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I heard a fellow tell the story of the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem from the colt’s perspective. When he was returned to his owner he excitedly told all the other animals how warmly he had been welcomed in Jerusalem. “People were laying down branches and even their coats for me to walk on. They were shouting and cheering. They were all so excited to see me and have me come to town.” Continue reading
Category Archives: 2 Corinthians
Mormons & Muslims on the same page
Galatians 1:8
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!
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Mohammad declared an angel appeared to him and revealed the Koran. Joseph Smith proclaimed the Book of Mormon was shown to him by an angel. Others make similar claims to divine inspiration and revelation.
Today another “gospel”, not a new one, just a revived one, is slithering into the Body of Christ. The “good news” that God is only a one dimensional God of love. He has no anger, wrath or justice within Him, in spite of the Bible’s many clear declarations (Old and New Testament) to the contrary.
The vilest wretch of a human and the most precious saint will both ultimately live forever in an eternal reward. And that is how God shows Himself to be both a God of love and justice. Obviously this is not how the lie is sold but the idea of universalism is another gospel, certainly not one taught by Jesus or Paul. Continue reading
Pain: Evidence God has plans for you
Individuals that God uses in a special way are often put through deeper and more difficult trials than others. We see this throughout Scripture. You cannot name a single individual used greatly by God that did not face fire, opposition, sickness, hardship, persecution and testing. In fact, you often see a correlation between the depth of their despair and the height to which God uses them after they have been proven by the testing. The deeper the pit the higher the mountaintop to follow. This is counterintuitive to our way of thinking (and, sadly, also counter to much of what today is proclaimed as “gospel”). Why would a loving God not treat His children better?
Shopping hints for husbands
This post is for the guys but,
Ladies: Click here to find out what your husband most wants to find under his tree.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year – unless you are like me and really lousy at picking gifts. I thought I would offer some advice, based on experience, as to what you can get your wife to brighten her holidays. First, some things not to give:
1. A Bathroom scale
Jana won’t let me forget this one. She had been saying she wanted one so I thought, “Aha. A sure winner”. It was not. Even though it was digital (back then that was really cool) and even told her what percentage of body fat she had. I can’t imagine why any woman would not want to know her body fat percentage. Strike 1!
W.O.W. – women are very body conscious and anything (work out DVDs, gym memberships, calorie counting cookbooks, etc) that we get them that suggests they are out of shape (hey, round is a shape) just adds to the insecurity they already feel.
Continue reading
I Am Hopelessly Holy
1 Peter 1:15, 16
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
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There can be no question that God wants believers to live our lives differently than we did before we became His children. If a profession of faith does not lead to a changed life there is reason to wonder if there has truly been a “born again”, “new creature” experience at the level of the spirit.
However, in my life, this has also led to discouragement, frustration and a near hopelessness because I am so aware of the fact that, though “The Spirit itself beareth witness with (my) spirit, that” I am a child of God (Romans 8:16) I still am no where near “holy in all I do”. Continue reading
Garbage Cans and Golden Cups
I’ve observed that in God’s house there are both garbage cans and golden cups – some folks fill their lives with slop and slime while other’s lives pour out blessing and treasure to everyone who knows them. Why the difference – why do some folks come to know the Lord and their lives change very little while others become sweet gifts to humanity? Does God bless some more than others? Does He reveal Himself more to some than others? Are the golden cups just “teacher’s pets” that get special favor from God while others struggle just to make it as His followers?
This passage helped me see what makes the difference.
…”Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. (2 Timothy 2:19-21)
“Those who cleanse themselves from the” wickedness mentioned in the previous passage “will be instruments for special purposes.” It is not God who determines if our life is full of slop or treasure. We make that decision. Our salvation is not based upon our efforts and righteous acts but how we are used, the outcome of our life, obviously is based upon whether we “cleanse ourselves” or continue to fill our eyes, hearts and minds with the sludge of this world.
Those who choose to feed at the slop bucket of this world will themselves become slop buckets (articles for common use) but those who cleanse themselves “will be instruments for special purposes”. Both will be used by God but I have to decide how I want God to use me, for special purposes or does he need to keep me hidden in the utility room because of the vileness I fill myself with? The choice is mine. The choice is yours.
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2 Corinthians 7:1
Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
Is God on America’s side?
We are in a war where radical Muslims claim God is on their side. In America we pray for God to bless our troops and believe God is on our side. Does God choose sides and if so, whose side is He on?
We gain insight into the answer in Joshua 5:13-14. Joshua is preparing to lead Israel in battle against Jericho. Joshua sees “a man” standing with sword drawn and he asks him, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” This “man” turns out to be an angel, or most probably, a pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
God had commanded the Israelites to go in and conquer the land to punish the inhabitants of it for their continued wicked ways. He had promised the Israelites that He would give them victory. If anybody could ever say, “God is on our side”, these would be the people who could make that claim. Yet, the “man” gives a very curious answer, “Neither”.
Neither? He wasn’t for them or for their enemies? He goes on to explain, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” In other words, He was saying, “I am on God’s side. The real question is, ‘Are you on God’s side or on the side of His enemies?’” God is always on His own side, accomplishing His purposes. It is man who must choose which side He will be on, the side of right or the side of wrong?
Is there a “right” side in war? Certainly there is, God’s side. It is God who established what is right and what is wrong. God is always on the side of good. That means He is opposed to those who are proud, perpetrate injustice or do not show mercy (Micah 6:8). He is opposed to those who shed innocent blood and devise wicked plans (Proverbs 6:17). He supports liberty for mankind (Isaiah 61:1; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Leviticus 25:10). The Bible lists many things He is opposed to and many things He is in favor of. The nation that goes to war to accomplish a godly purpose has chosen to be on God’s side.
We need to recognize too that God has often provoked nations to go to war to accomplish His purpose. Israel invaded the Promised Land to accomplish God’s punishment upon those nations that had repeatedly rejected Him. (They had heard the message. Melchizedek is an example of one prophet God had sent among the gentile nations in that area.) Throughout the book of Judges, and elsewhere, God provoked the nations surrounding Israel to attack them to chastise them for their rebellion. Ultimately Israel and Judah were conquered by the Assyrians and the Babylonians as part of God’s plan to purge Israel of her idolatry. We have solid Biblical reasons to believe God still provokes nations to go to war to accomplish His will.
Is God on the side of the Muslims? Is God on the side of the Jews? Is God on America’s side? God is on His side and actively accomplishing His purpose here on earth. Therefore, it is up to man to choose which side he will fight on. Will we side with God in bringing about the good He plans for mankind or will we fight against God for our own selfish ends?
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Proverbs 21:30-31
There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.
The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.
The Pharisees were right!
If the Pharisees had understood Jesus when he cried “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” they would have certainly recognized it as a quote from the Psalms but would likely have also concluded, “That is proof we were right!”
Jesus had claimed some special relationship with God – sonship. In fact, He had even been blasphemous enough to equate Himself as God Himself, the great I AM. But now, when it was crunch time, God had forsaken Him. They had proven their point. This was just a sinful man, a blasphemer who deserved the horrid death He was enduring right now. Even Jesus admitted that God had forsaken Him. The Pharisees were right.
In actuality, what appeared as a cry of defeat was God’s path to the ultimate victory. Jesus was rejected but it was for our sin, our sin that had now been laid upon Him. Jesus became the greatest sinner of all time so He could become the Savior for all time.
Perhaps you need to cry defeat also, to enter God’s victory. Often it takes us coming to the end of ourselves, to a point of utter despair before we finally cry out to God and allow Him to show Himself strong on our behalf. What may appear to be a cry of defeat could be your first step to God coming to your defense.
Don’t give up. Instead, give it over. Turn your problem over to God. Give Him the reins in your life and see what He does with it. Your cry of defeat will become an entrance to resurrection victory.
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2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV)
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
What standard do you use?
2 Corinthians 10:12
But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!
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It is easy to compare ourselves to unbelievers and think we are different than the world when in reality we are just a few years behind. What was shocking fashion 20 years ago is now church attire. What was anathema a decade and a half ago is now accepted behavior.
It appears that as the world abandons one level of ground to sink to deeper levels of depravity, the church rushes in to occupy the vacant land. Tragically, as we sow the same seeds of lifestyle, we also reap the same harvest of selfish living – high divorce rates, addictions, financial struggles, greed, loss of purpose, etc.
It is true that some things once condemned from the pulpit were not based on Scriptural standards but in our rush to avoid “legalism” it is easy to swing too far in the other direction. God’s standards, however, don’t change and if I want to experience the blessings He promises for those who walk in His ways, I must discover His ways. The only place to do that is in His Book. I have got to get into the Bible to discover what brings joy and honor to Him.
I wish I could look to the church to guide me in that, but sadly, even many leaders in the church today are adrift pursuing the world. I love the church and I love God’s people but I have got to keep my gaze fixed on Jesus and His Word to be my standard of conduct. I will give account to Him based upon His Word, not based upon how everyone around me is living.
Lord, help me stay engaged and in love with the Body of Christ but when it comes to daily decisions and life standards keep me laser focused on You and Your Word. Teach me Your ways. I want to learn to follow You more perfectly every day.
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Psalms 25:4-13
4 Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; 5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. 8 Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. 10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant. 12 Who, then, is the man that fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him. 13 He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land.
God WILL Give Us More Than We Can Handle
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
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Based on this passage I have heard people say “God won’t give us more than we can handle”. I have heard it applied to struggles in relationships, finances, health, most any area of life that can be overwhelming. Not only does this verse not promise that “God won’t give us more than we can handle”, it actually says the opposite.
Paul, the apostle who wrote this, was given more than he could handle. In 2 Corinthians 1:8 he says that while ministering in Asia “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure …” so God will allow more to come into our lives than we can handle.
Why would God allow such a thing? Paul explains that in the next passage.
“This happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”. God will regularly “give us more than we can handle” so we can learn to trust Him and not our own strength.
But this passage does not even say God will limit the power of temptation in our lives to something we can handle. It does say that when an overwhelming temptation comes He will provide a way of escape. The way we “bear” up under the temptation is by taking the way of escape.
The conclusion: Though God may not send the overwhelming trials nor the temptations into our lives (James 1:13) He will definitely allow us to experience more than we can handle so we learn to flee temptation and learn to trust Him in times of stress.
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Matthew 26:41
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”