Posts Tagged ‘Jesus’

With faith it is possible…

Posted: July 4, 2013 in Shared Thoughts, Wake Up!
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 Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

It is verses like Hebrews 11:6 that reinforces within me that all scripture is given by inspiration of God. For in this verse several points are established as unalterable foundational truths for believers if they wish to go on to perfection. What I mean by “perfection” is understood in the following applications –

  • Coming to the place of heart resolve or maturity in Christ of having no spot, blemish or anything intentionally hidden, subjecting both heart and life continually to a thorough washing of the water of God’s word.
  • Forsaking the distracting cares and pleasures which hinders a believer from fully coming out of the world in earnest and wholehearted pursuit of the promises of God.
  • Having our lives wholly transformed by the renewing of our minds, forsaking our lives for the governing life of Christ within us.
  • Walking with daily awareness of the need to be holy and perfecting holiness in the godly fear of the Lord.
  • Drawing ever closer into a deeper intimate relationship with God, as Paul said, “That I might know Him.” A true believer knows he has only tasted of the Lord and has as yet only received as earnest a portion of the Spirit of Christ.
  • Living with the aspiration to please God and receiving the reward of our faith, daily fellowship with Christ.

For the purpose of this article, I am only going to touch on the first part of the three divisions that the translators distinguished by their insertion of commas. My intention is to follow-up with at least one more, if not two articles, using this outline.

 (1) But without faith it is impossible to please Him,

(2) …for he who comes to God must believe that He is,

(3) God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

The simplicity of the whole verse tells us that through faith we can please God by coming to Him and receiving the reward He has for those who have ears to hear. Ultimately, the true reward of the faithful is not found in their inheriting a long list of trophies that fills up their treasures in heaven. Greater than such treasures will be the completion of faith’s journey which carries us from this life of “coming to God,” to seeing Him face to face and not being consumed by the brightness of His glory, fully immersed in the reality of being made one with Him.

Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, “Fear not, Abram: I am your shield, and your exceeding great reward.”

But without faith it is impossible to please Him… Regardless what many confessors of Christianity may feel about their walk with God, this portion of the verse has drawn a line which irrefutably separates those that please God and those that do not. In just eight words the author has left no room for debate with him; without faith, even the very gate to the path of righteousness is left hopelessly impenetrable, securely locked and absolutely inaccessible. The absence of true faith means the absence of the indispensable alertness and agility needed to navigate around the pitfalls is absent; the sure stepping stones completely hidden by gross darkness and the touch thereof indiscernible; the required stamina, strength, courage and patience unachievable and the finish line unreachable; in essence one’s coming to and pleasing God void of true faith is without question impossible. Dear reader, this verse teaches us that genuine godly faith is vastly different from the more popular vain-hope-wishy-washy-believism which survives by being propped up with positive feelings, a few isolated memorized verses, and the more-social-than-religious gatherings and affiliations that people tend to engage in to console their consciences of guilt and shame. Faith is not merely a means of consolation, rather it is intended to be like the proverbial “tie that binds,” joining true believers intimately and inseparably to their God. (more…)

Pleasing God . . . is this your testimony?

Posted: May 24, 2013 in Shared Thoughts, Wake Up!
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But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
`

It is my intention to write in my next post what God has been showing me about the above verse, but first I felt it was necessary to address the preceding verses in order to lay a proper foundation. I pray the Lord allows me to not only see the task through, but to walk accordingly to the message and to lose myself in Him.   But in the meantime, remember that tomorrow is no time for doing what needs to be done today. Get the oil for your lamps today. I pray the following stirs your hearts so as to cause you to wake up, get up, and run the race that is set before you . . . since the finish line is so near in sight.

  • Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance [ground/foundation] of things hoped for, [faith is] the evidence [demonstration] of things not seen.

Oh what a grand statement to start off the chapter of faith, declaring faith as the very ground work and foundation for a relationship with God. But note that the verse does not end there, but rather continues to reveal that faith is not just a thing, but a lively thing that continues with demonstrable evidence that such a foundation is real. Surely this is not unlike the Lord Jesus’ analogy of Him being the vine and we the branches that abide in Him,  continuing to bring forth much fruit to perfection.

How can it be shown that a branch is truly in the vine if not by evidence of continual growth? There must be something demonstrating that the very life of the vine continues to flow into the branches that are affixed to it. Here we must start if we are to see the wisdom of God’s gift of faith to men and the amazing grace available when they humble themselves to receive His instructive word and obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What other verse can be more fitting here than that promise given us in the Gospel according to John.

John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on His name.

It is truly as the song says, “How precious did that Grace appear, the hour I first believed.”

  • Hebrews 11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good report <martureo>.

This verse speaks of the greatest news to both sinner and saint, justification. What a glorious thing is this?  That even after your heart was pierced to the core by an undisputable revelation of countless crimes and transgressions recorded against you, and captured beneath a burden of accountability infinitely beyond your capacity to correct or to render any measurable degree of restitution, and yet… somehow a “good report” could possibly be uttered on your behalf? That even afterward being  thoroughly convicted of sin and forced to face the terror of inescapable judgment which forces your face downward to the ground with crushing condemnation,  completely silenced of any defense by overwhelming shame and despair . . . yet seemingly from nowhere comes a gracious offer lovingly presented to you whereby all your guilt and disgrace might not only be justified and forever settled, but actually replaced with joyous affirmations of approval and adoration from the very one against whom your crimes were committed. Words that instantly set to flight such a burden heart with ecstasy and eternal joy as you hear that you are not only forgiven, but frees you now to run to the place where you might also hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

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Hallowed Be Thy Name

Posted: May 3, 2013 in Uncategorized
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Hallowed Be Thy Name

This was a message God laid on my heart concerning the deity of Jesus the Christ, the Lord’s Prayer and its exhortation for us to petition that God’s name to be hallowed, revered and feared in this fallen world. God’s people need to recognize the necessity to daily seek first His kingdom and righteousness while the long-suffering of God’s waits as with one hand he holds His love and mercy while with the other hand holding back His coming wrath and judgment on a wicked world.



Take heed therefore how ye hear.

Posted: January 27, 2013 in Devotionals, End Times, Shared Thoughts, Uncategorized, Wake Up!
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There was a time in my life as a believer where my walk was very far removed from the Lord. I had found myself more than entangled in several sins. I remembered one night being so overwhelmed and burdened to the point of utter despair, literally fearing that I could die in my sleep and would be forever lost. I cried out to what seemed to be heavens of brass, my prayer barely out of my lips only to be falling to the ground. All this after only a couple of years  after having been promoted through a local church fellowship to be a deacon, then elder-ship and then shortly before leaving the church I was made assistant pastor.

My last message I shared with the church before I left (to the surprise of many) was about Paul’s exhortation in Galatians to those who are spiritual to restore those who were overtaken by a fault. However, at the time I wasn’t preaching to the congregation, rather I was crying out against my fellow leadership. My emphasis wasn’t about restoring the one overtaken, but rather whether those who were leaders were “spiritual” enough to even discern when a brother was over taken. There I was discourage, oppressed by the adversary, walking with sin in my life and about to begin what was to be a dark journey that almost ended in my destruction . . . and they didn’t even know it.

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There is no god.

Posted: January 6, 2013 in Shared Thoughts
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The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”

PLEASE, if you recognize the following, please get past it to my main point. The verse above is continually used by believers to stress the fact that those who do not believe in God are fools. But perhaps one of the most foolish things I have seen is this nonsense below about these supposedly legal cases where a Texas judge, or a Florida judge . . . or a judge from whatever state the next promoter of this fictitious never-dying-story decides to select. The story goes –

In (pick-a-state), an atheist became incensed over the preparation for Easter and Passover holidays and decided to contact the local ACLU about the discrimination inflicted on atheists by the constant celebrations 
afforded to Christians and Jews with all their holidays while the atheists had no holiday to celebrate.

The ACLU jumped on the opportunity to once again pick up the cause of the godless and assigned their sharpest attorneys to the case.

The case was brought before a wise judge who after listening to the long, passionate presentation of the ACLU lawyers, promptly banged his gavel and declared, “Case dismissed!”

The lead ACLU lawyer immediately stood and objected to the ruling and said, “Your honor, how can you possibly dismiss this case? Surely the Christians have Christmas, Easter and many other observances. And the Jews–why in addition to Passover they have Yom Kippur and Hanukkah .and yet my client and all other atheists have no such holiday!”

The judge leaned forward in his chair and simply said “Obviously your client is too confused to know about, or for that matter, even celebrate the atheists’ holiday!”

The ACLU lawyer pompously said “We are aware of no such holiday for atheists, just when might that be, your honor?” The judge said “Well it comes every year on exactly the same date—April 1st!”

“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.'” Psalm 14:1, Psalm 53:1

HOORAY FOR THIS JUDGE!

Now, it is truly a sad thing that a believer would feel the need to generate a lie to try to attack an unbeliever as a fool, especially since it can never bring glory to God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. I am not even sure what sort of “Christian” or Torah believing Jew would be willing to stoop to such nonsense. For it seems so very clear that a lie is always going to be a lie, regardless of the motive.

Ro 3:5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)  6 Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world? 7 For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”? –as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.

God doesn’t inflict wrath except when His righteous precepts are ignored (hint: you can’t go around telling lies) and isn’t really swayed by what your justification might be. How irrational it is to think that this type of gibberish might prove others to be fools while engaging in such obvious foolishness themselves. You can never prove others wrong by doing wrong and attempting to call it right, at that point you are the one who is putting forth bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Perhaps it is time for some to reconsider this fool’s verse in Psalm 14, which for the purpose of establishing a point I am going to use the KJV  –

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Don’t settle for weak faith!

Posted: November 10, 2012 in Coffee House, Shared Thoughts
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789 NE 5th St, Crystal River, Fl

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Don’t settle for weak faith!!

11-9-2012 Coffee House message taken from Romans 14 and Colossians 1

Which Jesus?

Posted: October 14, 2012 in Coffee House, Deity of Jesus Christ
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Wherefore when He came into the world, He saith, “Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared Me.”

789 NE 5th St, Crystal River, Fl

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Preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ

Paul warned the church of another Jesus . . . which Jesus is yours?  
Is your Jesus the one that will save you from your sins and the wrath of God?

If this message has meant something to you, please look into the article below-

God has promised to reward us in Hebrews 11:6 with understanding if we would “diligently” seek Him. Answering His call to personal holiness, picking up our crosses and following Him is how we seek Him. To those who obey this mandate Jesus said He would give to them “to know the mystery of the kingdom of God” (Mark 4:11).We are required to “diligently” seek if we are to find, just as we must actively knock if the door of understanding is to be opened unto us. We must humbly acknowledge our ignorance and ask for understanding if we are to be enlightened by God’s Holy Spirit. Nothing is more blinding than the light one proudly thinks himself to have. Yet, all our seeking, knocking, and asking must be with an intention of true faithfulness if we are to receive anything from God. It is only when “our hearts condemn us not” of sin that we have true “confidence” toward God. It is in that place and condition that “whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” (I John 3:21, 22).

(Excerpt from Justified In the Spirit)

Legality versus Legalism

Posted: October 6, 2012 in Coffee House, Wake Up!
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Coffee House 9-18
Legality versus Legalism

Note: In this message I state “grace is not unmerited favor.” For clarification my intent was to express how is grace is not just unmerited favor, it is much much more than that. By grace are we saved, therefore we need to understand God’s grace if we are to fully utilize it and not frustrate it or exhaust its sufficiency before it completes the task God gives it to accomplish in our hearts. Therefore, grieve not the Spirit of Grace and lay hold of the power of the Gospel which makes dead men live and to turns sinners into saints.

Run the race He has set before you lawfully . . .

1Cor 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Ga 5:7 You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?

Php 3:14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

2Ti 2:5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

2Ti 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Heb 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.

Love rejoices in truth . . .

Posted: June 10, 2012 in Shared Thoughts
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Love rejoices in truth, that which can be articulated and precisely communicated and proven to be reality in the power of the Spirit. This love is a righteous love springs forth from God’s own nature, as He is love (though love is not God). God’s righteous love always abides in the parameter of His holiness which (His holiness) can in part be revealed to those who seek Him line upon line and precept upon precept.

Those who have indeed been pierced with conviction of their sins against His holiness and through brokenness and contrition have become benefactors of His mercies, have this love imparted to them because He first loved them and revealed to them their state of death and impoverishment of spirit. This imparted love springs forth out of earnest gratitude that God first loved them. Though in truth He judged them dead and impoverish, it was so He might allow His healing grace and mercy restore them if they would receive the truth of their state. It is through this love that God reasoned with the sinner that their sins though as scarlet, they could be made white as snow . . .

But there is a deceitful “love” that counterfeits God’s love which is primarily sensual, or dependent upon “feeling” for confirmation of existence. It tends to ignore any truth beyond the feeling or perception of immediate relevance. It is the love which the Beatles sang of “All we need is love,” while ignoring that which can be known and must be sought out of the wellspring of love, God Himself. I need not speak of the blindness of such folly as we know such wisdom took them down the road to “imagine” there was no religion . . .

Love is not the answer. At best it is only a witness to the answer, which is God’s grace, mercy and righteousness working in the heart of man, having fruit unto holiness and the end, everlasting life. To ever exalt love apart from God’s righteousness and holiness is to seduce the partakers of such love back into deceitfulness of sin . . . we shall not die as long as we love . . .

Without faith it is impossible to please God, but like love it too can be counterfeited. But true faith-(fulness) which pleases God works by righteous love, not just love. It rejoices in truth and hates lies, it doesn’t cover them up. The love that saves men is only that which they received from the God of Truth and Love when they received a love for the truth that they might be saved. This is love is the heartbeat of true faith which is never governed by feelings, but stands solely upon the truth of what God has spoken, even when emotions and feelings are witnessing against it. It is called conviction and faith; these please God and save men, causing them to fear God, hate sin, and to depart from every wicked work. Only then can true love be perfected so as not to be swayed by emotions because it abides in God’s truth and is governed by the God who imparted it through the revelation of His person and will in righteousness and holiness.

God has no greater love or joy than when His children love the truth.

Psalm 51:6 Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part Thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Live for Jesus Christ the King!

Get Your House in Order

Posted: May 30, 2012 in Shared Thoughts
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The following is a repost from http://www.watchmanscry.com. Brother Nathan Neal wrote this back in 09/27/09 and just reposted it with the following intro – 

Dearest Brethren,

As many of you know we are facing some great challenges in the coming future. The economy is teetering on the edge of a cliff. The drums of war are sounding. Fukushima Reactor 4 is being held together by the mercy of God. The threats of upheaval are pronounced and they are many. With all of these issues facing us, one can become overwhelmed with despair. But despair can only thrive in our hearts and minds if we overlook God. Beyond all of the fog of events, we must not forget that God is still on His throne. He is watching us. He also has His Mercy and Grace freely available to any of us that seek it. So in light of the present time, I felt led to share with you a very special sermon that the Holy Spirit gave me to preach several years ago. This message is applicable now more than ever. I pray that it will be a blessing to you all and also, please share it with others.

In Christ,

Nathan Leal
Watchman’s Cry

Get Your House in Order

Today’s message is about a Biblical character that is found in the Old Testament. This person worked for God and one day something happened to him!

……Something unexpected!

On this day, he had a visitation. God said something. It was a message.

Most likely, the day of this message began like any other day; He woke up in the morning.  He said, “Hello” to his family. He ate his breakfast. He got dressed and he went to work.

As he walked by his neighbors, he probably said, “Hello and good morning,” to them.

But this day was not a typical day because on this day he received a message that would change everything for him.

Who was this person? His name was Aaron. He was the brother of Moses and he was also the High Priest of Israel.

As the High Priest, his duty was to minister to God on behalf of the children of Israel who were dwelling in the wilderness.

This Biblical account is found in Numbers, chapter 20.

“And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying, Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah.”                                                          Numbers 20:23 – 24

The water of Meribah; this was the place where the children of Israel were in need of water. They complained to Moses that they had no water and as usual, they blamed him for it.

Moses took the matter to God. God instructed Moses to speak to a large rock at Meribah and water would then flow out of it.

Unfortunately, Moses was angry at the people for complaining and in his anger, he failed to speak to the rock. Instead, he struck it! And worse, he struck it twice!

Because of this disobedience, God became angry with Moses. (The reason for God’s anger is an entire other sermon, but in summary, the rock represented Our Savior Jesus and His death on the cross. It was not to be struck twice.)

This brings us to where we are in this account.

As we just read, God delivered a message to Moses;

“…Aaron shall be gathered unto his people…”

As Moses received this message, can you picture Aaron’s reaction? Aaron may have been standing next to Moses or nearby, when he got the news of his life.

I can imagine his thoughts after he heard those words, “Uh… gathered? What does that mean?”

God explained more…

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It’s Easter again, what exactly happened at the tomb?

Posted: April 2, 2012 in Shared Thoughts
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Trips to the Tomb

I have posted this before, but since it is Easter this coming Sunday I figured it would be a good repost for those who may have missed it. I hope it blesses you.

For centuries there has been much confusion when people try to reason the different accounts of Jesus’ resurrection as recorded by the apostles. The fact that they all seem to have a different story to tell does not help. Perhaps, a good way to consider their seemingly different reports is to view them like transparent overlays, similar to the one’s we have seen in books showing the skeleton, then the nerves and blood vessels, organs, muscular and finally the skin and hair.

The Gospels, similarly, are each reporting different events which had taken place around a major singular occurrence, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The fact is that these different events are recorded in God’s word and are therefore true. Perhaps the answer to the confusion is to consider that there were multiple trips made to the tomb.

The best way to determine the possible order of these trips to the tomb is to consider the different details that have been given about the time of day and light of the sun. Was the sun going down or coming up? These questions are actually quite easy to answer. However, we must remember that the Sabbath, like all the other biblical days, began and ended with sundown, see Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31 and Lev. 23:32.

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Faith, as a grain of mustard seed.

Posted: March 27, 2012 in Shared Thoughts, Wake Up!
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Ps 23:3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.

Part of the restoration process is the tearing down phase where God works to be sure we have a good foundation from which to rebuild. For that reason in my last few articles I reviewed a variety of topics in Luke which Jesus addressed before the Pharisees and His disciples, each having great significance. I have now come to the end of my recent scholastic yoyage and journalism to this place in scripture where Jesus tells us ‘If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you might say unto this sycamine tree, Be plucked up by the root, and be  planted in the sea; and it should obey you.”

Lord, grant us such faith.

In addition to the topics I’ve recently examined, there are equally significant others that Jesus’ shared deserving of a brief review. Such as when He asked lawyers and Pharisees which one of them would not rescue their ox or donkey if it had fallen into a ditch, even if it was on the Sabbath? Even though they couldn’t defend their own actions, they couldn’t avoid the hypocritical judgment that stirred in their hearts against Jesus when He then healed a man on the Sabbath before them.

While at the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread with them, Luke tells us that all these lawyers and Pharisees “watched” Him, meaning they insidiously and scrupulously observed Jesus looking for fault with Him. With purer judgment than theirs, Jesus openly acknowledged how all they all had taken seats of honor straightway when they came, risking shame and humiliation by possibly having their place taken from them for another more deserving. When invited to affairs such as a wedding Jesus explained, it was more prudent to take the lower place whereby they might receive respect from the host with honor as he publicly calls them up to better positions.

Luke 14:11 “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

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Let them hear Moses and the Prophets . . .

Posted: March 18, 2012 in Shared Thoughts, Wake Up!
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In the last article I had written about the unfaithful steward who wasted his master’s goods, I discussed the attitudes of the Pharisees that were there listening. Amazingly, instead of agreeing with Jesus that the steward’s behavior was sinful, they instead began to deride Jesus to publicly mock Him. The more I ponder their attitude towards Christ the more I am amazed at how just how hard an arrogant and religious heart can be. Not only were they failing miserably at being faithful stewards of the oracles of God which they openly boasted to be the keepers and teachers of, they failed miserably in their living by them.

Jesus said the Pharisees were “those who justified yourselves before men,” but warned them that God knows the hearts of all men. But what was it though that they had been “justifying” themselves about? These were the prominent religious leaders of the day . . . up until the Light of the world appeared unto men exposing them for what they really were. They were covetous not only of worldly things, but also of the praise and admiration of men. No wonder Jesus spoke such sharp condemning words to them that what they “highly esteemed” was an abomination in the sight of God.

If you are an America Christian who is faring well and yet yearn for, or look for the praise and approval of men, then I strongly urge you to listen to Jesus words against these religious men  –

Luke 6:24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. 25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. 26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

 In the Gospel of John it was recorded how many of the chief rulers actually believed on Jesus, but only two of which are mentioned in scripture and eventually came forward and stood for Jesus, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathaea. However, many of them would not openly confess Jesus because they feared the Jews, i.e., the Pharisees –

John 12:42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:  43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

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Christianity is not passive

Posted: March 4, 2012 in Coffee House, Wake Up!
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While finishing up my next article I wanted to submit this exhortation I gave one night at the Coffee House.

~

We are instructed by the scriptures to be vigilant in our faith, to strive to enter the strait gate, fight the good fight, run the race, be good soldiers, finishers of the faith.

The unfaithful steward who wasted his master’s goods . . .

Posted: March 2, 2012 in Shared Thoughts, Wake Up!
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In Luke chapter 16 Jesus tells His disciples about a certain rich man who had a steward who had wasted his goods. The setting for this discourse is that He was speaking to His disciples, but not only to them, for Luke also says in verse 14 that “the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided Him.” Now Luke doesn’t share what exactly the Pharisees were saying, but the Greek word translated “deride” was only used twice in the NT, with the second place being in Luke as well when Jesus was on the cross.-

Lu 23:35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided Him, saying, He saved others; let Him save Himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.

In both places it is noteworthy that such was the response towards Jesus. There wasn’t any dignified attempt to reason or refute Jesus; it was an eruption out of the abundance of their hearts of iniquity as they spoke, a blatant display of arrogance by corrupt religious leaders against the greatest Rabbi of eternity. Their outburst of unashamed scoffing and ridicule was meant to convey their total rejection of Him. What makes this even more shameful is they were doing it in a vain attempt to justify their own selves. I am sad to say I have witnessed this type of behavior with the same motive among those professing to be Christian, leaders included.

Lu 16:15 And He said unto them, “You are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knows your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”

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