A.W. Tozer : As Holy As You Want to Be
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. –Matthew 5:6
It may be said without qualification that every man is as holy and as full of the Spirit as he wants to be. He may not be as full as he wishes he were, but he is most certainly as full as he wants to be.
Our Lord placed this beyond dispute when He said, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Hunger and thirst are physical sensations which, in their acute stages, may become real pain. It has been the experience of countless seekers after God that when their desires became a pain they were suddenly and wonderfully filled. The problem is not to persuade God to fill us, but to want God sufficiently to permit Him to do so. The average Christian is so cold and so contented with His wretched condition that there is no vacuum of desire into which the blessed Spirit can rush in satisfying fullness. Born After Midnight, 8.
“Lord, quiet my heart today and fill me with this holy longing. I don’t want to be contented with my present condition; I long for that vacuum of desire into which the Holy Spirit can rush. Amen.”
Holy Spirit (Photo credit: Glass.Mouse)
Thought for the Day
So much time is wasted worrying about tomorrow that we forget that today is passing by without us!
Matthew 6:25
“Therefore, I tell you, don’t worry about your life — what you will eat or drink; or about your body — what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Ecclesiastes 5:2
For nightmares come from worrying too much; and a fool, when he speaks, chatters too much.
Matthew 6:27
Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to his life?
Matthew 6:34
Don’t worry about tomorrow — tomorrow will worry about itself! Today has enough tsuris already!
Luke 10:41
However, the Lord answered her, “Marta, Marta, you are fretting and worrying about so many things!
Philippians 4:6
Don’t worry about anything; on the contrary, make your requests known to God by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving.
Judges 18:6
The cohen replied, “Don’t worry. ADONAI is with you on this journey.”
Source: sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net via Patricia on Pinterest
Thought for the Day
Source: google.com via Rossyvette on Pinterest
Sometimes it has to get really dark for those who are searching for you, to see your light! If you extinguish it yourself because you doubt, you doom those looking for the light and possibly yourself!
Psalm 18:28
For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.Proverbs 20:27
The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.Proverbs 24:20
For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.Matthew 5:15
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.Luke 11:36
If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.Mark 4:21
And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?Luke 8:16
No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.Luke 11:33
No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.
Treasure
My husbands mother was one of those people who take the presents given them and put them in drawers and closets, instead of using them. I never understood the reason that she did so. Perhaps it was because she was very poor growing up and felt that she needed to save them, or perhaps somehow she just felt she didn’t need them. Nobody really knew how much she put back until she died and the family went through the things she left. In a way I can understand this, but in another way I think that it is such a shame. She could have used her treasures, but she didn’t seem to miss them.
I wonder if we are all that way to a certain degree. We try to build up our treasures and perhaps leave something for our loved ones. But are our treasures really the ones that will benefit us? Are they treasures from the earth, or treasures that will benefit us in heaven?
Mark 8:36
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Here in America we are richer that almost all the world no matter how poor we think we are, but perhaps we are poorer that we know! How many people who claim to believe in Christ our Lord, simply go through their days working during the week, attending their church on Sundays and spending their free time engaged in frivolous activities that will mean nothing when the reach Heaven’s Gate? Do we take our freedom for granted, our ability to accept God as our Savior in relative ease and without fear? Where will we be when we are truly tested? We hear reports of Christians in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and even now in Europe, being forbidden to openly practice their faith or even being killed for their beliefs.
What treasures do we have to compare? When they get to heaven God will open His arms wide and proclaim them His. But where will we be who have had the easy road? Will we stand before Him and say “Lord, my God, I stood when they persecuted others and cried out?” Or will we simply continue on our way blind to the real treasure? Jesus tells us:
Matthew 5:10
King James Version (KJV)
10 “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
I pray that we have true discernment and realizes that our earthly treasures are nothing but empty promises, like the promises given by politicians. Nice for a time, but when the rubber meets the road, they won’t mean a thing when we knock on the door. I personally, do not want to be one of those going through the motions, living the life of a Christian, but without laying up the treasure that will wait for me when I reach that blessed door and face my Master. I do not want him to say:
Matthew 7:23
“And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
So many seem to think that earthly riches are what Jesus is talking about when he said:
Luke 18:25
“For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than fora rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”
We are truly rich here in America! Churches abound, there is usually one just around the next corner. Unfortunately what they preach is often that once you accept Jesus as your Lord and Master, nothing else is required and all you have to do is show up. They sometimes don’t even care if you bother to read the word of God. As long as you are adding to their coffers they are happy. When it comes down to it, you realize that the treasures they are worried about are not in heaven but here on earth. And to top it off, it isn’t you who they care about but themselves. The prosperity that they teach is for them and not God. When you get past the surface you realize that He doesn’t even enter into it except as a cover sheet to their webpage.
Can we be truly blessed if we have no conception of the pain and suffering that so many others endure in order to serve God? Can we be truly blessed if we have no real idea of how strong our faith is because it hasn’t been really tested? Can we be truly blessed if we have never been asked to sacrifice anything?
Stained glass at St John the Baptist’s Anglican Church http://www.stjohnsashfield.org.au, Ashfield, New South Wales. Illustrates Jesus’ description of himself “I am the Good Shepherd” (from the Gospel of John, chapter 10, verse 11). This version of the image shows the detail of his face. The memorial window is also captioned: “To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of William Wright. Died 6th November, 1932. Aged 70 Yrs.” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Love
This is the main foundation for following Christ and it is at one time the easiest thing in the world at at another the hardest! It is what we strive to do and yet it often hurts so much that it is a battle daily. It is impossible without God‘s help and it is only as far away as our asking for His help. Those that hurt us the most are often those who are closest to us and yet these are the very ones that we love the most.
You may be asking where I am going with this and I will be honest and say that I am not sure. This is the message that I am getting today. We need to work on learning to love and following Christ’s will. The time is near when it is going to be our biggest challenge. Build your foundation, increase your strength, and expand your heart.
Matthew 5:43-48
New King James Version (NKJV)
Love Your Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.’44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,[b] 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren[c] only, what do you do morethan others? Do not even the tax collectors[d] do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Endure to the End
Stained glass at St John the Baptist’s Anglican Church http://www.stjohnsashfield.org.au, Ashfield, New South Wales. Illustrates Jesus’ description of himself “I am the Good Shepherd” (from the Gospel of John, chapter 10, verse 11). This version of the image shows the detail of his face. The memorial window is also captioned: “To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of William Wright. Died 6th November, 1932. Aged 70 Yrs.” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Matthew 24:4-14
New King James Version (NKJV)
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all[a] these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences,[b] and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
The Way
The Way
Do you know it? There is only one way! Jesus is that way.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Not Buddah, not Mohammad, not by any false idol dreamed up by foolish men. Satan tempts man, giving what he desires. The wide gate, not the narrow.
But it is the wrong way!
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. NIV Matthew 7:13
It is so tempting to listen to those who promise God freely. Those who tell you all you have to do is say a word. Half truths that lead astray those who think that He is their true desire. It is only the first step on your journey to accept Him. And only through Him will you find what you are looking for. He is the “narrow gate,” and you have to be willing to give up everything to go through.
“Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who will find it.” Matthew 7:14 NKJV
Mark 8:34-35
King James Version (KJV)
34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
Saved from what? Judgment and condemnation! Saved for what? God’s Kingdom!
Dear Reader, take that first step and accept Him into your heart and into your life, but do not be like Lot’s wife. Do not look back to your old life, for surely if you do, you have indicated that Jesus sacrifice was in vain.God knows that you are not perfect. He will forgive you if you falter. But for those who think that they can continue with their old lives just because they accepted Him in one fleeting moment, they are denying Him if they continue on their way thinking that they can do anything that they want. And denying Him is saying that the sacrifice was unworthy. Woe to those who deny Him, they will have their name removed from the Book of Life.
The Dead Church
Revelation 3 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,
‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.[a] 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4 You[b] have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
The Faithful Church
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”:[c] 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it;[d] for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold,[e]I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
The Lukewarm Church
14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans[f] write,
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,[g] I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”
If you truly love Him, keep your eyes on the prize and look to heaven for that is where your treasure is, not here on this earth.
Matthew 6:19-21
New International Version (NIV)
Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
There is only one way, and that way is through Jesus, the Anointed One, our Savior and our Lord. Do not be fooled into following the easy way. Do not let Satan convince you that all you have to do is accept and nothing more. He said, pick up your cross and follow me. Luke 9:23
New International Version (NIV)
23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
Paul tells us in his letter to the Ephesians:
Ephesians 3:9-11
New King James Version (NKJV)
9 and to make all see what is the fellowship[a] of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;[b] 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
He is the way but He warns us that the way will not be easy, but instead hard, so why are you falling for the lies that tell you it is easy, just say the word? Is it because you just want to appear to follow Him? Because if you truly do, you must make the effort to do what He asks of you.
Don’t pile up treasure here on the earth and expect it to make a bit of difference when you stand before that Throne of Judgment! Don’t expect to have the Lord open the door just because you believe in Him. Even the demons do that!
James 2:19
New International Version (NIV)
19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that —and shudder.
What price are you willing to pay? He paid the ultimate price. He made the sacrifice so that you would have the chance. But it is a chance, not a surety. You have an obligation once you accept, and that is to follow Him. Not through the wide gate, that just leads to destruction.He is the way, the only way, He will not give you more that you can bear, but He does expect something from you in return.
Be warned, it will not be easy, you will suffer for His name. But the rewards are great and the peace that you will recieve is wonderful.
Psalm 34
New King James Version (NKJV)
The Happiness of Those Who Trust in God
A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.
34 I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.
6 This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel[a] of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him,
And delivers them.
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints!
There is no want to those who fear Him.
10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Who is the man who desires life,
And loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He guards all his bones;
Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.
Parable of the Marriage Feast
Hochzeitskutsche (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Matthew 22:1-14
And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son,
“and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding and they were not willing to come.
“Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ‘
“But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business.
“And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.
“But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.
“Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you can find, invite to the wedding.’
“So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.
“So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.
“Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
“For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Thought for the Day
“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12
The Beatitudes
Stained glass panel in the nave of St. John’s Anglican Church, Ashfield, New South Wales (NSW). This window depicts Jesus Christ welcoming children and teaching “of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14). The inscription on this memorial window reads “To the Glory of God and in Commemoration of all the Baptisms in this Church † Erected John the Baptist Day 1932″. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Matthew 5:1-12
And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.
Then He opened His mouth and taught them saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
For they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For their is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
“Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Baptism of Jesus
Appearance of Christ to the People (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Matthew 3:13-17
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordon to be baptized by him.
And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?
But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.
Then Jesus, when He had been baptized, came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
And suddenly a voice came heaven, saying “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Charitable Deeds
“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
“Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
“But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
“that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
Pharisees Commit the Unpardonable Sin Matthew 12:31-37
The Holy Spirit depicted as a dove, surrounded by angels, by Giaquinto, 1750s. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.
“Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in in this age or in the age to come.
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.
“Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart a mouth speaks.
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
“For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Related articles
- Words Come From the Heart (christianresolutions2012.wordpress.com)
- What is the sin of the world? (thepauls.wordpress.com)
Debate Over Tradition Matthew 15:1-20
Christ and The Pharisees (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying,
“Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat the bread.”
But He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?
“For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother‘; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’
“But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me has been dedicated to the temple”—
‘is released from honoring his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.
Hypocrite! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain the worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the
commandments of men.’ “
Then He called the multitude and said to them, “Hear and understand:
“Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”
Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”
But He answered and said, “Ever plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.
“Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”
The Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”
So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding?
“Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?
“But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.
“For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
“These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
“Ask, and It Will Be Given” Matthew 7:7-11
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened, and it will be opened to you.
“For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
“Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
“Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?
“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Prayer is a Motion
“Those persons who know the deep peace of God, the unfathomable peace that passeth all understanding, are always men and women of much prayer.”~ R. A. Torrey
Our Church is in Revival this week and our guest Pastor, Dr. Ron Smith, gave us a message on Monday that has really been lingering and pushing at me. The message was a simple one, that is that God is a motion sensitive God. That when we make a movement toward Him, that He responds.
Prayer is a movement, a request and plea for the intercession of the Holy Spirit, of Jesus and of God Himself. It can be a movement of praise, of need, of thankfulness, but it is always a movement on our part. It is the most important movement that we will ever do.
It is the movement that God seeks to know that we want to know Him. It is the movement that shows that we accept Him. And it is the movement that shows that we love and appreciate Him. That we understand the sacrifice that He gave when He gave His Son.
Prayer is Joy, prayer is Fear, prayer is Thanksgiving, prayer is Regret, prayer is quite simply the culmination of everything. 
Ephesians 6:18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
1 Corinthians 14:15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.
Matthew 7:7 ”Ask, and it will be given to you seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Matthew 21:22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
John 14:13-14 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it
King James Version (KJV)
Psalm 100
1Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
2Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
Headed Toward the Day of the Lord
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This past week has been one that I have really felt the need to get my Bible in front of me with pen and paper and really study the word of the Lord. I am feeling an urgency that I have never felt before and a need to make sure that my understanding is sure.
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
Matthew 24:6 “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
This is an almost daily news story, wars and rumors of wars, and yet Jesus tell us that we should not be troubled, for all these things must come.
Matthew 24:7 “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
Matthew 24::8 “All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
We can’t know that these are the actually beginnings of sorrows that Jesus tells us of in the Bible, because we don’t know the exact time of His return, but you would have to be totally in ignorance of the word of God, not to realize that the signs are fitting the prophecy.
What will come next? The scriptures tell us that,
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations for My name’s sake” Matthew 24:9
This is happening in the Middle East, Christians are being killed on a daily basis, they are being hunted, burned, tortured and driven from their homes. Nations that were accepting and tolerant of Christians are no longer tolerant. The hatred is expanding across the world. How long before it involves the whole world?
Psalm 90 “Teach us to Number Our Days”
A Prayer of Moses the man of God
Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
You turn man to destruction, An say, ” Return, O children of men.” For a thousand years in Your sight, Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night. You carry them away like a flood; They are like a sleep. In the morning they are like grass which grows up: In the morning it flourishes and grows up; In the evening it is cut down and withers.
For we have been consumed by Your anger, And by Your wrath we are terrified. You have set our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance. For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; We finish our years like a sigh. The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years. Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath. So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Return, O Lord! How long? And have compassion on Your servants. Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, That we may rejoice and be glad all our days! Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, And the years in which we have seen evil. Let Your work appear to Your servants, And Your glory to their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes establish the work of our hands.
The Seducer
There are many Churches who seem to feel that they have to seduce their followers. As if God looks down on them and sees the number and is happy. Like politicians’s making promises and offers to get people to vote for them.
Most people come to realize that the politicians is going to sell them out and the promises that they give are not worth the air that it took to vent them. And yet people fill the hall’s of the mega-churches with Pastors who tell them all their dreams will come true. Why is this? Why do some of the same people who wouldn’t trust the politician further than they could throw them, trust these Pastors with their eternal lives?
The answer is sad. The truth is that they are not true believers. For many of them, it is not because they don’t want to be, they do. But they haven’t received the seed from their Pastor. A Pastor cannot give what they do not have to give. And a Pastor that uses seduction to get followers is a Pastor that is not a true believer himself.
Their Churches look good, beautiful buildings, great choirs, and a Pastor that has great voice and a story that moves you. But what are they promising? Are they telling their followers that all God requires is to show up?
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son in order taht we may have eternal life.”
Does the Bible end with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord? If that were all that was necessary it would, wouldn’t it? So what comes next?
After the Resurrection when the disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain as Jesus had instructed them,
Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ” All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen
Most Churches teach the first part and many are very good at making disciples. And that is how they seduce their followers. They make them think the first part is important, but that there is a lot of leeway in the second part. The part that says “teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you.”
Please do not get me wrong, I am not saying that every mega-church is a false church. What I am saying is that those that promise to give you all your desires just for you money and your attendance are churches that do not have God. If they do not have God, they can not share Him either.
Matthew Chapters 5-7, the “Sermon on the Mount“, tells us exactly what His commandments are. We are not perfect. He knows that we will not be able to do everything, and He has already told us that He will forgive us, but only if we accept the responsibility and try to do our best.
This is where the false Churches, those that seduce rather than save, lead their followers astray. They tell people they have to do nothing but accept Jesus as their savior, and this is just the beginning of our journey to Christ.
There will be some who have had the seed planted that will still feel the need to seek and in doing so will find God. But those who want the easy way, and their reward on earth, they will receive the reward they desire for the most part, but it won’t be in heaven, and it won’t be with God. Because that is not what they want.
If our responsibilities as followers of Christ ended with the Resurrection, we wouldn’t have needed Paul’s transformation and the many books that God added to the Bible through his hand. And the enlightenment that he added in his instructions to the Churches such as Ephesians, where he gives us further instructions on our lives as followers of Christ.
What I am trying to show is that the Resurrection is the beginning of Christianity, Jesus gave His life, then God sent the Holy Spirit so that we could continue on the path He started us on. It begins with Jesus!
But it ends with Jesus too! Because He is returning. And when He returns, we will stand in judgement. Those that accepted Him will be the first that He sees, we have been marked with the blood that He shed for us. The seed planted has brought new growth and the old mas has dies with the new reborn. This He will see.
What of those that were seduced into accepting their reward here on earth? They will have already received it my friends. They will have made their choice. Christ will be able to know their heart, He will know whether they truly believed and whether they chose the easy way or the narrow path.
Ephesians 5:17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Romans 6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in you mortal body, that you should obey it in it lusts.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ, Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Romans 14:11 For it is written:
“As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.”
