How can so many be so right and still be so wrong? That question comes to my mind all the time. I read some great posts by christians about observing the Sabbath or the coming of the Lord. Posts filled with truth and backed up with Scripture. Then I see horoscopes or pictures of half naked people or worse yet, the Word of God taken completely out of context in the next post. That is why I ask, how can so many be so right and still be so wrong? I already know the answer to that but it saddens me because the church, God's church, God's people are so easily blinded, so easily led astray. I'm no exception, my only saving grace is God, again, MY ONLY SAVING GRACE IS GOD. There is an old saying, "there but for the grace of God go I". If it were not for the convicting Holy Spirit, for putting on God's armor every day, I don't know what I would be doing, (and I might add I don't want to know!). Thank you God for never leaving me. There was a time when I "thought" I was right but I was so wrong. And please don't get me wrong, I am NOT saying now that I'm always right. The difference is now I know how fallible I am, now I know that I can be right, but I can be so wrong too.
There was a time I followed man's doctrines and believed man's word over the Word of God.
Why would I do that you might ask:
1) Because I did not read the Word of God myself.
2) Because I did not have a deep personal relationship with God.
3) Because I was unwilling to let go of my beliefs and man-made traditions and let God teach me.
4) Because I was scared I would have to give up some of the things I enjoyed.
5) Because it was "easier" to listen to a preacher and believe him, than to study and read the Bible for myself
Wow, that #4 because sounded just like my excuses many many years ago for not giving my life totally back to the Lord. Because I was afraid I would have to give up some things I enjoyed. That's a subject for another post but let's just say, I didn't give up anything because I HAD to, it all went willingly.
Back to how can you be right and still be wrong. The Bible says to "be diligent to show thyself approved". (2 Timothy 2:15) NASB. Meriam Webster defines diligent as characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort : painstaking diligent
worker>. Steady, earnest, energetic, painstaking?This means God wants us to stay in His Word, to study it, to grow with HIM, not with the world. We won't get it completely right until the day HE changes our bodies from mortal to immortal, but we can work diligently to spread the TRUTH of HIS Word.
Here are some things to get you started to search out for yourself. But before you do, IF you do, I ask you to pray sincerely for God to show you the truth, EVEN if it goes against everything you have been told and taught. Ask God to open your eyes and ears of understanding. Be receptive to letting the Holy Spirit teach you.
Ready: Here goes, God's laws, the 10 Commandments, the 4th Commandment, rapture, holidays, (in particular, Christmas and Easter, trinity, King James Bible, Sunday observance, God's true church. That's just a few of the things I can think of that I had to relearn. Now in teaching me the truth about these things, God took me other places ALONG with His Word (the Bible). The first thing I can remember God showing me was about the rapture. The word rapture isn't in the Bible! When you look up how the rapture "theory" came to be, you find out it was an idea started by man!! You will find a great many "arguments" pro and con but praying and opening yourself up to God will show you the truth. Arguing fact is one thing, proving and backing up with fact, that's how you get to the truth. Always back those facts up with Scripture. The Bible, contrary to what some "say" does NOT contradict itself. It proves itself, time and time again.
How can so many be right and still be wrong? By following the world instead of the Word.
God bless you as you study for the truth.
Showing posts with label ten commandments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ten commandments. Show all posts
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Friday, November 19, 2010
Unlocking the Power of Prayer
Hebrews 11:6, But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
How do we diligently seek Him? Prayer, constant communication.
James 5:16,Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Quite a lot of people believe you can only pray when you are kneeling, either with your head bowed and your hands folded or with your arms outstretched and looking upward (while still on your knees), Screaming out and crying to God to make sure He hears you. Stay with me, don't cut me off because you don't like what I just said and think well she's a flake because you can and do pray like this. I am NOT saying this is not one way to pray, but I am saying this is ONLY one way to pray. There are lots of ways and God hears every single one, whether you are crying out loud, screaming, whispering or having an internal talk with Him in your mind. The key to prayer is diligence, frequency and especially faith! The wonderful thing about God is that you can go to Him anytime, in any situation or circumstance and in any manner that you are able to do at that moment. He doesn't care, all He cares about is that you are talking to Him. Do you know He waits and longs for us to do that? The key ingredient to ANY relationship is communication, how could it be any less with our loving Father, our creator?
What I hope to share with you is some major points to help you increase or possibly have a more "effectual, fervent" prayer life. That is my prayer for you and my leading from the Lord today.
Number 1, you can never be disqualified as a person of prayer so don't let anyone discourage you (including yourself). Don't ever think you can't pray, if you can talk, you can pray. Picture a loving Father who is always available, never ignores you, never rejects you, is never to busy for you and is always waiting for you. Don't allow discouragement over an unanswered prayer to cause you to doubt that God has heard you. If you have received His son Jesus and are praying in His name, (John 16:23, And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give [it] you.), then God hears you, and something is happening, whether you can see it right at this moment or not. He is on it! Every time you pray, you are advancing God's purpose for you. Our spiritual well-being depends on two kinds of regular prayer. One is our prayer between us and God, the other is enlisting the prayers of other believers, praying for one another. (Matthew 18:19, Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.) We are not in this battle of life alone, God will fight every battle for us, but, we have to call on Him and believe that He is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do. Then we have other soldiers to go to battle with and for us and that is where prayer warriors come in. Never be afraid to ask God for anything (in Jesus name) and never be afraid to ask someone to help you pray. You don't have to tell them even specifically what it is, God knows, they just need to pray in agreement with you. The other thing is seek to know the will of God so you can pray the will of God. James 4:3, (KJV) Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume [it] upon your lusts. Or more simply put: James 4:3 (NIV) When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. That does not mean that God will not give you things you ask for, but we have to keep in mind that He will not (cannot) give us things that are contrary to His word. If what we are praying and asking for goes against any of the ten commandments (God's laws) then we are praying amiss. If we are praying harm against someone else, we are praying amiss. You might wonder who would do that but unfortunately there are people who do. If something we want would take something away from someone else or cause them distress or harm, we are praying amiss. Sometimes we don't think of the consequences of our prayers on other people. Because of the length of this blog, I am going to continue this later but I would like to leave you with this.
1) Speak to God anytime, anyplace. 2) It is important to have some quality alone time in prayer with God, (just keep in mind, that is NOT the only time you can talk to Him, so talk to Him quietly in your mind anytime, even if it's just to say, I love you!) 3) Don't worry if you feel like you are or can only pray for yourself right then, praying for others will come, God knows your heart and feels your pain. I don't want to reduce prayer to a routine, repetitive prayer or formula but here are a few suggestions to include in your prayer time: 1) Tell Him how much you love Him, He never gets tired of hearing it, just like we don't get tired of hearing it. 2) Thank Him for everything He has done for you, if you are particularly thankful for something, mention that specifically. 3) Admit your dependence on Him, that you are powerless without Him and that you need His strength to make it through your situations. 4) Confess anything you feel you have done wrong, if nothing comes to mind at that particular moment, just simply ask Him to forgive you where you may have sinned against Him and/or others. 5) Ask Him for forgiveness for others and express your own forgiveness for harms or wrongs you feel others have done. 6) Tell Him everything that is on your heart and mind, release it all to Him, good, bad, ugly, everything. He is the One that you can trust with your inner most feelings and secrets and He won't go tell anyone. 7) Give Him all your requests, all your needs, all your desires. 8) Wait for Him to speak to your Heart, this requires allowing Him a little quiet time to speak to you also. 9) Praise Him for His being in your life and everything He is and does. Tell Him over and over how much you love Him if that is what your heart is feeling. 10) You don't need fancy words, or eloquent speeches. God knows your heart, He knows how you talk, how you think. Be yourself, come to His throne humbly and with meekness, with an attitude of gratitude. I've gone to Him at times when I didn't even feel like praying and my faith was weak and said, "Father, I love you but I can't feel You. I want to pray but nothing is coming, help me, lead me, guide me, comfort me and hold me until I get through this. Don't let go of me." You know what? He did!!! Praise God. My relationship and walk with Him is the most important thing in my life and there have been times when I wasn't even sure I could believe He would answer my prayers but those times I asked Him to hang on to me because I knew it would pass. Those were my lowest valleys, we all have them, we are not alone. He is with us. What does it say in Psalms 23?, "yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me", translators say this can also mean our darkest valley. We have nothing to fear, we serve a powerful God who is fully capable to meet our every need, our every desire. We only have to have faith the grain of a mustard seed, look at one sometime, see just how tiny it is. Don't put limits on God and don't put limits on yourself and your communication with Him. Constant, fervent prayer is simply put - constant communication. Talk to Him like He is your parent, your best friend, your partner and standing right beside you, because He is.
In another blog I will list some reasons to pray (as if any of us need those, lol) and also an easy way to remember who to pray for. If these help you praise God, if you already know them, praise God.
In love,
Til next time
God bless
How do we diligently seek Him? Prayer, constant communication.
James 5:16,Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Quite a lot of people believe you can only pray when you are kneeling, either with your head bowed and your hands folded or with your arms outstretched and looking upward (while still on your knees), Screaming out and crying to God to make sure He hears you. Stay with me, don't cut me off because you don't like what I just said and think well she's a flake because you can and do pray like this. I am NOT saying this is not one way to pray, but I am saying this is ONLY one way to pray. There are lots of ways and God hears every single one, whether you are crying out loud, screaming, whispering or having an internal talk with Him in your mind. The key to prayer is diligence, frequency and especially faith! The wonderful thing about God is that you can go to Him anytime, in any situation or circumstance and in any manner that you are able to do at that moment. He doesn't care, all He cares about is that you are talking to Him. Do you know He waits and longs for us to do that? The key ingredient to ANY relationship is communication, how could it be any less with our loving Father, our creator?
What I hope to share with you is some major points to help you increase or possibly have a more "effectual, fervent" prayer life. That is my prayer for you and my leading from the Lord today.
Number 1, you can never be disqualified as a person of prayer so don't let anyone discourage you (including yourself). Don't ever think you can't pray, if you can talk, you can pray. Picture a loving Father who is always available, never ignores you, never rejects you, is never to busy for you and is always waiting for you. Don't allow discouragement over an unanswered prayer to cause you to doubt that God has heard you. If you have received His son Jesus and are praying in His name, (John 16:23, And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give [it] you.), then God hears you, and something is happening, whether you can see it right at this moment or not. He is on it! Every time you pray, you are advancing God's purpose for you. Our spiritual well-being depends on two kinds of regular prayer. One is our prayer between us and God, the other is enlisting the prayers of other believers, praying for one another. (Matthew 18:19, Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.) We are not in this battle of life alone, God will fight every battle for us, but, we have to call on Him and believe that He is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do. Then we have other soldiers to go to battle with and for us and that is where prayer warriors come in. Never be afraid to ask God for anything (in Jesus name) and never be afraid to ask someone to help you pray. You don't have to tell them even specifically what it is, God knows, they just need to pray in agreement with you. The other thing is seek to know the will of God so you can pray the will of God. James 4:3, (KJV) Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume [it] upon your lusts. Or more simply put: James 4:3 (NIV) When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. That does not mean that God will not give you things you ask for, but we have to keep in mind that He will not (cannot) give us things that are contrary to His word. If what we are praying and asking for goes against any of the ten commandments (God's laws) then we are praying amiss. If we are praying harm against someone else, we are praying amiss. You might wonder who would do that but unfortunately there are people who do. If something we want would take something away from someone else or cause them distress or harm, we are praying amiss. Sometimes we don't think of the consequences of our prayers on other people. Because of the length of this blog, I am going to continue this later but I would like to leave you with this.
1) Speak to God anytime, anyplace. 2) It is important to have some quality alone time in prayer with God, (just keep in mind, that is NOT the only time you can talk to Him, so talk to Him quietly in your mind anytime, even if it's just to say, I love you!) 3) Don't worry if you feel like you are or can only pray for yourself right then, praying for others will come, God knows your heart and feels your pain. I don't want to reduce prayer to a routine, repetitive prayer or formula but here are a few suggestions to include in your prayer time: 1) Tell Him how much you love Him, He never gets tired of hearing it, just like we don't get tired of hearing it. 2) Thank Him for everything He has done for you, if you are particularly thankful for something, mention that specifically. 3) Admit your dependence on Him, that you are powerless without Him and that you need His strength to make it through your situations. 4) Confess anything you feel you have done wrong, if nothing comes to mind at that particular moment, just simply ask Him to forgive you where you may have sinned against Him and/or others. 5) Ask Him for forgiveness for others and express your own forgiveness for harms or wrongs you feel others have done. 6) Tell Him everything that is on your heart and mind, release it all to Him, good, bad, ugly, everything. He is the One that you can trust with your inner most feelings and secrets and He won't go tell anyone. 7) Give Him all your requests, all your needs, all your desires. 8) Wait for Him to speak to your Heart, this requires allowing Him a little quiet time to speak to you also. 9) Praise Him for His being in your life and everything He is and does. Tell Him over and over how much you love Him if that is what your heart is feeling. 10) You don't need fancy words, or eloquent speeches. God knows your heart, He knows how you talk, how you think. Be yourself, come to His throne humbly and with meekness, with an attitude of gratitude. I've gone to Him at times when I didn't even feel like praying and my faith was weak and said, "Father, I love you but I can't feel You. I want to pray but nothing is coming, help me, lead me, guide me, comfort me and hold me until I get through this. Don't let go of me." You know what? He did!!! Praise God. My relationship and walk with Him is the most important thing in my life and there have been times when I wasn't even sure I could believe He would answer my prayers but those times I asked Him to hang on to me because I knew it would pass. Those were my lowest valleys, we all have them, we are not alone. He is with us. What does it say in Psalms 23?, "yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me", translators say this can also mean our darkest valley. We have nothing to fear, we serve a powerful God who is fully capable to meet our every need, our every desire. We only have to have faith the grain of a mustard seed, look at one sometime, see just how tiny it is. Don't put limits on God and don't put limits on yourself and your communication with Him. Constant, fervent prayer is simply put - constant communication. Talk to Him like He is your parent, your best friend, your partner and standing right beside you, because He is.
In another blog I will list some reasons to pray (as if any of us need those, lol) and also an easy way to remember who to pray for. If these help you praise God, if you already know them, praise God.
In love,
Til next time
God bless
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Christmas - Fact or Fiction
The more I study the more I understand why Jesus said it would be easier for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle. (Matthew 19:24). The enemy is so good at what he does that we commit sin after sin without even realizing at the time we are doing it. The biggest way he gets to us and causes us to break our relationship with God is through "little white lies". The Bible says to keep "all" God's commandments. Even Jesus himself said He did not come to do away with the law but to fulfill it. Meaning He did not do away with any of God's previous laws and especially the 10 commandments (laws). One of the ten commandments that just about anyone can quote you is "thou shalt not lie". So why then as christians is it so easy for us to do and to excuse ourselves for by saying we are doing it for the good of others? A little white lie to keep from hurting someones feelings, a little white lie to cover up another little white lie. The biggest lie of all - "yes Virginia, there IS a santa claus"!! If we thought more of God and less of ourselves we would realize earlier that we are breaking God's commandments all in the name of keeping "Jesus birthday".
I see things from friends all over the internet asking me to join causes and posting signs, "keep Christ in Christmas". News flash: Christ NEVER was in Christmas!! Christmas was started way way before the birth of Christ. Not only that, it began as a pagan holiday to celebrate the birth of the "sun" god (little g). Like many secular holidays, the church incorporated it into christian beliefs "to give christians a way to celebrate without sinning"!!! Plus one for the enemy, the church, christians, bought it. Not only that, they took it one step further and incorporated a lie, thereby breaking the commandments. Teaching your children to believe in santa claus. What happens when they are older and you have to tell them there really is no santa and you've lied to them their entire young life. At the same time, their entire young life you've led them to believe that they can trust you, that you would never lie to them or do anything to hurt them. Any of you reading this that remembers telling your children the truth, what was their reaction. To say that most of them are hurt is an understatement. Many of them refuse to accept the truth for a long time after they are told, and many are angry at their parents.
I have been intensely studying the Bible, searching for God's truths and when you open your Bible and ask God to open up His word in your heart and open your eyes of understanding, He will give you what you ask for. I have been just as guilty in the past of celebrating this holiday, I've believed like many that Christmas was a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. I love the Lord with all my heart, mind, soul and body and I loved Christmas because it was celebrating Him, I thought. Once I actually started studying I've learned that not only Christmas but also Easter are pagan holidays. Please don't take my word for it, study it out for yourself, but, be willing to accept the truth when God reveals it to you. Be ready to change your way of thinking. Remember if you break one commandment, you've broken them all, there is no big sin, little sin. Remember that keeping God's commandments and laws is crucial to your salvation but mostly remember that YOU are responsible for your children's salvation. You are responsible for them learning the truth. We say we teach our children Christmas because we love them, because we want them to love Jesus and honor His birth. Nowhere in the Bible does God tell us to celebrate Jesus birthday, only that He was born. What we need to remember is that He was born and died for our salvation. If the day mattered, God would have put it in the Bible. He has given us Holy Days in the Bible to celebrate and those we should keep. If we have a prayer of making it into the Kingdom of God we've got to wake up, we have got to quit incorporating the world into our lives, into our children's lives. God has something to say about this in the Bible - Matthew 15:9, But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
And in Matthew 15:8, Jesus said: This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
In all "truth and honesty" how much glory does Christ get on the very day the world celebrates as His birthday? How many of us would go to a birthday party for someone we care about and take gifts not to that person but to everyone else attending the party!!!! That's exactly what we do on Christmas. We give gifts to everyone else that is there and how many of us actually even take time to honor Christ? As I said earlier, I was just as guilty. This has been one of the hardest truths for me to wrap my mortal mind around because Christmas was my favorite holiday BEFORE I learned the truth. Why do we need a special day to buy gifts or show our family that we love them? We are free to do that at anytime. We should be more concerned with our salvation, our children's salvation and the signs that we truly are living in the last days. It isn't easy sometimes to learn and accept the truth but if we have a hope of making it into the Kingdom of God, we must do this.
Christmas is NOT a command of God, it is a tradition of men. Mark 7:6-9,
God gave us free will but His original plan was that all might be saved. It's up to us what we do with the truth. We can't just pick and choose what part of God's word we want to believe or live. He gave us the Bible for instruction, nothing can be added to it or taken away from it. You either follow God or man, your choice.
Now that you have learned the truth, you can't unlearn it. I pray that you take it, pray over it and ask God to help you do the right thing in your life, your children's lives, grandchildren's lives, whoever you might speak to.
God bless
I see things from friends all over the internet asking me to join causes and posting signs, "keep Christ in Christmas". News flash: Christ NEVER was in Christmas!! Christmas was started way way before the birth of Christ. Not only that, it began as a pagan holiday to celebrate the birth of the "sun" god (little g). Like many secular holidays, the church incorporated it into christian beliefs "to give christians a way to celebrate without sinning"!!! Plus one for the enemy, the church, christians, bought it. Not only that, they took it one step further and incorporated a lie, thereby breaking the commandments. Teaching your children to believe in santa claus. What happens when they are older and you have to tell them there really is no santa and you've lied to them their entire young life. At the same time, their entire young life you've led them to believe that they can trust you, that you would never lie to them or do anything to hurt them. Any of you reading this that remembers telling your children the truth, what was their reaction. To say that most of them are hurt is an understatement. Many of them refuse to accept the truth for a long time after they are told, and many are angry at their parents.
I have been intensely studying the Bible, searching for God's truths and when you open your Bible and ask God to open up His word in your heart and open your eyes of understanding, He will give you what you ask for. I have been just as guilty in the past of celebrating this holiday, I've believed like many that Christmas was a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. I love the Lord with all my heart, mind, soul and body and I loved Christmas because it was celebrating Him, I thought. Once I actually started studying I've learned that not only Christmas but also Easter are pagan holidays. Please don't take my word for it, study it out for yourself, but, be willing to accept the truth when God reveals it to you. Be ready to change your way of thinking. Remember if you break one commandment, you've broken them all, there is no big sin, little sin. Remember that keeping God's commandments and laws is crucial to your salvation but mostly remember that YOU are responsible for your children's salvation. You are responsible for them learning the truth. We say we teach our children Christmas because we love them, because we want them to love Jesus and honor His birth. Nowhere in the Bible does God tell us to celebrate Jesus birthday, only that He was born. What we need to remember is that He was born and died for our salvation. If the day mattered, God would have put it in the Bible. He has given us Holy Days in the Bible to celebrate and those we should keep. If we have a prayer of making it into the Kingdom of God we've got to wake up, we have got to quit incorporating the world into our lives, into our children's lives. God has something to say about this in the Bible - Matthew 15:9, But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
And in Matthew 15:8, Jesus said: This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
In all "truth and honesty" how much glory does Christ get on the very day the world celebrates as His birthday? How many of us would go to a birthday party for someone we care about and take gifts not to that person but to everyone else attending the party!!!! That's exactly what we do on Christmas. We give gifts to everyone else that is there and how many of us actually even take time to honor Christ? As I said earlier, I was just as guilty. This has been one of the hardest truths for me to wrap my mortal mind around because Christmas was my favorite holiday BEFORE I learned the truth. Why do we need a special day to buy gifts or show our family that we love them? We are free to do that at anytime. We should be more concerned with our salvation, our children's salvation and the signs that we truly are living in the last days. It isn't easy sometimes to learn and accept the truth but if we have a hope of making it into the Kingdom of God, we must do this.
Christmas is NOT a command of God, it is a tradition of men. Mark 7:6-9,
6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.God gave us free will but His original plan was that all might be saved. It's up to us what we do with the truth. We can't just pick and choose what part of God's word we want to believe or live. He gave us the Bible for instruction, nothing can be added to it or taken away from it. You either follow God or man, your choice.
Now that you have learned the truth, you can't unlearn it. I pray that you take it, pray over it and ask God to help you do the right thing in your life, your children's lives, grandchildren's lives, whoever you might speak to.
God bless
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)