Sunday, October 30, 2022

There is always something which aches...

 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

..."Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

..."For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked.

For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.

Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.

Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— for we walk by faith, not by sight— we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him."...
(This is a Metaphor concerning the frailty of our earthly body and the longing we have for our immortality with the LORD)
*

Friday, October 28, 2022

Overcoming Obstacles

 "Success is to be measured not so much by 
the position that one has reached in life 
as by the obstacles which he has overcome
 while trying to succeed."

----Booker T. Washington
*

 ..."Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. 

The Lord is near.

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 comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."...
*
 

Thursday, October 27, 2022

Wisdom is too exalted for a fool

 Proverbs 24

"Do not be envious of evil men,

Nor desire to be with them...

...By wisdom a house is built,

And by understanding it is established;

And by knowledge the rooms are filled

With all precious and pleasant riches....

...Wisdom is too exalted for a fool...

My son, eat honey, for it is good,

Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;

Know that wisdom is thus for your soul;

If you find it, then there will be a future,

And your hope will not be cut off...
*

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

There has always been Anxious Times

-Schulz

 Isaiah 35:3-4
..."Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble.

Say to those with anxious heart,
“Take courage, fear not.

Behold, your God will come with vengeance;
The recompense of God will come,
But He will save you.”...

Isaiah 41:10, 31
...‘Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’...

... “For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand,
Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’...
*

Sunday, October 23, 2022

Saturday, October 22, 2022

There are Wolves in the Church Body

YES, there are, so BEWARE!

Wolves like to search among church Bodies for "recruits" into their own way of thinking. 


They "prowl" among the congregation and even its children, possibly even your children. So be aware of the people in your Body.


Once the Wolf finds a person (or people) willing to listen to their cleverly woven falsehoods, the Wolf then uses control and manipulation to keep this new recruit "in their fold".


Unwittingly the followers (the recruits) soon learn not to get on the Wolf's wrong side because they will soon see the "Wolf's teeth" (anger, wrath, irritation, shunning, temper tantrums...)


Wolves can turn on you quickly and "cut you down to size", making a scene with you at the center.


Wolves tend to puff themselves up - always thinking they are better than you. Wolves can be simpering sweet, but they are always waiting to pounce on anyone for anything. The reason: Wolves believe they are better than you.


Wolves show their true selves in their inner group who KNOW not to cross them for fear of reprisals.


*Other Christians "fear" them; don't want to get on the angry side of them; don't desire to engage with them; it's not their business...


With Wolves their facial expressions tell you to "watch out!" You don't ever want to get on their wrong side. Instead, when a person is caught in their web they continue trying to please the Wolf at all costs.


Wolves tend to have "their favorites" among their followers as well as having their "whipping boys". Fear runs high in the followers as they are enslaved to the Wolf's whim.


A weapon of Wolves is cruelly shunning their followers.


Wolves use the same dynamics as Abusers use to control their victims. 


Many, many times a Wolf acts like the Sheep in the congregation. Always there, always polite, always with an answer...but "something" doesn't seem right: 


?Are these issues really important? 


?So what if this "person" believes things like that;


?they are so nice, they seem to have the Christian life all in order....


?they seemingly know the scriptures better. 


?They must be right in their thinking. 


?It is just me who doesn't do things right.


?Why can't I ever make "the Wolf" happy? 


God's Word, the Bible speaks of Ravenous Wolves: 


John 10:11-15

Jesus says: ...“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep."...


Acts 20:28-31a

..."Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert,"...


Matthew 7:13-20

...“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. 

Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.


Matthew 10:16

... “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves."...


Luke 10:1-3

"Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves."...

*

You can be set free! 

Cry out to the Lord Jesus Christ! 

You will find freedom in Jesus!


John 8:36

..."So if the Son sets you free, 

you will be free indeed."...

*


Sunday, October 16, 2022

How do we handle Stress?

-Schulz

 Philippians 4:4-9

..."Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. 

The Lord is near.

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 comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."...

..."Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. 

Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen."...
*

Saturday, October 15, 2022

Beware the Ravenous Wolves in your life!

The Ravenous Wolves can look very spiffy.

The Ravenous Wolves can act so "godly"; Goodie Two Shoes, acting like they are "better" Christians than you, meanwhile, planning devious evil and control against you.


The Ravenous Wolves can know many scriptures...ahem: twisting them, that is, to boast, to use you, or to attack you.

The Ravenous Wolves can turn on you in anger with false accusations in an instant, "putting you in your place".

The Ravenous Wolves can misuse God's precious Word for their own advantage using their own legalisms, controlling all who follow them. 

The Ravenous Wolves can easy deceive you with their great deceptions of God's truth, hindering you from learning God's Word as He intended.

The Ravenous Wolves truly believe they are far more  superior than you are and so they can easily manipulate and control you.

The Ravenous Wolves can even be friends with you, although you may often wonder how or why a "friend" would treat you so disparagingly.

*Even so....the Ravenous Wolves will be held accountable by our Great Almighty God. 

*Don't wait for God's wrath on them! 

*Leave their control of you now!


..."For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.

Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

For we know Him who said, 

“Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” 

And again, 

“The Lord will judge His people.”

It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands 
of the living God."...

Matthew 7:12-20
..."“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.


“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.

For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

You will know them by their fruits. 

Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?

So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 

A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

So then, you will know them by their fruits."...
*

*Be Careful out there!*

Safety is Found in the LORD our God! 

Follow Him in His Truth!
*

Wednesday, October 12, 2022

The Beginning of a Cold Heart: forsaking the Body

 "Forsake not the assembling 

of yourselves together," 

is a most important exhortation. 


Even if we should not derive 

any especial benefit, at the time, 

so far as we are conscious, 

yet we may be kept 

from much harm. 


And very frequently 

the beginning of coldness of heart 

is nourished by keeping away 

from the meetings of the saints."


—George Müller

*

Hebrews 10:19-25

..."Therefore, brethren, 

since we have confidence to enter 

the holy place by the blood of Jesus,

by a new and living way which 

He inaugurated for us 

through the veil, that is, 

His flesh,

and since we have a 

great priest over the house of God,

let us draw near with a sincere heart 

in full assurance of faith, 

having our hearts sprinkled clean 

from an evil conscience and 

our bodies washed with pure water.


Let us hold fast the confession 

of our hope without wavering, 

for He who promised

is faithful;

and let us consider how 

to stimulate one another 

to love and good deeds,

not forsaking 

our own assembling together, 

as is the habit of some, 

but encouraging one another; 

and all the more as you see 

the day drawing near."...

*

LORD, have mercy on us!

*


Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Who understands my sadness and who can know why I cry?

 Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
 an ever-present help in trouble.



Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
 and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 
though its waters roar and foam
 and the mountains quake with their surging.


There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
 the holy place where the Most High dwells.



God is within her, she will not fall;
 God will help her at break of day.



Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
 He lifts His voice, the earth melts.


The Lord Almighty is with us;
 the God of Jacob is our fortress.


Come and see what the Lord has done,
 the desolations He has brought on the earth.



He makes wars cease
 to the ends of the earth.



He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
 He burns the shields with fire.



He says, 


“Be still, and know that I am God;
 I will be exalted among the nations,
 I will be exalted in the earth.”


The Lord Almighty is with us;
 the God of Jacob is our fortress.

*


Sunday, October 9, 2022

“Light shall shine out of darkness,”

 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

..."Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
*
Glory to God!

Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Proverbs 29:17

 Proverbs 29:15-18

..."The rod and reproof give wisdom,
But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.

When the wicked increase, transgression increases;
But the righteous will see their fall.

Correct your son, and he will give you comfort;
He will also delight your soul.

Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained,
But happy is he who keeps the law."...
*

Saturday, October 1, 2022

One Day.....


Genesis 2:24
..."For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh."...



..."“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,"...
*