I was listening to a teaching on Zechariah this morning on my walk. The teacher asked a question. "Do you call on the Lord only in times of trouble?" What he meant by that is, what kind of relationship do you have with Him? Is it only when you need Him or is it an every day relationship?
Even pagans - those without God - will call on Him when they think it is their last resort. We've all heard stories of even atheists calling out to God when death is certain or a loved one is in serious condition. That isn't relationship, that is idol worship. Yehoveh wants more than that from us, His chosen people. He has mercy on us not just because He can give that to us, but because He wants to be in relationship with us. That is called grace. Grace is mercy given for a reason and His reason is relationship.
In many cultures it is common that in times of trouble, the family idols are brought out, prayed to and asked for help. If we only talk to Yehoveh in challenging times how is that any different?
I always like to compare it to the relationship that I have with my husband. I love him and love being in relationship with him. Because of that I like talking to him, being with him and all that goes with being in a relationship. What kind of relationship would it be if I saw him only when I was in trouble and needed him? Or said the same words to him every day at the same time and without really feeling anything? More duty than love? It's obvious that we wouldn't have much of a relationship at all. In fact, it is a relationship like this that often leads to divorce.
What kind of relationship do I have with Yehoveh? Is it the same boring stuff day after day, or even going days without speaking to Him or reading His Word? How long would my marriage last if I went days without speaking to my husband or listening to him speak to me? Not long I would think. How long will my relationship last with my Lord if I rarely speak to Him, think about Him or read His words to me? Not long I would think. That is called walking away from Him.
The time is short in this world. The times He tells us about in His Word are upon us. The time to spend building a relationship with Him is almost over. Please don't waste one more minute living for this world. Lift your eyes up to Him and tell Him that more than anything else you want to be in a fantastic relationship with Him for now and for all eternity. Talk to Him and read His Word.
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Showing posts with label eternity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eternity. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Looby Loo!
Remember the game we used to play as children called Looby Loo? Put your left foot in, take your left foot out, put your whole self in, take your whole self out, etc. I believe that many Christians play this game with their faith. These past few days I've been re-evaluating my walk and realized that it is so easy to have one foot in and one foot out at the same time. This world is so challenging right now that we have our hands full just trying to manage and get through our days.
You want to please those around you; your family, your boss, your friends, your co-workers, etc. The question we rarely ask ourselves is are we pleasing Yehoveh God? Are we putting the way people think about us above what He thinks about us.
Over and over the past few days Yehoveh has put His Word in front of me with the answer. He has put people in my path with the answer. The answer is that I have been more concerned with what others think of me than I have with being obedient to Him. I have thought about and worried what they might think of me, how they might treat me, if they would like me anymore or even walk away from me if I stood up for truth. Would I lose business? Would I lose a friendship? Would I lose a close family member? Would I get ridiculed, laughed at, ignored, hated, called names, rejected? Would they remove me as a friend from Facebook - sad, but true.
I had one foot in with Yehoveh and the other one firmly in the world. This morning He led me to the first three chapters in Revelation. He made me realize that living that way leads to destruction. Those three chapters are written to His believing church. They were not written to the unbelievers of the world or even seekers. He was admonishing His people to step up and do right by Him, not right by the world. He also let them know quite frankly that if they didn't, the consequences would be severe. Eternity without Him.
Gasp! Yes - contrary to the popular belief that is taught in today's churches, you can walk away from Him. You have free will and can choose your eternity. Messiah Yeshua spoke about this very issue in Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord! will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, only those who do what my Father in Heaven wants. 22 On that Day, many will say to me, Lord, Lord! Didn't we prophesy in your name? Didn't we expel demons in your name? Didn't we perform many miracles in your name? 23 Then I will tell them to their faces, I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!"
He was not talking to unbelievers. Unbelievers don't do these things. He was talking to people who were doing things in His Holy name. Believers.
Revelation 1:3 Blessed are the reader and hearers of the words of this prophecy, provided they obey the things written in it! For the time is near!
In the time of John the word hear did not just mean to hear something, it was an action word. It meant that you had to DO something to show that you heard and understood. If you trust Yeshua/Jesus then hear and obey! If you have a foot in the world NOW is the time to pull it out and firmly stand on the Rock of Salvation. It's all or nothing - you can't have it both ways.
Joshua 24: 14-15 Therefore fear Yehoveh, and serve Him truly and sincerely. Put away the gods your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve Yehoveh! 15 If it seems bad to you to serve Yehoveh, then choose today whom you are going to serve! Will it be the gods your ancestors served beyond the River? or the gods of the Emori, in whose land you are living?
You want to please those around you; your family, your boss, your friends, your co-workers, etc. The question we rarely ask ourselves is are we pleasing Yehoveh God? Are we putting the way people think about us above what He thinks about us.
Over and over the past few days Yehoveh has put His Word in front of me with the answer. He has put people in my path with the answer. The answer is that I have been more concerned with what others think of me than I have with being obedient to Him. I have thought about and worried what they might think of me, how they might treat me, if they would like me anymore or even walk away from me if I stood up for truth. Would I lose business? Would I lose a friendship? Would I lose a close family member? Would I get ridiculed, laughed at, ignored, hated, called names, rejected? Would they remove me as a friend from Facebook - sad, but true.
I had one foot in with Yehoveh and the other one firmly in the world. This morning He led me to the first three chapters in Revelation. He made me realize that living that way leads to destruction. Those three chapters are written to His believing church. They were not written to the unbelievers of the world or even seekers. He was admonishing His people to step up and do right by Him, not right by the world. He also let them know quite frankly that if they didn't, the consequences would be severe. Eternity without Him.
Gasp! Yes - contrary to the popular belief that is taught in today's churches, you can walk away from Him. You have free will and can choose your eternity. Messiah Yeshua spoke about this very issue in Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord! will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, only those who do what my Father in Heaven wants. 22 On that Day, many will say to me, Lord, Lord! Didn't we prophesy in your name? Didn't we expel demons in your name? Didn't we perform many miracles in your name? 23 Then I will tell them to their faces, I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!"
He was not talking to unbelievers. Unbelievers don't do these things. He was talking to people who were doing things in His Holy name. Believers.
Revelation 1:3 Blessed are the reader and hearers of the words of this prophecy, provided they obey the things written in it! For the time is near!
In the time of John the word hear did not just mean to hear something, it was an action word. It meant that you had to DO something to show that you heard and understood. If you trust Yeshua/Jesus then hear and obey! If you have a foot in the world NOW is the time to pull it out and firmly stand on the Rock of Salvation. It's all or nothing - you can't have it both ways.
Joshua 24: 14-15 Therefore fear Yehoveh, and serve Him truly and sincerely. Put away the gods your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve Yehoveh! 15 If it seems bad to you to serve Yehoveh, then choose today whom you are going to serve! Will it be the gods your ancestors served beyond the River? or the gods of the Emori, in whose land you are living?
As for me and my household, we will serve Yehoveh!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Nearing the End?
What a roller coaster ride we are on right now. A new president, the financial crisis, rumors of wars in the middle east, Israel surrounded by enemies and wondering if America is still her friend and more. I read someone today on the internet who said that we could still be a thousand years or more until Christ returns. That is the response of many today, many who profess a love of Jesus and want to spend their eternity in heaven. Yet they don't believe that He is really coming soon. Or maybe they don't really believe He is coming at all. After all it has been 2000 years since He was killed. That's a long time in anyone's calendar.
The length of time is causing many to wonder "is He really coming"? That is when atheists chime in and say, yeah, Christians have been saying that for 2000 years and He's not here yet. Like Jesus is on their time frame or something. Remember for God, time has no meaning. Time does not exist except for us here on earth and only until He returns.
The church is being dulled into sleep by the length of time yet with everything happening around us we should be shouting in the streets, Repent, be saved and get ready for the Kingdom is near. Christ is coming - SOON! I don't hear many Christians saying that though. Most are embroiled in wondering how they are going to cope without a job, without their retirement savings, without their nest eggs. We are focused on the things of this world, exactly where satan wants us to have our thoughts. The church has become apathetic towards the return of Jesus Christ. It is more interested in enough money to build that new wing on the church.
It kind of gets me back to one of my first postings. Does the church really believe the bible? Is it true? When Jesus said He is coming back did He really mean it or was He just pulling our strings? Belief is an action and there isn't much action for the Kingdom in the church today.
You know what I find interesting? That God in His infinite wisdom told us down to the very day when to expect His Son the first time. He told us over 100 prophecies concerning His son so that people would know what to look for and what to expect. Some people were looking for Him and those that were looking found Him. There were many, many more however who were not looking and they did not see Him and in fact even took part in fulfilling the prophecies about His death. They were so wrapped up in their doctrines and their lives that they completely missed the first coming of Jesus Christ.
I find it ironic that today we are in the same position. Aren't we supposed to be so much smarter than they were back then? There are those who are looking, watching for the return of Christ. They know they are very close and the time is here that God wrote about in His Word. They are waiting with expectant hearts and wide open arms. But most aren't. Most are apathetic at best. Most don't even want to talk about it. They aren't interested. Most say, well even Jesus doesn't know the hour or the day line of scripture. Or He will come as a thief in the night. Problem is they are taking verses out of context and time.
Jesus did not know when He left this earth but as soon as He ascended He knew. He knows exactly when He's coming back. And He told us in His Revelation to the apostle John when to expect Him to come back. The thief in the night is for those of the world who do not know Christ and are not looking for Him at all. For those of us watching we do know.
I spoke with an 81 year old bible prophecy teacher the other day. He has been studying Daniel and Revelation for almost 30 years. He said that he fully expects to be alive when Jesus returns; that we are so very close to that time. We are at door step of eternity right now.
Acts 1:9-11
9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them.
11 They also said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.
Revelation 19:11-13
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.
12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.
13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God.
Jesus Christ, the King of all, is coming - SOON! Please get your priorities in order and get ready to receive your King. Money, stuff, job doesn't matter. Relationship with Him does. Pray for your loved ones to accept Christ as their Savior and put away the world. Be a light to those around you who don't know Him yet. The time is almost done for them to repent and accept Him. Soon it will be too late. This is not the time to be complacent and spend our time worrying about what is going on around us. This is the time to be in our Lord Jesus Christ because He truly is our only hope.
The length of time is causing many to wonder "is He really coming"? That is when atheists chime in and say, yeah, Christians have been saying that for 2000 years and He's not here yet. Like Jesus is on their time frame or something. Remember for God, time has no meaning. Time does not exist except for us here on earth and only until He returns.
The church is being dulled into sleep by the length of time yet with everything happening around us we should be shouting in the streets, Repent, be saved and get ready for the Kingdom is near. Christ is coming - SOON! I don't hear many Christians saying that though. Most are embroiled in wondering how they are going to cope without a job, without their retirement savings, without their nest eggs. We are focused on the things of this world, exactly where satan wants us to have our thoughts. The church has become apathetic towards the return of Jesus Christ. It is more interested in enough money to build that new wing on the church.
It kind of gets me back to one of my first postings. Does the church really believe the bible? Is it true? When Jesus said He is coming back did He really mean it or was He just pulling our strings? Belief is an action and there isn't much action for the Kingdom in the church today.
You know what I find interesting? That God in His infinite wisdom told us down to the very day when to expect His Son the first time. He told us over 100 prophecies concerning His son so that people would know what to look for and what to expect. Some people were looking for Him and those that were looking found Him. There were many, many more however who were not looking and they did not see Him and in fact even took part in fulfilling the prophecies about His death. They were so wrapped up in their doctrines and their lives that they completely missed the first coming of Jesus Christ.
I find it ironic that today we are in the same position. Aren't we supposed to be so much smarter than they were back then? There are those who are looking, watching for the return of Christ. They know they are very close and the time is here that God wrote about in His Word. They are waiting with expectant hearts and wide open arms. But most aren't. Most are apathetic at best. Most don't even want to talk about it. They aren't interested. Most say, well even Jesus doesn't know the hour or the day line of scripture. Or He will come as a thief in the night. Problem is they are taking verses out of context and time.
Jesus did not know when He left this earth but as soon as He ascended He knew. He knows exactly when He's coming back. And He told us in His Revelation to the apostle John when to expect Him to come back. The thief in the night is for those of the world who do not know Christ and are not looking for Him at all. For those of us watching we do know.
I spoke with an 81 year old bible prophecy teacher the other day. He has been studying Daniel and Revelation for almost 30 years. He said that he fully expects to be alive when Jesus returns; that we are so very close to that time. We are at door step of eternity right now.
Acts 1:9-11
9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them.
11 They also said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.
Revelation 19:11-13
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.
12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.
13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God.
Jesus Christ, the King of all, is coming - SOON! Please get your priorities in order and get ready to receive your King. Money, stuff, job doesn't matter. Relationship with Him does. Pray for your loved ones to accept Christ as their Savior and put away the world. Be a light to those around you who don't know Him yet. The time is almost done for them to repent and accept Him. Soon it will be too late. This is not the time to be complacent and spend our time worrying about what is going on around us. This is the time to be in our Lord Jesus Christ because He truly is our only hope.
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