Faith Is An Act
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. - Hebrews 11:1
the great commandment(s)
Then one of them, a lawyer, asked tempting him and saying "Master which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said unto him
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." - Matthew 22:35-40 (KJV), see also Luke 10: 25-37
God Of The Individual
It is all about you. Your relationship with God & your relationship with all others.
Both of those commandments are directed at "thou." Jesus Christ came for you as an individual. If your relationship with God is defined by the group you are in - you have no relationship with him at all.
Your salvation is not based on a rule set published by any group, or having your name on the roster at a particular establishment. Sadly Christian churches conformed to the industrial age mandate with one size fits most ministries.
God still sees you as an individual - you must meet him as an individual to relate to him. Christ talked to Nicodemus in John 3 in a much different manner than he talked to the woman of Samaria, and again differently to the nobleman in John 4; and ministered in a different way yet to the infirm man in John 5.
Christ ministers to each of us as an individual - with the Holy Spirit's help we can minister to others in the same way.
This is not some mass call to a world of sinners to repent, this is a call to you to enter into God's best for you. The Holy Spirit is directing you to meet and follow Jesus Christ -- right now.
God is who he is - he is not some invented focal point to be used for manipulation. What you have believed and what you were taught will not change him. You must come to him as the person you are to learn of the person he is.
You are not beyond redemption - no matter what society or organization you have joined. Others are also not beyond redemption - and need your love to guide them to the truth.
It is finally time for you to join God's family.
God loves you more than you love yourself. God gave himself for you that you might have the best available life and eternity. God is wiser and smarter than you are. Accept his offer, accept Christ as your lord and savior. Make the commitment to let God change you, then follow where he leads.
He has come to you - open the door.
Jesus Is Lord
Consider deepening your understanding through books.
You don't have to agree with everything said, but if you are open you just might learn something.
"These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few." Acts 17: 11, 12
Thompson Chain Reference Bible-NIV ( indexed)
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A Francis A. Schaeffer Trilogy: Three Essential Books in One Volume
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The Church and the Market: A Catholic Defense of the Free Economy (Studies in Ethics and Economics)
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The Journey: Living by Faith in an Uncertain World
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The Game
life is like a chess game.
God sees the whole board, he is more than smart and wise enough to move you in a way that is good for you, for others, and for his kingdom. The best play is to trust the chess master. Listen, then follow where the Holy Spirit leads.
Father God we thank you for your love and guidance.
Direct us we pray, help us to listen and respond to you.
Bless our efforts Lord Jesus - turn them to good. We love you and are the called according to your purpose.
Bless what we have said and done and what we have left unsaid and undone.
We turn our lives over to you for we know you first loved us.
Holy Spirit teach us to respond to your love and direction. Father we come before you now - cleansed by the blood of Jesus ---
Do You Want To Know The Truth?
O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. - Psalm 34:8
You can live as you were created to live; or you can keep tugging at your self imposed chains. I know this flies in the face of much you have been taught. But I'm sure you have discovered that other ideas you were once taught were wrong and self-serving?
What is your need, if any? I don't feel the need to prove Jesus exists, I know him well.
You may be a skeptic, even an atheist.
Are you willing to investigate Christ and his claims, with an open mind? Do you have the courage to see if his love is real?
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." - Ambrose Redmoon
Pick one of these books and consider its implications. Do your own study, this may be the most important time of your life.
Start now, or ask God to show himself to you in the privacy of your thought tonight.
The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict Fully Updated To Answer The Questions Challenging Christians Today
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The Case for Christ (2pk)
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Answers to Tough Questions Skeptics Ask About the Christian Faith
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The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God
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The Case for the Real Jesus: A Journalist Investigates Current Attacks on the Identity of Christ
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Decently and in order
Let all things be done decently and in order. - I Corinthians 14: 40
It is usually intoned as a reason to not do something that extends beyond other's comfort zones.
Do you want to take this scripture decently in order? Then your first commandment is "Let all things be done." Once you do all things, learn how they may be decently performed, then establish order.
"Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembreth that we are dust." Psalms 103: 13, 14
God watched us learn to walk, he knows we drag the tablecloth down when we fall. God wants us to try. As we become conversant in his will, he will guide us into further understanding of the proper way to act. But, the first step is; do all things you are exhorted to do by scripture.
Jesus said "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he will not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you." John 16: 13, 14
The Bible is so simple and direct you have to be taught how to misunderstand it. Far too often people teach what they have learned from people taught by others.
It is best to go to the source of knowledge and investigate for yourself. The nice thing about reading the Bible with the Holy Spirit directing you is there are no filters required, the truth is not clouded by personal interpretation. If I say something, read the scriptures to check it out; if the Bible says something, believe it.
Pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance.
Read the four Gospels.
Read the book of Acts;
Do all things,
decently,
and in order.
"Let all things be done decently and in order."
Your Online Prayer Chapel
There is some interesting stuff stored here.
Christian Resource & Archives
If you leave a comment, here or there, we will be glad to pray for you.
While not being updated right now, other priorities require my time, there are a lot of ideas in this journal's archive to comfort and challenge you.
Under prayerful consideration is an "opening prayer podcast." Probably just a few minutes of prayer before our regular Wednesday night prayer meeting. Use it in your own prayer time and join with us - whenever and wherever you can.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byOur lives serve several purposes.
He said he was smart enough to know there is a God, but selfish enough to experience all the sensual things the world has to offer. His defining statement for his personal philosophy was "I am a greyhound bred to run, Christianity would be a cage that would limit my real being.
The Lord gave me the proper response. My friend was more like a fish, born to one medium, but desiring another. He was flopping on the shore in the "freedom" of air; denying the reality of his design.
Fish were made to swim in water.
Birds were created to fly through the air.
Man was made to share a relationship with God.
Secure that relationship right now.
Once you have that personal relationship with the living God, you will find he has a plan for your life that suits you perfectly. You may have several specific purposes on this earth, all of them within God's plan.
You can only experience fullness of life when you are doing what you were made for.
Junior Partner Ministries
Our journal is listed above, more about our website is listed below.
Junior Partner Ministries' goal is to follow Jesus. Our vision has been to develop a group of faith based service ministries focused on Christian charity, mission support and missionary training. While the mantel is being passed to a new generation - the vision still grows.
Visit our site, read our information and consider our opinions. Then come back and leave us a note or a prayer request.
Join in on Wednesday evenings, from wherever you are, in united prayer for all that have responded to the call of God.
Don't Keep Fighting God
We all can have forgiveness in Christ Jesus.
But what if a brother does something that sets our teeth on edge?
Frequently what annoys us most in others is a reflection of our own greatest error - seek God and see if it is you that needs to change.
Then follow these steps:
Some of what anyone else believes will annoy you.
But it is what they have learned, so far. They may be wrong, or it may be you that has yet another lesson to learn. We each have a long list of areas where we need improvement. God works on what he knows to be most important, not just on what annoys you most.
If after you have prayed, studied the Bible, and consulted others, you still believe they are in error, ask God if he would have you and the elders tell them. Then it is their turn to pray and study the word. The wise will.
Some examples that are sure to get people upset.
I am not relating these to get someone upset, but because I believe they are true problems in today's church. We will just hit three for now.
1) Sin is Sin. If you are not in Christ Jesus even your charitable work is sin.
This brings up a big problem. Gossip is a sin. Causing division in the church is a sin. Do you talk about brothers disdainfully, do you gossip? Churches that focus on sins of those outside the church, particularly one type of sin, miss the point.
Preach about a relationship with Jesus to those outside, preach on the quest for holiness to those inside, and clean up your own sins before you point out other's sins.
2) Being more fervent about your country or business than about God.
God must come first. We were bought at a great price. Those things that belong to God need to be subject to God. More prayer and Bible study.
A case in point, your children. Did you dedicate your children to the Lord? If you have they are his, not your government's.
Pray to God and seek his will for your children. Should you move to another country that has freedom of religion? Should your kiddos be home schooled, or put in a private school?
They are God's children if you have given them to him, ask him to lead you to the right path, his chosen path. Do not be led by emotion, but by every word of God.
3) Giving to God. If you are not a Christian, Christ does not need your money -- we do not want your money.
If you are a Christian, you have been bought with a great price. Ask God what to do with your money and your life. Don't be legalistic, don't respond to emotional pleas; ask God.
Seek God's will with prayer and fasting in all things. Don't settle for an easy way out. If you have little, give of your little if God so directs; he has promised to pay it back, and he is good for it.
As he expands you, give more at his direction, - You can not out give God. As a Christian it is your responsibility to give, but seek to give only where and when God directs.
Set aside what God says is the right amount, pray over it, follow his will.
Don't worry about ministries that claim they are failing for lack of support; if God is with them they will remain. If he is not, let them fail.
The basics:
God is love, he loves you and yours more than you do.
God is smarter and wiser than you. If God leads, Follow.
The path walked following God will be to everyone's benefit; your, your children's, your family, the church, God's kingdom, - everyone.
Trust God.
Read the Bible.
Pray.
Do God's Will.
Jesus Is Lord!
I hope this lens has been a blessing.
Here are some other lenses you may appreciate.-
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Visionary leaders realize it is better to fight tough battles for causes worth winning -- than feed the emotions of popular movements doomed to failure. "To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete." R. Buckminste...
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Bastiat Free University - self directed learning for visionaries
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Bastiat Free University is developing a place for you to learn. Starting before kindergarten, college degrees are marketed as a way to get a better job, more income, or a promotion. Bureaucrats selling meal tickets to future bureaucrats. But college...
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The Importance Of Education
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"We shall not grow wiser before we learn that much that we have done was very foolish." - F. A. Hayek The purpose of education, as marketed by the education industry, is career advancement, higher pay, and empowering a college graduate...
