Tag Archives: New American Standard Bible

Assurance - Promise, Christian Living, Salvation

Stay His Course

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Matthew 7:12-14 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
13 “ Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
via Matthew 7:12-14 NASB – “In everything, therefore, treat – Bible Gateway.

I am listening to Stephan Davey this week via 840 AM radio.  His message for this series is Taking the Lid off Hell.  HERE is a link if you would like to check him out via the internet.

Treating others the way we want to be treated will NOT save us but it may be a good indicator as to whether or not we have placed our faith in CHRIST JESUS. Particularly those people who have hurt us and wronged us. How we treat them, tells a great story about us.

I urge you to check out Taking the Lid off Hell. If you are well indoctrinated and a practicing Bible Obey-er you will be thrilled to hear a Brother preach it and if you are not perhaps it will light your way out of darkness.

Taking the Lid off Hell – Part 1

Taking the Lid off Hell – Part 2

ABBA, I am grateful for every Servant You call and every Servant who heeds Your Call to preach the Gospel, unadulterated. Thank You for Stephan Davey. HOLY SPIRIT I pray for strength, encouragement and courage for him to stay Your Course.  I pray for the whole of the Body of CHRIST that we would rise up and stay Your Course. Forgive us, ABBA, have mercy and grant grace and space for Your Bride to repent and embrace the beauty and holiness of life that You desire for us. I pray we will yet experience the joy in this life that You desire for us. Thank You for continued good reports on Dori. And for THESE, ABBA, for the privilege of praying for them.  You see each heart, each need and today I pray for our sick to be healed and restored and I pray for the Rebellious and the Oblivious, thank You for continuing to pursue them and, HOLY SPIRIT, I pray You will help them surrender to JESUS.  And I would not forget Israel, praying for Her peace and the subduing of Her enemies and for my own dear Country, ABBA, I thank You for the privilege to live here and I ask that You have mercy and restore Her to the Mission for which You birthed Her. Comfort and correct us as we need, ABBA, in JESUS name.  amen and amen

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,

Christian Living, Discipline of children

Well then . . . Picture It!

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Yesterday’s Father’s Day sermon at First Baptist Satsuma was excellent. As the Pastor was reading a particular verse I said ‘how long has that been there?’ Not aloud, of course. However there was some out loud comments – that’s another story. Like I said it was a really good sermon!

4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. via Ephesians 6 NASB – Family Relationships – Children, obey – Bible Gateway.

Fathers. And I am pretty sure ABBA means Mothers too. Do not provoke your children to anger. Okay so I’ve known that from day one. However it was like a light coming on in a dark room when I read the rest. The way we provoke our children to anger (wrath as the King James reads) is to refuse to DISCIPLINE them and INSTRUCT them IN the ways of THE LORD.

We now have a world of angry, wrath filled, loud, unruly children and here is the reason.

But here is more indictment that ABBA gave me as I considered this piece to write.

Proverbs 13:24 The Message (MSG)

24 A refusal to correct is a refusal to love;
love your children by disciplining them.
via Proverbs 13:24 MSG – A refusal to correct is a refusal to – Bible Gateway.

So what is discipline anyway?

Is it yelling at them ‘wait till your father comes home’?  Perhaps we don’t do that anymore.

Is it repeatedly saying from the couch, ‘don’t do that again’. And then when again comes, Mom or Dad is still sitting on the couch?

Is it long speeches about how it use to be to the brazen ears of an adolescent? 

And the scenarios could go on and on.

Obviously I am NO expert in the field of discipline but I know Someone who is – James Dobson is close – :) and I am sure he is because he got his information from the ONE. ABBA. Himself.

This is what comes to mind.

Titus 1:2 King James Version (KJV)
2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
via Titus 1:2 KJV – In hope of eternal life, which God, – Bible Gateway.

Hebrews 6:18 King James Version (KJV)
18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
via Hebrews 6:18 KJV – That by two immutable things, in which – Bible Gateway.

Do you see it? GOD CANNOT LIE. And look what that means to us. Strong consolation. Promises. Refuge. Hope.

Have we considered that when we promise a child discipline for certain behavior and they do not get that discipline, we are LIARS?  And who trusts a liar? DO YOU? Well then . . . let us get off our couches and do what we say. Not only in discipline but everything! The fun and the sad!!

But that is not all!

When we get off that couch (and before we sat down on that couch) have we instructed them in THE LORD? 

Have we prayed with them? Have we memorized Scripture with them? Have we lived out the ways of THE LORD before them?  Well, no wonder they are angry and loud and unruly and crying out NOTICE ME!

Pastor gave a great illustration yesterday. He said that bringing them up is not standing at the top of the mountain yelling down at them to get up here.  But it is being down there on the mountain side with them LEADING them up to the top. Picture it! What a difference!!

It all boiled down to this for me. Do I love them enough to discipline them? Do I love them enough to be inconvenienced by them? Do I love them enough to humble MYSELF before GOD and raise them HIS WAY? And if I don’t they will SURELY be provoked to anger – wrath.

I did not do this well with my daughters and I’ve made mistakes with my GRANDS already. BUT I’m learning because my ABBA though the HOLY SPIRIT is right here on this mountainside with me leading and encouraging me to come to the top with Him.  Picture it! It will make a difference!!

And right now I need to wrap this up because two GRANDS have been very patient and quiet with their Mamaw as I have sat here to write this piece and I am going to reward them hugely!!!  :)

ABBA, thank You. I love you, DADDY GOD. You are FATHER and You are AWESOME.  Thank You. And, HOLY SPIRIT, I pray this offering of writing will be a tool that You can use to help. And this morning is Dori’s surgery and Kerri’s test. I love both these women and I am asking You for miracles for both of them. Miracles of healing and restoration and long lives that will give You glory and turn many many hearts to You for salvation and restoration.  Thank You, ABBA, in JESUS name.  amen and amen.

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,
Praying (PFT)!

Christian Living

Who Am I?

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Passing through the den on my way to the kitchen I heard a line from a pre-approved movie that Baby Girl GRAND was watching.

“And who will I be when this is over?”

Excellent question.

If I give myself to the one goal of mother, as important, as honorable and as good as it is; who will I be when the Babies are grown?

If I give myself to the one goal of wife, as important, as honorable and as good as it is; who will I be if he goes to Heaven before me?

If I give myself to the one goal of my chosen career, as important, as honorable and as good as it is; who will I be when I retire; or heaven forbid I am unable to work anymore?

If I give myself to the one goal of serving in the Church, as important, as honorable and as good as it is; who will I be when someone younger or ????? comes along and takes my place?

See my point? Finding who we are in a function, a title, a career, even the people we love will leave us wondering when the functioning and the people wear old or out.  And we must something!

Goals are a must. If we do not have them, we perish.

Proverbs 29:18 a  21st Century King James Version (KJ21)

18 Where there is no vision, the people perish; . . . via Proverbs 29:17-19 KJ21 – Correct thy son, and he shall give thee – Bible Gateway.

BUT only ONE purpose will last. Only ONE relationship NEVER goes away. Only ONE ministry is forever.

JESUS, The ONE and ONLY

 So how are you doing with this ONE?

Philippians 1:26-28 The Message (MSG)

22-26As long as I’m alive in this body, there is good work for me to do. If I had to choose right now, I hardly know which I’d choose. Hard choice! The desire to break camp here and be with Christ is powerful. Some days I can think of nothing better. But most days, because of what you are going through, I am sure that it’s better for me to stick it out here. So I plan to be around awhile, companion to you as your growth and joy in this life of trusting God continues. You can start looking forward to a great reunion when I come visit you again. We’ll be praising Christ, enjoying each other. via Philippians 1:26-28 MSG – As long as I’m alive in this body, – Bible Gateway.

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,
Praying (PFT)!

So grateful JESUS that You are the One and Only and that in Your grace You have made Yourself known to us. Thank You for friends who gather here to read and to pray.  I pray for each of us to know who we are in You. Yes because we have that need but foremost because when we are certain that we are in You, when our identity is founded in You then all else is made better. Thank You.  And we bring our sick and afflicted to You as we often do asking that You heal them. And continuing to ask for grace and mercy and space to repent for our wayward ones, our rebellious, and oblivious ones. For Israel we pray for peace and safety, a subduing of Her enemies; for America we pray for mercy and an outpouring of conviction of sin and righteousness for JESUS name sake. Amen and amen.

Christian Living, KWT Paraphrasing, Questions

SLA

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And another week has begun.

We are into our third week of Summer. A summer, I am hoping, to be packed with learning and sweet memories for my GRANDS to carry with them through their lives.

There is a skill to learning, don’t you know? A most valuable skill, wouldn’t you say? And my GRANDS are not the only ones needing to learn the skill of learning.  And I know just the Teacher!  And I believe the steps to learning have been revealed to us. THE TEACHER used them Himself. Here let me share with you what I have found.

Luke 2

Remember the account of JESUS at twelve? Joseph and Mary left Jerusalem thinking He was within the caravan with some of His cousins. And when it came time to make camp for the night, naturally they went looking for Him. And when they did not find Him they returned to Jerusalem. Can you imagine the horror of not finding Him for three days?? I mean think of it! You have been entrusted with GOD’s SON and you can’t find Him?!  Seriously, what Mother’s heart would not be in a gut-wrenching panic even for a moment of not knowing where is her child – much less THREE DAYS?!

Finally, they go to the Temple and there He is!

Learning! 

46 Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. via Luke 2 NASB – Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem – Now in – Bible Gateway.

Three words, in particular, are my focus for this message.

Sitting. Listening. Asking

The steps to learning.

SIT.
To learn anything. Scripture. Math. Science. How to cut hair. You name it. Learning requires us to POSITION ourselves. To be still. Sit! Put ourselves in an environment conducive to the art of what we wish to learn.  JESUS was in the Temple. Smart move. We could learn a lot from this 12-year-old GOD-BOY!

LISTEN.
JESUS was not sitting there checking His Facebook, or playing a game on His iPad or iPod.  He was listening. He gave the teachers His attention! He heard their words. He considered what they said. He played the words, the concepts, the ideas in His mind examining them. He listened. We have to LISTEN if we expect to learn.  JESUS did. And if GOD did. Who are we not to?

Perhaps we don’t like the concept of JESUS learning; because learning denotes there is something we do not know and didn’t JESUS know everything?  As the GOD-INFANT, GOD-TODDLER, GOD-CHILD, GOD-BOY?  No, He didn’t. HE LEARNED. He allowed Himself to be limited because we humans are limited. He learned.  So can we, following His practice – Sit. Listen.

ASK.
If we sit. If we listen. We will surely have questions. Sometimes I have questions but I don’t ask. I don’t ask because I don’t want to appear ignorant. There’s a word for that kind of ignorance – PRIDE. I need to learn better.  :)  And I will.  JESUS modeled the pattern for us. The least we could do is use it!

Sit. Listen. Ask.

Simple isn’t it? And there is no art of schooling to which we cannot apply it.

Sit. Listen. Ask.

I am glad to be learning this — aren’t you?

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,

Thank You, JESUS, for this simple and profound tool of learning; help us practice it well for Your glory and our good. Thank You, Father, for each soul who comes here to read and to pray. I am asking You to bless them for coming; whatever their needs I pray they will find You faithful today.  I pray for strength and courage, wisdom and discernment, peace and security, and for our sick and afflicted I pray You will heal them and for the wayward and rebellious I am thanking You that You will not give up on them and You are continuing to pursue them. I pray, HOLY SPIRIT, for You to help them repent.  And we remember Israel, praying for peace and safety, and for America, we pray for a great awakening unto repentance. Thank You, Father, for perfecting Your saints in JESUS’ name. Amen and amen.