I'm taking this devotional straight from my Sunday School workbook. This workbook is about the prophesies that have yet to be fulfilled from the Bible. It talks about the Rapture and the fact that we are living in the days when Christ will return. As I was watching the news last night, I saw a blurb on the Chilean earthquake. My friend and I started talking about the prophesy of the end of days and we are both well aware that the Bible says that God will send earthquakes in the time before the Rapture. As we talked I found that I am not really looking forward to Jesus coming back and taking us home to Heaven. Well... that's not exactly right. I am excited about that part, but I'm scared about the fact of when He will actually come. I worry that I won't have had time to experience life in the ways that I want to. I wonder if I will have time to graduate from college. Will I find the love of my life? Will I have time to get married and have children? Will I get to have and teach my own classroom before He comes back? Then I opened my workbook and found this... article, so to say. It's something that I really need to think about, and I'm sure that it's something that others need to read too.
When my mom was a little girl, she walked to and from school every day with her brother. And every day on the way home she would stare intently at the sky. "Watch where you're going!" her older brother scolded her as she tripped on the sidewalk and stumbled into him, interrupting her gaze at the clouds. "I'm trying to be the first one to see Jesus when He comes back!" she explained to him. Excitement sparkled in her eyes as she told him of how magnificent and glorious the sky would be when her Savior returned to take her to Heaven.
Why is it so easy for a young child to simply look up without allowing other things to crowd her mind and cloud her excitement? How are children so unafraid to live in faith about the return of Christ? As we get older, thoughts of anticipation and excitement for eternity are easily strangled by fear or other idols in our lives. Instead of looking up, hoping to see Christ bursting forth, we are anxious about future events, or we push thoughts of Christ's return aside.
I have often shivered in fear when I read of future things. It is hard to even imagine what will occur. It is hard to understand anything different than what I know here on earth. It is easy to want to experience more on earth and to try and tell God what His plans should be, hoping that He will listen to me. "God, wait until I graduate from high school. Wait until I finish college. Wait until I start a career and a marriage. God, just wait until I can experience the joy of children. Wait until I'm ready for You to come."
But will there ever really be a time when you or I don't have something else we want to do? Will there ever be a time when we say, "Ok, God, I've checked off everything on my list. You can come now"? I must be brought back to the reality that God is not bound by time, and Christ's return is more important and exciting than anything I will ever experience or even imagine here on earth.
Until I submissively look to God change my heart, my heart will never naturally long for His return. The Bible talks about setting "your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Collossians 3:2). Luke 12:34 tells me that where my treasure is, my heart will also be. When I am wishing for anything other than to be with my Savior, it proves that my treasure is here on earth, and not in Heaven. Instead of desiring the awesomeness of what it will be like to worship God in Heaven, I simply desire moths and rust and everything that will not last. I am seeking happiness and joy in my circumstances here on earth, which is only dirt, instead of eternal happiness and complete joy with my Savior?
My thoughts and words reveal that I, like many Christians, have not embraced the reality that Christ promises to return at any moment. For centuries, Christians have lost their excitement for Christ's return, turning their eyes upon earthly things for temporal satisfaction. Many Christians expected Christ to return shortly after He ascended to Heaven, but when His return was delayed, many scoffed in unbelief, "walking after their own lusts, and saying, where is the promise of his coming?" (2 Peter 3:3-4). In Peter's second letter to the church, he reminded Christians that Christ has promised to return "as a thief in the night" (2 Peter 3:10), and admonished Christians to live every day as if Christ would come at any moment. Peter's encouragement to the church to change its thinking and way of living also applies to us today.
Peter explained that in order to be ready for the return of Christ, we must live holy and godly lives. Our daily behavior and actions must be motivated by the possibility of Christ returning at any moment. If we truly believe that He could come today, then we will behave in a way that pleases Him. And if we are striving to live a life characterized by holiness through His power, we will desire to worship Him with an attitude of reverence and respect. Our fearful shivers of the events to the end times will turn into praise to our Almighty God, Whose power will be revealed at His coming!
We will be ready for Christ's return not only by living holy and godly lives, but also by looking for His return. Just as God promises us of Christ's return, He also promises us that He will place His wrath upon those who have not repented and put their trust in Him (2 Peter 3:10-12). We know through His Word that God is "longsuffering not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). But we also know that not everyone will repent and put his or her trust in Jesus alone for salvation. It is sobering to think that some of my friends, family, or neighbors will experience God's wrath. And it is convincing that I often think that I'm too busy or too afraid to warn them of their coming judgment.
When I begin to ponder how beautiful, magnificent, and glorious it will be when Christ returns to take me home, my thoughts of fear and anxiety about the coming events begin to melt away. But until my life begins to reflect Him instead of desiring to accomplish my "checklist" here on earth, I will not be ready and looking for His return.
In order to be ready and to look for Christ's return, we must be willing to change. Having the desire to graduate high school, to go college, start a career and a marriage is not sinful in and of itself. But when those desires alone are what we seek after and live for and are not motivated by the desire to glorify God--the reason for our existence--they are only selfishness rooted in a prideful spirit.
So take a step back and look up with the eyes of a child. Does your life reflect holiness and godliness? Do you desire things of Heaven or things or earth? Can you truly say today, "I want to be the first one to see Jesus return"?
By Holly Leeper
I know that this is something that I need to work on in my life. I should be so filled with excitement that about Jesus' return that I shouldn't be able to contain myself! This is my God and my Savior who is coming back to take me to my eternal home. There should be nothing that I should look forward to more.
God Bless,
Taylor
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Breaking the Chains
Tonight I am again pulling my material from Josh McDowell's Youth Devotions 2. The biggest thing that I personally got from this devotional is the key verse, but I am relaying the whole devotional to you because I know that someone out there needs more than just the key verse.
Break Free From Those Flimsy Chains
Ephesians 1:3-8 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.
You don't have to wonder why many kids grow up with a warped sense of their worth to God and to others--and a twisted sense of their true identity. Parents, teachers, the media, advertisers, and marketers can pummel into you the idea that your identity depends on how good you look, how well you perform, and how well you succeed. You can know better than that and still have a hard time shaking the thoughts that put you down or control how you act.
We're like the circus elephant whose leg is held to a stake with a bicycle chain. How can a flimsy chain control such a brawny animal? The elephant is locked up by a memory. As a baby, the elephant tried to break loose but wasn't strong enough. It hasn't forgotten that lesson. Even though the elephant could break the chain with a small yank, he rarely tries. He's conditioned to captivity. But notice this: If he does break away, he is almost impossible to control again.
How you think of yourself works the same way. Most of us are trained to think that how we look, perform, and achieve is all-important--so even when we know better, we're chained by that dumb idea. But God wants to set you free from the flimsy chains that keep you from realizing your full potential as God's unique, valued creation. God's truth is stronger than those chains. You can break free to be--and be glad to be--who God mae you.
An important part of understanding who you are involves getting into your head what God says about who you are.
First God tells you that you are his child. John 1:12 says, "To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God." Try putting yourself in this verse: "I have believed God and accepted him. He has given me the right to be his child." Write these words on a card and place it where you can see it when you feel put down.
Then God says that you are chose. Ephesians 1:4 tells us, "He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." Personalize that verse too: "I was chosen by God, before he even created the world, to be holy and blameless."
When you let these Scripture truths dig their way deep into your heart, you see yourself afresh. You're bigger than the chains that bind you.
Who shouts louder--the people around you who hand you a warped view of who you are, or God with his true view of you? Why?
Say thanks to God for what he has shown you about yourself.
I think that this is an important lesson for everyone to learn. Like I said, my favorite part of it is the key verse: Ephesians 1:4. It really makes you think. YOU were chosen BEFORE God even created the EARTH to be HOLY and BLAMELESS in His sight. Wow. If that doesn't make you feel loved and wanted, I don't know what will.
I give this ongoing challenge: Try to see yourself as God sees you. You are His child. A person that He loved SO much that He sent His only begotten son to shed His blood on a cross for YOUR sins. Nothing gets any more powerful.
God Bless,
Taylor
Break Free From Those Flimsy Chains
Ephesians 1:3-8 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.
You don't have to wonder why many kids grow up with a warped sense of their worth to God and to others--and a twisted sense of their true identity. Parents, teachers, the media, advertisers, and marketers can pummel into you the idea that your identity depends on how good you look, how well you perform, and how well you succeed. You can know better than that and still have a hard time shaking the thoughts that put you down or control how you act.
We're like the circus elephant whose leg is held to a stake with a bicycle chain. How can a flimsy chain control such a brawny animal? The elephant is locked up by a memory. As a baby, the elephant tried to break loose but wasn't strong enough. It hasn't forgotten that lesson. Even though the elephant could break the chain with a small yank, he rarely tries. He's conditioned to captivity. But notice this: If he does break away, he is almost impossible to control again.
How you think of yourself works the same way. Most of us are trained to think that how we look, perform, and achieve is all-important--so even when we know better, we're chained by that dumb idea. But God wants to set you free from the flimsy chains that keep you from realizing your full potential as God's unique, valued creation. God's truth is stronger than those chains. You can break free to be--and be glad to be--who God mae you.
An important part of understanding who you are involves getting into your head what God says about who you are.
First God tells you that you are his child. John 1:12 says, "To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God." Try putting yourself in this verse: "I have believed God and accepted him. He has given me the right to be his child." Write these words on a card and place it where you can see it when you feel put down.
Then God says that you are chose. Ephesians 1:4 tells us, "He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." Personalize that verse too: "I was chosen by God, before he even created the world, to be holy and blameless."
When you let these Scripture truths dig their way deep into your heart, you see yourself afresh. You're bigger than the chains that bind you.
Who shouts louder--the people around you who hand you a warped view of who you are, or God with his true view of you? Why?
Say thanks to God for what he has shown you about yourself.
I think that this is an important lesson for everyone to learn. Like I said, my favorite part of it is the key verse: Ephesians 1:4. It really makes you think. YOU were chosen BEFORE God even created the EARTH to be HOLY and BLAMELESS in His sight. Wow. If that doesn't make you feel loved and wanted, I don't know what will.
I give this ongoing challenge: Try to see yourself as God sees you. You are His child. A person that He loved SO much that He sent His only begotten son to shed His blood on a cross for YOUR sins. Nothing gets any more powerful.
God Bless,
Taylor
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Child of the King
So... I'm super sorry that I haven't posted a blog in the past four days. I could give you excuses about how time got away from me, or that I had a lot of homework, but neither of those excuses is good enough for God, so they're not good enough for you either. So I will just say that I am sorry, BUT I have an awesome blog for tonight.
This blog comes from one of my devotionals: Josh McDowell's Youth Devotions 2. I think I'll just jump in and talk about it more afterward.
It is entitled "Check Your I.D."
Psalm 8:1-9 - O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who has set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the mon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast corwned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast pu all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the seas. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
What makes you who you are? They way you look? Your performance at school? Your hobbies, sports, and after-school busyness? Your spiritual gifts?
You're way more than any of that. Who you are is also more than your race, family pedigree, or skill at computer games. Those are important pieces of your identity. But they're just the outer layers.
People say, "Clothes make the person," but you no doubt know better than that. Clothes might enhance you or disguise you or promote you, but they don't make you. There's more to your identity than how you decorate your body or shockingly accessorize your ears, nose, or belly button.
And then there are all those diet and fitness infomercials promising to make you into a total man or woman: you'll shed pounds, tone up flab, and watch your life change. But does a transformed body affect your true identity? Of course not. You might like your new looks. But your true identity has slim-to-none to do with whether you're buff-or bulge in a few places.
So if these outer layers are just layers over your true identity, who are you underneath it all? That's something that you want to figure out, because your core identity-especially how you see yourself-plays a huge role in how you carry yourself in daily life, how happy you are, how you treat other people, and how you respond to God. It's vital that you know who you are apart from what you look like and what you do.
Maybe you've never pondered the question, "Who am I?" Maybe you've worked so hard on your outer layers that you've missed the big truth that you're a person of great value and worth, made in the image of the Creator and crowned with glory and honor (Psalm 8:5). One girl said this about her friend: "She's one of the prettiest girls in the world, but she thinks she's incredibly ugly. She feels grotesque. That's why she can't trust anyone who says they love her. It's as if she's saying to God, 'God, if you love me, you must be a real jerk.'" This girl's thinking is flawed because she fails to realize that a loving God holds the key to her identity. Only He knows her real worth.
Truth is, when you're a Christian your innermost identity is this: You're a child of the King. And when you get close to the King, you begin to see yourself as the princess or prince you are.
God wants you not only to understand who you are but also to enjoy being that person. What gets in the way of seeing yourself first as God's child?
Ask God to teach you a biblical view of yourself.
This devotional really spoke to me tonight. I got down to the bottom, and read the words "You're a child of the King" and I instantly knew what I would be writing about. God places things in front of us for a reason. Right before I sat down to read this devotional, I was taking a shower, and some song lyrics began to form in my head. Each time I began to think about words to start a verse with, the phrase, "I'm a child of the King" would come first. I actually came back and wrote down the lyrics that had been running through my head before I read the devotional. Not only did those two things happen one after the other, but also at BCM tonight, the speaker touched on the fact that we are God's children, His sons and daughters, and that we were created in His image. We are to live a life that is pleasing and honors Him.
At then end of the day, no matter how badly we may screw up, we are still God's children. AND He will always love us and be there to pick us up and dust us off. ALL that we have to do is ask. And once we are His, He will never let us go.
So when you're feeling down and out or like you're not good enough, for whatever reason, take comfort in the fact that you are God's child. He will never leave or forsake you, and He is your constant friend and protector. For those of us who are saved, God LIVES in our hearts. He resides within us, and nothing can take Him out of us.
"I am His, and He is mine"
God Bless,
Taylor
This blog comes from one of my devotionals: Josh McDowell's Youth Devotions 2. I think I'll just jump in and talk about it more afterward.
It is entitled "Check Your I.D."
Psalm 8:1-9 - O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who has set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the mon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast corwned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast pu all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the seas. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
What makes you who you are? They way you look? Your performance at school? Your hobbies, sports, and after-school busyness? Your spiritual gifts?
You're way more than any of that. Who you are is also more than your race, family pedigree, or skill at computer games. Those are important pieces of your identity. But they're just the outer layers.
People say, "Clothes make the person," but you no doubt know better than that. Clothes might enhance you or disguise you or promote you, but they don't make you. There's more to your identity than how you decorate your body or shockingly accessorize your ears, nose, or belly button.
And then there are all those diet and fitness infomercials promising to make you into a total man or woman: you'll shed pounds, tone up flab, and watch your life change. But does a transformed body affect your true identity? Of course not. You might like your new looks. But your true identity has slim-to-none to do with whether you're buff-or bulge in a few places.
So if these outer layers are just layers over your true identity, who are you underneath it all? That's something that you want to figure out, because your core identity-especially how you see yourself-plays a huge role in how you carry yourself in daily life, how happy you are, how you treat other people, and how you respond to God. It's vital that you know who you are apart from what you look like and what you do.
Maybe you've never pondered the question, "Who am I?" Maybe you've worked so hard on your outer layers that you've missed the big truth that you're a person of great value and worth, made in the image of the Creator and crowned with glory and honor (Psalm 8:5). One girl said this about her friend: "She's one of the prettiest girls in the world, but she thinks she's incredibly ugly. She feels grotesque. That's why she can't trust anyone who says they love her. It's as if she's saying to God, 'God, if you love me, you must be a real jerk.'" This girl's thinking is flawed because she fails to realize that a loving God holds the key to her identity. Only He knows her real worth.
Truth is, when you're a Christian your innermost identity is this: You're a child of the King. And when you get close to the King, you begin to see yourself as the princess or prince you are.
God wants you not only to understand who you are but also to enjoy being that person. What gets in the way of seeing yourself first as God's child?
Ask God to teach you a biblical view of yourself.
This devotional really spoke to me tonight. I got down to the bottom, and read the words "You're a child of the King" and I instantly knew what I would be writing about. God places things in front of us for a reason. Right before I sat down to read this devotional, I was taking a shower, and some song lyrics began to form in my head. Each time I began to think about words to start a verse with, the phrase, "I'm a child of the King" would come first. I actually came back and wrote down the lyrics that had been running through my head before I read the devotional. Not only did those two things happen one after the other, but also at BCM tonight, the speaker touched on the fact that we are God's children, His sons and daughters, and that we were created in His image. We are to live a life that is pleasing and honors Him.
At then end of the day, no matter how badly we may screw up, we are still God's children. AND He will always love us and be there to pick us up and dust us off. ALL that we have to do is ask. And once we are His, He will never let us go.
So when you're feeling down and out or like you're not good enough, for whatever reason, take comfort in the fact that you are God's child. He will never leave or forsake you, and He is your constant friend and protector. For those of us who are saved, God LIVES in our hearts. He resides within us, and nothing can take Him out of us.
"I am His, and He is mine"
God Bless,
Taylor
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The RIGHT Right
Proverbs 16:25 - There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
As teenagers (or when you were a teenager), we have a tendency to disregard what other, usually older, people tell us is the right way to do things. Most of us wanted to do things our own way. We may have even used the excuse, "What is right for you may be wrong for me."
When it comes to God and His instructions, there is no room for this kind of attitude. God lays down our "Rights" and "Wrongs" very clearly in His word. He doesn't leave room for discussion.
C.S. Lewis wrote in his book Mere Christianity: "Whenever you find a man who says he does not believe real Right or Wrong, you will find the same man going back on this a moment later. He may break his promise to you, but if you try breaking one to him he will be complaining 'It's not fair' before you can say Jack Robinson."
Paul also tells us that even those who have never heard of the Ten Commandments "demonstrate that God's law is written within them, for their own consciences accuse them or tell them they are doing what is right" (Romans 2:15).
The great thing is, we don't have to wonder about what is right or wrong in God's eyes. He tells us everything in His word. And if we ever need clarification or further explanations, He tells us to come to Him.
James 1:5 - If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all me liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Psalm 145:18-19 - The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
I think we could all benefit by being in His word and His way in an even bigger way than we are now. We need to remember to keep God in first place in our lives and to turn to Him when we have questions about what is right and what is wrong.
God Bless,
Taylor
As teenagers (or when you were a teenager), we have a tendency to disregard what other, usually older, people tell us is the right way to do things. Most of us wanted to do things our own way. We may have even used the excuse, "What is right for you may be wrong for me."
When it comes to God and His instructions, there is no room for this kind of attitude. God lays down our "Rights" and "Wrongs" very clearly in His word. He doesn't leave room for discussion.
C.S. Lewis wrote in his book Mere Christianity: "Whenever you find a man who says he does not believe real Right or Wrong, you will find the same man going back on this a moment later. He may break his promise to you, but if you try breaking one to him he will be complaining 'It's not fair' before you can say Jack Robinson."
Paul also tells us that even those who have never heard of the Ten Commandments "demonstrate that God's law is written within them, for their own consciences accuse them or tell them they are doing what is right" (Romans 2:15).
The great thing is, we don't have to wonder about what is right or wrong in God's eyes. He tells us everything in His word. And if we ever need clarification or further explanations, He tells us to come to Him.
James 1:5 - If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all me liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Psalm 145:18-19 - The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
I think we could all benefit by being in His word and His way in an even bigger way than we are now. We need to remember to keep God in first place in our lives and to turn to Him when we have questions about what is right and what is wrong.
God Bless,
Taylor
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Bitterness
Luke 15:25-32 - Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was abgry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do i serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
I think most of us know the story of the prodigal son and his return to his father after years of absence. The point that I'm making tonight with this story, is that the older brother was extremely bitter about his younger brother's return. The older brother felt hatred towards his brother because he (ob) felt that he had been more faithful to his father. The older brother couldn't understand why his father would be so happy that his younger brother had returned when it was his younger brother's choice to leave in the first place. The older brother wanted praise from his father for staying at home and doing what he was supposed to.
Jesus used this parable to show the Pharisees how God cares for human beings and rejoices when his children come to home to Him. Jesus wanted the Pharisees to see that it was better to love people than to love law, order, and the appearance of righteousness.
We too should love each other. We should delight in each other's triumphs! Human nature teaches us to only be happy for ourselves, but Christ teaches us that we should rejoice with one another and that we should never withhold a joyful attitude from our friends when they succeed, even if they sometimes overlook our victories.
God Bless,
Taylor
I think most of us know the story of the prodigal son and his return to his father after years of absence. The point that I'm making tonight with this story, is that the older brother was extremely bitter about his younger brother's return. The older brother felt hatred towards his brother because he (ob) felt that he had been more faithful to his father. The older brother couldn't understand why his father would be so happy that his younger brother had returned when it was his younger brother's choice to leave in the first place. The older brother wanted praise from his father for staying at home and doing what he was supposed to.
Jesus used this parable to show the Pharisees how God cares for human beings and rejoices when his children come to home to Him. Jesus wanted the Pharisees to see that it was better to love people than to love law, order, and the appearance of righteousness.
We too should love each other. We should delight in each other's triumphs! Human nature teaches us to only be happy for ourselves, but Christ teaches us that we should rejoice with one another and that we should never withhold a joyful attitude from our friends when they succeed, even if they sometimes overlook our victories.
God Bless,
Taylor
Monday, February 15, 2010
Not of This World
My pastor always says that "we are in this world, but we are not of this world."
Romans 12:2 - And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
As Christians, we Are Not of this world. We have been hand-picked by God and we belong to Him. We are His completely. Because of this, we should act differently. We should not try to blend into this world, as most of us do. We should stand out because We Are Different. We are God's children and the rest of the world should be able to see that through our lives. God doesn't want us to blend in. He wants us to stand out FOR HIM!
Being different isn't always easy. In fact, standing out for God is quite hard.
Jesus tells us And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. (Matthew 10:22)
But, we have to remember that no matter how hard it gets sometimes, God is always, Always there.
Isaiah 41:10 - Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
God has told us that He is here for us at all times, and He cannot lie! That's the beauty of the Bible. God promises us so much, and we know that it is true because God cannot lie.
That's really all I have for tonight. In closing, I would just challenge you to stand out. Make a statement for God.
God Bless,
Taylor
Romans 12:2 - And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
As Christians, we Are Not of this world. We have been hand-picked by God and we belong to Him. We are His completely. Because of this, we should act differently. We should not try to blend into this world, as most of us do. We should stand out because We Are Different. We are God's children and the rest of the world should be able to see that through our lives. God doesn't want us to blend in. He wants us to stand out FOR HIM!
Being different isn't always easy. In fact, standing out for God is quite hard.
Jesus tells us And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. (Matthew 10:22)
But, we have to remember that no matter how hard it gets sometimes, God is always, Always there.
Isaiah 41:10 - Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
God has told us that He is here for us at all times, and He cannot lie! That's the beauty of the Bible. God promises us so much, and we know that it is true because God cannot lie.
That's really all I have for tonight. In closing, I would just challenge you to stand out. Make a statement for God.
God Bless,
Taylor
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Valentine's Day
Since it is Valentine's Day, I'm going to do another blog on love. This is a bit different from the previous one that I did, though.
I Corinthians 13:1-13 - Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Love is the most selfless act there is. Loving someone means putting their welfare above your own. Loving someone means making their health, happiness, and growth a priority. This is God's kind of love, anyway. God wills only the best for every person and you can see it in the way He has treated the world.
First, God created us in His image.
Genesis 1:27 - So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Second, God wills your best by using his loving power to keep this planet going.
Colossians 1:16-17 - For by him were al things created, that are in heaven, and in earth, visitble and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Third, God proved that He wills the best for you--even at your sinful worst--by redeeming you at great cost. When Jesus dies on the cross, He did so for all people.
II Corinthians 5:15 - And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
We should strive to love one another as God loves us. He loves us with a perfect love and that's how He wants us to love our neighbors. What changes can you make in your life to constantly show God's love through your actions?
God Bless,
Taylor
I Corinthians 13:1-13 - Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Love is the most selfless act there is. Loving someone means putting their welfare above your own. Loving someone means making their health, happiness, and growth a priority. This is God's kind of love, anyway. God wills only the best for every person and you can see it in the way He has treated the world.
First, God created us in His image.
Genesis 1:27 - So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Second, God wills your best by using his loving power to keep this planet going.
Colossians 1:16-17 - For by him were al things created, that are in heaven, and in earth, visitble and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Third, God proved that He wills the best for you--even at your sinful worst--by redeeming you at great cost. When Jesus dies on the cross, He did so for all people.
II Corinthians 5:15 - And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
We should strive to love one another as God loves us. He loves us with a perfect love and that's how He wants us to love our neighbors. What changes can you make in your life to constantly show God's love through your actions?
God Bless,
Taylor
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Matthew 11:28-30 - Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, my burden is light.
Tonight I am just musing upon this verse. The fact that Jesus tells us to lay ALL of our burdens on Him... I guess it just kind of baffles me sometimes to think about that fact. The fact that we don't have to feel the weight of our burdens. We, as humans, chose to place those weights on ourselves by thinking that we can handle things better than God can. I think that many times we get so caught up in the things that are going on around us, that we forget that God is there, simply waiting for us to lay our burdens on Him. We get bogged down and tuckered out so quickly sometimes that we can become crushed under the weight of those burdens. But the answer to releasing those weights is so simple. We, as humans, just hate to give up control. We don't like the idea of relinquishing our obligation to worry about things. But I can promise you this, God knows the answer. God knows the solution, no matter what the problem is. And I KNOW that He can handle any situation better than I can. His ways are above our own, and He knows what the best answers are.
So the next time you are feeling crushed under the weight of your burdens, or even if you are just beginning to feel the pressure building up, give control over to God. He will take your burdens and give you rest.
God Bless,
Taylor
Tonight I am just musing upon this verse. The fact that Jesus tells us to lay ALL of our burdens on Him... I guess it just kind of baffles me sometimes to think about that fact. The fact that we don't have to feel the weight of our burdens. We, as humans, chose to place those weights on ourselves by thinking that we can handle things better than God can. I think that many times we get so caught up in the things that are going on around us, that we forget that God is there, simply waiting for us to lay our burdens on Him. We get bogged down and tuckered out so quickly sometimes that we can become crushed under the weight of those burdens. But the answer to releasing those weights is so simple. We, as humans, just hate to give up control. We don't like the idea of relinquishing our obligation to worry about things. But I can promise you this, God knows the answer. God knows the solution, no matter what the problem is. And I KNOW that He can handle any situation better than I can. His ways are above our own, and He knows what the best answers are.
So the next time you are feeling crushed under the weight of your burdens, or even if you are just beginning to feel the pressure building up, give control over to God. He will take your burdens and give you rest.
God Bless,
Taylor
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Rejoicing in the Lord
Luke 12:13-21 - And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consistheth not in the adundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no romo where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy souls hall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
So many people today judge themselves and/or others based on the things that they have. The material possessions that we hold onto here on Earth. But really, what do those materials mean? I know, as humans, we all have things that we wish to have. We at some point in our lives have thought, "Man, if I just had ________ I would be completely happy." But no material possession will ever be enough. Even if you get that pony, car, iPod, cell phone, house, job, amount of money, etc. you will not be satisfied. There is only ONE thing that can truly satisfy us, and that is God.
I'm sure that most, if not all, of you are familiar with Paul from the Bible. Paul was a man who, when he was known as Saul, had material possessions. He had power within the community. He had what most of us would consider to be a pretty good life. But he didn't have God. When God interevened in Paul's life, it got a lot harder. But Paul didn't complain. Paul rejoiced in the fact that God was his Lord and Savior, and that NO man could take that from him. Paul rejoiced in doing God's work here on Earth and he rejoiced in the fact that he knew he would be going to Heaven when God was ready to call him home.
Paul said in Philippians 1:12-14 - But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
And in Philippians 4:4 Paul reminds us to - Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Lastly Philippians 4:11-13 - Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Although Paul faced persecution and spent many nights in a number of jail cells because of his belief and teaching of Jesus Christ, he did not falter in his love for God. He knew that what was happening to him was part of God's plan and he rejoiced in that.
So I ask you to stop and take a look at your life. Think about all the magnificent things God has blessed you with. Think about your Savior, your family, your friends, your nice hair or cute toes, your brain and your education, the roof over your head and the shoes on your feet. Everything.
Then take a moment and think about something that happened in your life that was hard to deal with. Think about how God used a situation that looked bad to make a difference in your life. Whether that thing made you stronger, bolder, more caring, etc.
And then, I challenge you to constantly rejoice in your Lord. Our God is great, no matter what our particular circumstances are at the time. And if you cannot find one other thing to rejoice in throughout your day, rejoice in the fact that God loved YOU enough to send His son to die in your place. When you think about the love and blessings that God has given you, it's extremely hard to stay sad, angry, or frustrated. We have to remember that everything happens for a reason, and that those things that happen in our lives are the tools God is using to shape us into the person that He wants us to be for Him.
God Bless,
Taylor
So many people today judge themselves and/or others based on the things that they have. The material possessions that we hold onto here on Earth. But really, what do those materials mean? I know, as humans, we all have things that we wish to have. We at some point in our lives have thought, "Man, if I just had ________ I would be completely happy." But no material possession will ever be enough. Even if you get that pony, car, iPod, cell phone, house, job, amount of money, etc. you will not be satisfied. There is only ONE thing that can truly satisfy us, and that is God.
I'm sure that most, if not all, of you are familiar with Paul from the Bible. Paul was a man who, when he was known as Saul, had material possessions. He had power within the community. He had what most of us would consider to be a pretty good life. But he didn't have God. When God interevened in Paul's life, it got a lot harder. But Paul didn't complain. Paul rejoiced in the fact that God was his Lord and Savior, and that NO man could take that from him. Paul rejoiced in doing God's work here on Earth and he rejoiced in the fact that he knew he would be going to Heaven when God was ready to call him home.
Paul said in Philippians 1:12-14 - But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
And in Philippians 4:4 Paul reminds us to - Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Lastly Philippians 4:11-13 - Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Although Paul faced persecution and spent many nights in a number of jail cells because of his belief and teaching of Jesus Christ, he did not falter in his love for God. He knew that what was happening to him was part of God's plan and he rejoiced in that.
So I ask you to stop and take a look at your life. Think about all the magnificent things God has blessed you with. Think about your Savior, your family, your friends, your nice hair or cute toes, your brain and your education, the roof over your head and the shoes on your feet. Everything.
Then take a moment and think about something that happened in your life that was hard to deal with. Think about how God used a situation that looked bad to make a difference in your life. Whether that thing made you stronger, bolder, more caring, etc.
And then, I challenge you to constantly rejoice in your Lord. Our God is great, no matter what our particular circumstances are at the time. And if you cannot find one other thing to rejoice in throughout your day, rejoice in the fact that God loved YOU enough to send His son to die in your place. When you think about the love and blessings that God has given you, it's extremely hard to stay sad, angry, or frustrated. We have to remember that everything happens for a reason, and that those things that happen in our lives are the tools God is using to shape us into the person that He wants us to be for Him.
God Bless,
Taylor
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Take it in AND Live it out
The Bible.
What is it? A book some guy wrote thousands of years ago? A good story? A book just like any other?
The Bible is none of those things. The Bible is in a league of its own. No other book could ever be like it. The Bible isn't one of many great books. It is the ONE AND ONLY great book. A Professor M. Montiero-Williams said, "Pile them [the great Eastern books], if you will, on the left side of your study table; but place your own Holy Bible on the right side--all by itself, all alone--and with a wide gap between them. For...there is a gulf between it and the other so-called sacred books of the East which wevers the one from the other utterly, hopelessly, forever...a veritable gulf which cannot be bridged." This book was breathed by God. It was written on three different continents by more than forty men from every walk of life. It was written like this in a world without email, telephones, or postcards. The Bible is the cohesive story of God's working to save humankind. And the best part is that God is using this book, HIS book, to work in us.
BUT how can the Bible help us if we aren't in it? We have to actively be reading the Bible. We have to be searching for it's truths. And once we get into the Bible, we have yet another task. We have to SPREAD the Bible to others. We have to live as the Bible tells us to live, so that we can be walking testamonies for God. We benefit most from the Bible when we experience it by allowing it to impact our thoughts, words, and actions.
James 1:19-25 - Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, andnot hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
God wants us to be hearers of the word, AND doers of the word. He wants us to Take It In and Live It Out. What good is having the knowledge of our Lord and Savior if we keep it to ourselves? Jesus came to this Earth to spread the gospel and He wants us to do the same. I challenge you to get into your Bible, AND to live a Godly life based in the things that you read in that Bible.
God Bless,
Taylor
What is it? A book some guy wrote thousands of years ago? A good story? A book just like any other?
The Bible is none of those things. The Bible is in a league of its own. No other book could ever be like it. The Bible isn't one of many great books. It is the ONE AND ONLY great book. A Professor M. Montiero-Williams said, "Pile them [the great Eastern books], if you will, on the left side of your study table; but place your own Holy Bible on the right side--all by itself, all alone--and with a wide gap between them. For...there is a gulf between it and the other so-called sacred books of the East which wevers the one from the other utterly, hopelessly, forever...a veritable gulf which cannot be bridged." This book was breathed by God. It was written on three different continents by more than forty men from every walk of life. It was written like this in a world without email, telephones, or postcards. The Bible is the cohesive story of God's working to save humankind. And the best part is that God is using this book, HIS book, to work in us.
BUT how can the Bible help us if we aren't in it? We have to actively be reading the Bible. We have to be searching for it's truths. And once we get into the Bible, we have yet another task. We have to SPREAD the Bible to others. We have to live as the Bible tells us to live, so that we can be walking testamonies for God. We benefit most from the Bible when we experience it by allowing it to impact our thoughts, words, and actions.
James 1:19-25 - Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, andnot hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
God wants us to be hearers of the word, AND doers of the word. He wants us to Take It In and Live It Out. What good is having the knowledge of our Lord and Savior if we keep it to ourselves? Jesus came to this Earth to spread the gospel and He wants us to do the same. I challenge you to get into your Bible, AND to live a Godly life based in the things that you read in that Bible.
God Bless,
Taylor
Monday, February 8, 2010
Love
With Valentine's Day coming up, the sermon at BCM (Baptist Collegiate Ministries) tonight was about love: God's love for us as well as how we should love one another in Christ.
Something to keep in mind: Love is not a hole. "Falling" in love is inconcievable because love is supposed to be a growing committment BETWEEN two people. But we'll get back to that later. =)
Here are the Seven Habits of Highly Effective Single People or the Wise Standards for Discerning a Right Life Partner (and my comments on them =).
1) I will only date and marry a growing Christian. (Fellowship)
I Thessalonians 5:23 - And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Spirit - Your basic drive and motivation in life (for Christians this should be God) [Dating Stage]
Soul - Mind, Will, and Emotions (your thought life) {What Jesus changes in your life after you become saved... AKA sanctification} [Dating/Engagement Stage]
Body - Physical Self [MARRIAGE]
Oneness and Committment are grown as you go through this process, but ONLY if you start at the top and work your way down the list.
II Corinthians 6:14-17 - Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I WILL DWELL IN THEM, AND WALK IN THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. wHEREFORE COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM, AND BE YE SEPARATE, SAITH THE LORD, AND TOUCH NOT THE UNCLEAN THING; AND I WILL RECEIVE YOU
Basically - Be not unequally yoked.
2) I will relate dating and marriage to God's purpose for my life. (Purpose).
Mark 12:29-31 - And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, HEAR, O ISRAEL; THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD: AND THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL, AND WITH ALL THY MIND, AND WITH ALL THY STRENGTH: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF. There is none other commandment greater than these.
If you could imagine for me, a triangle. At the top is God. On the left is the boy of your dreams and on the right is you, the girl in this scenario (if you're a guy reading this, just switch the bottom two around). We could take the short path and go straight to the boy of our dreams, but where would that put us? The same length or farther from God. But, if we look at God and strive to be closer to Him, and the boy is doing the same, we will ultimately grow closer to both God and the boy (as long as that boy is who God wants for you, and if He doesn't, you won't have lost anything that God wanted you to have). We have to keep our eyes on God BECAUSE our God is a jealous God, and He will not take second place in your life.
Now for a bit of direction:
MEN: You should be the spiritual leader in your relationship. Your job as the male is to direct, protect, and provide. God expects you to lead. He expects you to be a safe haven, and He expects you to provide for your girlfriend/wife/family.
WOMEN: You should be an example and a challenge. Yes. A Challenge. It is your job to set the bar high and wait for the man, who God want to be in your life, to JUMP that bar. YOU ARE WORTH MORE THAN RUBIES, and God wants the VERY best for you. He would never let you settle for less that His best, and you shouldn't be willing to settle for anything less either.
3) I will not "defraud" the one I date. (Purity)
I Thessalonians 4:1-8 - Furthermore then we beseech you brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleaness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.
Basically: We should abstain from sexual immorality
I Corinthians 6:18-20 - Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
In the context of love: This is basically saying that before marriage MY BODY BELONGS TO GOD, and God alone. He bought me with a price and therefore I belong to Him. Completely.
I Corinthians 7:1-4 - Now concerning the things whereof wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
After marriage, your partner has rights to your body because you are one. You are bonded, bonded as a new creature in Christ. But before you say "I do" before God, your priest, your family and friends, your body belongs Solely to God.
Hebrews 13:4 - Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
I think this is pretty self explanitory.
4) I will "purpose" to be in harmony at home. (Authority)
Ephesians 6:1-3 - Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live love on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Colossians 3:20 - Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
I think we all know this lesson: Obey your parents. We've been hearing it since we went to our first Sunday School class. However, I think it is something that we could all work on, myself included. God gave us parents to protect and teach us. He wants us to learn from them so that we don't repeat their mistakes. He also put them in our lives to shield us from the terrors of the world and the slings and arrows of the Devil.
Exodus 20:12 - Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Honor your father and mother. The person who was giving this sermon brought up an interesting point tonight. He said that he would not marry anyone whose parents did not support their union. It's intriguing to think about. I mean... we all know that we want our parents to approve of who we're dating (even if we hide that fact from them), but how much weight do we Actually put into our parents' opinions of our boyfriends/girlfriends? Refering to my above commentary, our parents were given to us to lead us down the right paths. They are given to us to protect us. And, something that I know is always true, they want what is BEST for us, no matter what. So the next time your parent makes a comment about your boyfriend/girlfriend, listen to what they're saying.
I Samuel 15:23 - For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
5) I will wait for God's timing in marriage. (Trust)
Psalm 62:5 - My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
6) I will yield my right to date and marry to God. (Submission)
Luke 9:24 - For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lost his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Matthew 6:33 - But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Psalms 37:4-5 - Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
7) I will trust God to meet my deepest needs.
Psalm 84:11 - For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Romans 8:32 - He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
God will not withhold things from me. He knows Exactly what I need, and He is ready to give me those things which my heart desires.
In closing, Love is SO much more than just a fleeting feeling or a sideways glance. God tells us SO much about His love for us and about how we should love one another. God has not forgotten and will not forget about you. Ever. Period. He knows what you need.
I know that this has been a long post already but I feel like all Christians need to realize that God knows how you're feeling, and how you're probably longing to have someone to love. But do you realize that He knows who that person for you is? He already knows! He has Always known. And when you and that other person are both ready, He will not withhold that love from you. So be patient. And if you get anxious, here is a song for you.
Love is Waiting ~ Brooke Fraser
In the autumn on the ground, between the traffic and the ordinary sounds
I am thinking signs and seasons while a north wind blows through
I watch as lovers pass me by
Walking stories - whos and hows and whys
Musing lazily on love
Pondering you
I'll give it time, give it space and be still for a spell
When it's time to walk that way we want to walk it well
I'll be waiting for you baby
I'll be holding back the darkest night
Love is waiting til we're ready
Til it's right
Love is waiting
It's my caution not the cold
There's no other hand that I would rather hold
The climate changes, I'm singing for the strangers about you
Don't keep time, slow the pace
Honey hold on if you can
The bets are getting surer now that you're my man
I'll be waiting for you baby
I'll be holding back the darkest night
Love is waiting til we're ready
Til it's right
Love is waiting
I could write a million songs about the way you say my name
I could live a lifetime with you and then do it all again
And like I can't force the sun to rise or hasten summer's start,
Neither should I rush my way into you heart
I'll be waiting for you baby
I'll be holding back the darkest night
Love is waiting til we're ready
Til it's right
I'll be waiting for you baby
I'll be holding back the darkest night
Love is waiting til we're ready
Til it's right
Love is waiting
And finally, I'll leave you with a passage that I'm sure is familiar to us all.
I Corinthians 13:1-13 - Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
God Bless,
Taylor
Something to keep in mind: Love is not a hole. "Falling" in love is inconcievable because love is supposed to be a growing committment BETWEEN two people. But we'll get back to that later. =)
Here are the Seven Habits of Highly Effective Single People or the Wise Standards for Discerning a Right Life Partner (and my comments on them =).
1) I will only date and marry a growing Christian. (Fellowship)
I Thessalonians 5:23 - And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Spirit - Your basic drive and motivation in life (for Christians this should be God) [Dating Stage]
Soul - Mind, Will, and Emotions (your thought life) {What Jesus changes in your life after you become saved... AKA sanctification} [Dating/Engagement Stage]
Body - Physical Self [MARRIAGE]
Oneness and Committment are grown as you go through this process, but ONLY if you start at the top and work your way down the list.
II Corinthians 6:14-17 - Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I WILL DWELL IN THEM, AND WALK IN THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. wHEREFORE COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM, AND BE YE SEPARATE, SAITH THE LORD, AND TOUCH NOT THE UNCLEAN THING; AND I WILL RECEIVE YOU
Basically - Be not unequally yoked.
2) I will relate dating and marriage to God's purpose for my life. (Purpose).
Mark 12:29-31 - And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, HEAR, O ISRAEL; THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD: AND THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL, AND WITH ALL THY MIND, AND WITH ALL THY STRENGTH: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF. There is none other commandment greater than these.
If you could imagine for me, a triangle. At the top is God. On the left is the boy of your dreams and on the right is you, the girl in this scenario (if you're a guy reading this, just switch the bottom two around). We could take the short path and go straight to the boy of our dreams, but where would that put us? The same length or farther from God. But, if we look at God and strive to be closer to Him, and the boy is doing the same, we will ultimately grow closer to both God and the boy (as long as that boy is who God wants for you, and if He doesn't, you won't have lost anything that God wanted you to have). We have to keep our eyes on God BECAUSE our God is a jealous God, and He will not take second place in your life.
Now for a bit of direction:
MEN: You should be the spiritual leader in your relationship. Your job as the male is to direct, protect, and provide. God expects you to lead. He expects you to be a safe haven, and He expects you to provide for your girlfriend/wife/family.
WOMEN: You should be an example and a challenge. Yes. A Challenge. It is your job to set the bar high and wait for the man, who God want to be in your life, to JUMP that bar. YOU ARE WORTH MORE THAN RUBIES, and God wants the VERY best for you. He would never let you settle for less that His best, and you shouldn't be willing to settle for anything less either.
3) I will not "defraud" the one I date. (Purity)
I Thessalonians 4:1-8 - Furthermore then we beseech you brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleaness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.
Basically: We should abstain from sexual immorality
I Corinthians 6:18-20 - Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
In the context of love: This is basically saying that before marriage MY BODY BELONGS TO GOD, and God alone. He bought me with a price and therefore I belong to Him. Completely.
I Corinthians 7:1-4 - Now concerning the things whereof wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
After marriage, your partner has rights to your body because you are one. You are bonded, bonded as a new creature in Christ. But before you say "I do" before God, your priest, your family and friends, your body belongs Solely to God.
Hebrews 13:4 - Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
I think this is pretty self explanitory.
4) I will "purpose" to be in harmony at home. (Authority)
Ephesians 6:1-3 - Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live love on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Colossians 3:20 - Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
I think we all know this lesson: Obey your parents. We've been hearing it since we went to our first Sunday School class. However, I think it is something that we could all work on, myself included. God gave us parents to protect and teach us. He wants us to learn from them so that we don't repeat their mistakes. He also put them in our lives to shield us from the terrors of the world and the slings and arrows of the Devil.
Exodus 20:12 - Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Honor your father and mother. The person who was giving this sermon brought up an interesting point tonight. He said that he would not marry anyone whose parents did not support their union. It's intriguing to think about. I mean... we all know that we want our parents to approve of who we're dating (even if we hide that fact from them), but how much weight do we Actually put into our parents' opinions of our boyfriends/girlfriends? Refering to my above commentary, our parents were given to us to lead us down the right paths. They are given to us to protect us. And, something that I know is always true, they want what is BEST for us, no matter what. So the next time your parent makes a comment about your boyfriend/girlfriend, listen to what they're saying.
I Samuel 15:23 - For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
5) I will wait for God's timing in marriage. (Trust)
Psalm 62:5 - My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
6) I will yield my right to date and marry to God. (Submission)
Luke 9:24 - For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lost his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Matthew 6:33 - But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Psalms 37:4-5 - Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
7) I will trust God to meet my deepest needs.
Psalm 84:11 - For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Romans 8:32 - He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
God will not withhold things from me. He knows Exactly what I need, and He is ready to give me those things which my heart desires.
In closing, Love is SO much more than just a fleeting feeling or a sideways glance. God tells us SO much about His love for us and about how we should love one another. God has not forgotten and will not forget about you. Ever. Period. He knows what you need.
I know that this has been a long post already but I feel like all Christians need to realize that God knows how you're feeling, and how you're probably longing to have someone to love. But do you realize that He knows who that person for you is? He already knows! He has Always known. And when you and that other person are both ready, He will not withhold that love from you. So be patient. And if you get anxious, here is a song for you.
Love is Waiting ~ Brooke Fraser
In the autumn on the ground, between the traffic and the ordinary sounds
I am thinking signs and seasons while a north wind blows through
I watch as lovers pass me by
Walking stories - whos and hows and whys
Musing lazily on love
Pondering you
I'll give it time, give it space and be still for a spell
When it's time to walk that way we want to walk it well
I'll be waiting for you baby
I'll be holding back the darkest night
Love is waiting til we're ready
Til it's right
Love is waiting
It's my caution not the cold
There's no other hand that I would rather hold
The climate changes, I'm singing for the strangers about you
Don't keep time, slow the pace
Honey hold on if you can
The bets are getting surer now that you're my man
I'll be waiting for you baby
I'll be holding back the darkest night
Love is waiting til we're ready
Til it's right
Love is waiting
I could write a million songs about the way you say my name
I could live a lifetime with you and then do it all again
And like I can't force the sun to rise or hasten summer's start,
Neither should I rush my way into you heart
I'll be waiting for you baby
I'll be holding back the darkest night
Love is waiting til we're ready
Til it's right
I'll be waiting for you baby
I'll be holding back the darkest night
Love is waiting til we're ready
Til it's right
Love is waiting
And finally, I'll leave you with a passage that I'm sure is familiar to us all.
I Corinthians 13:1-13 - Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
God Bless,
Taylor
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Future Prophecy
Hey everyone. I apologize for not posting Friday or Saturday. I had a busy weekend and time just got away from me.
Today I'm going to write about the lesson that we have been talking about in Sunday School for the past two weeks: Future Prophecy.
This is a lot of material, but my Sunday School class is going to be going deeper into each event in the next few weeks. This is basically an overview and introduction to the topics that will be covered later on, but I think that these events should be things that all Christians are aware of.
The Rapture
I Thessalonians 4:13-18 - But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are still alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Overview: Jesus will appear in the air, trumpets will sound, the dead in Christ shall rise, and then the Christians who are still alive will ascend.
The Judgment Seat of Christ
II Corinthians 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Overview: The Judgment Seat of Christ is only for Christians. This judgment is not about salvation. It is about the rewarding of all Christians for what we have done for Christ in our life. This is also not about our sins. Jesus has already taken care of our sins by dying for us on the cross.
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
Ephesians 5:25-27 - Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Revelation 19:7-9 - Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Overview: The Judgment Seat of Christ prepares us to be God's whole, perfect, unblemished bride. This is when Jesus will be united with all saved Christians ("wedding his bride").
The Tribulation (I believe in the post-rapture tribulation, which is why I am placing it here in the order of events. Regardless of when it will happen, the prophesized events will be the same.)
Revelation chapters 6-9 (which I will not be typing all of... =)
Overview: The Tribulation will last for 7 years and it will happen on Earth. During these 7 years, God will be judging the world for sinfulness and preparing Israel for their coming Messiah. The nation of Israel will go through the tribulation just like the rest of the unsaved people because they did not believe in Christ's first coming.
The Great Tribulation will take place during the last three and a half years. Things will begin to get VERY bad. There will be famine, great hail storms, etc. In these last three and a half years the Anti-Christ will rise to power. The Anti-Christ will be able to explain all of these events (the famine, hail, missing Christians) away. The False Prophet will also rise to power during these years. He will be THE religious spokesperson, but he will not be teaching about God. Both the Anti-Christ and the False Prophet will be able to have so much power because the world will have one united government.
The Battle of Armageddon
Revelation 16:14 & 16 - For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
Overview: The Battle of Armageddon will occur at the end of the 7 years of Tribulation. The Anti-Christ and his armies will battle Israel (to try and get rid of them before God and His armies can come to their rescue). This battle will occur in the valley that is south of Nazareth and west of the Jordan River.
The Second Coming (or Revatlation) of Christ
Revelation 19:11-21 - And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kinds, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kinds of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Overview: The Second Coming of Christ is not to be confused with The Rapture. The Second Coming is when Christ will actually RETURN to Earth. During The Rapture, Jesus will meet all the Christians in the air. Jesus comes back to Earth to wipe out Satan and his armies. We Christians are Jesus' armies, clothed in white linens and sitting upon white horses. We are his followers, but we never have to actually fight. Jesus takes care of everything for us. We get to share in His victory.
The Great White Throne Judgment
Revelation 20:11-15 - And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Overview: This is the judgment for the unsaved. Christians will not be at the Great White Throne Judgment. This is where all of the unsaved people of the world will be judged and then thrown into the lake of fire. That's harsh, and I'm definitely glad that I won't have to be there.
The Millenium Reign of Christ
Revelation 20:1-6 - And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Overview: Christ will rule the Earth for a thousand years. We will rule with Him and it will be a good time for us. This will be a great victory for Christians and for Israel.
Like I said in the beginning, this is just scratching the surface of these events, but it's a good introduction to the things that are to come. Hopefully I will be able to do more in depth posts about these events in the future. Also, if you ever get confused about the scripture that I write, I write it in the King James Version for a reason. This is the text that we use at my church, so it's what I'm used to, but also, because I know that most other churches today don't use the KJV, so I encourage you to compare the scripture I type here to the scripture in the different versions of the Bible that are out there.
I hope that everyone had a good, safe weekend. I'm already looking foward to the next one. =)
God Bless,
Taylor
Today I'm going to write about the lesson that we have been talking about in Sunday School for the past two weeks: Future Prophecy.
This is a lot of material, but my Sunday School class is going to be going deeper into each event in the next few weeks. This is basically an overview and introduction to the topics that will be covered later on, but I think that these events should be things that all Christians are aware of.
The Rapture
I Thessalonians 4:13-18 - But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are still alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Overview: Jesus will appear in the air, trumpets will sound, the dead in Christ shall rise, and then the Christians who are still alive will ascend.
The Judgment Seat of Christ
II Corinthians 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Overview: The Judgment Seat of Christ is only for Christians. This judgment is not about salvation. It is about the rewarding of all Christians for what we have done for Christ in our life. This is also not about our sins. Jesus has already taken care of our sins by dying for us on the cross.
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
Ephesians 5:25-27 - Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Revelation 19:7-9 - Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Overview: The Judgment Seat of Christ prepares us to be God's whole, perfect, unblemished bride. This is when Jesus will be united with all saved Christians ("wedding his bride").
The Tribulation (I believe in the post-rapture tribulation, which is why I am placing it here in the order of events. Regardless of when it will happen, the prophesized events will be the same.)
Revelation chapters 6-9 (which I will not be typing all of... =)
Overview: The Tribulation will last for 7 years and it will happen on Earth. During these 7 years, God will be judging the world for sinfulness and preparing Israel for their coming Messiah. The nation of Israel will go through the tribulation just like the rest of the unsaved people because they did not believe in Christ's first coming.
The Great Tribulation will take place during the last three and a half years. Things will begin to get VERY bad. There will be famine, great hail storms, etc. In these last three and a half years the Anti-Christ will rise to power. The Anti-Christ will be able to explain all of these events (the famine, hail, missing Christians) away. The False Prophet will also rise to power during these years. He will be THE religious spokesperson, but he will not be teaching about God. Both the Anti-Christ and the False Prophet will be able to have so much power because the world will have one united government.
The Battle of Armageddon
Revelation 16:14 & 16 - For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
Overview: The Battle of Armageddon will occur at the end of the 7 years of Tribulation. The Anti-Christ and his armies will battle Israel (to try and get rid of them before God and His armies can come to their rescue). This battle will occur in the valley that is south of Nazareth and west of the Jordan River.
The Second Coming (or Revatlation) of Christ
Revelation 19:11-21 - And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kinds, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kinds of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Overview: The Second Coming of Christ is not to be confused with The Rapture. The Second Coming is when Christ will actually RETURN to Earth. During The Rapture, Jesus will meet all the Christians in the air. Jesus comes back to Earth to wipe out Satan and his armies. We Christians are Jesus' armies, clothed in white linens and sitting upon white horses. We are his followers, but we never have to actually fight. Jesus takes care of everything for us. We get to share in His victory.
The Great White Throne Judgment
Revelation 20:11-15 - And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Overview: This is the judgment for the unsaved. Christians will not be at the Great White Throne Judgment. This is where all of the unsaved people of the world will be judged and then thrown into the lake of fire. That's harsh, and I'm definitely glad that I won't have to be there.
The Millenium Reign of Christ
Revelation 20:1-6 - And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Overview: Christ will rule the Earth for a thousand years. We will rule with Him and it will be a good time for us. This will be a great victory for Christians and for Israel.
Like I said in the beginning, this is just scratching the surface of these events, but it's a good introduction to the things that are to come. Hopefully I will be able to do more in depth posts about these events in the future. Also, if you ever get confused about the scripture that I write, I write it in the King James Version for a reason. This is the text that we use at my church, so it's what I'm used to, but also, because I know that most other churches today don't use the KJV, so I encourage you to compare the scripture I type here to the scripture in the different versions of the Bible that are out there.
I hope that everyone had a good, safe weekend. I'm already looking foward to the next one. =)
God Bless,
Taylor
Thursday, February 4, 2010
A Hardening Heart
Today's blurb is going to be based in an online devotional: In Touch Ministries Daily Devotional with Dr. Charles Stanley. I think The Danger of a Hardening Heart is something that we will all face at some point in time. I'll comment more as we go along. =)
The Danger of a Hardening Heart
Hebrews 3:7-19 - Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, TO DAY IF YE WILL HEAR HIS VOICE, HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS, AS IN THE PROVOCATION, IN THE DAY OF TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS: WHEN YOUR FATHERS TEMPTED ME, PROVED ME, AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS. WHEREFORE I WAS GRIEVED WITH THAT GENERATION, AND SAID, THEY DO ALWAY ERR IN THEIR HEART; AND THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN MY WAYS. SO I SWARE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER INTO MY REST.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, TO DAY IF YE WILL HEAR HIS VOICE, HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS, AS IN THE PROVOCATION. For soe, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
God repeatedly calls His children, but the condition of each heart determines the result. Those with soft and tender hearts hear His voice and yield to Him in obedience, but those with hard hearts resist His warnings and instructions. Surprisingly, upon hearing the same voice, some believers are motivated to a deeper and more obedient relationship with the Lord, while others reject and refuse Him.
Since hardening is a slow process that's often accompanied by rationalizations and excuses, the danger signs may not be readily recognized. How do you respond when the Lord speaks to you through His Word, your conscience, or messages based on Scripture? Carefully consider the following characteristics of a hardening heart:
-Insensitivity or resistance to what God says
-Refusal to put yourself under His authority
-Disobedience to what you know the Lord is instructing you to do
-Justification of sinful conduct
-Resistance to the reproof of others
-Preoccupation with the things of this world (career, relationships, possessions)
-Little interest in spiritual matters
-Absence of private devotion (Bible reading and prayer)
-Avoidance of public worship (gathering with other believers)
I just want to add that not all of things have to be present to show that a heart is beginning to harden. If even one is beginning to show up in our lives, we should take the time to evaluate our relationship with Him.
A hard heart does not have to stay in that condition. If you have discovered any of the above traits in your life, begin today to return to the Lord. Ask Him to give you a new heart to know Him.
Jeremiah 24:7 - And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.
Remember, He specializes in making all things new.
II Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
In my own life, I find that being in God's way and in His Word is extremely comforting. For instance, I didn't even realize that this devotional ended in the Bible verse that I wrote my first blog based on (it was the sermon at my church this past Sunday) until I got the bottom and typed it just now. But it makes me feel amazing to find these "coincidences." A very wise man (Albert Einstein to be specific) once said, "Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous," and I believe that to be very true. It's easy to forget about God's constant presence in our lives, but I think that we should all try to see His goodness in everything around us. Even if that thing is just a small coincidence. =)
Psalm 34:8 - O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. (KJV)
Psalm 34:8 - Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see - how good God is. Blessed are you who run to Him. (The Message)
God Bless,
Taylor
The Danger of a Hardening Heart
Hebrews 3:7-19 - Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, TO DAY IF YE WILL HEAR HIS VOICE, HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS, AS IN THE PROVOCATION, IN THE DAY OF TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS: WHEN YOUR FATHERS TEMPTED ME, PROVED ME, AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS. WHEREFORE I WAS GRIEVED WITH THAT GENERATION, AND SAID, THEY DO ALWAY ERR IN THEIR HEART; AND THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN MY WAYS. SO I SWARE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER INTO MY REST.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, TO DAY IF YE WILL HEAR HIS VOICE, HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS, AS IN THE PROVOCATION. For soe, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
God repeatedly calls His children, but the condition of each heart determines the result. Those with soft and tender hearts hear His voice and yield to Him in obedience, but those with hard hearts resist His warnings and instructions. Surprisingly, upon hearing the same voice, some believers are motivated to a deeper and more obedient relationship with the Lord, while others reject and refuse Him.
Since hardening is a slow process that's often accompanied by rationalizations and excuses, the danger signs may not be readily recognized. How do you respond when the Lord speaks to you through His Word, your conscience, or messages based on Scripture? Carefully consider the following characteristics of a hardening heart:
-Insensitivity or resistance to what God says
-Refusal to put yourself under His authority
-Disobedience to what you know the Lord is instructing you to do
-Justification of sinful conduct
-Resistance to the reproof of others
-Preoccupation with the things of this world (career, relationships, possessions)
-Little interest in spiritual matters
-Absence of private devotion (Bible reading and prayer)
-Avoidance of public worship (gathering with other believers)
I just want to add that not all of things have to be present to show that a heart is beginning to harden. If even one is beginning to show up in our lives, we should take the time to evaluate our relationship with Him.
A hard heart does not have to stay in that condition. If you have discovered any of the above traits in your life, begin today to return to the Lord. Ask Him to give you a new heart to know Him.
Jeremiah 24:7 - And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.
Remember, He specializes in making all things new.
II Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
In my own life, I find that being in God's way and in His Word is extremely comforting. For instance, I didn't even realize that this devotional ended in the Bible verse that I wrote my first blog based on (it was the sermon at my church this past Sunday) until I got the bottom and typed it just now. But it makes me feel amazing to find these "coincidences." A very wise man (Albert Einstein to be specific) once said, "Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous," and I believe that to be very true. It's easy to forget about God's constant presence in our lives, but I think that we should all try to see His goodness in everything around us. Even if that thing is just a small coincidence. =)
Psalm 34:8 - O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. (KJV)
Psalm 34:8 - Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see - how good God is. Blessed are you who run to Him. (The Message)
God Bless,
Taylor
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Winning and Losing?
Life is not about winning or losing. Life is about understanding, compromising, and growing. If life were about winning and losing, we would all be doomed. No one can win all of the time. It's impossible. None of us is perfect enough to dodge defeat. But there is still hope for us. Christ isn't judging us based on whether we win or lose. He loves us when we're on the top of the world and when we're on rock bottom. The only way for us to even begin to look towards the idea of perfection is to live through God. And even then we Still won't ever be perfect. We will Always fall down and need God's forgiveness. BUT by living through Him we will learn more from ALL of our experiences combined than we could ever learn through just winning.
God wants us to win and to lose. But wait. Wouldn't we think that our loving Heavenly Father would always want His children to win? Some people might think that. But in reality, God teaches us valuable lessons from losing. He wants us to win and lose graciously. Most importantly He wants to be the one that we turn to when we win AND when we lose. He is the ultimate coach in our lives and because He loves us, He won't always let us win. If you've ever played a sport or maybe even a board game, you can relate to the fact that you usually learn more when you lose than when you win. When you lose a softball game, you take the time to assess what may have gone wrong. Maybe you had a hole in left field because your centerfielder was standing to the right because she was mad at the leftfielder. The opposing team saw this and consistently hit the ball into the hole. After the game, you would huddle up and have a talk about working as a team and about doing your job. I use this analogy to say that if you had won the game, you may not have realized that there was a hole on the field. You wouldn't have taken the opportunity to evaluate your game afterwards.
God uses loses to teach us lessons. Sometimes we have to lose to learn from Him, and I know that in that case, I am okay with losing. I can only hope that in any case, whether I win or lose, I will praise Him for the opportunity to play the game.
Hebrews 7:19 - For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. (KJV)
Hebrews 7:19 - For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God. (NLT)
At the end of the day I would ask you to remember the words from the song:
I was sure by now God
You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as your mercy fall
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives
and takes away.
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
That you are who you are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives
and takes away
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
That you are who you are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I lift my eyes unto the hills
where does my help come from?
my help comes from the Lord
the maker of Heaven and Earth
I lift my eyes unto the hills
where does my help come from?
my help comes from the Lord
the maker of Heaven and Earth
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
That you are who you are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
Even when we're down and out, and feel like we're at the bottom, God is still there. =)
God Bless,
Taylor
God wants us to win and to lose. But wait. Wouldn't we think that our loving Heavenly Father would always want His children to win? Some people might think that. But in reality, God teaches us valuable lessons from losing. He wants us to win and lose graciously. Most importantly He wants to be the one that we turn to when we win AND when we lose. He is the ultimate coach in our lives and because He loves us, He won't always let us win. If you've ever played a sport or maybe even a board game, you can relate to the fact that you usually learn more when you lose than when you win. When you lose a softball game, you take the time to assess what may have gone wrong. Maybe you had a hole in left field because your centerfielder was standing to the right because she was mad at the leftfielder. The opposing team saw this and consistently hit the ball into the hole. After the game, you would huddle up and have a talk about working as a team and about doing your job. I use this analogy to say that if you had won the game, you may not have realized that there was a hole on the field. You wouldn't have taken the opportunity to evaluate your game afterwards.
God uses loses to teach us lessons. Sometimes we have to lose to learn from Him, and I know that in that case, I am okay with losing. I can only hope that in any case, whether I win or lose, I will praise Him for the opportunity to play the game.
Hebrews 7:19 - For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. (KJV)
Hebrews 7:19 - For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God. (NLT)
At the end of the day I would ask you to remember the words from the song:
I was sure by now God
You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as your mercy fall
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives
and takes away.
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
That you are who you are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives
and takes away
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
That you are who you are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I lift my eyes unto the hills
where does my help come from?
my help comes from the Lord
the maker of Heaven and Earth
I lift my eyes unto the hills
where does my help come from?
my help comes from the Lord
the maker of Heaven and Earth
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
That you are who you are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
Even when we're down and out, and feel like we're at the bottom, God is still there. =)
God Bless,
Taylor
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Difficult Relationships
I was going to pull today's content from a devotional, but I have something bigger going on in my life that I think I have to write about.
I try so hard to pour our my heart and my love to those around me, especially those closest to me. But some days I feel like all I get back is hate. It's hard to be friends with someone who hates you, but for some reason I keep pouring my love into the relationship.
John 13:34-35 - A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
I guess the only thing I pull strength from is the fact that Jesus loves us with an unconditional love, and He instructs us to love one another as He loves us. I'm not trying to put myself on a pedastal. Definitely not. I'm just trying to understand why I get hate shoved back at me when all I'm trying to do is love those around me. It's especially discouraging.
I John 3:16 - Hereby percieve we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (KJV)
I John 3:16 - We know what real love is because Christ gave up his live for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters. (NLT)
I just don't understand how someone could harbor so much hate towards a person who loves them so much. But again, I guess that is what Jesus felt a zillion times over as He died on the cross for our sins.
Romans 8:35-39 - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, FOR THY SAKE WE ARE KILLED ALL THE DAY LONG; WE ARE ACCOUNTED AS SHEEP FOR THE SLAUGHTER. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In the end I just have to remember that God loves me more than I will ever be able to imagine. He knows every ache I feel, every pain that I go through. I have to give Him my hand and trust that He is leading me down the path that I am supposed to be on. I have to place ALL of my faith in Him and draw my strength from Him and His word. I cannot let the discouragements and the heartache of this world separate me from His direction.
Matthew 25:23 - His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thow hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of the lord.
It is my hope to be considered a good and faithful servant of the Lord. I am just a visitor in this world. My home is in Heaven, and until I get there, I will do my best everyday to glorify my God. I want Him to be proud of me and what I am doing here on earth.
I hope that things will get better in the particular relationship that is crashing and burning right now, but until then I am putting all of my trust and my faith in God to get me through.
God Bless,
Taylor
I try so hard to pour our my heart and my love to those around me, especially those closest to me. But some days I feel like all I get back is hate. It's hard to be friends with someone who hates you, but for some reason I keep pouring my love into the relationship.
John 13:34-35 - A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
I guess the only thing I pull strength from is the fact that Jesus loves us with an unconditional love, and He instructs us to love one another as He loves us. I'm not trying to put myself on a pedastal. Definitely not. I'm just trying to understand why I get hate shoved back at me when all I'm trying to do is love those around me. It's especially discouraging.
I John 3:16 - Hereby percieve we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (KJV)
I John 3:16 - We know what real love is because Christ gave up his live for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters. (NLT)
I just don't understand how someone could harbor so much hate towards a person who loves them so much. But again, I guess that is what Jesus felt a zillion times over as He died on the cross for our sins.
Romans 8:35-39 - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, FOR THY SAKE WE ARE KILLED ALL THE DAY LONG; WE ARE ACCOUNTED AS SHEEP FOR THE SLAUGHTER. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In the end I just have to remember that God loves me more than I will ever be able to imagine. He knows every ache I feel, every pain that I go through. I have to give Him my hand and trust that He is leading me down the path that I am supposed to be on. I have to place ALL of my faith in Him and draw my strength from Him and His word. I cannot let the discouragements and the heartache of this world separate me from His direction.
Matthew 25:23 - His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thow hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of the lord.
It is my hope to be considered a good and faithful servant of the Lord. I am just a visitor in this world. My home is in Heaven, and until I get there, I will do my best everyday to glorify my God. I want Him to be proud of me and what I am doing here on earth.
I hope that things will get better in the particular relationship that is crashing and burning right now, but until then I am putting all of my trust and my faith in God to get me through.
God Bless,
Taylor
Monday, February 1, 2010
A Changed Life
II Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
When we are saved, we are a new creation in Him. It baffles me to think about this fact. It's so simple, yet so huge. We are new. Changed. And because of this, we should be living our lives FOR Christ, not for ourselves. Our lives should reflect the fact that we are new creations in Christ.
After we are saved, however, we are still in a constant battle with the flesh. We will still fall to temptation, because we are human, but we should always strive for perfection. Although we cannot lose our salvation, we CAN lose our walk with God through sin.
Salvation brings us so much. God tells us things about what we should expect after we accept him.
No condemnation. John 5:24 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
We will fail God at times by giving into temptation, but He will always forgive us and restore us into His service if we ask.
We are saved by grace. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
We are saved to serve. Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
What being a Christian and an active member of a church family should mean:
1) Being clean in conversation. I John 1:7 - But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
As Christians, our bodies, including our mouths, belong to God. We are constantly setting an example for our Lord. What do your words say about your Savior?
2) Being clean in conduct. Romans 12:17 - Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
This is something that I, personally, struggle with and I'm sure there are a lot of Christians who struggle with this too. It's hard to not get mad at people. We're only human, right? But getting mad at others only causes us pain. Jesus, our perfect role model, asked forgiveness for the very people who were crucifying Him. When we think about that fact, what gives us the right to be mad and curse those around us?
Ephesians 4:32 - And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Galatians 6:1 - Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
3) We should be cooperating
A. with our presence. Hebrews 10:25 - Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much more, as ye see the day approaching.
B. with our prayers. I Samuel 12:23 - Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way
C. with personal efforts. I Corinthians 3:9 - For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
Things that Christians Need to Conquer:
1) Evil Habits
How can we get closer in our walk with God if we are constantly giving in to a certain temptation or bad habit?
2) Hasty Tempers
God instructs us to to be kind and tenderhearted towards everyone. How can we walk closer with God if we are constantly blowing up at people and getting mad at them? Hate only breeds hate, and God loves us all just as He wants to love one another.
3) An Unforgiving Spirit
This just goes back to what I said earlier about how Jesus asked for forgiveness for the men who were crucifying Him. If Jesus can forgive the men who put Him to death, what gives us the right to hold something against someone?
4) Selfishness
We are God's servants. We each have a purpose on this earth and if we are selfish God can't use us to help other people. We are His fishers of men. If we always think about ourselves first, we will always fail to see others who are in need of His love, His guidance, and His grace.
That's all for tonight. It's a lot to think about.
If you have any comments or questions feel free to leave a comment. This is a growing experience for me too and I know that there are things I need to work on. Any knowledge that you would like to share is more than welcome.
God Bless,
Taylor
When we are saved, we are a new creation in Him. It baffles me to think about this fact. It's so simple, yet so huge. We are new. Changed. And because of this, we should be living our lives FOR Christ, not for ourselves. Our lives should reflect the fact that we are new creations in Christ.
After we are saved, however, we are still in a constant battle with the flesh. We will still fall to temptation, because we are human, but we should always strive for perfection. Although we cannot lose our salvation, we CAN lose our walk with God through sin.
Salvation brings us so much. God tells us things about what we should expect after we accept him.
No condemnation. John 5:24 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
We will fail God at times by giving into temptation, but He will always forgive us and restore us into His service if we ask.
We are saved by grace. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
We are saved to serve. Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
What being a Christian and an active member of a church family should mean:
1) Being clean in conversation. I John 1:7 - But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
As Christians, our bodies, including our mouths, belong to God. We are constantly setting an example for our Lord. What do your words say about your Savior?
2) Being clean in conduct. Romans 12:17 - Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
This is something that I, personally, struggle with and I'm sure there are a lot of Christians who struggle with this too. It's hard to not get mad at people. We're only human, right? But getting mad at others only causes us pain. Jesus, our perfect role model, asked forgiveness for the very people who were crucifying Him. When we think about that fact, what gives us the right to be mad and curse those around us?
Ephesians 4:32 - And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Galatians 6:1 - Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
3) We should be cooperating
A. with our presence. Hebrews 10:25 - Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much more, as ye see the day approaching.
B. with our prayers. I Samuel 12:23 - Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way
C. with personal efforts. I Corinthians 3:9 - For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
Things that Christians Need to Conquer:
1) Evil Habits
How can we get closer in our walk with God if we are constantly giving in to a certain temptation or bad habit?
2) Hasty Tempers
God instructs us to to be kind and tenderhearted towards everyone. How can we walk closer with God if we are constantly blowing up at people and getting mad at them? Hate only breeds hate, and God loves us all just as He wants to love one another.
3) An Unforgiving Spirit
This just goes back to what I said earlier about how Jesus asked for forgiveness for the men who were crucifying Him. If Jesus can forgive the men who put Him to death, what gives us the right to hold something against someone?
4) Selfishness
We are God's servants. We each have a purpose on this earth and if we are selfish God can't use us to help other people. We are His fishers of men. If we always think about ourselves first, we will always fail to see others who are in need of His love, His guidance, and His grace.
That's all for tonight. It's a lot to think about.
If you have any comments or questions feel free to leave a comment. This is a growing experience for me too and I know that there are things I need to work on. Any knowledge that you would like to share is more than welcome.
God Bless,
Taylor
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