Treasure in Earthen Vessels by Rebecca

“Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” – 1 Corinthians 1:20-21

 The believers of Corinth, to whom Paul was writing, had some problems – problems common to believers and churches of all ages, including today. Paul tackles the first without hesitation: contentions and divisions. “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” (vs. 10)

The Corinthians were splitting into factions, saying “I am of Paul,” or “of Apollos,” or “of Cephas,” or “of Christ.” They were being drawn away from truth and becoming embroiled in meaningless hairsplitting, arguing, and dissenting. Paul urges these beloved believers to return to their foundation and to walk in love. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; they were to all have His mind and to be joined together as His body. There is, of course, a place for loving debate and for separating from those who have departed from the Word of God, but that was not the issue in Corinth. Instead of debate being a means to the end of truth, truth had become a means to the end of debate. Jesus was no longer the goal. When we, for whatever reason, take our eyes off Christ and pursue something else for itself, it will always end in disaster. Paul did not want to see the precious fellowship of Corinth derail because of such tragic error.

The gospel of Christ is not debate. It’s not clever words. It’s not a means to achieve your own goals. It’s not a Band-Aid. The gospel is simply this: the power of God to those who are being saved. “For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (vs. 22-24)

If you don’t want the gospel, then there is no argument or proof – even if it be someone coming back from the dead – that will change you. The wisdom of the world offers a plethora of excuses you can use to discount the gospel in your life. God’s a myth; man can solve his own problems; the notion of sin is outdated and oppressive; evil is curable; evolution has disproved God; the Bible is full of contradictions; Christianity is a crazy cult; Christians are intolerant; religion causes problems; mankind is basically good; God is too harsh; truth is relative; there’s more than one way to heaven, etc., etc., etc. The answers to all those challenges are blindingly obvious, if you will only choose to open your eyes. It’s not reason that’s keeping you from Christ; it’s the fact that you just don’t want Him.

“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.’” (vs. 26-31)

The wisdom of the world can’t figure out the gospel. To those who are rich and mighty in the world and its ways, the gospel is simply foolishness. But the Lord, in His wisdom, brilliantly disguised the truth in seeming folly so that the line between the believing and unbelieving might be clear. It pleased Him to fill His word with paradoxes and earthly impossibilities; to use the most unlikely instruments; to have infinite treasure in humble earthen vessels. He cloaks power with folly, so that true folly might be clear for all to see! He uses the weak and the poor and the low of this world to demonstrate the excellence of His glory and show us – believers and unbelievers alike – how weak and needy we really are. He wants us to be humble so that He might exalt us. He wants us to admit our own inability so that we might be filled with His strength. He wants us to realize our depravity so that we might grasp His mercy and redemption. He wants us to see the futility of this world so that we might experience the fullness of eternity.

Watch as this world comes apart at the seams. Witness the fruit of worldly wisdom. Weep at the results. Reject the false philosophies and the façade of wisdom. Reject the notion that you are “okay” and can manage on your own. Forsake the lusts of the world that is empty and passing away. And oh, please, turn to the truth and the power of God to those who are being saved!

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

2 Peter 3, “Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.’ For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”

 

The Fear of the Lord

Proverbs 1:7  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Wisdom and folly....the two major themes found throughout the Book of Proverbs.  A wise man in biblical terms is a man who walks in accordance with God's precepts.  A fool is one who does not...a fool lives apart from God.

With that having been said, the fear of the Lord is the foundation of everything.  It begins when the Spirit of God dwells inside us at the moment of salvation.  He (the Spirit)  moves in our thinking.


Fallen, unsaved man's mind, the Bible says, is depraved, blind, futile, foolish, and ignorant.  I can give you the references if you need them.  Here is what John MacArthur says about the mind of fallen man:

"So depraved it does not choose what is good, so blind it does not know what is good, so useless it does not perform what is good, so ignorant it doesn't even know it's doing all of this and you're left with the only alternative...everything is foolish. That's the mind of man, fallen man"

My mind was all these things and more before coming to the Lord...despite my college degree...despite my good job.  My life was in shambles...John MacArthur's quote hits home.  Upon acceptance of the Lord, however, the one thing that told me something supernatural had occurred was that I felt like my mind had expanded exponentially. I saw things and understood things with different eyes.  Many, many of my beliefs changed at the moment Christ entered my heart and The Spirit of God moved into my thinking. My mind which was once depraved, blind, futile,  ignorant and foolish was now different. No, I did not have a new brain, but I did have a new way of thinking and I no longer had the desire to do many of the sins that were so attractive to me prior to my conversion.


Solomon, the wisest man whoever lived, said this in the Book of Ecclesiastes.

And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all.

The fear of the Lord involves our devotion to Him and because of this it involves our hatred of sin because God  is holy and cannot look upon evil.   When we speak of the fear of the Lord it is really being afraid that we will do something  that will be grieving to Him.  Proverbs 8:13 defines it as hating evil.  Love for God and love for sin cannot coexist.  The longer you walk with the Lord the more you will despise sin. You will see it for what it is...ugly and disgusting and the cause of much  grief.  It corrupts, it defiles, it numbs people into complacency and it blinds them to reality.  Sin hurts the innocent and helpless.  It leaves destruction and devastation in its wake and has a stupefying effect on those who make a practice of it.

There is nothing more reasonable...more wise, if you will...than trusting,  reverencing and obeying the One who created you.  There is nothing more foolish than to reject the wisdom and counsel of the One who knows everything about you, to do what is right in your own eyes and live by your own wisdom.   

Look at your life.  Do you follow Christ?  Do you desire to follow Christ? And when you don't are you saddened by that? That is the mark of salvation. That is the fear of the Lord. Following Christ must be the direction of your life.  You will not follow perfectly but you will follow...you will persevere down that path.  The one who fears the Lord will love Christ and hate sin.  It is not that you will not sin, but you will sin less and less as you press on toward the goal of the upward call of Christ Jesus in your life. 

Love
Mom

Proverbs 1:5-6

Proverbs 1:5-6 A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles.

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,

A wise man wants to learn...he will hear and purpose in his heart to understand what he has heard. A wise man will put energy and effort into obtaining wisdom and understanding.  For instance, you might read a proverb and find its meaning difficult to discern at first. I believe that is planned.  God wants you to think about what you have heard or read. Our ability to think is one of the greatest gifts God has given us.  I think our Lord  makes the meanings a bit obscure on purpose so that we do meditate on them, and puzzle over them.  When the light finally goes on and we have that flash of understanding... it is ours...we will never forget it.  When we give something careful consideration and thought it becomes our own in a personal way.  We begin to apply the truth then in our lives.  Girls...make a practice of spending time thinking about the Scriptures...take a verse or two and meditate on it as you go about  your day.  Write down your thoughts regarding your meditation  at the end of the day.  After a few months of practicing this on a daily basis,  you will be amazed at your increased understanding of  Scripture and also  the improvement in your thinking abilities.

Love
Mom

Proverbs 1

The Beginning of Knowledge

 ¹ The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
       ² To know wisdom and instruction,
      To perceive the words of understanding,
       ³ To receive the instruction of wisdom,
      Justice, judgment, and equity;
       ⁴ To give prudence to the simple,
      To the young man knowledge and discretion—
       ⁵ A wise man will hear and increase learning,
      And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
       ⁶ To understand a proverb and an enigma,
      The words of the wise and their riddles.
       ⁷ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
      But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Shun Evil Counsel

    ⁸ My son, hear the instruction of your father,
      And do not forsake the law of your mother;
       ⁹ For they will be a graceful ornament on your head,
      And chains about your neck.
       ¹⁰ My son, if sinners entice you,
      Do not consent.
       ¹¹ If they say, “Come with us,
      Let us lie in wait to shed blood;
      Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
       ¹² Let us swallow them alive like Sheol,^[a]
      And whole, like those who go down to the Pit;
       ¹³ We shall find all kinds of precious possessions,
      We shall fill our houses with spoil;
       ¹⁴ Cast in your lot among us,
      Let us all have one purse”—
       ¹⁵ My son, do not walk in the way with them,
      Keep your foot from their path;
       ¹⁶ For their feet run to evil,
      And they make haste to shed blood.
       ¹⁷ Surely, in vain the net is spread
      In the sight of any bird;
       ¹⁸ But they lie in wait for their own blood,
      They lurk secretly for their own lives.
       ¹⁹ So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain;
      It takes away the life of its owners.

The Call of Wisdom

    ²⁰ Wisdom calls aloud outside;
      She raises her voice in the open squares.
       ²¹ She cries out in the chief concourses,^[b]
      At the openings of the gates in the city
      She speaks her words:
       ²² “ How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
      For scorners delight in their scorning,
      And fools hate knowledge.
       ²³ Turn at my rebuke;
      Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;
      I will make my words known to you.
       ²⁴ Because I have called and you refused,
      I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
       ²⁵ Because you disdained all my counsel,
      And would have none of my rebuke,
       ²⁶ I also will laugh at your calamity;
      I will mock when your terror comes,
       ²⁷ When your terror comes like a storm,
      And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,
      When distress and anguish come upon you.
       ²⁸ “ Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
      They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
       ²⁹ Because they hated knowledge
      And did not choose the fear of the LORD,
       ³⁰ They would have none of my counsel
      And despised my every rebuke.
       ³¹ Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,
      And be filled to the full with their own fancies.
       ³² For the turning away of the simple will slay them,
      And the complacency of fools will destroy them;
       ³³ But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,
      And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

Mercy in the Midst of the Great Tribulation

⁹ After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, ¹⁰ and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” ¹¹ All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹² saying:


      “ Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
      Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
      Be to our God forever and ever.
      Amen.”

¹³ Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”
¹⁴ And I said to him, “Sir, you know.”
So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. ¹⁶ They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; ¹⁷ for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters.  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”--Revelation 7:9-17

Girls,

Reading through Revelation and stopped here for a moment.  God is so good. He is filled with mercy and compassion and gives us so many chances to repent and look to Him.  The elder in verse 14 identifies these as  "the ones who come out of the great tribulation."  Perhaps the greatest revival the world has ever seen, will occur during the period that comes immediately after the Rapture and in the midst of the greatest suffering the people on earth have ever known.  Even in judgment God remembers mercy and reaches out His hand to us.  

It is a comfort for me to know that God loves each one of us to the very end and does not wish that any of us should perish.  There will be so many people after the Rapture who had heard the gospel but not responded...thinking there was time. The loved one that had been witnessing to them is now gone...suddenly disappeared. But God because of His great love will be there calling them to come and even though their salvation could cost them their lives...they will now see that their hope is not in this world and will fall on their knees crying out to Him for salvation.

Jeremiah, in Lamentations 3,  in the midst of judgment, sin and sorrow, says this.

This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!"

Hope in Him...come to Him now.  2 Corinthians 6 says that Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Love
Mom

Open Your Mouth Wide

I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
“But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, To walk in their own counsels. “Oh, that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways!--Psalm 81:10-13

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,

Here is God's heart for each of us.  He wants us to find our full satisfaction in Him. Open your mouth wide and He will fill it.  Only He can satisfy the longing in our hearts. But they (like us) thought they knew better. God's response was to let them walk in their own counsels.  Are you tired of walking in your own counsel yet.  God wants you to find your complete satisfaction in Him in total surrender to His will. He wants to be your portion.  He will allow us to go our own way but of course it is always at our own risk...our own peril.  There is a way that seems right to man but its end is the way of death.  Open your heart to Him today...

Love
Mom

Continuing Steadfastly in Prayer...

Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer--Romans 12:12 
(emphasis mine)


Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,

This triplet in Romans is filled with wisdom and exhortation for daily living. The one that we need, however, to do the other two is to be continuing steadfastly in prayer.  We need the connection with Him...without Him we can do nothing. This is what we must practice in our lives.  Surrendering to Him when we feel overwhelmed, insecure, grieved, angry, offended, undecided...and a thousand other feelings that us frail human beings must deal with daily.  God wants us to cry out to Him and when we do it is then we can rejoice and be patient because we know He has got our backs. He will doing nothing to harm us.  His goal is only our good...

We can  rejoice in a sure and certain hope because God has got our past, present and future covered. Our past is covered because our sins were forgiven at the moment of salvation.  Our present is covered because Jesus by His death and resurrection tore down the wall of separation so we who believe, can now come to His throne of grace boldly to find mercy and help in our time of need.  Our future is assured because He is our sure and certain hope and our refuge now and at death.

We can be patient in tribulation because as it says in James the testing of our faith produces endurance and we know that our trials produce blessings.  Verse 12 in James 1 is a beatitude and says "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial.  We can suffer long through a trial because our past, present and our future is secure and the battle is not ours but His.  We can look forward in a trial to the blessings that it will produce now and in eternity..  We can step out of the misery and the pain of a moment and look forward....unfold it so to speak in our minds and see what the Lord might do in us and through us. An unbeliever, sadly, has no forward button in a trial...there is no hope..just increasing pain and misery and then endless suffering.  Tragic, but the remedy is simple. Belief.

The thread that runs throughout both of these as I said earlier is prayer.  We cannot know God without spending time with Him both in His word and in prayer. It is our confidence in God and who He is that anchors us in this world.   That is why continuing steadfastly in prayer is the key...spending time with Him, learning all that we can about Him, depending on Him and allowing Him to guide our thoughts, words and actions.   Draw near to Him girls, stay in fellowship with Him, wait on Him.  When our eyes are on Him, His word, His promises and what He has done, they are off ourselves and our circumstances and focused on the One who can do exceedingly abundantly in our lives.  We remember then that our purpose here on earth is just to do His will...then whatever comes our way is from Him and we can be patient through it because we have confidence that He is working it for His purposes in our life. I can bear the present because I am giving my burdens to Him.

Live your life as a prayer to Him...the key is drawing near in real intimacy...not just going through the motions, but by truly drawing near and making a practice of dependence on Him in your life.  We need to learn trust Him with everything.   He loved us enough to die for us when we were still His enemies, dead in our trespasses and sins.  How much more will He take care of us and defend us when we have been reconciled to Him.  He will surely see us through. We are concerned about our present comfort, Jesus is concerned about eternity. Choose not to be upset or discontent about whatever your situation might be at the moment.  Choose Him.  Choose to give the heartache, the loss, the grief, the trial, the circumstance to Him.  Rest then in His provision and care.  David does this so well...read the psalms.  He had such an intimate relationship with His God.

Go to Him, girls.  Cry out like David did...Wait on Him.  Be quiet before Him.  Wait for Him to speak to your heart. Take the cares and concerns of your day and turn them into prayers. We talk about doing this a lot but not many of us actually do it.  Lay it all out before Him. Give them all to Him. Watch Him do exceedingly abundantly above all that you could ask or think...probably not as you expected but better and more beautifully than you ever could have imagined. As you do this you will have His peace that will surpass your understanding and will leave you rejoicing in His goodness, grace and mercy.

Love
Mom


Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks for this is the will of god in Christ Jesus for you. (me)--1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!  Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. --Philippians 4:4-7

Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; --Colossians 4:2

Ezra A Man of God to Follow

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.--Ezra 7:10

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,

I loved reading this...Ezra had prepared his heart.  We prepare for so many vain things in this world. I think the most common thing all of us prepare is ourselves so the world can view us as we want to be seen.  We want to look well put out...well put together...disciplined and ordered.  We want our appearance and outward presentation to be pleasing and impressive to those around us.  Are you doing the preparing that is really necessary...the preparing of your heart to seek Him and Him alone.  Doing the outside preparation without the inside heart set aside for Him is like preparing a body for burial...really what is the point except to make those that are still alive feel better. The body is rotting on the inside and that will become more and more evident on the outside as time passes.  The bible says that our outward man is perishing but our inward man is being renewed day by day. When we do what Ezra did we become like the tree in Psalm 1.

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.--Psalm 1:1-3

How do we do this?  Ezra gives us the proper order of things. First we are to seek the law and understand it.  Why are we to seek it...not for curiosity's sake or for that puffed feeling that comes with knowledge but we are to seek it to do it.  We are to make a practice of following God's law. When I practice something I begin to understand it and see the benefits of it in a very personal way.  God's word is not only there on the page but it is alive...living and powerful in my life.  Ezra, therefore was able to teach the people by not only His word but also his deed.

What an example Ezra is for us.  He was a man who had prepared His heart to receive the implanted word with meekness.  He was a man devoted to the study of the Scripture.  He was a man who was diligent to make a practice of living out the word of God in His life. The blessing comes in the doing girls...James 1:22-25 says this:

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

We are not blessed because we know the Scripture...we are blessed when we obey them.  When I surrender and obey, something inside me changes.  There is a freeing  from bondage.  When our hearts believe something our actions will follow. Belief will look like something in your life. It will be evident.  If we fail to make the Scriptures a part of who we are...if we fail to do what it tells us to do, we deceive ourselves and attempt to deceive others.  (See 1 John 1:5-10)

Aside from studying and obeying the Word, Ezra also taught it. The priests and the Levites would read and explain the Scriptures to the people because most could not afford to own their own Scrolls of the Law.  Nehemiah 8:8 says this:

So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.


I love that.  So they read from the book...distinctly...and gave the people the sense to help them understand the reading. Be faithful to teach His word to your little ones, girls.  Hold God's word above all else.  Do not try to just fit it into the day.  If you do not teach them anything else, you still have given them what they need.  This life goes by like a vapor.  Your children will grow up fast, and there will never be much time in the day.  Make the time.  There may also come a time when they will no longer have ears to hear...teach them while they are willing to listen. Let your obedience and surrender to the Spirit of God be evident to them.  If your word and deed do not match, neither will theirs. Your children will see through your facade.  Teach them by your word and your example.  Hide this verse in your heart and ask the Lord to bring it to your mind to remind you to be faithful.

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.--Deuteronomy 6:7

Warren Wiersbe pointed out that there is a parallel to this verse in Matthew 13:52.  Jesus is speaking.

Then He said to them, "Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old."

Girls, we have the treasure of His word, both old and new at our fingertips.The Old Testament points the way to Jesus the Messiah.  Jesus quoted from it often and upheld its authority. The New Testament contains the teachings of Jesus.  Chuck Missler and probably others have said that the Bible is an integrated Message System, containing 66 separate books, penned by 40 different individuals over thousands of years. It has its origin from outside our time domain.  It has an integrated design: The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed. The Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed.

And  according to Napoleon:  "The Bible is no mere book, but it is a Living Creature, with a power that conquers all that oppose it"

Someone else has said that the Bible is an acronym for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth....I like that one.

Be like that householder and bring forth these treasures...meditate on them, hide them in your heart and most of all when and if the Lord blesses you with little ones, be diligent to teach them...not only in word but in deed.  I have included Psalm 127...I memorized it early in my walk with the Lord.  It is a wonderful reminder always to me of what is important. 

Love
Mom

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon

Psalm 127

Unless the LORD builds the house, 

They labor in vain who build it; 

Unless the LORD guards the city, 

The watchman stays awake in vain.  

It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, 

To eat the bread of sorrows; 

For so He gives His beloved sleep. 

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, 

The fruit of the womb is a reward.  

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, 

So are the children of one's youth. 

Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; 

They shall not be ashamed, 

But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

Christophobia: Walk the Walk

Christophobia: Walk the Walk: "Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you oft..."

Come Away With Me, My Love - Song of Solomon

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,

I love the Song of Solomon...it is one of my favorites.  People laugh when they hear me say that, because there are so many interpretations to this book...some see it as an erotic love poem...others as the love between the king and his maiden and there are many viewpoints in between.  I see it as a beautiful picture of the love that Jesus has for me personally and corporately for His Bride, the church. 

With that said I was reading  the Song of Solomon  and came to chapter 2. Read the following verses as a love letter from the Lord or as if He is outside your bedroom window speaking to you before the dawn of a new day.

My beloved spoke, and said to me: "Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away.   For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs, And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away!  "O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret places of the cliff, Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your face is lovely." Catch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines have tender grapes.  My beloved is mine, and I am his. He feeds his flock among the lilies. Until the day breaks And the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, And be like a gazelle Or a young stag Upon the mountains of Bether.

These verses always speak to my heart about what is truly important and how I need to give Jesus the pre-eminence in my life.  Jesus wants to spend time with me.  I am His love, His fair one, the one He died for...He is asking me to come away with Him.  He wants to see my face and hear my voice.  My king is outside my window before daybreak and is calling me to come...Other things in life (the little foxes) try to get in the way of my time with Him.  But He says, spend time with me, this is your all.  Don't stay in bed and leave me outside...come with Me.  You will need my grace and mercy.  You will need my guidance and my love today.  There are things I need to tell you.  Come away with me my love.

If only we would heed these words of Jesus...to come away with Him and let Him speak to our hearts.  But many times we roll over in bed and tell Him that yes, we are His, but we will meet Him later...you know...after the sun is up...at a less ungodly hour...or at a less inconvenient time. If you read further, what you will find is that as the day starts she finds that she needs Him and searches for Him in the city streets and in the broad ways...but she found him not. She had missed the moment. As soon as she does find Him, however, she takes Him to the closest place available to be with Him and would not let Him go.

May we never not hear and obey His voice when He calls us to come away and be with Him.  May we put aside the business of living for a moment and focus on Him when His Spirit speaks to our hearts. Put nothing before Jesus and even your dark times He will make light about you.

Love
Mom

Hidden Message in Genesis 5 - Chuck Missler

The summary of the New Testament Gospel is found in the genealogy in the Old Testament. Read and be amazed...

Read Genesis 5...it is the genealogy of Adam through till Noah.  Chuck Missler dug into the meaning of the Hebrew roots that make up the names...Here is the treasure...the pearl of great price that he found.

Here are the names and their respective meanings.

Adam: (adomah)  "man"

Seth: "appointed" (Genesis 4:25 tells us this)

Enosh: (from root anash, "to be incurable") "mortal", "frail",  "miserable"

Kenan:  "sorrow,:" "dirge," "elegy"

Mahalal'el:  "the Blessed God--(mahalal) "blessed", ; (El) the name for God

Jared:  (from the verb yaradh) "shall come down"

Enoch: "commencement" or "teaching"

Methusaleh: "his death shall bring:--muth, a root that means "death" ; shalach means "bring" or "send forth"

Lamach: "despairing  (from which we get lament or lamentation)

Noah: (derived from nacham) "comfort" or "rest" (Genesis 5:29)

Reading the meaning of those names in order, here is what we get in English:

"Man [is] appointed mortal sorrow; [but] the blessed God shall come down teaching [that His] death shall bring [the] despairing rest." 

Wow!!!!!  

Every detail in the bible is there by design...it is a supernatural book written outside of time.  God's plan of redemption was not a knee jerk response reaction to the fall in chapter 3.  God had ordained it before the foundation of the world.

Solitude Needed...

Luke 5:16  So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
Luke 6:12  Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
Matthew 14:23  And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.


Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,


Jesus had the need to be alone with His Father.  I am going to say that again.  Jesus had the need to be alone with His Father.  He, often withdrew into the wilderness to pray and be alone.  If Jesus needed to do this, girls, how much more do we?  Being alone with our Father must be an integral part of our lives if we are going to shine for Him as we face the pressures and trials of this world. Jesus saw it as a necessity.  He left for us the example.  Follow Him in this and you will be like that tree in Psalm 1 that is planted by the rivers of water. 

There are so many many distractions in this world and these distractions have increased astronomically it seems in the last 20 years. If you are so inclined, it is possible to spend most of your life distracted...never alone or at least never alone with your thoughts.  As a believer we are under under the authority of our Lord Jesus and as such are in submission to Him. Jesus was in complete submission to His Father.  In fact the bible tells us this in John 14:10

"Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works."

or John 12:49

"For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak."

The Father in many places calls Jesus His Servant and that is exactly why He came...He served us to the end by giving His life for us so that we who believe could live forever with Him.  As God's Servant He spoke only what His Father in heaven told Him to speak and did only that which He told Him to do.  Girls, in order for Jesus to be directed in this manner, He had to be in close communion or communication with His Father.  This is what Jesus wants for us in our own lives.  We are His servants.  As His servants we need to be directed by Him. In and of ourselves we should be bereft of ambition...our lives totally turned over to do His will.  We as a servant, have no rights...we live solely for the Lord...to please Him. We belong to our Master.  A servant does not get up in the morning and do his own thing and yet most of us do just that.  We cannot be directed by Him if we are not seeking Him and spending much time with Him.  God's will is in His word...we will not know what His plan is for our lives, for the year, for the month, for the day or even and especially for the hour if we are not spending time alone with Him  in prayer and His word.

Jesus cared about one thing, His Father's will. That's it.  How beautiful. How simple.  That is how He was able to move around with peace and a complete lack of busyness and distraction.  If only we could stamp that in a place where we could see it always.  Our job here on earth is really so simple but we get caught up in all of its distractions and lose our focus.  There really is only one thing that is needed...Here is what Jesus said to Martha in the Gospel of Luke.

" But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."


As we like Mary choose the good part...the part that will never be taken away there are so many things that happen inside our hearts by the power of His Spirit who dwells there.  We are strengthened during our times with Him...strengthened in faith, strengthened with might in our inner man, strengthened with all might for all patience and long suffering with joy, strengthened with His power and directed by His word and His will, and strengthened so that His message might be preached to an unsaved world by our words and our deeds.

In addition the bible tells us that as we immerse ourselves in His word we are conformed to His image and likeness and know His perfect and good and acceptable will.  For like Jesus you are here not to do your own will but the will of Him who sent you.

As we draw near to Him and become increasingly dependent on His glorious power and grace, we begin to see ourselves for who we really are...with all the dents and scrapes.  The first 5 chapters of Isaiah are replete with Isaiah speaking woe unto others...but in Chapter 6 after He saw His Lord--high and lifted up---Isaiah says this:  "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts." As a result of this we have  more compassion for others because after receiving knowledge about me, I am no longer as hard on you.

And all of this choosing the good part brings us to a place of increased usefulness as a vessel set apart for Him. The more time we spend with our Lord the deeper our roots sink into His love, mercy and grace. This grounding and depth enables us to speak words in season to those who are weary and like the tree planted by the rivers of water all that we do prospers because He is in it. When you make a practice of spending time with Him it is evident to those around you.  You are radiant with His love and speak from a depth of understanding and a passion that those who have not spent time with Him do not have. 

Praying that each one of you will covet this kind of solitude with Jesus.

Love
Mum

The Crimson Worm - Psalm 22:6

 Psalm 22:6  But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people.


Psalm 22 is one of the greatest prophetic messianic psalms and gives a very graphic description of the crucifixion of our Lord. David wrote this psalm 1000 years before crucifixion became a Roman method of capital punishment. The very first verse of Psalm 22 in fact, was quoted by Jesus on the cross.  For this study I am looking at the word worm in verse 6.  The word is from the Hebrew word towla and in the Strongs it is listed as H8438.  There are many different kinds of worms but the word used here refers to a very particular kind of worm.  It is the scarlet or crimson worm.  In fact, wherever the bible speaks of the word scarlet, as in your sins may be as scarlet, they are referring to the color and shape of this particular worm.  Remember how the bible describes the cloak that they put on Jesus.

Matthew 27:28 And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.
 
Read and be amazed at how Jesus truly is found on every page of the Bible. 

Here is part of the entry for how it is used in this particular psalm:

worm, scarlet stuff, crimson

a) worm - the female 'coccus ilicis'

b) scarlet stuff, crimson, scarlet

1) the dye made from the dried body of the female of the worm "coccus ilicis"

The following gives a better explanation...

"When the female of the scarlet worm species was ready to give birth to her young, she would attach her body to the trunk of a tree, fixing herself so firmly and permanently that she would never leave again. The eggs deposited beneath her body were thus protected until the larvae were hatched and able to enter their own life cycle. As the mother died, the crimson fluid stained her body and the surrounding wood. From the dead bodies of such female scarlet worms, the commercial scarlet dyes of antiquity were extracted."

What a picture this gives of Christ, dying on the tree, shedding his precious blood that he might 'bring many sons unto glory' (Hbr 2:10)! He died for us, that we might live through him! Psa 22:6 describes such a worm and gives us this picture of Christ. (cf. Isa 1:18)" (Henry Morris. Biblical Basis for Modern Science, Baker Book House, 1985, p. 73)

Pretty amazing...

For Susana and Her Precious Family ---by Anna

For Susanna

In His arms she rests

Beyond all trials, beyond all tests

Happy, healthy now, it’s true

Oh Susanna, wait for me too.

Happy, healthy, safe and home

Always with Him, never alone

Above the skies

Above the sighs

Above the cries

Susanna, child of my Savior’s love

I didn’t know you here below,

But up above

By the shining river’s eternal flow

I’ll look for you, with body new.

Susanna, little one, precious in His sight

Because of you there’s a child in Haiti

For whom the dark has become the light

And that is just one

Of the many things you’ve done

Of the many crowns you’ve won.

Safe and sound, snug within His hug

Happy, healthy now, it’s true

Oh Susanna, there’s nothing about your life to rue.

Submission to Husbands 1 Peter 3:1-6

Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives,  when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.  Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—  rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.  For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands,  as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.--1 Peter 3:1-6


Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,

I love these verses and make no apology for loving them.  They are some of the most beautiful, family friendly verses in the bible. This is marriage God's way and it can only be done in surrender to the Holy Spirit dwelling inside you.  There cannot be two heads to a household...just like there cannot be two presidents of the United States...the result is chaos.  A household that serves the Lord must be submitted to the order that God has deemed to be right and best.  These verses are just practical.  Jesus submitted to His Father in everything...He was not diminished by it, in fact He was exalted above every name on heaven and on earth. The safest place for anyone to be is in the will of God.  The will of God for wives is to be in submission to their husbands as to the Lord.  This is where they are protected.  This is where they can serve God best.

 By submitting to your husband's authority you are submitting to God's authority. Not submitting is rebellion (sin) plain and simple. Submission does not in any way imply inferiority nor does it say anything about the man's personal worthiness or even his spiritual condition. We submit to our husbands as a loving act of obedience to our God. This is His will for us. Submission to your husband is God's desire for you.

As women, we need to be honest with ourselves.  Our husbands do not and cannot meet all our needs. They do not satisfy every desire that we have.  But many of us expect just that...and some of you lay it all at your man's feet.  Go back to Genesis.  Your man is a sinner just as you are.  You will have difficulty in the flesh as long as you live on this earth.  You will have even more difficulty if you are a believer and are not obeying your Lord.  Marriage can really only work God's way.  He has the directions and the blueprints for it because, you know...He established it way back in Genesis.  The bible tells us in several places that there is no partiality with God.  We are all equal in His sight. There are, however, different roles that each of us are given.  The woman's role is to be her husband's "helpmeet".  This is her first and most important ministry.  When Adam and Eve fell into sin in Genesis 3, God pronounced curses on each of them.  Here is what He said to the woman:

"To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.”

Did you get that last part.  As wives we will want to usurp our husband's authority. This is never ever pretty.   The best way to bypass this curse is to obey God.  Submit to your husband as unto the Lord.  Obey Him as you would your Father in heaven.  In fact, the best thing you could do for your marriage and your children is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.  Look to Him to fulfill your need and their you will find rest for your soul.  Your marriage and the children that God blesses you will flourish and bear much fruit. Modern society will laugh...but God's word has stood the test of time...a marriage based on it will be blessed.

The second verse here is something that I can attest to personally.  My husband and I were married for 7 years before I came to the Lord.  Marriage without the Lord for us was disastrous. When I came to the Lord, my demeanor toward my husband became quieter and gentler...really through no effort of mine.  It was all God.  I did not even know that biblically this is what I was suppose to do.   God led me and because of the work that He had done in my heart, my husband was saved a short while after I came to the Lord. The change that God wrought in him before my very eyes convinced me beyond a shadow of a doubt that God was real and He did perform miracles.  I was just getting over the miracle that God had worked in my own selfish, prideful heart but now to see Him do that same work in my husband's heart brought me joy that was unspeakable.

Peter goes on to tell us not to let our adornment be only outward but to let it be the hidden person of the heart with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious to the Lord.   This is what is valuable to our Lord.  Our gentle and quiet spirits.  This is what will attract our husband's to us. This is what will erase the lines on our faces and dissolve the hardened look  It is amazing what God does with a life that is submitted to Him...that is seeking Him first above all else and giving Him pre-eminence. When both a woman and a man find their ultimate satisfaction in God their Savior and are immersed in His word,  their marriage will flourish.  The pressure is removed from both of their shoulders and the fighting and the hidden agendas cease.  They are a joy to be around.  His love and joy  flows from both and their times together are sweet and rich.

Peter uses Sarah as the model of a submitted woman in verses 5 and 6 which say that Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him lord. In Genesis 18:12 Sarah says this in her heart...Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"  She spoke of Abraham as her lord in her heart...she recognized the role God had given him and honored him even when she was not speaking aloud. True submission cannot be commanded...it comes from the heart and it  is beautiful to behold. Jesus Christ submitted to death so that we could be saved.  The key to this kind of submission is trusting God and putting Him at the center.  

Purpose in your heart ahead of time to submit to your husband.   Decide ahead of the opportunity to respond rightly. When you are tested, you have already decided that you are going the way of obedience. The way that wholly pleases your God. (Deciding to submit ahead of time really does help! The hard decision has already been made.) This is what Sarah did by calling him lord in her heart.

This is so needed in marriage today.  You will probably not agree with everything your husband might want to do or share his vision.  When your husband does share a desire or vision he has with you, share your thoughts and perspective on the subject...but end with something like, "whatever the Lord leads."  If he decides to do whatever he spoke of, your job as his wife is to come alongside and help.  Embrace his goals...his plans...his decision.  Stay by his side. Travel when he travels...be there for him...despite the difficulty it might mean for you.  If your husband leads you and your family down a wrong path, the Lord will deal with him directly.  You are under God's protection because in submitting to your husband you are in His will.  Your family will be blessed by your submission. Don't strive with your husband.  Don't get in his way. Don't let him go it alone...he was not meant to be alone.  In fact the man being alone is the only thing God said was not good in Genesis. Do what you can to help him realize the goal or the vision. The Lord will bless this kind of attitude abundantly.

Love
Mom

Note: Christian submission never involves disobedience to God, nor does it include remaining in unsafe situations or participating in anything that our conscience bans.


Love
Mom

Blessed Be The Name of the Lord by Rebecca

“Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped.” – 

 One moment, Job was the owner of “seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys” (vs. 3); he was the master of “a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the peopl ...e of the East.” (vs. 3); and he was the father of ten, undoubtedly much-beloved, children: seven sons and three daughters (vs. 2).

The next moment it was all gone. The disastrous reports from surviving servants arrived almost simultaneously. One after the other, before each previous speaker was even finished, the servants delivered their devastating news.

“The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” (vs. 14-15)

“The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” (vs. 16)

“The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” (vs. 17)

“Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” (vs. 18-19)

But what did Job do? “Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.’”

Job refused to curse God or charge Him with wrong. He refused to scream and wail and whine and complain. He refused to rail against his Creator. He grieved deeply, yes, but even in his grief, Job kept his eyes on the truth. As human beings, God’s creations, He owes us nothing. In fact, as fallen human beings, we deserve nothing from God except His wrath and eternal judgment. Even Job himself, though blameless and upright, was a sinner. We all are. We all deserve death. The fact that we are not given it – that the Lord sacrificed His own Son to redeem us – that He bears with us with much longsuffering – that He longs to make us His children and heirs of His glory – that He restrains the evil in this world (for now) so that we do see some good still – is unfathomable grace. Incredible as it may seem to us, Job had neither right nor cause to protest; the only judicious response was exactly the one he demonstrated: worship. Job fell on the ground and worshiped the Almighty God, who alone is good and worthy of praise.

How do I respond to suffering? Do I look past the pain and see the Truth walking on the midst of the storm? The Lord gave His very life for me. How shall He not freely give me all things? This life is but for a moment; eternity is forever! The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18) My outward man may be perishing, but my inward man is being renewed day by day. The trials of believers are our “light affliction,” in this life, which are but for a moment, and are working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) Job suffered greatly. But the Lord turned his mourning into dancing; his sorrow into joy; his Valley of Baca into a spring. He used Job’s trials to bless him that much more. The God of Job is my God – the God who performs all things for me, who perfects all that concerns me, and who works all things together for good for me. I would not trade the trials He’s blessed me with for the world! They yield fruit far more precious than gold that perishes. They tap into a fountain of springing joy that cannot be taken away. Better yet, they shine the light of God into a world filled with death and despair!

2 Corinthians 4:7-11, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”

As a believer, I know that the heartbeat of time I spend here is the worst I’ll ever know. This life, the one in which the Lord works all things – even those intended for evil – together for good for me, is the closest I will ever come to hell. No wonder the Apostle Paul was always so full of joy! No wonder believers undergoing heartbreaking trials can lift their hands in praise! No wonder believers thrown to the wild beasts in the Roman arenas could die with a smile! No wonder martyrs who were burned at the stake could sing even as the flames soared into the sky! The joy of the Lord is our strength.

But an unbeliever? Their life in this broken, evil world is the closest they will ever come to heaven. And the worst is still to come. The Lord’s restraining hand will be removed from the earth; His Church will have vanished. He’ll have brought His bride home to hide her away from the Great Tribulation that will come upon the earth. I know where I’ll be: with my Savior in the place He has prepared for me. But what about you? Are you ready? Will you surrender to the Lord as Job did? Because the time is short! Don’t wait! Don’t waste this period of grace! Fall on the ground NOW and worship the One who is stretching out His hands to save you.

Revelation 3:10-12, “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I [Jesus] also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.”

Loving your Brother...Cain and Abel

1 John 3:11-12  For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,

This is the heart of Jesus for each of us.  This is the message that we heard from the beginning...that we should love one another.  The word here for love is the Greek word "agapao".  This is an unselfish, self sacrificing love.  The kind of love Jesus had for us on the cross.  Go to the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians.  Read verses 4-8 inserting Jesus' name where the word love is.  This is the kind of love that is required and it is impossible  outside of the Spirit of God.

In the next verse John points back to the first recorded instance of a man who did not love his brother.  Cain showed he was of the wicked one and not a believer because he killed his brother. The book of Hebrews says that Abel offered his sacrifice to God by faith and it was accepted.  Cain offered to God the work of his hands...the work of his own effort and it was rejected. This rejection caused Cain to develop a bitterness of heart toward his brother Abel.  So much so that Cain murdered him.

And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.  So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?  If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it." 



People who do right expose those who do not.  This is what happened with Cain.  God gave Cain a chance to repent and do what was right but Cain chose to instead let his bitterness and sin rule.  He killed Abel not for any fault of Abel's but  the reverse.  He killed Abel because Abel was good.   If we live for God, the world will often hate us, because we make them painfully aware of their sin.  Be aware of any heart of bitterness that you might have toward a fellow believer...keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life. Repent and overcome your evil with good.  Remember what God said to Cain...if you do well, will you not be accepted...rule over your sin by surrendering in obedience to the Spirit who dwells within you.

Love
Mum

Faith and George Mueller - by Anna

 Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”


I was reading my Literature book this morning, and I found a passage on George Mueller—by Anna Talbott McPherson, and it was called “Beloved Friend of Little Waifs”…I did a test on that unit, and you have to know the authors…you get the pic...ture. Anyway, the unit was called Faith and Hope, but it was mainly on faith. 

Faith. That intangible, nonphysical quality that is somehow both those things, and yet, its effect is very tangible. Just ask George Mueller.

At one point in his life, he spent time in jail for collecting tax money and spending it on himself. At another, the same man was regularly handling hundreds and thousands of dollars—and spending it all on friendless little waifs. 

Anybody who hasn’t experienced firsthand the life-changing, world-turning-upside-down-and-inside-out effect of salvation would not be able to reconcile the former criminal with the sudden change in personality, in purpose, in every single aspect of this man’s life. He himself—speaking of his conversion—explained it very simply. 

“Here was a day when I died; died to self, my opinions, preferences, tastes and will; died to the world, its approval or censure; died to the approval or blame even of my brethren or friends; and since then I have studied only to show myself approved unto God.” 

The old George Mueller, the former, sinful man, died. The new George Mueller, empowered by Christ within and a child of God forever and ever, was raised up. That’s what happened to him.

This new George Mueller had faith. One time in his mission for the children, they ran out of money. There were dozens of children in the orphanage, and all of them usually received a mug of milk during breakfast. And all that was left—keep in mind, there wasn’t a cent to buy any more—had run out the day before.
George Mueller prayed. The next morning, the orphans were all trooping down to breakfast. Still no milk, but they knew it was coming. It had always come before. 

Mueller wasn’t worried. He’d prayed. He’d given it to his Father, and much of the time he’d spent praying the previous night was actually thanking God in ADVANCE for the milk!
They were all just sitting down when there was a knock on the door. The milkman’s cart had broken down just outside, and seeing as the gallons and gallons of milk with him weren’t going to be able to market today because of that, the milkman offered it all, free of charge, to the orphans. More than enough for every single mug to be filled.

And that was just one of the miracles George Mueller witnessed almost daily. Some were as simple as a deck chair provided for his sick wife. Some were just a bit more astonishing—just ask the bewildered sea captain who’d informed Mr. Mueller that the fog surrounding the ship was going make their arrival late. Mueller calmly told him to step outside, and that once he did, the fog would be gone. 

Guess what? Bye-bye fog. And all because Mueller prayed and had faith like a child.

I’ve got wants and needs just like Mueller—although I daresay a little less important than caring for 50,000 orphaned children—and God knows them too. And He will answer them. Maybe not the way I want Him to, but I’ll still win out in the end no matter what happens. His will is best. He knows what I need and what I don’t need. I’m His daughter, and He loves me. (I still can’t fathom why; what have I got to offer the King of Kings?) He’s never going to leave me or forsake me. He’s written me on the palm of His Hand. My walls are continually before Him. (Is. 49:15-16.) He knows what I want most in the world, and He knows what’s best for me. (And you should see what He got me for Christmas this year! I’m still ecstatic.) And I know—I have faith—that He’ll come to take me home with Him.

One of these days.

13 Reasons Why the Church will be Raptured before the Tribulation by Jon Courson

The Rapture Controversy

A Topical Study of Revelation 3:10

The Book of Acts tells us the Berean believers were more noble than their neighbors in Thessalonica because the Bereans searched the Scriptures to validate what Paul taught them (Act_17:11). So, too, I want our church family to be able to say, "Here's why we believe what we do." To this end, I would like to submit to you thirteen reasons why I believe the church will be raptured before the Tribulation.

"Well, I have friends who say the church will go through the Tribulation. Why get all concerned about this issue?" you might say. My answer is because I believe one's view on Bible prophecy and the timing of the Rapture will affect the way one lives out his faith. Why does the debate continue concerning the timing of this event? I believe it is due to misunderstanding in three areas:

The Elect

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.—Mat_24:21-22

On the basis of this verse, people say "Aha! Here we see the elect in the Tribulation"—failing to realize that the term "elect" refers to three groups of people: Christians (Col_3:12), Israel (Isa_45:4), and those who will be saved in the Tribulation (Mat_24:21-22).

To which of the elect does Jesus refer in Mat_24:21? I believe the answer lies in the verse preceding it…
But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day.—Mat_24:20

Even to this day, transportation in Israel is shut down on the Sabbath. Since the Sabbath means nothing to Gentile nations, the application to Israel is clear.

The Trumpets

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.—1Co_15:52

On the basis of this verse, people say, "Aha! According to Revelation 11, the seventh, or last trump signaling the Rapture, will take place midway through the Tribulation." But wait a minute. The seventh trumpet of Revelation 11 is sounded by angels, whereas 1Th_4:16 makes it clear that the last trump is sounded by God.
In Exodus 19, God sounded the first trump when the Jews were gathered at the foot of Mount Sinai to hear the law. The last trump will sound when the church is gathered to meet the Lord in the air and taken to heaven. Thus, the Jews hear the first trump; the church hears the last. The following thirteen reasons are why I believe this trump of God will sound before the Tribulation…

1. The doctrine is to be a comforting one (1Th_4:18). The belief that the Rapture happens after or in the middle of the Tribulation is anything but comforting because it means believers must endure unbelievable agony before they are taken to heaven.

2. The Tribulation is the outpouring of the wrath of the Lamb—and God has not appointed us to wrath (1Th_5:9-11). The wrath that should have been hurled at you and poured out on me was absorbed by our Hero, our Lord, our Savior on the Cross of Calvary.

3. Rapture before the Tribulation is illustrated in Genesis 19, where we see angels delivering Lot and his family before the destruction of Sodom. How do I know this is a picture of the Rapture? Because in reference to this, Peter writes, "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations" (2Pe_2:9). The word translated "temptations" is the same word translated "tribulation."

4. Rapture before the Tribulation is illustrated in Enoch, who was taken to heaven prior to the Flood (Gen_5:24). "Wrong analogy," some protest. "The correct picture is Noah who went through the tribulation of the Flood." But wait a minute. Noah is not a picture of the church, but of Israel, who will indeed go through the Tribulation—and will at last come to Jesus as a result.

5. Rapture before the Tribulation is illustrated in Daniel 3. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar, they were thrown into a fiery furnace. But where was their friend Daniel? Either he did, indeed, bow to Nebuchadnezzar—which is completely contrary to the rest of the book—or, his omission is in itself a picture of the Rapture. Bible scholars believe that, very likely, he was away on official business as an emissary. All we know with certainty, however, is that he was taken out of the scene.

6. Jesus told us to pray that we would be raptured before the Tribulation. In speaking of the Tribulation in His Olivet Discourse, Jesus said, "Watch and pray always that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things" (see Luk_21:36). How are we accounted worthy? One way: We are worthy because of what Jesus did for us on the Cross of Calvary.

7. Pre-Tribulation Rapture makes sense historically and scripturally. In accordance with Jewish custom, when a man came of age to marry, he would add a room on to his father's house for himself and his bride. When the addition was complete, and when the father gave the go-ahead, a trumpet would sound, and the bridegroom would go to meet his bride. Following the wedding ceremony, the bridegroom would take his bride to his father's house, where they would be tucked away for seven days in the newly completed "bridal suite." At the end of seven days, the bridegroom would come out with his bride and introduce her to the community.
That's exactly what's going to happen with us. Jesus, our Bridegroom, is preparing a place for us in heaven, His Father's house (Joh_14:2). At the appointed time known only by the Father, a trumpet will sound and Jesus will meet us, His bride, in the air to escort us up to the "Bridal Suite" He has prepared for us. We will remain with Him in heaven for seven years before we are presented to the world, where we will rule and reign with Him.

8. Pre-Tribulation Rapture follows the outline of the Book of Revelation. If you don't embrace a Pre-Tribulation view, your understanding of Revelation becomes as twisted as a pretzel because you've got to put chapters 4 and 5 after chapter 11, if you hold to a Mid-Tribulation stance; after chapter 19 if you take a Post-Tribulation point of view. Only a Pre-Tribulation placement of the Rapture allows for a consistent flow of the Book of Revelation.

9. Pre-Tribulation Rapture allows for the conditional aspect of the Tribulation. To the church at Thyatira, Jesus said, "If you don't repent, you will experience Tribulation" (see Rev_2:22). If the Rapture won't occur until after the Tribulation, what would be the reason for this warning of Jesus?
"Well, didn't Jesus say in this world we would have tribulation?" you ask.

Yes, but the crushing the believer goes through in the world is from Satan. The Tribulation of chapters 6-19, on the other hand, is from God as He pours out His wrath on a Christ-rejecting world. Folks, God will not allow anyone to get hit from both sides. If we experience tribulation in the world because of our faith, we will not experience the Tribulation of those who have none.

10. Pre-Tribulation Rapture allows for the unknown time of the Lord's return. According to Daniel's prophecy, three and a half biblical years (a Biblical year being three hundred sixty days) from the day Antichrist enters the temple and demands worship midway through the Tribulation, the Lord will return. Consequently, if believers were on earth during the Tribulation, they would be able to predict the exact time of the Second Coming—three and a half biblical years, or forty-two months, or one thousand two hundred sixty days after Antichrist enters the temple. The problem is, 1Th_5:2 and Mat_24:36 make it clear that no one knows the hour of His coming. Therefore, it follows that believers must be absent at this time.

11. The Tribulation is unnecessary for the church. Referred to as the time of Jacob's trouble, the Tribulation targets Israel, for through it she will be awakened and at last see Jesus as the Messiah (Deu_4:29-30). The promises God made to Abraham and to the Jewish people have not been forgotten, gang. God will work with Israel in the days of the Tribulation. He will make Himself known to them—and they shall indeed be saved.

12. Pre-Tribulation Rapture squares with the prophecy of Daniel. At the end of Daniel 9, Daniel was given the timetable for all of Jewish history in units of heptads, or weeks. It is clear from this all-important passage of Scripture that the sixty-nine weeks of Daniel refer to the time between the commandment to rebuild the temple, given in 445 B.C. by Artaxerxes, and the coming of Messiah, fulfilled perfectly on Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. But Daniel was also told, "Seventy weeks are determined upon Israel." To what does the seventieth week of Daniel refer? To the Tribulation. You see, the seventy weeks of Daniel refer to Israel. The church was not present for the first sixty-nine weeks. And the seventieth week doesn't begin until after the church is raptured. In other words, if the church was not present in the first sixty-nine weeks, why would she be present in the last week? She won't. She'll be in heaven.
Those are twelve reasons I believe the Rapture will occur before the Tribulation. But the most important one is the following:

A Pre-Tribulation Rapture viewpoint makes one seek first the kingdom. "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing" (Mat_24:45-46). Who is the one who will have authority and purpose in eternity? He who is watching for Jesus' coming. But this is impossible for those who believe the Tribulation precedes the Rapture because they must first watch for Antichrist, then the rebuilding of the temple, and finally the Abomination of Desolation when Antichrist demands to be worshiped as God.
Two factors kept the early church on fire: the empowering of the Holy Ghost and the belief that Jesus would return during their lifetime. "But He didn't come back in their day," you say. And you're right—but do you think those early believers are in heaven now, saying, "We didn't get bogged down in materialism or trivial pursuits. We sought the Lord. We witnessed fervently. We lived for the kingdom. If only we knew He wasn't coming, we could have played more racquetball"? No! They're ecstatic that they chose to do what Jesus says to do in every generation—to watch, to be ready, to live for His coming.

Whether or not you believe in a pre-Tribulation Rapture will not affect where you'll ultimately end up. If you're a believer, you'll be in heaven no matter what position you hold. But your viewpoint concerning the Rapture very definitely affects how you live your life this side of eternity. If you do not believe in a pre-Tribulation Rapture, you cannot look for Jesus Christ because, according to your eschatological viewpoint, Antichrist must appear first. Therefore, you find yourself scanning the news, checking out current events, watching the global scene for Antichrist rather than for Jesus. And this puts believers in a "survivalist" mentality. "We're going through the Tribulation," they say. "We better get ready." Is this what Jesus meant? Does He want us storing gold and guns? Or does He want us living every day in hopeful anticipation that today could be the day we go to heaven?

"I want you looking for Jesus every day," John said, "because he who has the hope of the imminent, sudden appearing of Christ and the Rapture of the church purifies himself" (see 1Jn_3:3). That is why I believe your view on the Rapture is of utmost importance. Live in constant expectancy of Jesus' return, gang. Be watching and be ready.