Once again the media is buzzing with the news of the untimely death of another celebrity. For those of you who don't watch football, the name Steve McNair means nothing, but for the many football fans it sent shock waves thru the world of sports.
I have been reading about his many charitable gifts, both monetarily and his personal help with the victims of Katrina. He has paid for several kids to go to football camp, and numerous other noble things he has accomplished. He was a very disciplined athlete, a hard worker his fellow players described him.
In the end what will he be remembered for? His accomplishments or the fact he died in the middle of an adulterous affair with a lady 16yrs his jr? The Bible says in Proverbs 6: 32But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
33A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
Is anyone paying attention to what is going on in the lives of the rich and famous? Open your spiritual ears, God is sending a strong message. One thing is obvious, it doesn't matter how rich, how famous, how much the world may idolize you, God is no respecter of persons. It is sad that people think if they have enough wealth they are untouchable, God is proving otherwise.
IITimothy 3:1-9
1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was.
Luke 21:34-36 (King James Version)
34And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Bitterness and Emotional Wholeness...
We all have a past that God wants us to acknowledge, understand and respond to in a Biblical manner. Our response determines our happiness, hope and harmony.There are many wounded people walking the streets of our city. They have never been healed from the wounds of their past. Yesterday's hurts affect how we respond to people today.I have become aware that the health of our relationship with God is linked to our earthly relationships. That's why Jesus said, "Don't come and worship me if you have something against your friend. Patch the relationship and then bring your gift to the altar." (Matt. 5:24)
Every adult has an incredible story to tell about the things that shaped their lives. The most instructive part of that story is how you are integrating the reality of the past with the cold hard facts of the present. If your stories were told with clarity and candour they would be powerful messages motivating positive change in others.
"He gave me beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
That we might be trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord,
That we might be glorified."
Forgiveness sets you free from the bondage of the negative emotions. It does not set the person who hurt you free. Every one will answer to God for their sins. God is just and fair, and every evil act will be answered for.
What are bitter roots, or bitter root judgements?
* They are our sinful reactions to circumstances that occur in our lives.
* They are condemning judgements of other people.
* They are the inability or refusal to forgive someone.
* They are the operations of the unchangeable Laws of God, which cause us to reap in kind what we have sown.
Bitter roots are not:* Hurtful or terrible things that happen to us, nor are they the sins of those who have wronged us. They are OUR sinful responses to those things that have happened to us, planted deeply within us due to our refusal or inability to forgive.
Every adult has an incredible story to tell about the things that shaped their lives. The most instructive part of that story is how you are integrating the reality of the past with the cold hard facts of the present. If your stories were told with clarity and candour they would be powerful messages motivating positive change in others.
"He gave me beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
That we might be trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord,
That we might be glorified."
Forgiveness sets you free from the bondage of the negative emotions. It does not set the person who hurt you free. Every one will answer to God for their sins. God is just and fair, and every evil act will be answered for.
What are bitter roots, or bitter root judgements?
* They are our sinful reactions to circumstances that occur in our lives.
* They are condemning judgements of other people.
* They are the inability or refusal to forgive someone.
* They are the operations of the unchangeable Laws of God, which cause us to reap in kind what we have sown.
Bitter roots are not:* Hurtful or terrible things that happen to us, nor are they the sins of those who have wronged us. They are OUR sinful responses to those things that have happened to us, planted deeply within us due to our refusal or inability to forgive.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
OUT OF A WORTHLESS THING - GOD CAN BRING 5 IMPORTANT LESSONS
Hey everyone, I copied this from Connie Giordano's daily blog. She is an AWESOME Bible teacher. You can read her daily blogs @ God's Living Word Network. Click on the box to the right that says, join me on God's Living Word. An awesome website, a social network for christian bloggers. Connie is fast becoming my favorite teacher! I look forward every morning to see what she is blogging about, it is always a blessing.
Throughout the Scriptures, ashes are used to speak of - trusting in something which can never give help at all...a time of great mourning...God's power in nature...words spoken that are utterly valueless...and total victory over the enemy.Man has really no use for ashes - except to throw them away.But God can take something so worthless and teach us some valuable lessons.Let's see what they are.Isaiah 44:20 says - "He feedeth on ashes..."
Imagine a people grazing...pasturing...delighting...or taking pleasure in something so repulsive, unprofitable, and injurious as ashes!Yet that is exactly what an idolater does. He is one who delights in that which is vain, unsubstantial, and unsatisfactory...pleases himself, seeks comfort and satisfaction from, and fills himself with hopes of being helped and delivered by someone or something other than the true and Living God...uses ineffectual means and labors to no purpose ...hunts and strives after that which is degrading, worthless, perishable, and easily scattered ...and feeds his soul with that which is disgusting and loathsome - like sinful lusts - rather than that which is nutritious and wholesome - the Word of God.
Said another way - He is one who seeks happiness in riches and honors and makes the world his portion.Psalm 102:9 says - "For I have eaten ashes like bread..."Dust and ashes - as used in the Bible - are figures of grief. A person in deep sorrow is often pictured as sitting or lying in ashes. As a token of his mourning, he is pictured as casting ashes upon his head or throwing them all over himself. Since his food - daily sustenance - is in his midst, the scattered ashes easily become mixed with his "bread."Psalm 147:16 says - "...He scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes."The "hoarfrost" is dew that has been congealed by the intense cold night air. In its color, smallness, and burning quality - it resembles ashes.As when men cast ashes in the air which powder the earth - causing a sort of whiteness where they fall - even so does God in His mighty power cover the ground with His fine frozen dew.This dew - like hot ashes - shrivels up leaves, herbs, and plants - giving it the appearance of being burnt.Job 13:12 says - "Your remembrances are like unto ashes..."Ashes - for the most part - are valueless. So are memorable sayings which do not apply to the situation at hand.These "remembrances" or well remembered, proverbial maxims are nothing more than "proverbs of ashes" - because they carry as much weight as a pile of ashes. They are pious platitudes that are weak and worthless. They have as much connection to true wisdom as ashes have to a nutritional meal.They can apply to any contemptible, unprofitable, or dishonest charges brought against a believer...preaching that is void of life and usefulness ...or all that is in you for which you hope to be remembered when you are gone.Malachi 4:3 says - "And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts."The Day of Judgment is coming. In that day, the wicked - who are presently arrogant and living in prosperity - will be consumed by the fires of God's Wrath. They will easily resemble ashes - left after the fire consumes the stubble.The tables will be reversed as Perfect Justice prevails. The wicked's prosperity and the adversity of the godly will come to an end. The believers will rise to a "New Boldness" and trample down the wicked as ashes under their feet - signifying total victory.What do you think of when you hear the word - "ashes" ?Hopefully, after reading this message, you will be reminded of -...the idolater who - seeking after the vain and empty things of this world - is "feeding on ashes"...the mourner who is undergoing such a time of grief that his life seems to be engulfed with sorrow or "ashes"...God's power to blanket the earth with a tiny substance - the "hoarfrost" - which resembles the "ashes" in many different aspects...dishonest and contemptible charges or foolish arguments... "dead," unanointed, and lifeless preaching...as well as carnal boastings - all amounting to nothing but "ashes"...and the day of retribution coming to the wicked when they will appear as "ashes" under the believers' feet.What message are you receiving here?Are you "feeding on ashes" - the worthless things of this world which can never satisfy your soul?Does it seem as though your life is consumed with sorrow at this time - where "ashes" are your daily meal?If God can take something so small as the "hoarfrost" and blanket the earth with it like "ashes" - then can He provide for your many needs at this time?Have you been speaking "proverbs of ashes" to anyone lately -arguments that make no sense whatsoever and carry no weight at all?Does it seem as though the wicked all around you are prospering beyond measure and not reaping for their sins or transgressions? The day is coming when their "party time" will be over. You can be assured of that!Out of a seemingly worthless thing like ashes, only God can bring forth 5 important lessons.He doesn't waste anything, does He?May God Bless His Word,
Connie© COPYRIGHT Connie Giordano - All Rights Reserved
Subscribe to Daily Bible Messages at - connie@walkingintruth.org .
Walking In Truth Ministry P.O. Box 383016 Duncanville TX 75138
Throughout the Scriptures, ashes are used to speak of - trusting in something which can never give help at all...a time of great mourning...God's power in nature...words spoken that are utterly valueless...and total victory over the enemy.Man has really no use for ashes - except to throw them away.But God can take something so worthless and teach us some valuable lessons.Let's see what they are.Isaiah 44:20 says - "He feedeth on ashes..."
Imagine a people grazing...pasturing...delighting...or taking pleasure in something so repulsive, unprofitable, and injurious as ashes!Yet that is exactly what an idolater does. He is one who delights in that which is vain, unsubstantial, and unsatisfactory...pleases himself, seeks comfort and satisfaction from, and fills himself with hopes of being helped and delivered by someone or something other than the true and Living God...uses ineffectual means and labors to no purpose ...hunts and strives after that which is degrading, worthless, perishable, and easily scattered ...and feeds his soul with that which is disgusting and loathsome - like sinful lusts - rather than that which is nutritious and wholesome - the Word of God.
Said another way - He is one who seeks happiness in riches and honors and makes the world his portion.Psalm 102:9 says - "For I have eaten ashes like bread..."Dust and ashes - as used in the Bible - are figures of grief. A person in deep sorrow is often pictured as sitting or lying in ashes. As a token of his mourning, he is pictured as casting ashes upon his head or throwing them all over himself. Since his food - daily sustenance - is in his midst, the scattered ashes easily become mixed with his "bread."Psalm 147:16 says - "...He scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes."The "hoarfrost" is dew that has been congealed by the intense cold night air. In its color, smallness, and burning quality - it resembles ashes.As when men cast ashes in the air which powder the earth - causing a sort of whiteness where they fall - even so does God in His mighty power cover the ground with His fine frozen dew.This dew - like hot ashes - shrivels up leaves, herbs, and plants - giving it the appearance of being burnt.Job 13:12 says - "Your remembrances are like unto ashes..."Ashes - for the most part - are valueless. So are memorable sayings which do not apply to the situation at hand.These "remembrances" or well remembered, proverbial maxims are nothing more than "proverbs of ashes" - because they carry as much weight as a pile of ashes. They are pious platitudes that are weak and worthless. They have as much connection to true wisdom as ashes have to a nutritional meal.They can apply to any contemptible, unprofitable, or dishonest charges brought against a believer...preaching that is void of life and usefulness ...or all that is in you for which you hope to be remembered when you are gone.Malachi 4:3 says - "And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts."The Day of Judgment is coming. In that day, the wicked - who are presently arrogant and living in prosperity - will be consumed by the fires of God's Wrath. They will easily resemble ashes - left after the fire consumes the stubble.The tables will be reversed as Perfect Justice prevails. The wicked's prosperity and the adversity of the godly will come to an end. The believers will rise to a "New Boldness" and trample down the wicked as ashes under their feet - signifying total victory.What do you think of when you hear the word - "ashes" ?Hopefully, after reading this message, you will be reminded of -...the idolater who - seeking after the vain and empty things of this world - is "feeding on ashes"...the mourner who is undergoing such a time of grief that his life seems to be engulfed with sorrow or "ashes"...God's power to blanket the earth with a tiny substance - the "hoarfrost" - which resembles the "ashes" in many different aspects...dishonest and contemptible charges or foolish arguments... "dead," unanointed, and lifeless preaching...as well as carnal boastings - all amounting to nothing but "ashes"...and the day of retribution coming to the wicked when they will appear as "ashes" under the believers' feet.What message are you receiving here?Are you "feeding on ashes" - the worthless things of this world which can never satisfy your soul?Does it seem as though your life is consumed with sorrow at this time - where "ashes" are your daily meal?If God can take something so small as the "hoarfrost" and blanket the earth with it like "ashes" - then can He provide for your many needs at this time?Have you been speaking "proverbs of ashes" to anyone lately -arguments that make no sense whatsoever and carry no weight at all?Does it seem as though the wicked all around you are prospering beyond measure and not reaping for their sins or transgressions? The day is coming when their "party time" will be over. You can be assured of that!Out of a seemingly worthless thing like ashes, only God can bring forth 5 important lessons.He doesn't waste anything, does He?May God Bless His Word,
Connie© COPYRIGHT Connie Giordano - All Rights Reserved
Subscribe to Daily Bible Messages at - connie@walkingintruth.org .
Walking In Truth Ministry P.O. Box 383016 Duncanville TX 75138
Friday, July 3, 2009
Hey Everyone, You Don't Want to Miss This...
My pastor is doing a verse by verse study in Proverbs and he is blogging it @
www.pastordavevcc.blogspot.com
It is very interesting, and he is receiving a lot of comments. So join in, read and get blessed, and leave a comment about whatever the Lord has revealed to you about a verse. It is how we learn. God can say many different things to different people and it is good to get a wide variety of thoughts.
My prayer is that Pastor Dave will put his audio sermons on his blog page. It would be a HUGE blessing to the whole world. I have listened to many preachers around the world on the web and it is a blessing and a good learning tool. Sooooo, Pastor Dave, something to pray about!
www.pastordavevcc.blogspot.com
It is very interesting, and he is receiving a lot of comments. So join in, read and get blessed, and leave a comment about whatever the Lord has revealed to you about a verse. It is how we learn. God can say many different things to different people and it is good to get a wide variety of thoughts.
My prayer is that Pastor Dave will put his audio sermons on his blog page. It would be a HUGE blessing to the whole world. I have listened to many preachers around the world on the web and it is a blessing and a good learning tool. Sooooo, Pastor Dave, something to pray about!
"Heart" Trouble - The Church Is Full Of It...
My pastor has been teaching on the heart, which is very interesting to study. I came up with this today. I enjoy creating things like this using spiritual truths.
When your doctor suspects heart trouble one of the first tests he will give you is an EKG.
Let's have a spiritual EKG and see if we have heart trouble.
E - EXAMINE yourself and see whether you be in the faith. IICorinthains 13:5
K - KNOW what is in your heart, Have you died to sin and live unto righteousness?
IPeter 2:24
G - GET on your knees and ask God to show you what is in your heart. Psalm 19:12
Doing these 3 things can be a real eye opener. One thing is sure, if you are serious, God will show you the truth about yourself. The good, the bad and the ugly. The great thing about God is He won't leave you that way. The more I learn about God's love, mercy and grace, the more I want to know Him. I no longer feel like I HAVE to read His Word, or pray. When you truly love God works will follow. You will pray because you want more of His presence, you will read His Word because you want to know Him better, and you will give because you want to further His Kingdom. You won't pray and read His Word to win points with Him. You won't give to Him only to get a blessing in return. I long for the day that we can go to church and when the offering is taken up all you will hear is, "it is time to give to further the Kingdom of God." Instead you hear a 10 minute sermonette on giving to get yourself blessed. I cringe every time I hear it. But I haven't been to a church where they don't do it. I love when God blesses me financially, but I think the church dwells on it WAY too much.
This is a good reason to examine yourself, especially if you are an altar worker. The Lord showed me something in the Spirit many years ago in a church service during altar call. There are 3 main things people ask prayer for, spiritual blessings, financial blessings, and physical blessings. The problem is, not always, but sometimes the person praying for the one wanting a financial blessing is in deep debt themself, the one praying for the physical need does not take care of their own body, God's Temple, and the one praying for someone's spiritual need is a lot of the times in a worse spiritual condition than the one they are praying for. Spirits are transferable, and you must be very careful who you let lay hands on you. When the Lord showed me this, it blew me away. It was life changing for me.
EXAMINE yourself, have you found the abundant life of abiding in Jesus
KNOWING He loves you in spite of yourself?
GET on your knees and meet the real Jesus, the One who loves you unconditionally. If you do that, you can't get enough reading, praying, praising, or giving.
Yes, the church needs to have a spiritual EKG.
When your doctor suspects heart trouble one of the first tests he will give you is an EKG.
Let's have a spiritual EKG and see if we have heart trouble.
E - EXAMINE yourself and see whether you be in the faith. IICorinthains 13:5
K - KNOW what is in your heart, Have you died to sin and live unto righteousness?
IPeter 2:24
G - GET on your knees and ask God to show you what is in your heart. Psalm 19:12
Doing these 3 things can be a real eye opener. One thing is sure, if you are serious, God will show you the truth about yourself. The good, the bad and the ugly. The great thing about God is He won't leave you that way. The more I learn about God's love, mercy and grace, the more I want to know Him. I no longer feel like I HAVE to read His Word, or pray. When you truly love God works will follow. You will pray because you want more of His presence, you will read His Word because you want to know Him better, and you will give because you want to further His Kingdom. You won't pray and read His Word to win points with Him. You won't give to Him only to get a blessing in return. I long for the day that we can go to church and when the offering is taken up all you will hear is, "it is time to give to further the Kingdom of God." Instead you hear a 10 minute sermonette on giving to get yourself blessed. I cringe every time I hear it. But I haven't been to a church where they don't do it. I love when God blesses me financially, but I think the church dwells on it WAY too much.
This is a good reason to examine yourself, especially if you are an altar worker. The Lord showed me something in the Spirit many years ago in a church service during altar call. There are 3 main things people ask prayer for, spiritual blessings, financial blessings, and physical blessings. The problem is, not always, but sometimes the person praying for the one wanting a financial blessing is in deep debt themself, the one praying for the physical need does not take care of their own body, God's Temple, and the one praying for someone's spiritual need is a lot of the times in a worse spiritual condition than the one they are praying for. Spirits are transferable, and you must be very careful who you let lay hands on you. When the Lord showed me this, it blew me away. It was life changing for me.
EXAMINE yourself, have you found the abundant life of abiding in Jesus
KNOWING He loves you in spite of yourself?
GET on your knees and meet the real Jesus, the One who loves you unconditionally. If you do that, you can't get enough reading, praying, praising, or giving.
Yes, the church needs to have a spiritual EKG.
Path to Victory Over Sin...
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him. Colossians 2:6
This is going to sound real elementary, but the gospel is. It is simple enough that a child can understand it. We are the ones that complicate it.How did you receive Christ? It wasn't anything you did, you just simply believed. Simple faith. We get victory the same way, by walking in faith. Sounds simple enough doesn't it? Well, it must not be. The church is full of people trying to get set free by works. Let me explain. When you first get saved no matter your age, you are like a child, you simply believe, and all you want to do is learn about Jesus and please Jesus.
Afterwards you get in the works mode, feeling like you must do something. But the thing is, you can't. When Christ died on the Cross, it was finished. Faith in what Christ did at the Cross, what brings salvation, also brings victory. You can't sanctify yourself by works no more than you can save your self by works. Everyone's favorite thing is in tithing and giving hoping for a mighty breakthrough and their debt will be erased. I am a tither and a giver, I believe in tithing and giving. But that is not what will solve your money problems. Does God bless givers? YES, He does. As long as you manage your money properly and are a good steward of what He gives you, yes, blessings will come. Unfortunately, the church usually leaves the stewardship part out and leads everyone to believe all they have to do is give and a mighty breakthrough is coming and all of their debt will be erased. Don't think just because you give you can force God's Hand, you can't. You can't buy His favor no matter how much you give, pray, or read His Word, or do good works. His grace is why any of us has anything, not because of anything we do. That is what we must get in our spirits. To think otherwise is self-righteousness, and legalistic.
Even though there is no condemnation to those who believe, the devil is constantly trying to condemn us saying we don't pray enough, or read the Bible enough, we didn't give enough money, etc.
Read below what Charles Finney has to say about freedom. I copied and pasted this from the prodigals only webpage. http://www.prodigalsonly.com/
Overcoming Sin by Charles Finney:
They said therefore to Him, 'What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?' Jesus answered and said to them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.'" - John 6:28-29There are multitudes of anxious Christians who are inquiring what they shall do to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. They overlook the fact that "this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith" (I John 5:4) that it is with "the shield of faith" that they are to "extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one." (Eph. 6:16) They ask, "why am I overcome by sin? Why can't I get above its power? Why am I the slave of my appetites and passions and the sport of the devil?" They look all around them for the cause of all this spiritual wretchedness and death. Sometimes they think they have discovered the answer in the neglect of one duty, and at another time in the neglect of another duty. Sometimes they imagine they have found the cause of their wretchedness to be that they have yielded to one sin and sometimes in yielding to another. They put forth efforts in this direction and patch up their righteousness on one side, while they make a tear in the other. Thus they spend years running around in a circle, making dams of sand across the current of their own corruptions. Instead of at once purifying their hearts by faith (Acts 15:9), they are engaged in trying to stop the overflow of its bitter waters."Why do I sin?" they inquire; and looking around for the cause, they come to the same conclusion: "It is because I neglect such and such a duty!" "But how shall I get rid of sin?" Usual answer: "By doing my duty, that is by ceasing from sin." Now the real question should be: Why do they neglect their duty? Why do they commit sin at all? Where is the foundation of all this mischief? But all this only brings us back to the real question again: How are we to overcome this corrupt nature, this wickedness, and our sinful habits? I answer, BY FAITH ALONE. No works of law have the least tendency to overcome our sins, but rather they strengthen the soul in self-righteousness and unbelief.The great and fundamental sin which is at the foundation of all other sin is unbelief. The first thing to do is to give that up - to believe the Word of God. There is no breaking away from one sin without this. "Whatever is not from faith is sin." (Rom. 14:23) "Without faith it is impossible to please Him." (Heb. 11:6) Thus we see that the backslider and convicted Christian, when agonizing to overcome sin, will almost always try to use the works of law to obtain faith. They will fast and pray and read and struggle and outwardly reform, and thus endeavor to obtain grace. But all this is in vain and wrong. Do you ask, "Shall we not fast and pray and read and struggle? Shall we do nothing but sit down in cheap security and inaction?" I answer: You must do all that God commands you to do; but begin where He tells you to begin, and do it in the manner in which He commands you to do it. That is - in the exercise of that faith that works by love. (Gal. 5:6) Purify your hearts by faith. Believe in the Son of God! (I John 5:10)What Is "Faith"?The first element of saving faith is realizing the truth of the Bible. But this alone is not saving faith, for Satan also realizes the truth of the Bible, which makes him tremble. (James 2:19) But a second element in saving faith is the agreement of the heart (or will) to the truth understood by the mind. It is a cordial trust or resting of the mind in those truths, and yielding up the whole being to their influence. Now it is easy to see that without the consent of the will, there can be nothing but an outward obedience to God. A wife without confidence in her husband can do nothing more than outwardly perform her duty to him. Works of law may be performed without faith, that is, we may serve from fear or hope or some selfish motive, but without the confidence that works by love, obedience from the heart is naturally impossible.By what I've already said, I mean that to seek the grace of faith by mere human works is an utter abomination. It is as abominable as to attempt to purchase the Holy Ghost with money. (Acts 8:20) It is to set aside the testimony of God's Word concerning our utter depravity (helplessness) and attempt to pawn off our unbelieving, heartless works upon an infinitely Holy God. It is an attempt to purchase His favor, instead of accepting grace as His sovereign gift.To give any other answer to one in unbelief, and to tell him to perform any work with the expectation that by it he shall obtain faith, is to confirm him in self-righteousness, to prolong his rebellion, to lead him to settle down in a self-righteous hope to produce in the end, discouragement and blasphemy.Because repentance, faith, love, and every other holy exercise both imply and proceed from faith - without confidence in the character and requirements of God, it is impossible to repent. For what is repentance but heartily to justify God and condemn ourselves? So it is equally impossible to exercise a trusting love in God without faith. Submission to God implies the exercise of confidence in God and in His requirements.Faith is the only exercise that receives Christ with all His powerfully sanctifying influences into the heart. The Bible everywhere represents the sanctified soul as being under the influence of an indwelling Christ. Now the exercise of faith is an opening of the door by which Christ is received to reign in the heart. If this is so, the proper direction plainly is to do that which receives Christ. If this is done, all else will be done. If this is neglected, all else will be neglected, of course!Some Helpful RemarksYou see why the Church is not sanctified. They overlook the office and necessity of faith as that which alone can produce acceptable obedience to God. They are engaged in efforts to obtain faith by works, instead of first exercising that faith which will produce within them a clean heart. And in this way they seek in vain for sanctification. How common it is to see Christians bustling about with outward efforts and works - fasting and praying, giving and doing and struggling - and after all this, they do not have the fruits of the Spirit: "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law." (Gal. 5:22-23 KJV)You see why the Bible lays so much stress upon faith.You see what the difficulty is for those who are constantly in a complaining state in their walk with the Lord. They seem to know they are wrong, but do not understand what the foundation of their wrong consists of. They sometimes think that a neglect of a certain duty is the grand difficulty, and sometimes their mind fastens upon something else that is the prime difficulty in their case. They set themselves to break off from one sin and another, they practice this self-denial and that duty, and all without that faith that fills the heart with love. Thus they go round and round in a circle and do not see that unbelief is their great, their damning sin, without the removal of which no other sin can be repented of or forgiven. All their efforts are entirely legal, hypocritical, and vain until they exercise faith.If persons without faith, in an unsanctified state, set themselves to obey the commandments of God, their efforts must necessarily be legal, self-righteous, and destructive. To them the directions of the Gospel, as well as the commandments of the law, are a horrible pit of miry clay. And when you cast a man into a horrible pit of miry clay, the more he struggles the deeper he sinks. Every effort at obedience without faith is sin, and as it confirms self-righteousness, is sinking him further and further from God and rational hope. And the more violently he struggles, the more desperate and alarming his case becomes. The clay surrounds him and cleaves to him, suffocates and kills him. Just so the commands of God to an unbelieving heart are a snare and a pit. Without faith, there is ruin and damnation in them.To the careless, unawakened sinner who knows nothing of his lostness, it might be important and proper to direct his attention to the law of God to bring conviction - not with the expectation of promoting holiness in him, but of convicting him of sin. Thus we find Christ requiring the rich young man who is wrapped up in self-righteousness to keep the commandments, bringing out before his mind his supreme love of the world and of things. (Luke 18:18-23)You see how to the Jews and to all unbelievers, the commandments of God are a stumbling block. All outward conformity to them is useless and ruinous. Love without faith is impossible. And consequently, the merciful directions and instructions contained in the dos and don'ts of the Bible are made the food of self-righteousness and the snare of death. But to those whose souls are full of faith and love, the commandments of God are just the instruction which they need when, in their ignorance, they earnestly inquire what they shall do to glorify God. "Do this and avoid that," and the like, are just the things upon which hearts of love will seize as the needed directions of their Heavenly Father.But someone may inquire, "Do not men learn to exercise faith by what you call legal efforts and an obedience to the legal directions?" No. They only learn by experience that all such directions are vain, and that they are totally depraved and dependent, which they ought to have believed before. They set themselves to pray and read and struggle, expecting at every meeting they attend, with every prayer they make, to obtain grace and faith. But they never do until they are completely discouraged and despair of obtaining help in this way. And the history of every self-righteous sinner's conversion and every anxious Christian's sanctification would develop this truth: that deliverance does not come until their self-righteous efforts are proved by their own experience to be utterly vain, and abandoned as useless - and the whole subject thrown upon the sovereign mercy of God. This submitting a subject to the sovereign mercy of God is that very act of faith which they should have put forth long before, but which they would not exercise until every other means had been tried in vain!But perhaps you will say, "If by this self-righteous struggle they learn their depravity and dependence, and in this matter come to prove by their own experience the truth of God, why not encourage them to make these efforts as at least an indirect way of obtaining faith?" Answer: Blasphemy and drunkenness and any of the most shocking sins may be, and often have been, the means of working conviction which has resulted in conversion. Why not encourage these things to possibly bring about ultimate salvation for some?The truth is, when a sinner's attention is awakened and he is convicted and puts forth the inquiry, "What shall I do?" and when a Christian, struggling with his remaining corruption, puts forth this same inquiry, why should they be thrown into the horrible pit of which I have spoken? Why not tell them at once, in the language of the text, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent"? (John 6:29)Let me say to you who would make the inquiry, "How can I overcome sin?" don't wait to fast, read, pray, or anything else - don't expect to break off from any sin in your unbelief! You may break off from the outward commission - you may substitute praying for swearing, reading your Bible for reading magazines, outward employment and honesty for theft and idleness, soberness for drunkenness, and anything you please - but this, without faith, is after all, only exchanging one form of sin for another - it is only varying the mode of your rebellion towards God. For remember that in unbelief, whatever your conduct is, you are still in rebellion against God. Faith would instantly sanctify your heart, sanctify all your doings, and render them in Christ Jesus, acceptable to God.My dear friend, you inquire whether you shall obtain holiness by reading the Bible, or by prayer, fasting, or by all these together. Now let this sermon answer you and know that by neither nor by all of these, in the absence of faith, are you to grow any better or find any relief. You speak of being in darkness and of being discouraged. No wonder you are so, since you have plainly been seeking sanctification by outward works. You have "stumbled over the stumbling stone." (Rom. 9:32) You are in that pit of miry clay. Immediately exercise faith upon the Son of God! It is the first, the only thing you can do to rest your feet upon the Rock - and it will immediately put a new song into your mouth!
This is going to sound real elementary, but the gospel is. It is simple enough that a child can understand it. We are the ones that complicate it.How did you receive Christ? It wasn't anything you did, you just simply believed. Simple faith. We get victory the same way, by walking in faith. Sounds simple enough doesn't it? Well, it must not be. The church is full of people trying to get set free by works. Let me explain. When you first get saved no matter your age, you are like a child, you simply believe, and all you want to do is learn about Jesus and please Jesus.
Afterwards you get in the works mode, feeling like you must do something. But the thing is, you can't. When Christ died on the Cross, it was finished. Faith in what Christ did at the Cross, what brings salvation, also brings victory. You can't sanctify yourself by works no more than you can save your self by works. Everyone's favorite thing is in tithing and giving hoping for a mighty breakthrough and their debt will be erased. I am a tither and a giver, I believe in tithing and giving. But that is not what will solve your money problems. Does God bless givers? YES, He does. As long as you manage your money properly and are a good steward of what He gives you, yes, blessings will come. Unfortunately, the church usually leaves the stewardship part out and leads everyone to believe all they have to do is give and a mighty breakthrough is coming and all of their debt will be erased. Don't think just because you give you can force God's Hand, you can't. You can't buy His favor no matter how much you give, pray, or read His Word, or do good works. His grace is why any of us has anything, not because of anything we do. That is what we must get in our spirits. To think otherwise is self-righteousness, and legalistic.
Even though there is no condemnation to those who believe, the devil is constantly trying to condemn us saying we don't pray enough, or read the Bible enough, we didn't give enough money, etc.
Read below what Charles Finney has to say about freedom. I copied and pasted this from the prodigals only webpage. http://www.prodigalsonly.com/
Overcoming Sin by Charles Finney:
They said therefore to Him, 'What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?' Jesus answered and said to them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.'" - John 6:28-29There are multitudes of anxious Christians who are inquiring what they shall do to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. They overlook the fact that "this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith" (I John 5:4) that it is with "the shield of faith" that they are to "extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one." (Eph. 6:16) They ask, "why am I overcome by sin? Why can't I get above its power? Why am I the slave of my appetites and passions and the sport of the devil?" They look all around them for the cause of all this spiritual wretchedness and death. Sometimes they think they have discovered the answer in the neglect of one duty, and at another time in the neglect of another duty. Sometimes they imagine they have found the cause of their wretchedness to be that they have yielded to one sin and sometimes in yielding to another. They put forth efforts in this direction and patch up their righteousness on one side, while they make a tear in the other. Thus they spend years running around in a circle, making dams of sand across the current of their own corruptions. Instead of at once purifying their hearts by faith (Acts 15:9), they are engaged in trying to stop the overflow of its bitter waters."Why do I sin?" they inquire; and looking around for the cause, they come to the same conclusion: "It is because I neglect such and such a duty!" "But how shall I get rid of sin?" Usual answer: "By doing my duty, that is by ceasing from sin." Now the real question should be: Why do they neglect their duty? Why do they commit sin at all? Where is the foundation of all this mischief? But all this only brings us back to the real question again: How are we to overcome this corrupt nature, this wickedness, and our sinful habits? I answer, BY FAITH ALONE. No works of law have the least tendency to overcome our sins, but rather they strengthen the soul in self-righteousness and unbelief.The great and fundamental sin which is at the foundation of all other sin is unbelief. The first thing to do is to give that up - to believe the Word of God. There is no breaking away from one sin without this. "Whatever is not from faith is sin." (Rom. 14:23) "Without faith it is impossible to please Him." (Heb. 11:6) Thus we see that the backslider and convicted Christian, when agonizing to overcome sin, will almost always try to use the works of law to obtain faith. They will fast and pray and read and struggle and outwardly reform, and thus endeavor to obtain grace. But all this is in vain and wrong. Do you ask, "Shall we not fast and pray and read and struggle? Shall we do nothing but sit down in cheap security and inaction?" I answer: You must do all that God commands you to do; but begin where He tells you to begin, and do it in the manner in which He commands you to do it. That is - in the exercise of that faith that works by love. (Gal. 5:6) Purify your hearts by faith. Believe in the Son of God! (I John 5:10)What Is "Faith"?The first element of saving faith is realizing the truth of the Bible. But this alone is not saving faith, for Satan also realizes the truth of the Bible, which makes him tremble. (James 2:19) But a second element in saving faith is the agreement of the heart (or will) to the truth understood by the mind. It is a cordial trust or resting of the mind in those truths, and yielding up the whole being to their influence. Now it is easy to see that without the consent of the will, there can be nothing but an outward obedience to God. A wife without confidence in her husband can do nothing more than outwardly perform her duty to him. Works of law may be performed without faith, that is, we may serve from fear or hope or some selfish motive, but without the confidence that works by love, obedience from the heart is naturally impossible.By what I've already said, I mean that to seek the grace of faith by mere human works is an utter abomination. It is as abominable as to attempt to purchase the Holy Ghost with money. (Acts 8:20) It is to set aside the testimony of God's Word concerning our utter depravity (helplessness) and attempt to pawn off our unbelieving, heartless works upon an infinitely Holy God. It is an attempt to purchase His favor, instead of accepting grace as His sovereign gift.To give any other answer to one in unbelief, and to tell him to perform any work with the expectation that by it he shall obtain faith, is to confirm him in self-righteousness, to prolong his rebellion, to lead him to settle down in a self-righteous hope to produce in the end, discouragement and blasphemy.Because repentance, faith, love, and every other holy exercise both imply and proceed from faith - without confidence in the character and requirements of God, it is impossible to repent. For what is repentance but heartily to justify God and condemn ourselves? So it is equally impossible to exercise a trusting love in God without faith. Submission to God implies the exercise of confidence in God and in His requirements.Faith is the only exercise that receives Christ with all His powerfully sanctifying influences into the heart. The Bible everywhere represents the sanctified soul as being under the influence of an indwelling Christ. Now the exercise of faith is an opening of the door by which Christ is received to reign in the heart. If this is so, the proper direction plainly is to do that which receives Christ. If this is done, all else will be done. If this is neglected, all else will be neglected, of course!Some Helpful RemarksYou see why the Church is not sanctified. They overlook the office and necessity of faith as that which alone can produce acceptable obedience to God. They are engaged in efforts to obtain faith by works, instead of first exercising that faith which will produce within them a clean heart. And in this way they seek in vain for sanctification. How common it is to see Christians bustling about with outward efforts and works - fasting and praying, giving and doing and struggling - and after all this, they do not have the fruits of the Spirit: "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law." (Gal. 5:22-23 KJV)You see why the Bible lays so much stress upon faith.You see what the difficulty is for those who are constantly in a complaining state in their walk with the Lord. They seem to know they are wrong, but do not understand what the foundation of their wrong consists of. They sometimes think that a neglect of a certain duty is the grand difficulty, and sometimes their mind fastens upon something else that is the prime difficulty in their case. They set themselves to break off from one sin and another, they practice this self-denial and that duty, and all without that faith that fills the heart with love. Thus they go round and round in a circle and do not see that unbelief is their great, their damning sin, without the removal of which no other sin can be repented of or forgiven. All their efforts are entirely legal, hypocritical, and vain until they exercise faith.If persons without faith, in an unsanctified state, set themselves to obey the commandments of God, their efforts must necessarily be legal, self-righteous, and destructive. To them the directions of the Gospel, as well as the commandments of the law, are a horrible pit of miry clay. And when you cast a man into a horrible pit of miry clay, the more he struggles the deeper he sinks. Every effort at obedience without faith is sin, and as it confirms self-righteousness, is sinking him further and further from God and rational hope. And the more violently he struggles, the more desperate and alarming his case becomes. The clay surrounds him and cleaves to him, suffocates and kills him. Just so the commands of God to an unbelieving heart are a snare and a pit. Without faith, there is ruin and damnation in them.To the careless, unawakened sinner who knows nothing of his lostness, it might be important and proper to direct his attention to the law of God to bring conviction - not with the expectation of promoting holiness in him, but of convicting him of sin. Thus we find Christ requiring the rich young man who is wrapped up in self-righteousness to keep the commandments, bringing out before his mind his supreme love of the world and of things. (Luke 18:18-23)You see how to the Jews and to all unbelievers, the commandments of God are a stumbling block. All outward conformity to them is useless and ruinous. Love without faith is impossible. And consequently, the merciful directions and instructions contained in the dos and don'ts of the Bible are made the food of self-righteousness and the snare of death. But to those whose souls are full of faith and love, the commandments of God are just the instruction which they need when, in their ignorance, they earnestly inquire what they shall do to glorify God. "Do this and avoid that," and the like, are just the things upon which hearts of love will seize as the needed directions of their Heavenly Father.But someone may inquire, "Do not men learn to exercise faith by what you call legal efforts and an obedience to the legal directions?" No. They only learn by experience that all such directions are vain, and that they are totally depraved and dependent, which they ought to have believed before. They set themselves to pray and read and struggle, expecting at every meeting they attend, with every prayer they make, to obtain grace and faith. But they never do until they are completely discouraged and despair of obtaining help in this way. And the history of every self-righteous sinner's conversion and every anxious Christian's sanctification would develop this truth: that deliverance does not come until their self-righteous efforts are proved by their own experience to be utterly vain, and abandoned as useless - and the whole subject thrown upon the sovereign mercy of God. This submitting a subject to the sovereign mercy of God is that very act of faith which they should have put forth long before, but which they would not exercise until every other means had been tried in vain!But perhaps you will say, "If by this self-righteous struggle they learn their depravity and dependence, and in this matter come to prove by their own experience the truth of God, why not encourage them to make these efforts as at least an indirect way of obtaining faith?" Answer: Blasphemy and drunkenness and any of the most shocking sins may be, and often have been, the means of working conviction which has resulted in conversion. Why not encourage these things to possibly bring about ultimate salvation for some?The truth is, when a sinner's attention is awakened and he is convicted and puts forth the inquiry, "What shall I do?" and when a Christian, struggling with his remaining corruption, puts forth this same inquiry, why should they be thrown into the horrible pit of which I have spoken? Why not tell them at once, in the language of the text, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent"? (John 6:29)Let me say to you who would make the inquiry, "How can I overcome sin?" don't wait to fast, read, pray, or anything else - don't expect to break off from any sin in your unbelief! You may break off from the outward commission - you may substitute praying for swearing, reading your Bible for reading magazines, outward employment and honesty for theft and idleness, soberness for drunkenness, and anything you please - but this, without faith, is after all, only exchanging one form of sin for another - it is only varying the mode of your rebellion towards God. For remember that in unbelief, whatever your conduct is, you are still in rebellion against God. Faith would instantly sanctify your heart, sanctify all your doings, and render them in Christ Jesus, acceptable to God.My dear friend, you inquire whether you shall obtain holiness by reading the Bible, or by prayer, fasting, or by all these together. Now let this sermon answer you and know that by neither nor by all of these, in the absence of faith, are you to grow any better or find any relief. You speak of being in darkness and of being discouraged. No wonder you are so, since you have plainly been seeking sanctification by outward works. You have "stumbled over the stumbling stone." (Rom. 9:32) You are in that pit of miry clay. Immediately exercise faith upon the Son of God! It is the first, the only thing you can do to rest your feet upon the Rock - and it will immediately put a new song into your mouth!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Achievement
Lincoln's Road to the White House
Failed in business in 1831.
Defeated for Legislature in 1832.
Second failure in business in 1833.
Suffered nervous breakdown in 1836.
Defeated for Speaker in 1838.
Defeated for Elector in 1840.
Defeated for Congress in 1843.
Defeated for Congress in 1848.
Defeated for Senate in 1855.
Defeated for Vice President in 1856.
Defeated for Senate in 1858.
Elected President in 1860.
To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1
Failed in business in 1831.
Defeated for Legislature in 1832.
Second failure in business in 1833.
Suffered nervous breakdown in 1836.
Defeated for Speaker in 1838.
Defeated for Elector in 1840.
Defeated for Congress in 1843.
Defeated for Congress in 1848.
Defeated for Senate in 1855.
Defeated for Vice President in 1856.
Defeated for Senate in 1858.
Elected President in 1860.
To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1
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