A" Right" Church

Good Morning!! Let's face it, the church has been a disappointment to so many people,...believers and none believers alike. The church is often seen as a place of quarreling and petty jealousies. The apostle Paul ,wrote letters warning, pleading and scolding the young churches in an effort to end their divisions. Some of those letters even gave detailed instructions on how to build unity and peace. But the core instruction can be found in a description of the " true church."

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.—John 13:34 (KJV)

These sounds almost deceptively simple. Believe in Jesus Christ. Love God. Love neighbors. But how many quarrels and jealousies would evaporate if all three of these instructions were carried out? Would our churches become more genuine places of care if we learned to listen to each other and love each other more honestly? These three principles; (1) believe in Jesus Christ, (2) love God, and (3) love neighbors,...are a blueprint for a true church,...so that people will say, "See, how they love each other."

The true church is recognized where people have faith in the one and only Savior, Jesus Christ, and where people love God and their neighbors.

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Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

(Ephesians 4:14 NIV)

"Too many believers, who profess faith in Christ, have never surrendered themselves to the control of the Holy Spirit."

Don't Just Be Involed, Be Committed

Good Morning!! Define the word Church,...ask any number of people, even those that attend regularly and you will get several different answers. The best definition every, is found here in Deuteronomy 4: the church is the assembly of God's people. Moses is reminding the Israelites, long after the event, that he had been told to convene a meeting at Sinai between them and God. In Acts 7 Stephen calls this " the church in the wilderness."

...Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.—Deuteronomy 4:10 (KJV)

The church is not a building or a denomination or an organization, but people,...God's people. Next, these are people rescued, or seeking to be rescued by God, who then provides for their needs and leads them in his ways. Finally, they are guests invited to come together to hear him speak words for them to take in, respond to, and pass on, concerning himself and his plans for them.

Church as it ought to be found in the dictionary:

Church (n) A fellowship of God's people listening to him and responding in united praise, prayer, service, and testimony.

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" If the church can stay focused on God's Will, and God's Ways,...nothing can stop it from accomplishing His purposes in its communities, towns and cities."

 

(The Man God Uses, Henry & Tom Blackaby, p. 126)

"Too many believers, who profess faith in Christ, have never surrendered themselves to the control of the Holy Spirit."

The Endless Joy Of Worship

Good Morning!! "Time flies when you're having fun." This cliché has no basis in fact, but experience makes it seem true. When life is pleasant, time passes all too quickly. Give me a task that I enjoy, or a person whose company I love, and time seems irrelevant. My experience of this "reality" has given me a new understanding of the scene described in Revelation 4. In the past, when I considered the four living creatures seated around God's throne who keep repeating the same few words, I thought, What a boring existence!

They do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!"—Revelation 4:8 (NKJV)

I don't think that anymore. I think about the scenes they have witnessed with their many eyes (v.8). I consider the view they have from their position around God's throne (v.6). I think of how amazed they are at God's wise and loving involvement with wayward earthlings. Then I think, What better response could there be?  Like the song says," Our God is an Awesome God!" What else is there to say but, "Holy, holy, holy"? Is it boring to say the same words over and over? Not when you're in the presence of the one you love. Not when you're doing exactly what you were designed to do. Like the four creatures, we were designed to glorify God. Our lives will never be boring if we're focusing our attention on Him and fulfilling that purpose.

A heart in tune with God can't help but sing His praise.

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To be a true worshiper is to fall in love with God,

the Author of love, 

and accept the love He has for you.

"Returning good for good is human,...returning good for evil is divine."

God Values You

Good Morning, It's A Tremendous Thursday!!  It took years before she finally said yes. A Man had fallen in love with one of his neighbors and wanted to marry her. But they had quarreled, and she refused to forgive. Shy and reluctant to face the offended woman, the persistent suitor slipped a love letter under her door every week. At last, after 42 years, he summoned up courage, knocked on her door, and asked her to become his wife. To his delight, she consented. So they were married at the age of 74!.

As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it.—Luke 19:41 (NIV)

God is the ultimate persistent lover. Century after century He sent prophets, seeking the stubborn people of Israel. Then God sent His Son. In Luke 19, we read that Jesus looked out over the city of Jerusalem and wept because of their hardness of heart (vv.41-44). Yet Jesus persisted in His loving pursuit. He opened the way for reconciliation by His redeeming sacrifice at Calvary. Today He is still asking sinners to come to Him, personally accept Him as Savior, and enjoy close fellowship with Him (Matthew 11:28). If you have come to Him, rejoice that you are His. If you have not, however, you must realize that time may run out. Don't remain forever alienated from the Lover of your soul. Trust Him today.

God always knocks loud enough for the seeking soul to hear.

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"You are precious to him (God).  So precious that He became like you so that you would come to Him.
When you struggle, He listens. When you yearn, He responds. When you question, He hears. He has been there."

(Grace for the Moment, Max Lucado, p. 55)

"Returning good for good is human,...returning good for evil is divine."

Don't Turn Back, After Being Set Free

Good Morning!! What has you?...What's holding you down or back? Slavery can take many forms. Have you seen people, pace back and forth smoking one cigarette after another?,...In bondage to nicotine. Or how about a divorced person that keeps trying to destroy their "ex", with lawsuits, defamation, and threats. Bitterness has them in bondage. Surly you know someone who suffers from some eating disorder,...obsessions with their bodies, controlling them. Many suffer from bondage to materialism, craving whatever tempts the eye. Other cruel masters are envy, jealousy, hatred, sex, gambling. If you feel yourself slipping into despair at any of these things, cry out to God for freedom.
Though you used to be slaves to sin, you . . . have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.—Romans 6:17-18 (NIV)

God told Moses, "I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free" (Acts 7:34). How seriously did God mean this? Exodus 12 says that God kept vigil that night to get the children of Israel out of bondage. I see this as evidence of a 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year commitment on God's part. God still commands every tyrant in our lives, "Let my people go" and says to the captives, "Come out," and to those in darkness, "Be free!".

God wants to set us free from anything that keeps us in bondage.(Mary D. MacKinnon)

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" The most important question is not whether God can deliver you out of the pit.

The most important question is whether you are going to call out to God in humility,...or are you going to simply gripe, murmur and complain? "

 

(From Dream to Destiny, Robert Morris, p. 40)

"Returning good for good is human,...returning good for evil is divine."

In Sickness And In Health, God Is God

Good Morning!!  I was thinking about a friend that died of cancer, just this past week. And all of the others that I know, that have it or fear that they might. One of the guys where I work was is out for testing, last year. I now know friends, family and a co-worker that survivors. I know God heals, or allows healing of cancer,...so, why not everybody? Sorry, I can't answer that one. But I do know what it means when God does grant healing. When God heals someone of that, and other dreaded diseases,...even the not so dreaded ones.  He is talking to us! He is saying, " Look! " " The real problem is not the disease,...that's only a symptom.  Your body and world today are sick, because you continually operate outside of  My Will. ".
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.—Revelation 21:4 (KJV)

In the beginning, God told Adam, " From the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die." (Genesis 2:17) The Bible goes on to say, " Through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men." (Romans 5:12) You see, death came into our world because of sin! The various forms of disease we experience are simply forerunners of death. So when God does heal someone from a particular illness, He is telling us that He is the cure for sin!...not just a cover-up. As a bonus, He's giving us a taste of heaven to come.

Those who trust in Christ for salvation from sin will one day be totally healed of every physical problem,...and that's what heaven will be like!

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We spend millions on over the counter drugs, millions on doctors, and in hospitals,

....seeking a cure, but ultimately settling for just another cover-up.

"Returning good for good is human,...returning good for evil is divine."

World Or Word

Good Morning!!  It's time to eat, and you have to choose, what are you going to feed yourself, your family and friends. There are two packages "A" and "B". Package "A" has bright colors and nice writing, it's very pleasing to the eye. Package "B" is simple, plain, black and white. "A" says it's part of this nutritious meals, showing you things on the package that are not inside. "B" says it's complete, providing all of your daily requirements with everything you need already inside.  "A" says it's new and improved and everybody wants it! "B" says it's the same as it always was, and it's only for those that are serious about their well being.
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."—2Corinthians 12:9a (NIV)

What about the stuff we take in daily, dose it feed our hearts and souls,...or do they fill us up with garbage? In Philippians 4, the apostle Paul laid down some guidelines for what we should seek in our entertainment diet (as well as other parts of our lives). Among the list, we find the word noble (the Greek word is semna, meaning “worthy of respect”). The final word he lifted up is admirable (euphema or what is “praiseworthy, attractive, and rings true to the highest standards”). Paul implored the Philippians to be discerning as they chose what to mull over in their minds. His desire was that his readers be growing, maturing believers who focused on noble, right, pure thoughts. He knew this edifying practice would lead to lives that better reflect Jesus and His attributes. Books, T.V., movies—and other entertainment—that aren’t worthy of respect or praise leave us wanting. They starve us of the spiritually enriching “food” we need. So, live!, enjoy!,...but let’s pass on things, that are tasteless in Jesus’ eyes.

We are what we eat,...so just what are we feeding yourselves,...World, or Word?

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"When a man is born from above, the life of the Son of God is born in him,...and he can either starve that life, or nourish it."

"Returning good for good is human,...returning good for evil is divine."