yesterday i watched a movie portraying the events leading up to the salem witch trials. i've watched a lot of movies regarding this tragedy, and have read a great deal about it. what it all boils down to is a group of girls and their church.
religion if not perceived correctly can be deadly. these girls were taught by their church of the punishment of GOD and sin only. the bible that was taught to them was just about the "hellfire and brimstone" not the grace, or love that JESUS so desperately wanted them to have. having a relationship with CHRIST can be so beautiful in one's life if they continually seek to learn from HIM.
as believers we have a great responsibility to learn and apply the words of scripture correctly. if you are going to church and just relying on what your pastor, rabbi, priest, or teacher are only teaching you, how do you know what they are teaching is correct? if you are just reading this everyday, but not reading GOD'S word how do you know my perceptions and opinions are correct? that's why it is so important in your walk with CHRIST that you read scripture. human perception may be different than GOD's truth. all of us can take something out of context if we don't educate ourselves to the whole truth.
look at what happened on 9/11. these men had been taught through their lifetime that the united states was evil by their clerics. what has ended up happening is that as americans we view all muslims as enemies. evil does exist; the devil is always waiting to play with our ignorance. 9/11 is an extreme example of how religion can shape us, but this even applies to our day to day lives.
this past week i made an error in judgement about an individual that i knew 20 years ago. thinking about this over the weekend i realized that my perception was based on what i used to think of them not how they may have changed over the years. i know as a christian that i was wrong in making that judgement, because i know nothing about this individual's life. now this person may be the same, but that doesn't give me the right not to be kind, or to judge them about what they were like as a teenager. over time i have grown up and accepted HIM to guide me not live life by my own perceptions and opinions alone.
the old saying "don't judge a book by it's cover" is true. don't judge the bible as just being about punishment, but it is also about true love. what this journey is teaching me is that i don't have room for mistakes, but that i will make mistakes but i need to learn from them. if i have an error in judgement, or perceive a situation one way, but don't question it, how do i know if it's correct. if i can't humble myself before others and GOD than i haven't learned anything.
we should look at our government this way. if one way works why change it? i seriously doubt our constitution was written in just one draft alone. if there is a problem then solve the problem before adding to it. the problem with our government is that they think they are GOD, so they will continuelly try to change our environment to suit them. you should question that always.
if the girls had just said that they were scared of GOD and how he was going to punish them the puritans may not have killed 20 innocent lives. what if they had questioned their church if GOD really loved them? maybe they would have found out that even though they sinned HE does love them!
"if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask GOD, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." james 1:5
"evil men do not understand justice, but those that seek the LORD understand it fully." proverbs 28:5
"now i commit you to GOD and to the word of HIS grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." acts 20:32
"the LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: i have loved you with an everlasting love; i have drawn you with loving-kindness." jeremiah 31:3
Monday, November 8, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
JESUS was a carpenter
this morning i have been having a lot of chuckles regarding environmentalists and our government. now before everyone goes crazy i do believe we could conserve a little more. we are a wasteful, wasteful society just look at our landfills. the last time i checked though there wasn't anything in the bible that said we couldn't cut down trees, or kill animals (remember, possibly HIS shoes were made of leather and he may have used the pelts for warmth). i do believe that there is a necessity for some government, but not to the extremes that it is now.
with political issues i try to find it in the bible and see what scripture says before i have an opinion. if it doesn't have biblical backing i usually don't believe in it. scripture is my guide book on what i should be believing and why. there so many examples in the bible of what could happen if we don't follow HIM that it astounds me when individuals that say they are christians, but believe the complete opposite of what GOD has told them is true. those are society's views, not GOD.
babylon lived in great indulgence and tyranny from it's rulers - it fell. slavery in this country was a horrific part of our history, but it was abolished by the civil war and abraham lincoln. unfortunately that didn't end racism in this country - now it goes both ways. hitler tried to kill an entire race from existence, look what happened to him.
you are supposed to give with a cheerful heart, but in the united states our government likes to try to tell us whom we are supposed to give to. we are in a mind blowing amount of debt because our government likes too give it all away. some of us even have the mindset that we don't even need to work and the government should give it to us because we are an american citizen. i don't think it's anywhere in the bible that you aren't supposed to work for anything. it does however say you should give to those that are in need and i mean truly in need.
common sense seems to have completely disappeared from the world. we have all lost our minds! no one seems to have a solution to anything. none of us have a common sense rational to some of these things are so simple to solve if we just did what GOD told us to do. it's really time that we start using our brains and study the WORD OF GOD to learn how to solve these tremendous problems we have created in the world.
"all hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty" proverbs 14:23
"then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find knowledge of GOD. for the LORD gives wisdom, and from HIS mouth come knowledge and understanding. HE holds victory in store for the upright, he is the shield to those whose walk is blameless." proverbs 2:5-7
with political issues i try to find it in the bible and see what scripture says before i have an opinion. if it doesn't have biblical backing i usually don't believe in it. scripture is my guide book on what i should be believing and why. there so many examples in the bible of what could happen if we don't follow HIM that it astounds me when individuals that say they are christians, but believe the complete opposite of what GOD has told them is true. those are society's views, not GOD.
babylon lived in great indulgence and tyranny from it's rulers - it fell. slavery in this country was a horrific part of our history, but it was abolished by the civil war and abraham lincoln. unfortunately that didn't end racism in this country - now it goes both ways. hitler tried to kill an entire race from existence, look what happened to him.
you are supposed to give with a cheerful heart, but in the united states our government likes to try to tell us whom we are supposed to give to. we are in a mind blowing amount of debt because our government likes too give it all away. some of us even have the mindset that we don't even need to work and the government should give it to us because we are an american citizen. i don't think it's anywhere in the bible that you aren't supposed to work for anything. it does however say you should give to those that are in need and i mean truly in need.
common sense seems to have completely disappeared from the world. we have all lost our minds! no one seems to have a solution to anything. none of us have a common sense rational to some of these things are so simple to solve if we just did what GOD told us to do. it's really time that we start using our brains and study the WORD OF GOD to learn how to solve these tremendous problems we have created in the world.
"all hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty" proverbs 14:23
"then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find knowledge of GOD. for the LORD gives wisdom, and from HIS mouth come knowledge and understanding. HE holds victory in store for the upright, he is the shield to those whose walk is blameless." proverbs 2:5-7
Thursday, November 4, 2010
unrealistic expectations
what is the incentive behind anything that we do in our lives? what motivates us to continue to try? do we tend to just throw in the towel when it gets it too hard, or do we continue to figure it out? do we have a realistic idea of how the world works?
last night we talked about the incentive to have unconditional love with your spouse no matter how your spouse may be responding to you. they used the example that if a couple was given the incentive that they would receive 5 million dollars just to be loving and respectful to each for two weeks. would they do it? of course they would! money was the incentive. what a sad incentive for you to be loving and respectful to the one you are married to. are you going to stop loving your spouse because they don't respond to you the way you think they should; is that realistic?
money is usually the incentive for most individuals to get things done. they what to know how much money they are going to receive for their labors. all of us complain about the cost of things, but we also complain about the quality. take for example health care. we complain about the cost health care, but do we understand what it takes to create the quality of health care? i understand that it is going to cost me a small fortune in medical care costs over my lifetime because of my MS. i am willing to pay that knowing that with my dollars comes the advancement of treatments and the possibility of a cure. so, yes my husband and i are willing to make that sacrifice. our world just sees the dollar signs being spent, but not the other side of the coin.
our country is unrealistic in their expectations. we expect to get something for nothing. we complain that there aren't enough jobs, but do we know the bottom line of why we aren't getting jobs? we complain that the government has spent too much money, but do we see why they have spent too much money? each individual has an expectation of how that money is to be spent, not how much it is going to actually cost. we don't want to pay more in taxes, but yet we want the government to pay for every program that we put before them. how in the world are they going to be able to do that?
we make huge demands on everything in our country without thinking of how much it actually cost to implement those demands. the following are two examples of what we see as good and evil.
bill gates is billionaire. his product is on every pc that goes out for sale. bill gates gives millions of dollars away to charities and causes that we all believe in. that's what people report on what he has given away, not that he still makes millions and his product is expensive. why don't we condemn him for making millions? he is the ceo of one of the largest corporations in the world; why isn't he considered evil? why aren't you questioning why it costs so much to buy his product even though we are always making the demands to have a better product. we don't ask him because he gives money away.
british petroleum is now considered to be the evil of all evil in oil industry because of what happened in the gulf. oil companies in general are looked upon as evil because of their large profit margins, but what if we are missing the other side of the coin? the american people have made it their mission to put regulations on the safety and emissions programs of how this industry produces it's products. that costs a lot of money people. the majority of the profits spent is to keep up with consumer demand (that is you!) as well as continually upgrading the systems to EPA regulations. the american people wanted this remember? do you even know how products contain petroleum in our world?
what if i told you that british petroleum every year sponsors a race of 13,000 plus individuals to ride from houston to austin every year in support of finding a cure for MS? that all the money raised isn't given back to them, it is given to this cause. are they still considered evil? is the ceo still evil because he makes too much money even though he allows his employees to ride on a team to raise money for a cause. he is still evil because he is still trying to make profits to improve the quality of production for this product? he is still evil because he's trying to figure out way to cover all the costs and still pay the people that make these things happen?
there are good and bad consequences to everything that happens is this world, but it always come at price. see i look at GOD this way. i can't follow him and have it both ways. i can't write about scripture and CHRIST without knowing what i have to sacrifice as a human being to do that. if i follow HIM then i have to be willing to follow HIM completely, not both ways. am i unrealistic in this expectation of myself, no. i will make huge mistakes in my journey, but that is what it means to continually grow in HIM. we cannot continually expect others to follow a course without it costing something. our sin cost GOD HIS ONLY SON. there are two sides to every story, to everything, you just have to be willing to look at both sides and make that sacrifice as to what is really important.
"he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 john 2:2
last night we talked about the incentive to have unconditional love with your spouse no matter how your spouse may be responding to you. they used the example that if a couple was given the incentive that they would receive 5 million dollars just to be loving and respectful to each for two weeks. would they do it? of course they would! money was the incentive. what a sad incentive for you to be loving and respectful to the one you are married to. are you going to stop loving your spouse because they don't respond to you the way you think they should; is that realistic?
money is usually the incentive for most individuals to get things done. they what to know how much money they are going to receive for their labors. all of us complain about the cost of things, but we also complain about the quality. take for example health care. we complain about the cost health care, but do we understand what it takes to create the quality of health care? i understand that it is going to cost me a small fortune in medical care costs over my lifetime because of my MS. i am willing to pay that knowing that with my dollars comes the advancement of treatments and the possibility of a cure. so, yes my husband and i are willing to make that sacrifice. our world just sees the dollar signs being spent, but not the other side of the coin.
our country is unrealistic in their expectations. we expect to get something for nothing. we complain that there aren't enough jobs, but do we know the bottom line of why we aren't getting jobs? we complain that the government has spent too much money, but do we see why they have spent too much money? each individual has an expectation of how that money is to be spent, not how much it is going to actually cost. we don't want to pay more in taxes, but yet we want the government to pay for every program that we put before them. how in the world are they going to be able to do that?
we make huge demands on everything in our country without thinking of how much it actually cost to implement those demands. the following are two examples of what we see as good and evil.
bill gates is billionaire. his product is on every pc that goes out for sale. bill gates gives millions of dollars away to charities and causes that we all believe in. that's what people report on what he has given away, not that he still makes millions and his product is expensive. why don't we condemn him for making millions? he is the ceo of one of the largest corporations in the world; why isn't he considered evil? why aren't you questioning why it costs so much to buy his product even though we are always making the demands to have a better product. we don't ask him because he gives money away.
british petroleum is now considered to be the evil of all evil in oil industry because of what happened in the gulf. oil companies in general are looked upon as evil because of their large profit margins, but what if we are missing the other side of the coin? the american people have made it their mission to put regulations on the safety and emissions programs of how this industry produces it's products. that costs a lot of money people. the majority of the profits spent is to keep up with consumer demand (that is you!) as well as continually upgrading the systems to EPA regulations. the american people wanted this remember? do you even know how products contain petroleum in our world?
what if i told you that british petroleum every year sponsors a race of 13,000 plus individuals to ride from houston to austin every year in support of finding a cure for MS? that all the money raised isn't given back to them, it is given to this cause. are they still considered evil? is the ceo still evil because he makes too much money even though he allows his employees to ride on a team to raise money for a cause. he is still evil because he is still trying to make profits to improve the quality of production for this product? he is still evil because he's trying to figure out way to cover all the costs and still pay the people that make these things happen?
there are good and bad consequences to everything that happens is this world, but it always come at price. see i look at GOD this way. i can't follow him and have it both ways. i can't write about scripture and CHRIST without knowing what i have to sacrifice as a human being to do that. if i follow HIM then i have to be willing to follow HIM completely, not both ways. am i unrealistic in this expectation of myself, no. i will make huge mistakes in my journey, but that is what it means to continually grow in HIM. we cannot continually expect others to follow a course without it costing something. our sin cost GOD HIS ONLY SON. there are two sides to every story, to everything, you just have to be willing to look at both sides and make that sacrifice as to what is really important.
"he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 john 2:2
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
our beliefs; the world's or GOD?
in our everyday lives the one that will always be constant is GOD. we are a fickle society where we can be swayed one way or another in a blink of a eye. while GOD considers us equal we are all different in our characteristics. we've all seen relationships fail because we put our faith in the person and not GOD.
i often wonder if individuals realize that it is not just their actions that are going to be judged, but also their beliefs. man has been trying to play GOD for centuries. all you have to do is look at the world and history. scripture is not just a belief system, it is the world's guide book on how they are to live. would this be considered radical? yes. would i be considered radical because i believe the bible to be the true word of GOD? yes. here's the kicker though, although i believe it to be true does that mean that i am responsible for another's salvation? no.
"in reply JESUS declared. i tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of GOD unless he is born again. how can a man be born when he is old? nicodemus asked. surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born! JESUS answered, i tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of GOD unless he is born of water and the spirit. flesh gives birth to flesh, but the spirit gives birth to the spirit. you should not be surprised at my saying, you must be born again." john 3:3-7
when CHRIST was born a prophecy was fulfilled that man would be forgiven of his sins, because CHRIST took on that sin and died. no where in the bible does it say that it is a get out of jail free card. last night in this country we voted on our beliefs, but we voted for man not GOD. we have to remember that GOD does not choose a political party. with that said do you realize what you voted for and whom?
"anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven." matthew 5:19
if you believe in abortion, but only believe it should be used because of rape and incest are you still killing a child? what is the difference between each abortion committed? none. GOD determines whether that child is to be born, not us. if you believe in stem-cell research to save lives from disease, but a man manipulates the cells to make another human then are they playing GOD? yes. if you believe that we are to help others, but do it just because a government tells you you must do it, are you doing it with a cheerful heart just as JESUS commanded us? for most us the answer would be no. if we believe in the death penalty does that mean we are committing murder in our hearts? according to scripture yes.
"for it is not those that hear the law that are righteous in GOD'S sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous." romans 2:13
when we become adults that have been raised in the church knowing the word of GOD, but our beliefs start to shift more towards the world's beliefs then we will be judged. we have turned from HIM and HIS commands if we do this. most of us don't want war, crime, or poverty, but GOD says that it will always be there until CHRIST comes again. so what do we do? that's the human dilemma. that is the question that generations before us have asked, and generations after us will ask. these are things that will never be solved, because GOD said they won't be solved until HE returns to the world. i'm not saying that we are to ignore them and not fight to end it, because we do have obligations as christians to help others find the light through prayer, spreading the word, and giving. we do have to live by HIS rules and we cannot waiver on that because a man wants us to.
"whatever a you have learned or received or heard from, or seen in me - put into practice. and the GOD of peace will be with you." phillippians 4:9
the choice is pretty simple christians we either choose HIS way, or none. if you consider yourself a christian, but you've made exceptions to HIS rules then how do you know that those grey areas won't be judged also? we all justify our beliefs and sin. i still try to justify my sins knowing that GOD will forgive me, but will he always forgive me? we don't think about sin in those terms do we? CHRIST has said he will forgive us, but if we continue to do the same sin over and over again will HE? that is what you should fear, not what man says is forgiven.
"JESUS said, if you were blind you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains." john 9:41
i often wonder if individuals realize that it is not just their actions that are going to be judged, but also their beliefs. man has been trying to play GOD for centuries. all you have to do is look at the world and history. scripture is not just a belief system, it is the world's guide book on how they are to live. would this be considered radical? yes. would i be considered radical because i believe the bible to be the true word of GOD? yes. here's the kicker though, although i believe it to be true does that mean that i am responsible for another's salvation? no.
"in reply JESUS declared. i tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of GOD unless he is born again. how can a man be born when he is old? nicodemus asked. surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born! JESUS answered, i tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of GOD unless he is born of water and the spirit. flesh gives birth to flesh, but the spirit gives birth to the spirit. you should not be surprised at my saying, you must be born again." john 3:3-7
when CHRIST was born a prophecy was fulfilled that man would be forgiven of his sins, because CHRIST took on that sin and died. no where in the bible does it say that it is a get out of jail free card. last night in this country we voted on our beliefs, but we voted for man not GOD. we have to remember that GOD does not choose a political party. with that said do you realize what you voted for and whom?
"anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven." matthew 5:19
if you believe in abortion, but only believe it should be used because of rape and incest are you still killing a child? what is the difference between each abortion committed? none. GOD determines whether that child is to be born, not us. if you believe in stem-cell research to save lives from disease, but a man manipulates the cells to make another human then are they playing GOD? yes. if you believe that we are to help others, but do it just because a government tells you you must do it, are you doing it with a cheerful heart just as JESUS commanded us? for most us the answer would be no. if we believe in the death penalty does that mean we are committing murder in our hearts? according to scripture yes.
"for it is not those that hear the law that are righteous in GOD'S sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous." romans 2:13
when we become adults that have been raised in the church knowing the word of GOD, but our beliefs start to shift more towards the world's beliefs then we will be judged. we have turned from HIM and HIS commands if we do this. most of us don't want war, crime, or poverty, but GOD says that it will always be there until CHRIST comes again. so what do we do? that's the human dilemma. that is the question that generations before us have asked, and generations after us will ask. these are things that will never be solved, because GOD said they won't be solved until HE returns to the world. i'm not saying that we are to ignore them and not fight to end it, because we do have obligations as christians to help others find the light through prayer, spreading the word, and giving. we do have to live by HIS rules and we cannot waiver on that because a man wants us to.
"whatever a you have learned or received or heard from, or seen in me - put into practice. and the GOD of peace will be with you." phillippians 4:9
the choice is pretty simple christians we either choose HIS way, or none. if you consider yourself a christian, but you've made exceptions to HIS rules then how do you know that those grey areas won't be judged also? we all justify our beliefs and sin. i still try to justify my sins knowing that GOD will forgive me, but will he always forgive me? we don't think about sin in those terms do we? CHRIST has said he will forgive us, but if we continue to do the same sin over and over again will HE? that is what you should fear, not what man says is forgiven.
"JESUS said, if you were blind you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains." john 9:41
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
do you always think you're right?
i have been considered to be harsh, critical, and pessimistic in a lot of situations. i can have a narrow-minded view of some things and i have been called out on it. my perception sometimes of how someone has rebuked me as been totally off base. i see it as an attack, but in reality it could just be that they love me and care for me.
i have a friend that once told me that anger is like a thermostat, that the angrier you get then you should be looking at your own demons. i know some of the most giving and loving individuals in the world, but some of them think they are right about everything. it's their way, or the highway. when we can't see another point of view, or how we are coming across to someone else then we are wrong.
i have a number of addictions that are physically bad for me. i know this because there is tons of scientific evidence out there that it is bad for me. i'm not ready to give them up because of my selfishness. i don't pray about it, because i'm not willing to do it and GOD knows my heart better than i do. this is where i have allowed the world to take over.
humility is probably the number one characteristic i value in a person next to how they love. it bothers me that we pass blame around like a glass of water but yet we can't see our own faults, or accept blame for our mistakes. i sometimes think that this is our own lack of confidence, but in some people i truly believe that they are arrogant and prideful. you can't reason with an individual like that ever. there are some that can even humble themselves before GOD. we have a lot of individuals that think they know what is best for themselves and others, not GOD this is what you would a call being a narcissist.
the funny thing is that we usually just place this title on our world leaders, but this is a disease that occurs with a lot of individuals in everyday life. once you start reading scripture you can sometimes fall into the trap of being self-righteous because you think that because you know scripture that you are better than others. guess what you are wrong again. sin will never disappear from our world, because even good people have sin. in the eyes of GOD we are all equal. we forget that a little too often in our daily lives.
our hardened hearts aren't just about the evils that have been put in our lives, it's also about when we can't see when we are wrong. GOD knows what is best for us plain and simple. HE knows when we are wrong and right. HIS voice can always be heard if you just listen. sometimes it's just too hard to hear what HE is trying to tell us, so we bury it. as a christian i believe that the true path to GOD is through accepting JESUS CHRIST, others believe differently. this is a hard pill swallow for many christians and their self-righteousness comes out. GOD chooses their path just as much as he does yours. you are not responsible for their salvation, you can only pray that they find and seek HIM to come first in their lives.
"HE said to them, you are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but GOD knows your hearts. what is highly valued among men is detestable in GOD'S sight"
"do you see a man that is wise in his own eyes? there is more hope for a fool than for him." proverbs 26:12
i have a friend that once told me that anger is like a thermostat, that the angrier you get then you should be looking at your own demons. i know some of the most giving and loving individuals in the world, but some of them think they are right about everything. it's their way, or the highway. when we can't see another point of view, or how we are coming across to someone else then we are wrong.
i have a number of addictions that are physically bad for me. i know this because there is tons of scientific evidence out there that it is bad for me. i'm not ready to give them up because of my selfishness. i don't pray about it, because i'm not willing to do it and GOD knows my heart better than i do. this is where i have allowed the world to take over.
humility is probably the number one characteristic i value in a person next to how they love. it bothers me that we pass blame around like a glass of water but yet we can't see our own faults, or accept blame for our mistakes. i sometimes think that this is our own lack of confidence, but in some people i truly believe that they are arrogant and prideful. you can't reason with an individual like that ever. there are some that can even humble themselves before GOD. we have a lot of individuals that think they know what is best for themselves and others, not GOD this is what you would a call being a narcissist.
the funny thing is that we usually just place this title on our world leaders, but this is a disease that occurs with a lot of individuals in everyday life. once you start reading scripture you can sometimes fall into the trap of being self-righteous because you think that because you know scripture that you are better than others. guess what you are wrong again. sin will never disappear from our world, because even good people have sin. in the eyes of GOD we are all equal. we forget that a little too often in our daily lives.
our hardened hearts aren't just about the evils that have been put in our lives, it's also about when we can't see when we are wrong. GOD knows what is best for us plain and simple. HE knows when we are wrong and right. HIS voice can always be heard if you just listen. sometimes it's just too hard to hear what HE is trying to tell us, so we bury it. as a christian i believe that the true path to GOD is through accepting JESUS CHRIST, others believe differently. this is a hard pill swallow for many christians and their self-righteousness comes out. GOD chooses their path just as much as he does yours. you are not responsible for their salvation, you can only pray that they find and seek HIM to come first in their lives.
"HE said to them, you are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but GOD knows your hearts. what is highly valued among men is detestable in GOD'S sight"
"do you see a man that is wise in his own eyes? there is more hope for a fool than for him." proverbs 26:12
a world without GOD
when i was first diagnosed with ms i was too angry with GOD to turn to him. i questioned everything that was wrong with the world and why he would allow such horrors to happen. as i have grown in my walk i still question HIM, but i try to figure out what he is trying to tell me. some of the horrors are just man's inability to do what is right. HE gives us choices and either we walk in HIS way, or we choose to walk in evil.
"in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight" proverbs 3:6
with power comes great responsibility, but man is man and sometimes that power becomes too great. if a man is humble in his life i trust him more than a man that is full of arrogance. that's why it is so hard for me to vote. i have voted, but i had to choose the lesser of two evils in my opinion. our politicians are so corrupt with greed and arrogance that i can't really find one that has humility. i was probably wrong to just pick one side, but i am a citizen of this country and i don't want to lose my freedom.
most individuals think about evil in larger scales, not the small. we think about the man that tried to blow up a plane and kill hundreds, but do we think about the man that wants to pull you away from your belief in CHRIST? we think about the oppression of governments on it's citizens, while they live in indulgence and freedom. we think about why we aren't being blessed when we have given so much of ourselves to world, but that thought is out of selfishness.
do we think about a church that isn't preaching the true word of GOD? does it strive to set an example of what it means to follow CHRIST and CHRIST alone? i laugh out loud when i hear the "prosperity gospel" preached. praying to GOD that you will become rich is not the true word of GOD. GOD'S definition of riches is not through money, but living through HIS word.
"for where you find envy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every evil practice." james 3:16"
"and i saw that all labor and achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. this too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." ecclesiastes 4:4
for most of us our true goal for life is get through it without too many bumps in the road. when face trials we often cry out loud with anger towards GOD about why HE is doing this to us. maybe we have turned so far to darkness that we can't find the light anymore. it takes great strength to follow HIM in this world right now, but we must FOLLOW HIM. HE died so that we may live in HIS eternal glory not the world.
"i know what it means to be in need, and i know what it is to have plenty. i have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry. whether living in plenty or in want. i can do everything through HIM who gives me strength." philippians 4:12-13
"in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight" proverbs 3:6
with power comes great responsibility, but man is man and sometimes that power becomes too great. if a man is humble in his life i trust him more than a man that is full of arrogance. that's why it is so hard for me to vote. i have voted, but i had to choose the lesser of two evils in my opinion. our politicians are so corrupt with greed and arrogance that i can't really find one that has humility. i was probably wrong to just pick one side, but i am a citizen of this country and i don't want to lose my freedom.
most individuals think about evil in larger scales, not the small. we think about the man that tried to blow up a plane and kill hundreds, but do we think about the man that wants to pull you away from your belief in CHRIST? we think about the oppression of governments on it's citizens, while they live in indulgence and freedom. we think about why we aren't being blessed when we have given so much of ourselves to world, but that thought is out of selfishness.
do we think about a church that isn't preaching the true word of GOD? does it strive to set an example of what it means to follow CHRIST and CHRIST alone? i laugh out loud when i hear the "prosperity gospel" preached. praying to GOD that you will become rich is not the true word of GOD. GOD'S definition of riches is not through money, but living through HIS word.
"for where you find envy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every evil practice." james 3:16"
"and i saw that all labor and achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. this too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." ecclesiastes 4:4
for most of us our true goal for life is get through it without too many bumps in the road. when face trials we often cry out loud with anger towards GOD about why HE is doing this to us. maybe we have turned so far to darkness that we can't find the light anymore. it takes great strength to follow HIM in this world right now, but we must FOLLOW HIM. HE died so that we may live in HIS eternal glory not the world.
"i know what it means to be in need, and i know what it is to have plenty. i have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry. whether living in plenty or in want. i can do everything through HIM who gives me strength." philippians 4:12-13
Monday, November 1, 2010
why doesn't the world fear this?
Lament Over Fallen Babylon
1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. 2 With a mighty voice he shouted:
“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’[a]
She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
3 For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
Warning to Escape Babylon’s Judgment
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say:
“‘Come out of her, my people,’[b]
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
5 for her sins are piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes.
6 Give back to her as she has given;
pay her back double for what she has done.
Pour her a double portion from her own cup.
7 Give her as much torment and grief
as the glory and luxury she gave herself.
In her heart she boasts,
‘I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;[c]
I will never mourn.’
8 Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her:
death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,
for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.
Threefold Woe Over Babylon’s Fall
9 “When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. 10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:
“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour your doom has come!’
11 “The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore— 12 cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; 13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.
14 “They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ 15 The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn 16 and cry out:
“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!
17 In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’
“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. 18 When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city?’ 19 They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out:
“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
where all who had ships on the sea
became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’
20 “Rejoice over her, you heavens!
Rejoice, you people of God!
Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
with the judgment she imposed on you.”
The Finality of Babylon’s Doom
21 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said:
“With such violence
the great city of Babylon will be thrown down,
never to be found again.
22 The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
will never be heard in you again.
No worker of any trade
will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
will never be heard in you again.
23 The light of a lamp
will never shine in you again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride
will never be heard in you again.
Your merchants were the world’s important people.
By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.
24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,
of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”
1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. 2 With a mighty voice he shouted:
“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’[a]
She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
3 For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
Warning to Escape Babylon’s Judgment
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say:
“‘Come out of her, my people,’[b]
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
5 for her sins are piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes.
6 Give back to her as she has given;
pay her back double for what she has done.
Pour her a double portion from her own cup.
7 Give her as much torment and grief
as the glory and luxury she gave herself.
In her heart she boasts,
‘I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;[c]
I will never mourn.’
8 Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her:
death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,
for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.
Threefold Woe Over Babylon’s Fall
9 “When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. 10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:
“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour your doom has come!’
11 “The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore— 12 cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; 13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.
14 “They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ 15 The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn 16 and cry out:
“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!
17 In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’
“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. 18 When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city?’ 19 They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out:
“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
where all who had ships on the sea
became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’
20 “Rejoice over her, you heavens!
Rejoice, you people of God!
Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
with the judgment she imposed on you.”
The Finality of Babylon’s Doom
21 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said:
“With such violence
the great city of Babylon will be thrown down,
never to be found again.
22 The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
will never be heard in you again.
No worker of any trade
will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
will never be heard in you again.
23 The light of a lamp
will never shine in you again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride
will never be heard in you again.
Your merchants were the world’s important people.
By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.
24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,
of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”
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