Why We Should Talk God

       Over the years I have had a lot of conversations with a lot of people.  Conversations of bad driving, of how to deal with teens, of health, of jobs, of going to the washroom, basically anything anyone could discuss.  But my favorite conversations are those which revolve around the Lord for those ones are usually life changing.  It doesn't have to be God's doing this, God's doing that, but can include where we've been, how God has brought us here, how we are learning this or that, and where He seems to be leading us.

 

       These conversations are life changing to me because I learn from other's experiences, how the Lord has changed them, and it encourages me in facing my own problems, how He will help us through tough times, how He helps us by renewing and transforming our lives, and overall, let me know I am not alone in the fight of life.  "...and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (2Cr. 1:3,4 ESV)

 

       The sad thing is, the most difficult things to talk about are those things which cause us shame or deep sorrow: the bad things we have done, seen, or had done to us, and is especially difficult if we are still struggling through them.  And it certainly doesn't help that the enemy of our soul, the devil along with his minions, will use this fact to make us feel alone, isolated in our struggle, that no one will understand or will think horribly about us if they know, that they will look with shame towards us that we feel, that we can never change or our situation is hopeless... etc.

 

       Basically, he lies to us because he is the father of lies, seeks to kill us (Jh. 8:44) whether that be bodily, emotionally, mentally or spiritually and tries to devour us (1Pt. 5:8), our relationship with God and anything good in our lives.  HE IS OUR ENEMY and holds us in bondage (Rm. 8:15) bigtime, mostly because we keep silent as he continues to torment us with his lies and deceptions.

       On the other hand, the Lord tells us we can go to Him for help (Ps. 121:2), healing (Ps. 30:2; 147:3), and for all our needs (Php. 4:19).  He also tells us not to be alone with our issues but to go to one another.  Confess faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed... (Jm. 5:16)  Confess also means acknowledge openly, profess.  Faults also means a fall, a lapse or deviation, misdeed, sin.  Also, Jesus wants us to help each other:

 

Bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfill the Law of Christ. (Gl. 6:2) 
For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love... in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Hb. 6:10
Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Php. 2:4
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Jh. 15:12 KJV
But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Hb. 13:16

 

       Some of the greatest freedom I found was when I began to admit to trusted people the horrible things of my past.  All of a sudden, the enemy couldn't lie to me so much because my friends didn't despise or turn away from me, instead they loved me still.  (I think we are prone to assume the worst, but often, the reality is much different.) Now the enemy and those things of the past don't hold me in bondage anymore.  Christ has truly made me free- and He used other people to help!

 

Two are better than one... For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow... Ec. 4:9,10
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up... 1Th. 5:11 ESV
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 1Pt. 4:8

 

Precious Lord, help us be open and honest with one another, willing to share our burdens and struggles and thereby encourage one another to press on.

The Will of God- Part 2

Jh. 6:40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes on Him should have everlasting life. And I will raise him up at the last day.

Rm. 12:1,2 I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, in order to prove by you what is that good and pleasing and perfect will of God.

2Cr. 8:5 And not as we hoped, but first they gave themselves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God,

Ep. 5:17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

1Th. 4:3-7 ESV For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter… For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.

1Th. 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1Pt. 2:1-15 (the doing good of v.15 imo is based on v.1-13- shortformed)

     lay aside all malice, all guile, hypocrisy, envying, all evil speaking (v.1)

     desire the sincere milk of the Word (v.2)

     offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God (v.5)

     speak of the praises of Him for His salvation (v.9)

     abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, (v.11)

     honest conduct among the nations, seeing your good works. (v.12)

     obedience to every the law (v.13)

For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.

1Pt. 4:2,19 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God...(ESV)

Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing, as to a faithful Creator. (MKJV)

       There sure is a lot here.  If we could just give good effort to doing these things, then we could have the benefits listed in yesterday’s post.  I know I need to try better, but I also know I will fall short.  That’s why it’s good to know there is forgiveness through the Savior.  But we can’t use that forgiveness to live unrighteously (Rm. 6:1-3; 1Jh. 3:5-9) or how can we say we love Him.  And honestly, we should have godly fear when we disobey because of the following Scripture:

Mt. 7:21-23 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and through Your name throw out demons, and through Your name do many wonderful works? And then I will say to them I never knew you! Depart from Me, those working lawlessness!

       (law less- violation of God’s law, wickedness, iniquity, unrighteousness)

The Will of God- Part 1

       I became a Christian as a teen, and right after high school went on to Bible College.  Often in those years I wondered what God's will was for me.  Would I end up in the mission field, would I preach or teach somewhere, would I get married and raise the twelve kids of which I always dreamed, just what was God's will for my life?  Honestly I rarely thought of His will in present terms.  Now I find that rather odd.

       Of course the best place to find out what is God's will for us, is in His Word.  There are words in there that make it very plain as to what He wants us to do, that if we love Him, we will obey.  Wish I could say I've always done that.  Would like to say I've even done it for the most part, but I doubt it.  Still, no matter how poor my obedience has been, tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it, and I can choose to change today. Jesus said, “And why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?” (Lk 6:46)

Here is a list of the benefits of obeying God's will:

Mt. 12:50 For whoever shall do the will of My Father in Heaven, the same is My brother and sister and mother. (be His family)

Jh. 7:17 ESV If anyone's will* is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. (discernment) [*will- resolve, determination, purpose, desire, love, take delight in]

Gl. 1:4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our Father, (deliverance from this evil world) [also 2Pt. 3:9- none should perish, all should repent]

Cl. 4:12 ...that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

Hb. 10:36 …so that after you have done the will of God you might receive the promise.

1Jh. 2:17 ESV …whoever does the will of God abides forever. (in Heaven!!!)

How should we obey His will:

Ps. 40:8 I delight to do Your will, O My God; and Your Law is within My heart. (with delight- notice the Word is within the heart)

Ep 6:6 ...doing the will of God from the heart, (from the heart)

Come back tomorrow for the list of just what is “The will of God”

Overwhelming

Me and the Lord...   I only wish it was this physically real!

       Sometimes our own lives are so busy or difficult that it becomes overwhelming, but today I am feeling overwhelmed from the struggles and needs of other people.  It just seems like there is too many needs, to many people to pray for and not enough time...  Really, I'd just rather not have to pray at all- if you know what I mean.

       I'd rather know that no one is jobless, hungry, homeless, friendless or alone.  I'd like to see everyone full of joy, life, love, hope and peace.  I'd like to have all sin, oppression, depression, hatred, grief, wickedness, corruption and every other nasty completely disappear from the universe.  I don't want to HAVE to pray because I want everything to be perfect for everyone right now!

So, what do you do when it gets overwhelming?

       Well, I'm heating up some water, putting on my pj's, pulling out my warm fuzzy blanket, (setting my alarm in case I fall asleep,) making myself a cocoa topped by a dab of whip cream and settling in on the couch with my favorite Bible and my Lord with intentions of being oblivious to anything but Him and me.  He is the only source of true peace and joy, and I know from past experience that He always sees me through these overwhelming times... when I run to Him.

Trust in Him at all times; you people, pour out your heart before Him; God is a hiding-place for us... Ps. 62:8

It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. Dt. 31:8 ESV

Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant. Ps. 119:76 ESV

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall rest under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of Jehovah, my refuge and my fortress; my God; in Him I will trust. Ps. 91:1,2

Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Mt. 11:28

Gotta go now...  May our Lord of glory shine in your life,

V

The Car Crash

 

       I just got home from bringing my son's brother home to the next town and saw the after effects of a bad vehicular accident.  With the ten police cars, two fire trucks, two ambulances and a rescue vehicle, it was kind of difficult to see exactly what happened but I do know that one car looked like it had been on fire.  It seemed as if emergency workers were still working on one person on the ground.  A few minutes down the road, another ambulance and police car headed their way.  Whatever happened was bad- perhaps someone even died there.

 

Makes me wonder if they knew the Lord.

 

       We don't often think about our mortality; we can be alive one second and an airplane falls out of the sky on our heads, or a car runs through our window, a heart attack, a stray bullet, a collapsed balcony, or sudden deadly allergy we never knew about and we die.  There are thousands of ways we can die.  While that may seem depressing, it should actually be a wake up call for all of us.  Do we really, truly follow the Lord?  Are we ready to face Him if we die today?

 

       Our good works, no matter how many, won't get us into Heaven.  "But we are all as the unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as a menstruation cloth." (Is. 64:6; also Ep. 2:9)  In other words, dead, gross, and EW!  That's how 'our righteousness' is to God before salvation.  After genuine conversion, Jesus washes our sins away in His blood.  "...though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow..." (Is. 1:18)

 

       But our hearts must be genuinely converted, following, loving: God, Jesus, Holy Spirit.  That is not just asking Jesus in our hearts and then nothing.  It isn't just going to church, saying prayers, singing a few praises, heck, there are some preachers out there preaching the Word as it should be preached yet they are not genuinely saved.  The Bible is clear that not all will be saved of those who think they are:

 

Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and through Your name throw out demons, and through Your name do many wonderful works? Mt. 7:21.22
And one said to Him, Lord, are the ones being saved few? And He said to them, Strive to enter in at the narrow gate. For I say to you, many will seek to enter in and shall not be able. Lk. 13:23,24

 

This is what Hell is like according to Scripture:

       -Unquenchable Fire

            - Mark 9:43, Rv. 20:10; 2Th. 1:8; Mt. 18:8
       -A place of misery, torment and pain without rest

            - Luke 16:24-26; Rv. 14:10-11.
       -A place of gloom and obscurity

            -Jude 1:13; Mt. 25:3
       -A place of thirst

            - Luke 16:24-25
       -A place of memory and remorse

            - Luke 16:25; 27-28
       -A place of frustration and anger

            - Mt. 13:50; Mt. 24:51
       -A place of endless separation

            - Rv. 21:7,8; 2 Th. 1:8-9 

 

       The good news, of course, is the Good News!  That Jesus Christ came down from Heaven (Jh. 6:38) to become a mortal man (Gl. 4:4) who lived (while staying sinless 1Jh. 3:5) to show us the way to God (Mt. 5; Jh. 3:3; 14:6), died a torturous death (Mt. 27,27) as punishment for our sins (1Cr. 15:3; 1Pt. 2:24), then rose again (Jh. 20:9) to lead the way to Heaven (1Cr. 15:3,4; 1Th. 4:14).  Jesus is the way to salvation.  We must have faith, genuinely repent, and follow Him  by obeying and remaining in His will.

 

Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life;
no one comes to the Father but by Me.
Jh. 14:6