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Showing posts from May, 2012

Preparation and the Right Questions

Luke 22:7-13 Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. And He sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat." So they said to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare?" And He said to them, "Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. Then you shall say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?" ' Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready." So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover. God has been speaking to Adam and I about the issue of preparation.   For years, we have heard Him speaking to us to prepare.   We don’t always have a sense of what is coming or when, but one thing we know – He wants us to prepare.   ...

What if Jesus meant what He said? - "...carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life..."

Luke 21:34 "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.” That Day.   What is “that day”? It’s the Day of the Lord.   The Day of His return.   In Luke 21, Jesus describes the events leading up to his return.   (See also Matthew 24). People have many opinions regarding when the return of Jesus will be.   For example, will it be before the tribulation, in the middle, after, etc.   I personally believe He will return at the seventh trumpet (seals, trumpets, bowls) to come down with the saints and make war on injustice and take His rightful place as King.   If you would like to discuss – I am more than happy to discuss the issue … just not on this blog. I want to focus this blog on being ready. Jesus tells us to take heed to ourselves - be careful, beware, be watchful, attend to yourself. Why? Because if we aren’t cautious, we...

What if Jesus meant what He said? - "Go, sell what you have..."

In this blog, I want to look at a man who probably asked himself if Jesus really meant what He told him to do.   When this man asked Jesus a question and got an answer from Him, I’m sure He walked away thinking “Really? You want me to do WHAT? You cannot mean that.   You don’t know what kind of situation I’m in…” Often times, we try to reason out our way of why we shouldn’t be obligated by what Jesus commanded or taught.   We decide that our current way of living is more important… we determine that “Surely Jesus didn’t mean that to apply to ME.” Read this passage. Mark 10:17-27 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"   So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one [is] good but One, [that is], God. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear ...

What if Jesus meant what He said? - "Love one another"

I’ve been asking the question, “What if Jesus meant what He said?” He gave us a new commandment when He was on the earth.   Surely that must be important.   His new commandment was for us to love one another. Jhn 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." Jhn 15:17 "These things I command you, that you love one another.” Okay… love one another… But what does that look like? Be nice to the people I see at church and tell them to “Be blessed!”? What does it truly look like to love one another? RIGHT after Jesus tells us to love one another as the new commandment, He tells us how.   He said, “…as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” Jesus will measure our love for one another by HIS love for us.   Whoa! And how did Jesus love us, you ask? I’m glad you asked!! C...

How to make spiritual progress - by A.W. Tozer

The complacency of Christians is the scandal of Christianity. Time is short, and eternity is long. The end of all things is at hand. Man has proved himself morally unfit to manage the world in which he has been placed by the kindness of the Almighty. He has jockeyed himself to the edge of the crater and cannot go back, and in terrible fear he is holding his breath against the awful moment when he will be plunged into the inferno. In the meantime, a company of people exist on the earth who claim to have the answer to all life’s major questions. They claim to have found the way back to God, release from their sins, life everlasting and a sure guarantee of heaven in the world to come. These are the Christians. They declare that Jesus Christ is very God of a very God, made flesh to dwell among us. They insist that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. They testify that He is to them Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption, and they steadfastly assert tha...

What if Jesus meant what He said? - "If you love me..."

The thought occurred to me today.   What if Jesus meant what He said? He said a lot.   A whole lot. And if He is God, then we should listen to what He said. If He is our Lord, then we should listen to what He said. I want to go on a journey of exploring what He said.   He is the Word and He is God.   I think what He said is worth exploring and worth living by.   The first thing I want to look at is in John 14.   This will give the premise for the entire journey of seeking out what Jesus said.   Because if Jesus meant this… then the rest of what He said is VERY important. Jhn 14:15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments.” Jhn 14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." Jhn 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come ...