103:8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
Heb.12:28-29 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe29 for our God is a consuming fire. This is just a small glimpse of who our God is! He is waiting for you! Will you heed His call or enter eternity with out Him? Lord, someone is waiting for You today. Open their hearts to the peace of Your hope through Jesus Christ. Your word is good and holds the key to everlasting joy and peace. Amen

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

I Believe/ Help My Unbelief

Mark 9:17-29 And someone from the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me."  And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."  And Jesus said to him, "'If you can'! All things are possible for one who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again." And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, "He is dead."  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer."
Definition of unbelief: skepticism especially in matters of religious faith
I am sure this blog post speaks to many! Lord, the evidence of Your power is all around us. How can You be denied? Help us to always go to Your word to abolish the doubt the devil may cause as he tries to hinder us from being in Your will. Amen
It is true that our unbelief is a sin against Holy God!
John 16:8-11 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. Unbelief and defilement go hand in hand!Titus 1:15-16 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. By our nature, we are unbelievers!Rom.11:32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. Unbelief stems from: evil hearts, slowness of heart, hardness of heart, not listening to the truth, judicial blindness, not belonging to Christ, devil holding your mind, devil stealing the word of truth, and you seeking to gain man's exceptance and honor.Heb.3:12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. Luke 24:25 And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Mark 16:14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. Acts 19:9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. John 8:45-46 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? John 12:39-40 Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,  "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them." John 10:25-27 Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 2 Cor.4:3-4 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.Luke 8:12  The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.John 5:44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

March Bible Reading

Date                   Old Testament                  New Testament

March 1              Numbers 26, 27               Mark 8:22-38

March 2              Numbers 28, 29               Mark 9:1-29

March 3              Numbers 30, 31               Mark 9:30-50

March 4              Numbers 32, 33               Mark 10:1-31

March 5              Numbers 34, 35, 36         Mark 10:32-52

March 6              Deuteronomy 1, 2            Mark 11:1-19

March 7              Deuteronomy 3, 4            Mark 11:20-33

March 8              Deuteronomy 5, 6, 7        Mark 12:1-27

March 9              Deuteronomy 8, 9, 10      Mark 12:28-44

March 10            Deuteronomy 11, 12, 13   Mark 13:1-13

March 11            Deuteronomy 14, 15, 16    Mark 13:14-37

March 12            Deuteronomy 17, 18, 19    Mark 14:1-25

March 13            Deuteronomy 20, 21, 22    Mark 14:26-50

March 14            Deuteronomy 23, 24, 25    Mark 14:51-72

March 15            Deuteronomy 26, 27          Mark 15:1-26

March 16            Deuteronomy 28                Mark 15:27-47

March 17            Deuteronomy 29, 30          Mark 16

March 18            Deuteronomy 31, 32          Luke 1:1-23

March 19            Deuteronomy 33, 34          Luke 1:24-56

March 20            Joshua 1, 2, 3                    Luke 1:57-80

March 21            Joshua 4, 5, 6                    Luke 2:1-24

March 22            Joshua 7, 8                        Luke 2:25-52

March 23            Joshua 9, 10                      Luke 3

March 24             Joshua 11, 12, 13             Luke 4:1-32

March 25             Joshua 14, 15                   Luke 4:33-44

March 26             Joshua 16, 17, 18             Luke 5:1-16

March 27             Joshua 19, 20                   Luke 5:17-39

March 28             Joshua 21, 22                   Luke 6:1-26

March 29             Joshua 23, 24                   Luke 6:27-49

March 30             Judges 1, 2                       Luke 7:1-30

March 31             Judges 3, 4, 5                   Luke 7:31-50

Monday, February 28, 2011

Korah’s Rebellion / Are You Satisfied With What God Gives You?

I love this bible truth!! It makes me think of our wickedness here in the US. We are never satisfied with what we have and always want more. Be careful, God will show His wrath!
Numbers 16  Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?" When Moses heard it, he fell on his face, and he said to Korah and all his company, "In the morning the LORD will show who is his, and who is holy, and will bring him near to him. The one whom he chooses he will bring near to him. Do this: take censers, Korah and all his company; put fire in them and put incense on them before the LORD tomorrow, and the man whom the LORD chooses shall be the holy one. You have gone too far, sons of Levi!" And Moses said to Korah, "Hear now, you sons of Levi: is it too small a thing for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do service in the tabernacle of the LORD and to stand before the congregation to minister to them, and that he has brought you near him, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you? And would you seek the priesthood also? Therefore it is against the LORD that you and all your company have gathered together. What is Aaron that you grumble against him?" And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and they said, "We will not come up. Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also make yourself a prince over us? Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up." And Moses was very angry and said to the LORD, "Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed one of them." And Moses said to Korah, "Be present, you and all your company, before the LORD, you and they, and Aaron, tomorrow. Let every one of you take his censer and put incense on it, and every one of you bring before the LORD his censer, censers; you also, and Aaron, each his censer." So every man took his censer and put fire in them and laid incense on them and stood at the entrance of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron. Then Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation. And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,  "Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment." And they fell on their faces and said, "O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation?"  And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,  "Say to the congregation, Get away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram." Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. And he spoke to the congregation, saying, "Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away with all their sins." So they got away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. And Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, together with their wives, their sons, and their little ones. And Moses said, "Hereby you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been of my own accord. If these men die as all men die, or if they are visited by the fate of all mankind, then the LORD has not sent me. But if the LORD creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD." And as soon as he had finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split apart. And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods. So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. And all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, "Lest the earth swallow us up!" And fire came out from the LORD and consumed the 250 men offering the incense. Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Tell Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest to take up the censers out of the blaze. Then scatter the fire far and wide, for they have become holy. As for the censers of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, for they offered them before the LORD, and they became holy. Thus they shall be a sign to the people of Israel." So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned had offered, and they were hammered out as a covering for the altar,  to be a reminder to the people of Israel, so that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, should draw near to burn incense before the LORD, lest he become like Korah and his company--as the LORD said to him through Moses. But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, "You have killed the people of the LORD." And when the congregation had assembled against Moses and against Aaron, they turned toward the tent of meeting. And behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared. And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment."And they fell on their faces. And Moses said to Aaron, "Take your censer, and put fire on it from off the altar and lay incense on it and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the LORD; the plague has begun."  So Aaron took it as Moses said and ran into the midst of the assembly. And behold, the plague had already begun among the people. And he put on the incense and made atonement for the people.  And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped. Now those who died in the plague were 14,700, besides those who died in the affair of Korah. And Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting, when the plague was stopped.Lord, help us to be satisfied with just You. You are so gracious and we are so stiff-necked. Amen