Blessings or Curses

Blessings or Curses

“Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.

                                  My brethren, these things ought not to be so.”   James 3:10

            Can you imagine this picture:  A young family is sitting in church and their little 2-year old starts swearing?   The embarrassed parents try to cover it up by saying, “I don’t know where he got that from; he must have heard it at daycare.”  Who do you think believes that?  He no doubt heard either mom or dad spilling out their anger over something.  It probably isn’t the first time he’s heard those cuss words.

            Matthew 15:10-11 say’s, “When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand: It’s not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”  Men and women, would you really like your son or daughter to speak rudely, or use profanity?  Perhaps you should talk to your children about the language you use and tell them they are not to talk naughty talk like Mommy or Daddy.

            There is a Sunday school song that every child used to sing and it goes like this:

Oh, be careful little eyes, what you see, (repeat)
For the Father up above, is looking down in love,
Oh be careful little eyes what you see.

Oh, be careful little mouth, what you say, (repeat),
For the Father up above, is looking down in love,
Oh be careful little mouth what you say.

Oh, be careful little hands, what you do (repeat),
For the Father up above, is looking down in love,
Oh be careful little hands what you do.

                                          Be careful little ears what you hear, (repeat)

                                          For the Father up above, is looking down in love,

                                                 So be careful little ears what you hear.

            Do you even think about what it means to swear, curse or cuss?  It means to use an offensive or rude word that expresses anger, frustration, surprise, etc.  It is the same as blaspheme or swearing an oath.

           God tells us in Deuteronomy 5:11 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.”  In other words, if you swear using the name of God or of Jesus, you will be punished.  Yes, that is Old Testament, but God never changes and will hold you to this. 

            When angry with another person, no matter the circumstances, we still don’t have permission to curse them. Matt. 5: 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.”

           On the other side come blessings.  The entire Bible deals with the positive of Blessings.  God’s Word speaks in so many ways how He wants to bless us.  Psalm 31:19 is a good example; “For you [God] have stored up great blessings for those who trust and reverence you.”  This is only one of hundred’s of God’s blessings.  It also shows us how we should bless others. 

            Can you imagine the effect of daily blessing your children, no matter their age? It is Jewish custom for the Father (or mother if there is no father in the home) to lay hands on your child’s head and bless them in the name of the Lord.  Some Christians do this with their children and understand the meaning of it.  When we bless others, we are giving them God’s protection and love.  You may not know what this may mean to each person in the future.  This blessing is also spoken in many churches at the close of their service,  “The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”                        Numbers 6:24-26   Don’t just read over this, but honestly read it again and think about it.  When you give a blessing on others, this is what it really means.

            In James 3:12 we are reminded, “No spring yields both salt water and fresh.”  It is not right that both blessings and cursing come out of your mouth.  Would you rather that someone curse you or bless you?  As a true Christian we should not even have to think about it when we speak.

 

TAKING GOD SERIOUSLY

Taking God Seriously

“…For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.   For it is written: "As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”  Romans 14:10,11 (NKJV)
            I’ve been listening to all the news about the missing jetliner.  How sad that 239 people made plans, packed their clothes and got on this plane to go someplace.  Did they think this could happen – of course not, but it did.  No one really knows where they are; dead or alive.  Think about this; it could have been you.  Maybe you were just going to the store for a loaf of bread and a car swung out in front of you and you died.  You didn’t plan for this to happen.

          If you aren’t walking with God today, I would guess it’s simply because you have wanted to live life on your own terms. You know that if you were to take God seriously, you couldn’t remain in control of your life any longer — and you don’t want that to happen. Instead, you want to live by your own rules (or lack of rules), and so far you’ve been able to do it.

            Perhaps it’s time you do start planning for the trip of a lifetime, which all of us will take someday.  “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”   Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV)

            God is serious about what he said in the Bible and with everything that’s happening in this old world, you best look to your future.  If you aren’t sure God is real ask yourself this question.  “Who do you think made the trees and the flowers; the birds and the animals?  I know what science says, but just looking at your own body tells you there must have been a design so that all the parts work together. 

            Look at the complicated parts that go into making a clock.  If I took all those parts and put them into a big shaker and shook them together for a long time, and took them out, they still wouldn’t be a clock.  Yet that’s what science would have us believe. 

            Maybe you do believe in God, but you think the Bible is outdated.  Things change and people change, but the Word of God says that He doesn’t change.  He is the same today as he was 4000 years ago and will be the same in the future.  The Bible is God’s manual for living a life with hope of his Son, Jesus to come someday and take us to heaven. 

            Because you don’t really know what is going to happen to you in the next hour, next day or next week, you may want to think about taking God seriously.  Take him at his Word.  He tells us plainly that all of us will die someday; all of us will be judged and some of us will go to heaven, while some will spend eternity in Hell.  That’s pretty serious stuff. 

            The choice is yours, not God’s.  God gave us all a heart which knows what’s right and what’s wrong and the instructions on how to deal with it.  He also said that if we just call on his name to save us, he will come running to you.  It’s not complicated; just ask him to help you and forgive you of your sinful past and for Jesus to come into your heart.  Then turn away from sin and turn to the Bible that holds directions on how to live for Him. 

            We aren’t talking about a religion; were talking about a relationship; a relationship with God.  Now is the time, who knows if you’ll have another day to make this decision.  Yes, it’s the salvation message in another way, but where are you going be without it?

           

                   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Premeditated Forgiveness

Premeditated Forgiveness

“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth,

there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.”    Hebrews 10:26

           This is probably one of the most difficult topics to write about that I have come across over the years.  I actually would prefer ending this right now, but I feel the Lord has directed me to share these Bible truths with my readers.  I truly intend on ending this on an encouraging note.

            Apostasy by definition is the disregarding of beliefs, or abandoning your religions convictions.  An example of this would be when a Christian turns away from God and becomes a Muslim or Buddhist.

            Another example is when a Christian knowingly turns away from what the Bible says in order to follow his own desires.  One early sign of heart apostasy is when one no longer wants to associate with true believers.  They gradually draw away from church and set their minds on worldly things.

            I John 2:19 says it best; “They had known the way of life, but had not chosen to avail themselves of it.”   If a person has any Bible knowledge, they know what sin is in the eyes of God. If one has attended church for a length of time, they know what sin is.  If you claim to be a Christian, you know what sin is. "Whoever knows what is right to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." (James 4:17)

           Repentance, which means a deliberate change in life style, is usually very hard work. "Long hard obedience in the same direction," does not come easily for creatures of habit, accustomed to years of self-indulgence and the preservation of the status quo---creature comforts and luxury at all costs. We are told by our Lord, however, not only to turn away and flee from life-threatening sins but to take whatever radical steps may be necessary to guard ourselves from further failure, through accountability to others and to the church for example.

            I knew a couple who went to our church several years ago.  They attended every service and Bible study.  One day he told his wife he had met another woman and wanted a divorce.  She told him the Word of God said that would be a sin.  His answer was this, “I know, but after we are divorced and I marry this woman, then I’ll ask God to forgive me.”  This is called, ‘Premeditated Forgiveness’.  Listen to what God says about this in Proverbs 1:28-31, “I will not answer when they cry for help. Even though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me. For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD. They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I corrected them. That is why they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way. They must experience the full terror of the path they have chosen.”  God’s Word warn us of sin; things that we shouldn’t do.  This is not to make us unhappy, but to save us from the consequences to come. 

            Even ‘Christian’s’ see no problem in fulfilling their fleshly desires today, believing in the future that God will forgive them and then they will be okay.  If you ask people who are living in sin, how they justify what they are doing, and their answer is basically, “This is how people live today and no one thinks anything of it.”  They also believe they are still Christians, attend church and will go to heaven when they die.  The ‘Fear of God’ no longer exists in this world and that includes the ‘Christian community’.  “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth.”  I John 1:6

            I write this teaching as a warning to those who no longer believe it’s important to try to live by God’s Word, or no longer have the fear of the Lord.  The words may seem harsh, but I urge you to try to live a holy life.

           The Bible is also full of hope, even for those who premeditate their sin and forgiveness.  It’s not all that easy.  There is one word to follow and that word is: Repentance!  How can we really understand repentance?  We may think of the woman in the Bible who was caught in adultery and was going to be stoned, but Jesus forgave her and told her to go and sin no more.  However, it didn’t stop there; even if she never committed adultery again, she would no doubt be shunned the rest of her life, because of how she had previously lived.

            How about King David?  He was a violent man who committed adultery more than once.  He even had a woman’s husband killed because David had gotten her pregnant.  Yet, God called David a ‘man after his own heart’.  Why?  David learned the meaning of true repentance.  When he was confronted, he was truly sorry for what he had done.  He didn’t just say, “I’m sorry, God”.  He openly admitted his sin and cried out, “I alone have sinned, O, God!”  Did he get off that easy? Not at all.  The baby born of his adultery died, the temple God planned for him to build was never built and he was the target of many who wanted to kill him, including his own son, Absalom. 

            Yes, David satisfied his flesh rather than God and yet God forgave him.  Yet, the consequences of his sins followed him the rest of his life. 

            Yes, God loves you and will forgive you even of premeditated sin and forgiveness, but it’s not always easy.  If you are living in sin, believe what the Word of God says and turn away and sin no more.  Pray sincerely for God’s forgiveness.  Jesus will help you to walk away if you call on His name.

 

 

THE GINGERBREAD MA

THE GINGERBREAD MAN

“Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.”

 Song of Songs  2:15 

            Do you remember, as a child, reading or hearing the story about “The Gingerbread Man”? The story begins when an old lady baked a gingerbread cookie for her and her husband to eat, but when she took it out of the oven; it jumped off the pan and ran away.  The old lady ran after him and he called back, “Run, run as fast as you can.  You can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man.” Then a pig began chasing him followed by a cow, and a horse. All the while the Gingerbread Man called back, “Run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man”.  At last he came to a river and didn’t know what to do, when a fox appeared from behind a tree. The sly fox told him to jump on his back and he would swim across the river with him.  So the Gingerbread man jumped on the foxes back and they began to swim across the river, but he was getting wet.  The fox said, “Jump on my nose and you will stay dry.”  When they got to the other side, the fox tossed the Gingerbread Man in the air with his nose and when he came down the fox caught him in his mouth and that was the end of the Gingerbread Man.

            Many of us are like that Gingerbread man; we are constantly on the run and don’t realize that one of these days we may come to a sudden stop.  We even think like the Gingerbread Man; “I’m just going to keep running as fast as I can and it will never catch up with me.”  Just like the sly fox, things began to creep up on you.  Going without sleep or rest brings memory lapses, impaired judgment, irritability, risk of heart disease, diabetes, depression and a shorter lifespan.   Without rest our stress level climbs higher and higher.  Stress causes the same things that lack of sleep cause and even more. 

            These things happen to our bodies more as we age.  To remain healthy our body requires 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night.  It is no wonder God speaks about rest and sleep.  “It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest [sleep] to his loved ones.”  Psalm 127:2 [NLB] God has programmed our bodies for sleep and for rest.  The Bible speaks of it like it is a gift from God and I believe it is when we see the problems it causes us with lack of it.

             I often wonder how we ever hear from God when we are always on the run.  Jesus, himself, had times that he had to go off by himself and commune with his heavenly Father.  Did you ever wonder why you never seem to hear from God?  Could be you aren’t listening; too many other things running through your mind.  Can’t sleep; perhaps your mind is still running at full speed.  The strange part about this is that you aren’t accomplishing anything by worrying and going over and over things.  A good night’s sleep gives you a fresh outlook on things when you wake in the morning.

            There are times when we run, run, run doing the Lord’s work, yet have no time for the Lord.  Ask yourself how long it has been since you sat quietly reading the Bible and praying to God without TV blaring, music playing or your cell phone ringing?  The average Christian doesn’t do this because they claim they are too busy and can’t find the time.  Aren’t you glad that the Almighty God, who created you and had a plan for your life, always has time to listen to you when you talk to him?  He hears your every prayer. 

            “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. On the very day I call to you for help, my enemies will retreat. This I know: God is on my side.”  Psalm 56:8-9 [NLB]

 

 

WHAT IS LIFE WITHOUT HOPE?

What is Life without Hope?

 

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose Hope is the LORD.  For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.                                                                                                         Jeremiah 17:7

              We have all prayed for God’s help in various circumstances and felt there was no answer to our prayers.  I have heard people say things like, “God doesn’t care about me”, “I’ll never have faith in him again”, or, “The Bible is a lie; God doesn’t answer prayer”.  Some people get angry with God when he doesn’t do what they want him to do.  Some just give up and feel there is no hope.

            I have had many prayers, throughout my life that didn’t get answered to my satisfaction.  Why did my loved one die after I prayed so hard for them?  Because it wasn’t part of God’s plan!  I want to share some scriptures with you to help you better understand what life with God is.  There is so much more than having our own way when we pray.

            From the beginning God had a plan for each of our lives. In Psalm 139:13, God tells us how we came to be.  “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.”  You are important to God or he wouldn’t have made you.  God had a plan for your life from your beginning to your end.  In verse 16, “You saw me before I was born.  Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”  My life and yours, from beginning to end, was planned out by God. He knew the length of your life and that also fit in with his plans for you.

            When people die younger than we think they should, God knows it’s the right timing.  We grieve because we love them and want them to continue with us.  However, if we believe in God and have hope in a life to come, we must believe in Roman’s 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” That scripture has proven to be true so many times in my life.

            Those who do not believe in God and salvation through his son, Jesus, really have no hope.  They go through life believing when they die that is it; there is nothing more. What a wasted, empty life to live for no reason.  Those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior are “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”, as in Titus 2:13.  Jesus is our ‘Blessed Hope’; giving us eternal life.  What wonderful hope to know that our lives here on earth are only the beginning.

            Some people believe there is a God and no matter how they live they will go to heaven when they die. These people believe that all religions lead to heaven.  Yet the Bible tells us in John 3:3 "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."  Born again refers to those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior, repented for their sins and become a new person in Christ Jesus.  This is the one and only way to be assured of a place in heaven.

            This is our Hope!  Without hope in the Lord, our lives are empty and meaningless.  Without hope in the Lord, our goals are without satisfaction and even if we meet those goals they are without hope. Jesus is our only hope in a sin-sick world.   John 3:16 tells us "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”