"Don't judge me!" We hear this nearly everyday!! But friends, God will hold us accountable if we do not warn the erring of their error. The faithful servant of Christ does not want “blood” of others upon his hands (Ezekiel 33:7-9).And, Christians are to save others by snatching them out of the fire; Jude 1:23. Now, how do we know if someone is in error and in danger of hell fire? If they are not living by the bible, then they are in error and in danger.....the only way to know that is to read the bible. The bible is written for our instruction- All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).
Luke 6:37 contains the few words of the Holy Scriptures that the world knows by heart. "Judge not....." but they skip the entire of the chapter, therefore missing the context. It means, don't tell someone they are living in sin, if you are doing the same thing they are doing, or worse!
But, John 7:24 tells us to judge RIGHTEOUSLY. By the words of the Holy Bible we find what is righteous living and what is sinful living. If we didnt have this guide, how could we know what is right or what is wrong? But God has given us His inspired Word so we can judge what IS right and wrong. Todays world, everyone is out for themselves, and sinful practices are commonplace.
Even to the point that our national laws have been changing, to allow people to live as they want, to please their own selfish desires, and not as God wants, and in fact, intended!!
Indeed, the very moral fabrics of this nation at its coming together, were founded on the moral standards of the bible.
"The rights of the colonists as Christians…may be best understood by reading and carefully studying the institutes of the Great Law Giver and Head of the Christian Church, which are to be found clearly written and promulgated in the New Testament". - Samuel Adams.
"The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected, in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity". - John Adams .
"that all may bow to the scepter of our Lord Jesus Christ and that the whole Earth may be filled with his glory". - John Hancock, as Governor of Massachusetts 1791 .
So I hope you don't find my regular scripture posting on Facebook to be an annoyance...I don't post them to annoy, but rather, I hope to inspire others to read their bible and hopefully, find within themselves a desire to get right with God, to repent of their past way of living and be buried in baptism, (Romans 6:4, John 3:3-5) (not as an outward show of an inward change, but for washing away of your past sins, because you want to change your life to be like Christ!), become a 'new man (or woman if you are female!) in Christ, and live the remainder of your days to continue reading your bible, learning and growing in the Lord. The bible is not written so that we cannot understand it, but it is written for us for our instruction, (2 Timothy 3:16) to obey it, (John 14:15) and have LIFE.
Only by this can you hope to be in paradise upon your fleshly death, and the hope of heaven when Jesus comes to take his chosen to a spiritual life of eternity in Heaven !!
And only by this, can we hope to turn our nation back around to being One Nation Under God. "Righteousness exalts a nation" Proverbs 14:34.
If you desire a one on one bible study dont hestiate to message me!! Im happy to share the gospel with you!
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Reflecting Christ
REFLECTING CHRIST
by Lois Stone
We are the light of the world, we are to reflect Christ. (Matthew 5:14/ 2
Corinthians 3:18)
Its SUMMER!!! You know that means! it means fun in the sun, bbqs, family gatherings,
fishing, swimming!! It also means, the
season we see more men and women baring their bodies to stay cool.
Did you know, that actually, wearing light, loose
clothing, keeps you COOLER than the sun on your bare skin?
Did you know, that actually, wearing light, loose
clothing, keeps the hormonal temperatures cooler too?
Sisters, I am daring to present to you the topic
that is the least covered....
MODESTY.
What's the big deal about how we dress? Modesty is just conservative fashion,
right? It's for old ladies and not the
younger ladies.
Correction:
Modesty is MORE than just conservative fashion, it encompasses both the body AND the heart,
no matter how old you are!
Firstly,
Modesty is an issue of the heart, and its primary purpose is to distinguish
women who profess to worship God, from those who don't. (1 Tim. 2:9,10). (“I
also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety (a
regard for spiritual things)”
Every deed, every thing we do, calls for purity and
holiness when we are seeking to glorify God . That being said, we should be
honoring God with our bodies. As in all other things, we must
honor our King even by the clothes we wear.
As Christian women, our beauty does not find its
source in gold, pearls, braided hair or expensive clothes. Instead, our beauty
comes from the inner self and its outer expression in the form of good works.
First Samuel 16:7 says, “Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on
the heart.” Yet, while man is seeing
your outward appearance, he is also seeing what's in your heart. How you dress,
reflects what is in your heart.
Now of course, dressing modestly doesn't mean doesn’t mean that we’re flawless.
It just means that we reflecting the light source. Christ is the ultimate light
source, and in His presence we reflect Him. When we’re following Him, by
reading His Word and seeking His will, we are living in God’s image, and people
will and do, notice that reflection. We need to be
dressing modestly and let our beauty come from the inside because this is what
is proper, right, and fitting for those who are making a claim to godliness. By
simply being Christians, we are saying that we follow God and we want to be
like Him… and the world watches to see what that looks like. It’s like the
saying “your life may be the only Bible someone reads.” When we dress in a
revealing way, when we try so hard to make our externals beautiful that we
forget our inner-self, the world takes notice… and they think that’s how God is
too. If, on the other hand, the world sees someone whose dressing is nice, but
not extravagant, not designed to draw the wrong kind of attention and moderate
in style as well as cost– these things leave room for our good works to speak
of God. When our focus shifts, so does theirs. When our focus is on our dress
reflecting the claim we make to godliness, that claim is what others will see. It doesnt mean we can't make ourselves pretty
and feel good about ourselves-it just means we are showing the world what is
important. Modesty is simply part of the family rules. It’s how we are to
conduct ourselves as part of the family of God.
Secondly, our
modesty, or lack of it, could be a stumbling block for men- it is important to note
that the purpose of clothing is to cover “the parts of the body that should be
treated with special modesty” (1 Corinthians 12:23). Like it or not, men are
wired for the physical woman...and if we women expose our skin, we can cause
our brothers to stumble. The bible says it is a sin to commit adultery in your
heart, and our Christian brothers try hard to avert their eyes, but around Christian
women in or outside of a worship setting, they should not even have to! We should be taking them into consideration
and not giving them the temptations to commit adultery in their hearts, in a
worship setting or out in the world.
Worldly Culture (also known as "Opposite
World") has had much to do with changing our clothes!! We are fighting a
battle toe to toe with culture, it is very difficult to go to the store and find
clothes that are not low cut or too short, and even for little girls!! Opposite
World has even changed our underwear, to outerwear. You know, once upon a time,
the only kind of women who had their underwear (among other things) on display,
were the ones advertising on street corners. What are we advertising? Opposite
World is always changing and rarely for the better. But the thing we need to
remember is, God is unchanging. His
standards are unchanging.
Dressing modestly in opposite world presents many
challenges. It is hard to find tops and
bottoms that are not too low cut, and shorts are too high cut. But don't despair!! Tank tops are available in all colors and
sizes and are fashionable, worn under low cut blouses. If you have a tank top that is too low cut to
work well, try turning it backwards, the back is usually higher than the
front!! Also, the mens tanks come in
different colors now too, and usually are higher necked and longer waisted and can help add coverage
where low rider jeans dont. You can
find Half Tees online at places like Deborah & Company, that are worn under
your less modest blouses and sundresses.
We can all be models--Modeling for Christ! We are made to be mirrors, reflections, of
the image of Christ!
And speaking of mirror images...if you have a full
length mirror, heres how you can check your image before leaving your house---raise
your arms, does your tummy show? if you
are sleeveless, check under and around
your arms , can you see your bra? Trick: Keep 4 fingers together, and place them
at the base of your collar bone. That’s as low as your top can be without
showing cleavage when you bend over. Some women might actually be a little
shorter in this area, you might need to use 3 fingers Bend
over, do you get a view inside your shirt?
Using a hand held mirror to check your backside, bend over...does your shirt
swing up, or pants hang low? Maybe you
need to add that longer tank to cover your lower back where your jeans and
blouse don't. Is it time to replace those too tight jeans
with something a little bigger? If its a
skirt or a dress, you want to make sure when you bend over, you stay covered and when you sit down, you
dont your dress to be so short that it rides up and becomes even shorter. And
Hey, don't forget to smile!! If you wear a smile on your face you will have
a smile in your heart!!
So as sisters in Christ, lets encourage each other to :
•Let good
works outshine your outward appearance. (1 Timothy 2:10
And to be an example for our younger sisters!!
Titus 2:3! Remember everyone of us is an
older woman to someone who is younger.
Opposite world is
saying wear less clothes, and God is saying,
'cover up', lets all accept the
challenge and show the world what Christian women are all about! Instead
of trying to turn heads with clothing that begs for attention, lets turn hearts with a beauty of holiness and
depth of character possessed by the great women in the Bible, and let the
beauty of Jesus be seen in you!Thanks for reading!!
Lois
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
More Than We Can Bear?
Ive been thinking alot about the misused scripture: "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Cor 10:13).
Does this mean we wont be given more life difficulty than we can bear? Absolutely NOT. it means we wont be given more TEMPTATION than we can bear. It says nothing about our earthly struggles. The bible is full of examples of people who had too much to handle. People who suffered loss of their homes, lives of their family members, illnesses, etc. The apostle Paul talked about a "thorn in his flesh" in 2 Cor. 12. He pleaded to the Lord to take it away from him. But then Lord goes on to tell him " My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness." Our struggles in this earthly life should be used to make us stronger as a Christian!! To make us realize our dependence on God! To amplify Gods power!! I have heard some people say, "If God brought me to it, He will see me thru it" Im not too quick to blame God for my troubles-some of it is the devil himself trying to break us down. Some of it is the product of our own doing. And some of it is just the way life is.
We were never promised an easy life in this world. A dear friend of mine has a sign made from barn wood in her living room that has this inscribed upon it:
"The Lord doesn't give us what we can handle,
He helps us handle what we are given"
We do and we WILL have more than we can handle in life sometimes. But if we keep our focus on Him always, He will see us thru it!! (having good Christian friends to pray for us doesn't hurt either!!...thanks to mine who have prayed for me in difficult times).
In Him,
Lois
Does this mean we wont be given more life difficulty than we can bear? Absolutely NOT. it means we wont be given more TEMPTATION than we can bear. It says nothing about our earthly struggles. The bible is full of examples of people who had too much to handle. People who suffered loss of their homes, lives of their family members, illnesses, etc. The apostle Paul talked about a "thorn in his flesh" in 2 Cor. 12. He pleaded to the Lord to take it away from him. But then Lord goes on to tell him " My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness." Our struggles in this earthly life should be used to make us stronger as a Christian!! To make us realize our dependence on God! To amplify Gods power!! I have heard some people say, "If God brought me to it, He will see me thru it" Im not too quick to blame God for my troubles-some of it is the devil himself trying to break us down. Some of it is the product of our own doing. And some of it is just the way life is.
We were never promised an easy life in this world. A dear friend of mine has a sign made from barn wood in her living room that has this inscribed upon it:
"The Lord doesn't give us what we can handle,
He helps us handle what we are given"
We do and we WILL have more than we can handle in life sometimes. But if we keep our focus on Him always, He will see us thru it!! (having good Christian friends to pray for us doesn't hurt either!!...thanks to mine who have prayed for me in difficult times).
In Him,
Lois
Friday, April 18, 2014
Baptism Saves You...The Bible Tells Me So!!
This is a copy of my response to a dear friend who lives several states upward of me. We are currently undergoing a study of baptism, which she has been taught is not necessary to an eternal life in Heaven.
My Dear friend,
I know, a lot of denominations believe just because you are baptized you are saved..I don’t believe baptism alone saves, nor do my fellow believers in Christ.
Jesus Himself set the example for us along with His command to be born again,
of water and spirit. He said, “No one can enter the kingdom unless they are born of water and the spirit” John 3:3-5. John said, in Matthew 3:11, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance”.
Mark 16:16 says “He who believes and is baptized will be saved but he who not believe will
be condemned.” in other words, if you believe you will follow Gods commands/be obedient
to Him. And if you do not ......you will be condemned. Right there it shows that baptism saves you.
1 Peter 3:21 states baptism saves you. I hope you will read it in your bible.... I can type out every scripture I am sharing with you, but, if you read it for yourself it will prove I didn’t say it, the BIBLE says it.
However....you must make the proper changes...if you just get baptized and don’t make the
changes in your life/heart, and read /study scripture, and obey the commands God has
put it in...no, the baptism wont save you. You HAVE to live your life as best you can in
accordance to Gods will. He commanded obedience in the OT ....in fact, in fact, there are SO many
examples of those in the OT who did not obey Him...and they suffered severe consequences!! Even death.
Here again, the list of other scriptures of Baptism in the NT:
Acts 2:38
Acts 8:12, 13
Acts 8:36-38
Acts 10:48
Acts 22:16
Romans 6:4
1Corinthian 6:11
James 2:14–26 is sometimes taken out of context in an attempt to create a works-based system of righteousness, but that is contrary to many other Scriptures. James is not saying that our works make us righteous before God,but he is making it clear that real saving faith is demonstrated by good works. Works are not the cause of salvation; works are the evidence of salvation. The person who claims to be a Christian but lives in willful disobedience to Christ with a life that shows no works has a false or dead faith and is not saved.
James is clearly making a contrast between two different types of faith—truth faith that saves and false faith that is dead.
So that’s how baptism fits in...if one is truly repentful of their sinful life, and wants to live Gods way, and have eternity in heaven, then that person would want to do everything Christ said we must do. and the NT has all those scriptures that I shared with you before, of the importance of baptism....what it is for, why we should do it, and live our lives out in obedience with a pure heart.
Did you read all those scriptures I lined out for you in our last discussion? I hope so....because its what the bible teaches that we should be in adherence to. There is so much false teaching out there. Even those world famous figures such as Billy Graham and Joyce Meyer, are not teaching according to the Scriptures..but use smooth words and flattering speech to deceive the hearts of the simple!! (Romans 16:18b)
If you still have that last email I sent on this topic, just look all those up. The Bible does not mislead us. it is not written by gentiles who could not understand. (as you mentioned in your last letter)- it was written for ALL of us-our learning and instruction. And gentiles who did not understand could NOT possibly have written it to where it has the flow and connections that it has. NO MAN has ever had that kind of intelligence who could rewrite the entire bible without Gods help. 2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness". And, Romans 15:4 "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
Baptism is NOT an outward show of inward change. it is OBEDIENCE to Christ.
He commanded it. He set the example for us by doing it Himself.
If Christ saw the need for baptism, how much more shouldn’t we?
Your friend always,
Lois
P.S. here are those scriptures again about being obedient to God/Christ---
Matthew 28:20
John 15:10, 14
Ephesians 5:6
1 John 3:22
I King 11:38
Joshua 22:5
Psalm 103:18
Psalm 119:1, 2, 127,136,167,168 and my favorite, vs 32
Rev 3:3
Im over n out for the day!!! Stay warm!! Enjoy looking these up. If you are like me, scripture study is a joy! I love to dig deep into Gods word, don’t you?
My Dear friend,
I know, a lot of denominations believe just because you are baptized you are saved..I don’t believe baptism alone saves, nor do my fellow believers in Christ.
Jesus Himself set the example for us along with His command to be born again,
of water and spirit. He said, “No one can enter the kingdom unless they are born of water and the spirit” John 3:3-5. John said, in Matthew 3:11, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance”.
Mark 16:16 says “He who believes and is baptized will be saved but he who not believe will
be condemned.” in other words, if you believe you will follow Gods commands/be obedient
to Him. And if you do not ......you will be condemned. Right there it shows that baptism saves you.
1 Peter 3:21 states baptism saves you. I hope you will read it in your bible.... I can type out every scripture I am sharing with you, but, if you read it for yourself it will prove I didn’t say it, the BIBLE says it.
However....you must make the proper changes...if you just get baptized and don’t make the
changes in your life/heart, and read /study scripture, and obey the commands God has
put it in...no, the baptism wont save you. You HAVE to live your life as best you can in
accordance to Gods will. He commanded obedience in the OT ....in fact, in fact, there are SO many
examples of those in the OT who did not obey Him...and they suffered severe consequences!! Even death.
Here again, the list of other scriptures of Baptism in the NT:
Acts 2:38
Acts 8:12, 13
Acts 8:36-38
Acts 10:48
Acts 22:16
Romans 6:4
1Corinthian 6:11
James 2:14–26 is sometimes taken out of context in an attempt to create a works-based system of righteousness, but that is contrary to many other Scriptures. James is not saying that our works make us righteous before God,but he is making it clear that real saving faith is demonstrated by good works. Works are not the cause of salvation; works are the evidence of salvation. The person who claims to be a Christian but lives in willful disobedience to Christ with a life that shows no works has a false or dead faith and is not saved.
James is clearly making a contrast between two different types of faith—truth faith that saves and false faith that is dead.
So that’s how baptism fits in...if one is truly repentful of their sinful life, and wants to live Gods way, and have eternity in heaven, then that person would want to do everything Christ said we must do. and the NT has all those scriptures that I shared with you before, of the importance of baptism....what it is for, why we should do it, and live our lives out in obedience with a pure heart.
Did you read all those scriptures I lined out for you in our last discussion? I hope so....because its what the bible teaches that we should be in adherence to. There is so much false teaching out there. Even those world famous figures such as Billy Graham and Joyce Meyer, are not teaching according to the Scriptures..but use smooth words and flattering speech to deceive the hearts of the simple!! (Romans 16:18b)
If you still have that last email I sent on this topic, just look all those up. The Bible does not mislead us. it is not written by gentiles who could not understand. (as you mentioned in your last letter)- it was written for ALL of us-our learning and instruction. And gentiles who did not understand could NOT possibly have written it to where it has the flow and connections that it has. NO MAN has ever had that kind of intelligence who could rewrite the entire bible without Gods help. 2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness". And, Romans 15:4 "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
Baptism is NOT an outward show of inward change. it is OBEDIENCE to Christ.
He commanded it. He set the example for us by doing it Himself.
If Christ saw the need for baptism, how much more shouldn’t we?
Your friend always,
Lois
P.S. here are those scriptures again about being obedient to God/Christ---
Matthew 28:20
John 15:10, 14
Ephesians 5:6
1 John 3:22
I King 11:38
Joshua 22:5
Psalm 103:18
Psalm 119:1, 2, 127,136,167,168 and my favorite, vs 32
Rev 3:3
Im over n out for the day!!! Stay warm!! Enjoy looking these up. If you are like me, scripture study is a joy! I love to dig deep into Gods word, don’t you?
Heaven Is For Real....So is HELL!
The bible affirms Heaven is for REAL!! and guess what....SO IS HELL. and you DONT want to go there. Matthew 13:42...they will be cast in the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth/Rev 20:15...And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Is your name in the book of Life? If you are living your life for Jesus, in obedience to the New Covenant which Christ nailed in place with His death on the cross? Christ died for YOU.....He gave the best gift anyone could give. Wont you take hold of it and take care of it, while it is still called TODAY? “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end. Hebrews 3:12-14.
Friends, be careful!! Don't let the entertainment industry define for you what is real and what is not.
Lois
Friends, be careful!! Don't let the entertainment industry define for you what is real and what is not.
Lois
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Joseph and the Adulterous Wife
Reading the story of Joseph (remember Joseph...and his ‘Technicolor coat’)
the church of Christ in your area for more straight from the bible teachings!!
and I never realized just how many lessons there are to be learned from
Joseph and Potiphar's wife. (Genesis 39)
Joseph was very successful in all that he did. Did you ever wonder about
that?
1. God blesses the faithful!!!
2. A godly person makes a great employee. (3-6)
3. God often blesses those associated with the righteous. (5)
4. NO ONE is exempt from temptation (7)
5. Physical beauty carried a greater challenge...(Joseph was well built
and
handsome) (6b)—Learn to understand your beauty in godly ways, not just
in
earthly ways)
6. Adultery is a sin against your own body and the body of another. It is
also a sin
against God. (9 cf;, 1 Corinthians 6:18)
7. Joseph understood the value and fragility of trust. If we want to be
trusted with
greater opportunities and responsibilities we must be trustworthy!
(9)
8. Temptation does not simply rear its ugly head and then, when rejected,
disappear forever. Rather, temptation can be persistent. But know this:
God will
not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear, but will provide way
of escape.
(10, 1 Corinthians 10:13). NOTE that 1 Corinthians 10:13 does not pertain
to the burdens
of life. It does not say we will not be given trouble and burdens in
life...it says we will be able
to escape the TEMPTATIONS that come our way.
9. RUN from temptation and sin!! (12-13)
10. Bad things happen to good people. The righteous are often deceived,
manipulated, lied about,
and abused. the righteous must remain faithful regardless of
circumstances! (13-18)
11, Wherever Joseph was, he became a leader. Leadership is not a matter
of circumstance; its about
acting responsibly and taking responsibility. (19-23)
12. Even in your darkest hour, God is there to watch over you. (21)
I cant take credit for this bible lesson, it is taken from my Wednesday
night bible class
study guide Stories of the Bible/Creation thru the Exodus. I invite/encourage you to attend the church of Christ in your area for more straight from the bible teachings!!
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Lent...
I have been pondering the practice of "lent" that so many denominations
participate in. I have searched the Scriptures over and nowhere do I find
that we should temporarily give up an item or a practice for a short period
of time.
I do find it to be admirable, for it takes a great deal of self discipline to deny the self of worldly things, but why only 40 days? Why not give up those things permanently?
I know in the bible, the only things we are commanded to give up are the sinful
practices that keep us from heaven, those actions that keep us from living Godly lives
and having pure hearts/minds/bodies.
You know...like drunkenness. Murder. Fornication. Adultery. Idolatry. Homosexuality.
Lying. Stealing. Coveting. Swindling. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
God doesn't want us to give up something for Him for a very short time. He wants us to give up
those behaviors PERMANENTLY. He wants us to be holy, in ALL our conduct....ALL the time.
(1 Peter 1: 15). what good does it do us if we give up a thing that is bad for us, for only 40 days,
then go right back to it. Isnt that kind of like the dog going back to its vomit? (Proverbs 26:11)
How much better it would be do give up those things permanently that are hindering our walk, our
faith, with God?
Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles – when we walked in licentiousness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (1 Peter 4: 1-5)
Romans 13:12-13 says, "the night is far spent, the day is at hand, Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in licentiousness and lewdness, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts."
So you see...what really counts isn't if we give up Coke, or pizza, or fish, or deprive ourselves of
something of that nature...but if we give up our SINFUL habits that are keeping us from heaven,
how much more impact that would have on our eternal destination?
"Let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God ,that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name." (Hebrews 13:15)
My other observation of Lent...the bible commands us, "And when you fast, don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get." (Matthew 6:16) I have noticed that as "Lent" begins, those who are practicing it, have a dark smudge on their foreheads. How obvious is that?
"And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God." (I CORINTHIANS 6:11).
I hope all of you reading this will repent of those things that are hindering your walk with God, and desire to wash away all of your sins and get started living your life as a DAILY sacrifice....for our Lord DIED for you to have this opportunity for you to do just that!!!
Come let us reason together!! (Isaiah 1:18)
Lois
I have been pondering the practice of "lent" that so many denominations
participate in. I have searched the Scriptures over and nowhere do I find
that we should temporarily give up an item or a practice for a short period
of time.
I do find it to be admirable, for it takes a great deal of self discipline to deny the self of worldly things, but why only 40 days? Why not give up those things permanently?
I know in the bible, the only things we are commanded to give up are the sinful
practices that keep us from heaven, those actions that keep us from living Godly lives
and having pure hearts/minds/bodies.
You know...like drunkenness. Murder. Fornication. Adultery. Idolatry. Homosexuality.
Lying. Stealing. Coveting. Swindling. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
God doesn't want us to give up something for Him for a very short time. He wants us to give up
those behaviors PERMANENTLY. He wants us to be holy, in ALL our conduct....ALL the time.
(1 Peter 1: 15). what good does it do us if we give up a thing that is bad for us, for only 40 days,
then go right back to it. Isnt that kind of like the dog going back to its vomit? (Proverbs 26:11)
How much better it would be do give up those things permanently that are hindering our walk, our
faith, with God?
Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles – when we walked in licentiousness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (1 Peter 4: 1-5)
Romans 13:12-13 says, "the night is far spent, the day is at hand, Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in licentiousness and lewdness, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts."
So you see...what really counts isn't if we give up Coke, or pizza, or fish, or deprive ourselves of
something of that nature...but if we give up our SINFUL habits that are keeping us from heaven,
how much more impact that would have on our eternal destination?
"Let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God ,that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name." (Hebrews 13:15)
My other observation of Lent...the bible commands us, "And when you fast, don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get." (Matthew 6:16) I have noticed that as "Lent" begins, those who are practicing it, have a dark smudge on their foreheads. How obvious is that?
"And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God." (I CORINTHIANS 6:11).
I hope all of you reading this will repent of those things that are hindering your walk with God, and desire to wash away all of your sins and get started living your life as a DAILY sacrifice....for our Lord DIED for you to have this opportunity for you to do just that!!!
Come let us reason together!! (Isaiah 1:18)
Lois
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
The Snow is Coming! The Snow is Coming!
It’s a white white world in south central KS, and a “monster” snowstorm is upon us. The forecasters have predicted up to 9 inches of "whitestuff" for us, and much of the state is getting snow from this “storm”. I dunno...it just looks like a normal KS snow to me. It amazes methat when a winter storm is predicted, the lines are suddenly long at the grocery stores, and gas stations, etc., for no one wants to be caught unprepared if they get ‘snowed in” for days!! The thought occurred to me, if Jesus’s coming soon was predicted, and the end of the world was at hand.....would there be long lines at the church baptistry....and by the rivers,-- hoardes of people waiting at the waters edge so they could answer the gospel call and be ready when Christ appears. But friends....Christ’s return HAS been predicted, and most accurately!! “But no one knows that day or the hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father”(Matthew 24:36) “that day will come as a thief in the night”
(1Thessalonions 5:2). And, “the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.” (2 Peter 3:10).
There's not going to be time to get your life right when He does suddenly appear . We must be ready at all times!! and NOW while there IS still time. For who knows when their earthly life will be demanded of them “ (Luke 12:20) “therefore keep watch, because you do not know what time your Lord will come. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known what time the thief was coming, he would have kept watch would not have let his house be broken into So you also must be ready because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him” (Matthew 24:43-44) “and in a flash” (1 Corinthians 15:52-54) So its gonna happen, that is certain. No human can predict when tho many try, and are still trying. It could be today, tomorrow, in 2014 or 2050, or anytime in between or after, but the important thing is even if we in this generation are already dead and buried...we are still going to participate in this Great Event...Dont be caught unprepared!! Are you ready for Christs return -- that great Judgement Day?
by Lois Stone
(1Thessalonions 5:2). And, “the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.” (2 Peter 3:10).
There's not going to be time to get your life right when He does suddenly appear . We must be ready at all times!! and NOW while there IS still time. For who knows when their earthly life will be demanded of them “ (Luke 12:20) “therefore keep watch, because you do not know what time your Lord will come. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known what time the thief was coming, he would have kept watch would not have let his house be broken into So you also must be ready because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him” (Matthew 24:43-44) “and in a flash” (1 Corinthians 15:52-54) So its gonna happen, that is certain. No human can predict when tho many try, and are still trying. It could be today, tomorrow, in 2014 or 2050, or anytime in between or after, but the important thing is even if we in this generation are already dead and buried...we are still going to participate in this Great Event...Dont be caught unprepared!! Are you ready for Christs return -- that great Judgement Day?
by Lois Stone
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)