FISH OR CUT BAIT!

So you have been on this journey for a long time and you think you know what building the Kingdom of God should look like.....yet you sow discord among the brethren (of course thinking you are doing God a favor); you participate in character assassination by propagating rumors you have heard discussed (and you have 'listened' to, in spite of knowing that God holds the sin of gossiping the same as the sin of murder). Let's be very clear about this behavior.....it is wrong and innocent blood is being shed. And even if there is some 'truth' that is being shared around, you will not be held guiltless. "There are seven things that the Lord hates and cannot tolerate: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that kill innocent people, a mind that thinks up wicked plans, feet that hurry off to do evil, a witness who tells one lie after another, and someone who stirs up trouble among friends." (Proverbs 6:16-19) Even if there is a shred of truth to all the accusations....it is not your place to judge. It is God's job! It is our's to bring reconciliation to any situation that might rise among us. It appears to those on the outside, that you are no different than the world; no different than those who do not profess to know the God of the Universe. STOP IT! If you have been offended. Make it right. You are just as responsible to clear the offence as the 'offender'. Either be part of the solution, or get out of the way, but do not be a participant in bringing down those who are also on this journey Home. Either fish or cut bait! Get in or get out! For in the end, "ALL things work together for good for those who love God and are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28) When you are taking things into your own hands, damage that you cannot imagine is being done in hearts and lives you cannot see. "It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble." (Luke 17:2) And if you think this applies only to little children, you are mistaken. We have people born into the Kingdom every day that are babies in Christ. Some remain that way for many years........and they can be severely damaged when older, more experienced ones are participating in sowing discord among the brethren. If this post is offensive to you, ask yourself if it's offensive because you are guilty and are justifying what you are doing. A church, a business, a marriage, a friendship, a family can be severely damaged by this kind of behavior. I am not your judge but the Word is and the Holy Spirit is speaking to you to repent of this behavior and to bring healing to whatever the situation is; bring mercy and bring Grace...for where sin abounds ( and believe it.....gossip/tale bearing are sin) Grace does much more abound. Be a builder and a lifter of those around you. God will forgive everyone and reconciliation will come. We are in perilous times and this is no time for us to be wasting the Gift that the Father has given us in His Son, Jesus, the Christ. Live a crucified life and make it count!

YES,,,, IT'S A BLOODY RELIGION!

Yes...it's a Bloody religion. The sinless Blood of the Son of God to wash your sins as white as snow.....He will be your Burden Bearer, He will be your Shelter in the time of storm, He will be your Shield from attacks of the enemy, He will be your Light in the Darkness, He will be your Advocate with the Father, He will be your Comfort and your Peace, He will be your Hope in this world and the World to come. He laid down His life for you. Won't you lay down your life for Him? Father God, I believe that Jesus is Your Son and that He came not to condemn the world but to save it. Forgive me for my sins of breaking Your moral laws and let me become Your Child. Teach me Your ways and give me a pure heart. In Jesus' Name. Amen

HELP THE VICTIMS OF SANDY

As a result of the hurricane/storm Sandy on the Eastern seaboard this week, many are without the bare necessities of life. This is our opportunity to help in this most trying of times for these families. A long-time Twitter/Facebook friend is coordinating with others in her area to receive donations of clothing,shoes and coats of all sizes, bedding, quilts, dry goods such as toilet tissue, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deoderant. Also needed: instant cereals, instant coffee, peanut butter, jelly, jerky and all other non-perishable food items as there is no electricity in most areas. They will also need cleaning supplies, feminie hygiene supplies, diapers and baby food. Water is desperately needed in individual bottles and gallons. Arrangements are being made to receive and distribute these donations. A PayPal account is being set up to recieve cash donations. Please contact Arlene Wallis on Facebook; on Twitter @Th1kmdm09; or by email: Th1kmdm09@gmail.com Another way you can assist in this matter is to repost, copy & paste or 'share' this plea on your social media accounts and share with your church and home groups. Let's be the Church we were created to be. This truly is a James 1:27 moment. "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this: To visit the fatherless and widows (the helpless) in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." Go! Be Jesus to these friends and families who need us now.....

So Many Questions

What do you do when you find yourself feeling alone and far from God? If you are a believer and follower of Christ, should you ever find yourself in this place? After all, have you not followed all His commandments? Have you not given of yourself to others, helped meet the needs of those who are unable to bear their burdens alone? Have you not been a witness to the Gospel which is the Power of God unto Salvation to everyone that believes, to the Jew first and then also to the Greek? Have you not proclaimed the hour is late and we must work the works of Him who sent Jesus because the night is coming when no man can work? Have you not been as the watchman on the wall, warning of the consequences of offending a Holy God, of living life your own way instead of God’s? Have you not proclaimed that God is the God of Mercy, the God of Forgiveness, the God of Longsuffering, the God of Love, the God Whose Mercies are new every morning, the God Who came in the form of man, Himself sinless, to die for those who were born in sin? Have you not lived a life dedicated to Christ and to His Word, by faith trusting that His Word is true and have you not lived this life as a pilgrim and stranger on the earth, whose forever Home and destiny lies in that City whose Builder and Maker is God? The answer to all of your questions? “We walk by Faith and not by Sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) So when you don’t “feel it”……believe it and walk on…… “He that endures to the end, the same shall be saved.” Matthew 24:13 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

THE TEST OF LOVE

We so often take this time at the beginning of a new year to make resolutions that we often fail to keep, but wouldn't it be a perfect time to reflect on: "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith, test yourselves....?" (II Corinthians 13:5) We can become so comfortable in our journey sometimes, that we may not realize that we have strayed from the straight path. After all, aren't we doing better than most out there? We must never fall into the trap of comparing ourselves with others, but must always measure our walk with the Word of God. Can we walk through these scriptures, ask ourselves if we meet the standard of the Word, and if not, can we not ask forgiveness and make sure that we are truly in love with our God and Savior and in love with our neighbor? May the Lord open our eyes and our hearts so that we may stay pure before Him and powerful in building the Kingdom. Command to Love: Jesus said, "Honor your father and mother and love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 10:19) Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang (hinge) on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37-40) Having been asked which was the Greatest Commanment, Jesus answered, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. 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: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these." (Mark 12:29-31) Jesus said. "A new commandment I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13:24) Evidence of Love: Jesus said: "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:35) Jesus said, "If you love Me, Keep My commandments." (John 14:15) Jesus said, "Whoever has and obeys them, he is the one who loves Me." (John 14:21) Jesus said, "If anyone loves Me, he will obey my teaching, (My words). My Father will love him and We will come to him and make Our Home with him." (John 14:23) God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) Love does no harm (does not kill, does not commit adultery, does not steal, does not lie, does not covet, etc) to it's neighbors. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the Law. (Romans 13:19) Love is patient; love is kind; love does not envy; does not boast; is not proud. It is not rude; love is not self-seeking; it is not easily angered; it keeps no record of wrong. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails....(I Corinthians 13:4-8a) The fruit of the Spirit (dwelling in you) is Love, (which produces) joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) Test of Love: Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbors and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven...." (Matthew 5:43-35) Jesus said, "But I tell you who hear me, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." (Luke 6:-27-28) Jesus said, "He who does not love Me will not obey My teaching (My words)." (John 14:28) Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly beloved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us...(Ephesians 5:1-2) If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a noisy gong and a clanging symbol. (I Corinthians 13:1) He who would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. (I Peter 3:10-11) Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (I John 2:15) We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. ( I John 3:14) This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us, (therefore) we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. ( I John 3:16) If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? (I John 3:17) Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God and everyone that loves is born of God and knows God. He that loves not, does not know God, for God is love. ( I John 4:7-8) The Ultimate Test of Love: When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 213:33-34) Jesus said, "Greater love has no man than this, that He lay down His life for His friends. You are My friends, if you do what I command." (John 15:13-14) Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. (I John 4:11-12) Jesus told us to love one another as He has loved us and that same love is what the world needs to see and experience from us. We are Jesus to this world......Let's love them like Jesus!

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It's Christmas!

Early business reports seem to demonstrate that the consumer is more hopeful, more positive about the future than what expert economists have been predicting. Sales are at an all-time high and the Christmas buying season has just begun. Some reports say that the consumer is actually in better financial condition than they were in 2004 because they have been paying down their debts, down-sizing perceived needs to actual need, paying cash instead of credit and basically bringing their financial priorities back to a reasonable level. The Christmas season is the last, great money maker of the year and most retailers measure their overall, year-end success or failure by the sales generated during this season. How do we, as followers of Christ, measure our relationship to the One who is the reason for this Christmas season? Do we remember, as we are caught up in the bargain hunting, Black Friday specials and Cyber Monday deals, that the Gift that was given when Christ was born cost Him His life? Do we shop for gifts to give to those we love because we are so grateful and thankful for the Gift that has been given to us? It is so easy to get caught up in this culture of frenzied shopping along with parties to plan, meetings to attend, dinners to prepare, all culminating in that great time of getting and giving all those gifts that have been purchased. As we lavish all of this exciting season upon ourselves, do we even think of those who are cold, without homes, without a place to stay warm and dry and without food to eat? Do we do more than a ’token’ act of random kindness just to meet the requirement of caring for others? At some point, the Bride of Christ must see this world through the eyes of the Bridegroom. If our hearts are filled with joy because of the incredible Gift of Salvation and this is what generates all of the gift giving activity…..then we are on the right pathway to bring honor and joy to our Savior…… So we praise our Savior that despite the gloomy calculations of this world’s economy, there is a silver lining: consumers, overall, are paying down debt, not relying on credit and are taking a hard look at what their priorities are in the day in which we live. I like to think that the Biblical perspective of true followers of Christ have had an influence on this economy and on those around them, by setting an example of being debt free, and/or working toward being debt free, and being good stewards of what God has blessed them with. Page Two It’s Christmas And I would like to think that we, as ambassadors of Christ, are so thankful and grateful for all He has done for us and the world that our joy spills over on this lost and dying world during this Christmas season and brings them into a saving knowledge of the One who stepped out of heaven, came to earth and paid the price for all our sins….. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon His shoulder and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end….” (Isaiah 9:6-7) “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord, and this shall be a sign unto you: you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:11-14)