Jump to content

Search the Community

Showing results for tags 'obedience'.

  • Search By Tags

    Type tags separated by commas.
  • Search By Author

Content Type


Forums

  • Christian Discussions
    • Study Group
    • General Discussion
    • Bible Study
    • Theology
    • Apologetics
    • Prophecy
    • Do you want to just ask a question?
    • Christian Culture
    • Everything Else
  • Videos
    • General
    • News
    • Comedy
    • Biblical Topics
    • Christian Music
  • Current News
    • Most Interesting News Developments
    • Worthy Briefs
    • World News
    • Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
    • U.S. News
    • Christian News
    • Worthy Watch / Worthy Insights
  • Worthy Ministries
    • Worthy Devotions
    • What's the latest with the Worthy Ministries?
  • Who's on the Lord side?'s Topics
  • Cooking club's Smokers & related recipes/techniques
  • Cooking club's What's your favorite recipe?
  • Cooking club's Salads - not just lettuce!
  • Cooking club's Soups and Stews
  • Cooking club's About Multi-cookers - features, tips, recipes
  • Cooking club's Taters!
  • Cooking club's Bread
  • Gardening.'s Gardening Club Forum
  • Photography How To (tips and tricks)'s Photography Club Topics
  • Maker's Club's Club News
  • Maker's Club's So, what do you make, what have you made?
  • Maker's Club's Physical Art, specifically!
  • Maker's Club's Life hacks & tips - useful things you know & have tried!
  • Bible 365's Misc. Things of interest
  • Bible 365's THE DAILY READING (see reading schedule)
  • Bible 365's Todays' Reading
  • Bible 365's Recently added or updated
  • Bible 365's Bible Trivia
  • Bible 365's Table of Contents
  • Bible 365's Tightly Moderated Discussions-Some Controversial
  • Bible 365's Specific Doctrines
  • Bible 365's WorthyChat Bible Studies
  • Bible 365's Bible Topics - Looking at the Bible Topically
  • Reading Club's Topics
  • Bible Trivia's Index to Bible Trivia and Answers
  • Bible Trivia's Bible Trivia Answers
  • Bible Trivia's Bible Trivia Quizzes
  • Bible Trivia's Announcements
  • Puzzle Club's Forums
  • The Prophecy Exchange's Resources
  • The Prophecy Exchange's Forums
  • Songs of Praise Poetry Club's Forums
  • Christ Centered Recovery Group's Lessons
  • Christ Centered Recovery Group's Testimonies
  • Christ Centered Recovery Group's 12 Steps and Biblical Comparison
  • Christ Centered Recovery Group's Forums
  • Diabetes and Low Carb Eating Support Group's Diabetes
  • Diabetes and Low Carb Eating Support Group's Low Carb Eating
  • Triumph Over Cancer's General topics
  • Triumph Over Cancer's Encouragement
  • Triumph Over Cancer's Tips and advice
  • Cat Chat's Information concerning cats and their servants
  • Cat Chat's Misc. unCATegorized cat things
  • Cat Chat's Our Feline Babies!
  • Gardening Club's Topics
  • Baking club's Miscellaneous
  • Baking club's sponge cakes
  • Bible - Daily Reading's Introduction
  • Bible - Daily Reading's 2023 Bible Reading Schedule
  • Deeper Discourse's Forum

Christian Blogs

  • traveller - Standing in the Wind
  • The Treasure In The Field
  • For the Love of God
  • Keys to the Kingdom
  • To Him be the Glory
  • Marathoner's Blog
  • Leonardo’s Blog
  • Word Studies Relating to Destiny
  • Searching the Scriptures.
  • Thought and Reflection
  • WilliamL's Worthy Insights
  • Marilyn's Messages
  • Bible Study Series
  • Albert Finch Ministry
  • Devotions
  • League of Savage Gentlemen.
  • ~~Angels Thoughts~~
  • A Desert Sage ?
  • Omegaman's Thought and Rants
  • Some Thoughts from AyinJade
  • Insights into Worthy Ministries
  • Bible 365's Reading Schedule - Click Read More to see
  • Bible 365's Basic Instructions
  • Bible Trivia's Guidelines
  • Songs of Praise Poetry Club's My Songs to the Lord

Find results in...

Find results that contain...


Date Created

  • Start

    End


Last Updated

  • Start

    End


Filter by number of...

Joined

  • Start

    End


Group


Website URL


Location


Interests

Found 21 results

  1. COLOSSIANS 1:27 to whom GOD would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the gentiles which is CHRIST in you the hope of glory --1:28-- whom we preach ---warning every man--- and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in CHRIST JESUS MATTHEW 15:8 this people draweth nigh unto ME with their mouth and honoreth ME with their lips but their heart is far from ME --15:9-- but in vain they do worship ME teaching for doctrines the commandments of men --15:10-- and HE called the multitude and said unto them hear and understand --15:11-- not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man but that which cometh out of the mouth this defileth a man --15:12-- then came HIS disciples and said unto HIM knowest thou that the pharisees were offended after they heard this saying --15:13-- but HE answered and said every plant which MY heavenly FATHER hath not planted shall be rooted up --15:14-- let them alone they be blind leaders of the blind and if the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch ACTS 5:29 then peter and the other apostles answered and said we ought to obey GOD rather than men --5:39-- but if it be of GOD ye cannot overthrow it lest haply you be found --- even to fight against GOD --5:41-- and they departed from the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for HIS name --5:42-- and daily in the temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach JESUS CHRIST ACTS 20:26 wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men --20:27-- for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of GOD EZEKIEL 3:20 --again-- when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness and commit iniquity and I lay a stumbling block before him he shall die ---because thou hast not given him warning--- he shall die in his sin and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered but his blood will I require at thine hand LOVING THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
  2. There is an online version of this, wherein if you hover the cursor over the verse addresses, the text of the verses pops up, without having to open new windows on the links, as happens here. It is much easier to use and read, but, you cannot reply to it there, if you want to reply/comment, that has to be done in this thread. True Discipleship Omegaman 3.0 - 5/13/16 The Great Commision Jesus, in his great commission ( Matt 28:19-20 ), given to his disciples, told them to make other disciples and to teach them to obey everything that he had said.If Jesus told his disciples to make other disciples and the teach them to obey everything he said, one of the things that the new disciples were to obey (because Jesus told the first disciples to do) is to make more disciples who are taught to obey.So, here we are some 2000 years later having been made disciples, because other disciples in the past have handed down the command of making disciples and teaching the new disciples to obey what Jesus said.So if we want to be true disciples of Jesus we also must make disciples and teach them to obey Christ and of course we must obey Christ as well. Obedience to what? So what things did Jesus command that we are supposed to pass on to others and that we ourselves are supposed to obey?Listed below I have collected quite a few of the verses from the Gospel (Matthew primarily) which contain the commandments of Jesus. It is not an exhaustive list. Some of the things Jesus cammanded were to particular individuals, not to us, so I did not include those. For example, after Jesus had spat on the ground and applied the clay to the eyes (I hope that means the eyelids) of the blind begger, He said: "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam". Clearly, that command was not to be applied to everyone, so that sort of thing, is not in the following list. Repent - Matthew 4:17 Follow Jesus - Matthew 4:19, 8:22 Let Your Good Works be Seen (with right motives) - Matthew 5:16 Reconcile & Confront Others, the Right Way - Matt 5:23–24, Matt 18:15–17 Don't Sin in Action or in Thought - Matthew 5:27–30 Don Make Oaths - Matthew 5:34, 37 Don't Respond to Evil with Evil - Matthew 5:39-42 Love and Pray for Your Enemies - Matthew 5:44–46 Be Perfect - Matthew 5:48 Seek God's Kingdom First - Matthew 6:33 Don't Judge -Matthew 7:1 (My Commentary on Judgement) Don't Waste Your Breath - Matthew 7:6 Treat Others as You Would Like to be Treated - Matthew 7:12 Enter Eternity Through the Narrow Gate - Matthew 7:13-14 Be Wary of False Prophets - Matthew 7:15–16 Ask God to Send More Workers - Matthew 9:37–38 Don't Fear Those Who Can Kill You, Fear God - Matthew 10:28 Come to Jesus for Rest - Matthew 11:28 Forgive Readily and Repeatedly - Matthew 18:21–22 Give What is Due to Whom it is Due - Matthew 22:21 Love God - Matthew 22:37–38 Love your Neighbor - Matthew 22:39 Share in the Lord's Supper (Communion) - Matthew 26:26–27 Keep Guard Against Temptation - Matthew 26:41 Make Disciples - Matthew 28:19-20 Preach the Gospel - Mark 16:15 Don'r be Greedy - Luke 12:15 Give to Those Who Cannot Give Back - Luke 14:12–14 Love Other Disciples - John 13:34 John 15:12 John 15:17 Suggested followup: If you consider yourself a disciple of the Christ, think about how you are doing, measured by the above list
  3. The crucifixion of Christ was not Satan's plan, it was God's. If you've been taught otherwise you have been misled. Satan's plan was for Christ to forgo the Cross. Do I need to post Scripture's?
  4. I have been studying eschatology for more than 30 years now. Originally I believed in a pre-tribulation rapture because frankly it was the only view I had ever heard. One day I was listening to the radio and heard a man mentioning the fact that there were other views on the topic. This got my curiosity up and I decided to study the Bible myself and see if I could discover what the Bible itself actually taught about these things. I was really serious about it. The method I chose to employ was to read the Bible from Genesis through the Book of Revelation and write down every verse or passage that I believed spoke to the issue of the timing of the sequence of the Rapture of the Church with respect to the Great Tribulation. This took me eight months to accomplish. Once I had all of my notes, I copied them onto Post-it notes so that I could arrange them in a chronological sequence if something in the verse or passage had a clue about the order in which it fit with respect to the other verses and passages. This was done on a 4' x 8' sheet of particleboard laid out on a folding table. I tell you this in case you want to try this yourselves sometime to let you know what it takes and what you will be in for. My wife died recently and I myself am aging and have had some recent health issues. This has brought into focus the fact that my own time on earth may be limited. Actually this is true of every one of us, no one knows the time of their own death. You could have a stroke, or be in a car accident tomorrow. In Eschatology, the study of the last things, we usually think in terms of things prophesied in the Bible that are yet to come. Things like the Rapture of the Church, the Great Tribulation, the Second Coming of Jesus, Armageddon, the Millennium, these sorts of things. While many of us believe that Jesus could come at any moment, few of us really live as though we expect that to happen. We understand that it has been about 2000 years so far, and that casts some doubt our hearts and minds about whether he will really come today or tomorrow or even in a week or this year. Though I have always realized intellectually that my personal time on earth, my own life, could end in a moment, it is the events of this last year but it made me thoughtfully confront the reality of my limited time. What this means then is that no matter how delayed Jesus second coming might be, I will likely be face-to-face with Jesus within 10 or 20 years. Eschatology is then therefore not limited to the study of the last things predicted in the Bible, but we each have our own personal last days which are contained within our natural lifespans. Some people say that if it is true that Jesus will not be coming back until after the great tribulation that that removes the motivation to live as we should so that we will be found doing what we should be doing when he does return. I want to say to you that if that is what you think: "Shame on you!" The motivation to live correctly should not be a concern to not be caught failing to live as we should be living when Jesus comes at the end of the age. Jesus suffered and died on the cross for our sins. Gratefulness for our undeserved salvation should be more than enough motivation to live within the will of God without concern of the question of when Jesus will return. When we are not living correctly, we have already been 'caught'. The Holy Spirit is inside us if we are believers. God is omnipresent. Whatever we do, we drag Jesus with us. Nothing we do, nothing we say, nothing we think, goes unnoticed by God. So I think then, that for those of us who think that a pre-tribulation rapture of the church is a motivation to live rightly, with that thinking we are inclining ourselves to living wrongly. Rather than to live holy lives out of the gratitude we have for what Jesus has done for us - rather than live as dedicated servants who owe him everything - rather than realize that we are not our own but have been purchased - some of us shamefully take his grace as a license to sin because we know we have been forgiven. We live worldly lives because we think in our hearts that our master is delaying his return, even while we say with our lips He might return at any moment. Those of us who think and act in this manner are self deceived and we are hypocrites. In June of 2014, a couple months ago as I write this, I had the great privilege of delivering a sort of eulogy at my wife's memorial service. Gathered there were friends and family some of whom are believers, some who were not, and some who think they are believers and don't even understand what the difference is. It had been on my wife's heart for years that many of her family were likely destined to suffer in eternity. I know that like me, she was dissatisfied with the fact that it is easy to avoid speaking of spiritual things with loved ones because it feels awkward. Personally I feel shame that I have too often avoided that awkwardness and instead of demonstrating love by informing people of their peril, I have been willing to risk their eternal destiny for the sake of my temporary comfort . This is a great sin and I confess that as such and am attempting to repent of it. The eulogy I gave was the first significant step in telling people to re-examine their hearts and their lives and their need of salvation from their sins . This had been on my mind for years but having so many people as a captive audience at a time when the temporary nature of life was so obvious, was an opportunity that could not be passed up. What I was saying then was not just a recap of my wife's life, it was an expression of things that she had left unsaid. Confronting the fact that no matter how long it is before Jesus returns, it is true that we all have limited time left. So I realized that there are two kinds of the end times. There is the near-term end time which is represented by our limited lifespans, and there is the end times for mankind itself which began while Jesus still walked the earth and which we are in today as well. Both types of end times carry the same implications. Time is short, and there is a dying world out there that needs to understand that. Jesus himself near the end of his life told us to go out into the world and to preach the gospel to everyone. This was not a suggestion. Not just a nice idea. It's not optional. It is a command to every believer. Failing to do this is disobedience. It is sin. It is unloving. Penn Gillette, a self-professed atheist, said to the effect: "How much do you have to hate someone to believe that eternal life is possible and then not tell them how to obtain it?" I think those are pretty profound words on the topic for an atheist. It is too bad so many Christians don't get it. I have been one of them. So, in these last days of my own life I have determined to try to improve in a lot of things, but most specifically two things. The first is to be more active, perhaps even aggressive or at least assertive in evangelism. People need to understand that they are sinners. People need to know that their sin separates them from God. People need to understand that unless Jesus saves them from their sins, that separation from God is a permanent condition. They need to understand that that separation from God is a separation from everything good. Imagine if you will, what it would be like to spend eternity apart from good. Where there is no good, only evil remains. I believe that this concept of hell is accurate. I don't even like to think about it. When I try to imagine it, what I imagine is an eternity of suffering and pain, a despondent existence, a type of suffering worse than anything we have yet experienced in our lives while all the time knowing that this condition will be never ending and could have been avoided. What if life was so bad, that you never wanted to awaken, and you could never fall asleep again? If I really consider this all I can do is loathe my own evil and selfish heart, and at the same time feel an indebtedness and gratitude for the Savior who spares me from the eternity that I deserve and am apparently willing to let others earn for themselves. So, evangelism it is. I have to tell people. If I don't, I am a morally hideous monster. We do not need to have any special calling on our life to be ministers of the gospel. Where are all supposed to be evangelists. We do not have to wait for a leading of the Spirit to talk to a person about these things. We have already been told to just do it. Thing is when we realize what is at stake, we should not even have to be told. So then, the most important task that I have in my last days, the thing that I really want to be found doing when Jesus returns or when I go to be with Him if His return is delayed, it is to be telling others about God's love for them in the person of Jesus Christ who suffered and died for their sins to spare them from an eternity separated from God's love and goodness and filled with despair. When Jesus told us to go out into the world and preach the gospel to every creature he did not say to limit ourselves to evangelism. The purpose of evangelism is to make disciples, to make other followers of Jesus, and to teach them everything he taught us. One of the areas that Jesus taught about, that His apostles taught about, and that both Testaments of the Bible speak about frequently, are the end times and especially about warnings not to be deceived in them. So, because I have spent so much of the last three decades studying this area of Scripture, and because there are so many warnings not to be deceived, I feel a special responsibility to obey Jesus and tell other disciples about this topic because some are underinformed while others are deceived. I may at times sound arrogant due to the confidence I have in my understanding of eschatology, the study of the last things. I admit it, I am opinionated, passionate, and confident. When you put those three things together in one person, you have qualities which others may consider to be arrogance, maybe it is. Nevertheless I cannot in good conscience fail to attempt to pass on what I believe I have learned. I have been preparing questions for a trivia game on the topic of eschatology. While doing this I have been studying and reading the writings of others whose views are different than my own. There is one theologian in particular widely regarded as the foremost scholar on his particular viewpoint of eschatology. I have always had great respect for this man even though I disagree with him. He does deserve respect for his love of the Savior and his hard work and dedication to study. This is true of a lot of ordinary Christians as well. However after just having reviewed one of his books, I am finding so many unfounded presumptions, and faulty exercises and logic, that although I may respect his hard work, I have to reject his conclusions. Maybe I really am arrogant. However, even though I know this is redundant, I have to follow my convictions and make disciples, teaching them everything that Jesus taught his first disciples to teach other disciples in an ongoing chain until his return. Perhaps with this you can understand my focus. I hope that you can be patient with me while I am living out my faith and while the process of my own sanctification continues. I urge you, to also consider the shortness of time and make efforts to reach out to those you come in contact with and make a few disciples yourselves. Thanks for listening.
  5. How often do you submit your plans to the Lord ? Do you jump feet first without weighing out the ramifications? So often we see in ourselves hindsight or in others immediately , that things done and said are done amiss. Look! No matter what we think about ourselves, we really are fallible. We know nothing without Gods wisdom. God has said as much! Proverbs 9:10 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Daily we need to humbly ask the Lord to show us what we cannot rightly see. Our hearts are deceitful says the Lord! God states that we are fools if we trust in 'our own' minds but he that walks in wisdom will be delivered (proverbs 28:26) Jeremiah 17: 9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. " According to his doings"..... How many times are we going around that same mountain? How may times must we learn the SAME LESSON? We see through the glass dimly until that glorious day when we are glorified. ( 1Corinth 13:12) which is why we must walk intentionally blind heeding the Holy Spirits lead. We need to pray of course, communing with the triune Lord who we wholeheartedly desire a deeper relationship with! Then we test the spirit to make sure what we hear is not in contradiction to Gods word. 1John 4 I think we should be asking God to examine our hearts OFTEN ! If we submit in humility revering our Lord and King especially when things are going well ,we are more likely to not stumble into a snare! How often do we insist others see our way of looking at things when in reality; its not even important in the full scope of things? Do we strain gnats? Do we create division? Should we listen more and talk less? We as human beings can get puffed up if we dont check ourselves! We should desire to walk according to Gods will . I think a true follower of Christ desires to OFTEN please the Lord who saved them from themselves and fiery torment and who has been amazingly provisional in our lives with both tests and blessings.! The Lords saints are 'the pot' while SOVEREIGN LORD is our divine potter! This is our training phase on this side of death ( of flesh). We are daily being sanctified. We ARE going to go through our refining fires . Some more than others quite frankly because some have moreso a propensity in acting foolish and hardheaded. I think that stems from lack of maturity in Christ and his word and life experience too. David prayed this prayer and I pray the same thing from time to time. I know I am nothing without my Savior. I know HE knows best. I remind myself today that I should pray it more often than naught and then I wait for the Holy Spirit to show me what I cannot see! Psalm 139: 23,24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.. I like the entire passage. Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 139 O Lord, you have searched me and known me! 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. 3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. 5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. 7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” 12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. 13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.[a] Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. 17 How precious to me are yourthoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. 19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! 20 They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain.[b] 21 Do I not hate those who hate you, OLord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? 22 I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts![c] 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! It is impossible to please the Lord without faith. Faith is an action word. WALK. LISTEN. LEARN. REPEAT. If we are honest with ourselves; we will look at ourselves ( no matter what man thinks of us ) and realize we all could use a tweaking 'in our alignment' here and there. Have a glorious day with Jesus Christ and his amazing creation! Psalm 118:24 24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
  6. Matthew 12: 1-21 · Matthew 12:2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” This reminds me that the Pharisees often accuse without knowing the purpose, heart of a man, or the reason that things are done. They are just looking to find fault with others, or look superior over people. This is a great reminder of how we ought not to be. Another good reference of this type of behavior is in Luke 18:9-14. It says, To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' " I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." · Matthew 12:7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’[a] you would not have condemned the innocent. God wants us to be obedient, but He wants us to be merciful with others because He’s been merciful with us. How we show Him love is obedience and how we show others love is by our treatment of them, which should be kind. · Matthew 12:13-14 Then he (Jesus) said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. The thing that stood out to me the most is that Jesus does good, restores, and heals a man, and right after that good work the Pharisees look to harm, destroy, and even kill Jesus. We too are told that for following Jesus we will be hated in this way. Matthew 10:22, "You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.” I think sometimes right after we do good, the enemy attacks, so we need to be on guard and not surprised when this happens. LEVITICUS 14 · Just a general thought of this passage. When I read about the very specific details in just one aspect of following the law, I realize how hard it would be to live up to every aspect of the law. On the flip side, I think it would be nice to know that when you do the process of cleansing that molds and skin diseases (including sores) would be gone. · Leviticus 14:33-34 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “………..I put a spreading mold in a house in that land…..”. I find it interesting that the Lord is the one that put the mold in the house. Why would He do such a thing? Was it to create obedience in that individual’s life, was it punishment for sin, or something else? There is definitely a purpose/reason to all that God does, but sometimes from a human perspective, it’s hard to understand. PROVERBS 26 · Proverbs 26:2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. I get why a curse would be fluttering (constant) source of sorrow or difficulty, but does anyone know why it’s undeserved? · Proverbs 26:4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. I think this is a good reminder not to engage in debate with someone that is just trying to fight, unwilling to learn, and unwise in their beliefs. I think if we do, we can get sucked in to their drama, arguing, and it is not profitable at all, and we become like them which we don’t want to be like.
  7. Jesus says blessed are those who hear and do the word of god. Hearing is quite obvious. But can you give me a clear cut example of DOING the word? And what does it even mean to hear and do?
  8. BARRIERS TO OBEDIENCE Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 15:1-35. Key: Faith is tested in the life of a Christian when obedience seems hard. After we are saved, faith and works are very closely linked. All disobedience is due to lack of faith. WHEN IS OBEDIENCE HARD? 1. Sacrifice: Obedience is hard, when you think you'll lose out in some way. For example, Abraham sacrificed Isaac, his only son, at God's command. Sacrifice was a barrier to obedience, but faith overcame the barrier. Examples for us today are things like: Purity in dating. It is a sacrifice not to touch, but I Corinthians 7:1 says "It is good for a man not to touch a woman." Tithing. It is a sacrifice to tithe 1/10 of our income to God, thinking that we can't afford it because we have too many bills. People don't tithe because they have not the faith to trust God to bless them for giving. "Give and it shall be given you....." Luke 6:38. When Israel did not keep the Sabbath for 490 years, God got all His Sabbaths at once in the 70 year captivity. God also can and will get His tithes, even if we don't tithe. "All the tithe...is the Lord's." Leviticus 27:30. 2. Reason: Obedience is hard when obedience seems unreasonable. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8,9. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5,6. "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Prov. 14:12 "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." Romans 12:2. 3. Peer Pressure: Obedience is hard when obedience means doing something that nobody else is doing or not doing something that everybody else is doing. For example, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego stood against the peer pressure of not bowing down to an image. They did this by faith. When a minority opposes a majority, peer pressure becomes an obstacle. We all like to be liked, and therefore so many Christians compromise in order to be liked by the peer group. It takes someone with character to stand against the crowd. The majority is usually wrong. "Broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat." Matthew 7:13. 4. Suffering: "When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth." Acts 7:54. God wanted Stephen to preach the Gospel to the Jewish leaders. Stephen had to preach conviction of sin while he had the opportunity. This message made them very angry. Now someone may have advised Stephen to cut his message so that he didn't offend anyone, but then no one would have been convicted of sin and Saul may not have been saved. Stephen could have said, "Now let's cool it, I didn't mean to offend you." Stephen looked at God through the circumstance of suffering and he obeyed God. Faith overcame suffering as a barrier to obedience. For example, the Reformers were burned at the stake rather than compromise with Roman Catholic error. "We ought to obey God rather than men." Acts 5:29. God gave Jeremiah a promise for his faith to grasp. "I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land ..... they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee." Jeremiah 1:18,19. For every barrier you face, there are promises that we can grasp to climb the wall. Faith grasps the promise-handles on the wall. "If we suffer with him, we shall reign with him." God proved faithful to Noah, Daniel, Jeremiah, the Reformers.....God's faithfulness helps us overcome barriers to obedience. reprinted with permission
  9. God Heals at the Gas Station! (Testimony) God loves to work with His children everywhere! Here is a testimony of just that; God working through His faithful servant to heal a man who was clearly in great pain at a GAS STATION of all places! How cool is that?! God is awesome! God bless you all, in Jesus' mighty name!
  10. Romans 15:20 “Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:” Thoughts? Revelation? Modern day application? Thank you for your input in advance and may God bless you all, in Jesus' name!
  11. 1 John 4:17 - "As He is, so are we in this world." AT THE AZUSA STREET REVIVAL, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH A BLAZE, ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT THE PEOPLE INSIDE WERE WORSHIPING JESUS. WATER COULDN'T PUT IT OUT AS IT WAS NOT A NATURAL FIRE. IF THE FATHER FILLED THE OLD TESTAMENT HOUSES WITH HIS GLORY, THOUGH THEY WERE BUILT BY HUMAN HANDS, HOW MUCH MORE WILL HE FILL THE PLACE THAT HE BUILDS WITH HIS OWN HANDS! HE IS BUILDING US INTO HIS ETERNAL DWELLING PLACE. Hebrews 4:29 - "For our God is indeed a consuming fire." Matthew 16:24 - "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." THE CROSS IS NOT SELF-APPLIED - JESUS DID NOT NAIL HIMSELF TO THE CROSS. IF THE DEVIL FINDS US UNINTERESTED IN EVIL, THEN HE'LL TRY TO GET US TO FOCUS ON OUR UNWORTHINESS AND INABILITY. THIS IS ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE IN PRAYER MEETINGS WHERE PEOPLE TRY TO PROJECT GREAT BROKENNESS BEFORE GOD, HOPING TO EARN REVIVAL. THEY WILL OFTEN RE-CONFESS OLD SINS SEARCHING FOR REAL HUMILITY. IF I'M THE MAIN SUBJECT, TALKING INCESSANTLY ABOUT MY WEAKNESSES, I HAVE ENTERED INTO THE MOST SUBTLE FORM OF PRIDE. REPEATED PHRASES SUCH AS "I'M SO UNWORTHY," BECOME A NAUSEATING REPLACEMENT FOR THE DECLARATIONS OF THE WORTHINESS OF GOD. BY BEING SOLD ON MY OWN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, THE ENEMY HAS DISENGAGED ME FROM EFFECTIVE SERVICE. TRUE BROKENNESS CAUSES COMPLETE DEPENDENCY ON GOD, MOVING US TO RADICAL OBEDIENCE THAT RELEASES THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD AROUND US. 2 Corinthians 11:3 -- "But I fear...your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." The problem is that we mistakenly strive for information when in reality we need revelation. Ephesians 1:17,18 -- "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened....." The Holy Spirit within the believer ministers truth by revelation. In other words, it is revealed, not figured out. God does not talk to our brains! He speaks to the spirit of man. Jesus never said that water would flow out of your head, but that, "Out of your innermost being would flow rivers of living water." John 7:36 1 Corinthians 1:20 -- "Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" Affirmations: AS I STUDY, AFFIRM, AND MEDITATE ON THE WORD OF GOD, I SEEK WISDOM AND REVELATION FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT. AS I ENDEAVOR TO HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD, I PAY ATTENTION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT INSIDE OF ME -- HE HAS THE KEYS TO UNLOCK ANY SITUATION. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
  12. Wow! The Holy Spirit is to be acknowledged as a person at all times. Why? Because He is. I didn't understand what it meant for the the Holy Spirit to be the access point to Jesus until the closer I think I am to Jesus, the more the Holy Spirit shows me that there is a process to get to the King. Firstly, it is important that we get to know who the person of the Holy Spirit is. In my experience, He is the 'information center' who is willing to reveal all that one needs to know 'if' we are obedient to His instructions. I say this because the Holy Spirit speaks to us everyday; He answers questions, comforts us and guides us in all things but our obedience to His voice is what really determines whether He can trust us to share even more truths with us. He speaks to us in our dreams While I understood that the Holy Spirit will teach us everything and remind us of all that Jesus has spoken John 14:26, it was only two months ago that I learn that He is the One who has given all of us our dreams. There are different kinds of dreams; some are for warning, some are prophetic and some are for making intercessions etc. But for us to identify the kind of dreams we have it will take more than our physical understanding to interpret such. I wasn't able to distinguish my dreams until after a few months of spending time with the Holy Spirit. He knows every person from our past and those who are in our lives presently The Holy Spirit uses people who we are familiar with to bring across His message in our dreams. Though I always understood that He does that, I never appreciated its importance until the Lord showed me in my dream someone I knew from High School but only keep in touch through social media. But as there is no partiality with God Romans 2:11, He revealed that this person was very troubled and in that case I was to make an intercession. Not surprisingly, when I reached out to the young lady on Facebook, she confessed the exact, and I repeat THE EXACT issue that the Holy Spirit had shown me in my dream. Isn't our God amazing!? It was in that moment of confession that I recognized that our dreams are probably the most common medium through which the Holy Spirit speaks. Continual Fellowship strengthens the Holy Spirit's trust in us We will rarely find ourselves sharing very sensitive information with strangers. It is the same with the Holy Spirit. He will put us through all kinds of tests to see how trustworthy we are and two ways to show our trustworthiness is by being obedient and engaging in prayer and worship. I cannot help but emphasize the word obedience, after-all the bible states that Obedience is better than sacrifice, a listening ear than the fat of rams, 1 Samuel 15:22. So I found that the more I worship, the further the Holy Spirit takes me into the spiritual realm. I am truly humbled to know this much more to experience it. All honor and praise to the Holy Spirit. Continual Repentance It is so important that we repent of our sins daily as we serve a holy God. As for me I sin everyday - not only by my deeds but by my very thoughts. Getting to know the Holy Spirit speaks to understanding His standards and meeting His expectations according to the Word of God. I struggle at times to be consistent in worship and reading the word but thanks be to God He understands that the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak Matthew 26:41. Therefore the Holy Spirit being fully aware of our weaknesses just wants us to seek cleansing so He may continue to work through us as He so desires. I can do nothing without the Holy Spirit. I literally ache in the spirit if I ever feel like I've disappointed Him. How can you tell that you have disappointed the Holy Spirit? Let me hear from you...
  13. The Subjections taught in the bible is concerned with being subject to the Authorities established by God. The Problems facing us in our day are do to men living (outside)-the Authority of God. True service is initiated by God.,When man serves under Gods authority,he is thereby accepted. Many consider themselves obedient to God while actually knowing nothing of being subject to Gods delegated authority . He who is truly obedient will find Gods authority I every circumstance ,in the home,and in other situations. After we have meet (Gods) authority,we will realize how much ,we have sinned against GOD. Note)-Those who know not God and Christ know neither authority nor obedience . Christ is the principle of obedience. He who accepts Christ accepts the principles of obedience . A person who is filled with Christ must be one who is also filled with obedience. May God be merciful to those who claim they know authority when obedience is yet missing in their lives.....Amen Heb, 5:8)-Christ "learned obedience through what He suffered. Those who are obedient will experience the ubundance of Salvation. Acts 5:32)-And we are witneses of these things,and so is the Holy Spirit ,whom God have givin to them that obey Him. I peter 1:22)- Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth. Acts 22:10)-"What shall I do Lord? He not only believed,he in addition submitted to the LORD .His repentance was caused both by understanding (Grace) and by ( Obedience) by authority .When he was moved by the holy Spirit to see the authority of the gospel ,he addressed JESUS AS LORD God calls us not only to receive HIS LIFE through FAITH ,but also to maintain HIS AUTHORITY through OBEDIENCE. I John 3:1)-We will draw nearer to our Blessed Savior,And Jesus will draw nearer to us and heal us...Amen Blessings,With Gods Grace, 7Dove77
  14. 1 John 3:16 - "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." Observation: WHEN I WANT GOD ABOVE ALL, I AM WILLING - AS CHRIST WAS WILLING - TO FOLLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT, EVEN IN THE MOST DRY AND DARK AND PAINFUL TIMES. WHEN I SEE WITH THE EYES OF FAITH THAT THIS IS THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF THE CROSS, I WILL KNOW HOW TO IMITATE CHRIST AND DO WHAT HE DID. Matthew 15:29 - "And He said, 'Come.' And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus". In the purest sense Peter did not rest His weight upon the water; He stood upon Christ's Word: "COME!" Peter trusted that if Jesus told him to do the impossible -- even to walk on the water -- the power to obey woud be inherent within the command. Hebrews 10:24 - "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works." OBSERVATION: Because I constantly observe and contemplate others to know how to encourage and provoke them to love and to good works and as I reach out to assist them with words of strength -- they are becoming better, stronger, and bolder in the Lord. Affirmations: I AM EXTREMELY CONSCIOUS OF THE WORKINGS OF CHRIST AND OF GOD'S ENERGY AT WORK IN ME. I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. (Matthew 5:14) I AM A LAMP, NOT HIDDEN ANYMORE, BECAUSE GOD IS FILLING ME WITH THE EFFECTUAL WORKINGS OF CHRIST--THE EFFECTUAL WORD IN ME AS A BEACON TO ALL WHO ARE IN THE WORLD. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
  15. John 1:12 - "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." And so the power to become sons of God does not come from trying with our human will to act in a godly manner. Our new birth comes as we are changed by the inward actions of grace. Proverbs 1:7 - "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction". Observation: TO FEAR GOD IS TO LOVE HIM ABOVE ALL ELSE! IT IS THE WILLINGNESS TO OBEY GOD EVEN WHEN IT APPEARS MORE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR ME TO COMPROMISE OR NOT OBEY HIS WORD. Psalm 85:9 - "Surely His salvation is nigh them that fear Him; that glory may dwell in our land." Matthew 14:28,29 - "And Peter answered Him and said, 'Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water'. And He said 'Come.' And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. Sometimes in our own minds we justify waiting in the boat, not realizing it is just our natural mind wanting to know every detail. Thinking to ourselves, "Well, maybe I ought to just sit in the boat a little bit longer – after all, we want to have wisdom." Do you think Peter did that? No. He got out of the boat of his comfort zone before his natural feelings could jump in to dictate the next step. Observation: BREAKING THE POWER OF NATURAL LAW IN MY LIFE HAPPENS WHEN THE WORD OF GOD UNITES WITH MY MEASURE OF FAITH. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
  16. To secure our attention and place us on the pathway God desires, there are strategies that He employs that are very effective. As much as we are not to be ignorant of satan's devices (2 Cor. 2:11), we must be even more knowledgeable of the ways of the Lord (Ps. 25:4). Knowing God's ways will result in us experiencing His mighty acts (Ps. 103:7). Three ways God works to move us in a new direction: 1. DISRUPTION OF OUR PLANS When stuck at an impasse, it is a natural tendency to return to familiar surroundings. We see this in the lives of the disciples after Jesus' death. They went back to fishing even though they had clearly been mandated to forsake their vocation and follow Christ (see Luke 5:10-11; John 21:3). Because they were commercial fishermen, there may even have been economic motives behind their actions. Nevertheless, we see clearly that there was no lasting provision and no permanent peace in returning to past environments. When God leads us out of a place of familiarity and the way forward is blocked, what is the solution? There are some breakthroughs reserved for us that can only be accessed through prayer. We must seek God until we receive a clear answer from Heaven. Whether it was Paul's night vision of the man in Macedonia summoning him, or the voice of Jesus speaking to the disciples on the seashore in Galilee, the New Testament Christians received clear direction from the Spirit and were able to regain momentum and experience breakthrough. 2. DISAPATION OF RESOURCES Just as Elijah had foretold, the word of the Lord came to pass. "And there was a severe famine in Samaria ..." (1 Kings 18:2). During the famine, God looked after Elijah. He gave him specific instruction relative to how he would be sustained. "Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 'Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.' So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook" (1 Kings 17:2-6). Cherith which means "place of covenant," was where the Lord demonstrated His faithfulness in taking care of Elijah. However, the day would come when the brook would run dry and the birds would no longer fly (see 1 Kings 17:7). Although Elijah had come to depend on such provision, God seemed to have no compunction at all in cutting off these resources. Has Your Brook Dried Up? Have you experienced something similar? Your streams of resource have dried up. During such a time, trust that the Lord will soon speak to you like He did to Elijah. "Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 'Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you'" (1 Kings 17:8-9). You will see that the place where He leads you will be the place where He feeds you. Where the Lord guides, He provides! 3. DISSOLUTION OF RELATIONSHIPS Here is a powerful truth to embrace when a key connection you value has dissolved for no apparent legitimate reason: The Lord is turning the hearts of men in the direction He desires (Prov. 21:1) and is in fact making it easier for you to let go and move forward into your next assignment. Therefore, do not take the matter personally nor become bitter with people as though they are rejecting you. TRUSTING IN GOD'S GOOD GUIDANCE Sometimes Father God's ways do not make sense to us. Scripture even attests to this reality."For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Is. 55:9). No matter how it may appear on the surface, He is actively involved in the affairs of our lives. On occasion, He may even interrupt our plans resulting in us experiencing a sense of anxiety due to a perceived loss of control. However, as uncomfortable as we may become, we must trust that He is leading us along the best pathway for our lives. "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye on you" (Ps. 32:8). ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
  17. Joshua 6:2 - "And the Lord said unto Joshua, See. I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king therof, and the mighty men of valour." When the children of Israel entered the Promised Land ten cities stood as obstacles in their way. The first of these cities was Jericho. Israel was not yet an army -- they were simply a group of desert wanderers with a promise. They had no army. Their resources had worn thin from years in the desert. THEIR ONLY WEAPON OF WARFARE WAS THEIR OBEDIENCE TO GOD Joshua 6:20 - "So the people shouted, and priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city." The Church stands in a similar posture. We are facing a Jericho that is standing in the way. The world systems are unstable. Financial fear is trying to lure the people of God into its fear. There a lot of walls standing in the way of promise. God is positioning His Church to bring down those walls just as He did in Jericho. Those walls will not fall by human wisdom and reasoning. Another church program will not do it. Only the shout of grace will bring it down. The shout of grace in obedience to God was the weapon of supernatural warfare for Israel. When we shout "grace" we are making a statement that unless God shows up we won't be able to move ahead. STANDING BEFORE OUR JERICO WALLS Today as we stand before the walls of our Jericho, we shout out loud the word, "Grace." With that shout of grace will come the dismantling of the walls of those encampments that stand in the way of the promise of God: Gather your mounting bills and shout grace over them. Shout grace into your future. Shout grace over a wayward child. Shout grace over every obstacle that stands in the way of your vision and calling. Stand on the high places of your city and shout grace over the broken and lost. Once we shout the grace of God -- we walk straight ahead and see the glory of God. Under our feet will be the remains of fear and impossibility. Zechariah 4:7 - "What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!'" ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
  18. John 15:7,8 - "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples." Some are willing to spend hours in prayer asking for a miracle instead of planting the Word of God in their hearts, which in time would produce the miracle. Prayer is what water and fertilizer are to a seed. They help the Word release its life. But if you haven't planted the seed, it doesn't matter how much water and fertilizer you apply, the soil still won't produce fruit. It's the seed that has life! Genesis 3:11 - "And He said, 'Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?'" By taking the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they found a source of the knowledge of right and wrong outside of God. This can be identified as the proinciple of reasoning. They no longer need the wisdom of God; they could govern themselves according to their sense of right and wrong. This is why God questioned them "who told you"? ALBERT FINCH
  19. "For he (Simon) was awestruck by the size of their catch....Jesus replied, "Don't be afraid! From now on you'll be fishing for the souls of men!" And as soon as they landed, they left everything and went with Him." - Luke 5:9-11 In one day, they abandoned their way of life and everything familiar to them to pursue Him and the DESTINY for which they were created. What had happened? What made the difference? When Peter was willing and obedient to do what the Lord asked, the harvest of what he had believed for came to him (see Isaiah 1:19). In that moment his previous desires were replaced with a new desire. In this place of undivided devotion to Him, He captures our hearts and, like the disciples, we abandon everything to pursue Him wholeheartedly. It is in this place that we find Him (seeJeremiah 29:13). LEAVING THE SHORE Jesus' invitation to Peter is still being given to us today. Are you ready to leave the shore and become something more? "Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all your waves and billows have gone over me." - Psalm 42:7 Can you feel the depth of God's heart CALLING to you in this season? Can you feel the depth of your spirit desiring Him more than your next breath? Launch out and launch into Him. It is in this place that your wilderness becomes a fruitful field. NOT THE TIME TO BE COMPLACENT "For the land of my people growing over with thorns and briers.....Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field and the fruitful field is valued as a forest." - Isaiah 32:13,15 Isaiah was addressing a people who did not recognize the season in which they were living -- through complacency, they lacked the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the heart to perceive what the Lord was asking of them. Their complacency to act and failure to discern the Lord's voice was leading them to a place of lack, disappointment, and despair if they did not recognize their invitation and adjust accordingly. We must also not be like the Shulamite who was not willing to respond to the voice of her beloved in the day of her visitation (see Song of Solomon 5:2-8). She responded to the very invitation that she had so longed for with a list of reasons why His coming wasn't convenient for her. In verse 6 she looked back with regret, recognizing how her heart leapt within her at the sound of His voice. Let us not look back with regret, but instead do whatever we can to meet with Him when He comes knocking. Her complacency cost her the visitation that she had so desired. When He knocks, we must open! PARTNERING WITH THE PROMISE We have a responsibility in receiving what we believe for. The Lord gave a promise of power to 500 of His disciples (Luke 24:49, 1 Corinthians 15:6) but only 120 (Acts 1:15) were committed to partner with the Promise "until" they received power from on high. For 380 of the 500 -- at what point did the "Promise" become inconvenient? If we were able to interview those 380 today, there would be a number of folks echoing the same regret as the Shulamite. If they could have only discerned how close they were to the Promise knocking at their door. We are standing at a place in history, poised to see the greatest wave of God's Spirit to ever come upon the earth. He is knocking and He is calling, in this season of ebb, to those who will open the door and launch out as we dine with Him in the deep. If we will make it our highest goal to receive from Him everything that He has for us -- God'sPURPOSE for our life (our CALLING in Christ) -- we, like Jesus, will come out with power greater than we have ever known (see Luke 4:14). Let's join Jesus in becoming the water (the Word) breathed upon by His wind (Holy Spirit) that we might, with Him, become the wave! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
  20. The Lion King: If you ever come near my son again I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. Matthew 16:18 SCENE SYNOPSIS: Simba got himself into heaps of trouble when he decided to take Nala and go visit the elephant graveyard, even after specific orders not to. Even though he was told not to go in there, when Mufasa realized he was in trouble- he came to his rescue, despite his disobedience. So many times, we go off and do our own thing- despite God telling us differently. We get ourselves into all kinds of precarious situations, and we need him to help us. We may stray off the path, but he loves us regardless. He will protect us, and we need to rely on him. Even when we are disobedient, he still has a perfect plan for our life. He wants us to strive for perfection, even though we will never achieve it. God tells us in Matthew 16:18, that if we build our house upon the rock- the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. Jesus is our chief cornerstone (1 Corinthians 3:10-11) and in him we have a firm foundation. (Ephesians 2:20) With putting our full trust in him, we believe in him to take care of us. And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.- 2 John 1:6 Love and obedience go hand in hand. If a child loves their parent, they will obey. Likewise; if we love God- we will want to obey him. Not for the sake of obedience, but because we love him. We know he has our best interest in mind, and we have that foundation of trust. Question: Do you have trouble obeying God, even when you are in danger? I know i do!
  21. Have you ever been instructed to do something specific by God, a specific event at a specific time? If so, what was it? Did you obey? Were you able to discern the reason? Is this a frequent pattern? Or very rare? Please explain. Thanks much for the responses in advance. May God be glorified.
×
×
  • Create New...