Impulsiveness or Discipleship?

It never ceases to amaze me how the Lord knows me better than I know myself.

I was reading this morning in Oswald Chamber's book "My Utmost for His Highest". I am a few days behind for the daily reading and I haven't had a chance to catch up yet. I decided to open to today's reading and the words seemed to jump off the page and into my heart.

"Discipleship is built entirely on the supernatural grace of God. Walking on water is easy to someone with impulsive boldness (confidence), but walking on dry land as a disciple of Jesus Christ is something altogether different. Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus, but he "followed Him at a distance" on dry land. But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire. (Mark 15:54).

We do not need the grace of God to withstand crises...human nature and pride are sufficient for us to face the stress and strain magnificently. But it does require the supernatural grace of God to live twenty-four hours of every day as a saint, going through drudgery, and living an ordinary, unnoticed, and ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus.

It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God...but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people...and this is not learned in five minutes."

I spent last evening with a small group "bible" study. There was a woman there who just wanted to talk and talk and talk. She outright admitted that she did not read her bible every day and had no such desire to do so. She also said that she didn't understand it when she did read it. But she was constantly pointing her finger at us and accusing us of being intolerant of other's beliefs.

My first impulse was to tell her that she was doing the exact same thing that she was accusing the group of doing. She was being intolerant of us. I wanted to be "bold" and tell her a thing or two of what the word of God says. But I bit my tongue and sat there silent and let the leader handle the situation. I woke up in the wee hours this morning thinking back on the events of the night before and asking the Lord if I reacted the way He would have me react. I got my answer in the reading for today!

One with Christ Jesus

Because I live, ye shall live also. (John 14:19)

Jesus has made the life of believers in Him as certain as His own. As sure as the Head lives the members live also. If Jesus has not risen from the dead, then are we dead in our sins; but since He has risen, all believers are risen in Him. His death has put away our transgressions and loosed the bonds which held us under the death sentence. His resurrection proves our justification: we are absolved, and mercy saith, "The Lord hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die."

Jesus has made the life of His people as eternal as His own. How can they die as long as He lives, seeing they are one with Him? Because He dieth no more, and death hath no more dominion over Him, so they shall no more return to the graves of their old sins but shall live unto the Lord in newness of life. O believer, when, under great temptation, thou fearest that thou shalt one day fall by the hand of the enemy, let this reassure thee. Thou shalt never lose thy spiritual life, for it is hid with Christ in God. Thou dost not doubt the immortality of thy Lord; therefore, do not think that He will let thee die, since thou art one with Him. The argument for thy life is His life, and of that thou canst have no fear; wherefore rest in thy living Lord.

For thou wilt light my candle. (Psalm 18:28)

It may be that my soul sits in darkness; and if this be of a spiritual kind, no human power can bring me light. Blessed be God! He can enlighten my darkness and at once light my candle. Even though I may be surrounded by a "darkness which might be felt," yet He can break the gloom and immediately make it bright around me.
The mercy is that if He lights the candle none can blow it out, neither will it go out for lack of substance, nor burn out of itself through the lapse of hours. The lights which the Lord kindled in the beginning are shining still. The Lord's lamps may need trimming, but He does not put them out.

Let me, then, like the nightingale sing in the dark. Expectation shall furnish me with music, and hope shall pitch the tune. Soon I shall rejoice in a candle of God's lighting. I am dull and dreary just now. Perhaps it is the weather, or bodily weakness, or the surprise of a sudden trouble; but whatever has made the darkness, it is God alone who will bring the light. My eyes are unto Him alone. I shall soon have the candles of the Lord shining about me; and, further on in His own good time, I shall be where they need no candle, neither light of the sun. Hallelujah!

Among the Redeemed

Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be redeemed among the nations. (Numbers 23:9)

Who would wish to dwell among the nations and to be numbered with them? Why, even the professing church is such that to follow the Lord fully within its bounds is very difficult. There is such a mingling and mixing that one often sighs for "a lodge in some vast wilderness."
Certain it is that the Lord would have His people follow a separated path as to the world and come out decidedly and distinctly from it. We are set apart by the divine decree, purchase, and calling, and our inward experience has made us greatly to differ from men of the world; and therefore our place is not in their Vanity Fair, nor in their City of Destruction, but in the narrow way where all true pilgrims must follow their Lord.

This may not only reconcile us to the world's cold shoulder and sneers but even cause us to accept them with pleasure as being a part of our covenant portion. Our names are not in the same book, we are not of the same seed, we are not bound for the same place, neither are we trusting to the same guide; therefore it is well that we are not of their number. Only let us be found in the number of the redeemed, and we are content to be off and solitary to the end of the chapter.

THE SEEDS OF APOSTASY

THE SEEDS of APOSTASY
-by Paul Holdren.

John Wesley recounted that within every revival were the seeds
of apostasy. By this he meant that with revival came righteousness,
with righteousness came favor, with favor came prosperity, and with
prosperity came the temptation to self-reliance. The temptation of
self-reliance is the first step away from God. It is sad that people
are willing to serve the illusion of prosperity by means of self-reliance.

As Americans we can definitely see how this insight fits our country.
Our land was birthed with the ideal that a nation should have the
freedom to worship the true and living God according to one’s
conscience. The Almighty had blessed our nation with righteousness.
With righteousness came national favor, with favor came prosperity,
and now we, as a nation, bear the burdens of decline resulting from
our own self-reliance. As American Christians we can see how the
Spirit of the Lord could speak of a church that sees itself as
“increased of goods and have need of nothing” Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—(Rev. 3:17).

When idolatry’s seed of self-reliance yields its crop of perversion,
poverty, and struggle—many who claim to be worshippers of
Almighty God will turn to other gods. These gods are the gods
which originate in the satanically manipulated carnal heart. These
gods are conceived in the human imagination and constructed by
human hands. These gods of imagery are bombarding Americans
now, seducing us in a downward spiral of the media’s ongoing
promotion of abomination against God.

Our present “it’s the economy” or “it’s health care” politicians have
replaced Jeremiah’s prosperity prophets, giving us a false sense of
security by proclaiming blessing and peace upon the land. Our
“soft-sell” preachers are proclaiming health and wealth, while the
glory is preparing to depart from our places of worship. “Change
that makes a difference” will not come by the hands of men.
“Change that will make a difference” will only come when we cast
our idols down at the foot of the cross.

Where are the believers like Ezekiel today? Where are the watchmen
on the wall of a nation’s destiny—crying out that the enemy is
coming, that the glory is lifting, and that God is turning His back?
Political correctness tells us not to speak in such a manner.
Religious convenience tells us not to prophecy such, for the people
have ears that need to be tickled. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; (II Tim 4:3). As passionate believers,
we cannot help but speak a word of warning. As passionate oracles
of the truth, we must speak the promise of restoration grace in
order that many may be given the opportunity to cast down their
idols and return to the God of our fathers.

The Safest Shelter

A man will be as a hiding place from the wind, and a cover from the tempest. (Isaiah 32:2)

Who this Man is we all know. Who could He be but the Second Man, the Lord from heaven, the man of sorrows, the Son of Man? What a hiding place He has been to His people! He bears the full force of the wind Himself, and so He shelters those who hide themselves in Him.

We have thus escaped the wrath of God, and we shall thus escape the anger of men, the cares of this life, and the dread of death. Why do we stand in the wind when we may so readily and so surely get out of it by hiding behind our Lord? Let us this day run to Him and be at peace.

Whenever I let my mind wonder off and away from Christ I find myself drifting back to the "old man's" way of thinking. Self rises up and floods my mind with things that I thought were long ago dead and buried. If you want victory in your life you must train yourself to recognize these times when your focus gets directed away from Christ and back on to your life and the worries and cares associated with it. I found a good way to redirect myself back to Jesus is simply to start thinking about Him. It's amazing how the worries of life seem to just melt away. It also helps to get His word into your heart and mind. The Lord Jesus is truly our hiding place and a shelter from the things of this world.

Often the common wind of trouble rises in its force and becomes a tempest, sweeping everything before it. Things which looked firm and stable rock in the blast, and many and great are the falls among our worldly supports.

Our Lord Jesus, the glorious man, is a cover which is never blown down. In Him we mark the tempest sweeping by, but we ourselves rest in delightful serenity.

This day let us just stow ourselves away in our hiding place and sit and sing under the protection of our Cover. Blessed Jesus! Blessed Jesus! How we love Thee! Well we may, for Thou art to us a cover in the time of storm.

The Wise and Foolish Virgins

Matthew 25: 1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming;[a] go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour[b] in which the Son of Man is coming.

I have rewritten this post for a better understanding:

Notice that the ten virgins each had a lamp and they were expecting to meet the bridegroom. Jesus said that five were foolish and those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them. The wise took oil in their vessels (vessel: container, receptacle, a pail, a reservoir) with their lamps. Foolish had lamps, no oil. Wise had lamps plus oil in their vessels.

When the bridegroom was delayed, they all fell asleep. I am assuming they were inside a house sleeping and not alongside the road. Therefore, if they were asleep in a house, they did not need to have their lamps lit. (It doesn't say they were in a house, but it makes sense that they wouldn't be sleeping out in the road and it was the custom of the day that they would gather at the bride's house to wait for the groom.)

Here comes the groom! They arose and trimmed their lamps (adjust the wick and fill with oil). The foolish virgins couldn't keep theirs lit because they had no oil. The wise virgins had oil in their vessels so they were ready when the bridegroom came.

The oil is a symbol of the life of Christ in you.

"To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 2:27)

Have Thine Own Way, Lord!

Today is the 147th anniversary of the birth of the woman who wrote this hymn. If you would like to read more about her, please check out Robert's blog on Hymn History!

http://practicalbiblicalinsight.blogspot.com/2009/06/hymn-history-my-jesus-i-love-thee.html

The woman who penned those words was an itinerant Bible teacher
who was discouraged because she didn't have the funds to make
a missionary journey to Africa. She found great comfort when she
put all her plans and desires on the altar and freshly surrendered
to God's will for her life. The song that sprung from her anguish
blessed millions, but today it has lost its popularity because we
simply don't relate.

The message of consecration has been lost these days.
It is not enough to know Christian doctrines or to paint a nice
Christian veneer on the surface of our lives. God wants our hearts.
We must embrace the cross daily. It is not enough to simply avoid
the sins that our Christian culture says are the "worst"; just as Abraham offered his son Isaac on the altar at Mount Moriah, those who claim to follow Christ should go to the place of self-sacrifice. Mount Moriah, as another Christian writer, (1890)A. B. Simpson wrote, "signifies the deeper
spiritual experience into which the fully consecrated person must
come. In this act of obedience, the sanctified self is laid on the
altar just as Isaac was."

We must also allow God's knife to slay the pride, the self-will, the self-
confidence and the self-glorification that our backslidden Christian
culture encourages.



Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the potter, I am the clay;
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting yielded and still.
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o'er my being absolute sway!
Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me.

This is quite a statement, (1 John 2:28) "...because as He is, so are we in this world."

This statement implies to me that we are to be like Jesus in this world. The first part of this verse says, "Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment;"

The mature expression of perfected love v. 12, ("No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.") produces confidence as a Christian anticipates Jesus' judgment of the world. A person who abides in love will not be ashamed when Jesus returns.

Paul said that he was gripped by the love of God and that is why he acted as he did. People could perceive him as crazy or sane -- he did not care. There was only one thing he lived for -- to persuade people of the coming judgment of God and to tell them of "the love of Christ." This total surrender to the "love of Christ" is the only thing that will bear fruit in your life. and it will always leave the mark of God's holiness and His power, never drawing attention to your personal holiness.

Did you know that you can walk like Jesus walked in this world?

In 1 John 2:6 it says, "He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked."

Abiding is habitual obedience. It has the idea of settling down in Christ or resting in Him. It is evidenced by a life modeled after Christ. The phrase "ought to walk" is an admonition to live by the teaching of Jesus which reveals that this conformity comes from us.

Slaves must follow the commands of their masters or they will be punished. Employees need to do their work to keep their jobs. However, the Christian as a child of God ought to obey God because of a sincere desire to do so. It should be a joy to follow in the footsteps of the One who died for us.

(Webster's definition of the word "ought" is defined as a moral obligation or a duty).

A Promise For Those Who Seek God

Rivers of Life

"He who believes in Me...out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38)

Jesus said that, if we have received His fullness, "rivers of living water" will flow out of us, reaching in blessing even "to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

Just think about that for a minute. You don't see the effects of this promise right now. And we really have nothing to do with this outflow because "This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He sent" (John 6:29).

God doesn't always allow us to see how great a blessing we are to others.

Rivers are amazing to behold! A river is a persistent stream of water, overcoming all barriers. It goes steadily on its course until it comes to an obstacle. For a while the river is blocked, but eventually it will make a pathway around the obstacle. The river might drop out of sight for a while and then show up in another place even greater and stronger than before.

When we experience difficulties in our lives we get discouraged and sometimes dwell on the difficulty or obstacle that has appeared. It is at these times that we must pay attention to the Source, and God will either take you around the obstacle or remove it. The river of the Spirit of God overcomes all obstacles.

We must never focus our eyes on the obstacle or the difficulty. The obstacle means nothing to the river that will flow steadily through us if we will simply remember to stay focused on the Source. You must never allow anything to come between you and Jesus Christ. That includes emotions and experiences. Nothing must keep you from the one great sovereign Source.

Think of the healing and far-reaching rivers developing and nourishing themselves in our souls! God has been opening up wonderful truths to our minds, and every point He has opened up is another indication of the wider power of the river that He will flow through us. If you believe in Jesus, you will find that God has developed and nourished in you mighty, rushing rivers of blessing for others.

(Source: My Utmost For His Highest)

Makers of H1N1 Vaccine Refuse To Take It

Makers of the H1N1 vaccination are refusing to take it, and urging their friends and family to do the same. But what if Uncle Obama comes knocking on your door, National Guard in tow, wanting to force you and you family to take it? Um, no thanks.

The Perfect Righteousness of Christ

God has provided a perfect divine righteousness for the sinner who believes what God has revealed in His Word.

The believing sinner stands before God, not in his own self-righteousness which in reality is no righteousness, but in the very righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is utterly holy and without sin because He is God. He is intrinsically righteous. Jesus always did what was pleasing to the Father (John 8:29b; 4:34; 5:30; 6:38). No one could ever prove Him guilty of unrighteousness (Jn. 8:46a). He is the one exception in history; He was absolutely sinless (Matt. 17:5; Jn. 12:28; 1 Pet. 2:22-23).

Moreover, Jesus is also perfectly righteous by His obedience to the law of God. He “fulfilled all righteousness” (Matt. 3:14-15).

Jesus lived a perfect life of obedience to the Law of God. He dotted every "i" and crossed every "t." In no manner did He fail to keep the Jewish law. No other individual has ever completely and absolutely fulfilled the law.

Not only did Jesus fulfill the law personally, but because He was deity He could therefore pay the full penalty demanded by the law for those who had failed to complete it. He paid the penalty in full. The law demanded the death penalty for all who broke it. "The wages of sin is death." "The soul that sins will surely die." Jesus paid this penalty not because He had broken it, but as a substitute for those who had failed. Jesus did not die for His own sins. He died as our representative for sin. He took your guilt and mine upon Himself, and He bore its punishment. The penalty of the law was measured out upon Him. Jesus fulfilled the law completely, actively and passively, positively and negatively. Therefore there is nothing further the law can demand because He has satisfied all its demands upon the sinner.

Now this is the very righteousness of Christ that God gives to sinners who repent and put their faith in Christ. The utterly amazing thing is He gives it freely, apart from any works or merits on our part. Because we are so sinful, everything we touch is contaminated by our moral and spiritual depravity. The perfect righteousness of Christ stands in stark contrast to our unrighteousness and condemns us. It condemns our attitudes and actions. We stand utterly condemned by His holy presence. “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God” (Rom. 3:10). Our own self-righteousness is worthless and condemns us. “There is no one who does good, not even one” is God’s judgment against sinful man.

The good news from God is that He has provided the righteousness of Jesus Christ as a gift to the believer. Faith is the channel by which the sinner receives the righteousness of Christ. God’s gift is “the righteousness that is by faith from first to last.” “The righteous person will live by faith” (Rom. 1:17; Hab. 2:4).

God imputes the righteousness of Jesus Christ to the sinner. That is the way He makes application of the righteousness of Christ to us. Spurgeon said that it is like putting the infinite moral capital of the Lord Jesus in our empty bank account. God takes the riches of heaven’s storehouse and puts them at our disposal. The way He makes it available to us is by faith.

What is faith? It is a resting in Christ and His saving work for us. Faith is not work. Faith is going to God with open hands and receiving the righteousness God gives freely.

C. H. Spurgeon wrote in All of Grace, “Faith is not a blind thing; for faith begins with knowledge. It is not a speculative thing; for faith believes facts of which it is sure. It is not an unpractical, dreamy thing; for faith trusts, and stakes its destiny upon the truth of revelation. Faith is the eye which looks. Faith is the hand which grasps. Faith is the mouth which feeds upon Christ.”

It is this simple trusting in Christ that gives us a right standing in the presence of a holy and righteous God.

Do you stand in a perfect relationship with God? Do you have peace in your heart because you know you are in Christ? Are you trusting in your self-righteous good works and religious accomplishments, or in the righteousness of Christ alone?

WAS GOD IN THE WHIRLWIND?

The tornado has also reportedly damaged Central Lutheran Church in downtown Minneapolis.
A witness at the church said, "We saw the tornado, it was turning, real fast, it got real black out here and had the trees coming to us on the left, the windows were shaking real bad and all this stuff across the street in the church, they had a little dinner there, it tore it all up, and it was just lifting off the ground. And it just disappeared. It just disappeared."


WAS GOD IN THE WHIRLWIND?
By Jan Markell


My home state of Minnesota has lots of lakes, bitter cold, and Lutherans. Over 150 years ago, Scandinavians targeted this state and its climate, perhaps because it resembled their homeland. Ironically, the fathers and grandfathers of today's Lutherans left Sweden back then because they saw corruption and bad doctrine within Lutheranism in Scandinavia. But these Lutheran immigrants built Bible-believing churches for future generations. No doubt they would be crushed at such a culmination of apostasy in recent years.

Wednesday, August 19, was an average day. It was cool with not enough humidity to stir up a storm. No unusual weather patterns were forecast in the Twin Cities' metro area. As I was out driving, there were no tornado sirens. It was going to be a memorable day, nonetheless.

During the week, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) was holding its annual convention in downtown Minneapolis. Attendees were using the facilities of the Minneapolis Convention Center and Central Lutheran Church which is directly across the street. At this year's convention, a blatant pro-homosexual position validating "chaste" same-sex relationships was to be voted on. It was to be voted on at 2 PM on Wednesday, August 19.

Then for the first time in decades, a tornado touched down in downtown Minneapolis at, you guessed it, 2 pm. The tornado went through the western section of downtown, causing damage to the Central Lutheran Church building, which was being used as a central meeting place for the convention. There was extensive roof damage at the Minneapolis Convention Center where the actual conference was assembled as well as votes on same-sex issues were actually cast. The church steeple on top of Central Lutheran Church was struck and split in two. It was left hanging upside down. The church was built in 1929 and certainly has had no tornado activity near it to date.

Meteorologists agree that such activity in a downtown area is extremely rare. Many could not recall when this had last happened to an area of structural cement rather than suburban homes or rural areas.

The vote was delayed past 2 PM but it did pass that same day. It passed by just one vote and it acknowledged the validity of same-sex relationships that are "chaste, monogamous and lifelong." There was a whirlwind outside of the convention center and inside -- to the degree that one person said, "We trust that the weather is not a commentary on our work." Conservatives in the ELCA, also observing the weather aberration, said it could have been a warning from God and an expression of His anger.

The ELCA went on to vote two days later to allow homosexuals to serve as pastors. If the tornado was a warning from God -- and we don't know that it was, but one could make a case for it -- those voting for abomination didn't get the message.

While we have no final word from God as to whether He sent the tornado, we can observe how God treated rebellious people and nations throughout the Old Testament who would not turn away from sin. If God didn't send the whirlwind, He did allow it. A holy God never approves of sanctioning sin and lifestyles that are destructive.

We can be sure of one message for it is right out of the Bible. A calamity happened near Jerusalem where 18 people were killed. Jesus said, "Those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13: 4-5).

Apostasy is allowed to remain rampant because the Bible is no longer preached in many churches. The liberal churches have plunging membership and ask why. It should be obvious that at least a remnant is not pleased with letting the world come into the church.

Additionally, churches are not preaching about God's judgment today. Rather, it's the gushy gospel with a God who doesn't hold to biblical standards anymore or else the church has changed the standards. Some would say those standards are outdated. "What would Jesus do?" is a bumper sticker or bracelet but not a guideline for holy living. However, today outfits like the ELCA even twist the words of Jesus. As the saying goes, the Ten Commandments are now the ten suggestions.

Lives were spared in this event, unlike the story in Luke 13. God was gracious. He is infinitely patient. Nonetheless, on a day when no severe weather was predicted or expected, a tornado forms, baffling the weather experts, most saying they've never seen anything like it. It happens right in the heart of the city. As if steered by an unseen hand, it targets a convention center whose occupants are talking about condoning blatant sin. To add emphasis, the hand then causes the tornado to tear into Central Lutheran Church just blocks away. This church was providing alcohol for attendees. Trees and homes just south of the downtown area had some damage.

God's message is repent because none of us will otherwise escape God's judgment. The message in many calamities is to repent while there is still time. I wonder if the ELCA delegates and leaders are even listening.

Since the vote on Friday I have heard from good Lutheran people who plan to leave the ELCA. May their vote with their feet send a message that urges others to follow them. The ELCA is likely not going to change, so lovers of truth and the Bible in all liberal denominations should take a cue from disgusted ELCA members now looking for a new church home.

God's Word cannot be mocked and whether He was in the whirlwind or not, the message is clear. We serve a holy God who does not sanction wickedness.

The Book of Ezra

The Book of Ezra is a remarkable witness to God's faithfulness to His people. Together with Nehemiah, Ezra describes the events leading to the return of the Judeans from captivity in Babylon and the discouraging experiences of that small community in the harsh world of the Promised Land. But through every experience God proved Himself faithful. Through the leadership of Ezra and Zerubbabel, God fulfilled His promises announced by His prophets to restore His people from Babylon, to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem, and to renew their hope that the Davidic kingdom would be restored.

The message for Ezra's day -- as well as for our own -- is that the God of Israel is faithful to His promises. He will completely restore His people when they come back to Him.

Ezra reveals God's continued fulfillment of His promise to keep David's descendants alive. Zerubbabel, the grandson of Jeconiah, is part of Jesus' earthly genealogy (Matt 1:12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; 13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; 14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; 16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ).

It may seem insignificant that the remnant of David's extended family had to return to Jerusalem, but it isn't. The positive turn of events sets up the good fortune that will give way to the Good News of Jesus. Without access to the original "land of promise," Jesus couldn't have been born in Bethlehem, which was a requirement for the Messiah (Mic 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.)

As Ezra documents the return from Babylon, the soundtrack of forgiveness and restoration plays in the background. It is a melody line that will accompany the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It is music to God's ears to hear His people confess and repent (Ezr 10:1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore).

Videos Eatonton Fellowship August 2, 2009 Steve Lumbley of Apostasy Watch

http://www.ApostasyWatch.com

"The Unity of the Faith" - Part 1



"The Unity of the Faith" - Part 2



"The Unity of the Faith" - Part 3



"The Unity of the Faith" - Part 4

We Shall Be Like Him!

We are Children of God

1 John 3:2 - 3 "...now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."

Though we do not know all the specifics of our future existence, we do know that we will have a body like Christ's (Php 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself). Believers will put on immortality and become free from the sin nature that presently plagues us.

Everyone who has the hope of seeing Christ and being like Him (v. 2)"we shall be like Him" realizes that Christ is morally pure. This realization helps a person pursue purity even more.

Persecuted Church in China - Christians are Praying with Endurance

Between June 2 and June 14, Luonan County authorities formally abolished Taochuan Christian Church, illegally searched the property, imposed a fine, detained and interrogated members of the church and banned them from assembling to worship. After seizing Liu Caili, Huang Shumin and Xu Fenying on June 14, 2009, the Luonan County PSB officers televised them in handcuffs being escorted by police. (Watch video.) Xu Fenying was released on June 19 after five days of detention, and Liu Caili and Huang Shumin were released at at 8:30 a.m. on June 24 after serving 10 days of detention. Zhang Miaoli's arrest and five-day detention followed on June 19th.


Pastor Bike was hopeful after witnessing these public trials. "I believe the Luonan Court will handle this case with fair judgment, and the government will change the erroneous views and mentality of the religious department of Luonan through the law." He says he hopes that all Christians in China will continue to follow the holy will of God, abide by the laws and the regulations of the state and protect their freedom of belief and human rights in accordance with law. Pastor Bike further encourages Chinese Christians to urge the public security departments and the departments in charge of religious affairs to correct their illegal conduct and bring God's blessings to the nation.

LEGALISM

A teacher on Pal Talk was teaching on legalism and he posed this question:
“What if a person loves to go to church because he feels he gets spiritual life there, or he feels the presence of God there? What if it’s not a “duty” for him to go to church all the time, but rather, a pleasure? Is he still walking in legalism when he goes?”

He then went on to explain that “it’s not legalism because the issue of legalism doesn’t revolve around what we do. Legalism has to do with the motives and the reasons we are doing whatever it is we are doing. When we are doing something because we love God and we want to please Him, and we believe the thing we are doing is pleasing to Him, this is not legalism.” “…then we will have a strong desire to please Him. This is healthy and Scriptural.

And to back up what he said he quoted:
Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

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Now, the bible says in Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

It also says in Pro 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Back to the teacher's question: "...he feels he gets spiritual life there; ...he feels the presence of God there."

The problem here is that we cannot know that we are pleasing to God by our feelings.

So how can we know that we are doing things that are pleasing to God? The answer is found in God’s word. This is a very personal thing. There is no list of do’s and don’ts.

In Col 1:9 Paul’s prayer for the Colossian Christians is a model for us. As soon as he heard of the new faith of the Colossians, he began interceding with God for them, asking Him to give them knowledge, wisdom, strength, and joy. He prayed that the new believers at Colosse would grow into Christian maturity so that they might walk before God, pleasing Him and producing good works.

Paul’s concern is that the Colossians would have full knowledge of God’s will. The desire to serve God will be in vain without a proper understanding of the One we want to serve. Thus Paul prays that the Colossians might be filled with full knowledge that encompasses all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

Wisdom is the practical outworking of knowledge (Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be dealt with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy), and that knowledge cannot be separated from the spiritual understanding that comes through the discernment given by the Holy Spirit.

In addition to the full knowledge of the Lord’s will mentioned in v. 9, Paul desires that the Colossians may walk worthy of the Lord. Paul wanted the Colossians to live in a manner that adequately reflected what God had done for them and was doing in them.

Being “worthy of God” is a phrase that occurs in ancient pagan inscriptions throughout Asia. It pictures someone’s life being weighed on scales to determine its worth. If these devotees to false gods knew they had to walk in a worthy manner, certainly Christians should dedicate their lives to the living God in order to please Him.

In James 3:17 The main characteristic of godly wisdom is that it is pure, meaning “free from defilement.” Bitterness, envy, and selfish behavior thoroughly corrupt a person (Jas 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. Jas 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. Jas 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. ) Godly wisdom is also peaceable, describing a spirit of tranquility and calmness. It does not suggest compromising truth just for the sake of peace, which would promote falsehood. In addition, godly wisdom is undivided, without favoritism, unwavering and consistent, without hypocrisy. True wisdom is sincere and unpretentious (modest).

Here is some more advice that we can all use to be pleasing to God:
1Th 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
1Th 4:12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

My conclusion is if you want to be pleasing to God, you should seek His will; study to get a proper understanding of who He is by reading His word faithfully and purpose in your heart to study it for yourself and do not depend on others to feed you. Those "others" will not be there with you when you stand before the Lord of Glory!

Conference Video - Friday - July 31, 2009 (Four Parts)

Part 1 of 4
Please forgive my poor camera work!



Part 2 of 4



Part 3 of 4



Part 4 of 4

Apostasy Watch Conference - Still More Pictures!

Keith and Linda, Creeky, Ron, Josh, Brian (Wallwatcher)

Apostasy Watch Conference - And More Pictures!

Steve and Bobbie; Peggy (in green) and Marcia (in pink)(Opera); Denise (Deal One); Creeky and Al

Apostasy Watch Conference - More Pictures!

Radeane and Sterling, Emory, Charlie!

Charo Washer's Testimony - Paul Washer's Wife

After serving for 12 years as a missionary the Lord shed His grace on Charo and saved her soul in 2004. She was hearing her husband, Paul Washer, preach on examining yourself. She came to realize, you either pass the tests in 1 John or you fail them, there is no middle ground.

Whom Do You Trust? Reposting

I am re-posting this for clarification.

Do you rely on yourself, your own wisdom or the wisdom of family or friends to get you through a situation. Don't do that! Get in the habit of trusting the only One who will deliver you.

Have faith; He will NEVER let you down!

Implicit Trust

For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 39:18)

Behold the protecting power of trust in God. The great men of Jerusalem fell by the sword, but poor Ebed-melech was secure, for his confidence was in Jehovah. Where else should a man trust but in his Maker? We are foolish when we prefer the creature to the Creator. Oh, that we could in all things live by faith, then should we be delivered in all time of danger! No one ever did trust in the Lord in vain, and no one ever shall.

The Lord saith, "I will surely deliver thee," Mark the divine "surely." Whatever else may be uncertain, God's care of believers is sure. God Himself is the guardian of the gracious. Under His sacred wing there is safety even when every danger is abroad. Can we accept this promise as sure? Then in our present emergency we shall find that it stands fast. We hope to be delivered because we have friends, or because we are prudent, or because we can see hopeful signs; but none of these things are one-half so good as God's simple "because thou hast put thy trust in me."

Dear reader, try this way, and, trying it, you will keep to it all your life. It is as sweet as it is sure.

These words are straight out of the bible. Trusting the Lord is not a "concept;" it is a way of life for those who believe God, and take Him at His word. The outcome is not up to us, it is up to the Lord. "Ebed-melech was secure, for his confidence was in Jehovah." God delivered him because it was His will that he be delivered.

I cannot imagine anyone thinking that this post suggests that we will be spared from all physical harm. This verse gives an example of a man who trusted in God.

I want to trust God in all things; even if it means my death. There is nothing I can do to save myself. The bible tells us not to rely on our wisdom, knowledge or what seems right. The bible tells us to trust God, no matter how things look. It tells us to walk by faith and not by sight.

Nowhere in this post do I say that I believe in once saved, always saved. I believe that Jesus will keep me saved and I trust Him. I can't keep myself saved. How ludicrous for anyone who calls himself a Christian to think that he can keep himself saved.

Apostasy Watch Conference - Eatonton, GA

Bobbie & Steve, Keith & Linda

Childlike Obedience

(1Co 1:29) That no flesh should glory in his presence.
(1Co 1:30) But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
(1Co 1:31) That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

God uses what is considered foolish and despised in this world to reveal His truth, so that He alone will receive the glory. Otherwise, the powerful would boast that they had found the truth. Instead, God sent His Son to become a humble carpenter and to die in the most despicable way, on a cross. Jesus’ life and death reveals God and His wisdom. Since Christ not only imparts wisdom but also righteousness, the Christian cannot boast, except in the Lord

As obedient children we obey out of love as opposed to obedient slaves who obey out of terror. We have obedience of faith and not of dread.

“By faith, Abraham…obeyed.” His obedience was always a result of his faith. As you and I render true obedience it is the product of our faith.

Obedience is worked in us by the Spirit of the Lord, through our belief in the truth, love, and grace of our God in Christ Jesus.

You cannot hope to render obedience by forcing your conduct into a certain groove or by using unaided, determined effort. The road to obedience is a free-grace road, and that is receiving, by faith, the Lord Jesus, who is the gift of God and who “of God is made unto us…sanctification” (1 Corinthians 1:30)

We accept the Lord Jesus by faith, and He teaches us obedience, creating it in us. The more faith in Him that we have, the more obedience to Him we will manifest. Obedience naturally flows out of faith, “for as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7); and the holy obedience of a person’s life will be in proportion to the strength and purity of his faith in God, as He is revealed in Christ Jesus.

Consider the following:

The kind of faith that produces obedience, the kind of obedience that faith produces, and the kind of life that comes out of this faith and obedience. Let us trust the Holy Spirit for His gracious light.

Revival... A Call to Repentance

Will God send another great awakening? There are over 10,000 conferences that happen every year. The 'Revival Conference' is not to be just another conference but a honest, sincere, earnest plea for the desperate need of revival. There is no cost to attend the event. No materials will be sold. There will be no big bands. The conference will have the chief object to be God-glorifying. The speakers will come on their own accord trusting God for provision. There will be no emphasis on money during the event. The event will be a simple, apostolic, yearning for a genuine biblical revival in our day. The conference is hosted by the ministry of sermonindex.net and is a inter-denominational event.

The Obedience That Comes from Faith

A chief ingredient of heaven is that we will see the face of our Lord and "serve Him day and night in his temple."

Revelation 7:15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.

Where is His temple today. We, His Saints, are His living temple and we will serve Him through the obedience that comes from faith.

The obedience that comes from faith is a noble obedience. The obedience of a slave ranks only a little higher than the obedience of a well-trained horse or dog, because it reacts to the crack of the whip. When obedience is not done cheerfully it does not come from the heart and it is of little worth before God. If we obey because we have no choice in the matter and we would rather not obey if we had the opportunity then there is nothing in our obedience. The obedience of faith comes from an internal principle and not from some external requirement.

When trials and temptations come, the obedience of faith becomes essential to the sanctified soul. We are then prepared in the hour of losses and sufferings. There is no trial of life that can turn the soul full of grace from his passion for obedience.

May the Holy Spirit work in us so that, by faith, like Abraham, we may obey!

Obedience/Sanctification

Titus 2:14
...who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

Redeem means "To purchase." With His death on the Cross, Christ paid the price to release us from the bondage of sin (Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace) to which every unbeliever is a slave. (Romans 6:6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.)

God's purpose in redeeming us is not only to save us from hell, He also wants to free us from sin so that we can produce good works that glorify Him (Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.)

Obedience does not go out the window, as some think. Obedience of the heart to the will of God is our salvation. Perfect obedience would mean perfect salvation.

Sanctification or obedience is the great purpose for which the Savior died. This is why we were chosen. (1 Peter 1:2.. elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.)

There is nothing in this election that says we are to continue in sin. We are called to be Saints. (Romans 1:7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: )

It is grace at work in our hearts that brings about the obedience. We are being conformed to the image of Jesus, our Brother, with whom the Father is "well pleased."

Obedience

"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going." (Hebrews 11:8)

What a blessing it would be if we allowed the Holy Spirit to train us to obey. Our restoration would be complete. It would be heaven on earth if the whole world would obey the Lord. Perfect obedience to God would result in love among men, justice to all, and peace would be everywhere.
Our wills bring jealousy, hatred and war. If we would only obey the Lord's will, we would receive love, joy, rest and happiness.

By faith Abraham obeyed. It is true that we mourn our disobedience; but now we find joy in yielding ourselves as servants of the Lord. Our deepest desire is to do the Lord's will in all things.

It has been suggested by many badly instructed people that the doctrine of justification by faith is opposed to the teaching of good works, or obedience. There is no truth in this. We who believe in justification by faith teach the obedience of faith.

Faith is the foundation and the keeper of obedience. Men do not obey God until they believe Him. Faith is preached so that men may be brought to obedience. To disbelieve is to disobey.

A sign of practical obedience is found in the mind, the understanding, and the heart (soul); and this is expressed in believing the teaching of Christ, trusting in HIS work, and resting in HIS salvation.

Faith and obedience go hand in hand. If we want to do the work of God, we must believe on Jesus Christ whom He has sent. The work is the result of the faith which comes from God. We cannot pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. It is the faith that God gives us that allows us to go on to obey.

The Race of Faith

Hebrews 12

1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

Paul tells us to lay aside every weight and sin and to run with endurance. A weight is anything that hinders a runner. He also says that as we run the race we are to look unto Jesus. He has done everything necessary for us to endure in our faith. We are to consistantly focus on Christ instead of our own circumstances. Our Lord's attention was not on the agonies of the Cross, but on the crown; not on the suffering, but the reward. This is the only way we can run the race of Faith. We cannot do it on our own. I have fallen short so many times trying to work things out in my own life. I would say a prayer and then immediately thereafter go about trying to fix things myself. It was only when I read this passage for what it really says that I understand that it's all Jesus. It's not me running the race on my own terms with my goals in mind, no matter how lofty and spiritual I may believe those goals are. Those goals are the heavy weights. When I look to Jesus those weights disappear. It is then that I am running that race by Faith.

When we think about the hostility that He endured of sinners, we should compare our sufferings to the torture Christ endured on our behalf.

Are You Still Carrying Around Those Burdens?

Are you still struggling under those heavy burdens? If you are, then stop it!! The Lord will bear the burdens of His righteous saints. That burden is a blessing if you let the Lord bear it. Stop working and striving to make yourself righteous! Only He is able to do that.

Burdens Cast on Him

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (Psalm 55:22)

It is a heavy burden; roll it on Omnipotence. It is thy burden now, and it crushes thee; but when the Lord takes it, He will make nothing of it. If thou art called still to bear, "he will sustain thee." It will be on Him and not on thee. Thou wilt be so upheld under it that the burden will be a blessing. Bring the Lord into the matter, and thou wilt stand upright under that which in itself would bow thee down.

Our worst fear is lest our trial should drive us from the path of duty; but this the Lord will never suffer. If we are righteous before Him, He will not endure that our affliction should move us from our standing. In Jesus He accepts us as righteous, and in Jesus He will keep us so.

What about the present moment? Art thou going forth to this day's trial alone? Are thy poor shoulders again to be galled with the oppressive load? Be not so foolish. Tell the Lord all about thy grief and leave it with Him. Don't cast your burden down and then take it up again; but roll it on the Lord and leave it there. Then shalt thou walk at large, a joyful and unburdened believer, singing the praises of thy great Burden-bearer.

Whom Do You Trust?

Do you rely on yourself, your own wisdom or the wisdom of family or friends to get you through a situation. Don't do that! Get in the habit of trusting the only One who will deliver you. Have faith; He will NEVER let you down!

Implicit Trust

For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 39:18)

Behold the protecting power of trust in God. The great men of Jerusalem fell by the sword, but poor Ebed-melech was secure, for his confidence was in Jehovah. Where else should a man trust but in his Maker? We are foolish when we prefer the creature to the Creator. Oh, that we could in all things live by faith, then should we be delivered in all time of danger! No one ever did trust in the Lord in vain, and no one ever shall.

The Lord saith, "I will surely deliver thee," Mark the divine "surely." Whatever else may be uncertain, God's care of believers is sure. God Himself is the guardian of the gracious. Under His sacred wing there is safety even when every danger is abroad. Can we accept this promise as sure? Then in our present emergency we shall find that it stands fast. We hope to be delivered because we have friends, or because we are prudent, or because we can see hopeful signs; but none of these things are one-half so good as God's simple "because thou hast put thy trust in me."

Dear reader, try this way, and, trying it, you will keep to it all your life. It is as sweet as it is sure.

10 Reasons Why Michael Jackson's Life and Death Matter

As massive crowds gather outside the Staples Center in L.A. to commemorate the tragic life of a man, is there anything we can learn from Michael Jackson’s death? This short video gives 10 things we can learn from his death.

4th of July!

Today I am cellebrating freedom from sin and death given to me by my Savior Jesus Christ! Thank you, Jesus! All Glory to you, Lord!

More On Sanctification

I was full of pride when I thought that I could clean myself up by following some law or rule, or even listening to well-meaning family and friends (this includes others in the Body)to keep me on the Narrow Path. I was deceived. It was only when God showed me that it is not through my efforts, but through HIS grace that I am saved (daily). This is a very, very personal process. Others see what's on the outside; but the Spirit of God sees what lies deep down inside where others cannot see.

Salvation is not a once in a lifetime event. Salvation is a daily process of walking with the Savior and a dying to self. He directs us. He shows us. He gives us the strength to overcome.

"Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This [is] the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts." (Zec 4:6)