Tag Archives: Christian

Friday Proverb – True Riches

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It saddens us when we see prosperity preachers at work.  Just like state run lotteries, and “legalized” gambling casinos – the participants in these schemes are most often those who can least afford it. 

Our blessed Savior lived His earthly ministry in poverty.  His life was to be an example to us.   There is no place in Scripture, that equates material wealth with spiritual wealth.  Money is not evil – the love of money is. 

Proverbs 10:22

 The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it.

jesus-christ-wallpapers-4

Our spiritual father – Abraham – lived a spiritually rich life, in such close fellowship with the LORD, that he was allowed to speak directly to the pre-incarnate Christ!  When we think of the faith of Abraham, leaving his comfortable life and venturing to an unknown land, and then offering his beloved son on an altar to the LORD, we must be humbled.  How can we have this kind of richness – with no sorrow added?  We must walk as closely with the LORD as Abraham did.  With no interference from the world and its trappings.  Abraham’s life in the desert, was “separated” from the surrounding heathen nations.

That kind of rich life, may entail separating your “tribe” from the pagans that surround you.  He lived among them (surrounded actually!) but he did not live with them.  That is an important distinction everyone needs to make note of.

Beloveds – do you live with the pagans? Or among them?  If you separate yourself from the world – you will be spiritually rich, with no sorrow.  We’re talking about overflowing abundance,  so glorious that you are praising Him from morning till night – in any and all circumstances.  This rich life may require you get rid of your cable, if you can’t  watch it in good faith [ you know what I’m talking about.]  It may entail purging yourself of many possessions – if they are controlling you.  How much mental space is devoted to your source of bondage?  Bondage being anything from your hair, your children, even to your mortgage payment.   Abraham was willing to place his son on the altar – what are you willing to place on the altar?

Decide now to live for him, and only him, and you will be richly blessed – with no added sorrow.

sage

Friday Proverb – Hold Your Tongue!

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Gossiping, backstabbing, and lying – are all traits that should never be named in the Body of Christ – but they are there all the same.  Hidden jealousy, covetousness, and bitterness don’t really stay buried – they ooze out of our mouths with the greatest of ease – but leave a sticky coating that is hard to escape from.  Words once spoken can never be taken back. 

Proverbs 10:18-19

gossiping

18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.

Wow!  Hiding hatred with lying lips. . .  how awful.  But it’s all too true.  We comfort ourselves by sugar coating what we are doing, thinking we are not hurting anyone, but it puts us in the category of fool no matter what the reason.  Cutting up someone’s appearance, children, marriage – whatever – is nothing more than slander.  If it’s not something you can say directly to the person – then  do not say it!  This includes tearing apart the pastor’s sermon in the car on the way home from church.  Repeating something you’ve heard is a dangerous and shameful practice.  So is embellishing and exaggerating something that may be true in order to make it more interesting to your listeners.

slander, lying, and gossiping are all acts of self centeredness.  they are the hallmark of the baby christian.  this sin is one of the greatest detriments to the furtherance of the gospel to a lost and dying world.  it is a demonstration of the opposite of love – which is hate. 

talk too much

 19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin:

Did you realize that the more you talk, there is more chance of you saying something wrong?  The odds are against you.  Those who run-off at the mouth, are notorious for putting their foot in that same mouth.  Even when you are not talking about yourself (which most talkers do) you are still feeding your ego, by holding your listener(s)  hostage.  Parents – this includes lecturing of your children or spouse.  Less is more in this case, and in every case.  The longer your spiel – the greater chance you will sin, and sin big, during the overflow.


 20but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

There is a reason why God gave us two ears, and only one mouth!

sage

Good Stewardship – Cheap Thrills

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On this page, we invite our readers to share their thrifty ideas with us and other readers.  It behooves the truly born-again Christian, to make proper use of whatever God gives.  I always like to think, that the more frugal I am, the more I will have to support missions, ministries, and to give to worthy causes – like the crisis pregnancy center.  Wastefulness has no place in the family of God, especially when we consider that every breath we draw is a gift from Him. 

John 6:12

 When they were filled, He said unto His disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

Proverbs 18:9

He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

I’ll get it started with some of my major thrifty stuff.  Please feel free to share your frugal fun with us in the comment section – and if I deem any of them to be superior – they will be edited into the post.

Cut down old flannel sheets, shirts, and anything else that is 100% cotton, into handkerchiefs.  Serge or overcast the edges, or pink if no sewing machine is available.  Wash with bleach or borax and hot water for sanitation, since it doesn’t matter what color they are as long as they are clean.  A good size is 10 x 10.  

Use plastic lids that have a deep lip as plant saucers to catch water run off.  For example – the lid to large Nesquick canisters are ample saucers for a 5″ pot. 

Use large clear “pretzel barrels” as mini cloches/greenhouses for your early tomato and  pepper plants.  They are the perfect size, and will protect tender plants from late frosts and torrential downpours.  A lot of snack foods  come in these barrels now.   And you can use the lids as plant saucers! 

Empty yogurt containers make ideal seed starting pots, with holes poked in the bottom for drainage.  Filled with cheap soilless planting media you can save oodles of money by starting your own plants from seeds.  Especially if you save seeds! 

  • 4-6 parts Sphagnum Peat Moss or Coir
    1 part Perlite
    1 part Vermiculite

Cat Mahm:

Keep the heat in at Christmas-time by lining the windows with “fake snow”. This could be cotton fluff from the inside of an old pillow, or I even sometimes use white dish clothes.

Keeping heat in can reduce the heating bill, so I line everything with towels or insulating materials. It especially helps around the bases of the windows!

Cat Mahm:

Yes it does.

Need to kill the weeds in the driveway? Don’t buy all of that expensive weed killer.

During the spring/summer/fall months, I get a tea kettle to boil. Shortly after it has boiled, I pour it on the dandelions or persistent grass growing up through concrete. I go out the next morning and the weeds have completely withered and are easy to pull up. My driveway is weed free all year long.

Cat Mahm:

I never go out to eat. I never do take out. It’s never healthier, it’s addictive, and it’s way more expensive.

I buy my ground beef in bulk and chop it up into individual pounds, and store them in the freezer. You can do this with so many things. I would love to get a chest freezer someday. Buy everything on sale, freeze it. So many things can go in a chest freezer.

Please share your thrifty secrets with us!

sage

Friday Proverb – Deliverance and Direction

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Proverbs 11:6

 The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them:

Hmm.  Easier said than done – right?  Not really.  Of course, it is nigh impossible if one relies on their own righteousness, but the Bible implicitly states in many places, that only God is righteous, and that we, miserable sinners that we are,  may receive His righteousness through faith in the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  His perfect righteousness is given to us, by Grace.

Philippians 3:9

And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.

We are delivered from death and judgment only by recognizing and accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior.  He saves us from eternal death in the Lake of Fire, and promises us an eternity with Him.

but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.

Just as naughty children never think they will be found out – the sinner in rebellion refuses to acknowledge what needs to be done.  They willfully choose the darkness of this world, and the Proverb states they will be taken in their own naughtiness.  Not the misdeeds of another – but their very own  misdeeds.  Sinners in rebellion will not be able to blame anyone (as is the popular trend today) because the Word says the blame will be squarely laid at their own feet.

In the universities and satanically controlled media, herculean effort is made to convince the lost that their condition is not sin and damnation, but that their misery is caused by others.  Hence, the creation of the blame game.  The evil one does not want man to repent, and he will do everything in his considerable power to cause the sinner to either kill themselves before they can get saved – or  contrive to bedazzle the sinner with psychology and fleshly enticements.  But God, in His mercy, has given us a narrow pathway of escape. . .

2 Peter 1:3-4

3 According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

sage

For the Lord’s Day – Redeemed

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Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child and forever I am.

Refrain

Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child and forever I am.

Redeemed, and so happy in Jesus,
No language my rapture can tell;
I know that the light of His presence
With me doth continually dwell.

Refrain

I think of my blessèd Redeemer,
I think of Him all the day long:
I sing, for I cannot be silent;
His love is the theme of my song.

Refrain

I know there’s a crown that is waiting,
In yonder bright mansion for me,
And soon, with the spirits made perfect,
At home with the Lord I shall be.

Refrain

“Oh, what a happy child I am,

although I cannot see!

I am resolved that in this world,

contented I will be!”

Fanny Crosby, (March 24, 1820 – February 12, 1915)

1 Peter 1:18-19

18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

sage

Hints for Home Schoolers – Field Trip!

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The past three hints have been a rough idea on how to squeeze it all into your day without losing it! Our next topic is the ever popular field-trip, and some ideas for making the most of it. One of the great advantages a home-schooling family has, is the freedom to adjust schedules.

  • If you have a zoo within reasonable driving distance, consider purchasing an annual family pass. Our zoo included parking with our pass, as well as entry into other zoos around the country.
  • Science and history museums also offer annual passes, with similar reciprocal entry to related venues.
  • State parks offer an annual car pass, usually consisting of a vinyl, dated sticker for your windshield.

Our home school had a field trip every month. By watching the weather closely – we would cancel school for that day – and go to the zoo! By taking our field trips during the week, we were able to avoid large weekend crowds. On nicer field trip days – we visited an outdoor interest. During brutal winter weeks, we still took a field trip, but spent the day roaming around a museum. I will stress, that our field trip schedule was never scheduled. Sometimes, the kids would wake up, and while they were eating breakfast – I would announce it.

If you are following an accredited curriculum, the missed school day will need to be made up for. Our schedule from A Beka Academy allowed for a large block of vacation time during December. I would shave days from that block of time, and use it for field trips. I discovered that if we had too much time off in December, it was too hard to get back in the swing of things.

If we brought lunch from home (almost always) we would get a treat like ice cream, or something from the historic bakery at the museum. The scene above is from the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

Don’t overlook large outdoor museums, usually consisting of historic buildings. Often the employees and docents are well versed in the lore of times past, and will regale any children you have that are willing to listen!

The image above is from the Henry Ford Greenfield Village Museum in Michigan.

Important field-trip tips to remember:

  1. One field trip a month
  2. Watch the weather
  3. Watch the runny noses! No fun going anywhere unless everyone is feeling well.
  4. Spontaneity can add to the experience and reduce stress. If I told them ahead of time we were going – and something went wrong (ie: one waking up with a sore throat, severe weather) there would be disappointed faces all day.
  5. If you bring lunch from home, allowing the kids a treat from the venue will quiet any quests for the other stuff. It’s a kind of bribery, but heck – it works!! And can save a heap of money over buying lunch out. Especially teen and preteen boys can eat so much, you could regret taking them anywhere!!!
  6. By buying annual memberships to places you like to go, it will save money and the necessity of budgeting every month for the field trip. The annual passes are always a better deal over individual ticket prices.

In spring, we often opted for the metro-park, which had a farm.

Babies everywhere!

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

Proverbs 31: 26

sage

Hints for Home Schoolers – Pets

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Our home school has always had pets.  We actually had pets before any children came along – so from their infancy animals were a constant presence.  Children and pets – a match made in heaven. . .

Pets can be a valuable “spring-board” for many home school adventures!  In addition – kids can learn responsibility for another living creature.  Pets can help human beings, who come into this world as  completely self-centered selfish creatures, to grow into mature, dependable individuals.

  • A pet can be the basis of a writing project.  Any composition, book report or research paper will be enhanced by the child’s interest in their pet.
  • Pets (particularly dogs) will a be great ally in enforcing schedules.
  • Recalcitrant nappers can change into the most eager sleepers if allowed to nap with a pet.
  • Measuring food and counting treats are excellent for teaching basic math.
  • Developing and making home made dog biscuits is a great project.
  • Growing “cat grass” and sunflowers (for seeds) is a good botany/biology project.
  • Pets can reduce test time stress simply by being there.
  • Pets can console kids (and adults) that are feeling down.
  • When kids are home with pets all day – no one gets lonely – kids or pets.

My kids very often had a cat on their laps or desks, and a dog at their feet all day during school.

As they get older, the pet may stimulate the child to work at an animal shelter, or even pursue a career in human or animal sciences.  The benefits of home schooling with pets are too numerous to cover here, but every study shows that caring for and living with pets makes us better, healthier people all around.

What about outdoor pets?  Positioning a bird feeder outside the window where you have your home school, can be a constant source of delight – no matter what the kid’s ages are.  Keeping field guides and binoculars at the ready will spur kids to look for identifying marks, and triumphant cries of delight will be heard when the correct identification is made.

 

The feeder(s) can be an excellent exercise in record keeping and charting comparisons of most desirable seeds. Unsprayed lawns will have even more birds and critters, as well as insects to study.  Dandelions can be picked in heaps for pet guinea pigs to eat.

In cold winter areas – home made suet cakes are a good science project, and again – a good basis for experimentation.  Do downy woodpeckers like suet or peanut butter better?  Oilers or stripers? (sunflower seeds)  Writing it down and illustrating it involves all the areas of school – art, math, language skills, science, and history.  Bird calls have been used as the basis of some great classical music and poetry – such as ‘The Lark Ascending,’ by Ralph Vaughan Williams, which was inspired by a poem by George Meridith.

To A Skylark

O skylark! I see thee and call thee joy!
Thy wings bear thee up to the breast of the dawn;
I see thee no more, but thy song is still
The tongue of the heavens to me!

Thus are the days when I was a boy;
Sweet while I lived in them, dear now they’re gone:
I feel them no longer, but still, O still
They tell of the heavens to me.

–George Meredith–

2 Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto Him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.3 Sing unto Him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.4 For the Word of the Lord is right; and all His works are done in truth.5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. 

Psalm 33: 2-5

sage

Friday Proverb – The Wicked Fear Death

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Proverbs 10:24-25

24 The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.

Those that are unsaved and living for the world system, fear death to the point they will do almost anything to avoid it.  Because they have no hope for the future, and no concept of an eternity – they cling with fervor to this earthly realm.  Being completely self centered, they think  nothing of killing the unborn, or using their body parts to extend their own lives.

25 As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.

As believers, we know that our future is already sealed.  That is our hope – something the wicked couldn’t possibly understand.  With Jesus Christ as our Righteous and Everlasting foundation, we are known by name,  are built onto –   and permanently attached to Him.   Once we are in heaven with the Lord, the wicked will no more come to our minds.  Or to the Lord’s mind!   And how grateful we should be for that!  Not to think about what the evil are up to anymore – that sounds like heaven to me.

Isaiah 65:11-17

11 But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget My holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number.

12 Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before Mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.

13 Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, My servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, My servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, My servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:

14 Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.

15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto My chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call His servants by another name:

16 That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from Mine eyes.

17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

sage

For the Lord’s Day – Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed?

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=Pao2KgVe1KA%3Fsi%3DdqZseuMEnGifCoyq

Alas! and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For sinners such as I?
[originally, For such a worm as I?]

Refrain

At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!

Thy body slain, sweet Jesus, Thine—
And bathed in its own blood—
While the firm mark of wrath divine,
His Soul in anguish stood.

Was it for crimes that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!

Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut his glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker died,
For man the creature’s sin.

Thus might I hide my blushing face
While His dear cross appears,
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt my eyes to tears.

But drops of grief can ne’er repay
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give my self away
’Tis all that I can do.

issac Watts

Words: Isaac Watts, Hymns and Spir­it­u­al Songs, 1707;

Music: Martyrdom Hugh Wilson, 1800

[***Note from sage – you may not be familiar with this rendition – but it was the one that Fanny Crosby was referring to in 1880.   The music sung in churches today was not written until 1885 when the well known refrain was added]

  • Hudson, Ralph E. Hudson, Songs of Peace, Love and Joy (Alliance, Ohio: 1885)  It is with this tune that the hymn is known as At the Cross.

Fanny Crosby wrote of this hymn:

[In] the autumn of 1850…re­viv­al meet­ings were be­ing held in the Thir­ti­eth Street Meth­od­ist Church [, New York Ci­ty]. Some of us went down ev­ery ev­en­ing; and, on two oc­ca­sions, I sought peace at the at­lar [sic], but did not find the joy I craved, un­til one ev­en­ing, No­vem­ber 20, 1850, it seemed to me that the light must in­deed come then or ne­ver; and so I arose and went to the al­tar alone. A­fter a prayer was of­fered, they be­gan to sing the grand old con­se­cra­tion hymn, “Alas, and did my Sav­iour bleed, And did my Sov­er­eign die?” And when they reached the third line of the fourth [sic] stan­za, “Here Lord, I give my­self away,” my very soul was flood­ed with a ce­les­ti­al light. I sprang to my feet, shout­ing “hal­le­lu­jah,” and then for the first time I real­ized that I had been try­ing to hold the world in one hand and the Lord in the other.

Crosby, p. 24

http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/l/a/alasand.htm

1 Corinthians 1:18

 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Repentance – #7 – The Evidence of Repentance

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Acts 26:19-20

19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

20 
But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles,  that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

The evidence (proof) of repentance towards God, and faith towards our  Lord Jesus Christ can be positively seen in truly converted individuals – and it is demonstrated vividly for us in Scripture.

REPENTANCE IS A CHANGE OF MIND, HEART, AND WILL

1. Doubting Thomas repents – Thomas refused to believe that Christ had been raised from the dead until he could see with his own eyes, and touch with his own hands,  the risen Savior.  

John 20:24-29 –  24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.  25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.  26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said,  Peace be unto you.  

27 Then saith he to Thomas,  Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.  

28 And Thomas answered and said unto him,  My Lord and my God.  

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.   

Thomas repented, believed, and made his great profession of faith with – “My Lord and my God.” 

2. Three thousand (!) changed their minds, hearts and wills on the day of Pentecost, and immediately gave evidence of their repentance. 

 Acts 2:41-47 –  41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.  42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.  43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles  44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;  45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.  46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,  47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.  Please take note that these believers did not go back to living the way they did before their conversion.

3. Saul of Tarsus experienced repentance when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus.  He then gave evidence of repentance – 

Acts 9:1-18 –   And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,  2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:  4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?  

5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord?

And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.  

6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.  

7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.  8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.  9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.  

10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.  

11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,  12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.  

13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:  14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.  

15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:  16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.  

17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.  18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

4. Cornelius, his entire family and friends repented when they heard the gospel as preached by Simon Peter, and then evidence of repentance followed their conversions.  Acts 10:24-48

5.  The Philippian jailer and his house repented after being witnessed to by Paul and Silas – the evidence of repentance followed.   Acts 16:26-34 –  26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.  27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.  28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.  29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,  30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.  32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.  33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.  34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

Don’t be fooled by the “God loves me no matter what I do,” preaching out there.  While it is true that He loves without measure – He also demands proof of conversion.  Not for Himself – He knows who is truly saved or not.  The evidence of repentance is to give Him glory and honor, to exalt His Word and His name above our own, and that our lives may testify of His Grace and Mercy.  Some people claiming the name of Christ, live like the very devil.   Sinners should never be able to say that believers are hypocrites, and no different than the world.  We should demonstrate our repentance in such a fashion that we lead some to their own repentance.

Repentance is a change of the mind, the heart, and the will. 

The proof of repentance is. . .

1.turning from sin

Ezekiel 18:30

Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

2. turning to God

Acts 26:20

. . . that they should repent and turn to God,

3. followed by good deeds

Acts 26:20

. . .and do works meet for repentance.

This concludes our seven part study on repentance. 

The next series will be an in depth study of The New Birth.

For the Lord’s Day – I Will Sing the Wondrous Story

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=9ahjKfVb4Lc%3Fsi%3D397JPpC3WeNSZ203

I will sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ Who died for me.
How He left His home in glory
For the cross of Calvary.

Refrain

Yes, I’ll sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ Who died for me,
Sing it with the saints in glory,
Gathered by the crystal sea.

I was lost, but Jesus found me,
Found the sheep that went astray,
Threw His loving arms around me,
Drew me back into His way.

Refrain

I was bruised, but Jesus healed me,
Faint was I from many a fall,
Sight was gone, and fears possessed me,
But He freed me from them all.

Refrain

Days of darkness still come o’er me,
Sorrow’s path I often tread,
But His presence still is with me;
By His guiding hand I’m led.

Refrain

He will keep me till the river
Rolls its waters at my feet;
Then He’ll bear me safely over,
Where the loved ones I shall meet.

Refrain

rowley_fh

Words: Fran­cis H. Row­ley, 1886. The orig­in­al lyr­ics be­gan, “Can’t you sing the won­drous sto­ry…” Ira Sank­ey changed them be­fore pub­lish­ing the song in the 1887 edi­tion of his Sac­red Songs and So­los.

Music: Pe­ter P. Bil­horn, 1886 (MI­DI, score).

Rowley wrote of this song:

I was min­is­ter of the First Bap­tist Church of North Adams [Mass­a­chu­setts] at the time the hymn was written in 1886, as nearly as I can remember. The church and the com­mun­i­ty were ex­per­i­enc­ing a per­i­od of un­u­su­al in­ter­est in re­li­gious mat­ters, and I was as­sist­ed by a re­mark­a­ble young sing­er named Pe­ter Bil­horn. One night af­ter the close of the ser­vice he said, “Why don’t you write a hymn for me to set to mu­sic?” Dur­ing the night these most un­pre­ten­tious and whol­ly un­wor­thy vers­es came to me. Some years ago as I was go­ing down a Lon­don street one night about ele­ven o’clock, I dis­cov­ered ahead of me a group of Sal­va­tion Ar­my peo­ple hold­ing a ser­vice, and as I came near­er to them it oc­curred to me that the hymn they were sing­ing was fa­mil­iar. Then it dawned up­on me that it was this one.

http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/w/iwilsing.htm

jesus-christ-wallpapers-4

REVELATION 15:3

 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints.

Friday Proverb – Chastening

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Last week we talked about honoring the Lord with our substance, which is something entirely different from tithing. Today we will focus on the Lord’s method of correcting us.

The atheists and secular humanists of the world rail at God – angry that the Sovereign would punish His creatures. Seeing themselves as virtuous, they become filled with anger at what they perceive to be a God Who is unjust, mercurial, and even cruel. Randomly selecting a verse from the Bible, they smirk and taunt Christians with this “contradiction,” or that “savage act.”

It’s just not so, says the Bible. In fact, He chastens because He loves us.

bad-things-good-3

11 My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of His correction:

Isn’t that just what the atheist does? Hate the chastening of the Lord first, and then progress to actually hating Him? How about Christians? Do we say – “Why me?” or “When am I going to get a break?” How about “But I haven’t done anything wrong!” or “Why would Jesus do this to me?” “I don’t think I deserve this.”

lions

12 For whom the Lord loveth He correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Proverbs 3: 11-12

The writer of Hebrews (Paul) expands further on this –

5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him:

6 For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Hebrews 12: 5-8

I must stress that this only applies to those of the household of faith.

If nations have fallen into national idolatry, they have no protection. They are all born of Adam, with a sin nature, and must come to repentance to receive forgiveness.

God will use every means to bring the heathen to repentance. Please see here for a study on the heathen’s responsibility to God, whether they believe in Him or not.

Chastening is one of the means by which God perfects His saints.

book

This book by Harold S. Kushner feeds into the idea that people are inherently good. That is the mantra of Oprah Winfrey, Ekhart Tolle, Phil Donahue, James Cameron, and a host of other pagan talking heads. The reality is quite the opposite. People are anything but good. Only God is good.

How do we handle this chastening when it comes along? Get mad at God? Sink into self pity? Allow bitterness to consume us?

Ask yourself these questions:

  1. Is there unconfessed sin lurking somewhere deep inside? Even from years and years ago. . .? Bring it all out, and confess it to Him.
  2. Is there an area of life where the sinful, fallen world has taken hold, in the form of an addiction, pride, coveting, lust, laziness, greed, gossiping, or idolatry. . . Repent, repent, repent!!
  3. If none of the above seem to be the problem – then you must consider that the Lord is afflicting you for another purpose, one that may not be clear to you for a long time.
  4. Realize that the chastening is meant for your good, and that it is “but for a while.”

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Hebrews 12: 11

How to Witness for Him – Introduction

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One day, as Jesus walked by the sea of Galilee, He saw two fishermen, Simon (later named Peter) and his brother Andrew.   He said unto them . . .

Matt. 4:19

Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.

SOUL WINNERS ARE MADE – NOT BORN!  FOR YOU TO BECOME AN EFFECTIVE WITNESS – YOU MUST BE TRAINED, EQUIPPED, AND MOTIVATED BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 

Our Lord spent three years teaching and training His disciples in the art of soul winning.  After His resurrection, He told them to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the “promise of the Father.”  [Acts 4:1-8]  When the disciples asked if He would restore the kingdom right then, He told them, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power.”  It is not the job of the church to predict or focus on the Tribulation,  or be continuously searching for hidden meanings in natural events.  Our job is to witness!  “and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

ANY BELIEVER WHO ACQUIRES THE KNOW- HOW, CAN BECOME AN EFFECTIVE SOUL WINNER!

You can know –  that you and the Holy Spirit are a witnessing team. 

Acts 5:32

 And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him.

Therefore, when you are witnessing, remember that you are not alone! 

1 Corinthians 6:19

 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

WHEN YOU WITNESS, YOU CAN TRUST THE HOLY SPIRIT TO DO THREE THINGS –

  1. Illuminate the mind of the unbeliever.  This is the work of the Holy Spirit.  All lost souls are in spiritual darkness.  2 Cor. 4:3 –  But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:  4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
  2. Stir the heart of the unbeliever.  As Peter preached Christ to the listeners . . . Acts 2:37 –  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
  3. Move the will of the unbeliever.  When the prodigal son “came to himself,” and returned home he said. . . Luke 15:18 – I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee. . .  The prodigal had a change of will. 

Many graduates of Bible schools have learned all of the up-to-date techniques for “modern” soul winning.  They may even be able to quote the necessary Scriptures without flaw, and stir an emotional response from their audience.  But, if witnessing is not done in the power of the Holy Spirit, all their witnessing efforts will be ineffective.  As we progress though this series on effective witnessing, please keep your heart and mind open to the Holy Spirit, and be willing to become Fishers of Men. 

Hints for Home Schoolers – Being a Keeper at Home

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Men should stop treating feminists like ladies, and instead treat them like the men they say they want to be. [Phyllis Schlafly]

3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;   4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,  5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the Word of God be not blasphemed.

Titus 2: 3-5

Let’s examine the phrase “keeper at home.” Some of what could be termed – New Age Bible Versions – have corrupted this passage to say something entirely different. Merely keeping a clean house – is not being a keeper at home. The keeper at home is something far greater than is commonly understood.

FROM THE GREEK, “KEEPER” IN TITUS 2 IS TRANSLATED FROM THIS WORD –

οὖρος

a watcher, warder, guardian

The same directive was given to Adam in the Garden of Eden – he was to“keep” the garden. It means something a great deal more than pruning! The Cheribum was to “keep” the way of the Tree of Life.  With a flaming sword, no less! The same charge is given to women for their homes. It has ever been the desire of Satan to destroy the family – and one of the ways he does this is by changing God’s Words. The NIV version changes “keepers at home” to

to be busy at home

Think I am making too big of an issue over a few words? The change in context here is of gigantic proportion! That simple change, in the NIV, as well as others, has influenced Christians for the past generation, to abandon their children to the pagan shrines masquerading as schools, and thrust women into the unnatural role of competing with men. Even our seniors are being shuffled off to assisted living, because the “keeper at home” is not there to care for the elderly members of the family.

castle

As the keeper at home – you are the guardian of your family. You are to be ever watchful for the welfare of your home, and its occupants. There simply is no more important job in the entire world. No where, and I mean no where, in the Holy Bible, the inspired Word of God, is this incredible responsibility given to men. Not in thousands of years of recorded history.

When you begin each day, have this thought in mind. You are the watcher, warder, guardian of your home. Not a mere housewife! You are the chatelaine of your castle, with all the commensurate responsibilities. Don’t let the media, politicians, or someone close to you diminish you and your desire to be obedient to the Lord. Your home is a fortress against the outside world, and you are its keeper! And the world, under the influence of the evil one, will attack with as much vengeance as an invading army. He will try to break down your door, infiltrate through a weak spot, smoke you out, and catapult destruction over the wall. The war machines you see in the above illustration are nothing compared to what he has in his arsenal.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Ephesians 6: 11

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Ultimate Banana Bread!

banana-bread1

1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour

1 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

1 1/2 cups mashed, ripe bananas (usually three)

2 eggs

1/2 cup light olive oil

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Spray 12 cup bundt pan with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Stir just until blended. Pour into pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes! (very important) Turn out onto rack to finish cooling.

Now that’s what I call “instant breakfast!”

Bible Study – Isaac Gets a Bride – Part 2

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The unnamed servant has asked the Lord to reveal who the Bride will be – by volunteering to give water to the ten camels. 

Genesis 24:15-27

15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.

16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.

17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.

18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.

19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.

20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.

21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.

Camels have a series of physiological adaptations that allow them to withstand long periods of time without any external source of water.[17] Unlike other mammals, their red blood cells are oval rather than circular in shape. This facilitates the flow of red blood cells during dehydration[21] and makes them better at withstanding high osmotic variation without rupturing when drinking large amounts of water: a 600 kg (1,300 lb) camel can drink 200 L (53 US gal) of water in three minutes.[22][23]   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel

That’s right !  53 gallons of water for 1 camel!

53 gallons  x 10 camels = 530 gallons of water!!! 

Rebekah was not a sluggard!  as the bride of the son of promise – she portrays the bride of jesus Christ – the church. 

22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;

The unnamed servant gives precious gifts to Rebekah, gold bracelets and earrings, tokens of his master’s wealth.  The Servant (Holy Spirit) gives tokens of the Father’s riches – endless joy, and boundless peace.

23 And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in?

24 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.

25 She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.

26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord.

27 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and His truth: I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.

What an example the unnamed servant is to us!  He was a faithful steward in every way.  He looked after his master’s affairs as if they were his own.  Unfaithful stewards will cheat and steal from their masters.  In our own service to Christ, as faithful stewards,  we must handle our talents, abilities, money, time, and opportunities as faithful stewards of God.  In so doing, we will be rewarded for our faithful stewardship at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

The unnamed servant also trusted God implicitly to help him meet his responsibility. 

Luke 16:10

 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.