religious traditions and preferences

 

Nehemiah 9:5-33 ...

“Stand up and bless the Lord your God Forever and ever!

“Blessed be Your glorious name, Which is exalted above all blessing and praise!

6 You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, The seas and all that is in them, And You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You.

7 “You are the Lord God, Who chose Abram, And brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, And gave him the name Abraham; 8 You found his heart faithful before You, And made a covenant with him To give the land of the Canaanites, The Hittites, the Amorites, The Perizzites, the Jebusites, And the Girgashites— To give it to his descendants. You have performed Your words, For You are righteous.

9 “You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, And heard their cry by the Red Sea. 10 You showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, Against all his servants, And against all the people of his land. For You knew that they acted proudly against them. So You made a name for Yourself, as it is this day. 11 And You divided the sea before them, So that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; And their persecutors You threw into the deep, As a stone into the mighty waters. 12 Moreover You led them by day with a cloudy pillar, And by night with a pillar of fire, To give them light on the road Which they should travel. 

13 “You came down also on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven, And gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments. 14 You made known to them Your holy Sabbath, And commanded them precepts, statutes and laws, By the hand of Moses Your servant. 15 You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, And brought them water out of the rock for their thirst, And told them to go in to possess the land Which You had sworn to give them. 

16 “But they and our fathers acted proudly, Hardened their necks, And did not heed Your commandments. 17 They refused to obey, And they were not mindful of Your wonders That You did among them. But they hardened their necks, And in their rebellion They appointed a leader To return to their bondage.

But You are God, Ready to pardon, Gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, Abundant in kindness, And did not forsake them.

18 “Even when they made a molded calf for themselves, And said, ‘This is your god That brought you up out of Egypt,’ And worked great provocations, 19 Yet in Your manifold mercies You did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day, To lead them on the road; Nor the pillar of fire by night, To show them light, And the way they should go. 20 You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, And did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, And gave them water for their thirst. 21 Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; They lacked nothing; Their clothes did not wear out And their feet did not swell. 

22 “Moreover You gave them kingdoms and nations, And divided them into districts. So they took possession of the land of Sihon, The land of the king of Heshbon, And the land of Og king of Bashan. 23 You also multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, And brought them into the land Which You had told their fathers To go in and possess. 24 So the people went in And possessed the land; You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, The Canaanites, And gave them into their hands, With their kings And the people of the land, That they might do with them as they wished. 25 And they took strong cities and a rich land, And possessed houses full of all goods, Cisterns already dug, vineyards, olive groves, And fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and grew fat, And delighted themselves in Your great goodness.

26 “Nevertheless they were disobedient And rebelled against You, Cast Your law behind their backs And killed Your prophets, who testified against them To turn them to Yourself; And they worked great provocations. 27 Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their enemies, Who oppressed them; And in the time of their trouble, When they cried to You, You heard from heaven; And according to Your abundant mercies You gave them deliverers who saved them From the hand of their enemies.

28 “But after they had rest, They again did evil before You. Therefore You left them in the hand of their enemies, So that they had dominion over them; Yet when they returned and cried out to You, You heard from heaven; And many times You delivered them according to Your mercies, 29 And testified against them, That You might bring them back to Your law. Yet they acted proudly, And did not heed Your commandments, But sinned against Your judgments, ‘Which if a man does, he shall live by them.’ And they shrugged their shoulders, Stiffened their necks, And would not hear. 30 Yet for many years You had patience with them, And testified against them by Your Spirit in Your prophets. Yet they would not listen; Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. 31 Nevertheless in Your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; For You are God, gracious and merciful.

32 “Now therefore, our God, The great, the mighty, and awesome God, Who keeps covenant and mercy: Do not let all the trouble seem small before You That has come upon us, Our kings and our princes, Our priests and our prophets, Our fathers and on all Your people, From the days of the kings of Assyria until this day. 33 However You are just in all that has befallen us; For You have dealt faithfully, But we have done wickedly."

Psalm 89:11-18

The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all its fullness, You have founded them. 12 The north and the south, You have created them; Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name.

13 You have a mighty arm; Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand. 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face.

15 Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance. 16 In Your name they rejoice all day long, And in Your righteousness they are exalted. 17 For You are the glory of their strength, And in Your favor our horn is exalted. 18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, And our king to the Holy One of Israel.

Proverbs 21:29-31

A wicked man hardens his face, But as for the upright, he establishes his way.

30 There is no wisdom or understanding Or counsel against the Lord.

31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But deliverance is of the Lord.

Acts 27:27-44

God has a plan for each one of us. In Acts 27, we read of God's plan to send Paul To Rome.

As these readings from different sections of the Bible tell of God's plan, God also provides protection and provision. What is God's plan for you?

#1 Do you know Jesus Christ personally? John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

John 8:32; John 14:6

The bolded letters are for emphasis and not in the Bible. All the scripture is the NKJV from BibleGateway.com

Who is your personal God? English/Spanish

 

Do You Believe in God?

 

Matthew 6:33

". seek ye first the kingdom of God..."

Do you believe in God? I do! Do you believe the Bible is God’s written word? I do!

The following is part of an email I received last week, 3 August 2022. Since the author is well known and currently speaking at many conferences, I am not identifying the author.

“I’ve got a story to tell,” begins with the author’s credentials and extensive travel experiences. The author continues writing about visiting the largest Cathedral [gives the name] in the Middle East. Then the author continues “I proclaimed in that country that Christians, Jews, and Muslims are all children of Abraham.” The author continues, “What a marvelous message that God heals the deepest of wounds and brings people together, for we are all His children.” Yes, this is just part of the Bible.

As Paul Harvey used to say, “for the rest of the story…”

God has given each of us a different life plan, yet there is one God. God’s purpose for creating me and you, our main assignment, is to love God, part of Exodus 20, "I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me."  In Matthew 22:36-38, Jesus replies, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."

Let us also read: 

Galatians 3:26, "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus."

2Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

Believe the WHOLE Bible: Romans 9:1-15, "... Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.  That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed..." 

Please pray and ask God, the one true God, to speak to your mind and heart. Please, if we are called Christians, if we believe the Bible, speak in love about the whole scripture. We are doing the people of the world a disservice when we pick and choose!!!

scripture is from https://www.biblegateway.com/ the KJV

 

"Biblical Psychology" by Oswald Chambers

Chambers, Oswald. Biblical Psychology: Christ-Center Solutions for Daily Problems. Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House. 1995.

    In the publisher's foreword on page 7, we read "The book's themes and approach show Chambers at his most profound, yet the insights are so biblical and simple that any student of the Word can be nourished by its pages. Here Chambers truly feeds the soul with the Word of God."

 “Take up the whole armor of God…praying always…” (Ephesians 6:13, 18)

You must learn to wrestle against the things that hinder your communication with God, and wrestle in prayer for other people; but to wrestle with God in prayer is unscriptural. If you ever do wrestle with God, you will be crippled for the rest of your life. If you grab hold of God and wrestle with Him, as Jacob did, simply because He is working in a way that doesn’t meet with your approval, you force Him to put you out of joint (see Genesis 32:24-25). Don’t become a cripple by wrestling with the ways of God, but be someone who wrestles before God with the things of this world, because “we are more than conquerors through Him...” (Romans 8:37). Wrestling before God makes an impact in His kingdom. If you ask me to pray for you, and I am not complete in Christ, my prayer accomplishes nothing. But if I am complete in Christ, my prayer brings victory all the time. Prayer is effective only when there is completeness—“take up the whole armor of God…”

Always make a distinction between God’s perfect will and His permissive will, which He uses to accomplish His divine purpose for our lives. God’s perfect will is unchangeable. It is with His permissive will, or the various things that He allows into our lives, that we must wrestle before Him. It is our reaction to these things allowed by His permissive will that enables us to come to the point of seeing His perfect will for us. “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God…” (Romans 8:28)—to those who remain true to God’s perfect will—His calling in Christ Jesus. God’s permissive will is the testing He uses to reveal His true sons and daughters. We should not be spineless and automatically say, “Yes, it is the Lord’s will.” We don’t have to fight or wrestle with God, but we must wrestle before God with things. Beware of lazily giving up. Instead, put up a glorious fight and you will find yourself empowered with His strength.

“My Utmost for His Highest” by Oswald Chambers December 16

 

Defeathing False Teachers

2 Peter 2:1-3

False Teachers and Their Destruction

2 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. ² Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. ³ In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. NIV Bible Gateway.com

   Outside a grocery store one evening, I watched two young men confronting shoppers with an erroneous statement about scriptural teaching. Anyone who seemed vague about the Christian faith was invited to learn "what God really said" at a Bible study. I was not invited. In fact, the men abandoned me quickly when I used Scripture to defend my beliefs.

   False teachers want to create uncertainty in their listeners. In order to gain followers, these deceivers claim to possess knowledge that their audience lacks. The people who accept this misleading information as absolute truth will usually return to the false teacher for more. Having followers, in turn, strokes the misguided leader's ego and provides "proof" that he's right.

   Those who have a sound doctrine won't be led astray. That's why it is so important for our faith to rest on biblical truth - for example, the fact that Jesus Christ died for the sins of mankind, the Holy Spirit dwells in believers, and Christians will one day be resurrected bodily. Defeating false teachers takes more than "my pastor says..." When confronted, we must defend our faith with Scripture that we ourselves have studied. By regularly reading and applying God's Word, we will be better prepared to defend our beliefs when presented with untruth.

   Building a sound doctrine protects believers from misleading messages and arms them to defend the faith. Do not be caught unprepared. If you haven't already started, begin to study the Bible today. Should you need help, ask your pastor or a godly mentor for guidance.

Stanley, Charles F. "Defeating False Teachers." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living August 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 24. 

Fighting the Battle Against Sin

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. https://www.biblegateway.com RSV

   God established protective boundaries for His children because He knows the dangers of disobedience - for both the transgressor and others affeected by the sin. His Word warns us not to give in to temptation but to follow Jesus Christ in a life of sacrifice, which is the only way to true contentment.

  In contrast, the world says satisfaction is found in acquiring goods, wealth, status, and friends. Satan whispers the lie that gratification comes from self-indulgence. His goal of turning us away from God stated with his temptation of Adam and Eve. The Creator had given them access to every tree in the Garden of Eden except one. The first man and woman stepped outside the limit set by the Lord, ate the forbidden fruit, and became separated from Him. Satan used doubt ("Has God said?"), deceit ("You surely will not die"), and self-delusion (You will be like God") to achieve his aim (Gen. 3:1-5). He made rebellion against God - which is the root of all sin - seem very attractive. And the enemy's methods are the same today.

   Clear your mind of any distractions, and allow the Lord to speak to you through His Word. He has much to tell you.

Stanley, Charles F. In Touch: Daily Readings for Devoted Living. February 2016. Atlanta. page 31.

Our Way or God's Way

EXODUS 2:11-25

   Whenever challenges come into our life, there are two ways we can respond: God's way or our way. Moses is an example of a man who, on separate occasions, tried out both options. In today's passage, we see him taking matters into his own hands. Although his motives were pure - namely, the relief of one Hebrew man's suffering - his method was wrong. Moses made three mistakes.

1. He focused on the difficulty. How often have you and I done the same thing?The unfairness or pain of a situation grabs our attention and in our desire for a solution, we forget our all-powerful God.
2. He relied on his own strength and understanding. When a problem arises, the most natural response is to do what we can to make it right. However, God wants us to rely on Him, not on ourselves.
3. He acted impulsively. If a situation seems urgent, fixing the problem as fast as possible becomes our top priority. In our hastiness, we forgo waiting on the Lord.

   We've all followed Moses' example at some point and suffered the consequences of self-reliance. But God didn't reject Moses or cancel His plans for him. Instead, He refined the future leader's character through trials and gave him another chance. The Lord will do the same for us.
Stanley, Charles F. In Touch: Daily Readings for Devoted Living. February 2016. Atlanta. page 8.

In the name of Jesus, I refuse to be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs]. I submit to transformation by the [entire] renewal of my mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that I may prove [for myself] what is Your good and acceptable and perfect will, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [n Your sight for me]. My path is growing brighter and brighter until it reaches the full light of day as I follow You. Thank You, Father that Jesus was made unto me wisdom. Confusion is far from me. I trust in You and lean not to my own understanding. As I acknowledge You in all my ways, You direct my paths. I believe that as I trust in You completely, You will show me the path of life. Amen.
Romans 12:2; Proverbs 4:18; Proverbs 3:5-6
Copeland, Germaine. Prayers that avail much: A 365 Day Devotional & Journal. Tulsa, OK: Harrison House. 2010. page 36.

Know Jesus Christ as Love

   1 John 5:1+ “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. Loving God means keeping his commandments, and really, that isn't difficult. For every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory. And the ones who win this battle against the world are the ones who believe that Jesus is the Son of God…” New Living Translation

   How will anyone know the love of God and know Christ as Savior without knowing who He is? How will anyone believe without studying the Word of God, the Bible?

   “There are many ways to study the Bible, and there are many excellent study aids available to help you with specific books of the Bible. But the most important thing you need to remember is that to find out what the Bible says, you need to read it yourself in a way that will help you discover what it says, what it means, and how you are to apply it to your life.” How to Study Your Bible by Kay Arthur.

   The following quotes are from www.joyfulheart.com. “A ‘deductive’ Bible study begins from a point that the teacher is trying to make, and then uses a number of scripture verses and examples to support that conclusion. Most sermons and Bible studies are conducted this way.

   An ‘Inductive’ Bible study, on the other hand begins with the raw text of scripture, and encourages participants to read the text and draw conclusions directly from the text itself… It trains people to ask questions which help them understand what is going on, what is being said, and how that relates to the rest of the passage.”

   Two authors who write on how to study using the inductive method of Bible study are Irving Jensen and Kay Arthur; or, how about searching the Web for more information.

   The site, shown to me by Al, www.e-sword.org is a great free Bible study. The following is a brief study using e-sword resources.

Analytical-Literal Translation

2Ti 2:15  Be eager [or, diligent] to present yourself approved to God [as] a worker with no need to be ashamed, cutting straight [fig., teaching accurately; or, interpreting correctly] the word of truth. 1965

1889 Darby Bible

2Ti 2:15  … cutting in a straight line the word of truth.

International Standard Version

2Ti 2:15  … handling the word of truth with precision.

New Living Translation

2Ti 2:15 …who correctly explains the word of truth.

Dividing G3718 Thayer Definition:

1) to cut straight, to cut straight ways

1a) to proceed on straight paths, hold a straight course, equiv. to doing right

2) to make straight and smooth, to handle aright, to teach the truth directly and correctly

Word G3056 Thayer Definition:

1) of speech

1a) a word, uttered by a living voice, embodies a conception or idea

1b) what someone has said

1b1) a word

1b2) the sayings of God

1b3) decree, mandate or order

1b4) of the moral precepts given by God

1b5) Old Testament prophecy given by the prophets

1b6) what is declared, a thought, declaration, aphorism, a weighty saying, a dictum, a maxim

1c) discourse

1c1) the act of speaking, speech

1c2) the faculty of speech, skill and practice in speaking

1c3) a kind or style of speaking

1c4) a continuous speaking discourse - instruction

1d) doctrine, teaching

1e) anything reported in speech; a narration, narrative

1f) matter under discussion, thing spoken of, affair, a matter in dispute, case, suit at law

1g) the thing spoken of or talked about; event, deed

Truth G225 Thayer Definition:

1) objectively

1a) what is true in any matter under consideration

1a1) truly, in truth, according to truth

1a2) of a truth, in reality, in fact, certainly

1b) what is true in things appertaining to God and the duties of man, moral and religious truth

1b1) in the greatest latitude

1b2) the true notions of God which are open to human reason without his supernatural intervention

1c) the truth as taught in the Christian religion, respecting God and the execution of his purposes through Christ, and respecting the duties of man, opposing alike to the superstitions of the Gentiles and the inventions of the Jews, and the corrupt opinions and precepts of false teachers even among Christians

2) subjectively

2a) truth as a personal excellence

2a1) that candour of mind which is free from affection, pretence, simulation, falsehood, deceit

“…But the people who know their God will be strong and will work.”

Daniel 11:32b

Blackmon, Selma, editor. The Exchanged Life News. Volume 3 Issue 1. January 5, 2003.