Seek First...

 Morning Musing 12/11/2019

Part of a response to a question I was asked:

If you read in the book of Acts you will see how all that believed sold houses and lands as was necessary to lighten one another's burdens and they lived together and had all things in common. They gave their lives for the Gospel's sake. As in their main work was to be about The Father's business, sharing the Good News and living the Good News.

One thing that really woke me up when I first started reading the New Testament is that we have been programmed to live opposite of the teachings of Christ. The World really pushes people to seek first financial comforts, but Christ teaches us to seek first The Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all our physical needs will be added unto us.

It was such a freedom and wonderful revelation to learn I was doing it backwards. God's righteousness in our hearts is so much more important than our physical needs. We need His patience, meekness, humility, loving-kindness, wisdom, faith, etc to make it through this life and He is so faithful to provide the food and clothing His children need.

That's not to say those who are starving in this world are not His children, but rather they are a witness of the consequences of man's free will and ability to choose, and that many love darkness more than light... The consequences being that when people lust for material possessions and comforts and do not desire to do the will of the Father they will oppress and destroy lives to get what they want.  (Knowingly or unknowingly)

Thus people go hungry and thirsty in a world full of water and food.

We can never blame God for those suffering in this way. And if those who are suffering from starvation seek first His Kingdom, they, by the loving kindness of God can have peace and rest in their Spirit though their flesh fails for hunger. Seeking first the Kingdom is a command for all people, for in doing so we come to know the one and only true Life that comes from Christ alone.

Take a minute and read this:

Matthew 6:24-34
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Is God Far From You?

Morning Musing: March 31, 2019

All you who sorrow and sigh for the many griefs in our time I sigh with you.

The rebellion among professed Christians, the hypocrisy, and politics in the "churches" the donuts and coffee and vain chatter the irreverent children...

Oh AWAKE, AWAKE, AWAKE to righteousness, and sin not!!!!!!

How long will wisdom cry in the streets and so many keep their fingers in their ears or buck like wild horses when those who fear God cry unto them!

Friends, how long!!!! My heart breaks to see my friends indulging in worldliness, sensuality, no fear of God to awaken their senses of right and wrong while they attend "church" on Sunday.

Did you know I called myself a Christian when I partied and drank myself into a fool!

When I paraded my half-naked body around like a whore!!

But guess what?!!

I showed up to "church" on Sunday like a "good Christian"

I was naked and blind in chains and fetters of darkness!

But I called myself a Christian.

God is not mocked. You may have a warm fuzzy feeling at the name of Jesus and call Him your Lord but when you delight in what grieves Him He is FAR FROM YOU!!!

This distance is what finally broke me and brought me to my knees and the deep realization that I was a wicked person before a Just, a Righteous, a Holy and blameless God! Like the woman that wept and anointed the feet of Christ I wept over my sinful deeds that broke the Holy heart of Christ. 

God is not to be blamed my friends.

God is not to be blamed for the problems you suffer in your life.

He is not to be blamed for world hunger and lack of clean water for those in need.

He is not to be blamed for the inhumanity of His creation, the men/women that He created in His likeness who act quite the opposite of Him.

Those who love darkness more than light are to be blamed and all of us have been there and done that; and to my deep sorrow, many continue, though they claim His name to cleave to the darkness.

Time is short.

Don't wait to evaluate your Christian walk, compare your life to the life of Christ, and don't be deceived to think your life can't look like His. He calls us to be Holy as He is Holy, and Perfect as the Father in heaven is perfect.

What does that perfect look like?

What does that holy look like?

Are you even at all striving to reflect it in your life?

Luke 13:24
"Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."

If you think it has nothing to do with what you and your children wear, think again. For the heart is reflected in the actions, buying clothes and putting them on are actions.

If you think the Messiah would buy tight jeans and a tight T-shirt to wear today you are de-sensitized!!

If you think the holy women of old would wear by choice today: skinny jeans, spandex pants, cleavage-revealing tops, fitted clothes you are under a strong delusion.

My heart cries for you to turn from Vanity-Fare from the deceitful lusts to AWAKE TO RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SIN NOT.

And my heart breaks at the fear that my words will fall on deaf ears...

...On hearts hardened that think they are safe and sound in the arms of the Lord and imagine me to be a self-righteous Pharisee while they themselves are filled with the Spirit and secure in their salvation though they wallow in the filth of this world.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom friends, it will steer you onto the narrow path that leads to life. Where you will be a true reflection both inward and outward of one disciplined by the teachings and example of Christ. I have my imperfections I am working on, but if we are not broken by our own shortcomings and if we are not striving for the things of eternity we need to REPENT TODAY!

TOMORROW IS NOT A DEFINITE, SOME NEVER SEE IT.

I can't fully express my burden here...somehow I hope these words draw those who read them to a deeper longing to prioritize their relationship with God and forsake the foolish to live for Him and His will.

You Choose!

 Morning Musing: December 19, 2018

You can choose to bring forth good fruit or bad.

We were not created depraved and helpless...God is our help and His grace teaches us His righteous ways. But He created us with the power to choose. Had He not He would be to blame for the many evils; and we would be blameless for having no choice in what we do.

It seems to me people have created theologies that point to this idea that we can not do any good and some would perhaps say we can not do any bad. But what do the Scriptures say:

Isaiah 7:15
Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

Isaiah 7:16
For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.

Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

The power to choose enables real love to exist. Otherwise what people do would be rather meaningless since they have no choice as if God alone controls them...He enables us to choose to serve Him, to choose to do good, or to choose to serve our own desires. This means His judgment is just. He would have all men to come to repentance, He is long-suffering towards us, patiently waiting for us to choose to love & serve Him of our own free will.

So don't wait for God to make you choose what is right....it doesn't work that way. Yes, we need His help...and He will help us by allowing us to suffer the consequences of our bad decisions to help us see it isn't worth it to choose our own deceitful lusts. But if we love Him (we have the choice to love Him) we will keep His commandments.

John 14:15
If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Being a Believer means:
because we believe what Christ taught we make choices accordingly....we keep His commandments because we believe His warnings of what will happen if we do not. Otherwise, we are just make-believers.

John 3:18-21 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

*Photo courtesy of : varjag

Wasting time?

Morning Musing December 3, 2018

Waking up with a burden this morning...don't know if I can say these things Loud enough so please hear me...

2 Peter 3:9
[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.

El Señor no retarda su promesa, según algunos la tienen por tardanza, sino que es paciente para con nosotros, no queriendo que ninguno perezca, sino que todos procedan al arrepentimiento.

His LONG-SUFFERING IS SO AMAZING! You know why?

There are things going on that many of us could not stand if we saw or heard of them...we already see and hear through social media a small portion of the ABOMINATIONS people daily commit....what some of us do know about the evil makes us feel physically ill and we have to war against fears & /or depression &/or losing our minds! We have to forget about the evils we know or have seen or heard so we can go on with our lives.

But God sees and hears all of what we know and an extreme amount more.

An abomination is a thing that causes disgust or hatred.

DISGUST/HATRED is what we feel when we hear certain evils people do to children or animals or Each other.

God is Longsuffering, He is holding back His anger not only towards those who are committing such like abominations but to US also...because He wants to see us perfected in His image. He is NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE!!!

What are some of you doing while He is so patiently holding back His righteous anger?

I have seen some of you on FB treading on His mercy; wasting the precious time He is giving to bring us to complete repentance.

Some of you are taking precious time to post foolishness; whether it is jokes about passing gas or lusting after certain foods or certain like things...some of you even dare use Scripture and spiritual things to make jokes!! Friends, anyone with a God-honoring/fearing mind is not laughing with you but grieving for you...God is grieving also....stop turning to jest & light-heartedness to cope with reality.

James 4:8-10

[8]Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.
[9]Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
[10]Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

We don't want to be numbered with the abominable...our time here is short and there is more JOY to be had in forsaking the foolish to live for the will of God than any jesting could ever give you.

Look what the Proverb says (this is wisdom that is becoming extinct...please pass it on to children and be an example of it)

Proverbs 9:6
[6]Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

Notice it says, "And LIVE" because there is no LIFE abiding in a fool...God is life and He doesn't dwell with a fool. If you want that true peace and fullness of joy Forsake the foolish... and go in the way of understanding.

Do we really lay to heart and understand that this world is about to be utterly destroyed and the inhabitants have made themselves worthy of this destruction with all their abominable lusts & deeds?

Then why are some wasting their time as in the days of Noah carrying on like the world isn't coming to desolation?

1 Peter 3:20
[20]Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

FEW WERE SAVED....don't think that because you "got saved" you have a special ticket to heaven...Heaven is reserved for those who love what God loves and hate what He hates; for those who don't waste precious time but diligently seek Him (He is a rewarder of such) and allow His grace to work in their lives...causing them to deny ungodliness & worldly lusts and to live righteously and soberly in this present evil world. (Titus 2:11-12)

Some may not realize that biblical sobriety is not about not drinking alcohol to excess, (although it would not be sober to do so)

but about having a sound mind...having that gravity of mind that gives you the wisdom to make sound judgments; to discern what thoughts to cast down and never let come out your mouth and/or never let lead you.

Friends...I simply want to see more of you take being a follower of Christ; Being called a Christian more seriously. God is waiting so patiently...be broken about the mistakes you have made and get up and go forward making the right choices for His name's sake.

Feel for God knowing He is seeing and hearing all these abominations as He waits for YOUR full surrender...your life of surrender... He LOVES YOU SO MUCH HE IS WILLING TO BEAR WITH ALL THE ABOMINATIONS GOING ON UNTIL YOU REPENT AND LIVE ACCORDING TO HIS WILL....but time is short & today is the day to turn to Him with your whole heart; We are not promised tomorrow.

Being "saved" is not something we experience at one time and then go on doing the things this world does. God turns our reality upside down and shakes out all the stuff we shouldn't be holding on to until our reality is made new so much that people we know wonder: why don't you watch these movies with me anymore?

Why don't you dress like us anymore?

Why don't you laugh when we laugh?

Why do you seem so serious?

Why do you read the Bible so much?

Why don't you go to the ball game anymore?

Why don't you...

Let them ask and give them a good reason...

Did Christ suffer to redeem you from destruction...is God suffering Long even now?


Will you not suffer yourself to be as Christ in this world... He was about His Father's business, (are you?) unentangled with the cares of this life (are you?)...He cared for others...He gave His time & energy to serve the physical & spiritual needs of others (are you?). He wasn't sitting around watching sports games or thinking how He could beautify His living space by purchasing ornaments to decorate His house, He wasn't coming up with jestful sayings to get His friends to laugh (are you?)...

Philippians 4:8-9
[8]Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
[9]Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Peace & Rest

 November 19th, 2018 Morning Musing:

How do you have peace & rest in your soul when you feel the weight

of many burdens, many cares of this life?

Burdens that bind you in stress & anxiety & fear & doubts, in haste:

Keep Christ as your first love, look to Him, talk with Him, acknowledge Him in all your ways, keep His WORD in your thoughts, let His words protect you, correct you, direct you, break you, heal you, comfort you. Surrender your understanding,

your sense of control, your will, your fears, your doubts, your stress,

your anxiety, your haste,


let go & let God give you rest.


When He matters more than any earthly matter, when being near to Him means


more to you than anything else; when it means more than what you may lose to


gain him---what you lose doesn't really matter if you have His peace &


rest in your soul.


He is all we really need.


The only control you have is over your own thoughts and actions.


STOP everything...


And seek His face & His grace...


To cultivate His peace & rest...to walk in it, even when all around you demands your


care & your


concern.


Stay focused on the Big Picture...God's plan for your life isn't to let you die under the cares & burdens of this life. But He will let


those cares


& burdens bring us to our knees, He will give us the opportunity to turn to Him, to


surrender to Him, to have hope in His mercy, to pray & see His power to intervene.


These struggles we face are meant to perfect that which is lacking in us, to mold


us into the image of Christ.


Are we seeing The Big Picture?


Are we allowing life's difficulties to mold us into the nature of Christ?


Or are we responding in the flesh: Fearful, doubtful, anxious, stressed out?


Lay it ALL DOWN.


PICK UP THE CROSS. DIE TO SELF AND REJOICE IN THE SPIRIT & GRACE


OF CHRIST.


We don't have to respond in the flesh...if we watch and pray & hold fast to the


peace He offers we can be as Him in this present evil world!


John 14:27
"[27]Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

La paz os dejo, mi paz os doy; yo no os la doy como el mundo la da. No se turbe

vuestro corazón, ni tenga miedo.

One with the Father

June 19, 2022 Musing

Mat 12:50  For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

As Christians who walk in obedience, we all have the same Father. 

And what a Faithful Father He is!

 Jesus said, 

Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Jesus manifested the character and heart of God our Father.

Joh 15:23  He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

We are called to be one with the Father. to be as Christ in the world, reflecting the character and image of our Father.

Joh 17:21  That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

In the natural, we hear saying like, "A chip off the old block" meaning a child is a piece of their Father, there is a resemblance. 

How can we be like our Father; clearly by being like Christ.

The Father was pleased by Christ choosing to live His life as a sacrifice for others; He would have us do the same, because true love is sacrificial, and God is love, to reflect Him we lay down our lives for His name's sake.

Joh 10:17  Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

Our Father in heaven watches over us to guide us, protect us and lead us and sometimes that means chastening...

Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Rev 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

But look, those who faithfully bear the Father's image get to sit in His lap at the end and rest our head in His bosom.

 Anyone that's ever had a good relationship with their father knows the joy of sitting on Daddy's lap.

And look at this revelation: 

 Luke 11:11  If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

Luk 11:12  Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

Luk 11:13  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Some people see God as one who is out to punish them at every wrong move...but if we, as His creation, are capable of evil, yet we know how to love our children how much more does He?

God wants to be our Father whereby we learn to trust Him for our every need and He loves to hear us cry "Abba Father" Because His nature is to nurture us, to raise us up in His image, and fill us with His Holy Spirit.

Galatians 4:6  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Gal 4:7  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

As we spend the day giving honor to fathers, let us not forget the Father of All, who is worthy of honor and praise!

Remember how Christ taught us to pray...

"Our Father, who is in Heaven, Hallowed (sanctified, holy) be Your name..."

MORNING MUSING October 10, 2018

Musing on how everyone benefits from knowing someone loves them. And many people suffer from feeling like no one loves them.


Some people may be loved by others but not believe it.


Or some may have a character that is hard to love. Some may know they have this character and some may not realize how they make it hard for others to love them.


And some do not know what real love is, they do not know how to really love others and they may not recognize when someone really loves them.


One thing is sure whether or not people acknowledge it. The life of Christ declares love and the power of love.


Christ did not live to satisfy His will, or what He liked most, or what made Him most comfortable, what gave Him the most pleasure, etc. He simply came to do the will of the Father. If we also take on this mind of Christ we will come to know what it means to truly love and be loved. Love does not always give us warm fuzzy feelings. Love does not always make people comfortable or feel good. Yet love is kind, longsuffering.


If you want to be loved by others realize the love Christ has for you. How He suffered in this flesh and willingly laid down His will and life to save yours because He loves you. He loves in deed and truth and calls us to do the same. We can have complete satisfaction knowing God loves us regardless of how others may treat us. What is most important other than having a revelation of His love for us is;


Are we loving others as He has loved us?


We need to focus on what we need to change about ourselves. We need to be more ready to understand others than seek to be understood.


May we be vessels of His love in this short life we have on earth.

Morning Musing September 27, 2018

Morning Musing September 27, 2018

Thinking about how we can seem to know God through the knowledge of His Word & history etc, We can have much good to say by the use of the mind...Yet if the heart is not involved in our Words and thoughts, our knowledge will be found wanting (lacking)...

At the same time if we have a heart full of emotions, compassion & an earnestness to do good but lack the knowledge needed we are also wanting...

Romans 10:2

"For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge."

There must be a just balance between our minds & our hearts.

Knowledge puffs up but Charity edifies.

Scriptural Charity seems to be the balance between heart and mind because charity acts out of the heart feeling of love but is coupled with wisdom.

For example, charity knows how to suffer long, stay kind & not be puffed up, and not envy others.

I think Paul was coming to this same revelation about the heart and the mind. For a man can give to the poor and give his body to be burned and still be found wanting, incomplete. Paul says if this man has not Charity these things he has done will not profit.

Charity has the understanding needed.

A zeal without understanding is dangerous.

Charity knows how to never fail:

Not seeking her own,

Does not behave unseemly,

Is not easily provoked knowing how to possess the soul with patience,

Thinks no evil & does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the Truth,

Charity knows how to bear all things, believe all things, hope all things,

ENDURETH ALL THINGS which requires a willingness to suffer not for one's own glory but for God to be glorified;

Look what Paul adds to this:

1 Corinthians 13:8-11 "...whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."

So, it seems to me there is a perfection we can attain unto if we have a balance between the heart and mind (the desire & the knowledge). And that perfection is CHARITY.

We must forsake the childish envy, self-seeking, boasting, vain glorying, foolish talking, etc, to attain unto this Charity. We can not rest in the knowledge of Scriptures that we have if our heart is far from God.

We must draw nigh to God with heart, mind & soul.

I believe there is a correlation between perfecting holiness & Charity.

2 Corinthians 7:1

"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

May these musings bless the readers. And may the Muser be a doer and not a Muser only

Consequences

Giving instruction to children should teach us a lot about life and our own folly.

Guiding a child through life is much like seeing things from God's perspective. There is a reason God created the birthing and raising of children. There is a reason why people are born not knowing as much as they do by the time they are an adult.

As an adult, we have a different perspective than a child. We can tell a child to do something very simple and for the child, it can sound so daunting, so challenging that they cry and feel stressed at the idea. But from the adult perspective, we know what we ask of the child is not too difficult for the child; and it is almost laughable to see the child so distressed over something that if they were simply willing to do, it would be so easy for them to do.
But instead, they tell you and themselves that it is too hard and they make excuse after excuse as to why they can not obey you.
As an adult you can see the foolishness and self-deception of their excuses and that they are blowing something simple out of proportion. And had they just done what they were told to do their grief and sorrow would be over with.
But they often prolong their disobedience until the adult finally has to give them a consequence if they continue to disobey and continue to make excuses for their disobedience.
Consequences have a way of stirring the mind to get over whatever is hindering it from obedience. When there is no consequence for disobedience, or the consequence is easy to bear or hard to believe it will ever happen then the mind will hold fast to its rebellion/unbelief.
But when the consequence causes greater distress than obedience the command for obedience is quickly obeyed. And when it is obeyed the child realizes it really wasn't as hard as they made it out in their mind to be, and that it is actually a joy to obey, and better to obey.
Although, it may take many failures on the child's part before they realize obedience is actually easier than disobedience.

And so we as adults get a glimpse when we guide children as to what God deals with when He also lovingly desires to guide us.
Adults are known for fainting in their minds and making excuses, justifying their disobedience to God, giving place to a sense of being incapable, doubtful, and stressed by the idea of obedience just as the adult's child has been with them. But as they were with their child, seeing clearly the child is able, so God sees clearly that He does not ask of us to obey anything we are incapable of obeying. He perhaps is near laughing too, saying to us, "Come now my child this is easier for you than you realize! "
Yet, if we continue in stubborn rebellion and disbelief He will remind us there are consequences He has set in place for rebellion, for disobedience to what is good and right.
Did He create these consequences because He is a narcissist that demands our obedience?
Did He create consequences to disobeying Him for His own selfish good?
Guess what I realized when guiding a child?!!
Consequences are for OUR good!!
Because they help us to obey!
We will choose to continue in our unbelief and/ or rebellion if we are not warned of consequences or if we do not suffer consequences. It is through suffering consequences that we learn.
It is through suffering consequences or the fear of suffering consequences that we stop disobeying.
It's unfortunate that we don't simply obey because we love and trust that what God tells us to do is the best choice.
Just as it is sad a child doesn't obey the adult out of love and trust in the adult.
But, some children do learn to trust and obey their parents for the love of their parents and realize their parent's instructions are for their own good.
As do some adults begin to learn that obedience to God is for their best interest and God instructs us out of love not selfish reasons.
So for those who struggle and want to accuse God of being unjust for creating consequences for disobedience, we learn clearly from life and guiding children that consequences are necessary for directing unbelieving, stubborn, and rebellious minds towards what is good and right. We learn that clearly, consequences are for OUR GOOD.
Consequences are not something to despise but rather to be thankful for because without them we will go on in self-destructive ways hurting ourselves and others. For all that is called sin is what does ill to one's neighbor and to one's self. It's clearly illogical to not obey the one who Created Life who knows its design and what works and what doesn't.
Children have a limited understanding so they often disregard their parent's instructions... until they learn and realize mom and dad are right touching a hot stove hurts, I don't want to do that again.
So it is with us. We learn, God is right fornication isn't worth it; the consequences in this life are very devastating, how much more in eternity? Sadly, many have yet to lay this to heart. Because they have yet to suffer more than they find pleasure in their disobedience. Once they suffer more they are likely to forsake it. But for some, it is simply a revelation of God's goodness and love that prevents them from continuing in rebellion.
Guiding children teaches us more about God and His love for us. Children are truly a blessing to this world. God knew what He was doing when He designed life on Earth. What He has done is created a world where free will is possible, thus allowing true love to also be possible. Without the freedom to choose for ourselves, we would not be able to do anything other than be a robot only doing what it was programmed to do. True Love would not exist.
True love requires a choice: a choice to love requires trust and trust is often learned through the failure of not trusting and failure is the result of a consequence, therefore consequences are Good :-) without them, we may not Make the loving choice.

BEST FRIEND?

When it comes to a Best Friend it should always be Jesus in the life of a Christian. If you are Christian and you don't know Jesus as your Best Friend please make it a priority.

But don't turn Jesus into an imaginary friend and create Him from your imagination. A Best friend is not someone that will always agree with you. A BEST FRIEND is someone who will tell you the Truth in love even though it hurts to hear it. 

"Faithful are the wounds of a friend; But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."

Proverbs 27:6 

If you are married your Best Friend still needs to be Jesus and then your spouse. If you don't know your spouse as your 2nd Best friend next to Jesus do your best to make it happen. 

Other than that the Scriptures counsel us to have the SAME love one for another. In our youth we learn childish and selfish behaviors that teach us to have EXCLUSIVE relationships and a he or she is MY Best Friend and mine only mentality; as if that particular friend being our Best makes us something superior. We learn to boast that so in so is MY Best Friend thus declaring we have something others only wish they could have by having this person's acceptance. 

This mentality should be discouraged in the youth and by adulthood we should have grown out of it. Yes, it's true we more easily click with certain people, we feel we can trust some more than others and we naturally feel more of a connection with some. Yet, this should never validate a childish/selfish all exclusive friendship. 

In Philippians we learn of the mind of Christ:

"If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be LIKE-MINDED, having the SAME LOVE, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:"

Philippians 2:1‭-‬7 

We are to have the SAME LOVE, the love of Christ one for another, not a, "I love you the most, so I am going to treat you better than everyone else and prefer you above everyone else." That is a selfish heart not a self-less heart. A self-less heart takes all of God's children into consideration. On the contrary this is the kind of love we should have for each other not just for some among us or ONE among us:

"But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: so being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us."

1 Thessalonians 2:7‭-‬8 

Our love for One another should be as deep as Christ's is for us; that we should be willing to die for one another. Christ didn't die for ONE but for all.

"and that he died for ALL, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."

2 Corinthians 5:15 

When we live for Christ we must live to love ALL with the same love as He did. 

This comes with challenges but when Christ is in the place He is worthy of, that being, Our Best Friend, He can make it easy for us to love others; because He teaches us by His example to be self-less and when we are self-less it is much easier to love.

This non- exclusive love is the power behind the name Christian. Are you familiar with the song, "We are One in the Spirit... they will know we are Christians by our love"

Jesus Himself said, 

"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

John 13:35 

He didn't say if you each have a Best friend you love more than others, or a certain group of people you love more than others, His Disciples went on to confirm the mind of Christ by passing down His teachings:

"that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another."

1 Corinthians 12:25 

"For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them."   Luke 6:32 

The Christian love should exceed the love of a natural man/woman. Not only are we commanded to love one another with the same sacrificial love but also our enemies. And this my friends is the mind of Christ and the example that He gave us through His living testimony. 

Seek Him for a heart to love like He loves, and don't back out when you experience the suffering it takes to love as He loves. No pain, no gain, is a true saying.  

Let the testimony of Christ inspire you and compell you to love self-lessly

Please teach your children that if they want a Best Friend that seat in their heart belongs only to Christ and as for anyone else they desire friendship with, teach them to have the same sacrificial love for all their acquaintances and not to prefer one above another. If they can learn this when they are young what a glory it will be for them to carry it into adulthood and to live a life of self-less love.

Prayer, Chore or Pleasure?

Lately, I have been talking with the children that I am currently living with...(both age 7)

I asked them who the first person is that they talk to in the morning?

I received confirmation from them that Jesus is their best friend, so I asked them if they spoke to Him in the morning.

I was told they speak to Him at night.

So, I made a point to them that they go all day without talking to their best friend, and then at night they ask Him to give them their desires. I asked what kind of a relationship is that?!

I asked the 2 boys that are friends, How about the two of you go all day not talking to each other and then tonight ask each other to give you stuff.

They registered in their minds that that did not sound right.

Making the point again: If Jesus is your best friend like you both are friends and you are so excited in the morning to find each other first thing and talk to each other shouldn't you do the same with Jesus when you wake up in the morning?!

Shouldn't you say, Thank you God for giving me life this morning, that I have good food I can get up and eat, and clean water I can drink, and all that You have done for me! Please help me to make good choices today, to obey my parents....

I told the boys that I believed if they started their morning out by talking to their best friend and asking Him for help for their day, that I believe their days will be much more successful and that they will get in less trouble and be making better choices...especially if they remember their best friend throughout the day. 

How can they say Christ is their best friend and only talk to Him at night?

We may need to ask ourselves the same if we do this also.

Christ wants to naturally be chosen as our best friend, not because He is prideful; simply because He loves us so deeply and it's natural when one loves to want to be loved in return. He does not need us to love Him, but it pleases Him as it would please us when those we love, love us in return.

I know I need to do better with how I interact with my Best Friend Christ.

Don't ever be discouraged when you see your shortcoming, just make the adjustments needed to make things right. And if at first, you do not succeed, keep trying; just don't give up!

When we have a friend that fails us we don't want to see that friend depressed over it, moping around. We just want them to change so we can enjoy one another even more!

So it is with God, He just wants us to make some changes so that the relationship grows deeper.

This morning I put the children in remembrance, like the Scriptures say, exhort one another daily (= "But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."-Hebrews 3:13)

They came to my room to see me and I asked them, Who was the first person you talked to this morning?

Big eyes "uhhhh" expression....

one says, "My dad!"

the other says, "You."

So you didn't talk to your best friend?!

I shared with them how I lived in houses in the past that the space under the stairs that they have been using for a fort was actually a prayer closet where I would enjoy going and talking to my best friend for hours!  

( I wasn't married then.)

And it was during those times I grew so much and God did such a work in my heart! He showed me in a prayer closet, someone I hated ever since I could remember (about the age of 5 )  up until that day in my 20's in that closet.... and He took the hatred and bitterness out of my heart!!!! (That's another story)

Suddenly, the boys were inspired to turn their fort into a prayer closet and straightway went to it ready to talk to their best friend! But as they entered the closet they got into some strife about a spider that was in the closet. Apparently, one of the boys thought it was best to kill the spider, and the other over-reacted and dramatically resisted the killing of the spider...Mom got involved, spider was caught in a cup and released outside, and on to prayer, they went.

 The first boy begins to emphatically Thank God for numerous things he listed, including candy, and all the nice things God gives them, and they "take for granted". I couldn't exactly hear all that he prayed but it was such a delight to hear...he went on to saying something about Trump and Biden and how he knows Jesus is the President of all :-) it was incredibly sweet and hilarious. He finished up his prayer and urged the other boy to pray. The other boy starts talking of other things not engaged in this serious endeavor to pray. So, the boy who prayed rebukes him saying something along the lines, that the devil is distracting him from prayer and obviously doesn't want him to pray...

 They came out of their prayer closet and I asked the one who didn't pray why he didn't pray. 

He said because he already listened to the other boy pray. 

Oh, ok, so how about you go all day not talking to your friend and just listen to his brother talk to him.

--look of distress on the boys face--

Well, if you don't need to talk to your best friend because your other friend talked to him?

What kind of a relationship would that be?!

Thank God for the things we learn from children!

My friend, what is your relationship with Christ like?

It's good to see where we can improve and I trust if we make the needed adjustments our relationship will deepen and we will become more prosperous in the ways of the Lord. 

A note to parents and mentors: Take time to teach the children, to open their understanding by pointing out these kinds of things. It's so beautiful to inspire children to have a relationship with God. Praying shouldn't be presented as an obligation or a chore....teach them Jesus is the Greatest friend they will ever have and to be conscious of Him all the day long.

Add to our Faith Temperance

A lot of us have faith even if it's a mustard seed of faith.

But are we adding on to our faith as the Apostle rightly exhorts us to?

I want to go through these additions with you all and I hope it will be edifying (build us up in the Holy Faith)/encouraging.

I would go in the order listed here, but this morning the word Temperance was burning in my heart so I want to start there.

Let's read this first:

2 Peter 1:4-12

[4] Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

[5] And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

[6] And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

[7] And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

[8] For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[9] But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

[10] Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

[11] For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

[12] Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.

Wouldn't you agree that this is a very important exhortation?

"for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:"

Sounds like something we should really apply our hearts to.

When we do not take it upon ourselves to be intentionally mindful of these things we will find ourselves in this state:

"But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins."

I am thinking it will be encouraging for us to go through each of these and take time to ponder these words, what they really mean, do we see the fruit of them in our lives, if not, why not? And what do we need to change in our life so these additions to our faith are abounding? That they are not just "in" us, but "abounding" in us!

Definition+of+abound=

abound, verb, əˈbound, exist in large numbers or amounts

So let's start with the word Temperance.

What comes to mind when you hear that word?

Many think of alcohol, drinking in moderation, or food.

But temperance is so much deeper than that.

The dictionary explains it like this:

"Definition of temperance

1: moderation in action, thought, or feeling: RESTRAINT

2a: habitual moderation in the indulgence of the appetites or passions."

-From:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/temperance

From my personal experience, I would say temperance (within a Christian) in time becomes a natural part of you that is deeply rooted.

Due to this Temperance being deeply rooted inside of you; you become content and satisfied by moderation.

Moderation is defined as "the avoidance of excess or extremes"

You are no longer driven by a passion or desire for something that draws you to an excessive degree. Whether that be food, drink, sex, time spent on the internet, time spent working, time spent playing, talking too much, reading too much... Whatever you are doing may not be sinful in and of itself but in excess, it becomes a snare to your soul.

(Continuing to ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit is important; by His Spirit, we are able to discern what is too much.)

We are called to be partakers of the Divine nature of God. Adding to our faith the things Peter listed can certainly bring us into that Divine nature. Although, it will not if we are performing these things in self-righteous efforts rather than a true change of heart taking place through the Grace of God which is given to the Humble in heart.

We can't think we will attain any of these virtues in their true essence without Humility.

Someone boasting of their ability to be moderate in any of the things does not bring edification, neither does someone secretly seeking attention for their temperate abilities... For example, Eating small portions to be seen of men.

When we have a love for God and Truth and are willing to suffer for both, then when we come to God in true surrender, He can produce these good fruits in us.

These fruits will become a part of our nature wherein we aren't even aware that we are walking in them. Not to say we won't notice the Victory God had given us... It will initially take mindfulness on our part. For example:

I used to be addicted to chocolate, I craved it and felt like it had control of me...I didn't like that sense of something controlling me. So I decided to stop eating it. I went on a very long fast from chocolate. Maybe even over a year? I don't remember how long I abstained from it; I wasn't sure if I would ever eat it again. I did not care, I just wanted to have victory.

I even made chocolate desserts for others and Glory to God He helped me not to lick the chocolate off my fingers while making it for others! I had to resist the cravings for a long time... Until thanks be to God those cravings just went away. One day I just realized I had the victory and I felt at peace that I could eat it again, but this time with temperance.

Facing this addiction head-on really helped me not just with chocolate, but in general, to have temperance in things.

I actually had a dream at the time that I was facing this desire for chocolate. In the dream, I saw that if the intemperate chocolate craving was indulged in it would weaken my ability to resist other temptations such as fornication.

I do believe that the seemingly "little weaknesses" we have in our lives need to be taken more seriously than many realize.

I am sure there are other issues in my life that if I honestly examined myself I would see a need to be more temperate in. So even though as the Apostle Peter said,

"to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them,"

Though we have been taught by the Holy Spirit to be temperate we need to be reminded and we need to keep evaluating our lives to make sure we are walking in what we know...

...so we do not forget and become blind.

Let's take time this week to ponder temperance and see how we are doing with it and seek some refining...then I plan to go over another addition Peter mentioned.

Grace and Peace be Multiplied.