Why is life not "candy and nuts"?

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We all like to quote Bible verses containing God’s promises; but most of these promises are accompanied by a condition.  We ignore the conditions that accompany these promises; and, when these promises don’t come to fruition, we explain it by claiming that God is sovereign and that we cannot understand His will.  We often misquote verses such as Isaiah 55:8-9:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Ignoring the fact that the previous verses say:

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD

Ignoring that in his letter to the Corinthians, Paul compares the natural man (unsaved) who does not have the mind of Christ with the saved man, who has the mind of Christ:

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.  2 Cor. 2:14-16

 

When a promise does not come to fruition, we would rather say it was God’s will rather than to examine our own lives and our own faith, or lack there of.  James tells us in James 1: 5-8:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

We ignore the commands that Jesus gave His disciples in Mark 16:15-18:

Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. ¹⁶He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. ¹⁷And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; ¹⁸They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Mark then adds a P.S. in verse 19

They went forth and preached everywhere and the Lord worked them and confirmed His Word.

Did God change His Word?  Did the Lord quit working with them?  Did He quit confirming His Word?  Did He empower His disciples with a different Holy Spirit than we have today?  Is it possible that we are the ones who have changed?  Is it possible that we have been conformed to this world?  Is it possible we have not been transformed, that we have not renewed our minds? 

 Until we do, we will never prove what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God?

Romans 12:2

 Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

If’s and but’s

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If “ifs” and “buts” were candy and nuts, we’d all have a merry Christmas

Don Meredith, former SMU and Dallas Cowboys                                                                         quarterback and Monday Night Football                                                                                     announcer

 

 

The devil is in the details.  The tempter’s “ifs”:

Matthew 4:3 NIV

The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."

Matthew 4:6 NIV

"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' "

Matthew 4:9 NIV

"All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."

But your   Father   says:

Matthew 6:30 NIV

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Matthew 7:11 NIV

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Matthew 17:20 NIV

He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. "

 Matthew 21:21 NIV

Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done.

Matthew 21:22 NIV

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

Mark 11:23 NIV

"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.

Luke 12:28 NIV

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!

Luke 17:6 NIV

He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.

John 8:19 NIV

Then they asked him, "Where is your father?" "You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also."

John 14:7 NIV

If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well.

John 14:23 NIV

Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

John 15:5 NIV

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:7 NIV

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

Who you going to believe?

If “ifs’ were true, the church would be a powerful force in the world!!!!!

Why did the chicken lay the egg?

Now I realize that I have an unfair advantage over most people reading this because I spent the first 20 years of my life living on a chicken farm and spent one summer during college working in a hatchery cleaning incubators; but this is not a hard question.  Don’t over think this!  Don’t make it harder than it is.  You don’t need a college decree or doctorate in chickology!  That is from the Greek  Όρνιθα meaning “chicken” and λόγος, -logy, meaning "study of”.

 It is the same reason that cows give milk.

It is what they are!  It is what they do!  It is part of their DNA.  The chicken does not think about laying eggs, at least if they are female chickens (hens).  The cow does not think about giving milk if it is a female cow that has given birth to a calf recently.  It just happens!

Why do I bring this up?  Well, I just heard a Bible teaching on why Jesus healed.  Now let me first say that I liked the teaching.  I learned something; but the teacher tried to figure out why Jesus healed the sick.  He over thought it.  One of the first lessons that I learned in my matriculations through the education systems was: the most obvious answer is probably the right answer. 

In Exodus 15: 26, the Lord spoke to Moses at Marah, the place in the wilderness with the bitter water.  Note, this was three days after He, the Lord, had destroyed Pharaoh and his army in the sea.  The people were complaining to Moses and Moses cried out to the Lord.  God told him to cut down a tree and cast it into the water and it became sweet.  Moses was told to make a statute and God made a covenant with the people and said:

"If you will carefully obey the Lord your God, do what is right in His eyes, pay attention to His commands, and keep all His statutes, I will not inflict any illness on you I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you (Jehovah-rahpa)."

If He, the Lord, was Jehovah- rapha to the Israelites, and Christ was obtaining for us a new and better covenant with better promises (Hebrew 8), do you think that He was still Jehovah-rapha in the New Testament.  Jesus was healing because He was doing His Father’s work.  It was who He was and who He is, today.  God did stop being Jehovah-rapha once the last apostle died!  We were told to carry on with His work, doing the same and greater works:

The person who trusts me will not only do what I’m doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I’ve been doing. John 14:12  The Message

You don’t need a degree in theology to figure this one out.  The disciples did not have theology decrees but they could understand what Jesus told them. 

Remember, satan is the greatest theologian and he will burn in Hell, FOREVER!!!!!!

Child Like Faith?

What is child like faith? 

It is: trusting completely!  It is: believing everything!  It is: doubting nothing!  It is: anticipating hopefully!  It is: fearing nothing!  It is: thinking positively!  It is: ever living in the moment!  It is: taking no thought for tomorrow!   It is: taking no thought beyond the present!  It is: forgetting the past!  It is: never worrying!  It is not sarcastic!  It is not cynical!  It is not pessimistic!  It is not negative!

IT IS: THE WAY INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD!

Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.

                                                 Mark 10 :15

On the seventeenth day of the third month of the fifth year of king Obama’s reign

On the seventeenth day of the third month of the fifth year of king Obama’s reign, about the fifth hour of the night as I lay upon my bed, an image appeared in my mind.  From a distance I saw a roaming, roaring lion; but not the normal type.  It had a frightening satanic appearance causing distress.  I immediately prayed but the satanic being continued to approach closer.  But as it came nearer its appearance seemed to change.  Its coat had a severe case of mange.  Its body was gaunt, having the appearance of a blanket draped over a skeleton with no muscle supporting it.  Its paws and mouth were bare, void of teeth and claws.  Although it still had a satanic appearance, it had a weak roar unable to instill fear. It wandered around as if it were near death.   I fell back to sleep until morning came.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

1 Peter 5:8

BUT DO NOT BE AFRAID BECAUSE:

The eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. 

2 Chronicles 16:9

“You talk too much”

“You talk too much”

Now the word of the Lord came unto Merle Jaarda about the fourth hour of the night and said: 

“YOU talk too much”

Now the Lord spoke to Isaiah the prophet and said:

“MY WORD that comes from MY mouth will not return to Me empty, but IT will accomplish what I please, and will prosper in what I send it [to do]."

Jesus’ Last Text

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Jesus’ Last Text

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Because I know most of you are human and as such tend to like things simple, I decided to help you to follow up on my last blog.

I went through the book of Matthew and listed all the instances of Jesus’ healing or talking about healing.

Before starting to read these, I want you to read what Jesus said to His disciples on His last evening that He was alive before His crucifixion in John 14:6-14.  This is His last “sermon”.  Think of it as His response to the scenario I laid out a few blogs ago.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. ⁷If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. ⁸Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. ⁹Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? ¹⁰Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. ¹¹Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

¹²Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. ¹³And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.  

Keeping these instructions in mind, read the following:

Matthew 8:2-3

 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. ³And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Matthew 8: 5-13

 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, ⁶And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. ⁷And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. ⁸The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. ⁹For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. ¹⁰When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. ¹¹And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. ¹²But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ¹³And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

Matthew 8: 14-17

 And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. ¹⁵And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. ¹⁶When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: ¹⁷That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

Matthew 8:28-33 

 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. ²⁹And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? ³⁰And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. ³¹So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. ³²And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. ³³And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.

Matthew 9: 2-8

 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. ³And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. ⁴And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? ⁵For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? ⁶But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. ⁷And he arose, and departed to his house. ⁸But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

Matthew 9:18-25 

While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. ¹⁹And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. ²⁰And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: ²¹For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. ²²But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. ²³And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, ²⁴He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. ²⁵But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

Matthew 9:27-35 

And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. ²⁸And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. ²⁹Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. ³⁰And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. ³¹But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. ³²As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. ³³And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. ³⁴But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.

³⁵And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Mathew 10:7-8

 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. ⁸Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Mathew 11:5-6

 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. ⁶And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

Matthew 12:10-13 

And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. ¹¹And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? ¹²How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. ¹³Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

Matthew 12:14-15 

 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. ¹⁵But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

Matthew 12:22   

Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

Matthew 14:14  And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

Matthew 15:21-28  

 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. ²²And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. ²³But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. ²⁴But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ²⁵Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. ²⁶But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. ²⁷And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. ²⁸Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Matthew 15:30       And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them.

Mathew 19:2   

 And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.

Matthew 20:29-34 

And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. ³⁰And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. ³¹And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. ³²And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? ³³They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. ³⁴So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

Matthew 21:14      

And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

ARE YOU GETTING TO KNOW WHAT YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER LOOKS LIKE?

HINT:  He looks like Jesus; and Jesus looks like His Father.

AND, 

We are to be CHRIST-LIKE.  We are supposed to act-like, speak-like, walk-like, and pray-like Jesus.  IT IS NOT THAT HARD TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR FATHER'S WILL IS, IF YOU KNOW HIM