Listening NOW Is Best??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #146

23 Monday Oct 2023

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Father's Love, A Form of godliness?, A heart of faith, Abiding In Jesus, Abundant Life In Jesus, Advice for the journey, All About Jesus!, Christ IN YOU, HOPE, Jesus Saves!, Jesus' Sacrifice, Jesus--our all in all, Redemption Through HIS Blood, Regrets, Restoration

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Listening NOW Is Best???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #146

“Finally, my brethren,

be strong

in the Lord,

and in the power of his might…

…11 Put on the whole armour of God,

that ye may be able to stand

against the wiles of the devil…

…13 Wherefore take unto you

the whole armour of God,

that ye may be able to withstand

in the evil day,

and having done all,

to stand.

14 Stand therefore…”. Portions of Ephesians 6:10-18

The armor of God is our essential to being able to “stand” for God, His truth, His Word, and His ways.  It makes me sad that today we are so deficient in teaching The Word of God not only to adults, but to our children.  We spend so much time entertaining them, giving them snacks and having ‘fun’ that there is little time to impress upon them the truths of God’s Word; and while I truly believe the the major deficiency is in the home, the church is also at fault.  It seems that we are so concerned with getting the “crowds” into our buildings, that we work to make them ‘feel good’ and forget that the convicting work of The Holy Spirit seldom ‘feels good’, but without it there will never be a real, genuine, or powerful work of God in our midst (and yes, that is my opinion).  Oh, that we might hear the voice of Jesus and turn our hearts and minds to Him that we might be able to “STAND” for truth in this “evil day”—and yes, my friends it is upon us!  Five times in this brief passage Paull reminds us to be ‘strong’ and to ‘stand’!  Will we stand on The Word of God or fail?

Jesus called us to stand for HIM and to follow HIM not the world, or the popular, or the plans, programs, and ideas that the world uses!  Now I am not against fun, I remember great and glorious times of fun, fellowship and delight as a child, but it never took the place of Bible Study or leaning The Word of God.  I remember two- and three-week Bible Schools, and revivals that lasted that long also—not just 3 days!  Don’t faint, they were amazing times of seeing God work, and we learned Bible verses by the score, many that I remember today came from that training of childhood; but that’s not the main thing I want to consider, but I do want us to base it all on The Word of God not my words; which I hope will help you, but our main-stay must be what God says, HE IS our Lode Star (a star that leads THE way!)

“Saying,

The Son of man must suffer many things,

and be rejected

 of the elders and chief priests and scribes,

and be slain,

and be raised the third day.

23 And he said to them all,

If any man will come after me,

let him deny himself,

and take up his cross daily,

and follow me.

24 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it:

but whosoever will lose his life for my sake,

the same shall save it.

25 For what is a man advantaged,

if he gain the whole world,

and lose himself,

or be cast away?

26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me

and of my words,

of him shall the Son of man be ashamed,

when he shall come in his own glory,

and in his Father’s,

and of the holy angels.”  Luke 9:22-26

 Let’s assess this from the bottom up, if you would, for I think we often quote these verses but miss a real part of the meaning.  We get it that denying Jesus will result in condemnation (See John 3:1-19) but we can reject Jesus in more subtle ways that we often miss, and for some that will be an eternally consequent error!  We can deny Jesus by rejecting His sacrifice, but we can also be guilty of rejecting Jesus’ Words—scripture—for living; and in our culture we are denying it wholesale—we deny the creative order of male and female and try to rewrite what Jesus said clearly and without hesitation—isn’t that denying HIS words?  We say that salvation is a “pray this prayer, say these words, and Jesus will save you”, leaving off any word of seeing sin as sin, repentance, or cross-bearing!  Would this not be denying Jesus?  What Gospel are we sharing?

We need to listen to God’s Word TODAY!  As a ‘senior citizen’ (and I’ll leave it at that, but I’ve lived a long time and have an abundance of regrets some of which I hope to help you avoid!) I have experiences that aren’t the thing I want to share, but I want to share with you the heartache of failing to heed Jesus’ Words, of delaying obedience to my Lord, of just plain missing the boat!  And I must tell you that the pain of regrets is a reality, but it has no comparison to the joy of obeying Jesus—when, where, and how HE calls us to be, do and follow Him, taking the cross to a lost and dying world.  The eternal destiny of others can be dependent upon our choice to obey or reject HIS call; what will we do with Jesus and His Word.  Are you in The Word enough to know what HE has said?  There is a joy to obeying God that has no equal.  I can’t tell you the joy I find in Jesus and obeying HIS call; but I can also tell you that the pain of regrets of failing HIM, and missing the mark are often painful reminders of my own sinful flesh—but praise God for forgiveness, cleansing and restoration to useful service!  I am so grateful that JESUS is The I AM—The One who CAN—The One who WILL!!

Don’t let the enemy come and destroy your joy over past regrets and failures—you go to 1 John 1:9 and do business with Jesus in confessing your sin and failures, asking for HIS open arms of forgiveness to wrap around you, and letting HIM cleanse you and restore whatever needs restoring (yet remembering that some times and things that we have broken, can’t be put back together, but if they can, HE will, and if not He gives us the grace to go on with open eyes to our failures, and confidence in HIS power to restore us to usefulness to HIM and HIS kingdom.  He’s waiting for you today!

“If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just

to forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us

 from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned,

we make him a liar,

and his word is not in us.”  1 John 1:9-10

May we accept HIS love and care for us or be lost because we cling to our own way, our own righteousness, and miss heaven by a regret!  Remember Jesus’ own message to the church at Laodicea—a church who thought they had it all, but Jesus was ‘outside’ knocking on the door!  Are you in the church, but not IN Jesus?  He’s still calling!  Won’t you open the door and let The Master save, heal, and equip you for HIS service!  Jesus does good work—as I heard once, “Jesus doesn’t make any ‘Junk’!”

“Behold,

I stand at the door,

and knock:

if any man hear my voice,

and open the door,

I will come in to him,

and will sup with him,

and he with me.”  Revelation 3:20

I pray that you will hear HIS voice and open that door!

Amen and Amen!!!

Nothing Or Something??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #145

18 Wednesday Oct 2023

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Father's Love, A heart of faith, Abiding In Jesus, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Abiding In The Vine, Advice for the journey, All About Jesus!, Almost But Lost, Amazing Grace, Are you clean?, Are You Ready, Are you ready for Jesus' return?, Are you ready?, Grace, Greater is HE that is IN US!, JESUS, Jesus IN You!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Knows, Jesus Knows YOUR Storm, Jesus Never Fails, Jesus Saves!, Something out of nothing

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Nothing Or Something???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #145

 

I have a relatively brief word for us today—and I say ‘us’, for I need this reminder and encouragement today, and thought you might as well.

Jesus’ message to His disciples just before His death, calls us to devotion with a most solemn statement of truth that we need to be reminded of—or maybe it’s just me?  Either way, let’s dig in.

“I am the true vine,

and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit

he taketh away:

and every branch that beareth fruit,

he purgeth it,

that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean

through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me,

and I in you.

 As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,

except it abide in the vine;

no more can ye,

except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine,

ye are the branches:

He that abideth in me,

and I in him,

the same bringeth forth much fruit:

for without me

ye can do nothing.”  John 15:1-5

Without Jesus, I would be nothing, but HE took this cracked pot—broken in pieces—and made it all anew by HIS blood, HIS love, HIS forgiveness, and HIS grace.  He gave me (and you, if you’ve been truly born again!) HIS indwelling Holy Spirit to guide me into HIS truth, by knowing HIS WORD, to convict, to encourage, to lead and intercede when we have no words!  OH what a Savior Friend is Jesus, and because of what HE has done in/for me, I can truly be one of God’s creations of ‘something out of nothing’, as Paul made clear.

“As it is written,

There is none righteous,

no, not one:” Romans 3:10

Because I was a lost and wandering sinner (even within and active in a church—a good church) Jesus came to me and broke my heart for my own sin and saved me.  I fell on my face before HIM, broken and wretched—I got up redeemed, forgiven and cleansed.  OH, what a Savior– to do for me what no one else could do, not even myself.  And because of what HE has done, I/we can now say “I CAN”!  All because Jesus said…”I AM”…”I can”….”I will”!  And HE did it all for you and me on Calvary!

“I can do all things

through Christ

which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13

Press on my friend, if you know Jesus walk on in power, grace, love, and wisdom; if you don’t know HIM, you can by hearing the voice of God’s Holy Spirit calling to your heart to see your sin as sin, to turn to Jesus in repentance of that very sin—yes all of it—and believing/trusting in HIS substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for your sin and mine!  OH, what a Savior!  Oh, what a friend!!!  I am praying for you even now!

“Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet to be partakers

of the inheritance of the saints in light:

13 Who hath delivered us

from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us into the kingdom

of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

even the forgiveness of sins:”                Colossians 1:12-14

Amen and Amen!!!

Gap Standers Needed??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #144

16 Monday Oct 2023

Posted by in A Father's Love, Stand by ME!, Stand Fast!, Standing in the GAP!, Study to Show Yourself Approved Unto God, Sweet Words or Bitter Words?, Teachers, The Gospel, The greatest gift!!!, The Love of God, The Only Way, The Word Or The World?, There IS a Test!, This IS The Day, This is the Way, Time Is Grace!, Touch them while you can?, Trendy Or Truth, True Gospel, True Knowledge, Trust God, Trusting Jesus?, Truth, Truth is True, Turn to God's Word, Victory IN Jesus!, Walking With Jesus, What are you listening to?, What's coming out of YOUR mouth?, What's in your book?, Whose Sheep are You?, Witness, YOU Can do ALL things through Jesus

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Gap Standers Needed???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #144

God is faithful at every turn, and HIS WORD has never changed, nor will it!  We are living in a world full of those who claim the name of Jesus and lead people away from The Word of God; but we’re not the first and if Jesus tarries, we won’t be the last!  Ezekiel has a word from The Lord in this regard, and I’d like us to consider it today, for we have these same “lying prophets” in our culture today!

“And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

2 Son of man,

prophesy against the prophets of Israel

that prophesy,

and say thou unto them that prophesy

out of their own hearts,

Hear ye the word of the LORD;

3 Thus saith the Lord GOD;

Woe unto the foolish prophets,

that follow their own spirit,

and have seen nothing!

4 O Israel, thy prophets

are like the foxes in the deserts.

5 Ye have not gone up into the gaps,

neither made up the hedge

for the house of Israel to stand

in the battle in the day of the LORD.

6 They have seen vanity and lying divination,

saying, The LORD saith:

and the LORD hath not sent them:

and they have made others to hope

that they would confirm the word.”    Ezekiel 13:1-6

And Ezekiel received another similar message from God for this foolish and deceived people.  May we hear The Word of The Lord!

“The people of the land have used oppression,

and exercised robbery,

and have vexed the poor and needy:

yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.

30 And

I sought for a man among them,

that should make up the hedge,

and stand in the gap before me

 for the land,

that I should not destroy it:

 but I found none.

31 Therefore have I poured out mine indignation

upon them;

I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath:

their own way have I recompensed

upon their heads,

saith the Lord GOD.”  Ezekiel 22:29-31

Do you see the parallel to America?  I do!  Israel had listened to lying prophets, and rejected the true prophets of God, who warned them of God’s coming judgment through Babylon!  We have prophets (preachers & teachers) today who claim the name of Jesus, and yet preach a word that is not biblically sound.  But how do we know?  We MUST be IN it for ourselves, for it IS the standard of truth, right, God’s ways, times, and righteousness.  Paul told His precious son-in-the-ministry to cling to the truths of God’s Word!  What are we clinging to?  God’s Word or the foolish things of the world—the lies of the enemy (See John 8:44)?

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God,

a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,

rightly dividing the word of truth.

16 But shun profane and vain babblings:

for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”  2 Timothy 2:15-16

The main things which Paul points out here I’d like to simply repeat for our consideration, that we might examine our own lives in light of these principles:

We are to STUDY GOD’S WORD to know truth—

We are to seek GOD’S approval over man’s—

We are to Be A faithful WORKMAN, living without shame—

We are to “RIGHTLY DIVIDE” GOD’S WORD—                                           (not putting our own ‘spin’ on it but doing honest, diligent study, keeping the whole counsel of God in sight, with the immediate context and larger context always in mind.)

We are to shun that which is profane and senseless.                               (Jesus said, “Cast not your pearls before swine.”)

Paul went on in this letter to the young “Preacher Man” to call him to know that  THE WORD of GOD is what we are to study, not just for information’s sake, but for the increase of our faith, maturity, wisdom, grace, and righteous service to others before a lost and dying world.  We must remember that these instructions aren’t just for the preachers and teachers, but for every child of God; for we are saved to serve God and be full of good works and righteous living!

“All scripture

is given by inspiration of God,

and is profitable

for doctrine, (truth, information)

for reproof,   (showing what’s wrong)

for correction, (making the wrong right)

for instruction in righteousness: (prevention)

17 That the man of God

may be perfect, (mature)

throughly furnished (fully equipped)

unto all good works.”  2 Timothy 3:16-17

These ‘good works’ are to be an integral part of who we are “IN CHRIST JESUS”, for we have received life, peace, and new life through the power of The Holy Spirit who comes to dwell within each believer!  (See Romans 5:1-11+). God’s work of grace in us is to be a true and effective reflection of Jesus in all we are & all we do!  We must “be HIS” before we can “do HIS” work!

“For by grace

are ye saved

through faith;

and that not of yourselves:

 it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works,

lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship,

created in Christ Jesus

 unto good works,

which God hath before ordained

that we should walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:8-10.                 (I would encourage you to read all of this precious chapter.)

We must choose to live like it, if we are truly “his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” that Jesus may be seen IN us, for HE IS IN us!  What does my life and yours say to this lost and dying world around us?  Are we being faithful witnesses, by knowing what God has said; or will we waste our time with fruitless “profane and vain babblings” (and if you consider ‘profane’ and ‘babbling’ they are both synonyms of ‘fruitless’!).  May we be found faithful students of God’s Word so that we can truly reflect the “TRUTH” of God—who IS JESUS!  Let’s stand in that gap for our Lord, by HIS power and grace!!!

“Jesus saith unto him,

I am

the way,

the truth,

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”  John 14:6

Amen and Amen!!!

Fall Into_____??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #143

13 Friday Oct 2023

Posted by in Faithfulness, Falling Into_____, Love, Love Is Action, Lovest Thou ME?

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Fall Into________???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #143

“And he spake a parable unto them,

Can the blind lead the blind?

shall they not both fall into the ditch?

40 The disciple is not above his master:

but every one that is perfect

shall be as his master.”  Luke 6:39-40

I love the words of Jesus, and I hope to start a study on them soon, but the thing I want us to consider this morning is, “What are we falling into?”  Are we blind leaders of the blind?  Are we walking “in the light as he is in the light”?  Jesus is The Lord of all, and we must choose who or what we will follow or ‘fall into’; Jesus is ever calling us to follow HIS lead, not the blindness of this world.  But there is something else significant that Jesus is calling us to—to follow HIM personally as well as HIS example!

“And Jesus answered them, saying,

The hour is come,

that the Son of man should be glorified.

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you,

Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground

and die,

it abideth alone:

but if it die,

it bringeth forth much fruit.

25 He that loveth his life

shall lose it;

and he that hateth his life in this world

shall keep it

unto life eternal.

26 If any man serve me,

let him follow me;

and where I am,

there shall also my servant be:

 if any man serve me,

him will my Father honour.”  John 12:23-26

Jesus came to die for my sin and yours!  It’s why HE came to this earth, to be “the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world”!  And this “Lamb of God” would lay down HIS life for sin—yet not HIS own sin, but for yours and mine; this perfect sinless Son of God came to pay the debt that you and I owed for SIN!  He died for my sin and yours, so we could have eternal life.  If we’ll see through what else Jesus is saying to us, we won’t miss the call to the “cross”; Jesus said if we don’t die to self, we can’t have HIS life, but when we are willing to “take up” our own cross and “follow Jesus” where ever HE leads, we will find HIS life within us, HIS life seen through us, and HIS glory reflected in a Holy Spirit empowered, godly life!  Paul said it better than I can!

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

Jesus carried your sin and mine to Calvary; won’t you trust HIM with your life, for HE died for a debt HE didn’t owe, because we owed a debt that we couldn’t pay unless we go to HELL!  Jesus is able, willing, and victorious over sin, death, and HELL, if you’ll but come to HIM in repentance, and faith in HIS substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for sin—yours and mine.

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest,

that is passed into the heavens,

Jesus the Son of God,

let us hold fast our profession.

15 For we have not an high priest

which cannot be touched

with the feeling of our infirmities;

but was in all points tempted like as we are,

yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly

unto the throne of grace,

 that we may obtain mercy,

and find grace to help

 in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:14-16 

Jesus had an amazing conversation with Peter after the resurrection; a conversation that seems to be Jesus’ work of restoration in a beloved disciple/Apostle/friend who had fallen into the temptation of denial in the face of fear and trouble.  Do YOU/I “lovest thou ME more than these”?  You fill in the ______ of your “these”!  Have you failed HIM?

“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter,

Simon, son of Jonas,

lovest thou me more than these?

He saith unto him,

Yea, Lord;

thou knowest that I love thee.

He saith unto him,

Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time,

Simon, son of Jonas,

lovest thou me?

He saith unto him,

Yea, Lord;

thou knowest that I love thee.

He saith unto him,

Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time,

Simon, son of Jonas,

lovest thou me?

Peter was grieved because he said unto him

the third time,

Lovest thou me?

And he said unto him,

Lord, thou knowest all things;

thou knowest that I love thee.

Jesus saith unto him,

Feed my sheep.

18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

When thou wast young,

thou girdedst thyself,

and walkedst whither thou wouldest:

but when thou shalt be old,

thou shalt stretch forth thy hands,

and another shall gird thee,

and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

19 This spake he, signifying

by what death he should glorify God.

And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him,

Follow me.”  John 21:15-19

Just like the shepherd of Psalm 23, Jesus called Peter to trust HIM as THE Great Shepherd, knowing that his LORD had already walked through that “valley of the shadow of death” and not only died, but rose from the dead, and sat alive with him on the shore.  Are you following your Shepherd or falling into “these”—and my “these” will probably look different than yours, but we must be willing to “love Jesus” more!  It requires a lot of devotion and commitment to follow Jesus when everything around is calling us to “go fishing”!  Will you choose to follow HIM or just fall into whatever comes your way?  Remember who stands in the gap for those of HIS own—JESUS!

“But this man,

because he continueth ever,

hath an unchangeable priesthood.

25 Wherefore he is able also to save them

to the uttermost

that come unto God by him,

seeing he ever liveth

to make intercession for them.”  HeHebrews 7:24-25

Amen and Amen!!!

Like Jesus Not Each Other??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #142

11 Wednesday Oct 2023

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Father's Love, A Form of godliness?, Abiding In Jesus, Following Jesus, Help from The Lord, Here am I send me!, JESUS, Jesus call, Jesus IN You!, Jesus IS The Gift!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Is Truth, Jesus Knows, Jesus Saves!, Jesus--our all in all, Like Jesus NOT Each Other, Not a competition

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Like Jesus Not Each Other???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #142

I’d like to share a word that The Lord brought to my mind and heart recently and maybe it will resonate with you as well.  We live in a hostile and divided world, a country where we are at odds with one another; it shouldn’t be so in the Body of Christ.

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord,

beseech you that ye walk worthy

of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

2 With all

lowliness

and meekness,

with longsuffering,

forbearing one another

in love;

3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit

in the bond of peace.

4 There is one body,

and one Spirit,

even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5 One Lord,

one faith,

one baptism,

6 One God and Father of all,

who is above all,

and through all,

and in you all.

7 But unto every one of us

is given grace

according to the measure of the gift

of Christ…

….11 And he gave some,

apostles;

and some,

prophets;

and some,

evangelists;

and some,

pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints,

for the work of the ministry,

for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith,

and of the knowledge of the Son of God,

unto a perfect man,

unto the measure of the stature

of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children,

tossed to and fro,

and carried about with every wind of doctrine,

by the sleight of men,

and cunning craftiness,

whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love,

may grow up into him

in all things,

which is the head,

even Christ:” Portions of Ephesians 4:1-15

We are called by God unto The Lord Jesus, who by the power and indwelling Holy Spirit, gifts, equips, and uses us when, where, how and as HE sees fit.  Yet so often we think that everyone else has to minister “like I do”!  Everyone has to understand what I do!  Everyone who is right with Jesus has to agree with “me”! Duh!  Not necessarily so!  In fact Paul was telling the believers in Ephesus (and us) that we are to work together by the power, gifting, and love of Jesus, which should produce “unity” NOT “uniformity”!  Sometimes we who live in America, forget that God calls us to ‘godly DEPENDENCE’ AND ‘godly interdependence’ NOT that “good ol’ American INDEPENDENCE”!  As the modern proverb is so often slung about, “It’s MY way or the highway!”  Jesus said something that I often have to be reminded of, because I forget it so often in my own zeal and ardor for The Word of God.  Just as Jesus sent out the ‘apostles’ to different places, to encounter unique and different people, with the truth of The Gospel—that Jesus, Himself, would be “The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (See 1 Corinthians 15:1-5)!  Upon that we stand, not all the little nuances and uniquenesses of our individuality.  As long as it matches The Word of God, we are to work within our own giftings and callings from JESUS Himself!

We aren’t to be clannish, or judge others who carry out God’s work differently than “I” do, according to the truths in The Word!  Jesus had to adjust the thinking of His own disciples—those who walked the closest with HIM.  How about you and me; don’t we often miss it also (Just remember that the ‘wisdom of this world isn’t God’s wisdom)?

“Then there arose a reasoning among them,

which of them should be greatest.

47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart,

took a child,

and set him by him,

48 And said unto them,

Whosoever shall receive this child

in my name

receiveth me:

and whosoever shall receive me

receiveth him that sent me:

for he that is least among you all,

the same shall be great.

49 And John answered and said,

Master,

we saw one casting out devils

in thy name;

 and we forbad him,

because he followeth not with us.

50 And Jesus said unto him,

Forbid him not:

for he that is not against us

is for us.”  Luke 9:46-50

Sounds like a lot of believers today, doesn’t it?  Oh, that Jesus could mold my heart to see what HE sees, to go where, when, and how HE is leading “me” and allow others to do the same, as long as it isn’t in conflict with The WORD of GOD!  GRACE is a big word, that we often use selectively, and often remove the “amazing” from it!

Paul addressed this same issue in Romans 14, and I’ll share it with you that you may ponder what he says, and you and I can, as they say, mull it over—take it before our LORD—and walk worthy of our calling!  While this is a lengthy passage, I think it worth our attention, and I encourage you (as well as myself—for I can be as harsh as anyone, when my flesh jumps ahead of The Holy Spirit who is working ‘in me’ and ‘in you’) to consider that there are others besides ‘us’ who belong to Jesus!

“Him that is weak in the faith

receive ye,

but not to doubtful disputations.

2 For one believeth that he may eat all things:

another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

3 Let not him that eateth

despise him that eateth not;

and let not him which eateth not

judge him that eateth:

for God hath received him.

4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant?

to his own master he standeth or falleth.

Yea, he shall be holden up:

for God is able to make him stand.

5 One man esteemeth one day above another:

another esteemeth every day alike.

Let every man be fully persuaded

in his own mind.

6 He that regardeth the day,

regardeth it unto the Lord;

and he that regardeth not the day,

to the Lord he doth not regard it.

He that eateth,

eateth to the Lord,

for he giveth God thanks;

and he that eateth not,

to the Lord he eateth not,

and giveth God thanks.

7 For none of us liveth to himself,

and no man dieth to himself.

8 For whether we live,

we live unto the Lord;

and whether we die,

we die unto the Lord:

whether we live therefore,

or die,

we are the Lord’s.

9 For to this end

Christ both died,

and rose,

and revived,

that he might be Lord

both of the dead and living.

10 But why dost thou judge thy brother?

or why dost thou set at nought thy brother?

for we shall all stand

before the judgment seat of Christ.

11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord,

every knee shall bow to me,

and every tongue shall confess to God.”   Romans 14:1-11

May we each continually be “sharpeners” for God’s purposes and glory, and the good of all the brethren! (And remember that “the judgment seat of Christ” is for believers only!)

“Iron

sharpeneth iron;

so a man sharpeneth

the countenance of his friend.”  Proverbs 27:17

So, let’s get to sharpening!!!  Keeping our eyes on the PRIZE!!!

“Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life

for his friends.

14 Ye are my friends,

if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15 Henceforth I call you not servants;

for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth:

but I have called you friends;

for all things that I have heard of my Father

I have made known unto you.”  John 15:13-15

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples,

If any man will come after me,

let him deny himself,

and take up his cross,

and follow me.

25 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it:

and whosoever will lose his life for my

sake shall find it.”  Matthew 16:24-25

May we join with Paul, in his proclamation of faithful service to our KING in Galatians 2:20

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”

Amen and Amen!!!