Wednesday, March 20, 2013
The Voice of Condemnation
Have you ever thought that condemnation has a VOICE and it isn't yours? The thoughts may really be the VOICE of the accuser of the brethren, Satan himself who stands before God with all kinds of lies and accusation? You might have thought in your mind like, you are unfit for the Kingdom and useless as a person. Your character is under attack. It will say things like," you are a failure, you are stupid, you are a loser, you can't do anything right. And you call yourself a Christian!" The list goes on and on. Whose voice is it?
It is Satan's voice. It is NOT the voice of our Lord Jesus, who came to destroy the works of the devil and to set us free from the power of sin. You can always tell a voice of condemnation because it is very vague and not specific. You will just feel guilty, dirty, ashamed, unclean and unwanted. It will lie to you that you can't possibly be a a new creation in Christ and that you have been cleaned by the blood of Jesus. Satan is a LIAR. If you are in Christ, you are NOT condemned. We can confess our sin and God is faithful to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We are NOT accused. The blood of Jesus delivers us out of condemnation. Renounce the lie, submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee. (James 4:7)
The VOICE of conviction is the VOICE of the HOLY SPIRIT. He will not attack your character or make you feel dirty or guilty. He will be very SPECIFIC with His corrections. For instance, perhaps, I spoke unkindly to my husband or a friend. I will feel convicted and need to repent. I will even want to ask them for forgiveness for my behavior and God will change my heart. The Holy spirit is more interested in our heart than accusing us. John 16:10 says, "The Holy Spirit convict us of righteousness ". It is like the Lord says to us, "My son, my daughter, I am leading you into the path of righteousness for My Name sake. You are now learning My righteous ways, follow me. "
The VOICE in the Garden with Adam and Eve is still the same VOICE today. Satan is alive and well today and loves to keep us under condemnation.. The world is fallen and Satan, the father of lies is trying to keep us in chains of condemnation as long as we believe his lies. That is why the Lord is crying to the church today,' COME OUT, COME OUT OF THE WORLD, AND BE SET APART TO ME AND I WILL KEEP YOU FROM CONDEMNATION AND YOU WILL GROW TO KNOW ME IN MY RESURRECTION POWER. YOU ARE IN THE WORLD, BUT NOT OF IT!"
When you are convicted, you will never feel condemned. The Holy Spirit will speak the truth in love and you will repent and turn to Him. You don't have to live another day under condemnation. Shut the door in the face of the devil and turn to the Lord. He will keep you safe with Him all the days of your life, until you see Him face to face. Psalm 91
Thursday, March 14, 2013
A Story Worth Reading
GOD'S GRACE
There once as a man named George Thomas, a preacher in a small Texas town. One Sunday morning he came to the church service carrying a rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit. Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, the Preacher began to speak....
"I was walking though town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright.
I stopped the lad and asked, "What do you have there, son?"
"Just some old birds," came the reply.
"What are you going to do with them?" I asked
"Take 'em home and have fun with em," he answered. "I'm gonna tease 'em and pull out their feathers to make 'em fight. I'm gonna have a real good time."
" But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do then?"
"Oh, I got some cats," said the little boy. "They like birds. I'll take 'em to them."
The preacher was silent for a moment. "How much do you want for those birds, son?"
"Huh?? !! Why, you don't want 'em birds, mister. They're just plain old field birds, They don't sing. They ain't even pretty."
"How much?" the preacher asked again.
The boy sized up the preacher as if he were crazy and said, "$10.00?" The preacher reached in his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill. He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The preacher picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free. Well, that explained the empty cage on the pulpit, then the preacher began to tell this story:
"One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. "Yes, sir, I just caught a world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all"
"What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked
Satan replied, "Oh, I'm gonna have fun. I'm gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I'm gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs to kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!"
"And what will you do when you are done with them?" Jesus asked,
"I'll kill em" Satan glared proudly.
"How much do you want for them?" Jesus asked
"Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you'll take them and they'll just hate you. They will spit on you, curse you and kill you. You don't want those people!!"
"How much ? " He asked again.
Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your blood, tears and your life,"
Jesus said, "DONE!" Then He paid the price.
The preacher picked up the cage and walked from the pulpit.."
I pray this story blessed you as it did me. Jesus loves us and desires nothing more than to be with us. He is the joy of His Father and the lover of our souls. He is our great High Priest and forever lives to intercede for us.
There once as a man named George Thomas, a preacher in a small Texas town. One Sunday morning he came to the church service carrying a rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit. Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, the Preacher began to speak....
"I was walking though town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright.
I stopped the lad and asked, "What do you have there, son?"
"Just some old birds," came the reply.
"What are you going to do with them?" I asked
"Take 'em home and have fun with em," he answered. "I'm gonna tease 'em and pull out their feathers to make 'em fight. I'm gonna have a real good time."
" But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do then?"
"Oh, I got some cats," said the little boy. "They like birds. I'll take 'em to them."
The preacher was silent for a moment. "How much do you want for those birds, son?"
"Huh?? !! Why, you don't want 'em birds, mister. They're just plain old field birds, They don't sing. They ain't even pretty."
"How much?" the preacher asked again.
The boy sized up the preacher as if he were crazy and said, "$10.00?" The preacher reached in his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill. He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The preacher picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free. Well, that explained the empty cage on the pulpit, then the preacher began to tell this story:
"One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. "Yes, sir, I just caught a world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all"
"What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked
Satan replied, "Oh, I'm gonna have fun. I'm gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I'm gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs to kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!"
"And what will you do when you are done with them?" Jesus asked,
"I'll kill em" Satan glared proudly.
"How much do you want for them?" Jesus asked
"Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you'll take them and they'll just hate you. They will spit on you, curse you and kill you. You don't want those people!!"
"How much ? " He asked again.
Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your blood, tears and your life,"
Jesus said, "DONE!" Then He paid the price.
The preacher picked up the cage and walked from the pulpit.."
I pray this story blessed you as it did me. Jesus loves us and desires nothing more than to be with us. He is the joy of His Father and the lover of our souls. He is our great High Priest and forever lives to intercede for us.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
They Laughed Jesus to Scorn
Have you ever been laughed at? If you have been a Christian for any length of time you probably have experienced, some people thinking you are ignorant believing in the bible literally. They will either laugh in your face our behind your back. It is not easy to be among friends, who misunderstand your faith in the living God. You are different and only our gracious Lord Himself can relate to us.
In Matthew 9:24 Jesus was faced with this same type of problem. When Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion,He said "Go away for the girl is not dead but sleeping.' And they laughed at Him." The crowds just didn't laugh at Jesus but scorned Him. The people had never heard such words before. Who did He think He is, God Almighty? Jesus knowing the hearts of men reached out in love, healed the little girl and went on His way.
Is it not the same today? People may mock our faith and laugh at us, but why should it affect us? Often we are too concerned about what other people think. They are not our judge. Nor are they our God. That is the stance Jesus took. He lived His life before His Father and did only what He told Him to do. Jesus was NOT a people pleaser, but was obedient even unto death for our salvation.
Jesus was not in a popularity contest and neither are we. Yes, there will always be some people who will receive our message with gladness and thankfulness. I am sure the parents of the little girl that Jesus raised from the dead were very grateful, but, what about the ones who scorned Him outside? Did Jesus let them affect Him? I don't believe He did, because He knew man's heart, and He could forgive them of their unbelief, even though it broke His heart.
We believers are probably the most misunderstood people in the world. Jesus was never understood, in fact, He was crucified. If we identify ourselves with Him, how can we expect anything less? If He was scorned, will we not be also? But, like Jesus, remembering the words of our Lord , "Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." We can forgive also, those who trespass against us. It may hurt, but His forgiveness will heal us.
There are times in our life when we want someone to really understand us.. Personally I have found only ONE person who can fill that need. It is Jesus Christ my Lord. He may not always agree with me, but He sure does understands my humanity. As a man He experienced this life, yet without sin. He knows how it feels to be laughed at, to be misunderstood, rejected, forsaken by His Father, abandoned and humiliated. He has great compassion for us.
By the grace of God, through the blood of Jesus, He will always meet with us in His Father's throne room. He will embrace any of our misunderstandings and help to clarify our thoughts. He is ONLY A BREATH AWAY, and the only one who truly cares for our soul.
In Matthew 9:24 Jesus was faced with this same type of problem. When Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion,He said "Go away for the girl is not dead but sleeping.' And they laughed at Him." The crowds just didn't laugh at Jesus but scorned Him. The people had never heard such words before. Who did He think He is, God Almighty? Jesus knowing the hearts of men reached out in love, healed the little girl and went on His way.
Is it not the same today? People may mock our faith and laugh at us, but why should it affect us? Often we are too concerned about what other people think. They are not our judge. Nor are they our God. That is the stance Jesus took. He lived His life before His Father and did only what He told Him to do. Jesus was NOT a people pleaser, but was obedient even unto death for our salvation.
Jesus was not in a popularity contest and neither are we. Yes, there will always be some people who will receive our message with gladness and thankfulness. I am sure the parents of the little girl that Jesus raised from the dead were very grateful, but, what about the ones who scorned Him outside? Did Jesus let them affect Him? I don't believe He did, because He knew man's heart, and He could forgive them of their unbelief, even though it broke His heart.
We believers are probably the most misunderstood people in the world. Jesus was never understood, in fact, He was crucified. If we identify ourselves with Him, how can we expect anything less? If He was scorned, will we not be also? But, like Jesus, remembering the words of our Lord , "Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." We can forgive also, those who trespass against us. It may hurt, but His forgiveness will heal us.
There are times in our life when we want someone to really understand us.. Personally I have found only ONE person who can fill that need. It is Jesus Christ my Lord. He may not always agree with me, but He sure does understands my humanity. As a man He experienced this life, yet without sin. He knows how it feels to be laughed at, to be misunderstood, rejected, forsaken by His Father, abandoned and humiliated. He has great compassion for us.
By the grace of God, through the blood of Jesus, He will always meet with us in His Father's throne room. He will embrace any of our misunderstandings and help to clarify our thoughts. He is ONLY A BREATH AWAY, and the only one who truly cares for our soul.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)