You Who Have Ears...

 

Exposing the enemy to those who have been born again.

The undeniable evidence of unbelief reveals itself when Christians will pray about a situation, but continue to force their own remedy or resourcefulness. It has already been decided in their hearts what they intend to manipulate in order to accomplish their own goals. This effort clearly reveals that they are actually asking God to come alongside and bless their own endeavors while they've pretended to pray otherwise.

Dying To Self

There is a sense of unworthiness that accompanies the spirit of the poor, and in contrast brings a response of arrogance from those more fortunate. The innate selfishness of humanity always recognizes opportunities to take advantage of their less fortunate neighbor quite naturally.

This is the undeniable relationship between the prosperous and the oppressed that exists in the micro and the macro. It is simply the world we live in. Governments, doctors, theologians, and the rest are constantly trying to formulize guidelines for the masses to follow. The effort is to teach everyone how to treat one another for the cause of social peace while maintaining personal integrity in the process. It is the simple wisdom of humans entertaining the fantasy of psychology, trying to perfect what is innately imperfect.

The Color Of My Temple

I am not a white Christian. I am a Christian whose temple happens to be painted white. 

If I behave as a white Christian, my faith would be established first by an allegiance to my culture and country (James 4:4) and I would certainly have to manipulate God's word in order to persuade others that my efforts are righteous and godly. (2 Timothy 3:5) In reality, though, I am acting out of my own human nature. 
(Philippians 2:21) 

But if I submit my temple to God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), I should then deal with everyone and everything in the Spiritual realm. (Galatians 5:24-25) I will regard no one in the flesh, as I don't even regard my former self. (2 Corinthians 5:16-17) 

I have this treasure in a jar of clay so that everyone will know, including myself, that this surpassing power belongs to God and not to me. 

(2 Corinthians 4:7)

PJR

"Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all." 

(Colossians 3:9-11)

To Obey Is To Love

"If you love me, you will keep my commandments." (John 14:15)

"And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love." (2 John 1:6)

Basically, all Jesus' commands are all summed up in these two: "'And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30-31)

We all can agree how difficult this can be for us, yet there is no doubt that the only way we can obey His commands is by love. So here is the question we need answered: how can we love when in the depths of our soul, we constantly want to look out for ourselves?

A Revelation of Christ

 

http://books.jesuslifetogether.com/Revelation-of-Christ

www.JesusLifeTogether.com

The Purpose Of The Word

The Scriptures were established to reveal Jesus to His bride by the work of the Holy Spirit (John 1:1-2), and from that, His ministry will flow naturally through those who refuse to lean on their own understanding. The Word was not established for the elect to purport their own devised theology nor to determine the purpose and direction of their ministry.

When we are dogmatic to harness the power of God in order to make this world a better place to live; when we are adamant to translate Scripture in order to covet isolated sacred doctrines; when we strive to interpret God's word into predictable religious practices; when we are so intelligent as to order specific and absolute methods of cause and effect in order to bind the sovereignty of God onto our own idealistic comfortable field of play; then we have effectively limited ourselves of the pure work of the Holy Spirit and thus created divisions in the body of Christ.

Father's Day

There are three things in life that remain faithful,. No, four. Make it five.

Jesus

Your children

A noble wife.

A friend who sticks by closer than a brother.

Your dog.

How Does God Speak To Us?

Some believe that preaching is God's primary means of communicating with humanity.

"Another thing about which the Corinthian assembly reminds us is that preaching is God's primary means of sounding His voice, bringing conviction on listeners, and granting them repentance. Without a doubt, preaching is the most effective means of communicating God's Word to both believers and unbelievers. In fact, this passage implies the superiority of preaching over all other means of communicating God's Word to anyone."

The Passion Driven Sermon
by Jim Shaddix

Others believe that the sermon is the foremost method in which God communicates with us. At the 3:00 mark of the following video, the narrator states:

"Sermons are God's primary means for communicating with His church today."  (http://vimeo.com/67724114)

And there are still others who believe God's primary means of communication is through the Bible.

"We believe that the Bible is both relevant and meaningful for our lives today and that it is the primary way that God speaks to us." (http://www.houstonvineyard.org/sunday_mornings.html)

Authors, preachers, teachers and theologians, all weighing in, sharing their own thoughts as to the most effective way in which God communicates with creation.

But what does God Himself say?

What's Wrong With This Picture?

What's Wrong With This Picture (Video)?

http://vimeo.com/67724114

At the 3 minute mark of the video above, the narrator states, "Sermons are God's primary means for communicating with His church today." So, God still only speaks through a prophet? The one behind the pulpit, who has elevated himself as the communicator of God?

Inspirational Articles

Here is a link to some inspiring articles by Milt Rodriquez. I find them extremely enlightening. I would recommend starting at the top and working down through them.

PJR

http://therebuilders.org/articles.html