Tag: doing the word of God

How Then Shall We Live?

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The view in our yard, the glory of God shown on an autumn day

Yes, God is on the move in a mighty way. We are called to a high standard as those who profess Jesus Christ as Lord. It’s imperative that we learn from those who go before us. Let’s look at some passages from the book of Colossians, which the Apostle Paul wrote from prison to a congregation deep in the midst of secularism.

Captivity

Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

Hollow & Deceptive Philosophy

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Hollow and deceptive philosophy? Think of the worldly wisdom coming from all angles on social media, advertisements, TV shows… many human traditions… even legalism in churches.

Each day,  I hear another  “doctor ” who knows just which foods or supplements, exercises or sleep things you should never do… or should always do. “Just watch this video to find out this simple household trick you can do to loose pounds.” Which leads to their special formula for supplements that will cost you $49.95 for a month’s supply. It’s sourced from the best things on earth, and you’d better order multiple bottles, because supply is limited. Then you’ll see ads connected to this video in your Facebook feed, as well as your YouTube watching.

Human Tradition

2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.

In Paul’s time, he was talking about the Jewish leaders and idol worshippers. Today, all religions get caught up in these things.

2:17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

Elemental spiritual forces

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Elemental spiritual forces? Do you remember the earthly elements God attacked with the 20 plagues in Egypt? All the things they deified and worshipped. I’m sure by now you’ve heard of Matchu Pechu in South America.  [Spell Check didn’t even balk at this name, it’s currently so popular] What about aliens, the occult, crystals, “global warming”, Yoga, Reikei… calling in the elements to work for them, especially for healing the body and the earth.

2:20 Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: 21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22 These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.

Living in Jesus Christ

Set Your Heart On…

3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Questions: What things is your heart set on? What is your mind dwelling on? What kind of fruit is developing in your life from those things? How deep is your connection with Christ Jesus?

Devote Yourselves To…

4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Paul repeatedly speaks about thankfulness and gratitude in Colossians.  This is God’s will for us, to be prayerful, watchful, and thankful. Doing these things leads us away from grumbling, complaining, depressive, worldly thoughts and actions.

Be Wise…

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5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.

Pastor Josh Gmmiter reminds us to “see the one in front of me”. If we minister to that one with what the Lord has given us, we will share a supernatural encounter with them. You never know how you might bring down from heaven just what that person needs.

Your Conversation…

6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

What does this look like in our lives? Grace means not being critical or judgemental.  Seasoned with salt means sharing something that might irritate, but helps that soul thirst for the Word of Truth. Being tapped into the Holy Spirit helps you know what to say in each situation.

In Conclusion

May we all strive to make the most of each day, living in the grace and admonition of our Savior.

Grace be with you in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Battle Tactics From Nehemiah

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What an excellent book to be reading at this time, the book of Nehemiah! Today, I am using the NIV, reading in chapter 4. Join me as I lead you through.

The Enemy Taunts

In Nehemiah 4:1-3, Sanballat and Tobiah the Ammonite, in the presence of the army of Samaria, were taunting the Jews… “Even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”

Is anyone taunting you? Despising you?

The godly pray

The Godly Pray

Nehemiah prays, “Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads.” (4:4)

Note: Jesus tells us to do good to our enemies, bless and do not curse. These days, we hear testimony of how taunting captors surrender to Jesus through prayer and love.

Angry Plots

After Nehemiah prayed, the Israelites worked with all their hearts.  Sanballat, Tobias, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people of Ashdod heard the repairs continued. They became very angry, plotting together to fight and stir up trouble against Jerusalem.

Is anyone trying to stir up trouble, angry with you, or plotting against you?

Pray And Guard

Nehemiah tells us, “We prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.”

Oh, that we may pray to God, our help and our salvation, and do our part to guard what belongs to us as His children.

Discouragement

Meanwhile, the people of Judah were discouraged.  “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we can not rebuild the wall.”  On top of this, the Jews living near, ten times over, said, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.” This hopelessness reminds me of Job’s wife telling him, “Curse God and die!”

What or who is causing you to despair?

Our children, our children’s children, their children’s children…

Remember God/Generations

Nehemiah posted families with weapons at the most exposed places. Then, after looking things over, he said,“Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”

Currently, the Sprit is putting emphasis on the generations and our responsibility towards those coming after us. Discern your vulnerable places and don your Spiritual weapons. Let faith and love keep your fear away. As Pastor Josh Gmmiter said in his sermon October 18 & 19, we should fear the Lord God Almighty more than we fear anything else!

Be Aware & Prepare

Their enemies heard that they were aware of them and that God had frustrated their plot. The people returned to work, half of them building and half guarding. Those who were carrying materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.

Identity In Christ

How do we go about our day? Do we realize the war that’s raging in the spiritual world as well as the natural? Daily putting on our godly armor will equip us for what’s ahead. Wisdom is discerning who we are in Christ and who He truly is to us – relationship!

Sound The Trumpet

Nehemiah kept the trumpeter at his side because “the work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!”

Our work is also extensive, and we are also widely separated. Let’s sound the unifying Trump of the Lord. Remember, our God still fights for us! We are to work faithfully to spread the glory, love, and salvation this world truly needs.

Here’s an interesting quote by D. L. Moody, that’s on my calendar: ‘”Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.” Lord, thanks for Praying Hyde and Father Nash, two praying saints behind previous moves of God that come to mind.

Pastor Josh Gmmiter, October 18th & 19th,
ACF Church

Psalm 5 and What’s going on?

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A visual for the battle… spiritual and natural

Welcome to this week’s musings. A battle is raging on earth and in heaven.  Many are asking where God is in all of the turmoil. You probably guessed that Psalm 5 was my Wednesday chapter in my devotions this week.  Let’s take a look at what David had to say… to… and… about God in this Psalm.

A Prayer for Guidance
To the Chief Musician.                                With flutes.                                                           A Psalm of David.  

5 Give ear to my words, O Lord,
Consider my meditation.
2. Give heed to the voice of my cry,
My King and my God,
For to You I will pray.

In the first two verses, David implores the Lord to hear and consider what he’s saying, thinking, and agonizing over. He reaffirms the Lord as his King, his God.  He knows from experience that no one else can help him.


3. My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You,
and I will look up.                                         David knows where to direct his voice.  He knows the morning is an apt time to seek the Lord. Notice that he directs his voice to look up to Him.

4. For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with You.

David has a track record with God. He knows God is not pleased with wickedness, and evil can not abide with Him. Next, David shares what God thinks of the boastful and those who work iniquity:
5. The boastful shall not stand in Your sight;
You hate all workers of iniquity.

David continues to enumerate the things God abhors:
6. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

In light of his knowledge of the Lord, David now turns to Him with his response to the situation.

7. But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;
In fear of You, I will worship toward Your holy temple.

David realizes that he can’t overcome his enemies on his own. He asks God to lead him and make his way straight because he knows God’s right-ness. As you read on, think about what we are dealing with these days.                 8. Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies;
make Your way straight before my face.

9. For there is no faithfulness in their mouth;
Their inward part is destruction;
Their throat is an open tomb;
They flatter with their tongue.

Are you watching the debates or the news commentators?  Maybe you have a battle above and beyond the election fracas? Read  the next verses with this in mind.
10. Pronounce them guilty, O God!
Let them fall by their own counsels;
cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against You.

Thank God for the grace sinners have because of Jesus Christ.  Are you rejoicing in the midst of what’s swirling around you? Read on as David shares a godly way to respond to these people.                                                                  11. But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You.                                       12. For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;
With favor. You will surround him as with a shield.

A God who blesses us with such glory in the clouds should make us pause and meditate on things. What an awesome God we serve! He loves us so much. He can handle our cries and complaints, but temper them with magnifying His Name. He truly is worthy!

I leave you with  Luke 23:34.

23:34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.

Love them anyway…  the paraphrase on a sticker on the back of my phone case. Even our worst enemy doesn’t deserve the dark, evil, torturous, eternal fires of hell. Rescue the perishing and speak life where death is trying to overcome. Let the light of Jesus Christ break through the darkness that encroaches.

Until next time, Shalom to you all.             Don’t forget to pray and vote!

The Ides Of July

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Well dear readers, July 15th, 1983 is the day my eldest son was born. As he was growing up, two years in a row there were major events on his birthday. The microburst happened on July 15 and in 1996, Southern Mexico had an earthquake and a Belgian jet crashed.

Jul 15 Southern Mexico hit with 6.5 earthquake Jul 15 A Belgian Air Force C-130 Hercules carrying the Royal Netherlands Army marching band crashes on landing at Eindhoven Airport [from Bing search what happened July 15, 1996]

http://www.wwnytv.com/2020/07/15/years-later-remembering-microburst/#:~:text=WATERTOWN%2C N.Y. (WWNY) – Wednesday marked the 25th,Star Lake took the brunt of the storm.

He wasn’t sure he wanted his birthday to come again! Most people have heard of “The Ides of March” but there’s also The Ides of July! Well, now his wedding anniversary is on his birthday, I think it redeems the date for him. this is his daughter enjoying her birthday!

Jumping off from this topic, I want to share a couple things that stuck out to me this week. The first I want to share is what Johnny and Elizabeth Enlow had to say about cleaning up the evil that’s crept into the church and what to be prepared for as things are exposed in the next days not only in the churches, but in all levels of society; not just in the U.S.A., but around the world. One example the Enlow’s used was the church they were first volunteer ministers in. The core of that ministry was led by a Pastor who had been abused as a child. Through mis-use of Scripture, he had a ‘secret doctrine’ of evil at the core of the ministry that hurt many. I remember one of the first charismatic churches in our area used this Scripture:

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Many couples divorced and married others because “I’m a new creation; old things have passed away.” The devil loves it when the church descends into sexual sins. Most false religions involve child sacrifice and lewd sexual acts, but Christian churches are not exempt. God created marriage between one man and one woman so the union of flesh would be holy and godly children would be born for the Father’s plans to be accomplished. I wonder how many of God’s chosen ones have been aborted by the enemy trying to thwart God’s plans. If we don’t live by the Spirit, we die in the flesh like our original forbearers Adam and Eve.

Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

On YouTube, look for JOHNNY AND ELIZABETH ENLOW: IT’S CLEAN-UP TIME! on Elijah Streams July 9, 2021

I am coming to the end of When Faith Is Forbidden; 40 Days on the front lines with persecuted Christians by Todd Nettleton. Days 34-35 told of a wife from North Korea who was put in prison for reading a Bible and sharing what she was learning. Mrs. Choi was terribly abused and beaten in prison, but would not reveal who gave her the Bible. Her hands were beaten with a lead pipe until they are no longer useable for her; when she went to trial, her face was so swollen from beatings, she could not speak in her own defense and they sentenced her to fifteen years in prison. Her husband finally sold their house and everything they owned and gathered money from anyone who would contribute to pay to have her released early. Mrs. Choi escaped to South Korea, but is having a hard time forgiving her abusers. This is not keeping her from giving her testimony on Christian radio programs that broadcast to North Korea and bringing salvation to many.

Mrs. Choi’s story brings two things to mind. First, how much should we share about our abuse when the Bible says not to even talk about the things done in darkness; about the things the evil one does? Second, I have never experienced abuse half as much as she has; what right do I have to withhold forgiveness toward anyone in my life?

Day 36 also spoke volumes to me. A man from a small village in Laos traveled to the capitol to experience life and find the jobs people told him were plentiful there. He found no work, no food, ended up living in the streets. Before he left home, he’d been told to find a building with a cross on it and he should find free rice. He had to be shown what a cross looked like! Well, he found a building with a cross, walked into the church, heard the gospel and went away rejoicing and sharing his faith gained from a single sermon! Todd didn’t find out if the man ever got rice, but he definitely got the gospel and the fire of God!

The question is: we have heard so many sermons, so many videos, read so many books; are we hearers of the Word and not doers? This man heard a single sermon and went out with joy to share what he’d heard with many. This is the prayer I wrote out:

Lord, we are as the fatted calf, content in all the provisions and comforts of this life. Help me not become complacent and waste all this fatness meant to feed those You put in my path. Holy Spirit, lead me into all truth and fill me with boldness and a passion to share what is invested in me. Don’t let it stagnate. Your love, Oh Lord, is life to the living. May I share it well as long as You sustain this life in me. Amen.

So many lives depend on what I do; I’m going on with Jesus!