Lessons Worth Re-Learning

This is my journey that the LORD Jesus Christ has taken me on in my life. So don't be surprised, this is a Christian site written by a Christian. Most of us have lived our Christian lives such that if we bloomed where we were planted, we'd be mushrooms in a cave! If you would like to subscribe to this blog, please send me an e-mail.

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Location: Farmington, New Mexico, United States

I am just like everyone else: I make it one day at a time with a little bit of humor. The Word of God is a fire in my heart that burns all the way down to my bones and I cannot hold it back. Jeremiah 20:9

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Civil Disobedience


I want to start a campaign in America. We all have the right to think and say whatever we want in this country because of the first amendment to our constitution. There are people out there who only want their point of view to be permissible to the detriment of everyone else. We are commanded by our LORD to be peaceable above all things. And servants of GOD to all humanity. But I also know that Christianity would not have survived the first 100 years if everyone became a believer and then hid in the desert until they died. What a pitiful life. No one would want that. Some did hide in the catacombs. Some were killed. All spoke the Word of life with kindness and love and reverence for GOD the Father and His Son whom he sent, Jesus. The world will always try to silence us. But GOD wants to save as many as He can and He uses us to be His voice. As much as we are able, we need to say "Merry Christmas!" "GOD bless you!" to all those sneezers out there. "May I pray for you?" if the opportunity arises. If some person can sing along with some rap song about raping women and killing cops, we can sing or hum or whistle to a hymn or current Christian song. I think all the Christian kids in classes where the teacher denies "GOD" need to stand up at one time at a prearranged time every day (at the beginning before the teacher starts or at the end right after they quit talking) and say in unison: "GOD bless you Mr./Ms. ________." Remember always respectful. And line up the rest of your life so no one has a grievance against you. There may be repercussions and you have to be willing to endure that. But if there are enough of us willing to stand up with a little civil disobedience, our voices will be heard. AND THEY CAN'T ARREST US ALL!!!!!

Tuesday, August 05, 2014

The Gospel


1 Corinthians 1:17-18

"17.  For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

18.  For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of GOD."

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.


Paul is exhorting us that when we speak we are to tell people about Jesus Christ, the only Son of GOD, and how he died for our sins so that we could be righteous before a Holy GOD.  The cross was the instrument of the New Covenant. The cross is why he came. Without the cross we do not have the shed blood of Christ. Without the blood, we do not have the forgiveness of our sins. Without forgiveness of sins, we have no part with GOD, no Holy Spirit to lead us to His presence, no wisdom from GOD, we cannot understand scripture, and we have no right to heaven. No peace in this life, no healing, no joy, no companionship with GOD.  If that wasn't enough, we choose the bottomless pit by not choosing Christ. We stay blinded to the truth by satan.
It is no easy choice. But to get your life, you have to give it away. You have to mean it, you can't just glibly spout "Oh I know Jesus!" Even the demons know Jesus. But even they have the good sense to tremble. You cannot serve the lusts of this life and GOD too. He will not share your heart this way. If you choose this life, you are denying Christ. GOD is holy, and does not compromise.
The wisdom of this world is foolishness compared to GOD. And to survive in this world, you need GOD's wisdom. To survive the attacks of satan, you need GOD's wisdom. satan comes to kill, steal, and destroy. He comes to confuse and mislead. He is the father of all lies. He is the absolute best at leading people away from the only true GOD. Only GOD can protect you from deception and it is only by the shed blood of Christ.
It is a free gift. You cannot earn it by any other means. Faith in Jesus is the only way to the Father. Only an honest choice from a willing heart will do. GOD will do the rest. He will come and fill you with peace. But you must choose to not indulge in sin any more. GOD can make you strong if you will just ask Him.
If these truly are the end days, satan is going to come full force and use every trick in the book to get us to sin, believe false doctrine, deny Christ as the only son of GOD, deny our allegience to Him, bow down to peer pressure, even send our own families and friends to the death for their faith.

Acts 4:8-12  
8.  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders,
9.  if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,
10.  let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead — by him this man is standing before you well. 
11.  This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.
12.  And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

Romans 1:16  
The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Sunday, August 03, 2014

HOLINESS TO OUR GOD


1 Corinthians 1 
English Standard Version (ESV)

Greeting

1.  Paul, called by the will of GOD to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,
2.  To the church of GOD that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
3.  Grace to you and peace from GOD our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving

4.  I give thanks to my GOD always for you because of the grace of GOD that was given you in Christ Jesus, 
5.  that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 
6.  even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 
7.  so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
8.  who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
9.  GOD is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Divisions in the Church

10.  I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 
11.  For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 
12.  What I mean is that each one of you says, "I follow Paul," or "I follow Apollos," or "I follow Cephas," or "I follow Christ." 
13.  Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 
14.  I thank GOD that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 
15.  so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name.
16.  (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 
17.  For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

18.  For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of GOD.
19.  For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."

20.  Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age?  Has not GOD made foolish the wisdom of the world?
21.  For since, in the wisdom of GOD, the world did not know GOD through wisdom, it pleased GOD through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 
22.  For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 
23.  but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 
24.  but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of GOD and the wisdom of GOD. 
25.  For the foolishness of GOD is wiser than men, and the weakness of GOD is stronger than men.

26.  For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 
27.  But GOD chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; GOD chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 
28.  GOD chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 
29.  so that no human being might boast in the presence of GOD.
30.  And because of Him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from GOD, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 
31.  so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

I am really concerned for the body of Christ in these modern times.  We are told in Romans 12:2  "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of GOD, what is good and acceptable and perfect."  We are NOT to abandon what we know is right and wrong from the scriptures.  We are not to argue over minutia and divide our churches.  I even feel the constant bickering between churches grieves the Holy Spirit of GOD.

We already have denominations, all claiming that they are the only way to heaven.  GOD clearly says that faith in Him and His righteousness and salvation is the only way to heaven. Become like little children trusting in the Father.

Instead, we have whole denominations changing their tenets of faith to include abominations. It is heresy and apostasy. We are supposed to proclaim Holiness to our GOD and tell people to sin no more. We are to be holy because our GOD is holy.  If the person does not want to quit sinning, then they will die in their sins.  And you can cry about that because it is a crying shame.  But at least they have been told the consequences.  We are the watchmen.  We tell those in danger what is coming. And then we are clear of their blood.  But if we don't tell them, then we are guilty of their blood and in danger of GOD's judgement as well.

There is no confusion in the Bible what is sin.  Confusion only arises when someone doesn't want to hear the truth.  And then the only way to be sinless is to change the rules.  GOD is not amused.

Be clear about this: GOD makes the rules.  He hates deviation.  He loves the people and doesn't want anybody to die in sin.  But He created all of us with a free will.  He doesn't want automatons in His presence, only those who truly seek His presence and praise Him.

As for me, I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever!