Beware of Prosperity Preachers

Beware of anyone who tries to stifle the screams of faith. Beware of prosperity preachers. Beware of people who say that if you just have enough faith, God will make you rich, God will make you healthy, God will give you all the things you pray for, and you’ll be gloriously successful and happy 24 hours a day. Is God some great vending machine in the sky? Is faith just pushing a button to get what you want?

This health-and-wealth gospel demeans God. It devastates God’s people when they suffer. The health-and-wealth message says that if you’re suffering and you feel like screaming, it must be your own fault. You simply haven’t had enough faith that God would bless you, and so he hasn’t.

How can anybody dump that kind of garbage on people in the name of Jesus? Jesus was “a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering.” He didn’t live in luxury. Jesus never even owned his own home. Jesus was “despised and rejected.” Jesus died in agony and disgrace when he was in his early thirties. And yet some religious teachers insist that Jesus means painless prosperity.

The road of suffering is only for spiritual losers. Possibly you’ve met up with people who talk this way. They stand at your hospital bed and tell you that the reason you haven’t been healed is that your faith isn’t strong enough. They tell you that the reason your business is failing is that you don’t have enough faith that God wants you to be rich.

These people approach the suffering of others the way Job’s friends approached Job’s suffering. Instead of sharing in the sorrow of others, they become experts at handing out blame and calling for more faith. They reject the Bible’s command to “mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15). Instead, they scold those who mourn and tell them to stop crying and have more faith.

My friends, don’t be fooled by prosperity preachers. Don’t let other people make you feel guilty for the sufferings you’re going through.

ref article : Screams of Faith

By Dr David Feddes

Christian Leaders Institute

Is Gods Truth Hidden?

Gods truth today is hidden just like many TV ads which have colorful images and catchy music and clever humor but present no factual information whatsoever about the product or service being sold.

Some churches take this same approach. They offer colorful, catchy, clever religion without much real content. They entertain without engaging the mind. That’s a betrayal of the Bible and an insult to the people they are trying to reach.

Then there’s the advertising strategy of presenting only those facts which the buyer will find appealing. You’ve probably seen offers of a free gift or a fabulous deal. The offer may be true, but all too often the offer is stated in huge print, while the further costs are hidden in fine print that you can hardly read. The goal is to sign you up for something without letting you know what you’re getting into.

In the same way, some churches and preachers are tempted to present only the aspects of God’s truth that people like and to hide the rest. But Jesus never did that, and neither did the prophets and apostles of the Bible. Scripture speaks of peace and joy and other wonderful promises, but it is also honest and up front about sin and repentance and judgment and other facts which people don’t like to hear. The Bible shows the blessings of being a Christian, but it also states plainly that you have to give up certain things in order to follow Jesus.

The apostle Paul said, “We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God… For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord” (2 Corinthians 4:2,5).

So let’s not try to make biblical truth so complicated that only experts can grasp its main thoughts, and let’s not make church into a sales job that manipulates people into buying a gospel they don’t understand.

Ref Article: Dr David Feddes

Christian Readers Institute 

In-Home Pastoral Care

We live in a broken world with broken people. In-home pastoral care is rare today. Often it is easy to ignore the needs of the people around us. But what would God want us to do? In His ministry here on earth, Jesus reached out to the most hurt, most abused, and most reviled members of His community. He healed not only their bodies but their spirits. Should we do any less?

The church trauma website was created as a unique opportunity to serve the hurting in their community through a Home-Based Care and online ministry. With our mission to love, serve, and teach, and with the numerous church resources already available, we can do what many others cannot—be the safe haven of health and healing that God intends His church to be.

 

We Are All About Heart and Soul

Have you noticed what happens when you play Hide and Seek with a small child. The closer you get to finding them, the more you feel your heart. Your heart opens to a channel of expression and experience where physical eyesight is no longer necessary. Traveling pastors rely on this guiding force which allows us to create a path merging two hearts as ONE.

A heart in unity with the world, itself, and others around it knows wholeness. Wholeness is the feeling of being ONE with all that is alive and well. It is the feeling of being loved, blessed, known, and cared for. Jesus had such a heart. The selfless act of self-sacrifice at the cross was a visible expression of God and his Son’s love for mankind.

We welcome the opportunity to visit you in your home. Most people are more comfortable in their own homes and we understand that as pastors and ministers our missionary work does not have to be in the jungles of Ecuador. There is an old expression ie. charity starts at home. Well, we believe ministry work starts in a person’s home. This pattern was in fact followed by the early church in Paul’s time.

In-Home Pastoral Care is not All About Bible Thumping. 

Our in-home visits are not all about bible thumping. We are there to listen and to assist you to heal. We  also visit in your homes as a companion and friend. A game of cards or chess over a cup of tea is not out of the ordinary for us. So please by all means if you are in need of somebody to talk to reach out to us on our contact page and we will be happy to pay you a visit. We are also available for a chat online.

Stay Happy

Today, why not make a personal commitment to be happy, in spite of what life hands over to you. You have to admit that there are too many things over which you have no control. The only thing you can do is to stop allowing them to make dents in your spirit.

Happiness is not something that others can take from you. It’s something that you would have to throw away on your own.

Challenging Times 

There will be times when things don’t turn out the way you want them to. Your best friend at work may turn out to be a power-hungry corporate animal that backstabs you at every opportunity. The promotion you worked so hard for may go to someone else. Your partner might decide to leave me, a day before we are due to go for a vacation together. You may lose most of your savings in a market crash.

These are things that can happen to the most loving, compassionate, careful and reasonable person. But after the initial pain and shock, the decision whether or not to let yourself languish in despair is entirely up to you. You can allow misfortune to form the bulk of your life, or you can choose to leave what’s past in the past, and move on.

Should I expect Something in Return?

One’s friendly and caring behavior towards others should not be motivated by the thought of equally kind and affectionate responses. You understand yourself best, and regardless of how reasonably and responsibly you live your life, there will be people who won’t see your point of view or share your motivations.

People have the right to act in any way they see fit. I don’t have the right to judge whether their behavior is acceptable or not. They have to bear the responsibility for their own actions, and so do you. By feeling sorry for yourself, you are simply continuing the work for them, long after they have dealt their blow. You have to decide that, as far as possible, you will not allow these people to disturb your mind.

Things To Be Grateful For

What are the many things for which you can be grateful? There are unexplored experiences in which you can find enrichment and meaning. There are yet others who will like you for who you are and in spite of who you are. If you spend more time being resentful and miserable, you are denying yourself the satisfaction of enjoying what this life has to offer.

The world is made up of so many unhappy people who punish themselves and others constantly in a bid to find redress and compensation. But there is no satisfaction in retaliation and revenge. It’s a waste of time and spirit.

“To be happy we must not be too concerned with others.”

Albert Camus

Death The Final Frontier

Is death final? When we hear the word “death” we imagine a skeleton dressed in a black coat that is coming to take us. This article will be a useful hint for those who want to decide for themselves, how they feel towards death.

Thinking About Death

In the free evening, you sit comfortably in your armchair and read an exciting book. Suddenly the clock strikes ten and you listen carefully to every strike of it. It seems like these are the last seconds of your life passing by and a strange feeling appears deep down in your gut. Perhaps the novel you were reading sparked it. For a brief moment as the clock striked ten you had a creepy thought of death. So, what is the truth? What should we feel about death? The bible is quite clear on this topic. We all die. “For the wages of sin is death”; Romans 6:23.

Much research has been done in psychology to define the most common feeling towards death. According to the majority of the scholars, it is fear. Only in one term paper outline of a student, there was another feeling mentioned. It was indifference. Those who haven’t accomplished everything they planned for their lives think that they should live until they do what they were destined to do in this life.

Reasons Why Some People Are Afraid Of Death 

People are afraid of death when they imagine the way they may die. Will it hurt? What will I feel? Love can also be a factor. Nobody wants their life shortened if they know that there is somebody who loves them more than anything and they feel the same way about the other person.

On the opposite spectrum some people are ready to leave this life? We can find several reasons. If a person is tragically unhappy and there is nothing in his/her life that can satisfy him or her, he/she will commit suicide. This is a trait of an extremely fragile personality and if found they should be closely watched over by relatives and friends.

A person can decide to commit suicide because of extreme circumstances. Once a person is backed in the corner and there is no way out, he/she can give up on life particularly if their personal situation is absolutely unbearable.

Those who already know that they don’t have much time left can also be close to suicidal thoughts. Suicide is an awful sin and nobody has the right to commit it, for we were given a life and are not to waste it, even if some problems appear. Jesus himself warned us that we would experience trouble in this life.” “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. 

So we know that death is unavoidable and that we are expected to die. The point is not to focus on it but rather we should try to enjoy every day with its challenges as well as its blessings. Jesus overcame this world and so can we.

Jesus Christ: Self-Denial or Self-Esteem

If one didn’t look at the title of Dr. Tyler’s book, “Jesus Christ: Self-Denial or Self-Esteem,” they might think they were reading a book about the life of Christ instead of a refutation of the self-esteem movement. Dr. Tyler takes a different approach that’s characteristic of some of the other books on critiquing self-esteem. He doesn’t exclusively argue that the self-esteem position is defective from a humanistic psychological approach as Paul Vitz does. Nor does he attempt to contrast each heretical thought and compare it to an exhaustive look at scripture references. Instead, he compares the notion of selfism to the life and practices of Jesus Christ. By so doing, he demonstrates that self-esteem flies directly in the face of what Christ was teaching others, especially His very own disciples.

Pop Culture Words 

In the introduction, Dr. Tyler makes the case that the new pop culture words, self-image, self-esteem and self-worth have one central focus: self. This being a recent phenomena (within the past 25 years), it has had a significant influence on the church and its teachings. He quotes Robert Schuller who says that a new reformation is needed and that being one centering on self-esteem. (It’s ironic that Schuller uses the word reformation. “The Reformation,” nearly 500 years ago, affirmed the utter ruin and insufficiency of man’s condition and reinforced the complete sufficiency of scripture, grace, faith and Christ—a complete and utter opposition of what Schuller wants.) Dr. Tyler seeks to declare that the Bible’s emphasis is on self-denial, a concept that is apparently anathema to modern day authors. And where are, Dr. Tyler asks, the words of Jesus when he supposedly tells his followers to “love themselves, esteem themselves, accept themselves, believe in themselves, develop a healthy self-image, or nurture feelings of significance and worth?” Dr. Tyler looks for them in the next three chapters of his book as he explores the words, works, and parables of Christ.

Jesus Was Always Others Orientated

Dr. Tyler explores Christ’s encounter with various people. Jesus was always other-oriented in that He was continually about His father’s business. His baptism, the cleansing of the temple and the meeting with the Samaritan women are just a few examples that Dr. Tyler cites as proof. The most striking evidence appears in Christ’s Sermon on the Mount where Jesus tells the crowd how to obtain blessedness (happiness). One would expect to find here Christ giving exhortation on seeking self-affirmation if the self-esteem zealots were true. However, Dr. Tyler cites five Beatitudes that Christ preached which further disappoints the selfism crowd. Christ proclaimed blessedness would occur to those who are poor in spirit, mourn, practice meekness, are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, and are merciful.

The Miracles Of Christ 

Leaving Christ’s words, Dr. Tyler explores the miracles of Jesus Christ. Jesus used miracles as proof of His divine authority, to give substance to His words, and also to demonstrate his other-oriented attitude by offering love and sympathy for mankind. Dr. Tyler gives several examples, healing of the leper and the Roman centurion’s servant, the calming for the Sea of Galilee, the demon-possessed man, to name a few. This shows Christ was focused on meeting the needs of others. Dr. Tyler also leaves the self-love advocates with a question as to where was the person who cried “I hate myself, I feel inferior and inadequate; heal me Son of David;” (not in Galilee apparently).

Christs Parables 

Dr. Tyler uses the parables to further prove that Christ was other-oriented. He gives a brief explanation on the purpose of parables. He explains the dilemma that many find as to why Christ spoke in parables, i.e., Christ intentionally hid from the disobedient and rebellious His mysteries. Dr. Tyler’s quotation from G. Campbell Morgan seems out of step however as Campbell’s quote muddies the water. It appears inconsistent with Matthew 13:15b. “lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”

Conclusion 

Dr. Tyler closes his book by acknowledging that undeniably self-esteemism is found in the scriptures. It’s origin is in Genesis 3:6, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” This was the beginning of mankind becoming self-oriented. It’s clear to the reader that support for current selfism philosophy cannot be gleaned from the teachings or the life of Christ. Christ was certainly focused on doing His Father’s business as well as relieving the suffering of others.

Jesus Died For Our Sicknessess
Look closely at the words “griefs” and “sorrows” in Isaiah’s prophecy below. Scholarship demands that both these words should have been rendered by our English words “sicknesses” and “pains.”

Isa 53:4
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. (KJV)

In this Scripture, Isaiah declared to us that Jesus died for our sickness and pain as well as our sins. Many, many translations of the Bible say that Jesus died for our “sicknesses” and “pains” as well as for our sins.

“The Bible: An American Translation” (J. M. Powis Smith and Edgar J. Goodspeed) used the words “pains and sorrows” to translate this Isaiah healing Scripture.

“The Holy Scriptures According To The Masoretic Text: A New Translation” (The Jewish Publication Society) used the words “diseases and pains” to translate it.

“The Emphasized Bible: A New Translation” (J. B. Rotherham) used the words “sicknesses and pains.”

“The New American Bible” used the words “infirmities and sufferings.”

“The New English Bible” used the words “sufferings and torments.”

In addition to the above, Young, the great Hebrew scholar, used the words “sicknesses and pains.”

Another Hebrew scholar, Leeser, used the words “diseases and pains” to translate it.

The above is only the tip of the iceberg. The deeper you look into Scripture, the more evidence you find that Jesus’ death covered our sicknesses as well as our sins.

The Bible Versions cited above do not tiptoe around the edges. They give the heart and soul of what Isaiah actually said. Jesus died for our sicknesses as well as for our sins.

Next we see Matthew’s view of Isaiah 53.

Matt 8:16-17
16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. (KJV)

Matthew translated this Isaiah healing Scripture with the words “infirmities and “sicknesses.”

MacClaren, the Godly commentator, agrees with Matthew’s interpretation of Isaiah. He also used the words “sicknesses” and “diseases.”

Delitzsch, the great Hebrew scholar, continues the argument. He used the words “sicknesses” and “pains” to translate this Isaiah passage.

What Jesus bore for us, we do not have to bear for ourselves. Jesus bore our sins so we would not have to bear them. He bore our sicknesses and pains so we do not have to bear them either. What a wonderful savior.

We Gentile Christians can be healed by faith because we have been grafted into this Isaiah healing passage right along with the physical descendents of Abraham. In his death, Jesus bore our sicknesses too.

Earthquakes and Tsunamis – Mother Nature or Father God

The question of natural disasters being judgments from God is the most often asked and hotly debated of all questions related to Christ’s second coming to Earth.

This has been my firsthand experience for over thirty five years. Here are a few answers.

Question:

In a world that is so politically charged and uncertain can we trust that an entire kingdom, yet to rise, could be revealed to us by the use of a symbol, especially that of a beast?

Answer:
When John depicts both the antichrist and his kingdom with the symbol of a beast, Revelation l7:1f, he is showing us some futuristic series of events that some say is too much to entrust to the uncertainty of a vision, much less a symbol within a vision.

This argument is instantly neutralized when we realize that many years before John’s vision the prophets had similar visions that are now fully completed, and are now a part of the historical record.

For example Daniel saw the rise and fall of four separate kingdoms in two visions that he had himself or interpreted for the ruler in his time.

Daniel saw the rise and fall of the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek and Roman empires.

One vision was of a man and the other of various beasts, Daniel 2:lf and 7:lf These visions are now part of the past and serve only to prove that God does use such images, they are always accurate and it is time to get onboard if you are going to take God seriously.

Question:
Are natural disasters the evidence that the end is at hand?

Answer:
Actually the increase of natural disasters is not the evidence that it is the end. They are the evidence that the end is about to begin.

They are those things that signal the approach of the coming troubles and the return of Christ.

Jesus put it this way…And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, And earthquakes in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Mt 24: 6-8 Such events then are the precursors to the great tribulation they are not the tribulation in all its fullness, and it’s scripturally provided order. You can almost hear the phrase…Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, guess what happened.

Question:
Are natural disasters, wars, nuclear incidents, and terrorism Gods judgments?

Answer:
They may be his judgments for our ongoing sinfulness but they are not the judgments spoken of in Revelation.

The events that follow the breaking of seven seals, the blowing of seven trumpets and the pouring out of seven vials of wrath are all intervening judgments performed by God alone.

Let me be brutally succinct and put it another way. Man does not perform the judgment of man in that day. God glorifies himself alone.

Men would only try to explain the judgments away as some inexplicable anomaly or natural occurrence.

They would not think it had anything at all to do with their own way of life. They would never admit that their sins had finally come under the scrutiny of an angry God.

God has endured centuries of our reasoning and wrangling about whether he would actually intervene and judge our behavior.

Not even Christians seem to know that he has given us a many examples and an iron clad guarantee that assures us that he will.

In the twenty eighth chapter of Deuteronomy, God gives a list of the blessings that we will earn if we obey him in a mere fourteen verses.

In the same chapter he pronounces the things that will befall us if we choose to go our own way, and that takes no less than fifty four verses.

Some of the judgments included are madness, hemorrhoids, and blindness.

The worn out cliché that says that a loving God would never do such things to us needs to be re-examined in a more realistic light.

God usually forewarns people through men and women who aren’t afraid to speak up, but he tells only a very few exactly what those judgments will be.

I have not been notified about great disasters or calamities as a rule, but I am still under mandate to proclaim those judgments revealed in the scripture and especially those of the book of Revelation.

The only specific judgment I have so far ever been apprised of in advance is the coming economic collapse in America.

That doesn’t mean I haven’t felt that some of the calamities I have witnessed did not make me ponder the idea that God had surely intervened to bring them about.

One such event was the recent tsunami that killed a quarter of a million people in Indonesia and other counties in that part of the world. I don’t like hearing about disasters, hardships or the demise of any people and it brought me great sorrow to learn of this horrendous tragedy. I prayed for those families who had victims of the disaster as I watched the reports along with the rest of the world.

About a week after the tsunami struck I heard a little news item about that region of the world that had not received much attention before or after the disaster.

I found it impossible to overlook the report without giving it further examination. I heard a report that said that the sale of infants and the child pornography business in that area is the largest in the world.

The reporter said, it is estimated that the income for child porn and baby sales was approximately twelve billion dollars a year. If ever I have felt that a calamity could he a direct judgment of God it was this one.

I was reminded of a powerful and serious warning that Jesus gave… But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Mt. 18:6

Rev Bresciani is the author of two popular Christian books, one on the second coming of Christ. He has hundreds of articles published both online and in print. Visit the website at www.americanprophet.org

Judge Not! What Goes Around Comes Around

I am sure you have heard that saying many times before, but are you aware that it is a scriptural principal. Yep, Luke 6:3-7,8 says, “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged : Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.

Give, and it shall be given unto: good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

Many people refer to this verse when speaking about giving love gifts. The principal is the same, if we give to God, it will come back to us but not only what we give, but in surplus….good measure, pressed down and shaken together and running over.

If this principal is true with our giving, we should take heed because it also refers to how we treat other people. The Bible clearly states that if we judge, we will be judged, if we condemn, we will be condemned.

Many proclaiming Christians have a big problem with this very issue.

Many can not help themselves from condemning and judging others in the church. They do not realize that this is just a puffed up sense of pride which empowers them. They feel righteously justified in what they say….The problem is, that just because we can feel justified in what we say that doesn’t mean what we say is truly justifiable in God’s eyes. Many do not realize that they are in sin by judging. They forget that God clearly states in his Word that we are NOT TO JUDGE.

As humans there is so much of the flesh and our own desires that still rule our lives. Oh yes, we may have been in the church for years and finally gotten our act together , so we think….but years later we look back and say, Wow, I remember saying such and such, how wrong I was, but at the time I thought I was right.

This teaches us that we should not go about spurting out judgments against others just because we feel somehow we know better. Yes you may be a stronger Christian than brother X but he probably has some strong points too, but you don’ t know about them because you can’t see what is going on with brother or sister X…Only God can see into the heart of man, Only God can judge with right judgment.

God’s word tells us DO NOT JUDGE  Why aren’t we smart enough to listen to God.!!!

How can you actually Judge someone else and tell them they are in sin, when you yourself are in sin, by judging them!!!! Sadly, many people don’t see it. They see the mote in their brothers eye but think they are seeing clearly not realizing there is a BEAM in their own eye. Yes Judging others brings judgment back unto you. And it is God who judges. This is not a good position to be in my brother and sister.

The Number 1 Excuse why people want to judge: But how will they learn to live righteously if I don’ t show them their fault!
God clearly states that he will judge the living and the dead. He also states that His SPIRIT will lead us unto a life of perfection.

GOD DOESN’T NEED YOUR HELP!

Paul states in Romans 14:
3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Romans 15:
1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

This clearly teaches us that we are to accept each other and to love one another, just as Christ receives us.

Causing strife amongst the members is not what God wants from us.

IT IS SIN!

We are no better than the person to whom we are trying to condemn!

But how are we supposed to tell others they are wrong! Good question. I’m glad you asked 😉 The answer to the big question is simple. You don’t tell them. Pretty simple and straightforward I know, but it is the right way.

Do you ignore the situation? NO, Never! God Forbid! What you do is you pray for the person instead of judging him or her. Pray that their eyes may be enlightened and that they may know the fullness of God in their lives. Pray that God help them see the error of their ways, that the Holy Spirit enlighten their minds to see that they are in the wrong way. Don’t play GOD! He doesn’t need your help. He can work things out fine without you.

In conclusion, remember not to Judge your fellow Christians, no matter how immature they may seem. God is working on them and believe it or not, He will work things out.

JUDGE NOT, and ye shall not be judged: Condemn not and ye shall not be condemned: forgive and ye shall be forgiven.

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Love conquers All. So next time you feel the urge to Judge, remember that it is not from God. Judge Not…Pray instead.

 

Our Purpose in Life

There are many times in our lives where we ask ourselves the question;”What is my purpose in Life?” And there are some who make a living, telling others exactly what it is. Many write books covering the subject and others make movies and presentations, but none really address the answer very clearly. Children kill themselves because they say that there is no purpose in their lives. The demands of this life time and especially of this upcoming generation is weighing down many a persons spirit, cutting them to the bone, not leaving them any recourse but to go with the flow, being swept away with peer pressure and company abuse. So what is the answer, is it in a book, a movie, a presentation or a single mans idea of life? No, The answer is in Jesus.

Matthew 11:27 is a perfect place to start finding your purpose on this earth. You must be known of The Father, you must be recognized by the All Mighty, without Him there is no purpose in your life, except to die and be judged. “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him”.

Is our purpose in life to receive Glory from our name and position in life? John 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. 1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;

Is our purpose in life to gain riches? Jesus said; “Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!” “the deceitfulness of riches” Luke 16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 1Ti 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

So then you ask, “What is our purpose in life and who is this Son of Man, Jesus Christ?” The answer is simple; Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Our purpose in Life is to be a living sacrifice to God, to seek His Glory, His Wisdom, His Knowledge, His Acceptance as Children of The Almighty. Our purpose in Life is to Serve as our Saviour Served.

Mat 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; Mat 18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. Mat 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Jesus, The Son of Man, Son of God, Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Word, The Prince of Peace, The Lord of The Sabbath, The Christ, The Seeker of the Lost, The Avenger, The Rewarder, The First, The Last, The Eternal, The Faithful Witness,The First Begotten of the Dead, The prince of the Kings of the Earth, The Bright and Shining Star, The Alpha, The Omega, The First, The Last, The Morning Star, The Holder of The Key of David, and the Amen. Seek out the Son of Man while He still may be Found and know your purpose in Life.