I just met with a man who told me he doesn't wrestle with being good enough, that he believes that Christ died and took away all his sin. I do believe all that, and more. I do also believe that God wants us to be holy, in fact I believe He commands us too.
2 Cor. 6: Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you[b] are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“ I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”
17 Therefore
“ Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
18 “ I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the LORD Almighty.”
7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
But this is supposed to make us holy, not heavy. So many people seem to take this gospel as a heavy load, but God promises "My yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
It's weird, it's almost like we get heavy because we get so fleshly about being in the flesh! But our flight is not a fleshly fight; Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
It's almost like we war in our fleshly man with our fleshly understanding instead of warring in the Holy Spirit, tearing down spiritual strongholds, and not just in our lives, but in our friends, family, and whoever the Lord puts in front of us that needs to be delivered.
But we must be diligent, for "1 Pet 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith..."
God calls us to this wonderful life and freedom of living in the Spirit, not the heaviness of the flesh, nor the burdens of our religious traditions, for they will not free us, only The Lord can do that, for He is able, with Him all things are possible (Matt 19)
(Thanks Biblegateway.com!)
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Eating what is lawful?
1 Cor 10:2323 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. 24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being. 31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
It's too bad we don't take this all the way and glorify God with our appetites! ME,ME,ME!
It's too bad we don't take this all the way and glorify God with our appetites! ME,ME,ME!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Basketball days
I was just thinking about being able to play basketball as well as I could when I was younger. The twists, the spins, the ability to dunk....I'm 44. A pro can't play at that level at this age, but does that stop me, no. SO do I go out and play like crazy and get good again, no. Why? It hurts, it hurts real bad all over. Some of it because I played 6-8 hours a day some days. Some of it no matter how much I work out, it won't go away. (Though I do believe in miraculous healings, which I believe God will heal me)
It’s just neat to believe I can still do it. I can still get up there, I can still beat the best of them. Even if in reality I worked like mad to get there again, wherever there is, and still couldn’t do it, I think I can. I believe I could. And why not?
With God all things are possible right?
I believe they are.
It’s just neat to believe I can still do it. I can still get up there, I can still beat the best of them. Even if in reality I worked like mad to get there again, wherever there is, and still couldn’t do it, I think I can. I believe I could. And why not?
With God all things are possible right?
I believe they are.
His Word is true
What does God say about us, and do we believe it? Are His Words all the way true? Jesus is The Word of God, John chapter 1, He was in the beginning, and He is the Word. He also says of Himself; "I AM The Way, The Truth, and The Life..." (John 14:6) So he calls our bodies the temple of the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor 6:19) If I live like I am my own, then I am calling God a liar. I must live according to His words and not the words of my own, they are not good enough, and may not even be true.
Imagine if you knew of a house that was built by God, can you imagine how cool that house would be, and how many people would want to go see it? Then imagine that same house being lived in by God, WOW, what would that be like, I'd go see it!
THAT'S YOU!!! You are that house of God, He dwells in you!!!
But do I treat my body as if it weren't mine, and were really His? NO!
"Lord, this body is Yours, it's all yours, it's NONE mine. I give it to you, as well as the rest of my life, my thoughts, my emotions, my everything, I gladly give to you, in Jesus name!
Some scriptures:"Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments. Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful." (Psalm 119:137-138)
Nehemiah 9:8b "...You have performed Your words, because You are righteous."
Imagine if you knew of a house that was built by God, can you imagine how cool that house would be, and how many people would want to go see it? Then imagine that same house being lived in by God, WOW, what would that be like, I'd go see it!
THAT'S YOU!!! You are that house of God, He dwells in you!!!
But do I treat my body as if it weren't mine, and were really His? NO!
"Lord, this body is Yours, it's all yours, it's NONE mine. I give it to you, as well as the rest of my life, my thoughts, my emotions, my everything, I gladly give to you, in Jesus name!
Some scriptures:"Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments. Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful." (Psalm 119:137-138)
Nehemiah 9:8b "...You have performed Your words, because You are righteous."
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
I have food you know not of
I have food that you know not of...My food is to do the will of My Father...I love those two verses. WHat's my food; chips, salsa...TV,. WHat do I feed on? What's important to me? WHat's on my plate?
"Lord help my food to be to do the will of my Father, in Jesus name! John 4
"Lord help my food to be to do the will of my Father, in Jesus name! John 4
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
No more boasting!
James 4:13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will[g] go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
How many of us would ever say a year from now...or longer, I know I have ! Are our words important? Do they reflect our Lord, or our pride? Do we think it boastful to say a year from now we will do this or that?
"Lord help us to see the way You do, help our minds to be renewed by Your Words, and not any of this world or the things of this world, in Jesus Name, amen."
17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
How many of us would ever say a year from now...or longer, I know I have ! Are our words important? Do they reflect our Lord, or our pride? Do we think it boastful to say a year from now we will do this or that?
"Lord help us to see the way You do, help our minds to be renewed by Your Words, and not any of this world or the things of this world, in Jesus Name, amen."
Friday, December 31, 2010
Run in such a way as to win
1 Cor 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
Do I run in such a way? Do I run with all my might, or do I hold back. Do I even remember to do the things He taught me yesterday? Do I give it my all? Do the cares of this world choke out the Word telling me to run faster, jump higher swim deeper?
THere's words coming at me all the time, but not all of them are from the Lord. I need only obey those, not all the other words. Most of which I heard during a day, at any given time, will come according to what I have listened to that previous day, and the day before. Have I trained my ear to hear only Him, or to hear His voice above all others?
Many reading this may only feel despair. They may feel so pitiful, so down in the dumps, that this word would just kill them all the more, because they feel so far from tis level of walking, hearing obeying.
Having not been in shape in a really long time, if I tried to swim the channel right now, I'd sink. Cramp up and sink to the bottom. I'd have to train for weeks, maybe months to get back to any level of proficiency. I have lost the ability to do what I used to be able to do, physically.
In my mind I have always been able to dunk a basketball, because in my heart I've always believed if I worked hard enough, I'd be able to do it. Even at the age I am now, and even thoughI an not compete at the level I could before, I still somehow believe I could dunk. When I was 15 or so I could dunk a volley ball on a regulation rim, so I knew it was only a matter of time before I could do a real ball...but that didn't include me hurting my knee. After that I could no longer jump like I could. But I played as though I could.
I ran in such a way as to win.
"Lord help me in every way to run in such a way as to win. In my walk with You, let it be a run, a race, that because of You, I win."
In Christ,
tim
Do I run in such a way? Do I run with all my might, or do I hold back. Do I even remember to do the things He taught me yesterday? Do I give it my all? Do the cares of this world choke out the Word telling me to run faster, jump higher swim deeper?
THere's words coming at me all the time, but not all of them are from the Lord. I need only obey those, not all the other words. Most of which I heard during a day, at any given time, will come according to what I have listened to that previous day, and the day before. Have I trained my ear to hear only Him, or to hear His voice above all others?
Many reading this may only feel despair. They may feel so pitiful, so down in the dumps, that this word would just kill them all the more, because they feel so far from tis level of walking, hearing obeying.
Having not been in shape in a really long time, if I tried to swim the channel right now, I'd sink. Cramp up and sink to the bottom. I'd have to train for weeks, maybe months to get back to any level of proficiency. I have lost the ability to do what I used to be able to do, physically.
In my mind I have always been able to dunk a basketball, because in my heart I've always believed if I worked hard enough, I'd be able to do it. Even at the age I am now, and even thoughI an not compete at the level I could before, I still somehow believe I could dunk. When I was 15 or so I could dunk a volley ball on a regulation rim, so I knew it was only a matter of time before I could do a real ball...but that didn't include me hurting my knee. After that I could no longer jump like I could. But I played as though I could.
I ran in such a way as to win.
"Lord help me in every way to run in such a way as to win. In my walk with You, let it be a run, a race, that because of You, I win."
In Christ,
tim
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