Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...
"The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, NOT wanting anyone to perish (go to Hell forever) but he wants everyone to come to repentance."
2 Peter 3:9
There is suffering in this world--everyone experiences it. Why? Because of sin in general (human nature) and sin in particular (our own personal arsenal). There is sin, therefore there is suffering, death and hell. God's Word says in Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death..." That is hard truth and may even seem unfair but we can't blame God. It was Satan and his subtle deception that caused Eve, the first woman who ever lived, to choose to eat the forbidden fruit and then Adam to directly disobey God and eat some too. From there on human beings were under the curse of sin...which is death and full punishment is for us to end up in Hell.
Good news though is that Jesus paid the price for our sin in His death and resurrection. He took the punishment for our sins. Romans 6:23 continues to say that "the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord". Jesus is alive and waiting for one and all to accept His free gift of salvation.
'Karma' has been explained as "getting what we deserve due to our sin". Christianity is "Jesus getting what we deserve due to our sin". He is waiting patiently for you to let Him clear you of your punishment. Accept Jesus as Savior and Lord today. He loves you and wants you to be part of His family.
Admit you have done wrong and are a sinner.
Repent of it.
Believe that Jesus death and resurrection has paid for the punishment for your sins. Even if you think you are a good-living person, you are still a sinner under the curse due to Adam and Eve's disobedience. Seems unfair, yet that's how it is.
Confess then to God and tell Him you are sorry for those sins you've done all your life.
Tell Jesus you accept His gift of forgiveness of sins and eternal life with Him in Heaven. Ask Him to wash your sins clean in His blood which He shed on the cross for you. If it helps, write out all the sins you can think of and go through each one and thank Him for dying for each. "The blood of Jesus Christ purifies us from all sin." (1 John 1:7).
When you are truly sincere in this, then you have become a forgiven sinner, called a Christian. You are then a child of God and a follower of Jesus Christ. We still do wrong things though but God has given us a further promise and that is found in the book of the Bible called 1 John and chapter 1 and verse 9 which states
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and clean us from all unrighteousness."
This is one of God's greatest gifts to mankind.
~ERC 2016~
Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...
In my post "Morning Musings-Two-Way Street" we talked about relationships between God and ourselves; our children and ourselves (the parents); and between members of God's family and ourselves. I believe that when we care most for our relationship with our heavenly father God, that the other relationships will fall into place better. This relationship with Him needs honesty and purity. What are some of the ways we can do that?
Continuing from the last few verses of 2 Corinthians 6 we run, naturally, into 2 Corinthians 7. This talks about not being unequally yoked with unbelievers, those who are not of God's family. We are asked to come out from among them and be separate from them since we are sons/daughters of the Lord God Almighty who is the Holy One.
This chapter 7:1 asks us to purify ourselves from anything that would contaminate our body and spirit. In so doing we continually perfect holiness. Our motivation for doing this is our "reverence for God." So, how much do you revere God? Our measure of reverence will manifest itself in our measure of "perfecting holiness."
These verses aren't just for teenagers developing boy-girl relationships. These are for one and all. Who are our business partners? If they are not perfecting holiness, they may well be using unethical practices in business. Do we want to associate ourselves with such people? Are we equally or unequally yoked together (1 Corinthians 6:14)?
Other areas which we need to examine are in the movies we watch; books we read; music we listen to? Are they 'clean'? Are they contaminating our spirits?
May God help you, through the Holy Spirit who indwells each believer in Jesus Christ. Use the Holy Spirit's power to choose to purify out of our lives that which does not revere God.
NOTE: If anyone reading this is married to someone who is not a Christian and you have willingly chosen to marry that person against God's will but do repent of it, you still cannot "purify your spouse out of your life". The consequences of your choice will be with you until Jesus comes or "until death do you part". God is merciful and gracious and may bring your spouse to Christ; but he may not. God is the one who knows the hearts of mankind.
If you've become a Christian after being married, God's Word asks that person to hang on and to live an exemplary Christian life so as to hopefully and prayerfully get your spouse's attention and win him or her to Christ. (See 1 Corinthians 7:8-16)
Further to this, we have Titus 2:6-15 which talks about purifying oneself and having integrity. Couple that again with 1 Peter 1:13-15, 22, 23 and 1 Peter 2:1-3 which speaks of being holy in all we do. There are no gray areas--no loopholes. Prepare our minds to be holy. Be holy.
This action calls for ridding ourselves of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind. Take note of the 'all's' and 'every's'. They emphasize the thoroughness we need to exercise in purifying our hearts and minds to be holy as God is holy. No loopholes. Spit spot!
1 Peter 2:12 admonishes
"Live such lives that though pagans may accuse you of any wrong doing, they'll see your good deeds and glorify God..."
Going a way back into the Old Testament, back to Exodus 30:22-29 and to 40:9-10, when Moses and the Israelites were setting up the Tabernacle for worshiping God, even the Bronze Altar of sacrifice and all its utensils were to be made holy before God! If things of worship needed to be made holy, how much more the worshipers!
When we become followers of Jesus Christ by accepting God's gift of salvation, God Himself has made us righteous (pure) in His sight by Jesus' work on the cross. (Jesus death and resurrection. Romans 5:18-20) Yet we still must be living as "living sacrifices" before God (Romans 12). To do this we must live right in the sight of man and of our own selves.
There is work to do. To be those "living sacrifices" before God look at the book of James. This is to perfect our faith to be holy as He is holy in our ongoing Christian living; that is, in our character and conduct: are we greedy; are we sly in business to hurt another; do we cheat....? As followers of Jesus Christ we need to become ever more like Him in kindness, meekness, patience, generosity, goodness and grace; to name a few. These are "acts of worship" before God. James 1:3, 4, and 27 clearly show us how we can be doing these things to work and persevere toward maturity and to keep "oneself from being polluted by the world". This does not save us rather, it sanctifies and purifies us to be ever more like Jesus.
When we examine ourselves honestly in God's sight, daily communing with Him and conforming to His Word, will and ways, our relationship with Him will grow. We will trust Him more and more. We will, out of gratitude for Him, aim for that perfection and holiness with continual purification as 1 John 1:9 states:
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
I trust God to do that for me.
~ERC 2016~
Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...
Open wide your hearts; relationships are a two-way street. In 2 Corinthians 6:11-13 we read about Paul speaking to the Corinthians "as to my children." He opens his heart to them and wants that reciprocated. A relationship takes effort and input and needs to be ongoing and sustained to keep it vibrant.
Don't withhold affection from each other (appropriate manner, of course). Same with our Heavenly Father. He has given us so much, how do we respond? Ignore or engage?
The Corinthians were ignoring and outright disowning that they even knew Paul and Timothy. Yet Paul was the one who had brought them the Gospel message of Jesus in the first place. He had taught them the way of Jesus!
Paul suffered many hardships doing that too and this on their behalf. They knew it, yet, again, they were regarding Paul and Timothy as impostors!
Thus Paul's very direct and blunt exhortations and admonitions to them. He topped those with a softening appeal for them to open their hearts wide to Timothy and himself, as brothers-in-Christ and as friends and to a relationship of mutual affection. This was Paul, as father to his spiritual children.
Similarly we can establish such two-way relationships with our children; or as children, with your parents. God loves to work in families. It takes time and trust but they can develop over time.
A second plane is to open wide our hearts, as children of God, to Him, and build up this relationship. It is the most important one in the whole wide world, universe, and all of creation for that matter. God seeks to commune with us. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. He has gone all out for you, will you go all out for Him; with Him?
For those of us in the family of God, we need to reach out to each other too; especially within your local church. I read one writer once (sorry I can't recall which book or writer) who asked if you know your church members well enough to even know the name of their cat! This is not in the busybody manner; far be the thought! However do we care about each other enough to get to know them and their cares and concerns so that we can help each other mature in Christ and give help in time of need? Console and mourn when they mourn? Rejoice when they rejoice? This too, is a two-way street. Do we allow others into our life to accept their care for us?
May the Lord enable us all in our relationships to take the time, make the effort and give the care as well as to receive it.
~ERC 2016~
Morning Musings With The Boys At Breakfast....
Sometimes we feel like we have been forgotten and left to ourselves; what do you think? Did Jesus leave us to fend for ourselves? As we age our "earthly tent" is being "destroyed" with the ravages of life and sin, sickness or just age. In this we look more and more to our "heavenly body"; longing to be "away from the body and at home with the Lord" It seems like a long time.
Maybe not for young guys like you but you will see as you get older and the wear and tear of life comes over you. Will you wish to be "...home with the Lord?" Do you? Do I? What do we do in the meantime despite our weaknesses? Bemoan them or live life in the confidence and knowledge that we have a purpose and that even when we feel heaven is silent we still have the faith to continue on? What promises are there that we are remembered?
The purposes and the promise...we will meet our Maker some day although no one knows the day or hour. However, we must live life to please the Lord with the help of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the deposit or the "guarantee" we will be with Jesus some day. Check out 2 Corinthians 5:1-10. God is faithful and these are no idle promises. We will be with Him someday and be clothed with new bodies that don't wear out; "imperishable" and that don't "fade away". We will meet Him and be with Him to meet to part no more.
God's kindness and goodness gives us His loving guarantee we have not been abandoned here on earth and there are better things to come. Out of love we can give back to Him, make it our goal to please Him and show Him our gratitude. If you look at 2 Cor 5:21 you'll see God did this for us; in Jesus, we have the righteousness of God.
It is here and now on earth that we can please Him because of that. Can we please God if we are "away from the body" (vs 9). Don't let our spirits roam around and do evil. Don't receive God's grace in vain. Don't receive it and then don't bother living the Christian life. No. We must live our life as new creatures in Christ.
We need to live this way, no matter what; even if it feels like we've been forgotten. Remember we have God's Holy Spirit indwelling us, leading and guiding us. God's not ever going to forget.
~ERC 2016~
Morning Musing with the boys at breakfast....
This is about those brothers and sisters in Christ who share God's Word but not for profit. 2 Corinthians 2:17 talks about "they did not peddle the word of God for profit;" Paul and some of his companions were tent makers and so funded much of their own mission work themselves. If he were to preach for profit, he feared the truth could be distorted and speak what they think their hearers wanted to hear (having their ears tickled). Instead, speaking the truth in love, even if very difficult and distressing and causing grief. The intent though was to gain repentance and forgiveness for the end good and benefit of the individuals and/or groups.
As the words to one song go...something like this, that is:
Jesus paid it all
All to Him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed me white as snow.
Let us preach the pure word of God to gain treasure in heaven and not in our pockets.
~ERC 2016~
Morning Musings With the Boys at Breakfast...
It can seem like there are often more negatives than positives in our lives and in the world and that we pray about those negatives. We forget the positives. Pray about the negatives, for sure, BUT remember to thank our Heavenly Father, God, for the positives. Thank Him especially for all the answers to the prayers of the many who do pray for us. (2 Corinthians 1:3-11)
~ERC 2015~
Morning Musings With the Boys at Breakfast....
Just a few questions pop into my mind after reading 1 Corinthians 16:1-4. Questions such as: Are we being stingy or generous in giving? Are we cheerful when giving? Are we giving in keeping with our income and means?
Now, I'm talking to my boys who don't earn much of anything at this point in time but there's giving of $$ and cents and there's giving of time, and energy and the like. The principles are the same. In 2 Corinthians 8:10 it says to give but also with the desire to do so with willingness. These verses are quite literally dealing with the $$ and cents aspect. However, when you look at 2 Cor 8:5, you'll see the Corinthians gave themselves first and foremost; this was their mindset and attitude, from there the monetary gifts would follow.
The spiritual gifts were used too without any withholding and in keeping with how Jesus told those who asked Him on the subject; "what belongs to God, give to God and what belongs to Caesar, give to Caesar. Similarly, that which belongs to our family we give to our family.
This could mean our immediate family but also to those of God's family as we see the needs arise. God Himself was all out generous with us in sending His one and only Son Jesus to earth; even to the sacrifice of death upon the cross to earn salvation for any and all who wish it. Jesus is our Supreme example in giving.
So let us "set aside a sum of money in keeping with our income" so we have something to give at a moment's notice and so that our attitudes can be ongoing in generosity, and in cheerfulness. Make those gifts acceptable by giving according to your means, not to what you do not have. Decide to give. Decide how much to give, not sparingly, and give cheerfully.
The key is willingness to give. Let us reach others with that same limitless grace of giving, that God in His act of grace, reached and gave to us. Let us excel in the grace of giving.
"Oh, Lord, help! Thank you for your Holy Spirit's help. Give me that willing, generous heart and mindset and attitude. Amen.
Happy giving everybody!
~ERC 2015~
