Archive for the ‘Encourgement’ Category

Spiritual Training 21 March 2012

Posted: March 20, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Jesus Appears to His Disciples

John 20:19-22 On the evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were over joyed when they saw the Lord. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

This may have been a special filling of the Holy Spirit for the disciples, a foretaste of what all believers would experience from the time of Pentecost and forever after. To do God’s work, we need the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit. We must avoid trying to do his work in our own strength.

There is life in the breath of God. Man was created but did not come alive until God breathed into him the breath of life. God’s first breath made man different from all other forms of creation. Now, through the breath of Jesus, God imparted eternal, spiritual life. With this inbreathing came the power to do God’s will on earth.

Proverbs 20:22 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 20, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 20:22 Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.

Is revenge sweet? Your spirit and the world say that it is. But the Lord God of heaven declares it is sin. Who will you believe? Solomon warned his son against this sin (24:28-29). He told him not to even think or speak about repaying evil to anyone. Rather than take things into your own hands regarding your enemies, let the LORD take care of them.
When someone hurts you, the natural response is anger and thoughts of self-defense and revenge. You react immediately, instinctively, and violently. It is due to your depraved heart inherited from Adam. Paul described his own natural instincts this way: “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another” (Titus 3:3).

Mankind loves to fight and war. Rather than overlook offences, you want to repay! Rather than forgive wrongs, you can hold a grudge forever! Paul described your warlike character very graphically, “The poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known” (Rom 3:14-17).

Revenge comes from pride: a humble man does not worry about repaying evil. Revenge is blinding: it can easily lead to horrible crimes, including murder. Solomon’s proverbs are about wisdom, and the blinding rage of revenge perverts your ability to perceive, understand, and judge correctly. It destroys wisdom. And it leads to sinful actions.
The situations at stake are personal offences against you. Offences against God are to be dealt with as the Bible directs: rebellious children are to be punished; sinning church members are to be excluded; violent citizens are to be executed by the king; etc. Personal offences are to be overlooked, and personal enemies are to be loved (Matt 5:38-48). This is the law of Jesus Christ, and it is the highest form of charity and wisdom in the world.

Rather than returning evil for evil, a noble and wise man will return good for evil, thus avoiding the blinding danger of grudges and revenge, calming his enemies with kindness and patience, and glorifying God in a difficult matter (25:21-22) Lev 19:18, Rom 12:17-21. Here is wisdom! Learn it today!

You should not even think about revenge, not even in your heart, not even when evil befalls your enemies from other sources! God and Solomon condemned any joy when your enemy falls (24:17-18). Sinful thoughts against another are murder (Matt 5:21-22)!

Who are your enemies today? Are there any that you resent? Are you harboring a grudge or thoughts of revenge against any? Maybe your spouse? Maybe a colleague or boss at work? Maybe a neighbor? Maybe a church member? Confess your sin to God, and look for opportunities to befriend them! Treat them as you want them to treat you, not as they have treated you. This is true wisdom! This is true Christianity!

The best revenge is to leave enemies to God. He is most fair, His judgments most awful. Vengeance is His: He will repay. David left Saul to the Lord, though he could have killed him. What was the result? Saul fearfully consulted a witch, killed himself, was hung up for display by Philistines, was cremated, had his bones buried under a tree, and his family was cut off from the throne!

His sister and Korah wickedly confronted Moses. Rather than punishing these arrogant and profane rebels himself, he left the matter to the LORD. Miriam was sharply rebuked by the Lord, became white with leprosy, and was quarantined outside the camp (Num 12:1-15). What of Korah? He was swallowed alive by the earth (Num 16:1-40)!
Only the Lord can create and sustain a loving and peaceful spirit in a man, so that anger and revenge are only fleeting thoughts of folly. Faith in God is the cure, for He will always take care of His own. Believe it! If you are guilty of vengeful thoughts, confess your wickedness to God, cast yourself upon his mercy begging for strength, pray for your enemies, and seek opportunities to do good to them. This is wisdom and the will of God!

Spiritual Training 20 March 2012

Posted: March 20, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, The book of John, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Jesus Appears to His Disciples

John 20:19-21 On the evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were over joyed when they saw the Lord. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

Jesus again identified himself with his Father. He told the disciples by whose authority he did his work. Then he passed the job to his disciples of spreading the gospel of salvation around the world. Whatever God has asked you to do, remember:

(1) Your authority comes from God, and
(2) Jesus has demonstrated by words and actions how to accomplish the job he has given you.

As the Father sent Jesus, Jesus sends his followers….and you.

Spiritual Training 19 September 2012

Posted: March 19, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, The book of John, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Jesus Rises from the Dead and Appears to Mary Magdalene

John 20:10-18 Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him, and I will get him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. “Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for? Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father, Go instead to my brothers and tell them, I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” Mary Magdalene went to he disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Mary didn’t recognize Jesus at first, Her grief had blinded her; she couldn’t see him because she didn’t expect to see him. Then he spoke her name, and immediately she recognized him. Imagine the love that flooded her heart when she heard her Savior saying her name. Jesus is near you, and he is calling your name. Can you, like Mary, regard him as your Lord?

Mary did not meet the risen Christ until she had discovered the empty tomb. She responded with joy and obedience by going to tell the disciples. We cannot meet Christ until we discover that he is indeed alive, that his tomb is empty. Are you filled with joy by this good news, and do you share it with others?

Jesus resurrection is the key to the Christian faith. Why?
1. Just as he said, Jesus rose from the dead. We can be confident, therefore, that he will accomplish all he has promised.
2. Jesus bodily resurrection shows us that the living Christ, not a false prophet or imposter, is ruler of God’s eternal Kingdom.
3. We can be certain of our own resurrection because Jesus was resurrected. Death is not the end-there is future life.
4. The divine power that brought Jesus back to life is now available to us to bring our spiritually dead selves back to life.
5. The resurrection is the basis for the church’s witness to the world.

Proverbs 19:05 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 19, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Proverbs 19:05 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will not go free.

How important is telling the truth? Extremely! A false witness is someone who tells lies against or for another person, especially when that person is on trial for a crime. But this proverb also condemns all lying. Liars will not escape punishment, for all good men, and officials and leaders, and the LORD God of heaven will all pursue them to judgment.

Brothers and Sisters let this short sentence reflecting the LORD’s hatred of lying cause your heart to tremble with fear about misrepresenting a matter or telling a lie. Only those who love death will rush over this proverb and enter into their day without checking carefully for honesty blemishes in the mirror of God’s word
God hates lies and liars and all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire every time a person lies, he claims and proves the devil is his father. The blessed God made it the ninth commandment, and His New Testament apostles blasted it also

Lying will bring certain judgment. One lie leads to another to keep the previous one covered, until a liar is caught in a web of deceit that destroys his soul and reputation. Men depend upon truth for survival and success, so a liar will be avoided and punished. Civil authority depends upon truth, so they will punish liars. And God will judge liars severely.
This proverb is weighty with a sober warning – and it is repeated just four proverbs later (19:9)! Do you get the message? God and all good men hate lying! You should hate it! The Bible is filled with a variety of warnings against lying. Be sure your sin will find you out – especially lying!

Do you embellish facts, exaggerate events, polish stories, or round numbers in your favor? Do you allow incorrect facts to stand, when they are in your favor? Ah reader! Speak the truth openly and plainly at all times. Hate lying and any of its subtle forms! Love honesty and truth! Pray for deliverance from this curse of the devil!

Parents! Demand truth from your children from their earliest days, as babies begin lying before they begin talking. Emphasize total honesty in all family dealings and at all times, and punish lying more severely than most or all other infractions. Especially focus on lying to avoid punishment, for telling the truth then is learning the fear of God. If you do not punish them early and teach them to hate lying, they will be punished later!

Is it ever right to lie? Yes, when innocent life is at stake! Rahab was justified before God by lying to protect the two spies (James 2:25). God blessed two midwives for lying to Pharaoh to protect Israel’s babies (Ex 1:15-21). David, the man after God’s own heart, lied on numerous occasions (1 Sam 19:11-17; 21:10-15; II Sam 15:31-37) And God sent a lying spirit to King Ahab, who neither desired nor deserved truth (Kings 22:19-22). These are just a few of the examples in the Bible of lying that are not condemned.

Our blessed Lord is the Faithful and True Witness. The reason others did not believe Him was because He told the truth (John 8:45)! Natural man prefers lies, and nothing has changed today! Evolution? What a ridiculous, insane lie! Churches preaching lies will always have larger crowds than those teaching truth (1st Tim 4:1-3; 2nd Tim 4:1-3;). Wise men will not measure godliness by growth or success, but by truth (1 Tim 6:3-6).

Spiritual Training 14 March 2012

Posted: March 14, 2012 in Acceptance, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, The book of John, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Jesus Rises from the Dead and Appears to Mary Magdalene

John 20:01- 09 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” So Peter and the other disciples started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)

The grave clothes were left as if Jesus body had simply vacated them. The headpiece was still rolled up in the shape of a head, and it was at about the right distance from the wrappings that had enveloped Jesus body. A grave robber couldn’t possibly have made off with Jesus body and left the linens as if they were still shaped around it.

As further proof that the disciples did not fabricate this story, we find that Peter and John were surprised that Jesus was not in the tomb. When John saw the grave clothes looking like an empty cocoon from which Jesus had emerged, he believed that Jesus had risen. It wasn’t until after they had seen the empty tomb that they remembered what the Scriptures and Jesus had said- he would die, but he would also rise again!

Jesus resurrection is the key to the Christian faith. Why?
1. Just as he said, Jesus rose from the dead. We can be confident, therefore, that he will accomplish all he has promised.
2. Jesus bodily resurrection shows us that the living Christ, not a false prophet or imposter, is ruler of God’s eternal Kingdom.
3. We can be certain of our own resurrection because Jesus was resurrected. Death is not the end-there is future life.
4. The divine power that brought Jesus back to life is now available to us to bring our spiritually dead selves back to life.
5. The resurrection is the basis for the church’s witness to the world.

Proverbs 14:31 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 14, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Proverbs 14:31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

God has a special concern for the poor. He insists that people who have material goods should be generous with those who are needy. Providing for the poor is not just a suggestion in the Bible; it is a command that may require a change of attitude.

Proverbs 9:7-9 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 9, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, The book of John, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 9:7-9 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse. Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.

Are you a mocker or a wise person? You can tell by the way you respond to criticism. Instead of tossing back a quick put down or clever comeback when rebuked. Listen to what is being said. Learn from your critics; this is the path to wisdom. Wisdom begins with knowing God. He gives insight into living because he created life. To know God is not just to know the facts about him, but to stand in awe of him and have a relationship with him. Do you really want to be wise? Get to know God better and better.

Spiritual Training 08 March 2012

Posted: March 8, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Jesus is Laid in the Tomb

John 19:38-42 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.

Four people were changed in the process of Jesus death.
1st The criminal dying on the cross beside Jesus, asked Jesus to include him in his kingdom (Luke 23:39-43).
2nd The Roman centurion proclaimed that surely Jesus was the Son of God (Mark 15:39).
3rd & 4th Joseph and Nicodemus, members of the Jewish council and secret followers of Jesus (7:50-52), came out of hiding. These men were changed more by Jesus death than by his life. They realized who Jesus was, and that realization brought out their belief, proclamation, and action. When confronted with Jesus and his death, we should be changed-to believe, proclaim, and act.

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were secret followers of Jesus. They were afraid to make this allegiance know because of their positions in the Jewish community. Joseph was a leader and honored member of the Jewish council. Nicodemus, also a member of the council, had come to Jesus by night (3:1) and later tried to defend him before the other religious leaders (7:50-52). Yet they risked their reputations to provide for Jesus burial. Are you a secret believer? Do you hide your faith from your friends and fellow workers? This is an appropriate time to step out of hiding and let others know whom you follow.

Proverbs 8:13 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 8, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command:  

Proverbs 8:13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.

The more a person fears and respects God, the more he or she will hate evil. Love for God and love for sin cannot coexist. Harboring secrets sins means that you are tolerating evil within yourself. Make a clean break with sin and commit yourself completely to God.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; (6) in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.

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