When you find yourself tweaking your dreams to fit a person, you've compromised. When, in reality, the right person will fit perfectly into your dreams, because God placed those dreams on your heart! At the same time He also prepared the perfect person who will fit seamlessly and perfectly into those dreams He gave you!!!!
NEVER settle for less than God's best!!!!!! The best is yet to come and I can hear the footsteps of God's perfection walking through the door!
Allow your FAITH in God and His Word to be the driving force of your life and you will lead a victorious and effective life!
Monday, December 10, 2012
God's Timing is ALWAYS Perfect!
God's timing is ALWAYS perfect! There have been times in my life that I've questioned His timing and the "how" and "when" and have been in seasons where I was just utterly confused at where I was in that moment and what purpose that had on where I was destined to go.
Years down the road that season that had me questioning whether or not I was in the perfect plan for my life, turned out to be a season of gleaning skills that were needed in the next stage of life! Had I gotten frustrated and given up on what, at the time, seemed pointless and useless I wouldn't have arrived to the next phase the person God needed me to be and wouldn't have been able to take the things learned then and apply them here and there.
This is an ongoing lesson, of learning to trust that God DOES have the perfect timing! Often times that dream, that seemed to be left lying dormant in your heart, was really just waiting for the divinely orchestrated time to be made manifest and to be greater than what you perceived it to be!
I'm learning this in multiple areas of life, but God is so good because He continues to show Himself faithful! And the things He has done in one area of my life, I KNOW He will do in another area of life! The same faithfulness He has shown in relation to ministry/education/career related dreams, He will show to relationship/romance/family related dreams... Because He is faithful to His promises!
So, don't grow weary in doing what you have to in this season, you stay faithful and trust Him that you will see the things He has promised you and the dreams lying deep within in His perfectly ordained time and place!!!!!!
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." (Galatians 6:9 KJV)
"Nevertheless, do not let this one fact escape you, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people’s conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you..." (2 Peter 3:8-9a AMP)
Years down the road that season that had me questioning whether or not I was in the perfect plan for my life, turned out to be a season of gleaning skills that were needed in the next stage of life! Had I gotten frustrated and given up on what, at the time, seemed pointless and useless I wouldn't have arrived to the next phase the person God needed me to be and wouldn't have been able to take the things learned then and apply them here and there.
This is an ongoing lesson, of learning to trust that God DOES have the perfect timing! Often times that dream, that seemed to be left lying dormant in your heart, was really just waiting for the divinely orchestrated time to be made manifest and to be greater than what you perceived it to be!
I'm learning this in multiple areas of life, but God is so good because He continues to show Himself faithful! And the things He has done in one area of my life, I KNOW He will do in another area of life! The same faithfulness He has shown in relation to ministry/education/career related dreams, He will show to relationship/romance/family related dreams... Because He is faithful to His promises!
So, don't grow weary in doing what you have to in this season, you stay faithful and trust Him that you will see the things He has promised you and the dreams lying deep within in His perfectly ordained time and place!!!!!!
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." (Galatians 6:9 KJV)
"Nevertheless, do not let this one fact escape you, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people’s conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you..." (2 Peter 3:8-9a AMP)
Saturday, December 8, 2012
How does God Love? How Should we Love?
What is true love?
I've been think along these lines a lot lately... God is our greatest example of how we as believers should love. He sent His ONLY Son, Jesus, to the world to die for people. He made this great display of His love by giving something of greatest value to Him, EVEN with the foreknowledge that many men would reject, curse, ignore, and abuse His love.... Yet, He STILL loved the World enough to follow through with such a marvelous act of True, Unconditional love!
Just like God faced the rejection of His vast and powerful love by people, when we seek to love people the way God loved us, we will face rejection, abuse, cursing, and such of our love.... They did it to God, how should we expect them not to do it to us.... People with disappoint you, break your heart, reject you.... But you have to LOVE them anyway, after all that's what the true God kind of love is!
Never let others cause you to diminish your capacity to love because of heart break, always allow those things to INCREASE your capacity to love! Hurt people hurt people, know the reason they're hurting you is because deep down inside they themselves are hurting, and that is when they need your love most... Even if you have to love them from a distance!
I've been think along these lines a lot lately... God is our greatest example of how we as believers should love. He sent His ONLY Son, Jesus, to the world to die for people. He made this great display of His love by giving something of greatest value to Him, EVEN with the foreknowledge that many men would reject, curse, ignore, and abuse His love.... Yet, He STILL loved the World enough to follow through with such a marvelous act of True, Unconditional love!
Just like God faced the rejection of His vast and powerful love by people, when we seek to love people the way God loved us, we will face rejection, abuse, cursing, and such of our love.... They did it to God, how should we expect them not to do it to us.... People with disappoint you, break your heart, reject you.... But you have to LOVE them anyway, after all that's what the true God kind of love is!
Never let others cause you to diminish your capacity to love because of heart break, always allow those things to INCREASE your capacity to love! Hurt people hurt people, know the reason they're hurting you is because deep down inside they themselves are hurting, and that is when they need your love most... Even if you have to love them from a distance!
Monday, December 3, 2012
Learning How to Love
There's a difference between hearing "I love you" and knowing you are loved! How do we know that we are loved? Actions prove it to us, not words!
The God of the Universe chased us down and made a great sacrifice (Jesus) just to prove to us how much He loves us!!!! In response, I chase after Him and His purpose and plan for my life an will follow Him wherever He leads me.... because I am secure in His Love for me and He shows me how treasured and valued I am in His sight!
This is how our human relationships should be too! Great lessons for both guys and girls to learn in dating and marriage from the example God gave us.... Men initiate, chase the girl down with your love and she will respond, and follow you to the ends of the earth, but she has to have security of your love for her by your actions!
God's love for us is so vast, we haven't even scratched the surface of truly understanding an comprehending it! :-)
The God of the Universe chased us down and made a great sacrifice (Jesus) just to prove to us how much He loves us!!!! In response, I chase after Him and His purpose and plan for my life an will follow Him wherever He leads me.... because I am secure in His Love for me and He shows me how treasured and valued I am in His sight!
This is how our human relationships should be too! Great lessons for both guys and girls to learn in dating and marriage from the example God gave us.... Men initiate, chase the girl down with your love and she will respond, and follow you to the ends of the earth, but she has to have security of your love for her by your actions!
God's love for us is so vast, we haven't even scratched the surface of truly understanding an comprehending it! :-)
Friday, November 30, 2012
If it is God today, it'll be God tomorrow!
"If it is God today, it'll be God tomorrow!"
Sometimes in life, we get so excited when part of God's plan and purpose is revealed to us that we can get "trigger happy," so to speak. In other words, we are excited about what God has revealed to us, that we forget that God has a perfect plan BUT He also has the perfect timing. In our excitement, we can run out ahead of the plan and try to fit the plan revealed to us into our own timeframe. That's where we mess up. That's where we move out of the realm of faith.
Faith has brought you this far, why abandon it to chase after a glimpse of something he has shown you?? When God revealed that plan to you, you had faith that it was God and would happen. So, why not have faith in the fact that GOD will orchestrate the perfect timing for that plan and you won't have to force it into happening??
You say, "It's too late. I ran ahead of the plan and tried to make it happen on my own and now I've completely messed everything up!"
Maybe you have messed things up for now, but if it is God today, it will be God tomorrow! In other words, if you know that God revealed certain things to you, even if you seemingly messed them up in this time period, it doesn't mean they're forever messed up. Repent, learn from your errors, and put your hope and trust in God. The Word tells us, "For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.]" (Romans 11:29 AMP)
So, just because we mess up in a season, it doesn't mean that those thing are forever lost... Our mistakes may have delayed them for a season, but they're not lost. Just turn to the One who holds your future. Lean on His wisdom and guidance and be obedient in the small steps. You'll find peace, joy, and fulfillment when you allow Him to orchestrate your life and work things out for your good. And when you just trust Him step by step, before you know it you will find yourself standing in the place He revealed to you and you will be amazed at how much better His timing and plan truly is! It'll exceed anything you could ever imagine!!!
God is bigger than your thoughts, plans, and purposes! Trust HIM!
"Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]-- "(Ephesians 3:20 AMP)
Expecting,
JRT
Sometimes in life, we get so excited when part of God's plan and purpose is revealed to us that we can get "trigger happy," so to speak. In other words, we are excited about what God has revealed to us, that we forget that God has a perfect plan BUT He also has the perfect timing. In our excitement, we can run out ahead of the plan and try to fit the plan revealed to us into our own timeframe. That's where we mess up. That's where we move out of the realm of faith.
Faith has brought you this far, why abandon it to chase after a glimpse of something he has shown you?? When God revealed that plan to you, you had faith that it was God and would happen. So, why not have faith in the fact that GOD will orchestrate the perfect timing for that plan and you won't have to force it into happening??
You say, "It's too late. I ran ahead of the plan and tried to make it happen on my own and now I've completely messed everything up!"
Maybe you have messed things up for now, but if it is God today, it will be God tomorrow! In other words, if you know that God revealed certain things to you, even if you seemingly messed them up in this time period, it doesn't mean they're forever messed up. Repent, learn from your errors, and put your hope and trust in God. The Word tells us, "For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.]" (Romans 11:29 AMP)
So, just because we mess up in a season, it doesn't mean that those thing are forever lost... Our mistakes may have delayed them for a season, but they're not lost. Just turn to the One who holds your future. Lean on His wisdom and guidance and be obedient in the small steps. You'll find peace, joy, and fulfillment when you allow Him to orchestrate your life and work things out for your good. And when you just trust Him step by step, before you know it you will find yourself standing in the place He revealed to you and you will be amazed at how much better His timing and plan truly is! It'll exceed anything you could ever imagine!!!
God is bigger than your thoughts, plans, and purposes! Trust HIM!
"Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]-- "(Ephesians 3:20 AMP)
Expecting,
JRT
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Be Who You Are!
"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought. (Matthew 5:5 MSG)
If you find yourself constantly having to change and compromise who you are to make someone happy, then it's not a healthy relationship. Compromise is a two-way street, when only one person is making all the changes eventually something's going to break.
If someone truly loves you, they'll love you in spite of all your flaws and imperfections, Jesus did! If we are going to truly love people the way Jesus loves people, we will love them just as they are and allow the love to compel them to change and grow! That's my endeavor, sometimes to a fault because loving people that way, opens you up to pain and heartache.... But then again, that's being like Jesus too.... He loved the whole world enough to lay down His life, even with the knowledge that millions would reject His love and break his heart, yet he maintained a great capacity to love!
Love is patient and kind, and when someone truly loves you, they'll patiently wait for you, no matter what imperfections you may have to start with. That's the love I seek to give, but it's also the love I hope to receive when the time is right.
JRT
If you find yourself constantly having to change and compromise who you are to make someone happy, then it's not a healthy relationship. Compromise is a two-way street, when only one person is making all the changes eventually something's going to break.
If someone truly loves you, they'll love you in spite of all your flaws and imperfections, Jesus did! If we are going to truly love people the way Jesus loves people, we will love them just as they are and allow the love to compel them to change and grow! That's my endeavor, sometimes to a fault because loving people that way, opens you up to pain and heartache.... But then again, that's being like Jesus too.... He loved the whole world enough to lay down His life, even with the knowledge that millions would reject His love and break his heart, yet he maintained a great capacity to love!
Love is patient and kind, and when someone truly loves you, they'll patiently wait for you, no matter what imperfections you may have to start with. That's the love I seek to give, but it's also the love I hope to receive when the time is right.
JRT
Monday, November 26, 2012
GO! ~ Don't let bumps in the road knock you off track!
In life, there are obstacles that will try to knock you off track, get your focus off of the destiny before you, and even hold you down from the greatness you were born to achieve.
Rather than wasting your time pining for the "wrong things" that you thought were "right things" that just failed and didn't work out, get your game-face on and focus on what you DO know! Focus on completing the last direction you got from God, and trust that at the right time, He will reveal the next step in the journey!
All the things you have inside you, all the unfulfilled dreams, and even unborn dreams and desires, are waiting to be unveiled along that path, in HIS perfect and divine timing! Never let the emotions of a small pain, create a mountain to distract you from the beautiful future and destiny that awaits you!!!!
There are people waiting for YOU to deliver the gospel inside you to them! They're waiting for you, so are you going to let petty situations rob them of the gift you have to bring them???? I don't know about you, but I'm sure not! I'm moving up to a higher place and moving down the path He's set before me! No looking back, I'm looking forward with great expectation to the beautiful future that awaits me! I've never been more full of hope than I am right now!
Sometimes, it takes unexpected bumps in the road, to wake you up so you can focus on the road more clearly! Well, I'm focusing! I know who I am, I'm not making any stops, I'm going ahead to where I'm supposed to be! :-)
JRT
Rather than wasting your time pining for the "wrong things" that you thought were "right things" that just failed and didn't work out, get your game-face on and focus on what you DO know! Focus on completing the last direction you got from God, and trust that at the right time, He will reveal the next step in the journey!
All the things you have inside you, all the unfulfilled dreams, and even unborn dreams and desires, are waiting to be unveiled along that path, in HIS perfect and divine timing! Never let the emotions of a small pain, create a mountain to distract you from the beautiful future and destiny that awaits you!!!!
There are people waiting for YOU to deliver the gospel inside you to them! They're waiting for you, so are you going to let petty situations rob them of the gift you have to bring them???? I don't know about you, but I'm sure not! I'm moving up to a higher place and moving down the path He's set before me! No looking back, I'm looking forward with great expectation to the beautiful future that awaits me! I've never been more full of hope than I am right now!
Sometimes, it takes unexpected bumps in the road, to wake you up so you can focus on the road more clearly! Well, I'm focusing! I know who I am, I'm not making any stops, I'm going ahead to where I'm supposed to be! :-)
JRT
Friday, November 9, 2012
Young Women, you are much more than your bodies!
Christian Women ~ Something is very wrong if all our speech is about who the "sexiest" guy in Hollywood is and what we want to do with him. And something is really wrong if in every conversation, FB, social setting of any kind you talk about you can't wait to get married so you can have "fun" with your spouse. If that's all you find yourself talking about, all the time, with everyone you come in contact with, you may need to do some serious heart checking. We are called to be godly women, and when we portray such worldly beliefs and behavior, especially in such a public manner.... We are no different than the world! Yes, sex in the covenant of marriage with your spouse is supposed to be something beautiful and something to look forward to. But if that's all you base your marriage upon, you're going to have a rocky road ahead of you. And if that's all you can think about, chances are you won't be making it to your wedding pure. Our focus should not be on the consummation of our future marriage, nor should it be in drooling over Hollywood star so and so! Our focus should be on things from above, building relationships based on knowing the person's heart, dreams, vision for the future, and so forth. Our focus should be on living a life of purity! Our focus should not be on "what type of reaction will this outfit or makeup get me from guys?" But rather, "does the image I'm presenting of myself cause my brother in Christ or friend to have impure thoughts about me??? Am I causing him to fall in his thought life??"
Young Women, you are much more than your bodies! That's not where your worth lies! Your worth and value lie in who you are! The physical will fade, and if you've put all your energy into things pertaining to physical image, "pleasure," and so forth.... You will find a very lonely, worthless, empty life the older you get! But when you put your energy into improving the things that will never fade...inner beauty, love walk, compassion, servant hood, being a perfect helpmate and mother, etc.... You will find a life of fulfillment, true happiness, and pleasure greater than anything some stupid guy can give you!
Women of God, wake up and take a stand! Today is the day to live as pure, holy, and might women of God and set an example for others to follow!
Young Women, you are much more than your bodies! That's not where your worth lies! Your worth and value lie in who you are! The physical will fade, and if you've put all your energy into things pertaining to physical image, "pleasure," and so forth.... You will find a very lonely, worthless, empty life the older you get! But when you put your energy into improving the things that will never fade...inner beauty, love walk, compassion, servant hood, being a perfect helpmate and mother, etc.... You will find a life of fulfillment, true happiness, and pleasure greater than anything some stupid guy can give you!
Women of God, wake up and take a stand! Today is the day to live as pure, holy, and might women of God and set an example for others to follow!
Monday, November 5, 2012
Husbands and Wives
"Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing. So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands. Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They're really doing themselves a favor—since they're already "one" in marriage. No one abuses his own body, does he? No, he feeds and pampers it. That's how Christ treats us, the church, since we are part of his body. And this is why a man leaves father and mother and cherishes his wife. No longer two, they become "one flesh." This is a huge mystery, and I don't pretend to understand it all. What is clearest to me is the way Christ treats the church. And this provides a good picture of how each husband is to treat his wife, loving himself in loving her, and how each wife is to honor her husband."
~ Ephesians 5:22 - 33 MSG
~ Ephesians 5:22 - 33 MSG
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Sex & Intimacy
Any girl can give a guy what he "wants," but it takes a woman to give a guy what he needs.
I'm amazed at how many young "Christians" think it is ok to have sex outside of marriage these days.... We should be a holy people and should not stir those things up until we have given ourselves to a spouse in marriage! Then you have the rest of your life to enjoy those things with your spouse, in the beautiful and perfect way God designed it for! Young Christians, rise up and take your place as pure and holy people! If you've messed up in the past, repent and let the blood of Jesus wash that stain away and move on and live pure and holy from this day forward!
"Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you
by the gazelles and the wild does of the field:
do not stir up or awaken love
until the appropriate time." (Song of Solomon 2:7 HCSB)
"I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you never [again attempt to] stir up or awaken love until it pleases." (Song of Solomon 8:4 AMP)
I'm amazed at how many young "Christians" think it is ok to have sex outside of marriage these days.... We should be a holy people and should not stir those things up until we have given ourselves to a spouse in marriage! Then you have the rest of your life to enjoy those things with your spouse, in the beautiful and perfect way God designed it for! Young Christians, rise up and take your place as pure and holy people! If you've messed up in the past, repent and let the blood of Jesus wash that stain away and move on and live pure and holy from this day forward!
"Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you
by the gazelles and the wild does of the field:
do not stir up or awaken love
until the appropriate time." (Song of Solomon 2:7 HCSB)
"I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you never [again attempt to] stir up or awaken love until it pleases." (Song of Solomon 8:4 AMP)
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Be Careful with Spiritual Things!
Thoughts for today:
Some people are granola Christians... Nuts, fruits, and flakes all tossed together! Some people mistake being fruity with being spiritual. A lot of what I see being exalted as the supernatural and spiritual maturity is nothing more than pseudo-christian witchcraft.
We must be very careful in desiring certain manifestations because there is such a thing as "familiar spirits." To an immature christian such voices and manifestations can seem like the Holy Spirit, when in reality they are nothing more than the enemy leading you astray.
Be VERY guarded with the things you open yourself up to! Be VERY careful who you allow to speak into your life! And just because someone claims to have heard the voice of God say some powerful word or revelation, doesn't mean it was actually God speaking! The Word should ALWAYS be your final authority! If what is spoken doesn't line up with the Word, cast it aside.... The Word and the Spirit will ALWAYS agree!
JRT
Some people are granola Christians... Nuts, fruits, and flakes all tossed together! Some people mistake being fruity with being spiritual. A lot of what I see being exalted as the supernatural and spiritual maturity is nothing more than pseudo-christian witchcraft.
We must be very careful in desiring certain manifestations because there is such a thing as "familiar spirits." To an immature christian such voices and manifestations can seem like the Holy Spirit, when in reality they are nothing more than the enemy leading you astray.
Be VERY guarded with the things you open yourself up to! Be VERY careful who you allow to speak into your life! And just because someone claims to have heard the voice of God say some powerful word or revelation, doesn't mean it was actually God speaking! The Word should ALWAYS be your final authority! If what is spoken doesn't line up with the Word, cast it aside.... The Word and the Spirit will ALWAYS agree!
JRT
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Finding God's Heart...
God's Number one interest is PEOPLE!!!
No matter what failures, shortcomings, sins they may carry... They are people just like you, and if you want to truly know the Father, and have His heart, you will get out and reach out to people with love!
Too many of us spend our time shut up in a room "studying" and "fellowshipping" with the Father, I am not negating those things by any means! BUT, if you want to truly and honestly get in tune with the Father's heart... You will do as he did! You will reach out and touch lives with love! I hear of many not wanting to associate with sinners or people on a lesser spiritual plane than themselves, what immature thinking that is indeed!!! God sent His son down to the earth... He walked among sinners, unrighteous wretches, and the like... And yet, he never stuck his nose up in the air because he was Holy, he never shut himself away all day long to spend time with His Father, He never chose to avoid those people for fear they would tait his image or reputation... Rather he dined with them, stooped down in the dirt to where they were and touched them with love and compassion, and it was such actions and character that made him stir something within the hearts of men and women that he came in contact with! Something that ignited a passion for change!
You want to know God's heart???
You want to turn your world upside down???
You want to start a revival that can't be stopped???
Then reach out and touch the lives of people by giving them your time! Reach out to them with love and compassion! Allow the Holy Spirit to correct and change their lifestyle, not your condemnation and judgement!
You want to really know God's heart? Look into the eyes of the next drug addict, alcoholic, or girl on the corner you see... Look deep into their eyes and see the hopelessness, hurt, pain, lack of self-worth... And then feel the compassion rise up inside of you wanting to take away that hurt... In that moment, you have found the heart of God!
No matter what failures, shortcomings, sins they may carry... They are people just like you, and if you want to truly know the Father, and have His heart, you will get out and reach out to people with love!
Too many of us spend our time shut up in a room "studying" and "fellowshipping" with the Father, I am not negating those things by any means! BUT, if you want to truly and honestly get in tune with the Father's heart... You will do as he did! You will reach out and touch lives with love! I hear of many not wanting to associate with sinners or people on a lesser spiritual plane than themselves, what immature thinking that is indeed!!! God sent His son down to the earth... He walked among sinners, unrighteous wretches, and the like... And yet, he never stuck his nose up in the air because he was Holy, he never shut himself away all day long to spend time with His Father, He never chose to avoid those people for fear they would tait his image or reputation... Rather he dined with them, stooped down in the dirt to where they were and touched them with love and compassion, and it was such actions and character that made him stir something within the hearts of men and women that he came in contact with! Something that ignited a passion for change!
You want to know God's heart???
You want to turn your world upside down???
You want to start a revival that can't be stopped???
Then reach out and touch the lives of people by giving them your time! Reach out to them with love and compassion! Allow the Holy Spirit to correct and change their lifestyle, not your condemnation and judgement!
You want to really know God's heart? Look into the eyes of the next drug addict, alcoholic, or girl on the corner you see... Look deep into their eyes and see the hopelessness, hurt, pain, lack of self-worth... And then feel the compassion rise up inside of you wanting to take away that hurt... In that moment, you have found the heart of God!
Monday, August 20, 2012
Be Like the Nile!
Many times I find it interesting the drastic steps some believers will take to "sow seed." I have often seen where some people even manipulate others under the guise of helping them get some "seed" in the ground. I am all for the biblical examples of seedtime and harvest, but I am also for the examples of being a good steward with what God has given us! No, we shouldn't be stingy and hoard up the
So anyway, just some thoughts I had today... :)
blessings, but at the same time we shouldn't give away what we don't have to give. Being a good steward and a good giver are both important aspects of successful christian living and living a life of victory. If your idea of being a good steward means being greedy and never giving out, you'll be like the Dead Sea... the blessings will just die and you won't make room for new blessings to come your way, you'll basically become steril. If your idea of being a good giver is just giving away stuff that you don't have to give (like "faith" checks or "faith" charges to your credit card) you'll dry out like a well in the desert that just gives and gives and never gets replenished. But if we are good stewards and biblical givers we will be like the Nile. In seasons of plenty it fertilizes the ground around it, carrying seed to it, and as it shrinks down in season of dryness, a harvest is reaped from the seed sown! It is always flowing giving of its abundance to the land, creating fertile ground, and reaping a harvest from that.
So anyway, just some thoughts I had today... :)
Good verses to read along these lines:
Luke 19:11-27
Matthew 25:14-30
Titus 1:7-9
Hebrews 13:5
1 Timothy 5:8
Acts 20:35
Luke 12:42-46
Proverbs 11:24
Ephesians 4:28
Luke 14:12-14
Luke 16:10
Deuteronomy 14:22-29
Romans 14:23
Til next Time,
JRT
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Think, Before You Speak or Act!
"The Girl you just called fat? She is overdosing on diet pills. The Girl you just called ugly? She spends hours putting makeup on just hoping people will like her. That man with the ugly scars? He fought for our country. The boy you just laughed at? He's already being abused at home.
This world tears down. This world promotes decay. This world cheats to get ahead. Jesus taught us to be different. To live different. To show compassion. To be salt and light."
We must be careful with how we talk about people, treat people, and the words we use! Every person has emotions and a heart that can feel love or pain. For us to be jerky and walk out of love is NOT being the image of Christ that we are called to be to this world! We are to exhibit God's love to BOTH sinners AND saints, not just the sinners. The Word tells us, "Those who hate other believers are in the dark and live in the dark. They don't know where they're going, because they can't see in the dark." (1 John 2:11 GWT), "Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don't have eternal life within them." (1 John 3:15 NLT). "Whoever says, "I love God," but hates another believer is a liar. People who don't love other believers, whom they have seen, can't love God, whom they have not seen." (1 John 4:20 GWT).
Friday, August 17, 2012
Universalism is Trying to Cripple the Church!
Universalism is trying to cripple the church and satan is clever, he is using the most pure and amazing thing about the Gospel, God's Love and Grace, to do it! He is cleverly twisting scripture and people's beliefs, to turn the people of God away from truth and straight into error, under the guise of "the move of God"... Without them even realizing it!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
What is a TRUE Friend??
The older I get the more I realize how truly expressive the traditional wedding vows are of true friendship. "For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health."
Many who say these vows are doing so with the person they call their best friend, their love, their spouse. It wasn't until recently I realized just how powerful those vows are in relation to friendship.
A marriage is one of the highest forms of covenant between two individuals in our modern society, but not only that, a marriage is a true expression of a true friendship! As I began thinking about wedding vows that I heard in a movie recently and also thinking about "friendships" in my own life... I realized how much we have missed. So often we focus on the negative circumstances in those vows, the "when things get rough and your world is falling apart you can count on me" times. But, there's a flip side to that. It should be just as important to be there in the "I'm on top of the world" times! That's a successful relationship, whether it be marriage or friendship, when you are there and committed in EVERY season of life.
Many who say these vows are doing so with the person they call their best friend, their love, their spouse. It wasn't until recently I realized just how powerful those vows are in relation to friendship.
A marriage is one of the highest forms of covenant between two individuals in our modern society, but not only that, a marriage is a true expression of a true friendship! As I began thinking about wedding vows that I heard in a movie recently and also thinking about "friendships" in my own life... I realized how much we have missed. So often we focus on the negative circumstances in those vows, the "when things get rough and your world is falling apart you can count on me" times. But, there's a flip side to that. It should be just as important to be there in the "I'm on top of the world" times! That's a successful relationship, whether it be marriage or friendship, when you are there and committed in EVERY season of life.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Signs of Immaturity
Signs of Immaturity:
Quick to pass judgement.
Quick to stir up strife(in young people's terminology, drama).
Quick to blow-up and make hasty decisions out of anger and hurt.
Quick to speak out of the emotion of the moment, which often leads to regrets of words that should have been left unsaid.
Quick to harbor anger and resentment for wrongs done to oneself.
Slow, or refusal, to forgive wrongs done to oneself.
Refusal to accept that people change.
Repeating the same mistakes over and over, and never seeking to change or improve.
Throwing fits, this doesn't always have to be a two year old on the floor kicking his legs... Adult fits can be something like "the silent treatment" or refusing to even look in someone's direction because they offended you.
Constantly allowing offense to take place in your life and throwing it off as everyone else's problem.
Using people to advance yourself or agendas.
And finally, allowing yourself to be robbed of valuable relationships and companionships with people, because they're just going to "do you wrong like everyone else."
These are just some behavior and characteristics I have seen in my lifetime among the immature. We should strive to move past such behavior and when we do, we will find such peace!
I can't help but laugh when I think of how in High School, it was as if the world ended because the dream couple broke up, this girl looked at that girl like this, cliques separated people, and so forth and so on. Such behavior still makes me laugh, but really makes me sad in my heart, because there is so much more to life than High School-themed drama! I see adults behaving almost exactly the same as those high schoolers I remember. Bible school students and graduates perpetuating such behavior, rather than fostering an environment of godliness, love, and forgiveness.
Being caught up in such insignificant issues is so selfish, and lacks true perception of what is truly important! Our focus should be on what is found in the Word and reaching people with the truth of the Word of God and God's love for both saints and sinners! We should always be quick to forgive, quick to love, and slow to speak from the arena of emotion. Simply doing those three things will keep peace in our lives and help maintain a pure love walk!
Love to my readers around the world,
JRT
Quick to pass judgement.
Quick to stir up strife(in young people's terminology, drama).
Quick to blow-up and make hasty decisions out of anger and hurt.
Quick to speak out of the emotion of the moment, which often leads to regrets of words that should have been left unsaid.
Quick to harbor anger and resentment for wrongs done to oneself.
Slow, or refusal, to forgive wrongs done to oneself.
Refusal to accept that people change.
Repeating the same mistakes over and over, and never seeking to change or improve.
Throwing fits, this doesn't always have to be a two year old on the floor kicking his legs... Adult fits can be something like "the silent treatment" or refusing to even look in someone's direction because they offended you.
Constantly allowing offense to take place in your life and throwing it off as everyone else's problem.
Using people to advance yourself or agendas.
And finally, allowing yourself to be robbed of valuable relationships and companionships with people, because they're just going to "do you wrong like everyone else."
These are just some behavior and characteristics I have seen in my lifetime among the immature. We should strive to move past such behavior and when we do, we will find such peace!
I can't help but laugh when I think of how in High School, it was as if the world ended because the dream couple broke up, this girl looked at that girl like this, cliques separated people, and so forth and so on. Such behavior still makes me laugh, but really makes me sad in my heart, because there is so much more to life than High School-themed drama! I see adults behaving almost exactly the same as those high schoolers I remember. Bible school students and graduates perpetuating such behavior, rather than fostering an environment of godliness, love, and forgiveness.
Being caught up in such insignificant issues is so selfish, and lacks true perception of what is truly important! Our focus should be on what is found in the Word and reaching people with the truth of the Word of God and God's love for both saints and sinners! We should always be quick to forgive, quick to love, and slow to speak from the arena of emotion. Simply doing those three things will keep peace in our lives and help maintain a pure love walk!
Love to my readers around the world,
JRT
Friday, July 20, 2012
True Liberty!
What we do, the actions we take, the lifestyle we live all have an impact on others. In today's culture and even in the church world there is an attitude of "don't tell me how to live" or " dont tell me what I can and can't do. I'm under grace and that's law!" ... I just read something interesting as I was doing a study on the word "liberty" in the Greek, and something Paul presents in regards to liberty is interesting. Many present the idea that liberty is basically the freedom to live however they want, free from moral codes and so forth. Yet, Paul makes an interesting point in the tenth chapter of 1 Corinthians that, while you may not have a problem with doing a particular activity or eating or drinking something because you are living a life in liberty, your choice to participate or consume that could cause offense to another person and cause them to stumble. That while we may have liberty to do things, it doesn't always mean it is profitable.
Saturday, July 14, 2012
All We Need is Love... or is it All we Need?
I hear so many these days saying, "we don't need to argue doctrine" and "all we need to focus on is winning the lost" and so forth. While reaching the lost should be our number one interest, it shouldn't be our ONLY interest!
Along these lines it makes me wonder, if evangelism is the only calling we should be involved in, then what do we do with Ephesians 4:11? What about the other gifting and callings? If our only purpose is to reach the lost with Jesus' love... Then what happens to the lost after they're won? If there is no other purpose to life than that, then they may as well move on up to heaven. I’m reminded of babies. Once they're born into this world, you don't just let the loose to fend for themselves, do you?? No, of course not! You nurture, train, feed, teach, discipline, and so forth, so that when they are grown, they can take what they've learned and continue to mature and grow as a person. The same is true in relation to spiritual things. When someone is newly born again, they can't simply be left to themselves. They need teaching, training, discipline, and such to help them develop, grow, and mature spiritually. Paul talked about this on multiple occasions, as well as other New Testament authors! Paul taught that we are to grow and develop to become fully matured, that his purpose was to aid in teaching and helping others in their spiritual growth.
Did this end during Paul’s time? Are we only simply called to only evangelism and only telling others of Jesus’ love? Not to diminish those things by any means, because we all need to know how dearly we are loved and treasured by our heavenly Father. But in regards to this, I'm inclined to think, from what I see in the Word, that there is more to Christian living than winning the lost. Once they have been won, they have to be trained and discipled, but if everyone is only focused on evangelism who will train them? Who will teach them sound doctrine? Who will help them grow up spiritually? My friends, I'm tired of the cliché statements that all we need to do is "love" and that we don't need to be concerned with doctrine because all that matters is just simply "loving people" etc. It reminds me of the hippies in the 60s and 70s and that thinking is so errant and so worldly, while sounding religious. Paul taught that we should study the Word to be established in sound doctrine. And if Paul thought it was important to study the Word and to be grounded and established in sound doctrine, then I think it is vital to our growth and development to do the same to equip ourselves for the callings on each of our lives personally AND to equip us to help newborn Christians get established to contribute positively to their growth!
There is more to Christian living than just knowing how deeply we are loved, there is a job to do! There are those out there who want to lead us astray and it is our duty to be well studied in the Word and established in sound doctrine! Don’t let religious sounding phrases and statements catch you off guard and make you doubt whether you are living a successful Christian life. As we read earlier from Ephesians, we are to grow out of childhood so we are no longer tossed around by changing winds of doctrine. I see that a truly successful Christian is one who knows the truth and is grounded in the truth and can’t easily be swayed, but knows how to combat the wiles of the enemy and how to distinguish between truth and error disguised as truth, to become a fully mature man, perfect in Christ!
Growing In Him,
JRT
Along these lines it makes me wonder, if evangelism is the only calling we should be involved in, then what do we do with Ephesians 4:11? What about the other gifting and callings? If our only purpose is to reach the lost with Jesus' love... Then what happens to the lost after they're won? If there is no other purpose to life than that, then they may as well move on up to heaven. I’m reminded of babies. Once they're born into this world, you don't just let the loose to fend for themselves, do you?? No, of course not! You nurture, train, feed, teach, discipline, and so forth, so that when they are grown, they can take what they've learned and continue to mature and grow as a person. The same is true in relation to spiritual things. When someone is newly born again, they can't simply be left to themselves. They need teaching, training, discipline, and such to help them develop, grow, and mature spiritually. Paul talked about this on multiple occasions, as well as other New Testament authors! Paul taught that we are to grow and develop to become fully matured, that his purpose was to aid in teaching and helping others in their spiritual growth.
“Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” - Colossians 1:28-29
“Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” – Ephesians 4:11-16
Did this end during Paul’s time? Are we only simply called to only evangelism and only telling others of Jesus’ love? Not to diminish those things by any means, because we all need to know how dearly we are loved and treasured by our heavenly Father. But in regards to this, I'm inclined to think, from what I see in the Word, that there is more to Christian living than winning the lost. Once they have been won, they have to be trained and discipled, but if everyone is only focused on evangelism who will train them? Who will teach them sound doctrine? Who will help them grow up spiritually? My friends, I'm tired of the cliché statements that all we need to do is "love" and that we don't need to be concerned with doctrine because all that matters is just simply "loving people" etc. It reminds me of the hippies in the 60s and 70s and that thinking is so errant and so worldly, while sounding religious. Paul taught that we should study the Word to be established in sound doctrine. And if Paul thought it was important to study the Word and to be grounded and established in sound doctrine, then I think it is vital to our growth and development to do the same to equip ourselves for the callings on each of our lives personally AND to equip us to help newborn Christians get established to contribute positively to their growth!
There is more to Christian living than just knowing how deeply we are loved, there is a job to do! There are those out there who want to lead us astray and it is our duty to be well studied in the Word and established in sound doctrine! Don’t let religious sounding phrases and statements catch you off guard and make you doubt whether you are living a successful Christian life. As we read earlier from Ephesians, we are to grow out of childhood so we are no longer tossed around by changing winds of doctrine. I see that a truly successful Christian is one who knows the truth and is grounded in the truth and can’t easily be swayed, but knows how to combat the wiles of the enemy and how to distinguish between truth and error disguised as truth, to become a fully mature man, perfect in Christ!
Growing In Him,
JRT
Friday, July 13, 2012
Church Multi-Level Marketing??
While Paul is one of my favorite New Testament writers, it troubles me the focus some are putting on his writings to the point that they say other NT writers weren't preaching the "Pure Gospel of Grace as Paul did" and therefore they invalidate other NT writings as acceptable and credible scripture.... Oh my, what a dangerous realm of error to be in, to become so full of pride that you think you have the authority to say what counts and doesn't count as scripture and that you have the right to throw out 1,2,&3 John, 1&2 Peter, James, Jude... because they weren't written by Paul?!?!?!? What errant thinking! ... I am bothered by how quickly, swiftly, and easily people are being caught up in this "new move", thinking it is the latest, greatest from God when really it is absolute error an unscriptural!!!! Anything that promises effortless living and abundant prosperity with no investment in other areas of Christian living(in accordance with the Bible) is nothing more than a multi-level marketing scheme within the church world!
Saturday, July 7, 2012
The Word MUST be Our FINAL Authority!
There is such danger in using someone's paraphrase of the scriptures as a legitimate translation, upon which to build sound doctrine. We must keep in mind that some paraphrases can offer some insight into some passages, however they MUST NOT be used for building doctrine! I have recently read some paraphrases and thought to myself, "I don't remember that being in that passage..." after some simple greek studies of the original text, there's a reason I don't remember that passage saying that... it is because the author of the paraphrase twisted the scriptures to fit his pet doctrine and beliefs, so that others adhering to like beliefs could have "just cause" to believe that way and have their Bible "translation" that supports such errant teaching.
My, my, my... what dangerous ground to be walking on! I am by no means a Bible scholar, but I have been a student of the Word my whole life (nearly 26 years) and know a little bit about searching things out and studying them against the scriptures. I am seeing so many people, peers and others I have looked up to, falling into errant teaching and clinging to their pet doctrine... they become argumentative and vicious in their defense of their new-found doctrine.... it is very saddening and I just pray for the wool to be removed from their eyes! We must be guarded more than ever before with what we open our selves up to and ever ready to study what is taught to us in the Word. The Word must always be our FINAL authority, not minister so-and-so, not this person's newest/latest/greatest "translation"/paraphrase of the scripture, or what our best-friend says.... but the WORD!!!!
Study the Word,
JRT
My, my, my... what dangerous ground to be walking on! I am by no means a Bible scholar, but I have been a student of the Word my whole life (nearly 26 years) and know a little bit about searching things out and studying them against the scriptures. I am seeing so many people, peers and others I have looked up to, falling into errant teaching and clinging to their pet doctrine... they become argumentative and vicious in their defense of their new-found doctrine.... it is very saddening and I just pray for the wool to be removed from their eyes! We must be guarded more than ever before with what we open our selves up to and ever ready to study what is taught to us in the Word. The Word must always be our FINAL authority, not minister so-and-so, not this person's newest/latest/greatest "translation"/paraphrase of the scripture, or what our best-friend says.... but the WORD!!!!
Study the Word,
JRT
What Type of Vessel are You?
God doesn't seek for golden vessels, and does not ask for silver ones, but He must have clean ones. ~ Dwight L. Moody
What type of vessel are you?? Are you a clean vessel or a vessel that was once cleaned but has set off to the side gathering dust and specks of dirt? Seek to put the Word into action, let the Word be ever present in your thoughts and deeds! When you stay in the Word, it will show! Quit looking for loopholes to live an "effortless" life of excusing yourself from doing righteous works and start living a life of that exudes righteousness!!!!
What type of vessel are you?? Are you a clean vessel or a vessel that was once cleaned but has set off to the side gathering dust and specks of dirt? Seek to put the Word into action, let the Word be ever present in your thoughts and deeds! When you stay in the Word, it will show! Quit looking for loopholes to live an "effortless" life of excusing yourself from doing righteous works and start living a life of that exudes righteousness!!!!
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
My thoughts on: Being overtaken and captivated by radical grace or radical righteousness.
I hear so many people saying that they're praying for this person or that person or for me to be overtaken and captivated by radical grace or radical righteousness, to be captivated by grace in its most extreme form..... I have a problem with such statements.
I just don't see, after 25 years of growing in the knowledge of the word, where such statements have biblical foundation.... Yes, we are to grow in grace, but we are also to increase in faith, love extravagantly, study the word diligently to prove ourselves unashamed workmen, to labour together with Christ, to preach the Gospel, lay hands on the sick, preach deliverance to the captives, disciple believers to help them grow up spiritually, and much more! There's much more to successful christian living than simply the traditional view of grace (God's unmerited favor) that is being forced as the ONLY view or definition of Grace.
I've listened to the most popular of the grace teachers, and everytime I come away with an unsettled feeling, that something just wasn't "right" and wasn't biblically sound. We've got to get past these "faddy" messages and quit building our ministries on only that one topic from the Bible! Where that's the only teaching we listen to, teach/preach on, and where we think everything else is useless in light of our pet doctrine.
I may upset some people with this, but I am very concerned with this unbalanced teaching and the error that is being propagated by my peers, by leaders, and many in the church who are just caught up in a whirlwind of "Grace" .... I am thankful for grace, there is much study to be done on that portion of scripture, as it is a deep and broad topic which I have devoted a lot of study to particularity in the past 5 years, but so many are focusing on a small portion of the topic of grace and teaching it as the whole gospel.... Oh how small-minded we are when we limit the gospel to merely that! There's much more to New Testament living!
Don't put God in a box because that's the only part of the gospel you want to teach, be open to the WHOLE entirety of the scriptures and what God has for us in the new Covenant, don't let Satan cripple you with getting you off track! ..... Study the WORD!
JRT
I just don't see, after 25 years of growing in the knowledge of the word, where such statements have biblical foundation.... Yes, we are to grow in grace, but we are also to increase in faith, love extravagantly, study the word diligently to prove ourselves unashamed workmen, to labour together with Christ, to preach the Gospel, lay hands on the sick, preach deliverance to the captives, disciple believers to help them grow up spiritually, and much more! There's much more to successful christian living than simply the traditional view of grace (God's unmerited favor) that is being forced as the ONLY view or definition of Grace.
I've listened to the most popular of the grace teachers, and everytime I come away with an unsettled feeling, that something just wasn't "right" and wasn't biblically sound. We've got to get past these "faddy" messages and quit building our ministries on only that one topic from the Bible! Where that's the only teaching we listen to, teach/preach on, and where we think everything else is useless in light of our pet doctrine.
I may upset some people with this, but I am very concerned with this unbalanced teaching and the error that is being propagated by my peers, by leaders, and many in the church who are just caught up in a whirlwind of "Grace" .... I am thankful for grace, there is much study to be done on that portion of scripture, as it is a deep and broad topic which I have devoted a lot of study to particularity in the past 5 years, but so many are focusing on a small portion of the topic of grace and teaching it as the whole gospel.... Oh how small-minded we are when we limit the gospel to merely that! There's much more to New Testament living!
Don't put God in a box because that's the only part of the gospel you want to teach, be open to the WHOLE entirety of the scriptures and what God has for us in the new Covenant, don't let Satan cripple you with getting you off track! ..... Study the WORD!
JRT
Friday, May 18, 2012
The Whole World is Righteous ... Or is it?
It has really been bothering me lately, how easy it is for so many to throw out scripture that contradicts their doctrine, based on personal opinions.
I have heard so many report of people who are teaching universalism, but under the "Grace" umbrella. Teaching that the whole world is already saved and everyone is already righteous, but some haven't fully realized it yet and so their fruits are the result of condemnation. Some are teaching that being "born again" is not a biblical term and is simply something fabricated to put people under the Law. Such teaching is so far out of the bounds of sound bible doctrine that it isn't even funny, it is sad to be honest. It is sad that many promoting this have been in church, been to bible school, and heard teachings from some excellent bible scholars from the Word and STILL believe in their doctrine so much that they want to seek out arguments and debates with those who don't see things the way they do.
I've really been thinking along these lines and I really been taking personal time to study things out, to see exactly what the Word says with my eyes. In regards to "everyone already being saved" that is simply inaccurate scripturally. The truth is that God has PROVIDED salvation to all mankind through His son Jesus, but they have to BELIEVE to receive that gift. It is like if someone gave you this beautifully wrapped box and inside was, oh a check for a million dollars. The gift is yours if you'll receive it, but the million dollars isn't in your possession for you to access and apply to your financial life until you actually unwrap the gift and access it. The same is true with salvation, it is provided freely, it is waiting for you to unwrap it and access it and apply it to your life... But you have to review an unwrap it first! Believing in our heart and confessing with our mouth that jesus Christ is Lord is our way of unwrapping the beautiful gift of salvation!
"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved." (Romans 10:9, 10 NLT)
In that scripture the greek word for "right" in verse 10 is dikaiosynē which is the same as righteous, so by believing in your heart that He was raised from the dead is when you access righteousness! Righteousness was provided to all when Christ rose from the dead, but not all mankind was made righteous in that moment, it provided and made righteousness available, but we have to reach out and accept it! In reality, if you take this universalist teaching to the extreme, you are teaching that there is no hell, there are no consequences for any sins committed pre- or post-salvation, and really there's no point or purpose for evangelizing or doing missions work around the world.... If you are going to teach that you've got to be willing to follow that argument to the end, and if that is so, then the Muslims and Buddhists are just as righteous and in as much right/standing with God as You and I are right now. Funny, but if that is so how do you explain some verses a little further down in that same chapter of Romans?
"For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord [invoking Him as Lord] will be saved. But how are people to call upon Him Whom they have not believed [in Whom they have no faith, on Whom they have no reliance]? And how are they to believe in Him [adhere to, trust in, and rely upon Him] of Whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? And how can men [be expected to] preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings! [How welcome is the coming of those who preach the good news of His good things!] But they have not all heeded the Gospel; for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed (had faith in) what he has heard from us? So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself)." (Romans 10:13-17 AMP)
Obviously, those in darkness have to BELIEVE and they have to have faith in what Jesus provided through His death, burial, and resurrection in order to access the gift of salvation and walk in right-standing with God.
"Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us." (Hebrews 10:26-29 NLT)
"For if we go on deliberately and willingly sinning after once acquiring the knowledge of the Truth, there is no longer any sacrifice left to atone for [our] sins [no further offering to which to look forward]. [There is nothing left for us then] but a kind of awful and fearful prospect and expectation of divine judgment and the fury of burning wrath and indignation which will consume those who put themselves in opposition [to God]. Any person who has violated and [thus] rejected and set at naught the Law of Moses is put to death without pity or mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse (sterner and heavier) punishment do you suppose he will be judged to deserve who has spurned and [thus] trampled underfoot the Son of God, and who has considered the covenant blood by which he was consecrated common and unhallowed, thus profaning it and insulting and outraging the [Holy] Spirit [Who imparts] grace (the unmerited favor and blessing of God)?" (Hebrews 10:26-29 AMP)
Then those teaching that "born again" isn't a biblical principle are outside the bounds of true bible-based doctrine. In John Chapter 3, Jesus spoke prophetically to Nicodemus about the way to salvation. He wasn't speaking to Nicodemus "under the law", as Many love to proclaim when the words of Christ contradict their doctrine of "extreme grace", He was speaking to him prophetically that the Son of Man (Jesus, the Messiah) WOULD BE (future tense) lifted up like the bronze serpent was by Moses for salvation (an old testament type and shadow of the cross). In John 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that you must be BORN AGAIN, that is not and was not an Old Covenant belief, you couldn't be born again under the Old Covenant, but it was something tht was to come, an now in our time has come. The passage states it very plainly....
"Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
“How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.
Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” (John 3:3-21 NLT)
So, from the scriptures I have listed and studied, it is pretty clear that hole salvation has been PROVIDED to all mankind, it is not automatically on all mankind. It is something that is freely provided, but must be accessed by faith! And We an see that being "born again" is a biblical principle, taught in the new testament! I am so saddened by the absolute rejection of truth under the guise of "newer, better revelation" ... When the Holy Spirit reveals things to us from the Word and brings revelation and understanding, it will ALWAYS line up fully with the full counsel of the scriptures, if it doesn't it is not a heavenly revelation, but a mere doctrine of devils, full of falsities to knock into error. If you have people in your life who are blinded by such untruth, pray for them. Because in many cases that's all you can do if you are going to maintain your love walk. Pray for them (the Ephesians prayer is a great one to start with) and when given the opportunity to speak into their life, speak the truth in LOVE, don't be rude or argumentative about it, speak it in love.
"Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” (Galatians 2:16 NLT)
"Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law." (Romans 3:31 NLT)
Til Next Time,
JRT
I have heard so many report of people who are teaching universalism, but under the "Grace" umbrella. Teaching that the whole world is already saved and everyone is already righteous, but some haven't fully realized it yet and so their fruits are the result of condemnation. Some are teaching that being "born again" is not a biblical term and is simply something fabricated to put people under the Law. Such teaching is so far out of the bounds of sound bible doctrine that it isn't even funny, it is sad to be honest. It is sad that many promoting this have been in church, been to bible school, and heard teachings from some excellent bible scholars from the Word and STILL believe in their doctrine so much that they want to seek out arguments and debates with those who don't see things the way they do.
I've really been thinking along these lines and I really been taking personal time to study things out, to see exactly what the Word says with my eyes. In regards to "everyone already being saved" that is simply inaccurate scripturally. The truth is that God has PROVIDED salvation to all mankind through His son Jesus, but they have to BELIEVE to receive that gift. It is like if someone gave you this beautifully wrapped box and inside was, oh a check for a million dollars. The gift is yours if you'll receive it, but the million dollars isn't in your possession for you to access and apply to your financial life until you actually unwrap the gift and access it. The same is true with salvation, it is provided freely, it is waiting for you to unwrap it and access it and apply it to your life... But you have to review an unwrap it first! Believing in our heart and confessing with our mouth that jesus Christ is Lord is our way of unwrapping the beautiful gift of salvation!
"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved." (Romans 10:9, 10 NLT)
In that scripture the greek word for "right" in verse 10 is dikaiosynē which is the same as righteous, so by believing in your heart that He was raised from the dead is when you access righteousness! Righteousness was provided to all when Christ rose from the dead, but not all mankind was made righteous in that moment, it provided and made righteousness available, but we have to reach out and accept it! In reality, if you take this universalist teaching to the extreme, you are teaching that there is no hell, there are no consequences for any sins committed pre- or post-salvation, and really there's no point or purpose for evangelizing or doing missions work around the world.... If you are going to teach that you've got to be willing to follow that argument to the end, and if that is so, then the Muslims and Buddhists are just as righteous and in as much right/standing with God as You and I are right now. Funny, but if that is so how do you explain some verses a little further down in that same chapter of Romans?
"For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord [invoking Him as Lord] will be saved. But how are people to call upon Him Whom they have not believed [in Whom they have no faith, on Whom they have no reliance]? And how are they to believe in Him [adhere to, trust in, and rely upon Him] of Whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? And how can men [be expected to] preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings! [How welcome is the coming of those who preach the good news of His good things!] But they have not all heeded the Gospel; for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed (had faith in) what he has heard from us? So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself)." (Romans 10:13-17 AMP)
Obviously, those in darkness have to BELIEVE and they have to have faith in what Jesus provided through His death, burial, and resurrection in order to access the gift of salvation and walk in right-standing with God.
"Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us." (Hebrews 10:26-29 NLT)
"For if we go on deliberately and willingly sinning after once acquiring the knowledge of the Truth, there is no longer any sacrifice left to atone for [our] sins [no further offering to which to look forward]. [There is nothing left for us then] but a kind of awful and fearful prospect and expectation of divine judgment and the fury of burning wrath and indignation which will consume those who put themselves in opposition [to God]. Any person who has violated and [thus] rejected and set at naught the Law of Moses is put to death without pity or mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse (sterner and heavier) punishment do you suppose he will be judged to deserve who has spurned and [thus] trampled underfoot the Son of God, and who has considered the covenant blood by which he was consecrated common and unhallowed, thus profaning it and insulting and outraging the [Holy] Spirit [Who imparts] grace (the unmerited favor and blessing of God)?" (Hebrews 10:26-29 AMP)
Then those teaching that "born again" isn't a biblical principle are outside the bounds of true bible-based doctrine. In John Chapter 3, Jesus spoke prophetically to Nicodemus about the way to salvation. He wasn't speaking to Nicodemus "under the law", as Many love to proclaim when the words of Christ contradict their doctrine of "extreme grace", He was speaking to him prophetically that the Son of Man (Jesus, the Messiah) WOULD BE (future tense) lifted up like the bronze serpent was by Moses for salvation (an old testament type and shadow of the cross). In John 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that you must be BORN AGAIN, that is not and was not an Old Covenant belief, you couldn't be born again under the Old Covenant, but it was something tht was to come, an now in our time has come. The passage states it very plainly....
"Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
“How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.
Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” (John 3:3-21 NLT)
So, from the scriptures I have listed and studied, it is pretty clear that hole salvation has been PROVIDED to all mankind, it is not automatically on all mankind. It is something that is freely provided, but must be accessed by faith! And We an see that being "born again" is a biblical principle, taught in the new testament! I am so saddened by the absolute rejection of truth under the guise of "newer, better revelation" ... When the Holy Spirit reveals things to us from the Word and brings revelation and understanding, it will ALWAYS line up fully with the full counsel of the scriptures, if it doesn't it is not a heavenly revelation, but a mere doctrine of devils, full of falsities to knock into error. If you have people in your life who are blinded by such untruth, pray for them. Because in many cases that's all you can do if you are going to maintain your love walk. Pray for them (the Ephesians prayer is a great one to start with) and when given the opportunity to speak into their life, speak the truth in LOVE, don't be rude or argumentative about it, speak it in love.
"Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” (Galatians 2:16 NLT)
"Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law." (Romans 3:31 NLT)
Til Next Time,
JRT
Monday, May 14, 2012
Romans Chapter 2 in the Amplified Bible
THEREFORE YOU have no excuse or defense or justification, O man, whoever you are who judges and condemns another. For in posing as judge and passing sentence on another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge are habitually practicing the very same things [that you censure and denounce]. [But] we know that the judgment (adverse verdict, sentence) of God falls justly and in accordance with truth upon those who practice such things. And do you think or imagine, O man, when you judge and condemn those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment and elude His sentence and adverse verdict? Or are you [so blind as to] trifle with and presume upon and despise and underestimate the wealth of His kindness and forbearance and long-suffering patience? Are you unmindful or actually ignorant [of the fact] that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repent (to change your mind and inner man to accept God’s will)? But by your callous stubbornness and impenitence of heart you are storing up wrath and indignation for yourself on the day of wrath and indignation, when God’s righteous judgment (just doom) will be revealed. For He will render to every man according to his works [justly, as his deeds deserve]: To those who by patient persistence in well-doing [springing from piety] seek [unseen but sure] glory and honor and [the eternal blessedness of] immortality, He will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and self-willed and disobedient to the Truth but responsive to wickedness, there will be indignation and wrath. [And] there will be tribulation and anguish and calamity and constraint for every soul of man who [habitually] does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek (Gentile). But glory and honor and [heart] peace shall be awarded to
everyone who [habitually] does good, the Jew first and also the Greek (Gentile). For God shows no partiality [undue favor or unfairness; with Him one man is not different from another]. All who have sinned without the Law will also perish without [regard to] the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged and condemned by the Law. For it is not merely hearing the Law [read] that makes one righteous before God, but it is the doers of the Law who will be held guiltless and acquitted and justified. When Gentiles who have not the [divine] Law do instinctively what the Law requires, they are a law to themselves, since they do not have the Law. They show that the essential requirements of the Law are written in their hearts and are operating there, with which their consciences (sense of right and wrong) also bear witness; and their [moral] decisions (their arguments of reason, their condemning or approving thoughts) will accuse or perhaps defend and excuse [them] On that day when, as my Gospel proclaims, God by Jesus Christ will judge men in regard to the things which they conceal (their hidden thoughts). But if you bear the name of Jew and rely upon the Law and pride yourselves in God and your relationship to Him, And know and understand His will and discerningly approve the better things and have a sense of what is vital, because you are instructed by the Law; And if you are confident that you [yourself] are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, and [that You are] a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the childish, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and truth-- Well then, you who teach others, do you not teach yourself?
While you teach against stealing, do you steal (take what does not really belong to you)? You who say not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery [are you unchaste in action or in thought]? You who abhor and loathe idols, do you rob temples [do you appropriate to your own use what is consecrated to God, thus robbing the sanctuary and doing sacrilege]? You who boast in the Law, do you dishonor God by breaking the Law [by stealthily infringing upon or carelessly neglecting or openly breaking it]? For, as it is written, The name of God is maligned and blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you! [The words to this effect are from your own Scriptures.] Circumcision does indeed profit if you keep the Law; but if you habitually transgress the Law, your circumcision is made uncircumcision. So if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be credited to him as [equivalent to] circumcision? Then those who are physically uncircumcised but keep the Law will condemn you who, although you have the code in writing and have circumcision, break the Law. For he is not a [real] Jew who is only one outwardly and publicly, nor is [true] circumcision something external and physical. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and [true] circumcision is of the heart, a spiritual and not a literal [matter]. His praise is not from men but from God.
(Romans 2:1-29 AMP)
everyone who [habitually] does good, the Jew first and also the Greek (Gentile). For God shows no partiality [undue favor or unfairness; with Him one man is not different from another]. All who have sinned without the Law will also perish without [regard to] the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged and condemned by the Law. For it is not merely hearing the Law [read] that makes one righteous before God, but it is the doers of the Law who will be held guiltless and acquitted and justified. When Gentiles who have not the [divine] Law do instinctively what the Law requires, they are a law to themselves, since they do not have the Law. They show that the essential requirements of the Law are written in their hearts and are operating there, with which their consciences (sense of right and wrong) also bear witness; and their [moral] decisions (their arguments of reason, their condemning or approving thoughts) will accuse or perhaps defend and excuse [them] On that day when, as my Gospel proclaims, God by Jesus Christ will judge men in regard to the things which they conceal (their hidden thoughts). But if you bear the name of Jew and rely upon the Law and pride yourselves in God and your relationship to Him, And know and understand His will and discerningly approve the better things and have a sense of what is vital, because you are instructed by the Law; And if you are confident that you [yourself] are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, and [that You are] a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the childish, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and truth-- Well then, you who teach others, do you not teach yourself?
While you teach against stealing, do you steal (take what does not really belong to you)? You who say not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery [are you unchaste in action or in thought]? You who abhor and loathe idols, do you rob temples [do you appropriate to your own use what is consecrated to God, thus robbing the sanctuary and doing sacrilege]? You who boast in the Law, do you dishonor God by breaking the Law [by stealthily infringing upon or carelessly neglecting or openly breaking it]? For, as it is written, The name of God is maligned and blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you! [The words to this effect are from your own Scriptures.] Circumcision does indeed profit if you keep the Law; but if you habitually transgress the Law, your circumcision is made uncircumcision. So if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be credited to him as [equivalent to] circumcision? Then those who are physically uncircumcised but keep the Law will condemn you who, although you have the code in writing and have circumcision, break the Law. For he is not a [real] Jew who is only one outwardly and publicly, nor is [true] circumcision something external and physical. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and [true] circumcision is of the heart, a spiritual and not a literal [matter]. His praise is not from men but from God.
(Romans 2:1-29 AMP)
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Dump Your Cargo & Move to a Higher Altitude!
"And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop." ~ Mark 11:25 AMP
When we truly learn to grasp hold of true biblical love, we will find a freedom in life and a weight lifted.
When you truly learn how to walk in love, it will free you from the burdens of hurt, bitterness, and unforgiveness. And with that, you'll find you can move up to higher altitudes, you've never before reached!
I'm reminded of the World Wars, particularily WWII, and how the planes would sometimes throw cargo out from the plane to reach a higher altitude in times of battle and such, I think there's a spiritual example to be applied from that image. When we are flying through life and carrying our cargo of bitterness, hurt, and unforgiveness, all the bundles of memories of past hurts and pain inflicted on us by others, we will not even realize how hindered we are truly are from reaching our full potential. In carrying that cargo, we are weighed down and can only reach a certain altitude. As we take hold of the message of love and forgiveness, and begin to put the Word of God into action in our lives, we will slowly start dumping that unnecessary cargo out. As that begins to happen, we will begin to find that we are able to climb to higher altitudes the more "cargo" we dump.
God never intended for our lives to be weighed down and burdened by bitterness, hurt, and unforgiveness. He told us in His Word that His yoke is easy and His burden is light! When we let go of the past and grasp hold of true Agape, there's no telling how high we can soar with God!
Don't let the trap of unforgiveness keep you from reaching your full potential! God's got a higher altitude for you to reach, but you can't reach it unless you let go of unnecessary cargo and burdens.
"For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good--not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne." ~ Matthew 11:30 AMP
"Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good." ~ Romans 12:9 NLT
"But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love." ~ 1 John 4:8 NLT
"Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." ~ Ephesians 4:32 NLT
Until Next Time,
JRT
When we truly learn to grasp hold of true biblical love, we will find a freedom in life and a weight lifted.
When you truly learn how to walk in love, it will free you from the burdens of hurt, bitterness, and unforgiveness. And with that, you'll find you can move up to higher altitudes, you've never before reached!
I'm reminded of the World Wars, particularily WWII, and how the planes would sometimes throw cargo out from the plane to reach a higher altitude in times of battle and such, I think there's a spiritual example to be applied from that image. When we are flying through life and carrying our cargo of bitterness, hurt, and unforgiveness, all the bundles of memories of past hurts and pain inflicted on us by others, we will not even realize how hindered we are truly are from reaching our full potential. In carrying that cargo, we are weighed down and can only reach a certain altitude. As we take hold of the message of love and forgiveness, and begin to put the Word of God into action in our lives, we will slowly start dumping that unnecessary cargo out. As that begins to happen, we will begin to find that we are able to climb to higher altitudes the more "cargo" we dump.
God never intended for our lives to be weighed down and burdened by bitterness, hurt, and unforgiveness. He told us in His Word that His yoke is easy and His burden is light! When we let go of the past and grasp hold of true Agape, there's no telling how high we can soar with God!
Don't let the trap of unforgiveness keep you from reaching your full potential! God's got a higher altitude for you to reach, but you can't reach it unless you let go of unnecessary cargo and burdens.
"For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good--not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne." ~ Matthew 11:30 AMP
"Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good." ~ Romans 12:9 NLT
"But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love." ~ 1 John 4:8 NLT
"Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." ~ Ephesians 4:32 NLT
Until Next Time,
JRT
Thursday, April 26, 2012
LOVE: Our Initial Response!
"Love bears up under anything and
everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]." (1 Corinthians 13:7 AMP)
Recent occurrences in my life over the past several months have caused me to really think along the lines of what real, pure love is. I'm not referring to fairytales or romance, I'm referring to the type of love that is far more important than that and that is our daily conduct as believers.
I'm by no means perfect in this area, as none of us are, but God has really been speaking to my heart by personal experiences through His Word. I've grown up in church all of my twenty-five (and a half) years on this earth and still am shocked and astonished at our lack of maturity in the area of love.
Oh, and I know we LOVE to excel on the topics of grace, faith, God's gonna give you the desires of your heart... And so forth. But, have any of us ever taken the time to realize that our success as Christians is not in how faith-filled we sound, not in how much we are sinking in the ocean of grace, and not in our BMW coming our way? Our success as Christians is measured by our capacity to love.
If it were the other things, wouldn't Jesus have told us, for example, that the greatest commandment of all is to have mountain-moving faith? But that's not what He told us is it? Nope, He told us in Matthew 22:37-39(AMP), "...You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself."
The top two commandments that Jesus gave us were love centered. This shows me that God values love more than all the other aspects of Christian living. You say, "But you just don't understand! Maybe it is easy for you to love, you've been in this longer, you just don't have the same issues I have, you just don't know anything about the junk I've had to face!" Well, perhaps you have a point, maybe I don't know the things that you have had to face, but I do know the hardships, the hurt, the bitterness, cruelty, and so forth that I have faced in my life... Growing up a PK isn't exactly floating through life on flowery beds of ease, it is just as challenging as any other life. We all face hardships and hurts in life, perhaps ours seem bigger and more tragic than another person's, but they are all challenges and they all stretch us.
I was just thinking recently that if walking in love is just impossible for us to do, why would God make it the top two commandments that Jesus gave us? If it is as hard as we make it, don't you think God wouldn't give it such importance? As I think on these lines I see that it really isn't all that difficult, God wouldn't ask us to do something that was absolutely impossible to do, without equipping us. He told us in His Word that we will not be tested beyond what we can bear (1 Cor. 10:13), which tells me that no matter how impossible it may seem to walk in love in a situation, it IS possible to love extravagantly!
In life situations, people's false witness and slanderous speech can stir you up and your flesh wants to defend yourself, You want so badly to give them a piece of your mind, so strong is the urge to put all their dirty laundry out to hang.... But we have to ask ourselves, is that love? What would love do? Is love easily offended? Is love ready to fight and defend itself against injustice? Is love ready to shove ill-spoken words back down the speaker's throat? hmmm.... Sounds much like our initial responses doesn't it? But, none of these are love's initial response. Love is ready to stand there and let the offensive words hit and let them roll off. Love is ready to stand strong in the midst of injustice. Love is ready to take the punches and cuts from someone's hurtful words, look into their eyes, open arms and speak words full of love.
People, even Christians, will say things that hurt us. They will believe lies and stories that aren't true. But it is our response to such occurrences that will determine whether we soar or crash. If we respond out of the flesh, in an effort to clear "our good name" of the smearing and injustice done, you will merely place yourself in the middle of strife and open the door to anger and you will get out of love and out of God's best! BUT, if you respond with love, rest and stay at peace knowing that God knows the truth, your name or reputation hasn't been smeared as far as He is concerned, and no words of men can change His opinion of you, you'll pass the test!
Love is such a vital part of our Christian walk, however so few of us engage in true heavenly love. Oh, we demand it from everyone else, because if everyone else would walk in love I wouldn't have to struggle with my love walk! But, what a shallow view of love that is.... Love should be our initial, middle, and final response in EVERY situation in life! Yes, even the hard, difficult ones! It is easy to love people who love us, but those who despitefully use us, who speak words or conduct themselves in actions that cause us pain and hurt.... THOSE are the ones who deserve our love even more. Love is the only thing that will break the hardness of their heart! Love is the only thing that can change that situation with the person. The Word tells us that walking in love and kindness with our enemy is the same as "heaping coals of fire" on their head (Prov. 25:21-22). So, if we want to see that person change, it is time for some "Sloppy Agape" or extravagant love! You are only limited by your capacity to love. If you can face persecution and injustice with a smile on your face and a heart and eyes full of love, then there is no limit to the places God can take you! Bitterness and unforgiveness will keep you on the ground full of potential, but never fulfilling it. Love will propel you to soar in all that God has for you fulfilling your potential!
You can't change your past responses and actions in times of hardship, but you CAN change how you respond to future hardships! Make the choice today to respond out of love!
Here's some scriptures to meditate on:
"You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy; But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, To show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and makes the rain fall upon the upright and the wrongdoers [alike]. For if you love those who love you, what reward can you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that? And if you greet only your brethren, what more than others are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles (the heathen) do that? You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect."(Matthew 5:43-48 AMP)
"Because at [your] standing of the test of this ministry, they will glorify God for your loyalty and obedience to the Gospel of Christ which you confess, as well as for your generous-hearted liberality to them and to all [the other needy ones]." (2 Corinthians 9:13 AMP)
"If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For in doing so, you will heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord will reward you. The north wind brings forth rain; so does a backbiting tongue bring forth an angry countenance." (Proverbs 25:21-23 AMP)
"Let everything you do be done in love (true love to God and man as inspired by God’s love for us)." (1 Corinthians 16:14 AMP)
"Hatred stirs up contentions, but love covers all transgressions." (Proverbs 10:12 AMP)
"This is My commandment: that you love one another [just] as I have loved you." (John 15:12 AMP)
"If anyone says, I love God, and hates (detests, abominates) his brother [in Christ], he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, Whom he has not seen." (1 John 4:20 AMP)
"Beloved, if God loved us so [very much], we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:11 AMP)
"Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the offenses of others]." (1 Peter 4:8 AMP)
"Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. ...... And so faith, hope, love abide [faith--conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things; hope--joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love--true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13 AMP)
Endeavoring to Walk MORE in Love,
JRT
everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]." (1 Corinthians 13:7 AMP)
Recent occurrences in my life over the past several months have caused me to really think along the lines of what real, pure love is. I'm not referring to fairytales or romance, I'm referring to the type of love that is far more important than that and that is our daily conduct as believers.
I'm by no means perfect in this area, as none of us are, but God has really been speaking to my heart by personal experiences through His Word. I've grown up in church all of my twenty-five (and a half) years on this earth and still am shocked and astonished at our lack of maturity in the area of love.
Oh, and I know we LOVE to excel on the topics of grace, faith, God's gonna give you the desires of your heart... And so forth. But, have any of us ever taken the time to realize that our success as Christians is not in how faith-filled we sound, not in how much we are sinking in the ocean of grace, and not in our BMW coming our way? Our success as Christians is measured by our capacity to love.
If it were the other things, wouldn't Jesus have told us, for example, that the greatest commandment of all is to have mountain-moving faith? But that's not what He told us is it? Nope, He told us in Matthew 22:37-39(AMP), "...You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself."
The top two commandments that Jesus gave us were love centered. This shows me that God values love more than all the other aspects of Christian living. You say, "But you just don't understand! Maybe it is easy for you to love, you've been in this longer, you just don't have the same issues I have, you just don't know anything about the junk I've had to face!" Well, perhaps you have a point, maybe I don't know the things that you have had to face, but I do know the hardships, the hurt, the bitterness, cruelty, and so forth that I have faced in my life... Growing up a PK isn't exactly floating through life on flowery beds of ease, it is just as challenging as any other life. We all face hardships and hurts in life, perhaps ours seem bigger and more tragic than another person's, but they are all challenges and they all stretch us.
I was just thinking recently that if walking in love is just impossible for us to do, why would God make it the top two commandments that Jesus gave us? If it is as hard as we make it, don't you think God wouldn't give it such importance? As I think on these lines I see that it really isn't all that difficult, God wouldn't ask us to do something that was absolutely impossible to do, without equipping us. He told us in His Word that we will not be tested beyond what we can bear (1 Cor. 10:13), which tells me that no matter how impossible it may seem to walk in love in a situation, it IS possible to love extravagantly!
In life situations, people's false witness and slanderous speech can stir you up and your flesh wants to defend yourself, You want so badly to give them a piece of your mind, so strong is the urge to put all their dirty laundry out to hang.... But we have to ask ourselves, is that love? What would love do? Is love easily offended? Is love ready to fight and defend itself against injustice? Is love ready to shove ill-spoken words back down the speaker's throat? hmmm.... Sounds much like our initial responses doesn't it? But, none of these are love's initial response. Love is ready to stand there and let the offensive words hit and let them roll off. Love is ready to stand strong in the midst of injustice. Love is ready to take the punches and cuts from someone's hurtful words, look into their eyes, open arms and speak words full of love.
People, even Christians, will say things that hurt us. They will believe lies and stories that aren't true. But it is our response to such occurrences that will determine whether we soar or crash. If we respond out of the flesh, in an effort to clear "our good name" of the smearing and injustice done, you will merely place yourself in the middle of strife and open the door to anger and you will get out of love and out of God's best! BUT, if you respond with love, rest and stay at peace knowing that God knows the truth, your name or reputation hasn't been smeared as far as He is concerned, and no words of men can change His opinion of you, you'll pass the test!
Love is such a vital part of our Christian walk, however so few of us engage in true heavenly love. Oh, we demand it from everyone else, because if everyone else would walk in love I wouldn't have to struggle with my love walk! But, what a shallow view of love that is.... Love should be our initial, middle, and final response in EVERY situation in life! Yes, even the hard, difficult ones! It is easy to love people who love us, but those who despitefully use us, who speak words or conduct themselves in actions that cause us pain and hurt.... THOSE are the ones who deserve our love even more. Love is the only thing that will break the hardness of their heart! Love is the only thing that can change that situation with the person. The Word tells us that walking in love and kindness with our enemy is the same as "heaping coals of fire" on their head (Prov. 25:21-22). So, if we want to see that person change, it is time for some "Sloppy Agape" or extravagant love! You are only limited by your capacity to love. If you can face persecution and injustice with a smile on your face and a heart and eyes full of love, then there is no limit to the places God can take you! Bitterness and unforgiveness will keep you on the ground full of potential, but never fulfilling it. Love will propel you to soar in all that God has for you fulfilling your potential!
You can't change your past responses and actions in times of hardship, but you CAN change how you respond to future hardships! Make the choice today to respond out of love!
Here's some scriptures to meditate on:
"You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy; But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, To show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and makes the rain fall upon the upright and the wrongdoers [alike]. For if you love those who love you, what reward can you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that? And if you greet only your brethren, what more than others are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles (the heathen) do that? You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect."(Matthew 5:43-48 AMP)
"Because at [your] standing of the test of this ministry, they will glorify God for your loyalty and obedience to the Gospel of Christ which you confess, as well as for your generous-hearted liberality to them and to all [the other needy ones]." (2 Corinthians 9:13 AMP)
"If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For in doing so, you will heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord will reward you. The north wind brings forth rain; so does a backbiting tongue bring forth an angry countenance." (Proverbs 25:21-23 AMP)
"Let everything you do be done in love (true love to God and man as inspired by God’s love for us)." (1 Corinthians 16:14 AMP)
"Hatred stirs up contentions, but love covers all transgressions." (Proverbs 10:12 AMP)
"This is My commandment: that you love one another [just] as I have loved you." (John 15:12 AMP)
"If anyone says, I love God, and hates (detests, abominates) his brother [in Christ], he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, Whom he has not seen." (1 John 4:20 AMP)
"Beloved, if God loved us so [very much], we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:11 AMP)
"Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the offenses of others]." (1 Peter 4:8 AMP)
"Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. ...... And so faith, hope, love abide [faith--conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things; hope--joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love--true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13 AMP)
Endeavoring to Walk MORE in Love,
JRT
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
1 John 1:9 - just a small discussion of this verse.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." ~ 1 John 1:9
sins--> ἁμαρτία (hamartia):
1) equivalent to 264
a) to be without a share in
b) to miss the mark
c) to err, be mistaken
d) to miss or WANDER from the path of uprightness and honour, to do or go wrong
e) to wander from the law of God, violate God's law, sin
2) that which is done wrong, sin, an offence, a violation of the divine law in thought or in act
3) collectively, the complex or aggregate of sins committed either by a single person or by many
Unrighteousness --> ἀδικία (adikia):
1) injustice, of a judge
2) unrighteousness of heart and life
3) a deed violating law and justice, act of unrighteousness
I think there's some interesting things to consider when studying this verse, some say it contradicts other verses and cannot be written to NT believer bc someone who is righteous can't be unrighteous.... Which there's truth to the fact that we can't be righteous one minute and completely unrighteousness the next because we made a small mistake, but I think it is interesting that the word used for "unrighteousness" can also mean "unrighteous acts or deeds violating God's divine law" .... Which, makes that verse make more sense and I can see that it DOES apply to us... While we are righteous, we do possess a body, we are not just Spirit.... We are a spirit, we possess a soul and we live in a body... Paul even said that he buffets his body daily to make it his slave, which makes me think if you don't buffet your body daily it will want to wander away from God's moral standards for our lives.... Which makes me think, you can commit acts of unrighteousness if you don't feed on the Word and bring your body into subjection ... And thus, when you do "miss the mark" or "wander from the path of uprightness and honor" you have a signed, sealed, and delivered guarantee that you can run to your father God and ask his forgiveness. You do this not out of a state of doubting your position or His forgiveness but you do it so your heart doesn't try to make you feel UNrighteous, because you are righteous and you were bought with a price! Praise God we have confidence in the fact that all we have to do is ask and He's already forgiven us!!!!! :)
Til Next Time,
JRT
sins--> ἁμαρτία (hamartia):
1) equivalent to 264
a) to be without a share in
b) to miss the mark
c) to err, be mistaken
d) to miss or WANDER from the path of uprightness and honour, to do or go wrong
e) to wander from the law of God, violate God's law, sin
2) that which is done wrong, sin, an offence, a violation of the divine law in thought or in act
3) collectively, the complex or aggregate of sins committed either by a single person or by many
Unrighteousness --> ἀδικία (adikia):
1) injustice, of a judge
2) unrighteousness of heart and life
3) a deed violating law and justice, act of unrighteousness
I think there's some interesting things to consider when studying this verse, some say it contradicts other verses and cannot be written to NT believer bc someone who is righteous can't be unrighteous.... Which there's truth to the fact that we can't be righteous one minute and completely unrighteousness the next because we made a small mistake, but I think it is interesting that the word used for "unrighteousness" can also mean "unrighteous acts or deeds violating God's divine law" .... Which, makes that verse make more sense and I can see that it DOES apply to us... While we are righteous, we do possess a body, we are not just Spirit.... We are a spirit, we possess a soul and we live in a body... Paul even said that he buffets his body daily to make it his slave, which makes me think if you don't buffet your body daily it will want to wander away from God's moral standards for our lives.... Which makes me think, you can commit acts of unrighteousness if you don't feed on the Word and bring your body into subjection ... And thus, when you do "miss the mark" or "wander from the path of uprightness and honor" you have a signed, sealed, and delivered guarantee that you can run to your father God and ask his forgiveness. You do this not out of a state of doubting your position or His forgiveness but you do it so your heart doesn't try to make you feel UNrighteous, because you are righteous and you were bought with a price! Praise God we have confidence in the fact that all we have to do is ask and He's already forgiven us!!!!! :)
Til Next Time,
JRT
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
The Qualities of a True Prince Charming!
I’ve really been inspired on the topic of “Waiting for Prince Charming” and the qualities of a virtuous, godly woman in today’s society, so I may write a series on these topics, but we’ll see…
So many times we girls grow up on fairytales and only focus on the main points, girl meets an attractive guy who turns out to be Prince Charming and they live happily ever after. What so many seem to miss are the important hidden lessons in these stories. It seems as girls we get in our head that all to it is just finding someone that we are in love with because of his dreamy eyes, adorable nose, heartthrob smile, etc. and nothing else matters. While that seems to be the pervasive theme of most fairytales, I feel the classic fairytales and the final authority, the Bible, yield the perfect example of what a True Prince Charming looks like.
Some important things to consider when looking for Prince Charming ... While he may be cute to look at, does he exhibit the qualities of a good husband?
1. Does he have a strong relationship with God? Not simply does he go to church and sound spiritual, but does he have a true, established passion for God and His Word even behind closed doors when the spotlight is off?
2. Does he have a home? While it doesn't have to be Buckingham Palace, Prince Charming always has a Castle to bring his Princess home to! A godly, upright man preparing to be a good husband shows an admirable quality in making sure he has his own place to bring a wife home to. Love may make you feel good, but that feeling can turn to sadness if your castle turns out to be a cardboard box!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
In the Midnight Hour
In the Midnight Hour
Written: October 31, 2011
Tonight, I am just so thankful for the Word of God and the knowledge of the Authority of the Believer. I am so thankful for having grown up in a Rhema graduate's home and basically attending Rhema my whole life. So thankful that rather than fun, silly music about the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" my parents raised us on David Ingles, Rhema Singers and Band, Shekinah Glory, SuperKids, and other faith-filled music because we needed it last night!
Last night right around midnight I went into my sister's room to check on her because she hadn't been feeling well. When I went in and saw her, it was obvious something was not right. She was burning up with fever, but she was shivering like someone with hypothermia and saying she was freezing, yet her head and body were on fire. Her hands, feet, and lower legs were white as snow and had no warmth, they literally felt like ice. If I touched her, she said it hurt and she said her stomach felt terrible, her head felt like it was going to explode, and she just hurt and ached all over. I am not going to lie, at that moment fear began to take hold of my mind, but something on the inside stirred and I knew what she needed. I laid my hands on her and spoke the Word over her body. I went into my room still not at peace with the circumstances and knew I needed to call my parents to let them know what was going on.
True Love Starts as True Friendship!
“Well, it seems to me that the best relationships - the ones that last - are frequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know, one day you look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And the person who was just a friend is... suddenly the only person you can ever imagine yourself with” ~ Gillian Anderson
There is such truth in this quote. I once read that, "True love is a friendship set on fire by God." I was a teenager when I first laid hold of that quote and never truly grasped the depth of it, until recently.
The Fear of Rejection
Speaking from personal experience, I know the hardships of people rejecting you for who you are and the challenge of trying to fit the “mold” that society presents as normal. As a young person I was often rejected by people because of my strong faith and beliefs. I was even benched on an athletic team because the coach discovered I was one of those “Hagin-ites” and “tongue-talkers,” which, as a young and impressionable person, is very disheartening. I often lost friends because they wanted me to let loose on my standards and compromise a little here and there, and I wouldn’t. Guys didn’t want to date me because I talked too much (I am a big talker as any of you who know me well can attest, but I know my future husband will love that about me.) and my strong faith intimidated them because I was too mature in that area. This lead to some years of feeling slightly isolated, actually very isolated. I began to think something was wrong with me and just could never understand why people didn’t want me in their life, simply because I loved God and was passionate about His love and goodness. As a result I developed insecurity and fear of talking to people, when before nothing could stop me because I knew I was going to travel the world and preach the Gospel. Years passed and I began to tone down my Christianity and faith. Kept quiet about it and sadly, looking back, lost the opportunity to truly be a light to some people who were in dire need of truth. I allowed the fear of rejection to cripple me from being the person I was and the person God called me to be. I wouldn’t talk much, was known for being so sweet and quiet and accepting, and had lots of “friends” but now I couldn’t stand the person I had become. I began crying out to God and He began speaking to me and reminding me of the life I was born for, I remember so vividly hearing His voice one night, “I didn’t call you to be like them, I called you to make them like you…. SPOTLESS in my sight. You were created for more than this, Jessica.” That was a wakeup call to me and I got my fire back and began moving back to the boldness and faith that I had once had, which cost me those “friends” but looking back I see following God was worth the price to be able to reach the people He’s called me to reach. It took a long time, but I was able to trust God, listen to His voice and get back to being myself, the uniquely special person He created me to be.
And no, everything hasn’t been perfect since then, and I’ve had to deal with people coming in and out of my life because they don’t understand me or because I’m a stickler for preaching the UNcompromised Word, but I am becoming more and more confident in the person He created me to be and not allowing the fear of rejection to rule in my life. Even now that fear will try to creep in through circumstances, but that is when I remind myself of who I am in Christ and the call that is on my life and that words have been spoken over my life and I will have to go alone for a while, but in the end it will all be worth it! The path of following God and not compromising is usually one that not many walk on, and there will be times where you feel like you are the only one, but I’d rather walk on the right path alone than to follow the crowd on the path of mediocrity.
Now, why am I sharing all this? Is it to talk about myself? Most certainly not, but I needed to share some experience to build on and what God has been speaking to me about, through my own life on this topic. I have really been seeing this fear prevalent in young people lately, just go to the mall and you will see. At the mall and other public places I see young people who all dress and act alike and sometimes you’ll hear the group mock one girl or guy for expressing an idea that they think is stupid because it isn’t their social norm. It saddens me the pressure of perfection that is placed on young people; we’ve lost the freedom of individuality and uniqueness. And I know this breaks God’s heart, because He put such thought and care into creating each one of us unique and special, He didn’t create us to be clones! It seems, though, that this fear of rejection causes people to not truly be who they were called to be and to simply follow the crowd. I know it is a ploy of the enemy to keep us down and to cripple us from being all that God has destined us for.
I am reminded of the story of Esther. Esther was a Jew living in Persia and hid her true identity to find favor with the king. So, she hid the fact that she was a Jew and even changed her name from Hadassah to a Persian name, Esther, and ended up winning the king’s favor, winning his heart, and was crowned his queen, sort of a fairytale if I may say. But the story tells much more, it is truly a story of destiny, as God didn’t call Esther to simply live the rest of her life enjoying the comforts of the palace while her people were slaughtered. Esther had to face the fear of rejection, but this rejection had a much great price than losing a friendship or acquaintance. If the king rejected her, she could be executed. Now, that is what I call fear of rejection, but Esther faced that fear and overcame it. She marched right into the throne room uninvited and waited to see if he would reject her or accept her. As many know, he raised his scepter and allowed her to approach, but the story doesn’t end there. She had to reveal her true personality to him, the fact that she was a Jew, not Persian, and again face the fear of rejection wondering if he would banish her or even execute her with her people. She eventually told him the truth and because she overcame the fear of rejection and looked to the fact that God had a destiny and divine purpose and plan for her life she was able to save her people from Haman’s noose.
If Queen Esther could overcome the fear of rejection, that came with the threat of death, and go on to fulfill the destiny God had laid out for her life, I believe we can too. We just have to trust God and know that he made us and our personalities uniquely different for a reason, even though we may not fully see “why” at this stage in our life. I know that He has a great and divine plan for each of us and when we live free from the fear of rejection we are able to walk fully in ALL that God has for us! In this freedom you will be able to go anywhere in life that God has promised you!
Let His voice reign supreme in your life and let the voice and criticism of others just roll off you back, like water off a duck’s back!
You were born for glory!
A Voice of Boldness,
JRT
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Are You a Bridge-Builder or Bridge-Burner?
Tonight, while having a conversation with my mother, I began really thinking along the lines of burning bridges. So many in the church world want to burn bridges with other people and develop “spiritualized” reasons for why they burned the bridge to make it sound good – “They weren’t walking in love with ME!”, “I tried to have relationship with them, but they just did me wrong too many times.”, or my favorite, “God told me …blah, blah.” It seems to be a common and acceptable behavior by many, but I tend to think our biblical example is the exact opposite of this behavior.
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