Monthly Archives: June 2015

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Heavenly Revelations

2 Corinthians 2:10-12 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

Does the Bible intimidate you? I mean, do you have trouble reading your Bible because you have trouble understanding your Bible? The Bible will intimidate you; the realization that you are holding God’s Word in your hands is very humbling and intimidating; that is a good thing. If it doesn’t, your eternal soul is in trouble, and my prayer is that God humbles you one day to the point it does. Understanding the Bible is truly a gift from God; it is that simple. Understanding the scriptures is a priceless gift from his Spirit living inside of you that is revealing truth to you. God may use his saints, teachers, and preachers, but it is always his Spirit that is revealing truth. Understanding the Bible is not found in doctorate degrees that are measured by worldly standards. Even these Godly men have had truth revealed. If not, they are only modern Pharisees that Jesus condemned while he walked this earth. I personally know highly educated men that could rest on their education, but yet time with them reveals their humble spirit, and how they use their gift from God to teach God’s Word; they are not puffed up in pride.

If you are intimidated by your Bible, read the second chapter of Corinthians. Enter the time you are about to spend in God’s Word by prayer for wisdom, for him to reveal truth to you. Don’t seemingly read it to check the tasks box, but read it to hear from God. Spend a week there, meditate there, see how God used the great apostle Paul there. See how one of the most highly educated men humbled himself there; Paul rested on a simple ministry and the power of God to reveal truth. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. Paul had enough wisdom and persuasiveness technique to sell an Eskimo ice, but he relied on simplicity and God.

I barely graduated high school, and have very limited college education; it is hard for me to even claim to be “edjumicated.” I simply try to use that gift to let you know I am no different from you. Anything that you see in me in relation to Him is equally available to you. All it takes is a heart that pursues him. He knows your heart, and he will reveal to your heart truth when he sees the pure desire for it. How are you gonna find out if you don’t pray, and open your Bible for him to reveal?

No fear to speak

1Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

Tim McGraw sang a song in recent years about living like you were dying. It was about someone who had received bad health news and spent their remaining days doing their bucket list; riding bulls, jumping out of airplanes, loving like no tomorrow, living with no fear of tomorrow. The world injects fear into our every decision,but there is a freedom in the removal of that tool of Satan. How would you live if you had no fear? Fear is a compass to a degree that God designed in us, a compass called common sense; a compass that keeps us from borderline stupidity. There is a great deal of difference in the common sense God has given us, and the fear that Satan torments us with. If I were to simply reply to the scripture above in my defense of my faith, it would be the hope of heaven and the fear of hell. The hope of all that Jesus has rescued me from, and the fear of what would have happened if he didn’t. The hope of all that He opens my mind to in my heart through his Word, and the fear of all that awaits those in hell who do not know his Word. The hope of eternal paradise, the fear of eternal torment. The hope of sharing my faith, the fear of those who do not listen.

When you truly begin the “get it,” you will live with no fear as the country stars sings. You will live with a boldness that sends you upstream against the world. You will suffer for your faith, but even in that suffering you earn eternal blessings. 1 Peter 3:14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” What is the worst thing that can happen to you once you realize you are headed to heaven? What is the worst thing that can happen to you here temporarily, once you realize you are eternally rewarded by your temporary sufferings? Every, single, thing you endure here can be used to draw glory to God. There is nothing He has not designed or allowed that you will face. Once you realize that Satan had to ask permission for this trial you are under, you realize God has faith in you to endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Why worry what other people think? Why let Satan keep you silent today when the Holy Spirit prompts you to share your faith? Why worry if you will be labeled a Christians, or a Jesus freak, or a person that is shunned by those who live for the world. Why would you be ashamed of the faith you proclaim? Matthew 10:33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. The day is here, it is today that you are called to live out your faith where God has placed you to witness of him. Will you swim upstream against the world? Will you be bold and have no fear of what the world will think of you? Will you let God use you to draw others to himself? Will you speak?

Preparation

Matthew 7:26-27 But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

After a rough couple of weeks of the pressures of the world combined with no internet for almost half that, it is good to sit down here early morning with God. In prayer this morning I felt led to Matthew 7 where Jesus is closing his Sermon on the Mount; his longest and most powerful message. A message full of hope and warnings. Jesus did not hold back the power of the conviction of sin in his message; Jesus closed his sermon talking about those of us who do not listen to his warnings and how great our fall will be. You can just picture the astonishment of the crowd as they heard God preach; I cannot imagine personally hearing this sermon. Jesus has been telling us how to live and how not to live in this discourse; if you have those types of questions read Matthew 5-7 and He will answer them.

There are false prophets among us today just as when Christ walked the world two thousand years ago. Teachers that lead us down many lines of religion; many paths that don’t teach the entire Word of God, but just enough to make it sound like the Word of God. Paul warned Timothy in his final letter; 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (ESV) The way for you to “find out” these false teachers is both simple and divine; spend time in God’s Word and let the Holy Spirit grant you discernment. He will open your eyes to the truth through your heart and mind; you will be given knowledge by the One who helped pen the words you are reading. Suddenly what you have heard and questioned may become perfectly clear. All paths do not lead to God (universalism), and you are not promised a life here of ease; 2 Timothy 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

You would have to be living in a hole in the ground to not see the evil peaking around you today. You cannot deny, or maybe knowingly do deny, the evil that lurks among us. Is it not possible that Satan is peaking before his ultimate fall? Is his limited reign of this earth being stretched to God’s sovereign limit? Is God sickened by the state of humanity and waiting to just say ENOUGH?!!!! In the midst of chapter seven of Matthew, in these final words of Christ, are the warnings of the Narrow Gate; also are the scariest words in the Bible where he warns of those whom he denies. You must make up your mind on how you will live today, for today may be your last, but it is all in preparation for your eternity.