Archive for the ‘Beliefs’ Category

He’s making a list, And checking it twice. Gonna find out who’s naughty and nice. Santa Claus is coming to town. He sees you when you’re sleeping. He knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good. So be good for goodness’ sake!

Posted: December 16, 2020 in Beliefs, Christmas, deceitfully, lie, Lying, Santa Claus, Uncategorized, Yoke with unbelievers
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Believing that Santa is watching their every move and judging their actions to see if they deserve gifts may be an effective way of getting children to behave during the holiday season, but what message is this sending?Is Santa like God? Only God knows these things, and that is what we need to be teaching our children.

Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 6:4-6 Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.

Isaiah 54:13 All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.

Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus Be Praised!

Treading Water

Posted: January 13, 2019 in Battle Focus, Battle of the Mind, Beliefs, Bible, Book of Matthew, Personal Growth, Uncategorized
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2019, Time to Stop Treading and Flapping in the water waves of difficult circumstances.
I know we all know the story of Jesus walking on the water and telling Peter to come out the boat and join him, but let’s look at it again.
Matthew 14:22-33 22Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29“Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Peter ask Jesus to tell him to come to him as he wants all of us to come to Him. Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, but when he took his eyes off of Him and focused on the waves around him, he started to sink. As soon as he started to sink, he cried out, Lord save me, and Jesus Hand was right there. Now remember, when Jesus pulled him out of the water, He said “You of little faith”. Now remember, what I said in a Facebook post. If Jesus told Peter he had little faith, but with that little faith allowed him to walk on water, why are some of us still treading and flapping in the water?

I had to tread water for a certain period of time when I took the Swim Test in the Army. Some of you can relate. I was sweating in the pool, and when I got tired, I sank to get some rest and came back up and start treading and flapping in the water again. How long have some of us been flapping and treading water with the waves of difficult circumstances around us without looking to Jesus for help. Take the little faith, big faith or whatever level of faith you have and keep that focus on the Power of Jesus rather than on our own inadequacies. Stop using that flimsy excuse, “I need to have more faith”. Sometimes I hear Christians tell other, that you need more faith.

As soon as the storms of life take our focus on the Lord, cry out to Him like Peter. JESUS SAVE ME! And his hand will be right there for you. The only thing we need to do is take his hand. Do we doubt, yes, does our faith falter, yes and your lying if you say it don’t.

Lets Bring Home: Although we start out with good intentions, sometimes our faith falters. This doesn’t necessarily mean we have failed. When Peter’s faith faltered, he reached out to Christ, the only one who could help. He was afraid, but he still looked to Christ. When you are apprehensive about the troubles around you and doubt Christ’s presence or ability to help, remember that he is always with you and is the only one who can really help, so take the hand of God like Peter did and don’t try to work it out on your own. STOP TREADING AND FLAPPING IN THE WATER AND TAKE THE HAND OF GOD WHO IS THERE TO SAVE YOU.

Dodging The Ambushes of the devil

Posted: January 13, 2019 in Battle Focus, Battle of the Mind, Beliefs, Uncategorized
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Ambush – A surprise attack (Element of Surprise) by people lying in wait in a concealed position
The one-person lying-in wait in a concealed position is the devil.

Not being prepared for an Ambush can knock you off the path of righteousness and godliness

Ambushes have always been one of the most effective tactics of war. When I was in the Army and some of you can related to this. “The best way to survive an ambush is not to encounter them.” Your Patrol movement must not be at a constant speed and direction, the patrol should vary these, with occasional stops to observe both the route ahead, and changes behind. Units should move in such a way that they are close enough together for mutual support, but far enough apart so that one burst of automatic fire wouldn’t take out the entire unit. When on foot, if possible, the patrol should move in such a way as to maximize their firepower. We were trained to move in a wedge formation not allowing ourselves to be skylined. While on foot, we always had a point man way ahead of the main body, and, if possible, a rearguard as well. The whole point of this instruction was for the soldier to expect the unexpected.

There are two kinds of ambushes: Near and Far.
• Near ambushes happen right in front of us and causes us at that moment to act out of the will of God.
• Far ambushes hit us in areas that sneak into our lives and comes from a distance like drug addiction and alcoholism. These Far Ambushes can ruin marriages, break relationships with friends and family, and anything else that you can think of.

Our battle is similar, but with spiritual forces of evil. First thing to remember is
the Lord is the Supreme Commander of the hosts of heaven who has at his disposal all of the “firepower” of the universe.

During the course of the day we come across a lot of situations that triggers a negative emotional response and sometime starts to take us down the wrong route. It could be bad customer service, someone cutting you off on the road or anything that brings you out of your normal state of mind. That negative response can be giving someone the finger, having wondering eyes with lustful thinking, cussing someone out, displaying a total lack of patience, raising your voice at someone due to poor customer service or anything else you experience during this time. These are all near ambushes that catches us off guard. Far ambushes come from a distance and sneak their way into our lives and eventually destroys.

These are all Ambushes to bring you out of your peaceful state of mind and get you to go down the wrong path. Our bodies go through all kinds of things when we get upset about something. Our blood pressure goes up, we start looking for things to calm us down, and some people even had Strokes and heart attacks, these are ambushes of the enemy to get to act out of the will out God.

Let’s say you know about all the Ambushes for the day. You already knew that guy was going to cut you off, you already knew your spouse was going to get on your nerves (LOL but true), you knew about the bad customer service you were going to receive, and you just knew about all the other ambushes that were planned for that day. When all these things happen, you don’t get upset because you already knew they were going to happen.

Of course, knowing things like this ahead of time is not possible, but we still can prepare for these ambushes of life.

How? Follow the instructions below. God even provides Spiritual Equipment to fight, and its more than a bullet proof and a M-16.

Ephesians 6-10-18
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Step up and received your Standard Issue equipment in which we must become experts in the use of.

13 Therefore put on you’re the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
14 Stand firm then with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place.
15 And with your feet fitted with the readiness hat comes from the gospel of peace
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and request. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

After receiving the Equipment and Instructions we must:
1. Realize that God is the Supreme Commander and has given the Son all the Firepower that is needed.
2. Remember we spoke about the Point Man who is way out there ahead of the Patrol. So first we need to make Jesus our Point Man who is already schooled in the tactics of the enemy. With Jesus leading, you will not get lost or misoriented.
3. Stay on Guard. The devil does not fight fair and most of the time does not tell us when he is going to attack. He lies in wait looking for an opportunity to catch us off guard and unprepared.
4. Not deliberately enter into areas that will open yourself up to a surprise attack. For example. You go out the house down The Path called Negative Attitude or the Path of Angryness about something. The devil will take that and try to escalate into more.
5. Align ourselves with fellow soldiers of Christ for mutual support and pray for one another as instructed by God.
6. Practice self-control and we must stay alert to every movement on the battle field to avoid the Ambush. Surprise is the enemy’s favorite tactic.
7. Pray for wisdom and insight to anticipate and avoid the ambushes that lie ahead. Then when it comes, you can say, already prepared for that.

The best way to survive an ambush is not to encounter them. We must take occasional stops to observe our behavior and remember to walk in the Spirit and not Flesh. Taking and following orders from the Point Man Jesus Christ who is a true veteran of war and peace who has never been defeated. We are called to do battle. We know what to do. And when we are surrounded, we need to get on that wireless walkie talkie and call for help so God can dispatch more reinforcements.

“Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you will honor me Ps 50:15

When you are home, get instructions from your Point Man who is Jesus before starting the day, He will be prepared for the Ambushes for the day that lie ahead.
References:
The Bible
Light Infantry Handbook
Ranger Handbook
Wisdom from God

FASTING

Posted: January 13, 2019 in Beliefs, Bible Study, Fasting, Uncategorized
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What is Fasting? Since there are so many misconceptions about it, I first want to clarify what fasting—biblical fasting—is not. Fasting is not merely going without food for a period of time. That is dieting—maybe even starving—but fasting it is not. Nor is fasting something done only by fanatics. If you read throughout the Bible, you will see that there was a lot of fasting going on, not just in the Old Testament, but the New also.

Fasting is not limited to minsters or to special occasions. Biblical fasting, I am refraining from food for a spiritual purpose.

When you eliminate food from your diet for a number of days, your spirit becomes uncluttered by the things of this world and amazingly sensitive to the things of God.

Matthew 6, Jesus provided the pattern by which each of us is to live as a child of God. That pattern addressed three specific duties of a Christian: giving, praying, and fasting. Jesus said, “When you give…” and “When you pray…” and “When you fast. “He made it clear that fasting, like giving and praying, was a normal part of Christian life. As much attention should be given to fasting as is given to giving and to praying.

Mathew 6:1 “Be carful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them. If you do you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

Giving: 6:2 “So WHEN YOU GIVE to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogue and on the street, to be honored by men.

Prayer: 6:5-8 And WHEN YOU PRAY, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth they have received their reward in full. 6:6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Fasting: 6:16-18 WHEN YOU FAST, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigured their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen, and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you

So, it looks to me that the three duties of every Christian are GIVING, PRAYING, and FASTING

How does Fasting compare to the other two? In Matthew 17: 14-21 (paraphrasing) speaks about a man who brought his son to Jesus who was having seizures and was suffering bigtime. He said to Jesus that I brought my son to your disciples, but they could not heal him. Now remember, the disciples had been given the authority to do the healing, but they had not yet learned how to appropriate the power of God. So, Jesus told the father to bring the boy here, and he healed him.

When the disciples ask why we couldn’t heal him. Verse 21 states “but this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting”

Long before this incident, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness, where He spent forty days and forty nights, taking no food.

If Jesus could have accomplished all He came to do without fasting, why would He fast? The Son of God fasted because He knew there were supernatural things that could only be released that way. How much more should fasting be a common practice in our lives?

Perhaps you’re thinking, “I still don’t know how fasting can really be for me.” According to the words of Jesus, it is the duty of every disciple and every believer to fast. When addressing the Pharisees as to why His disciples did not fast, Jesus replied, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days” (Luke 5:34–35). Then they will fast. Jesus didn’t expect His disciples to do something He hadn’t done as well. Jesus fasted, and according to the words of Peter, Jesus is our example in all things (1 Pet. 2:21).

We cannot be saved by deeds of service without faith in Christ, but our faith lacks sincerity if it doesn’t reach out to others. Fasting helps only the person doing it. God says he wants our service to go beyond our own personal growth to acts of kindness, charity justice, and generosity. True fasting is more than what we don’t eat; it is pleasing God by applying his Word to our society,

Isaiah 59:6-14

6 Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and unite the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear, then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help and he will say: Here am I.
If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry an satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your light will become like the noonday.
11 The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-water garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with dwellings.
As David stated, “Deep calls unto deep” (Ps. 42:7). David was fasting. His hunger and thirst for God were greater than his natural desire for food. As a result, he reached a place where he could cry out from the depths of his spirit to the depths of God, even in the midst of his trial. Once you’ve experienced even a glimpse of that kind of intimacy with our God—our Father, the holy Creator of the universe—and the countless rewards and blessings that follow, your whole perspective will change. You will soon realize that fasting is a secret source of power that is overlooked by many.

A threefold cord is not quickly broken. —ECCLESIASTES 4:12
A cord of Prayer, Giving and Fasting:

References:
Franklin, Jentezen. Fasting:
NIV Study Bible
Wisdom from God

Judgement on the United States of America

Posted: October 8, 2018 in Battle Focus, Beliefs, Bible Study, Blinded by Hate, debauchery, deceitfully, decisions, dishonesty, disobedience, Drinking and getting Drunk, evil men, Evil People, great power, hate, Isaiah, Judges, Uncategorized, wickedness
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Under Gods Command

Life Application Study Bible Named this Chapter

Judgement on Jerusalem and Judah

but I call it

Judgement on the United States of America

Isaiah 3:1-15 NIV
[1] See now, the Lord, the Lord Almighty, is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: all supplies of food and all supplies of water, [2] the hero and the warrior, the judge and the prophet, the diviner and the elder, [3] the captain of fifty and the man of rank, the counselor, skilled craftsman and clever enchanter. [4] “I will make mere youths their officials; children will rule over them.” [5] People will oppress each other—man against man, neighbor against neighbor. The young will rise up against the old, the nobody against the honored. [6] A man will seize one of his brothers in his father’s house, and say, “You have a cloak, you be our leader; take charge of this heap of ruins!” [7] But in that day he will cry out, “I have no remedy. I have no food or clothing in my house; do not make me the leader of the people.” [8] Jerusalem staggers, Judah is falling; their words and deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence. [9] The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves. [10] Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds. [11] Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them! They will be paid back for what their hands have done. [12] Youths oppress my people, women rule over them. My people, your guides lead you astray; they turn you from the path. [13] The Lord takes his place in court; he rises to judge the people. [14] The Lord enters into judgment against the elders and leaders of his people: “It is you who have ruined my vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses. [15] What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.

Love the Commentary Notes

Jerusalem besieged, her leaders destroyed—this unhappy picture would soon become a reality. Disobedience would bring serious affliction and great destruction, as God had warned (Deuteronomy 28).

3:4-9 This section describes what happens when a nation loses its leadership.

3:9-11 The people would be proud of their sins, parading them out in the open. But sin is self-destructive. In today’s world, sinful living often appears glamorous, exciting, and clever. But sin is wrong, regardless of how society perceives it, and, in the long run, sin will make us miserable and destroy us. God tries to protect us by warning us about the harm we will cause ourselves by sinning. Those who are proud of their sins will receive the punishment from God they deserve. Having rejected God’s path to life (see Psalm 1), they had only one alternative—the path to destruction.

3:10, 11 In the middle of this gloomy message, God gives hope: Eventually the righteous will receive God’s reward, and the wicked will receive their punishment. It is disheartening to see the wicked prosper, while we struggle to obey God and follow his plan. But let us keep holding on to God’s truth and take heart! God will bring about justice in the end, and he will reward those who have been faithful.

3:14 The elders and rulers were responsible to help people, but instead they stole from the poor. Because they were unjust, Isaiah said the leaders would be the first to receive God’s judgment. Leaders will be held accountable for how they lead. If you are in a position of leadership, you must lead according to God’s just commands. Put the needs of others before your own. Fulfill the purpose God intended. Don’t seek your own advantage. Corruption will bring God’s wrath, especially if others follow your example.

3:14 Why is justice so important in the Bible? (1) Justice is part of God’s nature; it is the way he runs the universe. (2) It is a natural desire in every person. Even as sinners, we all want justice for ourselves. (3) When government and church leaders are unjust, the poor and powerless suffer. Thus, they are hindered from worshiping God. (4) God holds the poor in high regard. They are the ones most likely to turn to him for help and comfort. Injustice, then, attacks God’s children.

Lets Bring it Home: Its time we take our eyes off the television and point them to God. Stop worrying about how corrupt our Government is, and keep or start praying about it. Lets be sure we keep focus on ourselves also. We do want our prayers to be heard. When we do nothing to help the oppressed, we are, in fact, joining with the oppressor. Because we follow a just God, we must uphold justice. Don’t stop fighting for Justice. In the end God will have the Victory.

Spiritual Training 21 October 2014

Posted: October 20, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Battle Focus, Battle of the Mind, Beliefs, better than life, Bible Study, Daily Motivation, Inspiration, Special gifts, Spiritual Gifts, Spiritual Training
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Under Gods Command

1 Corinthians 12:7-11 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

All Christians have faith. Some, however, have the spiritual gift of faith, which is an unusual measure of trust in the Holy Spirit’s power.

“Prophecy” does not just refer to predicting the future; it can also mean giving a message received from God to the community of believers: “The one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort” (14:3). The prophet Joel had written the words of the Lord, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy” (Joel 2:28). As with the gift of faith, the ability to share one’s faith with power is available to everyone (see 14:1–5), but to some the Spirit gives a special measure of this gift. Paul wrote in Romans, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith” (Romans 12:6). Some have interpreted “prophecy” to be fulfilled in various sermons throughout church history. Others, however, say that prophecy is not a sermon, but a spontaneous, Spirit-inspired message that is orally delivered in the congregation for the edification and encouragement of the body of Christ.

Opinions differ over exactly what Paul meant by “tongues.” Some believe that this refers to speaking in earthly languages that a person did not say that this refers to an “ecstatic” language, a “heavenly” language. Most likely the second view is correct. Probably the only time that the word “tongues” refers to other earthly languages is when describing Pentecost. The rest of the time in the New Testament, the word refers to ecstatic languages unknown to anyone—languages of angels (13:1). Speaking in tongues is a legitimate gift of the Spirit. The exercise of the gift demands some guidelines (as noted in chapter 14) so that the purpose of the gift—to help the body of Christ—is not lost. Those who speak in tongues should follow the guidelines; those who do not speak in tongues ought not seek the gift as a sign of salvation or of special closeness with God, for it is neither. It is a gift of God, given only to whomever God chooses. If a person has not experienced the gift of tongues, he or she ought not seek it but seek what gifts God has given. For more, see the notes in chapter 14.

Lets Bring it Home: No matter what gift(s) a person has, all spiritual gifts are distributed by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit decides which gifts each believer should have. We are responsible to use and sharpen our gifts, but we can take no credit for what God has freely given us. Note that discussions about spiritual gifts usually create difficulties when two central points are overlooked: (1) Properly used, spiritual gifts are not self-serving but serve the whole body of Christ (12:7); (2) each gift becomes practically useless when used without love (chapter 13). As you seek to identify and utilize the gifts God has given you, make loving God and loving fellow Christians your highest motives.

Proverbs 21:18 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: October 20, 2014 in After you get saved., Battle Focus, Battle of the Mind, Beliefs, better than life, Bible Study, Encourgement, evil men, Faith, Fear, Fear of rejection, fools, Happiness, Healing, Human Suffering, Inspiration, Justice, Security, and Happiness, Lord fighting for you, Proverbs 21, Sudden disaster, Suffering, trust in the Lord with all your heart, winning
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 21:18 The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the unfaithful for the upright.

The God of heaven loves the righteous, and He gladly sacrifices the wicked for them. The ransom price to purchase and bless the righteous is the lives of wicked transgressors. He will save the righteous by sacrificing their wicked enemies, and He will return their wicked designs against the righteous upon their own heads. Consider Psalm 7:10-17!

Are you envious at the prosperity of the wicked? Are you troubled by their hatred for the righteous? Are you afraid of their proud waves? They shall foam out their shame in everlasting darkness! But before they get to that dark place, they shall be sold to trouble. There is a righteous God, and He makes differences in how He treats men (Ps 58:10-11 The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, when they bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked. Then men will say, “Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.”)

The best example to illustrate this lesson is the ransom of Egypt for Israel. The LORD loved His people Israel, and He heard their cry by reason of the hard bondage the Egyptians put upon them (Ex 1:13-14; 2:23-25). He had respect for them, but He did not have respect for Egypt. They were about to become the ransom for His righteous nation.

He sent ten plagues and horribly destroyed them before drowning Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea. Pharaoh’s counselors admitted the plagues had destroyed the nation (Ex 10:7). With the firstborn dead in every home, the Egyptians begged for Israel to leave, so Israel “borrowed” the wealth of the whole nation to never return it. And the Lord joyfully directed Israel to spoil the Egyptians this way (Ex 12:35-36). Give God the glory!

The LORD declares of this transaction, “For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life” (Isaiah 43:3-4). This is the lesson.

God directed Joshua to stone Achan and his family to save Israel (Josh 7:1-26). Saul’s seven sons were hanged to ransom Israel from a famine from the LORD (II Sam 21:1-14). And Haman and his ten sons were hanged on the gallows he had built for Mordecai and the Jews (Esther 7:10). There is a God that treats men differently (Ps 58:10-11).

Consider the words in another proverb, “The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead” (Pr 11:8). The Lord will pluck the righteous out of trouble and put the wicked in his place! The Lord will punish the wicked instead of the righteous.

God used Assyria as his tool to chasten Israel; then He turned and crushed Assyria for their actions and attitude (Is 10:5-19). And He did the same to Babylon, whom He used to punish Israel and other nations for seventy years before punishing them (Jer 25:8-14).

The servant that did not earn a return on his single talent was punished severely, and his talent was taken and given to the man with ten. The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer; yes, the poor are sacrificed for the rich in this spiritual parable (Matt 25:14-30).

Dear reader, if you fear the Lord and seek to live righteously, the Lord loves you and will gladly sacrifice the wicked for you. There is no need to fear them at all. The Lord is in His holy temple, and He will never let the wicked have their way with you. Your lesson in this proverb is the glorious providence of Almighty God in disposing of events in this life for the benefit of His people. He will sacrifice others for the benefit of His children.

The day is coming when Christians will judge the world and angels (I Cor 6:2-3). The devils and sinners have persecuted them for thousands of years, but the day of vengeance is coming, when the martyrs under the altar of God shall have their great desire fulfilled (Rev 6:9-11). Both wicked men and angels shall be sacrificed in place of His children.

Let this lesson drive away any fear or intimidation of the wicked, and let it replace that fear with a humble desire to be the honourable and beloved people of the most High. For “no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper” (Is 54:11-17). And “he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye” (Zech 2:8-9). Thank you, Lord, for defending and saving the upright in heart. Consider Psalm 7:10-17 again. Glory!

Spiritual Training (Messing with Believers is messing with God)

Posted: October 20, 2014 in After you get saved., Battle Focus, Beliefs, better than life, Bible Study, Disrespectful Children, distractions, Encourgement, evil men, Fear, Fear of rejection, fools, Human Suffering, Lord fighting for you, Personal Growth, Suffering, The Poor, valid criticism, Your calling, your gift, Zechariah
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Under Gods Command (Messing with Believers is messing with God)

Zechariah 2:08 For this is what the LORD Almighty says: “After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you-for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye. 

Believers are precious to God (Psalm 116:15); they are his very own children (Psalm 103:13). Treating any believer unkindly is the same as treating God that way. As Jesus told his disciples, when we help others we are helping him; when we neglect or abuse them, we are neglecting or abusing him (Mathew 25:34-46).

Lets Bring it Home: Be careful, therefore, how you treat fellow believers-that is the way you are treating God.

Spiritual Training 14 August 2014

Posted: August 14, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, After you get saved., Battle Focus, Battle of the Mind, Beliefs, clean break, distractions, Encourgement, Faith, Fear of rejection, Fellowship, fools, laziness, Personal Growth, Sex
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Under Gods Command

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (24) Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. (25) Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

 Whatever happened to self-discipline? Many books and speakers guide wandering souls to self-fulfillment, self-satisfaction, and self-awareness. Not many tackle self-discipline. Self-discipline requires an honest look at your strengths and weaknesses, with emphasis on the latter. It means building the will to say no when a powerful appetite inside you screams yes. For example, when you have self-discipline, you can

(1) say no to friends or situations that will lead you away from Christ

(2) say no to casual sex, saving intimacy for marriage, and

(3) say no to laziness in favor of “can do” and “will do.”

 Self-discipline is a long, steady course in learning attitudes that do not come naturally, and channeling natural appetites toward God’s purposes.

Lets Bring it Home: Where are your weak points? Pray with a friend for God’s help to redirect weakness into strength.

Proverbs 14:15 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: August 14, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Battle Focus, Battle of the Mind, Beliefs, distractions, Encourgement, Faith, Inspiration, laziness, Money, Money Issue, Motivated, Proverbs 14
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 14:15 A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his ways.

Skepticism is a virtue. Caution is a sign of nobility. Demanding proof is wisdom. Only the foolish and stupid believe all they hear or read. A wise and successful man will examine things carefully, before he makes his decision. He understands the risks and rewards before he chooses a course of action. He does nothing by chance or mere hope.

The proverb is for safety and success. It is one of the best. Memorize it. It will save you often (Pr 22:3). You live in bad times. Men trust sound bites instead of sound reasoning. The information explosion bombards you with new data every day. Telemarketers, mail order catalogs, advertisements, infomercials, pop-up ads, and the Internet throw opinions, suggestions, and products at you. God inspired Solomon to save you by this pithy saying.

The simple are gullible. They are not bright. They do not have conviction or ability to question and criticize new information. If it sounds good, and something they want to be true, they believe it. If others are enthusiastic about it, they get excited. If it is in print, they believe it true. If a perceived authority says it, they trust it completely, even without evidence. If strangers say it worked for them, that is good enough evidence to buy it.

The prudent are wise. They have discretion. They are not gullible. They are skeptical of anything sounding too good, too easy, too neat. Too good to be true is their motto. They are not impressed by things in print, words by authority, or testimonials from strangers. They want evidence, and it must be valid. If the simple are excited, they conclude it must be wrong. The majority opinion, in this ignorant and perverse society, scares them away.

Learn to reject anything without proof, and learn the rudiments of evaluating proof. A testimonial is not proof of anything; a drawing of the evolution of the horse is fantasy. The public education system neglects logic and rhetoric: they want you gullible to trust their authorities, which are educators, the media, and entertainers. None of whom, in this Bible-rejecting day, have a clue about truth and error. See the comments on Pr 13:16.

Men are vulnerable to fraud in different areas. The old crave a cure for aging and disease, so they buy magazines filled with health speculations, fraudulent advertising, and testimonials of miracles. Young men want to look like Hercules, so they ingest gargantuan amounts of the latest weight-gain powder from the same store that granny visited! Of course, in twenty years they will try a new powder to take that weight off!

Some men fall for financial fraud, because they want to make millions, easily! Others obsess about conspiracies and avoid the electronic cashier at the grocery store, for fear of receiving the mark of the beast! Safety freaks stop flying, because their flight, out of 100,000 each day, might have a passenger with a shoe bomb! And doting mothers play subliminal ocean sounds to their sleeping children to help them learn to swim!

Many hold evolution to be science, though it violates key parts of the scientific method. Many buy lottery tickets thinking they have a chance because they saw a winner on television. Many worship Joel Osteen for his constant repetition they all can be grinning millionaires like him. Many cremate dead relatives because the funeral home said it is better than burial. Many are vegetarians because an emaciated guru said it leads to god.

How could the Tulip mania of Holland occur in 1637? Or the dot.com bubble of 1997-2000? How did America turn its opinion of sodomy upside down in one generation? Why blame banks for the subprime mortgage crisis of 2007-2009, when they loaned the money? How could anyone buy a ticket for the Heaven Is for Real movie? How can network marketing still exist when 98% lose money buying overpriced stuff for the 2%?

Many Christians practice infant baptism, though not even hinted at in the Bible. Charismatics in many places claim to be apostles, though Paul was the last one. Seventh-Day Adventists’ claim to fame is their false prophecy of the Lord’s coming in 1844, yet they have millions of followers still. Catholics at Mass eat a wafer they claim is the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ without any Bible or scientific evidence at all.

Parent, teach your children to be skeptics. It can be enjoyable. Show them the false advertisement you get about the free family cruise to Tahiti. Show them the fine print requiring you to get to Mexico City for departure and the contract to rent expensive condos on four continents over the next four years. Teach them to look for the fine print, and teach them to look around in a full circle, which is circumspection (Eph 5:15).

Teach your children one of life’s greatest lessons – there is no free lunch. Teach them another – no stranger loves them. The salesman and infomercial have one goal, to take their money from their pockets for themselves. Teach them the Bible is the only book to believe absolutely. Teach them that God is the only Being they can totally trust. Remind them that only God and the godly are truly looking out for them and their future success.

Watch the Evening News together, and point out the blather of the anchor, no matter who it is. Watch a Benny Hinn crusade. Tell them he has never healed anyone and screens every sick person several times before they ever reach the platform. Read The Emperor’s New Clothes to them, and explain how often they will need to say, “But the emperor doesn’t have any clothes on!” in this twisted world of peer-pressured perversity.

You live in the perilous times of the last days (II Tim 3:1). Information is the rage. Schools and degrees, books and other media, multiply ridiculously. Men are gorged on information, but there is no truth! Paul warned, “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (II Tim 3:7). And it will not get better, for he said, “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” (II Tim 3:13).

Husband, protect your wife. Satan stole Eve’s mind in about ten seconds in Eden, and Paul warned religious creeps would seek to capture silly – weak and vulnerable – women (II Tim 3:6). Protect your weaker vessel (I Cor 14:34-35; I Pet 3:7). What is the cure? Confidence and knowledge in the Bible and a pastor that will preach mainly to you and provide encouragement and doctrine to lead your family (Ps 119:128; II Tim 3:14 – 4:4)!

Here is valuable wisdom. In life, there is truth and error. A wise man will prove all things, reject the error, and tightly hold the truth. Paul taught this rule when he wrote, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (I Thess 5:21). The Bereans were noble for searching the Scriptures to prove even Paul (Acts 17:11). They were not simple. They did not believe impulsively; they proved him out. Believe not every spirit (I John 4:1-6)!

God is absolute truth, and His word is absolute truth (Deut 32:4; John 17:17). Satan is a liar and the father of lies; he has no truth in him (John 8:44). And all men follow one or the other. There is no neutral ground (Gal 1:8-9; Eph 2:1-3; I Tim 6:3-5). By your first birth, you love lies (John 8:45). But as the children of God, you can follow the truth, if you will prove it and pursue it (Jn 8:47; I Cor 2:15; Jude 1:3). Let God be true (Rom 3:4)!

The Lord Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). He is Faithful and True (Rev 19:11). You can trust Him completely, for your future today and for eternity. 

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